catnipoflife

Wake up early tomorrow morning in anticipation of a very unusual breakfast! You may have a busy, busy day ahead but this is one day you do NOT want skip breakfast. NO cooking involved, NO soggy cereal, NO burnt toast, NO runny eggs…you get the picture! Fill up instead on a hearty bowl of ice-cream, enjoy your favorite ice cream sandwich, sip on an ice cream soda, have a sundae or even a banana or pineapple split! YUM! YUM!

Sharla Shults‘s insight:

That’s right – Ice Cream For Breakfast Day does away with wheat, corn and wholemeal breakfast foods in favor of frozen creamy treats. If you do not have any ice cream in your freezer, a trip to the closest grocery or convenience store is definitely in order!

http://graypoet.wordpress.com/2014/01/31/oh-boy/

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Free Write Friday #38: Word Bank

by catnipoflife

If you have not participated in Kellie’s Free Write Friday, she has extended an open invitation. Read the intro. Would love to ‘see’ what you have to say! You may write in any form you choose for the prompt as she will never discourage your pen, but she encourages you to try your hand at free verse for the exercise.

Oh, Kellie, this is a good one! Since my husband and I will be celebrating our 30^th wedding anniversary Summer 2014 let’s see what I can conger up using that ‘train’ of thought. What’s the connection you might ask…pearl represents the 30^th anniversary and we were just discussing that only a few minutes ago.

Two avenues ran through my mind so here are my thoughts on…

train – burlap – fiction – pearls – vertigo

The train rolled into the station under a canopy resembling burlap. Like a character out of a fiction novel, I stepped onto the platform into open arms. Something cool ticked the back of my neck as you gently clasped a strand of pearls around my neck. Thoughts began to whirl as though I was experiencing an attack of vertigo. “Welcome home, Darling!” you whispered. “So glad you made it ~~back~~ home for our anniversary. I love you!”

Image Source: en.wikipedia.org

~~The~~ Our Pearl Anniversary

What a grand day to celebrate
30 years that’s a milestone in this day
When divorce is real, not fiction
Where a little thing can get in the way
picky, picky, picky

It’s little gifts should really matter
Whether made of sap
That’s honey, of course
Or one of burlap
the LITTLE things

Gifts from the heart
Even a ride on a train
Holding hands in the park
Strolling at night in the rain
no umbrella

The memorable vacation
A cruise away from the snow
An eventful memories
Without the slightest vertigo
ice cream for breakfast

30^th anniversary WOW!
My head whirls and whirls
What a grand day to celebrate
Its symbol: iridescent O-o-o-oh! pearls
cultured or opalescent

Here are a couple of others to ponder and reflect upon:

graypoet says:

parallel universe says:

http://paralleluniverseblog.wordpress.com/2014/01/31/free-write-friday-2/

Free Write Friday Inspiration PoetrybySharla Reflection

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Wintertime vs. Winter Time

by catnipoflife

Awakenings being catnip’s sister site often appears here through Scoop.it! Only a small portion of those posts are scooped. It is always hoped each of catnip’s visitors clicks the link for the entire post since bits of historical trivia allow time to embrace the past, empower the present, enrich the future for you and America. Yesterday as I was working on Awakenings I realized this post IS catnip. So, if you are followers or visitor of both sites, this one will lift you up twice for the entire post appears here!

January 31: the 31st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. With 1/12 of the year gone, 334 days remain until year’s end. Winter is in full swing with visions of hope for an early spring buzzing around in our heads. That implies already looking ahead wishing time away so we can pack up boots, heavy coats and jeans replacing them with flip flops, tee-shirts and shorts.

Time can’t hold us down but moves us forward, keeps us on our toes and immerses us in memorable scenes of the past, present and future. It is our best friend, often our worse enemy. We have too much time on our hands, not enough time to do the things that need to be done or just barely get by as time flies without warning.

eliseenchanted.deviantart.com

We cry out in the name of time, time, time!

Winters come, winters go. They will always be a part of the cycle of life beginning a season of dormancy awaiting rebirth. Mosaics on frozen ponds and lakes stretch outward in all directions, cracks and crevices revealing life thriving underneath. One tree hangs on to its leaves while others stand barren baring scarred limbs naked to the earth and sky. Gone are the plush and green replaced by shades of gray often covered in blankets of white.

Thus, we live the Winter with thoughts of “I can’t wait until Spring arrives?” When wintertime arrives, do we simply wish away the winter time?

Wintertime vs. Winter Time

Winters of the past
Aged not forgotten
Images frozen still
Long ago begottenTime within winter
Slowed to a crawl
Breaths unlabored
After toils of FallWinters of the present
Snowy fields impart
Stormy times ahead
Yet stillness of heartTime within winter
Spans hours inside
Hopes and desires
Lay calm firesideWinters of the future
What truly lies ahead?
Without needless worry
Living the moments insteadTime within winter
Ensues time well spent
Without a single moment
Wond’ring where time went Wintertime, any time
Past, present, future
Build upon images
Visions that nurture

©Sharla Lee Shults

Awakenings Inspiration PoetrybySharla Reflection

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Awakenings: Masked Rider of the Plains

by catnipoflife

“Hi-Yo Silver — A fiery horse with the speed of light, a cloud of dust and a hearty Hi-Yo Silver … the Lone Ranger!

With his faithful Indian companion, Tonto, the daring and resourceful masked rider of the plains led the fight for law and order in the early West… Return with me now to those thrilling days of yesteryear… The Lone Ranger rides again!”

Sharla Shults‘s insight:

How does the Armie Hammer/Johnny Depp version measure up?

Doesn’t look anything like the Lone Ranger and Tonto I grew up knowing and loving. Guess I will just be content with my grandfather’s radio hero and my own memories!

Inspiration Nature Reflection

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When More is NOT Always Better

by catnipoflife

We live in an age of MORE, MORE, MORE! We have more than we possibly need yet the need for MORE surpasses the need for what we truly need indeed. Try to say that fast 3 times! The point is

WE WANT…

Can you imagine a world without wildlife? It would be as mundane as mundane could possibly be. Of course, some of you might welcome silence from chirping crickets, barking dogs, screeching owls, howling coyotes but in giving those up, you also lose the drumming sounds of the Red-headed Woodpecker in spring, the chuckling Summer Tanager, the whistled warble of the autumn Yellow-rumped Warbler, the energetic tune of the Winter Wren. That is only sounds of some of the birds!

I’ll take the sounds of wildlife, what about you?

“I know no subject more elevating, more amazing, more ready to the poetical enthusiasm, the philosophical reflection, and the moral sentiment than the works of nature. Where can we meet such variety, such beauty, such magnificence?”

—James Thomson (Scottish Poet, 1700–1748)

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Awakenings: The Lost Spirits

by catnipoflife

Today is a quiet day…a co-o-o-old day so definitely a day to stay inside simply enjoying the warmth of hearth and home. Just finished reading The 12-ft Teepee by +Marilyn Armstrong (featured below) and thought I would take some time to visit blogs I am following. How surprised I was upon coming across The Lost Spirits @A Misbehaved Woman.

What better topic to revisit than that of the American Indians?

Sharla Shults‘s insight:

Featured author @Awakenings is Marilyn Armstrong and her book The 12-ft Teepee. Visit Marilyn @Serendipity where you can become lost in her words of wisdom, humor, photography, book reviews, author interviews, Americana, nature, pets, and so much more!

Author Connections Awakenings Scoop.it

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Awakenings: We’re not in Kansas anymore or are we?

by catnipoflife

The nickname “Sunflower State” calls to mind the wild flowers of the plains of Kansas. Also, nicknamed the “World’s Bread Basket,” the great state of Kansas leads our nation in wheat production; has given us leaders in politics, aviation, and sports, and fuels our Hollywood image of the Wild West (Dodge City). The state motto of Kansas is Ad astra per aspera (To the stars through difficulties).

Sharla Shults‘s insight:

Do you know the state song of Kansas? Did you know the song has been used in countless movies and shows, being sung by everyone from Willie Nelson to Porky Pig?

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Awakenings: Remembering the Challenger

by catnipoflife

Today marks the day of a horrific tragedy for our nation. Like others before this time in different arenas, the atmosphere left many in the wake of death and destruction. Only this time it was not on this earth, but in space. America was in the height of the space age. Having placed man upon the moon decades earlier only set the stage for much more space exploration to come in the future.

Awakenings: Familiar sounds?…going, going, GONE!

by catnipoflife

Sounds of the past are not limited just to music, which allows history to speak to us other than only through the written word. We live in a highly technological age where many items of the past have or will soon become obsolete. Each is identifiable by its unique sound for we live in a world of cacophony. Unless you are in a location to visit a museum many of these will never be ‘heard’ by you or your kids depending upon your age. Enjoy the memories or listen to sounds you have never heard! Better still if you have a child or grandchild at home, invite them in for a history lesson!

Sharla Shults‘s insight:

It is very possible these are sounds your kids have never heard and possibly will never hear unless you take the time to introduce them!

Uncategorized

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Awakenings: “TAPS”…Day is Done

by catnipoflife

Hopefully you are aware of “Taps” but many of you may have never heard the version played in its entirety. “Taps” was originally written by Daniel Butterfield in 1801. It was rather lengthy and formal, as you will hear in the clip presented below. In 1862, it was shortened to 24 notes and re-named Taps.

Sharla Shults‘s insight:

The video @Awakenings features 13-yr-old Melissa Venema playing “Taps” on a trumpet whereas the original was played on a bugle.