A Different Kind of Kiwi

 It's always fun to look at the decorations and collections of people.

The wooden sculpture-of-sorts in today's post caught my eye. 

A very intelligent almost 11-year-old told me it looked like a bird similar to the kiwi, of New Zealand.

What?  The fruit, kiwi, is known to me.  The bird?  Not so much.

A quick check with the amazing Internet know-everything, I learned that the kiwi is a bird from New Zealand.

It cannot fly and is completely noctural.

It's about the size of a chicken, according to some data, and lays very large eggs.

Kiwi birds also have nostrils at the tip of their very long bills.  They find their prey by sniffing!

There is a lot of information about kiwi birds. 

It's good to learn something new every day, including that a kiwi can be more than a fruit!

Have Gratitude and Be Positive, Even in Difficult Times

Life has some really great, happy, and fun times.

But it also has some really dark days that can suck the joy right out of humans.

During the difficult times, it's very hard to have gratitude and be positive but it's also extremely important to do both.

Otherwise, when one concentrates on negative thoughts, they can take over.

Luckily, if a person makes a  switch and concentrates on the positive, that can also take over.

Even though some days seem terribly difficult, there's usually something, to still always to be grateful for. 

Hopefully, this day will bring light, peace, and gratitude. 

After all,  if there is breath in our lungs, it is possible to be grateful just for being alive.

That will make a big diffference in one's mind and heart.

So the next time the doldrums hit, consider immediately concentrating on being positive and think of all the things for which to fill the heart with gratitude.

It is hoped that anyone reading this will have a blessed and happy  day today.

The Beauty of Tanglewood...

Tanglewood is the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

It is located in Western Massachusetts and is an absolutely gorgeous place to visit.

Besides listening to music under the stars, and to artists with immense musical talent, there are flowers there that are beyond breathtaking.

The arrangements are just astounding and the colors of the arrangements as well.

Recently, I had the opportunity to attend the culmination of one week of the DARTS program.

DARTS stands for Days in the Arts.

It's a "free, week-long summer arts immersion program for middle-school youth entering grades 6 through 8."

Students could select music, dance, theater, and visual arts as their specialties throughout an entire week.

All of the students did a really stellar job, including my own little special friend, who selected the dance option. 

It was so refreshing to see kids, not glued to i-phones, doing intensive work in artistic areas they loved.

Now, after visiting Tanglewood, the kids and even the flowers are still on my mind and heart.

Strawberry Shortcake...

When we were kids, growing up in New England, in the summer,  a popular part-time activity was jumping rope.

The words of one of the songs sung, as the jumpers did their things, went like this:

   "Strawberry shortcake, cream on top,
     Tell the first initial of your best sweetheart."

It's funny how certain things stick in our minds, many decades after they happen, right?  

Summer is a good time to indulge in fresh strawberry shortcake.

I prefer  an old-fashioned flaky biscuit for the cake.  

One of my granddaughters likes pound cake for a base. 

I do NOT like the round, spongy cakes that are usually stacked near the strawberries in the supermarket.

Also, real whipped cream is preferred around here, prepared with a beater and containing a touch of sugar, comparted to the stuff in a can.

One can use a combination of fresh, sliced strawberries and thawed out frozen ones that come already sugared.

Soooo "dee-lish."

Remember to Breathe

The beginning of this last week of July is turning out to be quite hectic.

There are so many events to attend, errands to run, visits to make, bills to pay, and on and on.

During busy times like this, it's important to remember to breathe deeply.

That always calms me down when the going gets rough.

I breathe in to a count of four, then hold my breath for a count of four, and slowly let air out of my lungs through the mouth to a count of eight.  

SLOWLY is the key word there.

That deep breathing definitely calms the spirit down.  

Then, it's onward and upward!

I hope you have a good day!