prayers
PL Precept # 16 All things progress and develop
Believe in the power of prayer…
Oyashikiri
Archive for the ‘Tao’ Category
jeudi
With the lunar new year not far off… I let my thoughts drift to another place and time… in my youth, I dreamed of being able to wander the grounds of a monastery high in the mountains. I knew I would feel at home .. looking out into the distance… hearing the soft chanting of the monks… the sweet smell of incense and sandalwood wafting through the air. I never made it to China but my Mom and sister did… . no their interests were not mine… but they did get to explore and bring home memories of a land that was very different from the world we knew. My time abroad was spent in Japan.. smiles with a soft stirring in my heart as I recall the cherry blossoms… and the rice fields as i wandered and took in life in Japan. I loved it there, but I missed hearing English and French, oui, je suis Canadianne …
We can’t always do all the things we want to… but we can explore and take in the world around us, every day there is something new to discover. We need only look around, and reach out, be open to try something new, something different, try something you have never done before. It’s a thought, think about it.
Once upon a time .. we used an expression, “arm chair traveler” have you heard it? do you know it’s meaning? Now I am an “internet buff” I use different platforms to explore my interests. In person, travel to far distant places is no longer a possibility for me, I’m just not interested in airports, long lines, customs, politics.. I simply want to enjoy life and the pleasures available to me. I am thankful for the experiences I have had, and the many wonderful people I’ve met along the way…. now I make no apologies for making time for ME… my interests, my joy at being able to explore places via the creative efforts of others.. I am learning and appreciating the talent and skills of creative minds that impact my world in a positive way.
I discovered I like being happy. I like sharing that happiness… and if it isn’t what others want who are in my space.. I move on. simply said. life is to be enjoyed.
Always express yourself for the happiness of others as well as yourself.
The happiness of those around you can lead to your own happiness. Cultivate a heart to always wish for the happiness of others.
PL2015.12
Oyashikiri
virtual landscape in SL (Second Life) http://www.secondlife.com
-35 degrees
Bitter cold yes… wind chill had it between -38 and -35 depending on who you were listening to on the radio. Did I care.. no… the air was frigid, Time stood still. The birds came to eat, but they were not going to hang around…. I went back to the car to warm my hands before going back to do the suet. I don’t wear gloves, it makes it too awkward to open the suet cages. I brought some lettuce leaves and I had some soya sprouts left over.. I took them further into the bush, closer to a big fallen tree… and half buried it so that rabbit could still find it… I included an offering of rabbit pellet food…. being he/she is wild they may not be interested in the pellets.. but I left them anyway.
When it is as cold as it was, there is a crispness underfoot when you walk over the snow… I could feel the icy fingers of the wind as it found a way to my bare arms under my sweater sleeves. I didn’t have to explain that I wouldn’t be lingering… After putting out the food, and giving the jays extra peanuts… I got back into my car to warm up. I knew I would be stopping to capture the pictures you see above.. the woodlands are so beautiful with the sculptured snow on the out stretched branches.
Winter is a beautiful time of the year, right now the Winterlude festival is on in the city. If you are near, and can make it to where the ice sculptures are… you are in for a treat. It is cold yes, but you can dress warmly, the ice castles and winter ice slides, the skating on the canal, all make for an winter adventure that is exciting and rewarding…, After the fun of exploring all that is being offered .. you can sit with a hot chocolate, or a beaver tail, and simply bask in the wonders of life.
LIFE IS FILLED WITH MOMENTS, SOMETIMES HAPPY AND AT TIMES INCONVENIENT. IT IS IMPORTANT TO FIRST ACCEPT EVERY SITUATION AS IT OCCURS AND TRY TO ACCEPT AND UNDERSTNA IT FOR WHAT IT IS.
PL2019.8
Oyashikiri
jeudi
Wow… when was the last time you heard someone say that to you!
Are you a person who shares your thoughts when they are positive.. or do you blurt out resentments and unhappy responses easily but find saying, “thank you” or smiling in response to something , something you don’t do often. I was privy to a conversation the other day, not because I was listening in, but because people were chatting around where I was seated, and I was just part of the “moment”… I’d say that almost 3/4 of the conversation by all parties was that of complaints and observations on all that is negative in the world. Parties knew each other socially and it was a total dump on life. I wanted to ask, “has nothing happened recently that made you happy” but… in a” funny ” way, I think they enjoyed being able to gripe and express all the negatives that they perceived around them.
Life is what we make it. ahhh.,.. yes… there I go again… I like being happy… I go out of my way to do and find things to do and people to share time with me that I enjoy. Life is too short to squander time on things /people that upset or leave me feeling “unsettled”.
PL Precept # 5 One’s self is lost by being emotional
PL Precept # 4 Being annoyed limits your expressions.
I like my days to flow, like a babbling brook that meanders slowly and playful over the rocks and pebbles in its path as it journeys along to its destination.
I’m off to have breakfast with the mystery of crows that await my arrival, and then to the Blue Jay Cafe to see if the little rabbit is still waiting for treats. I also got some yummy suet for the nuthatch to enjoy, I’ll butter the bark with it… she shares with the Downy and Hairy that get in line for the treat when it is applied.
Cheers everyone!
Oyashikiri
Cold!
Cold you say! Here is a brave young man testing the cold.. He took a soaking wet towel and swung it in the air …in a few minutes.. hello… frozen towel… the last picture, his big success, was putting a banana out in the cold, leaving it out overnight till it froze… then using the frozen banana, he hammered that nail you see into the board. Who says we don’t know how to have fun in cold weather.!!!
Good morning everyone, yes we had a cold snap, a very cold one.. but temperatures have been more reasonable the last few days and the sun has been brilliant high above, bathing the world in wonderful sunshine.
Here we are the 3rd day of February, the heart month, Feb. 14th is Valentine’s day … Feb. 17, is the Chinese lunar new year… (Horse) … AND… you will find Mardi Gras celebrations happening mid month as well….Lots to do, hope you are able to get out, in Ottawa, Winterlude is happening, ice sculptures, skating on the canal, beavertails, exhibits, snow slides, snow shoeing, X-country skiing… performances, live entertainment, tobogganing… just too many activities to list.. Guaranteed winter fun,
Instead of worrying, do something about it
It doesn’t help to over-think situations such as, “what if this happens?” or, “Things might end up that way”. Instead be proactive and change how you see and do things in each situation.
PL2019.3
Oyashikiri
beavertails, are sweet offerings, pastries, snack. a Canadian treat that originated in the Ontario, Ottawa Valley in 1978. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BeaverTails
samedi
Things that happen to us all have a meaning
Everything that happens to us happens for a reason. Each and every occurrence is a chance for you to improve yourself.
PL2019.24
Oyashikiri
Let’s pray for world peace.
NCC conservation land
5th
My sentiments. I have had this lingering cold/flu now for almost 6 weeks, maybe even more.. Who knows anymore, and who cares… I guess I do. However on the bright side… I have had a lot of REST if not always fitful. Come to think of it… In looking back, I don’t think I’ve had a real bout of “sickness” in recent years, So I guess I should consider this a positive. My body must have been or has been in need of R E S T … In my “awake” times, I have noticed that the cats are aware of my comings and goings.
For instance, I discovered that YouTube has these cat/dog videos.. Before leaving for my morning ritual of nature walks (a way of saying, I go into the woodland I favour to spend time with the birds) I started to put on the telly for them (since moving into an apartment)(reasoning that when I had the house they had 3 floors to run around in and explore)… I started out just putting on Asian music, soothing … calming… (I enjoyed it right) but one day I saw that there was a video for cats.. with birds and animals, nature sounds, running water, feeders…. well … instantly I had two very interested felines perched on the end of the massage table.. totally fascinated. So I now have two cats who when they see me getting ready to go out, wait for me to open the magic window. Amazing.. my cats have discovered technology.
Today’s message..
Your smile energized the people around you.
A smile has the ability to put others at ease and give them energy. Strive to be the first to offer a smile each day to those around you.
PL2020.5
Oyashikiri
Ps. for those of you who knew /know that I have been after the free Genus head being offered in SL (Second Life) Today was my lucky day, I succeeded in getting the female head at 5 a.m. my time… (2 a.m. SL time).. they had such a tremendous response, their vendor went down, I did get the male head the first day I knew about the offer and went in to try my luck. I will do a write up on the head later in/on my Virtual Blog. Meanwhile if you want to see the male, I have posted his picture on my Flickr page. (grid status .. there were over 30,000 people online at the time.) (offer was limited for only so many days)
Cheers, till soon.
4th
info on picture below
Work well with everyone regardless of their age or position
The opinions of those who are younger may lead to new solutions, and we can always learn from the accumulated experiences of our elders.
PL2020.4
Good Morning everyone…
The picture above, was taken by local nature photographer Dan Cadieux, https://www.instagram.com/dancadphotography I have known Dan now for many years, we run into each other in/on the nature trails in the area. He knows of my love and friendship with crows. He shared this picture with me, that he took a few years back. It was taken on a day when the temperatures were just above zero degrees, it was a fall morning, the wasps were semi-dormant…. his patience and quiet determination got him this great photo… Isn’t it fabulous. If you love nature, and like pictures that show case the nature around us, please give Dan’s photo gallery a look. He has a unique way of presenting his finds….. I’ve seen him lying in the mud on the side of the road * camera focused on a puddle where robins are bathing for hours if need be to get just the picture he wants… thanks Dan for sharing your amazing talent with us….
Oyashikiri
- road was in a forested conservation area .. off the beaten track… far from traffic.
- like myself, we frequent the wilderness areas of conservation lands searching out the wonders of Nature.
- Dan’s web site http://www.dancadphotography.com/blog
3rd. Sat.
The everyday things you do will show when it really counts
If you have a tendency to be careless about everyday matters, you cannot expect to perform well at crucial times.
PL2020.3
Oyashikiri
dymoonblog 