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!

CATNIP OF LIFE on the ROCKS (Literally)

Last week I had a photoshoot along the jetties at Panama City Beach, FL. This was scheduled to accompany an article I was asked to write about the Catnip of Life, which will be published during the month of June (Stroll Grand Lagoon – Delivering Neighborhood Connections). The photo shoot was an absolute blast! There are always stories to tell and of course, there is a ‘doozy’ behind this photo.

There were quite a number of photo shoots going on the day we were at the jetties. Some photographers had their professional equipment set up in the sand, while others were shooting with their phones. Mandjo Brokaw had just finished a shot when I turned around and spotted a young man standing tall on top of the same rock as depicted below. Another young man was snapping pictures with his phone.

Without even thinking twice, I turned to Mandjo Brokaw and exclaimed, “I want a photo on top of that rock (pointing to the young man as he stood proudly upon the rock, which was about 6 ft above the sand)! In an instant, I approached the young man with the camera after he finished snapping pictures.

Yes! I introduced myself and asked a favor. “I want a picture on that rock but need assistance getting to the top.” He grabbed me by the hand and up we went! I was barefoot so had to be careful because the sand was slippery on the rocks. He was steady as could be and led me right to the top, stepped aside, and I raised my hands to the glory of our Heavenly Father! (The young man’s name is Colin and very handsome!) 🙂

My only regret is that I didn’t have more pictures taken while I was there, perhaps sitting, instead of only standing, and on one foot, instead of both feet! hahahahaha Tomorrow IS another day and the jetties are surely not going anywhere soon!

Observe. Listen. Embrace. Breathe. Savor. Life to Its Fullest!

http://www.catnipoflife.info

#jetties #beachlife #nature #fun #photoshoot

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Live from the Catnip of Life

This is a FB live I completed on Thursday, May 11,2023. Even though wishes are expressed for a Terrific Thursday, the message holds fast any day of the week: Marvelous Monday, Thrilling Tuesday, Wonderful Wednesday, Terrific Thursday, Fabulous Friday, Super Saturday, and Splendid Sunday.

Step outside into the catnip of life! Need help in learning more about this catnip? Visit catnipoflife.info Click the tab Books & Contact for the new release Catnip of Life! Grab your copy today! You can walk hand in hand with Mother Nature regardless of a bright sunny day or amidst grey clouds and stormy weather. Like the effects catnip has on the cat, reel with excitement or relax in tranquility!

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Catnip word of the day: “petrichor”

Enjoy the simple things in life. . . learn to dance in the rain! Rain is fascinating. Rain is refreshing. Rain is rejuvenating. Rain is. . .

You finish the sentence as you see, feel, hear, even smell the rain. Speaking of the smell, while water is odorless, there is a distinct smell to rain, particularly after a dry spell. It is a pleasant, earthy smell that has a name – “petrichor.”

Did you know there is science behind rain? Yes, it is much more than simply water falling from the sky at which point you usually run so you don’t get wet!

As a kid, you probably loved to play in the rain. Run, jump, splash, even dance. Why should such joy be limited to days reminiscent of childhood? Afterall, you have an inner child that never grows old living and loving life to its fullest.

From the Catnip of Life. . .

Rain dances to many rhythms from drizzle to sprinkle, steady flow to downpour. It makes its own music as tiny to big raindrops scatter or merge gracefully like a ballerina or eye-catching as a flash dance. What about that sweet, pungent smell? Is it truly the rain emitting an odor, the rain interacting with the air, or the reaction of rain striking the earth? There’s definitely a fresh, earthy smell well before first drops fall. Actually, with an approaching rainstorm’s climb in humidity, the odor rises up from its earthly embrace. That’s the moment you say, “It smells like rain!”

SMELL THE RAIN

Ah! Nothing like the aroma
Of fresh-baked homemade bread
Or that distinct powerful scent
Warm cinnamon rolls spread!

Such succulent senses
Can dull any pain
But have you ever stopped
To smell morning rain?

Peace abides in the meadow
’Til twilight in the countryside
Where wet spicy fragrances
Of newly-cut timbers abide

Subtle, soothing perfumes
The colorful wildflowers yield
But have you ever stopped
To smell rain in a grassy field?

With morning light
A bracing essence drifts by
As sunbeams peep
From behind clouds in the sky

A bold rainbow arches
O’er a weather vane
But have you ever stopped
To smell lashing rain?

A farm road embraces
An afternoon shower
As dusty mist bathes
Each tree, every flower

Within a few moments
Freshness of senses is bestowed
But have you ever stopped
To smell rain on a dusty road?

What is this rain smell
Of which I so speak?
Somewhat surprising
And always unique

Breathe in the rain smells
Part of Mother Nature’s domain
Dance in the puddles
Left behind by the pouring rain

When the forecast is rainfall
Break away from daily routines
Let the rhythms of falling rain
Compose a song of tranquil scenes

Let the rain kiss you. Let the rain beat upon your head with liquid silver drops. Let the rain sing you a lullaby.
—Langston Hughes (American Poet, 1902–1967)

Visit catnipoflife.info

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Touch of Catnip. . .

Catnip is all about life. The excitement. The wonder. The tranquility. Most of all, it is awareness of knowing that all three abound in conspicuous, as well as inconspicuous, places. Some glare you right in the face but go unnoticed, yet await your personal discovery.

The cat chases the mouse

cat-mouse-horizontal-line

The frog catches the fly

Frog-fly-line

The dice keep rollin’

rolling-dice

As tunes rock on by

music-line-animation

*****

Such are happenin’s
That daily life brings
With chases and captures
Come emotional stings

*****

Within ties that bind
Bumps and knots along the way
Thoughts of sights ahead
Bring smiles at close of day

smiley-line

*****

Perhaps it’s ocean waves
Stars twinkling in the night sky
The hugs, the tender kisses
The dance you can’t deny

*****

Maybe it’s none of these
Perhaps they’re all rolled into one
Within each day that passes
It’s life. It’s love. It’s fun.

 Advice-from-the-cat

All part of the Catnip of Life!

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Comment on Comments

With the launch and availability to obtain a copy of the Catnip of Life comes time for feedback in the form of comments on social media and reviews. What I have been receiving has been a mixture of pluses and minuses, which is to be expected. Writing is an art and oftentimes the intent of the writer vs. that of the reader mismatches. Also, to be taken into consideration, are the multiple genres available for reading. Most people have a favorite author or genre.

Catnip of Life is poetry, a hard sell but an easy read. The second page of the book makes the theme of this book of poetic verses very clear: Your gateway to understanding Mother Nature’s footprints by Sharla Lee. The end of Catnip of Life is YOUR beginning as you hopefully walk in the footsteps of nature with a newly found perspective.

Bottom Line: Grab your copy of Catnip of Life! Understand it is a book of poetry devoted to bringing deeper consciousness and awareness of nature to the forefront and the impact Mother Nature has on human nature.

LinkedIn

Overall, my impression of Catnip of Life by Sharla Lee is that it is a beautifully written and well-formatted book of poetry that offers a thought-provoking and meditative experience for the reader. The focus on nature and the invitation to appreciate its beauty and connect with it is a refreshing reminder in our busy modern lives.

— Len Tien 2nd degree connection2ndSales Staff at Viettel Group

I am not a fan of poetry, but I was impressed by the beautiful graphics on the cover. After sampling the introduction pages and reading the review on OBC, I gained the impression that ‘Catnip of Life’ is very well-written with enormous attention to detail. This book of the day would be great for those who enjoy poetry, those who are just starting to explore this art form.

— Anna H. Education Consultant

One thing I like about poems is that they help us understand important themes in a simple and lovely manner. Although I am not keen on reading collection of poems, I might give this one a try.

— Selmug Voruma, Student at University Diego Portales

Review on Amazon from the United Kingdom

This has to be one of the most impressive books of poetry I have recently read. Sharla Lee’s motivational artistry imprints the soul. She observes with a calm keen eye and a quiet soul. Wisdom lifts the spirit—perceive with a listening call.

Be appreciated by your friends. Gift them a copy of this book: lyrics pulsing with such rhythm will become a blessing.

— Eliza E., United Kingdom

Review on Amazon from the US

Every poem in this collection reads exactly like a motivational poster hung eye-level across the toilet of your beachside AirB&B. Each of these delightfully repetitive verses (seriously, a person can only read the words “bird”, “tree”, and “Mother Nature” so many times). . .

— Bo

My Overall Takeaway: Thank you for taking the time to post a comment. If we were all lovers of the same genre of reading, where would be the diversity?

From the Catnip of Life:

Do you witness the splendor of a sunrise or face just another day?

SPLENDOR OF SUNRISE

It is morning. Just another day.
Or is it? How do you see it?
Rising early, sleeping late?
It’s all in how you begin it.

I arise with the sun
Etching depth into the hour
Promising, eventual
Wondrous, splendid power

The sunrise

It’s gorgeous. It’s glorious.
It amplifies. It deifies.

Poetry Vs. Fiction

There are four major genres of literature: poetry, drama, nonfiction, and fiction. While poetry might be the first mentioned, it is not necessarily first choice. Poetry relishes in moments of time and space, keen observation, and acute listening in order to make sense of the world around us. It is very emotive usually in small doses, small moments, of minutiae. Fiction, for example, focuses more so on people and represents more of a character study. It can also be very emotive but in much larger doses with character sketches, scenes, and beginnings/endings of stories.

With fiction, we always seem to begin with the end in mind. Our thoughts wander throughout the reading as to what will happen next and how will it end. Poetry is different. A book of poetry can be read from its beginning page to the end. OR poems can be randomly selected according to the mood of the moment with a single poem being read over and over again garnering new emotions with each new reading. With fiction, it is what it is.

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CATNIP OF LIFE – Book of the Day

Catnip of Life was submitted to OnlineBookClub.org for review. Catnip received a 4/4 review from a level 4 reviewer, which made it eligible for Book of the Day. At the time of the review, the highest level was a 4. Since that time, the 4/4 has become 5/5, which makes the two equivalent.

Thank you, Scott Hughes, for OnlineBookClub.org and all followers for your engagement and downloading of my book. Have a blessed day! Enjoy the catnip!

Remember, the intention of Catnip of Life is
for you to experience through nature
what cats experience through catnip –
that intense excitement or effortless tranquility. 

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CATNIP OF LIFE Hot Off the Press. . . It’s official!

The book Catnip of Life was launched March 02, 2023 @ Amazon!

Your own dose of catnip is now available for purchase!

Kindle $.99 through the weekend.

Paperback $19.95 for those who prefer book in hand.

The intention of Catnip of Life is for you to experience through nature what cats experience through catnip – that intense excitement or effortless tranquility. Using poetry as a tool to spread happiness and positivity, I am already working on two sequels (smaller versions) titled A Touch of Catnip and Voices in Nature. These serve as daily quick reminders and refreshers as you continue to Observe Life at Its Best, Listen to Life’s Songs, Embrace Life’s Bounties, Breathe the Breath of Life, and Savor Life to Its Fullest!

NOTE: I am publishing under my maiden name Sharla Lee. Most people misspell my last name, Shults, because they simply have a difficult time understanding Shults can be spelled without the “c” and/or the “z.”

Then, of course, there is the matter of pronunciation. We will stay away from some of those, for many could be deemed x-rated. LOL, My publisher said, “Let’s keep it simple. Hopefully, only a few people can possibly misspell or mispronounce Lee!”

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The Pulse of Life

heart_beats

From the first heartbeat to the last, there’s a rhythm to life known to us all in the form of music. . . slow beats, rapid beats, beats out of sync, skipped beats, irregular beats, beats that make the heart flutter. The pulse of life changes as moods swing and bodies sway in accordance with the sequence of stressed and unstressed beats until the final beat falls silent.

Remain on-beat thwarting those off-beat moments that attempt to set you off balance. Keep upbeat with a pep in your step as you reach out for the sun or walk in the rain. It’s all in the music…the music called life

And, what better way to enjoy life than hand in hand with Mother Nature. That is the Catnip of life. . . reel with excitement or relax in tranquility! Just like the music, ride the waves like dancing the Jitterbug or flow along with a mountain stream like the Vienna Waltz. 

Music-Heart-Beats

Heartbeats

Observe life at its best, Listen to life’s songs, Embrace life’s bounties,

Breathe the breath of life, Savor life to its fullest!

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The Essence of Poetry

Do you consider yourself a lover of poetry or have you always shrugged at the thought of having to read poetry? Unfortunately, poetry carries with it the possibility of misunderstanding or totally not understanding at all the intent of the poet. It is deep within a matter of perception. Poetry written with vision presents pictures/scenes with words. As you read The Essence of Poetry, create not only a vision in your mind but a feeling in your heart. Listen to the rhythm of the words in the same manner as you would a song.

Poetry is rhythmic
A melody like song
Striking the heartstrings
As life moves along

Tones are soothing
Loving sometimes
Words are healing
Calming the mind

Verses of visions
Paint a picture
Share a moment
Incite a venture

Lyrics that sing
Summon caressing
Pulse with rhythm
Become a blessing

With nature’s embrace
Spirits unfold
Laughter amid tears
Capture the soul

Poetry is art. The canvas is the mind. Thoughts are the paintbrush.
Catnip of Life

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From Tears to Smiles

A true story. . .

Today has been exploding with energy! On my early morning walk, I encountered Lily, a little girl about 5 or 6 years old, standing at the corner sobbing. I stopped and asked if she needed help. Was she hurt?

No, not physically. Her brother was on his bike peddling up the sidewalk and had left her standing at the corner. She said her father told her she could go no farther than the corner where I found her. So, there she stood with tears streaming down her face all alone.

I reached out with open arms and offered that we quieten her tears with a big hug. We stood there embracing as time seemed to stand still. I explained to her that her father was only trying to protect her.

I took her by the hand and we walked to her house where her dad was vacuuming the car. I asked if it would be okay for me to walk Lily to where her brother had stopped. He recognized me so I was no stranger and he said yes.

I told Lily we were going on a short journey and she needed to hold my hand tight. When we crossed the road leading to where I lived, I explained that was a river flowing with energy. Then, when we came to a bicycle bar along the sidewalk, I told her that was the bridge to a beautiful garden and for her to picture her favorite flowers.

We met her brother and then, turned around and headed back to the house. Along the way, we stopped, gathered and gave energy to a large tree. With both our arms, we could reach all the way around the tree’s trunk. When her brother passed by, he asked why we were hugging the tree. I explained that the tree is life that thrives on love, giving and receiving energy throughout the day and night.

We continued on our way and had I had a rearview mirror, it would have been interesting to see if the brother stopped to hug the tree.

I left her with her dad smiling, instead of sobbing feeling left out and alone. I continued on my walk knowing I had encountered the two kids that would be instrumental in listening as I write and complete my most challenging writing. . . a children’s book connecting a child with nature.

What a glorious day! We never know who or what is going to cross our path on any given day. Be grateful for all blessings received and give thankfulness in return.

Note: The photo was taken a while back when visiting family in South Carolina.

#writing #help #love #energy #grateful #streaming

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