01/17/2025

"When a woman has sister-

hood with other women, with-

out comparison or competition,

she gains the super power to

soar." ~Christine Arylo

Methinks the term lucky, does

not even cover how I feel  . . .

I have sisters, bottom line, at

the beginning and ending of

all comments. So no, lucky

doesn't really do it for moi!

What I do have, is a great

sense of gratitude. I know

there are those women who 

feel they have never really 

found sisters in their lives.

Who knows?! Is it luck? Is

it the power of attraction?

Is it simply meant to be?

Ordained somehow?!

Perhaps, it is not to be under-

stood. Maybe it just is. What

ever it is, I'm beyond grateful.

And, as one cannot pay back

those who love, pay it forward

comes to mind! Not sure what

that looks like, but I intend to

ponder until I suss it out.

Truly, what a gift love is . . .

01/16/2025

Goodbyes are ever so hard . . .

I can remember my parents

coming to visit from time 

to time when we lived in

Olde Mexico.

So enjoyed their few visits,

but the goodbyes were the

hardest. I would stand there,

waving as they departed 

with tears streaming down

my face. And now, they are

gone forever.

I find the visits from my old

friends from my home town

absolutely wonderful. Alas,

they too, must depart in a

timely fashion. Maybe I no

longer shed tears, but I do

wish they could stay longer.

Our amazing friends down

the street see us often, but

they have lives of their own.

Work to do, errands to run,

gardening prep, and they

enjoy each other's company

which is phenomenal.

I'm always surprised when

they leave, just how much

I'm missing them already.

My thoughts are that this is

just as it should be. I have 

heard people say, "My God,

I thought they would never

leave." Such a sad dictamen!

Missing my kids as ever . . .

seems once a month visit

and once a week telephone

call just isn't enough. Glad

we love each other enough

to indeed miss!

Who knew?!

01/15/2025

"Walk barefoot. Talk to the

moon, the trees, the rivers,

and the mighty mountains.

Find magic in everything."

Ancient Pagan roots

This truly speaks to me  . . .

Obviously, we can't walk

barefoot outside this time 

of year. I just put the trash

out at 5° this early morn

and methinks I have frost

bite!

Still, last night I had words

with the full moon, well

the day before, the day of

and the day after. Sooooo

love me the moon in all of

its stages.

We actually live by a small

running stream. The deer

and elk frequent it. I like to

go over, have a few words

from time to time. It runs

right by my garage/library.

The mountains, embedded

with evergreens, grace one

side of the property. A road,

and the stream, the other. 

On a side note, should be

charging passageway from

the cars passing by! Ha!

Still, 'tis indeed magick

everywhere; I'm in love

with every bit of this here

and now . . . although . . .

Winter has overstayed its

welcome!

01/14/2025

Yesterday, a friend of mine

came over to help me put 

the cabin in order after all 

the New Year celebrations.

She was in the living room 

whilst I was rearranging my

hobby center. Sitting on the

floor, tending to the bottom

shelf, I found a small box 

no longer needed. 

I simply tossed it through 

the door to be burned later. 

In a couple of moments, my 

friend came in and asked if 

I'd thrown the box at her as 

it had hit her in the head.

She had looked all around 

to see where it had come 

from, then it occurred to her 

that I had thrown it.

Must have been the moment,

but we had ourselves a good 

laugh . . . then, every little 

while, one of us would erupt 

in chuckles.

No biggie maybe, but in the

throes of winter, one must

find hilarity whenever and

wherever it comes out to 

play!!!

01/13/2025

"Being challenged in life is

inevitable; being defeated is

optional." ~Unknown

Fab quote I ran into this early

morn . . .

Indeed, we are challenged 

on a daily basis. I would say,

especially as I approach 100.

Alright, 75!

-Do I really have to cook today?

I did that sooooo many years

for fam and friends.

-I showered yesterday and it's

only 3°. Do I have to again?

-Need a few groceries. No, I

am def NOT going out in this

weather!!!

Nah . . . if 75 hasn't granted 

me my own way, then what's

the point already?! 

I'll have my own way; that's

showing 'em! Mr. Defeat best

get out of my sight!

01/12/2025

"Give me a beautiful sunrise, a

a blanket, a warm cup of coffee,

a good book, and a weekend full

of nothing to do and just leave 

me be in my happy place. I'll be

fine." ~Samantha Gabardi

Methinks, it all boils down to 

the simplistic . . .

Recalling younger times when

I deemed entertainment and

travel to be the be all, end all.

And, at that time, it was. Really,

there is a time and place for all

our dreams and imaginings.

Having said that, so enjoying

the now of my life. I love the

rise and set of sun, the moon

shining in the window, that

fab book I'm reading, and a

quiet life all 'round!

In thinking about it, it occurs

to me that it's all about time 

and place. We all do those age

appropriate things in each of

our lives. Thus it occurs to me

that living quietly at this time 

of my life is as it should be.

Still, I celebrate those who 

travel, party, hike, gad about,

and visit fam and friends.

I sooooo enjoy visits. They

sustain me and I am grateful

for every moment.

No matter the age, those joys

that sustain us, happy motoring

to one and all!

01/11/2025

"You can't control every-

thing. Sometimes you just 

need to relax and have faith 

that things will work out. 

Let go a little and just let life 

happen." ~Kody Keplinger

Methinks control is indeed 

an issue here.

Don't know if it's because

I'm a Libra or if I was born

that way. Maybe, 'tis the

teacher in me. One must

control the classroom after

all!

I wouldn't say, I'm that post

Ph.D. level of control, but 

I do tend to take care of 

business.

Still, as I approach the elder

years, I feel I need to let go,

let be. Not as easy as it would

seem.

So here's moi, backing off,

backing up and not trying to

take care of business anymore.

Eat all you want. Drink all you

want. Drive too fast. Don't read.

It's all good!

But, just letting all know, if

anyone even tries to hurt any 

of mine, they'll see what control

really looks like!!!

01/10/2025

"I love. I live. I keep trying.

I fail. I hurt. But then, I dig

deep, I fight back . . . I rise

again. Always. ~Ravenwolf

Although I much enjoy her,

'tis as though I wrote these

words myself!

Isn't the winter doldrums

I struggle to get through,

but SAD. So, these words

apply . . .

There are moments, days

in fact, where I don't think

I'm going to make it . . .

and then, somewhere I find

the courage to buckle up

and do the ride whether I

enjoy it or not.

Love seeing people out and

about in this weather. May

be they're off to spend the

weekend skiing. Perhaps a

long walk around the lake.

Indeed, there are people who

find winter is their fave time.

So, I'll look out at the frosting

Mother Earth has decorated

with. I'll celebrate that I'm still

here to be a tad disconcerted

and await my turn for summer

eternal . . .

01/09/2025

"I say, don't skip dessert, 

go barefoot, nap often, 

curse when necessary, laugh 

a lot, be generous, be kind, 

and always choose love."

~Anita Opper, Zen to Zany

This bit of hippie wisdom

hit me hard this early morn.

Seems to me we all live on 

a somewhat floating scale 

of what we consider to be

naughty rather than nice. 

Left overs from Santa, I

guess.

We allow ourselves to sin at

a fine restaurant and rather

than celebrating the delight,

we carp all the next day 

about falling off our diets.

"I shouldn't have stayed up

so late! Shouldn't have had

that drink! Shouldn't have

had seconds!"

God in heaven, we live in 

a world of shouldn'ts! We 

bind ourselves in laments,

regrets and admonitions!

Methinks 'tis high time to

live rather than exist and

lose the guilt already!

Are you listening ld?

01/08/2025

"I've decided my 2025

will start on February 

1st. January is a free 

trial month." Unknown

My colleague, Barb Martin

shared this bit of wisdom

last night. I had the best

laugh I've had this new year.

Surely, she'll forgive me for

sharing it yet again!

January actually is rather a

place in time as far as I'm

concerned. Let's see . . .

Jan 1 - New Year's Day

Jan 4 - World Braille Day

Jan 6 - Los Santos Reyes

Jan 7 - My Son's b-day

Jan 8 - Hecate, Divine Midwife

Jan 13 - Full Wolf Moon

Jan 20 - Martin Luther King

Jan 25 - Seven planets line up

Jan 29 - Lunar New Year

Jan 31 - Hecate's Feast Day

Now, do tell me just how

January fits in with the rest

of the year?! Methinks not!

A third of the month spent

in holidays; go figure!

I do find celebrating January's

feast days helps me cope with

winter. So I say upward and

onward.

You want to celebrate? Bring

a beer and come on over . . .

I don't have any in the house

to offer you as I have this no 

drinks allowed in January thing

going on . . .

Salud!

01/07/2025

Oh what a glorious day . . .

for a couple of reasons!

Fresh snow makes every-

thing look so bright and 

clean. And at 22°, it's 'bout

twice as warm as yesterday!

But the absolute best, 'tis . . .

today, umpteen years ago,

I gave birth to my first child.

A beautiful son, perfect in

every way!

Fab personality, an artist so

wondrous it rather makes me

tremble, married to the best

woman in kingdom come, an

incredible brother, and the son

of my heart, of my soul and of

my womb.

So lucky, I get to spend time 

with him today. My entire soul

is in celebration mode!

Should you wish to see some 

of his work . . .

https://www.luiferreyra.com/

https://www.instagram.com/ferreyralui/

https://www.rafajenn.com/

Just call me, proud mama!!!

01/06/2025, Greetings ahoy

One of the things that tickles

me is watching people greet

each other.

Men, especially wondrous!

They do this kind of one arm

hug, slap each other's backs

and call each other names.

Just love it!

Women do a light embrace

and cheek air kisses. Not 

nearly as exuberant as men,

but still sweet.

Children run towards each

other, hug and express their

excitement in all sorts of

ways.

Close acquaintances and

colleagues shake hands and

sometimes pat each other's

shoulders.

Lesser acquaintances nod

and perhaps engages in 

short hellos, how're you

doings.

At least we're not like dogs

that do the whole sniff and

lick routine! Ha!

01/05/2025, Ángeles

Hoy, siendo el cumple de mi

comadre en México, me doy

cuenta cuanto extraño a mi 

vida ahí . . .

Mi casa, construida por mi

padre. Mi amiga y vecina.

La universidad y mi trabajo 

en enseñanza. Mis hijitos

siendo chiquitos a la vez.

Sé que si hubiera quedado,

mi vida sería muy diferente.

Pero, claro que entiendo que

no me quedé y así es lo que

es!

Lo que sí poseo, memorias!

No hay nada que me las

puede quitar.

Subiéndome en un globo con

mi hijo. Bendiciendo mi casa

nueva. Los triunfos con mis

alumnos. Fiestas Mexicanas.

Sobre todo, el nacimiento de

mis hijos.

Se me ocurre que la vida es

un gran rompecabezas. Se

necesita tiempo para lograrla.

Aveces se pierde una pieza o

dos. Es difícil ver su contenido

casi hasta el final.

Aún que la vejez me azorrilla,

sé que me queda mucho por

cumplir. Espero en Dios que

me sea dado el tiempo y la

gracia para terminar lo que se

espera de mí.

Bendiciones y felicidad . . .