You know that pondering tilt of the head a person gives a work of art they’ve just completed? Writing about your life is that exactly. You step back, pick up your paint brush, apply a dab of compassion here, a brush stroke of flair over there. Putting your life on canvas allows you to see what your life looks like through the eyes of others.
Going Granny (actually my grandkids call me Nanny) is my best achievement yet! Here’s a phone message my barely two-year grandgirl left for me on my 58th b-day. I guarantee it; this will make your day.
If you enjoyed my post on the Little People Project, you’ll love this.
First, feast your gaze on these gorgeous landscape photos:
Photos courtesy of MatthewAlbanese.com
Photos courtesy of MatthewAlbanese.com
Photos courtesy of MatthewAlbanese.com
Photos courtesy of MatthewAlbanese.com
Rivers in flood, erupting volcanoes, coral reefs, Northern Lights … the moon??
This photographer must really get around!
Continue reading
How fun is this?
Photo courtesy of Back to the Roots (http://www.backtotheroots.com/) via Co.Exist (http://www.fastcoexist.com)
It’s a fish tank,
it’s a garden,
it’s …
This newfangled countertop-gardening gizmo has the “neat-o” market cornered.
Photo courtesy of Back to the Roots (http://www.backtotheroots.com/)
In a nutshell, it’s a self-cleaning fish tank that grows food.
Maintenance?
None. All you do is feed the fish.
Dirt?
Nope. It’s soil-free (the plants grow in clean pebbles).
Um … smell?
Not a whiff except for the sweet scents of flourishing herbs and greens. (Almost sounds too good to be true.)
So, how does it work?
“This closed-loop eco-system uses the fish waste to naturally fertilize the plants above,” explain Aquafarm’s inventors. “In turn, the plants clean the water for your pet fish.”
The ready-to-grow kit, which is made in California and sells for about $60, includes everything you need to get started, from organic seeds to fish food, and you also get a discount coupon for your first fish from Petco.
Are you thinking what I’m thinking?
Photo courtesy of Back to the Roots http://www.backtotheroots.com/
Photo courtesy of Back to the Roots http://www.backtotheroots.com/
Kids and Christmas!
Winnie Nielsen says: Finally, the answer to the office desk top Beta fish tank that never gets cleaned and gets way too disgusting to imagine! Beta fish will now have a perfect environment and those sterile cubbies will get an upgrade with nice green plants. Plus, I bet it will be like a little Zen space to let your eyes wander to when the last phone call was over the top! Perfect for classrooms too! This is a great learning tool and the answer to a pet for apartment dwellers!! I hope lots of kids get one for Christmas!!
Corri Riebow says: We have two betas….I think I need a couple of these!!!
Karlyne says: How about “Gramma and Christmas”? I’d love a couple of these!
Nancy says: Have hesitated to get a fish tank, seeing all the work two of my sons have with theirs. What a great idea! I have not had good luck trying to grow herbs in the house and this sure sounds like a “win-win” item. Now where do I find this to order one!
Hot on the heels of the Natural Resources Defense Council’s examination of misleading “sell by” dates on food, Doug Rauch, the former president of Trader Joe’s, announces his plans to open a restaurant that sells expired food.
Before you cringe with thoughts of The Gleaner’s Kitchen, consider Rauch’s reasoning.
(Rest assured, there is no dumpster-diving involved.)
Dubbed “The Daily Table,” his restaurant will serve foods that have passed their “sell by” dates but are still perfectly safe.
Photo by thebittenword.com (Clagett Farm CSA Week 10), CC-BY-2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
He told NPR, “It’s the idea about how to bring affordable nutrition to the underserved in our cities. It basically tries to utilize this 40 percent of food that is wasted. This is, to a large degree, either excess, overstocked, wholesome food that’s thrown out by grocers, etc. … at the end of the day because of the sell-by dates. Or [it’s from] growers that have product that’s nutritionally sound, perfectly good, but cosmetically blemished or not quite up for prime time. [So we] bring this food down into a retail environment where it can become affordable nutrition.”
When asked how much of a problem he thinks it will be to sell this idea to the public, Rauch said, “Well, we’ll see, won’t we? I think that the issue here is really how you talk about it and how you educate … Most of what we offer will be fruits and vegetables that have a use-by date on it that’ll be several days out.”
Listen to NPR’s interview with Doug Rausch here, and share your thoughts:
Winnie Nielsen says: I love this! The national obesity awareness from Ms. Obama has shown where inner cites are fresh produce deserts. Poor people don’t even have any access to healthy food choices within their immediate communities so how are they supposed to eat healthier? Mr. Rauch’s project is desperately needed and I hope it is 100% successful and grows exponentially!!
How many dazzling ideas have dawned on you …
Photo by Greg L., CC-BY-SA-3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
in the shower?
I’ve had more than I can count,
and I can almost always count on coming up with something creative any time I step into that
“stream” of consciousness.
But, why?
What is it about a shower that sends us into sudden throes of genius?
Is it the water?
The warmth?
The privacy, perhaps?
Actually, the shower phenomenon has a little to do with all of those things, which collectively culminate in a sweet state of distraction that illuminates thoughts often overshadowed by the daily grind.
“The shower is the perfect place to cook up big ideas,” explains Mental_Floss. “Research shows that we most often hit creative epiphany while doing super monotonous tasks like exercising or showering. Because these sorts of everyday ritual tasks don’t take up much brain space as you’re doing them (unlike working or investing in a good book), your mind is freed up to wander.”
According to Dr. Shelley Carson, author of Your Creative Brain, “Highly creative people share one amazing trait—they’re easily distracted. And that’s the beauty of a warm shower. It distracts you. It makes you defocus. It lets your brain roam. It activates your DMN (default mode network) and encourages wacky ideas to bounce around. So when the lather rinses off, your light bulb switches on.”
I would bet that businesses have been started, books have begun, and great projects have launched in showers around the globe.
Not to mention some super funny songs:
Dare to share your shower epiphanies?
Do tell!
Winnie Nielsen says: i cannot think of any good epiphanies in the shower , but I have had some much needed cries@!
Lisa says: The shower is where I do a lot of thinking, problem solving, planning the next day’s tasks, & like Winnie, had a few good cries.
Megan says: Me too ladies, me too. 🙂
Have you ever felt powerless in a health-care setting?
My guess is, we all have.
Whether your visit concerned your own health or the health of a loved one, it’s likely that a combination of worry and doubt (How will I know if I’m getting the best care?) left you feeling vulnerable and defenseless.
Doctor Dan the Bandage Man by Helen Gaspard, courtesy of Little Golden Books via Kilmer House
My gut reaction to this topic drew me to a recent article by Dr. Lissa Rankin published on the MindBodyGreen website.
Dr. Rankin offers tips to help take charge of your health care by being “empowered,” but not “difficult.”
We’ve all heard the adage, “You’ll catch more flies with honey than vinegar.” During a stressful visit to a medical facility, it can be extremely difficult to communicate with personnel without losing your cool.
But Dr. Rankin assures us that speaking up calmly and kindly is often the key to getting attention. That takes true empowerment. Believe that you have every right to know what’s going on—because you do—and voice your concerns with both conviction and compassion.
Of course, there are instances when it makes sense to pack up and take your health concerns elsewhere.
“If your doctor is an ego maniac, I don’t care how skilled your doctor is—find another doctor,” Rankin advises. “If your doctor considers you difficult any time you question an order or ask for a second opinion, your doctor cares more about being in control than doing the right thing. As a physician training other doctors to partner with patients, I guarantee there are wonderful physicians who welcome the partnership of empowered patients and their families.”
Want to learn more? I encourage you to read the full article, “Are You Fed up with Health Care?”
Remember, our bodies, and our wellness, belong to us.
Winnie Nielsen says: Thank-you for posting this important issue today! We all need to be our own best healthcare advocates. We would never buy a property without asking questions and doing our own research, so why would we just turn over our health decisions to someone? In my professional career of nursing, we nurses advocated for our patients every day, but that cannot take the place of a person advocating for them selves. A precept of nursing care is to first listen to the patient and believe what that person is telling you. Nurses encouraged patients to talk about their concerns and questions which we would pass along to the physicians. But, nothing takes the place of a person directly asking for answers and insisting that they be given. Healthcare is best achieved as teamwork with all of the team bringing together information. And at the heart of every team is the patient and the patient experience. If we don’t get that right, it is easier to have lesser positive outcomes. For hundreds of years, people placed physicians in a strata of all knowing and felt they should never question the information they were given. Medical schools perpetuated this all knowing persona attribute making the communication between patient and doctor almost non-existent. The good news today is that medical schools are teaching differently, and healthcare teams include nurse practitioners and other healthcare professionals working together. It is not a perfect system yet, but it is light years ahead of how healthcare used to be delivered. And more and more patients and their families are taking charge and demanding understandable information. It is a good thing!!!
Terry Steinmetz says: I agree with Dr. Rankin. I have such difficulty living in a small rural community getting my health care physicians to work with my natural medical doctor. I will be trying to find another doctor soon that will work with my ND. I try to explain how I feel about certain issues and usually end up getting blank stares or the “shaking of the head”. As a nurse & a soon-to-be naturopath, I wish to seek all medical options. I try to be as polite as possible. (that makes my b/p go up, but…) I love my ND.
I question everything my Drs order….Nicely but firmly. I won’t be bullied into doing something or taking something I haven’t had time to research or ask questions about. Most of the time they smile and shake their heads,,,,but usually sit back down to discuss the issues i have,,,They tease me about not trusting them but are very good about talking it out…
Have you seen this list buzzing around on the Web?
Image courtesy of Steampunk’s Facebook Page
The ideas are simple and straightforward, but it’s refreshing to check in once in a while to see which ones you’re engaging in—and to try a new one now and then.
You know, to keep things fresh.
I recently heard a saying that could well be added to this list:
Perfect is the enemy of done.
Whenever I find myself nitpicking at details too obsessively, I plan to remind myself of that one.
How about you?
What simple tasks or sayings fuel your creative efforts?
Winnie Nielsen says: Be patient with yourself and others.
If it is not working out, put it down, and take a second look tomorrow. ( My Mom’s wisdom for teaching impatient me how to sew!!)
Everything doesn’t have to happen now!
All good things are worth working for.
Always smile at others and say hello. The world turns better with a little kindness.
These little reminders for better and fuller living are fun to contemplate and list. The hard part is doing them in the heat of the moment when you have an impatient streak like me! Ha!!
Terry Steinmetz says: “Have no regrets.” I use this one a lot. If I’m wondering about whether or not to do something that I might enjoy, or want to see or just do, I ask myself “if I don’t do this or if I do do this will I have no regrets?” I find this helps me get my priorities straight. Life is too short & I want to always say, I have NO regrets!”
I do quite a few of these already. I think the hardest ones are ” quit beating yourself up” and ” don’t give up”. Both are hard when you aren’t seeing any results from your efforts. But every night before bed, I visualize the life I’m trying to create with my creativity. So I think another important item is “visualize success”.
Do you need a little lift today?
Well, what if I were to tell you that I could lend you a pair of wings
(yes—wings!)
that would carry you right up over the breathtaking landscape of the French Alps?
Too good to be true?
Just watch:
Go ahead.
Watch it again
(and again).
Ahhhhh …
Is it “real”?
I can’t say for sure, but it convinces me that flying on the back of an eagle feels fabulous.
The footage, uploaded by YouTube user Srachi, was recorded using an action camera attached to the eagle’s back (presumably placed there by a fellow versed in falconry). According to the video’s description, the flight took place near Chamonix-Mont-Blanc in southeastern France.
Winnie Nielsen says: Oh, la,la!! What a ride that was!!! Eagles in flight are just breathtaking to watch. We saw the most beautiful Sea Eagles in Norway in some of the fjords. It is amazing to me that they can spot prey from so high up!
What do butterflies and turtle tears have in common?
Funny question, I know, but it’s more than mere nonsense.
It turns out that butterflies sip turtle tears to satisfy their need for salt.
Photo courtesy of Lufonz via Flickr, CC BY-ND 3.0
Who even knew that turtles cry, right?
Apparently, it’s not out of sorrow, though—simply an eye-moistening matter.
Even so, there’s something rather fairytale-esque about seeing a butterfly drying a turtle’s tears.
But bees?
Winnie Nielsen says: This is very interesting! Who would have ever known what was really going on? It is always so amazing how intricately we are all connected in nature. Nothing goes to waste!
Are you a museum lover?
Art, history, science … there’s so much fun stuff to explore within the hallowed halls of our nation’s museums.
Photo by Ingfbruno, CC-BY-SA-3.0, vvia Wikimedia Commons
And, it just so happens that September 28 is National Museum Day. This tidbit of trivia also comes with a sweet deal: free admission.
Photo by Paul Duke , CC-BY-SA-2.0, via Wikimedia Commonsvia Wikimedia Commons
It’s true!
The Smithsonian Institution is sponsoring Museum Day Live, in which participating museums across the country invite visitors to download tickets (one is good for two people) and explore their exhibits for free.
Tickets and a full list of participating museums are available on the Museum Day Live website.
Will you be including a museum in your plans this coming weekend?
Winnie Nielsen says: Museums are such treasures in our cities and communities. No only do they always have something worth learning about, they usually have wonderful small restaurants where you can get a bite to eat and sort of make an outing from the event. Their gift shops are also great places to pick up a nice card or gift for someone special as well.
Elizabeth says: “Are you a museum lover?”
A resounding, Yes! is in order here. I’ve been to/through more than a few museums & I must say the Smithsonian is a must see ~if you truly enjoy museums ~ they have something for everyone there.
There is the infamous Hope Diamond (along with an outstanding gemology section).
Humungous & itsy-bitsy fossils & dynamic sculptures.
Paintings so grand & rich in color & emotion that I could spend days looking at & never tire of seeing.
Hmmm, so I’m a little bit partial to The National Gallery of Art;-) But there are plenty of nice museums right here in the USA!
Kim Platt says: How can anyone not love a museum? When I was growing up, we went to the one at Michigan State University a lot. Totally rich with history. I haven’t been there in what seems like forever and a day. Everyone needs to get out there to a museum whenever they get a chance. Very educational and fun.
Sandra Bullock riding a bicycle with a chicken on her handlebars.
I mean, hey, who hasn’t done that? (Confession: I haven’t, but I want to now.)
Most of us chicken lovers can’t claim super-celebrity status (outside of our own households, anyway).
Photo by Angela George, CC-BY-SA-3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
But fame hasn’t stopped Sandra from sticking to her farmgirl roots.
She tells it like it is.
And, according to a recent article in Vogue, chickens are IT.
“Back in California, she keeps chickens named for comediennes: Carol Burnett, Wanda Sykes, and a Phyllis Diller, until she was revealed to be a rooster and rechristened Phil Diller,” reveals interviewer Jason Gay.
Rest assured, her California chickens are not a flight of fancy. Sandra has a history with hens, a longstanding rapport with roosters …
“When I was like 12, I had a chicken named Colonel Sanders and he was not a chicken chicken,” she told Dennis Hensley a few years ago. “He liked people. He would stand on the top of your handlebars while you were riding your bike through the neighborhood.”
Can’t you just see it now?
Something a bit like this:
Photo courtesy of Nana & Baba
Winnie Nielsen says: This is a great testimony that chickens do have personalities and capable of interacting with humans. It just reinforces the need to keep pushing for better laws regarding chicken and egg production!!
Buy props used in MaryJane’s books and magazine!
5% of profits will benefit www.firstbook.org, a non-profit that provides new books to children from low-income families throughout the U.S. and Canada.
Here’s how:
MaryJane will post a photo and a description of a prop and its cost along with a few details as to its condition here: https://shop.maryjanesfarm.org/MaryJanesCurations. It’s a playful way to be the new owner of a little bit of farm herstory.
Yep, I was fooled too! Amazing art!
All I can say is Wow!!!!!!!!!!!
Yep, fooled here too.. amazing, truly!