Life's Simple Pleasures are the Best!

A Sunrise With a Cup of Cappuccino  

Sit on your porch with a light mist falling, sipping your morning cup of hot tea or coffee.  Looking out in anticipation of the first rays of the sun to take the morning chill away, you smile to yourself as you see the bright-colored leaves of fall.  A dog barks in the distance a "good morning" to you.  All is well.  A new day begins. A new opportunity awaits you.

Wander through an Art Museum   

Discover an artist you have never heard of before, and fall in love with his/her style.  See every detail.  Imagine what was going through the artist's mind as the image took shape.  Did it turn out like it was planned?  Or was it completely changed before it was finished? Or was it even better than the artist imagined?  Smile and enjoy the creativity within each of us, and see the beauty that results from it!   And if you can't get to a local art museum, try surfing this one!   

Please Go Near the Water!!!!

One of the most beautiful, soothing sounds in the world is that of the ocean, a waterfall, a light spring rain, or the trickle of a fountain!  If you live near a waterfront, try taking a short walk along the shoreline.  Dig your toes into the sand. Play like a water sprite! Or just sit and watch the tides roll in and out. Listen to the foghorns, watch the sailboats and the gulls fly by the lighthouse.   Okay, so maybe we can't all do that!  Maybe we just can't physically make it!  Then try a little beachcombing from home!  Or lose yourself in a bubble bath or a nice warm foot soak! Indulge in an aromatherapy shower!

        Be Proud of Your Heritage!
  I think ever since the movie, "Roots" aired on television, there has been a revived interest in generations past, where we came from, and how we got here.  The flags above represent the different cultures that have contributed to my ancestry, making me who I am.  Of course, these flags represent the countries as we know them now, not in the 1400's or however far back we can manage to trace our bloodlines. Well, I am not quite a Heinz 57 variety, but pretty close!  

It is fascinating reading the lore about the times when our ancestors were alive.  The languages, their mode of dress, household routines, holiday celebrations,  religions, and politics can all be interesting..... Why, I would have loved to have spoken true Gaelic and told wee tots tales by a fireside..... Seen how clean the snow fell in Prussia.... Learned the herbal remedies from the older Celtic women in the keep.... Proudly worn the plaid of my clansmen.... Downed a tankard of ale and eaten out of a trencher..... Seen some beautiful, lasting architecture as it was being built!  

And whether we realize it or not, we all have ancestors who have a story to tell.  Even though they may not be here in the flesh to "spin that yarn" now, we can read and learn about the times in which they lived.   This is a simple pleasure, as we are born with a history..... But it is not just a pleasure, but also a treasure! Enjoy who you are, and celebrate your families!

Have a Revolutionary War Patriot in your ancestry? Why not join the DAR or SAR?

I love the Mountains......   I remember when I was a little girl camping with the Girl Scouts, we used to sing a little song around the campfire in "rounds," and I still think the words ring true for me as a grown woman....It goes like this:   I love the mountains, I love the rolling hills. I love the green grass, I love the daffodils. I love to live, and live to love All those wonderful things....

Thanks to one of our visitors, I now have a link to the song "I Love the Mountains," the folk song I sang as a little girl!
You can listen to this cute little ditty by going to Jon Schmidt's piano tunes website at: I Love the Mountains and check out his other wonderful tunes while you're there!

Hint:  Click on the pic of the Mountain and go to the Rockies!  

Create Paradise in Your Own Backyard

When a person spends so much time at home, when before 40 hours a week was spent outside the house at a job, suddenly the home front is seen from a different angle.....You begin to realize that parts of your "home" have been overlooked.....Time to "break ground" and create someplace that is more pleasant to be, a place that adds beauty and pleasure to your everyday existence. Thus, the birth of the garden and the pond!  

I am extremely fortunate in that I have an exceptional husband and 2 loving daughters that have helped me create my wonderful flower garden paradise.  I even put in a Sacred Heart statue and Blessed Motherstatue to help watch over my garden.   Whenever I get down, I can look out my window or go sit on my porch and watch the birds, the butterflies, the toads, the squirrels, the bees , and the fish also enjoy my home!  

If you like socializing about your hobbies, join a Garden Club! Not only will you make friends,
but you will get little helpful hints along the way!   

Take your next guests outside on your porch or patio for a real, old fashioned garden party! 
Tea for two on the terrace!  Revive the wonderful taste of lemonade on the veranda on a sunny day....
Relish in your efforts to make your home and yard a pleasant, warm place to be...and then share it with others!  

Can you tell? I *love* music!  Stop and really "Listen"

Not all of our joy is from  stimulation.  God gave us 2 ears to hear with, and one of life's real pleasures is the sound of beautiful music! Try listening with your eyes closed, and "feel" the music.   Some music is for relaxation , some is for invigoration , some is sensuous , and some is for God .

Usually a celebration involves music! Just as there are many reasons for making music, there are so many ways of creating music: with different instruments , with just our voices , or a combination of both.  Each culture has its own history and way of making music that they find pleasing to them.  Some of us enjoy a wide variety of music, and rejoice in the way each makes us feel!  

    So, You have a Romantic Spirit?     

Can't keep your feet on the ground and your head out of the clouds? Well, maybe that's not such a bad thing after all.  Many artists lived life this way, and created wonderful literature for us all to enjoy! Why not try your hand at writing?  

Transport yourself back through time by visiting a Renaissance Faire. Travel in your heart to Camelot and King Arthur's Court to the days when chivalry was commonplace.  And realize all is not lost today....   Revisit Sherwood Forest---the land of Robin Hood. 

Watch an old Errol Flynn movie....gosh!  Ladies, didn't he look just fabulous in that swashbuckling, sword wielding costume? Or put on your warm fuzzies and snuggle up on the sofa while you watch your copy of CasaBlanca or Romeo and Juliet.... and don't forget the tissues!

Read some beautiful poetry (or write from your own heart and soul),
stories of great loves, and remember that they are not always words of fiction!

   Grab your rockin' chair   

and read a grand fairy tale!  

Now, just cause we're getting older doesn't mean a rockin' chair is a bad sign.  Lots of us had rockers when we were kids..... Remember swinging your feet and going real fast? Well, time to relive our youth! Leave your shoes off and just rock in your socks! And now there's no one to get on to you! 
Be a kid again!

Grab one of those wonderful old books you used to love as a kid, and read it again! 
Remember Grimm's Fairy Tales?  Aesop's Fables?  Or maybe the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit? 

Sometimes just going back and doing the childhood things again can put a huge smile on your face.  We used to use our imaginations. Wonder where those went off to???   Don't forget that the Disney cartoons were produced by adults.  We don't have to retire our imaginations and fantasy worlds
just because our bodies age!

Reminisce About the "Good Old Days"

Ever wonder about your best friend in grade school? Like to hear whatever happened to the class clown or the captain of the football team? What about your first love? Remember the proms, the sports games, and those teachers? Memories are treasures that last forever. Sharing those memories with old friends can be extremely enjoyable. Catch up on old times and exchange updates on your kids, your grandkids, your career.... Just thinking about it brings a smile to your face!

With the internet available, and so many people signing on to it, it's now easier than ever to reconnect with old friends! So many people have email available to them either at home and/or at work. Why not check out a few alumni/alumnae websites made specifically to reunite classmates! Sign on with them, and you never know who you'll find or who will find you!

Laughter Really Can be the Best Medicine 

  Your sense of humor, and maintaining it, can sometimes be the only thing that gets you through the lousiest moments.  I practice using mine on a regular basis, and if I manage to forget I have one, I sure hope someone shakes me and reminds me!  

Many of the music selections above are courtesy of Jane's All Piano Midis.
Check out her website for more fun!

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02/05/2006