Mia Monday Madness

Sometimes, I love to drive. It all depends on the situation at hand. I like it even better when I am on the road alone.

Just the other day I was driving along minding my own business. I was in the fast lane behind another car. There were no other cars behind me. All the sudden this jackass comes speeding along side of me in the slower lane, when he sees that the bus is stopped in front of him he cuts me off. He misses my car by just inches. I beeped my horn at him. He went on for a couple of seconds then he stomped on his brakes. It felt like he wanted me to hit his truck.  He then slams the truck in park, gets out of his truck and starts walking quickly toward my car. I franticly put my car in reverse. I put a lot of space between me and him and his truck. He saw that traffic was coming, and went back to his truck.  It was frightening for me and my children. None of us could say anything all the way home. We were just in so much shock that something like that even happened to us.

Why has the world become a dangerous place to drive?

Joseph Sparrowhawk and Sarah II

The father of Sarah was Jacob Persinger. Jacob was one of the Scottish men that moved into the area of Virginia where Cherokee People had been living for thousands of years. A village of Cherokee people became fond of Jacob, and he of the village people.

A family that he knew lived near the home of Jacob. The Cherokee family lived in a cabin in the woods. One night the family was being harassed by some men that were not friendly with the Native People, and believed that somehow they were superior to the Native People. The men gathered the family, and shot them, and then burned the house down. The men did not know that the ten year old girl was outside. The men spotted her and ran after her. The rowdy noise of the men and fire caught the attention of Jacob and another neighbor. The men rode to the cabin where the family lived. They heard a shot ring into the air. The little girl had been shot in the back. Jacob and his neighbor quickened the step of their horses, they found the girl. She was bleeding heavily. She was still alive. Jacob picked her up and pressed the wound closed. The neighbor got as close to the fire of the cabin as he could. The family had already died in the flames. Jacob took off with the girl for his home. The neighbor rode to the home of the Doctor. The Doctor refused to come to help an Indian girl. Jacob and his family did all they could. The little girl lived for 12 days, but passed away with a fever. Jacob and his family made a tribute to the family. He wanted everyone to know what happened at that cabin should not happen again.

Joseph would never feel comfortable living in a house. It is said that he often thought of a house as a four wall cage. He would stay with Sarah sometimes in the cabin that Sarah lived, but he would never stay long. Sarah understood this, and let Joseph be Joseph. Joseph was from the bird family of the Cherokee people and he needed to feel his freedom. Sarah loved him, and loved seeing him happy. There was the one time of her first pregnancy that she wished he was there with her. (That story will have to wait until next time,)

Art to Wear

As much as I love art for my walls, I also love art to wear.  I have purchased all of these bracelets and three necklaces from Rutha Aaronson. Honestly, Temple St. Clair has nothing on her. The necklace is Pink Peruvian Opals and 18Kt gold. I really enjoy quality gemstones, and real gold instead of plated pieces.  The 18Kt gold beads between each one of the gemstones allows me to add an enhancer. Since I usually have any of my pendants modified to enhancers the necklaces look different each time I wear one.

The bracelets are Pink Peruvian Opals, Gray Agate, White Agate, and Turquoise. Rutha added a beautiful little charm on each one. I wish I would have taken a photo of the tiny charm. Take my word for it, they are just so beautiful! One would almost expect a little ring from the charm because they look like tiny bells that were used in the Roman Empire. Much of the designs that Rutha makes have an old world ancient quality to them. I just love the ancient look of jewelry from Egypt, Greece, Etruscans, and Romans.

I recently bought one of my favorite gemstones Rutilated Quartz, and just the other day I purchase yet another necklace of Citrine. I have not got my Citrine necklace, but Rutha gets the packages out quick and to my door in no time. In fact she is one of the fastest shippers I have ever bought items from as of yet. The Rutilated Quartz is very unusual stone. It has little "Golden Angel Hairs" trapped inside the gemstone.  Here is  what the necklace looks like with an enhancer. I just got out of the shower, so give me a break. The enhancer is a Venetian piece by Taglimonte.

Go check out the other pieces that Rutha makes, I can almost guarantee there are going to be pieces in her Etsy store that you are going to love.

You will have to let me know what you think.

Wordless Wednesday

Can you see the moon? Napa Valley, CA

Transformation Tuesday/Focus

Focus and find meaning in your day. One of the newest ways that I  have been relaxing is playing a game on my iPad. I must admit...I am not much of a game player. I don't even know how to play any card games. I never had an interest in learning how to play any card games.

When we were young we would go camping in the summer, and many people would gather around the picnic table and play a card game. I would read. My sister loved spending some of her money at the arcade when we would go to the mall. I just wanted to spend my extra money on books, magazines, earrings, or something girlie. My sister loved to play cenipedies, pac man, and tetris (I think that was it).

So these days I do have a few games that I really love. My obsession is "Align it" the object is to get four balls in a row. For every four balls you get to line up, you get four points. I know, it does not sound high tech, but it is so much fun.

After I had played the game for about an hour. I was flipping through my newspaper on my iPad "The Daily" and they had an article in the paper about a book that talks about how games make you focus on one task. You can not do a multitude of things while you play a game.  It does take a level of focus, and it is really centering for me to play games that I really enjoy. Some of my other favorites are Chess, Checkers, Jeopardy Deluxe, Travelogue 360 Rome, Wheel of Fortune, Bookworm Deluxe, and Word Finder.

Well, happy playing for all of you. Let us know what you are doing to transform yourself?

Mia Monday Snow Holiday

Honestly, I would have even liked to do this over the weekend. Sit in my rocking chair and read. This weekend is a traditional Snow Weekend or Ski Weekend around here. We have lots of snow in the mountains. My hubby loves to ski, but we have not been up to the mountains since my son was very young. Neither of my children have even seen SNOW which is so odd for me. I grew up walking to school up hill both ways in the snow. We endured the blizzard of 1978. Wow! That seems like a lifetime ago.

My kids have never made a snow ball. I used to stay outside in the cold playing until I had no feeling in my hands or feet. We made snow Angels, snow men (snow people was not thought of back then) we played tag. We had snot running out our nose and we did not care. Tackling anyone was okay, because there was snow to cushion your fall.

We also did some really stupid things. Bumper skiing was may have even been against the law. Is it dangerous? Yes, very dangerous. One could slide up under the car, and get run over by a car. So, in the HOOD we could not afford to go skiing. The next best thing was grabbing a bumper of a car, and hold on for dear life. Did I do something so stupid and dangerous? Well, I have children. I saw these things, and my sister never participated in such an activity.

As I remember how I used to spend the snowy weekends in the HOOD. I have now spent this weekend doing taxes. Hmmm, I would much rather spend it in the snow.

Sarah meets Joseph Sparrowhawk

Sarah Persinger goes out into the woods. She is familiar with the woods since often it is her playground. She likes the solitude, but also knowing that there are others in the woods with her. Where Sarah lives in Virginia are many known Cherokee villages. Her family often has associated with the Natives of the area from the time the Persingers came into the area. Her family has always been on friendly terms. The family knows and respects the Native people.

As Sarah is walking around in the woods she come across a beautiful man. Tall, with long silky black hair, beautiful sand colored skin. He goes about his business of cooking up a little rabbit that he has hunted. As the rabbit cooks...Sarah moves in closer for a better view. Joseph tells her "I could hear your footsteps long before I saw you." Sarah says nothing, but just longingly adores the beautiful man that is sitting before her. Instead of waiting for him to ask she tears a little bit of the rabbit off for herself. He then says " I was going to ask you if you wanted some for yourself." She replied "I know, I could just tell that you were going to offer some for me." He asked her "Why are you out in the woods alone?" She tells him bravely "I am not out here all alone, I am here with you." He asked her "You are not afraid?" I am not afraid! What do I have to fear? My father wants me to find a husband, so I came to the woods looking for you. He is a little puzzled...You were looking for me? He asked. Yes! She said...I had to find you so I could take you back with me to meet my family. He just laughed. What makes you think I am going to come back with you? He asked her...I just know in my heart that you are the one I have been seeking with my heart.

For the next three weeks the two lived in the woods together. He showed her how to hunt with a bow and arrow. He taught her how to be as quiet as a tree in the woods. He took her to the spring that had the sweetest water that she had ever tasted. They canoed in the lake, and caught fish together. He took her to the village where his family lived, and she played a ball game with all the others there. He was impressed with how well she could play ball. The people of the village loved her, and the two of them loved each other. She took Joseph back with her to meet her family. The Persinger family loved him, and they told him that if the two of them wanted to live in the cabin that they were free to do so. It was against the law for the two of them to be married as husband and wife in the eyes of Virginia. They were married to the Persingers and to the Cherokee village that Joseph was a part.

Sarah would often stay in the cabin while Joseph went off to hunt. He was uncomfortable living in a house with four walls because of a story that he was told. (I will share it next week)

Kevin Beilfuss

This is the only painting that I have by Kevin. The brush strokes are heavy handed, and very thick. I love paintings that depict women reading.

The title of this painting is "A Lamp Unto My Feet".  What caught my eye in the light behind her. The light falling upon her big open book. Her very old world look, and the innocent and delicate demeanor that she displays. Although her pose looks stiff, she has a relaxed look about her with her hand placed on the her lap ever so gently.

If you want to view other works by Kevin Beilfuss go to his website. No, I am not being paid for this. I enjoy art, and sharing it with all of you.

Yummy Food!

Geiserville, CA a yummy little Italian establishment.

Transforming One Day At A Time

Recently I was telling my story about how I was reading a journal that my Grgrgr Aunt wrote. She said over and over in her journal how lucky she was that she got the chance to be learned. It gives me chills to tell you this. What a remarkable woman she was. She was a mix of Black, White, and Native American. Her name was Martha Persinger. I loved reading her philosophy of life...she hated to hear people being mean to others because of their color. She was surprised how people were people no matter what their color. Some people are good and some are bad. Where ever she was...people often saw her as one of their own. Isn't that special? Sometimes she felt as though she belonged no where. What a lonely feeling. She always had her sister though.

Anyway, I was just struck by how empowering knowing how to read and write was and how it is today. Reading books can transform us. It takes us out of the ordinary and puts us somewhere, anywhere we would rather be. I am again finding myself offering up my humility to those that came before me to teach me. Those that took the time to stop for a minute and write down that their cat ran away, or the story of when they were lost in the woods. Thank you to all of of you! I enjoy the gift of reading so much, and seeing women in art with books in their laps tickles me to no end.

Women can do so much more. We can do anything, and it all starts with reading.

Mia Monday

Ahhh! The area we live in is so beautiful! I love going for drives. We see so clearly how spectacular the area is, what a blessing it is to live here. Knowing as much as I do about my ancestors I thank them for this everyday. If it were not for all their hard efforts we would not be able to gaze upon all that God offers to us.

On Mia Monday I am grateful for all that I have, see and witness. What are you special blessings?

Hye Seong Yoon

I believe I own 5 pieces from Hye. I am sure this is my favorite painting I own of San Francisco. The painting screams "San Francisco". There really is no other place in the world that looks likes this.

I love the colors she uses. The blending of the colors to create such a warm mood. This painting ought to be a post card for S.F. The painting lures you into the painting with such a strong pull. The street car is full, as they usually are every day. There are people full of desire to ride the attraction that only S. F. can fulfill.
The rails tell their own story too. They may look bright and shiny in the sunset, but they are old. The rails have been there for more than 100 years. Transportation that was created to carry people up the steep hills. The horses could not take the repetition of the hills. The hills are way to steep, and the mud...the horses would slide back down the hill. Many horses lost their lives before the cable cars. The cable is what pulls the car up the hill.

It is beautiful, and has so much heart and soul. What do you think about it?

Apple A Day!

Transforming Me...

Many people try to find the RIGHT label for mothers of our time. We have so many things going on that it is hard to find one label that fits. We are moms that take our children where ever they need to go. Support them in their effort to find where they fit in their world. We take care of the home with all the decor, cooking, ironing, growing green gardens, paying bills, handling the family business, taking care of the pets.

Then we have our own hobbies or projects...blogging, tweeting, being Apple Support for my family all over  the country. Genealogy research for the family and sharing the data. Reading, reading and more reading.

What have I done to transform me? Since December I have been really good about eating well, and exercising. I weighted myself to find out that I weighted 5 more pounds than I did when I started. Now, I do understand that muscle weights more than fat, but it was depressing. The last couple of weeks I have done some extensive family research, and even came across a family journal. That was something that I could not put down. I loved every word. I must confess for the last couple of weeks it has not been easy to exercise.

So now, back to it. I did lose those extra 5 lbs, so now I really want to get back on track of GOODNESS to transform my life. This year is my year to be a better me! Do you have a great method for motivation?