What's Up Wednesday?

We had a hot day here with temps around 85 and bright blue skies. I'll take that over sand and dust any ol' time.

The Middle School had their Science Fair from 11:30-2:30 pm. Zack's project was putting a skewer through a balloon (it actually can be done). I'm not sure he learned anything from it, but hey, he had a lot of fun and went through about 100 balloons.

For days now, I've been hoping to sit back and glance through this magazine I picked up, but it is not to be. This evening I had to head back to school for Parent Conferences and now it is already past my bedtime.

This week has been so crazy busy that I haven't even had time to work on the granny stripe baby afghan. Turns out, the shower date was changed again and I can't attend. I need more time anyways.

The good news is that tomorrow I have a short day at school and then Spring Break begins. Woohoo! A whole week off and we aren't travelling this time so I hope to get many things done. What's happening with you? Hope your Wednesday is a good one! Friendship blessings, Tammy

Tea on Tuesday

Have you tried rooibos tea? It does take some getting used to, but yesterday I found this Twinings Strawberry & Vanilla Rooibos and its quite tasty. Rooibos or redbush is an herbal tea that is only grown in the African highlands.
Various studies have shown the many health problems that can be helped by drinking this tea on a regular basis:
•Can be used to treat hay fever, asthma and eczema
•Placed directly on the skin, it can slow the aging process
•Boosts the immune system
•Eases irritability, headaches, nervous tension and insomnia
•Acts as an anti-spasmodic agent, to relieve stomach cramps and colic in infants
•Contains no oxalic acid, so people who are prone to kidney stones can safely consume it

I have an awful headache at the moment so am hoping it will help. I'm off to pick Zack up from baseball. Make your way to Kimmie's place at Art in Red Wagons where she is hosting Tea on Tuesday and having a giveaway too. Hope you are having a terrific Tuesday. Peace & blessings, Tammy

All Done

Jingles is a happy camper. Both balconies are now clean so she is able to enjoy the great big outdoors once again.

Tomorrow I can actually come home and relax ... except for the fact that Zack has baseball practice and needs to finish up his science fair project. Oh well! At least I don't have to do anymore cleaning, for a few days anyhow.

Hope all is well in your corner of the world. Peace and blessings, Tammy

The Sunday Scoop

Oh to be a cat, stretched out on the bed all day long with not a care in the world.

This is what awaited me on both balconies when I got home from school today. It's like sweeping powder. What a mess!
I managed to finish cleaning the biggest balcony as the sun was starting to set. Tomorrow I tackle the other one. I sure hope we don't have another sand storm anytime soon.

We received another surprise box from Aunt Elaine today. So many fun things I can't even begin to name them all. The kids were sooooooooooooooooooo happy with the Tootsie Rolls and Pop Rocks she sent. Zack began singing "I love Aunt Elaine and Aunt Elaines loves me!"
With all the cleanup, I didn't have time to work on the baby afghan I started over the weekend. Originally the baby shower was to be April 9th. Plenty of time -- but now it's been changed to this Wednesday. Three days away and many rows to go. I don't think I'm gonna be able to finish in time.
Thanks to everyone for your kind messages on the passing of my aunt. My brother was a pallbearer at the funeral yesterday and passed my message of condolence on to my cousins. I was able to do the same through the funeral home website. The worldwide web truly is a wonderful thing. I hope you all have had a wonderful weekend. Best wishes for the week ahead! Peace & blessings, Tammy

Too Late

I received an email from my brother last nite that my Aunt Claire had passed away. I hadn't yet gotten a package mailed off to her and now it is too late.

This picture was taken in 1970 while at a family picnic. My Aunt Dot, on the left, and from the back forward, Aunt Claire, Aunt Betty and Mammaw. They are all gone now.

Today was spent cleaning up after the storm. A layer of dust covered everything inside and both balconies have a carpet of sand. There's still much to do but it will have to wait.

Hope all is well in your corner of the world. Peace & blessings, Tammy

In a Matter of Minutes

Don't let the blue skies fool you.

I snapped the picture above on the way back from the ballfield this morning. We had a good day of baseball (Zack's team won 10-4) and then lunch with friends. At 6 pm, hubby said he could see a black cloud rolling in.

Within minutes, the sky went from white to gray and then red. I knew a possible dust storm was predicted for later tonite but was not expecting this. If you can imagine a hurricane and a blizzard all rolled into one but consisting of sand then that's basically what we got.

By 6:10 pm it was completely dark as the storm engulfed the sky.

It's predicted to last the next 5 hours. Visibility is zero. Zack and Yusef are stuck at friends so will be spending the nite. Winds are howling and the smell of dirt is overwhelming. I've lit some candles and will spend the night safe and sound inside letting my mind wander to much more pleasant images of the day.

So how's the weather in your neck of the woods? It's gotta be better than this!

Have a great weekend! Best wishes and blessings, Tammy

Many Flags, One Heart

That was the slogan for our school's International Day Festival held yesterday. Booths were decorated to reflect the culture and tradition of the many countries represented by our student and staff population. Please sit back and enjoy an armchair tour of the world.

America

The Bahamas

Canada

Ecuador

Egypt

Indonesia

Iran

Kuwait

Lebanon

Palestine

Syria

The Phillipines

Spain

Sweden

Sudan

Leslie and I got our hands painted with henna at the Sudan booth.


I'm tuckered out after all that travelling. Hope all is well in your little corner of the world. Peace & Blessings, Tammy

New Friends and a Sheltering Tree

I recently received an email from my new friend, Rizwana.

Our husbands have been getting together and talking over the past year. We were finally able to meet during our trip to Sri Lanka.

We went to dinner one nite at an outdoor restaurant called Nuga Gama that is designed as an old Sri Lankan village. There was a bit of traditional music.

And, of course, traditional Sri lankan food set up buffet style in a hut.

The village area is canopied by magnificent banyan trees.

I looked up a bit of history on banyan trees:

One of the most famous species of Banyan, called the Sacred Fig [wiki] or Bo tree, is the Sri Maha Bodhi [wiki] tree in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. It is said that the tree was grown from a cutting from the original tree under which Buddha became enlightened in the 6th century BC. Planted in 288 BC, it is the oldest living human-planted tree in the world, with a definitive planting date!

This tree makes me think of my new friend and the quote: "Friendship is a
sheltering tree." (Samuel Taylor Coleridge)

Wishing you a day filled with beauty and blessings! Tammy

Wednesday Wisdom

Behind all creation is silence. Silence is the essential condition, the vital ingredient for all creation and all that is created. It is a power in its own right. The artist starts with a blank canvas – silence. The composer places it between and behind the notes. The very ground of your being, out of which comes all your thoughts, is silence. The way to silence is through meditation. When you arrive in your own silence you will know true freedom and real power. Stop, take a minute, and listen to the silence within you today. Then be aware of what disturbs your inner silence. It could be negative thoughts, memories, sensations. And when you are aware, you will know what is draining your creative power, and you will know what needs to change…on the inside! — Relax7.com

Tea on Tuesday

While walking the tea plantation where we stayed in Sri Lanka, we met up with these lovely ladies at the end of their work day.

This is where they gather after they've picked their tea leaves. A large hanging scale is used to weigh what they've brought in from the fields.

"The first tea bushes of commercial quantity were planted in Sri Lanka by James Taylor, at Loolecondera Estate in Lower Hewaheta in the Kandy district, in 1867. Since then, following the coffee blight in the mid 1800s, all of the coffee which was grown in the mid and high grown district has been replaced with tea." (forbesteaportal.com)

My favorite treat at the end of the day is a cup of tea and dark chocolate. This pairing is Green & Black's Organic Dark Chocolate and Ginger along with Celestial Seasonings Antioxidant Supplement Green Tea. No day is complete without a little treat.

Sending blessings your way for a bright and beautiful day. Tammy

Today Is ...

Mother's Day in the Arab World. Yusef sent me a white rose at school and Zack made a card in Arabic class.

... another hot day with temps reaching the mid-80's. Air conditioning is already a must.

... a chance to take time just for me, because it's Mother's Day.

I hope you are finding moments of bliss and beauty in your day.

Have a great week! Friendship blessings, Tammy

Finding Inspiration

The world is but a canvas to the imagination. — Henry David Thoreau

Yesterday on the way home I passed this gorgeous red and black car and just had to snap a picture. The bougainvillea blooming above is so pretty.

We were asked at the Yarn & Fiber Group last week to try and come up with some items we can display at the Exhibition to take place in May. Traditional Sadu colors are black, red and white, so I whipped up this little crochet pillow with cross-stitch motif. I plan to make several more and then will present them at the next meeting.

While visiting Beth at Gathering Dust yesterday, I was inspired to make some hearts.

The blue and white one is just stitched together and stuffed with lavender. But I decided to get creative on the second one. I've been saying forever and a day that I will embroider. Problem is, I have little patience for following directions or patterns. So, I just traced a heart, put the material in a hoop and stitched a design freehand. I put stuffing in this one with a just a bit of lavender. Zack said it turned out nice but that the lavender stinks. HA!

I will definitely be making more as they are so easy and certainly don't need to be perfect. Thanks, Beth, for the inspiration!

I cannot count my day complete
'Til needle, thread and fabric meet.
~Author Unknown

Hope you are finding time for a bit of creativity in your day. Best wishes and blessings, Tammy