Tomorrow I'll be announcing the contest winners, so here's your Christmas snippet a little early. :) Enjoy ( Read more... )

So, we saw Desolation of Smaug last night. I can certainly see why there are mixed reactions. I don't want to do any spoilers so I won't give details but will share my son Matt's summation: half WOW, half outraged declaration of "Jackson is writing his own fan fiction!" I have to agree. But the cast? WOW! Smaug? WOW!!!! As many others have said: ( Read more... )

Apartfrom the scruff and eyebrows, this looks quite a lot like a certain friend of ours.

Oh, and just two days until the contest winner is revealed!


( Read more... )

I've always wanted a bonsai, but am not sure I could keep one alive. This one, however, with tiny red twinkle sights, is rather tempting.


( Read more... )

For some reason I'm looking forward to Christmas more than usual. Yes, I'm Buddhist and I still celebrate Christmas, the most materialistic of holidays. But it's not about the material, but about the legacy of love that has always been associated with it in my family. Christmas was always a time of peace and fun in my household when I was growing ( Read more... )

Don’t worry if you feel you can only do one tiny good thing in one small corner of the cosmos. Just be a Buddha body in that one place.

~ Thích Nhất Hạnh

Today's meme seems to be: List ten books that mean a great deal to you. Here goes ( Read more... )

She toasts herself like a marshmallow. She's so happy it's fireplace season again!


( Read more... )

It's been awhile since I posted family stuff. On Thanksgiving Doug was with his mom in Maine, so Matt, Tim, and Tim's almost fiancee Ari and I drove out to Joshua Tree Nat'l Park for a picnic and hike. Here are my 'kids' and our 'it looked better in person' feast, featuring a fold out paper turkey centerpiece and matching paper plates. From left ( Read more... )

The holidays can be so stressful. I thought I would share my current practice in calming and breathing.

Click to view