Sometimes you get what you ask for…

Front spring garden

I cannot believe that it has been 8 weeks since I last posted. I believe I was complaining about the weather and prolonged gray sky at that time and one of my favorite outdoor cats had died. Since then, I have been fortunate to be very busy living life and remaining in good health. I hope that you are having the latter experience.

During the last couple of months, I have been invited to graduations and weddings and I have had guests over for meals. The weather has been fantastic! A New England spring and summer cannot be beat. Cool mornings, hot days, and warm nights are wonderful.

lovely

The birds chirping and beautiful flowers (both wild and cultivated) make my heart sing. I’m busy but not too busy to share my thoughts and experiences with you. If I am talking to myself it is still worth it to put into words a reminder of how the experience of life is a gift. Sometimes you get what you ask for and it is good.

Kim

 

I don’t want to complain…

There’s an old saying in New England that if you don’t like the weather, just wait a minute!

I remember feeling happy but rushed during the winter holiday season. I wanted the happy times to linger and I cherished the warmth inside. We didn’t even get much snow last winter. Fast forward 4 months and I have changed my mind. After 5 days of gray and rainy cold in Massachusetts, I need Spring and the sun!

Don’t get me wrong, I realize that the plants need the rain and the rest of us sentient beings need the water. I’m not asking for something that isn’t there; the sun is up there above these clouds shining on lots of people and things somewhere else.

 

 

 

 

 

So, life goes on and I am thankful that I don’t have any life threatening problems right now. I hope that you don’t either. I will never take my life for granted with or without problems but please….

Let me see the sun.         

 

Feelings…

 

The weather was wonderful. It was sunny and in the seventies  most of the time and here it was early April. My husband was home sick and I ran out to the bank. Unfortunately, I left my wallet home. Fortunately I had the check and deposit slip with me. I went to the teller that I visit most often and was able to deposit the check without a problem. Since I didn’t have identification with me, I quickly went back home.

I looked in on with my sick husband and told him that he should spend 10 minutes out in the sun. The warm sun and bright sky would make anyone feel a little better. I went out first onto our deck and proceeded into our garage. When I returned, I noticed one of our outdoor cats lying next to a planter. That’s an odd thing for this cat to do because she is deaf and usually does not lie out in the open. She usually sleeps in a bed that we made for her or up on a concrete wall that borders our yard. By now I’m sure you know where I am going with this- she had died.

Well, I handled the situation the only way I know how- I felt it. I cried as though I lost someone I love because I had. Despite being sick, my poor husband consoled me and helped me to bury the cat. I prayed and thanked God for letting me love that cat.

It’s ironic, I never touched her but I watched over her for a couple of years and I fed her. She thanked me by hissing on occasion ( I told you earlier the she was deaf) and lying around where I could see her and take pleasure in that. Her final gift was to bring her last set of kittens into my back yard last year. I saw that as a sign of trust. She trusted me to give them a hand out and to not hurt them. Her trust was well placed…

So I  learned another great lesson in life. You don’t have to physically touch to love and what a gift to be touched by love. I feel good about that…

Warm and happy

What is it about the warm rays of the sun that make you smile? I find that even when the weather is cold, the warm rays of the sun make me smile. Believe me, I have many things to be concerned about in life right now but I appreciate any opportunity to smile.

This winter was cold but relatively dry and we had very little snow. I live in an old house and it gets quite cold in the winter. I have turned up the heat (very expensive) more often than I like in order to stay warm inside but a sun beam coming through the window makes me happy. I anticipate the good times that come with warm weather.

Over the past few days our New England weather has been incredible. Most of last week consisted of sunny days with temperatures in the 7o’s and even low 80’s! Plants are blossoming earlier than ever, birds are chirping and pairing up and I am thinking about my future garden.

Today I found some hyacinths growing up from under a pile of mulch behind my garage. I bought the plants last year and they were labeled as annuals. When they expired, I took them out of the pot and threw them in the mulch pile. Imagine my surprise when my husband and I were working in the back yard, looked behind the garage,  and two beautiful purple hyacinths were sticking out of the mulch pile! When I thought that things couldn’t get any better, my husband noticed one of the neighborhood cats sleeping in a pile of leaves near the flowers. Come on, you know that image makes you smile…

I’m sorry that I neglected my posts for a while but I’m back along with the spring. I will continue to muse and amuse if I can. Right now I’m feeling warm and happy and I hope that you are too.

Bye!

The power of love

 

 

I hope that you feel loved today. Valentines Day is one of those days when commercialism can take over and you feel that you don’t measure up or that you are not included. Maybe you have a date, maybe you don’t, maybe you are getting flowers, maybe you are not. Those are things that can be fun but don’t make your decision to feel loved today be based on them.

 

 

I learned a long time ago that in order to be happy I need to own the power that I have, use it, and then live with the decisions that I make. For me, I feel less of a victim to the negative aspects of life that I cannot control. I have said it before, I choose to love- it is a choice that I can make no matter what is going on in the world, my world. I don’t value romantic love over familial, religious, or other types of love. I realize that there are different types of love and that I can have them all or not; to me, that is incredibly fulfilling and powerful.

 

 

 

 

Valentines Day is important to me because it reminds me of the people and things that I love.  The bonus is that I mostly get loved back. I’m sending some of that love out to you.  Happy Valentines Day!

 Girly girl bear and friend

Cold comfort

I don’t know what the weather is like where you are but here in Boston it is really cold. There is nothing unusual about cold weather in January, in Massachusetts, but it is unusual to have not suffered through a number of snowstorms by now.

Many would say, hey be happy – you don’t have to shovel, or try to maneuver your car over ice or worry about falling down into a slushy liquid mess. I am happy to avoid those negative aspects of winter but something is missing. I do believe that familiar weather patterns are just like other things that are familiar to us all, they make us comfortable because we know what is coming or what to expect.

For months now I have been posting photos of some adorable feral kittens that live in my neighborhood. They come through my yard frequently. I have never touched them but I observe them and draw pleasure from their existence. When I think they and their mother are having a hard time, I sometimes leave them food. The mom has lived in this neighborhood for at least five years and seems to be deaf. She also appears to be pretty old. Those of you who have observed or enjoyed the company of cats know that they don’t have wrinkles to tip you off to their age, but they do have a “look” that says I’m no kitten! I have never touched the mom and she hisses at me on occasion. She’s a tough kitty raising her litters on her own. I believe that I saw one of her kittens 3 years ago. I have never seen the others until now. For some reason in 2011 she let me see the last pair of kittens that she had. Note that I said “see” not “touch.”

Well, I was happy with this stand off. I knew that if I touched her or her kittens that I would be a goner. I would care too much. I would have one more thing to worry about. Guess what? It has happened anyway. What I am dealing with now is observing this family as it grows and observing more about their lives. One kitten is male and the other is female. They are now 7 or 8 months old. I expected the male to leave and look for a partner but the family has not separated yet. I sometimes see the 3 of them sleeping together in a pile of leaves.

Yesterday, on a very cold day, I observed the kittens sitting on a concrete wall near the side of my house. They both had blown up tails and were very still. I couldn’t see the mom and I tried to see what is was that had frightened them. As I continued to view them from my window, I observed a very large grey male cat on the other side of our fence looking very mean and hissing. I ran to put on a jacket, charged outside with a shovel and saw the large male and the male kitten (who is actually a good size himself) run off. They were growling and hissing as they disappeared from my view.

I could go on forever about this and I am sure that some of you already know where I am headed in this story. Let me end it this way:  I know that the cats can take care of themselves, all cats should be spayed or neutered, no I can’t own or protect every animal in the world, why didn’t I bla, bla, bla…

Listen, I am grateful to have the opportunity to love people and animals. I am happy to love these kittens from afar. The male cat will be chased away eventually, that is they way it works in the animal world. I am happy that they haven’t not be adversely effected by deep New England snows but you know what? That is cold comfort to me…

Happy to be here…

 

I don’t want to believe that the new year is here already but it is.  It’s not that I don’t look forward to the future because I do. Besides, the future is coming no matter what I think.

I guess that much like the warm sun on a summer’s day, I want to bask in the glory of good times. I have learned that no matter what is going on in my life, good or bad,that I am blessed, lucky, or what ever you choose to call it.  I am grateful to be alive to face what ever life throws towards me.

I may not win every game or get what I want or feel very cheerful but I sure am happy to be here to lose, complain and feel what I’m feeling. In my mind it is all good, even when it isn’t. 

I was enjoying the company of one of my cats the other day and observed how he arched his back and took every bit of pleasure from the rub that I gave him. He didn’t know how soon it would stop but he was going to enjoy it while it lasted.  I love to plan ahead but my cat showed me that being in the moment was just as important as thinking ahead.

During the Christmas season I was very busy and had the pleasure of seeing friends and family. I was able to have a Christmas tree, lights, and good food. I am extremely grateful for all of these things. I realize that there are many people who are suffering or are unhappy at this time of year. I think of them and pray that life will improve for them. I don’t deserve happiness more than they do, no one does. I understand that life ebbs and flows. I have been very ill, down, and unhappy. I may end up there again even though I don’t want to. Worry does not change any situation and preparation can only do so much. The good thing is that situations are not static and there is reason to hope for the best.

Happy New Year to all. It is another chance at life and another chance at contentment. I didn’t want the enjoyment I had last year to pass and of course, it did! Like the clock on New Years Eve, time moves on. I’m over it and I am happy to be here…with you. 

 

 

I’m thankful…

I hope that anyone reading this post believes that they have something to be thankful for. I know that this time of year can be hard for many because they feel sadness while others are happy. I hope that you find the happiness that you seek.

Today, I am thankful. I love and I am loved. I am grateful that I can love despite the disappointments and challenges that I have had in life. I’m not picky- love of all types is important not just romantic, not just family, not just faith there is no “just”- it’s all good.

Happy Thanksgiving….

 

Good times, good food, oh my goodness!

 

Hello friends and visitors! Last Saturday, November 5th, my daughter Kimba http://kimbas2cents.blogspot.com/2011/11/naturals-night.html#comments hosted a night of fun. She called the gathering ” Naturals Night.”

Those of us who attended talked about the ways in which we care for our hair. When we weren’t doing that, we ate tons of yummy food and had delicious drinks as well. The best  part of the evening was a visit by a manicurist who did all of our nails. Kimba topped the evening off with adorable gift cartons filled with homemade lip gloss, chocolate lollipops, and a “Be Natural” candle.

                                                                                    

Now I don’t want to brag, but I’m going to- that was my daughter who gave that great party!  I did make a contribution to the awesomeness though, I made baked Mac & Cheese. Here’s the recipe:  

For a 9×11 pan of mac & cheese you will need:

1 box of elbow or little shells pasta
4 oz yellow sharp cheddar cheese- shredded
4 0z mild cheddar or colby  cheese- shredded
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
4oz canned skim milk& 4oz water for 8 oz total of milk

For seasoning use black pepper, garlic salt and any salt free herb mixture amounting to about 1 tbsp combined.

Cook the pasta and drain it. You can make the sauce while the pasta is cooking.

For the sauce, melt the butter in a sauce pan on medium-low heat, add the flour and about a tsp of the spices. Stir and add about 1/4 of the milk, keep stirring to prevent lumps, add another 1/4 of the milk and about  1/2 of the cheese till the cheese is melted and the sauce is thickened. Add the rest of the milk till smooth. Continuous stirring is important to prevent the sauce from burning. You can always add more milk if you think the sauce is too thick. Add in the rest of the spices and give it a good stir. Turn off the heat.

Pour the sauce into the pasta and stir it up covering all of the pasta then transfer to a baking dish. Pour the remaining cheese over the top of the dish and cook in a 350 degree oven until the cheese on top is melted and the dish is bubbly. This usually takes about 30 minutes. Enjoy!

 

 

The busiest time of year…

 

I was thinking about the activities that I take part in at this time of year and for a moment I was overwhelmed. The idea of being busy is nothing new we are all busy. Like many of you I am a worker/small business owner, spouse, parent, social justice activist and church goer. In between all of that I also try to take care of my health, maintain friendships, take care of animals and participate in volunteer activities. All of these actions are year round but with the sun setting earlier and earlier every day…

 Thanksgiving and Christmas are approaching. I have great and fun activities ahead. There will be meals to cook, there are always crafts to make or products to design. My creativity and energy level are being challenged yet I am thankful for the opportunities.

O.k. I’m over it now. I feel happy to have a very full life. I don’t take it for granted, in fact, I marvel at it. Thanksgiving and Christmas are looming- no last minute stuff here! I like to plan and then act on those plans.

The question now is, what do I do next?

Kim