15 Whimsical Houses Around the World

Beverly Hills, California

Photo: Buyenlarge/Getty Images

 

Culver City, California

Photo: Kirk McKoy/Los Angeles Times/Getty Images

 

Warwickshire, England

Photo: Prisma by Dukas/Getty Images

 

Matamata, New Zealand

Photo: Anna Gorin/Getty Images 

 

Cappadocia, Turkey

Photo: Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto/Getty Images

 

Sivas, Turkey

Photo: Sercan Kucuksahin/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

 

Vilsteren, Netherlands

Photo: Prisma by Dukas/Getty Images

 

Almere, Netherlands

Photo: Sonia Mangiapane/View Pictures/Universal Images Group/Getty Images

 

Halberstadt, Germany

Photo: Stephan Schulz/picture alliance/Getty Images

 
Toronto, Canada

Photo: Creative Touch Imaging Ltd./NurPhoto/Getty Images

 
Cambridgeshire, England

Photo: Heritage Images/Getty Images

Charlevoix, Michigan

Photo: Jim West / Alamy Stock Photo

 

Boothbay, Maine

Photo: Portland Press Herald/Getty Images

 

Winterthur, Delaware

Photo: John Greim/Getty Images

Hillsborough, California

Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

 

Source:
https://www.architecturaldigest.com/gallery/whimsical-fairytale-houses-around-the-world/amp
 
Which one is your favorite? Drop me a line!

The Beauty of Autumn

Image from https://www.flickr.com/photos/blavandmaster/22043952794

“I like spring, but it is too young. I like summer, but it is too proud. So I like best of all autumn, because its leaves are a little yellow, its tone mellower, its colours richer, and it is tinged a little with sorrow and a premonition of death. 

Its golden richness speaks not of the innocence of spring, nor of the power of summer, but of the mellowness and kindly wisdom of approaching age. It knows the limitations of life and is content. 

From a knowledge of those limitations and its richness of experience emerges a symphony of colours, richer than all, its green speaking of life and strength, its orange speaking of golden content and its purple of resignation and death.” 

~ Lin Yutang “My Country and My People”

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Salad

Greetings all!

If you are trying to find a new salad, may I recommend this black bean and sweet potato salad? I loved this healthy, delicious, and easy recipe!

Image and recipe from https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/238162/vegan-black-bean-and-sweet-potato-salad/

Ingredients (4 servings):

• 1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin (optional)
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
• coarse salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• ½ red onion, finely chopped (optional)
• ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• Feta cheese (optional)

Instructions: 

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• Spread sweet potatoes onto a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil over sweet potatoes; season with salt and pepper. If using, sprinkle cumin and red pepper flakes. Toss sweet potatoes until evenly coated.
• Roast on the lower rack of the preheated oven, stirring halfway through, until sweet potatoes are tender, 25 to 35 minutes.
• Whisk remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and lime juice together in a large bowl; season with salt and pepper.
• Add sweet potatoes, black beans, onion, and cilantro; gently toss to coat.
• I also like adding feta cheese.

Bon Appetit! Let me know how you like it!

2022 Comedy Pet Photo Awards – My Favorite 8

Greetings all!
 
The results of the 2022 Comedy Pet Photo Awards are in, and 26 finalists have been chosen. Here are my favorite 8!

“He looks like he is smoking a cigar.” 

© Stefan Brusius / Animal Friends Comedy Pets

“Purr-etty please!”

© Sarah Fiona Helme / Animal Friends Comedy Pets

“I’m talking to you.”

© Stefan Brusius / Animal Friends Comedy Pets

“Now, how do I upload my pics?” 

© Kenichi Morinaga / Animal Friends Comedy Pets

“My Pillow!” 

© Peter Cech / Animal Friends Comedy Pets

“Ukiyo-e.” 

© Kazutoshi Ono / Animal Friends Comedy Pets

“Happy Horses!” 

© Radim Filipek/ Animal Friends Comedy Pets

“Grandmistress Candy.” 

© Jonathan Casey / Animal Friends Comedy Pets

Sources: 

• https://petapixel.com/2022/07/21/26-of-the-funniest-finalists-in-the-2022-comedy-wildlife-photo-awards/
• https://www.comedypetphoto.com/gallery/finalists/2022_finalists.php
• https://www.comedypetphoto.com/gallery/comedy-widlife-2022-competition-winners.php

 
Which one is your favorite? Drop me a line!

CALM: November-2022 Calendar

Greetings all!

Here is the November-2022 calendar from CALM: so many wonderful ideas to practice gratitude and awareness (from https://blog.calm.com/blog/november-2022-calm-calendar). Take a moment for yourself and remember to breathe!

Image from https://www.instagram.com/p/CkFE7FIrs1R/

My favorite ideas were from November 7, 13, 18, and 27. What about you?

November 1 - Set a timer for 5 minutes and make a gratitude list.

November 2- There is no right way to be, feel, or look today.

November 3 - Connect with nature by gazing at the sky.

November 4 - Relive a fond memory. Remember how you felt.

November 5 - Celebrate your dreams that have come true.

November 6 - Interrupt worry with Calm’s “Anxiety Release” meditation.

November 7 - Watch out for small moments of happiness today.

November 8 - “Today, I am grateful for the meals that nourish me.”

November 9 - Busy mind? Put your worries on the page with journaling.

November 10 - Fill in the blank: One of the biggest gifts in my life is ____.

November 11 - Listen to the Gratitude Masterclass with Tamara Levitt.

November 12 - How have your greatest challenges helped you grow?

November 13 - Perform a random act of kindness today.

November 14 - Send a thank you message to someone in your community.

November 15 - Repeat: I accept all of me. I am at peace.

November 16 - Sense where you feel anxiety in your body.

November 17 – “Today, I am grateful for the place I call home.”

November 18 - Say yes or no with clarity and confidence.

November 19 - Listen to a Calm playlist during your morning routine.

November 20 - Tell someone you love why they matter to you.

November 21 - Place your hands on your belly, and take 8 deep breaths.

November 22 - Do something to comfort yourself.

November 23 - Traveling? Try Calming Flight Anxiety or meditate.

November 24 - Need a break? Try a short meditation from our Quick & Easy section.

November 25 - May you find moments of ease and rest today.

November 26 - Take a walk and pay attention to each step.

November 27 – It’s ok to feel however you feel today. Be kind to yourself.

November 28 - Resurrect a childhood tradition that brought you joy.

November 29 - List all the ways your body takes care of you.

November 30 - “Today, I am grateful for the progress I've made in my life.”

Have a great week and remember to be kind to yourself and others!

Lower Back Stretches

Greetings all!

Do you sit at the computer or watch TV quite a bit? Is your bed uncomfortable? Do you feel you could use more stretch in your life? If so, try these 3 lower back stretches - and your body will thank you! 

1. Child’s Pose

This pose helps regulate our nervous system and stretch the Quadratus Lumborum (QL) muscle, the deepest back muscle that runs along the lumbar spine.

Come into the basic Child’s Pose: Kneel on the floor with your toes together and your knees hip-distance apart. On an exhale, lower your torso between your knees. Extend your arms alongside your torso with your palms facing down. Relax your shoulders toward the ground and stay here for 10 deep breaths.

You can stay here for a while or walk your hands to one side until you feel a light stretch.

Image from https://classpass.com/movements/childs-pose

Image from https://www.yogajournal.com/practice/stretches-for-lower-back-pain/

Variations:

• Turn your palms facing up
• Bring your knees together
• Tuck your toes
• Place a yoga block or a rolled up blanket between your thighs and calves
• Place a yoga bolster or a pillow under your torso

2. Standing Forward Bend

Stand with your feet hip-distance apart or wider. Slowly bend forward as you keep a deep bend in your knees. Release your neck and let your head hang. Breathe slowly and deeply.

Image from https://www.yogajournal.com/practice/stretches-for-lower-back-pain/

Variations:

• Stand with your back against the wall for more support
• Instead of a full forward bend, stand near a sofa or a bed and rest your head and torso on your bed in a half-bend
• Walk your hands toward one side of the mat (you might need to bend your knees more) 

Image from https://www.yogajournal.com/practice/stretches-for-lower-back-pain/

3. Bridge Pose

Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat against the floor, hip-distance apart. Press your feet and arms into the floor and exhale as you lift your hips towards the sky. You can also clasp your hands together.

Image from https://classpass.com/movements/bridge-pose

 Image from https://classpass.com/movements/bridge-pose

Or bring your arms alongside your body, bend your elbows, and then really press your triceps down into the ground. This provides support from higher in the back and relieves pressure on your lower back. Push your feet down into the ground and lift your hips. 

Image from https://www.yogajournal.com/practice/stretches-for-lower-back-pain/

Variations:

• Keep your lower back on the mat
• For tight hips, place a yoga block under your lower back right above your tailbone
• For more overall support, place a yoga block underneath your sacrum (the part of your lower back right above your tailbone) 

Sources (and more stretches!):

• https://www.yogajournal.com/practice/stretches-for-lower-back-pain/
• https://classpass.com/movements/childs-pose
• https://classpass.com/movements/bridge-pose

Drop me a line! Stay limber! And please always consult your physician before beginning any exercise program. If you experience any pain during stretching, stop - these stretches should alleviate your pain, not increase it!

“Everything Is Figureoutable” [a book by Marie Forleo]

Greetings all! 

I recently finished a great book by Marie Forleo “Everything Is Figureoutable” – loved it and highly recommend! 

Image: Amazon

Marie outlines 3 rules:

1. You have what it takes to figure anything out – how inspiring and empowering is that! Everything is figureoutable - whether a problem or a dream.
2. If a problem is NOT figureoutable, it is not really a problem. For example, death is a fact of life, and gravity is a law of nature.
3. Some problems you will not care about – and that is ok. WOW – not everything needs to be solved or figured out!

Here are some ideas that were really thought-provoking for me:   

• It is all about tangible actions. You can spend a lot of time on planning and research but a real action, however small, is what creates momentum and progress. Extensive planning is another way to procrastinate. Been there, done that!
• Embrace progress, not perfection! I am a big believer that sometimes good – not perfect - is enough. If we strive for perfection, things probably will not even get done. That being said, you can still hold yourself to high standards - they are not the same as perfectionism.
• Failure is just an event. A person cannot be a failure.
• Be honest about your own choices and own them. “I can’t” (victim mentality) might actually mean “I won’t” (you are in charge).  
• Be clear and specific about what you want. Write it down. And I love this one - “Someday is not a day of the week!”
• What if our emotions are just energy vibrating at different frequencies?
• Nothing has meaning besides the meaning we give it.
• And I would like to leave you with this thought, “Beliefs are the hidden scripts that run our lives… Who would you be without this limiting belief?”

What did you think? Drop me a line!