Small Reflections

This is amazing ... gives me goosebumps all over!

noreply@blogger.com (happily retired gal) — Sun, 21 Nov 2010 22:01:00 +0000

Make Time for Small Reflections

Stop, look, listen & enjoy!

Lots is happening in my life right now so I've not had much time for posting or blog visits. If you're interested ... I am publishing more frequently at my new self-hosted website. Click to check out Giraffe Journal at WordPress.

Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thought for Today
My life has no purpose, no direction, no aim, no meaning, and yet I'm happy. I can't figure it out. What am I doing right?
- Charles Schulz

Molly has a New Friend ...

noreply@blogger.com (happily retired gal) — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 22:50:00 +0000

Make Time for Small Reflections

Molly has a new playmate ...
a puppy named Guapo
who is FEARLESS!

Click to embiggen for better viewing and
for others participating in Camera Critters and Pet Pride

Lots is happening in my life right now so I've not had much time for posting or blog visits. If you're interested ... check out my new self-hosted website ... Click to check out Giraffe Journals at WordPress.

If you missed them, I hope you'll find the videos in the previous post as inspiring and life-affirming at I do. They're well worth a look & listen ... seriously!

Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thought for Today
"The only things you get to keep in life are the things you give away." Marianne Williamson

My September 2010 Gratitude List

noreply@blogger.com (happily retired gal) — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 19:30:00 +0000

Make Time for Small Reflections

I'm not sure just why I chose to publish my gratitude lists at Happily Retired Gal way back when (rather than here at Small Reflections) ... especially since the coding demands there makes the task so challenging each time I do it, but I seem to recall sharing August's list here as well. Methinks I'll continue that practice (at least for as long as I continue to maintain a 'sidebar' gratitude list here) ... so here's September's list as I begin a list for October.

September - 2010
1. my Explorer is ready to hit the road again next week after having some maintenance work completed today.

2. for a productive morning at home followed by a pleasant afternoon with my sister ending with 'fish tacos' at Duke's ... delicious day & dinner!

3. the sun's breaking through earlier again this morning after a couple of overcast days here at the beach.

4. a lovely lunch with a good friend, the kindness of strangers, learning to use Skype today and helping someone else get started with Skype too.

5. that I discovered and am participating in a Festival of Change at Online Clarity.

6. I watered the yard deeply in anticipation of the trip and that my neighbor will feed Ms. Kitty in my absence.

7. I'm packed & ready to drive to Phoenix, AZ tomorrow with my sister where we'll spend the next 6 days.

8. that Molly loves to visit Camp Ilene when I travel & can't take her with me ... for 4 additional free Buttermilk Spice muffins from Mimi's Cafe to bring with us ... and that my sister wanted to stop at the Cabazon outlets yesterday because I found an excellent 'deal' on a lovely white bag at the Brighton store.

9. to be attending the Your Purpose Summit with Baeth Davis this weekend even though I'm thoroughly confused at the end of the first day's sessions.

10. Barb encouraged me to attend the VIP party last night even though I felt overwhelmed because this morning clarity has come through my journaling and I'm ready for what comes next.

11. for yesterday's 'private analysis of my hand' along with the many people I've met who have helped me figure out my 'purpose' and the book I'm going to publish with the help of the people at Vervante.

12. for some 'down time' Sunday afternoon to relax around & swim in the pool at the resort & spa after the event ended ... finally!

13. for the delightful & surprising ways things fell together on the drive back from Phoenix. It's good to be home again.

14. for emerging clarity about the books I'm going to publish & the business I'll begin based on them.

15. all 8 of the domain names I wanted were available at GoDaddy so I bought them all ... and I've connected with a website designer I met last weekend who I'm hoping will develop my site with me so I can devote my attention to other things.

16. Michelle at GoDaddy 'tech support' called this morning and helped me set up 'LabyrinthJournal.com' to be hosted at Wordpress as a 'site under construction' with an email attached to it for 'business' purposes clear signs of progress.

17. for a good night's sleep and breakfast out with a friend this morning since I've not yet gotten myself to a grocery store since returning home from Arizona on Monday.

18. I've created a new place to playfully share stories online called Giraffe Journals and hope you'll want to check it out & play with me there ... just because.

19. a friend told me about the Surf City Surf Dog contest at Dog Beach this morning ... it was great fun and I took lots of photos to share, but for now ... here's a 'kewl' YouTube video is from the Los Angeles Times:

20. for visitors to my new self-hosted blog, Giraffe Journals at WordPress who left supportive, enthusiastic comments as I step out into this virtual world to be known ... just as I am.

21. for all the wonderful resources coming my way to help with this huge transition in my life.

22. to know I'm changing in small but significant ways each day as I step into my future ... pursuing my purpose passionately!

23. I'm one of the first six to sign up for the six-month Get Your Book Done Live training with Christine Klosur & Lynne Klippel. That means I receive a free one-hour 'coaching' call as a bonus in addition to big savings on the cost by paying in full up front!

24. for people like Marianne Williamson who inspire millions to step up & take meaningful actions ... making a difference. I highly recommend watching this interview:

mashable on livestream.com. Broadcast Live Free

25. for a pleasant lunch & visit at Z' Tejas with a friend this afternoon ... sharing a delicious enchilada entree & yummy skillet cobbler dessert!

26. for 'Rick' at GoDaddy tech support who exhibited great patience and resourcefulness in assisting me with 'access' issues at my new self-hosted Giraffe Journal site last night after I changed the URL earlier in the day.

27. for a lovely afternoon at the Lyceum Theater viewing 'Alice' followed by dinner at Mimi's Cafe in Newport Beach with friends yesterday. Life is good indeed!

28. I spent the morning on my front patio writing & occasionally visiting with passers-by while Molly played with a new neighborhood puppy named Guapo.

29. to get my hair cut today ;-)

30. for the Women on Purpose Online Telesummit ... the first 3 calls have been filled with useful information!

FYI - My previous Gratitude Lists can be found at Happily Retired Gal, my new WordPress site. It is my intention to keep this 'Daily Gratitude List' in my sidebar indefinitely because I believe it makes sense to focus on what's right in our lives regularly. Click for:
2010 Lists - July, June, May, April, March, February, January
2009 Lists - December, November, October, September, August, July June, May, April, March, February, January
2008 Lists - December, November

Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thought for Today
"God gave you the gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say 'Thank You'?" William Ward

An invitation, inspiration, and my new Website ...

noreply@blogger.com (happily retired gal) — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 14:30:00 +0000

Make Time for Small Reflections

... just because. Lots is happening in my life right now so I've not had much time for posting or blog visits. If you're interested ... check out my new self-hosted website ... Click to check out Giraffe Journals at WordPress.

I hope you'll find the links below as inspiring and life-affirming at I do. They're well worth a look & listen ... seriously!

I invite all to participate
and spread the word far and wide ...

I'm grateful for Peacebook on Facebook
and the uplifting resources people share there.

Nick Vujicic is one
amazingly inspirational fellow!

I love this song
and think I'm going to sing it daily too!

Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thought for today
"When you arise in the morning, I invite you to think of one thing. What is going to change today? And what part will you play in creating that change, in being the conscious cause of it?"
Neale Donald Walsh

Life is good ... let me count the ways ;-)

noreply@blogger.com (happily retired gal) — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 13:28:00 +0000

Make Time for Small Reflections

Scroll down for Random Tuesday Thoughts,
Wordful Wednesday & more ...

Mabel Dodge Luhan House

... our meeting room

and a few Outdoor Views of the grounds
around the Mabel Dodge House

Click to embiggen for better viewing and for others
participating in My World and Outdoor Wednesday

Herein are my Morning Musings
... just for the JOY of it!

... followed by a few photos from Taos below
Click for others participating in
Random Tuesday Thoughts, Wordful Wednesday
and Just for the JOY of it

Yes ... life IS good ... delightfully BUSY too, but you won't hear (or read) complaints from me. I'm happily engaged in many new activities taking me away from blogging for the time being ... but hopefully not forever. I try to keep my sidebar Gratitude List updated as time permits ... and hope to continue the process I started a few years ago because counting my blessings tends to make life even better all the time. On this final day of August, I've decided to add this month's list here ... just because. I'll transfer it to Happily Retired Gal tomorrow (if time permits) or as soon thereafter as possible ... beginning a NEW list for September.

August - 2010

1. for another long & good night's sleep ... time this morning to write & wander the grounds around K's house by myself while enjoying morning coffee ... perusing & taking a few notes from the lovely books about Labyrinths that K left on the night-stand ... walking her labyrinth alone (after walking it with her last night) ... connecting with her over coffee on the patio later, sharing personal stories (along with laughter & tears) ... reading & responding to her 'black book' ... savoring breakfast on the patio with K & R ... watching & photographing hummingbirds at the feeder before showering and packing up to hit the road for Flagstaff. I'm so happy the Mountain Lion fetish spoke to her!

2. an easy drive from Placitas to Flagstaff yesterday (gaining back the hour I lost as time changed from Mountain to Pacific) ... with gentle showers along the way that paused for me to carry in my luggage before starting up again & falling through the night ... another wonderful night's rest ... and morning pause in the rain for me to load 'stuph' into the Explorer ... followed by an easy drive today from Flagstaff back to Corona where I picked up Molly who was 'tired, clean, sweet-smelling, & happy to see me' ... then home again where we're happy together.

3. for time to transition back into life as I live it while holding on to the energy & ideas from the retreat ... telephone connections with friends 'C' and 'S' ... making plans to connect later this week ... a lovely visit in the blue chairs on the patio with neighbor 'B' who looked after the yard & Ms. Kitty in my absence ...

4. for another restful night ... writing while getting laundry done this morning ... checking out & listening to the first 3 of 21 'Successful Authors Secrets' talks after Jen shared a link in a follow up email ... being reminded of 'abundance & support' ... realizing I don't have to do anything alone.

5. I picked up mail yesterday afternoon so I could pay bills electronically this morning after doing some writing because this afternoon I'll be driving with friends to the Laguna Playhouse to see 'Life Could be a Dream' ...

6. for a lovely long visit with 'C' to catch up over lunch ... sharing a bit of my Taos experience while learning what's being going on with her.

7. I could help out neighbors with guest parking issues on this BUSY 'surfing contest' weekend ;-)

8. I responded to Facebook 'friend' requests and sent friend requests of my own using the 'retreat roster' (along with 'invites' to retreat participants without FB accounts) as a way of reconnecting after being back home almost a week ... then added links to recent blog posts.

9. for a lovely & longer than usual visit with friends at this months Retired Gals Lunch.

10. fascinating & practical information from the daily Successful Authors Secrets calls this month.

11. I managed to share some photos from the Taos Writers Retreat with other participants at the Google Group & Facebook today.

12. for a delicious 'taco meal deal' at Mimi's Cafe for $9.99 ... starting with salad & ending with a petite dessert (bread pudding) currently in my refrigerator waiting to be enjoyed later along with a free 4 pack of muffins in my freezer ;-)

13. the Verizon Wireless store in Newport Beach had a Palm Pre Plus I could look at ... even though they couldn't give me the low 'online price' of $29.99 in the store.

14. for leftovers from Mimi's Cafe, time to write & organize photos to share, and sunshine finally here at the beach!

15. I ordered a Palm Pre Plus online this morning and learned it was FREE with a 'smartphone' upgrade & 2 year contract renewal (rather than the $29.99 online deal I saw last week that seemed pretty good at the time especially considering it lists for $699 and I've always liked Palm OS products).

16. my sister and her husband arrived home this evening where they'll stay for a few weeks taking a 'breather' and dealing with 'necessary stuph' before they hit the road again right after Labor Day next month.

17. my Palm Pre Plus arrived this morning and I managed to get it activated and data transferred from my old LG phone.

18. with help from Palm Tech Support I managed to get my 6 year old old Palm Life Drive (that hasn't been backed up for months since my old Dell running XP crashed) to HotSync with my newer Dell laptop running Vista after which another Tech Support person helped me successfully transfer other data from my computer to my new smartphone ... pretty nifty ;-)

19. for a new perm & haircut yesterday and time to 'play' with my new Palm Pre Plus today ... teaching myself how to use it effectively.

20. for a pleasant lunch & catch up visit today with a good friend after which I ran a bunch of errands which included using my 20% coupon at Staples on writing supplies.

21. for this 5th day in a row of BLUE SKIES & SUNSHINE here in Southern California at the beach ... it's been a long time coming since summer is almost over and school will begin soon.

22. I uploaded three more albums of Taos photos to my Facebook page and picked up LOTS of 3x5 cards to begin a writing project.

23. I signed up for an online challenge for a 40-day 'Inner Mean Girl Cleanse' & shared at Facebook after which a few of my Taos friends joined too. We're ready to release old toxic habits that no longer serve & replace them with more loving ones.

24. I called Palm Tech Support with my questions this morning because I learned nifty new editing shortcuts & lots of other tips too ;-)

25. I met my sister & her husband for breakfast at Mimi's Cafe in Long Beach this morning ... we had a delightful catch up visit.

26. for this entire day spent with my sister ... visiting as we ran errands together, shared a tasty 'sushi' lunch at Matsu in Huntington Beach & free lattes at Peet's later in the day when we stopped by to purchase a pound of specially ground coffee for the new 'French Press' mugs (purchased at Sur Le Tab in Newport beach earlier in the day).

27. I've signed up for a 4-day event in Phoenix, AZ designed to help me clarify my purpose for a writing project ... and my sister has agreed to come along as my free guest so we'll have 6 days together since we'll drive both ways. Molly will enjoy another week at Camp Ilene in Corona ;-)

28. I finished & mailed off a hand-written letter to a friend from the Taos Retreat this morning and enjoyed a lovely phone connection with another retreat friend in the late afternoon.

29. for today's wonderful celebration with family & friends at McIntyre House in Los Angeles ... as a loved one celebrated a year of sobriety!

30. I've signed up for a Festival of Change at Online Clarity ... "a celebration and exploration of how we align ourselves with the flow of change - simply, naturally, and with a deeper, richer awareness" ... and am looking forward to participating 'virtually' in another event tomorrow night: A Call to Conscious Evolution: Our Moment of Choice at Royce Hall on the campus of UCLA in Los Angeles.

31. I'm meeting my sister, her husband, and friends for breakfast this morning ... after which my sister & I will spend the day together again.

FYI - My previous Gratitude Lists can be found at Happily Retired Gal, my new WordPress site. It is my intention to keep this 'Daily Gratitude List' in my sidebar indefinitely because I believe it makes sense to focus on what's right in our lives regularly. Click for:
2010 Lists - July, June, May, April, March, February, January
2009 Lists - December, November, October, September, August, July June, May, April, March, February, January
2008 Lists - December, November

Below is a 'screen shot'
of my Palm Pre Plus uploaded to
Facebook then saved to my laptop
so the resolution isn't the greatest but ...

... I'm actually IN this photo
along with all the participants of the
2010 Writers Retreat in Taos, New Mexico!
Yes you can click to embiggen ;-)
Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thought for Today
"Begin challenging your own assumptions. Your assumptions are your windows on the world. Scrub them off every once in awhile, or the light won't come in." ~Alan Alda

Today Google Celebrates the 71st Anniversary of ...

noreply@blogger.com (happily retired gal) — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 12:19:00 +0000

Make Time for Small Reflections

... The Wizard of Oz film with this nifty logo!

It takes me back. How about you?

Click to watch memorable musical Wizard of Oz clips on You Tube and check out Wizard of Oz film facts for a bit of nostagia ... and (if time permits) check out the rainbow over Mabel Dodge Luhan House in Taos, New Mexico shared at Sacred Ruminations today ... just because ;-)

Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thought for Today
"Pleasure is the flower that passes; remembrance, the lasting perfume." Jean de Boufflers

I'm back ...

noreply@blogger.com (happily retired gal) — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 17:35:00 +0000

Make Time for Small Reflections

Although there's no REAL juicy post here, I have published at Sacred Ruminations this morning (including more sky views there) and shared a bit of my Taos - 2010 experience here as I updated my Gratitude List in the Sidebar and promise to publish something more here (and at Happily Retired Gal) soon.

For now, here are a few variable but beautiful
SKIES from the trip ...

Click to embiggen for better viewing and for others
participating in Looking at the Sky
and Finding Beauty

Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thought for Today
"The really nice breezes blow through my body and into my soul." Astrid Alauda

Morning Miscellany ... Beautiful Blossoms

noreply@blogger.com (happily retired gal) — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 16:06:00 +0000

Make Time for Small Reflections

Scroll down for Ruby Tuesday, My World,
and Outdoor Wednesday

One last ripe lemon
fell from my tree yesterday
and new green ones are

ripening as the
tree bursts forth in new blossoms
for more summer fruit

The images below have been altered
in Photoshop Elements with the
Watercolor Filter

Click to embiggen for better viewing and for others
participating in Today's Flowers, Macro Monday,
Mellow Yellow & Mosaic Monday

Click to embiggen for better viewing and for others
participating in My World, Ruby Tuesday
and Outdoor Wednesday

Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thought for Today
"Today we understand that motivation -- and therefore engagement -- comes from loving what you do. You love what you do when you are in the right job, feel values and are given opportunities to grow." Terri Kabachnick

Rusty Relaxes ... Weekend Window Reflections

noreply@blogger.com (happily retired gal) — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 13:56:00 +0000

Make Time for Small Reflections

Scroll down for Window Views, Weekend Reflections,
Mosaic Monday, My World & Ruby Tuesday

Rusty relaxes
in his chair while Molly plays
by herself this week

missing Aloha ...
but she encountered a RACCOON!!!
I missed the photo

opportunity
because I was without my
camera that day

yet this picture found
on the Internet looks much
like the one she met

considerably
smaller than the actual
GIGANTIC raccoon

Molly discovered
lurking near the little blue
house just down the street

Poster Edges

Watercolor Filter

Click to embiggen for better viewing and
for others participating in Camera Critters, Pet Pride
(belated) Haiku Friday and Mosaic Monday

More holiday pics
captured as I walked last week
in the neighborhood

Click to embiggen for better viewing and
for others participating in Weekend Reflections,
Window Views, My World and Ruby Tuesday

Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thought for Today
"The free mind is not a barking dog, to be tethered on a ten-foot chain." Adlai Stevenson Jr.

Lazy Days of Summer - Happy 4th of July!

noreply@blogger.com (happily retired gal) — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 13:27:00 +0000

Make Time for Small Reflections

Scroll down for Weekend Reflections,
Window Views, Mellow Yellow,
My World and Ruby Tuesday

Seeking sunshine ... Ms Kitty
enjoys the warmth of summer on the front patio

Click to embiggen for better viewing and
for others participating in Camera Critters, Pet Pride,
Shadow Shot Sunday, Weekend Reflections, Window Views,
and Blue Monday

Neighborhood homes
colorfully decorated for the 4th of July

Click to embiggen for better viewing and for others
participating in Mellow Yellow, My World, Ruby Tuesday
in Outdoor Wednesday

Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thought for Today
"The most wasted of all days is one without laughter."
e e cummings

Aloha's gone and Molly's BLUE again ...

noreply@blogger.com (happily retired gal) — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 18:32:00 +0000

Make Time for Small Reflections
Scroll down for Blue Monday
Mosaic Monday, & My World too

Just as she did when Jenke moved ...

Molly's looking for Aloha

... missing her fur-friend already

but as usual, she finds joy in playing 'fetch'

even as she wonders where

where Aloha has gone

Click any image to embiggen for better viewing and for others
participating in Camera Critters, Pet Pride,
Blue Monday, Mosaic Monday, My World

Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thought for Today
"Joy is not in things! It is in us!" Benjamin Franklin

Wednesday Wonders at Wimbledon ...

noreply@blogger.com (happily retired gal) — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 13:25:00 +0000

Make Time for Small Reflections

Scroll down for Yard Art on Thursdays

Click any image to embiggen for better viewing
and for others participating in
Thursday Thirteen and Just for the JOY of it

What amazing happenings at Wimbledon
in the first 4 days & I've been watching
Just for the JOY of it!

1. The Queen in is attendance this morning for the first time in 33 years. She had lunch with Roger Federer & his wife Mirka, Tim Henman, Venus Williams, Virginia Wade and others before arriving at Center Court.

2. According to the website, the menu consisted of:

Salmon Millefeuille with Wye Valley Asparagus, Orange and Honey Marinated Chicken on Fruity Couscous with Roasted Vegetables, Kentish Strawberries and Blackberries with Cornish Clotted Cream and Mint Syrup, English Cheese Plate and Orange Chutney, Coffee and Chocolates, all washed down with the odd sip of Meursault, Josepj Drouhin 2006 and Barolo Giovanni Corino 2004

3. She's watching Andy Murray and Jarkko Nieminen on Center Court as I type this post with Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark and Rafa Nadal of Spain to play later today.

4. She'll miss the Serena Williams match to be played on Court Two which surprised many of the commentators at ESPN this morning.

5. Roger Federer struggled seriously in his first round match ... dropping the first two sets to the Serbian Alejandro Falla and everyone was caught up in a huge upset in the making for hours, but he came good eventually ... winning the last three sets to stay alive in the tournament.

6. In another surprise, Roger played his second match on Court One against a 'qualifier' rather than Center Court and dropped the first set again, but righted things quicker and won in four sets ...

7. The AMAZING event of the day was the continuation of the John Isner (USA) - Nicolas Mahut (France) match ... suspended Monday night for darkness at 2 sets all and resumed about 2pm on Tuesday for the 5th set that broke just about every tennis record ever!

8. The match isn't over yet because play was suspended a second time for darkness last night shortly after 9pm at an astonishing 59 games all and will resume shortly as I type this post.

9. They've played 118 games in the 5th set alone ... breaking the longest single set record of 48 games (25-23) and the 3-set record of 113 games.

10. Thus far, they've served 193 aces between them with BOTH men breaking the previous record of 78 aces in a match.

11. They've been on court for more than 10 hours over two days already ... breaking the previous Wimbledon match record of 5 hours 28 minutes and all time 'major tournament' record of 6 hours 33 minutes at the French Open with play of almost 7 hours in the 5th set alone.

12. It's hard to imagine how both players must feel physically and I'm eager to see the resumption of their match shortly.

Click to embiggen for better viewing and for
others participating in Yard Art

13. It seems appropriate to end with this Internet image from Wikipedia of Fred Perry on the grounds of the All England Club ... just for the JOY of it!

I'll be watching TENNIS again today as
the Marathon Match continues!

I took the following images
of ESPN's coverage on my Sony television
with my Nikon D60

ADDENDUM ... John Isner wins!

Click any image to embiggen for better viewing

Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thought for Today
"Desire is the key to motivation, but it's determination and commitment to an unrelenting pursuit of your goal - a commitment to excellence - that will enable you to attain the success you seek." Mario Andretti

Happy Summer Solstice ...

noreply@blogger.com (happily retired gal) — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 11:45:00 +0000

Make Time for Small Reflections

Scroll down for Color Carnival, My World,
Outdoor Wednesday & a little Google Logo Fun

Touches of yellow
everywhere I look in my
summertime garden ;-)

Straight out of the camera ...

Poster Edges

Watercolor

Click to embiggen for better viewing
and for others participating in
Today's Flowers, Mellow Yellow Monday, Mosaic Monday,
Color Carnival, My World, & Outdoor Wednesday

Images below modified with the Watercolor filter
in Photoshop Elements ... just because

Click to embiggen for better viewing ...

Did you see the way
Google's celebrating the
Summertime Solstice?

I always enjoy
clever Google 'graphic' play
with their 'kewl' logo!

Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thought for Today
"The ability to focus attention on important things is a defining characteristic of intelligence." Robert J. Shiller

Multiple Memes - Molly, Ms Kitty & my Garden

noreply@blogger.com (happily retired gal) — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 21:37:00 +0000

Make Time for Small Reflections

Scroll down for Weekend Reflections, Blue Monday,
Mellow Yellow Monday, Today's Flowers, Ruby Tuesday,
My World, Color Carnival and Outdoor Wednesday

Molly ... hopes for someone to play with her

Molly brings her 'fox' Bow Wow Beanie
to a neighbor from across the street
who'll play tug-of-war
& fetch with her

Mosaic flipped with Paint Daubs filter

Watercolor Filter

Molly rests with her 'fox' after play ...

Ms Kitty 'snoozes' in the shade ...

and I capture 'reflections' in the French Doors
along with the photos of her & my
casual blue chairs ...

Blossoms 'broken' during doggie play
get a second chance in vases
... just because

Click to embiggen for better viewing and for others
participating in Shadow Shot Sunday, Camera Critters, Pet Pride,
Weekend Reflections, Blue Monday, and Mosaic Monday

Click any image to embiggen for better viewing and
for others participating in Mellow Yellow Monday,
Today's Flowers, Color Carnival, Ruby Tuesday,
My World and Outdoor Wednesday

Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thought for Today
"I finally figured out the only reason to be alive is to enjoy it."
Rita Mae Brown

Ruby Reds, Windows, Outdoor Views in My World

noreply@blogger.com (happily retired gal) — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 20:32:00 +0000

Make Time for Small Reflections
Mellow Yellow Monday is in the next post
Scroll down for Random Tuesday Thoughts
and Outdoor Wednesday

The first neighborhood view is
straight out of the camera ...

and the next five have been modified with the
Watercolor filter in Photoshop Elements

Click to embiggen for better viewing and for others

participating in Ruby Tuesday, Window Views, and My World

Click for others sharing Random Tuesday Thoughts

1. It's a drizzily June morning here at the beach in Southern California. As she leaves in the morning, a 'working' neighbor has been counting the days until summer break for almost a month ... (methinks the count is at 8 days) ... and I confess I'm exceedingly grateful to have retired in 2001. Molly & I wish her well as she drives away.

2. The cool damp air confounds me because my recollections of the last few weeks of school is of HOT SUNNY weather at the beginning of June with gloomy skies once school's out mid-month ... something that always seemed a bit ironic to me.

3. I created and published the 'photo part' of this post yesterday afternoon and am adding a few thoughts this morning because I've not participated in RTT for a couple of months ... (since April 23rd here at Small Reflections actually) ... so taking a bit of time for 'catch up' seems like a good idea.

3. The French Open Tennis Championship ended this weekend so I won't be watching tennis until Wimbledon begins later this month on June 21st. I was hoping for a 3 set women's final on Saturday, but Francesca Schiavone became the first Italian woman to win at Roland Garros ever when she defeated Australian Samantha Stosur in a competitive two-set match ... 6-4, 7-6. Order was restored as Rafa Nadal defeated Robin Soderling in straight sets (6-4, 6-2, 6-4). He takes over the #1 spot and is likely to stay there since he has no almost points to defend for the rest of the year. Roger Federer becomes #2 and has his work cut out for him to stay there since he has lots of points to defend from 2009. Rafa and Roger could meet in the 2010 final for the 3rd time.

4. I thoroughly enjoyed the delightful new 'wildlife' style documentary created by French film-maker Thomas Balmes entitled BABIES and highly recommend it.

5. If you live in California (or any of the other eleven States having a Primary Election today) and haven't done so already, be sure to go to the polls and ...

Voting Reference Information

Bougainvillea
brightening the neighborhood
beautiful color ...

Click to embiggen for better viewing and
forothers participating in Outdoor Wednesday

Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thought for Today
"A teacher is one who makes himself progressively unnecessary." Thomas Carruthers

T-13, Just for Joy, Yard Art & Mellow Yellow

noreply@blogger.com (happily retired gal) — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 15:29:00 +0000

Make Time for Small Reflections

Scroll down for Yard Art & Mellow Yellow Monday

1. I've been watching French Open tennis for the past week and a half ... just for the JOY of it!

2. There have been quite a few surprising matches & a few upsets already with wonderfully competitive play ... especially from Samantha Stosur (who upset Justine Henin & Serena Williams to reach the semi-finals at Roland Garros for the second time) and Jurgen Melzer who took out David Ferrer and Novak Djokovic on his road to semi-finals where he'll play Rafa Nadal.

3. Although I'm sad to see both Serena and Venus Williams out of the singles early again this year, it's fun to see them play doubles together ... experiencing success.

4. Now that the Williams sisters have reached the #1 ranking in doubles, hopefully they'll win their final match together at the French bringing them half-way to a Grand Slam in 2010.

5. Robin Soderling (of Sweden) played aggressively to take out Rafa Nadal in the Quarter Finals LAST year at Roland Garros and did the same thing to Roger Federer THIS year.

6. This ended Roger's streak of 23 consecutive Grand Slam semi-final (or better) matches starting with the 2004 Wimbledon Championship ... a record that is likely to stand for a long time!

7. Federer has appeared in an unprecedented 22 career Grand Slam finals in his amazing career!

8. Tomas Berdych upset Andy Murray in straight sets and went on to defeat Mikhail Youzhny in the Quarter Finals ... so he'll play Robin Soderling in the Semi-Finals.

9. The first women's semi-final match between Elena Dementieva and Francesca Schiavone ended abruptly when Elena retired due to injury after losing a very close first set in a tiebreaker.

10. Australian Sam Stosur made short work of Serbian Jelena Jankovic in the second women's semi-final match ... winning in two sets, 6-1, 6-2.

11. Both Schiavone (of Italy) & Stosur (of Australia) have played exceptionally well to reach the women's finals so Saturday's match should be a highly competitive one!

12. American men did better this year than in years past ... especially Robbie Ginepri (a non-seeded player) who defeated his fellow American & friend, Sam Querrey in 4 sets and former French Open Champion, Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain in 5 sets to make it to the 4th round where he lost to Novak Djokovic in four sets.

13. John Isner lost to Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic and Andy Roddick was upset by Teimuraz Gabashvili of Russian in the 3rd round when both of these opponents played exceptionally well in very wet, heavy conditions.

Click to embiggen the Tennis Wordle above
and for others participating in
Thursday Thirteen and Just for the JOY of it

Subtle changes in
this 'angelic' yard art view
using Photoshop

Straight out of the camera ...

Pallet Knife

Watercolor

Click to embiggen for better viewing and for
others participating in Yard Art
and Mellow Yellow Monday

Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thought for Today
"In your hands you hold the seeds of failure or the potential for greatness. Your hands are capable, but they must be used and for the right things to reap the rewards you are capable of attaining. The choice is yours." Zig Ziglar

Happy Memorial Day ... Miscellaneous Memes

noreply@blogger.com (happily retired gal) — Mon, 31 May 2010 17:18:00 +0000

Make Time for Small Reflections

Scroll down for Blue Monday, Color Carnival,
Ruby Tuesday, My World, & Outdoor Wednesday

These wild roses
do not last for long, but they're
lovely for a bit ...

Straight out of the camera ...

Mosaic flipped with Watercolor filter next

... and finally Poster Edges below

Click to embiggen for better viewing and for others
participating in Mellow Yellow, Macro Monday, & Mosaic Monday

When doggie play breaks
onion blossoms I put them
in a vase on my

table between these
blue chairs where I can enjoy
them for a while ...

Click to embiggen for better viewing and for others
participating in Blue Monday

Miscellaneous
Springtime blossoms ... colorful
in my neighbor's yard

and along this street
near a Starbucks coffee shop
along PCH

where I stopped for a
latte We'nesday on my way
in to get a perm ...

Looking up I spied
red bottle brush and fluffy
cotton balls on blue

Wishing everyone a happy Memorial Day!

Click any image to embiggen for better viewing and
for others participating in Color Carnival, Blue Monday,
Ruby Tuesday, My World, & Outdoor Wednesday

Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thought for Today
"If I were given the opportunity to give a gift to the next generation, it would be the ability for each individual to learn to laugh at himself." Charles Schulz

Puppy Play under Blue Skies ...

noreply@blogger.com (happily retired gal) — Sat, 29 May 2010 14:45:00 +0000

Make Time for Small Reflections

Belatedly ...
scroll down for Sky Watch,
Window Views and Weekend Reflections

While Aloha & Layla engage in
aggressive play ...

Molly is content to seek some attention
and relax a bit in the shade ...

Click to embiggen for better viewing and
for others participating in Shadow Shot Sunday,
Camera Critters & Pet Pride

We've had mostly blue skies
with a few wispy clouds the past few days

Click to embiggen for better viewing and for
others participating in Sky Watch

Click to embiggen for better viewing and for
others participating in Weekend Reflections & Window Views

Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thought for Today
"The monotony and solitude of a quiet life stimulates the creative mind." Albert Einstein

HF SkyWatch, FiveFAVES, Color and Beauty

noreply@blogger.com (happily retired gal) — Fri, 21 May 2010 15:50:00 +0000

Make Time for Small Reflections
Scroll down for Color Carnival, Finding Beauty,
Today's Flowers, Mellow Yellow, Macro,
and Mosaic Monday too ...

1. Remember how Mom's Azalea got broken again in February of this year? I'm happy to report that it's coming back for the second time ... slowly but surely. The piece I planted in the parkway is still struggling and may not make it, but the original plant seems healthier this time around ... though very small at this point.

What it looked like in February ...

... and what it looks like now ;-)

Click images to embiggen for better viewing

2. It's been a while now since I've seen blue skies like those in the Haiku Sky Watch logo below ... but the bare branches of the tree next door show signs of Spring.

Grey & drizzily
skies of late keep temp'ratures
in the mid 60s

Click images to embiggen for better viewing and for
others participating in Sky Watch & Haiku Friday

3. Over the past few afternoons (once the drizzles stopped) I've put some of the colorful new bedding plants in the ground ... and intend to get the rest planted today and/or tomorrow. I was tempted to leave the bright orange Nemesia in a pot on the patio, but decided to put it in the ground near the yellow & orange Lantana.

Click to embiggen for better viewing and for
others participating in Color Carnival & Mosaic Monday

4. The first two blooms on my newly planted Veteran's Honor rose bush lasted for almost 5 weeks and I suspected it might need time to recover ... but to my surprise I discovered a new bud on it just yesterday. In addition, the African Iris (otherwise known as Fortnight Lily) have started to bloom in the neighborhood ... though MINE hasn't produced any buds yet.

Veteran's Honor rose bud above and
African Iris/Fortnight Lily blooms below ...

Click to embiggen for better viewing and for others
participating in Finding Beauty, Macro Monday,
Mellow Yellow & Today's Flowers

5. Yesterday I went with a friend to see Hershey Felder in his latest one man musical bio-play at the Laguna Playhouse, Beethoven as I Knew Him ... and it was so WONDERFUL that I'm thinking about returning to see it again! I'm looking forward to him in Maestro: The Art of Leonard Bernstein later in the season and hope to see his pieces about Fryderyk Chopin and George Gershwin one day. We enjoyed an early dinner on the patio of the Beachcomber Cafe on the beach in Crystal Cove on the way home.

Click any image to embiggen for better viewing and for
others participating in Friday's Fave Five

Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thought for Today
"You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream." C.S. Lewis

Miscellaneous Memes Minus Morning Musings

noreply@blogger.com (happily retired gal) — Mon, 17 May 2010 15:00:00 +0000

Make Time for Small Reflections

Scroll down for Ruby Tuesday, My World,
Watery Outdoor Wednesday, and Color Carnival

These Gazania

yellow blooms grace my parkway

and will soon be joined

by new bedding plants

when the morning drizzles here

stop for long enough

Straight out of the camera above
and poster edges below ...

This photo is straight out of the camera above
and 'smart fix' below ... I'm not sure which I like best.
Do YOU have a preference?

Click to embiggen for better viewing
and for others participating in
Today's Flowers, Mellow Yellow, and Mosaic Monday

Just last week I spent
sev'ral hours watering
my dry yard like this ...

... drizzily weather
currently keeps sidewalks wet
and me from planting ...

Small but prolific
red roses under my lime
tree ... delightful 'rubies'

Brand new bedding plants
waiting to be planted with
drizzily droplets

'au natural' views
followed by an edited
view ... 'poster edges'

Click to embiggen for better viewing and for others
participating in Ruby Tuesday, Today's Flowers,
Watery Wednesday, Outdoor Wednesday,
Color Carnival and My World

Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thought for the Day
"It is today that we create the world of the future."
Eleanor Roosevelt

Catching up with Weekend Miscellany ...

noreply@blogger.com (happily retired gal) — Fri, 14 May 2010 13:46:00 +0000

Make Time for Small Reflections

Scroll down for ...
Finding Beauty
Weekend Reflections,
Haiku Sky Watch Friday
Camera Critters & Pet Pride

Click any image to embiggen for better viewing and for
others participating in Friday's Fave Five and Just for the JOY of it

Wow ... it's been more than a week since I've published here and almost a week since I've updated my sidebar Gratitude List, but this morning I'll do my best to catch up a bit ... Just for the JOY of it ... sharing my FAVES from the week while participating in some of my favorite weekend memes.

1. As may be obvious, I've not spent much time at the computer. Instead I've devoted myself to beginning my day by writing and reading lately. Pleasant weather permits me to spend early mornings in my blue chairs on the patio with the company of Ms. Kitty, Molly, and Aloha ... occasionally visiting with passers by and capturing neighborhood views with my Nikon D60. When I go inside for 'coffee refills' Molly usually stands at the door waiting for me to return.

My most recent 'read' is SWITCH: How to Change Things when Change is Hard by the Heath brothers, Chip and Dan. Their approach is intriguing and makes practical sense to me. I'm hopeful that using some of their ideas might help me continue to rid myself of clutter and clarify some next steps on my own life's path ... especially as I prepare to return to Taos, NM this summer for a second week-long Writers Retreat. I dropped by the Auto Club yesterday for maps and travel books and am gathering together other materials I want to bring with me.

2. Skies have been lovely and crows seem to be building (or repairing) a nest in the tall palm trees out front.

Soaring high above
crows bring twigs from nearby trees
creating their nest

Click to embiggen for better viewing and for
others participating in Haiku Friday
and Sky Watch Friday

3. Just one gladiola shoot survived the raucous play of Molly & Aloha this Spring and I've enjoyed watching it bloom pink all week ... Just for the JOY of it! Isn't it pretty?

... I plan to share more views tomorrow at Happily Retired Gal for Pink Saturday & Today's Flowers, (and perhaps some Macro Views for Monday too) but I noticed interesting reflections in the car parked by the parkway in front of my house and decided to share those shots here today ... just for the JOY of it!

Click to embiggen for better viewing and
for others participating in Weekend Reflections

4. It's taken a while, but I finally helped my brother-in-law add a free 'image resizer' from Microsoft Power Toys to his 'Vista' machine so that when he sends my sister's pictures they'll embiggen when clicked upon. I'll share more of her photos in another post, but here I've decided to share some pictures taken by a friend on Easter Sunday. She lives in Northern California on acreage and has given me permission to share the photos here. I'll add them in a few minutes after I publish this because they're located on my Sony computer and I'm creating this post on the Dell.

Pictures from a friend
emailed this past week to share
'snow' ... Easter morning!

Click to embiggen for better viewing and for
others participating in Finding Beauty

5. Finally ... here are a few pictures of Molly & Aloha playfully keeping me company as I sit on my front patio this week ... and, of course, Ms Kitty's on her pillow under the chair.

Aloha the pup
is almost a year old now ...
but still rambunctious

Click to embiggen for better viewing and for
others participating in Camera Critters & Pet Pride

So ... now that I've added the snowy Easter photos for Finding Beauty above, I'll get myself a coffee refill and update my Gratitude List (Just for the JOY of it) before I take Molly for her morning walk. Later I'll be getting together with a friend so I'm not sure when I'll get around to visiting ... but hopefully I'll find time for some blog catch up during the weekend.

Here's wishing each of you a delightful day
and wonderful weekend!

Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thought for Today
"One of the advantages of being disorderly is that one is constantly making exciting discoveries." A. A. Milne

SECURITY ALERT: Did you know ...

noreply@blogger.com (storyteller) — Tue, 04 May 2010 12:52:00 +0000

Make Time for Small Reflections

My next post contains Shadow Shots, Monday Macros, Mellow Yellow & RubyRed Outdoor Mosaics but first things first ....

Did YOU know ... copy machines have hard drives that store a copy of EVERYTHING duplicated on the machine? A friend just sent me this video link to a story from CBS Evening News. Watching it was a shocker to me as I tried to remember all the personal, medical, and financial papers I've copied over the years. What a huge security leak! When old machines are 'recycled' the data (from schools, financial institutions, health providers, law enforcement, government, etc) is available to the next owner.
The crazy thing is that for about $500 these machines could be fixed so that drives would be 'scrubbed' automatically as we use them ... maintaining our privacy, but the industry doesn't seem interested in closing this security breach. I plan to write some letters today ... and before I use a copier in the future, I'll ask about 'data scrubbing' software first!

Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thought for Today
"It is not good enough to have a good mind; the main thing is to use it well." Rene Descartes

Shadows-Macros-Mellow Yellow and Ruby Mosaics

noreply@blogger.com (happily retired gal) — Sun, 02 May 2010 19:12:00 +0000

Make Time for Small Reflections

Scroll down for Ruby Tuesday,
My World, & Outdoor Wednesday

Mellow Yellow Blooms

sunny Johnny Jump Ups and

bright Gazania

casting delicate

shadows on the dry ground of

my parkway this Spring

Click to embiggen for better viewing and for
others participating in Shadow Shots, Macro Monday,
Today's Flowers, Mellow Yellow, and Mosaic Monday

remnants of the third
Mr. Lincoln rose after
rain followed by wind

Click to embiggen for better viewing and for others participating in
Ruby Tuesday, Today's Flowers, Outdoor Wednesday
Color Carnival and My World

On Saturday afternoon, I enjoyed the theatrical performance with the group known as 'Hotel California' featuring music of the Eagles ... fun and nostalgic experience ... though the 'dancing' seemed amateurish and a bit distracting.

Apparently the Blue Moon Theatre, located at the Performing Arts Center on the campus of Southern California University, Health Sciences in Whittier is a new venture and this was just their third event ever. I'm sorry I missed the second one ... a tribute to the Beatles ... 'A Ticket to Ride Musical: A Fusion' ... but I plan to keep this venue on my radar for future events.

I'm glad to have found the Blue Moon Theatre on Goldstar last week. Our tickets were half price and the seats were excellent ... 4th row, smack-dab center!

For those who live in the area and would enjoy an 'Eagles' experience with 'Hotel California' click here for their schedule.

The Musical Featuring

'Hotel California'

A Salute to the Eagles

"For over two decades, Hotel California has reproduced the Grammy Award-winning sounds of the Eagles. Now, this acclaimed band launches a bold new production, New Kid in Town. Tossing musical theatre convention out the window, this musical uses dance to drive the narrative woven through the lyrics of Eagles songs. In addition to a compelling love story told through rock's finest lyrics, choreographer Amanda Marquardt has infused a wide array of dance styles, from swing to jazz to burlesque."

My friend and I stopped at Knott's Berry Farm on the way home for dinner which was delicious. I have leftovers in the fridge for another meal.

When I arrived home last night I felt frustrated to discover I had no internet access. I tried the usual 'reset' procedures but they didn't work and I didn't have the energy to call tech support until this morning. My D-Link router seems to be the 'culprit' so I'll probably be purchasing a new router soon. In the meantime the tech support fellow from Time Warner Cable has 'reset' my modem for a direct connection which means my printer won't work unless I add a direct connection and reconfigure it since it's on my now defunct 'wireless' network.

Have I mentioned that I really don't like the NEW Blogger editor? Perhaps it's just that I'm accustomed to the way the old one worked and find the 'automatic' functions frustrating when it keeps me from doing what I want with formatting photos and spacing. For the most part it's no problem because I have the system set to use the old one, but when I start a post one day and save it in 'drafts' for later, the new editor takes over when I open it again. Does anyone know how I can keep this from happening? The only way I know of to get the old editor back is to publish prematurely then 'edit' after the fact.

It seems I missed a '500 post milestone' at Sacred Ruminations because the last thing I published there on Friday was my 501th post. Today's post here is my 690th and I have 34 posts at Blog Rolls & Bling which gives me a total of 1225 Blogger posts. Who knew I'd be so prolific when I started blogging two & a half years ago? Certainly not me. In addition to that, I have 249 posts at Happily Retired Gal on WordPress ... bringing the overall total to 1473. Perhaps I'll make my next post on WordPress a 'milestone' of 250 and do some celebrating again once my overall total reaches 1500 ... if I remember ;-)

Although I've not had much time to visit blogs lately, I'm grateful to those of you who continue to drop by one or more of my blogs. I suspect that eventually life will shift again so that I'll have more time for blogging. In the meantime, I use what time I have to continue to publish periodically ... and my reader continues to 'collect' your posts for me to visit as time permits. When you don't find something here, you might find a post on one of my other blogs.

If you look carefully, you'll see a giraffe below ...

Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Two Thoughts for Today ... just because:

"Some memories are better than anything that can ever happen to one again." Willa Cather

"We need alone time to have the opportunity to savor our memories." Anne Wilson Schaef

Ruby Red Amaryllis in my Colorful Outdoor World

noreply@blogger.com (happily retired gal) — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 23:26:00 +0000

Make Time for Small Reflections

My amaryllis are PINK, but these
from my neighbor's yard are RUBY RED ...
see how they develop gradually

I have started to do some blog visiting again

but with more than 1000 unread posts in my reader

it'll take me a while to get around to everyone

so please bear with me ... and if you missed

my Spring Gift in the previous post

feel free to pick it up today ...

as a thank you from me to you.

Click to embiggen for better viewing and for others participating in
Ruby Tuesday, Today's Flowers, Outdoor Wednesday
Color Carnival and My World

Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thought for Today
"The world does not have to change.... The only thing that has to change is our attitude." Gerald Jampolsky

MsKitty on the Prowl - Hubble's 20th Anniversary

noreply@blogger.com (happily retired gal) — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 15:04:00 +0000

Make Time for Small Reflections
Scroll down for Mosaic Monday

If these look familiar it may be because I've shared
different 'flower' reflections in these same doors
at Happily Retired Gal today
... just because

Straight out of the camera above
Poster Edges Lightened below

Click to embiggen for better viewing and for
others participating in Weekend Reflections & Window Views

Lest you think Ms Kitty spends
too much time sitting at these French doors ...

I've decided to share some pictures of
Ms Kitty on the prowl today
... just because!

Straight out of the camera above
and Poster Edges below

Click to embiggen for better viewing and for others
participating in Mosaic Monday, Camera Critters, Pet Pride at Gattina's
Apparently BOZO is back with a newly
redecorated Pet Pride site too.

It seems that I'm still not finding much time
for blog visits, but hope things will settle down soon.
I do appreciate those of you who still drop by,
so please accept this ...

Gift from me to you ... just because!

Did you know ...
the Hubble Telescope was launched 20 years ago?
Google is helping us celebrate with
this 'kewl' logo and more!

Google has teamed up with friends at the
Space Telescope Science Institute
to share their 20 favorite Hubble images.
Click for some amazing photos from space
and to download a new Hubble tour in Google Earth

Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thought for Today
"What lies behind us, and what lies before us, are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." Ralph Waldo Emerson