Blessings in the palm of my hand

Something's going on - it always is. Sometimes the joys come out of nowhere? We don't expect them and feel unworthy when they come to us.  

A few weeks ago this ------------------------------>
lovely little Blessings heart showed up in a package at my front door.

That morning was going downhill fast and then out of the blue a message from a special friend and the gift. The message was a hug from an understanding friend.

The heart, small and substantial, polished and smooth with indentations.  Not unlike a human heart being welded together, all the broken bits- splits and chips, melding together into one workable, wiser, and defensive thing.

This heart, shiny and new, is weighty, like an anchor in the turmoil of the past few years and months. Focus on the blessings, I tell myself.

I let her know how much this meant to me. With things up and down as they often go, I was blessed from out of nowhere, not actually nowhere, but out of the ordinary. That's what she is. Extraordinary.

I wish everyone of you will have an out of the ordinary day whenever you are most in need of one. You are blessed and a blessing to others.      

Surprised by Mother Nature

What would you call this?  Surprises, Bonuses, Quirks? Mother Nature surprised me twice last week with vegetables growing inside the outer layers.

First, it was a pretty little red pepper inside.  So cute, like a heart.  I took it as a good sign after facing surgery and health issues recently.

Have you ever seen anything like this?

Or, have you ever seen anything LIKE THIS?


The pretty little pepper turned out to be 3 pretty little peppers, not just one!  They were all snuggled up and attached to one another.

A few days later I opened up a bag of carrots to find 3 carrots growing inside this large carrot.

Weird.

I don't know what these veggie bonuses mean, but winning the lottery was not on the cards.

One last thing, years ago my Mom had double yokes in the whole dozen eggs in a carton. Simply amazing.

Have you ever gotten under the skin and found something fun- no not insects.  I think that's why I don't like to shuck corn, all the little surprises you find in the cornsilk.

It Made the Mail Clerk Chuckle

With trepidation I waited in line at the post office, well I was the only one in line, so there was no line, only me; which means I had nowhere to hide. When I reached the counter I just boldly placed the bottle on the scale and said, "I want to mail this."  Only, I put a little questioning inflection on the "this?"

The clerk who looked to be frustrated and frazzled burst out with a chuckle.  Whew, I knew then that the bottle was going to pass her inspection.  She said that people mail baby bottles so this was no problem.  She actually said that "she mails baby bottles."  I took that to mean that the bottle was okay to go through the postal system. We had a laugh and I thanked her.

Jenn sent this cute calendar to me.
Click to ENLARGE.

My Happy Mail Swap partner was Jenn from, Finding My Sunshine in Life.  She has a beautiful view outside her door; and her landscape and farm life photos are very inspiring.  One of my favorite photos on her blog is mama cow and baby cow and another of horses.  Jenn is a dog adopter and has a cute group of furpals.

Paula brought the swappers together at her blog Sincerely, Paula.

All the bits and bobs that went inside the bottle.
Click to ENLARGE.

This was a fun little thing to do.  Sorry for the blurry photos, it was one of those uveitis moments.  If you enlarge the photo it's a bit easier to see.

I noticed Jenn said she scrapbooked, so I went through my rolling carts, ribbon drawer, and all the other places you might find your crafting supplies, plus punched out some shapes and loaded the bottle.

Thank You, Paula for setting up the swap and Thank You, Jenn for the cute calendar!


What's the oddest thing you ever mailed?

Polka Dots and Pearls My Mad Men Character

A quickie for "Mad Men" fans.  Have you seen my Mad Men character avatar?

If you want to make your own 1960's inspired version of yourself, visit Mad Men Yourself at amctv to make your own, free avatar.  It's easy, quick, and you hear a little swinging 60's beat while you are selecting the options to make your own digital paper doll.  This is for the "suits" or the "skirts" with lots of features.














I'm the bombshell in the yellow dress with white polka dots,  wearing pearls, and carrying a red pocketbook!  Okay, maybe not a bombshell.

I love my big hair and eyeshadow.  I've never made an avatar before and it was fun.  Some of the accessories wouldn't load properly, such as the gloves wouldn't fit over the arms.  I would've liked to change the shoes, but that wasn't an option.  Gotta have lots of shoes if you're going to be a Madison Avenue Woman!

Sorry, Don, can't stop and chat- I've got the pitch for the next preview meeting!

Are you a bombshell, the girl next door, or career girl?  Combination? This is only make believe.  

I searched through the ads at Found in Mom's Basement to put together these collages of vintage ads from the late 1950's -mid 1960's.  She posted some gorgeous fashion and cosmetic ads,  as well as numerous other categories of vintage ads, but I chose the ones that makes you go, "hmmm" or laugh.

Sexist.  Outrageous.  Stupid.  Funny.  Look at the details on the Durkee French Fried Onions coupon- I never wanted to think of onions and paint/chemicals coming from the same company.  I've only had these onions once or twice, what about  you?  Click the collages to enlarge.

Do you have a favorite of these ads?  

Auld Lang Syne My Friends

Can this year have gone by any faster?  When time is dragging by slowly, I wish it to speed up- and now the opposite.  Goodbye 2012 and Welcome the fresh New Year 2013!

My bloggy friends, 

"Thank you for bringing laughter, wisdom, and heartfelt tears."  

Let's renew and continue to meet again in the New Year... 

Daniel Cartier's, "Auld Lang Syne."

Dan Fogelberg's, "Same Old Lang Syne."

Flintstones Blogaversary Serenade One Year Old

Here is my 1 year blogaversary present to you... 

Thank you for reading, commenting, and following the blog.  You make me smile and laugh and you inspire me;  I hope the feeling is mutual.  Thank you for sharing this space with me. 

Just Because This Plays Over and Over Unwritten Lyrics

Just because this song plays over and over in my head after hearing it once in a while on the radio, I decided to search for the complete lyrics; they've been used in commercials, too.  Now I know what those few words are which I couldn't quite hear from the radio.  It must be saying something to me on a subconscious level. 

Do you have a song on a loop? 

Here are the lyrics for, "Unwritten"...


Unwritten

(lyrics and songwriters: Brisebois, Danielle A; Bedingfield, Natasha Anne; Rodriques, Wayne Steven)

I am unwritten
Can't read my mind
I'm undefined

I'm just beginning
The pen's in my hand
Ending unplanned

Staring at the blank page before you
Open up the dirty window
Let the sun illuminate the words
That you could not find

Reaching for something in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your inhibitions
Feel the rain on your skin

No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips

Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten

Oh, oh

I break tradition
Sometimes my tries
Are outside the lines

We've been conditioned
To not make mistakes
But I can't live that way, no
Staring at the blank page before you
Open up the dirty window
Let the sun illuminate the words
That you could not find

Reaching for something in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your inhibitions
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
[ From: http://www.elyrics.net/read/n/natasha-bedingfield-lyrics/unwritten-lyrics-18.html ]

Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open

Happy New Year!

Because this is one of my favorite songs, here it is again, Louis Armstrong's, "What a Wonderful World."  This video has some stunning photographs to accompany the song.  Enjoy this to kick off 2011 in a satisfying visual and musical tableaux- how's that for fancy talk?  Just enjoy a brand new day and hope your 2011 is superb, healthy, and peaceful...

Joy to the world...Nat King Cole

Nostalgia and a favorite Christmas carol, enjoy!

He has come!  Merry Christmas and Blessings Everyone!

Nat King Cole - O Holy Night

I love this song and enjoy Nat King Cole's style.  Here he sings, "O Holy Night" with some stunning photos to accompany.  Enjoy... and MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Louis Armstrong, Deer, Cat, and Rabbit

This is a sweet video to accompany one of my favorite songs, "What a Wonderful World," by Louis Armstrong.  I've always wished the song was longer, but then, life can be short and leave us wanting.

Watch the cat snuggle up to the deer, he hugs the deer's legs and the deer wraps up the cat in his hug.  It's so lovely.  Not sappy.  Enjoy...

Opera Company of Philadelphia "Hallelujah!" Random Act of Culture

A little video break to start off the Advent season.  (Similar to flash mob.)  This is a treat if you enjoy Handel's, "Messiah" plus the surprise and pleasure on the shoppers' faces. 

Macy's moved into the old John Wanamaker store, glad to see the old building is still being used.  Years ago, I bought a nice winter coat from Wanamaker's.   I miss Philly.