Portrait courtesy of Tracey Mac...
Portrait courtesy of Tracey Mac Yes, yes, yes…………………yes, yes, yes / If you had known Don in the last few years this would be very familiar….…….no, no, no would never have occurred to him. He found good in all, had a high degree of tolerance and a deep love of family and responsibility for his community. But you all know that, what you may not know is…………………… / Thomas and Nellie married on the 23rd August 1923……………………..15 months later Alexander Donald was born at home in the small logging community of Mornington Mills. Don spent a wonderful childhood going to the local primary school and having many adventures usually involving animals of some sort. He spent many hours with his step brother Mick who he looked up to and spent many wonderful hours playing and watching sport. Towards the end of his Primary education his parents purchased the local roadhouse in Harvey and young Don was sent off to Scotch Collage in Perth where he was a boarder for his Secondary education. He loved this experience and spending weekends with his father’s sister who was known as “Aunty Sis”. It was at Scotch he met his life long friend Bob. Bob and Don and a couple of other mates had too many adventures to relate but it must be said they did give some of the masters a dreadful time and none of them did not know the sever impact of the cane. Don was a member of the football, sailing, swimming and rowing teams while he attended Scotch. A special Saturday while at school would see him rising early to train with one of the various teams and then meet his father and they would head off to the races at Ascot for the first 3 and then on to the football to watch his brother play. His father taught him many things but punting horses was his special gift. Sixth months prior to him finishing his schooling at Scotch his mother and father moved to Clunes in Victoria to take up an inheritance that would become the family farm known as “LauraMac”. When he finished school he travelled by train to Victoria to be with his parents again, not satisfied to just travel across the Nullarbor in the passenger car Don found 6 young thoroughbreds’ that needed a bit of company. Don had a life long love affair with horses and found their company to be more than agreeable. / During this early time at Clunes he would ride into town with no top, shoes or saddle on the buckskin pony called “Smokey”………………………..my mother did not approve even though it would be several years before they actually met!!! He worked as a labourer on many of the local farms as well as the family property. He learnt many skills stooking, chaff cutting, tractor driving and shearing. Shearing became his career and he travelled extensively throughout Australia and New Zealand plying his trade. When home from shearing he worked on the farm during the week and transported race horses to and from the track on weekends in the Morris ute and single horse float he had purchased for the job. Arthur or Trezise and Don spent many hours travelling to tracks all over Victoria while his father punted the horses for the stable. It was about this time that romance was to appear on Don’s horizon when at a local dance in Clunes he met Betty and a relationship that lasted 61 years began. Don and Betty married in 1954, bought a small miners cottage in Angus Street Clunes and set about establishing their life together. Initially Betty travelled to Ballarat for work and Don would disappear for a month at a time shearing through New South Wales and the western districts of Victoria. However when their first son Adrian was born Betty ceased work and became a full time mum. Don continued to travel for his work and by 1959 this left Betty at home with the two boys. Every time he returned from one of these contracts he would arrive home with a Matchbox toy for each of his son’s……………………………….it was not until many years later that mum fessed up and said she bought them and passed them to Dad as he came through the gate. Life continued like this until the mid 60’s when his father contracted glaucoma and Don became a full time farmer on the property he loved. He did continue to shear locally but he no longer would be away for long periods. He established a fine flock of Corriedale Merino cross sheep and cropped both wheat and oats. A frequent visitor to Clunes during these years was David his step brother’s son, Don loved David’s company and they often completed projects that Don had put off until David’s stays. He still had the hunger to travel so a caravan was purchased and the family spent 4 weeks every year somewhere. This love of the caravan life style would last his entire life and right up until the end he owned a caravan even though he had no car and could no longer drive. The 70’s proved to be difficult on the farm and so Betty started to work part time at the local TAB and eventually she owned the business, my lasting memory of this period is dad’s two sheep dogs Bill and Buster asleep in the back of the ute in front of the TAB in the main street of Clunes every lunch time. That and the barking with Dad telling them politely to “Shut Up” as he drove back to the farm after the 1.00pm rush. During this time he introduced his son’s and his son’s mates to the punt and a small punters club was formed with us all knowing the intricacies of a form guide but very little about algebra. We spent Saturday morning’s studying the form and getting the scratching studying every race like our lives depended on the result. Unlike my mother who in my dad’s terms was just a “Tin Arse” and did not give the study of the form due consideration just relying on numbers or a good sounding name. It was also at this time he and Robert bought and trained several race horses. One by the name of “Ali Spot” bought the family a much needed washing machine and freezer. Unfortunately Robert had to move from Clunes and the horse training had to be set aside, but the purchase of a Go-kart for his boys provided a new interest and they proceeded to destroy this less than speedy machine on the rough paddocks of the farm. So after a couple of phone calls he discovered the Ballarat Go-Kart Club had a bitumen track and we all became members. Eventually he would become a life member for his service to the club and you know I can only remember him doing 2-3 laps in a kart during the 20 years he enjoyed the sport. He would spend most evenings in the shed polishing and fixing bits that his boys had managed to bend or break at the races the Sunday before. The Karts also provided an opportunity to travel through Victoria and interstate racing and watching with his boys and great friend Alan. Mum often stayed home to work the TAB on these boys weekends so many hours were spent in the car hearing stories of his life and work which are treasures that neither of his sons can measure. As the boys matured Go-Karts provided Don and Betty’s first trip overseas to be spectators at the Hong Kong Kart Grand Prix held in that cities Victoria Park. Betty, Don, Alan and Marg set off on a package tour that gave them their first taste of international travel. Dad took to Asia with great pleasure and delighted in the haggling for all manner of goods, a trait that he continued until the end even with local taxi drivers. / Don was not a member of many clubs or associations as he did not have time for that and his family but if he did join he went to every meeting and was an office bearer at some time in most. He was given a life member award to the CFA and the photographs of that day hang proudly on his wall. I remember with great fondness he visited his mother most nights for several years at the local Clunes hospital until her passing. He was also a proud member of both the Ballarat and Moonee Valley Turf clubs. There are many photo’s of the family all dressed up for a day at the races. / Too soon his sons moved out of home and he and Betty again pursued their love of caravanning travelling to Queensland was a regular expedition and returning to his home state of Western Australia was a highlight for him visiting his childhood home and friends. But when his grand daughter was born the whole game changed again. Jess could do no wrong and very early on she too was introduced to travelling if only to get her to go to sleep and the trip was around the block in Clunes. However as she grew up the motivation to show her all parts of Victoria was strong and they had many adventures together. Mum shopping with Jess and Don being disapproving of all the purchases that according to Betty……………… Jess really needed! Jess was very special to Don and when she showed an interest in horses he was elated. He supported her in every way not missing an event and making sure the horses had plenty of water and feed. Betty catered and Don strapped for the team. He loved all the horses but “Kyra” was his favourite and he would relate the story of how she laid down beside him as he had a cuppa and something to eat at a Ballarat dressage competition to anybody who would listen. He never tired of feeding all the horses’ liquorice, carrots or any other treat he could find. Like the horses Don had a very sweet tooth and was never found without a pocket full of lollies that he was often caught passing to Jess just before meal time much to Betty’s disgust. He would get a severe talking to about ruining the child’s appetite but they would just grin at each other and the practise continued until now with them both having very guilty faces at most family dinners. / In 1997 he sold the farm and moved into Ballarat, initially retirement was not easy for Don. He struggled to make the transition so he and Betty bought a new van and headed off around Australia which they eventually did twice not seeing it all the first time round or just to make sure they did! The Maverick and the Coromal pop top van he loved saw some amazing country and he took great pleasure in relating the tales of these trips some of which might even have been true. A six week trip to Europe and the UK was the high point of 2001 and provided both Don and Betty some beautiful memories and some great memorabilia for their home. / A stroke in 2002 shocked the family and took its toll on Don but the passing of his wife in 2005 was a terrible blow and Don took solace attending the Ethel Lowe centre several days a week. He enjoyed the company and activities especially the “Footy Tipping” competition. He was a keen follower of both Western Australian teams but West Coast was his team and he took great pleasure when they did well and lamented privately when they did badly. But he always defended them to all southern staters who had no idea of the superior quality of all Western Australian footballers. For the last 18 months Don spent time with another Betty and her two sons assisting her to get down the street, doctors and a couple of trips away that he enjoyed enormously. He also became a part owner in a pacer with a new mate Kerry and he would call Kerry regularly for updates on the progress of the horse, maybe a little too regularly. He would relate every conversation and would keenly watch every race the trainer drove or trained on Skyracing. His horse won the week before last and he was able to attend a meeting the week before his passing and the trip home was spent discussing the run and the high hopes he had for the horse. / He and Grant made the trip to Western Australia in 2006 and he returned to the west for the last time late last year for his son’s wedding. He loved both these trips and gave him much to talk about…………. the way the West captures water, the kangaroo they hit, the trip down to Mangerra by train and the tyres that were replaced on the trailer half way. They had only been on the trailer 25 years! / Don lived independently his entire life and his garden and home care was a credit to him, he took great pride in his roses but he really should have watched Betty do the ironing more closely. However he did cook a great omelette and his water recycling kept all his plants thriving. Visits to Bunning’s would see him purchase all manner of gardening implement but the best part was having a chat with the shopping assistants or anybody who stood still long enough. He did change after the stroke and his opinion regarding many issues became very forthright but he never spoke with any malice just a strong caring for his community. / Don’s final resting place will be at the farm he loved his entire life. His wish was to have his ashes scattered over where his two favourite dogs Bill and Buster are buried along the creek. Don lived a great life, loved his family and friends. Worked hard and took great pride in his and his families achievements. I hope he will be remembered as a kind and generous man who will never be forgotten by those that new him well.
To my fellow Redbubble friends and acquaintances: I am writing this as I feel led by God to do so. As many of you know, I have recentl…
To my fellow Redbubble friends and acquaintances: I am writing this as I feel led by God to do so. As many of you know, I have recently joined Bro. Trevor Irwin and Bro. Michael Reimann in a cause that truly means alot to me. There are fellow HUMAN BEINGS in this world that are living so very far beyond the poverty level that it is COMPLETELY INHUMANE! These people have no way of helping themselves and it’s the will of the Lord that we help others…....... Young children are dieing constantly, families are forever changed, and the conditions that these poor families have to endure are truly horrendous! / I ask you as my friend, I ask you a fellow human being, I ask you to PLEASE HELP AND CONTRIBUTE TO THIS CAUSE ! One person , only if doing very little, if we all come together, can TRULY CHANGE AND SAVE A LIFE ! Such a blessing we could all be …........... / We are conducting an over the counter medicine drive at this time…............. / We are in great need of the following items and OTC medications: / Pain relievers such as tylenol, aleve, both adult and childrens strength / Aspirin to fight fever / Multi Vitamins, adult and children / Folic Acid for the pregnant women / OTC pre-natal vitamins / Immodium type meds to fight Diarrhea / Vaseline or other petroleum type jellies / Calamine lotion and other anti-itch creams and oitments / Baby and sanitary wipes / Surgical gloves Anything mentioned above or similiar could be greatly used ! Also, you can make a tax deductible contribution as well . Paypal donations are also accepted. If you are interested in helping the above cause in any way whatsoever, PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE TO CONTACT ME ! / By all of us STANDING TOGETHER we can truly MAKE A DIFFERENCE ! / God bless you all and I love you ! Thank you so much ! / Bonita
-I was going to to make a reply comment in the “Simple changes to help kickstart weight loss” forum in the “Healthy Living Support Group”...
I was going to to make a reply comment in the “Simple changes to help kickstart weight loss” forum in the Healthy Living Support Group. But it got waaaaay too Long. So anywho I decided to Just make a journal entry. I’m sure others would appreciate as well, so Here we go! I’m a Seventh Day Adventist and they, as a religion, teaches the health message. It’s always been proved through studies that because of their Lifestyles Adventist live longer than other Americans, Just an interesting fact :P But I as well have a specific diet. I got fat cause when I was little I didn’t know sweets=pudge, so I grew up eating them all the time and even into my young adult hood. But a few months ago I made a life change. I don’t know how much I have lost (Our scale is broken and we have not bought another one yet, Plus for me constantly weighing is not good) but I do know I physically look different and soon I have to get new pants LOL. So I guess it’s going well. I’m still chubby but Not nearly as chubby and I even see it in the mirror, so I’m happy! Alright, for me, The elimination of constantly eating sweets completely boot started my weight loss. I think thats due to other than sweets I was eating pretty well. Here is my diet/way of life. I’ve developed this for my self from Medical knowledge (I’m going to med school next year, I’m finished with college though) and just through seeing what works for me! 1) I don’t drink Milk, I drink soymilk. Here’s why – Milk was made for baby cows. Now I’m not saying that we’re raping the cows by taking their milk, or anything. (Im not a FEMA Hippy lol) I Just don’t understand the connection between Humans and Baby Cow Milk. (I mean we don’t drink Giraffe Milk or Chimpanzee Milk or Whale Milk…so Why Cow Milk, lol) I understand some people LOVE milk, I never did, but for those people I say stick with 2%/1% or Skim, The less percentage the better. And for those who wouldn’t mind doing the switch to soy, try the “Silk” brand. It’s a little more expensive than other soys but it tastes delicious! Plus soymilks always come in flavors (Original, Vanilla, Strawberry and Chocolate) The first two are good for cereals. Vanilla is delicious in general though :D 2) Stay away from cheese! Now this is hard, I LOVVVVE Mac and Cheese. However, you know how melted cheese sticks to everything? It does the same thing in your digestion track. So it takes very long to pass and sometimes will stick around and never really pass all the way. To stay away from that whole problem “Not eating cheese” works. But if your a Mac and Cheese fiend like me, Mac and Cheese is ok on your “eat what I want” day. (Thats comin up! Keep readin! :D) 3) Meats are another thing that linger around the intestines. Appendicitis is due many times to actual lingering meat that never passed getting stuck at the appendix’s opening. It results in an appendix infection which can lead to an operation for removal or the appendix bursting (worst case scenario) Now with that scary idea out of the way, I want to let it know I do still eat meat. However it is very rarely and not every day. You don’t have to eat meat every day!!! You really don’t! Now if you feel you must they also say that eat meats early in the day, and not at night. Eating your meats in the morning insures that the meats with at least semi pass through the system by the next day. However it also makes a different as to what meats you do eat. White meats are always better and easier on your system (Poultry). However redder meets will always linger longer, I eat beef very RARELY. Like Once or twice a year. It’s definitely something I’m sort of scared about the conditions they keep cows before slaughter, theres some horrible stuff that goes on behind our eyes, so I just stay away from it. Pigs are the worst though. Though my religion we don’t touch any pig substance. However, me being the way I am I can’t just do anything blindly, so I did research. Pigs are scavengers, (You are what you eat) Pound for pound pig meat carries more parasites seen and unseen than any other meet. Why do you think you have to cook the meat so much longer? Anywho I’m not here to force my own thoughts on you guys, but if you are a bacon fiend or you just can’t stay away…you can eat it on your “Eat what you want” day (It’s comin! :D) 4) Drink alot of water. It’s as easy as keeping a water bottle full by your desk or where you most frequent. You’ll end up sipping from it all day by default. You don’t have to kill yourself with the water or anything, just keep hydrated so your body can run smoothly (If you know what I mean) :D Also drinking water 10 minutes before eating and 15 minutes after is very beneficial. Water always flood the system, so eating afterwards make sense. However drinking before is also a neat trick since the water will help fill you up even before you touch the food. So when you do eat you end up eating less per meal! Always works for me. 5) Now, Here’s the dreaded part….I HATE Exercise…........HATE IT! But Me loosing weight so fast (Within two weeks my clothes was fitting looser) was all do to a simple activity we all do every day anyway….walking. Just walking! Not jogging, not jump roping, and definitely not running a marathon every week. Just walking. Go for a walk! Clear your mind and walk briskly around the block. A 10-15 minute walk every day, Just 15 minutes, will make a HUGE difference. Believe me! 10 minutes of Jogging burns 300 calories, AND SO DOES 15 MINUTES OF WALKING! Doing it every day, even with one day break burns 1800 calories off the bat per week. And thats just from the walk! Being alive burns calories, any movement whatsoever burns calories. So it’s great, you’ll see a diff in yourself and how you feel in no time. So just get up, and get moving. One step at a time :D 6) Also of course try and stay away from sweets as much as possible. I this was so hard for me!!! But I found a way to do it right without backsliding… “EAT WHAT YOU WANT” DAY! – Ok, Now It’s impossible to say “Ok, for the rest of my life I’ll never have another cookie again!” I mean, how can you stay away from one specific food the rest of your life?! Thats Impossible. Yet does saying “I’ll stay away from cookies the rest of the week” sound better? Yeah it does! Well thats what I propose. I got the idea from a news caster I’m personal friends with. She used to be really husky and now she’s about a size 3-4 (She looks fabulous on tv!!!) One day I asked how she did it and this is what she told me! Throughout the week you diet and exercise and do everything right, you keep your lifestyle clean. Say you do that Monday through Saturday, as a reward for yourself let Sunday be your “Eat Whatever you Want” Day. You crave Pizza? Eat your pizza! You’re and Ice cream fiend? Eat your damn Ice cream! Life is meant for living! If your spending your whole life wishing you ate this or ate that, there is no time left for living is there?! One day of splurging isn’t going to do much damaging if for the rest of the week your dieting goes well! Say during the week you see a piece of cake you want badly, its easier to say no if you know later on your “Eat what you want” day you know you can (and will!) have cake, LOL. Also after a while you’ll find that your “Eat whatever you Want” day will happen less and less. It’s something I’ve noticed. Soon it will disintegrate into an “Eat What you Want” meal, then an “Eat what you Want” Snack. But in the beginning I think having that day will help ween you off of the bad eating :D Alright! Thats all of my secrets and it works for me! But remember, don’t let your weight or pants size define you. No matter what your size you can be fabulous!!! (Helps me to remember that no matter what your size there’s always a man who will find it so sexy, LMAO) So act like it! Just cause your big doesn’t mean your not a great person or sexy :D! Loosing weight is purely for health reasons/ to have a healthy life style and not to “find yourself” or “Be more appealing to others.” If you don’t know who you are, losing weight will not help you find yourself. You’ll just be a skinny lost person, LOL. Losing weight has to be only to please yourself, thats the ONLY time I found success! Of course I’m not at my ideal weight yet, but that doesn’t mean that I’m not fabulous! :D! LOL. Thanks for reading everyone. Good luck on your weight loss!
/ Memories of A Life Lived...
/ Memories of A Life Lived Thank you so MuchLive Love and Dream! Im am so moved by the response on this image Thank You!
We just can’t get enough!! Kindly brought to you by @Yoti...
We just can’t get enough!! Kindly brought to you by @Yoti
Change is manifesting in my life, and I’m studying the affects on myself and those around me. My husband’s company has fired many employe…
Change is manifesting in my life, and I’m studying the affects on myself and those around me. My husband’s company has fired many employees, including him, and is closing their US offices. One way or another we’ll move through this time by creative thinking and looking for opportunity. I’m actually relieved. Life is spacious and feels wide open. I feel smooth and unencumbered; the way a shark must when remoras and barnacles release their hold upon its belly. This is why I’ve just posted my painting of the wise woman beneath the arctic seas, seeing abundant possibilities and movement. I enjoy taking time to talk and share with other artists, but it can be draining when most don’t reciprocate. Among the benefits resulting from periods of free fall is that chaff is separated from the grain in our circle of acquaintances and friends. Some persons, usually aspiring artists once eager to associate with me have recently vanished and blown to the four winds. Discovering that like everyone else, this artist has bills to pay bursts the cherished myth that somewhere, somehow, are artists who create, make large amounts of money , and are eager to share the bounty (and their techniques or business advice) with every stranger who cares to email. While we reap the benefits of a creative lifestyle and being our own bosses, most artists have families and need to survive in a difficult economic climate. Thus we often seek employment in fields outside the arts. In the USA, where health care is inextricably linked to full time employment, artists who could otherwise have pleasant, though simple lives (if they hustle and watch their spending) are in a tough predicament because the need for costly health insurance pushes us right over the edge of sustainability. As a result, I’m putting more effort into promoting my art and facing the possibility of a 9 to 5 job for insurance purposes ( the situation of many self employed Americans). I’ve notified acquaintances so they won’t expect regular correspondence, and many formerly communicative individuals have responded with ‘much too busy to reply right now, Ill get back to you’…and of course they never will. My response? Thank the Goddess!!!! In their place, new individuals have entered my life, supportive even though there’s no benefit in doing so. This is being a true human, when we see beyond simple self interest and act upon that feeling of connection be reaching out. Maybe some of you have had or are having the same experience?
Well greetings all, I am now officially back in action! Took a much needed vacation and headed down to Southern Colorado and New Mexico…
Well greetings all, I am now officially back in action! Took a much needed vacation and headed down to Southern Colorado and New Mexico to do some shooting. So how was it? Well “The Land of Enchantment” lived up to it’s name, providing me with many great shots, and what I loved the most, subject matter than I wouldn’t find here! Let me just say that Santa Fe is one of the most amazing cities I have ever seen…it is rich in history and art, and every where you turned, it was a photo-opp. The architecture there is nothing short of amazing and needless to say, I did a whole series entitled “The Doors of Santa Fe”....this is something which I have always always wanted to do and I got my chance. I think all in all I could easily live in NM, it reminds me a lot of Colorado, though with a more profound Native American impact and a lot more desert. So stay tuned because the shots are going to be just rolling in! Food For Thought—- Well it seems as though Imageshifter’s is quite interesting. He actually found RedBubble while searching on Google and came upon my Tshirt “DA Sucks” lol Go figure, huh? Anyways, check out his latest journal, he has some interesting feedback on things. Anyways, here are a few things which I have found quite interesting lately on RB, if ya get the chance, please try to check them out and let em know I sent ya! I hope ya all are good out there in photoland and until next time, keep a clickin’!
Oh my gosh…..I have been in shock the past 2 days and haven’t been able to sit still long enough to write this, so I will keep you up t…
Oh my gosh…..I have been in shock the past 2 days and haven’t been able to sit still long enough to write this, so I will keep you up to date on why I’m all alsdjaskljdakl at the moment. As some of you may know, my DREAM is to get to do a photo shoot of my favorite band, Avenged Sevenfold, in a studio, with me being a professional finally. Well, I’m 17, a junior in high school, and I am now living my dream. I got a call from my boss, and because of my photos I got at Taste of Chaos, I am now the official PROFESSIONAL photographer for Schecter in DALLAS!!!!!!! So he had me change my company name, so it would look more professional. So now my website is finally official and finisihed. You can see it at www.LizzieVPhotography.com and that’s not all / their tour manager (I think it’s their tour manager, not 100% positive) LOVED the photos I got. So my boss is trying to set up an in-studio shoot of Avenged Sevenfold for me when they get home from their tour!!!!! I’m still expecting to wake up and be all pissed off and wanna go back to sleep. But I’m not dreaming. I know Buster would be proud of me. I pulled through a rough time, and I did what I promised him; I’m making something of myself. I just can’t believe this is happening NOW. I was expecting this once I was out of college. Hell, once I graduated HIGH SCHOOL. / but yeah, check out my website that I’m finallyyyyyy done with =] http://www.LizzieVPhotography.com
Aloha, mahalo nui loa, thank you so much to the anonymous buyer / who purchased one of my matted prints this morning! I very much app…
Aloha, mahalo nui loa, thank you so much to the anonymous buyer / who purchased one of my matted prints this morning! I very much appreciate your kindness, thank you so much! / I sincerely hope you enjoy my image of the beautiful Moose displayed in your home. Please let me know how it looks when you receive it. I would love to know who purchased this matted print to thank you personally, but if you prefer to remain anonymous I certainly understand. Thank you so much for your gift of Aloha!!_ Mahalo nui loa!! E pili mau na pomaika`i ia `oe! Aloha e Malama pono Sharon Mau Copyright © Sharon Mau 2009 SOLD / 1x Matted Print A beautiful cow Moose and her yearling Calf browsing near North Pole Alaska ~ Winter Scenics
I am so honored and pleased with the feature of / Cowboy Up / in the great group who always f…
I am so honored and pleased with the feature of / Cowboy Up / in the great group who always finds a place for my work… / Live Love Dream Thank you so much to the hosts for this Feature! / Susan
There must be something funny in the water… (lol) it’s turning me and my work into mega eerie and enchantingness…. This wonderful gro…
There must be something funny in the water… (lol) it’s turning me and my work into mega eerie and enchantingness…. This wonderful group have just accepted and immediately featured TWO MORE of my images!!! and I am most wonderfully happy and pleased to have my work recognised in this group! Thank you hosts and moderators :)))
I celebrated this to be my 36th year on Earth. For the first two thirds, I found it very hard to be here. Through healing meditations a…
I celebrated this to be my 36th year on Earth. For the first two thirds, I found it very hard to be here. Through healing meditations and allowing creativity to flow through me, I’ve grounded myself with knowledge of learning what I am suppose to learn, in search for my purpose and making footprints to last for eternity. I’ve learned there are like minded individuals who resonate with me and I’m fortunate to have these special people in my life who contribute to my constant learning, growth and development. Aside from my family who is priceless to me, there are people who enter my life with messages to deliver, fun projects to achieve and whether they stay in my life for short or long time, all have impacted me and my life with a deep meaning and for that I’m very grateful. I’ve always been on a highly sensitive side, though later in my years came to a realization that I am in fact an Empath and special. I’m a passionate human not only physically and emotionally but also spiritually and what I mean by spiritual is not necessarily religious. I feel connected to Mother Nature and mankind on a level beyond the obvious. I love being in nature and listening to the birds sing, smelling Earth’s fragrances and even watching and listening to the rain with lightening all around. I actually do stop often and do smell the roses. I also love watching people and talking to people, yet find it very therapeutic and refreshing to be alone and listen to my inner thoughts. One of the most important aspects of realizing I am in fact what I am is by having the ability to sense people and their inner feelings and thoughts, which are often evident by my own mood alterations without explanation as I absorb this sensation. Let me clarify this, I am not moody but sensitive in terms of receptive and aware not fragile and thin-skinned. I’ve learned that I resonate on a wavelength that allows me to tap into other energy sources I’m surrounded by and sense the vibrations that are undetectable by the naked eye. This can sometimes be challenging to filter and control as people are so different and the space is filled with countless dimensions, wavelengths and vibrations. This explains my broad-minded perspective and interest in various cultures, arts, and people in general. It also explains why people, children and animals are drawn to me like a magnet as my personality is filled with light and genuine care. I find it very intriguing to study this phenomenal, since I’ve learned that people’s faces and their façades does not often match their inner thoughts and feelings. Does this mean they are fake? No, I think it simply means they do a great job on hiding their feelings, stress, worries, sadness, secrets, illness or whatever they don’t want to reveal or are not ready yet to reveal to the rest of the world. I often find myself ask my friends, “Are you ok?” if I find the feeling I get does not match the face they give me when we are speaking. Many times they are surprised at my accurate definition of asking this and I don’t offer what I know though allow them to tell me what is the matter, as it is often more healing to the individual to let things out willingly then to pull it out of them. I’ve had people tell me that I would have made a great psychiatrist since I acknowledge my ability of listening well to others. I don’t like to offer opinions often but rather help the individual brainstorm and let them come to their own conclusions. It is after all their choices that unfold their life. Throughout the course of my youth and teens, I’ve known things that are unexplainable to me even to this day. They come to me in deep meditations and my dreams. Events which become reality, predictions that happened to the exact day of event and many other things that I am unable to mention in this limited human language though feel it at my core and centre of my being, are so very real to me. I can say that I am more aware then ever before of what love, life and living are about and what living in the moment means, to me anyways. What does it all mean when time stops for a moment and everything becomes still or in slow motion? I believe it means we are on the course we were set or chosen for ourselves and everything is, as it should be. Many experience this feeling in a short but defined sensation as Déjà vu and that is my daily living. I have many through the course of a week, from which few are very profound. I am connected at the source with life, plants, animals, rocks, insect, humans and the vast universe sensing beyond dimensions all that is within. I simply find pleasures in life’s bountiful beauty and show respect to both people and nature. Being a loving and compassionate person can be overbearing on others as my genuine love and carrying may appear to feel overwhelming sometimes. Again, it is what I am 100%. The one person I can thank for my Empathy is my grandmother. She is one of a kind soul that is connected to me at a level I cannot even begin to describe and I get my gifts by DNA. It is an inharrited trait genetically and that is just fine with me. I’ve always had a knowledge that I was different in terms of sensing people and my grandma reasured me it was alright to be kind and loving, despite what other do or say to me and how they treat me or make me feel. My ability to sense beyond my 5 senses has never steared me wrong and I rely on it like I do on listening, seeing, smelling, etc. I rely on this energetic vibration with my life and I believe it has actually saved my life on few occasions. Life took a complete awakening turn for me the day I became a mother. The day I held my first born in my hands, became a solid foundation and a bookmarked chapter to my human transformation as my tears of purest joy bathed my child’s precious newborn face. I felt slowly transforming over the course of the 9 months, expecting though never knowing how profound this moment would become on the day my baby arrived. The purest and unconditional love that is born at that moment is above and beyond words. A mother’s connection to her child is one of a kind bond filled with all emotions. Everything multiplied by hundred for me over the next few weeks after my daughter’s birth. My dreams became more visual, colourful and vivid, more clairvoyant conversations with my guides have more then multiplied and my healing abilities surfaced at last. Healing abilities? Never in a million years I would think to be capable of such things those which I only know am capable of now, though had to accept them as my gifts and abilities only to embrace them. At first I was afraid, thinking this unknown and unexplored thing I was dealing with was not only taboo in terms of blending in with the rest of the society, but also what am I to do with it. The first time I healed my daughter, she was only a small babe at about 6 months or so. She had sniffles, a minor cough and slightly elevated temperature, nothing major. I held her in my arms and rocked her to sleep in the oversized rocker in her nursery. I gently caressed her precious body from head to toes along her back and I felt a surge of energy connect us at the source of existence. It was a surreal feeling and a very remarkable one. Moments after I placed her down into her crib as she slept so peacefully, I felt nauseated and very tired to the point of having to lay down with unexplainable fatigue. I woke up with a slight fever, sniffles and basically a cold she had the night before. To my surprise she woke up refreshed with no sign of the cold, not even sniffles. At the moment I didn’t think anything of this, until the events happened again, again and again with multiple times repeating over the course of nearly 3 years before I had to come to terms of what was happening. I was in fact healing my child and absorbing all of the illness into my body, while cleansing her free of the nasty bug. As a human, I fought my mind into believing it was true though after so many times and the fact she never even had a cold nor was ever on any antibiotics like all the other children & infants I known, I had no choice but to accept what was happening. My healing touch as I call it is something I share with only my children, and they not very often have a cold for more then 24 hours. Now me on the other hand, I have to perfect my method of not absorbing the illness but to channel it through me and out. This is one of the reasons I was ill so many times this year and my body took a butt kick. Healer, heal thyself! It is something I heard in my thoughts and cannot pinpoint where or how, perhaps in a dream though it is true. I’ve been learning techniques to connect into the pillar of light for cleansing and protection from Earthly invaders. Yeah, I know to you it probably sounds more like DO-DO-DO-DO! There are no explanations for what we as humans are capable of achieving, though I know as we evolve, this new generation of children on Earth are more special then the generation before. We are becoming more aware, alert and awaking to the possibilities that there is more to us then what is obvious by our physicality. We are in-fact beings of light and energy and that energy is what drives the vessel we each occupy. Our human body is designed only to sustain and survive on this Earth, as the others are on other planets and in other galaxies. Yes I do believe there are other worlds and civilizations just like ours. The universe would be a huge waste of space. Or fate is in the power of our thoughts and mind and is in every human organism, our mere visions and mind set makes life happen, whether predicted or manifested in what appears to feel like trial and error. Life unfolds and is so perfect yet unpredictable, it is precious and one of a kind. I’ve had to entertain the thought that my visions are in fact my future manifestations as the numbers only increase with my daily living. Are they one of a kind and both the same? Perhaps! I’ve learned this in the last couple of years through The Law of Attraction and The Secret that my mere way of thinking weather positive or negative actually makes things happen and ultimately influences and alters the outcome. Our destiny lies within the power of our thoughts and that I know is true. In the last 12 years, I’ve learned to love my life, my mind, body and my soul just as I love mankind. I’ve learned tremendously to appreciate life and I am no longer afraid to live and don’t find it difficult to be on Earth. I embrace life and find humour in the challenges and surprises the universe unfolds each day, no matter how hard or difficult they seem to be they are what they are. There is usually a great lesson to be learned with all those emotions that don’t make us feel very good. I do my best to laugh daily and find pleasures in the simple things I see and do. I am highly adaptable in everything I do and pursue and the fact I am highly artistic, poetic and have a high degree of imagination does not surprise me one bit. In fact in only confirms on the fact that I am who I am and I am an Empath. Namaste~
DADS in this world…... TO the dads that work late so his children can afford to play their favorite sport….. / YOU ROCK!!! TO …
DADS in this world…... TO the dads that work late so his children can afford to play their favorite sport….. / YOU ROCK!!! TO the dads that take their kids out for a walk and a baseball game instead of letting them play video games all day…..... / YOU’RE AMAZING!!! TO the dads that have to leave the room to wipe the tears from their eyes when your youngin broke their first bone, or had their first hospital visit…..... / I WISH YOU STRENGTH!!!! TO all the dads that gagged while changing their first poopy diaper but changed it anyways, and maybe even changed it a second time( 5 minutes later) / ALL THE RESPECT TO YOU!!!!!!!!!!!! TO ALL THE DADS THAT WOULD DO ANYTHING FOR THEIR KIDS AND THEN SOME…...WE LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!! HAPPY DADDY’S DAY
How is it that we travel through life, / blinded by the very things that stand before us? / We continue to encourage ourselves to do the / ...
How is it that we travel through life, / blinded by the very things that stand before us? / We continue to encourage ourselves to do the / very things we know we shouldn’t? / Seldom taking action against those same things that, / deep down, we know damn well that we should? / How is it that we travel through life, never knowing / whether now is the right time to say what it is we need to say? / And even whether or not this is the right person / to say whatever it is we need to say to? / How is it – that despite all of the lessons we learn as children, / all of the advice we are given as teens, and through all of the / mistakes that we are supposed to have learned from ….. / That we still carry so much self doubt and critisism of / ourselves, that we can never be free to express exactly what / we need to express to those whom we need to express it to? / Is the world so politically incorrect that we should offend anyone / who we speak the honest truth to? / I mean, isn’t it better to know you’ve been saved from the / embarrassment of the entire world seeing your proverbial open fly / by having one single person point it out to you? / Think about it! / I may be mistaken – but then, who are you to say I’m wrong – / This is my opinion after all – and since when is an opinion a bad thing? / Yes, it may be out of line with yours, or simply out of line - / but you don’t have to like it – and it will never be right or wrong. / It will always be mine. / How I choose to use it will also be my choice – because I have a choice. / I choose to live! I choose to stand on my own two feet and SHOUT / from the rooftops – I AM FREE! I AM HUMAN! I MAKE MISTAKES! I AM REAL! / So, if you can’t handle that – then you need to sit back and take a / look at where your priorities lay. Look at them, sort through them, / and put them to one side while you choose to live too. / Because as far as I know, we get one chance, one life in which to / make mistakes, learn from them, give and take advice, live, laugh / and love. / Love your family, love your friends, love your life – but above all else, / please, love yourself. / Value the most important person in your life – you. The rest will fall into place.
I wanted to share with you something I received this morning as an email….....I hope it is ok to pass it on…...this was very inspirin…
I wanted to share with you something I received this morning as an email….....I hope it is ok to pass it on…...this was very inspiring, humorous and all about life! I hope you enjoy it as much as I. / Joyce / _____ We should all be so lucky…just take all right turns in life. This is the best read in a very long time…..enjoy. / This is a wonderful piece by Michael Gartner, editor of newspapers large and small and president of NBC News. In 1997, he won the Pulitzer Prize for editorial writing. Its well worth reading and a few good chuckles are guaranteed. / ____ / My father never drove a car. Well, that’s not quite right. I should say I never saw him drive a car. / He quit driving in 1927, when he was 25 years old, and the last car he drove was a 1926 Whippet. / “In those days,” he told me when he was in his 90s, “to drive a car you had to do things with your hands, / and do things with your feet, and look every which way, and I decided you could walk through life / and enjoy it or drive through life and miss it.” / At which point my mother, a sometimes salty Irishwoman, chimed in: “Oh, bull! she said. “He hit a horse.” / “Well,” my father said, “there was that, too.” / So my brother and I grew up in a household without a car. The neighbors all had cars, the Kollingses next / door had a green 1941 Dodge, the VanLaninghams across the street a gray 1936 Plymouth, the Hopsons two / doors down a black 1941 Ford, but we had none. My father, a newspaperman in Des Moines, would take the / streetcar to work and, often as not, walk the 3 miles home. If he took the streetcar home, my mother and brother / and I would walk the three blocks to the streetcar stop, meet him and walk home together. / My brother, David, was born in 1935, and I was born in 1938, and sometimes, at dinner, we’d ask how come / all the neighbors had cars but we had none. “No one in the family drives,” my mother would explain, and that / was that. / But, sometimes, my father would say, “But as soon as one of you boys turns16, we’ll get one.” It was as if he / wasn’t sure which one of us would turn16 first. / But, sure enough, my brother turned 16 before I did, so in 1951 my parents / bought a used 1950 Chevrolet from a friend who ran the parts department at a Chevy dealership downtown. / It was a fourdoor, white model, stick shift, fender skirts, loaded with everything, and, since my parents didn’t / drive, it more or less became my brother’s car. / Having a car but not being able to drive didn’t bother my father, but it didn’t make sense to my mother. / So in 1952, when she was 43 years old, she asked a friend to teach her to drive. She learned in a nearby / cemetery, the place where I learned to drive the following year and where, a generation later, I took my two / sons to practice driving. The cemetery probably was my father’s idea. “Who can your mother hurt in the / cemetery?” I remember him saying more than once. / For the next 45 years or so, until she was 90, my mother was the driver in the family. Neither she nor my father / had any sense of direction, but he loaded up on maps, though they seldom left the city limits, and appointed / himself navigator. It seemed to work. / Still, they both continued to walk a lot. My mother was a devout Catholic, and my father an equally devout / agnostic, an arrangement that didn’t seem to bother either of them through their 75 years of marriage(Yes, 75 / years, and they were deeply in love the entire time.) / He retired when he was 70, and nearly every morning for the next 20 years or so, he would walk with her the / mile to St. Augustin’s Church. She would walk down and sit in the front pew, and he would wait in the back / until he saw which of the parish’s two priests was on duty that morning. If it was the pastor, my father then / would go out and take a 2 mile walk, meeting my mother at the end of the service and walking her home. / If it was the assistant pastor, he’d take just a 1mile walk and then head back to the church. He called the priests / “Father Fast” and “Father Slow.” After he retired, my father almost always accompanied my mother whenever / she drove anywhere, even if he had no reason to go along. If she were going to the beauty parlor, he’d sit in the / car and read, or go take a stroll or, if it was summer, have her keep the engine running so he could listen to the / Cubs game on the radio. In the evening, then, when I’d stop by, he’d explain: “The Cubs lost again. The / millionaire on second base made a bad throw to the millionaire on first base, so the multimillionaire on third / base scored.” If she were going to the grocery store, he would go along to carry the bags out , and to make / sure she loaded up on ice cream. As I said, he was always the navigator, and once, when he was 95 and she was / 88 and still driving, he said to me, “Do you want to know the secret of a long life?” “I guess so,” I said, knowing / it probably would be something bizarre. No left turns,” he said. “What?” I asked. “No left turns,” he repeated. / “Several years ago, your mother and I read an article that said most accidents that old people are in happen / when they turn left in front of oncoming traffic. As you get older, your eyesight worsens, and you can lose your / depth perception, it said. So your mother and I decided never again to make a left turn.” “What?” I said again. / “No left turns,” he said. “Think about it. Three rights are the same as a left, and that’s a lot safer. So we always / make three rights.” “You’re kidding!” I said, and I turned to my mother for support”No,” she said, “your father’s / right. We make three rights. It works.” But then she added: “Except when your father loses count.” I was / driving at the time, and I almost drove off the road as I started laughing. “Loses count?” I asked. “Yes,” my / father admitted, “that sometimes happens. But it’s not a problem. You just make seven rights, and you’re okay / again.” I couldn’t resist. “Do you ever go for 11?” I asked. “No,” he said ” If we miss it at seven, we just come / home and call it a bad day. Besides, nothing in life is so important it can’t be put off another day or another / week.” My mother was never in an accident, but one evening she handed me her car keys and said she had / decided to quit driving. That was in 1999, when she was 90. She lived four more years, until 2003. My father / died the next year, at 102. They both died in the bungalow they had moved into in 1937 and bought a few / years later for $3,000. (Sixty years later, my brother and I paid $8,000 to have a shower put in the tiny bathroom / the house had never had one. My father would have died then and there if he knew the shower cost nearly / three times what he paid for the house.) He continued to walk daily; he had me get him a treadmill when he / was 101 because he was afraid he’d fall on the icy sidewalks but wanted to keep exercising, and he was of / sound mind and sound body until the moment he died. One September afternoon in 2004, he and my son went / with me when I had to give a talk in a neighboring town, and it was clear to all three of us that he was wearing / out, though we had the usual wideranging conversation about politics and newspapers and things in the news. / A few weeks earlier, he had told my son, “You know, Mike, the first hundred years are a lot easier than the / second hundred.” At one point in our drive that Saturday, he said, “You know, I’m probably not going to live / much longer.” “You’re probably right,” I said. “Why would you say that?” He countered, somewhat irritated. / “Because you’re 102 years old,” I said. “Yes,” he said, “you’re right.” He stayed in bed all the next day. / That night, I suggested to my son and daughter that we sit up with him through the night. He appreciated it, he / said, though at one point, apparently seeing us look gloomy, he said: “I would like to make an announcement. / No one in this room is dead yet.” An hour or so later, he spoke his last words: “I want you to know,” he said, / clearly and lucidly, “that I am in no pain. I am very comfortable. And I have had as happy a life as anyone on / this earth could ever have.” A short time later, he died. I miss him a lot, and I think about him a lot. I’ve / wondered now and then how it was that my family and I were so lucky that he lived so long. I can’t figure out if / it was because he walked through life, or because he quit taking left turns. ” Life is too short to wake up with / regrets. So love the people who treat you right. Forget about those who don’t. Believe everything happens for / a reason. If you get a chance, take it. If it changes your life, let it. Nobody said life would be easy, they just / promised it would most likely be worth it.” By Michael Gartner
(and mysteries too, I think – to paraphrase Keats really badly…) I’ve known I would have to write this journal for some time now…...
(and mysteries too, I think – to paraphrase Keats really badly…) I’ve known I would have to write this journal for some time now… but I think I was kind of trying to convince myself the moment would never arrive. Unfortunately – it finally has. To all my dear friends and all the wonderful people and artists who have supported me and my work here on Red Bubble – I need to let you know that I may not be able to be ‘around here’ as much as I have for a time… Ordinary ‘life’ gets in the way. My partner is leaving in a few hours to travel overseas for work – and I will have to fulfill the roles of both parents on my own for the coming months….. Together with an unusually large dose of ‘family stuff’ at the moment – and even another new medical diagnosis for myself (as if I already didn’t have enough of all that lol), no matter how wonderful my children may be I am sure that much more of my limited energy will have to be dedicated to everyday things other than I might prefer… It feels to me as if I am being in a way ‘forced’ to limit my time here on Red Bubble right at a time when the wonderful friendship and support I receive here for my self and my work feels most necessary to me to help me deal with and manage these many responsibilities. Obviously I will try to ‘be here’ as much as I can. Because I so much want to. I also so badly want to continue taking photographs and creating images for my own pleasure and satisfaction as much as I am able – and continue to post here anything I may consider ‘good enough’. I hope you will understand if I do not ‘appear’ so often, and do not find and manage to follow up as much of your work as I would normally like. This time too will pass… I will still be ‘around’ as much as I can manage, and will most definitely be back and more active amongst you all again as soon as I am able. All my love and thanks to you all / Kallena xx
Psalms 119:105 “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” In the early morning whilst getting into position to captu…
Psalms 119:105 “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” In the early morning whilst getting into position to capture the sunrise, we need to keep our footing. However, in life we also need guidance on how to life a life that’s pleasing to God, thankfully He’s provided revelation to illuminate our understanding of how we should live on this earth. As we follow His principles and precepts for life from His Word, our life takes on new meaning and purpose. Praise God for His revelation this morning. Don.
I am blessed to have my Image of Flame featured in the group called Living Christianity. When I designed this piece I did not realize the…
I am blessed to have my Image of Flame featured in the group called Living Christianity. When I designed this piece I did not realize the symbolism until my daughter explained it to me.The spiral represents the cycles of life, growth and change. The bubbles form a heart around the flame. This makes a visual representation of a remembrance of the eternal flame of love that remains in my heart for my Dad. Thank you so much to the Living Christianity Group.
“Last night I went to the final show of Leonard Cohen and he recited my favorite song, I can still hear his voice a thousand kisses deep”...
Last night I went to the final show of Leonard Cohen and he recited my favorite song, I can still hear his voice a thousand kisses deep
“Life is a temporary assignment.” I read this powerful, but yet simple statement on a billboard this morning. It hit me hard….
“Life is a temporary assignment.” I read this powerful, but yet simple statement on a billboard this morning. It hit me hard….
_In the next few days I’ll be uploading a bunch of photos I took while travelling overseas in 1992. I had planned on working and backpack…
In the next few days I’ll be uploading a bunch of photos I took while travelling overseas in 1992. I had planned on working and backpacking in the UK and Europe for 2 years, but after nearly one year came home… just missed family and friends too much! / As was written by yours truly such a long time ago. But sometimes sad things happen and it takes a while to get back into living among others again. We had to say goodbye to my Nanna. She was much loved throughout her long life and slipped away quietly to a better place. I can see her now, sitting painting and sewing in heaven surrounded by fluffly clouds and sunshine (nestled among the lavender and roses), munching on nettle soup (from stinging nettles of course… no joke… she used to love it!!! It’s good for you she’d say!!) and crackers. Then for afters, anzac biscuits and a cup of good strong tea!! / At least now my Nanna is out of the pain and suffering that was the last 3 weeks of her life (stroke and heart attack… she’s 89). Even so… she is so sadly missed by us all. My Mum is very slowly smiling again, and will one day remember her own Mum with only smiles, not tears. Now I shall get back to what I was doing before… uploading my beautiful photos from the past and even more from today!! Life is for living, not watching it pass…
Another response to Donna’s article that works for me: *+Nine S…
Another response to Donna’s article that works for me: Nine Steps to a Healthy (Bubble-)Life 1. *Upload work. / > View and review each piece as a Card, Canvas and Poster, and Framed, Mounted and Laminated. ... This helps you to see how your buyers will see the end product. A great way to determine if you want to keep or delete. 2. Do whatever your partner says needs doing … before midnight! 3. Breathe in and out. 4. Go to work regularly. This will help pay for internet-connection. 5. Eat at least once a day. / > Despite contrary belief that you can survive on the internet for months at a time, the human body needs regular nourishment. This leads to step 6… 6. Exercise routinely. / > Being a photographer, I regularly walk around Adelaide City, through parks, parklands, gardens and public places. It helps move muscles, but … / Typing does not move enough muscles. / Walking to the post-box to collect your purchased cards is not enough. 7. Rejoice when work sells, either online or offline. 8. Repeat as necessary. 9. Leave comments on people’s art-work when you have time in your busy schedule. / > Not mandatory, but is certainly a great way to meet and greet people from all around the world. Steps 3 & 5 may help beat the addiction. / Steps 2 & 4 should remind you there is more to life than Redbubble. OMG, I said that! :) / _Steps 6 & 7 may happen less often than you expect.
I sold my tee “Catlover”! I’m very thrilled, thank you very much dear buyer! Hope you’ll like it as much as I do. Greets / Gabriella / ...
I sold my tee “Catlover”! I’m very thrilled, thank you very much dear buyer! Hope you’ll like it as much as I do. Greets / Gabriella
I read with great interest today, 06/04/2008, about the ‘Mixed Signals Toward Recovery’. All of the signs point toward 2010 for a bottomi…
I read with great interest today, 06/04/2008, about the ‘Mixed Signals Toward Recovery’. All of the signs point toward 2010 for a bottoming out of the housing market. In the same article in the Business Section I saw that Toll Homes called on Congress to give ‘would-be’ home buyers a tax incentive to purchase new homes, stating that it should be a higher priority to the ‘citizens/homeowners’ with problem mortgages who were standing a great chance of losing their homes. Losing their homes!!!!! The American Dream? What is happening? These builders, who I do empathize with, are frantic. They have a surplus of homes to sell. Dear God, is there no way out of this? If I could tell you stories, I would. I know, personally, of so many. Come on, we have to get this right.
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