To Mothers: The Original Peacemakers. Such a beautiful tribute to mothers by Everyday Gurus. It will move your heart, please visit and read.
To Mothers: The Original Peacemakers
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Category Archives: Beauty
Weekly Photo Challenge – Above
I walk out my front door onto the porch and my head naturally turns upward.
I walk a little further and down the front steps while gazing above.
I can never get enough of this beautiful sight, only available for a few days each year.
Yet it fills my heart with so much joy that I forget about the peeling paint, leaking roof and endless upkeep that this old house needs.
It was the tree I fell in love with, the tree sustains me and helps me believe that the house is worth the effort of restoration.
My joy year after year comes from above.
Weekly Photo Challenge: Up
It has been a challenge to keep up with the weekly photo challenge this year, but this weeks word joggled my memory. Only a few weeks ago I was laying under a tree looking up through the lens of my camera, for no other reason than to get a different point of view.
http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2013/04/19/weekly-photo-challenge-up-2/#more-18543
Related articles
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Up (Tree & Clouds) (skpfoto.wordpress.com)
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Up (lilymugford.com)
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Up (sherrygaley.wordpress.com)
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Up Again (lucidgypsy.wordpress.com)
First Spring Day
Yesterday was the first day of spring for me, because I could walk outside barefoot, in a T-
shirt and Capri’s, lay down in the grass and soak up the sunshine. The blue sky was brilliant, an almost unreal color with no clouds in sight. Birds chirping and calling as they flitted from branch to branch, tree to tree.
The first buds of leaves were sprouting up toward the sky, soaking in the rays as eagerly as I was. My Tulip’s heads were shyly peaking out from between their leaves. My cat was ecstatic over the movement of all living things, including me. She romped and performed for me, and she even gave me a tummy massage as I was laying in the grass absorbed in the sound, smell, and texture of new life.
Poetry floated through my head as the soft warm breeze circled my ankles. Too bad I did not bring pen and paper outside with me. I did not even bring my camera, at first. I just wanted to be in that moment and experience all of it’s glory in every cell of my body. As the western sun penetrated my skin sending comforting and loving signals to my brain, new thoughts began to bud like the leaves on the trees. I could not tear myself away from this experience.
The winter is long in New Hampshire and spring is often too short. I went inside for my
camera so I could capture a memory, a moment in time when my heart was content with all that is in my world. Troubles will come and go, struggles and stress are unavoidable, but there is always hope. As long as life persists there is hope.
Why is the sky so blue, the grass so green, and flowers so brilliantly colorful? Why can we smell the delicious scents around us and feel the textures of life. The universe functions so beautifully by it’s own design, it is intelligent, it is the essence of love expressed. The mystery, the why and the how is part of the excitement of living. Beyond that, there is no doubt in my mind that the origin of this masterpiece we call life is an infinitely benevolent heart, and an intricately wise mind. 
Nature is my refuge, my haven and my heaven.
For more photographs from yesterday visit my portfolio blog: http://cherylroth.wordpress.com/
Lovely Spring
I’ve been away, busy, overwhelmed, entertaining guests, and a little under the weather at times. Life has been interesting, ups & downs, wonderful things and immediate concerns rocking my boat a bit. But if the sea were always calm it would be a bit boring, wouldn’t it?
Last week I enjoyed a lovely trip to the seacoast. It was sunny and warm at first, but later became very overcast. I enjoyed both parts of the day for many reasons; I was with family & friends welcoming spring and love was in the air.
Look for the Good
This woman is now 109 years old and still as optimistic as ever. Please watch this video, it is well worth the full 12 minutes of your time.
Published on Dec 11, 2012
At age 108, Holocaust survivor Alice Herz Sommer still practices piano for 3 hours every day. At age 104, she had a book written about her life: “A Garden Of Eden In Hell.” At age 83, she had cancer. Alice survived the concentration camps through her music, her optimism and her gratitude for the small things that came her way – a smile, a kind word, the sun. When asked about the secret of her longevity, Alice says: “I look where it is good.”
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Standard YouTube License
True Love, True Peace, True Women
I cried with gratitude and joy when I saw this video. The song, and the dancing of these women of all ages and walks of life comforted and liberated my heart. Together, regardless of our differences, we can spread a message that every human being deserves respect and to be protected against violence, especially children and women.
Let’s all work together to promote true peace:
- First we have to respect ourselves, our mind and body, by developing them in a healthy, disciplined and productive way that reflects our true divinity.
- Next we have to teach our children to do the same, and to treat others with respect even when we feel they don’t deserve it.
- Finally, as we move through life within our own sphere of influence we can uplift others, help others, provide support, protection and encouragement for those who suffer or have suffered, and we can spread the message of the value of life and true love.
This is my Valentine’s Day gift and wish to everyone: True Love and True Peace through the understanding of your divine value, and the development of the goodness in your heart and life.
Related articles
- One billion rising and … (dawn.com)
- “Be My Valentine – 1 Billion Rising” (lalitaraman.com)
- Proof That True Love Exists (buzzfeed.com)
Weekly Photo Challenge – Illumination
I had no idea what I would post for this challenge, but after shopping I came out into a strange world of fog and illumination…
I only had my phone camera but I had to capture this…
as I began to drive home all I could see were lights everywhere…
Illuminated raindrops caught my eye…
perhaps I should not be taking photos while driving, who knows where I might end up…
It’s as if everyone is still celebrating, the whole town is illuminated…
another corner and another picture…
I had to pull over and get out of the car…
lost in the lights…they have illuminated my soul…
I think I’ve gotten a bit carried away with all this brightness…
but when I pulled into my driveway there was a more realistic illumination.
- http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2013/01/11/lights/#more-13004
- http://judichow.wordpress.com/2013/01/13/weekly-photo-challenge-illumination/
- http://mikehardisty.wordpress.com/2013/01/13/weekly-photo-challenge-illumination/
- http://privatemixture.wordpress.com/2013/01/13/weekly-photo-challenge-illumination-in-seoul/
Winter Meditation
Under the snow in the cold damp earth there are seeds of new life. Winter hides the secret of renewal. One day those seeds will surely burst with energy driving shoots up to break through the top soil. My heart explodes with thoughts of spring, new growth, and the blossoms that fill the air with fragrance. With this thought I can endure winter, seeing also it’s beauty.
Weekly Photo Challenge – Surprise & 2012 in Photos
I’m cheating - 2 Challenges in one.
Surprise! On Dec. 24th at 1:00 AM, my daughter came home to NH from her trip to AZ. I made her stand outside the door and wait while I prepared the atmosphere in the living room. A crackling fireplace is something we’ve never had in our house before, but this year thanks to Netflix we had it complete with Christmas Carols!
2012 In Photos
The year of the Dragon began with sunshine and contemplation.
We never escape the winter whiteness in NH.
A trip to NYC for a change of scenery.
Spring comes slowly…and so does change. It’s a difficult year.
The blooming of hope.
Beauty offers comfort.
Life goes on.
We may need to leave here someday….
but we can still enjoy what we have for now.
A strong & healthy man recovers quickly.
Sharing memories with old friends.
Saying I’ll love you forever, thank you, and goodbye for now.
Taking care of my own health becomes a priority.
For the first time in 20 years we celebrate the holidays in our own little home….
and cope with winter the as best as we can.
Weekly Photo Challenge: Delicate
Delicate cactus…
delicate flower I don’t know the name of…
especially delicate eyelashes dear….(I mean deer)
a delicate companion.
Share your delicate photographs too…
http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2012/12/14/photo-challenge-delicate/
Weekly Photo Challenge: Changing Seasons
Seagulls float on the wind, moving neither forward nor backward.
Brittle sea-grass appears warm against the cold beach.
The wind and wet are no longer appealing as we bundle up and prepare to bunker down.
The sun sinks in the west too early and the days feel shortened.
The cool nights have their own appeal.
Autumn becomes Winter on the NH coast. It was a rare sunny but cold day.
http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2012/12/07/weekly-photo-challenge-changing-seasons/
Creativity & Talent
Wow, I just spent the morning looking through about 100 portfolio’s of all sorts of talent and creativity. Some of it was very good, inspiring or interesting at least. Some of it I passed over quickly because it didn’t appeal to my eye or my mind in any way. That doesn’t mean it was bad art, just not my taste. (Sometimes it was bad.) The process of doing this helped me realize some important life lessons about creativity & talent.
- Creativity and talent are abundant because they are basic to human nature. Some may have a talent for math and science and others have talent in some form of art.
- Creativity relates to how inventive, productive and flexible we are with that talent.
- Talent does not equal success, nor does creativity. To be successful your creativity and talent have to be focused in a direction that will provide something that people need or want enough to pay for it. Thus the “starving artist” syndrome.
- Success is simply being able to offer something of value in return for being able to support your life (and your children if you choose to have them). In other words, not living an unproductive and irresponsible life that has to be supported by others (if you are a person who is mentally & physically capable of supporting yourself). Success does not necessarily mean becoming a millionaire, it simply means to achieve your goals in life while being self-sufficient.
- In order not to become a “starving artist” you have to be realistic about your creative abilities & your talent, and find the market for them. If the market for what you do does not bring adequate income, you will have to find an additional source of income or change what you do.
- Life is complicated and challenging and requires a lot more qualities than creativity and talent. Perseverance, determination, confidence, sacrifice, hard work, planning, networking, relationship skills, and the ability to keep learning are all equally important to ones success in life.
- A practical skill that uses your talent & creativity is more marketable than your artwork. Only successful people buy art and they usually buy it from successful artists, or dead artists.
- No one has to give up on creating beauty or exercising their talent, it can always be something one does for pleasure rather than money.
Weekly Photo Challenge: Silhouette
Big – Sharing The View
The view was BIG! From every angle a huge landscape. 
Sometimes we don’t appreciate what we have enough, until we share it.These were taken with my phone yesterday while showing friends from out of town the local scene.
The old road to Robert’s Cove, as kids we ran down to the lake for a swim.
Another view of the lake from a different hill we used to hike. The island in the middle with the two hills is where my parents had a summer cottage.
There is a long family history in these 3 photos that brought back so many memories. Although I have not lived in NH my whole life, I have visited here since I was a baby. My roots seem to be connected to this lake.
The lake is big, it would take 3 or 4 hours to drive around it. It has many nooks & crannies, coves and bays, islands & rocks. We took our friends on a tour around 1/3rd of it’s edges, the north eastern side, to share our memories and stories. Life is big and that’s why we share it.
Where Have All The Flowers Gone?
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Happy
Happiness for me comes from loving my family, seeing beauty in nature, and creating joyful moments to share together.
A warm home with pets, a bit of travel, and growing old together make my happiness complete.
Breathe In Beauty, Breathe Out Stress
Today the sun is shining, the air is cool, the season is changing.
Time to take a deep breath and savor the smells, the new oxygen, the tingling crispness that comes with autumn. Then breathe out the old season, past woes and wishes, letting go of what is gone. Today is a new day with it’s own unique beauty.
Life is full of challenges, thrills, periods of calmness and serenity, all to be enjoyed for the lessons they teach and enrichment they give. Moving forward is easier when we can enjoy the present and leave yesterday’s stress behind. What a lovely day it is when I allow myself to breath in it’s beauty, and breathe out the stress that tends to zap away energy.
All we need for a beautiful life is all around us all the time, it’s always been there and always will be. Do we see it? Do we feel it? Do we allow ourselves to experience it? Or do we focus on what we think we don’t have, or allow problems to constantly cloud our minds? The greatest challenge for humanity is freeing the mind to live fully in appreciation of the beauty and goodness that is inherent in life, the way a child playing in the dirt enjoys the richness of the moment.
If your life is beautiful, help others make their lives beautiful too – whatever way you can.
Weekly Photo Challenge – Purple
Purple is and always has been my favorite color, every shade of it. So you would think that this weeks challenge would have been easy for me. However, since I’ve been working 7 days a week for a month and worked 50 hours last week, my brain is in a bit of a fog. Looking through my photo files I found some purple.
Weekly Photo Challenge – Inside
I’ve always felt like diving right in …
To be inside this watery world, floating & twirling & swirling around … 
Bouncing on the bubbles and taking life easy …
Inside this watery wonder world.
