Just One?#SoCS

 You can find my post to Linda’s prompt ‘favorite word’ On my Wordpress Blog here I hope you have time to take a peek. 🙂 

Rolling, Rolling, Rolling… #CFFC

Clouds, that is. After seeing Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge for this week I decided to jump in the pool for a splash. I love clouds and have so many there wouldn’t be enough weeks of this challenge to share. One unique thing about living in a cloud forest is area is, well, the clouds. Whether it is the bajareque passing through or the foggy mists rolling in around sunset, there is always something changing in the skies. I’ve lived in many different places with some pretty amazing clouds. Here are a just few: 

Morning clouds..

Evening cloud mists rolling in. I have friends who live over on that side.

And now they reach us! Kind of like a live performance of The Fog. 😱

Our favorite park

If you can look beyond the beautiful hummingbird…

Clouds at sunset 

Some of my favorite cloud moments happen in the wee hours 

🙂

Our Lady of Guadalupe shrine just outside my window. Clouds don’t bother her. 😉

Near Volcan Baru

Sunlight through the pines…

Old Moon loves to play hide ‘n seek in the clouds when I want to photograph her. 

Well, we didn’t make it out of Boquete for this round. Clouds, clouds, everywhere…

Well, Dan  already used my favorite cloud song so when you visit him today have a listen. Meanwhile…

Because I love Willie

But I love clouds and know my version of heaven will have plenty of them. 

🤗

Calling All Angels #LinerWednesday

 

Because, frankly, we need all the help we can get. 

The song has long been a favorite of mine.

I had a difficult time getting this one. If you ever saw Pay It Forward you will recognize it. 

This post is part of Linda Hill’s OneLinerWednesday prompt

Not For All the World #SoCS

Hey there! It’s Saturday again (already) and time for Linda Hill’s weekly SoCS prompt. The prompt for today is fortune. 

I have not considered myself very lucky in this life. I haven’t won any lottery or excelled at anything which brings accolades, fame or monetary fortune. 

I have, however, been very fortunate in life and blessed beyond measure. I have a wonderful family, a loving husband and friends from forever ago as well as those I have made along the way. Each day I have the opportunity to meet and befriend some of the most unique and fun people. 

Is life perfect? No and yes. While many things in life may not fit the ideals that many hold as perfect, the one constant is that anyone’s life can be viewed as perfect when they believe it is. When I stopped imagining what my perfect life would look like, I began to see the perfection in the life I live. Here are some of the perfect treasures that make up my fortune. 

Sunsets

Rainbows

Silliness

Sunrise

Weaving dreamcatchers

Time with friends

Saving drowning butterflies

Smiles with my bug! 

Midnight blooms

Sweet indulgences

That face..

🥰

Fuchsia ladies

Raindrops on daisies

My brunch creation, The Drowning Toad. It’s a toad in the hole married to cheese. 

Winged things

Don’t they look like gold nuggets? 

I wouldn’t trade these treasures for any other fortune in the world. 

Are You Serious? #JusJoJan

Well, Linda Hill has this year’s #JusJoJan monthly prompt going out with a bang. I’m so glad I had more time to join in the fun and this is another of my favorite words. 

Being raised by a father whose sarcasm and quick wit was a daily occurrence has been the saving grace for my naturally sensitive Cancer nature. For him nothing was off limits for a tease, teaching us to laugh at ourselves before anyone else did. 

If I twisted my ankle or jammed my pinky (as I so often did) while playing basketball, he would knit his brows in serious concern, bend it gently and say, “Yep, I think we’re gonna’ have to amputate.” As an injured kid I got frustrated by his seeming lack of concern, but I appreciate the fact that I can tolerate one heck of a lot of pain before I get crazy. 

In our house we heard a lot of superstitions from my father because his mother was very metaphysically connected. My Daddy often saw deceased members of the family in a dream the very night they passed, although he tried to be pragmatic about it to us. So we grew up with a lot of old superstitions like:

If you already have bread on your plate and ask for another slice it means unexpected company is coming.

Always sweep out the back door so you don’t sweep your good luck away. 

If your nose itches, someone wants to kiss you.

You should only cut your hair on a full moon so it will grow quick and healthy.

If your hand itches, money is coming. (Can I tell you how many times that one has disappointed me over the years?)

If your ears burn someone is talking about you. (I hated that one and wish it were the only time it was true.🤦‍♀️)

So, it stands to reason that when my foot or other body part would itch, I ran to him all excited and asked what it meant. 

He would look at me solemnly and say, “You say your foot itches? Well, you know what that means?”

I looked at him expectantly, my young heart waiting for some profound prophetic revelation and he replied,

“If your foot itches it means..  you need to scratch it.”

And now you know why facetious is one of my favorite words. Of course it leads to a lot of explaining when you deal with others who don’t have an understanding of twisted harmless humor. 😉

My kids know it well. 

Thanks again Linda! And Susan for this, our last prompt of January. And a big thank you to my friend Dan over at No Facilities. Not only is he a great boss and customer at the bar but I get all the prompts from his wonderful blog because it is the first one I read every day. Check all these talented writers out and visit some of the links in Linda’s comments. 

You know there has to be a photo and some music. 😉 have a great week everyone! 

Doesn’t he look just full of mischief? 

And one of his favorite songs that just screams, 

“Facetious!” 

We always listened for it to be played on our local kids’ show, Buckskin Bill.

Shedding Means Growth #JusJoJan

Hi All,

Our good friend Linda Hill has sent me to visit the dictionary with today’s #JusJoJan prompt~

‘abscission’

Seriously, not even in the dusty school days crevices of my gray matter is there even a speck of remembrance of ever having heard or been exposed to this word. Yet, it applies to so much that goes on in my life daily.

Abscission: The shedding of or cutting away of parts of a plant. The separation of body parts in nature of animals under attack, such as a lizard losing its tail. 

Plants constantly shed the old to make room for new growth or else they will wither and die. Some plants manage this on their own..

while others need a bit of help in letting go of that which no longer serves them.

Either way, the shedding is necessary to make room for new growth .

Humans are not much different. We regenerate cells,  shed skin and  hair and need to trim things away to improve our health. Sometimes our emotional, mental and spiritual health needs pruning in order for us to thrive. This might be the most difficult process of all, yet if we don’t we can become stuck and unable to move forward. 

We found this long snakeskin wound around one of our palm trees a year ago

I was going through a very tough period of having to let go. My father died, I lost my job and Covid was just rearing its ugly head. This skin was a sign for me, reminding me that growth would surely come after so much loss.

We outgrow what no longer serves us and, if we are wise, leave it behind for the better things ahead. 

Abscission, not just for Nature…

I feel reborn and blessed at this time.

 

And the Winner Is…#JusJoJan

 Okay,

When I saw the word for today’s #JusJoJan prompt by our host Linda Hill, I thought I knew just what to do. It involved a non verbal mini rant about my opinion of certain officials in certain high offices who certainly fall under the category of ridiculous. Then I took a long walk in the gorgeous early morning light and changed my mind, intending to share this image and a remark about the ridiculously perfect weather here.

But, then, something popped into my head that really sealed the deal for me. Our boys grew up in the 80’s and 90’s and we watched a lot of tv with them. There were some classic, never to be matched sitcoms that when viewed today don’t hold the same magic as they did back when. They nonetheless remain in my book of top funniest duos. So, without further ado, I give you…

Balki from Mypos. Don’t beeee…ridiculous! 

Okay, okay, I have to pay homage to my all time favorite film series here, as well as honor the memory of the late Alan Rickman. Only he could wear a dress with such Shakespearean style. ❤️

Today’s prompt was provided by Lauren Try stopping by her blog to say hi and visit Lind at the link in the first paragraph to find the rules to this and other great prompts as well as meeting some pretty terrific bloggers. 

Fer sure…#JusJoJan

 Me, I mean. I was about as freckled as you could get when I was a kid and the dedicate ones remain, especially on my arms and legs. I still have them on my face, although they have faded. Let me get into the sun for any length of time and they come a calling. 

I have mixed feelings about them these days. I remember being distressed over them as a child, when all the other girls had creamy pale complexions or deep dark blemish less skin. My Mama would tell me that the freckles made me beautiful and I chose to believe her. So, when they started to fade a bit in my young adulthood, I had a moment of discomfort. If they were gone, would my beauty also depart? Self confidence was not a strong point for me. 

I suppose they had pity on this Irish heritage lass and a few hung on, just to comfort me. 😏

I love freckles. My sons had smatterings when they were kids but have all outgrown them now except the youngest who still gets freckled in the sun. I feel rather fond of those little brown spots these days. I never realized until adulthood how unique being freckled actually was. Thanks for this fun prompt, Maggie, and thanks Linda Hill for all the great prompts. Pop over to her blog to check out the rules, find her other prompts and meet some fantastic bloggers. 

Could I ever have been 19?

Freckled and speckled. We both love the freedom of flying

And when I hit the beaches of Costa Rica, my tiny friends found their way home…

Delight #SoCS

 Hello, me here again. Still sporadically posting as I am able. Since my camera is my best friend, how could I possibly pass up this prompt from Linda Hill for today’s Stream of Consciousness Saturday post? 

 “Use the last photo you took and how it made you feel for your prompt word.”

This prompt is fun because it could literally be anything due to my constant snapping; but one thing is certain-the feelings evoked are almost always great ones. 

Yesterday was my oldest son’s birthday, so the last photo I took was of him and his son rolling on the floor  just before he headed off to bed. They had a busy, fun filled day with friends and this little guy was giddy. He tends to get loopy the more exhaustion creeps up on him. I was able to get him to join one more chorus of “Happy Birthday” before we called it a day. 

It is pure delight to be able to spend time with him every day and we will always cherish these moments. 🤗,

Advisory: No one in the audio is a professional singer. 

But we are full of love. ❤️❤️

Happy Weekend everyone!

Don’t Say It! #SoCS

 Well hello out there. Two posts from me in the same week? What’s going on you say? It’s been months since I’ve been able to pull it off, right? I make no promises for the future but in this week my inspiration has been present and my heart feels lighter. 

Our blogging host for this prompt is Linda Hill Every week she gives a new prompt for our Stream of Consciousness Saturday writing challenge. If you haven’t already, you should visit her page for more great posts by some amazing creative writers. This week’s prompt is to use your least favorite word in your post. 😱I love words, although there are some that affect me more negatively than others. For this prompt I had to move beyond just the word and venture into the psychology of it. At first I thought no such word existed for me, but then it came to me. 

CAN’T. I can’t stand that word. I tried and tried to think of an instance where it doesn’t bristle the hairs on my neck. Even those times when I am using it bring some kind of discomfort with what is going on. It conjures up too many images of impotence of some kind.

In my life I have been told “no, you can’t” far too many times, from everything to going shopping alone, tackling a new profession or worst of all, trying to make a stand for change in the world. Too many people foist their own fears upon others without considering the negative effect this can cause to confidence, hope and self esteem. 

Many times when this phrase has been idly tossed out at me too many times I lose my emotional grip and shout back, “Yes, I can! Of course no one can if no one even tries.” 

There is a great scene in a favorite family movie of mine. Yes, well, Patrick Dempsey is the lead character, but that’s beside the point. In this cute film with Amy Adams-Enchanted-McDreamy’s character is a widower with a small daughter to bring up alone and is doing so most pragmatically. Enter a Princess from a fairy tale who can speak to animals, sings songs about everything and who has bedazzled his young daughter. And the damsel is in a bit of distress. The reluctant hero invites her into his home in a weak moment but eventually regrets the decision as the unending hopeful trusting nature of Giselle challenges his ‘don’t dare to dream’ rule. Below is one of my favorite scenes in the film. I always yell with her and glare at my hubby who gives me an innocent ‘who, me?’ look. The movie is cute, funny, romantic and easy on the eyes. 

When I was growing up, one of my favorite books was The Little Engine That Could. I know one thing that is certain for me. My success is directly related to my confidence. If I think I can, then I most likely won’t give up until I do!

I know you can, I know you can, I know you can!