Fun Resources - Library Thing & Paintings I Love

I found a fun resource - Library Thing. This site lets you enter your personal library online. It's free for up to 200 entries. It is very easy to sign up so I did. It will take a while to add all my books. They link with Amazon or Library of Congress so you don't even have to and enter all the info. You can keep it private or public, do reviews, and use other features. I see there was even a giveaway option. Very nice for a bibiophile.

I have been sorting through things including books so I can release them to new homes. There is pleasure in letting go, and knowing things you once loved will have a chance to be loved by someone else.

I came across another site where artists can post work for free, Paintings I Love. I haven't had much of a chance to explore, but it made a good first impression. Gotta like the name.

Another peaceful, easy day ending with good music from Streamliner at Third Place Books.

May you be well

Community Plug – Third Place Books

From their website:

The Story of Third Place Books

Sociologist Ray Oldenberg's book The Great Good Place suggests that to lead a rewarding life, each of us needs three places. First is the home. Second is the workplace or school. Beyond lies the place where people from all walks of life and all social levels interact, experiencing and celebrating their commonality as well as their diversity. It is a third place.

Welcome to Third Place Books--the deliberate and intentional creation of a community of booklovers, a fun, comfortable and safe place to browse, linger, lounge, relax, read, eat, laugh, play, talk, listen and just watch the world go by.
We invite you to make Third Place Books your third place.


It is a wonderful community gathering place in Lake Forest Park, WA, Third Place Books, with five restaurants. My current favorite is Honey Bear Bakery cause I love their Bacon Lettuce Tomato & Avocado sandwich with aioli dressing. Good quality food.

They offer lectures & book signing by visiting authors. They have hosted such people as Deepak Chopra, Paul McCartney, Alan Alda, Judy Collins, Larry Dossey, Dr. Phil as well as many local authors.

Friday & Saturday nights they have free live music. There is a dance floor. They bring a diverse array of bands from folk, jazz, rock, swing. If you want to feel things are right in the world, Friday nights at Third Place Books is a good place to be. There are some awesome local dancers to watch as well as listen to the bands.

Everyday for kids and those of us artistically inclined, there is large roll of brown "butcher" place ready to have a piece torn off, and large tub of crayons to go with us. There is, also, a large chessboard with pieces two foot or so high.

And then there is the free wireless

Thank you, Third Place Books, you have created a comfortable and comforting community.

Since it's Friday, you'll mostly like find me there tonight enjoying the music and celebratory feeling.

Tofino Wolves

Grateful

With the switch over to digital TV, I now listen to radio more than I used to since I have randomly pixelated TV reception.

I was delighted to wake up to a show on National Public Radio with someone talking about Tofino, British Columbia. I missed who the speaker was but was thrilled to listen to him describe Tofino as the most laid back place in British Columbia. It brought for wonderful memories and a great sense of enjoyment.

I next listened to The Witer's Almanac with Garrison Keillor. I heard a poem I thoroughly enjoyed by David Budbill from his book Judevine, "Ben". The whole poem is on NPR's site and the link to purchase the book is there, also. I just want to share a portion and encourage to use the links for more. This is from middle of the poem:

Ben is a cynic in the Greek and philosophic sense,
one who gives his life to simplicity
seeking only the necessities
so he can spend his days
in the presence of his dreams.

I loved this as well as other parts and the poem as a whole. I feel blessed to have heard it, and it spoke to me.

With such a good beginning, decided to cook a favorite easy breakfast for myself: poached eggs with Trader Joe's Crumbled Gorgonzola Cheese, garlic, butter over Dave's Killer Bread Good Seed Spelt. I decided it sounds like I must work for a health food company. I don't now, but I did spend 5 years as a manager of health food, vitamin, and metaphysical bookstore. And, the new thought I had today if I get more entertaining, have a more glamorous site with higher traffic and decided to have ads on my page maybe they'll be for health foods. That would be cool, if I did it.

I went to look for a picture of Tofino wolves that used to hang on my wall so I could put it up again. The photographer is Jacqueline Windh. She has a two books out now, and a blog for Tofino.

As I remember many good things, I know it is time to carry some things off for recycling to the thrift shop, I either have a clearer or be ready to move.

Think For Yourself?

"Believe nothing,
no matter where you read it
or who has said it,
not even if i have said it.
unless it agrees with your own reason
and your own common sense."

- Buddha

I handed this quote to one of the co-workers, Sara. She read it, wisely handed it back to me and said even this.

Just a quick post, more in a little while

I AM BLESSED

I was feeling very stressed this morning as the novelty of having less hours to work translates to a major loss of income. The word shattered keeps popping into my head. My plans to move thwarted as now I won't qualify income wise for either the apartments I was looking at nor the bigger more precarious plan of buying a condo. Then I have to think if my plans are shattered that easily how solid were they to begin with. If I really want to move, I probably qualify for low income housing. And I am missing seeing a friend who is taking some well deserved time for self-nourishment and replenishment.

With the temperature in my apartment at 80 degrees, and the NW standard of no air conditioner, it was a great time to go out for body and soul. As I am still far from the frugal person I may become, I had a wonderful lunch at one of my favorite places, PCC Natural Food Market, and took a jaunt down to Marine Park in Edmonds.

There was a satisfying, cool breeze blowing in from the south. However, I was not the only one with the idea of enjoying such a prime location. The shady places were all inhabited. After luxuriating with ample breeze, gorgeous sound views on a wonderfully supportive bench, I could feel the beginning of the sun burning my skin. I turned tail back to the car, and on to the next exciting hunt for cool.

An easy pick. Third Place Books in Lake Forest Park, WA is just the place. Again, I'm not alone here. It is an intended community gathering place, large roomy, wooden tables, free wireless internet, books new and used, and a food court. Could I want for more? Well, maybe a couch & TV.

Still a little dejected, checking Twitter. To my utter delight and amazement, the number 1 trending topic at the moment #Iamblessed. It is so exciting to see this instant messaging system used this way. What a mood shifter, and opportunity to remember and here the truth about what's right in the world. I left the site only now as the server timed out (I imagine from the larger response). I will go back to participate in being thankful as I am blessed, very blessed.

New Connections - 13 Indigenous Grandmothers

On my journey through the Blog Catalog tonight, link through widget at left on my page, I discovered the My Compassionate Action Network.

It looks interesting. I saw some had posted at You Tube video for the 13 Indigenous Grandmothers Council. I was excited because I wanted to post information as these wise elders will having a gathering in Lincoln City, Oregon next week. The details are posted at there site. I will be going for one or two days. I feel truly blessed to have this opportunity.

Here is a quote directly from their site from one of the grandmothers:

Margaret Behan — Red Spider Woman

If we want to see changes first of all we need to be in peace inside ourselves, and then we need to be patient with the ones that have not yet arrived in that place of peace.

I hope you will take a look at their site, thinking about supporting their mission and how blessed we are doing this work, and/or come out to see them in Lincoln City next week.

Blessed are the peacemakers

And Yourself

"Be kind to unkind people they probably need it the most." Asleigh Brilliant

How about extending that to yourself? How about me extending comfort to the part that worries, the sometimes soft whispering, sometimes loud, scared & whining voice?

"The first duty of love is to listen." - Paul Tillich

And so I needed a quick, gentle and easy breakfast. New breakfast today - Mix 1 - Dark-berry "drink" which by the label on their 11 oz. bottle has not only protein, but 9 servings of fruits & veggies. Amazing. Good enough to get again.

And paging through a new recipe book, Hindu Soul Recipes by Pushpesh Pant, was a welcome follow-up to breakfast. It is beautifully illustrated with colorful scrumptious dishes of food, and, also, bits of wisdom like:

"Do I know how the food I imbibe is going to influence my body & mind?"

After breakfast, I was ready to go out foraging for spiritual nourishment and fun on the internet.

I enjoyed Incredible Hand Art by Guido Daniele, yes, actual hands painted like animals.

I partook of a quote new to me at Pangloss:

The only thing one can do with good advice is to pass it on. It is never of any use to oneself.
-Oscar Wilde

And extra delight at Pangloss is their bad poetry generator. Here is what it wrote for me:

Mendel Quoth:

I seem to be circling around the truth

"Zapraszamy!" painted on the window of the deli

I wish for the toys of my youth,

Reality is a staircase leading nowhere.

Their site was quite fun indeed.

Lastly before posting this, I uploaded a few more photos to my Flickr site, including the only ones left I have of my childhood and my family. If you want to see them just select the people tab for the search, and type in my screen name, NWWolf.

Good journey to all.

Temple Of Hathor - Loving Kindness

Yesterday right before I posted the picture of a pillar from the Temple of Hathor in the Valley of The Kings in Egypt, I saw a bumper sticker that read "Loving Kindness Is My Religion."

That is really what I would like my "religion" to be. It made me think of this one picture I have left from a trip I was blessed to take with friends and church group to Egypt in the 1980's. I still remember being transfixed in front of the pillar for a reason that was unkown. Our guide finally came up to me and translated the hieroglyphs, read from left to right, as Life is to give love consciously. Whether thousands of years ago, or on a modern car bumper it is still a sentiment and feels good to the soul.

Now remembering, and acting in accordance with sentiment aren't always in sync. If I keep edging closer every chance I get, I believe I will closer to who I am.

I would love to give up blaming, whining, and false beliefs about injustice when faced with unwanted change. So I will begin by reminding myself of what has always been true in my life. There are always blessings to every change. I will continue to fret or agonize over finances and the dire consequences there of because it is part of who I am, a worrier. I will, also, continue to enjoy the luxury of extra time, new opportunities, new places and new paths as I am, also, grateful and appreciative of many simple things in life, like breathing, sunshine, rain, wind, trees, rocks, and people.

Namaskara= I bow to the God in you that is the same God in me

Many blessings

Life Is To Give Love Consciously

From the Temple of Hathor in Eqypt

What Next?

"I beg you . . . to have patience with everything unresolved in your heart and . . .try to love the questions themselves like locked rooms and like books that are written in a foreign tongue. Do not seek the answers, which cannot be given to you because you would not be able to live with them. And the point is to live with them. And the point is to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps you will gradually, without noticing, live along some distant day into the answer." Rainier Maria Rilke in Letters To a Young Poet

I love benches particularly ones on or near the water. This photo is titled Waiting. I think of the Simon & Garfunkel song "Old Friends" when I see benches and the line from this song "sharing a park bench quietly." Thinking of my friend, Jan, it's her birthday today. Happy Birthday, my friend. Thank you for sharing the journey. It's great to know someone who can appreciate the beauty in each moment.

Whatever is "next" it will be fascinating.

StumbleUpon - Kind Like Life

"StumbleUpon discovers web sites based on your interests, learns what you like and brings you more." (definition from their site) Here's a quote from the site, Webook.com/911writersblock, that StumbleUpon sent me to today:

"Don't kid yourself, anything we write/post/publish and offer to their world as our own combination of words ultimately has to be thought of as entertainment" - Something Has To Happen by Laura Zinn Fromm - under Non-Fiction Secrets: Writing Essays and Other Truths on Webook.com/911writersblock

One of things I like about other blogs is being able to click on a link. So I'll try to be better about doing that on. Entertainment - huh- another thing to strive for??

Perspective

"If you wish to be fully alive you must develop a sense of perspective. Life is infinitefly greater than this trifle your heart is attached to and which you have given power to so upset you." Anthony De Mello

A Simple Step

I've had another interesting day scouting the internet. I discovered I already have the link to Technorati in the Add This widget on my page. I recommend the Add This widget if you haven't check it out I recommend taking a look at it, it's a link to many wonderous places. I haven't manage to get the Bloglovers button yet hit a snag I didn't understand.

I signed up for a gallery at Flickr today since someone else is enjoying the name of NW Artist there you can find the pictures I posted under my Twitter name NWWolf.

Realized I really haven't done any journaling or writing in the past 20 years. I'm hoping I get more interesting as I go along. But for now, I can't promise amazing feats of journalism any more than I can a fancy, spiffy layout. Grateful to be here, blogging, comtemplating multi-opportunities for growth.

Now for a wonderful Rents Due Ranch Fresh Crisp Lettuce wrap with Trader Joe's crushed garlic and Just Cesar chunks of chicken. Yum.

Oh, yeah, I almost forgot to mention one of the most favorite parts to my day - getting some neat add-ons for my Mozilla Firefox brower, Add This, WOT, Shareaholic, Download Helper, and a Geotool that tells you what country a site is in. More to explore and consume.

Composition Quandry

Wow, I have wandering around the internet, seen, some beautiful blogs, like Sharani: Girl On The Road, and I know I have a long way to go to have a more elegant and artistic page presentation. I am trying a new template. I likely will change it back. This is all one grand experiment.

I discovered a couple of new widgets I want while I was visiting, Delicious and Bloglovers. There's some much out there.

Creating A New Story

"Sometimes you gotta create what you want to be part of." Geri Weitzman

I feel really blessed in a lot of ways. I have what I consider the luxury of living alone with a wonderful circle of friends.

I'm not sure how spending less will more. But maybe I can work on buying more for less money. I enjoyed a lovely dinner of pulled pork, pepita rice, and mushroom stew on the patio of my local PCC Natural Market in Edmonds. I love eating the fresh, high quality food that use. And to drink - a Zevia soda naturally sweetned with stevia(herb).

I decided to take the plunge and by spinach and lettuce that was already cut off for me - I do have extra time right. I am trying a type of organic lettuce I haven't before French Crisp grown by Rents Due. I'm big on irony aka synchroncity.

After dinner I rent done to watch the sunset on the ferries and the ocean. Peaceful, soft, magical twilight time. Still playing with the camera, clueless about settings, finding myself somewhat shy to be out publicly in the guise of a photographer. Frozen bits on the world on a little bitty screen, fascinating. May post some later.

Weaving My Story

"Do not be content with the stories of others, unfold your own myth." Rumi

I just missed posting for Wednesday. I thought I might make for 11:59PM, but I missed. I was enthralled with enjoying wonderful fresh Rainier blueberries in heavy cream with a few drizzles of dark amber agave nectar. Soft, sweet, sumptuous and soothing.

Oh, well. Yesterday was a relatively good day. I woke up the uneasy feeling regarding loss of hours at work still preying on my mind. I have done some yelping about it out of fear. Upset with myself for choosing to live on the edge of a financial fiasco by working part time. Reverberations of my lost two job losses still ringing in my ears - both outsourced to foreign locations.

Any news story would tell me I am not alone in having financial insecurity. Within my own small group of friends one person is on voluntary leave due to business slowdown, one was just asked to take extra unpaid time off, one just lost her job after the company was sold, one self-employed took time off to care for son, and had to quit do to having an unscrupulous boss. So I could say what I am experiencing is normal.

Bearfolk

Contemplating Change

"Nothing is certain: everything is safe." Charles Williams

Feeling a little more of a precarious situation has I wonder about limiting monetary outflow. Enjoying my organic steamed lentils with the new unexpected leisure time. Free flowing time, kind of like finger painting. It's probably as easy as:

"Whatever you have, spend less." Samuel Johnson

Did I need someone else to remind me of the truth. Yes. Yes I did.

Increasing Prospersity

I'm still excited as I took a few turns out on the internet highway in finding my new widget, love that word.

I now am listed in the blog catalog, and their widget is on my page.

As to the prosperity part, please feel free to visit any and all of my shops on Cafepress and by someone of my lovely artwork on a postcard, T-shirt, canvas bag or heck just have a good time looking.

Later.

Why Not ?

"Passion, for all its dangers, needs uncaging if we are to move towards completeness as human beings." Philip Sheldrake

My hours were unexpectedness reduced at work. I am feeling financially fretful. However, I am enjoying the luxury of more time: to sip Chai, eat wonderful organic Gorgonzola Ravioli, discover how to use today's new widget and the path to Stumble On, and to Twitter.

I having a great time on my creative journey through the internet, now I can post reviews on Stumble On, look for new widgets. I think I saw a widget for a blog catalog. Away I go to look for an capture it for my blog. Hopefully, I can figure out how to list my blog in their directory if it's for everyone.

Blessed with the passion of a semi-technophobe venturing into an unexpectedly warm and gentle ocean.

Art & Creativity

"Each of us is designed to create; our own birthright is to live imaginative and original lives. When we are willing to reclaim our own story for ourselves, we are fulfilling are destiny. " Michael Jones in Creating An Imaginative Life

Simple Art - Colors

"What a wonderful life I've had. I only wish I'd realized it sooner." Sidonie Gabrielle Colette

A Simple Journey - Fort Flagler Washington

"There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered." Nelson Mandela

Doing Good - An Old, Still Potent Favorite

Do all the good you can,
By all the means you can,
In all the ways you can,
In all the places you can,
At all the times you can,
To all the people you can,
As long as ever you can.

attributed to John Wesley

Journey On The Edge - My First "Movie"

Scraping Paint

Wondering if this blog aka canvas was the right venue for me. I was thinking about starting again with a webpage when I discovered the features I was looking have been here all along. Having found the add a list and add a link, I forwarding to filling them in. Often someone's recommended sites lists has led to interesting new places - maybe I will do the same for some of my readers. It will be a few days. . .

Dreaming of Dragonfly

This beautiful pencil drawn dragonfly is the artwork of Sue North. A wonderful gift I received thank you, Sue.

Just Coasting

Enjoying a beautiful, sunny northwest day on the edge of the Sound here in Bellingham, WA. Hoping to get some postable pictures of all the activity on the water, barges, sailboats, speed boats and kayaks.

I was so impressed to find out my friend, Jan, went kayaking for the first time and loved it. I am getting close to 60 and she's a few shades older than me. Isn't it great know there can be new adventures ahead at any age.

Many Worlds, My Cultures

Check out this design for sale at one of my shops: Cafepress.com/mwmc

Heartfelt

From the book Travels in a Stone Canoe by Arden & Wall:

"Life is a holy task you can't think your way to the truth."

Knowing it is good to follow your heart & doing it a to oft separate. I was blessed with this beautiful heart mobile from my friend Kathleen - an excellent reminder of the path that usually leads to right place or a wonderful journey.

Simple Sketch - Abundant Women

Lewis Richmond : "True accomplishment is not about winning, acquiring, or being on top. It is about sharing, giving and including."

A Language of Vancouver Island

In Nuu-Chah-nulth:

Nootka = circling around

lisaak = living respectfully

qwa' aak qin teechmis = life in balance

hishuk ish ts'awalk = everything is one and interconnected

Journey To Tofino

My favorite quote:

I live my life in growing orbits that move out over the world
Perhaps I can never achieve the last
But that will be my attempt
I am circling around God, around the ancient tower
And I have been circling for a thousand years,
And I still don't know if I am a falcon, or a storm or a great storm.

Rainer Maria Rilke


Picture postcard of the view driving the highway leading to the
beautiful west coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia and a favorite vacation spot -Tofino

Here's a link to the hostel located in Tofino right on the water - they have a photo gallery: http://www.tofinohostel.com/

The Smoke's Lament


The smoke dreams
of the time it was wood
before the ax-man
before the fire

The smoke dreams
of it's potential
the possibility for growth
before the ax-man
before the fire

The smoke has dreams
of substance
contribution
a carved mask
a hollowed out drum
a child's cradle

The smoke has dreams
of going places

- Jan Carrillo-Jones

Whidbey Island Herons

Outside a Whidbey island visitor center.

Signed up for Twitter today - another new adventure - under Nwwolf.

Today's first quote:

"It takes courage to grow up to be who you really are." - e.e. cummings

Pennisula Road Trip

Kitsap & Olympia pennisulas in Washington state


Sir Issac Newton:

"I do not know what I may appear to the world, but to myself, I seem to have been only like a boy playing on the sea-shore and diverting myself in now and then finding a smoother pebble or a prettier sea-shell than ordinary, whilst the great ocean of truth lay all un-discovered before me."

This wonderful quote was shared with me by my friend, Jan.

Magic of Cameras

Just discovered Picasa 3's collage feature. I thought I would post pictures from last week's Oregon road trip - all taken from a moving car. Yes, I'm new to using a digital camera & fascinated it was able to capture images on the run.

Discovery of Good Eats

I want to share the new foods I've enjoyed this week:

Glutenfreda's Oatmeal - yes - gluten free oats

Zico - all sports drink made with coconut water, more potassium than a banana, passion fruit flavor is yummy

Tempt - non-dairy frozen dessert made with hempmilk & cononut cream - coconut & lime flavor was delicious and creamy than I would have expected

I am lucky to live in Seattle as I was able to purchase these items at one of our PCC Natural Markets.

Brushstrokes

Welcome to my unfolding canvas.

This is a tentative beginning, my first digital brushstrokes in a new medium. I am just learning how to set up a blog, and wandering the paths to find the canvas templates I want to use. So for those of you who are artists this is just "a rough". I hope to find my way to create a space that is more personal, but right now I am just borrowing what a fellow artist was kind enough to share with everyone.

I love quotes. Here's one that fits from Canadian author Sharon Butala:

"A stranger's very presence changes things, and forces us to change in response, even if only infinitesimally."

Grateful to have begun.