Happy New Year (a bit late)

May the dawning of a New Year that presents economic changes and uncertainties
present you with the beauty of a sunrise, the hope of a new day, the warmth of a
summer evening, the peace of a walk in the woods
and gratitude for all the abundant blessings that surround us.

May your riches in 2009 be new insights, personal growth and prosperity of the soul.

Feliz Año Nuevo – Happy New Year

Much Love, Amy

My Culinary Heart

Someone is frying bacon. My mouth waters. I smell it from my balcony, where I sit bundled up watching the shrouded sunrise and listening to the busy birds. The cacophony of summer is gone, only the familiar murmuring of our year round birds remains to welcome me to morning.
I smell bacon, my mouth waters, my imagination goes to a luscious breakfast of eggs, what kind, poached, scrambled? The left overs of yeseterday’s crusty bread toasted and buttered, MMmmm, crunchy bacon (of course) fresh squeezed orange juice... How can I just eat yogurt and fruit, to loose 5 kilos, when I smell bacon, my mouth waters and my culinary heart takes over?

The Rains Are Coming

The rains are coming despite the clear sky. The wind unsettles the atmosphere, there is an uneasy energy about. The wood animals scuttle, the dog prances, the horse paces, the cat chases, the fish dart. I cannot complete any one thing - skipping from one unfinished task to another, from one fleeting thought to the next. The rains are coming; I must store the cushions, cover the bikes, push the garden furniture under cover. I must bring in dry wood, pull down the laundry. I must look for the warmer bedspread, find my closed shoes and rain jacket.

Journal entry from Oct. 8th

I came across this yesterday, I wrote it over a month ago, while having tea at an outdoor cafe that overlooks the sea and a distant monolith with a statue on top that reminded me of an angel. These thoughts seem so poignant at this time when we are feeling the grips of the crisis - 4 months of uemployment and reduced billings for the household breadwinners. I must keep the faith, keep the thanks, keep the prayers, keep the love.

My Guardian Angel:

There she is, my guardian angel. What is she protecting me from? Where is she guiding me to? Why is it a she? Becasue I see her silhouette hovering above the sea, hair flowing, delicate eyes caring, hands reaching out. She is protecting me from all evil, there is no bad in my life: no theft, no physical harm nor threat of harm, no cheating, no back stabbing, no hate. She protects me from falls: I may stumble in momentary doubt, but never fall in complete negativity. I may come across a set back or a longer distance than anticipated, but never feel lost nor defeated. She protects me from finacial difficulty. I may have periods of lesser abundance, but never want for comfort. I may have unexpected expenses, but they are somehow always met, even when there has not been a clear source at hand.

She is guiding me through life, checking my humility, guarding me from greed, showing me compassion, always keeping me in love. She reminds me to be tempered, to seek wisdom; God's, mine, other's who have walked this path before me.

Silently, invisibly my guadian angel protects and guides me.

Obama Inspired!

YAAAY We did it! We voted in a man who prefers:

• peace vs. war


• helping the struggling vs. insisiting it's the fault of their own laziness and negating them support


• keeping in check greedy corporations vs. turning a blind eye to their abusive tactics because of their economic power


• pulling everyone together to promote change from bottom up vs. the haves dictating change (or lack there of) from a condescending podium of control


• multi-racial participation vs. white control

...and how hopeful I feel, despite all the HUGE problems to address.

He did it again with his acceptance speech, INSPIRING, hope he can keep it up!

Musings on Mad Men

Mad Men just broke the record for the most number of Emmy's won in one year. We get that show on one of our satelite channels and although I didn't see every episode I can more or less follow it. I enjoy it - I like remembering the fashions and decor of the sixties which is such a huge part of the shows quality level. The soap opera story hooks you. Many of the characters are quite attractive, both men and women. I like confirming how far women have come since then in terms of equality, respect, dignity - the way the men speak to some of those women (and about them when they are not present) is downright indignanat.

And this brings me to my musings - Why remind us of how lowly we were treated and we allowed oursleves to be treated? Is it to ensure that we don't retrocede? Or is it a sublime psycholigical ploy to let men know that once they were "superior"? I believe by giving so much coverage to something, even if the purpose is to denounce it, you are validating it to those that may feel the same way but had feared it because they felt they were the only ones. Take social problems like violence against women, pedofiles, or drug users. The more these acts are recognized in the media, it seems the more they are committed.

So the more this superior attitude towards women is glamorized by this series, (it has a glamorous feel - the clothes, the decor, the drinks..) the more we are encouraging certain types of men to perhaps aspire to it once again?

Just some things I ask myself when I find myself drawn to this program and incensed by it at the same time.

Journal Entry from Sept. 22, 2008

Glory Days!
Glory days are here again -both daughters back at school, lovely breezes and temperatures. The house stays neat, quiet and comfortable. I sit at my desk uninterrupted and get work done. New ideas start to flow, creativity is awakened and inspiration follows. How grand to feel productive and forward moving again, how grand that Fall has arrived!