catnipoflife

Observe life at its best, Listen to life’s songs, Embrace life’s bounties, Breathe the breath of life, Savor life to its fullest!

What do you see on a starry, starry night?

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New post at Awakenings
focuses on the revealing of sights
once barely visible lay hidden
in the nights. . .

August 23, 2012

A visit today to MyOwnHeart.me brought reflections on this posting. The video below is featured on her site along with a special poem, Love in the Stars.

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Remembering our fallen HEROES. . .

…They are the reason we are free!

“Are they dead that yet speak louder than we can speak, and a more universal language?  Are they dead that yet act?  Are they dead that yet move upon society and inspire the people with nobler motives and more heroic patriotism?” 

~Henry Ward Beecher

Remembering our fallen heroes @ Awakenings from Then ’til Now. . .

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Quips, Quotes, & Anecdotes, aka ‘Antidotes’

Ah-h-h-h-ha! Those sidesplitting quips, quotes and anecdotes [‘antidotes’, if you prefer] that bring on the tears from laughing so hard. . .where would we be without such humorous happenings? And, what better place to seek the most unusual challenges and ‘off-the-wall’ excuses than within the reflections of a classroom teacher.  You know – that person who holds the ‘cushy’ job, which starts late and ends early in the afternoon, and provides summers off to do nothing but lay around and bask in the sun. Ooooh! It is getting hot already. . .Yea, right! We wish!

From day care to pre-school to kindergarten. . .all the way into the college lecture hall are moments where innocence (the unintentional) turns wit into wisdom. Tales to be told, stories to be written, smiles, laughter, tears and frustration fill the pages of the teachers’ mental diaries. Teachers can quip all day about frantic antics, provide hundreds of thousands of daily eventful quotes and last, but not least, share humor beyond all boundaries that becomes the best ‘antidote‘ for a bad day. [Um-m-m? Sounds like the cat in my post Funny Cats:>)]

Enjoy and get ready to laugh. . .

“What office is there which involves more responsibility, which requires more qualifications, and which ought, therefore, to be more honorable, than teaching?”

 Harriet Martineau

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Inspiration for the Soul

pinterest-logo“Whatever you want in life, start today. Not tomorrow – today. Let it be a small beginning – a tiny beginning. Your happiness depends on starting today – every day.”

Need nourishment? Visit my new Pinterest board, Daily Soul Food!

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10 Cutest Cat Moments

Of course, you know I could not stop with only one ‘cat moment’ posting. Here is another and a great way to end the evening or begin a new day with smiles and laughter (depending upon whether you read this tonight or in the morning)!

Smiles to you yesterday, today and tomorrow:>)

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Funny Cats

Since I have titled this blog catnipoflife what could be more appropriate than beginning the day with Funny Cats. We can quip all day about their antics, find hundreds (perhaps thousands) of quotes and last, but not least, know the cat provides the best ‘antidote‘ for a bad day. [Yes, I know I said antidote, instead of anecdote. It fits! THE cat can counteract or neutralize any unpleasant feeling or situation.]

                       If you love cats, smile! (You are their protector, defender and friend.)

If you don’t, smile for those who do! (They are the ones who protect, defend and befriend.)

The point is. . .Think about all the quips, quotes, antidotes (anecdotes, if your prefer) and

                                 Smile the whole day through.

 

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Mother’s Day

“A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie.” ~Tenneva Jordan

 To my mother, Anita Louise Weston Lee (1919 – 2010):

You Don’t Seem So Far Away

 Sometimes you seem so far away
Memorable moments shorten the way

Moments you firmly held my hand
Guiding me along life’s hardened land

Distance spans an epic terrain
Visions of your smile block out any pain

Smiles of delight as well as tears
Carrying us through the roughest years

As tears fall with each passing day
Voice of memory keeps sadness astray

In other words. . .

Though you seem so far away
You are as close as my thoughts

Thoughts remaining ever so clear
Never to fade from year to year

Images implanted in my mind
Lift my spirits at any time

Spirits to refresh my soul
Keeping me toward life’s goal

 For you see. . .

 Thoughts of you eternally stay
You don’t seem so far away

Echoes ©2012
Sharla Lee Shults

From: catnipoflife
To: all Mothers near and far


May your sons and daughters
Know how special you are

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Inspiration: The Butterfly Effect

Yesterday I ‘happened upon’ a Tweet [literally stumbled upon it among hundreds of Tweets] from writer Claire Cappetta that led me to her posting of the day Love and Coffee. Before going any further, be sure you click the link and read Claire’s ‘top of the morning’ greeting! Then, think about what your reaction would be if this happened to you:>) Of course, I smiled to myself as all kinds of thoughts passed through my mind! Um-m-m? Now, where DID I put that old coffee pot I decided to keep for emergency?

murphys-law2As I pondered the situation, Murphy’s Law entered my mind: Anything that can go wrong will go wrong. The coffee pot scenario seemed to fit since anything manmade will at some point in time ‘decide’ to just quit. It can and it will! Unfortunately, more often than not it doesn’t end there: one thing goes wrong that leads to another that leads to another to another to another. . . and the beat goes on. If it can, it will go wrong and there is nothing that can stop it!

Claire’s posting at least let me start the day with a smile and a laugh along with, of course, hubby’s risque nature:>) However, the day did not proceed so light-heartedly, not even a giggle was able to creep its way in ’til the latter part of the day. In fact, it was hectic from that point on and very mind-taxing with my writing geared toward a totally different direction than that of catnip.

In order for you to understand the discovery and the inspiration that actually led to this posting, you need a little background information. Being an educational consultant, better still an ‘online learning specialist’ (just a fancy title for this ol’ retired school teacher), a lot of writing is necessary in response to the daily evaluations required of teachers’ online submissions. Well, this one video arrived that totally took me by surprise. I watched, I listened, I took notes; I rewatched, I relistened, I retook notes; I watched again, I listened attentively, I took more notes. The phone rang and rang and rang. I picked it up along with every other phone I passed on my way out to the porch, I laid all the phones down on the table and said, ” You answer it!” Then, I slowly turned around and walked back to the computer. A few short minutes later, I heard footsteps and only a head hesitantly appeared in the doorway. “I love you, Babe. Are you all right?” I think the hesitation came about of fear I might snap his head off but he knew the “I love you” gets me every time! He smiled, I trembled, we kissed!

OOPS! Careful animated_computer_studenthere, I am getting off track. Anyway, with attention back to the computer and trying to decide how to formulate the feedback, I decided to set it aside for awhile and collect my thoughts. Sometimes writing too quickly in the wrong state of mind can lead to misconceptions and unsupportive comments. That’s when I thought once again about Claire’s morning and I began to smile and giggle to myself. Still at the computer but now with thoughts of coffee and coffee pots I began a Google search. I cannot tell you what keywords I used nor how many searches I made but the words ‘butterfly effect’ caught my eye. Now, what on earth could butterflies have to do with coffee? When I began reading, it was not long before I was laughing but this time outloud, for right in the second paragraph I read . . .”Imagine you wake up in a good mood but then the coffee maker is broken. . . !

The next morning I found myself chuckling at yesterday’s musings. After many chuckles, the mood was set, I was inspired, and ready to write (hence this posting). Since catnipoflife focuses on life outsite the confines of four walls and a door (maybe a window), I ventured onto the porch with steaming coffee in hand, sat down in the rocking chair and watched as the wonders of nature begin to awaken my senses. Then, I saw the butterflies. I had bookmarked the site I found yesterday so I immediately opened it and read it again.

Have you heard of the Butterfly Effect? There IS inspiration here, my friends. Just click the words and you will be directed to Inspiring Yourself at Work. Claire, hope the rest of your day yesterday did not follow the path of the ‘butterfly effect’.

Where will you get your inspiration today?

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TEACHER APPRECIATION

 

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TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK

Monday, May 7, 2012 through Friday, May 11, 2012

A Tribute to Teachers with a special letter from Christy Carpenter is posted @ Awakenings.

“When you see a teacher today, or any day for that matter, thank them for everything they do.”                                                               

                              ~Christy Carpenter, Mosely High School, Panama City, FL

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catnipoflife receives the Sunshine Blog Award

ImageIt is indeed an honor to receive this award from Claire Cappetta, who is in the process of completing her first novel, Ride to LibertyA truly compelling story is about to be shared! In her own words, “Claire is a creative writer and has recently retired from the financial world to concentrate on the dream of publishing a first novel, which follows a woman’s journey through relationships, domestic abuse and empowerment. Although a difficult topic to cover the story is heartwarming.” Be sure to visit Claire’s blog for her 10 nominations for this award. All are inspiring and who knows which one might tug at your heartstrings:>)

Now, it is I who get to GIVE the award by paying it forward again to bloggers who inspire me and bring Sunshine into my  blogging life:

Peggy

Carole 

Miss Kate

Wendell

Dena

Laura

Robin

Stuart

Sandra

Jen

May your week be blessed and filled with inspiration!

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