Weekly Photo Challenge: Hope

On Saturday, Jess, Dave and I took friends from America to visit Hillcrest Castle. (In Hillcrest, KwaZulu Natal ~ South Africa). We have lived here since 2007, and we didn’t even know this little gem was on Old Main Road, hidden by gorgeous tall trees. *Smile*

Apparently, as the story goes… a German doctor came to South Africa after the second world war, and he built the main Castle. He lived within the interesting castle walls with first his wife… and then together with their sons. Unfortunately, while the doctor was extending the castle and building on a family wing, he took ill and died. While his wife and sons remained for some years, they decided not to complete the extension… and later returned to Germany where they continue to live today.

They rent out the Castle and grounds to a number of entrepreneurs, with strict instructions that it’s on condition that nothing is to be done to alter, change, renovate or enhance the actual castle or extra wing in anyway. The castle itself is a delight to explore… and even the incomplete extension wing is worth climbing crumbling steps as it stands, co-habiting with nature. *Smile*

I loved the relationship between “man’s forgotten and unfinished dreams… and nature re-claiming her own.”  …and I thought the photos did justice to the weekly challenge, simply titled ~ Hope!

Outside a rusted window frame…
the foliage was so dense, little sunlight could penetrate the thick growth…
so this beautiful Lily sought sunlight within the castle walls… that has no roof.

From a higher vantage point…
you can see how dark it actually is in the middle of the day,
and this Lilly, filled with ‘hope’ found the bright spot of light! *Grin*

I hope your day is filled with “Enough Sunshine To Inspire Your Smile!
Mands

 

Living Life With Gratitude ~ No. 1

Living Life With Gratitude ~ Please read the intro…

No. 1 ~ Enough Sunshine To Inspire Your Smile!
From the We Wish You Enough 2012 list!

My 16 year old daughter Jess, is enthusiastic and animated, intelligent and creative… focused and productive…

Or she ‘s not!

Jess is one of the most amazing people I have ever had the privilege of knowing, *Grin* and I understand what a statement that is, considering she’s my daughter… I do understand and know her strengths… and I certainly know her weaknesses… which are few, however challenging. When Jess loses her focus and motivation… procrastination kicks in, in a big way. *Sigh*

I share this not to criticise Jess in anyway, however to say that she has made procrastination into a creative artform… that sometimes actually inspires me. *Smile*

That of course is the reason why it’s so difficult to challenge her… or *shudder* …to discipline her, when she isn’t doing something she should, which brings us to our current point in question.

In October 2011, I reminded Jess to start researching and looking for a new home school program, as she had already told Dave and I that she didn’t want to continue with the same program in 2012. Jess had assessments to submit every 2nd month last year and tests every other month… so basically she was always struggling to find the time to actually read and study the course material, (never mind trying to do the exercises) as she was so busy doing the assessments, and then trying to learn for her exams. While this was one of the reasons that initially attracted Jess to the program… it’s a hectic schedule made more difficult with the pressure and stress involved, and with little or no time for a break in the 11 month course. (So I even have lots of empathy for Jess and understand why she has taken life a lot easier the last couple of months.) *Smile*

Jess did find a program that she wanted to do for Grade 10 & 11… which is actually the Cambridge course for O levels, so Dave and I were fully supportive of her choice. After some more research Jess discovered a glitch. Of all the institutions that offer the higher grade studies for home school, (Grade 10 to 12) only one offers Science. Unfortunately, it’s the most expensive program and the only one that doesn’t have a payment plan and that requires the full fees up front. A whopping R32 000 + with Science being the major cost of about R7500 +…

All of this was of course the reason I wanted Jess to do her research and find a new program in October/November 2011… So that I would know how much we needed… and be able to budget to ensure we had the fees by the end of January when Jess needed to register and start. When Jess actually did the research in mid January 2012… of course there was the drama and stress, and tears and heartache of thinking she would have to forgo her dream program, for something less expensive… and before that there was all the drama and stress of actually getting her going.

During all of this… Dave actually found another less expensive program… with a payment plan. One Jess didn’t want to do.

I missed Jesse’s happy disposition and sunny smile, and I missed Dave’s usual optimism and positive attitude.

I did the only thing left for me to do… I went on my knees.

The answer was the same as I had received the previous few times I had asked… The Cambridge O Levels program was the right course for Jess, however I was starting to feel like Jess and Dave every time I thought about the R32 000. I spent some time reflecting on the situation and how we could resolve our challenging issue. (With some really interesting imaginative scenarios, *Smile*…none of which would work. LOL).

We were experiencing a few days of overcast weather and even some days when it rained without stopping. Very unlike our usual mid summer weather.

A week ago, despite the cloudy skies and previous rainy days… I decided to hang some washing on the line as the tumble dryer was protesting at its continual load. *Grin*

As I was standing hanging the wet washing on the line, a ray of light shone through a break in the clouds, and I turned with my eyes closed to lift my face to the sun.

In that moment the suns warmth touched my heart, and I felt the light of inspiration and wisdom fill my entire being. *Grin*

If anyone had seen me at the time… I either looked like a complete loon with my eyes closed and head lifted up to the sun, grinning like a hyena… or like I had just received the most priceless gift, which I had. *Smile*

I knew in that moment without doubt that the Cambridge O Level program was the right one for Jess… and I knew that there was an affordable solution for us. I also knew that I had to let Jess find the solution, and discover a lesson in her procrastination of the last few months, no matter how creatively inspiring.

In just a couple of  hours, Jess found the solution… and her animated radiant smile appeared, just as the ray of sunshine and light of inspiration had appeared early that morning. It was such an incredible experience for me… a truly amazing day. *Smile*

Jess discovered that if we paid the registration fee of R1150.00 …then we could pay per subject for her to receive a subjects course material. Since it’s a two year course, she can write her exams in May/June or October/November 2012… or next year, and that once she completes the subject course and passes her exam whenever she writes in the two year period… then she receives her subject credit and she is finished for that subject. *Grin* Whilst Jess would like to write and pass and complete all her subjects in October/November 2012… we have some time to make the money, so she can have the program she wants. *Smile*

I am happy and excited for Jess… and I am happy to see my husband’s smile… albeit a slightly tired one.

I am grateful for the amazing experience I received. Even though it has been challenging to write about this… and it has taken me more than a week to write, I paid attention, I celebrated the moment… I was so enlivened and open to what was happening because I wrote Living Life With Gratitude just a few days before. I feel gifted and blessed to have seen Jess learn a lesson, and to have been part of that gentle amazing experience.

I know that I’m writing this for myself… even as I know that I am writing this more for Jess, and her children… and that I am writing this for you. I am so grateful that I am able to, and humbled by the gift and blessing that is.

I am grateful for the light of wisdom and inspiration that I am blessed with… and I’m grateful for the sunshine that inspired my smile… and my laughter.

I wish you Enough Sunshine To Inspire Your Smile!

May your day be blessed with love and laughter
Mands

 

More Spider News…

I don’t have the patience to copy all the photos and info about this amazing story… and since it all has copyrights, I will be just a little naughty and add one photo and the link.

The headline reads… “The gown of gold spun by a million spiders that revives a lost tradition” …and yes that’s the same spider that is currently residing on my patio. Not interesting enough for you? Have a look at this…

Getty Images

“With its dazzling colour and intricate embroidery, this golden cape is a work of art. But look a little closer and, sewn into the cloth itself, you’ll see its rather spine-tingling secret – it is made from spider silk. In fact, the silk of more than a million spiders. The precious garment was painstakingly woven over four years with silk collected from female Golden Orb Weaver spiders, found in the mountains of Madagascar. [ Read More ]

Who would have thought… I have a celebrity spider come to visit! *Grin*

LOL @Me
~ Mands

More Links…

17th January 2012 ~ Courting Death

and 2nd January 2012 ~ Our Patio Guest

3rd January 2012 ~ Stillness… fascinates.

Sundays’ 1st Bath of Photos ~ Golden Orb-Web Spider


Weekly Photo Challenge: Simple

I am in no way a photographer… I am very happy to be a happy snapper, *Grin* and enjoy the idea of the “Weekly Photo Challenge” although this theme of *Simple* was a lot more difficult than I expected. *Smile*

This photo is of *Waterspray* in sharp contrast to the plants that it nurtures…

Water in essence is a Simple necessity to all life!

Enjoy your day and remember to celebrate the moment,
Mands

*Hello Monday*

*Hello Monday*
the 23rd January 2012

*Hello Quilting Class*
*Hello Mistakes*

*Smile* …it was the last class for my Beginners Quilting Course,
and I didn’t finish my homework, which I am really grateful for as
I made a mistake and have to unpick. *Sigh*
Fortunately it’s only four seams ~ a straight border…
and it could have meant a lot more mistakes,
and lots more to unpick,

if I had finished all my homework.

*Hello Gratitude*

*Hello Hot Summer Day*

*Hello Jess*

*Hello cleaning my bedroom*

*Hello blue eyed cat*

*Hello dogs*

*Hello wolf*

*Hello green pool*

*Hello laundry*

*Hello loud music*
(while mom is out!)

*Hello Jess falling in the swimming pool*

*Hello Jess falling down the patio steps*

*Hello swollen ankle and torn ligaments*

*Hello Ice Cubes in a bucket of water*

Jesses ankle was very sore and swollen after she fell, however after
soaking it in cold water with ice cubes and resting this afternoon…
having a pain pill and sleeping for awhile, the swelling has reduced
significantly, and Jesses pain has reduced considerably.
The way Jess fell, she could easily have sprained or broken a bone,
so I am very grateful that the consequence of her fall,
are less severe than we expected.

*Hello Gratitude*


*Hello Cupcakes*

Jess made the most delicious cupcakes over the week-end,
and we indulgently enjoyed the last two for breakfast. *Grin*

*Hello Walking Stick*

*Goodnight Monday*

It’s been an interesting day,
Sweet dreams
Mands

I’m linking up with Lisa Leonard
http://www.lisaleonardonline.com/blog ]
for her Hello Monday blog gathering.

 

On Paula’s Blog

My friend Paula posted the funniest thing on her blog so I had to share with you…

Paula wrote… “I wish I could say I wrote this!” (Ditto Paula, *Grin*)
“…but I have posted it for you all to enjoy! I stole it from my pastor’s blog, who evidently stole it from someone else. It was new to me, but if you’ve seen it before, it’s worth a re-read and another chuckle.” (I read it for the first time on Paula’s blog and it definitely inspired a few chuckles from me :) )

An email recently came to the Support Department of a leading relationship software company:

Dear Tech Support,

Last year I upgraded from Boyfriend 5.0 to Husband 1.0 and noticed a distinct slow-down in overall system performance. The slow-down was particularly evident in the flower and jewelry applications, which operated flawlessly under Boyfriend 5.0. In addition, Husband 1.0 uninstalled many other valuable programs, such as Romance 9.5 and Personal Attention 6.5. It then installed undesirable programs such as NASCAR 6.0, NFL 5.1 and Golf Clubs 4.1. Conversation 8.0 no longer runs, and Housecleaning 2.6 simply crashes the system. Please note that I have tried running Nagging 5.3 to fix these problems, but to no avail. What can I do?

Signed, Desperate.

**********

Dear Desperate,

We’re sure we can help you. First, keep in mind, Boyfriend 5.0 is an Entertainment Package, while Husband 1.0 is an operating system. Please enter the command: Ithoughtyoulovedme.html, then try to download Tears 6.2 as you also install the Guilt 3.0 update. If these applications work as designed, Husband 1.0 should then automatically run the applications Jewelry 2.0 and Flowers 3.5. However, remember, overuse of the above application can cause Husband 1.0 to default to Grumpy Silence 2.5 or Beer 6.1. Please note that Beer 6.1 is a very bad program that will download the Snoring Loudly Beta …

In summary, Husband 1.0 is a great program, but it does have limited memory and cannot integrate new applications quickly. You might consider buying additional software to improve memory and overall performance. We recommend Lingerie 7.7. Good Luck!

Signed, Tech Support.

**********

Some of the comments that were posted where just as funny…
Thanks for the chuckle Paula
Love and Laughter
Mands

PS… Please leave your comments and feedback below, *Grin*.


Truly Happy

I’ve realised that when I am happy ~ truly happy… I don’t take offence, forgiveness is natural and I love everyone! *Grin*

Have a Fabulous Friday, Be Awesome and Celebrate the Moment,
Mands

PS… In November 2011, I wrote about the half a dozen Geese that live at the Durban Harbour, that don’t seem to migrate and actually stay the entire year… Well, here are a couple of them catching the early morning rays on the Dormac Crane. *Smile*

Grateful Happiness

I read this quote…

“Happiness is not what makes us grateful.
It is gratefulness that makes us happy.”

~ David Steindl-Rast

And it explained so simply what I was experiencing when I wrote, ‘Living Life With Gratitude’ …that I wanted to share it! *Smile*

Celebrating the moment with gratitude,
Mands

 

Living Life With Gratitude

I saw a little sign in a photo that said “Living Life With Gratitude” …and I immediately thought it would be a great topic for a weekly article. Then I thought about what to write, and I realised it’s a great sentiment… a wonderful choice and noble commitment, and a really difficult challenge for me to make to myself. *Grin*

However, like New Year’s resolutions, goals and aspirations… any change we want to affect is going to cause us some challenge. The ‘action’ or doing is just part of the process… it’s the change we want to make within ourselves that is the greatest step to take. *Smile*

Whilst I endeavour to be grateful in my daily life and to say thank-you as often as possible, actually writing about what I am grateful for is more difficult, and I could just write a list, however I think for gratitude to be meaningful… I believe there needs to be reasons for what we are grateful for.

As I was writing this and contemplating what to write about… (it’s a thing I do, *LOL*) …I enjoyed one of those creative sparks that caught my attention… grew a little to inspire my imagination, and then imbued my entire focus. When I allowed my thoughts just to follow the idea, it permeated my entire being… and I just knew it was something that I was going to enjoy doing, and I was filled with the giddy delight of spontaneous creativity! *GAMCLAL* (Grinning At My Computer Like A Loon! Yes, I just made it up. ;) ).

I wrote this list as part of a gift for some of our friends during the Christmas holidays, and then I included the list on the 1st January 2012 as part of my New Year’s message. *Smile*

The list is called…… We wish you enough for 2012, and there are a 101 items on the list. *Grin* Just enough for twice weekly (or bi-weekly :) ) ideas to write about during the year.

The most exciting ingredient of this whole experience for me right now… is how happy and creatively inspired I am feeling ~ for that I am very grateful!

It’s moments like this when my fingers can’t type fast enough to keep up with my thoughts, and when each thought is like a little spark bursting with energy, light and enthusiasm… that permeates my being and animates each and every one of my cells, and that are all singing harmoniously with delight… “it’s wonderful to be alive, thank-you!”

When it lasts just for a moment… yet it lasts forever!

When each moment of the past makes sense… and each moment of the future is a blessing to embrace, and when the present truly feels like the greatest gift I will ever receive.

When my entire being… and each tiny part of me, is truly grateful and feeling in love with life and thankful to be alive!

Then I know I have captured… embraced… experienced what it means to be grateful, and my entire being reflects my smile of thanks.

Then I know that in this moment, I am Living Life With Gratitude,
With heartfelt thanks
Mands

 

Courting Death!

These are the other photos taken on Sunday of the Golden Orb-Web Spider, currently in residence on our patio… the female decimated the male, and his remains then fell from the web and scattered to the four winds. (Well, it was her web and all that… and he just arrived!) *Smile*

As I looked at these photos I realised that my eyes must be worse than I thought… *Smile* I know I need new glasses, because when I take a peek at our patio guest through the day, I see a mostly placid contented spider… however, the photos that Dave and Jess have been taking are pretty scary, especially if you are scared of spiders. Fortunately I’m not! *Grin*

 

The web is the most beautiful golden strands
…looks almost like miniature golden ribbon.

A close-up…

The male – the smaller spider…
courts the much larger female Golden Orb-Web Spider…

…and loses!

Hanging by a thread…

…has a whole new meaning for me!

Patterns of life…

and death…

woven together, strand by strand!

And the last!

I have had enough Spider photos… so that’s plenty!
Celebrate this moment! *Smile*
Mands

Previous Links:

2nd January 2012 ~ Our Patio Guest

3rd January 2012 ~ Stillness… fascinates.

Sundays’ 1st Bath of Photos ~ Golden Orb-Web Spider