For the beauty of the earth....

Thankful day... erm... (oops)

The little things in life, like a child looking at you and knowing you. Loving you for being... well YOU...

Good friends, friends that are like soul "twins" or kindred spirits... Friends that by a mere look or touch can uplift and sustain you.

The colour GREEN!!!!

Stories

Once upon a time... There once was a [fill in the blank].... East of the Sun and West of the Moon... In a Land far far away, in a time Long Long ago.... It is a truth universally acknowledged... It was the Best of Times, it was the Worst of Times.....

There are many ways to end a story... and even more ways to end them... but a good story captures your attention and holds it in it's grasp right until the last punctuation mark....

Today I am grateful for stories, great stories that are told, that last through time and place, that brings out emotions, Inspirational anecdotes, challenges our views and our opinions. Stories of love lost, love gained and eternal friendships. Swashbuckling Pirates, Brave Heroes, Sad Heroines, Comedic characters... you name it... :)

This posting was brought to you through inspiration from the latest movie version of Anna Karenina!

Fall Foliage

 While visiting a dear friend in Yonkers, I took the opportunity to get some pictures of the gorgeous fall colors and the gorgeous weather we had. We took the kids to the park and enjoyed the crisp and fresh air and the sunshine…

I am thankful for my five senses... though they're not all operating at full or perfect capacity... I am grateful that I have them, and thereby be able to enjoy life, and all the beauty in and of the earth... My taste-buds are slowly coming back, and it's been incredible to discover them again.. after six weeks of illness... another step on the uphill latter.. (if that's even the correct idiom... lol) 

Thankful Day 12

I am grateful for the friendliness of my neighbors. I met two new friends from Brazil at the Chinese place. The two guys just moved here, and asked my opinion on places to eat in the neighborhood.. places that didn't help them "put on the pounds" like the bodega's with their sandwiches... (*giggle*)

A little further down the road, I passed a cute little old lady (she looked like she'd grown out of the walls of the townhouses, like she was the neighborhood), and she walked me down the block. Or, I walked her down the block, (to tell the truth I am not sure which, *giggle*)

It is moments and encounters like this that colour and delight my little "world" here in Harlem.. and I am grateful for them... :) because they make my life rich and wonderful!!

Nursery lesson

Today was my turn to teach the lesson in Nursery. I wanted to do something out of the ordinary, because we have some really hyper kids who have issues sitting still and/or paying attention...so I decided to make up my own lesson. I based it on the song "Jesus wants me for a sunbeam" and here is my lesson: (though in actuality it got even more abbreviated)

 Jesus wants me for a Sunbeam

Doctrine and Covenants 88: 7 

This is the light of Christ. As also he is in the sun, and the light of the sun, and the power thereof by which it was made.

The Lord helped make the sun. (show picture of the sun, let one child hold it, next to me)

This is a very important gift he has given us. Not only does the sun keep us warm, grow our food, and give us light it also gives our earth life. The sun gives allot of service to the earth. In this lesson we will learn some of the many ways the sun serves us.

The sun makes the seasons. (Show pix of the seasons)

Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall

The sun makes the rain. (show picture of rain, make "rain" hand gestures)

The sun sends out allot of heat, this heat helps the earth in many ways. The sun warms the water on the earth and makes rain.

The sun makes the wind and the waves. (show pix, make waves w hands)

The heat from the sun also warms the air around the earth and the ground of the earth. When the wind hits water it pushes the water in front of it, if the wind is large enough it can cause some beautiful waves.

The sun makes rainbows. (Show pic of Rainbow)

The sun gives us allot of gifts. All of these gifts are important to the earth. The sun helps the earth have seasons, wind, rain, rainbows, and many other things. I am thankful for all the gifts the sun gives to me.

How can you be like the sun? (ask kids)

What gifts can you give to others? How can you help others? What are your talents? How can you share your talents with others? (this part might be too hard for the age-group)

I know you have a lot of ways you can help and give to others. I know that when you service you earn happiness back. I know that giving, helping others, and service is important. The more you give the more you will feel happy. Giving is a magic way of making everything better. Like the sun, everything around the sun is improved because of all it gives. You can be a sunbeam by giving to others like the sun gives to you.

Sing "Jesus wants me for a Sunbeam"

Physical Activity: Color paper plates, adults cut out middle for little "masks" or "halo's" for kids to use as  they become little "suns"  :)

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Mostly the lesson/activity went well... The kids did not sit much still, nor pay much attention... but it's a work in progress, and at least I think they felt like they were participating, and they all enjoyed being little
"suns". 

And my goal really was for the kids to remember this lesson when they got home, which I think they did... (I hope)

Season End

My poor little firescape garden took a bit of a whopping from the Frankenstorm we had here in NYC, I lost a couple of (mostly) dead plants, and many of the others wilted or drowned. And the squirrels have been back kicking up the soil and gnawing on the roots... (Grrrrrrr)

A few days ago however, I had a welcomed visitor!!! The guy below was too scared however and didn't sit still long enough for me to catch a picture, so I had to borrow this one.

So my mint is probably the only plant that will survive the winter, the elements and those nasty furries, but, that's okay I think!!

Update: I am thankful for nature, even just the tiny little piece of it that I have on my balcony, and the beauty and diversity of birds, animals and nature.