SUNRISE-TIME TO RELECT OR PRAY

Greeting the morning before the sun is up and watching the sky change is a small pleasure of life for many people. Planning the day, saying a morning prayer, greeting loved ones and special hugs from little children can round it off. Sunrise is a positive time of the day. Optimistic about life is my mantra. Starting with positive energy to try to face whatever may come my way! Drinking a favourite beverage like a good cup of coffee or in some places in the world a tea!

The view from my computer area. 

The view where I would rather be!

HOPE-KEEPS US GOING

When God closes a door, he opens a window. We all have heard this saying but if someone is having a difficult time it may be hard to hear. Adversity can close our senses to good things. Hope can be a word to offer people in those times. Let's hope it gets better. Let's hope you find a solution to your troubles. Let's hope for a better day. I hope I can help you. Hope can help a person tread water and not drown.  Sure maybe not false hope some will say but why not! As long as it does not hurt anyone! Hoping you will find the comfort and support needed through whatever you are facing today! Always hope for a better tomorrow!

FALL 2015

Well even with warm weather, Fall has arrived. Summer is really over. Hoping we will have more warm days ahead and even a gorgeous Indian Summer. Fall with its colours, the vegetables- squashes and pumpkins and fruit- the variety of apples- there is so much to enjoy. The celebrations of Fall like Thanksgiving in a few weeks keep life interesting and enjoyable. A couple of months to tidy up the garden keeps the weight down. So what are your Fall plans.
#fall#pumpkins#apples#fallcolours#squashes#fallvegetables#Thanksgiving#reflectivethoughtsbybarbara

NANA SAYS YOUNG FAMILIES NEED SUPPORT

With an addition of a baby in any young family, the parents can benefit from extended family support. Helping with meals relieving the parents from all the cooking. Spending time with the new Mom and Dad to give some adult conversation. Sometimes just taking the older children out of the mix is most valuable. A day at the park or the movies. A sleep over at the grandparents. Lots of attention and goodies for the older children. Parental relief for the exhausted parents. Older children often regress to a younger level when a baby is around. They want attention too. So giving it in another location let's everyone win and stay happy and healthy. The mother needs to heal. Having time to relax with the new baby and often just sleep is so vital. A nursing mother has a body that is providing nourishment and does experience the fatigue factor with milk production. With many generations around a family support can be divided between everyone. A day with the cousins at auntie and uncle's house. Play dates with friends. It does not matter how much experience one has with babies, each new baby has his/her own personality and demands. Cuddlers, no put me down, gassy and crying, eating every two hours etc. So adjusting as a family is new too. So is there a young family that could benefit from some support or good old fashioned parental relief. A couple of hours here and there will help immensely. With a new baby in our family, Nana and Granpa will have two rambunctious boys at our house for sleep overs this weekend. Don't worry I have plans for their energy- like helping with some yard work if the weather is nice. Or a trip to the park- walking of course, again to burn some of that energy. My energy- hoping I have enough to keep up with them.

MUMS ADD COLOUR TO FALL

Mums are the new Fall must have flowers. Decorating entrance ways! Filling the pots to give some colour to the new season. A local farm had a field of them for sale. Which ones to buy was the dilemma!

My question is why don't they have some Dads! I guess Mums the word! Do you have these pretty flowers in your life?

SUNFLOWERS-THAT HAPPY FALL FLOWER IN CANADA

Lucky to have sunflowers in the garden as long as the squirrels do not get at them and eat their heads off!

Little markets often sell them in bunches.

They are fun in bouquets or just pretty!

Grown in clusters make for interesting pictures.

Adding photos taken over the years.

Of course there are several kinds so there is always variety in the garden.

The best thing about sunflowers are the seeds. So good to eat either plain or salted. Since there is such an effort to break them from their shell, probably burn more calories eating them then ingesting.
Oh the beautiful happy flowers!

CHARITY- A HAND UP NOT A HAND OUT

Canadians can get donor fatigue. Charities send their literature. People pawning for money in the street. Stores ask if you want to donate to their cause. Yes they can be the lovely tax deductions that come in handy when filling out our tax returns. Don't forget our taxes already pay for many services and goods for Canadians. Just say the word Health Care! Although some people think it is free! We all would like to make a difference in people's lives and think the money donated does help. So pick your cause or causes and think about what is the difference you want to make. I like World Vision for example- the money for a goat, a rooster and two chickens. I envision a family getting a chance at being self sufficient. If the rooster does the job there will be more chicks. I like the Red Cross as it is there internationally and at home. One can give to a special event. So if there is a flood or tornado in a certain area of Canada the donation can be targeted for that event. Remember the ice bucket challenge for ALS- well some went to services but a lot to research. If those now affected by that neurological disease can have a better quality of life due to new treatment wouldn't it be amazing! Canadian Tire with their helping children participate in sports. Sports for exercise, team work and perhaps lead to a job of some kind in the sports industry. The food bank may just seem like a hand out but people do need to eat. Those Breakfast clubs that help children start their day with nutrition is vital too. Even welfare in Ontario is no longer that. It is called Ontario Works so help for awhile but let's get you back working. Subsidized day care for low income parents keeps them working while good care is provided for their children. I have known such parents and it is a blessing for them. Eventually they no longer need day care. Education, health, dental and community activities let us give a hand up to others. Expecting them to take advantage of the education and work opportunities to give back to society can be our message. Thus our charitable donations can be a loan to the future. Receive now and give back later to help someone else that comes in your path. Yes I do give a loonie or two to a homeless guy on a visit to the city or the musician in the subway. I don't know why they are there. I will not judge. They need to eat too. Or do I just think- there for the grace of God go I!