National Cheesecake Day

Today is National Cheesecake Day! Cheesecake Factory sells every piece of cheesecake for 1.50 today so get in there and get yours!

National Cheesecake Day is an unofficial holiday which comes annually on July 30th. The observance, which is part of a surprisingly large tradition of food holidays, has not been officially endorsed by any presidents, and does not have any congressional records to solidify its claim. but this certainly does not stop thousands and maybe even millions of people from across the country from celebrating the decidedly delicious holiday.

There certainly is no reason that cheesecake should not have its own holiday. Records of cheesecake date as far back as 770 BC, when the dessert, or something like it at least, was served to Olympic athletes.

Check out more details of this special holiday!

http://www.chiff.com/a/national-cheesecake-day.htm

http://tinyurl.com/klkcxc

Fear of the Unknown

I took my grandson to the dentist today. Though we had discussed what would be taking place regarding filling 3 teeth and pulling 1 tooth, he was apprehensive. I prepared him for the novocaine and it's `beautiful side,' of drilling pain free. I told him he would have the advantage of `laughing gas' which must have been unavailable when I was little. I thought I had extinguished every fear.

It appeared the gas was not working for him, the daub of pre-novocaine before the shot comes felt too weird and he denied that it was doing anything but tasting funny. When the shot of novocaine was in the steady hand of the dentist my grandson said loudly "wait, where's my gramma?" I came back into site and held his hands. After much discussion at home and a previous experience of NOT letting the dentist get in enough novocaine, he knew he had to `buck up,' and so he did. Little tears ran down his face as he tried to focus on the tv mounted into the ceiling (what is up with that!)

When it was all said and done, my grandson jumped out of the chair, thanked everyone and headed to the prize drawer. All the way home he chatted about how it "wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be."

And that's just it. Worry comes from fear of the unknown. Experience, good or bad, takes the sting out the next time you have to endure. That's all fine and dandy, but what about the FIRST experience? You can't waste time wondering when things will go wrong and what you will do when it does. But what you CAN do is keep your vibration high by meditating, being grateful, doing energy work, and laughing etc. When you participate in your own well being you find that you react very differently to situations that would normally `tip you over.'

Don't believe me?...then "just do it," and you'll see what I mean.

Are You Living High?

Last night I was a guest at the Ruffy home. It was just us 3 gals and we had a fantastic time. It was a celebration for my birthday, probably my last one this year:( The sun was going down and not so warm on the deck, which for me is a big plus! The view is 360 degrees, the conversation and company was outstanding. And then the food. The Ruffy's had made cold cucumber soup, 3 different marinaded chicken breasts, pasta with fresh pesto and then the most remarkable morel mushroom sauce. Dessert was creme fraiche with fresh berries on the top. The table was set so beautifully in all white and green.

Just when I thought things could not be more perfect I was handed a very gracious gift of their personally authored cook book including all of the things they had prepared for the celebration and more. I also received my choice of a scarf from Lois's personal treasure trove of unique silks she keeps stowed away for special occasions. I chose a scarf with lots of colors, none of which I currently wear!

You might be asking yourself, what all this has to do with `high?' Everything carries a vibration. Fresh ingredients in your food vibrates much higher then vegetables that have been canned or frozen. Stimulating conversation, being around people you truly enjoy, and laughter are all perfect to raise your spirits and your energy! Add to that 'Decker' the Ruffy cat, a breathtaking view and gift-giving and you have the just created some of the highest of all vibrational highs.

Today will come yet another sort of `high' as I shop for the perfect outfit to go with the scrarf!

What's In a Birthday?

Today is my birthday. I've had plenty of them. I'm not afraid of them, nor do I ponder my age. There was a time when I didn't even acknowledge my birthday, it just seemed pointless as I had no mother.

Age is a great thing. When it was pointed out to me that my birthday celebration isn't necessarily for me, but for other people, I agreed to start it all up again. It made sense, at the time, I was in my 20's.

I've come a long way since then. It's as if I crossed some sort of wide line. I now tell everyone that it's my birthday and the celebration seems to last weeks! I'm enjoying the long lunches and special desserts. I love the gift certificates for massages and manicures, as I have forbade any gift that isn't something that I can use up. You see I don't want anything that I need to dust, take care of or pay taxes on.

Today is my birthday:)

Can Fishing Be a Bad Thing?

Hope not. Fishing is good for all sorts of things. It gets you out in the fresh air, gets you tagged by a little sun (vitamin D), allows you to feed the mosquitos (did you forget your deet?), practice that age old skill of casting, and you get to tell jokes that people have heard a thousand times! What is it about being `away' that allows the simple to become easy?

Ones mind is not so focused on the everyday problems and worries which allows the memory to recall a simpler and less complicated time. Ahh, breathe in the newness of the day and allow the cobwebs in your head to be released. Enjoy the dragonflies and birds flying around you. Watch a fish grab a bug above the water. Meditate on the silence of the water.

Oh my, I nearly put myself to sleep sitting on the couch!

Think About This!

We have survived the `age of aquarious', `generation X' and now we make way for the `zen kids'. This generation of kids are special indeed. They have large vocabularies, quite mature for their age and say thought provoking stuff such as `why are you working so hard?' Or `maybe you just need a nap?' How is it that we never ask ourselves these tough questions? The other day I was thinking outloud and said something like `I wish I hadn't handled the situation like that, I really need to learn a better way of doing it,' when my 11 year old grandson said `Gram, you're really too hard on yourself, just BE WHO YOU ARE.'

Yikes, who or what has invaded the minds of this generation?

Now there's a real thought provoking question!

Gratitude Stone

Following the lesson regarding giving out gratitude stones...I sent my 97 year old grandmother a few, called her to tell her to keep one by her nightstand so she could remember each night to mentally go thru her day and give gratitude for whatever may have taken place.

Yesterday, over a year after I sent her the stones, she called me to tell me that she had given one away a couple of months ago. She said that the lady she gave it to sits it by her bed and thinks each nite what she is grateful for. She thanked my grandmother for the stone.

My grandmother simply said to me `who knew by giving someone something so simple, it could mean so much?'

She gets it.

Your Messages Carried Into the Afterlife

I attended a networking group yesterday. During this time each person stands up and describes their business/service. When it was time for the lady directly across from me to stand she looked at each person as her eyes crossed the room and then said "my husband is dying of a lung disease. He has started a blog and would like anyone who is interested to go there and leave any message that you would like him to take into the afterlife." She handed out his business cards which were simple and to the point. There is a picture of a biblical character, possibly him beautifully photoshopped, with a mail bag on his shoulder and a brief note "Carrying your personal messages with me into the afterlife. I will be honored when I die (which will be in the near future) to deliver your message in person to the one you love."

http://blog.theafterlifemessenger.com/

I have looked at his blog and this man is sincerely waiting to hear from all who care to send their messages with him. Pass on this information and let him carry his bag, full!

Energy Work on the Energy Worker

We all need some help at some point in time. Yes, light workers can work on themselves but sometimes they just need to reach out into their peer group for their expertise. Choose this person the same way your client chose you:) Don't assume you know exactly what you need, but rather find someone who works with several modalities and obviously seek out a person who stands in integrity. Don't hesitate to find someone. We all need help to get us back on track:)

Vitamin D In My Aura

The truth of the matter is that I have been checked for my vitamin D levels. I am on the low side of normal which means, I could use a little more then I'm getting. Now that I have a dog to walk I am getting a lot more sun and exercise. Though I don't feel like much has changed in the way I look, healthier or slimmer, something else is going on that may not have been there before. A gentleman who came to my Reiki class is working on reading auras. He tells me that mine is `interesting' and he can't wait to see what it will look like at the next class.' I'm looking forward to his next reading, as I do not see auras.

I'm wondering what the color of vitamin D is? Would it be orange or yellow? I was out in the sun a little too long yesterday and got a little too much of the good stuff. So in my mind, I'm filled up with vitamin D and will be spending the day inside working. Perhaps today my aura is a little redder then it was the day before? I love learning about the things I don't know about, and I'm looking forward to the next Reiki class in August.

You Only Have Today

I attended a wedding last nite. The setting was gorgeous! A beautiful yard, that of the brides parents. Every flower blooming! Canopies with sheers all around beautifully decorated inside. The osprey flew above and the pond was spotless. And then came the wind. At first glance the clouds looked very threatening. The Canopies were clinging to the poles, sheers gone. The bridal party came out one at a time and then the beautiful bride. She was as beautiful as any bride could be. And of course a handsome groom. The ceremony was short and to the point.

More photos were taken near the pond and the reception began. All of a sudden the wind stopped. The clouds cleared. It could not have been better weather for the reception.

That's how it is in our day to day lives. Sometimes the best of plans become temporarily foiled. But the next day comes, and whether we are prepared or not, we must live it as it is. At this point we have a choice to live it well, or live it in misery from the past. You only have today.

Let Relationships Go, It's For the Best

A client came this afternoon with some closed chakras which seemed to be related to family matters. This isn't unusual, and fortunately she could tell she was energetically `out of kilter.' After visiting with her I discovered that she was burdened with the behavior of a family who told her that they loved and respected her and after years of friendship they seemed to have wiped her from their minds and cares. Though she thought she had adjusted to this change, perhaps she hadn't. `Why would they do that?' she asked.

Reiki practitioners are not doctors, but clients are important and we believe that physical problems are manifested by what goes on in our `outer world.' Regarding her frustration of this relationship I have two things to offer. "Not everyone lives with integrity." The other thing is that people come into your life for a reason. When their purpose in your life is over that relationship is often broken. If you don't release it, the universe takes over and pulls it apart. This doesn't mean that they weren't sincere at the time. During this process we tend to build up a lot of uncertainties, mostly about ourselves. We seem to go thru stages of frustration and sometimes hate. Perhaps this comes from the pain of the separation? Or maybe it's because the other person pulled away before we did?

We have to learn to accept that people and things come and go in a life. There is no point in hanging on to the love of the relationship. It's better to see it for what it is and in your thoughts, wish the others well. It's kind of like that impermanence thing.

What to do With a Sunny Day

After a long stretch of cloudy, rainy, cool days here in Montana the sun has decided to shine. There is yard work that needs to be done, flowers need to be dead-headed and the list goes on and on. As I mentally look at the list of must do's I look at the sunny sky and wonder `what would happen if I didn't do any of the things on my list today?'

And so I will give it a try. It's new for me, but I know I can do it. I have to make an airport run, some things wait for no one:) Then someone I recently met is coming over for a Reiki session, this is not work...this is just plain wonderful! I think lunch with an old friend around noon. Maybe a little nap. Oooops there goes the list making again. Some habits are difficult to break, but relatively harmless to keep. Still.

Sometimes we just need to cut ourselves a little slack. Tear the list in half:) It's still a beginning to change.

Open Your Chakras

It is common for us to find ourselves not feeling quite `right'. It may not appear to be a cold or flu, but it is something. People find themselves not being able to explain it. They don't know where to go for help.

This has been the situation with several people recently that have contacted me. The question always seems to be, if it isn't physical, what is it? The answer can be as simple as the `energy may be blocked in your body.' Many different modalities can get the energy going again, I use a combination of Reiki, Quantum Touch, oils, stones or sound. The process takes about an hour, Sometimes I use a pendulum to check the 7 main chakras to see which ones are `closed.' This allows the client to actually `see' the before and after the energy work takes place. In the end the result is the same. People just feel much better and tend to keep improving for a while. I always recommend they go home and rest as the process makes you very relaxed.

Energy work helps you to vibrate at a higher level. This can make a big difference in the way that you feel. Keep those chakras spinning!

One Man's Junk

I'm loaning my house out to my cousin's. They plan to stay here about a month, with their 3 kids. In preparation, among other things, my husband decided to clean up the garage. When he got done I noticed our 4 bikes in the back yard. He said we never rode them and he wasn't going to work around them anymore. However the city just ran a bike path near our house so now biking would be `do-able' now that we didn't have to dodge the cars and fear for our lives while getting exercise. He was not impressed with my logic. The next day my aunt came over and said `oh, do you mind if the kids use those bikes? They'll be great, they can ride safely from your house to mine on the new bike path!'

So you see. What one person considers junk the next guy can't wait to get his hands on. The lesson here is to give things away, not throw them away. Re-cycling and bi-cycling are both good ideas:)

Spring Cleanup

We are spending this week in our `second home.' A yard begging for attention and the gardens, oh my. The dependable teenage neighbors see that we are mowed, but we save the gardens for us to work on when we can. After 2 days our backs and legs are sore and it looks like rain. How perfect.

I have a bird sanctuary in this yard. I have been working in it cleaning the birdbaths, setting up the mist so they can shower at will. Some of the apples from surrounding trees have fallen from the wind storms. Bark is raked and rearranged. The butterfly bushes stand tall and want fertilizer to bloom. Feeders are cleaned and waiting to dry before fresh seed is put back in. Of all the work, this is my favorite. It will take a few days for the birds to return, butterflies are waiting for the blossoms. The air smells different in their garden. The bees are buzzing here too, but everyone takes their turn utilizing all the interesting things here. Just watching all that goes on from my window is mesmerizing. All these wings flapping around makes my heart sing.

Independence Day

Here it comes again. The celebration of Independence Day. Most people refer to it as the 4th of July. As a genealogist, I no longer say that very often. When I think of this day I am reminded of why we celebrate it. We often talk about freedom, we understand the price that we have paid, or do we? Can we actually grasp the risk that was taken by the signers of the Declaration of Independence? Many conversations will erupt today about the war in Iraq and our participation. Most will discuss their furry about President Bush declaring war.

I take a different stand. Just as in previous wars, my family is in the service for our country. I would never criticize the President for `putting' us there. I don't like it any more then anyone else, but the fact remains that we ARE there. I put my prayers and energy into our soldiers, not into the hate of the situation. I do not get caught up in the politics of it all. I don't listen to much of the news on the situation. I believe that you have to be there to know what is really happening and that reports are almost always bad and so dramatic that...well, I don't doubt what they are saying is true, I just feel that a lot of great things are happening too. I think that if soldiers were the reporters, the news would look different.

So regardless of how you view the war in Iraq, please keep in mind that WE are all there, just as in all previous wars. Pray for a good outcome, leave the hate out of conversation, and raise above the opinions of others who wish to debate the subject. Take off your hat, put your hand over your heart, lift your head high and fly your flag. Hold a space for peace, it's coming.

Mind Over Matter

There seems to be plenty of traveling going on regardless of the state of the economy. Most people stayed home last year as gas was so expensive, however this year anything below 3.00 sounds like a fuel bargain. Isn't it interesting how that works. I can recall when coffee jumped up to some ridiculous amount. Talk about a jump in fuel prices...caffeine is about the same deal, don't you think:) Anyway we all kept buying but hoping it would come down in price. Frankly, I'm not sure it ever did, we just got used to paying the price. Coffee then was 20 cents a cup and now we pay nearly 2.00 for the basic stuff in the restaurant.

So it seems to me, it's like mind over matter. If you don't mind, it just doesn't matter. Take this thought into your life. Some things, most things, are not worth fussing over. All that drama just makes you feel lousy and brings your energy vibration down.

Try to Make Something out of Nothing

Tonight we ran out of food. We had planned major grocery shopping tomorrow so we had been cleaning out the cupboards and fridge for a few days. Tonight we were down to the last left over and used up the last of the roast, but not everyone had eaten. Leave it to the creativity of a kid who put the left over baked potato along with the other fixings into the tortilla and made a quesadilla. It turned out so good that I may never use meat in them again!

Change is good. Sometimes breaking away from the way we usually do things lifts your spirits, puts a smile on your face and gives you a new story to tell.

The Meaning of Friends

A friend is a valuable commodity. In my younger years I was attracted to them like crazy. The more friends you have the nicer you must be, right? As time goes on we realize that the number of friends that you have means nothing, but the quality of friends you have means everything.

I woke up on my 40th birthday and decided to get rid of the `dead wood' in my life. All the people that I kept in touch with and felt like the relationship was very once sided, I removed from my life. It was nothing that I said, it was simply that I wasn't going to pursue their friendship anymore. If they wanted me in their life, they would have to contact me. Well to my surprise, few did. And the people that were really my friends I continued to keep in touch with. But the list was darn few.

Now in my 50's I have fabulous friends. Some know me very well, and some know very little about my life. All they know is from the time I met them, and no details. They don't seem to care, nor have I asked them about their `pasts.' I like my old friends and we share good times and bad. The newer friends are in a different stage of their lives and life is simply better after a certain time.

Good people help you maintain your high vibration. Grumpy, complaining people bring your vibration down. Your choice.