Sidewalk Chalk Art Competition - Part 1

While strolling around Winter Park today, I came across a sidewalk chalk art competition. Several different schools were competing, and some adults. Below is a sampling of what I saw today. Since most of the competitors were under age, I've erased their names from the photos I've posted but I retain the original photos with the names intact.

Stay tuned tomorrow for the rest!

A Politically-Correct Dictionary for Dogs

This came from an old issue of a gem of a magazine called Going Bonkers?  The self-help magazine with a sense of humor.

Please enjoy "A Politically-Correct Dictionary for Dogs."

Archaic                                         New
Dog                                              Domestic Partner
Hound                                          Canine Companion
Person                                         Quadrupled-impaired
Pet                                               Roommate
Master                                          Master chef
Owner                                          Automatic door opener
Command                                    Suggestion
Pot roast                                      Dog food
Groomer                                      Spa
"Accident"                                    Self-expression
Barking                                        Discussing
Discipline                                     Assertiveness training
Obedience                                   Self-actualization program
Shedding                                     Self-renewal
Digging through trash                  Recycling
Dog pack                                     Fraternal organization
Guard dog                                   Defense chief
Sheep dog                                   Agricultural mgmt.                                                                                     professional
Lap dog                                       Personal advisor
Stray                                            Explorer
Kids                                             Assailants
Bath                                            Obsolete

Book Review: To Bless the Space Between Us

Just finished this lovely book of poetry, To Bless the Space Between Us, by the late John O'Donohue. I first came across his poetry a few years ago and I have loved his work ever since. 

The book is divided into major life categories with poems within each chapter that cover pretty much anything you can think of.

Chapter 1: Beginnings

Chapter 2: Desires

Chapter 3: Thresholds

Chapter 4: Homecomings

Chapter 5: States of Heart

Chapter 6: Callings

Chapter 7: Beyond Endings

While I liked almost all of the poems (some I just could not make heads or tails out of at this point in time), some of the ones that spoke the most to me were A Morning Offering, For A New Beginning, For A New Home, For Freedom, A Blessing of Angels, For Longing, For the Traveler, For A Mother-To-Be, For a Friend on the Arrival of Illness, For a Parent on the Death of a Child, To Come Home to Yourself, Before Sleep, For Courage, For An Exile, For Solitude, For Grief, For the Interim Time, For One Who is Exhausted, For A Nurse, For the Time of Necessary Decision, For Citizenship, For a Leader, On the Death of the Beloved, and For the Dying.

O'Donohue's poetry touches my soul on a personal level. I would have loved to have known him in person, but the perception I have of him through his poetry is that he seems to have been a very intuitive and kind man who sought to give everyone who crossed his path kind words and comfort on the journey of life. Definitely a must-read for any of his fans. Be sure to check him out on YouTube, too!


All opinions are my own. I am not receiving compensation for this review.

Ten Feet Tall!

Today would have been my dad's 72nd birthday. 

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

My dad at about age 2

His enlistment photo

With me

Mom and Dad

I spent some time visiting with my dad's family out of state recently and had an opportunity to visit his grave after many, many years. Days like today are hard as I remember my dad and certain childhood memories.

One memory that really stands out for me is when my dad stood up for me when I told him about a bully at the bus stop who always gave me a hard time. He would push me out of line to get on the bus and make me go to the back of the line, and he called me horrible names. I put up with it for a long time out of fear before finally telling my dad about it. 

My dad called the boy's father immediately and got things straightened out. The very next morning, that same bully was the most apologetic and gracious kid I'd ever seen and I never had another problem with him. My daddy was 10 feet tall that day! ♥

Happy Birthday, Daddy! I miss you!

Love, 

Peanut

Happy Halloween, Boys and Girls...

Hope you get all the sweets you can handle! Sleep tight...

if you can.

When Death Comes

When Death Comes

by Mary Oliver

When death comes
like the hungry bear in autumn;
when death comes and takes all the bright coins from his purse

to buy me, and snaps the purse shut;
when death comes
like the measle-pox

when death comes
like an iceberg between the shoulder blades,

I want to step through the door full of curiosity, wondering:
what is it going to be like, that cottage of darkness?

And therefore I look upon everything
as a brotherhood and a sisterhood,
and I look upon time as no more than an idea,
and I consider eternity as another possibility,

and I think of each life as a flower, as common
as a field daisy, and as singular,

and each name a comfortable music in the mouth,
tending, as all music does, toward silence,

and each body a lion of courage, and something
precious to the earth.

When it's over, I want to say all my life
I was a bride married to amazement.
I was the bridegroom, taking the world into my arms.

When it's over, I don't want to wonder
if I have made of my life something particular, and real.

I don't want to find myself sighing and frightened,
or full of argument.

I don't want to end up simply having visited this world.

For Courage

For some friends and for myself on occasion when life seems so very dark. I hope you will find comfort in these words by the late John O'Donohue.

******************************

For Courage

When the light around you lessens

And your thoughts darken until

Your body feels fear turn

Cold as a stone inside,

When you find yourself bereft

Of any belief in yourself

And all you unknowingly

Leaned on has fallen,

When one voice commands

Your whole heart, 

And it is raven dark,

Steady yourself and see

That it is your own thinking

That darkens your world,

Search and you will find

A diamond-thought of light,

Know that you are not alone

And that this darkness has purpose;

Gradually it will school your eyes

To find the one gift your life requires

Hidden within this night-corner.

Invoke the learning

Of every suffering

You have suffered.

Close your eyes.

Gather all the kindling

About your heart

To create one spark.

That is all you need

To nourish the flame

That will cleanse the dark

Of its weight of festered fear.

A new confidence will come alive

To urge you toward higher ground

Where your imagination

Will learn to engage difficulty

As its most rewarding threshold!