pumpkins will go from green to orange in time for Halloween...
Sunday, September 20, 2015
Geese signal fall, than winter
The first day of movement for the geese - signaling fall than winter
dogs still swim in the water...soon it will be cold ...temps dipping into the 40s at night already!
goats start to get the yellow and brown hues to their faces - it's "rutting" season - now thru December
pumpkins will go from green to orange in time for Halloween...
tomatoes abundant in need of harvesting along with basil, kale , and other herbs, and greens!
soon we can ride - for the hot summer days are past...and the coolness lends itself to other activities.
pumpkins will go from green to orange in time for Halloween...
In Memorium: Auntie
We come together for a family gathering in Memorium of our Auntie - a figure that influenced each one of us in a special way - we are grateful for our time together - memories take us back to the times we shared, individually and together. We will miss you Auntie...
Our maternal and paternal side of our ancestry lend such leadership to our family. We reflect on those teachings - knowingly and unconsciously. So much to emulate and so much to learn. Moving forward in time, we will honor their memory and send prayers of goodness in the afterlife, knowing they may hear and feel how much we miss them.
I think of my Aunt and she reminds me how to grow old with grace according to many of the "self help" books.
1/ Cardio - working out helps to feed the brain more blood/oxygen. A 30 minute workout is all you need to get the heart pumping. I like tennis as a cardio sport - also keeps the brain active with court strategy. My Aunt used power walking in her 50s and early 60s. Once she retired, she did cardio no more. We never asked her why.
2/Comradarie/Social/Friendships - "people who need people are the luckiest people in the world" - as it turns out - socializing is great for aging. More fun, laughter, being out and about. These are some of the ways to add quality to your life.
3/Pets - dogs, cats, even goats - any pet adds love - and that is always a good thing. They may limit travel so one needs to weigh the pros and cons.
4/Travel - exploration keeps you young for all these reasons - keeps your mind active seeing and learning about new places, people and culture. May involve the companionship of other people if you travel in groups or pairs. Involves alot of walking - if you are going to places that involve more than a spa or beach retreat.
5/Massage - this is my own take on aging well - touch, muscle stimulation and detoxification. Always makes me feel rejuvenated!
6/ Mediterranean diet - olive oil is one of the keys - also, fish and mostly plant based diet. Vitamins, omega 3s, anti inflammatory - all rolled into one.
7/ Keep Learning
anything that stimulates the brain is a powerful tool to aging well - learn a language, get a Masters degree, learn a new trade.
For more on this and other useful ways to age healthier - read The Blue Zones - a study of centenarian cultures.
https://www.bluezones.com/blog/
“A Noiseless Patient Spider,” Whitman:
A noiseless patient spider,I mark'd where on a little promontory it stood isolated,Mark'd how to explore the vacant vast surrounding,It launched forth filament, filament, filament, out of itself,Ever unreeling them, ever tirelessly speeding them.And you O my soul where you stand,Surrounded, detached, in measureles oceans of space,Ceaselessly musing, venturing, throwing, seeking the spheres to con-nect them,Till the bridge you will need be form'd, till the ductile anchor hold,Till the gossamer thread you fling catch somewhere, O my soul. (CRE 450)
I think of my Aunt and she reminds me how to grow old with grace according to many of the "self help" books.
1/ Cardio - working out helps to feed the brain more blood/oxygen. A 30 minute workout is all you need to get the heart pumping. I like tennis as a cardio sport - also keeps the brain active with court strategy. My Aunt used power walking in her 50s and early 60s. Once she retired, she did cardio no more. We never asked her why.
2/Comradarie/Social/Friendships - "people who need people are the luckiest people in the world" - as it turns out - socializing is great for aging. More fun, laughter, being out and about. These are some of the ways to add quality to your life.
3/Pets - dogs, cats, even goats - any pet adds love - and that is always a good thing. They may limit travel so one needs to weigh the pros and cons.
4/Travel - exploration keeps you young for all these reasons - keeps your mind active seeing and learning about new places, people and culture. May involve the companionship of other people if you travel in groups or pairs. Involves alot of walking - if you are going to places that involve more than a spa or beach retreat.
5/Massage - this is my own take on aging well - touch, muscle stimulation and detoxification. Always makes me feel rejuvenated!
6/ Mediterranean diet - olive oil is one of the keys - also, fish and mostly plant based diet. Vitamins, omega 3s, anti inflammatory - all rolled into one.
7/ Keep Learning
anything that stimulates the brain is a powerful tool to aging well - learn a language, get a Masters degree, learn a new trade.
For more on this and other useful ways to age healthier - read The Blue Zones - a study of centenarian cultures.
https://www.bluezones.com/blog/
Monday, August 24, 2015
Fond Memories of Our Childhood Home
Since this blog is all about nurturing the mind body spirit environment and other living beings, let me spew about where it all started, our childhood home and the memories these photos stir up for me, in a very good way.
the colors of the house are different and the landscape had many more flowers, which my Dad planted, namely lots of tulips and rose bushes.
The new owners seem to have taken good care of this house which was built by European immigrants in the 1940s, and provided a loving home to seven of us in our family. There were 3 floors, 5 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, and a finished basement. The neighborhood was special too - our Grandparents and other family lived "down the street" and many kids our own ages lived up and down the block - so many to play with.
I remember myself and a friend would do a kind of whistle to indicate to each other we were on the sidewalk on our way to meet and hang out together. A group of us would have touch football games in our backyard. We would bike all over the neighborhood for hours. There was a park nearby where we would walk, play frisbee, softball, the guys played football, later, we would meet up as young couples.
Our teenage years, we had parties when the folks were away that included a full DJ, bar, and late night dancing. The signature drink was The Kamakaze - frozen lemon ice - a neighborhood specialty - was the key ingredient.
There were lots of family parties hosted in and outdoors. Settings that included steak sandwiches, or lobster, sometimes both. This house represents lots of love which provided the foundation of our lives established by our parents, dedicated to raising a family with work ethic and shared values. These nurturing moments were so significant that today I'll dream of this house and wake up knowing that we sold it decades ago.
Childhood homes are precious to those families fortunate to have made fond memories.
the colors of the house are different and the landscape had many more flowers, which my Dad planted, namely lots of tulips and rose bushes.
The new owners seem to have taken good care of this house which was built by European immigrants in the 1940s, and provided a loving home to seven of us in our family. There were 3 floors, 5 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, and a finished basement. The neighborhood was special too - our Grandparents and other family lived "down the street" and many kids our own ages lived up and down the block - so many to play with.
Our teenage years, we had parties when the folks were away that included a full DJ, bar, and late night dancing. The signature drink was The Kamakaze - frozen lemon ice - a neighborhood specialty - was the key ingredient.
There were lots of family parties hosted in and outdoors. Settings that included steak sandwiches, or lobster, sometimes both. This house represents lots of love which provided the foundation of our lives established by our parents, dedicated to raising a family with work ethic and shared values. These nurturing moments were so significant that today I'll dream of this house and wake up knowing that we sold it decades ago.
Childhood homes are precious to those families fortunate to have made fond memories.
Friday, August 21, 2015
Thursday, August 20, 2015
Good Fortune
a friend of mine gave me this for good luck some 25 years ago. In my previous post, I recognized good friends and the value they bestow on our lives. Good fortune has played a role in my life as well. Through struggles and despair, I'm also grateful for the good fortune I have had in the fulfillment of my dreams. A simple one. Being able to own and care for horses.
This gift from a friend which we hung on the dairy barn years ago is a reflection of that!
This is June Royal, Starburst - a pony, and L.S. Quinarius in the foreground.
Jim Dandy close-up. his eyes are puffy from allergies to some of the wildflowers in the pasture.
June Royal showing signs of aging - gray on her face /coat
Smokey Boots, our oldest horse who died several years ago - see my Memorial post
Rosa Bonheur painting "The Horse Fair" hanging in the MET, my days in NYC from which I took inspiration and dreamt of having horses to care for.
Sunday, August 16, 2015
Nurturer, Friend
Perhaps the greatest definition of a friend is one who nurtures - essentially being the support of another person for a moment in time - little by little, problem by problem - and one who shares in the joys of another - moment by moment, step by step.
There are times when the ear of a confident helps us sort out the cobwebs of life - we offer our hand - it will be alright, we say - knowing that each time we are setback in life - we'll get a chance to move forward - if only we take the chance. Assure each other that not giving up /not giving in - is half the struggle.
Seeing old and dear friends is another reason to Celebrate. Remembering that you were once close friends - times you shared were a treasure - and always will be - the distance of time and space is meaningless - we see each other again and reminisce.
Stay around my friend, for another day, when things are lovely, when you sail on a cool breeze of salty air, reach new heights - stay around my friend for we nurture each other. Life takes us to new heights - we help each other hold on along the way.
Sharing these times with my friends and family - especially a day at the beach - is so uplifting for me - and this year we got together twice. Once at Avon by the Sea, and than on the fishing beach at Spring Lake - a well kept secret...Shhh!
Seeing old and dear friends is another reason to Celebrate. Remembering that you were once close friends - times you shared were a treasure - and always will be - the distance of time and space is meaningless - we see each other again and reminisce.
Stay around my friend, for another day, when things are lovely, when you sail on a cool breeze of salty air, reach new heights - stay around my friend for we nurture each other. Life takes us to new heights - we help each other hold on along the way.
Saturday, August 8, 2015
Play Time
...children show us how to play again and enjoy the things they love!
"Notice what is # 4 on the list?" Our family takes time to visit us on the farm even tho we are many miles away...sometimes they even help us with chores- like milking a goat-feeding horses-sweeping the barn.Most of all - they give lots of TLC - showing love...something we don't always have time for... mostly, a large dose of LOVE for the animals...and we feel it too!
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