Post-Winter Solstice

Winter Solstice is a time of cocooning

before the transformation of the new year,

so hold ceremonies to perpetuate

the renewal of life that comes in the spring.

Write down what you wish to create next year,

then roll up the paper and place it in the soil of a potted plant.

Every time you water it, remember that you're nurting your dreams.

Choose a hearty plant like peace lillies, which will last the whole year.

--Denise Linn, author of Soul Couching and Sacred Space

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I came across this the other night, though the Winter Solstice may have passed us last week, I still plan to roll up a piece of paper with my list of wishes and place it in a potted plant before year's end.

Morning Glory

"

Morning Glory
Originally uploaded by nieve44.

Merry Christmas"
"Joyeux Noel"
"Feliz Navidad"
"Frohe Weihnachten"
"Buon Natale"

Season Glow

From Texas for a Christmas Night
Originally uploaded by nieve44.

Music: Tish Hinojosa

Mood: Caroling

"Angel wings and candle light from Texas for a Christmas night. In my mind a western sky fills my heart with stars inside. A tale of hope from long ago still glistens like new fallen snow. Boughs of green and songs of old make the season glow..."

Here's wishing that your Holiday season

is filled with the glow of holiday lights and a river of stars.

Feliz Navidad.

Heart Still/Beating

ottmar liebert(clarity of vision)
Originally uploaded by mRio.

Under a full moon
beneath the confines of the Verizon Theatre
Pavane's moon glowed with a wink from La Luna. Silence (No More Longing) fell upon the crowd and with the strumming of strings
and the magic of percussion hundreds of hearts became still yet were beating as one
as they weaved their Tango of music.
One by one we all joined in their Carrousel
and discovered exotic locations like Santa Fe, Goa, Sao Paulo, Barcelona and Bethlehem. After the Bells tolled we were taken to the Underworld
where we were introduced to the Snakecharmer.
Before we knew it we were floating and dancing to
to the beat of Le Cafe (Arabian Dance) and the Tango.
Once again Ottmar, Jon and the rest of the band
cast their Duende del Amor on the audience and this fanmenco was
all too sad to see it end so soon.

Nonetheless, sweet memories remain such an Ottmar photo pass
and a very prized setlist that was at the foot of Ottmar's chair.
Yes, Santa Claus came early and these two items will be tucked away
in my LE box.

A very special thanks to Mario (fellow fanmenco) for making the evening possible & for photo. To Kim & Jhon--2 budding fanmencos who attended their first Ottmar concert. By the way, during the concert I almost forgot I had my photo pass and camera in hand. I only took a few photos but my crappy little camera couldn't do much without a flash and I didn't want to abuse the rules--although we did see a few blinking flashes from the audience.

Winter Rose

Winter Rose.

My own

Winter Rose

that blooms every

December.

I always look forward

to her

beauty

each year

and now I have

music

from which to enjoy her

and be inspired.

Seven Wonders

Seven Wonders

A group of students were asked to list what they thought were the present "Seven Wonders of the World." Though there were some disagreements, the following received the most votes:
1. Egypt's Great Pyramids
2. Taj Mahal
3. Grand Canyon
4. Panama Canal
5. Empire State Building
6. St. Peter's Basilica
7. China's Great Wall

While gathering the votes, the teacher noted that one student had not finished her paper yet. So she asked the girl if she was having trouble with her list. The girl replied, "Yes, a little. I couldn't quite make up my mind because there were so many."The teacher said, "Well, tell us what you have, and maybe we can help."The girl hesitated, then read, "I think the 'Seven Wonders of the World' are:

1. to See

2. to Hear

3. to Touch

4. to Taste

5. to Feel

6. to Laugh

7. and to Love

The room was so quiet you could have heard a pin drop. The things we overlook as simple and ordinary and that we take for granted are truly wondrous! A gentle reminder -- that the most precious things in life cannot be built by hand or bought by man.

After having had knee surgery, I am thankful for the gift of love and touch from that of my family, friends and loved ones. With the upcoming Ottmar concert I am thankful for the gift of seeing, hearing, feeling. At my friend's graduation party last night, I was thankful for the gift of laughter and taste--of all that wonderful food, drink and merriment.

Seven days...

OLVerizon
Originally uploaded by nieve44.

...in 7 days Ottmar will bring his current Holiday tour to Houston and I thought it would be nice to go back and re-live Ottmar's last concert. That concert was magical and looking forward to more magic on December 15, 2005.

In the LE boxed set of La Semana, Ottmar wrote a small intro about the song, Carrousel..."What a great loaded word...Carrousel of life comes to mind, carrousel of love, carnival, freak show, excitement, out of the ordinary, sweets, escape...etc..." Ottmar's concert here in Houston was all of the above...minus the freak show. I had perfect seats--4th row dead center, which made for a perfect view. Some of the best seats, I've ever had for any concert and well worth the price. I'm not a fan of Verizon Wireless theatre as the venue is not an intimate setting that compliments OL and the band. Nonetheless, the concert was magical and it ended all too soon. The eight o'clock hour could not come soon enough but then finally the band walks on stage and the magic begins.

Hearing OL play the guitar live is simply stunning and while the music on CD is great his music is so much more enjoyable in person. There were many highlights throughout the show but my favorites included, "La Luna", "Querencia", "Snakecharmer", "Santa Fe" & "Ballad 4 Santana". My new favorite is "Cocteau", which in the past had been my least favorite song from La Semana. Of course the Drum Duet was exceptional and Jon's bass was incomparable. I finally bought his Transit CD which I totally love. The icing on the cake was meeting Ottmar outside his bus and having him sign my La Luna postcard from the box set. We exchanged a few words and he was gracious as always.

The only disappointment was not being able to get a copy of the setlist to which I had requested twice. :-( The setlist would have been another wonderful memento from the evening to add to my box. As mentioned earlier, I'm not a fan of Verizon as they do not allow pictures to be taken. For once I had the perfect seats/view but could not capture the evening with a camera. Regrettably, my camera phone was not working either. I did notice some flashes going off during concert to which I was shocked and silently yelled, "no fair", but after the show I rushed to my car and grabbed my camera and perfectly timed Ottmar before he boarded his bus. He was in a hurry to get inside the bus and afterwards I noticed he blogged immediately thereafter.

While browsing the website, I came upon his blog from Integral Naked to which he wrote and I'll close this blog with..."Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the number of moments that take our breath away". Sunday evening surely took my breath away.

Paint It Black

Paint it black he says on #6 in Little Wing

and so I do with a black eyeliner pencil

in my black moleskin journal,

then with a black unibal deluxe pen

and now in typed black ink on the screen.

So, black is the word of the day

and the color of the night.

Black is the color of skin,

Black is for bean...coffee bean.

Black is for leather.

Black is the color of Chulo.

Black is dark and can be bleak...

especially if you’re depressed or

if black clouds follow you all around.

Black is strong, black is bold,

black is stillness, it is quiet.

Black can make you blind at times.

Black can be magic, just ask Santana

about that “Black Magic Woman”.

Black is for dancing in the dark.

Black is for dreams…good and bad!

Black is for watching the moonlight

and that’s what I’ll do

as I close this blog and turn off the computer

and when I do the screen will once again be black.

Post Op-Humpty Dumpty

Humpty Dumpty got put back together again on Monday

and more importantly the damage to my knee was not as

bad as previously thought, which is definitely good news.

Still, I don't see myself running marathons anytime soon

--not that I ever did!!!

Walking around on crutches is not fun--I almost fell yesterday and

going up the steps at my mom's was a task!

I have to remind myself to walk slow.

Thus, SLOW is the new word of the week!

Friends and family have been quick with well wishes and offers for help,

which is much appreciated. I've got nearly everything I need

...a few good books to read, a warm bed, an iPod full of music and a laptop from

which to connect to the internet. I have a bunch of DVD's I had rented

to watch but just found out this laptop isn't DVD friendly. :-(

Boris...if you're reading this I'm anxiously awaiting pictures of your NYC adventure

and meeting up with Ottmar! C'mon make Humpty Dumpty's day! :-)

Daylight Melody

Agua Bella
Originally uploaded by nieve44.

...with the passing of night comes daylight and it's own melody of sights and sounds. Whenever, I hear water it makes me pause and soothes my soul. It's an elixir, an opiate that massages the senses.
Next to my bed I have this half moon like object that plays nature sounds and mine is always set to water. Each night I press the button and the water sounds lull me to sleep and becomes my nighttime melody.

Happy Thanksgiving

Destination...
Originally uploaded by nieve44.

a thank you for family, friends, loved ones far and near, the gift of life, the gift of sight and all the other senses. I'm off to Corpus Christi for the holiday...we haven't been home for Thanksgiving in about 15 years, so this will be an interesting trip back home to see family. By the way the forecasted temperature will be around 80 degrees. YUCK...eating turkey with the air conditioner on! :-(

Nonetheless, a safe journey for others who are traveling as well.

One

One
Originally uploaded by nieve44.

Music: Silence: No More Longing, Ottmar Liebert

Mood: Serene

While hiking this past weekend I was in a sea of beautiful trees all dressed up in their fall colors. There were more green and golds than there were reds but no matter. Each seemed to beckon me to capture their beauty in a photo.

Trees, leaves, birds, squirrels, rocks, cliffs, canyons, caves, trails, hills, waterfalls, ponds, and streams were just a small sampling of sights, sounds and scents that invigorated my soul. I was inspired by the serenity of nature and reminded by mother earth that if we stop to breathe her essence and beauty we can all become one...just floating through time.
...PS-ONE month from today I'll be floating....at Ottmar's concert. :-)

Nature Beckons...

Yellow Wildflower
Originally uploaded by nieve44.

...I'm off this weekend on another camping adventure and looking forward to getting out of town for the weekend. The chaos of the city won't be missed. I'll be in search of lots of nature photos and just taking in the scenery and listening to nature instead of the noise of living in the city.

Score!

score!
Originally uploaded by mRio.

Music: Winter Blue, Ottmar Liebert
Mood: Happy and Sad

Thanks to Mario for scoring two front row tiks to Ottmar's concert next month...that's the happy news. The sad news is that I will be having surgery on my knee on November 28th (Arthroscopic). Thus, I may be on crutches but one way or another, I'm going to that concert--even if I have to crawl or scoot down to the front row!

Dia de los Muertos

Dia de los Muertos
Originally uploaded by nieve44.

In honor of

All Souls Day...

my makeshift altar for

Dia de los Muertos.

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See flickr for other detail of

altar.

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A real altar would be elaborately detailed

with several layers of decorations,

which would include photos, flowers, drink,

and other favorite foods or items

that belonged to the deceased.

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It is believed that the departed soul returns to visit their loved ones and thus in their honor altars are displayed at the home. In Mexico and other parts of Latin America, cemetaries are elaborately detailed and adorned in anticipation of their return from the other side. This day is a national holiday and is one of celebration that mocks death. For death is a part of life and not feared as in other parts of the world. Now, I'm off to drink a good tequila.

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween
Originally uploaded by nieve44.

courtesy of

Houston Arboretum

& Nature Center

It's a Beautiful Day!

U2 Concert @ Toyota Center, Houston

...ok, so the picture is blurry but no matter! It was a beautiful day and night with U2 and company in concert in the city of blinding lights! My ears are still ringing. Next, Ottmar Liebert!

...the Houston Chronicle reported that "The stage, with its beaded curtains of shimmering lights, lit up the arena like a giant Lite-Brite". :-)

A Dedication...

Music: Kora/River of Stars by Ottmar Liebert

Mood: Sadness and tears

Dedication: for Michele J.

(while your star didn't come your way today as planned may there be a river of newborn stars from which to choose in the near future).

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Maya Angelou said this:

I've learned that no matter what happens,
or how bad it seems today,
life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.
I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person
by the way he/she handles these three things:
A rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.
I've learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents,

you'll miss them when they’re gone from your life.
I've learned that making a "living" is not
the same thing as "making a life.
I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.
I've learned that you shouldn't go through life
with a catcher's mitt on both hands;
You need to be able to throw some things back.
I’ve learned that whenever I decide something
with an open heart, I usually make the right decision.
I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one.
I've learned that every day

you should reach out and touch someone.

People love a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back.
I've learned that I still have a lot to learn.
I've learned that people will forget what you said,
People will forget what you did,
but people will never forget how you made them feel.

In April, Maya Angelou was interviewed by Oprah on her 70+ birthday. Oprah asked her what she thought of growing older. And, there on television, she said it was "exciting." Regarding body changes, she said there were many, occurring every day...like her breasts. They seem to be in a race to see which will reach her waist, first. The audience laughed so hard they cried. She is such a simple and honest woman, with so much wisdom.

Astros Fever

Astros Pumpkin
Originally uploaded by jaseone.

...I came across this photo on Flickr and loved it. Kudos to Jaseone for the picture and carving the pumpkin with the Astros logo. Finally that Astros star is shining ever so brightly. In light of what the Astros have done, I would like to thank Andy Pettitte for making all this happen. He chose to leave NY and play in his hometown and without Andy, we wouldn't have Roger. These two were the glue that made the team stick! Plus, it sure helps that Andy is a hunk! ;-)

Calvin is so COOL!!!! 

I'm in love....

Winter Rose - Front Cover
Originally uploaded by o2ma.

...borrowed title and blog from Adam. This amazing CD came out on October 11th and can also be found on the Listening Lounge. I too am in love and have been entranced by the music. I have my three faves...

Westcoast

Kora/River of Stars

LeCafe (Snow).

Winter Rose is music inspired by the holidays but THIS is not your usual holiday CD and one that can be listened to year round. Ok, time to chill out and fall in love again and again.

Winter Rose

HELC Bouquet
Originally uploaded by nieve44.

...borrowed title from the newly released CD by Ottmar Liebert. Tomorrow evening I plan to download the CD to my new Ipod (thanks Mario) and kickback with a glass of wine.

Through my job, I serve on a committee to raise scholarship money for needy students and tonight was our annual gala. For a $20 dollar donation, I brought these home tonite. Hopefully, we raised around $80K.

Numbers...

...today's blog is about numbers such as

6:13 a.m.

10/8/1959

10/8/2005

46

on today's post

@

12:00 a.m.

Quote of the Day...

Music: It's Impossible, Perry Como

Mood: Retrospective

You must do the things

You think you cannot.

-Eleanor Roosevelt

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Several months ago, I downloaded the above song as it's one of my mom's favorites. I love some of these classics and I can remember her singing some of these songs whenever she is cleaning or washing the dishes. She has a beautiful voice that I wish I could record. Anyway, I was listening to this song when I came across this quote on my calendar. I was turning the page to October, which is my favorite month of the year. It signals a change in season's (although you don't really feel it here in Houston) and the turning of a page. Daylight gives way to nightime earlier which bring about the North winds. I feel a change within coming from the north wind, which may take me on a path of unfamiliar territory. Part of me is thinking that I cannot but then I turn a page and I am reminded that I can.

Word of the Day...

...is Shiteria.

Dedicated to my roomate

who works in an elementary school

and hates cafeteria food.

Simple...

Simple...
Originally uploaded by portseye.

Mood: Quiet
Music: 0509041022 by Ottmar Liebert

Sometimes in the quiet glow you can get a sense of what matters in life! In life we need rain, wind, sky, fire and a deep breath of fresh air from within the breath of one's soul.

The Eyes of Texas...

For those who are...
Originally uploaded by portseye.

...and the rest of the nation are upon Beaumont and the surrounding areas who are dealing with the aftermath of the storm. Once again, it's time to reach out to our neighbors in need. Thanks to Philip for his wonderful photo.

Safe and Sound...

...the day after the storm and happy to report that Houston faired pretty well. My family is all fine thank goodness and better yet no loss of power. Some friends of mine have lost power and I feel for them. The past few days have been filled with anxiety and have been very stressful. I haven't had a good night's sleep and hoping that tonight I can catch up on some. Thanks to all who stopped by and sent their thoughts and prayers our way. I have a favor to ask though...please send them to our neighbors in Beaumont/Port Arthur & the Louisiana/Texas state line area as unfortunately, they bore the brunt of the storm. The pictures we have seen have been dismal as once again mother nature has shown us who is in charge.

Passing Storm

Hurricane Rita Radar
Originally uploaded by nieve44.

Well looks like Texas might be getting a very unwanted visitor in the next 72 hours. There's a sense of urgency in the city today but as I walked my dog this evening and looked up at the nightsky there was a calm in the air. A calm before the passing storm! I've started my making my list and gathering things and this morning I stopped at three local grocery stores to buy water. The first two are somewhat upscale in the chain of grocery stores here in Houston and there was no water to be found. Alas, I stop at another grocery store near downtown which is a little less upscale and let's say tends to invite a myriad of rift raft customers. Plenty of water to be found and the aisle virtually empty of customers! However, the beer aisle was much busier and the shelves much more bare. At the checkout lane I noticed the lady behind me gathering her loose change to buy a pint of Foster's Ale for the road...at 10:00 in the morning!

Just Because...

Rosas
Originally uploaded by nieve44.

...I wanted to add some color to my blog for today. Someone brought these to work for the office and they brightened up our day.

Music: Untitled Rumba, Ottmar Liebert
Mood: Emotive

In Memorium

In Memorium
Originally uploaded by nieve44.

Music: Tears in the Rain, Ottmar Liebert
Mood: Heartache

Hard to believe that another year has come and gone. This pic is from a snow globe that was given to me by a friend and sits on my window sill. I was playing around with the camera and this picture came up. Very eerrie...like a mirage. Ironically, there's a tag on the bottom of this which reads: "Made in Hong Kong". Well, the globe may well be made in Hong Kong but the towers were in built in NYC. They may be gone now but their light still shines bright.

I have another picture of New York that hangs over my bed. It's one of my favorites of the Brooklyn Bridge at sunset with the twin towers in the foreground. New York has always held a special place in my heart as one of my dear friends is from NY. She was my old roomate and who is now a doctor...Pathologist to be exact. She was one of the many Pathologists who worked tiredlessly to bring closure to so many families. I haven't heard from her in a while and I suspect she may be in New Orleans as I heard that there is a team of Pathologists from across the country bringing closure to familes who lost loves ones in that disaster. She remains one of my biggest heroes.

Wounded Knee

Wounded Knee
Originally uploaded by nieve44.

Pain had been the word of the day but alas relief came today after a visit to the Ortho specialist. I had originally injured my knee 20 years ago when I had arthroscopic surgery. Now twenty years later it has come back to haunt me. Today, the doc drained quite a bit of fluid and I will need a couple of weeks of physical therapy. :-(

PAIN

Pain is the word of the day!

*Pain in my heart from the disaster last week in New Orleans. *Pain in my pocket book from the rising cost of gasoline. *Physical pain on my right knee that may require surgery in the near future. *Pain over my waistband growing as I am unable to exercise because of my knee :-( *Hunger pains that I need to endure to overcome the above pain! *Growing pains here in Houston with the influx of evacuees from Louisiana but I know that Houston and its citizens (old & new) will rise to the occasion.

New Orleans Cemetary

NOLA Historical Cemetary
Originally uploaded by nieve44.

Given the Disaster that has happened from the hurricane, I went back to my files and came up with this photo. I was in New Orleans last August. The day before we left we decided to take a trolley tour to the Historical Cemetary. I took this photo as at the time I found it surreal that a lone chair sat in front of this masoleum and even more sureal that it was backless.
My heart is heavy with the news from New Orleans. Now comes word that Houston will assist some of the evacuees from the Superdome as they will now be housed in the Astrodome. There has been a call for volunteers to help out and I've added my name to the list. Tonight, I'm paying my bills and made out a check to the American Red Cross. A call to all other bloggers to do the same as the Hurricane disaster will affect us all in one way or another.

O.S.I.M...

We've all heard of TGIF

and smile when these words come to mind.

I just heard this last night and didn't know what it meant

but I can assure you it would bring a frown

after you laugh at what it means.

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Oh Sh_t It's Monday!

btw...thought and prayers out to my neighbors in Louisiana as they endure the storm.

Glamourized!

Glamourized!
Originally uploaded by nieve44.

Given my last photo, I decided it was time to post a current photo. So now, instead of Half a Luz, it's a complete Luz. I'm not one for self pics but it had been five years since I've taken a professional shot so I figured I was due for one. Also, another birthday is around the corner and since I'm supposed to be at the cusp of my midlife crisis I wanted to get a photo in before the insanity closes in. Honestly, while my heart may be 40+ something--my soul is 30! :-)

Half a Luz

What a hat!
Originally uploaded by mRio.

Ok, since it's been a year that I've had my blog, I thought it was time for a new photo. Yeah, I know it's doesn't show my face but that will come later. This was taken last Saturday at a Houston Flickr meetup. Met some great fellow Flickrs and spent the better part of the afternoon taking pictures around the museum district here in Houston. There are some serious photographers out there and here I came along with my little Fuji camera but hey we still took some great pics.

One Year Ago...

Where it all started...

1 year ago today August 15, 2004

with

La Semana,

Where it all started...

Ottmar Liebert

O2ma

Fanmencos

New Beginnings

Nieve44

The Blue Room

Borya

Kiyomi & the Gang

Kym

Vic2rs

Vic2rs Flickr

Desert Elysium

Matt's Photos

Caprichosa

Junniper/Flickr

Just4Musing

Heather/Flickr

My Soul Vision

SV/Flickr

Adam Solomon

Adam/Flickr

Light of the Moon

Shyloh's Poetry

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...as I near the first year of my blog, I looked back at the Fanmencos & bloggers who have visited my blog. A special thanks to Boris as he was my first visitor that I know of. I was at a Houston Flickr meeting yesterday and we were asked how we were introduced to Flickr. Of course, I had to go back to where it all started. :-) There were other visitors as well such as Danny, Yumiko, The Lone Pen, MEC, and Mario just to name a few. If I've left anyone out...my apologies. Thanks for being a part of this wonderful experience.

Salud

Reflections on Beer
Originally uploaded by mRio.

Not much to blog as I have been busy with work and the next two weeks will be even busier. Although, a very important date is coming up for me next week of which I'll blog later...although Boris might be able to guess what it is. ;-)

Thank goodness the weekend is here. Folks from Houston Flickr are gathering for lunch tomorrow and then a stroll around the museum district followed by a downtown trek to catch the baseball game. Thus, since it's the weekend I thought I would borrow Mario's photo-"Reflections on Beer" and I'm sure he won't mind since it was inspired by me/Nieve44. So here's to the weekend and a cold one whether it be Rolling Rock, Dos Equis, Bud Light or Miller Light. I look forward to some reflection as I sip my beer this weekend. Salud/Cheers!

Trust them to be...

Trust them to be...
Originally uploaded by portseye.

....everywhere. What is it with these things? They are just about any place you can think of. Car seats, car floors, sofas, chairs, boxes, containers, jars, drawers, pockets, luggage, cabinets. Everyones got a stash somewhere...

So, where do you stash yours? Mine, go in my piggybank next to my computer. He's getting pretty heavy these days as for the past three years, I've been saving all my loose change & bills for a rainy day. Which rainy day you might ask? Well for January 13, 2007!!! Lord willing, my parents will celebrate 50 years of marriage and for that occasion I will break the bank open which will hopefully provide a little extra spending $$ for them when my brother and I send them off on a little trip somewhere.

Btw, I borrowed the great pic and words (italics) from Portseye who has a great flickr page @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/pjphotos/. Thanks. ;-)

April, Come She Will

April, Come She Will

When streams are ripe and swelled with rain:

May, she will stay.

Resting in my arms again.

June, she'll change her tune,

In restless walks, she'll prowl the night,

July, she will fly

And give no warning to her flight.

August, die she must

September I'll remember

the autumn winds blow chilly and cold...

Ottmar blogged about owning a turntable and the fact that he still plays an LP every now and then. Tonight, I went into my closet and randomly grabbed an LP. As I did, a smile came on my face remembering this LP and the many times I played it. The name of the LP is Simon and Garfunkel: The Concert in Central Park. I"m off to go and enjoy the rest of this LP and enjoy a nice cold one too.

Music: Simon and Garfunkel

Mood: Merry

Spirits: Dos Equis XX

Christmas in July

Here it is the last day of the month and I've been hearing alot about Christmas in July. I came across this web page--scroll down half way and YIKES!

Hits & Misses

Music: La Luna Live 2004
Mood: Melancholy

As the end of July nears so does the end of my two week vacation and it's back to work on Monday, August 1st. :-( In some aspects the days & nights flew by and I lost track of time & dates. As usual, I stayed up late...like now! I've always been a later nighter but it makes for a difficult time rising early. In retrospect I thought I would review some of the hits and misses of the past two weeks...

Hit: catching up with friends for lunch and/or dinner. Kudos to my dear friend Michelle for providing the best laughter and making my life seem absolutely normal.
Hit: catching the movies/IMAX--"March of the Penguins" and "Forces of Nature" @ IMAX. If you haven't seen March of the Penguins--go and treat yourself to a true gem of a movie as you will laugh and cry and be amazed about life in Antartica.
Hit: Escaping to the new L'Auberge hotel/casino in Lake Charles, Louisiana AND getting to enjoy my first bubble bath in years! Also, sleeping in that amazing bed! OMG, that bed was heavenly.
Hit: Spending time with my niece who keeps me young.
Hit: Lunch @ LemonGrass Fusion Cafe & Ruggles Cafe & Bakery. YUM! Thanks to you know who for the pleasant company.
Hit: my Reikei Massage
Hit: Cruising in my friends new PT Cruiser--that's a fun car to drive.
Hit: Coffee w/Kahlua in the morning


Miss: My dentist appointment this past Thursday and having to go back for unwanted dental work. YUCK & OUCH!!! :-(
Miss: this aweful summer heat
Miss: leaving my $$ @ the casino
Miss: gaining 10 pounds from all the food I ate or what feels like 1o pounds

While there was no great escape to some distant lands I've never seen, it was a much needed two weeks of good old fashioned R & R. Already looking forward to the 3 day Labor Day Weekend Holiday & Thanksgiving Holiday & Christmas Holiday.

Walk on Water

Sunset glow on Lake
Originally uploaded by nieve44.

It looks as if you could almost walk on water! I treated myself to another Reikei Massage yesterday and during this session I was walking on water or rather floating on water.

Side note: Happy Birthday to my dear friend from college-Rudy. His mom passed away in April and I know this first birthday with out her will be difficult. This picture is for you too Rudy. May the glow of the sunset on water embrace you with her love.

Viva Las....

Things start to blur
Originally uploaded by kodama.

...Lake Charles, Louisiana for some gambling. I couldn't get to Vegas but the next state will do. Still, looking forward to no clocks, no windows, piped oxygen, and free drinks to while away the hours while in the casino. If you don't hear back from me soon, I won the big one and taking an extended vacation...to Santa Fe or Canada or Portland or Amsterdam or Bavaria or wherever the winds take me. :-)

thanks to Kodama for his wonderful photo.

Soul Consciousness

Clouds
Originally uploaded by nieve44.

Accidents and inspiration lead you to your destination.

I'm borrowing today's title from fellow blogger/Wendy. Each day I go in search of that one moment that makes me aware...touches my soul. Tonight, while heading home from a workout, I looked up in the clouds and they just beckoned me. In that one moment (after taking this picture), I could feel my ears ringing and as I sat in my car aware of this beautiful sunset a sudden silence came upon me. I knew then I had encountered a moment of soul consciousness.

additional inspiration provided by Mary Chapin Carpenter.

Illuminations

Illuminations-1
Originally uploaded by nieve44.

I took this last Friday and I'm loving the contrast in colors...both founatains actually are white in color but the larger one illuminated a blue color when I took the photo.

20050719

Evil Yummi
Originally uploaded by mRio.

I'm borrowing Ottmar's method of blogging for this post.

Spent yesterday/Monday & today getting my round of annual checkups out of the way and thus far, I've gotten a clean bill of health. So, I went out and celebrated and had a wonderful lunch & dessert @ Ruggles Cafe & Bakery. Evil Yummi was definitely an appropriate title. Thanks to Mario for the excellent choice of food and company.

Ahhh...

VACATION!!!! YES, it's that time of the year. This afternoon, I'm officially on vacation for two weeks! YIPPEEEEEE! Plans to travel outside of Texas didn't fall into place. Unfortunately, winning the lottery hasn't happened but it would help if I went out and bought a ticket!! :-) If Ottmar were still touring, I would definitely have flown out to see the show but I missed him by two weeks. I thought about flying to Santa Fe for the weekend but decided to save my $$ for now and went out and bought a new digital camera instead. Besides, waiting for the official word of a fanmenco gathering! :-)

My March of the Penguins

Galapagos-Ecuador

My roomate just got back from the Galapagos and hand delivered this postcard. Reminds me of the upcoming movie March of the Penguins ...of which I can't wait to see.

Baby Macaque

Baby Macaque
Originally uploaded by nieve44.

I saw this on Yahoo Pictures the other day and fell in love with it. Talk about a bad hair day! Makes you realize how fragile life is. I want one!

Rat Race

rat race
Originally uploaded by Jim Davies.

The Rat Race is over!
The Rats won!

thanks to Jim Davies

http://www-us.flickr.com/blog.gne

for picture.

Men in My Life

Men in My Life
Originally uploaded by nieve44.

The men in my life were captured in this photo last month. My father and brother...who both have never met a stranger and my brother's two sons.

Last night we spent a few good hours at my mom's around the kitchen table and it's always so much fun when you get these guys together. At my father's age, I treasure these moments dearly.

Sea of Red

Sea of Red
Originally uploaded by nieve44.

Red is the color of the day. A prelude to the red, white & blue colors for the 4th of July. Happy 4th and Happy Independence Day.

After the rain

After the rain.
Originally uploaded by _Jimmy_.

I spend hours browsing through flickr and am amazed at all the wonderful photos but this one is AMAZING with the reflection of the daisies. I hope Jimmy doesn't mind that I borrowed the photo for my blog. Be sure to check out some of his other beautiful photos.

Lost Heart

Lost Heart
Originally uploaded by nieve44.

This morning while walking the dog I noticed a squirrel scurrying up a tree with something red in his/her mouth. To me it looked like a strawberry but then this afternoon coming back from work I found this. It was right below the tree where I had seen the squirrel. I chuckled at first upon realizing that it was a little red heart. I wondered just where she'd found this. I thought about leaving it where I had found it but I decided that her loss was my gain.

Meditation on a sunset

Meditation on a sunset
Originally uploaded by mRio.

In the stillness, you can hear the rhythm of your breath...

Thanks Mario for the words and the inspriation for it was just as I rememberd in that moment of consciousness of the world around me.

Newbie!

BTW...a big "Thank You" to Mario

for my FlickrPro account! :-)
I feel special now!

BTW2...Mario is my new fanmenco bud who as it turns out practically lives in my backyard! Surprise! Surprise! It turns out that both of us went to see Ottmar's concert last October and we're looking forward to seeing Ottmar in December.

Mission Accomplished!

I love these and today's was hard to resist posting!
...in case you can't read the fine print at the bottom right-it reads...
"That banner was heavier than we anticipated"
Yes, it was!

Something to Look Forward To...

YOU KNOW YOU ARE IN TEXAS IN JULY WHEN. . . .

* The birds have to use potholders to pull worms out of the ground.
* The trees are whistling for the dogs.
* The best parking place is determined by shade instead of distance.
* Hot water now comes out of both taps.
* You can make sun tea instantly.
* You learn that a seat belt buckle makes a pretty good branding iron.
* The temperature drops below 95 and you feel a little chilly.
* You discover that in July it only takes 2 fingers to steer your car.
* You discover that you can get sunburned through your car window.
* You actually burn your hand opening the car door.
* You break into a sweat the instant you step outside at 7:30 a.m.
* Your biggest bicycle wreck fear is, "What if I get knocked out and end up lying on the pavement and cook to death?"
* You realize that asphalt has a liquid state.
* The potatoes cook underground, so all you have to do is pull one out and add butter, salt and pepper.
* Farmers are feeding their chickens crushed ice to keep them from laying boiled eggs.
* The cows are giving evaporated milk. Ah, what a place to call home.
God Bless Our State of *TEXAS !!*

Texas Sunset

TxSunset2
Originally uploaded by nieve44.

I take a Yoga class once a week and at the end we meditate and take our minds back to a place where time stands still and is a fond memory for us. In my mind, I go back to this place and sit at the edge of the pier meditating on sunsets like these. BTW, this place is out in the country near a small, small town called Yorktown, Tx. My friend has about 50 acres out there. When I first went out there, I couldn't stand the silence. Last time I went, I couldn't get enough of it and besides what nature provided...coyotes howling at night and birds singing during the day. An infinite number of stars at night and deer passing by at dusk.

Embrace...

Embrace...

...Life

...Death

...Love

...Him

...All

...Silence

...Hate

and may hate in turn be Eraced

for Embracing you, I Embrace me

and in doing so we can all

Embrace Peace.

6:09

What is 6:09? Fanmencos should know this magic number as it is pure bliss. Have you guessed it yet?! 6:09 is as close to heaven as one can get. It is magical. It is a number that takes my breath away. It is uplifting, it is mesermizing and it is addictive. I can stop listening to it as it has been on the repeat playlist on my computer. It is nameless at the moment and maybe that's the way it should stay or maybe it should just be titled 6:09 or even by his new Dharma Name-Zenho. Nonetheless, it is said that a title is coming soon but until then I will call it 6:09 for it will always take me to that place within the self where time stands still.

Chocolate Heaven

Peanut Clusters1
Originally uploaded by nieve44.

One of my favorite things to make...Peanut Clusters. Friends and family members just drool whenever I tell them I made some chocolate. Ingredients include peanuts, & marshmallows and bet you couldn't eat just one! The reason, I love to share and give them away as I certainly cannot afford to be eating chocolate all the time.

Reflections

Car Mirror
Originally uploaded by nieve44.

It's back to work on Monday after a week's vacation. While the week went by fast it was full of surprises. I can't go into details right now but will say that sometimes we are so busy looking ahead that we forget to look behind and see the beauty that we're passing up along the way.

...The sign that I couldn't read, or a light that I couldn't see, all those signs, if only I knew what they meant. Some things you have to believe,
but others are puzzles, puzzling me*

*I borrowed words from the song "Speed of Sound" by Coldplay as this week signs went flying by me at the speed of sound.