(((Reflections)))

11:33:22 PM EDT
Feeling Hopeful
Hearing The Music of the Night ~ David Cook

It isn't often, that I venture out on my own for an afternoon.  I find it ironic, that I would choose Mother's Day to "take off" so to speak, when it's usually my children's activities that make up the majority of my free time.  And rightly so, I might add.  My daughters are and have always been the highlight of my life. 

But lately, I've been considering the possibility that I might have interests of my own to explore as well. 

So I allowed myself that privilege today and went to the pow wow on my own.  It was very interesting, colorful and enlightening.  I sat alone, enjoying the festivities and the traditional Native American dancing, ate lunch alone (no buffalo tacos this year, thank you... :o) ) and walked among the crowd of people, fighting the urge not to spend all my money! 

I took lots of photos, and even though the sun was bright (I'm thankful for that) and I had to zoom in from afar to capture most of my images, I found a colorful few that I am happy with:

 

 

 

I do believe I'm going to try to do this sort of thing more often.  "Get a life" as the kids would say.  I not only enjoyed the pow wow, but also walked all around campus and down Main Street.  I spent some time in the Dartmouth Bookstore and even struck up conversation with strangers!  Somebody STOP ME!  hehehe...

Our custodian at school is an avid outdoorsman and hiker.  We've been talking, and I've decided that I shouldn't let my fear of being alone stop me from doing the things that I enjoy ~ even if it means I must enjoy them sans partner.  He's given me a couple of books on area hikes and trails.  I DO hope, that my girls will join me on these adventures, but if they decide they're not interested, I will not let that decision persuade me one way or the other.  There are groups in the upper valley that take hiking trips as well, and I haven't ruled out that possibility either.  I'd like to start fishing again, and someday, I might even buy myself a little fishing boat! 

There are simpler things, of course, to do on my own...  Go to a movie, visit a museum, see a play, etc...  And of course, the anytime, anywhere activities that I enjoy, like drawing, painting and reading.  The bottom line is, I need to start living my life again and stop letting my "aloneness" get the best of me.  Don't get me wrong ~ I'm happier now than I was a year ago in many ways.  But I've been letting the overall picture get me down. 

It's time to snap out of it.

I hope everyone enjoyed a peaceful, relaxing Sunday!

 

 

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12:45:44 PM EDT

                    

I apologize for having so little to say or share lately.  My creative muse is currently on Sabbatical, and the need to share the scattered pieces of my life has been less apparent.  Unfortunately, that has kept me away from other journals as well, and I haven't always been commenting the way i'd like.  To friends who are reading this:  please know I have thought of you.

Here's wishing every mother and child a Happy Mother's Day... I'll be heading out soon to enjoy the Pow Wow festivities on the green at Dartmouth college.  My children are not interested in going ~ they're doing their own thing.  (Might have something to do with the buffalo tacos they ate the last time we went....)  I, for one, am eager to do something that I am interested in today.  All I've been doing for the past two hours is housework.  Fun Fun.

 

         

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10:40:21 PM EDT
Feeling Quiet
Hearing "In My Life"    The Beatles

 

JUDGED Category

Take a Landscape photo in B & W or transform a photo into     B & W. You can sepia tone the image, frame it, but keep in mind when framing, not to take
away from the image. 

 

                              Quechee, Vermont

 

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7:55:48 PM EDT
Feeling Quiet
Hearing Yesterday   By Dave Grusin

Elizabeth Park Rose Garden

Hartford, CT      Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Thank you Nancy, for a day filled with warmth, smiles and FUN!!  Oh, and let's not forget PHOTOS!!  I will never forget the times we've shared ~ the laughter, the tears (FROM THE LAUGHTER!), the stories told and the nature enjoyed.  Thank you, for being such a dear friend. 

(Please feel free to rummage through the photos in the album above.)

 

 

 

 

 

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11:49:33 PM EDT
Feeling Loopy
Hearing "One More Day"  by Diamond Rio

2. WHAT ARE 5 THINGS ON MY TO-DO  LIST TODAY

Taking into consideration that the day will soon be over, I'll share five things that I DID do today:

~ Woke up

~ Made coffee

~ Attended an all day workshop on teaching social skills to students with autism and using video modeling to demonstrate appropriate social interactions and behaviors. 

~ Ate dinner

~ Enjoyed a nice phone conversation with a friend.

 

 3. SNACKS I ENJOY

Crackers and extra sharp cheddar cheese, salsa and chips, fruit salad

4. WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU WERE A BILLIONAIRE?

You know, I honestly try not to let my mind wander down this fantasy very often, because I always try to be content with what I DO have.  But......

In my dreams, I would buy or build a beautiful but modest home near some body of water ~ preferably a lake.  I would own a small boat ~ nothing too intimidating or difficult to maneuver or travel with.  I would put money aside for my children's future.  The bills would be paid.  I'd own my car(okay, so I'd PROBABLY buy a new one....).  Take a dream vacation say, like.... once a year?  Wow.... now that I think about it.... I would love to have an art studio, music/recording studio, and hey, while we're at it, why not throw in a hot tub?  Massage once a week....  omg.. somebody stop me!!   ;o)

 
   
5. BAD HABITS

Tilting my head while engaged in conversation or listening to a presentation of some sort ~ I always feel like it makes me look dingy.

Forgetting to take my thyroid medicine.

6. 5 PLACES I HAVE LIVED

NH, MA, NH, NH, NH.....

     

7. 5 JOBS I'VE HAD (I know I've answered this one before)

Live in nanny for three children 

Immediate Care Admissions

Waitress

Singer

Special Education Aide

5 PEOPLE I WANT TO KNOW ABOUT:

ANYONE who wants to play along! 

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10:34:25 PM EDT
Feeling Hopeful

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10:40:20 PM EDT

Everyone has a collection of some sort...  Whether it's a collection of "things" or of memories or stories told and untold....  You get the idea.  This particular challenge was started by Monica, and you can find her journal entry about "Every Picture Tells a Story" here and play along.

This weeks photo/story:

I collect ________________ (dust bunnies, spoons, dogs, rings, etc).  Share a photo of what you collect and tell us how or when you got started with the collection.  Is there something you are looking to add to the collection? 

 

This challenge had me thinking...  What do I collect, that I could photograph and share?  I have a collection of Jodi Picoult books!  Nah...  I have a jar of sea glass....  maaaaybe.. 

Then I remembered (yeah, it happens....), that I have CANDLES all around me...  On the walls (not pictured), tables, shelves..  you name it.  In my bathroom, bedroom, kitchen...  I think every room, with the exception of my children's rooms, have candles.  Mostly Partylite candles and holders.  I buy many of my favorite scents on Ebay ~ Honeydew, Peach, Mulberry, etc...  I'm FRUIT FRENZIED!  But have been to and hosted Partylite gatherings at my home as well.

 

I've been enjoying candles for many, manyyears.  I do not light them all at the same like this EVER!  As a matter of fact, I'm still sneezing from having them all lit at once for this photo (thanks for the idea, Nance.... ;oP)!  But, I do light one or two.... maybe three, depending on the mood... more than a couple times a week.  I have favorites for certain moods, hours in the day and times of the year. 

I hope that whatever it is you collect, whether it be "things" or something even MORE meaningful to you, I hope it brings you many moments of warmth and enjoyment through the years.

Thanks for visiting!

 

 

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12:41:36 PM EDT

AOL Community Photo CHALLENGE •AGED-FUN

This week's challenge is AGED.  So find something that shows age or take an image & make it vintage or aged. 

Post your challenge entry on your blog, come back here & leave your link in the comment area on either the FUN or JUDGED category.

This photo was taken this past Fall, while sitting at a little roadside ice cream parlor with my dear friend, Nancy and her hubby, Stu.  All three of us enjoyed photographing this old barn.  It almost seemed like it didn't belong there, and yet, it had come ages before ice cream parlors and picnic tables, with a story all it's own.

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5:05:08 PM EDT
Feeling Hopeful
Hearing "Wake Me Up Inside"  by Evanescence

::sigh::

I just inadvertently deleted an entire journal entry...  I've been sick all week, and I guess that's just what happens when you're only half with the program!

Anyway, that's mostly why I haven't been around lately.  I AM feeling better, and I hope to get back to writing, commenting and snail mailing (::waves to the patient ones...::) very soon.  Hope everyone enjoys their weekend!

Chelle

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10:13:55 PM EDT
Feeling Happy

Special thanks to all who voted for my "Green" photo entry, and for all the kind words sent my way regarding my second place win.  Congrats to Nancy, who was awarded first place, to my co-second place winners, Veronica and Julie, and to Kat, for taking first place in the Advanced category!  I know there are a few changes taking place in the Community Photo Challenge.  I hope that everyone who enjoys participating and sharing their wonderful photos will continue to do so in the weeks to come!  So many good things have come from these challenges.  Let's all continue to come together and share our worlds and our hearts through our photographic images as well as our written words.

 

I do hope that each and everyone who celebrated Easter today was blessed with many reasons to give thanks for the all the little miracles in their lives.  I know I was....  My blessings are countless and endless in supply, and celebrating their existence will not end on this day. 

Thank you to my beautiful daughters, who on a daily basis help me to see just how lucky we truly are.  There is nothing in the world like celebrating life through the eyes of a child.  They are growing older, but their hearts are still as sweet and pure as they ever were......

Well, most of the time, anyway.......   ::smiles::

Happy Easter!

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