“Pay Forward a Surprise Treat.” That was the theme of Day 1 of a 21-Day Kindness Challenge that is being hosted by one of my favorite websites (kindspring.org). The specifics: “Rev up the engines — it’s time to upgrade someone’s day from mundane to magical with unexpected kindness! Kick off the Kindness Challenge by leaving extra…
Category: favorite things
It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane…
Did I mention that we saw Superman at the grocery store this weekend? And nearby, we saw his sister, Wonder Woman. Although I couldn’t quite get a photo of her. Kids in costumes make me smile so much — especially when it’s in public and it’s not Halloween. There’s just something so fantastic about seeing…
Traveling Mercies
Saw these images and the following post on Facebook yesterday from the National Weather Service. Eventually, this made me really giddy: “Keen observers of our radar data probably noticed some fairly high returns moving south over southern Illinois and central Missouri. High differential reflectivity values as well as low correlation coefficient values indicate these are…
Perfect. Just Perfect.
Friday marked the ten-year anniversary of my kids and I calling St. Louis home. And I cannot think of a more perfect way to celebrate than taking in the best of this city with my lifelong best friend and her wonderful family, who made the trek from Kansas City for this visit. What a blast….
Thinking of You
This adorable mug is a photo taken by my dear friend Suzy and sent to me yesterday with the message, “Thinking of you AGAIN! This was truly a doggie in the window (Of a laundromat)” This filled me with so much joy for so many reasons, the most obvious being, well, it’s a pug. Pugs…
Ever have the feeling…
…that you’re being watched? On three separate occasions (two this weekend), in three separate communities (one of which is two hours away), I’ve noticed these funky eyeballs staring back at me. No idea what that’s all about, but I laugh every time. Savoring the last few hours of a much-needed long weekend. So, so sad to see…
Self-Reflection: Meaning and Purpose
“The meaning of life is to find your gift.The purpose of life is to give it away.” – William Shakespeare I read this quote earlier this week and it’s served as a reflection ever since. What is my gift? Am I giving it away? Have I found meaning? Am I fulfilling my purpose? Honestly, this was…
Sunday Session
For awhile now, Drew and I have been talking about taking some “Senior Photos” of him before his last year of college kicks off. So this morning, we decided to set out. Destinations: Laumeier Sculpture Park and Citygarden. Perfect morning, perfect locations. And perfect company. Loved the late summer blooms. St. Louis, I love you…
Just Because
Started this morning with a long, slow stroll through the Botanical Gardens…for no other reason than I could. A lot of fun things are blooming right now…but the waterlilies are the showstoppers. Stuh-ning. The Chihuly glass brings such a wonderful sense of whimsy to it all. Not sure what this little guy is, but the…
Wow. Just Wow.
This morning I got a cryptic text from my beloved and blissfully retired former boss. She gave me specific directions to something she wanted me to see, but wouldn’t tell me what I was looking for — only that I would know it when I saw it and it was amazing. The location was just beyond…
Shinrin Yoku
Strolling through the woods has always been a bit of an escape for me. Wandering around slowly, taking photos, listening closely, breathing deeply…it’s my happy place. Turns out, there’s a reason. As I read this morning, it would seem that I’ve been unknowingly utilizing a Japanese practice called Shinrin Yoku, translated “forest bathing” or luxuriating…
Exactly…
“It is more fun to talk with someone who doesn’t use long, difficult words but rather short, easy words like “What about lunch?” – A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh
Enjoying the Views
After a loooong drive through the monotonous landscape of Kansas, which my youngest son likened to running on a treadmill, we finally reached the gorgeousness of Colorado. Per usual, we’ve had a very loose agenda. A few non-negotiables are on the itinerary, but we mostly just go with the flow. As a family with two males, one…
Happy Place
Had a chance to visit the Anderson Japanese Gardens in Rockford, Illinois, yesterday. I love this place. I’ve been here several times, but never in the spring. Every visit has been different; every visit has had something new to offer. The only season I’m missing is winter. And I’ll bet that’s beautiful, too.
Glimpses
This has been one of the most beautiful springs I can remember. Many flowers seem to be peaking this weekend. Sigh. Smile.
New Friends and Flowers
Saturday hike with Tanner on a perfect spring day. I’ll take it. We met new friends. This is Sadie and Sophie Bassett. We found random fields of flowers… …some Bleeding Heart… …and the show-stopper: loads of lilacs just starting to bloom. We’ll have to go back when the bushes are at their peak. But today…
Sunday at the Ball Park
Yesterday Tanner and I got to go see the Cardinals play the Cubs, courtesy of my sister and brother-in-law. Not only was it a ton of fun, we saw a winner! Above is a panoramic view from our seats. Click on the image for a larger look. “That’s a winner” is always a favorite expression,…
Friday with Mom
My mamma picked THE most beautiful day of the year for a day trip to our zip code. Sunny, seventy degrees…so, so lovely. And we picked THE most beautiful place to start the day — the Botanical Garden’s Orchid Show. So many wonderful varieties, shapes and colors. But mostly just wonderful company. Loved getting to…
Why DO birds sing in the morning? (video)
This little fella greets my fellow office mates like this almost every morning. It’s the happiest, most uplifting thing. I just love him. When I saw this fun article (click here) explaining why birds sing in the morning, I immediately thought of him. Happy First Day of Spring!!
Distracted Runner, Sunday Edition
This morning brought sunshine and my long run for the week. While I enjoy them, long runs are tough for me — but not for the most obvious reasons. Ten and a half miles outdoors provides a lot of territory for observation and the risk for distraction is super high — especially for someone who dabbles…
Humans of New York
Recently I stumbled upon a blog (and Instagram and Facebook page) called Humans of New York (link here). Once I got sucked in, I could not tear myself away. I still cannot get enough of these portraits…I even bought the book. The photographer is a young man named Brandon Stanton. Don’t get me wrong, he’s…
Sunday at the Garden
Early morning trek to the Botanical Garden and I saw this guy along the way. This set the tone for my adventure. I had a smile on my face for the next several hours. Here was my destination: the 2014 Orchid Show. It was more fun when I went last year with my mom, but…
New Year
It’s amazing what you can see on the ground when your running routes take you by two or three schools. This was today’s treasure. A peaceful run on a peaceful day.
Love Unchanged
Rummaging through my photos from this year, I found this image. I’d not done anything with it prior to today, although I’m not entirely sure why. I figure it has something to do with the fact that I’ve blogged about this couple before — more than three years ago. When I looked up the old…
hey there, friends 