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  • Dorian

    Dorian

    Today I made a stop in Valdosta, GA. Although they don’t expect to see too much from Hurricane Dorian, they have been preparing. People have been advised to gas their vehicles up and have extra water.



    Besides checking out the news, I got a few more swamp shots.


    I pray everyone is prepared and stays safe 💗

    Tracking Hurricane Dorian

  • Swamp Lands

    Swamp Lands

    by Thela 🦊 Foxgood

    We went wandering through swamp lands this weekend. It was nice to let nature soak into our souls for a bit and take a break from the bustle and hustle of daily life.


    “It would be an ill thing if wonders were for the seeing and we without the seeing them.”

    -Pwyll, Prince of Dyfed, in The Fates of the Princes of Dyfed by Kenneth Morris


    “The fire divine in all things burning
    Seeks the mystic heart anew,
    From its wandering far again returning
    Child, to you.”

    -George Russell, Benediction


    I’ve seen this written in two different ways. Here is one version:

    *****

    “The first time I saw him he was cooking mushrooms for himself.

    The next time he was asleep under a hedge, smiling to himself.

    Assuredly, some joy not quite of this steadfast earth lightens in those eyes…”

    -William Butler Yeats, Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry


    The Water Lily

    The botanical name Nymphaea is from Nymphe, the goddess of springs. Some believe that water lilies are nymphs and it is said that water lilies grow where nymphs play.


    My photos are taken 💖 with IPhone

  • Post-It Notes 12

    Post-It Notes 12

    Patience takes a gardener’s mentality. You plant the seed, then wait and trust the process.

    Know that growth is happening, even when you can’t see it right away.


    Photo@Pixabay

  • Set your Mind and Heart

    Set your Mind and Heart

    by Micah

    My son recently made this video. The view sure made me homesick. I’d love some of that sand between my toes right now! Thank you Micah for all that you are. ❤️❤️❤️



    I don’t know what inspires me more: your words or that you are saying this at age 20.

    All my love, Mom

    Ps. I wish I could move like that!


    Photo@Unsplash

  • Coherent Narrative

    Coherent Narrative

    by Beth Haley

    I was asked the other day, “How do you make sense of your past?”

    My initial response was:


    What does it mean, “to make sense of your past?” I really didn’t know what to say and so the quest began. Making sense of our past could begin with this question:

    How do we explain who we are in the present?


    How we feel about the past shapes our present.


    How do we feel about the past?

    What is our understanding of why things happened the way that they did?

    What has been the impact of past events on our development?

    These answers tell our story. Especially, the story we tell ourselves. This story can show how the past may be limiting us today. Which is why this question is asked:

    “How do you make sense of the past?”


    Why else would we want to make sense of the past?

    “…if you don’t make sense of your life and you’ve had really, really difficult things in the past, the research shows that you’re likely just to repeat them.”

    -Dr. Dan Siegel


    This explains why this question could be asked, so my question is: How does one do this?

    I found this writing prompt today for writing a coherent narrative of the stories from your past. It is at, Psychalive.org


    “Making sense is a source of strength and resilience. In my twenty- five years as a therapist, I’ve also come to believe that making sense is essential to our well-being and happiness.”

    Daniel J. Siegel, M.D. Mindsight: The New Science of Personal Transformation 2010, New York, NY: Bantam Books



    Photo@Unsplash

  • “Spicy” Inspiration!

    “Spicy” Inspiration!

    by Beth Haley

    Doing the things you love, is to share your gifts and talents with the world. There are things that only you can do. Just because you’re you. Barbara Sher believes that, “If you’re doing what you love, you’re doing what you were born to do.”


    “I don’t want you happy because I’m the best mom that ever lived. I want you happy because if you’re doing what makes you happy, you are contributing your talent to the world.”

    -Barbara Sher


    Each of us is exceptionally good at something!


    Barbara Sher has a very spicy way of sharing this message!


    What do you love to do? Spend some time journaling all the things you love!

    Photo@Unsplash

  • The Cook’s Cryptogram Winner!

    The Cook’s Cryptogram Winner!

    The winner of The Cook’s Cryptogram is Alysiafun!



    The original cryptogram:

    XPR JEZ BOVMM EMHPQS EZX LNBNSEFMN VZ SAN PLNZ, EZC VS HEGNQ E CNMVJVPRQ EZC NEQX QVCN. QMVJN SANH, QDONEC SANH PRS PZ E JPPGVN QANNS, EZC COVTTMN E MVSSMN PMVLN PVM, E KELPOVSN JAPDDNC ANOF, EZC QPHN QEMS EZC DNDDNO PLNO SAN SPDQ. DMEJN VZSP E APS PLNZ (400 CNBONNQ). NYDNOVHNZS WVSA CVKKNONZS QNEQPZVZBQ EZC AELN KRZ NESVZB WNMM!


    The answer:

    You can grill almost any vegetable in the oven, and it makes a delicious and easy side. Slice them, spread them out on a cookie sheet, and drizzle a little olive oil, a favorite chopped herb, and some salt and pepper over the tops. Place into a hot oven (400 degrees). Experiment with different seasonings and have fun eating well!


    The Cook’s Cryptogram

    Calling Code Breakers

    Code Breaker Winner

  • Reading Labels

    Reading Labels

    by Beth Haley

    This week, one assignment for school is to become more aware of the micronutrient content of certain foods. So the challenge is to pick a packaged food that you eat often, and read the nutrition facts label.

    Are there any micronutrients that surprise you?


    I picked Blackstrap Molasses.

    Just as we usually change clothes every day, it is a good idea to swap supplements out every so often so that you’re not taking the same things every single day. This gives your body a variety of nutrients, or the same nutrients in different ways. I do the same thing with herbs, by changing them out with the seasons.

    I take Blackstrap a few times a week because of the micronutrient iron, which is at 20%. Potassium is also 20%.


    Note: Blackstrap is an acquired taste. I usually mix it into drinks. This can ruin the drink if you really don’t like it, so it might take some experimenting to find a way in which you like to eat it. When I’m in a hurry, I just eat it by the spoon-full. This can be a cringe-worthy endeavor!

  • Greatest Risk Factor to our Health

    Greatest Risk Factor to our Health

    What is the greatest risk factor to our health?

    From 1955-1961 there was a research study done in Roseto, Pennsylvania. The study was to determine why the population didn’t have the same rate of heart disease that was seen in the rest of the states.


    “There was no suicide, no alcoholism, no drug addiction, and very little crime. They didn’t have anyone on welfare. They looked at peptic ulcers. They didn’t have any of those either. These people were dying of old age. That’s it.”

    -John Bruhn, Oklahoma sociologist


    Was it diet?

    They found that the people had a high fat diet, such as meatballs fried in lard. They were obese, didn’t exercise, and smoked.

    So what was the difference? Lissa Rankin discusses this study on TEDx.


    The #1 Public Health Issue Doctors Aren’t Talking About | Lissa Rankin, MD | TEDxFargo


    A Lesson on the True Cause of Heart Disease

    The Roseto Effect

    About Lissa Rankin

    Whole Health Medicine Institute

    LisaRankin.com

    Photo@Unsplash

  • The Cook’s Cryptogram

    The Cook’s Cryptogram

    If: e = a and z = n

    Xpr jez bovmm emhpqs ezx lnbnsefmn vz san plnz, ezc vs hegnq e cnmvjvprq ezc neqx qvcn. Qmvjn sanh, qdonec sanh prs pz e jppgvn qanns, ezc covttmn e mvssmn pmvln pvm, e kelpovsn japddnc anof, ezc qphn qems ezc dnddno plno san spdq. Dmejn vzsp e aps plnz (400 cnbonnq). Nydnovhnzs wvsa cvkknonzs qneqpzvzbq ezc aeln krz nesvzb wnmm!


    My favorite to roast of late has been eggplant to make Baba Ganoush and Moussaka with.


    Cryptogram Tips

    The Last Code Breaker Winner!