Advertising with the Mermaids... is a great way to get your business noticed. The Mermaids of the Lake website is an online magazine, reaching thousands of readers.
I know that I have posted numerous pictures of the Mermaid's beautiful lake, but you know... I never tire of Nature's beauty. It leaves me in awe every time I wittness it, which is often!
I have the flu and am quite miserable right now, but this beautiful picture of an October pink sky that I snapped this week makes me feel a bit better, grateful and hopeful. Another gift from heaven!
Please visit Beverly at How Sweet the Sound and see her list of other Pink Saturday participants. It has become a big success in our little Blog Land. Join in the fun!
Also... Our Mermaids of the Lake e-zine's Holiday issue is here. It is fabulous! Come for a visit,be inspired, look through our holiday recipes, get organized for the holidays, and so much more!
Happy November! If you aren't a regular reader of our Mermaids of the Lake e-zine, here's what you are missing. If you would like to receive our free newsletter and get updates, go here and sign up for the e-newsletter.
I was looking through photos and found this one of my antique chair. It's rocker broke so I put it in my garden and the wild Sweet Peas grew around it. Ahh... summer. See you in about 9 months!
Won't see these for awhile
Or these
Time to prepare for this!
Please visit Beverly at How Sweet the Sound for her list of all of the other Pink Saturday participants.
I really do love this time of year. The Fall colors are so beautiful; my house feels cozier; I am inspired to create and to nest and get ready for winter. I am very busy this time of year and so glad when I take the time to be grateful for my home and the people who live in it and visit it! I recently grabbed my camera and took a little tour of my home, my yard and my neighborhood.
Yesterday as I was driving to a meeting, I realized that I forgotten my cell phone at home. For a moment I panicked - What if the kids need to reach me? What if there was an accident? What if my house burned down?
Should I turn back and get it? If I did, I would surely be late for my meeting. Driving along on the freeway, I actually felt inadequate not having my cell phone lifeline by my side.
What if it's ringing at home? My personality was split like the scene in the movie, "Contact" where Jody Foster is about to go to into space in the alien pod. Her thoughts were running rampant, and yet concurrent to her thoughts, she had a voice of reason trying to mediate her feelings.
It was at that moment that I realized how truly ridiculous this inane conversation with myself was. Who was I kidding? There wasn't going to be that much need for me to have a cell phone with me. My kids were accounted for after school; and there was very little chance of a fire occurring in my home.
Looking back 15 years ago or farther, we never had cell phones. People actually talked on real phones in a home when they needed to reach someone. And gosh, the world survived! Kids grew up, parents went to work, groceries were bought, and everyone was basically okay.
Now, I see women who are stay-at-home Mom's pulling out of their driveways at lightning speed with cell phones attached to their ears. Really now...what is that about? They are home all day! What it is about, I believe, is a feeling being competent - even important.
Cell phones give identity to teenagers, and they are now defining women and men all over the world. Teens stand there like zombies getting a stiff neck texting all day. You go to Starbucks and adults have their cell phone sitting on the table in front of them. It rings and they set the phone not to answer. It's the ultimate popularity contest. People call and the ready recipient of the call has the power to make a decision as to the importance of that caller.
You my friend are shut down! Your friends are all available, but your call will not be answered! Wait though, maybe if you send a text...oh yes, so less confrontational. Yes, I am sitting alone in Starbucks and I don't want to answer my phone, but perhaps I can reply in text. That way, they will know how busy I am and that I can't be bothered by the mundane of talking!
If I want to be bothered by the mundane, I'll head on over to Facebook.
My most treasured possession is a set of Johnson Brother's Rose Chintz China. I inherited my Great Aunt Elsie's set of this gorgeous pattern. I have many, many memories surrounding this china. I feel grateful for all of them, full of Aunt Elsie, her husband - Uncle C.C., my grandparents, my parents, brother, and on and on. Elsie was a fabulous cook and I love thinking of the hustle and bustle in her tiny kitchen as the ladies got dinner on the table. My Grandma, her sister is still alive and so very old and frail. She is 95. We have spent the last couple of days moving her into a retirement home. Oh, the emotions. Remembering the old times are a comfort.
The cups are cute with a candle in them
This was Valentine's Day dinner last year. This china looks great on red, pink or even a baby blue table cloth. There is a tiny blue flower in the pattern.
I hung these two on my bedroom wall
Thank you for going down memory lane with me. Do you have cherished memories of meals shared with loved ones?
Have a wonderful weekend and don't forget to visit Beverly at How Sweet the Sound for the list of all of the fabulous Pink Saturday Participants.
At my house, we like Halloween. I enjoy letting my kids dress up in fun, but safe costumes. But this year as I took the kids to look for costumes I felt overwhelmed by the variety, but frustrated by the designs.
Many stores are now carrying costumes that fit teen girls, but are grossly inappropriate.
My 13 year old daughter and I were looking for something for her that would be both affordable and appropriate. No such luck. All of the costumes that would fit her were in the adult sizes (they make those costumes so small). She said, "Mom, I wanted to be an Eskimo, but none of these are appropriate for me. They are too short and too low cut."
As we browsed the store, I found that she was right. Most Women's Halloween costumes are on the sexy side. Why is that?
Some older teenage girls were in the dressing room at one costume store. Each of their costumes would demand male attention, but perhaps compromise their morals. These girls were easily under 18, but were dressing like harlots for Halloween with cleavage bearing tops and super short minis.
It's a shame that in order to play "dress up" it now requires a young girl to look promiscuous. I am sorry that's how that industry has grown their business.
In the end, we did find some costumes at Walmart for a reasonable price; and they were a bit more family friendly.
My daughter is going as Wilma Flintstone this year.
If we want our girls to grow up with a healthy self image, we need to say no to the sexy super hero and yes, to the family version of costumes.
My Mom is totally hip to what's happening. She likes her lattes at Starbucks, and she keeps current on politics and social issues. Recently, she decided to jump on the Facebook train because many of her friends were doing so.
Let's give credit to all of the Mom's and Grandma's embracing Facebook. Please note, this is not my actual Mom - just a representative photo.
It's been great for her because, like many of us, she has reconnected with old friends. Through Facebook she can stay abreast of what her nieces and nephews are doing, along with cousins and more. It's been very informative.
The funny thing about starting on Facebook in your sixties though, is that you are used to communicating in a different manner. Email, although you may use it, is still not always the preferred method of communication. Talking on the phone, or meeting your friends for coffee is the stand-by. Letter writing is not an outlandish thought either!
So my Mom, is plugging along on Facebook and has an idea to write on someone's wall: "Dear John, I hope this letter finds you well. How are the kids? I am writing to let you know that we are leaving on an extended vacation in our trailer. You won't be able to write to us for two months. We have been praying for your disorder, are you still coughing up blood? Sincerely, L."
This information is of course posted right on someone's wall where all can see it. The other thing about using Facebook at my Mom's age is that you have to rely on your 13 year old granddaughter, for example, to add your photos. My daughter in her kindest gesture added a photo of my Mom in her short shorts from a vacation to Hawaii. It is something that I will need to help her get off the page so that we can go with the standard "head shot" common on Facebook.
My Mom has had random people contacting her to be added as her "friend." She hates to turn anyone down because, what if she knew this person 40 years ago, but just can't recall them now? She had one woman contact her and she did add her as a friend but it's driving her crazy that she is looking at this woman's photos of her RV and family, but noted to me, "Who in the Sam Hill is this woman??" She even printed off the photo of the woman and spent time looking at it to determine if she knew her in real life or only in the cyber-world.
All of these things that have become conventions of Facebook use - the head shot image, the shorthand method of communicating, having private conversations, etc... are something that may be taken for granted; unless you are a grandma. Consider that if for half a century, you have been used to calling, writing letters, and visiting and now all of a sudden the norm is text messaging and tweeting. It's something my Mom is willing to explore, but it's not without hilarity.
I think it's fantastic that Facebook is a tool for all ages. What a great way to bring the world together one wall message at a time.
By Mermaid Debbie
