2015 03 17 Sunshine & Rain

ATTITUDE of GRATITUDE

Brought to you by

SUNSHINE and RAIN

This past week we've had both here in Georgia..in the same day.  Rainy morning, sun shines in the afternoon. Start out with clear skies, rain later on. We need both at this time of year. A bit of each, and not too much of either one.  I think we've been pretty lucky. No thunderstorms. No torrential downpours. Just soft rain, sometimes for most of the day. Then sunshine and clear skies. All telling the flowers and trees that it's time to show their stuff. 


Today I am grateful for:

* The little \/ on the facebook feed. Not only can I choose to not see my friends game score notifications, I can also choose not to read re-posts from sources I care nothing about. And, as we gear up for another political season (did the last one ever end?)I can keep my friends, keep up with their lives, and not be subjected to what I think of as extreme party politics. Love that little \/. I am grateful for the programmers who wrote that little piece of peaceful facebooking into existence.

* The kindness of strangers. The little things mean so much. A smile. A door held open. I am grateful for those strangers that brighten my day without knowing it.

* The birds singing. They start before sunrise. It's like they are calling to the sun, urging it to rise from its slumber. I am grateful for the early morning songs the birds sing.

* Coffee. I know it makes the list often. But I really am thankful for coffee. I am grateful for a strong cuppa joe.

* Friends. Today I am especially thankful for the ones that are willing to proof read potential articles, and those that are so helpful in planning events. I am grateful for Debbie, Sarah, and AnnLynn. 

2015 03 26 Thank List

Attitude of Gratitude

Brought to you today by the color Red

Why red? Well, it is one of my favorite colors. But it is also the color of the flower in the American Greetings logo.

Why am I interested in the American Greetings Logo? Well, they have a project going on called the Thank List. It seems that 95% of Americans believe that WE (Americans) have a civility problem. And American Greetings proposed solution: Gratitude.

The idea is to encourage people to say thank you. Thank you for the big things. Thank you for the little things. And to start with a Thank list.

So, it seems that American Greetings and I are on similar tracks. The idea is to Write Down the people & things for which you are Grateful. Research shows positive benefits to your brain just by WRITING IT DOWN! American Greetings is more about the people aspect, and remembering to say, "Thank You."

Last night I posted a preview of today's blog on my facebook feed. This is my nephew. I still call him Ronnie...He puts up with it. Take 5 minutes and watch. You'll be glad you did.

Now not all thank yous need to be "epic." They simply need to be Sincere.

Today I am Thankful For:

* My Family. All of them. The Brothers & Sisters-in-law. The Nephews & the nieces & the "greats" (we can't call them the "little kids" anymore as several of them are as tall or taller than ME!). The in-laws & the out-laws. The Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins. Thank You for being you and for the love we share.

* My Hanley. He really is the BEST! And, I've had people ask what our "secret" is.... well, it's no secret. Please and Thank you go along way. Even for the little everyday things like taking the trash out, or mowing the yard, or doing the dishes, or getting the other one a glass of water. Please and Thank You. 

* My SAORI family. It is growing everyday. I am so thankful for each of you and the things that you teach me.

* The Kindness of Strangers. The dude that ran past the dry cleaners (his intended destination) to open the door of the UPS store because my hands were full and countless others like him. 

* My Artist friends. Thank you for your continued inspiration...and the additions to my growing Art Collection.

So think on it. Our country could become a more civil place to live if we simply adopted an Attitude of Gratitude. Making a Thank List is the first step. Saying Thank You is the second. Making it a daily habit is the third.

2015 03 22 Monday

Attitude of Gratitude

Mondays

Brought to you by Chartreuse.  Why Chartreuse? 'Cause it's just fun to say.

I've been thinking a lot about this little Attitude of Gratitude thing. And how living with an attitude of gratitude doesn't mean that everything in my life is easy peasy. Nor does it mean that everything is perfect. It means making a choice each and every day to be grateful for the things I have (even if I don't post every day).

Today I am grateful for:

The flowers that bloom...despite my lack of attention to their well being.

Choices...Every day there are Doors that are waiting to be opened... Life is full of so many possibilities.

 Friends... They make me smile, laugh with me, cry with me, share life with me.

Color... so many options ... and even the ones we may not like on their own help to make other colors shine!

 Coffee... Really, were you surprised by this?

Have a great Monday! 

2015 03 21 Spring

Attitude of Gratitude
Saturday 

Brought to you by Spring

I think of Spring as a time of renewal.  A time when the the old crap gets washed away by the spring storms and the new growth emerges.  And not just in my garden. In my life. In my soul.

Today I am grateful for:

* The piles of Laundry yet to be done. They remind me that I have clothes to wear.

* The Dishwasher that needs to be emptied (and probably reloaded). It reminds me that I have food to eat.

* The flower beds that need to be Weeded. They remind me that I have a home with beauty all around it. 

* The orders that need to be packed today. They remind me that I have a healthy and growing business.

* My less than stellar moments. They remind me that I have friends that love me through the awkwardness and help me grow to be a better person.

* The STUDIO and all of its distractions. It reminds me that beauty is everywhere, and that I have a place to soothe my soul.

And Coffee.  We cannot forget coffee.

2015 03 19

Attitude of Gratitude

It's been a rough couple of days. No need to rehash what made it rough, just suffice it to say, It Was Rough.

It was so rough I yelled at a friend.  I shouldn't have. Now I need to find a way to mend that.

But Yesterday also brought me phone calls from the most unexpected places.  Voices that lifted me up. Voices that said, "I care." Voices that reaffirmed my desire to live my life with an Attitude of Gratitude.

Today I am thankful for:
* Coffee -- it tops the list this AM. After waking up with a headache, the caffeine is starting to work its way into my system and relieve the pressure in my head.
* Quiet Mornings -- I have the house to myself this AM and it is quiet, except for the Wren.
* The Wren's song -- Yes he has been on the deck singing his heart out this morning.  (If you've never heard a Carolina Wren, here is a video I found on You Tube). He may be small, but he is loud. 
*Friends -- Over the last few days they have lifted my spirits and helped me to refocus on what is important in my life. They have called just to check in, and to tell me I am loved.  I am more than loved. I am truly blessed to have them in my life.
*The Rain -- If every day was sunny we would live in a desert. The rain will help my grass to get green. It will help my flowers to grow. And hopefully it will wash away some of the dirt off of my driveway and side walks.


What are you thankful for today? Have you told anyone?

2015 03 18

Attitude of Gratitude 

Today's post is a bit different. I hope you will bear with me.

I had been thinking for a while that I needed to say something about the days when there is no post.  It's not that I'm not grateful on those days. It's more like I don't stop long enough to put it in writing.

Yesterday was not one of those days. Yesterday I woke up to an email that totally knocked me off my feet.  There were things in that email that were totally unexpected. Every time I sat down to try to write my gratitude post, the words of the email came back and I would start to cry all over again.

Now, those that know me well will tell you that I work very hard to NOT let people see me cry. But I couldn't write, all I could do was cry. So I posted to my circle of friends (ok, it's a very large circle) that I was having a hard time being grateful. What followed amazed me.

I had more responses to that one post than I have had to probably any single post in my time on facebook. Friends I have known since childhood; friends I've known for years but have never met In Real Life; friends I've only known for a short time - both IRL and on line, all posted loving caring messages.  

One thanked me for being real. Many offered things to look at to be grateful for. Many offered hugs. Some made me laugh. All were encouraging and offered me love and acceptance for where I was at at that moment.

Not one asked for details.

I learned a lot from this.  I learned that more people read my posts than I thought! I learned that there are people around the globe that care about me. I learned that sometimes it's ok to let people know you are hurting. And I learned it is possible to feel grateful even you cannot express that gratitude.

So today, My Dear Friends I am grateful for you. You fed my soul, and took me in your arms in great big ol' bear hugs. You understood the pain with out having to know what caused it, and you made me laugh. You showed me the true beauty that is in my life: Your generous spirits.



I am grateful for the birds welcoming the rising sun outside my window.

I am thankful for a partner who knew what was going on and let me process it.










I am grateful for my SAORI students who came to weave with me and allowed my wounded soul time to heal.




I am grateful for the healing and restorative properties of Art and Yoga.

And I am thankful for Coffee. 

Always coffee.

2105 03 16 WHITE

Today's Attitude of Gratitude

is brought to you by the color

Why white? Because for me here in Georgia, white is a sign of spring. This is the time of year that the Bradford Pear trees bud out ..... in all their little white flowery finery. So White is the color of the day.

My Morning Gratitudes:

* That the WHITE  I see is the one pictured above and not the one below.

* Yard Work .... Like house work, I am not saying I necessarily LIKE yard work, I am simply thankful that I have a yard and am able to work in it. Although I am looking forward to having the attachment for the tractor that will allow me vacuum the leaves...

* Workouts with Wilton.  If it weren't for the morning workouts, my back would be a lot sorer than it is after yesterday's leaf raking.

* Coffee. Does this need any further explanation?

* Letting go of things I don't need. I had Hanley list a piece of Jewelry equipment on Craig's list. Yesterday they came to pick it up. And then the woman purchased several of my cabochons. A pleasant and unexpected exchange.

2015 03 11 Blue

My Morning Gratitudes

Brought to you by the color blue.

I think of blue as a calm color, a healing color. The color of the sky and the ocean. Today we mark the 4 year anniversary of the Japan tsunami.  A 9.0 undersea earthquake hit at 2:46 pm March 11, 2011 off the coast of Japan. The resulting tsunami would reek havoc and devastation on the area.

I know people in Japan.  More now than I did then.  Then, we waited to hear about a friend's family. They were OK, on the other side of the Island.

Last summer at the SAORI Conference I met Emiko, a SAORI weaver who lived through this day. This is her story as written by Amy Bissell. 

On Sunday July 13th, 2014, in the evening between the SAORI conference and post-conference, two dozen weavers sat in the lobby of the hotel and listened to Emiko Oikawa. She told her story of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and the tsunami that devasted Ishinomaki, Miyagi prefecture, where she had her SAORI studio Yokisya. Translated by Mihoko Wakabayashi, we heard how she and three other women survived a day that promised rain, possibly snow, and temperatures that would dip down below freezing, when the strongest earthquake ever to hit Japan rocked the studio. Centered less than 100 miles to the east of Ishinomaki, the monster quake came and went while the weavers were sitting together drinking tea, but the worst was about to strike. After the shock had passed there was a calm of perhaps half an hour then the tsunami that had been generated by the quake struck.  The waves that came ashore, inundating Ishinomaki, topped 25 feet, and rising water started coming down the street, turning into a torrent of murky water, cars, and debris that would rose, trapping the four women inside Yokisya Studio.    

Emiko spoke quietly of how she jumped on a stack of tatami mats which were floating after the water level came up to her chin, and from there into a crawl space where she pulled her three companions to safety. When they were holding on the edge of the crawling space, one student of hers said, “Mrs. Oikawa, I don’t think I can make it.” Emiko responded right away. “Don’t give up. We all will make it. Don’t say such a thing.”  

They spent the night there holding each others’ hands in the cold, wet darkness, huddled for warmth and mutual support, to be rescued the next morning by neighbor who survived in a second story of the building across the street.  The neighbor and four ladies lived together at his apartment for a week. The water receded in four days. When Emiko's son was able to enter the area to search he found the house gone and the studio deserted. He didn't know that she was safe across the street.  Only later were mother and son reunited. When he came to search for her a week later, he saved a banana for her from the food share at the shelter he was staying at. He found his mother and her students well fed in a neighbor’s apartment. After the water subsided Emiko found her freezer jammed in the midst of damaged items. Fortunately she stocked up food because that was just before the day she expecting her son’s visit.   

 Her home was completely destroyed. Her studio building survived but all the looms and yarns suffered from the mud and debris.  The students at the studio encouraged Emiko to reopen the studio without rebuilding.  Some of them whose homes survived the devastation washed the banners and brought them back to the studio. Other volunteers cleaned and repaired the studio and looms. Kenzo came over to help with the maintenance of the looms. 

Three months later, as SAORI cloth and weavings were salvaged and hung out as colorful banners amid a dismal grey scene of destruction, the community rallied around them, and the display made a hopeful, cheering sight for the neighborhood and beyond. Many volunteers who came to help the city told Emiko that they got encouragement from the banners. Some could not understand why there was a “live” building there.   

Since reopening Emiko continues teaching. There are fewer students remaining but she believes they will come back someday. A few of the people who came to the studio in confusion and despair remained. A carpenter who got faith from the studio helped rebuild her house later.  

In Peachtree City, Georgia we listened to this story of strength and tenacity. I came away with an abiding sense that the labor of our hands, our SAORI weaving, can be more than art, cloth, clothing, weaving.  It can be hope, and the future, and a way to bring people together in the worst, and the best circumstances. 
  

My Morning Gratitudes

* The opportunity to have met Emiko and to have heard her awesome story.

* The friends I have made due to SAORI

* Jury Duty. Yes this was on yesterday's Attitude of Gratitude, but it is worth repeating.

* Morning workouts. I so didn't want to this AM, but I am thankful that I did.

* The crazy things that pop up on facebook that make me go "huuummmm"  

Find the calming blue in your day

2015 03 09 Green

My Morning Gratitudes

Brought to you by the color GREEN

Green.... Spring Green.  I noticed this morning that there are little green buds on some of the trees and bushes.....SPRING!

 

And I am beginning to see signs of green in my lawn .... other than just the weeds! 

Spring Green is a wonderful color. It holds such promise.

Now back to the Regularly Scheduled Gratitudes

**JURY DUTY: Yes Jury Duty. Or as it was referred to this morning: Jury Service.  One of the positive things that sets our nation apart from so many other nations is our Justice System.  And an huge part of that system is the JURY SYSTEM. It may be an inconvenience to set aside our work for the week and serve, but it is also a privilege to live in a country where we have such a system.  

**The COLOR GREEN: And all the other signs of spring. The trees that are budding purple, the birds that are visiting my backyard on their way north, the weeds in my yard (ok, maybe not so much the weeds)..... the signs of SPRING.


**FIBER: And the arts world and the friends I have made because of fiber and art.  Yesterday the Spinning group gathered at my studio.  An afternoon to catch-up with each other and share our love of fiber.  I was reminded of how lucky I am to gotten to know this great group of women, and how many other new friends - men and women - I have made in this wonderful crazy world of Fiber Arts. And on top of this, there are the friends I have around the world in a variety of art genres.  I am truly blessed.

 **POLICE, FIRE, and EMS: This past week a local Jr. High student was hit by a car as he crossed a major road here in PTC. Police, Fire, EMS were at the scene within minutes. The teen was Air Lifted to a Trauma Hospital in Atlanta. Shortly after, and apparently while the investigation was still in the works, PTC received a 911 call about an active shooter. A full on response ensued.  It was  a prank call by a couple of teens from the Bronx. 

These two events reminded me of how lucky we are to have such well trained individuals. Individuals who put their lives on the line every day.  I am grateful for their service.