the dreaming Press.

Precious

Each contact with a human being is so rare, so precious, one should preserve it.
~Anais Nin

Have you ever had fun?

 
Have you ever?

Have you been struck with a senseless case of the giggles so bad you could hardly stand it?

Have you ever loved the Bay City Rollers so much, you had to adopt their style?

Have you ever been so caught up in the moment, that you thought, "What. The. Hell?"

Have you ever loved a friend so deeply that you cried for their loss, smiled at their victory, hugged them for their achievements?

Have you ever met someone through blogging...that you totally and utterly adore?  Someone who is a sunray through the grayest of unwanted clouds?

This, is that person to me. {the sweetie in the plaid pants! ;)}

She totally and unequivocally rocks the kasbah.

xoxo

(and she is coming for a spa treatment soon! yay~! we can trade Moroccan Oil hair secrets~!)

xoxo

Love ya, girl.

p.s. Forgive the timed incomplete post that popped up here with no words only a photo.  I'm doing a soup post and it wasn't written yet.  I shall sneak it in here another time, when it is completed! Yikes! See what trying to save time in life does for you-messes you up entirely.  One thing at a time, must keep telling myself this....one thing at a time. xoxo

Mezze at Lebanese House

Welcome!...of course I have to take you out for lunch..won`t you join me....

Call whoever you need to now, before we start...you won't be getting up from the table until it's time to roll you out... 

I do hope you are hungry.  We are having a typical Middle Eastern meal called a 'mezze' or 'mezzeh'. 

Among the fresh olives, lemon mint drinks & grilled meats, we have hummus, tabouleh & roquette salad...

Of course there are plenty of fresh baked flat breads and things I can't pronounce or remember the names of.

 
 
Oh and just outside is a spectacular view...terraced farming is practiced by the Jordanians due to the many hills and mountains that make up the geography.

Just outside is a bevy of blooms...Jordan seems bursting at the seams with life and we were there to catch it all.

 

Should you happen to look up, you'll notice as I do the many lamps and lanterns the beautify Lebanese House. 

So sorry to distract you from your delicious mezze.  Please, enjoy some more food why don't you...there is plenty...

If you are a tried and true North American and simply can`t get through a meal without it, well....here is your Arabian ketchup.

  

When in Jerash, Jordan visit Lebanese House for the most delicious meal with a stunning view. Perhaps if you are lucky enough to join Ms.Tara Bradford on her next `Journey to Jordan` then you too will eat lunch at this famous restaurant.

Jordan, Jerash
Tel Fax: 00962-2-6351301

 

 

dream sharing & evolutions of the soul

An e-mail conversation today shed some light on the evolution of my soul.  For that I am entirely grateful. You know how when something happens to you in life that you feel is unfair, then later on after the lesson is learned you are clear about the reasons why? Then you can't doubt that it was for the best? I had a moment like that today.  I was explaining a situation to someone and a lightbulb clicked.  I whispered a tiny prayer and shushed it out to the great wide Open.  {I almost burst with glee.} I am healing a deep wound.  It feels great.  We are all in charge of these things.  Repeated mistakes are by grand design-instead of playing victim, turn it around to your advantage.  {Have I told you I'm a warrior? I fight the good fight.}

My daughter had her own soul evolution today.  We worked through it, but she is hurting.  Only time will help her.  After our chat we watched the Olympic women's hockey.  (I explained to her that the USA team were crying because they wanted the gold medal, not the silver.  She thinks they will come to love the silver in time, and she is right.  She states: "Getting to the Olympics period is an achievement! They should be proud!" What a kid.)

Ah Petra.  I'm on my way. I relish seeing my good friend Tara again.  That globe trotting, head-squarely-on-her-shoulders good friend of mine.  I am fortunate & count my blessings to be able to see her in such a culture rich & beautiful setting.  I'll check my CMB¹ tomorrow for Susanna's *winged messengers*.  I only check my mail once every week or so, it is the height of laziness I assure you.  Tomorrow being the last mail day before I go, I'm hoping they will fly right out of the CMB to greet me with open wings! Pictured above are the wings Susanna sent me before.  I just love how they photograph.  If you follow me on FB², then you will have to check in and see any photos I post for you.  Wishing you well on your own soul journeys, both spiritual & physical.  Navigating this stuff can be challenging.  I know we can do it. {With each others help of course.  For how else can great things be achieved?}

xoxo

¹ community mail box

² Facebook

Is suffering really necessary? Yes and no.

If you had not suffered as you have, there would be no depth to you as a human being, no humility, no compassion. You would not be reading this now. Suffering cracks open the shell of ego, and then comes a point where it has served his purpose.

Suffering is necessary until you realize it is unnecessary.
*Eckhart Tolle*

A post that is chock full of Grace...~

 
Good snowy, and I do mean snowy day from here in snowy Southern Ontario!  There are a few orders of business to story about today, and I shall begin here...

A way overdue, don't know what I was thinking, not sure where my head was, can't believe I didn't mention it and am so disappointed with myself but my amazing adventurous friend TARA Bradford had a birthday last month (oops! silly me!!!), and though I did manage to send her a present (miracle!) I am sure I neglected to mention it here.  So allow me to rectify that situation by wishing her very publicly and very loudly (with love) HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I love you so, you've opened up my small world and made it real big.  Real fun.  Real adventurous.  I cherish you so Tara, if you are reading this.  xoxo (Go read about Tara's latest find, a most perfect pink typewriter. Jealous.  Yes I am.)

A very Happy {belatedly so, but none-the-less} BIRTHDAY to my most whimsical, and oldest (blogging-wise, not age-wise) friend, that gorgeous California girl, dear Lisa Oceandreamer!!! Lisa you are an artful, loving most dear friend to me and I hope your day was full of magic and love because you so deserve it.  I adore you always. xo

A very Happy {today, on time!} BIRTHDAY goes out to a very dear friend of mine, one I met in college almost two decades ago, Nicole of  Stepmother with Grace! We studied nursing together.  She moved to the U.S. and subsequently renested down there permanently.  She is now settled with her new adorable! husband Giovanni and his daughter Grace, in beautiful North Carolina.  She is embracing step-parenthood like no other, and she makes me so entirely proud to be her friend.  Please join me in wishing both of these dear friends of mine a happy birthday!

Okay, three cupcakes for three dear women.  I love the number three.  It is magical, as I've said before. xxx

So there was a tiny sprinkling of grace, I'm now on to another sprinkling of grace with that lovely lady, Grace Gal. I mention the lovely Paula from Grace Gal, because hers was the first to arrive. First what?you ask...the first postcard of loveliness!  I jumped for joy when I opened the sweet green envelope sealed with a single word, wings.

I will share the thoughtful words of encouragement Paula wrote, and her card with you in the New Year.  I will do the same with all the cards I get from my little wee project. It is so much fun already, I can't wait to read the cards that come in.

I had a brilliant surprise this morning.  No, I'm not talking about the Rouladen I burned.  Yes, I burned the dinner.  It happens occasionally but this is truly upsetting because I only left the pan for five minutes.  Up to that point it looked perfect.  Sigh.  You know, a watched pot never boils...well a watched pan always burns! With me anyways....sigh.  Oh back to my brilliant surprise...Sherry was here! This morning! Well the cigar store bell tinkled and through the door she walks.  Sherry is a lovely lady, too bad I had clients waiting for me and I had to go...I spent a few minutes with her and her husband before I had to bid her adieu.  I asked her if she would like to join me in the Distillery for photography and chai, and she said yes.  So, we'll blog about that one when it happens. :) Sherry thanks for coming to see us, you are a sweetheart!

I am done, I think.  I felt like running away with a band of gypsies this morning, everything seemed to be going to "you know where" in a handbasket.  Sigh.  I suppose it all turns around, doesn't it? Which leads me to the gratitude I'm focused on right now, three things:

1. Birthdays! Keep them coming, I say!

2. Postcards & pink typewriters.

3. Photography: my escape, my love, my life long lesson to learn....xo

a song, a mantra & sparkly Christmas miracles

 

  

Sorry I'm late posting.  Life.  Gets. Ahead of me sometimes!!! LOL

My favourite song of all time.  Seriously.  EVER.
I could listen to it ten times a day. {I wouldn't care to open up a can of worms, and I love love LOVE John Lennon, but...Paul.  Well...has uber talent all his own, wouldn't you say? Yes, a Paul fan! In fact, it was Linda McCartney that put me on the path to being vegetarian before.  I am seriously considering it again.  I have her cookbooks.  Love her. Heather who? Seriously, even Paul can't replace her.}

May we all find the peace we seek. {Yes, all of us. ALL. Read them all.}

I called Julian at his new store tonight, to ask if he had a certain accessory for the snowman the kids built tonight.  We now have a beautiful new snowman complete with a carrot nose, and a corn cob pipe. (I shall photograph him and show you soon.  He is so cute.)

Those crazy things are my three.  Gratitude mulitiplies your blessings, you need only to be grateful in order to cultivate more to be grateful for. It is a lovely equation.

Like last night, when folding laundry, and vaccumming (sp?), I felt so happy to be able to do those things.  I love my home.  My home makes me so happy.  It is like our nest.  So fluffing and folding gives me pleasure.  You see?  Every so often I'd look out the window at our new snowman.  He glowed in the snowy night.  (An aura only a mom can see, due to him being given his spirit by the children, right?)

I looked about while doing laundry, I saw a book of portraits, inscribed by a good friend.  I saw a wall hanging, created by a good friend.  I saw two beautifully nautical and perfect Sanibel seashells, given to me by a good friend.  It would seem, I'm surrounded by them.  (Good friends, that is. Thank God.)

If you have but one friend or twelve, I hope you are grateful for them.  Treat them like gold. They deserve it.

(Likewise, so do YOU.)

Today's gratitude is really random, but that is okay.  Life is too sometimes. xo

For the love of sentimentality...everywhichwhere.

Letters from a friend.  Dating back 15 years or so.  On my mantle.  In my new home.  Cherished.  Much like the old Christmas card that popped out of a cookbook the other day quite pleasantly with it's HELLO!~ All Our Love, Grandma, Grandpa & Emma xo (Don't you just love when that happens...signs, signs are everywhichwhere...)

{Emma was their dog.  I suppose they are all three walking on some ethereal beach somewhere, waiting patiently (with all the knowledge we could ever hope for) for us to unite once more.}

True friendship is love.  It is support and a listening ear.  I wish upon each of you the gift of one true friend.  If you are fortunate to have more, all the better.  I wish for you all... people in your corner who:

• encourage
• bring out the best in you
• love unconditionally
• bloom when they are around you, and likewise you when you are around them
• are generous with praise and gentle with criticisms
• have time to talk even if it is for five minutes
• never take from you your possessions or try to take full credit for your ideas
• never make out that they are someone they are NOT
• never deliberately use you or try to hurt you
• are someone you would aspire to be like

If you need to let go of a friendship, do it with an open heart, and do it gently. After all, you could be on much different wavelengths, and have simply outgrown one another.  That in itself is no crime.

On this misty grey Monday filled with *magic* I leave you to ponder your own friendships.  Like a garden, one must tend to them regularly. Happy gardening!! xo