tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10070206948174319982012-01-04T14:38:58.810-06:00Welcome to Miss Becky Consciousness...Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.comBlogger901100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-19684994170574193022009-10-14T10:16:00.005-05:002009-10-14T21:14:57.116-05:00

Sometimes a gift can be presented to us from what may seem at the time unlikely sources. I was married for 16 years and that rather abruptly ended quite a few years ago now. I experienced an earthquake standing on what I believed to be solid, unshakable ground. One of the many things I realize that I have learned from my ex-husband is to be like water. He often advised me to do that when we were

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-6891887405418863312009-10-11T14:48:00.003-05:002009-10-11T14:57:53.135-05:00

I just love Unconscious Mutterings. It is so much fun to play this meme. LunaNina posts the prompts each Sunday and then invites us to play, and I look forward to it each week. This weeks muttering prompts are ~My treat :: let's go out for dinner! and eat something we've never eaten before!Bell :: dinner and how much of a chowhound I amFive :: fingers on my left handYou’re crazy :: yeah,

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-89129655214407069942009-10-09T13:39:00.004-05:002009-10-09T20:48:44.850-05:00

Oh....this has been an interesting menu item for me this week. I have stumbled. I have stubbed my toe and it was a big one too. Perhaps I paved the road for it. I was a bit uneasy with the word itself and reading the chapter didn't alleviate any qualms. I learned that I have an extraordinarily strong anti-desire squad living in my head. "Adherents to Eastern religions also get skittish about

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-71774889362515985272009-10-08T07:21:00.010-05:002009-10-08T13:09:50.395-05:00

I recently discovered this website ~ The Project Gutenberg. Project Gutenberg is the first producer of free electronic books (ebooks) and was produced by tens of thousands of volunteers ~ it's amazing. It was an accidental side-trip for me one late night, and I became lost in there, it is like an on-line library and it's great. One of the books that caught my eye is the eBook, Vocational Guidance

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-52754119246088007632009-10-07T08:48:00.004-05:002009-10-07T09:17:05.185-05:00

What do you wish to complete?You can be a maker of magic and a tender of wishes. It’s easy. Answer the wish prompt above on your blog and then add a direct link to your post in the box below. Support wishes by visiting other participants, leaving a comment saying “As (insert name) wishes for her/himself, so I wish for her/him also.” It’s that simple. There is great power in wishing together. Our

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-20174347848011470782009-10-06T11:07:00.008-05:002009-10-06T11:27:06.858-05:00

For this Ruby Tuesday I decided to photograph the remaining color in the yard and garden. There are a few blooms left for autumn show, and some red leaves are also beginning to make their appearance in the upper Midwest landscape. Just a few ~Most of the October color in the landscape will be found in the leaves on the trees, at least here in SE Wisconsin. To view some beautiful Ruby Tuesday

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-91275330111656770752009-10-05T10:18:00.008-05:002009-10-05T11:05:36.466-05:00

The big day has arrived. Monday night football and one of the oldest rivalries in football history. I'm not sure which is older ~ that between the Packers and the Bears or between the Packers and the Vikings. I grew up in Illinois and my dad didn't have time for sports, being a farmer, but my younger brother has been a Packer fan since forever.My baseball team has always been the Cubs, hands down

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-36993089037872008652009-10-04T17:14:00.004-05:002009-10-04T18:01:28.513-05:00

Autumn snuck in about a week ago and sat down and made herself comfortable. The falls rains have begun, the last wildflowers of the season, the asters, are in bloom, and pantries are filling with the harvest. Tonight is the full harvest moon, so it's full moon dreamboard time and for this dreamboard I don't have a particular dream in mind. I just picked whatever eye candy I found and went with it

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-17496035437093198172009-10-02T09:31:00.007-05:002009-10-03T17:55:10.608-05:00

The second week of reading The Joy Diet by Martha Beck is complete. I so enjoyed this chapter on Truth. I tell you, this has been a wonderfully fulfilling week for me personally.I was dragged, kicking and screaming, to the practice of doing nothing each day. After 2 weeks it's becoming a part of my daily ritual of self-care. Previous to reading the Joy Diet I had committed to a self-care plan,

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-23794017349287129732009-09-30T09:26:00.003-05:002009-09-30T09:37:19.289-05:00

Today's wishcasting wednesday prompt from Jamie Ridler is ~What do you wish to share?You can be a maker of magic and a tender of wishes. It’s easy. Answer the wish prompt above on your blog and then add a direct link to your post in the box below. Support wishes by visiting other participants, leaving a comment saying “As (insert name) wishes for her/himself, so I wish for her/him also.” It’s

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-323061480165529312009-09-29T10:50:00.007-05:002009-09-29T11:58:09.474-05:00

The theme/prompt for THIS week, September 29, is:TAILS - "Photograph"Share any photograph and explain why you did.I'd like to share a photo I took while staying in New Mexico. I found this fabulous round stone house just outside of Abiquiu. It was built by a woman named Pat, and she rents it out to very special people, and since I am so special I was blessed to stay there for 3 weeks a few years

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-24583378651344759962009-09-28T09:28:00.003-05:002009-09-28T09:38:09.669-05:00

Luna Nina has posted the prompts for unconscious mutterings week 348."Free association is described as a "psychoanalytic procedure in which a person is encouraged to give free rein to his or her thoughts and feelings, verbalizing whatever comes into the mind monitoring its content." Over time, this technique is supposed to help bring forth repressed thoughts and feelings that the person can then

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-69782145237809646692009-09-27T10:28:00.006-05:002009-09-27T13:09:06.061-05:00

I'm reading The Joy Diet by Martha Beck, along with dozens of other people in a group read led by Jamie Ridler, life coach extraordinaire. Martha prepares the reader for some difficulty with this first ingredient ~ doing nothing. I thought it wouldn't be all that difficult for me to practice sitting in silence for 15 minutes each day but it wasn't all that easy either. I passed through phases of

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-26053670961616779822009-09-24T11:46:00.006-05:002009-09-24T12:30:16.302-05:00

I'm lacking creativity. When it packed it's bag and left, it wasn't just an overnight bag either. It packed for a good two week trip, jamming everything it could fit into that red one that always comes in overweight at the airport check-in counter. My creativity seems to be on an extended vacation. I feel so...empty. Nothing helps either. I have tried prompts. My journal pages are blank, just

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-32798299923766451022009-09-23T10:54:00.008-05:002009-09-24T15:03:49.724-05:00

Wednesdays come around really fast when I participate in wishcasting!Today Jamie is asking us ~ What luxury do you wish for? This is kind of a tough one for me. " A luxury is a material object, service, etc., conducive to sumptuous living, usually a delicacy, elegance, or refinement of living rather than a necessity." Oh, Jamie, you wishcasting savant!This is wickedly delightful for me. What

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-37316915011879355662009-09-22T10:08:00.011-05:002009-09-22T10:38:27.119-05:00

For the Northern Hemisphere, as in the United States, Canada and most of Europe, Fall begins on September 22, 2009 at 5:18 pm EDT. On the equinox, the sun rises directly in the east and sets directly in the west. This is true for both the fall and spring equinoxes. So on two days of the year you can find the exact cardinal directions of East and West by using the sun. The ancients did this when

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-25751727897905184912009-09-21T10:33:00.007-05:002009-09-22T09:37:56.862-05:00

this post is very special for me. I met this wonderful, talented woman when I participated in a blogging workshop lead by Suzanne McMinn, (Chickens in the Road) "Color Me Blogging". Lynda is a polymer clay artist and makes the most amazing pieces. She has recently begun an exploration into bead-making too, and she has more energy than anyone I know. Her blog, Swoopin' Along was one of the first I

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-41163597608833413392009-09-20T14:32:00.003-05:002009-09-20T14:44:36.521-05:00

i posted this photo earlier, then deleted it, thinking it was not worthy of show. i put on my soul armor and decided to post it anyway. it simply is.the shadow on my wall, cast by my jasmine tree which has a long history with me, caught my eye one day as dusk was approaching. this is what i sawi think the reason i found it relevant is the color, not so much the pattern. at any rate, it is my

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-77695466966169633402009-09-20T10:14:00.002-05:002009-09-20T10:57:42.688-05:00

I say....and you think?Disconnect :: the telephone wireContribute :: feed the hungryDismay :: the suffering all over this worldConstant :: waves hitting the beachNails :: grow too fastVibrate :: oh, no... better notTherapy :: an extraordinarily long massageStupid :: learning htmlPoo :: doggieCommune :: the 60'sif you would like to play, visit Patricia at LunaNina and....have a beautiful day!!!

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-68761049299941613992009-09-19T19:56:00.008-05:002009-09-22T09:40:17.759-05:00

Jamie Ridler, Life Coach extraordinaire, hosts a group reading of a particular book every few months. the next book we will be reading is Martha Beck's The Joy Diet.The Joy Diet is designed for the soul rather than the body, and is composed of 10 steps that, once learned, are to be practiced on a daily basis to achieve greater fulfillment and a happier life. She strongly suggests becoming

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-51877619175516797462009-09-18T08:19:00.015-05:002009-09-18T15:11:17.702-05:00

it really is september in wisconsin. the mornings have a wet chill and the shadows are long. streets are busy with carloads of school children on their way to class. the geese are flying and the nests are empty. the quiet is coming. it will become more quiet, and then...the silence of winter. but for now, this is what september in wisconsin looks like, on the shores of great lake michigan. at 7

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-14682656533000214342009-09-17T13:10:00.005-05:002009-09-17T13:44:55.690-05:00

I have been challenged. I love a good challenge. It gets me juiced up. Here it is ~This Week's Creative Catalyst: ImaginationImagine you at your most powerful. You rock. You are a freaking champion, and everyone knows it. We are filling a stadium to the brim, voices cheering and hearts splashing in anticipation of you making your entrance. We all know what song is going to blast through the

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-16102519755148843822009-09-16T08:33:00.003-05:002009-09-16T09:02:48.672-05:00

It is again Wishcasting Wednesday, and Jamie, of Jamie Ridler Studios asks this week ~ How do you wish to stretch?I have lived in this neighborhood for over 2 years. When I relocated after the breakup of my marriage, I landed back in an urban setting, for various reasons. I am a country girl at heart, but nothing wrong with a little variety in life,

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-22877052788826491592009-09-14T12:23:00.007-05:002009-09-14T13:16:35.431-05:00

I've been writing a lot in my journal lately. usually late in the evening, when my mind is quiet and I'm preparing for dreamtime. Yes, Julia Cameron suggests morning pages, and I do that also when the desire grabs me; I get more juice from it as evening pages though. I just do. All in perfect time. All in good time. Jamie Ridler, of Jamie Ridler Studios shares how a school music teacher impacted

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-83434990945879432382009-09-13T11:15:00.004-05:002009-09-13T11:41:20.467-05:00

Free association is described as a "psychonanalytic procedure in which a person is encouraged to give free rein to his or her thoughts and feelings, verbalizing whatever comes into the mind without monitoring its content." Over time, this technique is supposed to help bring forth repressed thoughts and feelings that the person can then work through to gain a better sense of self.That's an

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-37698914052571917882009-09-11T10:08:00.002-05:002009-09-11T10:17:02.809-05:00

week 345I say, and you think?Abusive :: a slap in the face Psychotic :: ex-husbandParents :: family farmYell :: ex-husbandAmulet :: blue necklaceSandstorm :: eyesAmusement :: steve martinImitation :: coffeemateBaby :: shoesRainbows :: wizard of oz Want to play? http://subliminal.lunanina.com

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-33960508539147282042009-09-11T09:04:00.006-05:002009-09-11T09:30:25.347-05:00

slow sunset lake michiganto see more sky views around the world, go hereHave a beautiful day!

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-32749930462722800312009-09-10T11:04:00.012-05:002009-09-10T12:16:55.161-05:00

So. The Elegance of the Hedgehog, that delightful book I told you about a few weeks back, has had a for-now-at-least lasting effect on me. I drink tea. Every morning. I gave up caffeine 20 some years ago. Never drink it. When my bff Donna visited she came bearing gifts. One of them was thisYes, a can of Hand Selected Pure Green Tea. Pomegranate. Bentleys. Isn't the can just lovely?I BINGED green

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-16462873808979541692009-09-09T08:37:00.012-05:002009-09-09T12:54:21.184-05:00

Jamie, at Jamie Ridler Studios has posed a wonderful question for today's wishcasting :What do you wish to learn?All at once there is so much, and it becomes a challenge just to narrow it down to one thing. That has been a problem for me since forever. Focus and clarity. Hmmmm. I like that the question is about receiving something for my soul, something non-tangible perhaps. Or not. If I learn

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-38074084757196850712009-09-08T08:17:00.006-05:002009-09-08T08:43:23.619-05:00

The Creative Every Day Challenge theme for September is inspiration, and the timing for this theme couldn't be any better. Perhaps it was the full moon, or the changing of seasons, or a combination, but my inspiration level has been rising. Way up. Sometimes I go for what seem to be long periods during which not much inspires me. I lack motivation. Interest. Whatever.Then it all comes at once. I

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-29072063837459161512009-09-07T09:08:00.013-05:002009-09-09T10:08:54.572-05:00

5 amsilencefloats along the fog-veiled airfingering the treetopsembracing the lone bird as it sings it's soft song.graduallythe veil lifts, revealing the glory of this morning

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-65385907158437449612009-09-04T12:38:00.008-05:002009-09-04T17:22:34.510-05:00

It is Full Corn Moon. A time of harvest, abundance, beauty. My dream board for this full moon is a vision for my dream of again owning land and living in a more rural setting. I love the choices that urban living offers, but I really do prefer dark skies. I loved my land, and I want to own land again. With a spring-fed creek, a huge vegetable garden, and plentiful flower gardens. I want to pick

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-70756340769560412602009-09-03T10:01:00.010-05:002009-09-03T11:47:53.151-05:00

Back from the trip to my Mom's house in Illinois. The drive to Stockton was delightful but uneventful until I got 10 miles from my hometown. There had been a seriously mean storm in the area July 24th, and the damage to the corn crop was astounding. My Mom had told me about it but pictures tell the story even better.It gets worseMile after mile after more miles of destroyed cornfields. I have

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-58675299423754936412009-08-31T08:45:00.010-05:002009-08-31T11:00:35.275-05:00

45 degrees this morning. almost set a new record. Because I live a block from a great lake, it was warmer than inland, where it was forecast to be in the high 30's. I love the cool Canadian air we get during the summer months, but this is a bit much, donchathink?I'm leaving in a few hours to drive to my mother's house in Stockton. Haven't been there since June, and she is not happy about it. I

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-72455142568540275742009-08-28T10:05:00.007-05:002009-08-28T10:58:35.843-05:00

Last night's dream. I was imprisoned. Along with my ex, we were in prison together. Then we escaped and were walking the streets of a strange city. I wanted to return and serve my time, but TTL didn't want to go back. I kept trying to get back. In an effort to get away I stepped into an elevator in a tall building and rode it upwards. Now what does THAT mean? I looked up dream interpretations,

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-3331613826453650792009-08-27T10:31:00.010-05:002009-08-27T10:52:36.161-05:00

The Shoe Tree of MiddlegateNear the one-horse town of Middlegate, Nevada, on US Highway 50, the so-called "Loneliest Road in America," set against a backdrop of barren, arid desert and mountains, grows a lone cottonwood tree strung with footwear. Trees decorated with objects--shoes, underwear, gum, or whatever else passersby have handy--are as wholesome as apple pie, and nearly as common in

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-22315984710137299982009-08-26T11:58:00.005-05:002009-08-26T12:14:29.077-05:00

the sound of a jackhammer for two days now and it invades any peace in my mind whileI sit at this desk wanting nothing more than a moment, just a moment of silencebelieving that distance from this cityis the path to peace as the streetsweepermakes the weekly turn around the blockI am ready to take flightthen I look out my window and there a single dandelion seed floats by on the breeze and that

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-81088802360012660692009-08-25T09:22:00.007-05:002009-08-25T09:35:37.355-05:00

My kitties give me great joy. Sometimes during the day when I pause for a few moments I will walk up the steps to where I know they are ~ my bed of course. As soon as I am out of it in the morning and it is made, they are on it. First they give themselves their morning bath, then they may get playful and tussle a bit before settling down. To thisLet's have a closer look at Mikey and

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-39128871563438725622009-08-24T11:54:00.011-05:002009-08-24T13:46:40.321-05:00

I have just learned of some horribly sad news. One of my plant mentors, Frank Cook, has died. I am shocked. Frank was an amazing amazing person. He was a genius. A plant genius. I wanted to be Frank Cook. Never met him, but I have followed him around the globe for years. This is really sad. Oh, I am very sad. Pearson Garden, Asheville NC, August 19, 2009. Just hours after his passing, Frank

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-1839118596108289622009-08-24T10:42:00.007-05:002009-09-09T13:55:40.143-05:00

The beginning of another week. The end. The weekend has ended. Begin. End. Bff Donna is now in Vancouver enjoying a long-awaited vacation with her siblings. She flew from Milwaukee on Saturday and will return in a week. We laughed a lot, and... we cried a little bit too. It had been awhile since we were able to just be. She showed me her latest favorite thing. It is this. I. want. one. Donna is

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-11025491192236355602009-08-21T13:53:00.004-05:002009-08-21T14:33:19.729-05:00

Wow, that time flew by and here it is, the day my bff arrives for a short visit. Just enough time to catch up and relax. And, do the all-important Wisconsin Friday activity ~ fish fry of course. It wouldn't be Friday without a fish fry. No siree.I think about all the times Donna and I have shared. When we met she and Mike were in the coffeehouse where I worked, sitting with Wayne the realtor.

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-87480285189746590172009-08-20T10:07:00.007-05:002009-08-20T10:23:35.627-05:00

One of my favorite childhood memories is when I would accompany my father to the local feed mill. He would usually have a truckload of corn or oats to unload for storage, and in order to do this, it required placing the front tires on a lift, and raising the front of the truck to a sharp angle. I begged to be allowed in the truck while the load was dumping; it was awesome to be high in the sky on

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-43576408859750197142009-08-19T10:25:00.008-05:002009-08-19T12:26:04.466-05:00

Here it is, August and the home-grown tomato situation is not what it usually would be. By this time tomatoes would be plentiful in back-yard gardens and farmer's markets. Not so this year.We had a cool spring, cooler than usual summer with little humidity and no rain to speak of. That leaves us with fewer tomatoes. My plants have several green ones about the size of a tennis ball but they are

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-70087648221105598542009-08-18T10:36:00.008-05:002009-08-18T11:54:55.220-05:00

I live a little over 3.5 hours away from my mother. It isn't a bad drive, but probably one of my least favorites out of the numerous routes to NW Illinois which I have travelled since leaving the nest at 18. All routes have been from various locations in Wisconsin, my adopted state. The longest trip to Illinois was when I last lived with my ex-husband. It was minimum 6 hours, from northwestern

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-71967579805780784952009-08-17T11:05:00.006-05:002009-08-17T11:28:20.772-05:00

BFF Donna is coming on Friday. I have soooo much to do before then. I haven't had a real office since I moved into my current residence. I recently made a few garage sale purchases to fill my needs for desk/tables. I have a wonderful old oak desk in storage, but it isn't going anywhere anytime soon so what I have will suffice. For now. This room where I sit is a mess. Papers all over the floor

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-45590907782003073342009-08-16T10:19:00.002-05:002009-09-10T15:51:09.819-05:00

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-77486901822907211892009-08-15T17:57:00.002-05:002009-08-15T18:00:58.764-05:00

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-16747371334968884932009-08-15T13:20:00.009-05:002009-08-16T09:30:06.230-05:00

It would be disheartening, to say the very least, if this weekend passed me by without my paying homage to a phenomenon which had an astounding, mega impact on my life. At the time I was a mere 15 years old, but hey, I felt the peace, I felt the love. I felt the music.Woodstock was just that ~ a phenomenon. It has not been duplicated since, nor could it be. It was a once-in-a-lifetime, or

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-31553942184309544282009-08-14T09:38:00.006-05:002009-08-14T10:08:25.470-05:00

I don't spend a whole lot of time looking back. The now holds plenty for me. A sweet childhood friend just posted a photo on her facebook wall and sent me a heads up to have a look~ This photo is priceless. My first grade class with Miss Wand. The photo was taken in the athletic field in Stockton Illinois. We are sitting on what at the time seemed like giant concrete steps. They are gone now. I

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-84116191721881464152009-08-13T10:55:00.006-05:002009-08-13T11:51:31.329-05:00

Well, I have been thinking for awhile now about making some recommendations for easy living. By easy living I mean, well, living easy. Know what I mean?I was visiting Life is Good's blog and woo hoo, discovered someone besides myself has cracked heels. Not that I am happy that someone besides myself has this particular affliction, but misery does love company, hey? It used to be that my heels

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-80161554277581275302009-08-12T10:32:00.006-05:002009-08-12T11:29:37.812-05:00

Donna just called. Donna from the Big House. She is coming for an over-nighter before flying to British Columbia for a family reunion, and I just cannot wait. I am soooo excited. It has been a long time. She has been my closest friend for a good many many years now. Donna was there when my ex told me I had better not have a mid-life crisis and then he had a mid-life crisis. And no, he didn't buy

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-57370231941701958182009-08-11T08:35:00.006-05:002009-08-11T13:06:36.725-05:00

The robins have left. I can tell. It is quiet. They have reared their young for the season and headed south. I still see one or two occasionally, but those that nested have been gone for a couple of weeks. The lone robins I see now are passing through from more northern nesting areas. In the evenings before sunset there are a few that still sing, but for the most part, the quiet has come. Seems

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-85249276253011056652009-08-10T11:08:00.008-05:002009-08-10T11:49:06.273-05:00

It rained alright. Friday it rained .8 inches, and beginning yesterday afternoon until about 1 am this morning, it rained another inch. Almost 2 inches of rain! The storms were vicious. Winds hurricane force ~ 85 mph. Lots of lightening and thunder. No hail though, which is good, and no damage, which is good. The tomato plants are singing this morning, as are the trees and flowers. Some photos of

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-38340859048560456832009-08-09T16:20:00.006-05:002009-08-09T17:01:18.599-05:00

I woke up yesterday morning feeling like a post. I post when I feel like it and that doesn't happen as often as I would like, but I'm working on that.Just after I began putting my thoughts to keyboard (that doesn't seem very romantic) the power went off.I was thinking about the rain. We haven't seen rain here since June 18th. It rained 4 inches then. It had gotten so dry, there was green only

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-76240801670632929952009-07-22T12:33:00.003-05:002009-07-22T12:57:29.928-05:00

I was recently given an assignment to list 105 things which I love. It was such a fun thing to do; not only did it make me realize those things which are important to me, but I also have a sense of my value system. We all have values, it would be hard to get through life without them. Here is my list, in no particular order, of 105 things I love. For today.the sunhollyhockspickles and

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-10290925604845449082009-07-18T14:28:00.002-05:002009-07-18T14:40:53.982-05:00

I grew up on a farm. To this I attribute my love love love and understanding of kitties. My earliest memories are of kitties. Cats. I believe I slept in the barn with them. I was there for the births, the adolescence, on to adulthood when the universe put things in order for them to survive to those years. Farm cats have a rough life. They rarely, if ever, are given the vaccinations which lead to

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-80045418628175565362009-07-17T21:30:00.014-05:002009-07-19T09:25:35.753-05:00

Sometimes I watch TV before I fall asleep. It is boring and un-entertaining and when I begin to fall asleep I know I have to turn it off. Last night Conan O'Brien had the honors of putting me to sleep. I didn't watch him much before this current gig he has nor will I now. The new Tonight Show. Last night he told a Hillary Clinton joke. The joke was about her therapy for her elbow after the

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-64054327754790188262009-07-16T13:11:00.007-05:002009-07-16T13:44:18.548-05:00

I am honored to receive a very special award from a very special person. Lynda and I met through a recent blogging class ~ Color Me Blogging ~ and it is my pleasure to have her as a blogging friend. This award was created by a woman artist named Ces, who was inspired in turn by her artist friend Bella Sinclair. This is what Ces wrote when dedicating the award ~"Bella Sinclair is on leave from

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-48129916789242240922009-07-09T11:45:00.007-05:002009-07-09T12:41:36.883-05:00

last night i went to class. yeah, THAT class, the one that has been hanging around my neck for weeks and weeks, choking me at times, and keeping me clinched in it's sweaty little hands.class is every other week. usually the day before, the dread begins. not wanting to make the drive, and experiencing all the crap that goes with attending. feeling alone, different, unusual. all of that. yesterday

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-66471604487018400392009-07-06T12:37:00.002-05:002009-07-06T12:55:15.228-05:00

well, yes. i haven't posted in awhile. that's because. because i didn't feel like talking. because i didn't take the time. because it wasn't important to me. because.i have been taking a class. or two. but it is this one class that i have been taking that is on my mind at this moment. and has been on my mind for...well, since it began in april. i thought it was going to be what i wanted to do. i

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-44213696343358715552009-06-28T21:06:00.003-05:002009-06-28T22:50:46.122-05:00

i moved to south milwaukee more than two years ago; i moved into this house shortly after that.when i was married my husband and i moved around a lot. every year practically we were packing up and moving on. it was very difficult to lay down any roots or create the home.i did try.in every place i lived, every little town in 3 different states within 10 years time which included 6 different

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-85722532683631041422009-06-28T13:15:00.006-05:002009-06-29T14:19:16.458-05:00

by now you must have figured it out ~ i like taking photos and looking at other's photos too. sometimes i just cruise through flickr looking for inspiration, and that site never lets me down.some other places i turn to for enlightenment and inspiration are photoblogs. my current favorite is 16+ photography. if i could take photos like anyone else, my choice would be ichiro.these photos are serene

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-91997320576759206512009-06-22T10:16:00.007-05:002009-06-22T13:36:04.179-05:00

how can any of us go about our day without a thought for those who live and die for justice?this prayer is for all those who struggle against tyranny, hatred, & injusticeit is for all of us especially for those with the courage to fight their oppressor this is for Neda...keep it in your hearts today and all-waysMay we release all burdens of guilt, shame, fear, and loss from past trauma that no

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-81171696109108042672009-06-21T22:14:00.011-05:002009-06-21T22:28:39.349-05:00

the longest day the first day fathers dayspecial day

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-32634689240511891022009-06-20T13:54:00.015-05:002009-06-20T22:36:36.034-05:00

The weekend is here! And it is the first weekend of our Saturday Market, a wonderful little Farmer's Market which is held on the lakefront in South Shore Park, Bayview. It is a fun place to hang out on a Saturday morning; plenty of good coffee and bakery, flowers, entertainment, fresh crepes, and of course, delicious organic vegetables grown locally.Though I belong to a CSA and have Sandy and

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-45145918512893885742009-06-19T09:53:00.004-05:002009-06-19T11:19:10.674-05:00

I'm currently participating in a group project titled 'Soul Journaling'. It has been a wonderful, awesome experience so far ~ a series of prompts which are guiding me to create my journal of mixed media art.The last 3 prompts involved making my soul armor. Soul armor? Yeah. It's a good thing. Each of us needs armor for our soul ~ that which empowers us to silence our inside and outside critics.

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-86528738018111510182009-06-18T10:27:00.006-05:002009-06-18T11:06:14.320-05:00

Have a beautiful day... and make something wonderful happen!

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-13567349819607393842009-06-18T08:42:00.006-05:002009-06-19T09:53:02.780-05:00

My closet is full of clothes I can't wear. Why can't I wear anything in my closet? Because I gained weight and nothing fits, that's why. I don't know how this happened; one day I put on a pair of jeans and noticed they felt tighter but figured it was the washing machine's fault. Next day I pulled my favorite skirt from the closet and I couldn't get the zipper up. Hm. Must be the dryer's fault.I

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-22370738388819572212009-06-17T18:03:00.019-05:002009-06-17T21:38:31.512-05:00

My friend Carol has a son His name is Charles Last weekend we ventured to the shore for the first time since warmer weather The lakeshore is a beautiful place to watch the sunset As the light fades, the colors get deeper and richer, and the show begins...It couldn't have been a more perfect evening

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-69604964202828082482009-06-12T20:34:00.013-05:002009-06-13T14:27:23.129-05:00

This tree lives not far from me. It's very old and all those years have left their mark in scars from nature and humans. Initials are carved into the smooth silver bark, and winds have taken down branches but it still has it's stunning beauty. Imagine what it would tell if we spoke the same language. whenever I see this tree I always want to stare for a long time TREESby: Joyce Kilmer (1886-1918)

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-52678160727395439352009-06-11T09:29:00.011-05:002009-06-17T22:01:09.625-05:00

Ah, late Spring. Perfect time to do that yard work that has been waiting for me. Our Spring has been cool here in Wisconsin along the great lake. Lows have been in the 40's and 2 weeks ago the outlying areas (away from the lake) had scattered frost. We are usually several weeks behind the western portions of the state in spring warm-ups though, the breezes off the lake keep us on the cool side,

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-3146929792761160842009-06-09T08:44:00.008-05:002009-06-17T22:03:07.217-05:00

Meditation doesn't often work for me. I have tried and tried, but my mind wanders and it takes a LOT of effort and concentration (mindfulness?) for me to meditate successfully. That all changed in my last Wisdom of Life class 2 weeks ago. We were doing a meditation guided by my instructor, Patty, and all was going really well. I was travelling to a distant place in my mind, all relaxed and mellow

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-40415272397148065102009-06-07T20:28:00.002-05:002009-06-07T22:40:55.015-05:00

The sun came out at the end of the day. A good omen for a good night and a good week.

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-40094016295950331672009-06-07T08:31:00.001-05:002009-06-07T08:44:46.858-05:00

A little something to get us all moving and shaking this Sunday morning...

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-35138435787220423032009-06-05T11:34:00.009-05:002009-06-17T22:04:07.366-05:00

The other evening after dinner I had an urge to visit our Mill Pond down the street. This pond is really lovely, and the geese have made it their home for hanging out and raising their young ones. The Mill Pond was formed in the early 1840's when John Fowle (a pioneer settler) came to South Milwaukee (then called the Oak Creek Settlement) and made his home here. He built a dam near the mouth of

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-11053036765674760192009-05-29T14:42:00.005-05:002009-06-17T22:04:45.673-05:00

Not that I ride horses or anything. I don't. They scare me. My father bought me a pony when my cat died. I was 10 years old. Sadly, I didn't take to the pony like I did to Switza, the cat. I write back in the saddle because it has been awhile since I posted. Something happened and I didn't feel like posting anymore. I just didn't feel like it. Now spring has been here for awhile and things are

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-20269558797205986262009-03-09T12:51:00.017-05:002009-06-17T22:05:25.065-05:00

Yay, the sun is back after a couple of real rainy days. The rains were nice though, given that they make the grass turn green and they wash away the dirt from winter. This time of year gives us a challenge to find beauty with very little color. I look to the trees and their beautiful skeletons which are hidden during the warm months. Their branches tell the story of their lives. I always think of

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-83973818191540827822009-03-02T14:34:00.010-06:002009-08-11T12:43:16.101-05:00

Mother Nature speaks. It is another snowy day. I woke up to several inches of snow which were NOT in the forecast I caught before turning off the TV last night. Lake effect snow. For those of you who aren't familiar with that term, this is what it means. The meteorological definition is: Lake effect snows occur when a mass of sufficiently cold air moves over a body of warmer water, creating an

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-21968944808079124792009-03-01T20:11:00.020-06:002009-06-17T22:07:22.275-05:00

The beginning day of the week has been colder than I like. I have to say, the wind was bitter and an unexpected bitter pill to swallow once I ventured outside. In spite of the temps, it was a beauty. The shadows are getting shorter with each day.This e-course that I'm taking has assignments ~ taking photos and writing. Last week's photo assignment had us taking photos of our reflections. I didn't

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-66530586614034051422009-02-27T14:17:00.021-06:002009-06-17T22:08:00.723-05:00

Yay! Friday is here. I have been so looking to spring to increase my energy, and yesterday brought the cold reality of living in Wisconsin right back in my face. I had to go out this morning and put salt down because I woke up to a layer of ice over everything. People were walking their children to school using the streets, and I really don't know why because they were icy too. The wind was

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-7645143913992838212009-02-25T14:26:00.013-06:002009-06-17T22:08:35.612-05:00

Yeah, I know. I have been absent. Without leave. I know. I had intended to watch the Oscars on Sunday but a birthday celebration with friends pre-empted that plan. It is a tradition that every year I watch the Oscars. I love love love award shows. I'm not sure what it is I like about them, but I just like watching them. Perhaps it is the window into "how the other half" lives. Perhaps it is

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-86390756355218571222009-02-22T10:18:00.008-06:002009-06-17T22:09:26.674-05:00

I don't know about you, but I look forward every year to the Oscars. It is sort of like the Super Bowl, but better. I cook an Oscar meal, and get all excited about the red carpet show. I love it. Is it over-the-top? Yeah. Of course it is. But it is also American. Glamour. Celebrity. Hollywood. It is great. I mean, can this get ANY better?Or how about this?And this...And then there was this

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-3283060503466398132009-02-21T14:20:00.011-06:002009-06-17T22:10:02.635-05:00

I went to sleep last night knowing I would awaken to snow this morning. It's here! A lot of snow. Haven't gotten a official snowfall total yet; it is still snowing. I woke up in the middle of the night, looked out the window, and saw that we had just a dusting and went back to sleep. What a difference a few hours makes ~ it is blizzarding out there. Daisey was transfixed by it all ~She sat there

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-71793525081446506592009-02-20T15:32:00.009-06:002009-06-17T22:10:38.292-05:00

Back in my own home today, my own bed tonight. Yay!!! It seems like a long time gone, but only three days. I had a bright, sunny, and beautiful day for my drive. It is only three hours, but sometimes feels like more. I have been doing it for almost 40 years; I am happy to do it as long as it means my mother is here to share with me. She means the world to me, and I treasure her friendship.Back in

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-82427141732843325822009-02-19T13:02:00.004-06:002009-06-17T22:11:04.437-05:00

I am still in Stockton. This morning I woke up thinking about my home town, and what it means to me. Stockton is a town of 1900 people, and most of the residents have been living here all of their lives, as is true of their parents and those before them. Earlier today I visited the cemetery where my father is buried. It is the windiest place on earth, I swear. No matter how still the day, one

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-66410647767573750252009-02-18T11:37:00.004-06:002009-02-18T11:55:38.838-06:00

Here I am, sitting in Stockton Travel Center, writing this post. I am visiting my mother who lives in Stockton IL, the place where I grew up. Stockton is a small farming community in the farthest corner of northwestern Illinois. I grew up on a farm here, a few miles out of town. It hasn't changed much from the time when I lived here, except for some new gas stations on the edge of town. When I

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-59706569235795579462009-02-17T08:57:00.005-06:002009-06-17T22:11:37.009-05:00

I won't drink tap water. I live in a city, and the water smells like chlorine when I run the tap. I'm not drinking that. Sorry. So...I get my water from an artesian well about 5 miles from my house. The city maintains it, and tests it several times a year. Here is my water source ~ This is a lovely place to spend time, really. There are 2 flower tubs on each side, and in the spring someone plants

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-7533530367177482022009-02-16T10:34:00.006-06:002009-06-17T22:12:09.477-05:00

Monday Monday, so good to me,Monday Monday, it was all I hoped it would beOh Monday morning, Monday morning couldn't guaranteeThat Monday evening you would still be here with me...That song was in my head upon waking this morning. Gee, wonder why. I'm not concerned that someone will be leaving. Must be because it is MONDAY!It's a great song, I never ever mind hearing it while I sit in the chair

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-28011868690373546102009-02-15T14:32:00.004-06:002009-06-17T22:12:49.315-05:00

Another gloriously beautiful day. This weather will spoil me. I already am getting itchy to get my houseplants outside. I was looking them over this morning, feeling them, picking off undesireables, and generally admiring all of my pretty friends. This onecaught my eye this morning. I bought this pot of succulents at the farmer's market a few years ago. It has more than doubled in size, and has

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007020694817431998.post-31852779356148320772009-02-14T13:14:00.004-06:002009-06-17T22:13:19.703-05:00

Happy Love Day everyone! The morning began with snow and now the sun has spread it's full light on the remainder of this day. It is beautiful, with the brightness of the fresh snowfall and the accompanying sound of melting. The longer days and more mild temps mean that we can ignore snowfalls of less that 3" and let the sun do the work. Yay!I tried on all of my jeans today and discovered that I

Ms. Beckynoreply@blogger.com0