#naphopomo day 4 What's Cooking

First proofs drying, dough rising, sun shining. Finally
worked out why the first 2 photos for #naphopomo
failed to send and reset my security settings, I now
find all is getting a bit 'precious' and am second
guessing everything! Not going to be deterred though,
I really want to see this through.

Weekword!

This week found me feeling a little lazy, but then I read Peggy's post and her delightful choice of word and illustration for Weekword, 'Sloth'! I remember thinking how nice it would be to join in,  and then she tapped me for this week! Thank you Peggy.

So, energised, enthused and honoured,  my choice for this week's 'Weekword' is:

'Glimpse'

I do hope you will join in the fun and share what you can glimpse.

Oh and by the way:

How to Weekword

Each week (hopefully on a Monday) the week’s host will choose a word to be the Weekword.
All you have to do for Weekword is to respond to the word in any creative outlet you would like – painting, writing, poetry, lyrics, music, photos, collage, mixed media, drawing, verse, dialogue, videos, anything really, and post the results on your blog.
Let the host know you’d like to play in their comments, and the host will post links to the blogs of all the participants on Friday.

 

The Turning Point

Can it be true? Can a whole year and some have passed since I was last here? One thing I notice is this place, was it not a little dark?, Time to let the sunshine in me thinks, pull back the curtains, open all windows and let the breeze pass through. Hang on to your hats if you're ready for the ride, the arrival of a new computer is indeed a joyous thing and coincides with a joyful spirit flinging me headlong towards all positive things. Thank you thank you thank you.

Yippee, I won a Lemonade Stand

Allow me to introduce you to two of the coolest people that you are likely to meet, when visiting Annandale Falls. Chris and Don sell souvenirs, beautiful handmade craft, and heaven scented spice necklaces. For the longest while, I have admired them and their stand, so imagine my delight when I received this totally unexpected award from Blackgirl On Mars, a writer and a teacher, who speaks from her heart, with words that have been crafted by her beautiful soul.

(Whoa, 50cents lemonade)

The Lemonade Stand Award, is for attitude and/or gratitude , and I would like it to go to;

Zen and the Art of Peacekeeping
Pohanginapete
Beyond Words
Ruthibelle
Indigomar
William
YingYang
A Kite Rises
Colouring Outside the Lines
Merry go Round

1. Put the logo on your blog or post.
2. Nominate at least 10 blogs that show great attitude and/or gratitude.
3. Link to your nominees within your post.
4. Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.
5. Nominate your favorites, and link to this post.

SPLASH!

I got a nice surprise this morning when I went on one of my many virtual trips , to visit my good friend Guyana Gyal. Now if you haven't visited her blog before, then you are in for a treat. This gyal can tell stories like no other. She can turn what to you and me might be everyday stuff, into a magical fairytale. Not only are her words entertaining, they are full of humour and wisdom, some sadness and lots of love, and before you think that reading is too much effort, not so, when you visit GG it is as if she has sat you down in a warm, relaxing place and then you 'hear' her voice, as though she is right there with you. So, as I said, I dropped by for another tale this morning and was knee deep with her in the river, and the pool, and watching her turn into a " water-mooma" right before my eyes, when she SPLASHED me. She did. So I SPLASHED her right back, for meeting all of the categories for this award.

I am also SPLASHING ;

Slacker for being so alluring,

Stephen for amusing me with this
Samantha for bewitching me in a magical way
Laila who impresses me in the true sense of the word and beyond
and to Sabrina , for being so inspiring.

The Splash award is given to alluring, amusing, bewitching, impressive, and inspiring blogs.

When you receive this award, you get to:
1. Put the logo on your blog/post.
2. Nominate up to 9 blogs which allure, amuse, bewitch, impress or inspire you.
3. Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.
4. Let them know that they have been splashed by commenting on their blog.
5. Remember to link to the person from whom you received your Splash award.

Slightly more than '25 Things About Me'

YingYang at Blah Bloh Blog, is responsible for this post, having 'called my name' in the '25 Things About Me' meme. Hers is a hard list to follow, for, somehow, she has compiled some heart wrenching, soul baring truths with rib tickling humour, acute observations and a delightfully spontaneous 'joie de vivre'. So here is my evasive response, ( see the quiz results below) but one that I hope everyone can have some fun with and , perhaps, glean a little about themselves that they did not know already. (Surprisingly accurate, yes, I have always aspired to be a tight rope walking astrologer although, surely, my hygiene is more than passable.)
In this spirit, I invite Guanaguanare , Guyana Gyal, Minerva and Deb to share their '25 things'.

Your Life Path Number is 5 Your purpose in life is to life freely and collect experiences. You love life - new adventures, new people, new ideas. You are very curious, and you crave novelty in all forms. You tend to make friends easily, and you enjoy the company of all types of people. In love, you are fun and even a bit intoxicating. But you won't stick around for long. You are impulsive and spontaneous - which sometimes leads you to do things you regret. Sometimes you can be overindulgent with food, sex, or drugs. You have many talents, so many that you are often scattered and unfocused. What Is Your Life Path Number?

You Are An INFP

The Idealist You are a creative person with a great imagination. You enjoy living in your own inner world. Open minded and accepting, you strive for harmony in your important relationships. It takes a long time for people to get to know you. You are hesitant to let people get close to you. But once you care for someone, you do everything you can to help them grow and develop. In love, you tend to have high (and often unrealistic) standards. You are very sensitive. You tend to have intense feelings. At work, you need to do something that expresses your personal values. You would make an excellent writer, psychologist, or artist. How you see yourself: Unselfish, empathetic, and spiritual When other people don't get you, they see you as: Unrealistic, naive, and weak

What's Your Personality Type?

Your Spiritual Number is Seven

You bring knowledge and wisdom into people's lives. You are an expert in many fields, and you give excellent advice. Right now, your life is about perfecting your skill set. You are almost a virtuoso at the thing you love best. With some practice, you'll get there. You are highly intelligent and intellectual. You have profound analytical skills. But you also have the soul of an artist. You long to create.

What's Your Spiritual Number?

You Are an Astrologer

You tend to be a fanciful, spiritual person with many interesting theories. You are always trying to figure out how all the pieces of the world are connected. You have a knack for predicting the future and reading people. In modern times, you would make a good self help guru or a director of a non profit.

What's Your Medieval Profession?

You Should Walk the Tightrope

Any subject you study, you aim to master. You enjoy being the best. When you're good at something, you like to show off your skills. You're the type of person who would practice years to walk the tightrope. And you'd love the glory you'd get from walking it in front of a crowd.

What Circus Act Should You Perform?

You Should Live in the Country

You are laid back, calm, and good at entertaining yourself. You don't need an expensive big city to keep you busy. You'll take the peaceful life over the stressful life any day of the week.

Where Should You Live?

Your Blogging Type Is Thoughtful and Considerate

You're a well liked, though underrated, blogger. You have a heart of gold and are likely to blog for a cause. You're a peaceful blogger - no drama for you! A good listener and friend, you tend to leave thoughtful comments for others.

What's Your Blogging Personality?

You Are a Dreaming Soul

Your vivid imagination takes you away from this world So much so that you tend to live in your head most of the time. You have great dreams and ambitions that could be the envy of all... But for you, following through with your dreams is a bit difficult. You are charming, endearing, and people tend to love you. Forgiving and tolerant, you see the world through rose colored glasses. Underneath it all, you are brimming with passion that you keep hidden. Always hopeful, you tend to expect positive outcomes in your life. Souls you are most compatible with: Newborn Soul, Prophet Soul, and Traveler Soul

What Kind of Soul Are You?

Your Home Says That You Feel Settled and Calm

You come across as somewhat intellectual. You can be quite insightful at times. Your hygiene is passable, but you may be hiding some dirty secrets. You are a very domestic person. You enjoy decorating, cooking, and making things homey. You are a very nurturing person. You find meaning in taking care of others. You feel settled in your life. You have enough time to focus on little details. You are not a very self sufficient person. You depend on others more than you realize. Your friends see you as courageous, dynamic, and bright.

What Does Your Home Say About You?

Resolution

As 2008 drew to a close, I resolved to make 2009 the year when I would consciously try to live every day in a creative way, and to do this with compassion and empathy for others, whether I be weeding or cleaning, driving or washing, cooking or relaxing . This has been building for many years, sometimes buried by the detritus of mistakes, disapproval and diversions and the stuff of daily life but always there and always resurfacing and demanding attention. There are so many ideas and so much energy. Time has often served as the excuse not to make a piece of art, the usual fear and lack of confidence, coupled with the idea that I should be doing something 'other'. It has taken so long for me to realize that a creative act does not necessarily have to be a painted master piece on a perfectly stretched canvass, using the finest of materials, or that the daily chores need not be a grind or a distraction from my creativity, but a part of it. Finally, the penny dropped, I am my creativity and the life that I am living is my, albeit badly stretched and somewhat warped, canvass. With that in mind my thoughts turned to this blog and what changes could be made in the light of this new approach to life.
Then came Gaza.
There are so many things that I could say, so many feelings watching the news on the BBC. I am guilty, for, where ever there is conflict, I watch and do nothing. I am a voyeur of other people's suffering. Some demonstrate, remonstrate, speak out or deliberate, petition, protest or procrastinate. It is not much but I wanted to do something and in the light of the above resolution, the desire to find a common bond with humanity and in an effort to share our individuality, no matter where we live, what background we come from or what side they may say we are on, I determined to

share the creativity of others.

It is a small thing but one that, if we all searched the web and found like minded people in hidden places, places that we only hear about because of conflict, where, because of the nature of the news reports we are led to believe that everyone is a terrorist or a fanatic, and, instead, discovered people who share our passions, (mine is for art but it could equally be for writing or cooking or embroidery or poetry or music or dance etc.) and brought them to others' attention by means of our little blogs, no matter how small the readership, might just make it possible for the world to see that we are killing our brothers and our sisters.

You may find this idea simplistic and naive, it most probably is but, if you feel as I do, please feel free to share this post.
To those artists who are featured here, I pray that you are safe.

You Make My Day Award

The plans and
resolutions
for the
New Year,
including blogging,
art work
and fitness campaigns, that I so earnestly wanted to adhere to, have been somewhat thwarted by other realities, but my frustrations were instantly dissipated on receiving the above, from A Kite Rises. I sincerely hope that the delight that this gave me can be felt by my nominees, all of whom, 'Make My Day.'
In this spirit my awards go to;
A Kite Rises
Beholder's Eye
Colouring outside the lines
Cream
Green Withens Birding
Guyana-Gyal
La Gringa's Blogicito
Living Dominica
Merry go round
Passion for Painting

All of these people contribute, in different ways, to 'Making My Day', in their own and very special, unique way, with gratitude to A Kite Rises for giving me this opportunity to show my appreciation.

Ooops

Apologies for the layout of the post below, it didn't look like that in the preview, but then, I find the preview seldom looks like the actual post . Any helpful suggestions will be gratefully received.

The butterfly effect.

One of the things I like most about blogging is the unexpected surprise that greets you on an ordinary day. The kind of surprise that changes your whole perspective and opens up a whole new world of possibilities.

Passion for Painting is where today's delight came from.

My Space

So here is

my 'real'

blogspot!

I like this

little

space

in what

T calls

'the hall'.

how grand, and I call the 'living room'. It is in the upstairs

of our house,facing the road and I like it up here, instead

of in the 'studio' ha ha, downstairs, because while I'm

doing this, I'm able to share it with T while he watches

the footie! (soccer for those uninitiated amongst you!)

So what does your space look like?