I snapped this shot last week as I was walking in the park. To me it says “Summer”. The play of sunlight on the cool green leaves and the resulting shadows floating on the lazy creek, remind me of my favorite aspect of the season. Summer is a time for easy living and enjoying simple … Continue reading
Filed under Mind/Body Connection …
The Marriage of Coffee and Graphic Design
I like love coffee and I like clever design ideas, so when these two things come together, I am especially satisfied. Take this bag of Caribou Coffee, for example. At first glance I took in the color combinations of two shades of brown and light blue on a canvas-textured light brown background. Soothing colors that … Continue reading
Mind Over Matter or Mindfulness Matters
The image that came to me after seeing this video was that of Jesus, standing on the water in the Sea of Galilee and calling out to Peter, “Do not be afraid,” and “Come.” To accomplish the mind-over-matter task of walking on a statue that stands 98 feet tall on a pedestal that measures 26 … Continue reading
You’re Never Too Old To Be Happy
I have been enjoying Pharrell Williams’ Happy. With its smooth and easy melody and infectious lyrics, this song is an instant mood-changer. Recently we had a 30-minute “dance party” at school to reward our children for good behavior throughout the month. One of our young teachers served as DJ for our second-, third-, and fourth-graders … Continue reading
Discovering a Simple Pleasure in Yellowstone
I have found that a key ingredient of a simple pleasure is one’s perception of time. To truly enjoy a thing, one has to be fully present in the moment. On my recent visit to Yellowstone National Park, I was reminded of this idea. The beauty of the natural resources, wildlife, and geothermal features is, … Continue reading
A Vicarious Simple Pleasure
Sometimes the simple pleasures in life come to you when you are watching someone else enjoying a simple pleasure. While on vacation in Salt Lake City, Utah, we spotted a young girl darting playfully across a large outdoor fountain. As the seemingly choreographed jets sent water straight up, the girl would run across the fountain … Continue reading
It Was Long Ago
It Was Long Ago By Eleanor Farjeon I’ll tell you, shall I, something I remember? Something that still means a great deal to me. It was long ago. A dusty road in summer I remember, A mountain, and an old house, and a tree That stood, you know, Behind the house. An old woman I … Continue reading
The Power of Art: An Invitation
Art, in its many forms, is one of the simple pleasures in my life. Art often inspires me; it provokes my thought and emotion. Whether I am creating art, or experiencing art created by someone else, I find that the power of art lies in its ability to stimulate the senses and ignite the imagination. … Continue reading
To Nap or Not To Nap?
I count it as a certainty that in paradise, everyone naps. -Tom Hodgkinson, British writer and editor of The Idler Judging from the way my family feels about napping, this must be true. Time spent in the comforting refuge of bed and blankets, head cradled by pillow or arms and legs wrapped ’round a pillow, somnolent … Continue reading
Sixty Seconds of Happiness
For every minute you are angry you lose sixty seconds of happiness. Looking at it that way, you have to wonder why anyone would want to hold onto anger! Sure, you can’t always avoid or prevent being angry; our bodies are wired to respond in any number of ways to stress and challenge, anger being … Continue reading
Simple Pleasures 