pancakes with ice cream

in another day a new decade will start. have you been wished a happy decade? that scares me somehow, to be wished a happy next ten years! that's a lot of time. it's much easier to live happy from day to day, moment to the very next moment, kind of like a to~ do list that's not got too much on it so when the day is done and you've actually ticked off each line there's that satisfying sense of accomplishment. or if your like me you cheat a little by adding what you didn't do to the next day, ha ha hee, so you can crumple up today's list. but back to my idea.



... instead of making new years resolutions, maybe this list i've found would work for you too. what do you want in your day, everyday? this is a question worth thinking about and then doing. these are some things you might include in your day. if you like. :)



everyday



~ long deep breathing.

~ a yoga asana (posture or stretch).

~ time for quiet introspection.

~ time to just "be".

~ meditation.

~ silence.

~ prayer.

~ connection with yourself, others and spirit.

~ enjoying nature.

~ being in gratitude.

~ writing in your journal.

~ hugging someone.

~ listening to music.

~ drinking champagne. heehee.

~ singing a song.

~ writing a poem.

~ creating artwork.

~ knitting.

~ gardening.

~ taking a walk, or a run or a swim or a bike...

~ doing a service.

~ visiting a friend.

~ communing with your pet.

~ embracing life.



see what you'd like to include in your day, every day. it doesn't have to be very many things, just whatever makes your heart sing, as my beautiful friend ribbon says.



happy new year everyone, here's to health, happiness, prosperity, family, friends, much love and lot's more blogging in 2010!



♥ lori

time for...

our christmas season was full of big and small moments, kids coming home, family and friends arriving too. there was time for secretive wrapping, hiding presents under the tree, surfing and volleyball and long walks on the beach, there was time for...

birthday celebrations...

handmade gifts...

cooking and baking in well loved (messy) kitchens :)

and plenty of time for hugs and kisses...

peace on earth goodwill towards men

this is what i wish for

in 2010

(may it begin in our own homes)

:)

happy new year everyone,

clink!

♥ lori

p.s. the photo at the top (header) was taken by my husband, you can see more of his excellent photos here, at Chuck Graham photo dot com. the header photo was taken here, in Santa Barbara County. it's a perfect place for running and dancing :)

the littlest angels

i am busy beyond the busiest busyperson, working, partying (5 nights in a row, a record for us!) shopping ( first present bought yesterday in a marathon session i finished all my list, FUN!), baking, cooking, birthday celebrating, my baby is 19 today!

i haven't had time to be a good blog friend (sorry) i'll be around soon! i've only just eeked out this post, because it was so important to me. because for me it is the real and true heart of christmas.

it began here, in my new room...

and then,

boxed up ever so carefully,

10,465 miles they flew,

Seventeen Christmas stockings,

arrived in Kasane, Botswana, to the littlest angels...

Merry Christmas Shima, Agri, Kago, Madala, Botu, Tumi, Baba, Sista,

Diti, Minto, Banjo, Nunu, Sandi, Kwena, Penyo, Thandi, Kay

and teacher Emeldah (one very lovely big angel).

From our family to all of yours,

however big or small, may all your dreams come true.

Merry Christmas and much love,

lori ♥

* you can read about the children (and see more of their beautiful smiles) at the Kazungula Children's Orphanage here.

photos of the children by Sharon Nel. Thank you Sharon.

I'd also very much like to thank Kathee and Jeannie for donating the felt for these stockings. Kathee is the owner of The Treasure Hunt in Carpinteria, a lovely Quilt shop (and so much more). If you are ever in the area, you will want to stop in. Thank you very much my friends.

a room of her own and two december babies

is it really already monday again? i ought to try to write more frequently, not because you dear readers are anxiously awaiting posts about nothing, which is mostly what i write, but because it's hard to remember how and what we did all week. and i like to remember. even the nothings, sometimes especially the nothings. this first photo is what i've been looking at a lot, every chance i get. it's the view from my new room, one of the empty rooms i got when my kids left home.


here is one part of my new room, the organized part. you really don't want to see the messy part. i have been having so much fun gathering all the crafty creating things that were previously scattered throughout the house. now i get to keep them all in one place! my sewing machine, fabrics, yarn, needles, books, oh so many treasures. i am getting so inspired, this may turn into a craft blog. i love the light in this room, and i love the view.


it changes all the time, clouds come and go, fog too...


i've finished a couple projects for christmas, although i can't show them here, just in case. i never know if some people (my kids) are reading this. as soon as something comes off the needles, something else goes on , here is a new scarf i started this weekend, i've done half, about 30 inches so far. it's a simple lace pattern called "road not taken" from the book "a fine fleece".

we celebrated two birthdays on saturday. both my husband and grandson share the same day. travis turned nine (i can't believe i have a nine year old grandson) and my husband turned, well, he was 36 when trav was born. just in case i'm not supposed to say his age here. :)

they are two peas in a pod, these two. here they are a few years ago. travis requested blueberry pancakes for breakfast and my husband chocolate cake (not for breakfast silly). then we went out for lobster for dinner. and then ate the chocolate cake i baked. i am glad they had a good day. and i was really glad for lobster. happy birthday darlings.

still in my room, and now it's raining. after the birthday celebrating we quickly switched into christmas mode, the tree was collected in between rainstorms and it was time to decorate.

sadie bella decorating the tree. i love how kids put fourteen ornaments on one branch. :)

and some more of my room, that is the window that has the mountain view. and this is the loveseat i never want to get off of. it's hard to get a good photo, i should have waited for the morning. ah well. there are some things i need still, like a work table, a chair, a new sewing table since mine is really not a sewing table and it wobbles when i work. but i am really happy, i've waited a long time for my own space. and i really really love it.

i hope your finding magic in the season where ever you are.

♥ lori

to good times

this blog is beginning to feel more like my old paper journals, minus the drawing and sketches, still not comfortable sharing those! But, it is filled with newspaper clippings, notes, photos, all the things that are gathered throughout the day and week. in my book journals i wrote everyday, more or less. here, lately anyway, it feels like i've been posting once a week, distilling the monday through sundays happenings in a sweetly condensed version.

here then is the cream of my week...

~i finally got to see my two oldest sons and their apartment ninety minutes south of me. they are roommates. they are so clean, so handy, so competent. i am amazed. it is a very weird thing to go sit in your kids apartment. they are not my little boys anymore. they are men. i am still not sure what to say about this. (oh, i know, thank you God.)

~ i finally got to see my niece perform. watching her sit up in front of a crowd singing her heart out gave me chills. i learned that she didn't take after me (she can sing) and i also learned that bars are really for the young. and sometimes proud aunties. i hope all her dreams come true.

~ i received two letters from Zimbabwe. from maxwell and gift. i was and still am astonished that they wrote me back and their letters made it all this way. you might remember i wrote about them (and others) from our trip to africa back in may. i sent family photos and other small items. not the books yet, i wanted to make sure that the letters would be received. and they were. amazing! see, maxwell lives on an island, with only a small village, certainly no post office. he had given me the address of the crocodile farm where he works. now i can send him books. he hoped most for a dictionary.

~i went to a book signing for My Nepenthe. i met the author Romney Steele. she was even more charming than her book and she graciously signed not only my friend Anne's book, but she signed my giveaway winner Sally Anne's book, and then mine too! it was kind of like meeting a blog friend since we'd only talked online. i am glad to have met her and i hope to see her again.

~ i want to thank these people for liking my photo and putting it in their magazine.

thank you sincerely. (whoohoo) :)

here's to good times, family, friends, a toast to life.

cheers!

♥ lori

like poetry

Our little town, here by the sea, is putting on it's finery,

twinkling lights and candles that grace,

in window's and mantle's on the fireplace.

Mother Nature's decked out too,

with every shade and color and hue.

Beauty in abundance

that's what I see,

and this dear friends is

my attempt at poetry.

:)

♥ lori

p.s. did you see? the swan is back!

hello december

but first, some novemberly things...

thanksgiving olive fingers

crafts fairs and flea market finds...

one, two, three, four, five happy guys...

tiny santa's, tiny snowmen, trees, some with feathers...

a sweet autumn wedding...

a challenging trail run for my husband...

christmas projects slowly coming together....

goodbye november. i can say it was a great month for our family, delivering the most beautiful weather here on the california coast, maybe one of the prettiest novembers i can remember. it was perfect training weather for my husband, he ran in a 40 mile trail run last saturday. although he did great and i'm proud of him, i think he's glad novembers over. while he was running through the foothills and backcountry, my sister and i walked through the flea markets and crafts fair in town. after i found the cute things above, we passed by a country wedding, so simple and serene, november winds were gently blowing leaves like confetti for the happy bride and groom. i do love this time of year.

welcome december!

♥ lori