My Morning Constitution

Every morning was a cheerful invitation to make my life of equal simplicity, and I may say innocence, with Nature herself.

Henry David Thoreau

I much prefer to walk early morning and look forward to the time when I will be able to do so every day.  

Yesterday, hubby and I walked to the Nike store which is just across from the area where we live.  They were having a sale, and although the choices are always limited, my purple Nikes had done their time so it was time to get a new pair.

I took them for an hour and 50 minute test drive this morning.
Walked around both our neighborhood tracks, and then wandered up and down the streets where there's much more interesting things to see.

My favorite entryway of the day.

Love that checkerboard path with the grass and concrete stones.

They even had a grassy area to the right with a water fountain and seating area.

It's always a struggle to get out there when the weather is warm, hazy and windy, but once I get going, and find my rhythm, it's kinda hard to get me to stop.

As the Nike slogan says ...

JUST DO IT!

Happy Saturday!

The Eye of the Beholder

behold

see or observe

(someone or something, especially of remarkable or impressive nature)

My aim in every day is to find something extra in the ordinary.

To find beauty wherever I go.

When I walk, it's not just for exercise, it's for meditation and inspiration.

truth be told

This is a lot of what I see.

Piles of garbage and rubble are everywhere.  Trash litters the streets.

 

This past week I've been walking at night which gives me a different perspective.

 

I was very disappointed last night when I spotted a grandmother stop her SUV on the side of the road and have her young grandkids start chucking all their fast food trash out the window.  I walked over to the car and asked why she was doing it, why didn't she find a trashcan.  She played it off like they are just babies, as if it was the innocent children who had made the decision to litter.

I don't get it.

There is no excuse!

When I got home, a friend I met through Instagram had messaged that she found a gift that was SO me and she wanted to deliver it.

Athoob is a cookie baker, animal lover, photographer and all around lovely lady.  This is only our second meeting, but hopefully that will change when I have more time on my hands come June.

What could be more perfect than heart shaped candles that look like yarn? 

But the best part was her handwritten note.

beholden

Owing something, such as GRATITUDE, to another.

It reminded me why I choose to see and share pretty things on Instagram and here on my blog.
To focus on the good.

“What we do see depends mainly on what we look for. ... In the same field the farmer will notice the crop, the geologists the fossils, botanists the flowers, artists the colouring, sportmen the cover for the game. Though we may all look at the same things, it does not all follow that we should see them.” 
― John Lubbock, The Beauties of Nature and the Wonders of the World We Live in

Have a wonderful day!

Happy Mother's Day!

There are all kinds of mamas out there in the world and today we celebrate them all.

In these parts, Sunday is a regular work/school day.  And a busy one it was.  I've not been very committed to the daily movement I posted about -- due to crazy weather and heat -- it was still 97 degrees when I called my mom at 5:30 p.m., so I waited until sunset to pound the pavement.  I always feel so much better when I do.

For those of you who were surprised by the "going away party" -- I've known for quite awhile that this would be my last year at the school.

My boss is retiring and heading back to Nova Scotia and I'm basically just fed up.  I've given so much to the position and had never received anything in return, so, I'm done.  Besides, sitting behind a desk for 7-1/2 hours every day in a windowless office is not how I want to spend my time.

I can't tell you what relief this brings me.  When anyone asks what my plans are, I tell them I am looking for peace of mind and purpose.

 I plan to do everything I've not had time for because of work; I want to get involved in charity and volunteer projects; I want to create for a cause; I want to spend my time and energy on important things.

One more month to go and then F R E E D O M !!!  I can't wait!

Have a great day!

Two Ta-Dahs

For the first time in a long time, I actually started and finished two baby blankets.  Several co-workers have recently given birth or are about to.  Blanket number one was presented at a surprise baby shower a week ago and well-received.

Ironically, as I was planning a surprise baby shower for Sahar before she started maternity leave, she was planning a surprise going away gathering for me.

Blanket number two was finished late last night and will be gifted this week.

An unplanned trip to the bookstore Thursday morning was quite a treat as I wound up with three new crochet books.

The possibilities are endless.

Happy Saturday!

Craving Color

I seem to have a hard time lately formulating thoughts for blog posts.  It's certainly not for lack of photos as I take pictures each and every day.  In fact, I will go out of my way to find something to photograph.

Just this morning I went to the mall to buy a birthday gift and decided, despite the heat and humidity, to walk around the area and see what I could find.

 From derelict buildings to beautiful blooms with bees, there is always something eye-catching and interesting to see.

Our weather lately has been mostly gloomy because of clouds and dust.

And we had an incredible electrical storm the other night that lasted about 40 minutes.  The rumbling sound was constant as the sky was charged with non-stop flashes of lightning.

  There were moments when the 10:00 p.m. sky resembled daylight.  Mesmerizing and somewhat scary at the same time.

When days of gloom go on for too long, I start to crave color.

 Today we had a colorful lunch with friends of Tom Yum and Pad Thai.  So spicy and yummy!

This evening will be spent finishing a colorful baby blanket.

Which just so happens to match my n'icecream.  Frozen bananas and blueberries blended with vanilla oat milk and topped with walnuts and cacao nibs.  Feels indulgent but really healthy.

Sending colorful wishes your way.

Committing to Daily Movement

Because of constant dust storms and work obligations over the past several weeks, there has not been a whole lot of walking happening around here.  Now that the dust has cleared, the heat as set in.  It's currently a balmy 99 degrees, hazy with humidity.  Yesterday it got up to 108 degrees.

While blog reading this morning, I was inspired by Tanna's April 24th post to get moving. Even with just a few weeks without walking, I've noticed that my pants are all fitting tighter which doesn't make me feel very good at all.  The Canadians wrote about "armchair suicide" in 1968.  Now, 47 years later, news reports are that sitting is the new smoking.  A sedentary lifestyle isn't good for anyone. 

So I put on my walking shoes and hit the pavement for an hour and a half, wandering up and down the neighborhood streets as I love to do.

 Jingles, on the other hand, is committed to this.

 Have a super Saturday!

A Crocheted Gag Gift

On the 21st, I orchestrated a school-wide surprise celebration for my boss who retires after 12 years in Kuwait.  The whole event turned out just as I had imagined and he was totally taken by surprise.

A gag gift was made by me and a friend just for the occasion.  There's a back story that I won't go into, but this link his niece shared is what started it all.

The Latest in Men's Fashion

He joked that they would make a great gift for my husband, but I turned the joke on him.

Let me just say, when he opened it up, he leapt out of his chair in fits of laughter.

Just the reaction we were looking for.

I made the crocheted granny square shorts and the box.  Leslie made the shirt, hat and sandals.  And her husband made the doll out of air dry clay and the surfboard out of foam.

Few people would get the joke, but to us, it was priceless and definitely worth the effort.

Happy Thursday!