Stillness

SILENCE
When there is silence between people I tend to think the worst.   I don't know what is happening in their life and I don't know what they are thinking.  Really, it shouldn't matter.  I can choose to observe the silence and take it as medicine.
The ultimate way to show love is to be there for people.  To give our time and to be available.  Inadaquate relationships lack this dance of give and take.

HOME
People will always look for a feeling of home.  Especially when we feel uncomfortable, we want something or someone to soothe us.  What brings us home?  Food, smells, energy, warmth, kind acts, supportive words, softness, stillness and that which is organic.

I imagine what if my parents didn't want me to be happy?  If they didnt support me and I couldnt be the person I was?  I would not know how to feel home.  I would try to escape from my reality.
We all feel a need to escape here and there.  We escape with work, the internet, alcohol, relationships, movies, and countless distractions.
Sometimes we just feel like "God when is this day going to be over?"
We just want to leave our body and forget everything.
Enough escapism and you become numb, pushing emotions away.  nothing is resolved.

I think, creative expression is a form of coping with a desire to escape our emotions.
When we paint, dance, write, sing, or take a photo.
Here is an exaggerated emotion that is speaking through a form of art.
I want to relate with others to create a connection.
It was a beautiful day today and I took these photos.
Maybe you can relate?

 My niece McKenzie

Now I feel less isolated and alone.
My point is...
Expression is a calling for others who have felt what we feel.  A bond or a "hooking up".
I believe that EVERYTHING is already connected.
You, me, McKenzie, the camera, the sheets on my bed, your clothes, we are all of the same earthly elements.
So, all this silence between us only deepens my thinking that we are already one.
(thank you Alicia and Neil Young)
Now, I need to find my own peace in my home.

Good news! 
 Oil and gas companies have voluntarily given up their plans to drill on more than 80 percent of the lands they’d leased next to Glacier National Park.
They held leases for energy exploration on hundreds of thousands of acres in the Flathead River Valley, just outside Glacier. Drilling that close to the park threatened to wreak havoc on the landscape, pollute the Flathead River and ruin some of the most beautiful vistas from Glacier's peaks and lookouts.
Thanks to the action of people, more than 200,000 acres of land surrounding Glacier National Park are no longer at risk from oil and gas drilling.

Kitchen Tips to Save Energy

• Turn it off. There is no greater waste than the steady leak of energy that occurs when appliances are all switched on and nobody's using them. It takes a fraction of a second before and after you use an appliance to flick it off.
• Based on average utility rates, running an electric oven at 350°F costs about 24 cents per hour; natural gas ovens at that temperature run about 9 cents an hour. Make the most of the energy by using both oven racks at the same time to bake, roast,and/or warm foods.
• Every time you open that door, oven heat drops by 25°F, which forces the appliance to work harder and can affect recipe results. Turn on the light, look through the window, and leave the door shut until you're ready to remove the food.
• Double a recipe and save half for a future meal. The larger batch lets you capitalize on heat you're already using, and reheating the second time around requires just a fraction of the energy needed to start from scratch.
• More info on energy saving ideas   http://www.energyboomer.typepad.com./

Beardy Poe Chocolate chip and almond cookies

2 cups of all-purpose flour (or gluten free)

1 cup unsalted butter 

3/4 cup white sugar

3/4 cup raw (light brown) sugar

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

2 large eggs

1 cup slivered or course chopped almonds

1/2 cup chocolate chunks

• Preheat the oven to 375° F.
• Chop up the chocolate and almonds into chunks. 
• Toast the almonds in the oven or in a dry frying pan until light brown. Let cool.
• Cream together the softened unsalted butter and the sugars until the sugar is totally incorporated. 
• Add the baking soda, salt and flour, and mix. Add the eggs and the vanilla. Mix well but don't overknead.
• Stir in the chocolate chunks and the almonds.
• Drop onto ungreased baking sheets with a spoon, or make balls with your hands and place these. Space them out well because they will spread quite a bit. Bake for about 20 minutes 

• Easy Cashew Vanilla Cream
• 1/2 cup raw cashews
• 11/2 tsp. agave or maple syrup
• 1/2tsp. alcohol-free vanilla extract
• Blend all ingredients with 1/2 cup water in blender on high speed until smooth and creamy. Store in airtight container in fridge for up to 5 days.
  
  
     
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

                                                                

Here is a really cool Non profit I found.  
They accept unwanted cameras.
 http://kidcameraproject.org/
The New Orleans Kid Camera Project was created to address the psychological and emotional impacts of Hurricane Katrina on children returning home to New Orleans.  

Through the use of photography, creative writing and mixed media, children from flooded neighborhoods explore their environment and express themselves, their stories and feelings with their friends.  This project provides a venue for growth and recovery.  By teaching the children tangible skills an exposing them to new means of expression, we hope tho empower them.  

Hello sarajean, date of birth entered by you is August 19, 1984 based on which your Mayan Animal Sign Reading is as below.

	Mayan Animal Moon Sign Dzec
	English Name Scorpion
	Crystal Yellow Topaz
	Interpretation
	People born under this sign thrive on challenges. In Mayan language, Scorpion is called and Dzec. This animal is feared and revered all over the world as an enigmatic and powerful being. According to Mayan belief, Scorpions are gifted with supernatural qualities. Magical and intriguing, Scorpion evokes a sense of deadliness and magnetism at the same time. Your high level of intelligence helps you in every aspect of your life. This exceptional intellectualism leaves its impression on others from your childhood days. You appear to be unpredictable and complicated to others. No matter what comes you way, you are determined to move ahead in life. Your fighting spirit and killer instinct can render you fiercely competitive at times. You will never tolerate any offense or insult. Jealous and revengeful, you will leave no stone unturned to destroy your enemies.

Here is the website if you want to find out your Mayan Animal sign.

http://www.mysticscripts.com/mayan-astrology/mayan-animal-sign/