joys of autumn

We continue to enjoy some beautiful weather here in the Midwest and I look for excuses to be outdoors as much as possible.  I am not a big fan of raking leaves at all.  It is such a futile endeavor, for once you rake them up, more fall down.  Luckily the wind has been blowing the neighbors' leaves away from our lawn, but when they get stuck in the bushes, it's time to clear things out.  Wayne always says "pay me now or pay me later" and we found it is much easier to clear the gardens in spring when we do a little diligence in the fall.  All the trees and bushes are trimmed and yesterday I spent the day clearing the bushes and corners of collected leaves.

I discovered a new tool that is now my best friend for these projects.  Yep, that's duct tape, but this thing is very powerful and when you work a corner filled with leaves, they seem to dance in the air, a most delighful thing.  I played around all day and blew away everything unwanted.  It is so much easier to rake the leaves into piles for pickup after using this mighty blower.  The secret to putting leaves in bags is to crunch them down so more fit into the yard bags.  I only used three for the whole house, but probably would have needed double if I didn't crush them.  We decided to use our electric trimmer and leaf blower tools one last time this year and purchase gas powered for the spring season.  The extension cord is huge and let me go all around the house so I could play with 'hercules' as I call him.  I had so much fun I decided to go to my Dad's today and do the same for his garden.  Another excuse to be outdoors again. 

The joys of being a gardener.  Who knew we could find such simple pleasures?

After a lovely day, I prepared spaghetti for the hungry mongrels at home and bought some deli.  This treat hits the spot:  Half slice of Italian Pane bread, lightly spread with mayo, three slices Boar's Head turkey pastrami (delicious) and one slice provolone cheese; broil for a minute (like Quiznos) and indulge.

Enjoy your day.  Let the sun shine.  xo

rocky and bullwinkle

These bewildered critters have been living in our bedroom walls for a very long time.  We set traps and checked the roof for openings and they continued to find a way in.  Until today.  Wayne found a little opening and secured it with bricks inside and wood outside.  We caught Rocky and Bullwinkle in the act trying to re-enter their new abode.  Sorry guys....

They were so cute to watch and knew we were on to them.

It was as if they were pleading with us to let them back in.

Now what to do?

Here's a captured moment with Steve and Pontiac grazing in the grass.

Smooches for Thumper.

Finally a glimpse of the early sunset after adjusting for daylight savings time.

Now I'll continue playing with my new toy.  All my favorite songs are uploaded and I am adding some fun Apps. 

Happy days.  xo



techin'

my very own Apple 4G iPhone

We finally bit the bullet and expanded the hi-technology in our lives.  We are always the last to try whatever is new and exciting in the big world of newfangled toys, so here we go.   We were going to wait for the Microsoft Windows phone, but heard too many negatives, so we went with the best tool available on the market - for now.   So many bells and whistles to explore.  It is truly an amazing contraption and there is an App for everything. Nice.

his and hers

It is overwhelming for me, a simple domestic goddess, to have all sorts of options at my fingertips (literally) but once I figure things out, I am sure to enjoy the perks.  I look forward to the navigation most of all.  Now I hope to never get lost again as long as I keep my new gadget handy.  The best part of making this change is it costs us only a few pennies more and we put Dan on our plan, so his fee has reduced drastically, and he can guide us through the steps on how to play with our iPhones.  Win-win.  These are super early Christmas presents to each other. We have been warned not to purchase electronic or big ticket items while Mercury is retrograde next month, so all gifts will be bought in November.  Better to be safe than sorry. Thanks to technology I am shopping the internet for the gifts, comparing costs and reading reviews; then Wayne buys them online.   

Brighton Park home

The former torture chamber is officially on the market for sale.  The realtor found it was built in 1911, so it is almost a century old.  This mission was long, grueling and laborious, but our efforts are already paying off.  Now we wait and see who will own this home that was loved by so many in the past.  I feel 100 pounds lighter (too bad I'm not) now that things are settling down.  Steve made a funny comment the other day as I was recovering from a physically challenging project.  His words of wisdom: "you better start acting your age."  I'll try to take heed, sweet sunshine. xo

Have a great weekend.  

Remember to set your clocks back an hour tonight. 

Less sunshine for awhile   :( 



happy halloween

Boo's pumpkin carvings

(cheshire cat)

all on one pumpkin

(leatherhead)

have a booo-tiful day

(witch)

flo (progressive) and mayhem (allstate)

take no prisoners

mikey, margarita and ozis

hippie

strawberry fields forever

peace

ponti pillow pup

HAVE FUN AND BE HAPPY XO

pumpkins

Pumpkin derives from the Greek word pepon (large melon). They are believed to originate in North America and seeds have been found dating back to 7000 and 5500 B.C. in Mexico. They are produced on all continents except for Antarctica. Pumpkins are monoecious, having both male and female flowers on the same plant. They are a squash-like fruit with nutrients such as lutein and both alpha and beta carotene which produces vitamin A.

                                             

Pumpkins are very versatile in their uses for cooking.  Most parts of the pumpkin are edible, including the fleshy shell, the seeds, the leaves and even the flowers.  In the United States, pumpkin is a very popular Halloween and Thanksgiving staple.  When ripe, the pumpkin can be boiled, baked, steamed or roasted.  In its Native North America, it is a very important traditional part of the autumn harvest, eaten mashed and making its way into soups and purees.  Often it is made into pies.  Seeds are roasted and eaten as a snack.

Pumpkins that are small and green may be eaten in the same way as zucchini or squash. Research suggests that chemical compounds found in pumpkin promote regeneration of damaged pancreatic cells, resulting in increased bloodstream insulin levels. Pumpkin extract may be a very good product for pre-diabetic people, as well as those who already have diabetes.

Canned pumpkin is recommended by veterinarians as a dietary supplement for dogs and cats experiencing digestive problems.  High fiber content helps aid proper digestion.  Raw pumpkin can be fed to poultry as a supplement to regular feed during winter to maintain egg production.

The pumpkin carved as a jack-o-lantern for Halloween originated around 1866 in North America. It is believed that jack-o-lanterns ward off demons.  Britain and Ireland have a long tradition of carving lanterns from vegetables. In the United States, carved pumpkins are associated with the harvest season.

We used to display our carved pumpkins in front during Halloween but after numerous consecutive years of dealing with pumpkin smashers, we decided to keep our creations indoors for our own personal delight.   :(

Toasting pumpkin seeds makes for a healthy dose of magnesium, iron and zinc.  Cooking pumpkin seeds started with the American Indians.  They held pumpkins as one of their coveted foods. The Indians not only treasured pumpkin seeds for the health benefits, but also medicinally as well.

 

Carve the top off of the pumpkin and remove all of the pulp and seed (this is quite messy and squishy.) Try separating the seeds into a colander or sieve and the pulp onto some newspaper. You won't be able to separate all the pulp off the slimy seeds, but try to get most of it. Rinse the seeds and place them into a pan 3/4 full of water and bring to a boil. Add a few pinches of salt to the water and let cook for about 15 minutes. This will remove the rest of the pulp from the seed and also allow the salt to permeate the seeds so they will get a fuller flavor when roasted.   Spread the seeds onto a baking pan and allow them to sit out overnight to dry.  The next day, sprinkle the seeds with your favorite toppings from salt, garlic salt, margarine, butter, olive oil, cayenne pepper, salad supreme, or any of your favorite toppings and spices.  Be creative.  Then put the seasoned dry seeds that are spread out on the baking pan into the oven for about 25-30 minutes at 325 degrees, keeping an eye on them so they do not overcook.  A light browning is all they need.  Take them out of the oven, let them cool a little and enjoy!

I had to share some of the amazing things folks did with pumpkins, some of whom are my friends, others are carvings I found while browsing.  I get a kick out of how creative people are, especially since my carvings are always so basic.  I continue to enjoy the creations others share, hence, I share with you. 

Hope you have fun this Halloween weekend and as always, be safe.  xo

clear your chakras

Another season has changed.  We find ourselves raking leaves, trimming bushes, storing outdoor furniture, blessing the gardens for all their beauty bestowed upon during the summer season.  We change our attitudes to allow ourselves to get ready for the colder weather, spend more time indoors, clean our closets and get rid of the dust bunnies that hid under our beds and behind the furniture.  Why not clean out your chakras during this time?  Each of us is surrounded by an energy field that feeds and nourishes the cells of our bodies.  This subtle energy field, or aura,  is multi-dimentional and multi-colored.  There are seven main energy centers of this field that anchor in our bodies as spinning vortexes of energy.  These are called Chakras.

Chakras have been known on the planet for thousands of years, but few people understand what the chakras are and how they affect their life.  Understanding and working with the chakras are key to healing your fears and limitations.  You allow yourself to open your life's possibilities and free you to achieve your dreams. The word chakra has its roots in the Sanskrit language coming from the Hindus thousands of years ago.  The Hindus thought of the chakra as a wheel of spinning energy, or energy center, where consciousness resides governing various attributes of individual physical and spiritual aspects.  The chakras are not physical but part of the subtle anatomy or what you may simply think of as an energetic point of consciousness within the body where the spirit and physical worlds meet. 

There are seven major energy centers or chakras, with five aligned vertically along the spine and two residing in the head area.  The base, or survial chakra, resides at the base of the spine and connects or grounds you to the earth.  The crown chakra, at the top of the head, is partly not within the body but in the spiritual essence serving more as a gateway to everything that is Divinity or God.  The other major chakras are the sexual-creativity chakra in the naval area, the emotional chakra in the solar plexus area, the heart chakra in the heart area, the throat chakra in the throat area, and the third-eye chakra in the middle of the forehead.  Each of these major chakras uniquely influences various physical and spiritual aspects of your life.

You place perceptions upon your experiences.  The perceptions of all your experiences from all your lifetimes are stored in your chakras, which in turn shape your reality of how the world works, how you create, and the boundaries of your existence in the world. Learning what the chakras are, how they affect your life and methods to work with your chakras to transform and clear the effects of your perceptions can have a big impact on your life, enhancing your spiritual growth and your ability to handle the concerns of daily life.  

Originally, the chakras were created for the sole purpose of defining experience and allowing expression within the physical dimension. As humanity became concerned with its ability to exist whithin the physical, fear raised its head and means were created in an attempt to insure safety.  The consciousness of humanity began to live and process experiences within time: forming perceptions of experiences to be used as a basis for evaluating how one's safety may be affected by present or future experiences.  For this process of evaluation of experiences based on perceptions to work, a place was required for storing the perceptions and making them readily available for evaluation.  The chakras were adapted to serve as containers for storing the perceptions of your life's experiences.

As you can see by this diagram, the colors are similar, if not identical, to the major colors of the rainbow.   Each color has a different vibration, just like the stones and crystals.  For example, if a person has a blockage of the blue-colored fifth chakra, blue stones would be most beneficial for working in that area.

The chakras serve the purpose of allowing the spiritual essence, or Divine Mind, to flow through your being while in the physical.  Blockages in the chakras can prevent or distort this flow.  There are two effects to having blockages within the chakras: one prevents or distorts the flow of Divine energy through your being (more predominant in the upper three chakras); the other is a source of distorted information, through the perceptions stored within the chakras (more predominant in the lower three chakras); limiting the possibilities in your life.

First: Root Chakra - base of spine - red

Relates to survival instincts and our sense of grounding and connecting our bodies to the physical plane. Issues include strength, survival needs, self-preservation, material and monetary concerns, physical health, beauty, stability. 

Second: Spleen Chakra - below belly button - orange

Relates to emotions and sexuality. It connects us to others through feeling, desire, sensation and movement.  Issues include creativity, obsessive/compulsive behavior, indulgence, sensuality, reproductive drive and romantic issues.  We store our emotions here.

Third: Solar Plexus Chakra - mid-abdominal below the sternum - yellow

Called the power chakra; rules our personal power, will and autonomy as well as our metabolism.  Issues include willpower, confidence, sense of reasoning, sense of identity or self-image, self-trust, trust of intuition, shyness, exaggeration, egotism, clear thinking, temper and decision making.  A block in this chakra can cause digestive problems and ulcers.

Fourth: Heart Chakra (gateway to the soul) - located over the heart and thymus gland - green

Relates to love and is the integrator of opposites: mind and body, male and female, persona and shadow, ego and unity.  Issues are growth and balance, peace of mind, compassion, self-control, sharing and adaptability.  All life energy is processed through the breath of this chakra.  A block causes the immune system to be suppressed, heart problems, high blood pressure.

Fifth: Throat Chakra - in the neck at the Adam's apple - sky blue

 Controls the person's ability to express himself fully and creatively.  Issues include taking responsibility for personal needs and integrity, bridging the mind and emotions, speech, self-expression and communications, as well as how we perceive others.

Sixth: Third Eye Chakra - located in forehead between eyebrows - indigo

Relates to the act of seeing both physically and intuitively; psychic powers rest here.  Issues are intuition, perception, devotion, inspiration and the door within.

Seventh: Crown Chakra - top of the head - purple

Relates to consciousness as pure awareness.  It is our connection with the greater world beyond; associated with highest level of spiritual perfection. 

When any of the Chakras are blocked or damaged, the result is the root cause of mental, emotional and physical disease.  Take time each day to allow your soul to heal and be refreshed.  Love yourself and feel the chi flow through your meridians, breathing perfect love throughout your being.  Embrace the goodness and feel the release of all unwanted energies leaving out the tips of your fingers and toes.  Thank the universe for all its blessings.  Take responsibility to be the best you deserve to be.  Breathe in, breathe out.  Namaste. xo

indian prayer

Indian Prayer

Do not stand at my grave and weep

I am not there, I do not sleep

I am a thousand winds that blow

I am the diamond glint on snow

I am the sunlight on ripened grain

I am the gentle autumn rain

when you awake in the morning hush

I am the swift uplifting rush of quiet

birds in circling starlight at night

Do not stand at my grave and weep

I am not there, I do not sleep

Remember Me

 

To the living, I am gone

To the sorrowful, I will never return

To the angry, I was cheated

But to the happy, I am at peace

and to the faithful I have never left.

 

I cannot be seen, but I can be heard

So as you stand upon a shore

gazing at a beautiful sea

remember me

 

So as you look in awe at a mighty forest and its grand majesty

remember me

 

As you look upon a flower and admire its simplicity

remember me

 

Remember me in your heart, your thoughts,

and your memories of the times we fought,

the times we laughed, for if you always think of me

I will have never gone.

 

 

I found this on a card and was compelled to share as a reminder that those we love are always with us.  It is that time of the year and must be in my mind after viewing Hereafter.

Take a look around,

they're the sunlight in our hair;

the shadows on the ground;

the whisper in the wind.

They are already there. xo