Extraordinarily Orange - Time, Love and Inspiration

"Anything that follows the laws of nature is worth your consideration." ~Cicero

"No one can go back and make a brand new start. Anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending." Author unknown

"Against birth and death there are no cures, except to make full use of the time in between." ~Santanaya

Love one another.

Before an omen arises, it's easy to take preventive measures.
What is still soft is easily melted;
What is still small is easily scattered.
Deal with things in their formative state;
Put things in order before they grow confused.

[Tao Teh Ching]

When you are inspired by some great purpose, some extraordinary project, all your thoughts break their bonds;
Your mind transcends limitations, your consciousness expands in every direction, and you find yourself in a new, great and wonderful world.
Dormant forces, faculties and talents become alive, and you discover yourself to be a greater person by far than you ever dreamed yourself to be.
- Patanjali

"Be who we are, and become what we are capable of becoming; that's the goal of life." ~Robert Louis Stevenson

Rawlicious Lunch

Smoothies:
Mono Blanco, Tropical Green and a Raspberry Beret

Pizza

Zucchetti Pasta with Olive Coconut Curry Sauce

Bonne Sante!

Happy Mothers Day - Pot Luck - in back at the Sprout Farm

This beautiful rose is for my Mom.. who is the best mom ever! I love you!!!
Thank you for just being you. I know this sounds hokey and everyone says it.. but I am serious.. and you know your Mom is special when all your friends get excited when she is coming & start booking lunch and tea dates (spiritual and art appointments) with her. Honestly, I could not have picked better and I am so proud and happy to always have Mom to call and talk to.
Thank you so much Mom!!! xox

I feel like I have been on a little trip through the twilight zone and back - I think its part of the whirlwind full-on long, long, days transitioning into a new life and then having a day off - wow! It all kind of hits you. Lots of stuff to process. I'm feeling kind of emotionally exhausted but feeling like its going to pass soon and I will be blossoming again - spring is here and summer is coming! Yay!!

So, there was a pot luck at Sprouts again last night, and I went but late, after work, and didn't take pics this time of the front but went and took pics in back of the plants growing - part of the twilight zone thing I guess.. but all these plants are just so wonderful to be around ..I think they give off an incredible life-force energy just being around them.. and watching them - and they are so beautiful..



I promise I am coming back - full-on - soon!

But right now - I am exhausted!
Good Night
Sweet Dreams
I love you!!
Bbs..

Sushi and Nori

This is Sushi & Nori. Aren't they cute!?! Maria & I love them. Sushi is mine, the orange & white, top right and Nori is Marias at the bottom center. They started out as a gift for Angus, long story having to do with boiled fish.. not going there - lol - & I am rushing back to see them now, but will be back later on to post more pics from Rawlicious!
Have a wonderful day!!

Glasswing Butterflies - Hooked up and Getting in the Groove

Glasswing Butterflies - aren't they beautiful!?!

I am feeling like I am almost in a groove again. ..ready to start posting regularly and soon I will be getting the book stuff out to begin working on again. I had lost my harddrive a week or two before I moved and with it about a week of work & then just left it until after I got set up here.. & I'm almost there. Not quite, but almost. I have a dining table disassembled and lying on my floor, it came earlier tonight and was missing the hardware to put it together. One interesting thing is that lately there seem to be delays and little things go wrong with my furniture and deliveries. I kind of feel each time like its the universe saying to slow down, be patient, flow - it'll all get done. But I feel a need to have this place completed - livable and comfortable. ..and I kind of want it all done Now! I'm sure thats from all the transition and being so transient for the few months before I moved, I felt like I was living out of bags. It's really nice to get settled now. I'll post some pics of my new place soon.

I just got a gym membership earlier this evening also. Thats exciting!! ..and even had time before they closed for a quick workout and sauna.. Nice!!

It was a great day off, lots got done - shopping downtown, a beautiful new duvet that I get to go crawl into very soon. Yes! It's go great being right on the subway line - just across the street. I was downtown in about 15 minutes. cool. Rogers came and hooked me up again - had a few internet/cable problems that got all fixed up. (Thanks Maurice!) Nice to be back online and with you again. Then had a beautiful walk in my new neighbourhood, Bloor West Villiage. Bought a big bunch of red tulips to put in my new red vase. So pretty.. and now I must go join them and my new big fluffy white duvet ..Sweet Dreams.

: ) 'Night bbs, promise

Water, Meditiating, Strength, Truth and Happiness

"Be gentle with yourself. You are the truth unfolding."
- Joseph Goldstein

In this world there is nothing softer or thinner than water.
But to compel the hard and unyielding it has no equal.
That the weak overcomes the strong,
That the hard gives way to the gentle –
This everyone knows, yet no one acts accordingly.
- Lao-Tse

"The lesson which life repeats and constantly enforces is look under foot. You are always nearer the divine and true sources of your power than you think. The lure of the distant and difficult is deceptive. The great opportunity is where you are. Do not despise your own place and hour. Every place is under the stars, every place is the center of the world." ~ John Burroughs

He who smiles rather than rages is always the stronger
~ Japanese wisdom

1. Just watch everything happen. This is the same thing as surrendering.

2. The reason you can't do it is because you're afraid of your own mind.

3. To do it, you have to stop the continuous squinching that makes you you.

4. The self that gets lost in thoughts is also a thought.

5. Everything of which you can be aware is a mental event, including the "me" who thinks it's aware.

6. That "me" is the thought that Ramana Maharshi says is last to go, his "I-thought." His method aims at suffocating that thought by placing all attention on it.

7. One of thinking's main purposes is to say "this really exists" and "that does not," but this distinction isn't useful for meditation.

8. Forget about the nature of reality. This is about phenomenology.

9. Watching takes the fun out of thoughts. The pain, too.

10. All thinking is motivated by an intention (intention is not quite the right word, but the proper word does not exist) to excite a feeling.

11. Nothing you think can make you happy for very long.

12. Being lost in thoughts is a form of masturbation.

13. This instruction sums it up: don't daydream. Or does it?

14. And this one too: be aware. But it makes a difference whether you are aware of something or of anything.

15. You can play a lot of games with meditation that are pure wastes of time.

16. Gurdjieff's self-remembering is the same thing as Theravada's mindfulness.

17. Minds are incredibly prone to travel in ruts.

18. The reason we have to do this stuff -- seek relief from unhappiness, meditate, get enlightened -- is that nature designed our minds for brains that were much less intelligent than the ones we have.

19. Small children hum like cats when they eat. The memory is worth recovering.

~Freddie Yam - What I've Learned from Meditating

He who smiles rather than rages is always the stronger

-Japanese wisdom

The greatest revelation is stillness.
~ Lao-Tse

Enso Moving - Simple and Profound

On Friday I spent the whole day packing up our house which just closed last night.

Look - we had Orbs! Cool!!!

Monday morning - view out the front door - the bin is full and the moving truck has just arrived to take away the things I am bringing to my new place.

Last item from the truck - this was a bureau that I have lived with since I was in grade 1.

Done!

I thought this was funny - taking pictures while jammed tight in an elevator.

My new place!
It's a funny thing about perspective. There are so many ways you can look at every situation. I have lived in houses for so long, always into gardening, etc .. and now I am living in a high rise - wow!
I used to look at these buildings almost like cages and not wanting to live in one, now they represent freedom. It's an interesting adjustment - I don't even have to take out the garbage, and they are really into composting and recycling here, no shoveling - there are a couple pools, nice grounds, ..Ah, Zoey's here walking all over the desk and my keyboard - he seems to be adjusting quite nicely also - ..ok, now hes settled on my lap. He's much more cuddly than usual. & I am spending as much time home as possible to be with him. He meows a bit more than usual (like a talking meowing), but hes pretty content.

Right now I am sitting here in this corner. I have a new desk, big -glass and silver, very modern which was given to me, and a vase of fresh cut flowers, and I am overlooking a very cool view of other buildings and the city all lit up at night. It's quite beautiful.

Angus just happened to have finishing nails in his pocket to fix my bureau - how amazing is that!
Huge, huge thanks to Angus and Richard for all the help!!!

Hanuman Chalisa

The Hanuman Chalisa is Tulsidas' most famous and wisely read poem of 40 verses written in praise of Lord Hanuman. Many recite it as a prayer on a regular basis (daily or weekly on Tuesdays and Saturdays). It is said to provide inner-strength and deliverance from ones troubles.

Getting Settled - New Speakers in the Sun

De Phazz Tribute Mix


Richard Durand - Sunhump


De Phazz - Looking at the Sun - Live!

Moving Zoey

So, I am right in the middle of moving. I moved all my things yesterday. I went last night & bought a few new things for my new apartment - suite actually, it's kind of between an apartment and a condo. It's really nice, small but nice. I still have lots to unpack.. but this morning I am heading out to get Zoey, my black cat.

Zoey is my main concern for this move.. he's going from being an outdoor/indoor cat who lives in a house to an indoor apartment cat. I was thinking I can take him out sometimes but have been advised (by many people) against it. I am apprehensive to get him declawed so went out last night to get clippers and will learn how to trim his nails.. and got a scratching post, condo thing and litterbox, treats etc. & found out from the pet store that they have raw food. So I got his regular food, cause he is used to that.. but will probably try to transition him to raw. After all hes used to catching birds & probably mice also. (but I have caught him with birds!)
At least I am saving some of the wildlife! lol
ok,.. time to get him.

Hope he's ok, I have to work today, but will be back early to be with him. (& my internet gets connected tonight & furniture coming - Yay!

Anita Kreituse - Painted Dreams

An art intermission from my piles of boxes. I am moving in the morning, right after an appt. with the lawyer at 7 am (closing of house) and then heading right over after dropping off boxes to Rawlicious, cause Maria is taking over while Angus helps move me. (Love to you both!!)

Dreamy images seem so appropriate, and I will be there dreaming soon.. soo tired, what a week!

Oh & btw, my finger is still not so pretty but healing incredibly rapidly. It seems Dr McDreamy was right and my finger was so big because probably the bone had shattered inside and was not infected like I thought - although I did wash it out well for a few days in alcohol and eat a lot of garlic, host defense, propolis, oil of oregano, as advised, just in case. & I am still MRSing it often.

ok, Painted Dreams - Good Night, sleep well & I'll see you from the other side.




From her website:

Since Anita was a child she often felt the coexistence of simultaneous worlds at the same observation point. Worlds which are so difficult to describe. Worlds which do not compete for dominance but rather complement one another.

So she started to paint instead of talking about what she feels, what her dreams are made of.

Rawlicious Kids and Desserts and Hugs

We made chocolate fondue today (twice) for the first time. Raw fondue - now thats exceptional - That was Angus's idea.. we slowly melt Fred's Coffee Cardamom Truffle Chocolate over a tealight warmer, slowly so it doesn't get hot quickly, just enough to melt. It's so delicious!!

One of my favorite things today was an older East Indian woman who came before leaving and asked if sh could give me a hug - she thanked me and said what a beautiful kitchen and that she could feel the love in the food. I got some really great hugs today!!

Blueberry Cheezecake

Rawlicious nursery ; ) ..it's a great place for kids, they love it here!

Our first fondue!

Apple pie