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December 31st, 2007 ~ Optimist's Creed / Deer & Rabbit
Dear Friends ~
Tomorrow is New Year's Day and the beginning
of 2008. More than ever, I
want to send out heartfelt thanks to all of you who write in.
You help keep me
moving forward with a positive attitude. Today I'll share with
you an essential
formula for a Happy New Year!
====<<>>====
Promise Yourself
Also known as The Optimist's Creed
Try reciting these statements with
the words, "I promise" before each line.
To be so strong that nothing can disturb
my peace of mind.
To talk health, happiness, and prosperity to every person I meet.
To make all my friends feel that there is something special in
them.
To look at the sunny side of everything and make my optimism
come true.
To think only of the best, and expect only the best.
To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as I am
about my own.
To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater
achievements of the future.
To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living
creature I meet a smile.
To give so much time to the improvement of myself that I have
no time to criticize others.
To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for
fear
and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.
~ Christian D. Larson
Deer, Rabbit and Cardinal ~ Sold
"Special Friendships"
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December 27th, 2007 ~ Future / Environment
Dear Friends ~
I hope you're having an enjoyable week.
This time of year, I think
we all start thinking more about the future. One of the nicest
gifts I
received this Christmas is a five disk DVD series produced by
the
BBC called "Planet Earth". It's a truly amazing documentary
project
that leaves you bedazzled and bewildered. With mixed emotions,
I
encourage you all to view this incredible series about the present
and the future of the planet we share with all life, Mother Earth.
====<<>>====
Quotations on the Future:
"My interest is in the future
because I am going to spend the rest of my
life there." ~ Charles F. Kettering
"I like the dreams of the future
better than the history of the past."
~ Patrick Henry
"The only limit to our realization
of tomorrow will be our doubts of today.
Let us move forward with strong and active faith." ~ Franklin
Delano Roosevelt
====<<>>====
Lofty Mountain Peaks
"The Stewardship Of Earth" ~ 7.5" x 5.5"
original watercolor, $149.00
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December 24th, 2007 ~ Christmas Spirit / Flowers
Dear Friends ~
True holiday spirit is about inner peace,
love and kindness. It's ours for the asking.
Take time now to reach out to friends and family. A compliment,
caring dead or a
kind touch can do wonders for setting the stage. By embracing
the senses of the
season, we can awaken our inner child and add considerable enjoyment
to the
holidays. Slow down and savor the sights of lights twinkling
in the dark, the
taste of various treats, the smell of spice and evergreens, the
sound of music
and laughter. Christmas spirit is alive in the joyous heart and
can be spread
anywhere you want it to be.
====<<>>====
Quotations on Christmas:
"May Peace be your gift at Christmas
and your blessing all year through!"
~ Unknown
"I will honor Christmas in my
heart, and try to keep it all the year."
~ Charles Dickens
"It is Christmas in the heart
that puts Christmas in the air." ~ W.T. Ellis
====<<>>====
White Flowers
"Christmas Spirit" ~ 22" x 30" original watercolor
*Sold
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December 20th, 2007 ~ Milestones / Poinsettia
Dear Friends ~
Two years ago on December 19th, I started
this Spirit Art Email Project,
sending out over 200 letters and images. Every Monday and Thursday,
I
have quoted and philosophized to you, my ever growing Spirit
Art Family.
Many things have changed since 2005, but the blog has remained
a constant
and welcome part of my routine. Hopefully, in some small way,
it has
brought some positive moments to your life as well. Thank you
for your
friendship! Please know I look forward to your replies and care
about
you and your thoughts.
====<<>>====
Quotations on Milestones:
"My path has not been determined.
I shall have more experiences and
pass many more milestones." ~ Agnetha Faltskog
"Every milestone in life should
be acknowledged." ~ Sandy Sandy
"Life isn't a matter of milestones,
but of moments. " ~ Rose Kennedy
====<<>>====
Poinsettia
"Winter White" ~ 15" x 11" original watercolor,
$349.00
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December 17th, 2007 ~ Christmas / Excitement
Dear Friends ~
Christmas, from a child's point of view,
is a time of excitement, magic and fun.
Stories of lovable snowmen, elves, reindeer and Santa all add
to the enchantment.
With anticipation, I can remember counting down the days to next
Christmas as
early as the day after this Christmas. It could never get here
quite fast enough!
====<<>>====
Quotations On A Child's Christmas:
"Nothing's as mean as giving
a little child something useful for Christmas."
~ Kin Hubbard
"There's nothing sadder in this
world than to awake Christmas morning
and not be a child." ~ Erma Bombeck
"Even as an adult I find it difficult
to sleep on Christmas Eve. Yuletide
excitement is a potent caffeine, no matter your age." ~
Carrie Latet
"Our hearts grow tender with
childhood memories and love of kindred, and
we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become
a
child again at Christmas-time." ~ Laura Ingalls Wilder
Snowman and Friends
"Yuletide Greetings" ~ 7.5" x 5.5" original
watercolor, $149.00
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December 13th, 2007 ~ Snowboarding / Snowman
Dear Friends ~
Nowadays, fresh snow brings snowboarders
to the slopes in droves. I often
wonder if the younger generation will eventually convert to skiing
as they
grow older. I have yet to see a senior snowboarder, but I think
anything's
possible. I guess only time will tell!
====<<>>====
Quotations On Snowboarding
by Dave Barry:
"Skiers view snowboarders as
a menace; snowboarders view skiers
as Elmer Fudd."
"I now realize that the small
hills you see on ski slopes are formed around
the bodies of forty-seven-year-olds who tried to learn snowboarding."
"Snowboarding is an activity
that is very popular with people who do not
feel that regular skiing is lethal enough."
On The Ski Slopes
"Snowboarding Snowman" ~ 5.5" x 7.5" original
watercolor, $149.00
Now available from the Rijks
Gallery.
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December 10th, 2007 ~ Nostalgia / LBI Shack
Dear Friends ~
Nothing brings out the nostalgia in me
like the holidays. It's a time
we remember childhood thrills and celebrations with family and
friends.
Incidents like mom's "Hallmark Christmas" that went
terribly wrong
did not seem humorous at the time however. In retrospect, some
of our
holiday bloopers have turned out to be the most treasured family
memories.
So when things don't go as planned, stay positive and remember,
chances are,
someday it'll make for great stories and maybe even holiday nostalgia
later on.
====<<>>====
Quotations On Nostalgia:
"Nostalgia for what we have lost
is more bearable than nostalgia for
what we have never had." ~ Mignon McLaughlin
"It's never safe to be nostalgic
about something until you're absolutely
certain there's no chance of its coming back." ~ Bill Vaughn
"The message of Christmas is
that the visible material world is
bound to the invisible spiritual world." ~ Author Unknown
"Christmas; that magic blanket
that wraps itself about us, that
something so intangible that it is like a fragrance. It may weave
a
spell of nostalgia. Christmas may be a day of feasting, or of
prayer,
but always it will be a day of remembrance; a day in which we
think
of everything we have ever loved." ~ Augusta E. Rundel
Coastal Shack
"Holiday Spruce Up" ~ 7.5" x 5.5" original
watercolor, $149.00
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December 6th 2007 ~ Peace / Snowman
Dear Friends ~
I just learned that my 17 year old nephew
is considering joining the army
and like all family members, I am very concerned. Peace in the
Middle East
remains elusive, especially in light of recent articles in The
New York Times
on Dec. 3rd and The Washington Post on Dec. 4th concerning confrontation
with Iran. More than ever, we all need to focus on PEACE and
LOVE,
not only now at Christmas time, but throughout the years ahead,
because what we think about, has the power to come about.
====<<>>====
A Favorite Christmas Song Excerpt:
FROM A DISTANCE
(Christmas Version) Song Lyrics
Bette Midler ~ 2006 Christmas Album, Cool Yule
From a distance
You, you look like my friend
Even though we are at war
From a distance
I just I cannot comprehend
What all this fighting's for
From a distance
There is harmony
Do you hear it echo
through
The land
It's the song of joy
It's the song of peace
It's the heart of every man
In the season of
Universal love
This is the song of every man
====<<>>====
See complete lyrics to this song here:
http://www.lyricsandsongs.com/song/800125.html
Snowboarding
"PEACEMAN" ~ 7.5" x 5.5" original watercolor
*Sold
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December 3rd 2007 ~ Dance / Nutcracker
Dear Friends ~
On Saturday, we went to our first ever
dance recital. The starring role of
Clara in The Nutcracker ballet was expertly performed by friend
of the family,
13 year old Samantha Heil. She's a true artist who's performance
definitely
displayed her natural grace, aptitude and passion. Girls ranging
in age from
3 to 18 performed additional Christmas routines in jazz, modern
and tap dance.
It was a real holiday treat and a great way to kick start the
spirit of the season.
====<<>>====
Some quotations on Dancing:
"Dancing is like dreaming with
your feet!" ~ Constanze
"Dancers are the athletes of
God." ~ Albert Einstein
"The dance is a poem of which
each movement is a word." ~ Mata Hari
"I see dance being used as communication
between body and soul, to express
what it too deep to find for words." ~ Ruth St. Denis
"To watch us dance is to hear our hearts speak."
~ Hopi Indian Saying
Nutcracker Suite
"Moonlight Dreams" ~ 7.5" x 5.5" original
watercolor, $149.00
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