Now

This morning I spent sometime lying on the couch thinking of how nice to not do anything. 

Then I watched some youtube videos that had me thinking about the pleasure of doing nothing and how that in itself is doing something...

To do nothing is to do something.

A few hours later I decided to google places I'd like to live in next.

I am sensing my time is up in Sunnyvale and this is not the city I want to live and move and have my being in anymore.

I found a list of places that really resonates with me.

The whole exercise was  quite enjoyable.

It is now past 2 PM and I am still on the couch. 

I am not over anxious to get out because it is a nice sunny California day and we should really be outdoors walking and enjoying... blah...blah...blah.

Nope.

Did not have those shoulding on myself episodes.

Instead, I had the best time looking up places I'd like to live in next.

Now, I will get off the couch in search of something to eat.

Listen

My angel card reading for the third time is 

LISTEN

It is a reminder for me to remember that everything is taken care of.

I truly have nothing to worry about.

The universe has been sending me other confirmations as well.

I see the numerical alignment almost every time I choose to glance 

at the clock. 

Things that I have asked for or wished for has been manifesting.

Still, I do need to stop the habitual worrying.

Counted cross-stitch is an excellent diversion as it does serve

to keep my thoughts in the present moment.

WIP: Old Mill

WIP #2 

Old Mill reminds me of Wayside Inn Grist Mill in Sudbury, MA. 

Once upon a time, I lived not very far from here and use to visit in all seasons.

This pattern from JCS Nov 1996 was designed by Julia Lucas.

Interestingly enough, I had earmarked this pattern in 1996, when I received the magazine and promptly forgot about it. 

It's a delight to rediscover the old mill again in this manner. While I cannot be there physically, I am enjoying spending time via my needle and thread.

WIP- Magnificent Heron

This project by Coats Craft UK is really magnificent. I love the colours and the rather long design. I am using 14 count white Aida and 28 different colours. 

This is my first design from Coats Craft UK, which I found in issue 56 of Cross Stitch Gold. Since I have most of the back issues of this magazine, I am sure I will find more designs from Coats Craft UK. 

I picked this design because my husband loves photographing nature. I loved the colours in this as well as the the whole stitches. I knew that working this pattern would be a delight and so far I am not disappointed.

Shoe bag

My first attempt at creating an appliqued shoe bag. I didn't like the way in which my sewing machine stitched around the applique. I have to play with the tension some more to find the perfect stitch. Meanwhile I really liked the printed fabric.
The shoe bag is extra wide to fit my high heeled platform shoes which are pretty and bulky!

Cool n crisp

It's been surprisingly warm and shockingly humid around here lately.

I'm longing for  the cool, pristine air of Downeast Maine.

Not to mention the lobsters.

Or the quietude.

And the millions of trees

standing tall and reassuring.

Happy Autumn Equinox September 23rd 2014

This seems to be a fitting picture to welcome Autumn.

Of course it was taken in New England, in times past.

Right now the trees in Westborough MA doesn't look like this.

I know, I was there two weeks ago.

Here in NorCal, we are still playing with Summer who shows
 no sign of leaving anytime soon.

More fun info about the Equinox.

No rest for the blissful!

We spent the day at the beach yesterday.

After our morning walk of two hours, we sat down to a

well deserved lunch of cheese, hops bread and wine.

This was followed by a nap for me, which lasted all of ten minutes before

I was rudely awakened by this cat. 

I was startled into a sitting position

when the cat promptly jumped into my space and did not

leave. We eventually left the beach with me having to drag the mat out

from beneath his lazy behind.

Wicked

This past season was one of the best for live theatre in our neck of the woods.
We are about twelve minutes from the theatre, so this has been wonderful for us.
Our season ended with Wicked which was of course wicked good.
The back story to the characters in Wizard of Oz was quite fascinating.
I loved the sets and the lavish costumes too. I think this was memorable for me because a few days after seeing this I saw Into The Woods at The Playhouse in San Francisco. It was a nice finish to the fairytale theme.

Four Days in San Francisco

Even though I live fifty minutes away from this city, I took the opportunity to live in it for four days this past week.
I had fun shopping, eating, walking, riding the cable car, seeing Into the woods at the Playhouse and visiting my favourite watering hole.
I enjoyed the beautiful, mild weather this past week. No jacket required! The bluest skies and most brilliant sunshine every day from dawn to dusk.
I even got to see The Black Keys!
The best thing about this city is the leisure mode everyone appears to be in.

Velella velella

These beautiful jelly creatures are currently washing up on the shores at Half Moon Bay. They are a beautiful shade of blue and very interesting to look at. They are harmless too, so I will investigate them more next weekend.

Self-Healing

A few weeks ago I developed an allergy for the first time in my life.

It was a strange occurrence, since I had not done anything differently.

I also did not seek medical treatment as I knew they didn't know my body as well as I ought to know it. They also wouldn't care about it as much as I did.

So I set about trying to understand what my body was communicating to me and what changes I needed to make.

It's empowering to learn about dis eases and how to get to the place of ease again. It is different for everyone.

I use the basic guidelines to Self-Healing to get myself back.

It turns out that after this bit of meditation and conscious awareness, the illness turned out to be the cure.

It's been over six weeks and I have not had any more strange communication from my body.

It's always a good idea to make informed decisions. Learn about why you are being asked/advised/coerced into taking certain drugs or courses of treatment. Who really benefits from it and so on and so forth.

You are what you feel.

Today I had the pleasure of seeing Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the San Jose theatre. It was truly a spectacular performance.

I especially loved the lyrics in the prologue:

Some folks dream of the wonders they'll do

Before their time on this planet is through

Some just don't have anything planned

They hide their hopes and their heads in the sand

Now I don't say who is wrong, who is right

But if by chance you are here for the night

Then all I need is an hour or two

To tell the tale of a dreamer like you 

We all dream a lot - some are lucky, some are not

But if you think it, want it, dream it, then it's real

You are what you feel 

But all that I say can be told another way

In the story of a boy whose dream came true

~~~~~~~

You are what you feel, so be deliberate about creating your mood.

Gastronomically speaking...

Today I had the most delightful surprises. 

I found Ahi Wasabi Poke at Costco.

It was almost as delicious as what I enjoyed in Kauai a few days ago.

I think I was missing the island ambience today. 

In San Francisco, I discovered  the best pastries outside of France.

I bought croissant, gougerè, Frangipane tart and a slice of Passion Fruit Lime

Bavarian. This was by far the most scrumptious pastries I've had since staying at Hotel Tremoille, twelve years ago.

I am besides myself with glee to have found this place in my own neck of the woods.

I'm all for unlearning old patterns...

I was reading the 100 most influential people in TIME at my chiropractor’s office yesterday and was a bit surprised that Cathy Davidson was not amongst them.

As a life long learner, I am all for changing our current system of schooling.

One thing lead to another and I decided to sign up for this course because of the delicious title:"The History and Future of (Mostly) Higher Education: Or, How We Can Unlearn Our Old Patterns and Relearn for a More Successful, Fruitful, Satisfying, Productive, Humane, Happy, Beautiful, Socially-Conscious and Socially-Engaged Future."

The course is now archived until Sept 1st 2014.

I know this is going to be fun!

Earth Day

In Praise of the Earth

Let us bless

The imagination of the Earth.

That knew early the patience

To harness the mind of time,

Waited for the seas to warm,

Ready to welcome the emergence

Of things dreaming of voyaging

Among the stillness of land.

And how light knew to nurse

The growth until the face of the Earth

Brightened beneath a vision of color.

When the ages of ice came

And sealed the Earth inside

An endless coma of cold,

The heart of the Earth held hope,

Storing fragments of memory,

Ready for the return of the sun.

Let us thank the Earth

That offers ground for home

And holds our feet firm

To walk in space open

To infinite galaxies.

Let us salute the silence

And certainty of mountains:

Their sublime stillness,

Their dream-filled hearts.

The wonder of a garden

Trusting the first warmth of spring

Until its black infinity of cells

Becomes charged with dream;

Then the silent, slow nurture

Of the seed's self, coaxing it

To trust the act of death.

The humility of the Earth

That transfigures all

That has fallen

Of outlived growth.

The kindness of the Earth,

Opening to receive

Our worn forms

Into the final stillness.

Let us ask forgiveness of the Earth

For all our sins against her:

For our violence and poisonings

Of her beauty.

Let us remember within us

The ancient clay,

Holding the memory of seasons,

The passion of the wind,

The fluency of water,

The warmth of fire,

The quiver-touch of the sun

And shadowed sureness of the moon.

That we may awaken,

To live to the full

The dream of the Earth

Who chose us to emerge

And incarnate its hidden night

In mind, spirit, and light.

~ John O'Donohue ~

(To Bless the Space Between Us)

What matters most?

"When you are in the final days of your life, what will you want?
... Will you hug that college degree in the walnut frame? 

Will you ask to be carried to the garage so you can sit in your car?
Will you find comfort in rereading your financial statement?
Of course not. What will matter then will be people. 

If relationships will matter most then, shouldn't they matter
most now?"
~ Max Lucado

Omphaloskepsis Day

Some messages for humanity

Selena: I would love to encourage anyone at any age to learn how to play an instrument: their voice, the spoons, whatever! Rhythm, sound has such a profound healing. Sound it such a healing modality.

Farrah: That you’re beautiful inside and out, every single one of you. I want to speak to all the blog members out there who don’t feel so pretty, males and females. It doesn’t matter what your gender is. So many are stuck and feel like they don’t fit in, that they aren’t pretty enough or handsome enough or able enough. That’s only because you become attached to your internal dialogue to what experiences have told you.

John (singing): All you need is Love…

Shirley:  Give yourselves credit for all bad things that happen, because you see, they are not so bad. They are even good, as bad as they are."

MJ:      I'd say, every time you get the chance to speak to somebody, or speak about them, listen as if you were them. It's how you treat yourself, really. It's a very selfish thing, I apologize for that, but that's how you treat yourself well. Think of yourself always, treat yourself really well always and do that by treating others that way. It all comes right back.

This is what you should do:

This is what you should do:

Love the earth and sun and animals,

despise riches, give alms to everyone that asks,

stand up for the stupid and crazy,

devote your income and labor to others, hate tyrants,

argue not concerning God,

have patience and indulgence toward the people...

reexamine all you have been told in school or church or in any book,

dismiss what insults your very soul,

and your flesh shall become a great poem.

~ Walt Whitman ~

Treat yourself well

 I'd say, every time you get the chance to speak to somebody, or speak about them, listen as if you were them. It's how you treat yourself, really. It's a very selfish thing, I apologize for that, but that's how you treat yourself well. Think of yourself always, treat yourself really well always and do that by treating others that way. It all comes right back.
Michael Jackson

Focus on the good

Look always at what is good with you when you see what might ail you, bother you, disturb you or sidetrack you.
Never blame yourself or others; this idea that blame must be assigned, distributed and made known serves no purpose.
You specifically do not want information about everyone around you; if you had this knowledge, then why would you be on Earth?
You would not, we say, and thus concern yourself not with what
you cannot see.
We see it and you will again.

Your Life On Earth.

How to live a truly wonderful life

If It Is Not Too Dark

Go for a walk, if it is not too dark.

Get some fresh air, try to smile.

Say something kind

To a safe-looking stranger, if one happens by.

Always exercise your heart's knowing.

You might as well attempt something real

Along this path:

Take your spouse or lover into your arms

The way you did when you first met.

Let tenderness pour from your eyes

The way the Sun gazes warmly on the earth.

Play a game with some children.

Extend yourself to a friend.

Sing a few ribald songs to your pets and plants -

Why not let them get drunk and wild!

Let's toast

Every rung we've climbed on Evolution's ladder.

Whisper, "I love you! I love you!"

To the whole mad world.

Let's stop reading about God -

We will never understand Him.

Jump to your feet, wave your fists,

Threaten and warn the whole Universe

That your heart can no longer live

Without real love!

~ Hafiz ~

(I Heard God Laughing - Renderings of Hafiz by Daniel Ladinsky)

Celebrating myself everyday of 2014

2014 was The Most Incredible Year of my life thus far!

I know I am using past tense but this is how sure I am of my incredible journey.

This year is a milestone birthday for me.

I am prepaving the most sumptuous  year ever.

Each and everyday I am celebrating myself and the world in which I live and move and have my being in.

Life is so very good!

Pausing to ponder...

Pausing to ponder a few different viewpoints on the topics of judgement and

forgiveness.
I highlighted the ones that resonated the most.

The following was copied with permission from The Amendment.

Judgmental: Failing to hide an impression or opinion
Judgmental: Giving away self-esteem
Judgmental: Failure to appreciate everyone, always
Judgmental: Looking outward, never inward
Judgmental: Short sighted evaluation with unilateral criteria
Judgmental: Substandard
Judgmental: Righteous for good reason
Judgmental: Righteous for bad reason
Judgmental: Placing others’ low self opinion above yourself
Judgmental: Admission that you disapprove
Judgmental: Offering disapproval not requested 
Judgmental: Enforcing standards where necessary
Judgmental: Enforcing blind, uneven standards
 
Forgiveness: Forgetting what happened
Forgiveness: Understanding really why it happened
Forgiveness: Accepting that revenge will not undo what happened
Forgiveness: Preventing not returning
Forgiveness: Progress
Forgiveness: Learning and appreciating one’s OWN lesson, beyond the hurt
Forgiveness: Appreciating the lesson for & from the other side
Forgiveness: Strengthening your protection from repeats
Forgiveness: Abandonment of retribution
Forgiveness: The greater context
Forgiveness: Giving oneself permission to be happy 
Forgiveness: Acceptance of contrition
Choose your views...