The Blue Feather

Hi Folks:

A number of years ago when I was going through a dark period in my life, it seemed like every time I went outside I’d find a feather on the ground, waiting for me, usually with 10-15 feet of whatever doorway I had just left. To me to it was a quiet nudge from the Universe, a sense of letting me know I was loved and cared for no matter what experience I was choosing in the moment.

Well, last week I was going through a very strange day and on my way home from the grocery store I found this Macaw feather lying on the ground by the sidewalk. Now, some people might have found that strange – it’s not moulting season, after all – but to me it was a reminder of that earlier time, and I smiled.

It wasn’t until the next morning that I realized it was a blue feather, and I thought, “Couldn’t they have just put up a sign that read, Don Shimoda was here?'”

Blue Feather

Hugs,
M&M

P.S. If you’re looking for a blue feather yourself, you might want to drop by our friend Kristen’s site: Blue Feather

 

For Auld Lang Syne – Happy New Year!!

Hi Folks:

Many have heard at least the beginnings of the song ‘For Auld Lang Syne’, but not as many are familiar with the words or their meaning.  We came across this ‘wee translation’ from Dolidh Young on Google+ and wanted to share it with you.  Her post is here: https://plus.google.com/+DolidhYoung/posts/HuugfJV5sYX

For Auld Lang Syne

Should auld acquaintance be forgot, Should people we used to know be forgotten
and never brought to mind ? And never brought up again
Should auld acquaintance be forgot, Should people we used to know be forgotten
and auld lang syne? For the old long past

CHORUS:

For auld lang syne, my jo (or my dear), (Toasting) For the old long past, my joy
for auld lang syne, For old long past
we’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet, We’ll take a cup of kindness yet
for auld lang syne. For old long past

And surely ye’ll be your pint-stowp ! And surely you’ll pay for your drink
and surely I’ll be mine ! And surely I’ll pay mine
And we’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet, We’ll take a cup of kindness yet
for auld lang syne. For old long past

CHORUS

We twa hae run about the braes, We two have run around the hills
and pu’d the gowans fine ; And pulled wild daisies fine
But we’ve wander’d mony a weary fit, But we’ve wandered many a weary foot (as in distance)
sin auld lang syne. Since old long times

CHORUS

We twa hae paidl’d i’ the burn, We two have paddled in the stream
frae morning sun till dine ; From morning until dinner
But seas between us braid hae roar’d But seas between us broad and roared
sin auld lang syne. Since old long times

CHORUS

And there’s a hand, my trusty fiere ! And here’s a hand my trusty friend
and gie’s a hand o’ thine ! And give me a hand of yours
And we’ll tak a right gude-willy waught, We’ll take a right good toasting drink
for auld lang syne. For old long past

CHORUS

From both of us to you and all those close to you, may the New Year bring you all the joy, peace, adventure, love and excitement you can handle!!

Hugs,
M&M

Happy Holidays!!

Happy Holidays!!

Hi Folks:

Whether you celebrate Christmas or Festivus, Solstice or Saturnalia, Hannukah, Kwanzaa or something entirely personal, we wish you and those close to you a safe and happy Holiday Season, and a New Year with as much joy, love, adventure, peace and excitement as you can handle!!

The blog has been a little quiet of late, but we’ll be back with much more in 2014, so our continued thanks to you for stopping by!!

With Hugs,
Marcia and Mike.

P.S. The photograph is a composite made from 75 images, shot on the corner of the Legislative Grounds. If you’re not familiar with Victoria, the Inner Harbour is on the far left, then there’s the Empress Hotel, the Royal BC Museum and then the lights of the Legislative bldg.

I ‘See’ You

Hi Folks:

It’s been a while since I wrote one of those rambling blog posts where I collected seemingly unrelated threads of information and try to weave them into some loose form of coherence, so I figured it must be time to do so again.  As I’ve written before, my mind tends to ping pong from one thought to another, creating connections often out of the thinnest of junctions.  The title for this post comes from the movie ‘Avatar‘, of course, where among the Navï the term, “I ‘See’ You” goes beyond mere physical vision and encompasses, “I acknowledge you.  I honour your presence.” Continue Reading →

International Free Hugs Day, 2013

Hi Folks:

As you’re surely all well aware, Saturday, July 6 (the first Saturday in July) was International Free Hugs Day!!  Marcia and I dutifully marched down to our spot at the Homecoming Statue at Ship’s Point and unrolled our ‘Free Hugs’ posters, then eagerly awaited the onslaught.  We didn’t have long to wait.  We both commented on how terrified we were the first time we did this down at the inner harbour, and how much we look forward to these outings now!  We meet some amazing people from around the world (and around the corner), shared some great stories and some great hugs!

Thanks to everyone who came by for sharing your hugs, smiles, waves, air hugs (from across the street), and best of all, yourselves.  We appreciate every one!

International Free Hugs Day, 2013

International Free Hugs Day, 2013

So go out and hug someone today, and be sure to check out our other ‘Free Hugs‘ posts!

M&M

P.S.  We recently came across a FB page for a woman named Rita who is also a hugger.  You can check her out here: 10,000 Hugs in 100 Cities.  Rita is also based in Victoria; we may not have all of the world’s best huggers, but we’re certainly on the map… ;-)  We haven’t (yet) met Rita in person, but the hugging will be epic!

Celebrating Fathers… and Families…

Hi Folks:

I’m old enough to remember when a family was considered to be a combination of a mother, a father and 1.8 children – although I was never sure which one of the kids lost out on that one.  But if that was considered ‘normal’, my family was, and continues to be anything but normal.  Of course, if you go back 600 years or so the word family meant ‘servants, domestics or members of a household’ (from the Latin familia) so the etymology has changed a bit over time.

In his book ‘Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah‘, Richard Bach wrote:

“The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other’s life. Rarely do members of one family grow up under the same roof.” Continue Reading →

For Marcia…

Hi Folks:

Eleven years ago today Marcia proposed to me – down on one knee and everything. After much deliberation and careful consideration (all of which took about ¼ second), I said ‘Yes’.

We continue to say “Yes!!” to each other every day.

I wrote this poem for her and wanted to share it with you:

Every morning,
as you awake,
I caress your fingers
with my face…
and know we two are loved.

Happy 11th Anniversary, Darlin’!!

Forever and For Always,
Me.

Flowers for Mother’s Day

Hi Folks:

We started this project by making a photo book for our mothers for Mother’s Day.  Marcia’s mom is no longer with us, but wherever she is now, we trust she appreciates it!  Mike’s mom is still here, so this is dedicated to her and to all of the other Mothers out there today (including Marcia!)

We made this book in Lightroom 4, using images made by both Marcia and Mike.  Thanks also to ‘The Board of Wisdom‘ for providing the quotes for us!  If you click on the image below it will open the e-book as a .pdf file.  We trust you’ll enjoy it!

Flowers for Mother's Day

Hugs,
M&M

Victorious Voices Returns!!

Hi Folks:

One of the ‘challenges’ of living in Victoria is that it’s such a culturally rich, diverse place to be that there are times we want to befriend Hermione Grainger.  We’re sure she’s a lovely young woman, but our ulterior motive would be to see if we could borrow her Time Turner.  We’d even invite her along; she could just slip the chain over all three of our heads…  One case in point is that this past week marked the 4th Annual Victorious Voices High School Slam Championships.  Mike was able to be there last year, but Marcia wasn’t: an event we wrote about here.  Monday night was the Semi-Finals, with eight teams from five schools, plus a ‘wild card’ team made of students from other schools.  Monday night was also the monthly Pen in Hand Poetry and Prose Readings at Serious Coffee in Cook St. Village.  Tuesday night was the Youth Slam at Solstice Café, but there was also a talk at the Royal BC Museum (with Sierra Club BC) on the ecology and preservation of the Flathead River ecosystem in southeastern BC.  However, nothing was going to keep us from attending the Victoria Event Centre on Wednesday night to attend the Victorious Voices Finals.

Continue Reading →

Happy New Year!!

Hi Folks:

Today is the first day of 2013. To start the year off right, we wanted to share this quote with you from Howard W. Hunter:

“This year, mend a quarrel.
Seek out a forgotten friend.
Dismiss suspicion and replace it with trust.
Write a letter.
Give a soft answer.
Encourage youth.
Manifest your loyalty in word and deed.
Keep a promise.
Forgo a grudge.
Forgive an enemy.
Apologize.
Try to understand.
Examine your demands on others.
Think first of someone else.
Be kind.
Be gentle.
Laugh a little more.
Express your gratitude.
Welcome a stranger.
Gladden the heart of a child.
Take pleasure in the beauty and wonder of the earth.
Speak your love and then speak it again.”

Have an amazing day and an incredible year!!

Hugs,
M&M

P.S. This is a message we can all send to each other: Israel and Iran: A love story?