You Dont Have To Be Rich & Famous To Live Like The Rich And Famous



Go where the juice is!



Bumble Bee - Backyard Santuary



Backyard Santuary

Went out to the backyard to have my lunch on a bistro in a little nook I created alongside the garage.  As I sat down, I thought to myself "you're living like the rich and famous", followed by another thought, "you dont have to be rich and famous to live like The Rich & Famous"!

I quite enjoy my little nook.  I sit there to have my coffee in the mornings from spring to fall. It also dubs as the observation deck for my small vegitable garden which sits directly across the way. I read, contemplate and been know to have some intense debates and highly philosophical conversations to into the wee hours of the morning with my like minded  friends and a bottle of merlot.  A friend of a friend once said life is short, enjoy your friendships, laugh a lot and drink merlot!

 

What does it take?  A desire to be passionate about life and living in the moment.  Be spontaneous, be whimsical, it is oh so much fun!

 


Vintage Tray - Circa 20+yrs Ago, School Fundraising!
The wine - Yellow Tail Merlot


The candleholder:  Rescued from a friend's place



Bistro - Canadian Tire 8yrs Ago Edition
Gift to Daughter for 1st Apartment.

The lunch:  Aisan salad - brought home from Bluesfest yesterday; Artisan bread & Left over salmon. 


When I moved in the house three and a half years ago, the backyard was a mess.  I installed a patio, in foregroud.  The patio stones alongside the garage were gathered up from various spots on the property.  I decided to create a walkway to the back alongside the detached garage that extends to the edge of the ravine at the rear.  Once the patio stones were put in place, edged by rescued construction blocks again rescued from different parts of the gardens, I got the vision for positioning this bistro that was taking up space in the garage.  I had given it to my daughter as a gift for her apartment balcony at her first apartment.  It ended up back in the garage, so I've put it to use.

  

Lunch was great.  So were the buzzing bumble bees and the chirping birds.  What a lovely way to enjoy a  perfect summer's day!

Till next time,

MissSam

August 11, 2013

PASSING THE TORCH TO THE NEXT GENERATION

BABY KILLDEER - BEING NURTURED & PROTECTED BY MOMMA

There is a lot written about the Millennial's or "Generation Y".  If I am not mistaken, these are the children of the boomers born from late 70's to the early or mid  to late nineties.  And some of what has been said is not so flattering.

I have the privilege of working with some of these young people in my business, and I feel confident that there are enough hardworking, delligent, brilliant, ambitious and wise cohorts of this generation that will carry on just fine.  Even great, I would say.  Some of them are even wise beyond their years.  I totally believe that in each generation, God has raised up the people he wants to carry out his will, advance humanity and fulfill his purpose for us as people.

Take for instance my daughter, when she was young and I had so many problems, challenges, you name it - she would be the calm one when I would fall apart.  It never dawned on me that this was wisdom and and strength of character - the stuff of which leaders are made - until I started reading books, attend seminars, workshops on the subjects of leadership, emotional intelligence, and got out of religiosity and started focusing on spirituality.

When my son was in grade 12 highschool one day I was cleaning up and found a pholosophy paper he wrote so I sat down and read it.  My son was giving me some challenge at the time so I was naturally curious to know what he was up to.  I just couldnt believe the paper - it was brilliant!  The teacher commented in the remarks that this was university material.  I was encouraged, and it give me more determination to help him through this murky period of transition from teen to adulthood.  This is the same child that, when we moved from Toronto to Brampton in 1989, driving through the then prestine neighbourhood of Castlemore observed " I wonder how much that house would cost?  I bet it is about $500,000".  You know something?  At age five, he correctly guessed the price of the houses in that neighbourhood.

Fast forward to 2008, the darkest days of the financial and economic crash in the U.S.A. and the global meltdown that followed.  People were scared!  In retrospect, they were more scared because they didnt know what was going to happen, than they were of losing money.  I found myself being more of a "shrink" than an advisor.  All they wanted was for someone to tell them that "the world wasnt ending", everything was going to be ok.  I had to have faith for myself, and I had to confidently convey this message to everyone who called out to me.

One evening I came home from the office, (my son was about to complete his last year of university and was home at the time) I must have had the look of death on my face although I didnt think or feel that way.  As I walked in and put my computer bag and purse down, he look at me, took me my by the arm and lead me to the couch.  He put me on his lap and hugged me and said "mom, it's going to be over soon.  They (the U.S.A.) is going to pull out of this.  Now what you have to start doing, is devise a strategy as to how you are going to help your clients take advantage of all the opportunities that are to be had".  As a twentythree year old not yet graduated from university he went on to tell me how, after this recession is over, he believes there will be a long period of prosperity and  so much opportunities and how he feels confident about about the future.

He was always ahead of his years, we used to call him the little man.  He graduated, and since obtained his CMA designation, and also working on his CFA.  I am not concerned about him, for as long as he has a vision of a bright future he will be alright.  Ditto for my daughter.  She has always been the little entrapreneur!  I remember in grade 5 or 6, the year the "scrungie" hair thingy became popular, she would sew crungies and take them to school to sell.  She is the artistic one, the linguist (runs in the paternal lineage), the social butterfly and has an amazing ability to draw people and opportunities to her.

It never occurred to many people to have a conversation with a young person.  It is in the casual conversation that we really get to know someone.  Sometimes we have to draw it out of them, they are reluctant to share their thoughts because they feel they do not have anything worthwhile to say.  Hear them out, validate their ideas, give then new insights were warranted had help them gain the confidence they need to get where they want to go.

When it get to the time where we have to step back and pass the torch, in our own families, business, communities and countries, be confident that our Millennials will do just fine!

MissSam
August 5, 2013



MOTHER KILLDEER DRAMA QUEEN EXTRAORDINAIRE & HER LITTLE ONE

 

Daily Musings of MissSam: Staying Open 24/7, Never Know How Your Miracle Is ...

Daily Musings of MissSam: Staying Open 24/7, Never Know How Your Miracle Is ...:   
HIKING UP THE RIVER 
  I borrowed this one from +Russell Simmons.  He tweets a version of this title often and I'...

Staying Open 24/7, Never Know How Your Miracle Is Going To Come





HIKING UP THE RIVER

   I borrowed this one from +Russell Simmons.  He tweets a version of this title often and I've been sharing it when friends and aquaintances when giving encouragement because it resonated with me.  Sometimes these quotes sound cliche, and can actually feel like just something people say to make themselves feel good, or to make you feel good.  Then an occasion turn up in your life where you assess a series of or chain of events and cause you to pause. 

That happened to me the other day on my way home from  my appointment with my Naturopathic Doctor.  I said out loud "Damn, I still believe in miracles, and sometimes the miracle you are looking for doesnt come the way you expect it to, but it's a miracle none the less!"  At the same time I remembered an incident that took place in the Spring 1996.  My son was in middle school and I went to a parent event there.  I met a former church member and we greated each other.  I hadnt seen this young man in a very long time, and he was a little floored when he saw me.  He said to me "sister dear, what ever you are asking God for continue to believe, and be patient and continue to pray for God is going to answer your prayers.  Because just yesterday, in broad daylight I was sleeping (he worked night shift) and I saw you in a dream.  You were standing in the church (the one we both attended when I met him first) and you were giving a testamony that was absolutely amazing".  I had many challenges in in my life at the time, but I didnt say anything to him about that.  I was encouraged by him sharing this dream and I thanked him for sharing it with me.  I had many wants and needs and desires at the time, and since then through all of life's challenges I keep looking for the fulfillment of the "biggies", those major desires that we think if we get them, then life would be easy street from there.  I have had many miracles that I did not consider them miracles until I look deeply and wonder, sometimes out loud, how did I do this?  How did I get through those problems that wore me out and made me feel like I had been run over by several Mack Trucks?

We have been conditioned to believe that a miracle has to be a major spontaneous healing or other occurance.  That's not true.  We experience little miracles every day, and when we notice them, life becomes joyful, exciting and our hearts filled with grattitude.  In this particular instance, my mind went to the amazing "coincidence" - I put it in quotation marks because I do not believe in coincidences.  I believe everything happens for a reason, and in the natural order of life to bring us what we need, or take from us what no longer serves us and fulfill our purpose.  My colleague at work had found this Naturopathic Doctor and told me about her.  I was happy to hear she was pleased with the results she was getting because I had been wanting to go to one forever, but just hadnt taken the initiative to find one.  I asked for the contact information and immediately scheduled an appointment because I have been feeling terrible.  I went to my regular doctor, and as usual my test results were "normal", or great for "someone your age"!  Except for my blood pressure a little elevated, everything was fine.  All I know, I was not satisfied with that, I wanted to feel vibrant and I was not.

I also didnt care for the idea of going on blood pressure medication (or any other kind, if I can help it)
so I want to be proactive in getting it back to ideal  reading.  It took three visits with good instructions and information about nutrition, habbits, sleep and the help of some natural remedies to get my blood pressure to optimum.  Within six months I'm sleeping better and I am getting my vitality back.  In my mind, timing is everything.  Had this "miracle" not occured, I could have found myself with a major health crisis sooner than later. 

That's not part of my plans, neither sooner, nor later!  I am one of those boomers who is holding on to every ounce of passion and vitality till I take my last breath - if I have anything to do with it!  The future is here, and I intend to live it with "reckless abandon".



WILD ORCHID FIND - SWEET!


 As Miss Lou, the beloved Jamaican folklorist would say "mi gaan, till next time"!

MissSam
Saturday Aug 3, 2013