I'm not surprised to find more about trees -- this time in an article about climbing trees by recreationists.

I don't remember ever climbing any trees, though I do remember some intrepid boys doing it. OTOH, my girls have climbed a neighbor's tree, or rather clambered over the branch that runs about a foot off the ground for about 6 feet before it moved upward.

I'm not surprised that the climbers are either in search of the tallest tree to climb or maybe the most interesting place, joking that even a cactus could probably be climbed.

And they mention serenity.

What is there about a stand of trees that brings serenity? Something primeval, no doubt, that connects us to the past as well as the present with memories too deep to tell. I only know that I'm refreshed around trees.

I could use some trees right about now -- it's too hot here!

How about you?

Karin

Originally posted 2007-06-23 07:10:58.

No related posts.

I thought this was one of the most beautiful metaphors/examples of the divine spark that shines through us all. I hope you enjoy it like I did.

Karin

I got up early one morning to catch the sunrise. There had been some freezing rain overnight, which coated all the trees with ice. It was breathtakingly beautiful. As the sun rose higher and higher in the sky, the trees sparkled with that reflected light.

When I looked to the north of the house where the sun hadn't yet hit, the trees looked so ordinary. But when I turned back to where the sun shined, the trees were extraordinarily beautiful.

To me this was a glimpse of what it means to be the reflection of God. There's a divine dimension of life that makes us beautiful and good and kind, both inside and out. That life link with God's light takes us beyond human limitations and lifts us into that spiritual point of view where things become possible that we didn't think were possible...

Someone said to me years ago, "Everyone has a divine spark and it's up to you to find it and fan the flame." Each of us has some quality of God that's distinctly ours, that shines through us and makes us the special individuals that we are.

For the full article, go here.

26 ¶ And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
28 And God blessed them...
31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. Genesis 1, KJV

Originally posted 2007-06-21 13:19:26.

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I always liked this song from Claudine Longet.

Karin

Rows and flows of angel hair
And ice cream castles in the air
And feather canyons everywhere
Ive looked at clouds that way.

But now they only block the sun
They rain and snow on everyone
So many things I would've done
But clouds got in my way.

I've looked at clouds from both sides now
From up and down, and still somehow
It's cloud's illusions I recall
I really don't know clouds at all.

Moons and Junes and ferris wheels
The dizzy dancing way you feel
As every fairy tale comes real
I've looked at love that way

But now it's just another show
You leave them laughing when you go
And if you fail, don't let them know
Don't give yourself away.

I've looked at love from both sides now
From give and take and still somehow
It's love's illusions I recall
I really don't know love at all.

Jeers and fears and feeling proud
to say I love you right out loud
Dreams and schemes and cirrus clouds
I've looked at life that way.

But now old friends are acting strange
They shake their heads, they say I've changed
But something's lost
and something's gained in living every day.

Ive looked at clouds from both sides now
From up and down, and still somehow
Its cloud's illusions I recall
I really don't know clouds at all.

I've looked at life from both sides now
From win and lose and still somehow
It's life's illusions I recall
I really don't know life at all.

Originally posted 2007-06-30 16:13:28.

No related posts.

I happen to like clouds, how about you?

As a child, I would lay in the grass face up looking at clouds and find pictures in them. Today, I'm more apt to just appreciate them as I drive along.

I like a cloudy day as it cuts the heat by 10 degrees, and it's rare to have a day that is entirely cloudy. In Michigan, it would be cloudy for days, so we welcomed the sun. Now that I don't sit out in the sun, the clouds are just fine by me.

I had a friend call about a week ago and ask me if it being overcast bothered me. Nope, I like it. (It was bothering her.) (We've needed rain, and it is such a blessing to have it.)

I know I've said before that I like storms. I don't even mind hurricanes so much except for the aftermath with no electricity. (Obviously I take that back for the huge storms that cause loss of life or homes.) (And I don't like wind-swept fire, as a result of lightening strikes on dry flora.)

One of my children was very afraid of storms, the thunder especially. I doubt she'd ever been outside her orphanage until I adopted her. I don't know what kind of storms they had there, if many, but her sense of hearing was acute, so she noticed all the sounds that we know to filter out, because she had never heard them before. Once in a while, even today, she'll say, what is that sound, or look startled, and I'll say, that's the refrigerator, for example.

We would sit on either our front porch or our back porch, where I would rock her and we would watch the rain. I'd make a game of it so she knew I liked the storm and that it would not hurt us.

Today, there was a line of black clouds lying low. At mid point there were some fluffs of white. Peaking at 12 o'clock was a tiny sliver of blue. It's never rained, so far, but it sprinkled.

One time I saw a striking line of clouds, like a V pointed to the earth, but not a tornado.

If you've ever been around tornadoes (thanks to Michigan I have) you know there is a peculiar color to the clouds when one is near. One time I was struck by it here, and I said, there's a tornado close by. Sure enough, there was. But I'm glad we don't have as many as we had in Michigan. There we had a basement; here, we do not.

And one time I saw a fist above the road. It kind of went along with the news that day, which was interesting. I wasn't looking for it, but you couldn't miss it.

I can't say I appreciate the darker clouds of life, when used in a metaphorical sense, but I do appreciate them in the sky.

Karin

Originally posted 2007-06-30 12:27:30.

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I enjoyed this short inspirational movie about the inspiration of nature. It is filled with hopeful quotes that will uplift your day.

One way to watch it is to keep it on your screen, but pause it when it comes to a quote you like. Then restart it after doing a few emails. Stop it again. That way your inspiration is spread out a little and it doesn't take 4 minutes to watch at any one time.

Enjoy!

Karin

Originally posted 2008-11-22 08:39:30.

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Today was a lovely, lazy, very busy -- oxymoron, I know -- happy, productive, fun day. I did nothing -- and everything.

Meanwhile some tropical storm or other is likely sitting off the coast because after having no rain for longer than we'd care to remember, we are getting inundated with it. No thunder; no lightening; just lots of glorious, wet weather. Good weather for ducks.

I like rain -- any rain. I like the sound of it. I like the overcast nature of it -- which can be overcast in one place and across the street the sun can be shining. Unlike Michigan where it would be overcast all over for days.

I like it that it breaks the heat and humidity.

The temps dropped from in the high 80s, low 90s, to the high 60s. Glorious weather.

I like the smell of rain. I look for the perfect scent of rain in a fragrance, and I've tried out several. Some I just like to have around to smell when I want that ozone/dirt perfect fragrance. The latest I've tried is Thundra -- a truly lovely, interesting fragrance. I might review it tomorrow.

And I stayed in all day except for all the schlepping of the kids. The 11 yr old had a field trip today in pouring rain. I sent her off with a sweatshirt and an umbrella. She came back wet.

Night products
Admission: generally I don't take my makeup off at night. Bad Karin. But I don't perspire, so my face is still clean. Last night was no exception, but I wanted to use the Arbonne night cream. So after I cleansed my face today -- with the Arbonne samples -- I put on night cream and enjoyed the day. I actually think I could apply my makeup over the top of it, but I never got to it.

When I was in my 20s, night creams were too rich and would break me out. And moisturizer alone, without something to seal it in, wasn't moist enough. I'd wake up drier than I'd like. So, for me, my regimen has been pretty much no night products, unless I wore them in the daytime, or unless I was jump starting my face.

I don't recommend this if you have oily skin or if it doesn't work for you. But whatever works, works!

So what did I do?
You got me, but the day flew!

No, seriously, I did a lot of beading to catch up with projects I had.

Oh! and I started a ning group for serious bead addicts of Trollbeads, Pandora, Chamilia, Biagi, artisan or other beads http:www.addicted2beads.ning.com It will be a place for resources of all kinds, including shops or artists that might want to tell about themselves.

I helped my 13 yo learn to iron so her skirt would look better for school. Schlepped the kids, including waiting at the bus stop until she was picked up -- and again until she was dropped off -- as it was raining too hard to let her stand out there in the elements.

Leave me a message so I know you are out there.

I'm going to enjoy the sound of the pouring rain. How about you? Do you like rain? Is it raining where you are? Do you need rain? We were parched here.
Karin
www.savvythinker.com

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Just when it seems like a bit of good news would be exceedingly welcomed, comes this true story (I've checked it with Snopes) about a woman hand feeding hummingbirds.

Isn't it great that with the Internet we have a way to easily share these experiences that we might never hear about otherwise?!

Thanks to Cathy for sharing with me in the first place!

It's a reminder to me that "God's in his heaven; all's right with the world."

from "Pippa Passes"

The year's at the spring
And day's at the morn;
Morning's at seven;
The hill-side's dew-pearled
The lark's on the wing;
The snail's on the thorn;
God's in his Heaven -
All's right with the world!

Robert Browning (1812-1889)

Is it possible that in these difficult times we could trust more deeply that God will feed and clothe us, as he does the birds and the lilies? Whether we are literally in need of food, shelter, clothing, water, health, employment or any of a myriad of other needs, the most basic need is for the ideas that will lead us in the right direction and out of limitation.

Ideas are always limitless! (This goes along with the short movie I posted earlier.)

Not too long ago while pondering how I should schedule my day, though my first inclination the night before had been to get on down the road and back home, I felt it was all right to meander a bit. In doing so, I had a number of interesting conversations with strangers, some welcome time with a friend, and a bit of fashion enjoyment, including some time with perfumes.

After I'd been back on the highway for a while, an electronic sign informed me of an accident 26 miles down the road. One lane was closed. (I learned later that it had only cleared about an hour before I got there.) If I had hurried my way home, I would have been stuck for hours while they cleared the road. I was able to get past it without any lost time.

Sometimes we do not know what we or others are protected from, but this time it was apparent. And it could have been far worse, but thankfully wasn't. On this busy stretch of road, many more could have been involved in this accident but were not.

That's just a small example of how ideas will clear our day for us. Expect ideas today and always that will help you!

Karin

Originally posted 2008-09-26 09:26:43.

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I've heard a lot of good things about Andy Tauer fragrances, originating in Switzerland, and I was excited to finally be able to try several of them thanks to a friend at POL. I will add my reviews as I try each of them. I have added links to both his blog and his website at my link section.

Perfumes are pictures, painted with scents. Tauer Perfumes

I think for my first foray into Tauer Perfumes, L'air du desert marocain was a perfect choice. It is said to be a unisex fragrance, but it is not like any other unisex that I have tried. Tauer Perfumes says it is for 'him or her.' They do not call it unisex.

In general most unisex fragrances on me smell too masculine. It might be that most unisex fragrances are really neither masculine nor feminine which is why I do not like them on me. They have a certain nondesript quality to them, on me, as if one set of notes cancels out the other.

On the other hand, there are men's versions of fragrances that I prefer on me (and maybe I just prefer them on anyone) over the women's (Guerlain's L'instant for men is one of them.) Many fragrances can be enjoyed equally by men or women if the categories of men's or women's are forgotten and one only goes by the scent and how it smells on oneself. I know several men who wear women's fragrances as part of their fragrance wardrobe.

So I was intrigued to see how I would feel about this one. I find it a winner for either a man or a woman, but I would not classify it as unisex.

The scent of desire. Inspired by the fragrant world of the Maghreb desert. Powerful, sensual and pure. Tauer Perfumes

I find this scent to be wonderfully evocative. For me, it does paint a picture with fragrance. It is very paradoxical -- it is both warm and dry; both sweet and non-sweet; incensy and clear; a sensual scent and an intellectual one... I am transported as I wear it.

And the wonderful thing about it is that no note cancels out any other. Each note stands distinct, yet blends with the others in a dance of joy.

I have never been to the Maghreb desert, but if it smells anything like this, I am ready to go. In one sense that is similar to Hermes Un Jardin Sur le Nil which evokes the area around the Nile.

I was careful my first try to take only the tiniest spritz, because I didn't know what to expect. Not to fear, it is delicious. The dry down is sweet, but not too sweet, full of spicy incense and woods. And the journey from the beginning to the dry down is a lovely bit of travel. The opening is distinct from the drydown. It is not a fragrance that would bore one with sameness in all three stages. A little goes a long ways, and it lasted on me very well. Twelve hours later, it was still strong on my wrists.

For those who fear a cumin note, it is not negative at all.

The elegant head note is based on typical spicy scents of the Maghreb; coriander and cumin, joined with petitgrain. The warm heart note surprises with the fragrance of rock rose and a hint of jasmine. The body note is full of warm woods such as cedar wood, vetiver brilliantly joined with a fine amber background. Tauer Perfumes

Today I tried a bit more, and it is every bit as good. I think of this more as a skin scent, as I don't know if I would want to apply for sillage. Let those who come close to me partake of the pleasure.

It is very sensual, but soothing. I think it is full bottle worthy. It goes for $65 for 1.7 oz at Luckyscent in the US. It is also available in NY.

Have you tried it? do you own it?

Karin

Originally posted 2007-02-17 14:14:56.

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Where I live, the leaves do not turn, but where I'm visiting, they are just beginning to turn, even though the weather is so hot, it feels like the tropics. Indian Summer, indeed!

I am enjoying looking at the trees. Every window has a new vista. And there are still plenty of flowers. A veritable feast for the eyes. Only a few trees are showing some red or gold, the rest are green as can be.

Karin

Originally posted 2007-10-05 17:03:45.

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I love gardens and beautiful flowers, but I have a black thumb when it comes to outdoors. I can manage violets and some other indoor plants, but outside is a complete bust. I also don't do well in heat, so there you have it, I'm not going to spend time outside once it is hot, hot, hot.

We (college girl, dh and I) did some outside painting (I did the pick up work, no painting). Then I bought some potted plants to put in the garden area. While they all said 'sun', come to find out, they do better in shade or filtered light, so I am moving them around to get them out of the heat of the sun.

Anyway, I can imagine what my garden would look like if I had some success. The pots will do for now. Anything in the ground (I've tried petunias, etc) just dry up (the water runs off.)

How about you? What do you have in your garden? I'd like flowers and fragrance -- is it a surprise?

Karin

Originally posted 2008-03-17 11:35:06.

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