Thankful Thursday

Whew what a week it’s been!  I can’t think of a more perfect time to reflect on all the things I’m thankful for…

 

Feeling grateful for these two beautiful people – my sister and brother-in-law…

for taking me to experience this beautiful place…

I’m still feeling all the aaahhh remembering.

I’m grateful for the random patron at the library who brought in tulips for all of the staff…

There’s nothing like fresh flowers in the midst of winter to remind you that spring will indeed come again. 🌷

I’m beyond grateful for this lovely – my daughter, who turned 28 this past Tuesday…

and grateful I was able to celebrate the day with her.  It may have been her birthday, but she’s the gift – to me, to her children, and to everyone who crosses her path.  Such a beautiful person, inside and out! 💕

I’m also grateful that I’ve kept various journals all these years, so that I can look back on gems like this from my daughter’s infancy…

Eeek! Hahaha!

And now for the reason for the “whew” I mentioned at the top of this post…

I’m grateful for my quick spring to action when our basement flooded the other day, and for the ability to channel my inner MacGyver, so I could rescue all of our family heirlooms from water damage.  You cannot imagine the horror and panic I felt when I stepped down into that ankle-deep water.  I was down there for hours trying to get things under control, it was a nightmare.  You’re probably not really going to be able to tell what is going on in this photo, but basically, I (with the help of my sister’s gigantic brain) rigged something up in the aftermath to direct the remaining water that was leaking from a cracked nut on the spigot on the main water pipe coming into the house to go directly into the floor drain.  The whole basement flooding thing is a long, long, long story, which will only exhaust you and make me have to relive it all, so let me just say…  A funnel, a hose, a half-full can of paint and two lasagna pans walked into a bar… 

with a measuring cup and some tape. 🙃

And I’m so grateful for this shiny new pipe the city came and installed…

For FREE!  On account that it was one of their employees who cracked that nut when he came several months ago to install a new water meter.  They couldn’t fit a new nut, so they ended up replacing the entire pipe (which I’m pretty sure ordinarily would not be free).  This one has a handy lever instead of a twist knob too.  Hopefully I’ll never have a reason to need to shut off the main water to the house again, but if I do, that lever will make it much easier.

I’m also grateful for creativity, and for the fun I had making beeswax candles with my family…

Not to mention the warmth, the light and the sweet scent I get to enjoy.

Lastly, I’m grateful for the moon, who follows me around everywhere and reminds me of the vastness of the universe…

and that I’m connected to it all…

 

 

I’m also grateful for all of you!  May you have lots to be thankful for today too!  Many blessing, my friends…

 

 

✿~Peace & Love~✿

Blood Moon

There was a lunar eclipse last night.  Or this morning to be more precise, and it was amazing!  I set my alarm clock for 2 a.m. but woke up on my own at around 1:45.  I was disappointed at first, to wake up and find cloudy skies when the weather forecast had called for clear skies, but after about 30 minutes the clouds drifted away and I was able to see the Blood Moon.

I woke up my daughter and my mom and they got up to have a peek at it too.  They thought it was cool, but shortly afterward returned to their beds.  I think it was only a big deal to me.  If you’ve been here with me for a while, you know that I sort have a thing for the moon.  I love the moon.  And the moon loves me.  And I wasn’t going to miss seeing it be all fancy-like and showing off, so I stayed up to watch it by myself.

Well, I wasn’t completely alone, my cat Sugar was up with me, rubbing her sweet little head against me and purring.  But I’m pretty sure that was only because she wanted food, she didn’t have the slightest clue or care one bit that there was a super cool eclipse happening.  My other cat Baby, slept through all of the excitement without a care in the world; never leaving my bed, and staying snuggled underneath the covers.  You would think animals would show a bit more of an interest when special things in nature are going on, you know…  with their primal instincts and all.  Not my animals apparently.

Oh!  But speaking of primal… I swear I heard the sound of drums beating while I was watching the eclipse.  Really, I’m not kidding!  Thinking it was coming from outside, I even opened the window to get a better listen, but I couldn’t tell where the sound was coming from.  I’m not in the habit of hearing things that aren’t really there, so I was definitely hearing something, but I have no idea what the heck it was.  So weird.  It was kinda cool though and it made the mood of the experience more interesting.

After a while I decided to go grab my phone and text a friend of mine who I was talking to earlier about the eclipse to see if she was up watching it.  She was.  And she was out taking pictures of it.

I’ve mentioned a few times in the past how (much to my disappointment) my humble little camera isn’t able to capture photographs of the moon, but my friend’s camera can, and look at this great photo she captured during the eclipse of the Blood Moon…  It looks rosy pink!!!

I love it, so cool!

(If you click on the photo it will bring you to her Flickr photostream where she has some of her other lovely nature photography posted.)

~

I never did go back to sleep, and I’m very tired, a nap will definitely be in order today, but it was totally worth it.  The wonders of the universe delight and amaze me!  ❤

How about you?  Did you see it where you are?

~

✿~Peace & Love~✿

Morning Moon

Morning moon adorning a sky of azure

wispy clouds waft by sweetening your allure

An entity of the night yet in daylight you endure

all the more enchanting displaying your grandeur

© Julie Rehnelt 2013

~

Hi moon!  ♥

Sorry my humble lens cannot truly do you justice…

Goodbye Moon

It’s been said that people get weird during a full moon, but it’s when there’s a new moon that I get weird.  Yeah, yeah I know I’m pretty much already weird, but I mean aside from my usual weirdness.  😉  Well, I don’t actually get weird, but I sometimes seem to feel more emotionally and mentally unsettled during a new moon.  Of course, I’m sure it’s just a coincidence, but I can’t help but wonder sometimes if there could be something more to it.  Like maybe it could have something to do with less gravity during a new moon that somehow affects the inner workings of my brain.  Hah yeah, I have no scientific basis whatsoever in saying that, I just pulled it out of nowhere.  See… signs that those inner workings are going haywire perhaps?  😉

Contrary to how I feel when there’s a new moon, during a full moon I always feel absolutely amazing and not weird at all ~ no more than usual that is.  😀  I know I’ve mentioned it before, but I just really have a “thing” for the moon, all glowing and luminous, adorning the night sky, I love it!  ♥

And I will miss it tonight being that it’s a new moon and won’t be shining down upon me…

Although it’s no substitution for the actual moon, I recently received a lovely photograph of the moon that a friend of mine captured and had framed for me for my birthday.  So now no matter what phase the moon is in, I have it to look at anytime and feel happy.   She said that I was the inspiration behind it and that’s why she had it framed for me.  Such a wonderful, meaningful gift!  And such a dear, precious friend!  ♥

Below is the photo that she had framed for me (used with her permission), I edited it to add the quote at the bottom.  I didn’t write the quote and I don’t know where it originates from, but I think it’s a lovely sentiment and goes perfectly with the photograph…

Ah the moon…  Just beautiful isn’t it?  *Sigh*

~

Goodbye for tonight, moon…

Here is an earlier post (from one year ago, almost to the day) where I shared a bit more in depth about the “thing” I have for the moon, if you care to have a read.  Funny, the title is exactly the opposite as today’s…  “Hi Moon!”

Hi Moon!

Has anyone happened to notice how lovely the moon has been for the past few nights?  I find myself looking up at the sky quite often.  During both the day and night.  Something about the sky inspires and astounds me.  I mean, do you realize that when you look up at the sky, you are gazing into infinity?  There’s no end.  It’s forever, eternity.  Of course our limited eyesight can only see to a certain distance, but that doesn’t change the fact that we are still looking into something that is limitless.  And to think that when we look at the stars, the light we are seeing shining is actually from the past because they’re so far away that it takes all that time to reach us.  Imagine before there were telescopes what ancient people thought about the sky and space and it’s limits.  I used to have a telescope.  It was a puny thing and I couldn’t see much with it, but even just being that much closer to seeing what’s out there still absolutely delighted me.  When I was little, my dad had a telescope, and would bring us kids to an area here in the city that was darker than the rest, and we would look up at the stars and the moon at night.  I’m sure that’s where my love for the sky came from ~ my pops.  ♥  Oh, I just realized that as I typed it, and now I’m getting a bit emotional.  Gosh, I miss my dad.  *pausing*

I’ve mentioned before how much nature in general inspires me, but there is something about the sky, much like the ocean, that also helps me put things in perspective.  I think it’s the vastness, the realization of the enormity of our world and universe, and where I compare to all of that.  Some may think it makes one feel more insignificant, small, unimportant, in the grand scheme of things.  But not me, it makes me feel more special, more grateful, more appreciative of my precious life, my five senses, and my uniqueness as a piece of this amazing creation.  Where do I fit in?  Everywhere, in everything, all of it.  I could go on…

But I originally started writing this about the moon, so I must try and stay on topic.  These are just my first waking thoughts this morning, I haven’t even had my coffee yet haha!  😀

So, the moon…  Me and the moon, we’re “like this.”  No matter where I am or what I’m doing, whenever I am out at night it is the first thing I look for.  I love when the moon is out during the day sometimes.  It looks so lovely against a blue sky.  My family is well aware of my love for the moon, and as silly as it is, I even wave at it sometimes.  Oh that’s a little embarrassing to admit to the general public, I don’t normally do it when I’m with anyone other than a family member. What a goof I am.  Yes, I wave at the moon.  At least I don’t howl at it.  😉  And I also say “Hi moon!” out loud while I’m waving.  Ah geez, now I’m just sounding like a complete weirdo.  Anyway, moving right along…

I guess what it comes down to is a sense of connection.  I know it sounds corny to say stuff like “being one with nature,” but there’s something meaningful about having a sense of connection to the universe.  It makes me feel closer to God.  More intimate with Him.  And I feel His love radiating toward me, in me, through me, and from me, while enjoying the beauty of creation.  And when it comes to the moon, I feel like it’s a guiding light, watching over me.  I know it’s silly, but it is what it is.

My sis and I have this inside joke about the moon.  We have a lot of inside jokes about a lot of things.  But with the moon, we are always arguing (in a playful way) because I insist that I’m the moon’s favorite.  I am.  Lets just get that fact out there right now… I’m the moon’s favorite.  Okay?  Anyway, whenever there is a cool looking moon, whether it’s full or crescent, if we’re not together one of us will call or text, so in case the other hadn’t seen or noticed the moon we can go out and look at it.  So last night as I was leaving my mom’s, there was the moon “Hi moon!” *waves* and it was looking especially beautiful.  I was actually a bit distracted by it on the drive to my apartment.  I was going to call my sis and tell her the moon was following me (it always follows me ~ because I’m its favorite ;)), but I began to have a little poem forming in my mind, so when I got to my apartment I wrote my sis a poem and posted it on her facebook.  She’s up at her cabin, out of the bright lights of the city, so I knew it would look even more wonderful up there and wanted her to see it.  But there was something to get out of the way first… I’m the moon’s favorite!  Here’s what I wrote her.  Don’t judge me, I know it’s corny, but whatever…

~

My, what a lovely moon there is out tonight,

like a magical orb shining so bright.

I’m the moon’s favorite, it’s no good to contest,

you know that it’s true, the moon likes ME best!

We go everywhere together when I travel by night,

it watches over me always, to make sure I’m all right.

On evenings I find that my hearts feeling low,

I have only to look up at its comforting glow.

I love the moon and the moon loves me,

so don’t even try, my sister, to take it from me!

© Julie Rehnelt 2012

~

She went out to look at it and wrote me back saying “Ahhh… it’s smiling at me.  It tells me that you are its favorite tonight…”  Uh hem, I’m its favorite every night.

I would have tried to take a picture of the moon last night, but my camera would never do it justice.  So here’s a few pretty ones I found online.  Incidentally, while looking for these, I found out that it was a Blue Moon on August 31st, so no wonder I’ve been noticing how especially lovely the moon has been the past few evenings…

~

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Also going to share this video.  It’s not about the moon, but there’s a telescope in it.  😀  I love the lyrics, but also love, love love, them with the video.  Regardless of your personal beliefs or religious views, you have to admit that the idea of this ~ people looking through a telescope and seeing their dreams fulfilled is so inspiring.

Yep, these are the things the moon makes me feel.  Now to grab my coffee…

~