MINDFUL MOMENTS

There's one thing I have to do every Christmas; volunteer for the SALVATION ARMY. Whether it's wrapping presents for children, preparing meals, or ringing the bells for the red kettle I so much enjoy being part of a the SALVATION ARMY.  Every Christmas season I'm touched by people's stories about how the SALVATION ARMY  helped them in their time of need.  Last week when I got on the city bus the woman driver asked me where I needed to go. I replied the  "SALVATION ARMY." I was her only passenger and for several minutes she spoke of  a difficult time her mother, sister, and she experienced while living in Dallas. It was the SALVATION ARMY  that provided her family with comforts. She was delighted that she was dropping me off at the SALVATION ARMY building and mentioned that she always donates money to the SALVATION ARMY because of how kind they were to her many years ago. The following day was one of the coldest days of the year....

The Swedes are quite the bakers. Their pastries aren't overloaded with sugar. A visit to Sweden must include an early morning indulgence of a pastry and cup of coffee, preferably a cappucino. While recently spending time in Malmo in southern Sweden I made a visit to a neighborhood bakery called  Gateau and had an extraordinary kanelbullar (cinnamon roll) with a delightful cup of cappucino. My visit to Gateau Bakery was one of the best bakery moments of my entire life. Sitting in a cozy bakery near the sea and having my very first authentic kanelbullar (cinnamon roll) and sampling other pastries that were displayed on the counter for sampling by the kind staff which was a sweet moment indeed.                                                 Famous Kanelbullar; Swedish Cinnamon Rolls     In life it's wonderful to be left with moments of pleasant ...

I think life has been stressful for people even 1,000 years but in today's modern age almost  everyone seems to be multi tasking and in a hurry to get to somewhere.  These are stressful times we're in and that's why I feel that people should take moments away from their responsibilites and just "let go" and do something rewarding for themselves like watching a pleasant movie or taking a walk through a lovely park. I had a friend who once said to me "You know,  you really don't like responsibilities, don't get me wrong you're a responsbile person but you like to shy away from responsibilities." Well... maybe there was a time in my life when I shyed away from responsibilities but there's a time for everything and now my time has arrived for being loaded with responsibilities and stress! Stress will often be in our lives in one form or another, the stress of a job, health issues, family problems, financial challenges....the list goes...

DOGS are a Treasure! I love dogs, always have. Yesterday I got a visit from a friends dog named Joe. Oh, how much fun I had with that adorable dog. When my friend pulled into the parking lot and Joe got out of the car I yelled out his name "JOE" and within seconds he ran up the stairs and into my arms. I gave him food and water and he was very thankful. I'm thankful for dogs like Joe who bring sunshine into the lives of people. That unconditional love and devotion from a dog is why they're often called "Man's Best Friend." If you need to brighten your day just meet up with a dog and have sweet dog moments! The world really is a more beautiful place because of DOGS!                                                My dear friend, JOE

Did you ever have a best summer of your life that you never forgot or a summer where you just felt absolutely carefree? Today is the last day of August and I feel as if summer has just swept itself from under my feet. All throughout the cold winter I dreamed of a magical place like the Swiss Alps to spend my summer but that was just a dream that didn't come true. This summer was filled with lots of anxiety and responsibility everyday except yesterday when I was given one carefree summer day. Imagine a day that feels like the pages of a fairytale? The universe provided that one special day for me yesterday and for that I feel truly blessed. Enjoy the remaining days of your summer and may you have lots of sweet carefree days! Just One Carefree Summer Day Just One Carefree Summer Day with my boyfriend came at last at the end of August with the rise of the sun over a freshwater Great Lake in Grand Haven. A morning swim in pure water and a walk on the sugary sand beach...

Have you ever had poison ivy? If not consider yourself very blessed because posion ivy is a real nusanice. Being outdoors is the name of the game for me and I sometimes forget that "mother nature" is not always on my side. Such was the case early last week when an annoying itcy rash appeared on my leg and spread like fire. I was in agony, absolute agony. The swelling on the back of my right leg was so painful I could hardly bend or walk. I was cursed with poison ivy! Remedies for healing poison ivy? I tried everything; apple cider vinegar, baking soda, bananna peels, calamine lotion, oatmeal, tricalm ointment, witch hazel....oh my gosh nothing helped cure the agony. I was ready to see a doctor until my thoughtfu boyfriend insisted that there wasa a cure for drying up the posion ivy rash. The miracle was a soap called FELS- NAPTHA.   Just one application took the swelling away and itching away. Another application the following day practically cleared the posion ivy rash ...

Last year I got a hammock for my birthday but I didn't get to enjoy it very much. Today made up for those lost days on a hammock. I took a walk in the verdant woods and found the perfect place to hang my hammock near the lake and harmonize with nature. Now I'm hooked. I plan on having plenty of "hammock moments" in the upcoming days because hammocking really melts the stresses away and brings relaxation to the body and mind. Who do we thank for hammocks? Historically the credit points to the Mayan people of Central America. 

Americans have a fascination with cupcakes. There are so many flavors of cupcakes to choose from and one can enjoy a cupcake in different sizes too. Cupcakes are glorious. They're fun to make and they make a wonderful gift. In fact yesterday I was gifted made from scratch cupcakes from my co-worker who happens to be an expert baker. She had promised to make some cupcakes for me for my birthday and I just couldn't decide what flavor to ask for. Finally we came up with the idea of a key lime cupcake batter with raspberry frosting. Oh my gosh....one bite of Angie's cupcake and I was in cupcake heaven. Who invented the cupcake? Amelia Simmons shared the recipe in her 1796 cookbook "American Eatery." Cupcake Moments are some of the very best moments in life so have a cupcake or two. Some flavor ideas: Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes Black Forest Cherry Cupcakes Brownie Batter Cupcakes Carmel Apple Cupcakes Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes Kahlua Cupcakes Key Lime Cupcake...

I've been kayaking for a long time, never fearing water until last week when my kayak tipped over. After a nice swim in Torch Lake I decided to rent a kayak. Rather than wear a lifejacket I opted for a floating device seat instead. The water was pretty calm, there were no boats around and I was enjoying my paddling until I tried adjusting my floating device seat and tipped over unexpectedly. I fell into the water and my sunglasees sunk. The kayak was filled with water and I held on tight to the floating device, kayak, and paddle as I swam towards a dock in the distance to safety. Once I got to the dock it took 20 minutes to empty out the water from the kayak and get it to function again. The sun was getting brighter and I really needed my sunglasses but they were way at the bottom of the water. Nobody was around but I managed to get back on the kayak and paddle my way back to the shop where I had rented the kayak. I had a minor cut on my leg and was a bit shaken up from the...

You never know what's going on in people's lives unless they specifically tell you. Such is the case of one of my co-workers. I'll refer to her by first initial which is K.  I assumed that all was well in K's life; she has a home, a husband, lovely children, she's confident, and full of creative ideas. However, recently I was stunned to hear that she's  facing health issues and financial challenges. She shared this with  somebody on our team and within minutes two employees took a money collection for her. The following day my close friend brought her an affordable housing application and explained to her how her family could be eligible for a good place to live at a low cost. Today K was in such happy spirits. She shared with me that her doctor is really looking after her and making certain that she doesn't have to pay for any of her expensive medications or office visits. K was also touched by the outpour of caring co-workers that contributed money to...

Everyone has a favorite animal. What's your favorite animal? For me it's a cow or better yet a herd of cows. I've spent a lot of time traveling alone and it was always a herd of cows that befriended me and put a smile on my face. Even now I feel a deep connection with COWS. They must know I'm fond of them because whenever I call out to them they appear without any fear. A couple of weeks ago I made my birthday wish come true by spending a day in the countryside. The weather was glorious with sunny blue skies....the kind of weather that cows like to graze on grass. I came towards the fence calling out to them and within seconds a whole herd of them came right to the fence to greet me. It was the "Valley of the Cows." Such intelligent and friendly cows with big eyes. What a present to have them all within arms reach of me. I'm very grateful for COWS! Cows provide us with milk which means lots of dairy treats for non-vegans. Cows are intelligen...

Greektown, Toronto, Ontario Canada On the 12th of June I was able to spend by birthday in Toronto, Ontario, Canada with my boyfriend. It was a special treat to break away from responsibilities and explore fascinating Toronto. In that short trip we were able to try Hungarian, Indian, Japanese,and Portuguese cuisine but my favorite moments were in Greektown on Danforth when we entered the Leonidas Chocolatier.My thoughtful boyfriend asked me to choose which chocolates I'd like for my birthday gift and the girl behind the counter placed them in a golden box with a ribbon. Ironically Leonidas was founded in 1913 by a Greek-American man named Leonidas Kestidies in Brussels, Belgium. Today Leonidas Chocolatier shoppes can be found in 50 countries including the one on Danforth Street in Toronto's Greektown.Some of the best moments in life are "eating chocolates, especially when they're LEONIDAS of Belgium. Have a chocolate and brighten your moments!

Almost everyday I pass the white house on the hill. It's such a charming house and it would make a terrific bed and breakfast. I was always curious to know who lives in "the white house on the hill" and now I know; a Catholic priest lives in that house. He has that whole entire house to himself and he deserves it. He's so devoted to his church and the parishioners. The priest even has a walking trail that leads from the side of his house to the church because he's often needed at the church round the clock. What a blessed priest to live in such a glorious white house on the hill. The White House on the Hill beckons to me: The white house on the hill beckons to me sitting by itself away from everything but a  Catholic Church. A priest lives there they say and how blessed he is, for on a bright June day the birds sing their joyful songs in the verdant shady trees. The fragrant pink rose bushes fill the  air with a lovely scent and the blue sky above th...

June 27, 5:40 pm It's the beginning of summer which means warm weather and longer days for extra activities in the great outdoors. My favorite summer moments are when I'm SUP (stand up paddling).  Paddle Boarding is a tremendous stress relief and an excellent physical work out. If you have access to a lake give paddle boarding a try.  I'm fortunate to be living near one of the freshwater Great Lakes, free of sharks and a paddle boarders paradise. Make time for Paddle Boarding moments! Benefits of Paddle Boarding: 1) improves balance 2) provides endurance 3) full body workout 4) low impact exercise 4) helps relieves stress 5) connects you with nature

What a precious spider you are sweet Charlotte.......for you befriended a pig who didn't want to die and weaved such lovely words on your web to let that pig named Wilbur live. Your short time on earth didn't stop you from being a true friend  and your example of selfless love towards another being has won the hearts of adults and children throughout the world. Thank You Charlotte  Mother Earth and Father Time (Lyrics from the animated film) How very special are we For just a moment to be Part of life's eternal rhyme How very special are we To have on our family tree Mother Earth and Father Time After all, what's a life anyway? We're born, we live a little while, we die. There's so much to learn in E.B. White's classic story "Charlotte's Web" about life and wisdom. Let's appreciate those moments of life and do our best to make the world a better place.

"After all, what's a life anyway? We're born, we live a little while, we die." Charlotte (the spider) "You have been my friend. That in itself is a tremendous thing." Charlotte (the spider) Charlottes Web by E.B. White Do you have a favorite film or story that touches your heart in a special way? If so what is it?  For me it's Charlotte's Web. I had seen the animated film with my mother when I was a young girl and loved it dearly. Life got busy and I forgot all about it until a few days ago when the words "Charlotte's Web" kept ringing in my ears. I think there was a message I needed to hear loud and clear and so I got onto my laptop and watched "Charlotte's Web" on You Tube. I was  fascinated by the story and watched it several times in one sitting. There's so much wisdom in this story brilliantly written by the legendary E.B. White. Charlotte's Web is a story about animals, friendship, and lif...

JUNE has finally arrived which means summer is just around the corner. For those of you who dwell in a warm climate, the clear blue skies and sunny days are commonplace but for those that live way up north, half the year is filled with gray skies and cold weather. It's been only about twelve days since everything came into full bloom in northern Michigan.  Now the atmosphere is filled with verdant trees, fragrant lilacs, turquoise waters and baby ducks quacking. Oh, how wonderful it is. Although the winter months bring a beauty of their own, there's something special about the month of June in North America when days become long and the sunny weather puts people in a happy spirit.It's half past seven in the evening and I'm about to get on my bicycle and ride along the sparkling shores of a fresh water lake. It's moments like this that are sheer bliss. JUNE is here and it's time to take moments to be a little carefree. HAPPY JUNE.....have some str...

Synchronicity  seems to appear in my life over and over again. Yesterday after weathering a snow storm I had a long day at work and was anxious to get back home BUT I was stranded. A co-worker promised me a ride home if I didn't mind waiting for her while she was being fit for contact lenses at the optometrist. Thankful that she would give me a ride I waited patiently for her an entire hour only to have her tell me when she finished her appointment "Sorry, I can't give you a ride. I have a conflict." With no phone or wallet on hand I was appreciative that my co-worker at least let me use her phone so that I could call my boyfriend who was working 50 miles away to pick me up. He was suppose to work late and told me to hang tight because he would do his best to pick me up as soon as he could. Frustrated with my co-worker I politely smiled and thanked her for letting me use her phone and dashed off as fast as I could out of the building I worked in. Where was I to go f...

A few days ago I was writing my travel blog and the post was about Bermuda; a British territory island with pink sandy beaches. Years back my sweet mother and I took a trip to Bermuda in March during the off season. We got a wonderful deal on our trip and the icing on the cake was that on the day of our departure from Bermuda the airplane was overbooked and because we gave up our seats my mother and I got to spend an entire extra day and night in Bermuda with all expenses paid by the airline. Moments like that are precious. March is not the most pleasant month for weather in Bermuda. It's not swimming weather but you can still walk along the pink colored sandy beaches and breathe in the air of the Atlantic Ocean breezes. There are plenty of attractions to see and good food to eat too. My mother and I like keeping things simple so we stayed at a small bed and breakfast in a Bermudian local neighborhood and walked a lot or took the bus. One afternoon while exploring the city ...

MOMENTS OF LOVE: On February 14th, you can celebrate "Moments of Love" with those you love most whether it be your romantic partner, parents, siblings, friends or mentors. To love somebody and be loved in return is a beautiful thing. It's nice to have people to share your life journey with. I myself have had days of being completely alone and days of being surrounded by family and friends. Of all things on this earth the most heartwarming is to have "MOMENTS OF LOVE" because it feels good to care for others and to be cared for. Be grateful for your "MOMENTS OF LOVE" not just on Valentine's Day but throughout the year. 💖💗💜💚💙💔

MOVING....it's something that a lot of people do, including me. Moving can be exciting and exhausting, adventurous and dull, expensive and stressful. Sooner or later most of us have to move to another place. After years of wanderlust and moving from place to place I ended up in a small resort city on a lake that was suppose to only be a temporary place while I looked after my Mother who has Alzheimers. But those fews months turned into a year and another year...... Four years later, I'm still here because somehow I ended up living in the perfect cozy apartment close to the beach, close to the food market, close to the optometrist, close to the bicycle trail into town, close to my job, and close to my Mother. I got attached to my apartment and my comfortable life even though the wanderlust side of me was still questioning where to go next.  Argentina? Belgium? India? Madagascar? Switzerland? Vietnam? Turkey? Today is February 1st, 2018 and it's the da...

If everyday ran smoothly we'd really be living a "fairytale life" because in reality even a prince or princess has a bad day. Yes, problems are a part of life and eventually every human being is faced with one of life's big stresses.                                                       Let the simple things make you happy! One big stress is having to move from your dwelling place no matter if it's a castle or a small studio apartment. In my case it's a small studio that I'm moving from but that small studio apartment has been my little sanctuary for the best four years. I've had all my essentials under one tiny roof; a fireplace to keep me warm on a cold winter's night, a modern kitchen to do all my baking and cooking, my very own bathroom, a corner space to sleep on a queen size bed with a ceiling fan, a small area to exercise, a storage unit, an...