Friday Fill-In

Friday Fill-Ins #73

1. On my laziest day I like to Sleep in late, read, drink tea and take my dog on a long lazy walk!
2. Making jewelry makes me feel like I’m being productive.
3. I love little things, things made in miniature and big Pillows.
4. This summer I want to Go to the ocean.
5. Jehara  ;)  made me start my blog.
6. Red Cherries and orange cantaloupes are very yummy!
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to Sleeping, tomorrow my plans include organizing and cleaning house and Sunday, I want to go to White Rock Lake!

White Rock Lake

I have been craving the ocean and water!  I hate living in Dallas, in the middle of nothing.  I want to be by the sea.  I have been feeling this angst lately.  Today, after running all of my errands I went to White Rock Lake.  I left my phone in the car, pulled out a blanket, my pastels and sketch pad, and the camera I borrowed from Olga.  I found a beautiful spot, somewhat off the beaten track.  I just spent the afternoon listening to the water,  watching the bikers and joggers, listening to the birds and just enjoying the earth. 

 

White Rock lake has some very beautiful trees, that contort and twist in a variety of directions.  The day become overcast, and the sun bounced playfully off of the clouds.

I stayed and enjoyed watching the sun go down, the fireflies came out and danced on the grass.  I tried to capture the fireflies on film, but all I got was grass!

The moon came out, and I watched a family of ducks head home for the evening.  The moon was beautiful, but it was shrouded with clouds. 

 I realized, even though I do not live by the ocean, I can still feel the same peace and joy!

Friday Fill In

Friday Fill In #71

1. The coffee had an extra secret ingredient; it was Cinnamon!
2. I love to watch the birds through my window.
3. Right now, I need Sleep!  I am very tired, I have not been getting enough sleep.
4. Nowhere is where I went Thursday night; it was A wonderful place to go.
5. Why does my head hurt so much?  I have had this headache off and on for 4 days now! My head is killing me!
6. All I can think of is the How much I hate the stinking gas prices! 
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to My headache going away, tomorrow my plans include MoMentuM meeting and being with my friends, headache permitting and Sunday, I want to celebrate the fact that I survived my crappy childhood, with no help from my mother! 

Goddess Of the Week - Kwan Yin, the ultimate Mother

Kwan Yin is a Goddess who stands at the meeting place of two great archetypal rivers: the very ancient Chinese Great Mother and the Bodhisattva of Compassion, who appears elsewhere as a masculine figure.

She is also one of those very rare deities who quietly belong to several religions at once.  Always changing, always Herself, her image can be seen on Buddhist shrines throughout the world as well as in Taoist places of worship.  Her calm gaze watches over countless ancestors on Confucianist shrines in China, Shintoist shrines in Japan, often found close to Her own.

As the Great Mother, Her compassion radiates in harmony with the blessings of Tibetan Tara,

African Yemaya

 

or South-American Virgén de Guadalupe.

All over the world, women have always prayed to the Great Mother for the healing of a sick child or to find solace from life’s troubles.  Always She hears, and Her Presence consoles the grieving, cools the burning brow, relieves the pain. Kwan Yin means “She who hears the cries of sentient beings.”

In Tibet, She becomes He: Chenrezig, “Loving Eyes”. One of his representations shows him with a thousand arms forming a mandala around him in his endeavour to help all sentient beings who call for His help.

In Her sanctuary, Kwan Yin awaits you.  In Her hands she holds the vessel of nectar which She pours on the world’s suffering.  The wheel of Her mantra, Om Mani Padme Hum, revolves infinitely, emanating light in all directions.  Take the time to bow before Her and allow your heart to express its sincere wish.  Allow Her subtle presence to reach out to you.

It’s perfectly all right to ask for oneself, but isn’t it even sweeter to ask for a loved one?

 

 

All of the information in this post came from a wonderful site listed below:

Thursday Thirteen - In Honor of Mother’s Day

Thirteen things I did not get from my mother. 

1.  Protection - My mother did not protect me.  I was physically and sexually abused.

2.  Listen - My mother did not listen to me.  I told her about abuse that was happening, and she did nothing. 

3.  Comfort - When I was hurt or sick, my mother never comforted me.  My mother would pull away from me when I tried to hug her. 

4.  Honesty - My mother did not tell me the truth.  My mother was a compulsive liar.  She never told the truth, even when the truth would have been easier to tell.

5.  Knowledge - Knowledge of women stuff (hormones, sex, menstruation), you name it, my mother did not talk about it.

6.  Cooking - I always wanted to cook.  My mother never let me in the kitchen to try cooking. 

7.  Possessions and food - My mother would not let me have what my siblings had, unless they had the chance to choose first.    

8.  Support - My mother did not support me in anything that I did.  She did not go to plays, events, anything that had to do with me.  My mother is excellent at giving criticism.  I got lots of that.

9.  Religion - My mother practiced a warped version of Catholicism.  She tried to give me this one.  No thanks, I will pass on this one.

10.    Family - Because we lived in an abusive household, loyalty was expected, even if you were having the shit kicked out of you.  It was “the family” against the big bad world. 

11.  House cleaning/ clutter - On the outside, our house looked very nice.  On the inside,  ohh baby, let me tell you, it was another story all together. 

12.  Being true to yourself - Materialism, that in a word is what my mother was all about.  Labels, appearances, what other people think, being the best, being the richest, whatever, and if you were not you would lie about it.  My mother was all about keeping up appearances at all cost.  How you truly feel, and what you truly believe did not matter. 

13.  Love - My mother did not teach me about love.  In fact, my mother often told me that she hated me and wished that I had never been born.  My mother blamed me for any and all problems in our family, and for problems she had with my dad. 

So to summarize:  If you want to be a good mother, just give your child everything that I did not get.

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

 

Thirteen Things About My Dog Cosmo

Thirteen Things about My Dog Cosmo.Here he is, on my bed watching T.V.  with his ball.     I think he is irritated with me for disturbing him!!!

 

 1.  He loves me unconditionally

2.  His favorite movie is Uptown Girls with Brittany Murphy in it.  I think his real favorite actor is the Pig - Moo!

3.  He loves to watch TV.

4.  He hates the “Empire Today” commercials.  The ones where they sing that awful song “call 1-800 empire…”.  He hates this commercial so bad, that he literally attacks the T.V.  Who said Dogs couldn’t work in Marketing?

5.  He howls every time I say my nieces name.

6.  His favorite toy is his Blue Ball.

7.  His favorite pastime is to look out the window and watch the birds and the squirrels.

8.  He may only be a little dog, but his protective bark makes him sound like a German Shepard.

9.  He is a Lhasa Apso.    About the Breed:  Taken from http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/lhasaapso.htm 

The land of Tibet was the home of the Lhasa Apso - the breed taking its name from the sacred city of Lhasa. For at least two thousand years the breed was only bred in Tibet by holy men and nobles. It was used as a watchdog in temples and monasteries, and was considered sacred, for when its master died, his soul was thought to enter the Lhasa Apso’s body. Although they were thought to bring good luck to their owners, Lhasa Apsos were virtually impossible to buy. Happily these very precious dogs, and the equally prized Tibetan Terrier, spread to other parts of the world, mainly because the Dalai Lama. Tibet’s ruler would present them to visiting foreign diplomats. The breed was first seen in Britain in the 1920’s and was introduced to the US in the 1930’s.

10.  He has a rather large arsenal of tricks:  He can give hugs, catch and toss a ball, sit, shake, give 5, on the side, in the hole, and he has soul!  Just to name a few.

11.  When I am at Jehara’s flat, if he sits on her beautiful ivory rug from West Elm he totally blends in, and I often trip over him.

12.  He is my little protector!

13.  I love him with all my heart!

 

 

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

 

 

I love this! I got this off of Whatever You Are. Be a Good One

Stuff Your Doodles!

 

Stuff your doodles, what a cool concept!  This small unique company makes your children’s designs (or yours) reality.

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Doodle a monster, princess, animal, alien or whatever.  Send it to them and they make it.  What a cute idea.