HAPPY AUTUMN

Delicious autumn!

 My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.    

 ~George Eliot  

(photo Oct 2009)

Autumn is . . . 

                            the start of harvest fairs and festivals

                                       Soule Homestead

                                    fun and games

reptile show

horses and performers

hayrides. . . 

hay mazes. . . 

and of course, face painting...a tradition with friends.

happy day!  happy Autumn!

WORDS

my weekly posting of a quote for the summer months

Imagination is the beginning of creation~

you imagine what you desire, you will what you imagine, 

and at last, you create what you will. 

~George Bernard Shaw

happy day!

ALL THINGS

 Have you ever felt stretched in a million directions, or tried to be all things to all people? 


 If so, how did you end up feeling? 
Do the emotions of frustration, sadness, and inadequacy come to mind?


 I have realized, over the years, that I cannot be all things to all people. I am myself, one body and one mind, and cannot possibly do it all, or be it all.
It is an important lesson to learn.


  It doesn't mean I cannot have high aspirations and hold myself to high standards. Instead, it means I need to be true to myself and really *know* who I am and live by listening to my heart.
  
 It means acknowledging my feelings, good or bad, and take those steps to make my life happier, more joy-filled. And perhaps some of those steps might be distancing myself from situations that try to bring me down or cause me anguish, you know, negativity. 


 As life goes forward, there is a larger pool of  people I come in contact with, and more I have experienced, and more places I have been. And even more chance that negativity can seep in. But I cannot let it. Life is too short to dwell on anything but the positive.

 There will always be those who think you should be one way or another or that you didn't do enough, or this and that, but if you are true to yourself, love yourself with who you are, despite all your imperfections, you can rise above it all and not let it interfere with your daily life.

My friend, Rue, said 
"It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks of you when you're comfortable with yourself"  and that is exactly what I take to heart.


How about YOU? 




                                                       happy day!

{this moment}

Following  inspiration from SouleMama:

"A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember."


                                          happy day!

THE LAST

Have you ever been in a situation when there's only a few bites left of ice cream in the freezer, or only a handful of crackers are left in the box, or just two cookies remain on the plate? 


You really want it but you feel guilty to eat the last one. 


But let's face it! Somebody has to be the last.


We joke at our house now when someone is annoyed that the ice cream is all gone and the cracker box is empty and the plate is bare without an offer to share...and we laugh and say "Well...somebody has to be the last one!" and we are OK with it.  


We know we can always get more and we feel noone should be made to feel guilty about eating the last. We know kids who were grounded for eating the last of the crackers. What does that teach a child anyway? 


There's nothing wrong with eating it yourself, being the last one, and not sharing.You are worth that ice cream or those crackers or cookies! Perhaps you, or your child, really really want it and you don't want to share.  Sharing should come from the heart anyway, not because of guilt or fear of punishment.


Next time someone, especially a child, wants to eat the last, smile and say "Go for it! Somebody has to be last!" and that child will feel better about himself and the world around him.



                                     happy day!

ONE WORD WEDNESDAY

                                     ~wet ~

(Please feel free to join in One Word Wednesday, just leave your link in the comments).

happy day!

WITH WINGS

  The end of summer is within sight but there is still a plethora of glorious creatures to delight in. Our Butterfly Bush (Buddleia), Coneflowers (Echinecea), and Bee Balm (Monarda) have had non-stop visitors all season, especially Butterflies!

"Just living is not enough," said the butterfly, 

"one must have sunshine, freedom and a little flower."  

~Hans Christian Anderson

I only ask to be free.  The butterflies are free. 

~Charles Dickens

"How does one become a butterfly?" she asked. 

"You must want to fly so much that you are willing to give up being a caterpillar."Anonymous

Beautiful and graceful, varied and enchanting, small but approachable, butterflies lead you to the sunny side of life.  And everyone deserves a little sunshine.  

~Jeffrey Glassberg

The butterfly counts not months but moments, and has time enough. 

 ~Rabindranath Tagore

Just like the butterfly, I too will awaken in my own time. 

~Deborah Chaskin

If nothing ever changed, there'd be no butterflies. 

~Author Unknown

May the wings of the butterfly kiss the sun
And find your shoulder to light on,
To bring you luck, happiness and riches
Today, tomorrow and beyond.
~Irish Blessing

I am joining Trudi of Two Dresses Studio in 
The Butterfly Effect that she is hosting.  I plan to offer the opportunity to the children in my Earth School as well. 

How about YOU?  Will you join us?

From the Holocaust Museum:

"1,500,000 innocent children  perished in the Holocaust. In an effort to remember them,  the Holocaust Museum Houston is collecting  1.5 million handmade butterflies. The butterflies will eventually  comprise a breath-taking exhibition,  currently scheduled for Spring 2013,  for all to remember.  The Museum has already collected  an estimated 400,000 butterflies."

happy day!

CURIOSITY

Just how curious are cats anyway?

Come on, I can show you.

It wasn't long before Juliet noticed the freshly picked flowers on the table. . . 

and had to investigate.

                 It is said  Curiosity killed the cat . . . hmmm

WORDS

my weekly posting of a quote for the summer months

 Peace . . . 

It does not mean to be in a place

where there is no noise, trouble

or hard work.

It means to be in the midst

of those things and still

be calm in your heart. 

                                                                             (author unknown)

{this moment}

Following  inspiration from SouleMama:

"A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember."


                                 happy day!

HOW DO YOU FEEL

Feelings are real. We feel what we feel, good or bad.

I think it's important for people of every age to get in touch with how they feel. 

To acknowledge their feelings and find ways to cope if they need to, always striving for more happiness and peace, is so very important.

I love this colorful poster to use with children, especially those who may not be aware or able to articulate how they feel .

There are cards too!  And characters to print and color and write a feeling.

                                   happy day!

FIRSTS

Riding the school bus and attending school were firsts for him today, in all of his fourteen years.


I watched a happy, confident, always unschooled young man leap onto the bus with a smile and a wave of his hand my way. 


Last year I would have cried, actually, last year I did cry when he told me he was thinking about going to school. But I have grown this past year and have realized it's not about me, it's about him and what he wants in his life, and I am here to support him in each and every endeavor.


I felt happy and excited as I watched the bus drive away because I know HE is happy about embarking on this new adventure. 

Freedom, choice and trust empower our children to choose what is right for them and to take risks without worrying about making mistakes. They learn from each and every experience and get to know and trust their own selves even deeper.

School will be a journey, as is all of life. He knows he can leave at any time if he feels it is not the right place for him.


 I would like to blog his journey with school here, that is, if he doesn't mind. I will have to ask him  :)

  It is a  happy day!