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Each day that we are given that sees us alive and moving forward is a blessing. We are blessed just to be here, now, on this earth, living these lives. As we approach Thanksgiving, I just wanted to share some of the little joys in life that I am thankful for.
-My husbands eternally warm body that I use as my own personal hand and foot warmer. Thanks for enduring that torture for me!
-The outstretched arms of a toddler wanting his mommy.
-Tickles (as long as its not me getting the tickling!).
-Thumb rests on coffee mugs.
-When I say we are having spinach or salad for part of our meal, and I get cheers from Keenan.
-A warm cup of something yummy on a cold snowy day.
-Baking with little helpers.
-An honest and loving circle of family and friends.
-Having another year still in my 20’s.
-The moments of silence after the children have drifted off to sleep.
-The contagious laughter of my oldest.
-The bear hugs from my youngest.
-Celebrating the holiday season though decorations and music.
-Listening to the George Winston Album “December” for the first time since last year (I know, kinda strange, but Its my way of welcoming in the holidays.)
-Fresh herbs.
-Honoring old traditions.
-Creating new traditions.
-Being open to and following intuition and coincidences, and watching what comes of it.
-Watching my kids become interested in the music and other things that I love and share with them.
-The few moments when my boys actually play really nice together or show each other affection.
-Curling up with a good book or magazine.
-Giving and receiving unexpected kindness.
-Eating warm comfort foods
-Seeing a hawk or owl while traveling.
-Each time I realize that I get to be a life teacher to my children.
-Knowing that those I love are moving about their lives in their own happy ways, as we all evolve and grow separately and together.
Thank you for listening, and taking time to think of all the things you too are thankful for.
*All images (except George Winston’s December) copyright Lindsay DuBois 2009
This year seems to just keep slipping away from me. I can’t believe it is November already, and suddenly I went from having plenty of time till the holidays, to watching it crash land on top of me. Had a great Halloween with the boys, had three days of parties and trick or treating! The candy is dwindling down, and soon the kids wont be running around with this sugar buzz that apparently increases the occurrence of selective hearing syndrome. I have gotten a lot of custom orders for the holidays, which is very exciting for me, so I’m working on getting those started and can be sure that will keep me busy. My friends Dave and Anne are getting married tomorrow down in Texas, and we are so sad we can’t make it, it is sure to be a hell of a party. I will be thinking of you guys! My little Gavin just turned 1 1/2 years old, is suddenly talking and just seems to look more like a little boy and less like a baby everyday. Also, since we live outside of town, we have to do a lot of planning for things that we need to do when we do venture into town a few times a week (takes a half an hour to get to grocery shopping and such). Not a horrible commute, but still don’t need to make extra trips. I admit that I am not a very organized person. I put a lot on my plate, and haven’t yet seemed to find a way to figure out how to best fit it in a nice, neat way into my life. It needs to happen though, cant see this chaos settling down for many years to come. I need to work on a meal plan for the family, growing VERY tired of the same foods. Figure if I can work out a months worth of food, that will make shopping easier, and we will be sure to get more variety in the nutrition department. Just almost need to plan time to make the plan, otherwise it keeps falling into that “Yes, I need to do that sometime” category. Have Thanksgiving coming up too, this is the first year that we will be without extended family. I know I will miss some of my favorites that others have made, but now have to decide what to do with wanting to make so much food for so few people. Then of course Christmas, which as we all know is generally madness especially now that I try to make more things, and do less unnecessary bulk consuming. Any suggestions on what you do to make it all easier and more organized? Perhaps I need to just shut my mind off for a bit, meditate, then I can work on it with a clearer head. I’ll go write that down in my planner so I don’t forget.
 Ready for Trick or Treating  Dave and Anne  Uh-Oh Spaghetti O's
My Husband just had his Birthday, so I (as is becoming tradition for all family birthdays) made a fun cake for him. He asked for chocolaty caramely goodness, and here you have it:
 Chocolate Toffee Cake I love making desserts from scratch, just feels soul satisfying to me somehow. This cake was made with an awesome base chocolate cake recipe, then the fun began. I added dark chocolate chips into the batter, put a layer of caramel on top, frosted it, then covered the top in sliced almonds, toffee bits, chocolate shavings and drizzled it with more caramel. Oh my, this is truly a death by chocolate type of cake. I tend to like layer cakes better, but as I was beginning to make this cake, I realized that I don’t even own a set of cake pans! How can this be?! Then I remembered that each time I have made a layer cake in the past, it has been while visiting for my father-in laws birthday, so I borrowed cake pans…this must be remedied before another birthday strikes! Here are a couple more pics of desserts past…try not to drool on the keyboard.
 Chocolate Raspberry Cake  Peppermint Mousse Cake  Tropical Ice Cream Cake  Pumpkin Pie  Guiness Cake  Chocolate Covered Pretzel Ice Cream Cake Have a good week world, and please, let them eat cake!
 - Wine Stem Wrap
So, I’ve been wanting to make these for a while now, been collecting the materials over the last few months as I came across them, and finally was able to play! I made this set for a friends birthday gift, and I think they turned out quite beautiful. The photos do no justice to the way the light bounces off them and makes them sparkle! I plan to make a bunch for the holidays, in all colors and prices ranges. What a lovely gift idea for wine lovers! If you are interested in a custom order, just let me know, I would love to make them for you! This set of wraps was made using crystals and twice fired Czechoslovakian glass beads. Cheers!
 
Came across this super tasty vodka, and what could be better than finding an eco-friendly cocktail! It truly is a very smooth vodka too, I will be making this my number one choice from now on! It comes in three flavors so far, I’ve only tried the regular, but it also comes in Double Chocolate (yum!) and Cola (interesting!?). You can send back the spring top in their postage paid envelope, and they will donate $1 to environmental causes. They have a list on their site of where to buy, but it is not complete, so check your local or specialty liquor stores, and if they don’t carry it, ask that they do! Here is a quote from the website, showing a bit of what they are working on to be kinder to the world…
“In addition to plans for other environmentally friendly products, McCormick Distilling is taking the following actions towards improving our collective environmental impact:
- Daily recycling of paper, printer toner and ink cartridges, cardboard, PET strapping material, plastic, shrink-wrap, aluminum cans and glass.
- Addition of an on-site recycling center.
- A number of our printers and fax machines have been configured to save paper by printing double sided.
- Installed CFL bulbs where possible and all computer & small appliances purchased are energy star rated.
- Eliminated paper towels, polystyrene utensils and beverage cups from our break rooms.
- Plastic wrapping bags, discarded from received shipments, are reused as trash bags.
- Any packaging or manufacturing equipment that can be reused or recycled is sent back to the OEM for expressly that purpose.
- Used oil generated from preventative maintenance is collected and sent to Safety Kleen for refinement and reuse.
We are also investigating other certifications and recognized EPA guidelines that we may be able to implement, further reaffirming our commitment to continuous improvements in meeting and exceeding environmental standards.
At McCormick Distilling Company, we realize the path to widespread eco-friendliness is not a journey completed in one leap. It is done step-by-step and day-by-day. We have accomplished a great deal, but there is still more work to be done and steps to be taken.
And so, we encourage all corporations, organizations and individuals to join us in taking whatever steps we can towards realizing a better, “greener” tomorrow for us all.”
I’ll drink to that!
http://www.vodka360.com
There is nothing quite like experiencing the sensory treats of fall. The sounds, smells, and visual display is something that each year brings me great joy and comfort, almost like a small child curling up in the loving arms of a mother. I have been decorating the house and can feel that familiar feeling of the end of summer. The decaying leaves are starting to make their sweet smell, and crunching underfoot. The temps are lowering, bringing thoughts of hot cider and cozy sweaters, and the garden is nearing the end of its season. I walked around my yard and found all the things that to me say “Autumn is here!” Thought I would share.
All images © Lindsay DuBois 2009
 I always seem to come across little bits of insight whenever I need it the most. As the summer winds down, and the first glimpses of fall appear, I’ve been thinking a lot of the cyclical nature of the universe and of our lives. I happened upon this quote, and it has been stuck in my mind for a few days now.
“The mark of your ignorance is the depth of your belief in injustice and tragedy. What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the master calls the butterfly.” – Richard Bach
How often do we get caught up in our own daily dramas, forgetting to look at the bigger picture, or at the cyclical nature of our own lives. Each end is an opportunity for a new beginning, so we must practice letting go of the unhealthy emotions and addictions that keep us in cycles of anger and self pity, looking instead for the possibility of renewal or change. If we look at the larger cycles of nature, and the universe, we begin to see how small these human dramas are in the larger cycle of our lives, and how they are nothing more than a waste of energy. In order to change our environment, we must first change how we perceive ourselves and our situations. When we come across a situation that seems like the end of our current way of life, we would be wiser to mourn its loss, and then instead of dwelling in this darkness, begin searching for the light that surely follows.
Above image © Lindsay DuBois 2009
So sweet, the first day of school. The anticipation and wonder of embarking on a new journey. So happy for my little boy who is growing up before my eyes!
In such a busy world, it is so important to step back, take a deep breath, and recenter ourselves. But how many of us do this daily? Weekly? I know there are plenty of people that do yoga, meditate or pray daily, but for the majority of people in this country I see a typical day going like this: wake up, drive to work while listening to news/music, work, drive home while listening to news/music, get home and turn on the zombie tube for a few hours, then off to bed to start all over again. No wonder so many people have trouble falling asleep, finally the mind is able to process the day, but its a sort of a subconscious worry session in our brains instead of a time to recenter. The more I contemplate this, the more I realize the absolute necessity of this time to recenter, even if its just 10 minutes in the morning and evening. If we don’t stop, breath, and process what we are doing and why, then how can we efficiently make decisions that better ourselves and the world around us. If we are constantly bombarded with stimuli, when do we find the solutions to our problems instead of just stressing about them?
I’m trying to get up a bit earlier, before the kids greet the morning in a chaotic blur, and taking time after they go to bed, to revel in the quite solitude of my home or back porch, intent on centering myself. I encourage you to try it, its actually quite refreshing.
Broken pebbles / scratched white with another stone, June, 1985, St. Abbs, The Borders © Andy Goldsworthy
Above sculpture by Andy Goldsworthy
I love living near the mountains. It is very soul cleansing to be surrounded by such beauty. My family and I take a lot of “drives” into the mountains, camera in hand, to see what fun things we can encounter. We may just drive and contemplate the geology of the area, or get out and wander a bit, searching for stones or driftwood that strike us in the right way. The education in nature and beauty that my boys will receive by living here is immeasurable.
I’ve realized how my perception has changed since moving here about nine months ago from the Midwest. Originally, I was so awe-struck by this majestic landscape that suddenly became my backyard. Some days we see herds of deer and antelope, cows, horses and buffalo roaming free, or the occasional elk, moose, or bear. We live close(ish) to Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks, so we have been able to explore the unspoiled beauty of those places as well. Since my recent trip back to the Midwest to visit my family however, I realized that I am no longer awe-struck by the beauty of my space. It is no less beautiful, and I stare out my window at it no less, yet it has now become the ordinary beauty that I live in everyday. It is something I have always dreamed of, living near mountains or oceans. And now I do.
All images © Lindsay DuBois 2009
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