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Gratitude Lounge

Welcome! We are glad you are here. This is an open space where everyone belongs, and everyone is welcome. Please introduce yourself as you feel comfortable and join in sharing your experience of grateful living. To get started you might reflect upon questions such as these: What am I grateful for? What is grateful living inspiring me to do? What are some blessings in my life (including ones in disguise)? How am I being supported right now? What connects me to wonder, awe, or a sense of the sacred? You are welcome to include images and links for videos to illustrate your reflections.

  • Holly in Ohio
    For several years now I have been participating in Plastic Free July (sponsored by PlasticFreeJuly.org) by making a personal challenge in July, to find one more thing where I find an alternative to plastic waste. July is coming up. I wonder what I could pick? It might be time for me to do another trash audit to see what I am actually throwing away these days, but I suspect it is the bread and snack bags that come into the house, so I might make a commitment to bake more. I've been slacking on th...

    For several years now I have been participating in Plastic Free July (sponsored by PlasticFreeJuly.org) by making a personal challenge in July, to find one more thing where I find an alternative to plastic waste. July is coming up. I wonder what I could pick? It might be time for me to do another trash audit to see what I am actually throwing away these days, but I suspect it is the bread and snack bags that come into the house, so I might make a commitment to bake more. I’ve been slacking on that lately! 😋🍞🍪

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    • Mica
      Thanks, Holly, for the cool picture and post. Squinting to read the fine print - 'buy second hand if you can' - I'll pat myself on the back for repairing my back scratcher this morn! It's a cheap thing that came with a mattress and I glued the handle together a while ago, but it was getting too bendy at the joint. Midway thru the repair, it occurred to me that I could just buy a new one on amazon, but it would probably break, too :) - anyway, I searched all my junk and finally found flexible tub...

      Thanks, Holly, for the cool picture and post. Squinting to read the fine print – ‘buy second hand if you can’ – I’ll pat myself on the back for repairing my back scratcher this morn! It’s a cheap thing that came with a mattress and I glued the handle together a while ago, but it was getting too bendy at the joint. Midway thru the repair, it occurred to me that I could just buy a new one on amazon, but it would probably break, too 🙂 – anyway, I searched all my junk and finally found flexible tubing that I slit and wrapped part way around the handle. It needed more, so I wrapped it with a curly plastic strip designed for holding messy cords together. It was still not as stiff as I wanted, so I put in a wooden skewer under the curly plastic strip, and now it’s pretty good. I do love ‘rescuing’ things. My physical therapist was amazed that I would actually take stuff from the junk collection dumpster. But my recycled trash bag fills up SO fast 🙁

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      • Holly in Ohio

        YAY YOU, on repairing the back scratcher! I just bought a 60-70 year old chair for $1, that seems to have been repaired before (newer wheels). One of the wheels was falling off, so I just wrapped masking tape around the shaft and stuck it back in! We’ll keep that chair going another 70 years, eh? It is solid hardwood, swivels, has an adjustable back that also tilts. It is so comfortable! 😊🪑

        • Mica
          Dear Holly, and Dear Whomever Else reads this post, I’ve discovered 2 other ways people will know my quilts weren’t factory made: (1) They’re not always perfect rectangles – but do baby quilts and lap quilts need to be perfect rectangles? and (2) It’s easier to make the corners a bit blunt instead of square – and sometimes when I try to make the corners square, they turn out a bit more pointy than square 🙁 . Warm wishes – 🙂 PS - There's also the 'invisible thread' when one se...

          Dear Holly, and Dear Whomever Else reads this post, I’ve discovered 2 other ways people will know my quilts weren’t factory made: (1) They’re not always perfect rectangles – but do baby quilts and lap quilts need to be perfect rectangles? and (2) It’s easier to make the corners a bit blunt instead of square – and sometimes when I try to make the corners square, they turn out a bit more pointy than square 🙁 . Warm wishes – 🙂
          PS – There’s also the ‘invisible thread’ when one sews after the bobbin has run out of thread. Quilters can sew and sew and sew with that ‘invisible thread,’ to their disappointment! 🙁

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        • Mica
          Dear Holly, your apron mending reminds me of how excited I am to have gotten my old sewing machine working with 'invisible thread' again - I like invisible thread for quilting the charity quilts I make for the quilt guild. I like to piece the quilt tops, but I don't really want a bunch of stitching over the top. My invisible thread would stretch and bounce around - I discovered it even leaped out of the notch [the 'U'] at the top of the metal arm that goes up and down. My old Wards Signature sew...

          Dear Holly, your apron mending reminds me of how excited I am to have gotten my old sewing machine working with ‘invisible thread’ again – I like invisible thread for quilting the charity quilts I make for the quilt guild. I like to piece the quilt tops, but I don’t really want a bunch of stitching over the top. My invisible thread would stretch and bounce around – I discovered it even leaped out of the notch [the ‘U’] at the top of the metal arm that goes up and down. My old Wards Signature sewing machine from 1969 has a hole [‘O’] not a notch, so I’m using that one again. Now I can quilt more of the quilt tops I’ve been making! Successful sewing is so much more fun than unsuccessful attempts at sewing 🙂

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          • Holly in Ohio

            I get invisible thread, too, when I forget to load the bobbin! 😜

            Your sewing sounds very happy! How lovely to make quilts! 🤗

        • Mica

          What fun, Holly! I took the wheels off my laptop stand, and it moves better 🙂 [I don’t know why your story reminds me of that story]
          I enjoyed a rocking chair that was probably an Eastlake antique – for several years, til it collapsed under me – it was a low-to-the-ground rocker, fortunately. It was cheap, at a ReStore. I put it by the dumpster with a note that it might be antique, and it quickly disappeared.

          • Holly in Ohio
            I love your rocking chair story! I have some friends who restore furniture professionally, and make reproductions. They have restored some things I would have thought un-repairable, and made them look new and lovely... or old and lovely, depending on how you look at it. This morning I am mending a little apron to give away. It is child-sized, and has a tree print pattern. I think it is lovely, but it had a little lace on it, too, and I want to pass it on, and thought my neighbor's son might l...

            I love your rocking chair story! I have some friends who restore furniture professionally, and make reproductions. They have restored some things I would have thought un-repairable, and made them look new and lovely… or old and lovely, depending on how you look at it.
            This morning I am mending a little apron to give away. It is child-sized, and has a tree print pattern. I think it is lovely, but it had a little lace on it, too, and I want to pass it on, and thought my neighbor’s son might like it, so I am removing the lace and fixing the stitching because I removed the lace, lol.

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  • Drew Blanton

    I wish we could all be together in person. I never even met Br. David. Is he still alive?

    • Mica

      Welcome back, dear Drew. This place is such a gift, isn’t it? Warm wishes to you and all 🙂

    • Holly in Ohio

      Someone in Admin referred to him as alive a few weeks ago, so yes, I think so.

      I wish we could be together, too, Drew, and I’d give you a big hug! 🤗

    • Butterfly

      Yes, Drew, Br. David is still with us! He will be 96 years old on July 12th. What a blessing he is to the world for founding this wonderful website and for all the work he has done to promote peace and wellbeing🙏💖

      • Drew Blanton

        Yes. I think t his website’s the most wonderful in the world, and I hope it’s still here for future generations. In fact, I think Walt Disney had the same grateful spirit that Br. David has. His parks are still with us today. I was in my mom’s womb when Walt Disney World opened.

  • Mica

    RACHEL NAOMI REMEN – she wrote today’s quote – and the book, Kitchen Table Wisdom, which is a wonderful book 🙂

    • lotus blossom

      wonderful indeed! i love My Grandfather’s Blessings as well. life-changing books. thanks for letting me know. will wander over there now, Mica.

      • Mica

        Oh, good, lotus blossom. It looks like I read My Grandfather’s Blessings, too. My old brain forgets so much!

  • Holly in Ohio
    I enjoy people, especially diversity. The other night I couldn't sleep, and I got up and put on the television. I found an unusual program, produced by Conde Nast Traveler, of people from more than 70 countries being interviewed simple questions like, "How do you say hello in your country?" or, "How do people in your country count money?" They strung these short segments together, and I found I was enjoying the faces, the diversity, and I began laughing in the middle of the night. Here is one. I...

    I enjoy people, especially diversity. The other night I couldn’t sleep, and I got up and put on the television. I found an unusual program, produced by Conde Nast Traveler, of people from more than 70 countries being interviewed simple questions like, “How do you say hello in your country?” or, “How do people in your country count money?” They strung these short segments together, and I found I was enjoying the faces, the diversity, and I began laughing in the middle of the night. Here is one. I hope you enjoy it. 🙂
    https://www.cntraveler.com/video/watch/people-reveal-how-to-tell-if-someone-is-from-their-country?c=series

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    • lotus blossom

      i can see why! ‘our faces are like potatoes!’ i really enjoyed viewing this. i love to laugh. (Holly, how do you use emojis? i can’t find a button for it) but if i could – a laughing face right HERE. thanks

      • Holly in Ohio
        If you look around that website, you will find other great ones, like the one where they are making cat or dog sounds from their country. The people are just so cute! 🤗😀 So, I have a pc. If you have apple you might need Mica or someone else to advise you, but I press the windows key and then the period key, and a little window pops up. There are different "pages" to the window key, and a scroll on each one. You just click one or more, and then press return. And a fun thing I discovered ...

        If you look around that website, you will find other great ones, like the one where they are making cat or dog sounds from their country. The people are just so cute! 🤗😀

        So, I have a pc. If you have apple you might need Mica or someone else to advise you, but I press the windows key and then the period key, and a little window pops up. There are different “pages” to the window key, and a scroll on each one. You just click one or more, and then press return. And a fun thing I discovered about it is you can search for emoji, too. You press the window and period keys and then just type what you are looking for, like “rainbow.” ( Leave out the quotations).

        There is a second way to get emojis that I think works whether you have a pc or apple, and that is to cut and paste emoji from this website: https://getemoji.com/

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  • Silvermoon

    Hello. I’m new here. Just discovered this organisation through a Zen teacher in my local Zen group. I live in the UK. Hello to everyone!
    I am looking forward to reading and listening to Brother David’s teachings. Can anyone recommend one of his books to get me started? Many thanks and blessing to you all as this day starts. So grateful…

  • Ose

    Summer solstice tonight – may you all have a sound sleep and beautiful dreams, you all dear friends out there! Blessings to all of you.

  • Holly in Ohio
    Good morning! The house is pleasantly cool on the beginning of this hot day, and I am just back from a lovely walk around the block. I think I will make pancakes for myself this morning, as a treat. I found a WW!! rationing recipe a couple of years ago, that is very simple and doesn't need eggs, and I absolutely love it. Per person: 1/2 cup flour, a pinch of sugar, a pinch of salt, and a pinch of baking powder if you have it, and then enough milk to make the batter. I use saved bacon grease to...

    Good morning!
    The house is pleasantly cool on the beginning of this hot day, and I am just back from a lovely walk around the block. I think I will make pancakes for myself this morning, as a treat. I found a WW!! rationing recipe a couple of years ago, that is very simple and doesn’t need eggs, and I absolutely love it. Per person: 1/2 cup flour, a pinch of sugar, a pinch of salt, and a pinch of baking powder if you have it, and then enough milk to make the batter. I use saved bacon grease to fry it. It only takes me about 3 minutes now to mix it up, get half of the dishes done, and sit down to the table for pancakes. ☺

    Whiskers – We found two grants to help us fix up our old house. The first was through our utility company, which helped us to update our furnace to a new 95% efficient one, and to get blown-in insulation. The second was through our county, and gave us a whole house electrical renovation. Considering we had a pipe in our bathroom wall for GAS LIGHTING, lol (no longer used), and knob & tube, we were very thankful for that, and didn’t have to pay one cent, which helped us have money for the roof and some plumbing. So go to your city offices and ask about grants, and ask through whatever company is providing your heating. The grants are not always low income based. The heating and insulation was through Federal money marked to reduce energy needs, as it is cheaper than say, putting up another nuclear plant. So give it a try!
    As for gardening, I also have a very shady yard, and there are walnut trees on the neighbor’s property to the south, which I could do nothing about. But my husband is Scottish, and in Scotland, they are big gardeners, even though it rains 250 days in the year and they don’t get a lot of sun. So I took heart by that, and realized that most vegetables grown in northern countries don’t need as much light… greens, Swiss chard, broccoli, cabbage, spinach, carrots, beets, rutabaga, onions, garlic, etc. The only vegetables that need more light are the “heat loving” ones: tomatoes, peppers, squash, melons, corn. So where I do have tiny patches of sun, I put the tomato plants and peppers, and I have a shady raised bed between two walnut trees for greens, radishes, chard, carrots, etc. You can totally do this! 😊🌱🌱🌱 Thank you for the compliment. My garden is still wildish, as I was always working on gardens on other sites and less on my own. But I love that you have a great picture in your mind of it! I have the same in my imagination! 🤣

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    • Mica

      Bacon grease, Holly – that’s bringing up an ancient memory – we stored our bacon grease in the pancake syrup bottle, and the pancakes we made tasted so rancid. The next batch, too – then we realized we were putting the used bacon grease on them instead of pancake syrup. Back when we were newly weds.

      • Holly in Ohio

        Oh my goodness! Mine does not taste like that, I promise! It doesn’t even taste like bacon unless I use bacon bits! It’s just clean, smoothe, creamy white, and I keep it in a little covered tub in the refrigerator, where it is a solid until melted in the pan. Hee hee! 🥓

        • Mica

          Yes! Why on earth would we have kept it at room temp?? It was about 1969, in our defense.. I’d assumed we’d been happily frying in it, but maybe it was just the waste disposal container. 🙂 ? 🙁 ?

    • Mica

      Thanks, Holly, for the newsy update. A wildish garden sounds perfect, to me. And your home – pipes for gas lights! Knob and tube wiring – I’ve heard of that. Pancakes – yummy! Hugs –

      • Holly in Ohio

        Hugs to you, too, Mica! I wish we could do pancakes together. I even have berries now, for on top! 🤗🥞🥞🥞🥞🥞🥞🥞🥞🥞Look, Mica! There is a pancake emoji! 😃

  • Butterfly

    Wishing you all a Happy Summer Solstice as I take a moment to be grateful for living on this truly beautiful and amazing planet 🌍🌎🌏💞

  • lotus blossom

    i was wondering if anyone has done the e-course with David Whyte? i just started this free course offered here. i have always loved his poetry. it is beautifully done, and very thought-provoking.

    • Pilgrim

      I did David’s course some time ago. I have appreciated his work for a good number of years. Much food for thought!

      • lotus blossom

        i am appreciating this space more and more. i am glad you enjoyed the course, Pilgrim. i look forward to learning more about a gentler way of living as i get older, turn a corner and head home.

  • Holly in Ohio

    The Waggle Dance

    I found another short clip that is more informational than this one, but this Remix is just so much fun, I found myself “bopping” to the beat! Enjoy, friends, the beauty and complexity of nature…

    • Mica

      Quite wonderful, Holly! Thanks 🙂
      Karl von Frisch was ahead of the times, attributing such intelligence to bees.
      The UCSB guy had the standard view of bees as dim witted [I’ll not name him..]

      • Holly in Ohio

        So there were two rats in a Behavioral Psychology lab, and the one rat says to the other, “I’ve got these scientists well trained! Every time I press the bar, they give me food!” 😄

        • Mica

          XD xD x-D X-D – I think the message was that they don’t work on this site – just like “:)” doesn’t give a smiley face in gmail 🙂

        • Mica

          Go, Holly! And now you’ll be my guinea pig to see if these emoticons from wikipedia work. Laughing: XD xD x-D X-D Will there be 4 laughing emojis when I ‘add my voice’? Thanks for being my guinea pig, dear Holly!

  • Holly in Ohio
    Today I am grateful for feeling like I need less and I am attached to less. The last few days I have been working on getting my kitchen back together in some sort of order, and finding places to put things, and in the process, I have been able to put a number of things into the give-away pile that had previously been "precious." This isn't an intentional sorting right now, just casually deciding I don't like or don't use some things, and would rather have space. The kitchen is not done yet, but ...

    Today I am grateful for feeling like I need less and I am attached to less. The last few days I have been working on getting my kitchen back together in some sort of order, and finding places to put things, and in the process, I have been able to put a number of things into the give-away pile that had previously been “precious.” This isn’t an intentional sorting right now, just casually deciding I don’t like or don’t use some things, and would rather have space. The kitchen is not done yet, but getting much closer, and I am starting to sort my craft room, too, which had become a dumping ground for the kitchen things while I had the cabinets empty to paint. I am realizing how much this chaotic environment, which has been going on really since our whole house electrical reno a year and a half ago, how much it has been weighing on me. I am a dynamic creative type, who doesn’t like clutter and disorder… not a comfortable combination of personality traits! 😂
    Anyway, the project progress. I have SOME things clean and fresh! I am so happy!

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    • Mica

      Unlike you, Holly, I have a 6-word autobiography that is “Quite comfortable with chaos and clutter”. But I did remove a few of the fridge magnets from the overly cluttered front of my fridge.

    • lotus blossom

      i am a minimalist at heart, Holly. i so get your happiness when space is clean and fresh!

      • Holly in Ohio

        Yes! Though I’m not sure I will get near to minimalism in this lifetime, I think we are still kindred spirits! 😄❤

  • WhiskersJellie

    Hello, all! I just stumbled upon this site and forum a few days ago, and I’m loving it! Just wanted to thank all of you for your warm positivity. I actually quit social media several weeks back because I couldn’t stomach the negativity I kept coming across on those platforms. I’m so glad I found this community, and I’m looking forward to journeying with everyone through the gratefulness practices here.

    • Mica

      Welcome, WhiskersJellie – indeed, this site is the one I visit almost daily, unlike the more famous social sites. Enjoy! 🙂

      • WhiskersJellie

        Thank you for the warm welcome, Mica! It’s definitely a worthwhile space. I’m really enjoying reading some of Brother David’s reflections. I just listened to Oprah interview him on a podcast (though I think it was from several years back). Such wisdom.

        • Mica

          Yes, WhiskersJellie, Brother David is so wise and such a dear. I’m grateful to have known him for so long, mostly many years ago. I have a couple of his early books, too – “Gratefulness the Heart of Prayer” and, I believe, “A listening heart.” Enjoy!

    • Holly in Ohio

      Welcome, Whiskers!
      I saw your message yesterday, but could not find time to reply. I paused my (very low budget) kitchen reno and did a quick house clean, as our house guest has arrived, today. Now I can relax! He is more my son’s guest than ours, but I have a good excuse not to open a paint can for several days, for which I am VERY GRATEFUL! 🤣😁 I soooo needed this little break! Gratefulness happens wherever we can find it! hee hee!

      • WhiskersJellie

        Thank you for the warm welcome, and best of luck on your kitchen reno!! That is definitely something I want to get working on over here, too. We have some other home improvement projects we’re prioritizing over the kitchen, though, but I’m very much looking forward to just diving in to all of it and seeing the transformations! So glad you’re getting to enjoy a break, I’m actually taking one today, as well. You said it well, we gotta be grateful for these times of rest!

        • Holly in Ohio
          😄 I hear you about prioritizing projects on a house. Mine was a c. 1894 "bargain."...i.e.... needed loads of work and not many wanted it! We've had our share of emergency repairs on it, too. I'm glad you are getting a break today, too. It was a lovely day here, and after dinner I was watering some grass seed when my son and his friend appeared. It was so much fun overhearing my son show off our wildish garden, as he doesn't usually pay much attention to it and has avoided spending much time ...

          😄 I hear you about prioritizing projects on a house. Mine was a c. 1894 “bargain.”…i.e…. needed loads of work and not many wanted it! We’ve had our share of emergency repairs on it, too. I’m glad you are getting a break today, too. It was a lovely day here, and after dinner I was watering some grass seed when my son and his friend appeared. It was so much fun overhearing my son show off our wildish garden, as he doesn’t usually pay much attention to it and has avoided spending much time in it. But now I know he is aware, and actually pleased that we grow food, and that I’m trying to put in fruit trees, berries, and other food perennials. I hope your prioritized home improvement projects go smoothly! This early morning I was trying to secure the tops on little corner shelves in the kitchen. Two stripped screws, a broken drill bit, and three bent nails later, I changed my plan and opted for wood glue! 😂

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          • WhiskersJellie
            I absolutely love that you have such a historical house! Ours was built between 1900 and 1910--for some reason the records on it are kind of sloppy! It did have some basic updates on it when we bought it a couple years back, but it definitely has the old home quirks that make you want to do some remodeling. Like poor insulation! Nevertheless, we love our little home and our historical area. I actually grew up living in old houses and they made such an impression on me that I knew I wanted to liv...

            I absolutely love that you have such a historical house! Ours was built between 1900 and 1910–for some reason the records on it are kind of sloppy! It did have some basic updates on it when we bought it a couple years back, but it definitely has the old home quirks that make you want to do some remodeling. Like poor insulation! Nevertheless, we love our little home and our historical area. I actually grew up living in old houses and they made such an impression on me that I knew I wanted to live in one of my own one day. I never get bored of driving or walking around the historic district of my town and picking out every architectural quirk and detail of all the beautiful homes. But the maintenance and redesigning must be the real test of love! And I’m so inexperienced with power tools, I probably would have reached for the wood glue from the start, ha! I love how nourishing and established your garden sounds. I loved having a veggie garden here while we were able to keep it. I’d like to build a few raised beds and try for another. We just have so many mature trees here, it makes it very challenging to find enough sun for a garden. But the Summertime leaf canopy over the deck is such a blessing! I do miss working with the soil, though. Anyway, I do hope your kitchen project continues successfully, and that you get a ton of enjoyment and accomplishment out of each day you give a little of yourself to it

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    • Butterfly

      Welcome to Gratefulness, WJ 😊

  • Mike S

    Sometimes I see things differently

    Like this evening for instance

    Looking out through the screened in porch towards my neighbors house

    When the waning, evening sun
    falls lightly on the second story dormers

    with the roof left in darkness

    I have not seen that before.

    Now as the seconds and minutes pass by

    The entire house lies in shade

    Leaving only the trees behind lit up

    Until they too were wrapped in the arms of night.

    • Mica

      Thanks, Mike – I love how you shared your experience of sunset on the house – I’ll look for that in my condo some night. The view of the balcony would just have the shadow moving farther along the wall but then I can watch the shadows growing in the courtyard beyond!

      • Mike S

        I think it’s a matter of seeing the new eyes-sounds like a principal in the gratefulness work.

    • Butterfly

      That’s beautiful, Mike. Thank you for sharing 😊

    • Holly in Ohio

      🤗💐🌹

  • Mike S

    Haven’t been here in a long time. Just passing by to send greetings to you all I wishing you the best. Life has been both challenging and wonderful at the same time.💕

  • Mica

    Happy me! I thought the website I needed was totally messed up, but eventually I discovered that there was an extra open internet window hidden behind the main internet window on my computer – so the problem was me, not the website. I do so much prefer to deal with problems caused by me, not problems caused by other that I don’t know how to deal with 🙂

    • Butterfly

      Haha Mica 😄. I find computers amazing and infuriating in equal measure!

    • Holly in Ohio

      Lol. I’m glad! 😄

      • Mica

        Me too!! Just now I got an error msg that a website wasn’t available – I guess because I had clicked ‘send’ twice 🙁 ):, because I redid it and it worked 🙂

  • Holly in Ohio
    Despite sitting here with a hot, five inch bee sting reaction, today I am very thankful for our honeybees! Normally they are so gentle, that sometimes I sit right in front of the hive entrance, only three feet away, just to watch them, and they won't bother me. But yesterday it was terribly 🔥HOT🔥, and I forgot to vent the hives in the early morning, and instead did it in the afternoon when I noticed the one hive "bearding." Bearding is when many of them sit outside the hive at the entranc...

    Despite sitting here with a hot, five inch bee sting reaction, today I am very thankful for our honeybees! Normally they are so gentle, that sometimes I sit right in front of the hive entrance, only three feet away, just to watch them, and they won’t bother me. But yesterday it was terribly 🔥HOT🔥, and I forgot to vent the hives in the early morning, and instead did it in the afternoon when I noticed the one hive “bearding.” Bearding is when many of them sit outside the hive at the entrance. When I approached i saw something so incredibly beautiful… they were cooling the hive, in particular the brood (babies), by fanning air into the entrance. So picture thousands of honeybees in a small space, all landed, but all fluttering their wings. Their wings are so beautiful and almost transparent, so it was sparkling! It is hard imagining fairies being as grand as this!
    Anyway, I got the hives vented and went to close them again this early morning, but the one hive that had been bearding was still irritable, and they did not want me anywhere near… so one got me and of late I have been having a much larger histamine reaction. Sigh. It’s fine. It’s a part of beekeeping. They marked me. I’m “theirs.” 😂
    Here is a photo of bearding… these are not my hives but I thought you might wish to see. I’m going back out to give the bees some fresh water. ☺

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    • WhiskersJellie

      What a super cool experience! Sorry you got stung, though! There’s nothing quite like being out in nature to make the day feel worthwhile, especially when you have the good fortune to work with nature on a daily basis! What a cool picture, too, thanks for sharing!!

      • Holly in Ohio

        Would you believe my arm is STILL a bit swollen? It’s a little tender to the touch, but otherwise doesn’t hurt anymore, and it isn’t itching. It is still discolored over six inches, but so very much better than it was! 😄

        • WhiskersJellie

          How awful, I’m so sorry you’re still in pain! I wish I knew of some ointments you could use to help it heal up faster. I would think some aloe, or maybe even snail mucin, if you can get a hold of a decent cream or serum, should help. Maybe a little Benedryl or Cortisol cream? Hope it feels better soon!

          • Holly in Ohio
            Aloe is a great idea, and I have a lovely plant! My body has changed recently. I never used to get strong histamine reactions. A few weeks ago it was the midges that I reacted to, and I took Benedryl then, but it truly knocks me out and it took me a couple of days before I didn't feel sluggish from the Benedril. So this time I chose not to, as it did not and was not an emergency. I was able to take half a dose of Prednizone (I have no idea how to spell that), and it did nothing for the swelling ...

            Aloe is a great idea, and I have a lovely plant! My body has changed recently. I never used to get strong histamine reactions. A few weeks ago it was the midges that I reacted to, and I took Benedryl then, but it truly knocks me out and it took me a couple of days before I didn’t feel sluggish from the Benedril. So this time I chose not to, as it did not and was not an emergency. I was able to take half a dose of Prednizone (I have no idea how to spell that), and it did nothing for the swelling or discomfort, but I thankfully I did not have the typical itching, that was making me so crazy from the midge bites. Cortisol cream doesn’t seem to do much. I’m curious how and why my body changed, and have wondered if I changed my diet in some way, it might reduce the reactions I’m getting. There is unfortunately no science to my hunch, at least any I have found. Allergists just say that allergies can grow in intensity, or fade away. It’s all too mysterious! …and the bees still know I am “marked.” They don’t want me near the hive, though it seems they are less alarmed by my presence, today, and I was able to get closer before they got watchful of me. I decided not to try their patience! 😄

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      • Holly in Ohio

        Thank you, Whiskers! Do you get to spend time outside, too?

        It was a gorgeous day here today! It was so beautiful this morning, I even enjoyed hanging a wash out on the clothesline! 😊

        • WhiskersJellie
          You gotta love those days that are so beautiful even hanging wash out is a joy!! I do get to enjoy time outside, Holly, thanks for asking. I live near a tidal river, and I’m very blessed to get to take drives through town to see the water. Actually, even my evening walk allows for a water view. It’s one of my favorite times of day, at sunset and right afterwards. I get to watch the sky light up over the water in orange and pink, and then I stroll the neighborhood and watch for bunny rabbits ...

          You gotta love those days that are so beautiful even hanging wash out is a joy!!
          I do get to enjoy time outside, Holly, thanks for asking. I live near a tidal river, and I’m very blessed to get to take drives through town to see the water. Actually, even my evening walk allows for a water view. It’s one of my favorite times of day, at sunset and right afterwards. I get to watch the sky light up over the water in orange and pink, and then I stroll the neighborhood and watch for bunny rabbits on the riverfront and fireflies all through the canopies of the wisteria-wrapped trees. That’s about when the frogs start their evening chorus. It’s all so magical.
          I admire your beekeeping work! I’d love to have a small farm out this way. It’s definitely a goal!!
          Do you keep other animals at all?

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          • Holly in Ohio
            Do kids count? 😂 ...just kidding. My kids are grown now and just one at home and not for much longer. I'd love to keep chickens, but my husband is highly allergic to eggs. I thought maybe one day I might try aquaponics for fish, but that would be an investment and I always have several open projects going as it is. We will see what the future brings. But I have been around farms with animals a fair bit, I've cared for horses, shorn sheep, used to have rabbits, ad I help new farmers and ho...

            Do kids count? 😂 …just kidding. My kids are grown now and just one at home and not for much longer.

            I’d love to keep chickens, but my husband is highly allergic to eggs. I thought maybe one day I might try aquaponics for fish, but that would be an investment and I always have several open projects going as it is. We will see what the future brings. But I have been around farms with animals a fair bit, I’ve cared for horses, shorn sheep, used to have rabbits, ad I help new farmers and homesteaders with some advice on their animals.

            It sounds so beautiful where you are! Is a tidal river like an estuary? I used to live in Kittery Point, Maine, and there are several estuaries there. We don’t have wisteria here, but we have fireflies, tree frogs, bunnies (all in my yard!) and yesterday on my walk a skunk crossed my path, right in front of me! 🦨

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    • lotus blossom

      i got stung by a wasp last year on the bottom of my foot that swelled, itched and i thought i’d go mad! i am allergic to wasps. i do know we have stingless bees here. such good news since aus has more wildlife that can kill you- spiders, octopus, snakes..not to mention our great whites! ‘all a part of beekeeping’. well said, Holly. it sounds fascinating, really.

      • WhiskersJellie

        Hi Lotus Blossom, I just scrolled past your fascinating words and had to stop to say, I am amazed by people who live in Australia! I live in the United States, and I’m wimpy enough when it comes to some of the natural hazards here! I couldn’t imagine living in a place like you do, with so many more!! But then again, Australia looks so unbelievably beautiful whenever I’ve read about it! What a fascinating place

        • lotus blossom
          it sounds like i am living the life? i had to chuckle. perhaps i am beginning to do just that. trust me, it has taken decades. we arrived in Oz with three kids. my oldest was 13 and she hated it here. she wanted to go home and her depression began. as a mom, i went down with her. did we make the right decision? long story short, that same daughter is getting married this year. her engagement party is this weekend. and i am sure she is happy as that she stayed on and met the man of her dreams. th...

          it sounds like i am living the life? i had to chuckle. perhaps i am beginning to do just that. trust me, it has taken decades. we arrived in Oz with three kids. my oldest was 13 and she hated it here. she wanted to go home and her depression began. as a mom, i went down with her. did we make the right decision? long story short, that same daughter is getting married this year. her engagement party is this weekend. and i am sure she is happy as that she stayed on and met the man of her dreams. things have a way of working themselves out. if we can only believe that in moments of distress. i have had many of those moments. i am thankful for many reasons that i live here now, but homesick i was forever and a day. i miss Americans. i was super popular once, but not so much here. i agree with you, WJ, i used to sing, ‘Stranger in a Strange Land’ often! yes to culture shock! you wouldn’t think that in an English-speaking nation. but there you go. thanks for asking. i am glad you found many enjoyable things when you moved. about blue bottles? they are like the man of war but smaller and less venomous. sigh. have a great day.

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          • WhiskersJellie
            What a beautiful story your daughter has, and you and your whole family share in! Congratulations to you all on the upcoming wedding! I completely understand your time of adjustment. I actually finally moved to a part of the state that my partner and I love. But we moved just before the pandemic hit, so it's been rough going making many connections out here. But even when we lived 6 hours west of here, I felt like a total fish out of water. We lived there for over a decade and it was very diffic...

            What a beautiful story your daughter has, and you and your whole family share in! Congratulations to you all on the upcoming wedding! I completely understand your time of adjustment. I actually finally moved to a part of the state that my partner and I love. But we moved just before the pandemic hit, so it’s been rough going making many connections out here. But even when we lived 6 hours west of here, I felt like a total fish out of water. We lived there for over a decade and it was very difficult for me to make friends. But I love what you said about how things have a way of working out, we should believe it more. God’s love shines through everything, doesn’t it, we just need some time and perspective sometimes to realize it. Anyway, thank you for that reminder. I struggle with quite a bit of anxiety, so your words were a deeply needed reminder and encouragement. I’ve been trying to practice mindfulness more, which does help the anxiety. This site’s resources help a lot with that, I’m so thankful I stumbled across it

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        • lotus blossom
          to be honest, whiskersjellie, i too am amazed! i have been here for over 20 yrs (a native new yorker) and frankly, the laid-back attitude kind of freaked me out. i still prefer to swim in the rock pools than in the ocean itself. i have been clobbered by surf, stung by blue bottles three times! and prefer safety to risk any day but i am learning to step out of my comfort zone one swim at a time. it is beautiful, but i miss squirrels, and fireflies (lightning bugs) but not so much skunks! i think ...

          to be honest, whiskersjellie, i too am amazed! i have been here for over 20 yrs (a native new yorker) and frankly, the laid-back attitude kind of freaked me out. i still prefer to swim in the rock pools than in the ocean itself. i have been clobbered by surf, stung by blue bottles three times! and prefer safety to risk any day but i am learning to step out of my comfort zone one swim at a time. it is beautiful, but i miss squirrels, and fireflies (lightning bugs) but not so much skunks! i think frogs are magical.

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          • WhiskersJellie
            Wow, it sounds like you're living the life!! What an adventurous move! It must be quite the experience to swim in those rock pools. I can't blame you for staying out of the surf, that'd probably be the end of me, ha! I looked up some pictures of Blue Bottles, now are those the same as Man O' War? They look so similar, absolutely beautiful to look at, but I cannot imagine getting stung once, let alone 3 times!!! I have to say, I've long romanticized the thought of moving off to an entirely differ...

            Wow, it sounds like you’re living the life!! What an adventurous move! It must be quite the experience to swim in those rock pools. I can’t blame you for staying out of the surf, that’d probably be the end of me, ha! I looked up some pictures of Blue Bottles, now are those the same as Man O’ War? They look so similar, absolutely beautiful to look at, but I cannot imagine getting stung once, let alone 3 times!!! I have to say, I’ve long romanticized the thought of moving off to an entirely different country. I admire that you actually did it, and I wonder, was it a long adjustment period? Did you instantly fall in love with your surroundings? I’m originally from Southern California, and a little over a decade ago made my move to the Southern United States. I instantly loved all the wilderness surrounding me that I realized I’d been deprived of in California. But talk about culture shock!!! I felt like I’d stepped back in time in some instances, and like I’d stepped onto another planet in others! And I swear I felt like I was learning a new language just in tuning my ear to the new accents! So I’m so curious as to what your experience was with your new surroundings, given that this was an entirely different country from where you were born and raised

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      • Holly in Ohio

        Here is the hive earlier today. You can see how I left it suddenly, hahaha… but they are also cooler, which is good. 🙂

    • Mica
      So do bees 'dance' Holly? The guy who said it got a Nobel Prize. The guy who said it wasn't true had to stop working in that research area, but he published a little paperback about how the bees are influenced by the wind direction when they figure out where to fly to find food. My fellow grad student friend showed me the book: “Anatomy of a Controversy: The Question of a “Language” Among Bees,” a 399-page insider’s analysis of the dance-language dispute written by Wenner and his frequ...

      So do bees ‘dance’ Holly? The guy who said it got a Nobel Prize. The guy who said it wasn’t true had to stop working in that research area, but he published a little paperback about how the bees are influenced by the wind direction when they figure out where to fly to find food. My fellow grad student friend showed me the book: “Anatomy of a Controversy: The Question of a “Language” Among Bees,” a 399-page insider’s analysis of the dance-language dispute written by Wenner and his frequent collaborator. And – ‘get well soon!’:)

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      • Holly in Ohio
        The science is pretty conclusive at this point, that bees have several dances, and their language is translatable now. Here is an article from NOVA… https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/bees/hivecomm.html Thank you, Mica. My arm has started swelling, so I will have to take medicine for it. I'm not concerned, just uncomfortable. I've see the reaction so many times now in my husband, and mine is happening much slower, and it is at least, my arm and not my neck or head. so I expect it will be worse in ...

        The science is pretty conclusive at this point, that bees have several dances, and their language is translatable now. Here is an article from NOVA… https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/bees/hivecomm.html

        Thank you, Mica. My arm has started swelling, so I will have to take medicine for it. I’m not concerned, just uncomfortable. I’ve see the reaction so many times now in my husband, and mine is happening much slower, and it is at least, my arm and not my neck or head. so I expect it will be worse in the morning, but get better after that. 🤨💪hahaha… that is kind of how my arm looks only red! It’s not muscle, though, just puffy… .and itchy! 🙄😜😅

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        • Mica

          Funny Holly 🙂 – or maybe desired? Like cookies that don’t make it through the post? 😁

        • Mica

          Well gratefulness seems to have eaten my reply, so maybe it wasn’t important 😐

        • Mica

          Yup – science marches on, and sometimes we scientists are too sure of ourselves. There are still bundles of papers about bee dancing and the anti-dance guy, even since 2018, but I didn’t see any that agreed with the anti-dance guy. 365 results since 2018 on Google Scholar 🙂

        • Mica

          Sigh. I will offer you Cool wishes, not Warm wishes! 🙂 Thanks for the link – I look fwd to reading it. The anti-dance guy and I were at the same university.

          • Holly in Ohio

            Theories are true… until they are no longer true! Science and learning marches on. It is sort of like Guinness Records!
            Just think how many people Einstein upset, and now some parts of his theories are being worked out, as it didn’t mesh when Quantum theory appeared. (Einstein still rocks, though!)

  • Holly in Ohio
    This morning I watched something funny. There is a new male sparrow at the bird box across from my kitchen window. I watched him trying to get in it for ten minutes, but Mrs. Hopeful (the female sparrow who built a nest in the box) had stuffed it so tight that he couldn't get in! He was so funny trying to push his way in. He worked on it and worked on it and finally managed to get it packed down enough that he could get in. Since then he has been flying to and fro, and singing on top of the box ...

    This morning I watched something funny. There is a new male sparrow at the bird box across from my kitchen window. I watched him trying to get in it for ten minutes, but Mrs. Hopeful (the female sparrow who built a nest in the box) had stuffed it so tight that he couldn’t get in! He was so funny trying to push his way in. He worked on it and worked on it and finally managed to get it packed down enough that he could get in. Since then he has been flying to and fro, and singing on top of the box or the little ledge I tacked up to the tree… he is young and I think he is trying to attract a mate just like Mr. Hopeful did in the beginning of last year. We will see what happens. This skinny guy is starting late in the year to get a mate, so I’m not sure he will stay, but I am trying to think up a name for him just in case!

    It has been a quiet day here. We have a heat index over 100 and it is humid, but I “captured” cool air last night and the house is quite comfortable. This seemed like a good day to be more quiet, so I have been enjoying reading online. I feel fortunate that I could use this day to recoup, and that I am learning better self-care and realizing when I need it. I hope everyone here is remembering to care for themselves, too ❤

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    • WhiskersJellie
      Just wanted to thank you for this adorable story about the birds. Mr. and Ms. Hopeful, I love it!! My neighbors have a couple bird boxes mounted on their gate that I get to see right from my kitchen window. I think I've seen a couple cardinals warm up to them this Spring. I hope I get some awesome observations like yours! We actually feed the birds and squirrels from our back deck. I'm trying to keep the crows coming back, I really enjoy crows. For a while, several of the blue jays and cardinals...

      Just wanted to thank you for this adorable story about the birds. Mr. and Ms. Hopeful, I love it!! My neighbors have a couple bird boxes mounted on their gate that I get to see right from my kitchen window. I think I’ve seen a couple cardinals warm up to them this Spring. I hope I get some awesome observations like yours! We actually feed the birds and squirrels from our back deck. I’m trying to keep the crows coming back, I really enjoy crows. For a while, several of the blue jays and cardinals, and even a few of the squirrels that showed up to our back deck were missing a leg (we have a lot of neighborhood cats!😬) so it was kinda cool that our little feed supply was keeping them alive and healthy!
      Also wanted to thank you for the much needed reminder for self care. That is a hard lesson I’ve had to learn over the past few years. Our bodies are precious, and definitely not a renewable resource!

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      • Holly in Ohio

        ❤ That makes me happy! You are so welcome!

        Try unsalted peanuts in the shell for your crows. Blue jays like them, too. My next door neighbor has been putting out a handful of the peanuts every morning since I’ve lived here. What fun! The jays know him and come waiting for him, sometimes squirrels come, too! 😊

        • WhiskersJellie
          Thanks for the tip to bring in the crows! I’ve been trying to put out shiny things once in a while, too, like little balls of foil. I think they might just think it’s trash, though! 😆 Oh, I wanted to answer your question on the last convo thread–for some reason that one wasn’t letting me reply. But yes, I do live on an estuary! Our river flows right into a sound. How wonderful that you got to live next to one as well, it’s been such an interesting experience. The ocean life comes ri...

          Thanks for the tip to bring in the crows! I’ve been trying to put out shiny things once in a while, too, like little balls of foil. I think they might just think it’s trash, though! 😆 Oh, I wanted to answer your question on the last convo thread–for some reason that one wasn’t letting me reply. But yes, I do live on an estuary! Our river flows right into a sound. How wonderful that you got to live next to one as well, it’s been such an interesting experience. The ocean life comes right in to us, we even get pods of dolphins on our little river! The other day at a friend’s riverfront cottage we saw a beautiful jellyfish floating under her neighbor’s pier. Glad I didn’t get in the water at that point, ha! But it’s incredible seeing the sea life in and around the water. And you sound like you’ve had quite the run with farming/homesteading! I find that stuff so interesting. We had a little backyard farm with a couple goats and a few ducks and a veggie garden for about a year. It was a lot of work for so few animals! And the ducks were not friendly!😂 But it was a fun experience on the whole, I’m glad we made it happen

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          • Holly in Ohio
            That sounds wonderful! We loved walking on the ocean beaches at low tide and looking in tidal pools for sea life, but I can't say I always enjoyed low tide in the estuaries, because the seaweed smelled perfectly awful in the sun, 😂🦨🌿!!!! But sometimes we would go looking for mussels for dinner, and I love eating those! This year I am quite scaled back on homesteading and missing it very much. Still trying to build a new herb bed. I have some apple trees and currants, gooseberry, bl...

            That sounds wonderful!
            We loved walking on the ocean beaches at low tide and looking in tidal pools for sea life, but I can’t say I always enjoyed low tide in the estuaries, because the seaweed smelled perfectly awful in the sun, 😂🦨🌿!!!! But sometimes we would go looking for mussels for dinner, and I love eating those!

            This year I am quite scaled back on homesteading and missing it very much. Still trying to build a new herb bed. I have some apple trees and currants, gooseberry, blackberry, black raspberry, and blueberry… and racoons that like to eat them. 😂🦝

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    • lotus blossom

      i am laughing envisioning the birdbox scene. what perseverance. i am glad you are enjoying the quiet. and you mentioned self-care. i have been a driven person and just in the last few years started reconnecting to my body and seeing i too have needs. what a journey. so thank you for the reminder. nourishment to flourish.

      • Holly in Ohio
        I can relate to what you say. I am perhaps not driven in the conventional sense, but my mind is always going, and I often have many projects going at once and/or am taking care of others. It is so easy for me to prioritize twenty or more things before my self! My new year's resolution included better self care. I can see a little improvement, but it is a journey! I'm glad to be reminded of my resolution. I will try to take my walk today and maybe visit a neighbor for a few minutes. Self care is...

        I can relate to what you say. I am perhaps not driven in the conventional sense, but my mind is always going, and I often have many projects going at once and/or am taking care of others. It is so easy for me to prioritize twenty or more things before my self! My new year’s resolution included better self care. I can see a little improvement, but it is a journey! I’m glad to be reminded of my resolution. I will try to take my walk today and maybe visit a neighbor for a few minutes.
        Self care is different for everyone. What is it to you?

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        • lotus blossom
          it IS different for everyone, Holly. for me, self-care meant pampering, indulgence and there was very little in role modelling for that to ever be a part of my life. it started with understanding it in a different light. being aware of how bad i was actually treating myself and discovering underlying trauma and how that changed my brain and how i do and see life. i just listened to “Reflections” with Br. David Steindl-Rast. it explains a lot of where i walked in abject fear. 'fear not' was n...

          it IS different for everyone, Holly. for me, self-care meant pampering, indulgence and there was very little in role modelling for that to ever be a part of my life. it started with understanding it in a different light. being aware of how bad i was actually treating myself and discovering underlying trauma and how that changed my brain and how i do and see life. i just listened to “Reflections” with Br. David Steindl-Rast. it explains a lot of where i walked in abject fear. ‘fear not’ was not an option for me. as i heal from past traumas, i can bring more safety on board, starting with loving myself. now i can consider to possibly trust life, God and others more. i hope you enjoyed your walk and visit with your neighbor. beautiful, Holly.

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          • Holly in Ohio
            It is so wonderful that you have found understanding of your needs, and from where they spring. I remember thinking one day, that the way we fill the "hole" inside us, is by giving ourselves what we lacked in childhood and needed... things like love, kindness, patience, non-judgment, consistency, freedom, laughter. Not from outside of us, like in finding a kind partner or friends, but in learning how to be kind directly to ourselves. I think my self care still includes some of those intangible ...

            It is so wonderful that you have found understanding of your needs, and from where they spring. I remember thinking one day, that the way we fill the “hole” inside us, is by giving ourselves what we lacked in childhood and needed… things like love, kindness, patience, non-judgment, consistency, freedom, laughter. Not from outside of us, like in finding a kind partner or friends, but in learning how to be kind directly to ourselves. I think my self care still includes some of those intangible things for my “hole,” and I did not remember it until you shared, so thank you!

            I did not go for a walk today or visit my friend because of getting stung and having an allergic reaction. I thought it best not to exert myself or go out in the sun, for it was very hot today, and I had to take medicine, too, and did not know how my body would react if strained with heat and medicine it is not used to. But there is tomorrow, and I should feel better then, and it is something to look forward to. 🙂

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  • lotus blossom
    today is my 68th birthday. a friend sent me an e-card and i ended up here in the gratitude lounge. what a lovely website. i am quite enjoying myself exploring it all. so a g'day from Sydney, Australia. many a day i can feel 'down under', but not today. i am feeling quite grateful. there were many God sightings today. each bringing me a measure of joy. an unexpected email from a friend. egrets hanging out in my gum tree. a frigid swim in the local rock pool to ease my aching muscles. a turmeric l...

    today is my 68th birthday. a friend sent me an e-card and i ended up here in the gratitude lounge. what a lovely website. i am quite enjoying myself exploring it all. so a g’day from Sydney, Australia. many a day i can feel ‘down under’, but not today. i am feeling quite grateful. there were many God sightings today. each bringing me a measure of joy. an unexpected email from a friend. egrets hanging out in my gum tree. a frigid swim in the local rock pool to ease my aching muscles. a turmeric latte, sushi dinner (my favorite) and a popcorn movie night! thanks for listening. i do hope to catch up soon again.

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    • Mica
      welcome, dear lotus blossom, and happy birthday. i feel a connection to you, because a guru gave me the name Padma, which is Sanskrit for 'lotus.' egrets and gum trees are near me, too, tho ducks are more common, and redwood trees and California live oak trees are also near me. supposedly the wrong type of gum trees were brought here - they were supposed to be ones that were good for lumber, but they're good for forest fires and for falling on things [a car and a bedroom, for example] but they a...

      welcome, dear lotus blossom, and happy birthday. i feel a connection to you, because a guru gave me the name Padma, which is Sanskrit for ‘lotus.’ egrets and gum trees are near me, too, tho ducks are more common, and redwood trees and California live oak trees are also near me. supposedly the wrong type of gum trees were brought here – they were supposed to be ones that were good for lumber, but they’re good for forest fires and for falling on things [a car and a bedroom, for example] but they are quite wonderful trees and i love them. warm wishes to you 🙂

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      • lotus blossom

        thank you so much, Mica. oh, i love the name, Padma. i am sure there is a story behind that? enjoy your ducks and glorious trees.

        • Mica

          Yes! There is a story. The guru was Swami Satchidananda, who was having a shrine built called LOTUS [!] – the Light of Truth Universal Shrine, in Yogaville Virginia. My then-husband was a physics professor who was happy to be the expert in designing and building the central light of the shrine, which split into 12 lights going to altars for major world religions [and the front and back door…]. Warm wishes to you, lotus blossom.

    • Mica
      welcome, dear lotus blossom. the guru gave me the Sanskrit name Padma, which is 'lotus', so i feel connected to you. egrets and gum trees - those are near me, tho ducks are more common, and trees like redwoods and california live oaks. welcome back, and warm wishes to you :) ps - the gum trees are, shall i say, sort of a joke here - supposedly they were ones good for lumber, but they were the wrong type and instead they're good for falling over on things [a car and a bedroom, for example] and fo...

      welcome, dear lotus blossom. the guru gave me the Sanskrit name Padma, which is ‘lotus’, so i feel connected to you. egrets and gum trees – those are near me, tho ducks are more common, and trees like redwoods and california live oaks. welcome back, and warm wishes to you 🙂 ps – the gum trees are, shall i say, sort of a joke here – supposedly they were ones good for lumber, but they were the wrong type and instead they’re good for falling over on things [a car and a bedroom, for example] and for burning in wildfires.. but i see eucalyptus lumber in google 🙂

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    • Holly in Ohio

      Happy Birthday, Lotus Blossom!
      It sounds like a wonderful day, and I’m glad you found your way here today!

      A frigid swim sounds lovely to me, today… on the Northern Hemisphere here in Ohio, we are experiencing a heat wave. I’m grateful for being in a comfortable house – we opened it up last night when it was cool and then early this morning closed it up and pulled some shades.

      Egrets in your gum tree sounds lovely! 🦢

      • lotus blossom

        thank you, Holly. the change of seasons is a big one for me. i am a native new yorker and my birthday was always in summer. i can’t say i miss those heat waves! living on the coast brings in lovely sea breezes here. lovely to hear from you.

  • Annie
    Happy Sunday all ! See my adorable Bedlington terrier in my profile pic ...Great memories of my sweet dog . He was amazing. He taught me to never give up...My dog Mr Raggs lived 20 years. Was deaf /blind in his latter years. That never stopped him...went in and out the doggy door found his way around the house sometimes bumped into something ...Raggs was full of spunk, joy ....stubborn, independent ...made me laugh on a daily basis...I miss my boy ...miss having a dog...Unfortunately I can't hav...

    Happy Sunday all ! See my adorable Bedlington terrier in my profile pic …Great memories of my sweet dog . He was amazing. He taught me to never give up…My dog Mr Raggs lived 20 years. Was deaf /blind in his latter years. That never stopped him…went in and out the doggy door found his way around the house sometimes bumped into something …Raggs was full of spunk, joy ….stubborn, independent …made me laugh on a daily basis…I miss my boy …miss having a dog…Unfortunately I can’t have one due to my neuropathy …I have to use a walker and can’t balance stand alone …If I should be miraculously healed …after jumping for joy praising God …I’ll get me a dog !!!!!

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    • Holly in Ohio

      Raggs was so lovely, Annie. We can all learn from him and carry on! 🐩

    • Cath

      Annie, a lovely tribute to your dear Raggs. What a beautiful boy. Animals bring such a joyful quality to our lives, and a deep companionship. Thanks for sharing.

    • Mica

      He’s adorable, Annie! Can you get a cat? That’s what I’m planning to get after my aging guinea pig dies. I’ve loved and lived with dogs, but that’s too much pet for me now. I love guinea pigs but want a more independent pet after Brownie dies. Warm wishes to you –

      • Annie

        Hey Mica ! Well I am pretty much a dog lover. Never had a cat. Not into the claws and walking on counter tops …kinda freaks me out you know like those paws were in the litter box and now walking where I prepare food …yuck. Plus my granddaughter is allergic to cats. And I was spoiled my dog didn’t shed. Guess I am getting fussy in my old age. 🙂

        • Mica

          Not crazy, Annie – wise woman giving yourself doggy love in a way that you can still safely do! Enjoy!

        • Mica

          Yes, my guinea pig and I ‘share saliva,’ as they say – we’ll take turns eating something. And she has ‘kitchen and eat’ and sometimes poops and pees on the kitchen counters. My daughter’s allergic to my piggie, but she says she’s never been allergic to a cat. I’m strangely unconcerned about germs, if they’re not covid. I’ve thought about a nice stuffed animal in my even older age.

          • Annie

            Funny you should mention stuffed animals. On Facebook in my group called Must Love dogs bedlington Terrier lovers …Someone from Scotland makes bedlington felted dogs. And I ordered one. I love my stuffed felted dog. I even bought him a collar and two scarfs…crazy old lady lol !
            My sister used to have a piggy too by the way. I cn’t remember it’s name. Oh well good night my friend !

  • Holly in Ohio
    Good morning friends! I hope this day is a joy to you. I apologize for not being here as much of late... I've been working flat-out on the kitchen. I feel behind in most parts of my life, including practice, but know I can only do so much and must prioritize for a few weeks. Today I'm going to try to take it a little easier, since my arthritis started complaining, ... lol... my friend Connie used to say, "Uncle Arthur came to visit." (Mr. Arthur Itis) We are expecting a heat wave this week so...

    Good morning friends!
    I hope this day is a joy to you.
    I apologize for not being here as much of late… I’ve been working flat-out on the kitchen. I feel behind in most parts of my life, including practice, but know I can only do so much and must prioritize for a few weeks. Today I’m going to try to take it a little easier, since my arthritis started complaining, … lol… my friend Connie used to say, “Uncle Arthur came to visit.” (Mr. Arthur Itis) We are expecting a heat wave this week so my plan has been to get the window shades back up on the southern windows in the kitchen today, maybe wash the windows first, and a some other little things done, but also give myself time to just sit and relax. I need to recoup. We pull the shades in heat waves to prevent the sun from hitting the floor, and it helps a lot to keep our place cooler.

    Mr. and Mrs. Hopeful abandoned their box nest again. She was fussing inside it earlier this week, stuffing and stuffing, then Mr. and Mrs. Hopeful were arguing with each other, and next I knew, nothing. The straws sticking out of the nest have not shifted for days and no sight of them. I do hear him singing sometimes, so I think they are close, still, but it looks like they are laying their clutch elsewhere. At this moment I hear little chirps of sparrows and the song of cardinals. I’m hoping for rain today. We will need it before the heat wave or I will be watering plants this evening.

    This morning I am grateful for the opportunity to do things still, like fixing the kitchen. It’s starting to pull together now, and my husband is excited and pleased, and talking about getting the backsplash I wish for the sink. (He’s very thrifty, so when he’s suggesting spending to get a backsplash, I know he’s excited!). My son is also pleased with the kitchen. There is still a lot to do on it, like the cupboard doors and the floor refinishing, and half a window frame, but I like that it looks clean and bright. Yesterday I scrubbed bright the old refrigerator on all sides, and cleaned the gaskets with a toothbrush, before putting the refrigerator back in its place. Simple things, like a clean kitchen, a place to cook good food, is a blessing. We will get it done, and it will be present for new memories of cooking and shared meals.

    Read More
    • Mica

      I ‘like’ your ‘Arthur’ Holly. One of those difficult relatives that most of us have 🙂
      Like you, I close the blinds when it gets hot – the forecast was for a hotter day today, so I’m grateful for the overcast sky! My condo’s windows all face southwest, which is wonderful for sunsets and not so wonderful for heat, which may well get much worse. Warm wishes – 🙂

      • Holly in Ohio

        Cool wishes, Mica, 😉😊
        I did get the shades mounted again, and now I am polishing the little brass parts of the cupboard door handles.

        I just spotted a sparrow’s nest! I don’t know if it is “my” sparrows, but the nest is wedged in between the telephone hookup and the house across the street, and the sparrows just flew out of it to my walnut trees. Hm. ☺

        • Mica

          Ah – MDF – my new word for the day: ” MDF was developed in the United States in the early 1960s based on the design of hardboard” That is uninspiring, but paint, as you say, is good. It’s fun to see traces of wood grain texture on my white cupboard doors. I’ve always lived with formica – rounded edges in the last 2 houses. Tho I might have gotten fake marble in a bathroom redo in my last house. Fun fun. YOu are inspiring!

        • Mica

          Polishing brass… I have brass doorknobs that I’ve given up on polishing. It was important to me at first, but no longer. I replaced the knobs on my kitchen drawers and cabinets with nice flowered porcelain [?] ones from a thrift store 🙂 That was my big ‘kitchen remodel’ when I moved in. Our condos are from the ’60’s.

          • Holly in Ohio
            My cabinets are at LEAST that old, in fact I think the shelves part goes back to the Great Depression era, repurposed from the earlier kitchen in this house when it was in a different room... or some ripped out shelving from somewhere else, before they had Craig's List. The doors, though, are early MDF... ugh! But fine enough with paint on them, and the cabinet handles look mid-century modern. I kind of like the handles, so I kept them. They are heavy! The inside of the cabinet doors and the sh...

            My cabinets are at LEAST that old, in fact I think the shelves part goes back to the Great Depression era, repurposed from the earlier kitchen in this house when it was in a different room… or some ripped out shelving from somewhere else, before they had Craig’s List. The doors, though, are early MDF… ugh! But fine enough with paint on them, and the cabinet handles look mid-century modern. I kind of like the handles, so I kept them. They are heavy! The inside of the cabinet doors and the shelves were ORANGE when I moved in, and the counter top underneath the newer, but still ancient brown counter top on top, was orange formica! The kind with the aluminum edges tacked on. Very retro! I almost felt like we could carbon date this kitchen, LOL. Cameron had to replace our brown counter top which was warping, and he let me choose between the four cheapest countertop designs we could find, hahaha. I picked the imitation marble, and then worked my “design” off of that. I found a dish mat also in faux marble, and have been painting the cabinets white and the walls a very pale gray to coordinate, and like magic, it actually works! I have a marble tile backsplash picked out that we haven’t ordered yet. It is such a small space behind the sink we could afford it, but I have to figure out how to cut it or I’ll have to go with faux marble vinyl tile stick-ons. We are trying to find a free single cabinet to put by the stove and we have about 22 inches of countertop left we could put onto it. I’ve gone through cans and cans of paint in this room, even ceiling paint, and many containers of spackle, including one and a half gallons of “dust control” to smooth the walls. That’s why it has been taking me so long to finish. Then I have a plan for the floor, but I might wait until late summer to do that and give myself a break. We’ll see. Anyway, my family is happy about the kitchen, and a little surprised that I could pull a rabbit out of a hat. 🐇🎩

            Read More
        • Annie

          I never see birds visiting me at my apartment. I am on the third floor and love my balcony. We are not allowed to have bird feeders…boo! But to my surprise about a month ago two doves sat on the balcony railing. I took pictures of them and tried to post here but I got that “heads up ” notice so I can’t share them. It was amazing they stayed there for about 20 minutes ! I wish they would come back….

          • Mica

            Yes, Annie – doves are fun. They have nested on my balcony a few times over the last several years, which is such a treat. But a crow killed the babies the last time or 2. My neighbors have a humming bird feeder. We’re not allowed to feed the ducks at our condo’s ‘lake’ but I haven’t heard anything about bird feeders.

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