Adelia

Story inspired by writing prompt at Stampington.com

Appologies ahead as I do not know how to link up to the exact web page as I am working on my iPad (my computer is in the shop).

Photography by Andrea C. Jenkins featured in Life Images 2008

"Well good morning Sunshine!"

"Hi Mommy"

"Where are you off to so bright and early?"

"I'm going to the bay. There's a ship waiting for me. It's going to take me to a far away land where the magic lives."

"Oh my! A magical land. Sounds perfect. I see you wore your favorite sweater."

"Sometimes it gets cold in Adelia."

"Adelia, huh? Did you remember your toothbrush?"

"You don't need toothbrushes in Adelia, Mommy! The toothfairy lives there and she has all her helpers clean the kids' teeth."

"Well isn't that convenient! So, if you're wearing your favorite sweater, and you don't need to pack your toothbrush, what's in the bag?"

"Books."

"Books?"

"Yup. Books. And my paint. And paper. And a paintbrush. That's all you need in Adelia. Books and paints."

"Hmmm... that doesn't sound like much. What will you eat? Where will you sleep? What will you wear if your sweater gets too hot?"

"That's easy. It's all in the books. Books are magical in Adelia. They come to life. You just read them and they come true."

"So if you get hungry, you can just read 'Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs'?"

"Yup"

"And if you get hot, you can read a book on winter to bring back the cold?"

"Or a book on princess clothes so I can wear a fancy gown!"

"Oh listen to you giggle! I think you're on to something good!"

"Yeah, Adelia is good. It's all good. I only brought good books too."

"So why the paints?"

"Just in case."

"In case of what?"

"In case I don't have the book I need... or if I miss you while I'm there."

"What happens if you don't have the right book, or if you miss me?

"If I get scared, I can paint a blanket to keep me safe. And if I miss you, I will paint you and then you will be there with me."

"So everything you read and everything you paint becomes real in Adelia?"

"Yup."

"Wow. That does sound like a magical place. I sure would like to visit a place like that some day."

"You wanna go with me?"

"I would love to go with you Honey, but Mommy has work to do around here."

"Silly Mommy! Time stands still in Adelia. You can come with me and when we get back, all your work will still be right here waiting for you!"

"In that case, I would love to go with you."

Taking her mother's hand, "Mommy? Why are you wiping your eyes?"

"Because my love for you is overflowing, my wise little princess. You opened my eyes so wide, the love leaked right out."

"I love you Mommy."

"I love you too Sweet Girl."

New Day, New Mood, New Attitude

Find yourself in a bad mood?

Change your attitude!

The rubber band idea is working.

You might think it a bit barbaric, but it actually works!

Every time I start having negative thoughts

or start feeling yell-y (ready to yell)

(yell-y may not be a real word but my first choice was crotchety so you pick)

I snap my rubber band.

Oy!

Note to self: snap on back of wrist, not inside, to avoid numb fingers

I've been practicing the rubber band method of positivity for a few days now.

The method is a bit hard when those around you are the ones being negative.

I certainly don't want to snap myself for someone else dragging me down

so I am learning to walk away.

This morning, after I woke, I made myself a nice mug of green tea.

I sat down in my favorite chair and journaled. 

The last bit I wrote, was a list of gratitude.

I closed the journal and looked out the window.

This is what I saw...

Fog and Frost.

The perfect ingredients for a grey mood?

I think not!

I checked my attitude and grabbed my camera,

headed out the back door

and had some fun!

A week ago I would be frustrated at my lack of time to play.

I would feel inferior due to my status as a beginner (wishful) photographer wannabe.

I would wish for less shaky hands and time to edit.

Today?

I gleefully grabbed a few minutes in the snow in my slippers.

I am okay with beginning as you have to start somewhere.

I am thankful for my hands. Shake adds character to all that I do. tee hee

Time to edit? I'll get there. Time with my children is my number one.

 

   

Fantastical Fun!

A

weekend

full of

fantastical fun!!!

Ferris Wheels.

Fabulous Finds

 

Fun with photos.

What did you do with your weekend?

 (I searched for a good quote about weekends but found none worthy of adding. Instead I will search the comments to this post for brilliant weekend ponderings. Care to indulge me?)

 

Perspective

Have you read Eckharte Tolle's "The Power of Now"?

It is a priceless book

teaching us how to live in the moment we have.

The Present moment.

It is called the present because it is just that. 

A gift. A present.

It's all we really have.

The past is gone. Dwelling wastes the moment that is.

The future is not yet. Don't waste this moment on what is not.

This moment.

This is what we have.

I was looking at a few shots I took earlier in the year and I was thinking about perspective.

I was walking along a path behind some houses and fell in love with an old glass door

resting against a house. A timeless backdrop for new and fleeting flowers.

I couldn't decide what to focus my camera on as they both were beautiful.

This first picture focuses on the door. It is old, from the past, behind the flowers.

It seems to represent the passing of time, history,

what could have been, what is no longer,

what little remains.

Yet it is beautiful.

This next picture focuses on the flowers.

They are young, new, fresh, alive and alert.

They deserve attention as they are the present moment.

They weren't there a bit ago, they won't be there forever.

They are here, Now.

They are also beautiful.

If I consider one step closer, 

I could think of me.

I am the one behind the camera.

I am the action, the future, the decider of what is to come.

I am the future of the picture.

What perspective to take.

What to do with the end result.

That is a beautiful thing.

That got me thinking.

Past, present, future.

How blessed we are as humans that our eyes, our minds

have the ability to see, to focus, to decide.

past, present, future

we can decide what to focus on, when, and how we view that which we see.

I choose NOW.

This moment.

The past is there. I see it. There are troubled times and there are great times.

The past helped form today. Who I am, where I am.

Memories are a part of us but they are not us.

I acknowledge and respect and I move on.

The future is yet to come.

There will be good and there will be bad.

I cannot control it but I can hope for the best,

dream of a beautiful life, look ahead, even plan ahead, 

but not too hard.

I don't want to get lost in what is not.

Above all, I choose now.

I acknowledge past and future.

They are part of life.

But I choose NOW.

This moment.

As far as the pictures?

The door, the flowers, me.

I see them all right now and it is beautiful.