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!

Jan 18

NATURE’S SYMPHONY

by catnipoflife

A very special poem from Len Carver depicting the true essence of the catnipoflife! Thank you, Len, for your inspiring message.

Song_of_Storms

lenwilliamscarver's avatarmyownheart.me

Do you hear the music of the world around you?

Hear the crashing CYMBALS of the thunder
music of a raindrop as the clouds begin to weep?

A snowflake as it descends to earth?
Ivory keys fading to-night shades slush
Building to the crescendo of many PIANO keys

Smell the roses as they bud
to the unfurling as they bloom
Emitting scent of exotic perfume
A soulful sound of many VIOLINS

Hear the sound of butterfly wings?
The music of little fluttery things
music of HARP’s gentle strings

Hear the whisper of the trees
as the wind blows soft breath
Through the rustling leaves
Echoing softly …CELLO

Listen close if only to hear  music for
Lovers as they begin to swirl and twirl
in a dance of their beating hearts
like  passion of SPANISH GUITARS

Hear orchestration of earths symphony
Walk quietly with open mind and ears
Let sounds of…

View original post 9 more words

Inspiration poetry Reblog

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Jan 17

Awakenings: A Salute to Our Troops

by catnipoflife

See on Scoop.it – Awakenings: America & Beyond

All too often our country’s military misses out on life’s most precious moments. A soldier (in the sense here meaning any member of our military forces) may be thousands of miles away when news arrives of the birth of a son or daughter. Perhaps, the news is the opposite end of the spectrum, the death of a parent, brother, sister, or even a child. Distance separates families leaving times for communication often few and far between, time passes slowly …months … years … without seeing loved ones. Whether a first hello or final goodbye, the moments can never be regained. And, their stories touch the Heart of America.

Sharla Shults‘s insight:

There are five branches to our military each with their own terms of identifications and regulations. The poetry Soldiers of America is being used in its broadest sense to honor all troops.

See on awakenings2012.blogspot.com

Awakenings PoetrybySharla Scoop.it

2 Comments »
Jan 15

Awakenings: Democratic Donkey, the Pentagon & Football

by catnipoflife

See on Scoop.it – Awakenings: America & Beyond

Awakenings: Democratic Donkey, the Pentagon & Football

This Day in History: January 15, 1870, 1943, and 1967

There is always numerous events happening on the same day but different years. Today, Awakenings is going to highlight three such events relative to this day, January 15th.

Featured poetry @awakenings: The Pigskin

Sharla Shults‘s insight:
1) First appearance of the Democratic donkey: 
January 15, 1870
2) Construction completed on the Pentagon:
January 15, 1943
3) Packers face Chiefs in first Super Bowl:
January 15, 1967

See on awakenings2012.blogspot.com

Awakenings Scoop.it

2 Comments »
Jan 15

Awakenings: And the music goes on…Contemporary & Classical

by catnipoflife

See on Scoop.it – Awakenings: America & Beyond

One cannot leave the music scene without reference to adult contemporary music and contemporary classical music. Adult contemporary music prior to 1979 was sometimes referred to a Easy Listening or Middle of the Road Music. Classical music as most people are familiar is everything from Bach to Copland.

Sharla Shults‘s insight:

For the adult contemporary music, there is one that not only must be mentioned but should be included for your listening pleasure.  Enya awaits @awakenings…

See on awakenings2012.blogspot.com

Awakenings Inspiration Scoop.it Video Clip

2 Comments »
Jan 15

Awakenings: Norma Jean Marries Baseball Legend

by catnipoflife

See on Scoop.it – Awakenings: America & Beyond

For some of you, the name Norma Jeane may not ring a bell but once I mention Marilyn Monroe its tone will surely be loud and clear.

Marilyn was born Norma Jeane Mortenson June 1, 1926 in Los Angeles, California. She endured a difficult childhood that was anything but glamorous, instead filled with insecurity and instability. She spent her adolescence in and out of foster care and an orphanage. In spite of her immense vulnerability and extreme odds being cast against her, Norma Jean went on to become one of the world’s biggest and most enduring sex symbols, Marilyn Monroe.

Sharla Shults‘s insight:

“Being a sex symbol is a heavy load to carry, especially when one is tired, hurt and bewildered.” –– Marilyn Monroe

See on awakenings2012.blogspot.com

Awakenings Reflection Scoop.it

3 Comments »
Jan 15

Moving Right Along…

by catnipoflife

January seems to be on the speed track with the month already at its halfway mark. Time is moving right along at a pace much faster that we probably all prefer. Yet, with the passing of time lies the anticipation of the natural elements of early spring. Glory in the springtime initiates countless visions: greening hills, warming sun, tulips, pansies and wildflowers popping!

But, WAIT!! Am I being somewhat premature? The presence of ol’ man winter is still felt, chilling to the bone. That is, of course, unless you are relaxing on the beaches of sunny California, along Florida’s Emerald Coast, in the Florida Keys or perhaps cruising the turquoise waters of the Caribbean. Ah-h-h-h! Sandy beaches, lounging chairs, suntan oil, basking in warm sunbeams, diving into cool waters—pleasure within an oasis of calm & relaxation!

Okay! Okay! Okay! Back to reality. . .

Before even splashing our mental coloring books with the hues of springtime, we must endure winter’s final chill or last blanket of pure white. As Terri Guillemets once quoted, “The color of springtime is in the flowers, the color of winter is in the imagination.“

So, put your imagination to work with some enduring visions of Ol’ Man Winter leading to the new birth of spring. Visual images featured today come by way of Marilyn Armstrong @Serendipity. Marilyn is an awesome blogger enlightening her visitors and followers with her unique, often humorous writing along with her own awesome photography. She is also a published author. Check out her book The 12-Foot Teepee: A Survivor’s Tale @amazon.

Visions of Ol’ Man Winter

Snowcovered-Foliage

January brings ice palaces and snow
With plants lying dormant underneath
February stirs the depths of winter
Echoing sounds of chattering teeth

First_Snow

Cold sun amid afternoon shadows
Heralds colder temps at night
Warm blankets, cozy fires
Beckon cuddling up oh-so tight

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Winter time glistens
Adding its own personal glow
Pulsating with magic in the air
Creating mosaics in the snow

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Attuned to the winter cold
Hibernation’s a natural affair
With shorter days, longer nights
Sleeping resembles that of a bear

Winter-Woods

Sentiments of the winter season
Affirm human nature’s lassitude
Reflections echo the past and present
Offering a melancholy mood

Old-Number2

Nature in its own pristine beauty
Soon flourishes after winter’s thaw
Prickly, bristly thorns and spiny things
Will emerge cloaked in springtime’s awe

catniplogosm1©2014 catnipoflife
Sharla Lee Shults

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJztsL4NNLc

Inspiration PoetrybySharla Reflection

6 Comments »
Jan 15

Singing in the Shower

by catnipoflife

Can you imagine a world without music? It would be a world void of colors and textures, thus soulless. There would be no form, no expression. Thank goodness we have music or life would be a total bore, empty, useless. Music is all around us with melodies whispering in the wind, carrying along the harmonies of the songbirds. Each note captures the human heart penetrating deep into the soul leading to some of the best compositions imaginable. All you have to do is enjoy the catipoflife, listen to life’s songs! That includes singing in the shower!

Singing_in_the_ShowerDo you sing in the shower giving yourself top billing on Broadway? Are you a rock star or a diva? Did you know singing in the shower has become a widespread phenomenon?

Think about it. You can be what you want to be, as good as you want to be, an overnight sensation if you like since something magical happens when you sing in the shower. Have you ever noticed you actually sound better singing in the shower vs. out of the shower? For some reason, angelic pitch-perfect harmonies echo around the shower walls rather than bouncing through midair resounding of a croaking frog. That is the truth and there is a science of music to prove it!

That is not the only thing magical about the shower either…

Time for a shower…

MUSIC_animated

 FaLaLa…TraLaLa Boom De Ay…Boom Boom ShaBoom…NaNa-Nana-NaNa…everything before and after, as well as everything in between. Where would we be without music on the scene? Can you imagine a world without melody? Even the sounds of nature carry musical tones in harmony. Where there is sound there is rhythm from the clanging cogs of wheels definitely not ‘in pitch’ to Brahms’s Lullaby so relaxing one could sleep in a ditch. It keeps the sane man sane and lifts up the insane. MORE @awakenings about the beginnings of music…

Humor Inspiration

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Jan 14

Awakenings: And the music goes on…The 21st Century

by catnipoflife

See on Scoop.it – Awakenings: America & Beyond

As we enter the 21st century, many songs from the 50s all the way through the 90s are still popular. Of course, it was by way of the 20s, 30s and 40s that music has evolved into a passion relative to survival as many listeners would so declare today.  Look at the plethora of choices available for listening pleasure, dancing, rapping, or simply relaxing: contemporary music, popular music, traditional music, hip hop music, country music. Each decade has offered its own unique genres of music.

Read on @awakenings…

Sharla Shults‘s insight:

To quote Bob Dylan “I don’t know anybody who’s made a record that sounds decent in the past 20 years, really. You listen to these modern records, they’re atrocious, they have sound all over them. There’s no definition of nothing, no vocal, no nothing, just like … static….”

See on awakenings2012.blogspot.com

Awakenings Scoop.it

3 Comments »
Jan 10

Mystical, Mythical, & Magical

by catnipoflife

Mermaid-and-pirate-shipMost visions of a mermaid are those of beauty—mystical, mythical and magical. There are numerous legends surrounding mermaids and dozens upon dozens of books written about their lives and times. Of course, there are also accounts of the Sirens who were both dangerous and beautiful. They were known to bewitch sailors with enchanting music luring them into the ocean depths.

Mermaids are a timeless curiosity. There is and probably will be endless questions without definitive answers concerning the facts vs. fantasy surrounding the mermaid. Their mystical nature continues to inspire, awe and fascinate the human psyche. Legends surrounding mythical mermaids date as far back as 1000BC and will more than likely continue until oceans no longer exist. Mermaids, along with the butterfly dragons, may change over time in appearance within story telling but will always maintain a magical quality unsurpassed in mysticism.

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What inspiration do you gather from the mermaid?

Did you know someone in our history actually thought he saw mermaids swimming in the water, documented such in his journal, and even made the statement “the mermaids were not as pretty as imagined?” Yep, it really happened…January 9, 1493! Go to Awakenings to learn more about this sighting, who was at the helm and how such a mis-sighting could have happened. What sea creature do you think might be misunderstood as a mermaid? Of course, how can this be when a mermaid is no where near 12ft long nor weighs in at 1200 lbs? Here’s a hint…

Awakenings: Manatees vs. Mermaids

Mermaid-Quote

Related Article:

Mythic Monday: Mermaids and Ondines

Awakenings Inspiration Reflection

6 Comments »
Jan 9

Award, Award, Award!

by catnipoflife

My, my, my! Three awards! Thank you, Raani, Ute, and Texas!

friends-followers-award The Friends and Followers Award comes by way of Raani York. Raani writes a very unique blog, which you must visit in order to truly appreciate.  While she writes in many categories, my favorite is her letters to celebrities. What a hoot! She carries them for one wild ride! Then, of course, there are Jake’s antics and viewpoints recorded as the Diary of a Cat Prince :-)

According to Raani, this is a relatively new award. It was created by Nerissa at Nerissa’s Life. The Friends and Followers Award was created to celebrate the 75,000th hit at Nerissa’s blog. Congrats, Nerissa!

Here are the rules:

  1. Post the award on your blog. 
  2. Thank the blogger who gave you the award and follow them (by any means necessary ). 
  3. Pass along the award to a few friends who already follow you. 
  4. Let your nominees know that they’ve been nominated for the award.

The Friends and Followers Award goes to…

Sunni Morris. Sunni is surviving life..just Surviving Life My Cats.

Ute smile. Ute’s smiles will warm you all over! Got the Winter blues? Visit Ute!

Bruce Dodson. Bruce has moved from Seattle to Sweden! Learn, laugh, love the changes.

Carole McKee-Spalino. Click Carole’s name to learn the story behind this author.

Bob Mielke. Interested in seeing phenomenal photography? Visit Bob, Northwest Photographer!

Texas, a cat in…Austin. The Parisian cat who went to live in the state named after him

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award-imagine

The second award, The Imagine Award, is accepted graciously from Ute smile Ute’s Happy World. This is a totally new award for catnip and what a colorful award, especially the mystical, magical unicorn. Thank you, Ute. Sending thanks along with a big-g-g-g-g hug! I encourage everyone who has not visited Ute’s blog to absolutely do so. You will not be disappointed. She is always coming up with something new, great quotes to guide you through the day, week, month and wit to keep you laughing!

THE RULES FOR THE IMAGINE AWARD:

1-Copy and paste The Imagine Award into your post.
2-Thank the blogger who nominated you and link their blog page to your post.
3-List 3-5 things about the nominator’s blog that you like(Which you think are creative).
4-Nominate 5 other bloggers/ blogs which you think display a fantastic use of creativity and imagination.
5-Notify your nominees.
6-Display The Imagine Award to your blog’s award page.

5 THINGS I LIKE ABOUT UTE:

1-Ute definitely has heart…lots and lots of heart!:-)
2-She is a very positive person.:-)
3-She is witty! Such a fun person!:-)
4-She enlightens you with her writings! :-)
… and 5-She has a most beautiful smile!:-)

The Imagine Award goes to…

Raani York. Raani must have a storehouse of imagination to be able to write her letters to celebrities. What tops it off, however, is they are true!

Marilyn @Serendipity. Only Marilyn would discover all the colors of the rainbow in her local grocery store (not frozen foods nor canned goods either)! Imagine that!

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my-favorite-things--award
The third award is the My Favourite Things Award bestowed on catnip by Texas, a Cat in Austin. Texas used to be Texas, a Cat in New York, but a move across country delegated the name change. So, Texas, now that you are in Texas, let’s see if you live up to your true name! Visit Texas where you will marvel at the antics of a furr-r-r-r y friend and writings from the cat’s perspective. There is never a dull moment within the writings and plenty of aw-w-w-w-w moments!

The rules to accepting this award are:

1. Thank the Blogger for Giving you this award and give a link to their blog.
2. Post the award on to your blog.
3. Name 6 of your favorite things.
4. Pass it on to as many Bloggers as you want.

Here are my 6 favorite things:
–  My hubby
–  Foxie
–  Spreading catnip joy
–  Dark chocolate
–  Milk chocolate
–  Truffles

The My Favourite Things Award goes to…

Hot Rod Cowgirl. The incredible ever changing view of life outside my window is truly amazing…

Life in the Foothills. Life…And What I Make of It!

sharing me myself and i. Whatever Flows…

Maxima. Electronic Thoughts – Follow me and enjoy!

A Mixed Bag. A poem … A story … A Photo … Something Else

cookiecrumbstoliveby. Life through the eyes of “cookie”

Chief Writing Wolf. News, Opinions and Personal Writings from an Independent Mind

The Sanctuary of my Heart. WORDS FROM MY HEART TO YOURS

IMPORTANT NOTE: I understand some of you are award-free blogs. Nonetheless, the award is extended with an invitation to all who visit this post to visit your blogs!

Awards/Nominations

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