Summer....

Summertime and the living is easy...it is so amazing how the warm days of summer with its occasional splash of rain is such an attitude adjuster. Back in the days of winter I yearly drift out mentally wondering how it would be to live in a tropical place like Hawaii, the South Pacific or somewhere in the Gulf of Mexico. Now I can pretend for a few weeks that I am there. When the days grow long and life itself seems to kick back I stretch and sigh as I look around and think that this is how life should be. Savor the summer....

Spring to life

Everything is all about attitude, and as the days grow longer and the hills get painted with blossoms of pink it definitely is a positive "attitude adjuster!" Remember when during the cold days of winter we all crawled home in the dark after work? Spring brings on a "laid back" feeling as we move through our longer days with the knowledge that it is all "no worries" as there will be plenty of time for both work and relaxation under the sun. A feeling of rebirth energizes us as we realize that we can actually plant things around us and growth will occur. Indeed, sometimes growth occurs in spite of us! In turn we realize that we are also able to have a "renaissance" in our lives just as the blossoms of spring mark promises of a beautiful tomorrow around us. Go with the flow and let your attitude swell with joy!

Shadow Games

Blundering about throughout my days often finds me overwhelmed by the everchanging shadowplay unfolding through the windows of my life. Light and contrast occupy a fascination for many as we perceive seasons, moods, and even time of day by how the light filters around us. Lazy hazy days of summer are painted with an almost impressionistic light filling your essence with pleasant sighs, while the stark contrast of winter winds chills your spine as you squint your eyes to the harsh light of the solstice. Changing seasons keep life exciting as the stage set before us morphs into a kaleidoscope making each day a new venture forward. As the new season unfolds it is exciting to dream of days to come, but as time staggers onward the days become like a worn pair of old shoes as an urgency swells for a new day to dawn. Although we are comfortable in the ragged season passing as the days go by it causes a rush in us to try on new days to come. We see foliage change, the muds about us alter, and as winter wanes about us an excitement builds for joys unfolding. As spring blossoms around us our souls will be stirred in rhythm with the sap rising in the newly budding world. Spring forward with our clocks and with a newfound synergy!

Fab Feb

Fab February- wow, time flies when you're having fun, right? it is so odd that we stumble through January with the hypnotic post christmas blues thinking winter will never end, then that silly groundhog appears in the media and we mistakenly think winter is about over. Grey days of winter this year can best be described as dusting, iced, and blustery. The recent blue skies preceding the horrid winds across the hills caused us to wistfully gaze upward and pretend summer was perhaps at hand. After all, the groundhog said only a half dozen more days of winter, right? Wrong! It isn't over until it is over to awkwardly coin one of Yogi's phrases. Often these mountains are shocked to find that local bad weather hits the hardest as we stumble towards the Easter Bunny and spring.... take a deep breath, as the most devious of the chills, snows, and winds may be yet to arrive. Oh well, at least we can take solace in eating heart shaped boxes of chocolates and sniffing flowers as cupid distracts us for a Valentine moment.

Calendar Flips

Hurrah- 2008 is here and, as usual, everything still feels the same. Initially the most difficult thing about a New Year is remembering to write "2008" on checks and our correspondance to reflect the calendar flipping over. From Christmas to New Years day it seems that we kick back in our society and let things glide under the guise of packaging everything as "Best of the Past Year" blurbs. New music Tuesday on iTunes skips a beat as the offerings are just a "hits feast," daily published news articles sum up the "year in review," and everyone pauses to socialize with those they haven't seen for a year. We seem to let the world coast by as we pause to take a beath and reflect. Every new January it seems that we collectively take a deep breath to coast us over the impending winter winds. However, we suddenly are snapped back into the present this year as the new year is consumed by "election frenzy" as every media source analyzes each breath of the struggling candidates. Seemingly it a key element of human nature to seize upon a topic to make life meaningful and drive us forward. Politicians create an awareness in where our needs are and the populace become impassioned and polarized as the days glide by. Gradually we remember to write the correct year on our checks as that simple challenge fades in the light of loftier issues. Election years are usually memorable, so ready yourself for opportunities in what may be an interesting year. Enjoy!

Seasons change

Isn't it interesting how we move from event to event in life using special holidays as cornerstones to tug us along?  It seems that we recently scurried along in our move towards Thanksgiving with our turkey in hand to only see its remains being tossed aside as the weekend gave way to the passion of Christmas.  Symbolically one holiday gives way to another much like the natural progression of life here on the planet.  From "Black Friday" forward we unwittingly are consumed by "everything Christmas" as begin to consciously attempt to "get into"the spirit with our favorite carols playing as we outdo last year with decorations around the house.  Shopping, planning, and decorating exhaust us as we also maintain the work grind as the days of December pass onward.  Would we want it any other way?  Every year it is the same, but that is not a bad thing, as "the same" often reveals some charitable and optimistic characteristics about those around us that we usually never notice.  One of the cosmic things about all of our holidays is that our involvement shows our character as we magically conjure up a time of passionate wonder and celebration throughout the year.  As we move toward the 25th let's all savor the good things about how we are energized anew around this event!  Shop, decorate, and socialize- but enjoy all of the nice things this season stirs within us all.  Merry Christmas!

Chill

Must be getting cold, because I am feeling comfortable. As the calender flips to November most of the leaves have fallen and memories of summer are fading in the same vein. Crisp autumn days have always left me with a warm feeling, as it seemingly leads me into a surrealistic dimension where it is neither too hot nor too cold. Think of how many wondrous things have been concocted by inhabitants of northern climes in response to a chillingly fresh thought! Brisk mornings leading to amazing contrasts of clouds sketched onto a vivid blue canvas is my idea of the greatest time of the year. However, this must not be a universal take, as I encounter plenty of people who grumble about frost and how difficult it is to get the temperature just right in their homes. As they sloth off to work many seem to bleat about being cold as they cling to their summer wardrobes, while those dressing for the season are bewildered by the random cries to crank up the heat. Mixing about over the past few days kept me gobsmacked by the number of shivering dismayed cries lamenting the loss of tropical breezes here in the hills. Get with the times! The calender has flipped to November and it is normal to have a bracing chill in the air. Enjoy the moment, and take a deep breath to sustain you through the upcoming mind boggling approaching holiday season.