Seems it never rains in southern California….Seems I’ve often heard that kind of talk before….
It never rains in California…  I grew up with the words of this Albert Hammond song and thought it must be really dry in that state!  It wasn’t until I was in my 30’s that I got to visit this great place. And it was anything but dry.  Lush vibrant landscapes and gentle breezes coming off of the ocean are what is in my memory banks.  I stayed in San Diego for a week and it was heavenly. The food was fabulous and the great places to walk and bike ride were perfection.  I’d like to go back and see some other cities.  The last trip was paid for by a foundation that awarded my husband for his first book.  I need to get him winning awards again!

Last night I was looking on my high school alumni page on Facebook and one person said they were looking for a specific teacher.  Another mentioned that this woman had passed away a few years back from cancer.  This person was disappointed because she really wanted to find Ms. H and tell her that she really did “make something of her life” and that she has “amounted to something”.  What a horrible chip to carry for so many years.  When someone you look up to tells you that you are not good enough, it can really stick.  But I thought about it and realized that sometimes negative people in our lives can contribute the most to our overall happiness and positivity.  You can either believe the words they say and weave them into your life so that their predictions come true.  Or you can dig deep and tell yourself that…

In Cuba, playing games is serious business and the game of dominoes is no exception!

A favorite past-time for all ages, impromptu domino games are held out in the open air, in parks, in back-yards and best of all, smack dab in the middle of a the day on the edge of a busy street.

The players, from my informal survey, are usually men of the retired age.  The setting is an assortment of make-shift stools around old wooden tables.  There’s not much talking as the strategy unfolds with each move and even the onlookers are relatively quiet in their observation and restrained in their opinions.

Traditionally, a Sino-European domino set consists of 28 dominoes aka known as bones, cards, tiles, tickets, stones, or spinners. A domino set is a generic game, similar to a deck of playing cards or a set of…

What is forgiveness?  Wikipedia says:  Forgiveness is the intentional and voluntary process by which a victim undergoes a change in feelings and attitude regarding an offense, lets go of negative emotions such as revenge, with an increased ability to wish the offender well.^[1][2][3] Forgiveness is different from condoning (failing to see the action as wrong and in need of forgiveness), excusing (not holding the offender as responsible for the action), pardoning (granted by a representative of society, such as a judge), forgetting (removing awareness of the offence from consciousness), and reconciliation (restoration of a relationship).^[1]

I believe it is a peaceful understanding that your health and happiness are more important than a painful event or the person that inflicted it.  It is a letting go and a knowing that you no longer need to keep being punished by the past.  That you deserve better than…

While I was working on my Three Birds piece yesterday the wheels started turning and I wondered if this could become a series.  Why yes it can!  More colorful Spring images on the way. 🙂  I created the hummingbird and hibiscus in this piece well over a year ago. People seem to like it with a white background, but I like the added interest the colors and patterns make.

I’ve got so many images to list right now it is crazy.  I still have a dozen pieces from my Transforming Energy series to get online plus another dozen or so maps.  And then there are photos!  If only one hour of sleep was enough!