May 4, 2010

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So, For Today...Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Outside my window...it is nearly dawn and the blue hour. To learn what that is you will have to read to the end of this post. It is going to be a beautiful day and I am excited to go to the Farmers' Market without getting drenched this week.

I am thinking...about all the people we know that are suffering with major illnesses and hoping things will be better for them all soon. Trying to think of ways to help them. Went to visit one friend yesterday with Lee and we changed her sheets. Something so easy if you are healthy and pretty difficult if you have cancer and a husband with a broken leg! It was nice to be able to help even if it was just a small act of service.

I am thankful for...the power of prayer. I'm thinking about my dear friend who is awaiting a diagnosis for a devastating illness today and wondering how she is surviving the not knowing. Then I remember who she is and that she is a paragon of faithfulness in the Lord and His will. She is the teacher always. It is a privilege to pray for our friends and we should never say, " all we can do is pray!" it should be the first thing we turn to knowing that it makes a huge difference, it is not a last resort.

From the learning room..I am in one of those learning frenzies I have sometimes where I feel like I am in a big sponge just soaking in more than usual. Does that happened to you? I love the information age even though it can be overwhelming at times...it is all good! I love Google and that every time I am wondering about something I can find out! I learned something so cool yesterday to be shared at the end of this post.

I am reading...Book 3 in the Zion Covenant Series by Bodie Theone. This one is entitled Munich Signature. It is a look into the absolute power of Hitler and how he overtook much of Europe. It is mind-boggling and terrifying on so many levels. There are so many parallels in our times and things for us to learn about it all...but that is for another day.

From the kitchen...I need to go shopping. Desperately!

I am wondering...how our son, Chris, is enjoying his time in London with 12 of his graduate students as they visit various engineering and manufacturing companies over the next week or so in several countries. We have five of our kids and grandkids spread out over Europe right now, {England, Germany, Italy}......Icelandic volcano with the big, long, funny name......be still.

I am hearing...Celine Dion. I watched her DVD of her Las Vegas Concert last night. Oh my stars, what an amazing talent. How can anyone be that thin and perfectly talented?

I am going...to remember how much fun it was getting a manicure with my friend, Lee, yesterday. Sitting side by side we chatted amongst ourselves in our own language as the manicurists did the same in theirs. Whaaa...? Why do they do that? Here is one of my all time favorite Youtubes.

Today if I could change one thing...The evil designs of conspiring men and women past, present and future. Tall order...

I am quoting..."Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." Michael Pollen

My spiritual thoughts include...how important faith is to our progression in life. We have to believe God not just believe in Him. And we have to believe in ourselves that we can actually do what He tells us we can.

Around the house...dust bunnies are accumulating even though they are not welcome.

I am missing...our kids and grandies...it is Mother's Day week after all.

I am hoping....the few flowers I have planted so far will actually survive my black thumb.

One of my guilty pleasures...a hamburger from the greasy spoon down the road. The only thing is you have to go in there looking really tired and grungy or people look at you funny. The food is great and the place is clean but the bikers and construction crew in there are kinda funny. I never go without Jim and then only about once every two years.

One of my favorite things...sunsets and sunrises: the colors, the splendor, the quiet, the reflection of a day now spent or a new beginning.

An enjoyable movie I have watched lately...Anna and the King

A few plans for the rest of the week...hair color and cut Wednesday, a garden tour and lunch with Maureen on Friday. It should be a lot of fun and inspirational. Mormon Helping Hands state-wide parks clean-up on Saturday and cooking for Jim's mom on Sunday for Mother's Day.

Here is a picture and a thought I am sharing with you~

Between Naps On The Porch

This beautiful photo was taken by Susan, creator of an excellent blog called Between Naps On The Porch. This blog is in my top ten for eye candy and excellent information about blogging in general. Yesterday she wrote about something so exciting if you are interested in photography. You can read about The Blue Hour on the link under the picture and on this site.

The Blue Hour

Looking at her photo you can see how beautiful the sky is. When she took this photo it was actually dark outside but she took it during the blue hour and this is what happens if you get that digital photo at just the right time. The blue hour occurs twice a day, just before dawn and just after dark. It does take some practice but Jim and I both did it this morning. We are not ready to share our own first attempts LOL, but we are both going to work on it. If you go to the Blue Hour link above you can put in your location and it will give you your window of opportunity each day. The time of course fluctuates with the seasons.

Now this is one thing I love about learning something new like this. We captured the Blue Hour in Italy while attending a live nativity and didn't even realize it or even see it until we knew about it yesterday. I was copying some photos for Jim's mom to be printed and there it was. I bet you will find some in your photos too. Here is our photo, nothing compared to Susan's, but you can see we did it! It was actually pitch black outside and rainy like crazy. Cool, huh?


Why didn't we see it? We just didn't know. An important life lesson as to how we function. Enlightenment is essential.