Friday, April 30, 2010

Movie Recommendation

I've taken to watching movies while exercising. Watching half a movie makes the 45 min on the elliptical go much more quickly!

Over the last two days, I treated myself to this beauty. Coco Before Chanel is, as you might guess, the story of Coco Chanel's life from the time she was a young girl, left with her sister at an orphanage through her years singing with her sister at pubs, then on to her life outside Paris.

Due to her upbringing, Coco becomes an odd type of woman. She does a lot of watching from the sidelines, and makes clipped remarks when asked her opinions. She is enthralled by people of fortune, while being disgusted by the way they waste their time and their lives of frivolity. She begins to express her style as a sort of rebellion against the excesses she sees.

Coco lives with one man, falls in love with another, and ultimately decides not to marry. After the man she loves is killed in an auto accident, Coco goes on to earn her fame and fortune, making clothing and hats her way, and beginning new trends toward simplified and elegant dressing.

This film is in French, with subtitles in English. (That's only a little difficult to read while working out!) It's beautifully photographed and acted. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. It has the same flavor as another of my favorite international pieces, Brideshead Revisited.

On a scale of 1 to 5, I give this film 4 stars.

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Narcissus

I saw this pretty white and peach narcissus on my walk through the neighborhood. I like the delicate colors. The ones in my yard are bright yellow and orange.

Narcissus

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Pink Hyacinth

Our hyacinths didn't last very long, but were so pretty. I photographed this one in between rain showers.


Pink Hyacinth

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Monday, April 26, 2010

Fertility


Macro Monday is easy to play,
snap a macro (or close-up) photo,
post it on your blog
then go to Lisa's Chaos
and sign Mr Linky.


Fertility




My daughter Jodie picked the name of this photo.
She seems to think this tulip captures the essence of a north Idaho spring.

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Sunday Secrets: April 25, 2010

PostSecret is an ongoing community art project where people mail in their secrets anonymously on one side of a homemade postcard. I find it to be an insightful sociological experiment.

I could relate to the first two secrets.
But I've got to admit, the third simply caught me off guard.


A day cleaning out the garage,
or working in the yard

rates right up there, too.
Perhaps not "as much," but definitely right up there.
I just plain like spending time beside you.


I fantasized about screaming at him, too.
30 years later when I had the chance,
I had a much more civil confrontation.
Glad I did.


The last line seriously surprised me.

Saturday, April 24, 2010

At the Mall

My husband and daughter and I spent this glorious spring morning running errands, shopping and enjoying each other's company. One of the stops we made was the Spokane Valley Mall to buy some shoes.

On the way back to the car, I snapped this photo with my phone's camera.

Bright blue skies. Puffy clouds. Flowering trees. Puffs of wind. Inspiring. Lovely.

Mall Tree

Friday, April 23, 2010

Grape Hyacinth

Look what popped up in our backyard!

Grape Hyacinth ...
each bud is about the size of my picky finger's nail.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Gratitude: A Good Day

Open your heart to all these blessings and let them flow through you, that everyone you meet on this day will be blessed by you. Let the gratefulness overflow into blessing all around you.
~ Brother David Steindl-Rast




* * * * *


Weekly Gratitude
For 52 weeks, count your blessings and document them once each week

Monday, April 19, 2010

A Blog Award for Me

How 'bout that?

My friend Kathryn in NZ gave me this blog award (a while ago, actually. I'm just really out of the blogging groove these days).

There are a list of rules you're supposed to follow, but being the rebel that I am this morning, I'm not going to follow the rules. (Besides, most of my favorite blogs have already been honored).

I am grateful for the recognition, Kathryn! You make my day brighter and bring a little sunshine to me, too.

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Sunday Secrets: April 18, 2010

PostSecret is an ongoing community art project where people mail in their secrets anonymously on one side of a homemade postcard. I find it to be an insightful sociological experiment.

I liked these two secrets today:

I went to church because I love worshiping God.
I stopped going when the attitude
of the congregation and clergy

started driving me away from His message.


Me either.
Now I give them to myself every day.

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Give a Tailor a Hand

It's half way through April already. Must be time to make another Kiva loan!

This month I found another needleworker to assist. Lesi is a 40 year old woman living in Tulaele, Samoa (south Pacific). Her business is in tailoring and alterations. She's asking for a $1000 loan to buy a new sewing machine.

I was able to help out with a $25 loan.Won't you consider helping an entrepreneur in the developing world with a loan, too?

Kiva. Loans that Change Lives.

Friday, April 16, 2010

Sunday Secrets: April 4 & 11, 2010

PostSecret is an ongoing community art project where people mail in their secrets anonymously on one side of a homemade postcard. I find it to be an insightful sociological experiment.

Here are a few secrets I could relate to that were posted in the last couple weeks:

I was the stranger that listened to you on the plane. You honored me by sharing your secret pain with me. I'm so glad I got to mother you a little that day. You needed a mom.


I love the life I live right now. My husband. My beautiful daughters, each unique. My home. My friends. My outreach. It's good to be 50+ and living the simple life I dreamed. It is possible.


Hope. Optimism. My creeds.
This postcard was an "Easter Egg." Frank gave the image this name:
always_hope_just_not_on_the_time_schedule_we_want


May you be filled with hope and optimism, even if you've lost your job or marriage or loved ones. I was there once. Now I live the life I love. Stick with it. You can live your best life, too.

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Happy Dance: Tigger


Back to stitching ... back to blogging?

Not sure why I've been away from two of my favorite pastimes, but I'm back ... at least for today.

This little Tigger will be sent off to my charity group for a child's quilt. It was fun and relaxing to work on a simple design for a spell.

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Friday, April 2, 2010

Gotta Get this Book!

Please Bury Me in the Library

Please bury me in the library
In clean, well-lighted stacks
Of Novels, History, Poetry,
Right next to the Paperbacks,

Where the Kids’ Books dance
With True Romance
And the Dictionary dozes.
Please bury me in the library
With a dozen long-stemmed proses.

Way back by a rack of Magazines,
I won’t be sad too often,
If they bury me in the library
With Bookworms in my coffin.

Thursday, April 1, 2010

Needleworkers Helping Needleworkers

At the start of each month, there are many opportunities to lend a hand at Kiva. The hands I lend to hold needles. A loan from one needleworker to another.

This month I'm helping a single working mother from Columbia. Martha has a growing tailoring business in a busy part of town. Loaning to her is a good risk. This is the second loan she's seeking through Kiva - a mere $800.

With her first loan, Martha bought some updated sewing machines. Her business is doing well, so she's ready to expand. With this loan, she intends to add a cutting table to her workspace and some more raw sewing supplies.

What impresses me most about Martha is that she hopes to grow her business enough to employ other women "so that she can provide jobs for other mothers who are supporting families."

To me, that's what Kiva is all about. With a $25 loan, this homemaker in north Idaho can help a business woman in Bogotà, Colombia. Then this woman assists others in her community.

Grow a healthy economy; grow a healthy world.
One little loan at a time.

Kiva. Loans that Change Lives.