Best of 2011

2011 is on her way out...

But before she goes

I want to remember the best of what she brought...

~

the healthy and joyful arrivals of 

Ayden and Kaitlyn

Getting to be present for Kaitlyn's birth was THE highlight of my year

~

Frosting on the cake

was...

All the special moments with family

~

All the public and private moments that make me full of 

gratitude

wonder

joy

contentment

~

All the special experiences

in 

nature and at my beloved writer's retreat

at The Porches

(Where my blogging journey began) 

Celebrations

new additions

firsts

friendships old and new
travel

~

looking over the year I have 

a great big smile

and 

a full heart

~

Thank you

all of you

in my ever widening circle of

family, friends, writers, bloggers, artists

YOU 

have made my year complete!

Simplicity

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

Yesterday a dear blogger goddess

sent me "The Simple Living Pledge" to consider 

for the new year...

~

Her timing was PERFECT

as once again

I had over committed

~

The Simple Living Pledge

I pledge to live a simple life through: - decluttering; - using less; - learning to be sustainable in all aspects of life; - slowing down and finding joy in little things; - reconnecting with my inner self; - spending more time with my loved ones; - elevating experiences above possessions.

(And for me I'm adding...)

Letting go of the burden of "obligation"

Go here to read more and to take the pledge

~

I don't know about you

but obligation is encoded in my DNA

a reflexive response to any request

with a hearty,

 "Sure, that would be great!"

 "No Problem!" 

"I'd love to!"

~

Then either immediately

or when the 'event' arrives

I'm standing there scratching my head saying

"WHAT WAS I THINKING?"

~

Come on admit it...

I KNOW I am not the only one does this

~

So this new year

along with

Reduce

Reuse

Recycle

~

I am adding

Re-choose 

What the heck...

This is what I feel like when I over commit

~

and that is what I have done

said yes too many times without thinking

~

have you ever done that? 

~

Don't you just hate it?

~ 

I was just reminded yesterday by my daughter that I was 

coming up for a visit next week

~

I had totally forgotten!

~

Now I have to either suck it up

or hurt someone's feelings

and THAT I just can't stand

~

So between now and New Years

I have two dinner parties 

one photo shoot

go to the movies with friends

a birthday celebration

finish the twelve days of Christmas

prepare for a trip next week

plus my normal forty hour a week job

Riiiiiight I mutter...

What would make me happy would be to

go to the birthday celebration

 do the photo shoot

get the last bits off the the grandkids

~

Note to self:

DO NOT SAY YES....EVER...

WITHOUT THINKING ABOUT IT AT LEAST FOR A DAY...

and 

ALSO considering all the LIFE that might happen

between now and then. 

~

I will get through it though
I always do

~

A little battered and brain dead

~

Just another thing to add to my 

2012 Manifesto
~
Have you started yours yet?

The day after the day after....

Christmas 

came and went

relaxed

 mellow

low key

for the most part

~

Except for a

slight malfunction with the plumbing

(so we had no use of water in the front part of the house)

and 

NO WAY were we going to call a plumber on Christmas day!

~

no problem

~

 we skipped Christmas dinner (and the associated mess and hassle)

and just did snacky finger foods 

which was GREAT! 

~

We went for a walk on the beach

which was perfect

~

warm sunshine

salty air

tumbling surf

calm baby

happy parents

happy dog!

When we got home

we picked some fresh oranges

 added some  champagne

and just chilled.

As the day fades into the past

~

I will remember it as a day

where we

~

Chatted, napped, read, nibbled, shared gifts 

that were personal, useful, creative

~

A day that was 

authentic

 uncomplicated

and full of ease (despite the glitch in plans)

~

all because of my darling family

~

Pretty much perfect.

Looking forward to tomorrow...

I will miss this

tomorrow

~

when the grand kids look outside 

to see 

if the reindeer ate the carrots and oatmeal

left as a tasty snack

~

I will miss reading the letters 

to and from Santa

~

the noise

and excitement

~

Tomorrow will be fun

for a different reason

Tomorrow is Kaitlyn's 

first Christmas and she is a riotous celebration unto herself

~

Here's wishing everyone

a fun filled Night before Christmas

~

may all the last little details be finished with ease

and joy

A Star...

I 

will have

no star atop my tree

~

rather

I hold a star from the sea

~

I feel

 it nudge my hand

~

whispering

"remember me"

~

and then

~

I place it gently back

~

grateful

~

  a star held me

I 

will not have

~ 

tinsel and lights 

strung from the branches 

of the Christmas tree

~

no bulbs and bobbles

~

rather

I will witness the twinkle 

of 

~

the dew and lace nature

strung to catch the early morning light

My gifts

~

simple

~

handmade

~

heart felt

~

few

It's time

~

to "re-member" 

~

the precious presents

~

the day to day moments we take for granted

~

family, friends, health, generosity, good will, warm homes, soft beds

~

Wishing all the most joyous, fulfilling, peaceful, inspiring, genuine and precious celebration

of life

Let it Snow....

Southern California is nice an all

but

Christmas just isn't the same without snow

~

tree lights

hot cocoa

wrapping gifts

a fire

bulky sweaters

even Christmas music

are not the same 

without 

that good ole mood maker

snow

~

There is an intimacy 

a coziness

and warmth

to looking out the window 

and watching snow fall

~

There is something to be said for

The Four Seasons

(and I don't mean the resort)

Unremarkable...

This photograph would be considered unremarkable by many standards

the lighting, subject, porportion -- off

nothing really "pops" 

No WOW factor

~ 

But in reality

it is sunset at the beach

and that alone makes it remarkable

~

Today is

the winter's solstice

~

the shortest day of the year for us 

here in the Northern Hemisphere

~

It is a day of celebration when

the light and warmth of the sun seems

most distant

~

It is a time to slow way down 

reflect

"re"member 

as in

slowly piece back together

the essence of who we are

and 

what truely matters

~

things like

~

grattitude

compassion

humor

wisdom

joy

~

these things aren't dependent on

disposible income

status

obligation

expectation

spiritual orientation

~

they are dependent on

each and every one of us to

reconize and exercise our will power 

to

appreciate and expand our privilidge as human beings

(the evolved species)

by 

 conciously decovering 

and then

deciding to contribute what makes us unique

~

Like the sunset

we have the WOW factor

simply by being

~

 being  human we get 

to choose 

how we experience the world

ART...

I LOVE this young artist...

and

since a friend and I are taking an art class in the new year

I thought it fitting

to share the questions

that led to the decision

to say YES

to 

ART!

Flying high...

 This his how I felt once I decided to skip 

the holiday madness

 a lightness of being

as if lifted from the fray

of insanity that accompanies obligation

free of guilt
for not 

following the norm

My spirit took flight

knowing

today I could go to the bird sanctuary

rather than 

to the mall

 hushed whispers of wings and air

 cool morning twilight
~

 aware of 

the delicate balance required

to see from another perspective

what is important

in an instant

I was transported 

to a place of 

tranquil calm
~
I am not alone 

but rather surrounded by a

powerful and profound reality of the infinite

birds don't care about the holidays

they care about fresh water

healthy food sources

a place of refuge 

to sleep, mate

raise their young

~

Their wants and needs

are simple

How is it our feathered friends 

have a more balanced perspective 

on how to celebrate the glory
of the All Mighty?

It'll be our little secret...

I made an executive decision

~ 

I won't be "doin" Christmas this year

~

No tree

~

No baking

~

No Christmas cards

~

No standing in lines

~

No extra VISA bills

~

No presents for the sake of getting presents

~

It's like Christmas and I are 'breaking up' 

~

Something else has caught my eye

~

and

~ 

Not ONE person I know needs any more

STUFF

~

So I will give the 

Twelve Days of Christmas 

to the grand kids

(since I already had that) 

~

and I will donate what 

CASH 

I could have spent on "the holiday" to 

the USE-LESS water project

Little Ayden...

This is my last night with little Ayden 

so today while mom and dad were out

we did a little photo shoot 

And I am wondering while I am taking the pictures 

if there is a way to embed a Nana's love in a photograph

I am wondering if

when these little eyes look at me

she knows 

just how much I love her

I never thought there would be anything more powerful than a mother's love

but

I am here to tell you that nothing compares to the love that 

experience, distance, time, and wisdom harvests

It is like these little babies arrive like a drink of water to a wilting flower

giving me the elusive hope and fortitude to carry on

There is a twinkle in her eyes

and 

her smile is infectious

her laugh contagious

her trust fully and completely intact

Do you remember when your trust was full and undiluted? 

Would you not just give everything to feel so completely

whole 

and in awe of the world

Are they not the reason for the season,

to celebrate
the joy and wonder in the most simple of things the world has to offer?

Achillies

This is what I open my eyes to if I don't make sure my door is closed when I go to bed

Achillies LOVES to play fetch

He has no shame

he will play with ANY one

and I am a sucker

because I can't say NO

~ 

He will sit and look at me 

for hours

~

patiently waiting

I mean seriously

Could you say no to that face?

While the Who's lay a snooze in their town...

Doesn't it look like it is out of the book How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Every year they find a different way to string the lights

The whole village is covered with pin pricks of light

hundreds of trees

it is like walking through a fairy land

I'm not well versed in night photography

No tripod

Hands shaking

No clue on shutter speed

or 

aperture

just a girl wondering around the village at 6:00 a.m.

lucky I wasn't arrested

no woman in her right mind would be out  at the hour

with the temperature way below freezing

but I just couldn't resist the urge to

take a intimate walk in the village

without the crowds and cars

~

Just me and my camera

and the stillness and magic

of darkness and lights

in a village that slumbers