The Magical Daybook

A crush on Lincoln.

 

This charming tribute to Lincoln inspired me to return to the blog and post something that has filled me with delight this morning.  A simple antidote to all of the distressing news that feels so overwhelming to me these days. 

She is NOT Seventy! This must be April Fools’!

This morning on NPR they mentioned that today is Ali MacGraw's 70^th birthday, and I'm telling you I had to hop right out of bed to check that out. I thought it was my first April Fool's Joke.  Ali is a real member of the community here in Santa Fe; you can see her out-and-about at the grocery store, the mall, concerts….she was even in my yoga class a few weeks ago.  Not only is she friendly and open and very down to earth, the woman looks amazing.  She looks amazing for 60, let alone 70.   But sure enough, they were right.  1938.  Well happy birthday, Ali.  You are an inspiration – and have been – ever since my teeny-bopper days,  when I saw you in Seventeen Magazine modeling  kneesocks, mini skirts and ghillies (some of you will remember what those are?!)  Happy 70^th – and many many more!

Your Work is Worthy!

I love the places that I am often led to in my web meanderings and this morning's journey was a delight!. I started off in search of a wayside that I used to frequent on Beliefnet: Amy Cunningham's Chattering Mind.  Unfortunately, I discovered that she closed her blog back in July of 2007, but I scouted around her final posts and found some great gems to share!  She featured this amazing video by Jan Phillips that filled me with longing and determination to break through my creative blocks.  Creative expression is one of the most important ways to spend our time - it is our gift to the world...and to life.

A flock of robins

Spanky noticed the heralds of spring winging around the crabapple tree this morning. Oh how he'd love to join them out there!!

Monday Morning Eye Candy

Here's something to make you drool this morning, from the Queen of Good Things! Go see! Go See!

Groucho Max

My nephew Max is a true soul mate: he appreciates the magic of a good pair of nose glasses.
We know that the way to spice up a drive to the grocery store is to slip  them on and watch the looks of the people driving by.  Instant  hilarity!  I love this young rascal compadre.

10 Things That Made Me Happy This Week

1. Spending the week with my brother Jim and nephew Max in Portland
2. Watching The Game Plan 
3. Ninja Turtles Yahtzee
4. Moisture-rich Oregon air
5. The Portland Art Museum
6. Cargo
7. Oblation
9. Little League Tryouts
10. Family

One Note Obsession

Since I last posted, (I know, it's been a while!) I've gotten a new laptop computer. After all, how can you be a real blogger unless you get to post from bed, bath, cafe, car and back porch?  After the new laptop, came new software -- I had to update to the latest version of Microsoft Office --and the discovery of Microsoft "One Note".  Oh my gawd!  For an obsessed organizational maven such as myself, this program is the greatest!!  My office's tabletops and shelves are covered with binders - I love to sort my writings and clippings into meticulously labeled,tabbed and indexed binders. But the darn things are really bulky and hard to lug around. So when I saw the format of this One Note Program - subjects sorted into "Notebooks" "Sections" and "Pages" - I was rendered catatonic with joy.

The screen shot above is a page of Inspiring People I created last night (after seeing Cheryl Richardson and Louise Hay on Oprah.)  It's like a computer-based vision board - or "wall of heroes."  The people pictured, so far, are: Cheryl Richardson, the Dalai Lama, Deepak Chopra, Henry David Thoreau, Louise Hay, Ralph Waldo Emerson and E.B. White. 

Now that the initial thrill and storm of new computer and software toys has calmed down, I will be beginning my blog in earnest.  Tomorrow is my big kick-off, my personal New Year: my 53rd Birthday. Woo hoo!

Studio Friday: Three

Today's Studio Friday prompt is: "What 3 things can you do today to further your goals and dreams?"  It's nice to start the day with a few things checked off the list already! 

consider The View!

Now that I have a blog I'm psyched about participating in a few of the "challenges" i've had the pleasure of following for the past couple of years.  Tine Sparkles' Studio Friday is one of those gems.  Each week she posts a prompt to inspire you to see your studio with new eyes, and to share your creative interpretations.  This week, she offers a challenge suggested by one of her readers: 

"Everyone looks out their window and sees a different view...palm trees, snow, beaches, mountains, garden, animals. Share the vantage from your studio...what's outside your window that takes you away and let's you daydream or get inspired?" - Espialdesign

This view is the first thing I see each morning in the wee hours when I get up to feed the cat and brew my first latte. It's changed just a bit in the years since I took this particular photo -- there's a coyote fence, an aspen tree, and rose bushes now -- but the siren call of the Sangre de Christo mountains in the background always makes me pause and dream a little each morning.  It's especially enchanting to wake up to a fresh new snowfall, which we had just a few days ago. One snowy morning I looked out to find a huge jackrabbit snuggled under the table there.  What a thrill!