Pay Attention to Your Words: They Have Meaning!!

Yesterday I was talking with Conni-Joi and sharing the fun I am having weaving the web of collaboration in Delaware and New Jersey.  I can begin to see how many strands are  integrating for the good of infants, toddlers, families and staff.  She was fascinated by my words and asked, "Have you ever looked at the Spider as your Power Animal?"  No I had not but now I have and WOW are the messages I discovered ever so meaningful!!  Listen...The spider is a Weaver and she is creating a delicate, magical tapestry!  Weaving is joining separate strands of fabric into an integrated pattern and Spider (ME!!) is the master weaver!  She has the ability to see our lives as a whole  and live in a more integrated way.  Her web is not an entanglement but a network of roads to travel.  Spider is associated with the spiral, the symbol of Universal energy.  Through her we realize that we are all connected to life and all we have is the infinite NOW!  Can you imagine this wonderful message started with sharing a few simple words with a friend!  Who could say that life is not  meaningful!!  Stop, be still and pay attention.  There are always messages and lessons to be learned!!!  PS Now we are approaching May and my countdown is at 147 days!!!

Crops in Our Own Back Yard

OK - the backyard crop is NOT enough for us to open a farm market in our front yard BUT it is enough for Farmer Bill to harvest and for us to eat and thoroughly enjoy.  On a whim a few years back, we brought home a few asparagus plants and found them a home in the garden.  They grew!!  As tasty as they are, is as much fun as they are to photograph after the crop has been harvested.  They have wonderful feathery 'leaves' and bright red berries.  IF you live in NJ, head out now to find yourself some wonderful Jersey asparagus.  You won't be disappointed!! 

Playing in the Sandbox

It was a really HOT day in Central Park in New York City and PhotoSchmoozer was there with the Gloucester County Photography group for a day of photo ops!  What could we see?  What would we share?  My focus (no pun intended) is on relationships and especially those with and among children.  How fortunate to get to a shady spot and see this group playing together.  Lucky to have a zoom so I wouldn't bother them, I stood outside the fenced in area and was STILL and watched.  They used their words, they used one another's shovels and buckets, they all decided to remove their shoes and they watched one another.  There was no sand throwing, grabbing or otherwise out of sorts behaviors. Lately, as I have beeen 'playing in the sandbox' with big people through my work and volunteer efforts, I keep thinking back to the children in the park and wondering when children lost the sharing and become so much more about their own interests.  I have been working a lot with collaborative efforts and wonder why these big people can't sit in the sandbox and play well together?!?  Is it about funding, self interests, and a lack of realization that we are all working toward the same goals?  Is it about needing to use power to be right and control others? Is it forgetting that times are challenging and IF we all played well in the sandbox and shared our toys, there would actually be more for everyone?!?  I wouldn't point fingers or name names, but I do have my child-like wishes that people would stop, watch, and reflect on the mission that we are ALL about and share their toys!! 

IVY and ELLIE!! Too Sweet!!

A few months ago, Allison showed me a stuffed elephant she had bought for her friend who was going through chemotheraphy.  It made me laugh when I squeezed the foot and listened to her singing!  No, I don't remember the song, but it was lively.  A few weeks ago, I knew I had to purge more 'stuff' and the elephant needed a new home.  My friend, Heather, in Nebraska has a four year old and I have decided to somewhat adopt them as the daughter/granddaughter I would love to have - so I thought about finding a new home for the elephant.  I packed her up for mailing and sent her winging to a new home.  I also wrote a note with one of my greeting cards using my photos - gosh people love those!!  This one had a pair of pink cowgirl boots. I thought Ivy would like them!  Turns out she has a pair of the boots, named the elephant "Ellie" and it's her best friend.  In fact, she often sleeps with her.  Yesterday Heather took pictures of Ivy and Ellie and sent them to me.  Today I share them with you.  She is a charmer - so full of energy and imagination - a free spirit that many of us long to be.  I hope to go and meet her in person so we can dance together and sprinkle fairy dust all around us.  Make a wish...you never know when it will come true!!  My Guardian Angel, Filaree is such a spirit and everyday, I can feel her coming more alive in ME!!  Just the other day, someone said, "Martie you are such a free spirit!"  Ah to believe other people's perceptions.  Every day a little bit more - Believe and your wishes can come true!!

                                 

Stand Up and Be Counted!!

A few weeks ago, Allison and I spent a day with folks at Read Aloud Delaware conference connecting, presenting and visiting with old friends.  Our workshops were about Capturing the Senses in a Literacy Rich Environment and of course with Infants and Toddlers.  As Allison said the other day, "We are the infant/toddler experts!"  Feels so right!  Now we have to get people to pay attention to the uniqueness of those years.  It will come.  But yes, I am digressing.  I've been told that my mind wanders but then it comes back to task!  As we talked about neurons and firing connections through experiences, we decided that a tangerine would be a great way for a hands on activity!  So we brought bags of tangerines (lucky for us, there were only 25 in each group).  As we talked about  a sense, we talked about how the simplilcity of the tangerine could be used to see, hear, smell, touch and taste.  As we got to the touch and taste pieces, we encouraged everyone to peel theirs and live the experiences. As I began peeling, I got the 'message' to keep the skin intact and that I did!  Comments about creativity came my way.  So I thought, "What if I kept this and dried it out?"  That I did and as it took form, it reminded me of a person - maybe I will create a doll.  Today I took it out to the garden for a photo op and this is what I am sharing with you.  Remember I always talk about capturing the moment??  Well, here's another cool example of how the peel became a doll person!!  What can you do to create something fun out of the ordinary and unexpected!?!  Give it a try!!

Spirit of JOI!! Rhythms and Relationships

NOTHING IS BY ACCIDENT!!  A few months ago, I went to a drumming workshop in Mullica Hill.  I did not take the time to make my own Native American drum since Bill had just come home after surgery, but I did choose to buy one from the teacher.  I digress - so what else is new??  There were about 8 drums in one corner of the room and I went to sit with them and quietly listen to decide which one was talking with me!  Right there with me were several gentle souls who listened to the sounds and took part in my decision making.  One of these people was Conni-Joi and she is a Joi!!  Now the amazing fact is that she lives a few blocks from us!!  It's unusual for me to go somewhere and connect with someone who lives in my town and even on my 'side' of the town.  Since then we have been walking - this picture was from one day recently at Betty Park by Alcyon Lake in Pitman - talking, cooking and sharing energy and healing.  Now we have joined a CSA =- organic vegetables weekly and will build our relationship on healthy living and healthy cooking.  Maybe someday - you will have to wait to hear about this - we might expand our activities to reach out in healiing ways to our world!!  For now, we live the simple way and share quiet experiences - music, drumming, and especially love of nature!  OK Mom, so I continue to talk to everyone and once again, I show that it is necessary because you never know!!

Look Up! Look Up! What Do You See??

Sunday was special in so many ways!  DARE to AFFIRM is all about RESPECT and when I got a postcard for a show with the same name - Respect - a Woman's Journey, well...I knew I had to go. It was Allison's birthday and I decided the perfect treat would be an adventure to Philadelphia for lunch, the show and whatever else presented itself to us.  Waking up to perfect weather was the first gift of the day!  Going out to play with a friend was the second.  Our intention was to laugh and have FUN and that we did.  It was lunch at Famous 4th Street Deli - funny though - PhotoSchmoozer forgot to take a picture of the GIANT piece of cake we had - layers and layers of banana cream, chocolate and cake!  It was enough for the entire birthday party!!  Then we had to walk it off by strolling down South Street.  One of the lessons learned there is to look around, look down and look UP!  That's why the giant ant is on this blog.  It was 'crawling' across the top of a building!  There used to be a shop called Zipperhead and these ants are left over on the building.  IF I had just people watched or walked straight along with a focused purpose, I would have missed this and so many other murals and signs.  Just a lesson to all of you...stop where you are and look all around to see what is really present in your world.  You will be so totally surprised!

 Yet another surprise!  These friends were travelling up the side of the building to go and visit their friend at the top. What a celebration was to occur!!  See I said that you had to look all over!!

Everyone Celebrates FUN!!!

Everyone celebrates something!  What about YOU!?!?!  As PhotoSchmoozer travels out and about and talks to lots of people, I hear that some celebrate opening their eyes in the morning, getting out of bed and just being thankful for being alive!!  Others celebrate LIFE in a big way; the seasons; phases of the moon; family and on and on.  In spite of the war and destruction, we all need time to be mindful of what is special to each of us.  This week, my family and I went to celebrate Passover with our 87 year old uncle and his son (another story, another time!) I met a 94 year old woman in the grocery store yesterday who had her 'macaroni' and meatballs cooked and ready for a celebration with her children and grandchildren and maybe some great grandchildren too -15.  She will have everyone at her house for holildays until she can no longer do it!  What a role model.  I talked with her in my favorite produce section.  My mom always wondered WHY I talked to everyone.  I know WHY!?!  Do you?  If you don't engage, you might miss some of life's most wonderful stories and lessons.  Then, driving home from a massage yesterday, I had to pull over and capture this giant celebration!  Thanks to those who took the time to brighten up our world!!  It's never ending and I for one, celebrate having a LOVE OF PEOPLE and a JOY for relationships.

Maddie's Signs of Spring!!

 

The First Day of Spring found PhotoSchmoozer walking down to the lake with a friend.  Just a time to connect and catch our 10 minutes in the sunshine and celebrate Spring - the time of New Beginnings.  We were chatting with the ducks and watching folks fishing, planning our new beginnings and laughing and dreaming. All of a sudden Maddie came over from fishing and showed me her hand ful of worms!!  Oh my did it bring back memories of being a teacher and having to be careful with reactions so the kids would know it was 'ok' to touch and try new things.  I took a deep breath and said, "WOW That's great and what are you going to do with them?"  Phew - luckily she didn't ask me if I wanted to hold them.  She was using them for fishing and was going to take some home to show her mom too!!  Happy Spring and Happy Fishing Maddie!  May this be a time of exciting new beginnings for all of us as we watch the new growth emerging from the ground and the baby birds from the nests!!  We can truly appreciate life and all of its beauty. What a message!!  Love it!!

Meet My Special Gracie!!

Working at home can sometimes feel lonely and disconnected.  Some say it is 'perfect', but for PhotoSchmoozer who likes to out and about and chatting people up, well, something is just not in synch.  On top of that today was totally rainy and dreary - no Vitamin D and lots of transitions and changes in the air.  Sitting here in the office, I looked around at memories and saw Gracie looking at me.  She is totally special.  Jon bought her for me when he first started Wesleyan in 1991!  He even packed her up and sent her to me for my birthday!  I always tell my guys that little things mean a lot to me and Gracie is a perfect example of the love and caring that has always come from our son!!  She helped the day go well by just having her sitting on my lap.  When I go to maryi's farm, her cat Stewie has befriended me and it is the same feeling (though I don't get itchy eyes from Gracie!!)  Stewie jumps right up on my lap and settles in and purrs like crazy.  Not being a cat lover, I wondered, but there is a special connection. Hmmmmm where is my camera when I go to the farm?  Watch for Stewie right here soon.  Until then, postings will be whatever is around in my immediate world.  That is the simplicity of life and it is 'just right'.

Gaze into my Eyes!!

I don't like landscapes, whole exhibits at the Philadelphia Flower Show or the 'big picture' of the world.  What fascinates me when I really sit still and watch are the little details that put together make the whole complete!!  This year it was no different!  I sent Jon pictures and he wondered where the big

 views of the exhibits were?!?  I went back and looked at more than 200 pictures and there were none!!  I have what I love - the beautiful details and this creature from the New Zealand exhibit and the close up of her eye (I made her female!!) captured my fancy.  I stood gazing for quite awhile and was taken in by the glimmer of the light in the big blue eyes.  Now for those of you who really know me, you will realize that my eyes are my favorite part of me and I love to look at other people's eyes.  I was listening to Doreen Virtue the other night talking about Archangel Michael and it was his eyes that were her most vivid description of him!!  Oh by the way, I always thought my eyes were hazel and changeable, but in the past few years, I have been told how beautiful my BLUE eyes are.  Maybe that is why I connected with this big blue one on the NZ 'insect'.  Who knows??  And then is it really important?  No...I connected and was fascinated and took pictures to share.  That is what matters to PhotoSchmoozer!!

(And this post is one of those mistakes that I don't know how to fix when it happens.  I can't get a clear background?!?!) For that matter, we can't find the little tape recorder in our house either!!  HELP!!

Pesky but Persistent

Yes we could look at this picture and say, "How Cute?!?" Or we could look at this picture and say, "What a pest?"  We could feel sorry for the birds as this persisten little rodent climbs up and eats lots of their food.  Or we could say that there is enough to go around and everyone can be satisfied.  For PhotoSchmoozer, looking out the window and seeing this little critter was a photo op without a doubt!!  I carefully opened the kitchen window to get a clear picture (the sunlight was not in a cooperative position though) and took his picture.  Wonder why I always refer to squirrels as 'he'.  Have to be some of each for the cute little critters to contionue to exist right??  So, when I opened the window, he scurried away - for a very brief minute.  then he was back to the post, up to the feedere and off across the wire to the suet feeder.  Now Bill has put up a metal tube cover on the post and an electronic zapper on the feeder.  Score?  Squirrel 1, Bill 0, but for anyone who knows my husband, he is just as persistent as the squirrel and the score will even up and move forward in his favor. Of this I can be sure!!

NOTE:  As of today, 3.11.10, we thought the score was even BUT alas, the squirrels seems to rather clever and food is their incentive.  They get up there without getting zapped!!  

Patterns in the Snow....

Today I had two choices!!  Be discouraged by yet again more snow and more to come OR go and get the camera and see what I could see.  For awhile, I chose the first choice and it DID NOT FEEL GOOD.  I felt angry right in the gut!  Then I sat still and asked for inspiration...my message that I wrote in my journal...

Be Still...Focus on the Beauty of WHAT IS and

Enjoy the Gifts of Today!! 

So, being the PhotoSchmoozer that I am, I went and got the camera, opened the window and focused on patterns in the snow!  Here is one I am choosing to share.  We have lemons...or lemonade...disturbing snow...or the beauty of nature! 
Your choice!  What will YOU make of it today??

Spring!!!

The picture is NOT current but the story is!  I am EXCITED!!   Well, the snow and ice are still on the ground - maybe for months and the rain has not washed enough away, but just a day ago I SAW MY FIRST ROBIN!!  See I have always said that it does not take much to get me excited and this is yet one more example of those simple JOYS!!!  S/he was standing in the green grass at the edge of the field at Farmer Wally's farm just where the sun had melted a big patch of snow.  Now come to think of it, it was last Thursday and exactly the same day that I had the big red ball of a sunrise in the orange/yellow sky so early in the morning!!  Let's keep February 18, 2010 as a day that will be remembered as special for the little blessing that came my way.  Be sure to stop and look to see the gifts of the precious present!!