Shades of Autumn

On my walk the other morning I took this picture of  a lovely big Autumn tree along a country roadside. The sun was warm, making it a very pleasant walk and looking over the fields I saw various shades of green and brown with the leaves of the trees just starting to fall, leaving mounds of creative colours on the ground, looking much like an artist's palate.

Autumn is such a lovely time of year as the trees and flowers go into a period of rest and the land is swathed in soft browns, yellows and golds. Although, having said that I have noticed that the Spring daffodils and iris are growing already in our garden, I do hope that when Winter arrives it does not kill the bulbs.

A little story about the Anxious Leaf:

Once upon a time a little leaf was heard to sigh and cry, as leaves often do when a gentle wind is about. And the twig said, "What is the matter, little leaf?" And the leaf said, "The wind just told me that one day it would pull me off and throw me down to die on the ground!"

The twig told it to the branch on which it grew, and the branch told it to the tree. And when the tree heard it, it rustled all over, and sent back word to the leaf, "Do not be afraid. Hold on tightly, and you shall not go till you want to."

And so the leaf stopped sighing, and went on nestling and singing. Every time the tree shook itself and stirred up all its leaves, the branches shook themselves, and the twig shook itself, and the little leaf danced up and down merrily, as if nothing could ever pull it off. And so it grew all summer long, till October.

And when the bright days of autumn came the little leaf saw all the leaves around becoming very beautiful. Some were yellow and some scarlet, and some striped with both colors. Then it asked the tree what it meant. And the tree said, "All these leaves are getting ready to fly away, and they have put on these beautiful colours because of joy."

Then the little leaf began to want to go, too, and grew very beautiful in thinking of it, and when it was very gay in colour it saw that the branches of the tree had no bright color in them, and so the leaf said, "Oh branches! why are you lead-colour and we golden?"

"We must keep on our work-clothes, for our life is not done - but your clothes are for holiday, because your tasks are over," said the branches.

Just then a little puff of wind came, and the leaf let go, without thinking of it, and the wind took it up and turned it over and over, and whirled it like a spark of fire in the air, and then it dropped gently down under the edge of the fence, among hundreds of leaves, and fell into a dream, and it never woke up to tell what it dreamed about.

Have a really nice day

Taoism - A Way of Life

A Taoist Priest

I am not a particularly religious person, although as young girls my sister and I enjoyed going to Church to sing the hymns. The sermons on those occasions were listened to and gave us something to think about.

Religion is not always encouraged as a topic of conversation and is rather kept to a minimum in a gathering but I hope this small insight into the principles of Taoism will be of some interest.

I have read a book named Tao Te Ching (DaoDe Jing) which is an ancient Chinese book written by Lao Tzu, the legendary father of Taoism. Tao means path or way. To live life in accord with Tao

is to be in harmony with all others, with the environment and with one's self. A book that can be read by people of any religion or no religion where something can be learned. I have found this book and others of the same nature to have a very interesting understanding of being mindful of others, learning about one's inner self and to live in the moment, but a few observations.

A very good book to read is the Tao of Pooh  written by Benjamin Hoff in which he reveals the principles of Taoism through Winnie -the -Pooh and shows that Taoism is not simply an ancient and remote philosophy but a very useful thing to know here and now. It can be quite an endearing read, however, I am told that there are differing meanings to the actions and antics of Pooh Bear.

I have barely scratched the surface of reading about this way of life and there are many years of learning to becoming close to understanding Taoism, if at all. Peace, love and tranquillity are some of the qualities we seek in life and where we have a better understanding of ourselves will help us better understand others.

An extract from Tao of Pooh

I am me,

And you are you,

As you can see,

But when you do,

The things that you can do,

You will find the way,

And the way will follow you.

Wishing you all a thoughtful day

Simple Pleasures

They say the best things in life are free.  Life is filled with simple pleasures, the little satisfying effects you never really anticipate, but always take great pleasure in.  The simple pleasure you get from looking at beautiful flowers or trees.

I am sure the undermentioned will have you smiling.

Sleeping In on a Rainy Day – As the rain beats lightly against the window, you nestle your head deeper into your pillow.  The sound is soothing and your bed feels like a sanctuary.  There is no place you would rather be.

Seeing a Friend Stumble Over Himself – As you walk across the street with your friend, he fails to accurately address the curb on the other side.  He trips and stumbles around momentarily before regaining his footing, then swiftly attempts to play it off like nothing happened.  This can be a hilarious sight if the moment is right.

Hearing the Right Song at the Right Moment – It doesn’t matter what the setting is, hearing the right song for that moment is one of those simple pleasures in life that instantly lifts your spirits. You could be driving home from work, hanging out at a bar with friends, or walking. When the right song rattles your ear drums the entire meaning of life seems crystal clear.

Saying the Same Thing Simultaneously – There is a moment of silence.  Then all of the sudden you and your friend blurt out the same exact set of words simultaneously.  This rare occurrence is something to laugh about.

Fresh, Clean Bed Sheets – You yank at the corner of the bedspread to create just enough space to slide your body under the freshly cleaned sheets.  The sheets feel cool to the touch.  Everything seems so clean, like nobody has ever slept in this bed before.

Reminiscing About Old Times with Your Closest Friends – Pink Floyd once said “the memories of a man in his old age are the deeds of a man in his prime”.  There is no simple pleasure more satisfying than recounting the greatest moments of your life with your closest friends who lived these moments alongside you.

Holding Hands with Someone You Love – Every time she grabs your hand you are overcome with an awareness of how much she means to you.  Holding hands is sensual and physically intimate, yet subtle.  There are few people you allow to hold your hand, so when it happens you can be sure that the moment is special.

Relaxing Outdoors on a Sunny Day – As you relax sprawled out in a lawn chair, the sun warms your skin and a light breeze keeps the temperature comfortable.  Birds are chirping merrily in the trees behind you.  You are at complete peace with the environment.

Having a Good Laugh – Laughter is the greatest cure of all.  Life is extraordinary in the moments when you are laughing so hard you can barely breathe.  These moments of deep laughter are divine in the sense that they cleanse your mood and set your mind on a positive track.


Have a simply wonderful day

Poetry - Serious or Funny

A Sad but Interesting Face in Our Garden

 I have recently joined a Poetry Forum which I am finding most enlightening and interesting. I like to write poetry. As I write, I always find difficulty in thinking of rhyming words. I now find that you do not need these rhyming words at the end of every second line or whatever. Poetry is like a story as such but in shorter form and with more feeling and emotion depending on the mood of the writer at the time.

I'd like to have a go at writing a limerick one day, they always sound so cheery and funny with a bit of a tune to them. I will never be a Burns, Keats or Byron to name a few, but I will be myself and hopefully some may enjoy what I write.





A bit of lighthearted fun, not my poems:

There is a young schoolboy named Mason,
Whose mum cuts his hair with a basin.
When he stands in one place,
With a scarf round his face,
It's a mystery which way he’s facing.

There was a young lady of Lynn,
Who was so excessively thin.
That when she assayed,
To drink lemonade,
She slipped through the straw and fell in.

Have a day full of laughter

A Golf Lesson

My husband is a keen golfer, he started playing when we retired five years ago and has gained four holes-in- one. The other week he asked me to join him on the golf course as his caddy, and being such a lovely day, I agreed.

A 9 hole course near St Andrews Fife

As caddy my job was to mark the golf card, I had no idea what I was marking, however as we progressed over the course, I soon learned. I became aware of the following terms, a birdie, a bogie, a double bogie and a par not to mention the uses of the different clubs.

So, as we reached the end of the game and leaving the course, my husband said as he apparently says at the end of each game "at least we achieved our objective today, a walk in the fresh air, some exercise and a lot of fun." What more could I add. Not a thing! I may even join him on another nice day and may even have a hit at the golf ball..........



A few golfing laughs to share

Golfer: Please stop checking your watch all the time. It's too much of a distraction.
Caddy: it's not a watch - it's a compass.

Golfer: That can't be my ball, it's too old.
Caddy: It's been a long time since we teed off, Sir.

Golfer: I'd move heaven and earth to break 100 on this course.
Caddy: Try heaven. You've already moved most of the earth.


Have a very pleasant day

One Good Turn Deserves Another

My humble pie!

My laptop of nine years has given up on me and so I have had to buy another. Of course I had to take the new laptop to a technician to have my information from the old transferred to the new. Having done this I am now back in business, or so I thought.

This morning I turned on the new laptop to find I could not log on. I was not amused to say the least. After powering off and starting up a few times, nothing worked. So, I took my new laptop back to the technician for him to look at it. I discovered to my annoyance that the error was mine. I had been looking around all the new bits and pieces that Windows 10 had to offer and I clicked on the tablet mode, not knowing that this was the reason I could not start up this morning. Anyhow, all is well after I had a chat with Brendon, the technician, he told me that there would not be a charge for his services, I was quite humbled by this and so as we were chatting I found out he liked rhubarb pie and so I will make him a rhubarb and apple pie that can be shared by the others in his office to say thank you. In this day and age an act of kindness from the younger generation is sometimes not always forthcoming, not today, and so one good turn deserves another in my book.


A little story I found:

When someone does you a good deed, you must never forget it. You must look out for the opportunity to do a good deed to that person. If you do not get that opportunity then you must pass on the good deed to someone else. It is quite a strange fact of life, that a good deed done to another always bring some kind of reward to the person who has done the good deed. Hence you must always return good with good.

Have a wonderful day

Unfamiliar Territory

A most beautiful Autumn morning and my walk today took me on a path I had not been on before. The place is a disused quarry which has been turned into gardens and walking paths, all done by volunteers.

There were a myriad of steps to climb both up and down. The paths which are well maintained are narrow and they too climbed upwards and then dropped down. A very rigorous and tough walk for me being used to flat walking!.

There was a point on the walk that I realised I had not seen one single person for about 3km and being in dense native bush, it was quite dark out of the sun and a bit intimidating, however, I was not prepared to turn back. Then listening to my music I heard a lovely track Rondo Russo and I forgot all about the imaginary noises and trundled on my merry way.
When I reached the top of the quarry looking down, it was so tranquil looking out over the lake with the sun streaking over the water and surrounding cliffs, the vegetation is so well planted and looked after, I completely forgot about my aching limbs and just enjoyed the scenery.

As I continued the climb up to go over the top I thought I was on a loop track and so kept to the path waiting for some sign of me nearing the end of my walk and back at the car park.  Little did  I know I was heading in the opposite direction. I got my phone out to check where I was to read I required Wifi for the maps to work, Oh dear! what now I thought, no one to ask and in the middle of  dense bush, so being me and hopeless at directions I decided to carry on and see where I would end up.

I did eventually come back to civilisation and realised I was about 4 km out of my way. So what I thought, I can normally walk 10 km with little discomfort. I did come across a person to ask where I was and in what direction I needed to go to reach my car. Off I went then, on the pavement this time much to my relief, no steep inclines or steps to climb, although by this time I was really feeling the aching and wondered, should I ring my husband to come and get me, but he was at golf and I do not think he would be too happy to be called away, although I knew he would do it. I continued on my slow trek to the car, eventually getting there and all the time I could not stop thinking about my having a nice hot bath when I got home.

I arrived home and hobbled out the car, opened the gate and parked the car in the garage. Got into the house and ran a bath. I must say, I have not had a bath for some time, I have never had the patience to lie in water for any length of time, but today, it was like being in heaven, to luxuriate in nice scented hot water feeling the warmth ease my aches and a feeling of relaxation enter my mind.

As much as I enjoyed the day, I will not be venturing on my own down the path of unfamiliar territory, I shall remain walking  in places that I know or go with a friend to discover new walks.

From  The Tao of Pooh:

To know the way, 
we go the way, 
we do the way.
The way we do,
the things we do,
it's all there in front of you.
But if you try too hard to see it,
you'll only become confused.

Have a very relaxing day

Music of Life

To have music in one's life can bring such happiness and healing, it can brighten up your day to be reflective, peaceful, a background for a romantic dinner or a celebration party. I really enjoy walking to my music, I get a spring in my step with the cheery pieces, not sure if I make my target faster though!

There are numerous occasions where music can be enjoyed and appreciated and I think life would be rather dull and boring without it.

There was once a tiny country that was suffering from a long drought. It had gone so long without rain that the people there were starting to go hungry because of the bad harvests.It just so happened that a group of musicians were travelling the country, trying to make a living from their concerts. But with so many problems in the land, no one felt like listening to music.

-"But music can help overcome any problems," objected the musicians, without anyone paying them the slightest attention.

So the musicians tried to find out the reason it wouldn't rain. It was very strange, because the sky

was overcast, but no one could provide an answer.

-"It's been cloudy like this for many months, but not a single drop of rain has fallen, people would tell them.

-"Don't worry, we'll bring rain to the country,"

the musicians responded, and they began rehearsing for a concert at the summit of the highest mountain.

Everyone who heard the music was seized by curiosity and went up the mountain. And the conductor of this strange orchestra gave the order, and the musicians began to play.

From their instruments came small, playful musical notes, that rose and rose into the clouds. The music was so joyous, happy and fun, and the notes started playing with with the clouds' soft, fluffy bellies, running here and there, up and down, and the whole sky turned into one big game of tickle torture. Before long, the giant clouds were thundering with laughter.

The musicians continued playing joyfully and a few minutes later the clouds, crying with laughter, soaked the little country below with their precious tears, bringing happiness to all.

And in memory of that musical rain, everyone in the land learned how to play an instrument and, taking turns, would go up the mountain every day to bring joy to the clouds with their beautiful songs.

Have a happy day

Making a Difference

During my working career I have always gone out of my way to try and help others, I have worked in many Government Departments and have enjoyed my work immensely often working long hours and under a great deal of pressure, but always feeling I had done a good job.

On one particular day I attended a Team meeting and was presented with a plaque from my Manager and Peers 'Making a Difference'. I was very humbled by this mark of appreciation for my work and efforts in helping others to be the best they could be. This has stayed with me to this day in that I would gladly go out of my way to help and assist wherever it is needed.

A guy used to go for a jog around a park. By the park there was a lake. Each time he went for a jog on a Sunday, he used to see an elderly woman sitting by the lakeside with a small metal cage beside her.

The guy was curious to see what she was doing there. So one Sunday he bucked up the courage and walked over to the woman. As he reached her, he realized that the small cage he used to see was actually a small trap.

Inside, there were three turtles who were slowly walking on the base of the trap and one turtle was in the lap of the elderly woman. She was carefully washing it's shell with a spongey brush.

The guy said to the women, “Hello, I see you every Sunday morning. If you don't mind I would love to know what you are doing with these turtles.”

She smiled and said “I am cleaning off their shells. As anything on a turtle's shell like algae, reduces the turtle's ability to absorb heat and also slows it's swim speed. This algae also weakens their shell over time.”

“Wow!, really nice of you!” the guy replied with a smile.

The woman continued and said “Every Sunday I come here and spend hours relaxing by the lake helping these little guys out. It is my way to make a difference.

Further, the guy questioned “But don't most turtles live their whole life with algae.”

The woman replied “Yes, sadly they do.”

The guy got a bit confused and asked, “Well then, don't you think your time could be better spent? I mean your efforts are all kind but there are turtles living in lakes all around the world and 99 percent have no one to clean their shell. So, how come you are truly making a difference.”

The woman smiled and looked down at the turtle in her lap and said, “ Dear, if this little turtle could speak he would tell you I just made all the difference.”

You can bring change in the world even if it is not a big one. We should do whatever we can to help others. Even a small help in someone's life can make a big difference.

Can you 'Make a Difference' today in someone's life?