“Aging is the extraordinary process where you become the person you always should have been.” – David Bowie So I aged a little bit today. Every now and then, it’s possible to catch a glimpse of something in ourselves that really isn’t as it ought to be. Maybe we’re not as patient or kind as we thought we were. Maybe we could…
You Might Just Make it After All
“Take chances, make mistakes. That’s how you grow. Pain nourishes your courage. You have to fail in order to practice being brave.” – Mary Tyler Moore
Bit of Wisdom
“In your quest for happiness, choose your companions wisely. Surround yourself with people who take responsibility for themselves… …and are actively seeking joy.” — Nanea Hoffman
Weatherproofing
“When life gives you rain, wear cute boots and jump in the puddles.” – unknown Or ride your pink scooter while you wait for the bus. As I sat at a stoplight on the way to work this morning, I got the biggest kick out of this little girl. She scooted all over her driveway and…
Always Be a Unicorn
“Always be yourself. Unless you can be a unicorn. Then always be a unicorn.” Recently I posted about a photography hike and how embarrassed I was about looking weird to other hikers. I’ve thought a lot about that day, trying to understand what I had been so worried about. I finally realized that what made that incident unusual is…
A Soul Generated By Love
“Everybody can be great…because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.” — Martin Luther King, Jr. (Photo from a DC trip I took this…
Sunday Stuff
“This is your Sunday evening reminder that you can handle whatever this week throws at you.” — unknown Since the anticipated ice didn’t happen today, my Sunday happily turned out to be a little more active than I’d anticipated. Got to go to church, went to lunch with my son, and headed out for a run….
Icy Stroll Through Laumeier
Photos just don’t do this justice. The ice makes everything look so beautiful. Another bonus? I had the entire park to myself. Somebody is missing this, I’m sure. Somebody else is missing this.
Blessings on Ice
This is Archie, the resident cat of our neighborhood hardware store. He was overseeing shopping preparations last night as people poured in to buy flashlights, batteries, candles, water, etc. Not only is he a hard-working kitty, he’s a big, purring love bug. With a three-day icy forecast, I stocked up on everything we needed to settle in…
The Heart Knows
“Let your heart guide you. Listen closely, it whispers.” – unknown I’m not sure when it started, but I seem to have developed a thing for spotting hearts. Rocks, tree knots, oil spills, ice patches, leaves, grease spots, mud clumps…you name it, they’re everywhere. Over time, I’ve tried to share some of my heart sighting photos on Facebook and…
On the Surface
With temperatures outside in the 50s, I decided to grab my Canon and head out for a walk in the woods. I didn’t have anything in mind when I set out, but I settled into a photo project that I really enjoyed. But as I took pictures, I noticed some curious looks from other hikers….
I Know He Watches Me
This video actually made me cry. I’ve always found it fascinating that sparrows are referenced a few times in the Bible — they seem to be important to God. “Not one falls from the sky without your Father’s knowledge,” Matthew 10:29 says. This verse pops into my head more often than most, probably because I watch birds…
Shine Brighter
“Set intentions, not resolutions.” While I’ve been happy to embrace the fresh start of a new year, I haven’t really been up to establishing any resolutions. I’ve cleaned up my surroundings and made some needed repairs in preparation for the new year, but that’s about the extent of it. As someone who has historically worked to improve, I’ve felt kind…
Lighten Up
“There is nothing wrong with having a great enthusiasm for something other people don’t know or understand. Your joy is your own.” – Nanea Hoffman Things that have made me inordinately happy as of late: Pug mugs. Sunrises. Dried lilies. Non-conformists. Serious naps. And cleaning. Lots and lots of cleaning. While most people wouldn’t find…
She Was a Force
“Stay afraid, but do it anyway. What’s important is the action. You don’t have to wait to be confident. Just do it and eventually the confidence will follow.” – Carrie Fisher Times they are a-changin’ for HERoes. They can wear pink capes and tiaras. And play with dolls from a line of DC Superhero Girls. They…
Let Your Heart Be Light
Our annual trip to the Way of Lights at Our Lady of the Snows looked and felt a little different this year. Our car was a little more crowded with some new faces. But that’s the great thing about love — the more we give, the more we have. The circle can always be expanded. New…
Somewhere Between Darn Good and Dumpster Fire
“For last year’s words belong to last year’s language, and next year’s words await another voice.” – T.S. Eliot I’m currently sitting in the hospital waiting room for my youngest’s marathon MRI session to end. Rather than stew for hours in fear and anxiety, I’m opting to put together my annual year-end review post. Honestly,…
Pictures of My Loved Ones…Revisited
When my aunt passed away earlier this year, I’d posted a few times about going through boxes upon boxes of old family photos. It was a fascinating, emotional journey. This image of my grampa’s photo envelope still pulls at my heart. But something interesting happened when I posted these two portraits on Facebook on National Grandparents…
May Your Days Be Merry…
I love this simple acts of kindness list so much. The original link is here. The accompanying photos are just a few from life lately. The Hello Kitty, panda, and heart wood are gifts from dear friends. I am filled with gratitude that, not only do I have wonderful people in my life, they know…
Tree Skirts and Santa Shirts
When I glanced at our Christmas tree this morning, I noticed that our new tree skirt appeared to be in a ball under the branches. Upon closer inspection, I realized our Violet was that “ball” and our skirt was just fine. It was just hard to tell where the skirt ended and the cat began….
Well Under Way
Behold, the Grump Tree. I found this silly thing at Trader Joe’s today and had to take it home with me. It’s like Dr. Seuss meets Charlie Brown. This was after my son’s girlfriend and I made these little cupcakes yesterday. A dozen penguins and a polar bear. (We ran out of momentum.) And Murphy…
A Day in the Life. Sort of.
So that was close. For three years now, I’ve completed a “day in the life” photo project, taking at least one photo each hour for an entire day (first project link here; second project link here). I recently realized that I haven’t done a “day in the life” since last year (here’s 2015). But I had one work trip left in…
My Little Chapel
“Maybe Christmas doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas perhaps, means a little bit more.” – The Grinch I don’t have our tree up yet, but I do have our newest little decoration up in the house. And no, it didn’t come from a store. And it means a whole lot more. Isn’t it the…
Time to Glow
Started the season off at my favorite place with one of my favorite events — the Garden Glow! I took my Little Sister and her mom with me in celebration of my Little’s birthday (after a trip to Build-a-Bear). It was my Little’s mom’s first trip to the Garden, let alone the Garden Glow. She…
hey there, friends 