Wishcast Wednesday

Jamie Ridler of Jamie Ridler Studios once again poses a thoughtful question :

What do you wish to accomplish?

As I thought about the question, I realized there were a number of specific goals I want to accomplish this spring:

Physical:

*Learn to meditate

*Get moving, preferably by dancing, more regularly

Creatively:

*For April, draw or sketch something every day

*Keep trying new challenges

*Declutter!

I could go on but I want these to be achievable!

As Jamie says:
"You can be a maker of magic and a tender of wishes. It’s easy. Support wishes by visiting other participants. It’s that simple. There is great power in wishing together."

Visit other wishcaster here.

ABC Wednesday - K is for Keys

ABC Wednesday is here again - this week the letter of the week is K.

K is for keys. Once I started thinking about the word, I realized the word key has many meanings and applications.

Here are a few:

* keys to open (and lock) doors

*latch key kids

*key to my heart

*keys to the city

*piano keys

*computer keys

*key play

Then there are those characters where keys play a role: Hrry Potter and Alice in Wonderland for example.

There are also many quotes that rely on "key" ( all quotes from here):

“All our lives we live in chains and never even know we hold the key.”

“The key to wisdom is knowing all the right questions.”
John A. Simone, Sr.

“Prayer is the key to Heaven, but faith unlocks the door.”

“Love is the master key which opens the gates of happiness.”
Oliver Wendell Holmes quotes

“Continuous effort - not strength or intelligence - is the key to unlocking our potential”

Be sure to check out other participants of ABC Wednesday here.

Shadow Shot Sunday!

It is that time of the week to share your shadows for Shadow Shot Sunday.

You know you are addicted when you are on holiday in a place where there is beauty all around you and you are noticing great shadows!! lol

Our trip to Mexico last week was wonderful - got some great shots of the ocean and lots of shadows! So for the next couple of weeks I plan to share some of those shadow photos.

Can you tell what it is?

(Yes - a shadow of a photographer!)

The plants were so lush - I took lots of the trees and flowers - here are just a couple of their shadows.

This little guy walked right by me on the beach - going so quickly couldn't get his shadow but got the stone's!

Be sure to check out the other great shadow chasers here.

Macro Flower Saturday

In my travels around blogland tonight, I discovered Macro Flower Saturday.

One of my favourite subjects for photography is flowers. With spring here, this is an opportunity to share the beauty of flowers a bit early!

These flowers are all from Montreal gardens we visited last summer.

Wishcast Wednesday

Jamie Ridler of Jamie Ridler Studios poses the following question this week:

What do you wish to take a break from?

I have just returned from a week away in Mexico, where I was able to get away from school, the internet, cold, clutter!

It was so good to have that much needed break.

But now that Jamie has posed this question, I relize I need to take a break from negativity.

Negativity about my weight, unrealistic expectations, and from and about others.

As Jamie says:

"You can be a maker of magic and a tender of wishes. It’s easy. Support wishes by visiting other participants. It’s that simple. There is great power in wishing together. "

Visit other wishcasters here.

ABC Wednesday - J is for J (Mexican)

IT is Time once again for ABC Wednesday - the focus this week is J.

I returned Sunday from a lovely week's holiday in Mexico and I thought last night that their letter J would be a good focal point for this week's challenge.

There is quite a difference between how we say our J and their pronunciation - more like an H.

Names like - Javier and Jesus; jalepeno peppers.

Also, we visited the state of Jalisco on the west coast of Mexico. We stayed with a friend in Neuvo Vallarta and did lots of swimming, touring and some shopping. I loved the beaches and flowers, trees and skies. I must have taken well over a thousand pictures!

(Here are a few to enjoy.)

I missed last week's focal letter and saw the perfect I - an iguana!

Be sure to visit the other great participants here.

Time Away!

 Tomorrow, right after school, my husband and I are off on a week's vacation for March Break. We will be staying with a friend near Puerta Vallarta, Mexico. Neither of us has ever been to Mexico, so it should be a good adventure. I am so looking forward to relaxing, swimming and touring. I hope to take lots of photos and maybe do some sketching.

See you in 10 days' time! Have a great time yourselves! May the sun shine and peace be with you!

Wishcast Wednesday

Today Jamie of Jamie Ridler Studios poses the question:

What do you wish to say NO to?

I feel myself lately slipping back - into sadness, guilt, even hints of depression; feelings of being overwhelmed.

We are going away for March Break - to Mexico and one of my overriding feelings is - fear!

SO - I must say no to all those feelings and say a huge NO to negative thinking!

As Jamie says: "You can be a maker of magic and a tender of wishes. Support wishes by visiting other participants. It’s that simple. There is great power in wishing together."

Be sure to visit other wishcasters here.

ABC Wednesday - H is for Heroes

At ABC Wednesday this week , the focus is on H.

After 17 days of thrilling Olympics, I knew H had to be for Heroes. Too often the heroes young people choose prove to be are less than heroic. But in Vancouver, many young athletes proved they had the qualities to be considered heroic. For example,

Alex Bilodeau - not only did he win gold for Canada, but he described his own brother Frederic as his inspiration and his own hero.

Joannie Rochette - She lost her mother on the Sunday before she was to skate. Yet she knew she must skate for her mother and their shared dream. What courage that took.

We need heroes, to lead us by example. But it is important that these heroes are worthy of our regard.

These are some of my own heroes - they all have strength of character and a strong sense of moral purpose.

Terry Fox - in his short life he achieved so much and he is still driving people each year to raise funds for cancer. His Marathon of Hope just keeps getting bigger.

Rick Hansen - Like Terry, he had a dream bigger than himself. His Man in Motion Tour took him around the world and raised money for spinal injuries.

 

Mother Teresa - She lived for others - to try to make life for the poorest of poor of India better, and to do it with such love and compassion and faith.

"We cannot do great things on this earth, only small things with great love."

There are many people who are everyday heroes, who give of themselves in so many ways. These are the people we need to honour - not tarnished sport and film stars.

To give of oneself in service to others is a noble cause. We would do well to emulate that ideal.

Be sure to visit the other great participants here.

Shadow Shot Sunday

It is again time to share our shadows. Once you have caught the bug, it becomes almost an obsession to search out shadows.

After the snow we had last week I was able to find a few shadows in the snow on a bright sunny day. Now we have spring weather and the snow is melting away again!

Be sure to visit the other shadow chasers at Hey Harriet!

Wishcast Wednesday

Today Jamie of Jamie Ridler Studios poses another question to stir our imaginations and challenge us to think deeply.

What do you wish to make time for?

Right now it seems I have so little time. For teachers this is one of the busiest times - assessing children, writing report cards and still trying to plan and teach. Throw into this mix, several weeks of illness, the Olympics and lack of good sleep makes for little time to really focus on family, art or photography. This past weekend I did not even have the energy to work on my blog or art. Ughhh!!

So, as I finish report cards tonight, I so want to recapture that time and energy for creating and for time with family. And to use that time joyfully, not in guilt or in tiredness!

As Jamie says: "You can be a maker of magic and a tender of wishes. Support wishes by visiting other participants. It’s that simple. There is great power in wishing together."

Visit the other wishcasters here.

ABC Wednesday - G is for Gold Medal

Once again it is time to focus on letter of the week for ABC Wednesday. For me this week, G can only be Gold Medal!

The Olympics in Vancouver, on Canadian soil, was the most golden for Canada in a winter Olympics and for a host nation! 14 gold medals! Canadians all across Canada were glued to Tvs throughout the 17 days - I know I was. Many times I was close to tears - for the athlete's triumph over adversity (think Joannie Rochette's loss of her Mom), touching moments (Alex Bilodeau and his brother) or the playing of the National anthem.

I am proud to be Canadian and this Olympics really galvanized Canadians to show their pride - in uncharacteristic ways! I hope we can maintain it!

There were so many golden moments:

Alex Bilodeau with the gold for Men's Moguls.

 

Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir (Gold in Ice Dance)

 

Sidney Crosby's overtime goal to win gold for Canada's hockey team.


There were so many special moments. Thank you Vancouver!
Be sure to visit the other great participants here.