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.

Recycled Dream

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Recycled Dream

I can see only one person presently reading my blog (Hi, Angloswiss) who read this when I posted it two years ago, so I am going to give a link to it here. It is one of 4 or 5 posts I’ve made on the subject of dreams and not the one I was looking for, but interesting to me because I don’t remember either the dream or having written this piece, so I imagine even if you read it way back then perhaps you have forgotten it, too.  HERE is the link.

The one I was looking for was a precognitive dream I had where two incidents in a row were foretold.  I know I’ve written about it but can’t find it on my blog or on any storage drives or my present computer, so the next time this prompt cycles around, I will write about it.  For now, here is another dream you might have some interest in.  Look above for the link.

In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This).”

Happy Shyboy with Flower! (Cee’s Flower of the Day)

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IMG_2083I believe that is a Hibiscus about to unfurl over this little boy’s left ear.  He is a sweetie and unfurled a bit himself during the past week. Who could resist that smile?  I couldn’t.

For more flowers, go HERE.

In A Mexican Bano–WordPress Close Up Challenge

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In A Mexican Bano–WordPress Close Up ChallengeDSC00114

DSC00115I’d never seen a golden dragon fly like this and I loved the accenting texture of the window sill, as well. Now I wish I’d gently transported him outside as he seemed intent on getting through the glass instead of flying out the open door of the gas station rest room.
https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_photo_challenge/close-up/

CAMP ESTRELLA FINAL SHOW!!!!

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CAMP ESTRELLA FINAL SHOW!!!!!
(Please click on pictures for a larger view.)

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IMG_2478The final show included the kids from Camp Estrella as well as part of the 153 member kid’s orchestra and chorus from San Juan.  They are the spirited children in white blouses and dark pants. They presented music from Grease, La Bamba and a wonderful spoof where they drew participants from the audience and wound them around the stage area in a long line.  It turns out it was a song about the whole village lining up to buy tortillas in the morning–to buy enough tortillas for 7,000 people from one shop with 7 tortilla machines…The joke is that the people drawn from the audience who took a place were forced to go to the end of the of the line–like newcomers trying to break into the tortilla line.  Much funnier when listening to the lyrics!

The woman doing the scarf dance was Cynthy, one of the counselors.  The woman doing the flamenco was Cindy, the organizer of the camp and the man on the drum and guitar is her husband, David. Other counselors left to right are Audrey to the far left, Juan behind Cynthy, Gloria in polka dots and me! Alicia regrettably left before someone requested we pose for a picture.  She is the exotic Mexican lady standing to the left side of the stage in the picture to the right of the audience shot.

After the show, where all those little girls in bright yellow Camp Estrella T-shirts turned into sophisticated flamenco dancers in exotic dresses and tightly-chignoned hair and all the jostling young boys turned into swelled-breasted young men, every one of them hugged every one of us. Audrey and I vied with each other over who could do the best job of hiding wet eyes and lumps in our throat, and we decided  the 5,000 pesos that the audience gave us to support the camp (the show was free) should be split between the performers. So, we gave each child 100 pesos and gave the rest to the orchestra/chorus.

Counselors were even more richly rewarded by the  memories of working with and getting to know these warm and lovely kids…not to mention the remarkable counselors.  We now count among our friends two new generations of young Mexicans–and feel younger for it and more determined to stay in the flow of life.  Tomorrow we start all over again with another camp in Ajijc, the neighboring town.

Thanks for giving me a platform to share this wonderful Experience.

Now do you know why, if I had a billion dollars, I would spend it to make this sort of experience happen every day for the children of San Juan Cosala?

If you haven’t been following my stories on Camp Estrella, go HERE, HERE or HERE or for more of the story.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/youre-a-winner/

FLASHIER THAN THE FLOWERS: Cee’s Flower a Day Challenge

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FLASHIER THAN THE FLOWERS

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The Coleus is another plant where the  leaves outshine the flowers.

 

For more flowers, see: http://ceenphotography.com/2015/07/26/flower-of-the-day-july-26-2015-day-lily/

The Billionaire

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                                          The Billionaire

If I were to win a billion dollars, I’d open a cultural center in San Juan Cosala, the town I live in in Mexico.  It would include free art studios where anyone could come to paint, sculpt or learn computer graphics.  There would be a ceramics class, paper making, metal smithing–any art form that children or adults wish to learn, and I’d hire both local artists and artists from abroad who could come teach workshops to make the art experience fresh and expanding.

If there were any leftover money (ha!) I’d build a free hospital for local residents and for any children from Jalisco with birth defects or other debilitating conditions.

I would establish one hundred free college scholarships a year and hire the young people who availed themselves of these scholarships to come back and implement the changes in their village that they feel are necessary. I would also provide the funds so that all children could go to school and hire wonderful teachers who would stimulate them and make education a delightful opportunity.  It is true that Mexico has free schools, but also true that many children do not go to these free schools because they can’t afford uniforms, books and school supplies.

Then I’d buy a simple house with five bedrooms on the beach, use it myself for two months of the year  and loan it out to people from my village who could use a vacation or take children or adults away for art or writing workshops.

I know this is a very simplified version of huge projects that would take years of planning, but since this is a fantasy anyway,  I’m clicking my fingers and there.  It’s done!!!

In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “You’re a Winner!.”You’ve just won $1 billion dollars in the local lottery. You do not have to pay tax on your winnings. How will you spend the money?

Flunking Woulda Shoulda Coulda

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I shoulda woulda coulda answered this prompt today,
but it seems the time to do it sorta got away.
I had to finish up the prompt I started yesterday,
and then it seemed like life just sort of got right in the way.

I know I’ve made a habit of writing every day,
but lately I have had less time for what I want to say.
Yet superstition tells me that somehow I’ll have to pay
if I don’t write something, so it’s possible I may.

The problem is this little rhyme really has no theme.
I really shoulda woulda had a prior scheme.
Some topic I felt strong about–a cause or plan or meme.
Other folks have causes by the dozen or the ream.

Perhaps a favorite candidate, or charity or team.
But I follow no beacon, am directed by no beam.
My pointless post is definitely not the cream de la cream.
My woulda shoulda coulda was just a silly dream!!!

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/shoulda-woulda-coulda/

Answer to What is It?

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Version 4

You are all correct.  It was a frog! (Aha–It has just been pointed out to me that this is a toad, not a frog.  I should have realized this, so I stand corrected.  Thanks to the wise soul who knew the difference!)

This little guy, about 3 inches long, was sitting on the work counter of my garage when I got back from rehearsal.  He was still there when I left for the Camp Estrella show a few hours later, but had departed by time I got home four hours later.  He’ll be croaking out his very loud song by my pool later tonight. The performance was an incredible experience.  I’ll post pictures and tell all later tonight. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, 8 of us put on a week-long camp for 30 kids from my village.  They did art, English lessons, singing and flamenco dancing.  Today was their big performance and it was wonderful  More about it later!

What is it????: WordPress Photo Challenge: Close Up

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IMG_2346Version 2https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_photo_challenge/close-up/

Bougainvillea: Cee’s Flower of the Day Challenge

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For more flower shots, go here: http://ceenphotography.com/2015/07/25/flower-of-the-day-july-25-2015-waterlily/