“The world is a looking glass
and gives back to every man
the reflection of his own face.”
~ William Makepeace Thackeray
Our Natural Reflection
water
Just Keep Watering
“We’ve got this gift of love,
but love is like a precious plant.
You can’t just accept it
and leave it in the cupboard
or just think it’s going to get on
by itself. You’ve got to keep
watering it. You’ve got to
really look after it and nurture it.”
~ John Lennon
Seaport Village is Waterfront Destination
Seaport Village is Waterfront Destination in San Diego, California! Laughter fills the air as hand-carved animals move to and fro on an 100-year-old lighted carousel. Anyone can ride, you know. Nearby calypso music captivates passersby crisscrossing the food court on a quest to step into the fudge shoppe for a tempting sample. Will it be a ‘Cookies and Cream’ concoction or the ‘Traditional Chocolate’? Perhaps both. Several walking paths wind past marble statues in waterfront fountains, yachts awaiting carefree guests, open-door shops, interesting art galleries, and aromatic eateries. Entertainment takes all forms from sword swallowing to pet cockatoos and parrots perched on the shoulders of a jolly pirate. As you meander towards the bay where the sunset is mesmerizing, the lapping waves provide sound therapy.
Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter Q
What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Joy of Eating: Quenching Celery Bites! Okay, how many of you get your daily allowance of water? I know, right! Well, I’m here to share with you some very good news. By eating certain fruits and vegetables, which carry a high water content, you can cut down the number of glasses you drink throughout the day. Take a tomato, for example. It’s 94% water. Strawberries are 92%. Celery contains 95% water. Are you getting the gist? And the best part is these foods are guilt-free. Plus, the added fiber fills your stomach so those midafternoon cravings don’t send you on a stomach-growling quest for junk food.
QUENCHING CELERY BITES
Ingredients:
One stalk of Celery
Instructions:
“Choose celery with upright stalks that snap when bent. The leaves should be fresh and crisp. When selecting celery, remember this rule of thumb: the darker the color, the stronger the flavor. Freshly chopped celery retains its nutrients much better than if you chop and store it even for a few hours. Steamed celery not only retains its flavor, but also most of its nutrients-up to 99%, in fact!”*
*Taken from Care2 article entitled, “11 Super Health Benefits in Just One Celery Stalk”.
Palm Island Boardwalk Lives Up to its Name
A leisurely stroll on a winding boardwalk is perfect for daily exercise. One forgets about the 8-acre distance covered along the shoreline and through dense areas of native plants and trees simply because there is so much that catches the eye. Shaded pavilions offer the perfect stopping point to relax for a moment, soak up the view, or share a picnic. The solitude is therapeutic as well as the company of egrets, ducks, bullfrogs, and dragonflies. Well done, Mt. Dora!
Unlock Your Newfound Potential; Part 2
Next she attaches the hose, deciding which nozzle to use in order to keep from shattering the window pane.
“Let’s go easy to test the waters. No pun intended”, she says in amusement.
“But what about the bleach?”, she ponders. “After all, there’s got to be something to use to keep that Shrek-beast from returning once it’s clean. That’s better than soap suds, right?”
Dashing back into the house, she promptly returns with a gallon jug of Clorox, Original Scent. Procrastinating a little, she waves at the neighbors passing by and tries to avoid the task at hand. It’s time to face things head on.
“So where is the plug? Maybe it takes one of those handy, durable battery packs to get things started,” she vacillates. “Can’t be……doesn’t that look like a gas tank, which was probably emptied last summer when we split up? Sheesh.”
Breakups are so ugly. With renewed conviction she turns the black knob, pulls out that skinny little wire, and gives the starter handle a vigorous jerk. Once, twice. Sputter, sputter, and then off it goes!
“Work fast, now,” she commands herself.
“Squeeze the handle, make sure to stay away from the window!”
“But where’s the power surge? It’s not doing anything except giving the house a gentle shower. Seriously?”, she thinks out loud in exasperation.
Deep breath. Time to be aggressive, act boldly, and attach another nozzle.
“Stay Away From That Window!!”, her brain cautions for the umpteenth time.
Not realizing the force of water might lend itself to a loss of balance, secure footing is regained, and clean streaks slowly begin to shine through on the vinyl.
“Wow, that really looks good”, she congratulates herself.
It’s all a matter of rhythm. Using both hands, she swings the wand back and forth across one side of the window, beneath the glass, along the pane, and on to the other side. The pressure washer made the front of the house look new again.
“This is awesome! Job well done!”, she beamed with a winning smile. Further affirmation that Spring is the perfect time to unlock your newfound potential.
“But what about the bleach?”, she ponders. “After all, there’s got to be something to use to keep that Shrek-beast from returning once it’s clean. That’s better than soap suds, right?”
Dashing back into the house, she promptly returns with a gallon jug of Clorox, Original Scent. Procrastinating a little, she waves at the neighbors passing by and tries to avoid the task at hand. It’s time to face things head on.
“So where is the plug? Maybe it takes one of those handy, durable battery packs to get things started,” she vacillates. “Can’t be……doesn’t that look like a gas tank, which was probably emptied last summer when we split up? Sheesh.”
Breakups are so ugly. With renewed conviction she turns the black knob, pulls out that skinny little wire, and gives the starter handle a vigorous jerk. Once, twice. Sputter, sputter, and then off it goes!
“Work fast, now,” she commands herself.
“Squeeze the handle, make sure to stay away from the window!”
“But where’s the power surge? It’s not doing anything except giving the house a gentle shower. Seriously?”, she thinks out loud in exasperation.
Deep breath. Time to be aggressive, act boldly, and attach another nozzle.
“Stay Away From That Window!!”, her brain cautions for the umpteenth time.
Not realizing the force of water might lend itself to a loss of balance, secure footing is regained, and clean streaks slowly begin to shine through on the vinyl.
“Wow, that really looks good”, she congratulates herself.
It’s all a matter of rhythm. Using both hands, she swings the wand back and forth across one side of the window, beneath the glass, along the pane, and on to the other side. The pressure washer made the front of the house look new again.
“This is awesome! Job well done!”, she beamed with a winning smile. Further affirmation that Spring is the perfect time to unlock your newfound potential.
Unlock Your Newfound Potential; Part 1
It’s an Indiana Spring. New beginnings. The boxwood bushes show youthful growth every day. Before long their wild shoots will reach out to bridge the gap between the solid hedge and the vinyl siding on the front of the house just beneath the office window. Over time, in a slow determined effort, Nature left its mark on the pale gray siding. Remnants of fuzzy, green moss attached to the north side of the house. Being determined to challenge Nature and eliminate the blobs, an intimidating bright yellow machine on wheels is parked in front of the pane of glass. Its reflection shows a timid, middle-aged woman, hair hanging loose with several strands tucked behind one ear. Worn blue jeans threadbare at the knees, long-sleeved shirt (to keep mosquitoes from having a smorgasbord), canvas garden gloves protecting a recent manicure, and dingy white Nikes, all come together as protective armor for the job at hand.
“Now how in the world do you start this thing?”, she murmurs to herself.
“Oh yeah, it needs water.”
Around the back yard a sun-bleached rubber garden hose hangs coiled over the fence to keep it suspended above the ground. She checks for spiders and bees, two vicious insects that snicker and laugh every time the woman jumps, scrambling to stay out of reach. Following a wave of her gloved hand and the stomp of her foot, the hose uncoils and snakes around to the base of where the power washer sits patiently to begin the task at hand. Stay tuned………
“Oh yeah, it needs water.”
Around the back yard a sun-bleached rubber garden hose hangs coiled over the fence to keep it suspended above the ground. She checks for spiders and bees, two vicious insects that snicker and laugh every time the woman jumps, scrambling to stay out of reach. Following a wave of her gloved hand and the stomp of her foot, the hose uncoils and snakes around to the base of where the power washer sits patiently to begin the task at hand. Stay tuned………
snapshotsincursive 