Words from the Heart

 Red Climbers Roses are Red. Violets are Blue. This blog post is written, just for YOU! What better way to celebrate Valentine's Day, but to remember the beauty of roses. I have often said that my beloved, Roger, didn't promise me a rose garden, he created one, which he did!  He knew my passion for roses, therefore, when we were planting our gardens, he made sure that I was continually surprised to find roses here and there. Roses have been used as symbols of love, passion, harmony and gratitude for many years.  Different colors of rose symbolize different emotions.  My favorite color roses are the lilac roses that are florabunda, which means they bloom frequently.  They also have a wonderful scent.  Interestingly, these were the first roses Roger planted in our garden.  I was thrilled to learn, recently that they indicate that the sender has fallen in love at first sight with the recipient and is enchanted!  How wonderful! Here are some ...

This is my most special Valentines. It is to those who have inspired, enlightened, instructed, nurtured and supported my through this amazing medium we so fondly call "The Web." I have not met most of these dear Hearts who have connected with me over the past year or so. Yet, they are as dear to me as those friends and family I am able to hold close each day. I have linked their websites to their names, so that you might also share in their warmth and wisdom. Please visit their sites, consider it my gift to you! To Janet Fellow educator, Blogger extraordinare and hope-filled Spirit...Thank you for brightening this little corner of the world with your presence. To Miruh Fellow Spirit on the path, Wise friend...Your words of wisdom and hope affirm for me that we are all connected. Thank you for the Light you shine. To Linni Mother, Artist, Fellow traveler on the path...your words, your photos, your wisdom touched my soul each time I visit your site. Thank you for being su...

I just finished reading about the bush fires in Australia . Some of them have been started by people, who, after they were put out, went back to start them over again. The death toll is now ( at 7:38 p.m. on 1-9-09) over 200. Hospitals, state of the art hospitals, have run out of morphine. I cannot begin to imagine the horror of that. For those who have never experienced what it is like to be around a burn victim, let me share a quick memory... When I was around nine years old my brother, Timothy, (not yet seven years old) fell off a roof, ruptured his stomach and spleen, and broke his arm and leg. The doctors were not sure he would live. One of the nurses, feeling that a visit from his "big" sister might help him, convinced my Mom to sneak me into the hospital. (Back then, children under 18 were not allowed into the hospital as visitors.) I went and saw my brother. His tiny body hooked up to a labyrinth of tubes and held down by a full-body cast. I remember how tiny h...

There is a quote by an unknown author that states, " Some people walk into our lives and quietly go... others stay for a while and leave footprints in our hearts... and we are never the same..." Thanks to my first class of students in an English as a Second Language program back several years ago (around 15 years!!!), my life changed forever. My First Class - Exchange Students from Spain Not only did my students then, and those that followed in their footsteps, open my eyes to my desire to teach, they also helped me recognize the fact that one person can make a difference. I had three classes of exchange students back in the 90's, I also was blessed to have several exchange students live with my family for a full year.These are some of their pictures. Sarah, my German daughter - from the second class More Students from the Second ESL Class Third class of ESL Students Patty - my Guatemalan Daughter Pablo, my Argentinian Son and My Four Daughters My Swiss Daughter (in denim...

It is the third of February already! If I don't get my act together, I will not get my handmade valentines created in time. Each year, I try to make a simple valentine for my girls and some of my friends. Nothing too fancy. Just a little red paper, a little glitter, a little lace and a lot of Love! This year, because my cyber family has grown in numbers, I thought I would do something a little different. This year, I want to create special valentine posts for those of you who have touched my heart and soul this past year. Your kind words, thought-filled comments and graceful wisdom helped me through some very difficult times. So, as this season of Love descends upon us, check here...you just might find a special valentine created just for you!

Tomorrow is one of the biggest greeting card holidays next to Christmas. I have a real problem with it, as I do with the commercialism of Christmas as well as the assumption by retailers that everyone celebrates these holidays. But, I digress. Valentine's Day, as many know, began as a Christian (Catholic) holyday in remembrance of St. Valentine, a bishop who was imprisoned for his faith. There are several legends that explain how the day became associated with love. In one, it is said, " Valentine is said to have spent a year in rigorous imprisonment during which he was missed a lot by children. They began to toss loving notes and flowers between the bars of his cell window. To an extent, this legend may explain the tradition of exchanging notes and flowers on Valentine's Day. Some scholars believe that during his stay in prison Valentine made friends with jailer's blind daughter who at times brought to him notes ...

Just when you least expect it, miracles happen. Your beloved stands before you. Your spirits meld together. Everything seems right. Wow...really profound, right? So, why do we wait till once a year to tell those we love that we love them? I have always been bothered by this holi/holyday...St. Valentine's Day, because of this. My feeling is, if you live your life correctly, every day is St. Valentine's Day! That said, I want to share a few of the poems I have written about "love"...all kinds of love...Enjoy! Rose Strewn Path to the Seventh Happiness EPIPHANY To love a body is fleeting. Age eventually pushes Youth away… crow’s feet smile lines bumps and bulges emerge where once a nubile form held court. To love a mind brings confusion. Understanding holds wide the door for Mis… mis-inform mis-interpret mis-state mis-understanding! The brilliance soon tarnishes. But, To Love a Soul is to find Ecstasy! Time stands still as Eternity waltzes in… the edges of being touch… f...