Author Archives: lifelessons

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About lifelessons

My blog, which started out to be about overcoming grief, quickly grew into a blog about celebrating life. I post daily: poems, photographs, essays or stories. I've lived in countries all around the globe but have finally come to rest in Mexico, where I've lived since 2001. My books may be found on Amazon in Kindle and print format, my art in local Ajijic galleries. Hope to see you at my blog.

Familiar Names and Faces

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                                                             Familiar Names and Faces

The extent of my doing something “scary or stressful” nowadays pretty much extends to public speaking, and it is pretty obvious that being surrounded by friends is a definite plus in this situation.  To have an audience devoid of friends probably indicates that one’s friends are not too interested in hearing what one says, and I’m afraid this wouldn’t be too encouraging, would it?  It would be like writing a blog and not recognizing one familiar name on one’s “Like” list or comments. Only the uninitiated dare stray there.

When I return to a blog I’ve written, it is reassuring not only that there are “Likes” and comments, but that in addition to a few new readers that the old familiars are listed there. Some of you have been reading my blog since I first started writing it, and I hope you realize how welcome your regular appearance is.  As blogging takes over my life, you give reassurance that this is not an activity practiced in vain.  Someone really is out there listening–their invisibility shattered by simply hitting the “Like” button or penning a comment.

Perhaps it is vanity that causes us to return here again and again to spill our thoughts across the screen, but I don’t think it is only that. I see us all as members of a vast worldwide audience who are simply taking our turn to try to bring what we can to this great internet stew.  Like the old “Stone Soup” story, each of us brings what we can to add to the brew and in doing so we create an incredible and rich dish to share with all!

Thanks for being my familiars.  I have been enriched by being yours as well.

 

The Prompt: Witness Protection–When you do something scary or stressful — bungee jumping, public speaking, etc. — do you prefer to be surrounded by friends or by strangers? Why?

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/witness-protection/

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Blue or Purple Flowers

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                                     Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Blue or Purple Flowers

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http://ceenphotography.com/2016/01/19/flower-of-the-day-january-20-2016-and-color-your-world/

Mixed Bouquet: Flower of the Day, Jan 20, 2016

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Mixed Bouquet

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Camerone (Shrimp) Plant and Thunbergia–A Lovely Tangle.

Yipes! Stripes!

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                                                                 Yipes! Stripes!

http://hughsviewsandnews.com/2016/01/19/hughs-weekly-photo-challenge-week-9-stripes/

Life’s a Beach

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                                                                        Life’s A Beach

Here are a few pictures of what I’ve been up to since I arrived at the beach on Saturday.
IMG_1573 The porch was rebuilt on Casa Gaviotas, but instead of bamboo and wood, it is now concrete and stone.  The palapa roof seems to have survived the hurricane.  The little palapa structure to the right of the orange building is Casa Gaviotas–my home away from home.

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First night, a little party/jam session at Carol’s house:

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Guitar, harmonica and flute.  Not a bad combination.  We mouthed the words we weren’t sure about but came on strong during the choruses!!IMG_1506 (1)Loved this painting by Carol on the wall of the kitchen.  The butterly is so realistic.
IMG_1504Um, more realistic than I’d initally realized, I surmised as the moth flew to a new location on the painting.

IMG_1498This little fella high up on the wall added his own chorus to the music.

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El Gato from next door comes every morning for a nibble that isn’t fish.  Usually he depends on the gifts of kind fishermen who share their catch with him. Quite a life for a cat.   Here he keeps an eye on both fishermen, ready for breakfast to be tossed his way.

DSC09647 (1)We inherited him as a kitten five years ago when we were here when the French lady who got him from the shelter left.  I meant to take him home with me but when the time came, he refused to come with me, preferring his free and easy beach life and fresh fish every day. so Daniel next door agreed to look after him.  Now I see him each time I come to the beach and he slips back into being a little bit my cat–especially around meal time.  I call him Bobino.  Handsome cat, and he shows the beach dogs who is boss!

Both nights, sunset tequila ceremony at Daniel’s–a nightly occurrence, year round:

IMG_1555IMG_1538Version 2Both mornings, I walked the beach, but not many offerings so far:
IMG_1559IMG_1580IMG_1561I’ve been swimming every day, took walks both mornings, wrote a bit and cooked up a pot of chili and another pot of spaghetti sauce. I like cooking in big lots and then not cooking for the rest of the week.  I took some chili over to Daniel next door, then had a visit from my friend Michael.  Yesterday Linda visited.

3 o’clock.  Time for a swim.  Another lazy day in paradise.  No snow so far.
I did the below prompt over a year ago.  You can see it on the WordPress site.  So, I’m instead telling a bit about beach life today!!!
https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/cant-stand-me/

Celebrating my 100,000th View!

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A friend pointed out that I would probably hit my 100,000th view tonight and he wanted to be the viewer to hit the 100,000th mark.  Three came in rather quickly, but he was either the 100,000th or the 100,001st–which is a nice symmetrical number, as well.  He took a screen shot and here it is: 100,001I had no idea when I started this blog that I would ever hit this mark!!!  Thanks to all of you who have continued to put up with my remarks, my poems, my obsession with certain little dogs, pictures of my food, my flowers, my friends and my digs.  I guess in a way a blog is the ultimate “selfie,” but then that is what most writers write about, no matter how well-disguised they are in different characters.  I’m lifting a glass of rum and Coke to you!  Thanks for bearing with me!  oxoxoxoxooxxo

Compose Yourself Challenge: Symmetry

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Compose Yourself Challenge: Symmetry

http://ceenphotography.com/2016/01/13/cees-compose-yourself-photo-challenge-week-14-symmetry/

Flower of the Day, Jan 18, 2016

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http://ceenphotography.com/2016/01/18/flower-of-the-day-january-19-2016-dahlias/

Cee’s Odd Ball Photo Challenge, 2016 Week 3–Another One!

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Okay, although I’ve already posted an Odd Ball this week, I just found this picture I have to post as well:
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http://ceenphotography.com/2016/01/17/cees-odd-ball-photo-challenge-2016-week-3/

Cee’s Odd Ball Challenge 2016 Week 3

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This is a scene from a dry lake bed that stretches for many miles on either side of the road that leads from Ajijic to La Manzanilla.  During part of the year, the lake bed might be filled with water, although it is very shallow.  At other times, it is dry and frequent dust devils and small tornadoes raise the dust in twisting columns.  I’ve driven through it literally surrounded by dozens of these little twisters.  This sign, “Con Tolvanera, Encienda Sus Luces” means “During Dust Storms, Turn on Your Lights.”  I don’t know why the picture tickles my fancy, but it does.  So, it’s my oddball for today.

http://ceenphotography.com/2016/01/17/cees-odd-ball-photo-challenge-2016-week-3/