Cattitude and Gratitude

I am participating in the Write Tribe Blogging Challenge from December 8-14. http://writetribe.com/people/ Today's topic is People so I decided to write a poem for a change of pace. People Not Presents The Christmas rush is here again Take a breath and count to ten, This time of year we lose our way It makes me sadder than I can say, Spending too much on so much stuff Don’t you think we have enough? Eating until we’re ready to burst Drinking to quench our endless thirst Forever searching and feeling a void No wonder we often get annoyed Please listen to this Christmas verse Open your heart and close your purse, Reach out to others and the world will sing Don’t you think that’s a wonderful thing? Love and kindness are better than toys People, not presents bring Christmas joys.

I am participating in the Write Tribe Blogging Challenge from December 8-14. http://writetribe.com/music/ Today's topic is Music. I just love the Christmas season. The sparkling colourful lights and decorations are so lovely and the food scrumptious. (BURP! *Loosens belt a few notches*) I love all the rituals and traditions about this time of year. It’s wonderful to have family and friends spending time together. The world just seems a kinder and happier place at Christmas. But what really makes Christmas for me is the music. I sing in a women’s choir, play flute in a concert band, and with my harpist friend. This time of year we are busy doing Christmas concerts at seniors’ residences as well as our main choir concert coming up this week. There is something so wonderful about performing music with others for an audience. They enjoy it and so do we. Here is a recording of Noel Nouvelet with me playing flute and Sharon and Lyn on harp. Create your ow...

I am participating in the Write Tribe blogging challenge from December 8-14. http://writetribe.com/books-day-3-festival-words-2/ Today’s topic is Books and I am relating each topic to Christmas. I love the Christmas season so much and this is the time of year when we’re all caught up in Christmas preparations and events. I'm in a Christmas frame of mind! When I was a kid, my favourite book at Christmas time was “The Night Before Christmas.” I remember I’d read it over and over gazing at the beautiful illustrations of Santa Claus and the reindeer. I’d picture myself as one of those kids snuggled in bed with visions of sugar plums in my head.  I don’t know where that book is now as I read it so much, it fell apart. I can still remember it vividly in my mind. Looking at some of the vintage book illustrations on Google from the 1950s and 60s reminds me of that book. The Night Before Christmas is still popular which is pretty impressive considering it was writte...

http://writetribe.com/food-food/ I am participating in Write Tribe's blogging challenge from December 8-14. Today's topic is Food. What would Christmas be without Christmas sweets? My waist expands an inch or two when I bake the decorated cookies, scrumptious fudge, chocolate brownies and other delicious treats at this time of year. I make them for gifts and for the boys, you understand.  *Wipes chocolate from mouth.* Give me the chocolate! And what about the Christmas treats that we don’t like? They still become part of our Christmas memories. Candy canes are pretty and so decorative to look at. They're also good for breaking a tooth. I’ve never liked them much even if they do freshen my breath for those moments under the Mistletoe. Give me the chocolate! I remember my mom buying old-fashioned brightly-coloured candies when I was a kid. You know the kind?  She would pour them into decorative dishes where they wou...

I am taking part in the Write Tribe's Festival of Words for the week of December 8-14. http://writetribe.com/recalling-memories/ Today's topic is Memory/Memories. I am planning to relate each topic to Christmas since it is the Christmas season. I have many memories of Christmas but one that stands out in my mind is Christmas 1997 which we spent in Canada’s Arctic region. That Christmas we were thousands of miles North in the tiny community of Gjoa Haven, Nunavut, located on King William Island in the Arctic Ocean.  We arrived there in August and were there for the eight long months while Brian worked as an adult education teacher. As a rugged Canadian, I like it to be snowy and wintery for Christmas, but must admit Gjoa Haven was a bit too wintery for my liking. The brutal Arctic wind and the constant darkness were unlike anything I’d ever experienced. I was home with my two boys who were two and four at the time. We hardly ever went outside...

Corinne Rodrigues of  Everyday Gyaan  is hosting a “Living Gratitude Series” this week, and invited me to contribute a guest post as part of the series.  Thank you so much, Corinne. I very grateful for this opportunity. My post was published today, and I would love it if you would head over to  her blog, check it out, and add your comments.  http://everydaygyaan.com/2013/11/practicing-gratitude/ Have a happy day full of gratitude! Cat

Halloween Countdowns at WiddlyTinks.com

I am participating in BlogHer NaBloPoMo for October 2013 and the theme is FALL.  Love those blog challenges and reading other bloggers' posts! Always a fun time! My favourite thing about autumn would have to be the colourful foliage. Here in Canada, the trees put on a spectacular display of red, gold and orange leaves. The sun is lower in the sky and bathes everything in a golden light. I especially appreciate the finery, knowing that it is here for such a brief time. Soon the trees will be naked and grey and we’ll all be bracing ourselves for the onset of winter. As much as I love fall, I find it a melancholy time with the shorter, colder days and all the plants withering away. I want to make it stop and last longer but of course it never does. Maple leaves blaze crimson red Gently floating past my head, Gone is summer’s oppressive heat Leaves rustle and crunch beneath my feet, My eyes feast on nature’s glorious show I know that soon the leaves will...

This blog post was written for Write Tribe's 100 word challenge with the prompt of "If only you were here." If only you were here, I’d be raising a daughter instead of two sons. It’s still hard to accept that your death 21 years ago was a tragic accident that would never have happened if the doctor had been more careful. But no matter how much grief I’ve suffered, with all its overwhelming emotions of anger and sadness, nothing will bring you back. I try to be grateful for the present and appreciate all of the good things in life. Still, it’s hard not to wonder about what might have been, my sweet daughter Laura. If only you were here.

http://writetribe.com/100-words-on-saturday-4/ This poem is written for Write Tribe's 100 words on a Saturday prompt of "Truly Alive." Some day there’ll be time for you and me Some day we’ll be together, just wait and see, Some day I’ll work less and take time to rest Some day I’ll be less grumpy and be at my best, Some day I’ll  try and enjoy life more Some day I’ll stop and take time to explore, Hey, Mr. Some Day, I have something to say The time to start living is now, not some day, Have you forgotten life comes with an expiry date? Start some day now, it’s never too late! 

http://writetribe.com/world-suicide-prevention-day-2013/ Today is World Suicide Prevention Day and  I decided to write a short story with a hopeful message. It doesn't have to be bleak and hopeless. There are people who care. All you have to do is reach out to others and give life a chance. From the rooftop of our apartment building, I look at the cars below me, tiny dots of red and white light streaming along in the darkness. The cool autumn wind rustles through my shaggy brown hair and I hear a plane coming in for a landing overhead. “Aren’t you going to get your hair cut, Josh?” my father asked just last night in complete exasperation. “You look like a bum. How will you ever get a job looking like that?” I take another swig of the bottle of vodka I stole out of my parents’ liquor cabinet. Usually it makes me numb. It’s not working tonight. It would be so easy to end it all right now. “Josh, you’re hopeless. You’re on a one way road to nowhere,” my mother ...

http://writetribe.com/write-tribe-festival-words-day-7/ I have enjoyed this week long Festival of Words as it's so challenging and rewarding to write something daily. I have also enjoyed reading other bloggers' blogs and am especially enjoying learning about the wonders of India through the eyes of all the Indian bloggers who were involved with the challenge. Such fun to learn about your country with its many cultures and incredible diversity. For the last day of Write Tribe's Festival of Words, I am writing about seven things that I can't live without each day. It goes without saying that my family, friends and pets are my world and I can’t live without them but for this post, I will focus on daily things that I can’t live without.  How about you? What daily things can't you live without? I have to start off with my Keurig and good strong coffee to kickstart my day just right. I love flavoured coffee the best and my favourite lately is Van ...

I meant to post this yesterday but was out and about til later in the evening so it never happened. And you bloggers in India are already ahead enough of me by 10 hours so I thought I'd keep it for today's post. Bad me missing a day. Sigh. I guess it happens. This is for the Write Tribe's Festival of Words from September 1-7th celebrating the number seven! http://writetribe.com/write-tribe-festival-words-day-6/ Seven pine cones so fragrant and fine Waiting for me to make them mine, Soon they will become a Christmas treasure Giving me hours of crafting pleasure, First I buy spray paint in metallic tones I get more paint on me than on the cones, Gooey glue drips everywhere On my dress and in my hair, And I won't even mention about the glitter I don't want it broadcast on Facebook and Twitter, I am all thumbs, I must confess The pine cones are sticking to my dress, I look so festive, don't you agree? I could re...

I am participating in  Write Tribe 's Festival of Words from 1st to 7th September where bloggers are writing on the theme of Seven for Seven days - a post a day! Today is  Day 4. Today I'm playing with a collage using the gestalt theory based on the the brain's ability to view separate pieces as a whole. Or maybe I'm having an Art Attack! Does anyone remember that art show from the 1990's? I used to love that show and Neil was cute, too! It's also Wordless Wednesday for many bloggers today, but I couldn't resist throwing a corny quote in there as well.

I am participating in the  Write Tribe Festival of Words  from September 1 - 7. The theme for this festival is "7" and this post is about my seven favourite North American birds. What are your favourite birds? Where I live in rural Ontario, Canada, we are lucky to see a variety of birds all year around.  Here are seven of my favourites. My most favourite bird is the cardinal. His happy chirp brightens the dullest day and I love seeing his bright red plumage against the monotone background of winter.  I love that he stays around all year and I put out sunflower seeds to attract him to the feeder. Here is a photo I took of him. His wife is sweet, too, and comes on the bedroom window sill to say hello to me. (from morguefile) I adore the mourning doves with their sad cooing sound. They are such sweet gentle birds. I remember how devastated I was when my cat killed one right in front of me and I couldn’t do a thing.  (from...

I am taking part in the  Write Tribe Festival of Words   from September 1 - 7.  http://writetribe.com/write-tribe-festival-words-day-2/ Today I'm revelling in nostalgia and thinking back to my childhood during the 1960's and 70's.  Do you remember any of these or are you too young? I loved my portable record player and spent many an angst-filled moment listening to records  in my bedroom,  both 33s and 45s when I was a teen in the 1970s. I’m glad to see record players are making a comeback again. I used to love my records. I’m glad these aren’t making a comeback. They were a trend that didn’t last too long, thankfully as they were quite hazardous and sometimes would break and shards would fly in peoples’ eyes. I recall having a pair of clackers and I still wince thinking about my poor swollen wrist covered in bruises. I learned to type on something similar to this one, a rather imposing and unforgiving machin...