Happy Thoughts

Summer Pleasures

2008-07-02T16:37:00.000-04:00

The sun, the sand, the shore...... and a good book.

Lemonade

2008-06-18T11:17:00.003-04:00

Nothing is more refreshing to me, or says summer, than a tall cold glass of lemonade... unless, of course, you make it a limeade. I'll take both, thank you! Or either, or if I could find it on the mainland.... one of Maui's Limeades with a touch of coconut from the Hawaiian Moons health food grocery. Now that was bliss, sitting oceanside sipping the chilled Tahitian limeade slowly while

Mall Respite

2007-12-24T14:06:00.000-05:00

Have you ever tried one of those massage chairs in the Brookstone store? Or similar? I took a brief respite from mad mall marauding and found bliss. A heavenly massage It remains as a happy thought for the craziness that is Christmas shopping during our holiday. Now I hope to get back to RL of just cooking and enjoying the family. Hope yours is a Merry Christmas - full of the best joy that

Christmas Time

2007-12-09T12:51:00.000-05:00

Christmas is a necessity. There has to be at least one day of the year to remind us that we're here for something else besides ourselves." ~ Eric Sevareid (1912-1992), American newscaster. addthis_url = location.href; addthis_title = document.title; addthis_pub = 'ilona';

Gingerbread

2007-12-09T04:29:00.000-05:00

Martha Stewart has lovely gingerbread makings, as always. ...and remember these famous last words: Gingerbread Man: No! Not the buttons! Not the gumdrop buttons! addthis_url = location.href; addthis_title = document.title; addthis_pub = 'ilona';

Things I Love In November

2007-11-05T13:57:00.000-05:00

I love a good cup of coffee, it doesn't matter if Starbucks makes it ( most reliable) or an Italian restaurant, or in someone's home, just make sure it is fresh, quality coffee made strong enough and preferably served in a good china cup. I like iced chai tea, yes, even in chilly November. Sometimes it is the spice that makes for the feeling of comfort and warmth. I like warm blankets and a

Count Your Many Blessings

2007-11-05T13:41:00.000-05:00

...name them one by one. Christian traditions of counting blessings under girded by the admonition in the Bible, "give thanks in all things" 1 Thessalonians 5:18, have long been enjoined, but modern research is just catching up with the fact that giving thanks and being grateful is actually good for you. Being Grateful is Good for Your Mind and Body Emmons and colleagues, in their gratitude

Daddy/Daughter Dancing Shoes

2007-10-14T19:50:00.000-04:00

How cute! viaThe Succulent Wife's Favorite Things: Father/Daughter Dancing Shoes: "Aaaaaaaw!..."

Fast Grow the Weeds: Fruit Fly Catcher

2007-10-04T09:37:00.000-04:00

Fast Grow the Weeds: More bugs: "September is a beautiful month around here, but it is also Fruit Fly Month." If you have a glass jar, a paper cone, and a piece of juicy fruit.. you can be on your way to ridding your kitchen of fruit flies. See El's directions and picture for full information. What? don't have 'em? Lucky you!

Restoring Your Soul

2007-10-02T05:43:00.000-04:00

I recently wrote Re-Creating the Creative Mind compiling some of my own and others ideas for restoring your creativity. Usually, it is just doing some of those things that are mentioned in this blog: taking time to enjoy quiet, relaxing with something enjoyable, or letting the beauty of nature uplift your soul. It is unique to each person what best re-creates their inner person, but for all of

Russian Chai, and other teaspoons of cheer

2007-09-14T10:13:00.001-04:00

Russian Chai Russian Tea Framed Art Print Wiles, Irving R. Buy at AllPosters.com The Russian word for tea is Chai, and I will always remember it. When I was in St.Petersburg, I found that tea was everywhere and seemed to be more favored than coffee. I spent my week in St.Petersburg during a very cold November, and every restaurant was quick to offer tea. In Russia, they brew their tea thick

September Poem

2007-09-11T08:03:00.000-04:00

September ~Brierly Ashour~ When the goldenrod is yellow, And leaves are turning brown - Reluctantly the summer goes In a cloud of thistledown. When squirrels are harvesting And birds in flight appear - By these autumn signs we know September days are here. addthis_url = location.href; addthis_title = document.title; addthis_pub = '

Summer Days

2007-08-24T22:49:00.000-04:00

Summer Days -Wathen Marks Wilks Call (1817–90) IN summer, when the days were long, We walk’d, two friends, in field and wood; Our heart was light, our step was strong, And life lay round us, fair as good, In summer, when the days were long. We stray’d from morn till evening came, We gather’d flowers, and wove us crowns; We walk’d mid poppies red as flame, Or sat upon the

2007-08-15T15:25:00.000-04:00

When you hear the splash Of the water drops that fall Into the stone bowl You will feel that all the dust Of your mind is washed away. -Sen-No-Rikyu Share This: Post to Netscape| Post to Digg |Add to Del.icio.us

Rose Water

2007-08-11T20:59:00.000-04:00

Flower waters can be so refreshing especially on a hot summer day. I love to use them as skin toners, or as a light perfume, when summer heat means many perfumes are too heavy. Rose water is one of my favorites, and the most all-around useful. Types and uses of rose water: Since rosewater can lend a subtle flavor to foods, there is a culinary type, but the most popular use for it is as a beauty

Why Are Barns Red? Ever Wonder?

2007-07-20T15:37:00.000-04:00

Why Are Barns Red? The answer holds a lot of history, basically it goes like this: "by the late 1700s, the art of wood seasoning gave way to the art of artificial preservation. Virginia farmers were the first to become paint-conscious. In Pennsylvania, the Dutch settlements latched on to the custom of red bricks, red barns, red geraniums, even reddish-brown cows. When a Pennsylvania Dutch farmer

Pure Cotton

2007-07-17T15:18:00.000-04:00

I absolutely love the luxury of fine cotton. I like the homely little cotton balls to apply lotion to my face just as much. Cotton underwear, cotton garments, cotton bed linens, cotton upholstery- I love cotton! I like freshly laundered cotton sheets hanging out to dry and the fragrance of cotton products. It always makes me think of the outdoors and soft coolness of early summer nights.

Taking a Swim, Soaking Up Sun

2007-07-17T14:43:00.000-04:00

Two favorite leisure activities for summer weather, I don't get the opportunity to take a swim very often, but it is always so surprisingly relaxing when I do. There is something about being in the water, maybe it's lightening the effects of gravity, I don't know, but it puts the mind at ease while exercising the body. My favorite venue, of course, is an ocean side, but a large lake, and even

A Garden Walk

2007-06-11T10:04:00.000-04:00

Garden Sanctuary You who walk, Maybe with troubled thoughts, Come, enter here and rest; And may the sweet serenity of growing things, And the heavenly,peace Be mirrored in they soul. -Doxis M. Palmer Yesterday, we took a walk in a public garden, my husband and I. We wandered slowly through beauty that we did nothing to create. The sun shone softly, with blue and white skies overhead, the late

Clean Laundry

2007-06-01T19:48:00.000-04:00

Cavalli, Angelo Buy at AllPosters.com I do love clean laundry. This is just the time of year to hang clothes on the line for the inimitable fresh air smell the outdoors gives them. There is some thing about clean fresh sheets on the bed at night, a freshly laundered shirt, a nice clean tablecloth to set things right in ones world. I understand that in the lavender fields of France they

Happy Walls

2007-05-30T17:29:00.000-04:00

I was looking through the Allposters site to make links for the blogs and I saw this and just felt it made a terrific idea for having "happy walls". I immediately thought of a child's room, but really anywhere you want something to quickly cheer up with bright color and light hearted graphics is fair game :) I recently bought a little nothing at Target that spells out the word "laugh" in fabric

Bright and Colorful

2007-05-26T15:57:00.000-04:00

Ever notice how uplifting it is on a sunny early summer day when all the colors seem so bright and colorful? There is something so cheering about seeing your favorite colors in bright array. I like to wear a bright lime green sometimes- it is just a lot of fun. And when visiting TN Chick's Photo meme with the theme of "colorful"; it just seemed to make me brighten up as I went from site to site

Helping Others...Better Living

2007-05-02T03:23:00.000-04:00

Curt Rosengren reports on research that indicates "Careers helping others are among the happiest". Despite the fact that this should be obvious to us, we often forego the opportunity to build into our lives through building into others. Why is that? The concept of Random Acts Of Kindness is one of many ways of implementing this into our lives. So even if we don't have the actual occupation

Popsicles, Italian Ices, Smoothies

2007-04-29T09:56:00.000-04:00

These are a few of my favorite things.... all year, but especially for warm weather months. It helps if they have real fruit juices as their ingredients, and no cholesterol! Luigi's are a favorite brand with flavors like lemon, pina colada, and mango; but Edy made some that were very good, too. If you see those little "Rita's Italian Ice stands" those are great! I favor the mango, so I haven't

A Good Shopping Experience

2007-04-23T18:57:00.000-04:00

Some people feel happy when they shop... that isn't me; but I do feel happy when shops give me a good experience. I most often buy groceries @ Krogers, but more regularly now I have been shopping Whole Foods Market. It is as enjoyable as grocery shopping gets. The clerks all are upbeat about giving me service and trying out the samples often induces me to buy something totally new. I liked it