The 5th of november

Another wonderful day of new experiences down!
I am looking forward to welcoming tomorrow into my life.
I hope we can get along and have some fun.


It's up to you to find the beauty in the ugliest days.

The 5th of November

Not much learning going on here today.
I did however learn that my phone reminder is not enough to wake me up and I now need to put my yoga classes into my alarm schedule.
I did do some happy things today and that is as good as learning in ones quest for self improvement or so I like to believe.
I walked the beach, I made a big pot of soup, I cleaned the kitchen, I started a creative project and I watched Mega Mind. All great things.

Source: polyvore.com via Leila on Pinterest

The 4th of November

Today was an great day.

I took a lesson from the story below and applied it to my morning. I took my time enjoying the beauty that surrounded me as I walked. I stopped and noticed how the frost made the fallen leaves look so delicate. I watched the sun filter through the trees in a way that made you think of God. I knelt down and studied the shapes of the ice on the puddles. I noticed that the birds perched on the pylons seemed to be absorbing the morning too. I stood on the frost covered dock and faced the sun with my eyes closed so that I could listen to the sounds of that moment in that place, so that i could remember how it all felt.

It felt like a distant memory of winter.

. . . Something To Think About. . . Washington, DC Metro Station on a cold January morning in 2007. The man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approx. 2 thousand people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. After 3 minutes a middle aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule. 4 minutes later: The violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk. 6 minutes: A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again. 10 minutes: A 3-year old boy stopped but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children.. Every parent, without exception, forced their children to move on quickly.. 45 minutes: The musician played continuously. Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32. 1 hour: He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition. No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100. This is a true story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people's priorities. The questions raised: *In a common place environment at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty? *Do we stop to appreciate it? *Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context? One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this: If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made. How many other things are we missing?

Source: jeffbridges.com via Leila on Pinterest

The 3rd of November

I love it when intuitive things happen.

I started posting again because it is something I like to do and I started on the 1st of November because it is my birthday month. A sort of gift to myself. So how impressed was I when I happened upon a bit of information last night about "nablopomo" Apparently November is National blog posting month.

I love the coincidence.

The 2nd of November

Things I learned today.

By today I mean last night at yoga/meditation class and this morning as I pondered some things. And by learn I mean relearn somethings I already new but haven't thought about in a long time or learn it again but deeper.

At the end of my Kunda yoga class on Tuesday nights there is always a story that holds a lesson. Last nights story was about a warrior and a master, an oak tree and a rose bush. This morning I came across this which I feel is that very story condensed into two clear simple sentences.

Source: houzz.com via Leila on Pinterest

During the women's meditation class that I attended after yoga we talked about word we live by and also were asked what we gifts we thought we possessed.

It was interesting how all three of us that attended the class had similar quotes that we felt were important to us. Mine was "sometimes the only mode of transportation is a leap of faith" Another was "jump and the net will catch you" and the other was " if you take the first step, providence with provide" All were paraphrased some what but you can see that there is a common theme going on there.

I found it difficult to think of myself as gifted in any way. As I think of other people I know it was obvious what their gifts are. The leader of the group pointed out that other would probably see my gifts as obvious too. I like to think so but I clearly need to work on that part of my self esteem.

This too is a part of my learning this past 24 hours;

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

~ by Marianne Williamson, A Return To Love: Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles

What I learned today?

I learned that I crave a bigger faith in all things.
I learned that I do have gifts I just need to find them.

I learned that why it is so important to stop comparing myself to others, because Albert Einstein says so.

The 1st of November

I read a piece of advice the other day, it was for those of us that that want to do something with our lives but do not know what it is we want to do. The the advisor simply asked the question;

What do you think about when you allow your mind to wander?

Well I started to pay attention and this is what I have noticed. I think about all sorts of things;

• riding my bike across the country, ( I haven't ridden a bike in years by the way) in this day dream I spend the nights in cute little bed and breakfast type places.
• taking on a large community fundraising event that turns out wildly successful
• having my home on a garden tour
• making a fine living as an artist (my medium is always a little vague in this one)
• sometimes I want to be an emergency preparedness expert
• teacher
• yoga teacher
• master gardener
• what it would be like to be a recovering hoarder
• often I think up love stories
• working at Starbucks or Mountain Equipment Co-op
• owning a scrapbook store
• owning an online scrapbook store
• daycare... for kids, old people and dogs like on Raising Hope.
• learning how to play the ukulele
• life coach
• Organization Specialist
• cupcake engineer
• event planner
• book editor
• I also dream about being young again if for no other reason that to have nice bum

sigh....so that is why I haven't decided what I what to be when I grow.

Oh, OK... today I will start by buying a one month Breathing Space pass and taking as many classes as I can possibly fit into the month of November. That will be my first step into "yoga teacher" and "nice bum" and maybe all that meditating will help me find my path.

I'll keep you posted.

Okay, Okay. I will try again.

This is for my one loyal follower. My Mom. She has nagged..er...I mean encouraged me to post again. So here I am, trying again to do something creative other than "create" a meal for my family out of the random ingredients left in the fridge and/ pantry after not making time to go grocery shopping for two weeks. HMmmmmmmm..........I am thinking now that cooking (even sauteed stuff a la riceta) is more creative that blogging. Whatever I like blogging.

Any who.... Here is the not so new puppy of the Durrance household.

And just to give you an idea of the size difference.

Little Milo has grown a little since this pic, but not much.

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def riceta-a mix of rice and pasta, usually prepared when there is not enough of either to feed a family of four.