Spring Arrives in Full Force

I am pleasantly surprised at how green our lawn is this early in the year. When the snow melted, the grass was already green over three-quarters of our yard. The recent rains contributed to a thick growth of green grass that spreads like a soft comfy carpet over our lawn.

As I write this post, it is 5:30 a.m. on a Sunday morning, the birds have awakened and are singing their morning song, and I, with a cup of coffee at hand, am doing what I love - writing and enjoying the quiet early morning atmosphere.

This Sunday, midway between Mother's Day and Memorial Day weekend, spend time, if you will, appreciating the beautiful Spring weather with it's accompanying promise of new beginnings, fresh starts, and warm and glorious sunny days ahead. I know I will!


Note: The picture above is not from our yard. I just enjoy the colors of this beautiful flower and its leaves.

MSU Rolled Over UConn - 82-73

The MSU basketball team rocked the Motor City last night as the Spartans whipped UConn 82-73! The Izzone was alive and well at Ford Field Saturday night.

Not a long post today - but you can read the story on the Spartans official site.

Here is a link to Coach Tom Izzo's website - CoachIzzo.com

Detroit needed good news and they got it Saturday night. Congrats to all who played a part.

Now, on to Monday night's final against North Carolina! Best of luck to the MSU Spartans!

Rainy Days and Sundays Always Bring Me....

Although I work from home, there still seems to be something special about early Sunday mornings. With a cup of coffee at hand and the computer warmed up and ready to cruise, I feel like I am this close to heaven.

What saddens me today is that I have not posted on this site in over a month. This is the favorite of my blogs - the one I truly enjoy posting. The other blogs I maintain seem more like a job, whereas this one is a fun, anything-goes kinda place to let loose and express myself.

This Sunday morning I'd like to share some good things that are happening in my realm:

Rain Can Be a Good Thing

Today, as I look out at the cloudy skies and light rain, I am so glad that we have our current weather. For some reason we have a lot of green grass after a very heavy snow-filled winter. This rain will help our grass grow and thrive. I feel for those who are battling the floods in Fargo, ND and the blizzards in the central plains area. The snow is heading towards my sister and brother, but hopefully it will settle down before it reaches us.

NetFlix is Cool

My daughter, Deb, really impressed upon me the benefits of NetFlix and how much enjoyment I could get from the variety of movies and TV shows they have available.

When the British TV show Midsomer Murders were showing on A&E, I could hardly wait for Saturday afternoon and Sunday evening to watch these magnificent mysteries staring John Nettles.

Unfortunately, A&E stopped showing all the good shows: Midsomer Murders, Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple, and many more. I miss them all!

Now, thanks Deb!, I get to see all the Midsomer Murder shows. A&E only showed a very few, and then repeats. There are now more than sixty original shows completed, and with the recent announcement of John Nettles retirement (he is now 65 after all), there will not be very many more.

However, I have a list of the first 59 and have my NetFlix choices in order by episode so that I receive the shows as originally shown. So far I have watched eight. I will happily continue on with my very favorite movie pastime for quite some time.

I would also like to see if John Nettles' original very successful series, Bergerac, is available. I believe there are ten years worth of that British hit detective show. Can you see that I am a John Nettles fan?

Big Sunday Breakfast

Every morning I start off with a cup or two of coffee before eating a light breakfast. Why is it that I always feel the need for a large Sunday morning breakfast? Does that stem from my childhood? Or from going out to eat on many a Sunday morning over the years? Anyway, it is a pleasure that continues to this day.

Sunday Morning Country Music

Every Saturday and Sunday morning I listen/watch CMT's Top Twenty videos and Country Insider shows. Prior to those shows coming on, CMT plays about four hours of country videos. My recent favorite song/singer/video, Troubadour by George Strait has been replaced by Carrie Underwood's I Told You So.

I love where singer/song writer Randy Travis surprises Carrie by coming onstage from the back following her singing his song at the Grand Old Opry. It's a great moment of a young singer surprised onstage by an idol of hers.

Rainy days and Sundays have a special feel to them. Rainy days for staying in doors, reading, watching TV, napping, baking cookies, or whatever else we feel like doing at the time. Sundays have their own special laid-back vibe.

How about you? What are your favorite rainy day and Sunday moments?

Piggy Banks and Savings Books

When I was growing up in the mid-fifties, Mom saved several kinds of stamps that we pasted into a book. When the books were filled and she had enough to redeem the item she was saving for, off we went to the big city. Whether she was saving green stamps, gold stamps, or any other stamps of the times, the trip to store were always exciting.

We also received money for birthdays and Christmas. Sometimes only a dollar or two, other times as much as five, ten or even twenty dollars. We always trekked to the bank with our cash and placed it in our savings account. We each had our own savings book, and kept accurate account of the deposit and total. Long after the account was closed, likely used for college, the bank book remained as a reminder of those days.

Now that we are in a recession, with some pundits predicting a depression, those memories of saving money and stamps are reminders that saving money is a smart, practical practice. Even bringing back the piggy bank - yes, we each had one of those too - or the change jar my dad still keeps on his dresser, are ways to have spare cash around the house when you have a need.

As you tuck away a few dollars here and there, it is surprising how often you accumulate more than you expect.

Another savings trick my mother used was to place any extra money in a separate savings account. In fact, she kept a "secret" savings account from my dad, who was more likely to spend than would Mom. When she saved enough to purchase what she wanted, she took pleasure in her trip to the appropriate store. One of her greatest thrills was the china cabinet that she purchased from loose change and extra money she made from baking and decorating cakes.

For some reason the items people purchase after they have scrimped and saved, seem to have a greater value than those they can instantly buy with a credit card. Mom did have her season of using credit cards, but her most cherished memories came from the save-up-ahead-of-time approach.

Do you have a favorite treasure in your house that you purchased by saving ahead of time? What are you saving for now?

Photo by A Sattler at Creative Commons at Flickr

Yellow Designated the Bright Spot of 2009

For color lovers everywhere, next year will shine brighter with the expected choice of yellow as the leading color for 2009. Pantone provides color standards to design industries, and announced "mimosa" the color of choice.

Mimosa is best represented by the flowers found on the Mimosa tree, or the color of the drink. The cheerful and sunny yellow is a welcome bright light in these days of negative and depressing news reports. Yellow is a warm and nurturing color that provides an optimistic tone for 2009.

Just think of the possibilities for this bright color, such as kitchen walls, appliances, counters and curtains; quilts, sheets, and drapes for the bedroom or spare room; or spring and summer clothing. Buy early and impress your friends with your sense of style.

What do you think? How do you feel about the color mimosa for 2009? Do you think it is the right color for the new year?

Know What Holiday This Is? Find Out Here!

For those who like to celebrate even the most obscure holiday, this handy website will keep you from missing out on your favorite date. At Holidays For Every Day, you can find a monthly and daily list of the most important (to you) dates.

For example, today is:

17- World Peace Day
17- Homemade Bread Day
17- Take a Hike Day (Not sure if that is you taking a hike, or you telling someone else to take a hike)
17- National Farm Joke Day
17- The Little Mermaid Day 1989

Tomorrow:

18- Calvin & Hobbes Birthdays 1985
18- Mother Goose Parade
18- William Tell Day
18- Mickey Mouse's Birthday (1928)
18- Superman Death Anniversary 1992
18- Teddy Bear Birthday 1902

Wednesday:

19- National Carbonated Beverage with Caffeine Day (Glad to see this day!)
19- Play Monopoly Day (My sister and daughters would love to honor this date)
19- Pop Tarts Birthday 1965 (My girls loved these!)
19- Little Red-Haired Girl's Birthday (Peanuts Character 1961)
19- Gettysburg Address Delivered (1863)

See how much fun you could have with all these celebrations! In these stressful times, celebrating the unique, quaint, and obscure should have a place on your calendar with those dates that are considerably more prominent.

Of course, this all leads up to the biggest dates of the year, New Years Eve and New Years Day. And,

27- National Fruitcake Day

28- National Quilter's Day
28- No Interruptions Day
28- Eat Vegetarian Day
28- Card Playing Day
28- National Chocolate Day

29- Opposite Day
29- Bowling Ball invented (1862)

30- Let's Make a Deal Day First aired 1964

31- Make Up Your Mind Day
31- New Years eve
31- You're All Done Day

Just sayin'...

What is your favorite holiday to celebrate? Do you have an obscure or unusual anniversary date you would like to share?

NY Times Article Highlights Bronner's Christmas Wonderland

Bronner's in Frankenmuth, MI was highlighted in a New York Times article published yesterday. Excuse Me, Where's Thanksgiving? focused on the year-round Christmas wonderland visited by thousands throughout the year.

Years ago, my family regularly visited Bronner's for their excellent family-style chicken dinners. More recently, I spent the weekend, several years in a row, with friends. We visited various stores and enjoyed the ambiance of Frankenmuth.

It is great to see Michigan on the world news map in a positive way.

Have you visited Bronner's? Did you try the world famous chicken dinners?

Photo from Public Domain on Wikimedia Commons.

Go Michigan State! Go Green and White!

The Michigan State Spartans beat long time rival University of Michigan for the first time since 2001. The final score? 35-21!

Both teams have struggled under new coaches. Second year MSU coach, Mark Dantonio is rebuilding the Spartans to former glory. The maize and blue have Rich Rodriguez in his first year.

Interestingly, the game was at Michigan, and the Spartans hadn't won in Ann Arbor since 1990. This was a badly needed win for State. Hopefully it will propel them into future greatness.

Great Quote: "This state is probably a little more green today than it was yesterday." - MSU senior quarterback Brian Hoyer.

How did your favorite team do this weekend? Are you a fan of college or pro ball?

Grandpa Charlie and His Harmonica

My Grandpa Charlie loved to play the harmonica. He especially enjoyed accompanying me when playing the piano.

In this photo, we are in the basement rec room of a cousin of mine.

Anytime he could talk me into playing a song or two, whether at the Odd Fellow Hall in Webberville, MI, at a relatives house, or at my home, he would pull out the harmonica he quite often carried with him.

Oh, for the good old days.

What memories do you have of the distant past? Do they include music?

The Bucket List Squidoo Lens

What a blast is Squidoo. This weekend I finished The Bucket List lens. Check it out and add your own Bucket List items. Squidoo is not just a great place to hangout, but you can also make money for yourself or your favorite charity.

I have a number of ideas for more lens's and am excited about the community. A number of writers I know from other sites are there and several of us have already connected.

Check out Squidoo and build a lens, or a couple, or a hundred. There are lensmasters who have created several hundred and are still building. It is a very friendly community of site builders who welcome newcomers with open arms.

Many sites seem territorial, but Squidoo gently nudges and encourages newcomers to try new things.

I love being a Squid and I hope you check it out for yourself. If you do, please let me know so we can connect.

The Fall TV Season

Well, it has arrived. The much anticipated, and promoted, fall season. It is great to see new episodes of my favorite shows. Unfortunately, in my busyness, I'm not watching a lot of TV right now, so I have narrowed down the hours I spend. But I did watch Two and a Half Men and CSI Miami last night, Without a Trace last week and again tonight, and definitely looking forward to CSI Thursday.

Looking ahead to the winter season, of course, is American Idol. Somehow, after missing the first few seasons, I have developed a fondness for the show. I watch some reality shows, but not that many.

These days it seems I pick and choose what I watch. Somewhat like an a la carte menu at a restaurant. Gone are the days of planting myself in front of the TV and mindlessly watching whatever came on. Now, very selective.

Why? Because the Internet draws me back, time and again. I haven't yet watched a full-length TV show on the 'net, but YouTube and interactive sites are a huge draw. Plus just playing around creating new websites is exciting to me.

Yes, times have definitely changed. Have you changed with them? What are your favorite shows? How has the Internet changed your TV watching habits?

I'm a Squid - Really!

Another learning curve - I'm getting so tangled up in the curves...

I joined the website Squidoo last week and just finished my third lens, Squidoo's version of a website.

Right now I have three, with more to come.

1. Energy Savvy Senior - a lens related to how Dad and I are making energy-related changes around our home.

2. Savvy Senior Writer - a lens highlighting my freelance writing and blogging ability in hopes of attracting more freelance work.

3. Savvy Journaling - The Artist's Way - As a huge fan of Julia Cameron and her The Artist's Way series of books about journaling and finding our spiritual path to high creativity, I am excited about this lens. I think I'm done with it, but I never know. I may do some other related lens regarding journalling.

I have been a long time fan of The Artist's Way and writing morning pages and going on artist dates. These books were instrumental in bringing me to where I am today as a journalist and blogger.

I still have a number of lens' to create and a lot to learn, but everything is good.

Come over and visit. Maybe you will be a Squid soon. The lens are easy to build and there are a ton of directions you can go in - all for donating to your favorite charity or creating your own income. Lots of great people, friendly and willing to help a newbie squider (or is it squidooer?) learn.

What creative endeavor have you gotten yourself into lately? Are you learning anything new? If not, why not?

It's Jean Season for a Reason

Back in the day, when I was growing up, there were strict rules regarding the changing of the seasons and what was appropriate to wear. Although we wore jeans around the house, after all we lived on a farm, we were strictly monitored when adventuring beyond our neighborhood, especially if we needed to dress up.

Now days, denim is seen all through the year. When I was young and on the fly, every fall several of us females would see our guys off to the local university football game, or at least seated at the bar watching the away games. Then we would take off on a road trip every Saturday afternoon without fail.

We had our jean skirts, jean jackets, denim purses with the jewels and what-sits on them, appropriate shoes or knee boots, and off we would go down back country roads to the bars we only visited once a year, for nachos and beer. What could get any better than that.

As we drove the back roads, to a different bar each week, we saw scenery we didn't get to see at any other time, leaves were changing, tongues were flying, we caught up with each others lives.

We have all scattered, over the years, one even died way too young, but the memories linger on every Saturday in fall, when I think back on the blue jean jacket and all.

What is your favorite fall memory? Was denim involved?

Cereal Wednesday

An interactive blog, Cereal Wednesday promotes all things cereal with a video of the blogger introducing and promoting a different cereal with each video.

The videos are fun entertainment for anyone who loves their favorite breakfast grain.

When we were kids, my siblings and I had our chosen color cereal bowl and matching plastic glass. God forbid, Mom ever gave the wrong child, the wrong color. Tears and wrestling could ensue.

I don't remember all the various kinds of cereal we tried, but I do know there were often pictures of champions to look at and prizes to dig out.

I know in our current household, Cheerios, Wheaties and Raisen Bran reign supreme.

Since this blog is scheduled to release on a Wednesday, how about celebrating hump day by filling your special cereal bowl with your favorite cereal, fill with milk, click on the title of this blog entry, and enjoy another edition of Cereal Wednesday.

What is your favorite cereal? Did you have a special cereal bowl as a kid? Don't tell me it was just our family?

My Three Favorite Country Music Videos of Today

Usually, every Saturday or Sunday morning I watch CMT's Top Twenty Country Videos. Today, apparantly, was an emotional day for me. There were several, for some reason, that struck a strong sentimental vibe.

I will list them in order of appearance on this week's chart. You can read more, or even see the videos, by clicking the title of this message.

1. Learning How to Bend. This tear-jerker is sung by Gary Allen and currently #15 on the video chart. Learning has a life lesson wrapped up in a beautiful tune and poignant lyrics.

2. Don't Think I Don't Think About It. Sung by Darius Rucker of Hootie and the Blowfish, this surprising entry is sitting at #11 and taking the country by storm. As I write this, the video is highlighted on the front page of the CMT website. Check it out for a great song!

3. Waitin' On A Woman. Brad Paisley and special guest, Andy Griffith, sing about how men always seem to wait for women to get ready to go somewhere, or to meet at a location. It's a wonderful song and having Andy Griffith as part of the video just raises it to a whole different level.

If you are a country music fan, what is your favorite song? Who is your favorite singer? Do you watch the country videos?

Favorite Coffee-Table Books, Part 2

Continuing my list of favorite coffee-table books reminds me of the large number of art books I haven't looked at in years, setting on a shelf in a walk-in closet.

The eight books that I chose to share in the previous post and this, are special to me because of the topics, the beautiful pictures and words, or because of the reason they are in my possession.

Again, these are in no particular order, but this first book was a Christmas gift from my daughter. Quite surprised when I first opened the package, the greater surprise was the quality and wisdom contained inside.

Outhouses – Images and Contemplations. Brown Trout Publishers, Inc. 1998. Fascinating scenic views of all types, kinds, and sizes of outhouses accompanied by insightful quotes from such notables as Alexei Tolstoi, William Shakespeare, and Benjamin Disraeli. For such an odd topic, this surprising collection pulls one into the beautiful scenery and the profound insights offered lift this book to a surreal spiritual height.

The Encyclopedia of the Small Garden - Creating the Maximum Impact in a Limited Space. Compiled by Sue Phillips. Quadrillion Publishing, Ltd. 1999. This volume contains 348 pages of colorful pictures and detailed instructions and illustrations for anyone desiring to design a garden or landscape for a small space. At the time I purchased this book, I was living in an apartment and wanted to create a container garden.

Story of the Great American West. Reader’s Digest. 1977. This book begins with the coming of the Europeans to America and ends at the end of the 1800’s. With colorful pictures and detailed drawings, this large tome tells the fantastic story of the making of the West. When I was a child, I read every book and watched every TV show and movie that had anything to do with cowboys, Indians, and the wild Wild West. This book seems to find its way into various garage sales, but I always manage to pluck it back to safety.

There is a Season. Text by Joan Chittister. Art by John August Swanson. Orbis Books. 1995. There is a Season “provides a glorious meditation in art and words on the famous passage from the Bible.” That passage is Ecclesiastes 3:1-8. A fascinating phrase-by-phrase look at the well-known scripture that begins, “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven....” I can spend hours just looking at the beautiful illustrations, but it’s the tenderness and depth of the phrasing that brings out the true beauty of this meditation.

While compiling this list, I realized I haven’t spent much time of late with these treasured possessions of mine. I’ve enjoyed renewing old acquaintances. Time for another cup of hot chocolate with lots of marshmallows, me thinks.

What treasures do you have in your home that have found their way into your heart? Share them with us, if you please.

Favorite Coffee-Table Books, Part 1

When I was a child, I remember sitting on the sofa looking at large hardcover books with many fascinating pictures. In the mid-fifties, one well-known book was about World War II. Not understanding the harsh side of war, the book kept me captivated for hours.

Over the years, I’ve collected a number of coffee-table books. The topics vary in the four books I list here, as does their size and depth, but they are all treasured. These books are favorites on cold winter nights when I fix a cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows, huddle under a warm afghan, and spend a few hours lost in the glorious photos and words contained in these special treasures.

Listed in no particular order, all have traveled with me over the years no matter where I’ve lived.

Simpler Times by Thomas Kinkade. Harvest House Publishers, 1996. With his stunning paintings, quotes, and down to earth prose, Mr. Kinkade takes us to a way of life that lives on only in our memory – a life of simpler times. He talks about peace, nature, balance, and choosing simplicity in a complex age. One could spend hours looking at just the paintings, but his words, spoken in a soft voice, are soothing to the spirit in troubled times.

Haiku-Vision by Ann Atwood. Charles Scribner’s Sons, NY, 1977. In October 2006, my sister and I were on a road trip heading north from St. Louis on the Illinois side of the Mississippi River. We drove through a quaint town that was advertising a used book sale at the local library. On our return, we decided to stop at the sale. This is the only book I purchased, but since I was writing Haiku at the time I felt very lucky to have found it. I don’t believe in coincidence. It was there for a reason.

The Last Two Million Years. A Reader’s Digest History of Man. 1973. This huge book starts from the beginning of our planet and is a history of the world. Fascinating book and every time I pick it up I find something new. I love to read about history, especially from creation to our present time. To see the continuity of time in the illustrations takes me out of my small world view into the immense concept of time and creation.

The Illustrated Rumi – a Treasury of Wisdom from the Poet of the Soul. The Book Laboratory, Inc. 2000. A book by a thirteenth-century Sufi mystic. Fascinating pictures, poems, and stories will keep you enthralled for hours. Deep spiritual meaning applicable to life today will keep any reader thinking about lessons gleaned long after closing the book.

Next time I will share four more books. They are an eclectic lot, I realize, but that’s what makes them so fascinating.

Do you have any coffee-table books? What are your favorites? Share them if you like in the comments.