Raking to recycle

Helped our neighbor muck out 4 horse stalls today; great fun and great exercise. Brought back another little green wagon full of fresh manure for the compost pile. Also they have 5 baby chicks, so cute. Life is good.


Raking up the manure and trying to sift out the cleaner, dryer shavings at the same time takes more concentration than one might think. While working, I was again taken back to childhood at my aunt's farm and shoveling out the cow stalls. We didn't have to worry about being cost-conscious with shavings or trying to recycle as many dry ones as we could.  It was all just shoveled up and thrown out the window onto the pile and new laid down. Probably back then, Uncle didn't use shavings, but hay which didn't cost anything except labor. There was always plenty of it in the barn. I really can't remember. I know there is a huge amount of shavings there now, but whether or not there was then, I can't say. Whichever the case, he didn't worry about saving any of it. Of course, he could never have been accused of being an environmentalist either. Times change and resources become much more expensive, so this method of using a shovel-style rake to sift the shavings from the chunks makes great sense in many ways.


I hope that I did a good job and helped my new friend. She sounded very grateful saying that I had made it possible for her to have a lot more time to work in her garden, so I guess I did.  I just know that I had fun, got to see some beautiful animals and learned a lot. 


While working in the stalls, I had several visitors, Chelsea, the dog and a couple of pretty hens, Blondie and I don't know the names of the others. Also, the really beautiful rooster, Frank, stopped by. They didn't stay long, just dropped in to say hello and then moved on. 


What a great day!

The Blessings of a manure pile.

A great thing happened today. I've been reading a book about composting and have learned that one of the most important agents/activators at work in a compost pile is nitrogen and that one of the most important sources of nitrogen is manure (cow, horse, sheep, goats, etc.). Whenever I put in household food scraps, I need to cover them well with manure and earth, enough to cover the smells and keep out the critters. Well, it just so happens that one of our closest neighbors has a horse farm. So I walked down and asked if they would like to part with any of their manure. The very nice young lady who owns the horses immediately said, "Help yourself to as much as you want." We had a really pleasant chat and she left to go pick up a pizza. I came back to the house, did a few things, then got my garden wagon and spade and walked back down the road. She and I got to her driveway at the same time. I walked up behind the stable to the manure pile and she came out the back of the barn doing her chores. And we talked some more. We discovered that we both like the smell of horse manure. I told her to let me know if she needed help mucking out the stalls and she said anytime I wanted to I was welcome. I think I will go down soon to help. That is good work. I remember as a kid, shoveling out the cow stalls at my aunt's farm. I loved her and the farm so much that I loved even doing that. Maybe only a true horse lover would feel the way we do, but there you are.

So now, I have an endless and very close supply of the needed nitrogen and I've met a very nice neighbor and hopefully made a new friend. If that's not a blessing, I don't know what is.

Next, I need to get a paper shredder.

STUFF and nonsense

Cloudy and cool and supposed to rain. Got new glasses today and I still have to zoom way in to see what I'm writing. Oh well. Here's what they look like:

I had to put them down on my nose in order to keep from getting light glare in the pic. Not easy to do with Photobooth.

So-o-o-o, I finally got my ebay account set up and have two items listed. They are vintage magazines, The American Woman, from 1921, published in Augusta, Maine of all places. The cover art is fantastic, wish I could post a picture, but for some reason, the upload doesn't work. Not supporting the new Photoshop software, will have to figure that out. I am still SO computer illiterate. Maybe I have to send the photos to iphoto first. Whatever. They can be found on ebay under Collectibles>vintage magazines. Worth a look.

Maybe my life can become a little less cluttered by getting rid of some of the STUFF collected over 64 years. It has to, especially since J wants to go to the auction every weekend and get more STUFF!

Spring work

My goodness, I can't believe it has been so long since I posted. Time really flies when you are busy. Our peas are up about 3-4" and the swiss chard and lettuce are up. The radishes never came, so I bought new seeds and replanted. Have to wait and see. Have put in a couple rows of spinach as well. Today we spent all morning building a compost bin and starting the pile. I started with the turf that came off the garden area, putting the clumps in upside down, then a layer of grass and weeds, then food scraps (peelings, eggshells, coffee grounds, etc.), then another layer of turf, composted manure, a thin layer of wood chips, and loam. I raked up a pile of old leaf mold from just inside the woods behind the back yard and am letting it dry out (as it rained yesterday) before adding it to the pile. This is going to be a lot of work, but it will be good work and good for me.

Everything is so green and lush already. If it had not been so cold today, one would think it was summer. The lilacs are in full bloom. We have enjoyed one bouquet already; now it is time to cut another. J brought home a bunch of asparagus for me today from a house down the road. Happily he doesn't like it, so I could eat the whole bunch myself and I did. I can't believe how much better it tasted than what you buy at the grocery store. Delicious. last year I started an asparagus bed at the farm, but have to wait another year before harvesting it. Last week I weeded and remulched with composted manure and a thick layer of hay, and stalks are already shooting up through it all almost a foot. Really looking forward to next spring and being able to eat my own fresh asparagus.

Happy Mothers' Day ladies!

This gift

Planted my peas today, very early for this region. We've had such a mild, short winter that our spirits and our minds naturally turn to growing things and cleaning up the yard. We want to stretch the warmer seasons as far as possible, to take advantage of this gift as long as we can. Especially after the long, cold, rainy spring and summer of last year. This short winter and early spring is so unusual for us that we have to embrace it, claim it, own it, guard it jealously and not let it get away from us. Tomorrow I will plant my swiss chard.  I've transplanted hostas and jonquils along the easterly stone wall, also planted three packs of pansies.  I can hear some of you saying "Yes, but it is only April 11, we can still have snow and cold weather. Aren't you jumping the gun a little?" Possibly, but I don't think so. Even if it happens, all that I've done can stand a frost or even a little snow. Just getting a jumpstart and it feels so good.

Naive, disingenuous, or immature?

Well, in my last post I mistakenly stated that President Obama was coming to Portland on the same day as the partially nude walkers were to be doing their thing. Wrong. He came on Thursday and got a great reception, rightfully so. And the bare-breasted ladies (and some men) walked through town yesterday. It seems they also got a great reception, with a lot of picture takers in tow. Some of the walkers took exception to having their pictures snapped without permission as per comments quoted in the Maine Sunday Telegram. One was angered by the idea that people thought it was an event that warranted taking pictures. One event watcher commented that he thought the walkers were naive if they did not expect people to take pictures. I'm not sure 'naive' is the word I would use. I'm thinking 'disingenuous' myself, but possibly just immature. What do you think?

Walking to a different standard

Haven't been here in a while. I just told my sister that it was because there is so much to do and so little time. Then said, no, be honest. I've just been lazy and not up to the task of working my thought processes as I should be. I really have no valid excuse other than it is too easy to find something else (or nothing) to do.  I saw a quote yesterday (and can't remember where or who by) that essentially said, saying 'I don't have time' is no excuse.

Time can always be found for what is important to us.  We just have to stop wasting it elsewhere.

Anyway, I was just reminded of an article in one of our local papers when I was looking over the feeds from blogs that I'm supposed to be following (but who has time?). One of them had something about "Clothes make the man..." and this reminded me of said article about the fact that this coming weekend a group of women (and some men) are planning to walk down Congress Street in Portland nude from the waist up. Their reasoning being they want to show their non-acceptance of the old double standard. They say, "if it's alright for a man to walk around without a top, then it's okay for a woman."

Aside from the fact that it could still be quite chilly on Saturday next, (it is still March, people, after all) I find this quite funny. No less for the fact that I also read that President Obama is planning a visit to Portland on the same day. I don't think there is any connection between the two events. It sounded like the nude walkers had planned this before any knowledge of the President's visit was made known. I can't help wondering if he has been told of the planned walk and if so, what his thought's were/are. Hope he gets a giggle out of it, as I have. Heaven knows, after the year he's had, he could use one.

I have a few other thoughts about the "if it's okay for the man, it's okay for the woman" rationale. Many years ago, I used that same rationale to condone my own foolish actions, namely, sleeping with whomever I pleased whenever I pleased wherever I pleased. And I pleased way too much.  My thinking, I'm not living by anybody's double standard, if a man can do it and everybody says, he's just being a man, then nobody has a right to say anything about me. I never stopped to think, hey, it is NOT okay for a man, they just tell themselves it is. It was naive, selfish thinking on my part. Thank goodness I snapped out of it.

There are many double standards still very much alive and well in this world, e.g. standards thought to hold for men and not women; for Republicans and not Democrats (and vice versa); for so-called Christians and not any other religion (and vice versa) and so on, and so on. We just have to see them for what they are: rationales for whatever person or group to use to condone their own bad behavior while condemning that of others. We simply have to be true to ourselves and to our God.

Early Spring Energy

Just sitting here with a glass of wine/brandy (the name of it is "Roughshod" by Blacksmiths, a Maine vintner. It is made with "wild Maine blueberries delicately blended with (grape) brandy." A sweet port wine and I find it delicious. The bottle says "A wine to "get a grip."" Actually I bought it because I loved the name, "Roughshod." Kind of how I feel right now. I can't believe what a busy and productive day I have had.

It began about 6:15 this morning when I came downstairs after J went to work at his part-time job (two mornings a week). First I started the fire in the fireplace stove, then made my coffee and began making doughnuts. Wanted to have fresh ones to share with J's sister when she came for my sewing lesson. Once they were done, I took a quick shower. While I was still in the tub, C called to say she couldn't come today because of a family crisis, not serious. Up to this time, I had been scurrying around trying to get done before she came. So I exhaled and slowed down the pace. Time to have a cup of coffee and a couple of doughnuts with the morning paper.

In between all this I'm letting first one, then the other cat either outdoors or onto the porch (one is an outdoors cat, the other an indoor cat) then back in again. They are always on the wrong side of a door it seems. Just like kids.

Of course, I'm also constantly feeding the fire. Next, I take the wood carrier and it's off to the garage across the driveway to haul in firewood.  After both boxes are filled, it is time to start thinking about lunch. J will be home to eat and hopefully relax a bit before going to his full-time evening job. Both his jobs are extremely physical and labor intensive, so I want to do as many of the home chores as I can to help him.

The spaghetti sauce is almost done by the time he arrives so we can sit and enjoy lunch together. Then he enjoys a chance to relax and read the paper while I clean up. After he again leaves for work, I cut out an applique for an apron that I'm making and realize that the material for the pocket on which the applique is going needs to be washed. So I do a load of reds and hang out on the line.

Done with this I notice the old rose climbing vine is a real mess and so I get the clippers and attack the old dead canes, training the green ones onto the latticework and generally "neating up" the whole flower garden area. Kit Kat, the indoor one, is on the screened-in porch going mad jumping from window to window watching every move I make outside. I know she wants to come out and join me, but she's never been allowed outside and I know J doesn't want her out, so far be it from me to be the one to let her out.

By now, it is time to check the sap buckets. After gathering around eight to ten gallons, I fill a pail with the grain/pellet mixture J makes up and go out back to feed the deer. They don't really need it now, but we still have quite a bit in the barrel and they are still coming, so-oo-oo.

Back in the house, put a log on the fire, check the cats. Both are sleeping finally. Get my glass, open the wine, boot up the MacBook and voila!  Nice day. Spring has sprung. Feeling good. I am blessed every day.

Although, I keep getting this nagging feeling that I've forgotten something, something else that I did today. Oh well. If so, it'll come to me eventually.

It is now exactly 6:15 pm.

Queen of the hill

We are trying to introduce our cat, Lacy, the stray we took in at J's, into this house (his mother's) with his mother's cat, Kit Kat. She is about 7 and has been queen of the hill all that time and she wants nothing to do with poor Lacy. She chased Lacy into the bedroom closet and I had to chase Kit Kat out of the room. Boy, she spit and growled at me; she wanted to attack me, I could tell, but she didn't. She is quite a spitfire that one. Poor Lacy didn't come out of the back of that closet all afternoon, but she is now laying on the bed in that little room. We've closed her in there for a while on the advice of the vet. She has her own box and food/water in there. He said for about a week anyway we should do this and let them sniff each other through the doors. One door is open about an inch w/a brick doorstop on the inside holding it and the other door into the living room is a folding louvered door. Hopefully this will work. J is not very optimistic, but I think it will eventually work. I hope that it will.

If you have any advice on this venture, please, I welcome any and all.

Changes

It has been two weeks of changes, both bad and good. First, J's mother's passing and our gradual move to the homestead. Missing her keen wit and helping family members claim photos and small treasures that they or their children had given Gram. Making small changes here and there, settling in. Making big changes, moving furniture; buying a new mattress. Planning more changes; discussing renovations, a new, bigger, flatscreen TV, new microwave. Today I bought a new dishpan, but it is too big, so have to take it back and get the smaller one. I knew it was a mistake, but thought I had to try it anyway.

Last weekend, got to see a good friend whom I had not seen in over 40 years. It was a true pleasure; we are both extremely excited about the idea of seeing each other much more often now that she and her husband have built a second home (their retirement home) in the area. The timing couldn't be more perfect as I've lost two good friends in the past two years, so it is especially gratifying to reconnect with an old friend and one that I loved so much. Life is good. Thank You, Thank You, Thank You.

Passages

What an honor and a privilege to be with a friend at the time of her death. To have had the opportunity to give her the best care I could possibly give in the last few weeks of her life, to have shared in her thoughts and feelings, her laughter and her frustrations as well as her hopes, was such a blessing to me I have to give thanks.

I said "her death" and not her passing because this is what she believed. She said many times that she wasn't passing on or passing over, not going to be with anyone over there. "When I'm dead, I'm dead, that's all." And she was okay with this; she was ready and not afraid. I cannot feel sorry for her because she lived a very long life (97) and she lived it her way. She knew who she was, what she liked and what she wanted. She was good hearted, strong willed and sharp as a tack, right to the very end. I only feel sorry for her many family members who miss her so terribly.

Another reason I do not feel sorry for her is because I do not agree with her belief that she would not pass over to another life and be with God and her loved ones. I am sure that she is with them and that she is joyfully surprised to be there. One cannot love as much as she did, or be loved as much as she was and not be There. God bless and keep you, dear friend.

An incredible blessing

Have been away for a few days because I am caring for an elderly friend 24/5 and have been too busy and/or too tired to even think about writing. So my postings may be somewhat erratic for a while. It is impossible to say how long. Only God knows. To be privileged to be there when needed is truly a gift, to me that is. An incredible blessing that gives purpose to one's life, it is also a way to give back for all the wonderful things that have been given me. Thank You, Thank You, Thank You.

Forgiveness

Have been doing some thinking about forgiveness. Sometimes it is easy. Maybe someone insults you or is rude to you or says something that hurts your feelings. You get over it and forgive them because you love them, they are your friend or co-worker or your boss or for whatever reason. Maybe you realize that they really didn't mean what they said or they didn't know that it would hurt you. They were just being sarcastic; that's their style of humor.  Life will be easier if you forgive and forget, so you do.

Sometimes it is not so easy, but you manage it over time. Maybe someone told a lie and a friendship was broken. You want to forgive this someone because you are close and you do not know how. But you need to forgive this person so you act as though you have. You do not say anything and go on as if nothing had happened. In time, and it could take years, many years, but the forgiveness comes. It is a lightening of the heart, a whisper across the soul...gone... free.

Then again, there are times when forgiving seems impossible. How do you forgive when someone crushes your lifelong dream? How do you forgive someone who corrupts the goodness of another's soul out of greed or a need to control? When someone whom you have believed to be a lifelong friend gives their word and then denies it. You know you have to forgive, for the sake of your own soul. So you can be forgiven for your own sins. But how? What if this person continues to treat you with hatred and scorn? And you know that it is only so this person can rationalize their own actions?

I am sure there are people out there who may have found it difficult, may even have found it impossible, to forgive me for past sins. I hope they can, for their sakes, not mine. I have certainly committed enough...for two lifetimes. But that is ancient history, and more importantly, has nothing whatsoever to do with the present. Happily I am no longer that person. I know that I have been Forgiven because I have been so blessed in every aspect of my life. As my late friend said, "I am blessed every day."

So, knowing this, how do I forgive what feels impossible to forgive? How do I not? But how do I? I don't have the answer yet.

Only the first

Yesterday morning I had my first sewing lesson. When I entered my friend's home, the delicious smell and the warmth welcomed me in out of the brutal cold. I had flashbacks to walking into my Aunt Minnie's farmhouse kitchen as a child to the wonderful aromas of her cooking and the heat from her old wood cookstove. My friend had just taken a cinnamon coffeecake from the oven and the smell was incredible.

We chatted a while and inspected the various remnants that I had brought before getting down to work. Her instructions were clear, concise and easy to follow. Once I had cut out all the pieces, she suggested we take a break and have our coffee and cake. We did so in the coziness of her sewing room by the little wood stove while she told me a story about J as a boy. We laughed a lot.

She taught me how to use the machine and how to place each piece and how to line them up with the right notch on the foot as I stitch them together. As we worked, she included many little hints and shortcuts that made the job run smoothly and quickly. It seemed so easy; before I knew it, I had a beautiful apron. Needless to say, I felt quite proud of my accomplishment.

My friend is a good teacher and a lot of fun to be around. She graciously showed me the rugs that she braided and the quilts she had made and I felt humbled by her talent and the craftsmanship that went into each piece. She encouraged me to keep up the good work and to come back for more projects and I know I will; although I left with the confidence that I will be able to make another apron all on my own.

A Powerful Tool

Have been receiving some feedback, so far all positive. Of course, it has been from family and friends, so there may be a slight element of bias. You'll have to decide that for yourself.

Want to share part of an e-mail message from my son, Jon, who is a middle-school teacher in Kansas. We were having a discussion about writing and blogging and he wrote, "... truly believe that writing leads to insightful understandings of life, a wisdom that is found within. It seems that blogs are a powerful tool to "push the pen" and on one hand it is a collective product and every so often a composition is discovered and crafted that stands alone." 

Now, you'll probably say that I am biased also, and you'd be right. But, I think you'll have to agree that that is a cogent and intuitive piece of writing. Jon is an incredibly imaginative writer himself who publishes his poetry online at:  http://poetrypoem.com/cgi-bin/index.pl?sitename=ephraimsgarage&item=home  I'm so proud. And he's probably going to hate this, so I'll quit now. Although I have to add this picture of him and his youngest.

Isn't she something? I absolutely love this picture taken a year and a half ago. 

Back to the discussion at hand. I do agree with everything he said, especially that blogging is a "tool" or stimulus to keep you writing. And when you discover that there are people actually reading it, that stimulus becomes even more intense, albeit a bit daunting. I feel a responsibility comes with that knowledge. Each time I post, do I need to ask myself, "Does this have any value?" "Will this make a difference to anyone out there?" Maybe I do not have to. What do you think?

Dementia deterrent?

 Another little snippet from Parade Magazine, by Dr. Ranit Mishori, "Exercise Your Brain Online," Jan. 10, 2010. (I promise, this is not the only thing I read; although it is the first thing I read from the Sunday paper.)  It seems a new study (authors unnamed) shows that surfing the internet may be a good exercise for the brain, "in older adults," and "may even delay the onset of dementia."

Well, if that is true, how much more so would be blogging. Thinking of what to say and how to say it is definitely exercise for the brain. Plus, once you have written your own post, you'll more than likely surf through the "Next Blog" button to read others' blogs or will check out those that you regularly follow. That's a double whammy of exercise. So if an almost-64-year-old was looking for a reason to keep writing, I'd say that is a pretty good one. Especially since my mother's mind slipped into dementia in her last decade or more of life. It is a frightening prospect, I'll admit.

Blessings

"I am blessed every day." She said it often and meant it always. I was blessed to come into her life and she to mine a year before she passed on to her reward. Caring for this beautiful soul was one of the greatest joys of my life. I actually looked forward to going to work each day; it felt more like visiting and helping a friend than work. This lady held the most positive attitude toward life I've ever seen. She wasn't a pollyanna, but she found beauty and blessings in every day and nearly all people. She had many sayings that I have shamelessly appropriated. Besides the above there was "pretty, pretty, pretty," which she'd say whenever she looked out the window no matter the weather.  Of course it was true since she lived on an old farm on the side of a hill surrounded by rolling fields and forest with a great view of Mt. Washington and the White Mountains of NH. She taught me so much.

While writing this it has occurred to me that these are the same things that my mother tried to teach me growing up, but I didn't want to listen then.

New look

Trying out a new look, or rather a very old one. The process is quite a learning experience. We'll see how long it lasts; maybe I'll try a new one next month. It's kind of fun, but takes a long time. Hope you'll tell me what you think.

Simply mindboggling

As I surf around the blogworld, it is becoming brilliantly clear to me that I have much more to learn about blogging, the internet, computers and my usage of each. Mindboggling to say the least. Hopefully, I will not let it scare me off. As a much more talented writer and sophisticated blogger, Beth, http://hellorhighwaterwriter.blogspot.com/ , said, "Just write." That is good advice that I'll try to follow. Just keep writing and let the rest take care of itself.

Over the coming year, I'm going to write about many of my interests; for example, woodburning, carving, walking. Of experiences and things learned, of people I've known (don't worry, no names). And hope at least a few of you will find something interesting here. I welcome all comments and questions which I will answer if I can. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you'll come again.

Lesson learned.

Note to self: do not buy fish at the butcher shop, at least not this one. $15 worth of fish and scallops thrown in the trash because it was SO not fresh. I know, I should have taken it back and demanded my money back, but I chose to chalk it up to a lesson learned. Figure I should have known better anyway. Don't believe that a butcher shop should smell that bad, so we won't be returning. It's sad because it is new in the neighborhood and I was excited about having one nearby. Oh well.

My daily prayer

Thank you, Lord, for the blessings of this day and for helping me be a blessing to all I meet. Thank you for blessing me and J and (each member of our families by name). Thank you for saving our souls and keeping us from harm, or from doing any harm. Thank you for leading us from temptation and protecting us from evil. Thank you for our daily bread. Thank you for forgiving our sins and for helping us to forgive the sins of others. Thank you for healing our sick, in spirit, mind and body. Thank you for granting us the love, joy, peace and wisdom that can only be found in you. Thank you for answering my prayer that I make in Jesus's Name. Amen.

Question marks

Not really a fan of this editing program, seems to do crazy things all on its own. I set the font & size and space and when I hit the publish button, it comes out different every time. One of the posts I've edited several times trying to get it right and each time there is more space between the title and the body and between the body and footer. ????? what's up with this? I'm such a non-geek. I guess it doesn't really matter.


Chores are done, my birds fed, the stew is delicious as always and the cat is still asleep on the rug. What a life. Enjoying a glass of wine to celebrate it.

Nothing but food and fun

Housework done, venison stew cooking on the woodstove, cat sleeping on the rug, watching the Barefoot Contessa and the sun is shining. Another good day. Do have to confess, J made the stew as he always does. I peeled the potatoes and a few carrots, that's it. Now my job is to watch it and not to let it burn since J has gone to work; already added the potatoes so I'm pretty much done.
Have to go to the butchers for some fish, yes, fish because remember I have to eat healthier. With a freezer full of venison and a partner who prefers red meat and potatoes, I have to introduce the white meat and fish to the house if I want any. As it should be.
Then off to the farm for a few chores and to my house to find my mat cutter so I can frame up a family picture for J's mom. Love this woman, 97-yrs-old and sharp as a tack; it is fun to listen to her stories of J and his sibs growing up.
Ok, times a wastin'. Later.

Spirits revived

Went for a 3-mile walk today and it felt so good to be able to enjoy fresh air and sunshine again. And no wind. So what if you have to watch for traffic and jump into snow banks to avoid being splashed or run over because there are no sidewalks. It is still worth every second. 
Yesterday I spent mostly in bed recovering from too much rich food for too long and my gall-bladder rebelled. So back to being careful. or at least more careful than I have been for the past few weeks. That's alright, the holidays were worth it; spending quality time with loved ones is always worth it. But, for now, no more cheesecake, no more lobster stew or dreamy, creamy French toast breakfast casserole, no more bacon, pumpkin pie or J's wonderful steak. Oh, it has been a glorious two weeks. At least I have my memories.

For anyone who may think this will be a blog about New Age ideas due to my title, Spirit of the Dragonfly, I say either, don't worry it's not, or sorry it's not. Depending on what one is looking for. I just have always felt a deep connection to the dragonfly and they are special to me. My Blackfeet ancestors might tell me that the dragonfly is my spirit guide. That would be nice; I'd like to think so. This is the closest I get to New Age. The First Nations believe that every living thing has a spirit. Well actually that all things have a spirit, because rocks also have spirit to them. I don't know, maybe they do; I have a deep affinity for rocks as well, as did my mother. Anyway, my point being that these beliefs were held centuries before the so-called New Age came along. I guess I sound as though I am disparaging the New Age phenom. Don't mean to be; it's just not for me.

Riding the elephant

After reading Sunday's PARADE magazine article, Make Changes That Last, by Chip & Dan Heath, Jan. 3, 2010, I realized that the elephant (the emotional side of my brain) has pretty much ruled my life so far. I haven't been as strong a rider (the rational, analytical side) as I could have been. Knew I should have taken riding lessons instead of singing lessons as a youngster. 
Wonder which side intuition would come under, emotional or rational. Can anyone tell me? Actually, I believe that intuition is just another word for God's voice/guidance as is conscience. Same thing. Simply always trust and follow your intuition and you can't go wrong.  

New year, new beginning, new blog

Got to give it a try. We'll find out if this old woman has
anything to say or not. I really don't know. Probably,

that is not the way to establish reader confidence; 

however, it is honest. And I have to be that, or this is 

a worthless endeavor. As this is the beginning of a new

year and a new decade, hopefully it is a good time to 

begin a new blog. 

I've had a few new starts in my life and I'd like to think

that my character, my soul, my spirit and my wisdom 

have improved at least somewhat with each one. Taking

the risk of sounding a bit cliché: but, if we are paying 

attention, we truly can learn something new everyday. 

Yesterday, I watched the movie, JULIE & JULIA, and loved

it. I certainly don't expect anything like that to happen

to me, but it will be a new experience and that has to be

a good thing. I will ask the Lord to guide my ideas, my 

writing and my postings and go from there. How can 

one go wrong with that?