Minor setbacks and Major accomplishments

Sometimes live gives you lemons.  What you do with those lemons is really up to you.  You can wallow in self pity and say "Woe is me" or you can pick yourself up and dust yourself off and move forward with your dreams and goals.  I never promised you a rose garden but I did promise you that if you take the time to follow your bliss your life will be a life well lived.

I have been wallowing in self pity.  It seamed that everywhere I looked all I saw was failure.  I was unhappy with the way my education was going, I was unhappy with how my finances were going. I couldn't afford the photo equipment I wanted and to be completely honest some times I just felt like I was beating my head against a brick wall.

First one thing and then another pushed me back first a step then two until I came to the realization that the only thing that was holding me back was me. I was allowing these minor setbacks to dictate how I would feel and how I would live my life.  So I did what I always tell others to do when all else fails, try something different.

First my funding for my education has been revamped and it looks like I won't be graduating when I planned.  But is that stopping me no.  I refuse to allow something as minor as funds stop me from becoming what I am destined to be.  So I picked myself up dusted myself off and said OK the traditional way of doing this isn't going to work for me what else can I do to get where I want to be. 

I contacted my school and discussed testing out of some of my classes with them. It is not only doable it is cheaper than the credit hours I need to finish my degree.  I also learned I can continue my education independently.  I can take classes at my local community college and apply those credit hours as I can afford them to my long term goal of having my masters degree in accounting.

I learned that some colleges will even let you write essays and papers regarding your life experiences in order to skip classes and qualify for what is commonly called amongst the secondary schools as life credits.  That was a huge relief off my shoulders.

Now for my photography.  Well money is tight, I have some previous medical bills, my darling husband is getting ready to go under the knife and unfortunately our insurance doesn't cover 100% of our medical expenses.  Yet another set back at least financially, so I came up with alternative ways to earn the equipment I want to invest in photo equipment and creative ways to earn some extra cash not only to help pay for our increasing medical bills but to also help carve the path I choose to follow for my bliss which includes photography.  I also discovered a lot of the fancy equipment can be made out things as simple as a car window reflector instead of a light bouncing board, and something as simple as a sheet mounted to the ceiling with thumb tacks works great as a simple backdrop for doing portraits.

In the meantime though I am doing freelance writing and that is going to pay for those wonderful toys that I day dream about, and that cannot be made at home from simple materials.  I have already paid for a macro tube and a remote trigger for my camera using the credits I earned doing reviews of products I use and liked.

I also learned I can sell my photos online and make a little mad money.  It isn't instant cash but it is a doable source of income for my creative outlet and it gives me a chance to share some of my photos with the world at large. I am no longer content to simply share my photos on facebook and other networking sites. I want to sell my art work to those who may lack the imagination or ability to do their own.

I guess what I am trying to get at in this blog is if you want something bad enough regardless what mountains may stand in your way use your brain to figure out how to make it happen.  Don't give up just because it isn't easy. Nothing in life worth having is simple or easy. Things don't come to those who dream about them, they come to those who get out there bust their butts and make it happen.  Don't wait for destiny to come to you. Go out grab her by the ears and say "listen here, this is going to happen you can either help or get out of my way, because either way its going to happen". 

I have wallowed in self pity long enough. I have pissed and moaned about how sucky my life is right now and you know what I am over it.  I am tired of being a victim of circumstance. I am tired of things I have no control over ruling my world.  I am tired of being sad and depressed and beaten down by the life I have been given. It is time for me to stand up and say "My Turn". 

Regardless what mountains or speedbumps may lie in my path, I am going to do what makes me happy.  If those in my life cannot get on board then they can be left in my wake.  I am not hurting anyone with my bliss I am not taking valuable time away from things that need doing.  I am simply making the investment in my own happiness to chase my own dreams and live my own life.  It aint perfect and I really didn't expect it to be.  But I am keeping it real and that is the whole purpose for this blog.

Sharing my ups and downs and hopefully inspiring others to chase those dreams they dare to dream.  The world is filled with a wide variety of people. We all have gifts and talents that we are born with, and if your talents take you on a path you might not have envisioned for yourself all the better.  Stepping outside your comfort zone is good for you. It helps build character and it helps you discover who you truly are.

So if I have to impart a single piece of advise to you at this junction, it would be this.  Be who you truly are.  Not who you think you should be, not who you family and friends want you to, but who you truly are. Those who truly love you will accept who you are and those who don't well you don't need that kind of negative energy in your life anyway.

Until next time blog buddies, stay safe, stay sane, and be happy.

When I first took this shot I didn't post it or share it because to me it wasn't good enough but the longer this sat in my photo folder and I saw it every time I scrolled through to look at new shots I thought to myself, it is a very simple shot but it isn't spectacular.  Sometimes things in life aren't going to be spectacular. Sometimes simple things can bring you the most joy because they aren't complicated or high tech. Sometimes we have to say to ourselves it isn't good enough by who's standards?  I think this is a beautiful shot. It is Mother Nature at her finest. It isn't an exotic flower or an incredible rose but it is still beautiful in its simplicity.  It is what life is all about. Thriving where you are planted and learning to overcome what may prevent you from thriving. It is the nature of the beast, it is life in its simplest form.  Have you ever tried to kill a weed?  You pluck it and you poison it and you mow it down. Some people even try burning them out and yet they keep coming back.  Be like that weed, no matter what gets thrown at you remember if a simple life form such as a weed can come back from everything life throws at it, why can't you?

Dreary Days of Winter and finding your Bliss

Winter days are often hard to manage through if your bliss in concentrated on things you enjoy during warmer months. Things like swimming and playing tennis is often difficult to do during colder months unless you are lucky enough to belong to a gym who offers indoor heated pools or indoor courts.  But fear not there is a remedy for this problem.

If your bliss involves activities that can only take place during warmer months there are many things you can do during your off season.  We live in TN and although it doesn't get the harsher weather that many states suffer through during the winter months. The weather can often turn unpredictable and ruin otherwise well laid plans.

I have been scrambling for the last few days trying to get as much done as possible outside in preparation for my garden.  I find great joy in raising our own food and are exploring several different things to extend our growing season.  We have had temperatures in the 60's and 70's for the last few days and it has been entirely to pretty to stay cooped up inside so I have been working my raised beds and taking stock of what I have on hand and what supplies I will need to lay in for another productive year with my bliss.

I have moved all of my viable plants indoors and purchased some indoor grow lights for an area I have designated as my growing zone. I have started my seedlings for the coming year and as I watch them grow the nasty weather outside doesn't take away from my desire to grow our own food.  My darling husband built me a polytunnel last year in hopes of extending our growing season. But this years colder than average for longer periods of time have robbed my growing area outside of its precious heat.  But I will not be discouraged by this because it simply means back to the drawing board and finding alternative ways to keep my plants warm and toasty while the worst of the weather rages.

If you are interested in a sport or activity you can take these colder months to plan out our strategy on how you will pursue your bliss once the weather warms. Mapping out time in your schedule to enjoy those activities or investing in the equipment you will need in order to make your dreams of bliss a reality.

You may find that by watching those who excel in the sport of your choice is a good option. Many times athletes will watch others do what they dream of doing in order to study muscles used or styles engaged in order to learn from others.  You can also read up on the places within your community that offer free access to places to practice or meet other like minded folks. Many communities have groups that will meet to set up matches or just hang out and discuss the thing that interest you most.

Last year we visited Cheekwood Botanical gardens to get ideas for what we wanted in our garden beds. Ideas for plantings as well as advice from those who knew far more than I do regarding plant hardiness in our area.  It is an option if gardening is amongst your list of things that make you happy.

I also spend my winter months going through gardening magazines, gardening websites, and gardening catalogs.  Researching possible plants for our upcoming growing season and learning as much as I can about their care.  It is how I keep the fire in my belly alive for enjoying my warm weather interest during the colder months.

If you are truly interested in learning about something, be that a sport or a hobby you will take the time of year that it is to cold to pursue to learn more. Think of it as a seed in the winter. It may get dropped into the soil by chance during the final days of fall.  But it will protect itself against the cold weather by becoming dormant.  Your dreams don't have to die simply because you cannot actively pursue them.  Think of the off season as your planning period. It is time to do what you need to do to ensure that your bliss is waiting there to blossom as soon as warmer weather returns.

If you are interested in a sport you may begin conditioning your body to perform at it best when warmer weather returns.  Exercises like Yoga often help stretch and tone and can be done in a limited space.  Yoga is not expensive nor does it take over your life. It only helps your body remember what it is created for.  It helps prepare your body for the activities ahead and allows your mind to concentrate on what makes you the happiest.

Many athletes also use visualization and studies done have shown that muscles fire in the same sequence when visualized as they do when the actual activity is undertaken.  So if you cannot be out on the court, visualize yourself practicing that perfect serve in your mind.  It will help your dreams of being great at your bliss a reality when you can actually get out there and play the game of your choice.

When something is important to you there are no real roadblocks to your bliss,  only speedbumps.  Things that may take a little more determination to get over but just as important as the actual activity itself.  It is life's way of testing you to make sure this is something you really want to do.  You cannot walk out onto a court or playing field without preparation.  Even the best athletes stay in top form during their off season.  They stay healthy and active in order to do their best when their season is in full swing by staying focused on the game ahead during the seasons in which they cannot play.

I hope my blog today has given you food for thought on ways to enjoy your bliss even if the weather isn't warm enough to follow through with it.  That regardless of what Mother Nature and the Weather man may say that it is never to early to engage in things that make you happy and make your life worth living.  That you take the time now to start preparing for those days that you can enjoy later by planning out your battle plan on how you are going to fit time in your schedule for those things as well as becoming educated in the activity itself.  Instead of sitting in the cold dark house and saying woo is me.  Life is to short to be miserable and why spend another moment aimlessly wandering through life, when you can be living a life with purpose.

Until Tomorrow blog buddies, stay safe, stay sane, and be happy.

Preparing my beds for the coming growing season means I can enjoy my bliss even during the months that the actual activity is not an option.  By preparing the soil and feeding it as well as my dream I am able to continue my bliss even in the colder months. I take advantage of the things I have readily on hand to enrich the soil. Things that most people consider garbage I know is food for my future garden. Kitchen cast offs, leaves and recycled dirt are used in my beds.  With a healthy watering of compost/ worm dropping tea we make ourselves. To ensure that when warmer weather returns I will have the absolute best outcome to our garden and me following my bliss.

Regardless of what your bliss is, take advantage of the slower months to prepare for it.  Collect the materials you will need as well as educate yourself and visualize what you want in your life.  The planning phase is as important as the actual activity itself.  Never allow the whims of nature to deter you from following your bliss, where ever they may lead.

Life is like a garden, cultivate the life you want to Live

There are many things in this life we have no control over.  There are many things that we do and those things we can active steps to change, but if you spend your time stressing over things that you cannot directly affect you often wear yourself out emotionally and physically and lose site of the truly important things in your life.

Into every life a rain must fall was a favorite expression of my grandmother.  She used to say you cannot enjoy the sunny days without a few rainy ones sprinkled in to remind you of how wonderful your life is.  She was always comparing life to nature and how everything begins with a small seed, or how the warmth of the sun can bring a plant to life but to much sun can kill a plant with to little rain.  I think she was a gardener through and through and I often think of her while I am tolling away in my garden during the summer months.

I find solace in my garden. It helps me stay focused and realize that although right this second it appears there is nothing happening that beneath the soil that tiny seed is doing amazing things.  It is breaking free of that hard protective shell and spreading it roots down deep into the soil to give it the foundation it needs to grow into a tall productive plant.  That even when a plant can look its worst it will often come back with some TLC and a little water.  To much water can kill a plant much like life it a balancing act of finding that happy medium.

Last summer I spent many hours working with my garden. It is something that brings me great joy.  Feeling that rich dirt between my fingers as I plant my seeds in the late winter with hopes and dreams of having a garden that will not only feed my bliss but also feed my family. Watching as those tender sprouts push their way through that soil in a matter of days or weeks and becomes the plant that will grow big and strong and produce the fruits and veggies that is so incredibly delicious on my table.  I also have to sit by and watch as the weakest of my plants don't survive and wither and die.  Simply because although they may be of the same plant as another seed they may lack the ability to thrive once they have begun their growth.

I know that not all my seeds will make it and even those that do I must weed out and pull the poorest in order for the strongest to survive for my garden.  I plant 3 seeds per pot to ensure that I get at least one healthy plant.  Now you may be asking yourself what does all this gardening information have to do with following my bliss. Simple, life is a lot like gardening.  You go into it with hopes and dreams of finding what makes you happy.  You pursue avenues that may or may not come to fruition and that only time and patience can tell exactly what the end result will be.  We all try things that don't work out.  But do not be discouraged by your failures, learn from them.

If you were gardening and half your plants didn't survive you wouldn't blame yourself because you knew you had tried and at least some of those ideas and dreams became what you wanted.  If you have provided your dreams and goals with the time and energy and they don't survive to produce the fruit of happiness perhaps it wasn't the path you were meant to be on. Perhaps in the process of replacing those seedlings you met that person who will help you find that path, or better yet perhaps you still had a few life lessons to learn in order to better focus your energy on the right end goal for you.

Before I began gardening I often didn't understand some of the things my grandmother said. I just figured she was getting older and perhaps a wee bit senile. But now that I find myself wrist deep in dirt during the coldest months of the year her advise often floods back to me.  I remember spending time on my knees in her garden pulling weeds that would choke out the plants and the smell of that sweet corn straight off the stalk.  I remember sitting around our dinner table  enjoying the fruits and veggies she grew and even into the colder months enjoying the harvest from canning she did every year at harvest time.

I have many happy memories of my Mema's garden.  I also remember scratching at bug bites and sweating like a work horse out in that garden every summer.  It may not have felt so great when I was working my butt off but the end result was always worth the effort.  I understand now why she so often spoke in gardening terms because getting back in touch with nature has given me a lot of insight into my own human frailties and my own body.

You can work with nature or you can work against it.  Often times if you work against it your endeavors fail and you end up miserable and confused.  However if you work with it, another favorite of hers was to everything there is a season, you will often find your bounties piling up around you like a great gardener during the harvesting time.  With so much you need to can or dehydrate or share your bountiful blessings.

My Mema taught me to watch nature and take my lead from her.  The apple trees blossom in the spring and put on quiet the show. Covered in beautiful blossoms that float through the air and drape the air with their sweet scent but their apples are not ready for harvesting until the fall and a lot can happen between those cool spring days and those cooling fall nights.  The weather can turn nasty, the bugs may discover your treasure and a wary gardener always knows to be on guard and protect those treasured apples from pest and disease.  Your dreams are a lot like those apples.  If you don't learn to do what is important in following your dreams and protect them from those who would eat away at your dreams and goals you may end up with nothing but a pest infested fruit that is not edible or beautiful.

I remember her teaching me about which crops did best with the cold, and like dreams some are best left to only do a bit at during each week, while other crops require more of the suns warmth and are much higher maintenance.  Tomatoes are like that, they require constant attention. To little nutrients and your plants won't produce fruit, to much water and they drowned.  It is a balancing act as is many dreams and goals.  To little attention and they will never produce the desired end result and to much and you may become frustrated waiting for the sun to shine on them and produce fruit.  I remember sitting and watching the tomatoes growing marveling at the tiny buds that attracted every bee in a 5 mile radius to pollinate them and yet even then not all buds became those juicy ripe tomatoes that I loved so much on my salads and sandwiches.

If you want the life you deserve you must cultivate it.  You must find that happy medium between over-watering and under-watering.  You must explore and talk to those already on the path and learn from their mistakes and hopefully share some of your own along the way.  Nothing in life worth having comes easy.  It is always going to be a struggle but if you are a dedicated gardener you learn from your mistakes, you move forward with your knowledge and in the harvest time you reap the benefits of all your hard work. 

I hope my blog today has given you some food for thought, I hope it has if in a round about way helped you to understand a little better about working with your personal nature and allowing your dreams and goals to unfold at their own rate.  There may be days when it feels as though nothing is happening and that time is standing still, but then you will turn around  realize that a beautiful fruit has been hiding under a large leaf and is almost ready to harvest and enjoy.

Until Tomorrow blog buddies, stay safe, stay sane, and stay happy.

Like the seeds in this growing tray, turn your head to the light.  Allow the sun to feed and fuel your dreams. Bask in the warmth of those who support you and learn to bend in the showers of those who don't.  Take a lesson from nature and weed out those ideas and dreams that aren't strong enough to stand the harsh weather and protect your bliss from the freezing winds of cruel words and people. 

Be good to yourself and demand respect from others, because if they are not capable of respecting your dreams and goals they are not worthy of the attention and energy they drain from your life.  Be in harmony with the things around you and let everything happen at its own pace.  

You can learn a lot from nature if you will only give her the chance to teach you.  Many blessings and it is never to early to sow the seeds of your future life, even if it is simply putting a small seed in moist Earth and letting it become the plant is is destined to be. 

What is true happiness?

True happiness is a state of mind, it isn't the amount of money in your bank account.  It isn't landing that perfect job or living in the house of your dreams.  True happiness comes from within.  In finding your own place in the universe and making your life you own.  It also comes from finding your purpose or gift and learning to utilize that skill to find what you seek.

True happiness can be found in the oddest of places. Perhaps it is in volunteering your time to help others, perhaps it is pursuing a dream that you entertained as a young child but due to life's pressures you gave up on.  Perhaps it is just being the best you that you can be.  Perhaps it is a hodgepodge of all these things combined.

True happiness comes from within. It is a place in your heart and soul that no matter what else is going on on in your life you can escape to and find calmness and contentment.  It may spending an hour painting at your easel.  Perhaps it is finding time to soak in that hot tub filled with bubbles up to your chin. Perhaps it is losing yourself in a favorite book, allowing your mind to escape and meld with the characters and story line.

True happiness does not come monetary gains, or surrounding yourself with only the best. Many women find temporary happiness in what I like to refer to as retail therapy.  This is the uncontrollable urge to shop till you drop.  Buying things that may for the moment give you happiness but later make you wonder how you are going to meet that minimum payment on your credit cards next month.

True happiness does not come from something that later down the line is going to make you feel worse than you already do.  It isn't about dreaming of that success only to find that once you are there you no longer have time for family and friends.  It is about finding that one or two or half a dozen things that bring you inner peace and mental awareness.

Sometimes people think that if they just survive this or they manage to obtain that they will find true happiness. This is a fallacy created by our society to make you work harder, longer hours to obtain a false sense of what you want.  It isn't real nor is it truly obtainable. Granted you may get that corner office or actually buy that huge dream house. But then the problems begin.  With the corner office comes the stress of having responsibilities, and once you get that huge house then you have to clean it, pay for it, as well as keep it secure. Money does not buy happiness. Things do not buy happiness.  Happiness is a state of mind.

Happiness is a state of mind that comes from being happy with who you are. Being true to yourself always and not allowing the actions of others to dictate how you live your life.  Sometimes true happiness is found in just finding the time to mentally recharge your batteries, be that on an extended cruise or losing yourself in the moment of pure bliss.

Happiness is different for different people. We all have different things that make us happy, some of this is due to our upbringing, some of this is due to our mental processing of ideas and situations, some of this is due to environment and what we interpret happiness to be. It is time to take a long hard look into your psyche and discover where your happiness lies.  It is time to begin the journey of self discovery and find what brings us true joy and happiness.

Never let another tell you that you will be happy if you do this or you obtain that.  That is not true. Only you can know for sure exactly where your happiness lies.  Only you can know what will flip that inner trigger to allow your mind, body and emotions to unwind, destress, and become whole again.  Only you can figure out what you need to do to find your own bliss.

Today is Wednesday and that means that I will be sharing a website that I found very helpful in my own personal journey of self discovery. I read this article and found it to be very insightful for discovering where my inner bliss lay.  It helped me refocus my energies and take a long hard look at my own life and what in it made me happy, what in stressed me out, and what about my life worked or didn't work.  It is called 7 New Ways to be Happy.

 7 New ways to be Happy

Now I am not a huge fan of Oprah, I don't watch her shows or subscribe to her newsletter or even read her magazine but sometimes you can find information in places you rarely visit simply through googling a subject and following the threads to unravel the secrets of life.  Some things you find may fit your personal situation and others may not, as I have said many times before everyone is different.  But take what you can from those you find that you feel will help you and the things that don't apply either file away for another time or ignore.

I cannot tell you how to find your own personal bliss, I can only share with you things I found useful and hopefully encourage you to find your own true happiness.  I hope this blog finds all those who take the time to read it well.  I hope that today you do something, although it may be minor but something to either discover your own bliss, or move one step closer to realizing your own bliss.  I hope that the new year brings with it the journey of self discovery and the chance to become all that you were born to be. Until Tomorrow, be safe, be sane and be well.

Christmas Eve and counting your blessings.....

As I sit and unwind from my crazy hectic day I reflect on the past year. The changes in my life, the completion of some task and the beginning of others.  I think about those we have lost in the last year as well as those who have joined our informal network family.  Some of them have made my life so much easier and well some have given me a few life lessons in patience.

On this Eve of Christmas 2012 I want to remind everyone that yesterday is past, is we cannot change it or do anything about the things we have survived. But survived we have.  The future is unknown and cannot be fathomed until it arrives.  So plan for it but do not plan on it.  The only thing we truly have is here and now.  This second in this universe, and we are not guaranteed any more than that.

Show those you love how much you appreciate their presence in your life. For we never know when our time is done and we will have no more tomorrows.  Be grateful for every blessing you enjoy because at any time they can be taken away.  Never assume that your best friend will always be your best friend.  People grow and change and anything can change in a moment, an exchange of words said in the heat of a battle can forever alter the way you see each other.  Always think before you speak because words can often inflict just as much damage as actions or blows.

Look around you and although you may be poor in finances you are often rich in the blessings that surround you.  I am not a rich person in finances but I am very rich in the true friends I have and the wonderful life experiences I have had.  I am surrounded by people who not only love me but who also always have my back in troubled times.

Never allow your dark days to prevent you from enjoying the sunshine.  My grandmother who passed this year always told me, you cannot truly appreciate the beautiful weather if a little rain doesn't fall on your garden.  Why is it that older people have the oddest sayings?  I knew what she meant but she always had the most colorful way of expressing them to me.

As I sit and sip my coffee and watch my dogs play I realize how truly blessed I am.  And how lucky I am to live with those I share my home with. Each one a fighter in their own sense. Overcoming adversity to become what they are now.  Some have seen the worst humanity has to offer and still manage to love unconditionally.  Some have gone through far more than I will ever experience and yet they still manage to be happy and live in the moment.

On this eve of Christmas I just wanted to take a moment and say how truly thankful I am and how truly blessed I am.  Had I not survived the things I have survived I would not have gained the wisdom I now have.  For that I am thankful.  To all I wish a Happy Holiday season and hope that you will have many more to enjoy during your lifetimes. Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.

For my first post I would like to introduce myself.  I am an average woman. I was raised in a generation that was taught that others always came first. Growing up I was raised to believe you could not find true happiness unless you found a husband. One that would provide for you and keep you safe and warm for the hard life that lie ahead of you.  When I was growing up women were limited in what they could be. Although I was born into an era of women who burned their bras, and fought for women's liberation and equal pay for equal work this didn't prevent our Mothers from raising us to believe in the happily ever after.

I cut my first teeth on Disney Princesses and the damsel being rescued by the handsome prince. Snow white always got her Prince, and Ariel got her human, and Pocohantus got John Smith (which for the record is not really historically correct).  I watched as time and time again the girls always got their dream boat and lived happily ever after. The movies never showed how they handled having children or if they stayed home or were working Moms.  The movies never showed the handsome prince having a side dish in another kingdom or deciding they weren't cut out for family life. The movies never showed real life and all its hardships.

Now I understand why they never showed real life. Who would want to traumatize a young child into believing that life was hard and relationships were harder.  They wanted us to have happy childhoods and grow up into productive members of society.  The fact that as the children grew up and the husbands either died or divorced that we would be left alone.  That somewhere between the marriage alter and the death bed we would have to discover what made us happy and pursue our own dreams.

That is where I am now. My children are grown with lives of their own.  My husband is so busy with work that I spend a lot of time alone.  I keep myself occupied by volunteering and doing rescue work with animals. I returned to school to get my education but that chapter of my life will be done come the fall of 2013.  I garden, read, write, and try to find happiness in my day to day life but in the last few years I have lost several family members and this along with some other life altering things have made me take a long hard look at my life and decide I have given decades of my time and energy to others. It is time for me to find my own personal bliss and begin building a life I will be proud to someday share stories of with my grandchildren.

As I said I am the average run of the mill woman. I am not especially talented or beautiful.  I do not think I will find the cure for cancer or some other dreaded disease.  I seriously doubt I will ever fly in a space shuttle or walk on the moon.  But in my own small way I want to live a life that is filled with excitement and joy.  I want to find what makes me happy and decide if it is something I would like to spend my free time pursuing.

I already find a lot of joy in writing and gardening and have taken those things about as far as I can.  I have already discovered the joy of seeing an animal once cast off by its owners in a loving home with a family of its own. But it is time for the discovery of myself. Who I really and what makes me the happiest.  This blog will be an online journal of this great adventure and I am hoping that some that read it will become inspired by it and want to find their own bliss.

You don't have to wait until your kids are grown or you wake up one day alone to do this.  You can begin this journey right now with me.  I will post updates and links to thinks that make me go interesting.... Or just things that make me smile and count my many blessings.  This may at times be boring or mundane but at times so are life.  It is just a written record of this great adventure I am embarking on and wanted to invite others to join me and perhaps together we can all learn a little something about ourselves along the way.