Thursday, June 6, 2024

I Like Thursday # 405 bowls, art, doing nothing, and a poodle

 

To start this week's list of likes, my new little bowls... each different, each has a different pattern inside and out, a pleasure to use. 

when we make chicken souvlaki here, we heat the chicken in EEOO, lemon juice, mint/oregano/parsley/paprika. We use flour totillas, and have little bowls of prepped additions like minced red onion, tomatoes, cucumbers, feta cheese, lettuce 

DH and I are listening to Italian podcasts together, to learn the language in practice. My favorite phrase this week is piacere mio. It means the pleasure is all mine, when meeting someone or giving them anything and they say thank you. Piacere Mio, sung like a blessing

link: https://coffeebreaklanguages.com/coffeebreakitalian/

The 60 day challenge, ICAD  Index card a day, is on, I'm on day 6...  a small daily drawing or painting from a prompt. An example this week: 

an index card prompt this week, for "tree"

Prompt this week:

when you have free time, do you feel the need to  constantly "DO"  something? Is rest considered wasting time? How do you spend some free time and how would you like to spend free time .

This is actually a value, and all things we value define us in a way. Some people believe you're a "good" person if you are always achieving, a "lazy' person if you can just rest or recharge

what do you think? Do you wish you were more moderate or different? 

my answer: 

I am a big believer in taking a moment to just "be'  

My husband is spending time meditating, which is challenging to him. He  feels responsible to "get things done"  The meditation each night has changed him making him easier to be around. Stopping the merry-go-round of thoughts has calmed him a bit. 

I can only find that peace by being outside, in the quiet. There is no quiet here in our part of Colorado and I can't just leave. I seldom have peace from pain. It's hard to watch a tv show. I wish I could meditate but I have monkey brain.( I can't explain how distracting pain is). 


I do have memories of being on my screened in porch in MD with the fountain gurgling, the birds singing, me just watching and hearing. 

I used to sit under a palm tree at the beach in Florida, and just listen to the surf, watch the repeating waves. I used to just be at Lake Placid each year, just watching the water, hearing the loons. 

I think it's restorative like sleep which also is not peaceful here with all the neighbor's loud cars. I value being away from stimulation of devices, not being distracted by the blah blah, but just listening for the sounds of silence. 

Doing Nothing And Enjoying It | Funny pictures, Cartoons comics, Funny

I want a donkey... and look how kind Petey is to a blind horse... oh that people were so understanding and giving...



 I liked this quote from Annais Nin

There is not one big cosmic meaning for all;

 there is only the meaning we each give to our life, 

an individual meaning, 

an individual plot, 

like an individual novel, 

a book for each person.

 Milo's Moment

Mama: Milo why can't you ever just do what I say, out of blind obedience. You understand the words

Milo: because you raised me to be a  smart, independent , poodle who thinks for himself. If I ever do what you tell me it's because I love you. Like a gift, right? 

Mama: life would be smoother if you could just recognize we are the pawrents and wouldn't tell you to do anything that would hurt you

Milo: oh really? Like take a pill of poison? Like go into the bath? Like eat kibble before I'm ready for it? 

Mama: when I was a kid, before a car trip, I was told "go and try" so I did

Milo: well, you're a different person than I am. When you bark an order at me...

Mama: I do not bark orders, I calmly state what I need from you

Milo: whatever. When you order me around like a circus poodle, I think about what you said, and decide if it fits my needs at the moment. Like when you say WAIT. That pretty much never suits my needs. COME will suit me if I look and you're holding a treat. See what I mean? I think through things. 

Mama: oy, well I wanted a smart doggie. Still... it would be nice now and then if you just automatically did what I told you. 

Milo: maybe for your birthday but that's a year away and I'll need a reminder 


please visit these folk to hear about their likes this week

welcome home, Mickie at  http://3poodlesandanana.blogspot.com/

https://wordweaverart.blogspot.com/

https://canadianneedlenana.blogspot.com/  

https://comfortspiral.blogspot.com/


 
taking a break:
 
   LINKING WITH 

https://brianshomeblog.com/ 

http://itsasmalltownlife.blogspot.com/   

http://goodrandomfun.blogspot.com

https://llbinourbackyard.blogspot.com/

               friday smiles


 

19 comments:

Tigger's Mum said...

Lovely bowls - colour is so important with food I think. Also charmed by the index card idea - I recently took part in a similar called an 'inchie' challenge. It meant producing art each day without huge expenditure on art materials. Very cool. Sorry to read that pain makes even meditation an impossibility; I have always been a bit of a never sit down person (gardening, knitting, art, sewing etc are always things I will do when 'sitting') and although I meditated my way through University (transcendental), these days I tend to do flowing meditation (yoga) - series of repeated movements that stop the discomfort of sitting still from interrupting my 'thoughts filing' processes. Good luck with the ongoing Italian lessons.

Debra She Who Seeks said...

I love colourful bowls like that too. And I'm with you on doing nothing rather than activities all the time -- doing nothing is very restorative and a precursor to creativity, I find. And Milo is so SASSY!

Brian's Home Blog said...

Those bowls are very pretty. Oh I love that Petey donkey, such a sweet and kind critter. Hey Milo, we never doubted how smart you are, we just knew you were! Thanks for joining Angel Brian's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop!

PaintedThread said...

I love little bowls like that. I keep an eye out for them whenever I'm at thrift stores. God, I find it so hard to sit and do nothing. I'm trying hard to slow down (and having Fridays off is helping a little).

LIttle Penguin Quilts said...

I am sitting out on our back porch reading blogs, and the neighbor just stopped mowing - ahhh! Wishing you some peace and quiet. Your bowls are pretty, and the chicken souvlaki sounds yummy. I'll have to try making that. Milo, the circus dog - that definitely sounds like a book idea!

Cloudia said...

Milo knows the way to just be! Aloha

https://comfortspiral.blogspot.com/2024/06/lilac-dream.html?m=0

Angela said...

My daughter-in-law wants a donkey. They are very protective!

Sara said...

Beautiful bowls! Serving things in pretty dishes makes the food taste better, right?

Your prompt made me laugh. I find it fairly easy to just "be", without feeling like I need to be doing something. It drove my MIL crazy that I could waste time like that. And my oldest daughter is a bit like her - rarely able to just sit still and relax.

Duke said...

Love your new little bowls and that donkey is so adorable!

Rosemary Dickinson said...

I love your bowls. They look so festive to me! I think it's healthy to rest. I have to make myself relax more.

Judy Biggerstaff said...

The bowls are beautiful, love the colors! Nice drawing on the index card, being on the water brings me peace within. I just love riding in the boat and watching the water and sky. I do understand pain, I have been recuperating from back surgery, having complications and then having a second back surgery in less than a month.

Annie said...

I love your colourful bowls....so cheerful. That little donkey melts your heart. Milo always makes me smile.
Hugs,
Annie x

piecefulwendy said...

Those bowls are so fun - color makes everything better, right? I'd love to have a fountain like that, even on my deck, just to listen to the water. So peaceful!

My GBGV Life said...

We love those bowls as they are so colorful and fun. We are into things like that.

Helen said...

Everything tastes better out of a pretty little bowl!!
I do rest, but when my body is still, my mind is making lists! Sigh... :)
H

Lisca said...

Oh those are pretty bowls!
Peace and quiet? I am very fortunate that I live in a very quiet place on the edge of the village. And of course I also have a cave house. Sleeping in a cave house is the ultimate quiet. Some people can't cope with absolutely no noise at all. I love it.
Milo makes me smile. I love it how you know his mind.
Have a lovely weekend,
Lisca

Tails Around the Ranch said...

Albert Einstein once said..."Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better."

Sweet Milo. Ear rubs, sweet boy.

Kathleen said...

Those bowls are so pretty! I love using the pretty things when I get a chance. I am happy to sit, but I feel like a sit a little more than I should sometimes. Relaxing is easy for me, not so much for my other half. I do wish you could get to where you could relax..but visual reminders and movies can be calming. Milo is one smart doggie!

Michelle said...

Since retirement, I have found "doing nothing" to be restorative. Now, I can't do nothing for long, but I like it. All moments are valuable. I love your bowls. I was never a real fan of the all white color scheme as I like color too much. Thanks for linking up and I hope you are having a great week.