A little taste of Sunshine
Posted by msterilinn on May 19, 2008
We have experienced a very strange Spring here in Oregon. Just last week, as odd as it seems, we had some truly strong hailstorms which actually covered the ground solid and instantly soaked those caught in the freakiness of it. Luckily we were indoors when it did occur, yet could see some unfortunate folks scrambling for shelter, totally unprepared.
Well, even though it had started to warm up just enough to turn our heat completely off, it took us by suprise to pop on up to 98.5 degrees in no time at all. Usually we get some wonderfully perfect days just above or below 80 degrees this time of year and it is such a lovely time to walk through our sweet little town to the river, enjoying all the Spring blossoms. What a shock to simply wish to drive to the river and cool off. Unfortunately the river was quite swift, and higher than we have ever seen it. The instant meltoff was creating quite the flow, which made it too dangerous to do much more than stick our feet in and experience the coolness of the rivers edge. Actually I felt it was quite beautiful and exciting just to be near one of Natures wondrous life-givers, as rivers are so very special. The energy and power was simply amazing to behold!
Needless to say, we did walk a little, my daughter, grandson and I. We brought our sweet little chihuahua, Canela and walked along the river to enjoy the freshness brought on by the spring run-off. We are quite happy to prepare for a very warm Summer, and will have the air conditioner installed as soon as possible. We love to camp, swim and explore, so we are truly looking forward to our outdoor fun! Meanwhile, I thank Mother Nature for the warning and for giving us a little taste of Sunshine.
Children are the Heart of our Circle
Posted by msterilinn on Mar 28, 2008
Having a few days of down time has served to give me the opportunity to reflect upon my Path, and my thoughts and feelings surrounding those near and dear to me. We celebrated my daughters birthday, and she is now at that age between. Not quite a small child anymore, yet not quite a young woman. Although we have, and always will have, a very close relationship, I feel a definate shift in the balance. She feels this too, and in many ways she is sad and excited all in one. ‘Tweens find themselves in a confusing place at times, especially during this time of chaos in the World. In one way she wishes to stay a child, so she can just play and not let any of the adult world of stress and responsibilities intrude. Yet in another she feels the pull to do new things, setting aside her treasured childish games, seeking her own style and place in the balance of things. She feels a new sense of Self, and it is so very important to encourage her as she grows in new ways. She tells me she is lucky because I am so young at heart, and I seem to understand her so well. What an honor to feel her trust and respect. We both are very lucky and blessed to share such a strong bond.
Yet when we look around, it is not this way with a lot of children. Although we find many loving families, there are those children that are not held in the center of their Circle. They find themselves drifting along and get caught up in the Chaos. Either their parents or caregivers are too busy, or they themselves are caught up as well. Can they not understand that the most important part of our lives on this Earth are our Families, Friends and Children? Those who journey with us are what gives this Life substance and meaning.
And when my children, grandchildren, and even those other children who feel my Love, look up at me with such Love and Trust in their eyes, it makes the hard things in Life totally worth enduring. To me, there is no greater Joy, and we must always honor this trust and present our best selves in the face of things. The examples we set are meant to guide and teach. Let them be good ones.
There are Circles within Circles, and in the center of all there are the Children.. and they are the Heart of our Circle.
Pilamaye
Creating a personal Greeting.. simply perfect!
Posted by msterilinn on Mar 14, 2008
Above all else, I am into Family. My entire family is quite secure in the knowledge of my Love and devotion to all things connecting us during our lives here on Earth. I am totally into creativity and personalization when it comes to just about everything, for any occasion or just because, including gifts, cards, calendars… you name it. I always prefer adding a personal touch, as this truly shows my Love, and how important my family and friends are by the mere fact of taking the time to create something special. I am never too busy to give special thought to giving my loved ones, and even those whom I do not know very well, gifts that are truly given from my heart.
Along with these lovely homemade gifts, the perfect form of personalization are Photo Greeting Cards. My particular favourite is the borderless full color photo card as can be created through CardsDirect. These premium folded photo cards are printed on thick 140 pound (14pt) white card stock using state of the art digital color press technology. Upload or email us your high resolution digital photo, and we will print it on the front of the cards in stunning digital full color. The finished product is a full sized 7 7/8″ x 5 5/8″ (Horizontal or Vertical orientation depending on your photo). Inside the photo cards, you can add one of our verses plus your personalized text, or create your own custom verse a choice of typestyles and ink colors at no additional cost. You will receive an electronic proof via email showing you exactly how your cards will look before your photo card order is printed. Lined envelopes are included and can also be custom imprinted with your return address.
Simply perfect!
Enjoy an Exhilarating White Water Adventure!
Posted by msterilinn on Mar 1, 2008
We have had some totally awesome spring-like days this week here in Oregon. Just enough of a taste to trigger our unlimited sense of Adventure, which has started us planning our Spring and Summer fun. Although we seek Adventure all year long right here in our own back yard, as our fun loving natures demand, there is nothing like the thrills Nature provides during the hot season in totally new places. So… what comes to mind when we think about hitting the river for more than just our favourite past time of trekking through the forest and swimming in Earths natural swimming pools? White water rafting of course! Now, this is a thrilling Adventure not to be denied.
Where does one go to book an exciting trip that is safe and fun for all members of the family from 5 on up? Lehigh rafting through Whitewater Challengers brings us whitewater rafting on the Lehigh River in the Poconos of northeastern Pennsylvania… this is rafting just the way you want it, with rafting trips ranging from easy to exhilarating. A visit to Whitewater Challengers means real fun, real rapids, and real adventure! Come rafting for the whitewater… or come for the scenery. Either way, the Lehigh River is the perfect close-to-home whitewater adventure that feels a world away!
Make this year’s whitewater get-away an eco-friendly vacation adventure! Lehigh rafting at Whitewater Challengers offers the following…
~ New dam releases - Spring, Summer and Fall - Lehigh River rafting at its very best!
~ The very best whitewater in the tri-state area!
~ Five whitewater rafting trips that are perfect for all ages … easy to exhilarating!
~ Spectacular river gorge scenery that’ll make you feel like you’re out west!
~ The best values anywhere — free trips, free camping, free gifts, free shopping spree!
~ Special discounts, hot deals and Raft & Stay packages!
~ The closest whitewater rafting to most of the mid-Atlantic region!
~ The best bus shuttles … no long hike-in / hike-out!
~ The most complete rafting and camping facilities at the Lehigh River!
~ The most environmentally friendly eco-vacation ever!
We are definately looking forward to some awesome Adventures as Life takes us, and a thrilling ride through Nature, with all the wonderful views uniquely accessed only through the eyes of those riverbound thrillseekers, is sure to leave us breathless and exhilarated! We will be looking further into Whitewater Challengers and their Lehigh River rafting trips, then we will be sharing our Adventures!
Enjoy!
Simple pleasures.. cruisin’ along the beach
Posted by msterilinn on Feb 23, 2008
This simply has to be one of my most favourite past times… lots of sunshine, a fresh breeze, good company and a beach cruiser bike! Just imagine how wonderful and comfortable it would be to take a leisurely ride along the beach on one of these sweet bikes.
Well, if you are looking to add a cruiser to your bike collection, you may wish to consider a place I found recently. CruiserStyle.com seems fairly new, yet I am seeing that they are adding some quality cruisers as they grow. Although I haven’t bought a bike from them myself, as of yet, I thought the 26″ Shimano 7-Speed Deluxe Beach Cruiser for Ladies looks like a mellow ride. I could definately see myself comfortably cruising along the beach to my hearts content on one of these babies!
Now, these cruisers are not for the speed demons looking for a thrill whilst out biking. Although some days I am out for speed and distance, sometimes my sense of adventure calls for a beach cruiser bike so I can just kick back and enjoy the scenery and daydream, while perhaps looking forward to a romantic picnic on the beach, or possibly exploring new places. It just depends upon my mood. As each day unfolds, I feel like a new person as I live and grow. So… some days I just feel like cruisin’.
Enjoy!
Going Organic this Valentines Day
Posted by msterilinn on Feb 8, 2008
I truly love Valentines Day. It is a great opportunity to get a bit festive, and express our Love for each other. Even though I do this sort of thing often anyway, it is great to have this theme to go by during our chilly month of February.
As I endeavor to search for lots of wonderful gifts to share with family and friends, I am always mindful of our Environment. When I found a place with fair trade gifts for valentines, I jumped right on it. This is fantastic! Not only did I find Organic Gifts and Natural Gifts, yet I found Planet Friendly, a healthier green alternative to birthday, anniversary, romantic or just everyday gifting. What fun it is to browse through a wide selection of organic gift baskets that overflow with tasty treats, fresh products, natural ingredients and the knowledge that what you buy is helping keep this planet user-friendly for years to come.
Organic Foods…
Produced by farmers who are careful to conserve soil and water, and enhance the environmental quality of the land around them for future generations, “organic foods” use no synthetic or artificial means in their growing process. Farmers also avoid exposure to toxic chemicals or pesticides that can end up in the ground, air, water or food supply. Many believe that organic foods have a better taste and are overall healthier for you since the produce is natural and fresh and levels of vitamin C, iron, magnesium and phosphorus tend to be higher in organic foods than processed counterparts.
Planet Friendly carefully searches for products that meet the various needs and desires of their customers. They know that you want healthier alternatives and look for the freshest fruit and widest variety of products to meet all your gifting needs.
As an example, I am totally delighted with the huge assortment of gourmet organic snack foods to be found in their Organic Ultimate Gourmet sampler! Inside a stylish natural basket with drop handles, discover delicious 100% organic snacks such as pretzel sticks, chocolate cookies, ginger cookies, cheddar cheese crackers, a chocolate coffee bar, chocolate-cinnamon crisps, dark chocolate espresso-vivani, banana chips and cherry oatmeal cookies. To complete this spectacular sampler, they also included 100% organic spicy brown mustard, grape jelly and sweet and spicy herbal tea sachets. What a great selection!
How splendid! Just what I need to satisfy my total Valentines Day experience.
Well then, I do hope all my friends and family enjoy a wonderful and Loving Valentines Day!
How do we find Happiness?
Posted by msterilinn on Feb 8, 2008
I am in general a very happy person, in spite of circumstances, and this truly shows to all who come in contact with me. Today I would like to share a message from a friend, which touched my heart and spirit. It reminds me why each day, I look for the good in all things…
A fleeting moment, or a way of seeing?
Ask any number of people to describe a moment of “perfect” happiness. Some will talk about moments of deep peace experienced in a harmonious natural setting, of a forest dappled in sunshine, of a mountain summit looking out across a vast horizon, of the shores of a tranquil lake, of a night walk through snow under a starry sky, and so on. Others will refer to a long-awaited event: an exam they’ve aced, a sporting victory, meeting someone they’ve longed to meet, the birth of a child. Still others will speak of a moment of peaceful intimacy with their family or a loved one, or of having made someone else happy.
The common factor to all of these experiences would seem to be the momentary disappearance of inner conflicts. The person feels in harmony with the world and with herself. Someone enjoying such an experience, such as walking through a serene wilderness, has no particular expectations beyond the simple act of walking. She simply is, here and now, free and open.
For just a few moments, thoughts of the past are suppressed, the mind is not burdened with plans for the future, and the present moment is liberated from all mental constructs. This moment of respite, from which all sense of emotional urgency has vanished, is experienced as one of profound peace. For someone who has achieved a goal, completed a task, or won a victory, the tension they have long carried with them relaxes. The ensuing sense of release is felt as a deep calm, free of all expectation and fear.
But this experience is just a passing glimpse brought on by a particular set of circumstances. We call it a magic moment, a state of grace. And yet the difference between these flashes of happiness seized on the fly and the immutable peacefulness of the sage, for instance, is as great as that between the tiny section of sky seen through the eye of a needle and the limitless expanses of outer space. The two conditions differ in dimension, duration, and depth.
Even so, we can learn something from these fleeting moments, these lulls in our ceaseless struggles; they can give us a sense of what true plenitude might be and help us to recognize the conditions that favour it.
A Way of Being
I remember one afternoon as I was sitting on the steps of our monastery in Nepal. The monsoon storms had turned the courtyard into an expanse of muddy water and we had set out a path of bricks to serve as stepping-stones. A friend of mine came to the edge of the water, surveyed the scene with a look of disgust, and complained about every single brick as she made her way across. When she got to me, she rolled her eyes and said, “Yuck! What if I’d fallen into that filthy muck? Everything’s so dirty in this country!” Since I knew her well, I prudently nodded, hoping to offer her some comfort through my mute sympathy. A few minutes later, Raphaèle, another friend of mine, came to the path through the swamp. “Hup, hup, hup!” she sang as she hopped, reaching dry land with the cry “What fun!” Her eyes sparkling with joy, she added: “The great thing about the monsoon is that there’s no dust.” Two people, two ways of looking at things; six billion human beings, six billion worlds.
Anyone who enjoys inner peace is no more broken by failure than he is inflated by success. He is able to fully live his experiences in the context of a vast and profound serenity, since he understands that experiences are ephemeral and that it is useless to cling to them. There will be no “hard fall” when things turn bad and he is confronted with adversity. He does not sink into depression, since his happiness rests on a solid foundation.
Once at an open meeting in Hong Kong, a young man rose from the audience to ask me: “Can you give me one reason why I should go on living?” This book is a humble response to that question, for happiness is above all a love of life.
__________________________
Excerpted with permission from Happiness: Developing Life’s Most Important Skill by Matthieu Ricard (Little, Brown and Company, 2006). Ricard, a former biochemist and Buddhist monk.
The Love and Joy of each other…
Posted by msterilinn on Jan 25, 2008
