Friday, September 26, 2008

Traditions


Every year about this time our family takes a trip to Oak Glen. This is the apple mecca of our local area. Small farms sell their tasty harvest at slightly inflated prices. Last year's trip wasn't so pleasant due to an overwhelming large number of apple-loving folk so the husband and son swore they wouldn't be attending this year. That's okay. We adopted one of my daughter's friends for the day and headed off without the guys.



Sometimes we pick our own apples. This year we picked our own raspberries...and bought the apples already bagged up. We picked up some cider and gifts and, of course, an apple pie. But unfortunately that was for someone else.

Upon the recommendation of our adopted child we purchased a slice of apple pie ala mode with cinnamon sauce at Law's Oak Glen Coffee Shop to enjoy before heading home. And enjoy we did. It was one of the best pieces of apple pie I've ever had. Yum! So, as in years past, we concluded our annual tradition of going to Oak Glen.

What's the value in traditions? They are an anchor in a family's history. Something to look forward to. Something to remember. The single events blend together to become a fond remembrance of time together enjoying each other's company and just plain having a good time. They don't have to be exactly the same way every time. Things change. People change. It's the essence of the tradition that counts. This one is about apples and Oak Glen. All the other details are irrelevant. Once again that tradition has been celebrated...until next year.

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

My Back Porch



Sometimes it's just nice to sit in the yard and enjoy the flora and fauna. It's amazing how easy it is to take for granted the fact that I have a little plot of land where I can do just about anything I want.



My husband and I both enjoy sitting on the back porch and watching the hummers come for a little snack. They are fun to watch as their tiny wings flutter at super-speed. They hover and fight off other hummingbirds who want some of their juice. I hear that hummingbirds are territorial. If the birds in our yard are any indicator, this is true and they don't like to share...at all. Their squeaky chirps ward off the competition and make it known whose feeder this is. This is some pretty good entertainment. Live and free. Who could ask for more?!

What r u thankful 4?

Thursday, September 11, 2008

A Favorite Song



You're Gonna Miss This




A great reminder to appreciate what you have...now!

Monday, September 8, 2008

What Choice Do I Have?




Choice consists of the mental process of thinking involved with the process of judging the merits of multiple options and selecting one of them for action. Some simple examples include deciding whether to get up in the morning or go back to sleep, or selecting a given route for a journey.

That is the Wikipedia definition of choice. Wow – there’s a lot more involved in making a choice than I thought. Thinking. Judging. Options. Selection. Phew. It makes me tired just reading those works. But really, it’s all good. Sometimes it can be overwhelming, but think of the freedom that choice brings. We’re not prisoners of our lives. We can have a different life by simply making a different choice.

Sure, circumstances are part of the equation, but it’s how I react to circumstances that really determines what kind of day I’ll have. I could choose to let my blood pressure rise and use creative hand gestures when that little red Mazda zips in front of me. Or I can choose to move along and be thankful that I have a car that can travel on the freeway to the job I have that pays me pretty good money which allows me to buy groceries, gas, and some of life’s other necessities (like chocolate and fabric). Hmmm – I think I’ll go with number 2.

When life gets us down and we’re feeling trapped we need to remember that we have a choice. In fact, we often have several choices or, as Wikipedia says, multiple options. Sometimes we simply need to be open to that fact and engage in the “mental process of thinking” and remind ourselves of all the possibilities we could choose from. Just being open to alternatives is a good place to start. We may need to consider that the opposite of what we are doing or feeling is a viable and possibly even preferable choice.

It’s easy to forget that we have a choice and to assume that this is the way things are and we can’t do anything about them. But we aren’t powerless. We can choose to be cranky or good humored, optimistic or pessimistic, complain or be thankful.

What r u thankful 4?

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Life is good...



when your daughter learns to cook, especially when it's flan.



And it was some yummy flan, too! I wonder what she'll make next week. Cheesecake, maybe?

What r u thankful 4?