347 - 354 Fun Things to Do!

347 - Display a collection proudly!  These hearts are so precious, not only because the heart symbol is very meaningful to me, but because they were all given to me by people I love.  This table in my living room reminds me how very blessed I am to have such wonderful family and friends.

348 - If you can't decide between two kinds of cake -- have a piece of each!  Cake was served after church recently and two of my favorites were served -- red velvet and chocolate.  I remembered how fun it was recently when I faced the same dilemma with pie, and ate two different kinds, so I felt an obligation to follow the same theory!  As far as I can recall, this is the first time in my life when I have gone wild and eaten two pieces of cake at the same time.  Hooray for decision busting happiness!

349 - Make a list of remarkable things that have been invented in your lifetime.  I have seen the onset of the general use television (and then the miracle of color TV), computers, cell phones, talking hybrid cars, organ transplants, talking automobiles, digital cameras, and more!  I wonder what is being invented now that will astonish us all?

350 - Leave a book in  random place for someone else to discover.  Check out www.bookcrossing.com to find out how you can join a community of generous book givers.

351 - Take photos of hotel or bed and breakfast rooms that you occupy.  This will bring back memories of your trips and the times you spent in these temporary homes.  I always take art supplies and books to read, so I have always have a great time no matter where I am.

352 - Have a favorite take-out dinner party.  Ask everyone to bring their favorite take-outs, provide some drinks, and be prepared to have an unusual, fun, and very tasty adventure.  I did this once, and 14 people brought 14 different take-outs, with no consultation with each other.  I will never forget the sight of our kitchen table full of interesting food.   This is also a wonderfully economical way to have a get-together.

353 - If you are going to donate something that has a lot of wonderful memories, take a photograph of it first.  You can even have an album full of things that have made the journey in and out of your life.  This will help you let go with a much lighter heart!

354 - Notice the wonderful sunshine art that is often shown between segments on CBS Sunday Morning News.  Sometimes I even take photographs of them because they are so delightful.  You have to really be paying attention because they flash by fast.  It is one of my goals to get a sunshine accepted by CBS -- so if you ever see me, ask how that's going.  Then maybe I will get coordinated!

344 - 346 Fun Things to Do!

344 - Observe and appreciate flowering bushes and trees as they come into season.  I started the Spring with deep gratitude for the bursts of bright yellow Forsythia here and there.  Then I turned my attention to the fabulous Azalea bushes that started to flourish around town and under my kitchen window.  Next, I noticed the Dogwood trees that were livening up the neighborhood, including the two beloved Dogwoods in my yard.  Now my attention has turned to the sometimes enormous, amazing, and delightful Rhododendron bushes that often go two stories high!  We also have stunning Magnolia trees whose appeal sometimes makes driving a little swervy!  There are even yards that have several of these flowering bushes and trees in glorious bloom at the same time!

345 - Take a photograph of someone you like in front of a flowering bush or tree!  Who needs photo studio painted canvas backgrounds when you have Mother Nature?  This is my friend, Cathy, who loves gardening like I do.  We were having an adventure together that included gardening conversations and spotting Rhododendrons when we got the idea of photographing each other in front of a giant Rhododendron bush in my neighborhood.  Fun!

346 - Trying to decide between two kinds of pie?  Have a piece of both!  I was at a joyful baby shower recently for our beloved Sara, and there was an ecstatic array of delicious food, including many different pies.  I browsed the table, had some pie conversation with one of the hostesses, and narrowed it down to two possibilities.  Then I realized that I had never had two pieces of pie in my life, so the answer was obvious -- first eat one, then the other!  I felt like a renegade pie consumer on a sacred mission!  It was hilarious!  I wouldn't recommend this as a regular procedure though -- it might lead to pie addiction!  (By the way, the peanut butter chocolate pie won the taste test by far.)

338 - 343 Fun Things to Do!

338 - Make and eat weird sandwiches!  This is my olive and cream cheese sandwich on pumpernickel bread.  It is a tasty delight that I have been eating for years and years.  I use 1/3 less fat cream cheese and large olives.  My daughter, Maribeth, has a penchant for peanut butter, honey, and Nacho Cheese Doritos or baloney, mayonnaise, and Frito sandwiches.  Dyan, my daughter-in-law, fixes grilled cheese with jelly sandwiches for my grandsons, Nate and Andrew.  What kind of unusual sandwiches do you like?

339 - Have a reading festival!  Plan a day when you can read for pleasure for most of the day.  You can read in your living room, plan a trip to the library, read on a bench at a local park, or grab your book/s and go to a cafe.  Plan a meal for one, accompanied by your favorite book.  One time my friend, Sally, and I just spent an evening reading together.  It was very companionable -- free and wonderful fun!  Turn off your TV for the day and dive into your books.  I have a bumper sticker that says "Fight Prime Time, Read a Book" and I have it on my TV for a friendly reminder to myself.

340 - Look through a kaleidoscope.  There are all kinds, and if you don't have one, I am sure there is a store in your town that carries them -- browsing doesn't cost anything, and you can be in the wondrous world of kaleidoscopes for a while.

341 - Make a kaleidoscope!  You can start with a cardboard paper towel tube.  There are many sites on the internet that can show you how -- here is one http://www.ehow.com/how_5127414_make-kaleidoscopes.html  I took stained glass lessons once, and made five kaleidoscopes for my family.  I collected bits and pieces of things from their lives, like little stones from their garden, parts of old jewelry, birthstones, glass from a broken window, etc. and gave them lists of what was inside each of their kaleidoscopes.

342 - Move things around in your house to get a new atmosphere for your home.  Moving furniture is an obvious way to make your house look different, but you can also move knickknacks, artwork, books, and curtains.

343 - Change your living room and dining room to reflect the seasons.  You can hang lighter curtains for the Spring and Summer, and put out different pillows, mirrors -- whatever suits your seasonal fancy!

Please feel free to add suggestions or comments below.

Zentangle Challenge #66

The challenge this week from the Diva at iamthedivaczt.blogspot.com is to make a Zentangle featuring "auras", which is really outlining an existing tangle (pattern).  The mug I used when I was at Certified Zentangle Teacher training has a design on it that inspired me.  Check out the Diva's website to see interpretations of this challenge from all over the world -- just click on each name.

17 - 23 Gratitude for Tea!

17 - One of the best things in my life is my love of tea. I know that a cup of tea will always be relaxing and rejuvenating.

18 - I especially appreciate the Rose tea that is available at my favorite coffee shop, Angel Falls at Highland Square. Sometimes when I write in my journal, a cup of Rose tea is perfect. I buy it there and bring it home for special occasions.

19 - I have a collection of mugs that suits my every mood. There are mugs from vacations, two "Life is Good" mugs that are very cheerful, and one with a heart one it that I used when I was taking my Certified Zentangle Teacher training. I even have a mug that says "Confidence" on it that I use sometimes during conference phone sessions or on other phone calls. I own one giant mug that I created at a "Paint Your Own Pottery" place. It's the ugliest mug in existence in this Universe, but I made it at the same time one of my grandsons was making a project, so I have really happy memories with it. (The vase that Nate made turned out great!)

20 - Once in a while, I will put out a favorite mug beside my journal on the night before as a sort of an act of kindness for myself. It's a great way to start my day when I come into the kitchen in the morning.

21 - Having a cup of tea with someone is always a companionable way to have a conversation.

22 - It took a lot of years for me to step past ordinary teas into more adventuresome flavors. My very favorite is Blackberry Sage from Republic of Teas. I even carry a few bags with me for times when hot water might be available, but only average tea bags.

23 - When I really want to go wild, I either make a pot of tea, which is a fun accompaniment to any project, or order one at a coffee shop. There is something luxurious about having a whole pot of tea to share, or to have all to myself!

23 - A nice cup of tea can either energize me or relax me, depending on the type I choose. I try not to drink very much soda pop, so iced or hot tea are great alternatives for me.

Hooray for tea!

5 - 16 Gratitude for Colors

5 - I just love noticing colors. When things are not going very well in my life, I do not notice colors particularly, but when life is the berries, colors are brighter and more bold. Sometimes it's like going from a black, white, and gray life to a rainbow colored life. One way I've found to lift my spirits is to emphasize color in my life.

6 - My favorite color is PURPLE by far. I loved this from The Color Purple by Alice Walker:

Shug: More than anything God love admiration.
Celie: You saying God is vain?
Shug: No, not vain, just wanting to share a good thing. I think it pisses God off when you walk by the colour purple in a field and don't notice it.
Celie: You saying it just wanna be loved like it say in the bible?
Shug: Yeah, Celie. Everything wanna be loved. Us sing and dance, and holla just wanting to be loved. Look at them trees. Notice how the trees do everything people do to get attention... except walk?
[they laugh]
Shug: Oh Miss Celie, I feels like singing!

7 - I love that colors are free! Anyone can enjoy color in so many ways in their lives. I love to dress colorfully, not only for myself, but for other people. I am very willing to wear goofy clothing for my personal amusement, and I hope for the amusement of others. The photo at the top is of a wild and beautiful shawl that I have. When I am surrounded by that colorful shawl, I am very appreciative and happy.

8 - If things are not going well in my life, wearing colorful clothes and fun jewelry improves the quality of my day dramatically.

9 - When life is terrific, wearing colorful clothes and fun jewelry emphasizes my gratitude for living!

10 - I have a project -- learning to love the color ORANGE. I appreciate orange in fruits and vegetables, especially in a beautiful real orange. And I like orange when it is with hot pink. I feel disrespectful for having a color I don't like! I've made progress with liking orange, especially when it was the team color for my grandsons' baseball teams for the past few years.

11 - My favorite place to appreciate color is in a rainbow. What is more inspiring than a gorgeous unexpected rainbow? An amazing double rainbow!

12 - I exist in gratitude for all the wonderful lipstick colors there are! My friend Wendy and I love to trade lipstick stories -- isn't that a fun thing to have in common? Here are some of the color names of lipsticks I currently own -- Earthly Ore, Golden Splendor, Chocolate Icing, Blushing Nude, a Different Grape, and Tawny Tulip.

13 - The names of paint colors are fun, too. I recently bought some brown paint that was called "Wild Manzanita" -- I just couldn't help myself. Then I had to buy another color to paint over it because it was a little too wild even for me!

14 - Most of us have favorite crayon colors -- mine is "Periwinkle". For a complete history of Crayola Crayon colors, click here www.Crayola.com

15 - I love unexpected color, whether it is in artwork, in nature, or in clothing. Often it is the odd color that doesn't seem to "match" that gives a real punch!

16 - Nail polish excitement has been around for quite a few years, but I am always amazed at the creative ways that nails are done these days. Right now I have a French manicure with blue, green, and purple tips for Spring.

My gratitude for colors is boundless. Do you have any color stories to share? Please click on comments.

1 - 4 Gratitude Countdown

1 - Gratitude for my sock collection! Even during times when I was very concerned about money, I usually could come up with the price of a pair of socks. I enjoy socks that are a little unusual, like my sock monkey socks, my "I am too sexy for my socks" socks, the happy socks that a dear friend knitted especially for me, those argyle socks I never have even worn! I even have a pair of hot pink socks that were given to me over 20 years ago when I had a needlework store called Threadbender's Needlework Supplies.

If I am in a crummy mood, just the right socks will lift my spirits. When I was in college, and in living fear of my professors, if I spotted them wearing some fun socks, I knew I could relax because they were a kindred spirit to me. I especially appreciate wild socks worn with a conservative outfit.

These socks are just multi-colored stripes, but there's more to them than meets the eye -- they are transparent between the lines! Oh my! I bought these over 10 years ago, and have duplicates just in case. If I am feeling like a splurge, I get two of the same pair of socks, so if the toe goes out in one, I have 3 left.

2 - I feel a special gratitude for all the sock gifts I have received over the years. I don't need diamonds and champagne, but I am always happy for a brand new pair of fun socks!

3. Here's a big "thank you" to all the people who have amused me with their socks.

4. I have special gratitude for all the sock monkeys in my life! Coming from humble beginnings, they have blessed and amused children and adults with their cheerful appearance and non-threatening demeanor for many years. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sock_monkey for more information. If you don't already have a sock monkey, take my advice and get one soon! They also make wonderful presents and acclimate to new owners cheerfully.

I would love to hear from you if you have any sock stories, or if you would like to add gratitudes to the "Gratitude Countdown".