Posts filed under ‘Photo-a-day’

I Am a Declutterer of Books

Of all the categories of my possessions, the book category has the most items. And it is the hardest category for me to purge. When I get into a fret about what to keep and what to give away, my daughter reminds me that I have time. I can take the time I need to do this sorting at my pace.

Books hold many memories for me especially the ones associated with homeschooling. It’s been 11 years since I’ve homeschooled. (11 years? Where did THAT time go?) It really is silly to hold onto these books. I am not going to use them again. I am not a homeschooler any more. It is time to update my (internal) image.

This week and last, I’ve been going though the bookshelves again. I want to and need to pare down my possessions. Bye-bye four bags of books. They were mostly books associated with our homeschooling days.

Don't these shelves look good? It is cool to see space on my shelves. It is cool to see my few knick-knacks. My goal is to empty one bookcase. I have 3 at home.


I have a lot of notebooks: 2 shelves worth. That is my next project. See what's in them: then toss, file, or give the contents away! Notebooks need to go.

NOTE: The middle photo is the 5th photo in my series, A Winter of Self Portraits. When I was brainstorming a list of items for my Winter Bucket List, I came up with the idea of taking 12 self-portraits.

Your  Turn . . .

  1. Do you have a lot of books? Is it easy or hard to manage these?
  2. Is there something that is hard for you to declutter? If yes, what? Why?
  3. Take your own self-portrait and share it with us.

RELATED  READING POSTS

RELATED DECLUTTERING POSTS

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14 Memories Involving My Dog

In 7 1/2 weeks Chip and I will have a birthday. Yes, we celebrate on the same day.

These last 2 months have been especially hard on Chip health-wise. I have been taking a lot of photos of us together. I am hoping this helps prepare me for his passing.

He will be 20 and I will be 54. In people years, however, Chipster will be 140 years old. Wowser.

In this photo we are at the vet’s office. He has not been eating or drinking much this past week.

This is probably selfish of me, but I hope he rallies and gets back to taking food and water. I am not ready for him to go.

Chip has lived with me for almost 14 years. I have many good memories of him. Here are 14 of them. One for every year we’ve been together.

  1. Relief. When we lived in Colorado, Chip loved to walk to the mail box with me. Besides doing a lot of sniffing, he LOVED to pee on the post.
  2. Tricks. He does tricks like shake, sit, lie down, twirl, find Elizabeth, and walk through the rack (the one used to corral pool table balls). On command he can point to the cupboard where his treats are. However, Chip pretends he doesn’t know how to rollover. He HATES doing that trick.
  3. Kick you. Chip has a peculiar way of telling you he wants to play. He turns his back-end to you and then kicks you with his hind legs.
  4. Bite! The only way Chip really played was to bite your hand or play tug-of-war. As he got older and lost his teeth, he didn’t play so much any more. We think his first people never taught him or encouraged him to play with toys or fetch.
  5. Walk me. Taking walks is the highlight of his day except when it is cold or rainy out. He is more agreeable to going out, if I hold an umbrella OVER HIM. :)
  6. Last. When we took family walks, Chip had to be the last one. He would have a fit and keep trying to get to the back of the line, if we wouldn’t let him be last. It was as if this little squirt was trying to protect us by guarding the rear.

    I love how Chip's tongue is hanging out of his mouth. He is sitting next to the toilet paper tee-pees that my daughter made.

  7. Hold Me. Chip is definitely a lap dog. He wants to be on a lap at all times; or laying RIGHT next to you in the bed. For a 12 inch long, 3.7 pound dog, he’s quite the bed-hog
  8. Amiable. Chip has always been a good-natured animal. He let my nieces dress him up in dolls’ clothes and parade him around on a pillow. And I keep learning more and more ways that my children teased Chip. I.e. One time my son “tied” Chip up by wrapping some toilet paper round his body. But Chip was persistent and smart enough to get out.
  9. Yummy. For some reason he LOVES to lick my daughter’s feet. I think that’s gross.
  10. Kisses. He is good at sneaking a kiss every now and then.
  11. Escape. He once escaped from the back yard and was gone for 3 days in San Francisco. My son put posters on the doors in the neighbourhood. Turns out Chip was only a couple of doors away. The people didn’t want to return Chip. It’s a good memory because he was found.

    When Chip doesn't feel well, he curls up under my neck.

  12. Wiggle-butt. I love how Chip gets all excited by wiggling his body, twirling, and yelping whenever someone he likes enters a room. He also tries to give them a lick or two.
  13. Nicknames. Nicknames are a sign of affection. Since Chip has captured our hearts, we have nicknames for him like Chip Buff-Dog Symington, Chipster, Viejo, and Little Man.
  14. Facebook. Chip has a Facebook account (Chip Wright). There are some cute photos of him there. Because of his poor health, Chip hasn’t been very good about posting regularly.

NOTE: This is the 4th photo in my series, A Winter of Self Portraits.

Your Turn . . .

  • If you know Chip, would you share a memory about him?
  • What are some good memories you have about your animal?
  • What have you found to be helpful in regards to grieving for your pet when you know his/her time is near? For after his/her death?

Related Posts . . . 

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12 Days Drinking – And It’s a Good Thing

I am already a breakfast eater so having this food has been easy and soooo healthy. It's purple today because I added blueberries.

Since the last week of December I have been drinking green smoothies for breakfast. I am doing this so that I can get more vitamins and superfoods into my diet.

I have been tracking this new habit since January 1st. You can read more about it at this post.

NOTE: This is the 3rd photo in my series, A Winter of Self Portraits.

Related Posts . . .

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Taking my Hobbies from Plans to Implementation to Finishing

“It is not good enough for things to be planned – they still have to be done; for the intention to become a reality, energy has to be launched into operation,” (Walt Kelly).

At one time this octopus was a drawing on a page. It was on someone's to-do list. Luckily for us, the artist did more than plan, s/he expended energy and launched this plan of carving this ancient Kauri tree into art.

Oh, I am good at planning. I have pages of plans. For me that is the most fun part of a project.

But, as Walt Kelly said above, energy has to be expended in order for them to become reality.

As I noted, I have pages of plans. I am excited about many opportunities. This post talks about the many hobbies I have been into over the years. As you can see there are so many that it is hard for me to narrow down the list to just a manageable few.

I start this and that project and oft-times, they don’t get finished before I am on to another project. (Luckily this tendency does not stalk my work habits.) This is more true of projects that take a long-term commitment. I.e. Knitting a scarf will get done, but an afghan is harder for me to finish. While working on the project I start thinking about what else needs starting and what needs finishing. Or I become paralysed by these thoughts and don’t do anything creative. It is all very exhausting.

Here I am hugging a turtle carved from an ancient Kauri tree (New Zealand 2011). Some of the literature says these tree trunks are up to 45,000 years old. No matter how you do the dating, they are OLD!

No more! This year is the year of focus. I will narrow the field of my activities.

This week I read a blog post by Katrina from Callapidder Days about Hobby Focus. Katrina said she’s been a dabbler, not becoming proficient in any one hobby. I can echo that.

Katrina is doing something different this year too.

“But I decided that this year, I want to spend some time going a little deeper in a few of them. I want to bring a bit more focus to my hobbying.”

Katrina hopes to become more proficient in a few hobbies, to see if she’d like to pursue them long-term, and finally to discover if dabbling is more to her liking.

What am I hoping to gain by narrowing my activities?

A close up of the turtle carving.

First, I want to finish what I start. By knowing there will be only a few hobbies to pursue this year, I am hoping I can stop my hobby-hopping and concentrate on the few. I am hoping this thought process will bring a freedom to finish because there will be time (later) to work on what’s next.

Second, I want to concentrate on what I am doing. By keeping my thoughts on the present, I hope to better learn the mechanics, enjoy the process, and feel the peace that comes with being satisfied with doing that one thing. There has got to be less stress if I am not bombarding myself with thoughts of past and present projects.

And third, I want to discover what hobbies are a good fit for me now. I realize that as I go through my list, I will find that some hobbies I used to enjoy will no longer interest me. I want to let go of expectations of pursuing them and get rid of any of its hobby-related items.

Trish "swimming" with a dolphin. We did go out on a boat for the purpose of swimming with dolphins. However, they did not slow down enough so that we could join them. This dolphin was obliging & photogenic.

The top three hobbies (besides blogging) are cooking, photography, and sewing. I don’t have a set plan for how I will engage in them. I will most likely jump from one to another. But here are the goals I have for them in the coming months.

  • Cooking – I want/need to get back into healthy cooking. I enjoy baking. It will be fun and relationship building to cook with my nieces, even if only once a month. I want to put family favourite recipes on my blog so that I don’t lose them.
  • Photography – I am going through my photos from New Zealand. I will post some on my blog and/or Facebook each week. And I want to make a photo album with my photos. I have like 2,000 pictures.
  • Sewing- I have some quilts I want to make. A friend, Theresa, is going to show me

    Close up of a dolphin carved from a Kauri tree.

    how to use a rotary cutter next week (next week). I also want to make a wine tote or two.

    I will have time to launch many projects. But I will have time to only finish a few. Therefore, I need to carefully craft a plan that will launch these projects into action.

Your Turn . . .

  1. Can you relate to either Katrina or I regarding our hobbies?
  2. What kind of hobbyist are you? A dabbler or a pro in one or two areas?
  3. Do you finish all you start? Or do you have UFP’s (unfinished projects)?
  4. Do you have a new hobby plan for this year? If yes, what is it?
  5. Do you have any (kind) advice?

Related Posts . . . 

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Grateful for the Hope That is Within Me


I have hope in . . .

  • God’s word (Psalm 119:114). He is my refuge and my shield.
  • God’s love (Psalm 147:11). His love is unfailing.
  • A future (Proverbs 23:18). This future is positive and it will happen.
  • Renewed strength (Isaiah 40:31). Teach me, Lord, to wait on you.
  • Eternal life (Titus 1:2). God has promised this to us before the beginning of time.

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 1 Peter 1:3-5

Now, that’s something on which to base our hope and gratitude!

 Other Related Posts:

P.S. Ann Tatum is hosting 30 Days of Thanksgiving. She encourages us to daily share our gratitude. Click here and be sure to scroll to the bottom of the post and click on Mister Linky. Then you’ll be able  to read other participants on this thankful journey.

Click on (more …) for All Photos from 2009 November’s Photo-a Day.

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Why I Am Grateful for Time

Time is a mixed blessing.

  • Time Flies and it is slow as molasses.
  • You can buy time and you can lose it.
  • There’s crunch time and all the time in the world.
  • You can have no time or time on your hands.
  • High time, time machine, lambing time and time warp are available.
  • Peak time, prisoners of time and peace time are all possibilities.
  • You can have a time-out and spare time.
  • You can be a small time criminal or your works can stand the test of time.
  • Your snatches of time can be smashing & splendid.
  • Or your time can be wasted.

“Whether it’s the best of times or the worst of times, it’s the only time we’ve got” (Art Buchwald).

 And even though contradictory, I am grateful for time. I am grateful because my time on earth is not a cosmic accident.  ”Time began at creation and becomes the agency through which God continues to unveil his divine purpose for it” (W. A. Elwell). God has a plan for my time and has equipped me to spend it well.

How do you spend your time? Please share why you are grateful for time.

“Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other “people spend it for you.” Carl Sandburg

Other Related Posts:

P.S. Ann Tatum is hosting 30 Days of Thanksgiving. She encourages us to daily share our gratitude. Click here and be sure to scroll to the bottom of the post and click on Mister Linky. Then you’ll be able  to read other participants on this thankful journey.

Click on (more …) for All Photos from 2009 November’s Photo-a Day.

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Grateful That God Is In the Details

I am grateful that God is in the details. Of course I’m tremendously grateful for the enormous stuff like salvation, creation of the world, and that He holds all things together. But today, I’m quite endeared to Him because of the details.

Look, no hole!

Look, no hole!

My favorite pair of shoes is black and shiny and goes with every outfit, fancy or casual. This past week a hole wormed its way into the left shoe by my pinkie toe. Black electrical tape nor crazy glue mended the hole. I’ve been sad because I have a hard time  finding comfortable shoes. And to find them at a reasonable price is doubly hard.

Today I shopping for shoes. I found a replacement pair at the first store I went to! Amazing, yes? Even more amazing is that I found the EXACT pair that have the hole. And lastly, the price was a steal!!!

Yes, today I am very grateful that God is in the details.

Other Related Posts:

P.S. Ann Tatum is hosting 30 Days of Thanksgiving. She encourages us to daily share our gratitude. Click here and be sure to scroll to the bottom of the post and click on Mister Linky. Then you’ll be able  to read other participants on this thankful journey.

Click on (more …) for All Photos from 2009 November’s Photo-a Day.

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5 Special Places

I am grateful for places. Places occupy a special  spot in my mind. Since I don’t have pictures of  most of them, the only place I’ll see them is in my mind.

Below are 5 of my special places  . . .

  1. Any trip to any beach. Going to the ocean is one of my all time favorite places. It is relaxing, invigorating, and a health tonic for my mind and body. I always feel close to God there.
  2. The one room church in Levington, England that was open any time I wanted to visit (1988-1993). It even had an old graveyard. I have special memories of me borrowing the key from Mrs. Clarke so I could walk the aisle singing and praying. I also remember times when my 2 kiddos along with neighborhood kiddos put on Christmas plays there.
  3. School. For the past 7 years I have been in school getting my BA and MA. Both William Jessup University and Western Seminary have been special places. Lots of learning, healing, and relationship building went on there.
  4. Visiting the Garden Tomb (in Jerusalem) was  a highlight from this year (2009). We even had communion there. Visiting the place where Jesus was buried

    Garden Tomb

    and rose again made my faith more real and made me more grateful.

  5. 5. Mignionette’s Home. Mignionette was a friend of my mother’s when I was 7 years old.  She was French, liked to entertain and liked to talk even more. Mignionette was so gracious that she let me do all the talking when I was around. I’d even follow her to the bathroom and continue the conversation through the closed door. Because Mignionette really listened to me, it gave me the feeling that what I had to say was worth something, that I was worth something. Who was your Mignionette? Who are you a Mignionette to?

What are some of your favorite places? Why? What can you do to make your home a favorite place?

Other Related Posts:

P.S. Ann Tatum is hosting 30 Days of Thanksgiving. She encourages us to daily share our gratitude. Click here and be sure to scroll to the bottom of the post and click on Mister Linky. Then you’ll be able  to read other participants on this thankful journey.

Click on (more …) for All Photos from 2009 November’s Photo-a Day.

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Laughter Has My Gratitude

 Laughter is the shortest distance between two people.  ~Victor Borge

I am grateful for laughter. The kind of laughter that comes from  . . . safe relationships  . . . gentle teasing . . . silly humor . . . anecdotes of the absurd and/or slapstick . . . unintended meanings . . . clean jokes . . . and stories with surprising endings.

This is the kind of laughter we experienced today at our 2009 Thanksgiving Feast at Ocean Beach.

I cannot remember the specifics for our laughter, but I DO remember laughing within the cocoon of loved ones.

Click here to take the Laughter Quiz.

Other Related Posts:

P.S. Ann Tatum is hosting 30 Days of Thanksgiving. She encourages us to daily share our gratitude. Click here and be sure to scroll to the bottom of the post and click on Mister Linky. Then you’ll be able  to read other participants on this thankful journey.

Click on (more …) for All Photos from 2009 November’s Photo-a Day.

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Grateful for Smells

I am grateful for delicious smells. This time of year simmering potpourri and baking cookies scent the air.

Michelle and I spent a nice morning making 3 batches of Mexican Wedding Cake cookies. And wow! The air smelt delicious.

Other favourite smells include . . .  a baby’s head . . . cinnamon . . . cement soaked by rain . . . purple roses . . . any cookie in the oven . . . and line dried clothes.

What are some of your favourite smells?

Other Related Posts:

P.S. Ann Tatum is hosting 30 Days of Thanksgiving. She encourages us to daily share our gratitude. Click here and be sure to scroll to the bottom of the post and click on Mister Linky. Then you’ll be able  to read other participants on this thankful journey.

Click on (more …) for All Photos from 2009 November’s Photo-a Day.

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November 24 – Photo of the Day = Gratitude

I am full of gratitude for the generosity of people. In particular, the people of CNC. Below are just two examples of this generosity.

Bob Clark created this stained glass cross. The glass came from windows that used to be part of the church. When Rudat Hall was renovated, the glass was removed, but kept safe for such a project as this. Gorgeous work, Bob. Thank for your time and talent!

This sign has generous news. Our church turned in 143 boxes for Operation Christmas Child. Thanks everybody. Thanks also to Kathy, Dan and Dona for organizing this.

Previous Photos from November’s Photo-a Day.

Other Related Posts:

P.S. Ann Tatum is hosting 30 Days of Thanksgiving. She encourages us to daily share our gratitude. Click here and be sure to scroll to the bottom of the post and click on Mister Linky. Then you’ll be able  to read other participants on this thankful journey.

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Grateful for Feelings

I am grateful for feelings.

The Fierce . . .                        The Silly. . .                                                                                        And those that are in between.

  • While I don’t always appreciate my downcast moments, they sure do make the sweet moments sweeter in comparison.
  • Feelings alert me when I’ve crossed a boundary or allowed someone to cross one of my boundaries.
  • Feelings help me stay motivated.
  • They also help me to show actions of affection and dedication.
  • Feelings help me to take care of me.
  • Feelings help me to maintain relationships.
  • Feelings give me a clue as to what’s going on inside.

Feelings are valuable. They are not always logical. And I wouldn’t want to live without the full spectrum of feelings counter-balancing my logic and volition.

 Read on to see what some of the 30 Days of Thanksgiving participants are grateful for on this 23rd day of November. I can related to all of these. How about you?

  1. Ann is grateful for Family, Facebook, Freedom to Travel, & Work.
  2. Sara is thankful for peace. The kind of peace that is “a thing of rest, and restoration… [a] PEACE [that knows] things are working out for our good,” even when the circumstances seem to say the opposite.
  3. Lynette is “Thankful for the infallible, inspired Word of God.”
  4. Here’s BJ’s gratitude list: (1) I am VERY thankful for my wonderful FREEZER. and (2) I am thankful for very thoughtful, loving children. Go have a peek at BJ’s blog. You’ll be captivated by her pictures and homey words.
  5. Jennifer gives thanks to the Lord with her whole heart. Read Psalm 111 to give thanks with her. Read to the end of the post for a scrumptious cornbread dressing recipe.
  6. The author of What’s He Up to Now is thanking people who are helping her care for her children. Today’ s honoree is grandma.
  7.  Mimi is counting her Monday blessings, a list of 5 “little” things . . . the internet, UPS pick up from home, full-service gas stations, fruit, and microwave popcorn.
  8. Knitty is grateful that her grandson (in utero) and his mom are healthy and that his parents are mostly moved into their house now.”
I’m following Ann Tatum by participating in her 30 Days of Thanksgiving. 17 have signed up to share a daily thanksgiving. Reading these blog posts gets my “grateful thoughts a flowin.”  Click here to reach these blogs and read their entries.

Other Related Posts:

Click on (more …) for All Photos from November’s Photo-a Day.
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Pie Record – 55 Pies in 52 Weeks

1. Raspberry Freeze Pie
2. Derby Pie
3. Apple Pie
4. Dark Chocolate Cream Pie
5. Strawberry Yogurt Pie
6. Toll House Pie
7. Tamale Pie

Creative Endeavors – 55 in 52 Weeks

1. Planted Spring boxes
2. Played Scrabble in Spanish
3. Created Salt Clay Crosses
4. Making Mother's Day gifts for the ladies in our church
5. Copied 2 cards at a card party
6. Wrote rough draft
7. Cut a hardback book into a Kindle cover
8. Boiled a can of sweetened condensed milk to make dulce de leche
9. & 10. Met 2 more times to make Mother's Day gifts for church ladies

Book Record – 55 Books in 52 Weeks

1. Fearfully & Wonderfully Made by Dr. Paul Brand & Philip Yancey
2. Acts of Love: The Power of Encouragement by David Jeremiah
3. Plan B by Anne Lamott
4. The Mysterious Voyage of Captain Kidd by A.B.C. Whipple
5. The Summer of the Swans by Betsy Byars
6. Mister God, This is Anna by Fynn
7. Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George
8. The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning
9. Johannes Kepler: Giant of Faith and Science by John Tiner

Book of Braille Sculptures

By Elizabeth Symington
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