GMC Prom 2011

Alix and her classmates are deep into preparations for their class' Junior-Senior Prom next Saturday. But she took a break yesterday to accompany "Superbeau" Wesley to his Senior Prom at Georgia Military College.

They stopped a moment at Maison Cou Rouge to take advantage of the azaleas blooming (it IS Masters Week, after all....and the azaleas always bloom on command for the Masters).*








They then proceeded (as did yours truly) to Milledgeville and GMC for the tradition of "Senior Walk Out". From the steps of the Old Capitol Building on campus, Wesley and Alix led off the Lead Out. (It helps to have a last name starting with "A" for these things.)









They looked so wonderful. I also managed to get a group shot of Wesley and his siblings- sister Sarah and brother Will.



They took off to the Milledgeville Country Club for the dance, and I went to dinner with Wesley's mom Sharee and sister Sarah. We had a GREAT time sitting on the deck of a lakeside restaurant.

They made it home exhausted at 3:30am. And we will do it all again NEXT Saturday!





*For my non-golfing buddies, the Masters is one the most prestigious golf tournaments in the world. It's played in Augusta, about an hour from my house. Augusta National Golf Club's course is known for its blooming landscape-especially the azaleas. No matter what the weather each year, the azaleas magically bloom the first week in April.....)

Buddhist Meditation

This was my Buddhist meditation for today.

In a tiny nutshell, it incorporates a lot of why Buddhism works for me.

Just try it, okay?

Visualize someone to whom you feel very close, particularly someone who is suffering and in pain. As you breathe in, imagine you take in all their suffering and pain with compassion, and as you breathe out, send your warmth, healing, love, joy, and happiness streaming out to them.

Now, gradually widen the circle of your compassion to embrace first other people to whom you also feel very close, then to those about whom you feel indifferent, then to those whom you dislike or have difficulty with, then even to those whom you feel are actively monstrous and cruel. Allow your compassion to become universal, and to enfold in its embrace all sentient beings, and all beings, in fact, without any exception.

One Day Without Shoes 2011

If you know me well, you know I have recently become addicted to TOMS shoes. Not only are they cute and comfortable, but they have a fantastic program. For every pair of shoes (or tshirt) that you buy, the company donates one pair of TOMS to someone in need.



How often do you get to help so easily?



Every year, TOMS sponsors "One Day Without Shoes" to promote awareness of the people around the world who go without shoes and the medical and social problems that arise.



Well, today is One Day Without Shoes 2011. It just so happened that a cold front came through here last night, and it is presently 50f (that's 10c for my European friends, but then, you probably already knew that). Yeap, there are rain puddles EVERYWHERE.

Yes, it's going to be difficult to go without shoes today. Yes, I am going to be uncomfortable. Yes, I might even cut my foot or get sick.

But if I can get just ONE person to ask me why I am not wearing shoes, or why I am wearing a tshirt with a big crayon heart on it that says "one day with out shoes", I will have done some good today.

As Mother Theresa said, "We can do no great things....only small things with great love"



And thank YOU, Anna-Grace Veal,for introducing me to TOMS, and for being the butter to AJ's bread...the breath to his life!




" Be the change you wish to see in the world."--Gandhi




Blake Mycoskie, founder of TOMS shoes

WC2011 Tauranga, New Zealand

We arrived in Tauranga at a very civilized hour-9 am.




I was up and alert for the sail-in. I never tire of watching the Captain and deck officers and crew gently dock this lovely lady.





We had splendid views of the Bay of Plenty.




CruiseGran and I took the Tauranga Highlights tour. Our first stop was The Elms Mission Station.



It was here that it dawned on me that New Zealand is so young--even by American standards. The oldest houses there are just over 150 years old. Not the great stone and brick mansions of Europe, but simple, yet beautiful, wooden or stone homes. Inside photography was not permitted, but just click on the link above and you will be able to see what life was like for the Christian settlers who originally came to New Zealand in the middle 1800's.




The gardens are exquisite.



Tree sap--






Our wonderful guide took us on a tour through "the bush" - so lush and green.






It was interesting to learn that the settlers planted the distinctive Norfolk pines



- with their spaced branches, triangular pattern and top that resembles a cross- so that the locations of homes and harbor areas could be recognized from far away.



Giant ferns are constantly growing.





Our guide explained to us the silver fern-



has the distinctive leaf that, when the backside of the leaf is exposed, catches the moonlight and almost glows. The Maori turned over the fern when walking through the bush to mark their way. Now it is the symbol of New Zealand.

After a short stop at the Minden Outlook,





passing kiwi fields on the way



it was on to Mills Reef Winery for a bit of a tasting.



Nice staff- a bit of wine at 11 am never hurts me- and I liked the port
so much, I bought two bottles.



I think what impressed me most about Tauranga was how man and nature have merged in such a beautiful way. I would come to realize that the Kiwis are very sensitive to their beloved land, and take great pains to live in and with nature as synergistically as possible.

The countryside beauty astounded me. Fields of grapes and kiwi vines trellised. Greens of so many colors. And those magnifient Norfolk pines standing sentry.

Spring is Right Around the Corner

Despite the fact that it has rained for 3 days here and is unseasonably cool, Spring is here.

I found this serenely beautiful ikebana photo on The Improvised Life blog --





Happy Spring, Everyone!!!!!