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!

Awakenings: Missouri: Show me…

This Day in History: August 10, 1821

 

Missouri, the Show Me State

 

Welcome to Missouri, a land of fertile plains, rolling hills, well-watered prairies, historic rivers and a state rich in history and culture. Missouri was admitted to the United States as the 24th state on August 10, 1821 as part of the Missouri Compromise. The most widely recognized nickname for Missouri is The Show Me State.

Source: awakenings2012.blogspot.com

 

Be like the Missourian believe what you see hiking along the trails in footsteps of history!

See on Scoop.itAwakenings: America & Beyond

Leave a comment »

Daily Dose of Laughter

Laughter-Sparkles-Sunlight

What is life without laughter? That is one category personally I have no clue other than it would be total boredom! With a husband that is a joke waiting to be told, a smile waiting to happen, and who considers a day wasted if not at sometime during that day making someone else laugh, there is always sunshine even on a rainy day. Sure we have our ups and downs, bad communication and misunderstandings, but who doesn’t? That is LIFE! It’s all in how you handle the moments with even the bad ones somehow allowing a smile to emerge along with flowing teardrops.

I never know at any moment in time what might he might say to knock me off my feet or send me bending double with laughter. Here are two that are totally hilarious. One a couple of years back and another recently.

My middle name is Anita. I have never really liked that name, never use it, never write it, especially since marriage. Out of the blue Jim calls me from across the room, “Anita! Anita!” I turn with a scowl look on my face responding, “Anita? Don’t call me Anita!” His immediate reply, “But, baby, I needa ya!” Get the pun?

For this one, keep in mind we just celebrated our Pearl Anniversary on July 10.

We are having some work done on our sprinkler system since the grass in the backyard is dying from all the heat and lack of sufficient water. The man putting in the irrigation system is named Jackie. Jim approaches Jackie and calls him over to the back porch, “Jackie, do you know why I love my wife so much?” Of course, Jackie responds with all sorts of commonalities and a few funnies of his own but remains somewhat perplexed because he knows Jim is going to come up with a doozie. And a doozie he did indeed. “She is beautiful, works like a hired hand, makes damn good biscuits and she doesn’t snore!”

What can I say? I love this man!

Laughter3

When it comes to laughter, there is hardly anything funnier than children and animals so let’s not stop here. Watch the video to end your day or perhaps begin a new day with a smile on your face and a laugh in your heart!

 The cats are the best! What do you think? Which is your favorite?

Make someone’s day…smile, then LAUGH!

2 Comments »

Happiness is…

Time with family and finally enjoying the sweetest sugar in the world!

Abbey, Baby Lennon, Grammie & Granddaddy

Abbey, Baby Lennon, Grammie & Granddaddy

Abbey, Baby Lennon & Grammie

Abbey, Baby Lennon & Grammie

Baby Lennon & Grammie

Baby Lennon & Grammie

Baby Lennon & Mommie

Baby Lennon & Mommie

Baby Lennon & Daddy

Baby Lennon & Daddy

The Star of the Show - Lennon

The Star of the Show – Lennon

Family

5 Comments »

Awakenings: Drupelets ‘n’ Cream

Apples ‘n’ cinnamon, strawberries ‘n’ chocolate, cherries ‘n’ almonds, grapes ‘n’ cheddar cheese, are combinations that satisfy our cravings. The best are those served with cream – ice cream or whipped cream – strawberries ‘n’ cream, peaches ‘n’ cream, and today’s guest of honor drupelets ‘n’ cream, that is, raspberries! The raspberry consists of a cluster of small, juicy, reddish-pink drupelets that makes your mouth water just thinking about them. With that being stated, let’s celebrate!

August 7 is…

National Raspberries ‘n’ Cream Day

Source: awakenings2012.blogspot.com

Great recipes today: Raspberries and Cream, Contest-Winning Raspberry Cream Pie, Raspberry Chocolate Chip Layer Cake! YUM!

See on Scoop.itAwakenings: America & Beyond

3 Comments »

Sisters

For those fortunate enough to have a sister, the first Sunday in August is set aside just for you! This year that day falls on August 3rd. As for me, I never had a sister but do have three daughters. They will definitely attest to life with a sister. Good times, happy times, sad times, bad times…all are a part of life but bottom line, they will always be sisters.

Bedraggled! Photo taken during Jim's 3-mth hospital stay.

Bedraggled! Photo taken during Jim’s 3-mth hospital stay.

Sisters’ Day is your chance (if you have a sister, that is) to show your appreciation for that special family relationship. All siblings have the odd argument here and there, but deep down there’s little way around the natural bond of siblings.

Make this day a special celebration for your sister, by however you feel is best. If you don’t have a sister, you can still celebrate the friendships of sisterhood by having a girl’s night out!

Sisters We’ll Always Be

Sisters, sisters, sisters
Skipping through life happily.
Never a lonesome moment
For sisters we’ll always be.

How scared we were
The day we chased away the honeybee!

Remember the aroma coming from the kitchen?
Homemade cookies ready before eleven.
Mama let us eat them hot from the oven,
Um-m-m, melting in our mouths, tasting from Heaven.

How many chocolate chips were in your cookie?
Mine only had seven!

Fights over clothes seemed to never end.
You must wear this; you can’t wear that.
That one is mine; this one is yours.
You’ll stretch it out; you’re too fat.

Oh, how the words hurt as retaliation resulted in combat!

Younger days, too bad they had to come to a close:
Spouts with friends speaking in each other’s behalf,
Coming home late dreading to face Mom and Dad,
Sibling rivalry seemed to last time and a half.

Isn’t it funny how we look back in time?
All the times we fought and argued weren’t funny then,
But now we laugh and laugh!

 Excerpted from Echoes, 2004

 A sister makes the best friend, loving and trustworthy right to the end.” ~SLS

Multiple-CatsTo all sisters, have a purr-fect day!

Mosey on over to Awakenings and check out the quadruple celebration for Sunday, August 3, 2014!

2 Comments »

Awakenings: Ready for a COLD sandwich?

There are many clever ways to serve ice cream! There are also the basics: cup of scoops, in cones, loaded with goodies as a sundae, in floats, over fruit, even as a sandwich. It is the latter that is the ice cream choice of this day.
 
August 2 is…National Ice Cream Sandwich Day!

Source: awakenings2012.blogspot.com

Want to try a different kind of ice cream sandwich? Check out the varieties featured @Awakenings!

See on Scoop.itAwakenings: America & Beyond

2 Comments »

Awakenings: Colorado: Land That Captivates the Imagination

This Day in History: August 1, 1876

Colorado, the Centennial State, Colorful Colorado

“Passing through your wonderful mountains and canyons I realize that this state is going to be more and more the playground for the whole republic… You will see this the real Switzerland of America.”
~Theodore Roosevelt

On August 1, 1876 (28 days after the Centennial of the United States), U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant signed a proclamation admitting Colorado to the Union as the 38th state and earning it the moniker “Centennial State”.

Source: awakenings2012.blogspot.com

Colorado acquired the official nickname ‘The Centennial State’ because it entered the union in 1876, 100 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

See on Scoop.itAwakenings: America & Beyond

1 Comment »

Awakenings: Milk Chocolate Day

How could we live without chocolate? Fortunately, for all chocolate lovers, we don’t have to. Chocolate variations make choices often difficult but the end result is always the same…sheer delight!

July 28 is…Milk Chocolate Day 

 

Milk Chocolate Day (not to be confused with Chocolate Day) celebrates everything that’s good about classic milk chocolate – one of the most common forms of chocolate…liquid and solid! Candy bars, truffles, cakes, pies, mousse, cookies, sauces, snacks, even drinks are delectable when infused with smooth, velvety milk chocolate! Ever tried chocolate milk in your coffee?

Source: www.awakenings2012.blogspot.com

Save Earth. It is the only planet that has chocolate! Great recipes: Milk Chocolate Cupcakes with Dark Chocolate Icing, Milk Chocolate-Espresso Truffles, Tim Tam Cake! Check out the poetic nitty, Chocolate Rain!

See on Scoop.itAwakenings: America & Beyond

4 Comments »

Awakenings: New York: Diversity & Contrast

This Day in History: July 26, 1788

New York, the Empire State, the Excelsior State, the Knickerbocker State

 

New York is called “The Empire State” because of its wealth and variety of resources. This nickname appeared on New York license plates from 1951 through the mid-1960s. In 2001, “The Empire State” legend returned to New York license plates. It’s nickname the Excelsior State comes from the motto of New York, “Excelsior.” New York’s motto means “ever upward.” The nickname, the Knickerbocker State, comes from the pants worn by early Dutch settlers in New York. “Knickerbocker” is a German term made up of two words. “Knicker” means box and “bock” is a male goat. This term was promoted in Washington Irving’s character, Diedrich Knickerbocker in “Knickerbocker History of New York.”

 

 

Source: awakenings2012.blogspot.com

New York became the 11th state to ratify the United States Constitution, on July 26, 1788. Aerial America features New York’s Adirondack Park: Covering 20 percent of New York’s total territory
Adirondack Park is the largest area of protected wilderness in the continental United States and New York: Niagara Falls: Carved by the epic force of melting glacial ice, Niagara Falls instills awe through its natural majesty and its raw power.

See on Scoop.itAwakenings: America & Beyond

5 Comments »

In a Slump

Cat WriterNow what do I say?

Have you ever found yourself in a slump? Slumps happen. The deeper you try to think the lower you go into a seemingly bottomless pit. Somewhere there is a struggle. Maybe it is with time, perhaps it is the right words aren’t there, then, it just may be nothing more than summer heat!

Whatever the reason, you get behind…on everything, especially writing and blogging. Email is put on the back burner with Scarlet O’Hara’s words ringing in the background: Tomorrow is another day! The problem with that is the fact it becomes a daily thought to the point you simply want to delete the email account rather than struggle through now possibly thousands of messages.

blogger-catBlogging isn’t just writing and hitting publish. It is promoting others, visiting blogs for camaraderie with hopes of collecting insightful nuggets – personal gems of inspiration, commenting and replying to comments from new and faithful followers and so much more. On the outskirts peeping in the whole time is building/maintaining a presence on social media that eats away at the time often consuming so much that other things are left along the wayside.

I’m tired. There are days when I don’t feel like doing it all…Blogging (keeping up two blogs), Pinterest, Scoop.it, Facebook, Twitter, Tumbler, Hootsuite and so on and so on and so on. There are days when I simply can’t do it all.

But…I won’t give up!

blogging-cat-wisdom-101

THANK YOU to all my wonderful virtual friends who pick me up even when you don’t know it! THANK YOU for your visits, comments, following even though I have been neglectful in reciprocating the past couple of weeks. This too shall pass for tomorrow IS another day!

Have-a-Happy-Day

For what’s happenin’, new vibes & music memories, foodie fun of the day, this day in history, etc., join me @Awakenings

5 Comments »