Thursday, August 29, 2013

Balloon Crowns

Today I had to walk up to the High Street because I had to visit the post office. I went up first thing this morning and it was good to get a chance to get some exercise along with running my errands. It's quite a workout because the walk to the High Street is uphill all the way. And let me tell you, in the past I used to be huffing and puffing when I finally got to the top. LOL. But now it's all good.
 
Anyway, I went up to mail a package off and I saw that they had cookies and candies set up on a table inside the post office. There was also an older gentleman there who was making balloon shapes and animals. All of this was because the post office in our town recently reopened after being closed for a few weeks for renovations. So they were celebrating. The post office is a combination kind of a place. It's a post office, newsstand, general store type of place.
 
So when I left, I passed by the older gentleman who was making the balloon animals and shapes and he says, "Would you like a crown?"
 
This is my crown below :)
 
 
 
I gladly took it and thanked him. I stuck it on my head for a minute, but then I thought it might pop or float away, so I carried it down the hill and back home again. I thought that it was so sweet of him to give me my very own crown first thing in the morning. It made me feel like a kid again. Who knew that I'd trudge up the hill this morning like any other day, but come back down the hill a newly crowned queen ;-)
 
P.S. ~ I just looked at this picture again and maybe it's just my dirty mind, but the balloon looks kinda rude too. LOL.
 
Until next time...

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

I Have a Dream


As many of you already know, today is the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and many others took a stand that day and I am grateful to them all every day.

 
 
 
I wasn't alive when the march happened, but I know for sure that I have definitely reaped the benefits of the work of Dr. King and so many countless others whose names we will never know. I have seen the 'I Have a Dream' speech many times as I'm sure many of you have and it never fails to make the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. It reaches deep and it continues to resonate in ripples through the generations.
 
I think that growing up on the outer edges of metro Atlanta was a blessing in my life. As I was growing up I was able to visit many sites that hold significance in Dr. King's life and it was so great to have that education right in my backyard. If you are ever in Atlanta, please visit the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site. You will be able to visit the original Ebenezer Baptist Church, The King Center, and Dr. King's birthplace. I highly recommend having a visit, because it truly makes Dr. King's work come alive and with every visit I always come away with thoughts of how I can do more.
 
So as we commemorate the March on Washington today, I hope that we can all reflect on how much progress has been made and put action towards making this world a better place for all people. The work continues onward.
 


Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Adventures and Daydreaming


I have another picture to share today. I took this one a few days ago when I was having a walk further out in the countryside. The sky was so blue and the trees were so green. Notice the little white streak in the sky? Well that was the trail of an airplane passing overhead. I wonder where it was going? When I see an airplane passing overhead, I always wonder where the people are headed and what adventure awaits them. It's fun to daydream about that sometimes :-)

Monday, August 12, 2013

Clouds


This is a random picture that I took yesterday. I love taking pictures of clouds. They are so dreamy.
 
Have a wonderful day!

Moving Things With Ease

Recently I was having a phone conversation with a friend who lives in Brighton, which is several miles away from where I live. Brighton is in the southeast of England and I'm in the southwest. I told her that I'm in the process of clearing out the clutter around here and mentioned how much I wanted to get rid of my treadmill since it's just using up space at this point. Well, she says out of the blue that she'd love to buy it and this was all without me even trying to sell it to her. So I was elated when she offered to buy it on her own.

Then the reality set in. How was I going to get it to her? The treadmill is big and heavy and there's no way that I could fit it in the car. So I had a look online and found out about this great site where you can describe what you need to have moved and then you receive quotes from companies. The site is called ANYVAN.

Here's a video that describes how it all works.




I love that you can save money and time and this service gets you in touch with rated companies. Also I love that it's free to use and there's no obligation to accept any bid.

This all sounds like a good option to me, so I think that I'll give it a try!

Friday, August 09, 2013

England for the Music Lover

Today I have a great article from guest blogger Marcela about the English music scene. I'm a big fan of seeing shows when I get to London, so I really enjoyed her fun post. She gives some great tips on where to see some good music. Enjoy!

When most people think of English music, they immediately think of the Beatles. While the Beatles will forever be an unforgettable band, England is a country with quite a long musical tradition, and there’s more to know than just “Hey Jude.”

In modern times, England is quite the bustling music scene, though certain parts of the country have always been popular destinations for musicians and music fans alike. Whether you want to see an intimate club gig or a huge arena-style concert, England has something for every music lover.



Abbey Road

Almost everybody knows the cover of the Beatles’ Abbey Road album, and for good reason. If you’re in England and you’re a music lover, visiting the real Abbey Road is pretty much a rite of passage.

Abbey Road is located on St. John’s Wood in London, and the nearby tourist traps should let you know when you’re close. Don’t forget to snap a picture to take back home with you. If you don’t want the cheesy “crossing-the-street” picture, find the Abbey Road plaque on the actual building that’s still intact and take your picture there.

While you’re doing your Beatles tour, make sure you check out the place where they performed their last show. At the time – January 30, 1969 – the Beatles had office space for Apple at 3 Savile Row. They performed their last show ever on the roof right there, which was filmed and released as part of Let It Be.

Want to Catch a Live Band?

If you’re interested in checking out the live music scene in England, it should be pointed out that almost all of that is focused in London. It’s been that way for some time, and while you might catch a gig outside of the city limits, it’s a lot easier to find good live music in London than anywhere else.

Talking to locals, you’ll find that everybody has their own favorite venue; however, you would be hard-pressed to ask five locals about their favorite venues and not hear about The Windmill in Brixton, The Half Moon in Putney and The Old Blue East, just a couple of blocks from the Shoreditch tube stop.

If you’re looking for a bigger show, check out the calendar at the O2 Academy Brixton. Shows don’t happen there every night, but the venue usually hosts well-known mid-level touring acts from all over the world.

Don’t forget to check out The Marquee Club on Charing Cross Road either. It’s where The Rolling Stones played their first show in 1962.

Depending on the time of year, you can also check out music festivals like the popular Glastonbury Festival.

Royal Opera House

If you’re interested in checking out some of the finest classical music or ballet that England has to offer, you absolutely must get tickets to a show at The Royal Opera House. The Royal Opera House may not be the oldest venue in England, or even London, but it’s widely regarded as one of the best.

You’ll also be able to get a ticket in most cases. The Royal Opera House is located in the Covent Garden area, but tickets can be purchased all over the city. Buy in advance whenever possible.

Whether you’re interested in rock-and-roll history or seeing a performance of Swan Lake, England has something to offer pretty much every night of the week. When visiting England, pick up a guidebook to learn more about music venues, and don’t be afraid to ask locals about more hidden places worth checking out.

Marcela De Vivo is a writer, music enthusiast and business owner who works with Arena to educate others about the history of music. She loves traveling around the world with her family to discover other cultures, music and food! Follow her on Pinterest today.

Book Lovers Day

Book Lovers Day 


Today, August 9th is Book Lovers Day! I LOVE reading, so this day is right up my alley!

Every since I was a kid I've always loved going on adventures through the pages of a book. Books can help us learn and grow and offer us a chance to see the world through someone else's eyes. I love that!

So here's to Book Lovers Day....and here's to books :)

Wednesday, August 07, 2013

Standing Out

 
I saw this cute little daisy the other day when I went for a walk. I love that it's not afraid to stand alone and stand out with all it's beauty. There's a lesson there  :-)

Tuesday, August 06, 2013

Getting Back to Creativity

I don't know if I've ever mentioned it here before, but I love jewelry, especially unusual pieces. So the other day, I got a new pair of earrings at a street market. They were inexpensive and I just loved the look of them. They're not too large or too small...they're just right...light and airy.



They're tree of life earrings and I thought that they were interesting.

I used to make jewelry a few years ago and lately I've been thinking of starting up again because I used to enjoy it so much. Now that I'm finished with my university work, I'm interested in moving ahead with my creative pursuits again.

I'm having to work up to it with the creativity though. I've had my head stuck in the books for so long with all of my study and analysis, therefore my creativity has gone a bit rusty. I'm sure you know what it's like when you've been so into one way of using your brain and then you want to switch over but you can't. Well, that's me right now. However, slowly but surely I'm finally finding my creative feet again. It just takes time.

I'm finding that taking the time to appreciate other people's creativity is opening me up again. I guess that it's like physically having to work a muscle to get it back into shape again. It's like waking up again in a way. I guess that my creativity has only been sleeping and now it's stretching and awakening to a new day...the next chapter in my life :-)