Poetry - Light, Winter, Change, Absence

Haiku Heights - Light
Poetry Picnic 15 - Winter, Change, Hope

    
    Light, the glow of hope
Piercing darkness of despair;
     Spring after Winter

         Red rose in Winter
Piercing through a sheet of white;
       Like light in the dark

      Hope a catalyst
Winter, a time to reflect;
  Change destiny's path













Sensational Haiku Wednesday - Absence

    Love my soulful friend
Your absence a leafless tree;
Then come wondrous blooms












Also linking to Thursday Poets Rally Week #57

Hope you enjoy my Haiku.

Warm Regards

The Bucket List

The topic this week at GBE is The Bucket List.

I can't make up my mind if this is an easy or difficult topic ... but it is an exciting one.

So here goes - my plans, goals, dreams, ... (in no particular order)

1. Travel Adventures - this was easy to start with as I wrote a post on this sometime ago so here is my list of travel adventures

2. Take a scenic helicopter ride 

3. I've always wanted to write and now that I'm blogging I guess I'll have to take that further and say ... publish a book (laughs nervously) and use earnings to help underprivileged children.

4.  Work in the global humanitarian aid arena managing aid programmes.

5.  Learn to hula dance in Hawaii

6.  Get my full drivers license

7.  Buy a brand new car

8.  Share life with the man of my dreams - my soulmate life partner

9.  Learn to play the keyboard

10. Learn to speak another language

11. Lose 5 kgs (11 lbs)

12. Take a photography course

13.  Attend the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games

14.  Attend a spiritual retreat

15.  Pat a kiwi (as in the bird) and a penguin

16.  See an iceberg

17.  Have an etsy shop and donate all profits to organisations that support underprivileged children.

18.  Climb Mt Kaukau 

19.  Take part in the Round the Bays 7km fun walk / run  or a similar event.

20.  Enjoy time with my children and my grandchildren (when they come along). 

21. Visit NASA space centre,  Legoland and Mini-Europe

23.  Sit in a gondola

24.  Buy cheese at the Alkmaar cheese market

25.  Own a house in the French Riviera - ha ha I'm allowed to dream the ridiculous too. However .... 

I'm sure I'll be adding a whole lot more as time goes by. But for now I think these should suffice.

So what's your bucket list?

Warm Regards

Music Monday - Elton John's Daniel

Elton John is another one of my favourite singers. He gave a concert on Friday in Dunedin which I did not attend but I did see him in concert in the December of 2006 in Wellington and it was an awesome concert. An unforgettable experience.



So I thought I'd share one of my favourite Elton John song's this week - "Daniel"

"Daniel" also has a special meaning for me - quite different from the inspiration behind the writing of this song.

I was 16 years old when my older brother travelled on a plane to make a life in the US. I remember waving goodbye and the tears in my eyes. As we headed back home, this song played again and again in my head.

My brother always tells me there are 3 places in the world I must see before I die - New Zealand (been there, done that, tick in the box),  Jerusalem, and Barcelona (Spain). The latter two are definitely on my "places to see" list.

So here it is - Elton John's "Daniel". Dedicated to my wonderful brother who "has and still sees more than I" and for all his achievements is for my family a "star in the face of the sky" and someone I miss each time the red tail lights head back out of Wellington just like I missed him when the red tail lights headed back out of Mumbai those many years ago.





Have an awesome day

Warm Regards


Linking to:

Lyrics

Daniel is traveling tonight on a plane
I can see the red tail lights heading for Spain
Oh and I can see Daniel waving goodbye
God it looks like Daniel, must be the clouds in my eyes

They say Spain is pretty, though I've never been
Well Daniel says it's the best place that he's ever seen
Oh and he should know, he's been there enough
Lord I miss Daniel, oh I miss him so much

Daniel my brother you are older than me
Do you still feel the pain of the scars that won't heal
Your eyes have died, but you see more than I
Daniel you're a star in the face of the sky

Daniel is traveling tonight on a plane
I can see the red tail lights heading for Spain
Oh and I can see Daniel waving goodbye
God it looks like Daniel, must be the clouds in my eyes
Oh God it looks like Daniel, must be the clouds in my eyes

Atmosphere and Politics

Thursday Writers Post  this week is your choice. So I thought I'd pick up a previous topic and write about that.

So my topic today is "Atmosphere". Perfect for today 26 November 2011 as today is the day New Zealand goes to the polls to vote for a new or continuing government.

So the Atmosphere here today and all of last week has been one of anticipation. Some are tense, some are probably more relaxed. Some have swung from left to right or right to left.

google.co.nz  had a very apt picture on their page today which I would like to share:

I also tried to find a quote that straddles "atmosphere" and "politics" and came across this one that I thought was quite appropriate.

Expectancy is the atmosphere for miracles ~ Edwin Louis Cole

We're watching the results coming through at the moment and there is an air of expectancy with all party leaders and some I guess are hoping for a miracle.

It's exciting and fun. I enjoy the elections. Polling opened at 9.00am today and I was at my polling booth at 9.30am to cast my vote.

Hope the atmosphere wherever you are is exciting and fun too.

Warm Regards

Linking to

Divine Grace

There were so many posts on Thanksgiving this week, I thought I would share a poem from one of my favourite poet's Rumi reminding us of God's Divine Grace.

The wine of Divine Grace is limitless
All limits come only from the faults of the cup
Moonlight floods the whole sky from horizon to horizon
How much it can fill your room depends on its windows
Grant a great dignity, my friend, to the cup of your life
Love has designed it to hold His eternal wine.





Warm Regards

Thankful Thursday - 24 November

Much as I would like to say money is not important, unfortunately we live in a world where money is required to survive.

A year ago there were 10-15 applications for the jobs I am applying for now I am told there are 40-60 for the same job. It's become quite competitive and interviews are hard to come by.

So I am very thankful that I have the opportunity of two job interviews this week and I am crossing my fingers that at least one of them will come through for me.

I feel I did well at both interviews and that's all I can do. As Buddha and many great Spiritual leaders have said ... Detach from the outcome.

    Abandon all attachment to the results of action and attain supreme peace.

                                                                                 Lord Krishna, Bhagvad Gita.

I wish everyone who is looking for jobs all the very best and hope that you all will be successful in getting one.

And to those around the world who celebrate Thanksgiving, Happy Thanksgiving to all of you.

Warm Regards

Thankful Thursday with Kate says Stuff

Black Tag Diaries Thankful Thursday

Haiku - Urn, Ponder, Thankful

Haiku Heights - Urn

       Keeper of my dreams
Fountain of wisdom and truth;
       Soul, my timeless Urn



















Sensational Haiku Wednesday  -  Ponder

      
     Ponder not on life
  A wonder to decipher;
    The journey the clue











Poetry Picnic 14 - Thankful

 Changing seasons drift
A twisting kaleidoscope;
   Life, a Thankful gift












Also linking to  Poet's Rally Week 57


Warm Regards

Laughter

Laughter is the topic for this week at GBE2





I thought I would pen down my thoughts on laughter through some quotes that got me nodding in agreement. So here they are:

At the height of laughter, the universe is flung into a kaleidoscope of new possibilities 
~ Jean Houston
If you believe in collective consciousness then this idea will resonate with you. When we all laugh, we create higher levels of positive energy, which in turn raises the spiritual levels of the Universe - my belief anyway - so your laughter is beneficial to everyone.


Everybody laughs the same in every language because laughter is a universal connection 
~ Yakov Smirnoff
I often encounter this on my travels. Even if language becomes a barrier, laughter is truly universal. Even a smile makes a connection.


I'm happy that I have brought laughter because I have been shown by many the value of it in so many lives, in so many ways.
~ Lucille Ball
Lucille Ball is one of my favourite actors. Her "I Love Lucy" series is a favourite in my house. Each night we watch a Lucy episode - highly recommended to end the day on a happy note.


I have observed over the years that people gravitate more towards happy people who smile and laugh a lot. And because laughter should be shared, here are some clips that are my favourite.






Sending a virtual smile and laugh your way.

Warm Regards


Linking to

Music Monday and ABC Wednesday - Strangers in the Night

S is for ...

Frank Sinatra's number one top single, Strangers in the Night.



The album by the same name was his most commercially successful album and reached number one on the UK Singles Chart, The Billboard Hot 100, and the Easy Listening Singles Chart.

The song is composed by Bert Kaempfert with English lyrics by Charles Singleton and Eddie Snyder.

One of the most memorable and recognizable features of the song is Sinatra's scat improvisation of the melody with syllables "doo-be-doo-be-doo" as the song fades to the end. This inspired the name for the cartoon canine "Scooby Doo".

It is one of my most favourite songs.  Beautiful song, beautifully sung.

This song always stirs my soul and is sure to bring a smile to my face.

The words

"Something in your eyes was so inviting
 Something in your smile was so exciting
 Something in my heart told me I must have you"

always send a shiver up my spine.

The stormy weather here today on this Spring day is just perfect for listening to the scintillating, soothing and seductive voice of Sinatra singing ... Strangers in the Night.




Hope you enjoyed that as much as I did and hope the skies are serene and the sun is shining where you are.

And in case you're wondering why there are so many S words in this post, it's because I'll be linking this post to ABC Wednesday when the letter S arrives this week.

I'm also linking to Pinning and Singing as I do every Monday.

Warm Regards

from Someday Somewhere


Some notes in this post are taken from Wikipedia - Strangers in the Night

Linking to:

  
















Lyrics
Strangers in the night exchanging glances 
Wond'ring in the night what were the chances 
We'd be sharing love before the night was through 

Something in your eyes was so inviting 
Something in you smile was so exciting 
Something in my heart told me I must have you 

Strangers in the night 
Two lonely people, we were strangers in the night 
Up to the moment when we said our first hello little did we know 
Love was just a glance away, a warm embracing dance away 

and 

Ever since that night we've been together 
Lovers at first sight, in love forever 
It turned out so right for strangers in the night 

I Love Quotes - Priorities

I've often been asked ... do you prioritise?

And my answer is usually "yes and no". That could be construed as "sitting on the fence", so as this topic came up at the Thursday Writers' Post, I thought it would be a good one to tackle.

Work is all about priorities - what parts of the project do I plan first, how do I organise my day - the answer to a work related priority question is always an easy "yes".

So do I apply the same at home or in my personal life?  Yes I do for the big things in life, but perhaps not in the day to day living. And then, after giving this some thought, the answer came back, actually, yes I do, even though consciously I might think I don't.

The quote below sums up the essence of priorities very nicely.

Desires dictate our priorities, priorities shape our choices, and choices determine our actions
                                                                                                                              ~ Dallin H. Oaks

Although I have stopped planning my life as the Universe always seems to have a different plan for me and I've learned to go with the flow, my deep desires influence the big priorities I set in my life. And as I look over the years, I see how those desires and hence priorities have changed. In fact just looking at the last 4 years of my life, I can see how differently I view life and how subtly or sometimes significantly my desires have transformed.

Even in my day-to-day living each choice I make is essentially an outcome of prioritising - shall I cook now or clean, shall I read or blog, shall I exercise or blob.

And then, the large or small priorities dictate the actions we take. For example if travelling the world is a priority I set, then my need to finance the trip will determine whether I save for the trip or buy the iPad that my friend just bought. Priorities determine our actions.

So here are my life's priorities at this moment in time (and they will no doubt change as the years roll by):

• People are always first priority - showing love, kindness and compassion, always being there when they need you, helping wherever you can.
• Good health - meditation, exercise and healthy eating for fitness and energy. 
• Enough finance to live life comfortably - that means work and save a little for a rainy day.
• Enjoying and appreciating life - that means doing the things in life I really want to do and appreciating people and the small and big things that come my way.

So if I am ever asked this question again ... do you prioritise? ... my answer will be an emphatic YES.

Enjoy your day.

Warm Regards

Linking to:  Thursday Writers' Post

Thankful Thursday - 17 November - Quotes

There are some weeks when despair starts to take over and we need to reach out or within to turn us back to positive thoughts and energies.

So this week I am grateful for all the things that lift me up when I am down:

I love quotes and I always find that the quotes I need to most hear show up - on facebook, through tweets, through blogs. And this week I needed to hear about the journey of life.I am thankful for all the quotes that appeared that were answers to questions. So here they are:

     "Every season has a reason. Trust in the Divine order of your journey"

     "Enjoy life's detours. They often provide life's greatest memories"

     "When I let go of what's not meant to be, I clear a path for good stuff to find me"

     "Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step"

There are many people who appear in your life who support you and inspire you and then there are those that take that a step further and work with you - the people who actually "do", who make it happen. They are the ones I call truly helpful and I am so thankful for them. Two such wonderful people have stepped into my path this week. I am truly thankful for them.

And when I am stressed or anxious, yoga breathing helps me calm down and relax. So thankful for yoga breathing.

Have an inspiring, Zen and helpful day.

Warm Regards

Linking to Black Tag Diaries Thankful Thursday   Southern Charm Thankful Thursday

Haiku - Obsession, Meditate, Childhood, Dreams and Books.

Haiku Heights  - Obsession

     
        Lovely obsession
  Our spirits soar and entwine;
        Eternal soulmates.

















Sensational Haiku Wednesday  -  Meditate

        Deep in silent thought
      Meditate for inner peace;
        Change chaos to Zen.
















Poetry Picnic Week 13  -  Childhood,  Dreams,  Books 

  Skipping and singing
Joy, fun and love abounding;
  Childhood I relive.

     Memories haunt me
I dream of you each moment;
    That special Summer.

Books my faithful friends
Great adventures richly shared;
Each leaf a wonder.









Also linking to Poet's Rally Week 56

Warm Regards

Music Monday - I Believe In You

There are some songs that inspire me and when I feel low, I listen to them and always feel better.

I Believe in You is one of those songs that always brings back the faith in myself and the Universe. 

When I lose my way or feel that life is too hard and that the Universe has abandoned me, this song brings me back to a place I once knew, a place of kindness and light, a place of hope and love.

Celine Dion is an amazing singer and one of my favourites. So here is I Believe in You by Il Divo and Celine Dion.

Be inspired, stay inspired.

Warm Regards


Lnking to:

Lyrics
Lonely, the path you have chosen
A restless road, no turning back
One day you will find your light again
Don't you know
Don't let go be strong

Follow your heart
Let your love lead through the darkness
Back to a place you once knew
I believe, I believe, I believe in you
Follow your dreams
Be yourself, an angel of kindness
There's nothing that you cannot do
I believe, I believe, I believe in you

Tout seul
Tu t'en iras tout seul
Cœur ouvert
A l'univers
Poursuis ta quête
Sans regarder derrière
N'attends pas
Que le jour
Se lève

Suis ton étoile
Va jusqu'où ton rêve t'emporte
Un jour tu le toucheras
Si tu crois, si tu crois, si tu crois
En toi

Suis ta lumière
N'éteins pas la flamme que tu portes
Au fonds de toi souviens-toi
Que je crois, que je crois, que je crois
En toi

Someday I'll find you
Someday you'll find me too
And when I hold you close
I know that it's true

Follow your heart
Let your love lead through the darkness
Back to a place you once knew
I believe, I believe, I believe in you
Follow your dreams
Be yourself an angel of kindness
There's nothing that you cannot do
I believe, I believe, I believe in you

I believe, I believe, I believe in you (x2)

These are a few of my Favourite Things

Colours Dekor is hosting a November linky, "My favourite things".

I thought it might be a fun one to do- something about myself for a change.

I will add that anything my kids make for me, I absolutely love but will exclude those from here as it's just too hard to choose and this post will then run forever.

So here are my other favourite things, in no particular order:

I love roses and this one is from my garden. check out my I love roses post.

I love Birthday Cakes and I enjoyed my kids birthday parties. I tried not to make them theme parties as I think the kids just enjoyed being with each other - a few games here and there, chippies and pizza, cartoons or a movie, and they had oodles of fun. The birthday cakes were always a surprise for the kids - they just loved the suspense and waited eagerly to see their cake. Here are some birthday cakes ...

(this one made by a friend - she makes awesome cakes)

I love Christmas trees and enjoy decorating them. Each year the kids buy an ornament each to hang on the tree and we try out different colours. Here is the Silver/White one. It was quite simple but looked stunning. I don't think the photo does it justice and as it was taken during the day, you can't see the lights.

My one and only feeble attempt at pottery painting, but I love this mug. My friend and I had a lovely morning together painting at The Swish Dish - it was so therapeutic and relaxing. Nice lunch afterwards was fun too.

Limiting this post to 5 favourite things, so here is the last one, my lovely camera (well a picture of the same model anyway). It travels with me everywhere. I've had it for 6 years now so it is well used and loved.

I really enjoyed this post. Hope you did too.

Also linking this post to Weekend Bloggy Reading and Potpourri Party #11 and Feature Friday Linky Party #10

Have an awesome day

Warm Regards