Tip for a Tuesday....

Friday Fotos....

The most beautiful yellow bird stopped by our feeders for its dinner last night.

A local florist is generously offering free blue ribbons to anyone who stops in 

to show support for our law enforcement workers.

 This sign is posted on the counter inside:

I am happy to display it in our front yard.

Wishing everyone, most especially those in law enforcement, 

a safe and happy weekend!

Thursday's Thought for the Day....

Wednesday's Wisdom

"Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons.

Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexatious to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself. Especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment, it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.

Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here.

And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be.

And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy."

Max Ehrmann, Desiderata

1927

Friday Fotos....

Memories....

We've been able to create a special corner of the garden, filled with memories.

The large photos of our precious granddaughters, printed on metal sheets, 

are an early Christmas gift to me from the Englishman. 

I see them each time I look at the back window or sit at the dining table.

And they make me smile every time!

The two slates in the forefront are from my parent's front stoop 

of the house I grew up in and my daughters also know so well. 

Many a trick or treater has stepped upon them in happy anticipation of some candy.

The grey stone to the left, is one my Dad especially chose for a fountain he built for my mother outside her kitchen window.  I can still see him describing to me how the water would be able to cascade down through the "fingers" on the front of the stone.

I think of him every time I shower the top of it with the hose.

The buoy on the top left is from one of the Englishman's boats, aptly named "Early Riser."

The lighthouse is appropriate, since I can see "Old Barney" in the far off distance, from our street.

And the watering can reminds me of a photo depicting my first attempts at gardening as seen below.

Just as in my garden, my parents planted pansies outside their living room front window.

Wishing everyone a peaceful weekend, 

filled with happy memories!

Thursday's Thought for the Day....

Wednesday's Wisdom.....

Recognizing that, perhaps, 

the problem isn't so much a lack of storage 

as it is an accumulation of too much stuff.

So as I continue to move items from one house to another, I look carefully at each piece. Then I decide if it's for keeps, passing on, recycling or throwing away. 

For me, I'm finding that less is better. 

Tip for a Tuesday....

Keep It Simple

whatever "it" is today:

your schedule

your to-do list

your week's menu

your wardrobe

your daily routine

your wants

your expectations

your life

Friday Foto....

"Over the Rainbow"

"When all the world is a hopeless jumble

And the raindrops tumble all around

Heaven opens a magic lane"

("Over The Rainbow" was written by Harburg, E Y / Arlen, Harold.)

Photo credit: Ben Sturner

This photo was taken on September 10, 2015, 

showing a rainbow touching the World Trade Center site.

"A magic lane," leading from the site to Heaven.

It seems most fitting.

Thursday's Thought for the Day....

“When I despair, 

I remember that all through history

 the way of truth and love have always won. 

There have been tyrants and murderers, 

and for a time, they can seem invincible,

 but in the end, 

they always fall. 

Think of it--always.”

― Mahatma Gandhi

Wednesday's Wisdom....

“When I was 16 years old, I tried to kill myself because I felt weird and I felt different and I felt like I did not belong," he told the audience. "And now I am standing here.

"I would like for this moment to be for that kid out there who feels like she's weird or she's different or she doesn't fit in anywhere. Yes, you do."

"Stay weird, stay different," he added.

"When it's your turn and you are standing on this stage, please pass the same message to the next person that comes along."

Graham Moore delivered a brave acceptance speech at the 87th annual Academy Awards, calling attention to suicide by confessing that he had once tried to take his life.

"The Imitation Game" screenwriter, who won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay, used his time onstage to reveal the struggles he faced during his teen years.

He passed on two most important messages: the first, that being "weird" or "different" doesn't mean you don't fit in - you do.  And the other: to pass on that message to those that come after you.

As a new school year begins, God bless those parents, teachers and all who work with children, who do whatever they can to make sure that each and every child feels like they do belong.

We all belong.

Tip for a Tuesday....

Love to bake? Love a challenge? Love a British accent?

Then tune in to your local PBS station each week for:

PBS website says: "This Fall on PBS, follow the trials and tribulations of passionate amateur bakers whose goal is to be named the U.K.’s best. Each week, the bakers tackle a different skill, the difficulty of which increases as the competition unfolds.

Watch full episodes of “The Great British Baking Show” online, and be sure to check your local listings to see when the show will be airing in your area."

Known in Britain as The Great British Bake Off  or simply Bake Off,

this show has been a phenomenal hit across the pond.

They tried an "American" version in the States on CBS which failed miserably in the ratings.

(In my opinion, they tried to force too much drama in order to get people to tune in.)

In England, the show is credited with prompting a huge interest in home baking, with supermarkets and department stores reporting increased sales of baking ingredients and accessories, as well as cookbooks written by the shows co-hosts.  

Four of Mary Berry's cookbooks sit on my kitchen shelf, 

next to the two Paul Hollywood books the Englishman purchased. 

With the holiday season fast approaching, now may be the perfect time to "get stuck in." 

As they say on Bake Off:

READY, SET, BAKE!

A Monday Memory....

Happy New (School) Year!!

The weather report caught my attention earlier and sent me back to Labor Day, 1977.  The forecast that year for the following day was also a projected 90 degrees!  Since I would be embarking on a new adventure - as a first year First Grade teacher -  I quickly realized I would need an outfit that would help me keep my cool, so to speak.  So after dinner, I headed up to the Nanuet Mall and the Bamberger's store.

I found the perfect dress - a black and white flower pattern, cap sleeve, with

the added bonus of two pockets!! 

(Pockets were, and still are, a must have for me - as a teacher, Mom and Grandmom.)

That dress felt like a sort of "good luck charm."  It started a tradition of sorts for me and I wore it again the following September, on the first day.  Years later, when I returned to the classroom as a Third Grade teacher, I made a point of seeking out "first day" outfits that were also black and white, as well as light enough to survive that invariably hot first day.

I've also been thinking how even now the day after Labor Day always feels like the start of the New Year for me, rather than January 1st.  

Guess it's from all those years as a student, teacher, and Mom to my three girls.

 Our precious little grands will be starting their New Year this week.

First Grader M begins tomorrow 

and C will have her first day ever in school, in the Pre-K Four class, on Thursday.

Heartfelt wishes for all 

who are headed off to a classroom in the morning, 

whether as students or teachers, 

that this New Year is one filled with the absolute joy of learning 

and a secure feeling of belonging.

Thursday's Thought for the Day....

“Nothing is ever really lost to us 

as long as we remember it.”

L.M. Montgomery

Tip for a Tuesday....

Looking for a good steam mop?  

Well, search no more.

When the Shark Steam Pocket mop I've been using for a few years recently gave up trying, I sought to purchase a replacement.  At the Englishman's urging, I started to investigate alternative brands.  The first model suggested?  The Power Fresh Steam Mop by Bissell.

I liked the reviews and overall description, so went ahead and ordered it.

It's fabulous!!

Loved the way it cleaned both the wooden floors and the rough ceramic tile in my hallway.

Easy peasy to put on either of the mop pads - plain or scrubber.

Has three steam settings.

On/off button on the mop itself. 

Lightweight and easy to push back and forth.

Removable water tank!

(I am using the suggested distilled water in the removable tank, 

in hopes of prolonging the machine's life!)

I highly recommend it!