The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2015 annual report for this blog.
Here’s an excerpt:
The concert hall at the Sydney Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 45,000 times in 2015. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 17 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.
Click here to see the complete report.
Watching TV through the window
Gratitude Moment: Today I am grateful for the little things.
Gratitude Moment: Tonight I am grateful that we can observe the city of San Bernardino from a different angle and appreciate a glorious sunset. May there be peace and healing…
Our amazing group of friends with 100 completed backpacks for the homeless!
Yesterday was assembly day. Twelve of us gathered at our dear friends home in Orange County to finally put the 100 backpacks for the homeless together. From start to finish, it took us just over two hours of our time, a bit of organization, a lot of laughter, and some wonderful willing spirits to complete the task.
I’m hoping that by doing a recap here that our format can be easily duplicated by anyone else wishing to do a similar project. So please bear with me as I explain the nuts and bolts from start to finish of how to organize this, fund it and complete the packs. Continue reading
Sunday, November 8th ~ Arrowbear Lake
Sun streams through the windows this morning. Only a few short days ago we embraced a torrential rain followed with a dusting of snow. My mind went immediately to those who were out in the weather. Knowing that the 100 homeless kits we have committed to creating will only be a drop in the bucket, I am both humbled by the amount of support we are getting and an enormous wish that we could do more.
The goal is set to raise $2000 to be able to create 100 lifesaving survival backpacks for the homeless. As of this morning we have received donations totaling $750. We are so grateful to our friends, near and far, who are reaching out to help those in need.
And where will the money go? How will it be used? Continue reading
El Nino is on the way and we are expecting a harsh winter here in Southern California. It is a blessing on one hand, as the past few years have left our land parched. On the other hand, California is home to thousands of homeless.
Our tiny cabin, where we hang out when we are at home is in the San Bernardino Mountains at an elevation of 6000 feet. It can get cold. In fact, deadly cold for anyone with no place to live, no shelter, no roof over their head.
I felt the need to do something to help, and have decided to put together 100 survival/comfort kits to help some of the homeless in our area. That is a pretty big task, but I am up for the challenge. Continue reading
These little guys just kept creeping up in my pictures. Hope you don’t mind that I share a sampling with you…
Push cart and flower stalls
What if you were suddenly dropped down inside a culture quite contrasting to your own?
You don’t speak the language, the money is foreign to you, people look and sound different. Everything is colorful, noisy, and fragrant. You see smiling faces painted with a golden powder and foods you do not recognize. It is not overly crowded, yet seems to have a rhythm all its own.
Welcome to the marketplace and back streets of Myanmar… Continue reading
White Temple (Wat Rong Kuhn)
Chiang Rai, Thailand ~ More a labor of love, than a money-maker, the artist Chalermchai Kositpipat has used his own funds to create this visual masterpiece. This is a place of worship, but also an artistic creation. Instead of the normal multi-colored hues, he chose white which symbolizes the purity of Lord Buddha. Continue reading
Ordination Hall at reclining Buddha monument
This imposing staircase is located in Phrae, Thailand.
GRATITUDE MOMENT: Today I am grateful for differences. Each place we have had the pleasure of visiting has opened our eyes to an ever-changing variety of art, culture, food, money, transportation, vegetation, political and religious ideals, and monuments.
A Note From Abroad 