The Greatest Discovery

The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes.

~William James

J

Happiness is an Attitude

Happiness is an attitude.  We either make ourselves miserable, or happy and strong.  The amount of work is the same

~Francesca Reigler

J

Paint Job

I am smiling a lot right now.  For the last week, I have been painting my kitchen.  It has needed an update for a long time and now, it’s gorgeous!

It’s amazing what a little paint can do to transform a room – it’s warm and cozy now, fresh and crisp.  It was a lot of work and I’m pooped, but it was well worth the time and the effort.

I am sure you will want proof – with pictures - and I can understand that, but I haven’t taken any yet, so for now you can smile with me knowing it’s wonderful and maybe I can post some pictures soon!

J

Warm Robe

Last winter, while I was freezing in my summer robe, I decided to buy some fabric and make myself a warm robe.  All summer I looked at that fabric and just thought, “That’s my new warm robe for the winter.”

Then December came and I was once again freezing in my summer robe.  Time to get to work!  

Finally!

It only took me a few days and now I am warm, really warm in my lovely, long, dark blue robe!

When I’m warm, I smile!

J

Volunteer

noun – a person who performs a service willingly and without pay

verb – to offer oneself for some service or undertaking

Something that always makes me smile is volunteering.  There are so many options available – you can find almost anything from helping kids learn how to read to delivering meals or books to the elderly and shut-ins. 

If you are looking for something to do or someone to help, consider volunteering your time and expertise to help others.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said,

            “We are prone to judge success by the index of our salaries or the size of our automobiles, rather than by the quality of our service relationship to humanity.”

J

Smile - a lot.

Smile - a lot.  It just might save your life - pretty great article from USA Weekend Magazine.

http://www.usaweekend.com/article/20111223/HEALTH01/312230004/Smile-lot-just-might-save-your-life-?odyssey=tab|topnews|img|Frontpage

J

Quote

No man remains quite what he was when he recognizes himself." 


       -- Thomas Mann

J

New Quilts

I recently finished a couple of new quilts.  

I love the colors and textures and every time I see them in the living room, they make me smile!

J

Coming Home

When you move to a new place, it takes a few returns to that new house to make it feel like home.  When we came home from our Thanksgiving trip to Oregon and Washington, there was a view I was waiting for.  It always says, “Welcome home!” to me.

I was born to live in the Bay Area – I said I would “never” live in California – especially the Bay Area – ha ha – never say never.  




The fact that I said that and for a time lived by that statement still makes me smile today.

Here’s the view that welcomes me to my lovely home where I truly am at home!

J

Knit One Purl Two

During the last term in my quilting group I had one of the ladies teach me how to knit.  Well, to at least get me started.  I started a newborn cap – it seemed pretty easy and I got the hang of it that night.  Then I went home…

It always happens when you are trying to learn something new, it is only awesome while someone who really knows what they are doing is right there and available to help.  Enter:  YouTube.  I found a great video on YouTube which taught me how to cast on stitches again – I ended up trying again at least four times.  I’ve got the hang of it now – at least until we are back in class again and she shows me how to finish the cap.

While we were on our Thanksgiving trip I discovered that my sister-in-law is also learning how to knit.  My daughter was also learning where she was for Thanksgiving.  While I was working on my little cap in the bowling alley one day, a lady came up and encouraged me to keep at it.  My sister, who knits socks, encouraged me too.  Today, while I was looking at some knitting needles at the thrift store, a gal came up and told me she was learning how to knit and wanted to know if I could give her any pointers – ha ha….I told her about YouTube. 

I am finding out that there are a lot of new knitters out there.  I am also finding out that the knitters who know their way around a knit and a purl are pretty nice people, encouraging us to keep at it – that makes me smile!

J

Those “Great” Kids

I have fifteen great nieces and nephews.  I haven’t met them all yet, but they are pretty special to me.  Some of them are young adults and some are teens and some are little children and a couple are babies.  We have a pretty big family and it was spread out, so the “greats” have come along for awhile.

They make me smile – all of them, even the ones I haven’t met yet because they are really great kids.  They have some pretty great personalities and I love looking at pictures of them – thanks to Facebook!

The thing that really makes me smile though is how much they make my siblings (the grandparents) smile.  There is something pretty special about seeing my sisters and brothers come alive when interacting with their grandkids. 

J

Some Mondays

Some Mondays you just need a little something extra, something to get you back into that work week, back into the stuff you have to do.  How do you get back into it?  How do you push through?  You have to take on a certain attitude of invincibility, an attitude of attack and don’t look back.

Whenever I am having one of those days – whether it’s Monday or not – I look at this picture.  It makes me smile, it says it all, "Here, take that Monday!"

J

(Thank you my dear, sweet, invincible great nephew, Anton)

The Wise

The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance; the wise grows it under his feet.  


~James Openheim

J

Adjust Your Sails

"I can't change the direction of the wind, 
but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination."
Jimmy Dean

J

Feeding the Whole Neighborhood

We have a fig tree in our backyard – it’s a pretty good sized tree and it always gives us lots of figs each year.  My husband loves figs, I can pretty much take them or leave them, but it’s a really great tree to watch.

The buds come out very small in the spring, but you can almost see them grow.  Fig leaves are huge – it’s easy to understand why Adam and Eve sewed clothes out of fig leaves. J

But the fig tree is also a great gathering place for animals and birds.  A few weeks ago, I heard something in the tree during the night.  I looked out the window with a flashlight and there were two masked bandits stealing our figs – raccoons!  There are always squirrels in the tree looking for a free meal, we like to open the window and growl at them, they jump straight up into the pine tree – that’s a hoot! 

Today we had a deer eating fig leaves and figs under the tree – it’s a wonder he didn’t get his antlers stuck in the branches. 

J

More about Mac

Okay, one more (at least) about McMinnville, Oregon!  The downtown is a great place to hang out.  McMenamins is right downtown along with Wildwood Café and some of the other great places we love to go to when we are visiting….here are a few of the other “musts” when we are in town:

First – Cornerstone Coffee Roasters – really good coffee, better marionberry scones!  The atmosphere is homey and warm.  Lots of tables and they do soups and sandwiches too.

Second – Boersma’s – Quilt and Knit shop – it’s a huge store, upstairs, downstairs, main floor and the yarn shop is across the street next to Wildwood Café.  I lived there 16 years and took up quilting after I left – boo hoo!

Third – The Sage – great little spot for soup and homemade bread.  Their broccoli cheese soup is the best!  Their pies and cobblers are great too.  I used to meet my mother-in-law there for lunch when I worked at Linfied College.

Fourth – The Red Berry – wow – a great “little” shop with so many cool things, I can’t list them all.  They started out as a small little place on 3^rd Street then moved to a different location – we were very happy they were back downtown with a large shop below The Sage.

Fifth – Oregon Stationers – such a great store, so many things from office supplies to chocolate.  I have to go in there to get my fix of Twila’s English Toffee.  Yep – that package didn’t even make it home!

Well, if you have time, you might want to look around Found Objects and get an ice cream cone at Serendipity, or go shopping at Harvest Fresh.  Ah yes, so many great places – not enough time!

http://www.downtownmcminnville.com/

No, I do not work for the McMinnville Chamber of Commerce, or the McMinnville Downtown Association – I have been accused of it before. McMinnville just makes me smile!

J

Wildwood Café

Another smile from McMinnville, Oregon today.  I lived in McMinnville for 16 years – and I went to a lot of these great places.  Now when I visit, I feel like a tourist who has to hit all the high spots!

Wildwood Café is one of those places for me.  It’s a small café with homemade bread and jam.  The food is delicious and the coffee is the real deal.  I always order “Katie’s Calamity,” a glorious combination of eggs, avocado, cheese and salsa.  It comes with home hash browns and homemade toast.  I also get an order of “Wildwood Toast,” which is French toast with a granola topping – incredible.  I’ve tried to make it here at home and I’ve come close, but when I’m in town I have to eat some of that!

The décor is eclectic and old fashioned.  When you look up you see a bunch of egg beaters and potato mashers hanging from the ceiling.  The staff has changed over the years, but they seemed friendly and on top of things.

If you ever happen into McMinnville, stop by and try Wildwood Café.  You may find a line up waiting outside to get in - grab a paper or start a conversation with those waiting with you.  “Mac” is a very friendly town!

J

McMenamins

One of my favorite places in McMinnville, Oregon, another stop during our Thanksgiving trip, is McMenamins.  This is one of many historical buildings purchased and refurbished by the McMenamin Family.

We stayed at McMenamin’s Hotel Oregon in McMinnville; we’ve also been to the pub in Salem, the Thompson Brewery & Public House.  Both are great and have different features.

Hotel Oregon has a great restaurant, roof-top bar, pool table, and rooms that take you back to a different time.  There are no televisions in the rooms and they are decorated with antiques and just have that “old-time” feel about them. 

If you ever find yourself in McMinnville, Oregon – stop in, have a beer or better yet, stay a night!

http://www.mcmenamins.com

J

Happy Deer

This morning while preparing and cleaning up after breakfast, I looked out the window to see a small deer sashaying down the street – right down the middle of the street! 

He was obviously happy, his feet barely touched the ground, his ears were up and he was looking at all the houses and lawns. 

He was just out for a morning jaunt, but his happy jaunt was my smile for today!

J

Rocks from Mars

On our travels for Thanksgiving, we were able to see a lot of family.  Family makes me smile.  At one of our stops we learned a lot – about Norway, where Ken’s sister and her husband will be living for six months, about rocks from Mars, which Ken’s brother-in-law works with as part of his job, about names and remembering them, about South Africa where our niece spent a semester abroad, etc. 

It’s amazing when you visit someone who you don’t see often, they have so many things to teach you about what they are doing and what’s important to them. 

While we were there we got to hold a rock from Mars in our hands.  It was sliced and polished and placed between two pieces of glass so it could be easily examined with a microscope. 

Things like that take a while to sink in….I was holding a rock from another planet in my hand. 

It’s exciting to talk to family and friends and learn new things – it opened my perspective and gave me something to smile about!

J

A Winey Smile

I saw the following on a license plate frame this week, thinking about it always makes me smile!


"Life is a Cabernet"

J

What Are The Chances?

So, I’ve been doing some traveling – funny things happen when you travel.  When we arrived in Tulsa, Oklahoma, we took the shuttle to the Embassy Suites.  We were escorted by a really nice driver who told us all about the great chef on premises and to be sure to ask for an omelet in the morning. 

When we went inside to check in, the gal at the desk said, “Oh, it’s you, wait right here, someone is waiting for you!”  Then she went to the back door and called out, “She’s here!”

Then, there she was, Joy Vai (pronounced “vie”).  She rushed right out and called my name, “Are you Joy Vail?”  Ha ha.  We sort of have the same names – she wanted to take pictures to remember the moment, thankfully, Jen was there with her camera!

Joy is the Front Office Concierge Lead at Renaissance Tulsa Hotel and Convention Center and the Assistant Front Office Manager at Embassy Suites Tulsa.  What are the chances that someone named Joy Vail would make reservations at a hotel in Tulsa and meet someone like Joy Vai?  Not sure what the chances are, but she really made me smile!

J

I like to share great websites when I find them.  Since I've been working in the nursery at Orchard Supply Hardware, I've had a few questions about plants and flowers that the garden books just didn't cover clearly enough. 


This is a great website with a bunch of great information.  If you have questions or are looking for some ideas for your garden, check it out!


http://www.garden.org/

J

Miss Hibiscus

Miss Hibiscus, one of the more showy ladies in my nursery.

Although she is very lovely, she has a delicate and inviting personality.

J

There are some pretty great birds in my backyard, 

the nursery where I work, but I found this Bird of Paradise in a parking lot 

in Half Moon Bay, California. 

Gorgeous!

J

Daisy Twins

The Daisy Twins....more lovely ladies in my nursery.  

These two stand out - you can see their sisters in the background, but they quickly snuggled together so I could get their picture.

J

Ms. Dahlia

This is one of the lovely ladies I work with...Ms. Dahlia.  I snapped her picture last Friday morning. The sun was just peeking into the nursery - with a smile, she turned her face to the light for the picture.

J

My Hummingbird Friend

It's time to share some more smiles!

This is one of my new friends....we have three hummingbirds who take turns eating from the feeder and taking baths in the fountain's bubbling top.  They are such fun to watch!

I was about two feet away when I took his picture.  He was happy to stay and drink and even do a little posing for me!

J

Simple Smile

Barbecued salmon, rice pilaf, stir-fry veggies, fresh peach pie…it was so delicious and so delightful.  

It’s amazing how a wonderful dinner can make me smile!

J

Remember When…

Remember when your mom would send you to your room to “work on your attitude,” or “think about what you’ve done?” 

Today, Jen reminded me of one time when she was sent to her room for a time out and instead of working on her attitude or thinking about what she’d done, she made a scrapbook.  Yeah, that was a great idea!

What made me laugh till I cried was the very distinct memory of being told the same thing by my mother and instead I read a book.  While we were in our rooms, we totally forgot why we were in there.  We came out with great enthusiasm and told our mothers about our books or scrapbook making….and got sent back.

J

Big Package in the Mail

Today is my birthday.  It’s not a big deal to me; it’s really just another day.  The day of your birth can lead to expectations though.

I had to be out this morning and when I returned, there was a big box waiting for me in the office on the desk.  That is exciting – especially when it is addressed to me…on my birthday.

I asked my son if he knew what was in that box.  He said no, but with a funny smile on his face.  Hmm…I asked him if anyone in the house knew what was in that box.  Again he had no answer for me.  This had to be a surprise for me!  Oh yay!!! 

So, after questioning him a few more times about the contents, I grabbed the scissors and opened the box.

Inside were a couple of things I had ordered last week from Amazon – for myself.  Yeah, a surprise present for myself.  I actually felt giddy when I saw that box.  Now that I’m older, maybe my memory is going.  I ordered something for myself and then promptly forgot about it.  Actually, that’s not a bad thing to do when your birthday is coming up.  Surprise! 

It did make me smile – which can be a good thing if you are marking any birthday past 40.

J

Too Many Reasons to Smile

I haven’t written for awhile and it’s not because I haven’t been smiling or that there isn’t anything to smile about.

Although it seems the world is coming apart at the seams sometimes, I continue to find little things in my everyday life that make me smile.  Appreciation for the little things is, I believe, the key!

I have been enjoying having Jeremy and Jennifer home for a bit.  Jeremy didn’t have too long here, but we had some pretty smile-packed days with him before he returned to PA.  We played NERTS – the best card game of all time.  Jer beat me this time – wow…!  We had to try to play with him singing various 50’s and 60’s favorites in the funniest voice ever.  We laughed and cried!

Jen is still here for a bit which is nice.  We really enjoy having a few extra family members around to share time with! 

So, I hope you are still smiling with me.  Truly, there are so many reasons to smile!

J

Friends and Good Manners

Friends and good manners will carry you where money won't go.
Margaret Walker 

J

Bittersweet Smile

This morning I put my youngest son on the plane, bound for leadership camp in Washington.  It was a pretty easy morning, the lines weren’t too long and we didn’t have to go through the body scanner or get patted down.  That made me smile!

My son is 16 and has really grown up this year.  He’s taller than I am and has really matured a lot since last camp.  Along with him went two grandsons, one 17 and the other only 13.  This is his first time at camp and first time away from home (for more than one night). 

His mom was a bit choked up – I could totally relate.  It does get easier to put your children on a plane to faraway places, but that first time is a bit of a tear-jerker. 

When your child is born, it seems they will grow and stay so close to you, but they grow up and grow independent.  Which is a good thing – it’s just hard when that process begins.  

The guys will have a great time – that is a fact!  We will miss them and be so happy to have them back home again.  It’s a learning/growing experience (for all of us)– sometimes bittersweet, but one I wouldn’t miss for the world!

J

A Perfect Place

A perfect place is anywhere you are with the people you care about.  When I was a kid the perfect place was in my room on a Friday night with my younger brother listening to albums.  When I was in college, a perfect place was the VIP'S restaurant just down from the campus, they served the most amazing coffee and cinnamon rolls.  We were there to do homework of course, but we did a lot of laughing together too.

When my children were young, a perfect place was “Pirate Park.”  My kids named it that because of the cool play structure there and the bounty of agate rocks to be found.  On Tuesday nights when the kids were a bit older, I took them out for burgers and milkshakes, that hamburger joint was a perfect place.

I love to be with my husband and our kids, our family.  Wherever we are when we are together is a perfect place to me.  It makes me smile to hear their laughter and see their smiles. Even the memory of those times makes me smile!

Where do your memories come from?  If you take the time to consider, your most precious memories will come from the people you were with while in a perfect place.  It could be your backyard, a big city, a national park, an airport, graveyard, hospital or restaurant. 

Today, I spent some time thinking about a perfect place.  It was impossible to come up with only one.  Thinking about all those perfect places with all those wonderful people made me smile!

J

 http://www.getinthehotspot.com/personal-writing-themes/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+getinthehotspot+%28GET+In+the+HOT+Spot%29&utm_content=Google+Feedfetcher   

Talent

When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, 'I used everything you gave me'.

Erma Bombeck 

J

Twin Spin Fun Fire

When I was a kid we had a great fireplace in our family room.  It was called the "Twin Spin Fun Fire."  


It was actually a wood burning stove, but you could see the fire from all directions.  The fire kind of spun around and it looked great and warmed the room too!  It had an oven in the back.  


On Friday nights my dad would bake Pillsbury biscuits in that oven - we would have them with butter and jam.  Somehow they always tasted better coming out of that oven.  Often we baked Pillsbury cinnamon rolls on weekend mornings in that oven.  They were pretty great too.


For some reason, the company stopped manufacturing these stoves.  They were a bit hard to clean, but they were pretty awesome.  


I searched for this fireplace and was able to find a photo to share.  What great memories!

J

A Painting

"A painting in a museum hears more ridiculous opinions than anything else in the world." 
       -- Edmond de Goncourt

J

Worked Today!

I worked today at OSH - it was a beautiful morning there - lots of sunshine and blue skies.  I watered everything in the nursery today.  I love watering - it's soothing, relaxing, cooling and the best part is that you get to see every single, solitary plant in the nursery, learn a little bit about it and then want it in your backyard.


When I finished working, I changed my shirt, so I wouldn't get grabbed by customers needing help and I became a customer.  I went through the nursery and bought a bunch of plants and pots.  We are the proud owners of an avocado tree, a lemon tree, some pretty great flowers and some ground cover - and a new patio set for the deck!  Wow!  


I obviously have a "return my paycheck to my employer" policy.

J

Life is like a Blanket

Life is like a blanket too short.  You pull it up and your toes rebel, you yank it down and shivers meander about your shoulder; but cheerful folks manage to draw their knees up and pass a very comfortable night. 


 ~Marion Howard

J

Maple Oat Scones

Today I tried a new recipe - I found it at the following link.  


The scones turned out great - I followed the recipe completely, except for the fact that I didn't have any maple flavoring, so I used a bit of vanilla.


They taste great and took me back to the days when my daughter worked at Starbucks and brought some home to share.


Enjoy!


http://www.eatingoutloud.com/2010/12/starbucks-maple-oat-scone-recipe.html

J

A Little Something Extra

Have you ever noticed how good you feel when someone does a little something extra?  I have to admit that sometimes it surprises me.  We live in a world where everyone tries to do just the bare minimum, just what will pass, or only what is asked of them.

I think we can become so used to the bare minimum that it surprises us when someone goes out of their way to hold a door or pick up some trash or prepare something with thought, concern and giving to others in mind.

All of the demonstrations we’ve had at quilting class have been really great.  One of the ladies prepared a demonstration tonight that gave us all a little something extra.  She handed out sample size pieces of the apron she was demonstrating so that each lady could make one little sample apron to take with them.  Mine looks great on a bottle of wine. J


Last week, one of my quilting ladies brought me a vase with some flowers from her garden.  The bouquet included sweet peas, roses, hydrangea…that was so sweet.  This evening, one lady handed me a little bag with a bunch of snowman beads enclosed.  She knows how much I love snowmen.  That made me smile.  Another creative lady gave me a little pair of pink booties she made for me to send to my new great niece.  It’s very true that little things mean a lot.

It doesn’t take that much to give a little something extra.  It will put a smile on the faces of those you serve in one way or another and it will make you smile too. 

J

Sunset

It’s been pretty hot here for a few days.  One of the nicest places to go when it’s hot is out on our deck.

 I especially like being out on the deck when the sun is setting.  It’s still a little light outside, and the silhouettes of the trees are spectacular.  I sometimes think I could sit out on the deck and watch the sky and those trees forever.  Eventually, though, it does get dark and then the city lights become visible.

The skyline of San Francisco is well-known.  

I never realized how much I would enjoy seeing that skyline – especially from my deck!

J

Have Press, Will Cook

We have a new tortilla press at our house.  We’ve needed one for quite some time.  We finally brought one home for a father’s day gift for Ken, since he’s the one who’s needed it.  We also added the special flour you need to make your own corn tortillas.

Well, we gave it a whirl tonight – since every Monday at my house is taco night.  Ken made up the dough and rolled it into little balls and then used the new press.  Then he cooked them in the cast iron skillet until they were golden brown.

We had all sorts of fillings – and the tortillas were a hit.  They tasted so good and held together so well!  I wonder if he realizes that he will now be cooking homemade tortillas every Monday night??  Ha Ha!

J

Another Good Reason to Smile

"Children learn to smile from their parents" 
Shinichi Suzuki

Thanks Dad, for the easy smile and generous heart you have always had!

“We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have.”

Frederick Keonig

J

Flowers & Herbs

Today was a good day.  The sun was shining, the sky was blue and the breeze was cool and refreshing.

It was a fun day to work outside.  I have never been a “great” gardener.  I have grown vegetables, flowers and plants, but I have always thought of myself as a kind of “blind-luck” gardener.  As it turns out, gardening isn't about luck at all. 

When it comes to plants and flowers, the main thing is location, location, location.  Sunny or shady – it makes a big difference.  They also need good soil.  Some like acidic soil some do not.  They need attention, water, sun, food, shelter – a lot like people.

I have been putting a lot more effort into giving my plants the location, soil and attention they need and they are returning all that love with green leaves, pretty blossoms and vibrancy!

Giving attention and seeing it returned with such beauty makes me smile!

J