Exciting News....

Just made the cover...
10-15,000 copies.
Going to print Monday morning.

doin the snoopy dance right about now...

One Love. One Peace. Always and all ways.

Reveling in the Awesomeness

Faith moves mountains..

I climbed one.

Feels good...
living life and love to the fullest.

Come Fairies,
take me out of this dull world, 

for I would ride with you upon the wind
and dance upon the mountains like a flame!

William Butler Yeats

[ thank you, with all of my heart thank you ]

One Love. One Peace. Always and all ways.

The Early Bird gets the worm...

I wonder how that saying got started.
I've watched Robins. Have never seen
one not get a worm because they weren't
out before the crack of dawn. They
get them all day long.


I love the robins chest in this picture.
It looks like a full heart.
Makes me smile...
I have a full heart.

Love is always bestowed as a gift --
freely, willingly, and without expectation....
We don't love to be loved; we love to love.
      ~ Leo Buscaglia 

One Love, One Peace. Always and all ways.

Potatoes.

I like simple.

Potatoes are simple.
So is this recipe.

Ingredients:

Big Potatoes
Kosher Salt
Cracked Pepper
Butter



Slice off ends.
Butter bottom of baking dish.
Lay potatoes in...
Slather with butter
Salt and pepper to taste.

[feel free to add whatever fresh herbs you like]


Bake @ 350
Cover tightly with foil.
Bake for one hour.
Take foil off and turn potatoes.
Uncovered, bake for another half hour or hour,
depending on size and how crispy you want the outside.











I take it back.
These potatoes are better than good.
Thanks Kathy!








One Love. One Peace. Always and all ways.

I love Adventure...

I thrive on it...


My friend Simona says "Travel or Die"
Pretty much.

So here are the clues...

and


CLICK THIS


I guess that gives it away.
I met Kat and Tony when we investigated
the Henryton Sanitarium in Maryland.
We clicked right away.

We're going to be doing another investigation.
When Kat wrote to me and said
you gotta come to the east coast...
we've reserved the USS Salem
for the night...

a haunted Navy ship.
doesn't get better than that.


I booked the flight immediately.


Looking forward to it....


is an understatement.



It's gonna be a great summer...
for a lot of reasons.
Heck, it already is.
















One Love. One Peace. Always and all ways.

Loon Love...

It's been a rainy two weeks.
Had a break in the weather last night
and caught the last half hour of light.
We professional photographers call it
"the sweet light".

And it is.


There she was in all her glory.
Beautiful light.
She looked magnificent.

National Geographic:

"We have never seen  such an extensive collection of loon photographs.

We would love to feature your work in our magazine."

Me: "SPEECHLESS"

What you put out into the universe you get back.

I'm putting it out there.

I got a lot more than just loon love.

It's all coming full circle.

Be love. 

Do good things.

Be love.

And love comes to you.

Do good.

And good will find it's way. 

One Love. One Peace. Always and all ways.

A Robin's Story...

I was lucky enough to be able to follow
robin babies from the nest to their first
steps out of the nest.

The mother robin had built her nest
on a porch deck. When I came out to visit
Joshy's mom, the babies were four days old.

Persistence paid off and I was able to
photograph the parents feeding the young'ns
from about five feet away, and be there when
the babies left the nest.

Now if I'd had my way she'd have positioned
the nest so I wouldn't have had to fight the light.
HA.

does anybody else look at this and see a flower?

I wonder if birds feel love.  Makes me glad I'm human.
Ain't no question I feel love.
Every single day.

One Love. One Peace. Always and all ways.

More Gratitude...

I don't know if this picture fits the quote I'm going to use.

This is one of the chipmunks who regularly visits me at the lake.

In between the rain this week I've gone out there just to sit.

Listen to the birds, make friends with the little visitors who

come for seed.  I saw a rose breasted grosbeak the other day.

That made me smile.

It's the small  things we do that make a difference.

It's the small things that mean the most.

this is a small thing...

to pray for strength and healing.

It requires not much effort,

it asks only for sincerity.

That is what I'm doing tonight.

It seems lately, 

too many people I know

have a loved one fighting to live,

and family members fighting for them to live.

My words are small but my prayer for you is big. 

My brother Joshy said something that resonated with me.

"Thank you to all those 

whose deeds and words come from a place 

of sincerity and unselfishness."

that's gratitude at it's best.

Be faithful in small things that is where your strength lies.

~Mother Theresa

One Love. One Peace. Always and all ways. 

Life just keeps gettin better...

and it always gets better.

I always say...

Life is good when we allow it to be. 

I am forever riding
the wings of gratitude.
I have love in all the best
ways possible. When you
are love, love surrounds you.
I look at my life,
the world around me and I'm amazed.
There is so much beauty...

"I honor the place in you where Spirit lives.

I honor the place in you which is
of Love, of Truth, of Light, of Peace;
...when you are in that place in you,

and I am in that place in me,

then we are Truly One."

ॐ Namaste ॐ *maya*

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One Love. One Peace. Always and all ways. 

Best Birthday Ever!

I would be remiss if I didn't pay homage to the friends
who helped me celebrate my birthday.  It was a grand time indeed.
I haven't laughed so hard for so many hours straight as I did that day.

Becca, rallied the troops.
I rallied Joshy.
We spent the day at my lake place,
which was a wonderful birthday gift in and of itself.


Eric kept us in tears all day all night.
I thought to record the laughter,
it was indescribable, as were the conversations.
Probably best that I didn't.
By the time we made to the tent to sleep,
my stomach hurt, my cheeks hurt, my head hurt
from laughing so much. It took another hour for
us to settle our chuckles into snores. No it took almost
two.  Like gradeschool kids, who know they are supposed
to be quiet in the library, but can't stop laughing.

I will never forget this birthday as long as I live.

Joshy, you have no idea how it

warms my heart when your mom

says your sister is on the phone.

In the last few years we've had

more adventures than most people

do in a lifetime.

Thank you for the roses.

Four dozen.  Man that only

happens in movies.  You make

it happen in life. Baby brother you got class.

Becca,

you already know girl.

I sit here without words.

You are a treasure that

stretches far beyond any

verbs or adjectives

I could conjure up.

Eric,

you "ROCKED THE PARTAAYYY"

I have a feeling you always do.

It wouldn't have been the same without you.

I'd insert a smartass remark right here

but I think it's best I don't....PDLM.

oops I just did. You are the baitcaster backlash MASTER.

Liz and Josh,

we said it that night

I'll say it again, so glad that you

joined in on the festivities, both of you.

Liz, don't be scared of the Beastie boyz.

(inside joke) am laughing.

 

Kasandra and CC, yeh I really want

to post a picture...lol. you sleep

in my bed I photograph you in my bed.

Am so glad you guys made it up for the birthday bash,

was nice coming home to find you two here.

Who gets a birthday filled with laughter,

water pong, rainbows, charlie's angels,

(what is it when three girls get together

they have to do the C.A. pose?), jumping

in the lake while the boys take the 3 hour tour?!

With all of my heart,

Thank YOU.

I always ask birthday people what have you learned,

you're a year older you must have learned something...

If I say I learned it's about living life not just

surviving it...well, I learned that one a long time ago.

Life is awesome.

: )

One Love. One Peace. Always and all ways.

Am...

reminding you of what you already know... 

Be authentic, genuine and good natured. 

Wish others well, sincerely and with honest intent for their successes. 

Do what you do, work hard, stay focused, 

and live the

dedication that is your passion... 

And know that thru this positive
living can come only positive results. 

Then... revel in its awesomeness. :) 

~ "Kat"Maineghosthunters

One Love. One peace. Always and all ways.

Life ....

has been busy. 

I keep trying to find my way back to blog world
and every time I turn around I am sidetracked by
one thing or another.  But it's all good stuff.

Let me start with her...


She's tenacious.






About a month ago we found her on the nest.
Sadly enough when we went back after a very
stormy weekend of rain and high winds her nest
was empty.

I happened t to go fishing in our favorite place the other day.
Looked over my shoulder and thought I saw her sitting.

Sure enough, there she was. She'd come back to try again.
Nest built higher this time.
She was ready for whatever winds came her way.
Sometimes we have to go back and take care of things
the right way before we can move forward.

She seems to know us.  Hannah was with me,
we sat for an hour and she never fussed.  An eagle
flew over and then she started to call for her mate.

I'm smiling because I have a pretty good idea when
those babies are going to hatch...

timing is everything.














One Love. One Peace. Always and all ways.

On the Subject of Happiness...

People take different roads seeking fulfillment and happiness. 

Just because they're not on your road doesn't mean they've gotten lost.

~H. Jackson Browne

It's a good road I'm on,


actually,

 it's a great one. 

: )

One Love. One Peace. Always and all ways.

One the Subject of Mental Stability...

it's a fragile thing.

The crazy thing is, those who aren't...

think they are.

Where'd the food go?

I haven't posted a recipe in a while.

I'm going to.
Soon.

Life has been busy, exciting and just

when I think it can't get any better it does.
I really do believe it all comes down to choice,
personal accountability.
We choose what we choose.
There are consequences
for each and every single choice we make.
My life is good because I choose it to be so,
and the decisions I make have
everything
to do with it being good.


On another note:

I see a few of my blogger friends taking a break

from the blog world to enjoy spring blossoms.

Can't wait to see what you've photographed.

Here's to taking a little time to enjoy the flowers!

I'll be back in a week or so.
I have a little garden of my own to grow.

: )

 

One Love. One Peace. Always and all ways.

Soaring into Spring...

Fall is always my favorite season.

But I cannot deny Spring her favor,
and the feeling of renewal that comes with her.

This Spring brings with her

an appreciation

for all that surrounds me. 

Family, friends and the very best of love. 

This Spring brings with her a fondness 

for what remains constant and 

an eagerness for changes 

that are closer than I dare to imagine,

embracing it all with open arms and an open heart.

Soaring into Spring ...I am.

we're almost there.

One Love. One Peace. Always and all ways.

On the subject of forward movement...

Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. 

Don't resist them - that only creates sorrow. 

Let reality be reality. 

Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like. 

~ Lao Tzu 

I like very much the flow of life...

and love.

One Love One Peace. Always and all ways.

My Old Kentucky Home...

and there's no place like home.
Home means so much more
than the house you live in.
It's with the heart
that we create the feeling of home.

It's that place where our heart feels the safest.
Home is where love lives.
Anything else is just an empty house.



I'm blessed to have a "home"...

and love.


There are far too many people who don't.














One Love. One Peace. Always and all ways.

One The Subject of Forgiveness...

Forgiveness, as a whole

is not only so you can feel better,

it's so you can BE better.

One Love. One Peace. Always and  all ways.

Rivers Italian...

This town's best kept secret.

And it shouldn't be a secret.

If I were to review all the restaurants
in this little town, I wouldn't be allowed
in the door.   Except for this one...

Rivers Italian is a gleem of hope
in a town that sports specials such
as all you can eat fried fish on a friday night for 8.95
which is a heck of a deal if that's what you're looking for.

We've got an Applebee's and a Ground Round now, a few other
local restaurants that give what I'd call a weak attempt at upscale food.
It's not bad, it's just not authentic in the way of fresh, creative,
and mouthwatering.

                                                                    [ fresh marlin ]

Which is exactly what Chef Matthew Taylor's food is, fresh,
creative and mouthwatering. Every week he offers fish specials based
on what he has flown in.  Every so often he does a Port of Call,
creating a menu inspired by a specific region or country.




I can always count on there being a beef special, carnivore that I am.
It's USDA prime and cooked to perfection. A place where you can order
it rare and get it rare. That's unusual in these parts.

The atmosphere during the day is quaint and cozy. At night it
has a warm, inviting ambiance. Perfect for a romantic evening.

The wine list is solid and the staff are well versed.
I have yet to ask about a specific wine and the server
say I don't know.

The desert menu is to die for, and regularly changes.
Tiramisu anyone?



Location:
208 NE Third Street
Grand Rapids, MN, 55744
Phone:
218.327.3471
Mon - Fri:
11:00 am - 11:00 pm
Sat:
12:00 pm - 11:00 pm




Website:

Rivers Italian








One Love. One peace. Always and all ways.

The duality of life...

I witnessed multiple acts of selfishness this week,

the likes of which I have never seen.

Just when I think people cannot surprise me anymore
by the things they do with the intention of causing pain,
or the things they do that cause pain because they
walk this earth in some sort of blind self serving egoic state,
I stand here, my mouth open...unable to speak

... appalled.

They will never know the pain they cause.
They're too blinded by ego and their own selfish agendas.

then I witness on my way to work,
a homeless man 
who was riding by on his bicycle  in the rain,
carrying bags of aluminum cans and other treasures,
help a single mother and her two young children,
put a mattress, that she'd just pulled out of
the dumpster behind the furniture store,
on the top of her beaten up old station wagon 

.....that GMH.

[ please click the link below, it will lift you in ways you couldn't imagine ] 
(gives me hope)

One Love. One Peace. Always and all ways.