did you eat

Photo credit {Old Souls and Introverts}

things i will miss

I just finished reading Nora Ephron's book

I Remember Nothing: And Other Reflections 

At the close of the book she wrote a list of things she won't and will miss.  It has inspired me to thoughtfully make my own list. I won't bore you with mine but I encourage you to think about what your list would look like.

Her is Nora's list . . .
What I Won't Miss

Dry skin
Bad dinners like the one we went to last night
E-mail
Technology in general
My closet
Washing my hair
Bras
Funerals
Illness everywhere
Polls that show that 32 percent of the American people believe in creationism
Polls
Fox TV
The collapse of the dollar
Bar mitzvahs
Mammograms
Dead flowers
The sound of the vacuum cleaner
Bills
E-mail. I know I already said it, but I want to emphasize it.
Small print
Panels on Women in Film
Taking off makeup every night

What I Will Miss

My kids
Nick
Spring
Fall
Waffles
The concept of waffles
Bacon
A walk in the park
The idea of a walk in the park
The park
Shakespeare in the Park
The bed
Reading in bed
Fireworks
Laughs
The view out the window
Twinkle lights
Butter
Dinner at home just the two of us
Dinner with friends
Dinner with friends in cities where none of us lives
Paris
Next year in Istanbul
Pride and Prejudice
The Christmas tree
Thanksgiving dinner
One for the table
The dogwood
Taking a bath
Coming over the bridge to Manhattan
Pie

The great Nora Ephron passed away on June 26th of 2012, aged 71, following a battle with leukemia that began in 2006. She had many strings to her bow, but most notably wrote the screenplays to some of the best loved films ever to grace the big screen, many of which she also directed and produced.

Julie & Julia 

You've Got Mail 

Sleepless in Seattle 

When Harry Met Sally

Mixed Nuts 

This Is My Life 

Heartburn

Silkwood

Hanging Up

Michael 

sidewalk chalk

We recently visited the

Venice Chalk Festival

featuring the most incredible

3D pavement paintings

The artists come up with intricate ideas 

that make images and the ground appear to 

dip inward or rise above 

when viewed from a particular vantage point.

seeking silence

There is a lot of background noise in my life.

When I sit down for my morning coffee I turn on "Good Morning America"

When I do my morning chores I listen to WHAM 1180

When I sit down to sew I watch a DVR'd TV show
When I drive to Jazzercise I listen to an audio book

When we eat dinner we watch "Jeopardy"

When I read in the evening I tune into a playlist from Google Play

When we have friends over for a game I pop in a CD

{Venice}

{Brockport}

After reading this article I will

"make quiet my new default" 

RealSimple Magazine - January 2016 

 article by Jennifer King Lindley. 

Can I have some peace and quiet?!

Noise can affect learning
. . . researchers theorize that the part of the brain that processes auditory signals is the same one that handles short-term memory
. . .mice raised in a noisy environment had a 70% reduction in blood vessel formation in their brains than those in quiet cages

Children
. . . even moderate background noise can interfere with the ability of babies to learn new words
. . . in one study children on the noisy side of a school (near train tracks) had reading sores that lagged a full year behind children on the quieter side of the school

Teenagers
. . . quiet time can strengthen internal focus
. . . this generation has begun to focus on external stimulation rather than reflecting inward

Adults
. . . quiet lets your mind wander and make connections between things not previously noticed
. . . constant noise pulls our attention ever outward and upsets our balance

The article also recommends ways to find quiet for all different ages from toddlers to adults.
. . . reduce background racket
. . . institute a daily quiet time
. . . have device free times
. . . dare not to talk

I hope I haven't quoted too much of her article (more that 20%) 

but I wanted you to get a preview of her thoughts. 

I hope that you can find a copy and read it.

{Prince Rupert}

I remember in my teaching days parents who thought their child was bored 

and requested more work/enrichment/challenge. 

What I really wanted to say to them - two things.

When will he have time to think?

and

Boredom is a choice.

the moment in the middle

Hold your breath.

Here it is.

Christmas Eve.

My favorite day of the Christmas Season.

The perfect moment between all the preparations and all of the celebrations.

All is done yet all is yet to come . . .
"It was a moment of perfection he would probably not find again this year, and he sat without moving, almost without breathing. There was the upside of a garden, when one was digging and planting, heaving and hauling, and then the downside, when it was all weeding and grooming and watering and sweating. One had to be fleet to catch the moment in the middle, the mountaintop, when perfection was as brief as the visit of a butterfly to an outstretched palm. 

From the book Out to Cannan 
(the fourth book in the Mitford series)

by: Jan Karon

wise thoughts

I know that our "online attention spans" are pretty short but 

if you have 17 minutes to really listen you won't be sorry.

{guaranteed or your money back}

the rent collector

My book club is now reading

The Rent Collector 

Though the book is a work of fiction, 

it was inspired by real people living at Stung Meanchey.

I loved this book.

When I finished it I sat frozen for quite awhile processing it all.

It had extra meaning to me as we have spent

several months in Cambodia in the past 4 years.

Here are a few of my photos that the book brought to mind . . .

{view from Amanda's 4th floor balcony - Phnom Penh}

{Amanda and Ezra - Prey Veng}

{recycling - Phnom Penh}

{traveling by moto - Phnom Penh}

{the blessing of having a foreign doctor - Phnom Penh}

{another blessing - dear friend Ming Kohm}

From: www.therentcollectorbook.com

The Rent Collector is the story of a young mother, Sang Ly, struggling to survive by picking through garbage in Cambodia's largest municipal dump. Under threat of eviction by an embittered old drunk who is charged with collecting rents from the poor of Stung Meanchey, Sang Ly embarks on a desperate journey to save her ailing son from a life of ignorance and poverty

asleep in the hay

Thanks to our local Goodwill Store

our Christmas decor now feels complete . . . 

The stars in the bright sky

Looked down where He lay

The little Lord Jesus

Asleep on the hay

Grandpa Jim

My very sweet father-in-law passed away this week.
 He was a man of stature who loved his family dearly.

We will all miss him so . . . 

He lived a life of 88 years.
The past 2 1/2 weeks have been an emotional roller coaster
but we were so fortunate to be in his home by his side through it all.

A card arrived in the mail for him on the day he died 

from his granddaughter Amanda with this verse enclosed.

It gave such comfort to us all.

Romans 8:38-29
"And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love."

As we travel the 2 1/2 hour trip to his home many times over the past two weeks I can’t help but compare the beauty of fall to the end of Jim’s life.  On our first trip the Allegany hills were vibrant and ablaze with color.  Each trip found more leaves winding down their glory and falling to the ground. On the day he passed the trees were ready for a winter’s rest.  This imagery just seemed to speak to his final days – a delicate balance between life and death - reflective and significant. Now, the promise of spring . . .

Our Lord has written the promise of resurrection, 

not in books alone, but in every leaf in springtime.

Martin Luther

sharon randall

This past week three different people

told me about this columnist

Sharon Randall

Nationally syndicated columnist . . . Mother, daughter, sister, friend . . . and Nana!

So I visited her web page and I do think I will

check back and read her column weekly.

sharonrandall.com

My sister in-law, Karen, has also enjoyed one of her 

books which I hope to read this winter.

uncommon philosophy

"Keep only what you use, 

make peace with imperfection, 

and (seriously) help those in need."

{Real Simple Magazine April 2012}

I need this to be my mantra for one more month . . .

women peacemakers

[the view from their porch in Phnom Penh as a thunderstorm rolls in ]

For the past six years my daughter and her family

lived in Cambodia. 

Women Peacemakers is the organization she 

supported and advised.

We are so very proud of her 

and feel blessed to have had

two different month long visits with her in Cambodia.

Watching this takes me back both

in spirit and with cherished memories.

The Khmer language is music to my ears

but the suffering we saw breaks my heart.

Women Peacemakers

RISC is the organization her husband 

supported and advised.
The Returnee Integration Support Center exists to support
deported Cambodian-Americans; to ease their transition to a new life in Cambodia.

RISC

six o'clock

Coastal Living Magazine June 2014 

{a few quotes from their editor, Antonia}

The best time of day at the beach is 6 p.m. 

There’s a whole other level of awesomeness.

The temperature has dropped, the air is cooler, most everyone has gone home, and the beach is empty. There is a quiet lapping of the water, as though even the ocean has finally exhausted itself and just wants to hang out.

You stretch. You breathe a sigh of contentment. You draw slow circles in the sand with your hand then sweep it clear and start again.

You're too relaxed to think about packing up to leave. You stay a little longer. The shadows are getting a little longer too.

You sit back to enjoy the last rays from your chair.  This is when I appreciate the beach the most – the day is done; it’s hard to leave.  Six o’clock is when I realize how much I love the beach.   

 photo taken from my beach chair at 6 o'clock on a random winter day

collecting moments

Here is a recent quote from one of my favorite blogs

"But while we wait for the atmosphere to settle, and the path to become clear, 

we can still collect special moments and take pleasure in their sweetness."  

{a collection of days}

Reading this is a wonderful reminder that while we are in the midst of {and consumed by} 

some very big life changes we still need to collect special moments. 

For the next several months this will be my go to inspiration.

Although our big changes are good ones it will be a difficult journey.
{more details later}

borning cry

Our friend Dave {Half Pint Harmony}

will be providing the music in church next Sunday.

I just found out he will be singing one of my favorite hymns

and sadly we will be out of town.

I bet you would like to listen to it  . . .
{I wish I had a recording of him singing it}

I Was There To Hear Your Borning Cry

I was there to hear your borning cry,
I'll be there when you are old.
I rejoiced the day you were baptized,
to see your life unfold.

I was there when you were but a child,
with a faith to suit you well;
In a blaze of light you wandered off
to find where demons dwell.

When you heard the wonder of the Word
I was there to cheer you on;
You were raised to praise the living Lord,
to whom you now belong.

If you find someone to share your time
and you join your hearts as one,
I'll be there to make your verses rhyme
from dusk 'till rising sun.

In the middle ages of your life,
not too old, no longer young,
I'll be there to guide you through the night,
complete what I've begun.

When the evening gently closes in,
and you shut your weary eyes,
I'll be there as I have always been
with just one more surprise.

I was there to hear your borning cry,
I'll be there when you are old.
I rejoiced the day you were baptized,
to see your life unfold.

room with a view

In our Leisure House guestroom is a lovely large window.

The view is a pleasant one 

but not great.

When we were looking for art work we kept this in mind.

Finally, the perfect framed picture

peaceful and comforting.

Now it is a room with a view.

After looking up the correct height to hang such a large picture
we realized that our friend Bobbi is exactly the right height
for the center of the picture - 60 inches.
So . . .  we invited over a few friends and had a "hanging party".
Thank you Rick, Bobbi, Cindy, Tom, Brenda. and Henry.