Sharing Thanks

Butterfly from Costa Rica, taken today by my brother, Steve! I got joy seeing this picture of this beautiful butterfly! Butterflies remind me that we can all change into something beautiful. When you look at a caterpillar it is hard to believe it can transform itself into a butterfly. That something that crawls and eats leaves can cocoon and transform to a beautiful creature who can take flight! Here is what I am thankful for today! Thanks to my brother Steve, who shared this picture on facebook today. Steve is living his dream and owns a surfshop: coconut harry's . His mantra is surf, eat, sleep, repeat. I love when he shares pictures of some of the wildlife he sees everyday in Nosara. I am thankful to Chad who left a comment yesterday! I love hearing from blog readers. His positive comment made my day. I am thankful to my daughter Liz's guidance counselor! He has helped Liz succeed at her new school! I am thankful to my Mom, who treated me to lunch and took me shoppi

Hint of the Rainbow I saw on Sunday! There is something about seeing a rainbow that is magical. On Sunday I got to see 2 rainbows. One was a beautiful huge full arch rainbow. My camera was at home so I did not get to capture the full beauty of it. Luckily I was able to catch a hint of the rainbow with my camera before it disappeared. When you see a rainbow it is important to just stop and enjoy the view because rainbows are fleeting experiences of wonder. Here is what I was thankful for: I was so grateful to see two beautiful rainbows. The first was a wide rainbow in the parking lot at Walmart! The second was a gorgeous full arch rainbow that I saw while driving home. Of course I stopped the car to get outside and enjoy the magic of the moment. I am thankful for some cooler weather. Summer will be hear soon so its nice to enjoy some cool breezes. I am grateful for all the hard work my daughter Liz is putting in to finish her school year. It has been a tough year for her and I

Long Island Sound view from Target Rock Preserve I apologize for not being able to post for a few days. I had some wonderful moments to be thankful for amidst some chaos which I have found a way to tame. It is always important to take time to savor what is good and joyful everyday. Today was a beautiful day after the rainy skies cleared. Here are my thanks for today! I am thankful to enjoy getting some exercise outside today with my friend Sejal. We enjoyed a short shady walk at Eisenhower park today. When you are talking to a good friend while you are walking you forget you are even exercising! Thankful to sit down with my family for dinner tonight. We enjoyed some good rotisserie chicken, wild rice and a garden salad. We ended up sitting in different chairs around the table! Which changed up the conversation and gave the dinner a twist. Sometimes its fun to break your normal routine. I am grateful the Becky and Liz went to see a community theater show together! It was nice to

I can't bring a Martini on the nature trail? I love exploring new nature trails on Long Island. On Sunday my friends Liz and Tom took me to the Target Rock Nature Preserve. This week I will be featuring photos I took from this beautiful walk. I'm dedicating my thanks today for being thankful for being in nature. Here is what I was thankful for exploring this beautiful new trail. I was thankful to see this amusing sign at the beginning of the trail. I was wondering how many people brought martinis or cosmopolitans while walking on the trail that the need for this sign arose? The sign did provide me with a chuckle! I was thankful for the wonderful trees that provided me with shade and cool breezes on this hot and humid day. It was awesome how quiet the trail was, peppered with bird sounds and the rustling of leaves. I was grateful to see some adorable chipmunks scampering across the trails. We also were blessed to see a family of deer. Two adults with two fawn. The camou

View from a friend's porch on Memorial Day Weekend My good friend has a wonderful shady porch. I wanted to post a picture from one of my favorite Memorial Day Weekend Moments. So thankful to all the serviceman who valiantly gave their lives for our freedom. Here are my thanks for some wonderful Memorial Day moments. I am thankful for sipping wine with good friends in the shade on their beautiful porch. Love the hanging flowering pots with the flag flying proudly in the background. Is there anything better getting together with old friends and sitting on a comfy wicker rocker on the porch with great conversation? So nice to see our friend Anne who was visiting from Washington DC. I am thankful for our town's Memorial Day Parade. It was nice to walk up to the end of our street and see an adorable family with kids patriotically dressed in red, white and blue waving small flags. I am thankful for meeting some neighbors on my block! Met a lovely family who was happy to fin

Beautiful roses in the parking lot! I love finding beauty in unexpected places! My daughter Becky started working this week. We are a household with four drivers and two cars so I sometimes drive her to work. Saw these beautiful roses in the parking lot behind her office. Today I am sharing thanks for joyful moments in unexpected places. I am grateful to be able to drive my daughters places. Although it may seem like a chore, I enjoy the time it creates to have meaningful conversations. I am thankful for driving Liz to school today. It has been raining here a lot and I was telling her I hoped the sun would come out to make a beautiful day. Liz said, "Mom, everyday is beautiful." I did not know my daughter could be so profound! I am thankful for a nice lunch I had with my good friend Sejal. We had some deep parenting conversations today. She is a good friend and a good listener. I am thankful for my neighbor Rob, who helped Liz when she locked her self out of the hou

    My cool cat Sasha sitting on the a/c I caught my cat Sasha sunning herself in an odd place outside our house! If you read yesterday's post I was thankful for all the love my pet Sasha gives me and finding her in the rain. I've been blogging since November and this week Sharing Thanks passed the 2000 page view milestone! I have learned so much in six months so I am dedicating this post to sharing thanks for what my blog has taught me. I am thankful for all my blog readers. What amazes me is how the blog has reached so many different countries. Yesterday I had 10 page views from South Africa! It reminds me of the show Touch on Fox TV network. It is amazing how a message encouraging gratitude can touch so many lives across the globe. I am thankful for all the blog readers who have shared what they are thankful for in the comments of my blog. I encourage anyone reading the blog to share what they are thankful for in the comments. I have had over 60 comments since I sta

Flowers in Central Park After a beautiful weekend we have been having a lot of rain here on Long Island. Sometimes we do not appreciate something until it is lost. It was pouring rain and I had not seen my cat Sasha in the morning. I was calling her name in the house and checking all her favorite cat spots. I was starting to worry about her. It was raining buckets outside! I was calling her name. Then I went to the side of the house, and Sasha was hiding in a basement window well. I was so happy to see her and brought her in the house! Here is what I was thankful for yesterday. I am thankful for my loving pet Sasha. She has been giving me the cold shoulder since we got Oreo. I was so happy to see her sleeping at the end of my bed yesterday! It made my day. She loves to visit me when I take a bath and sit by the tub. I was thankful that my daughter Liz made a good friend. She went over Christina's house yesterday and enjoyed hanging out! Thanks for a fun dinner with my daug

Liz's Surprise Birthday Party at Johnny Rockets! Celebrations always bring people together. This weekend I helped plan a small surprise party for my daughter Liz's 18th birthday. On Saturday I was invited to a surprise party for my friend Liz and Tom's 25th Wedding Anniversary given by their 13-year old daughter Anna. Anna put an amazing pot-luck  party together! She asked each guest to bring a pot luck dish. It's love and friendship that make the party! Here are my thanks for the weekend! Thankful to my daughter's close friends, sister and cousin who helped surprise Liz for her 18th birthday! She loved all the thoughtful cards she got with pictures of her favorite actors! Thanks to the staff at Johnny Rockets, who did the birthday song backwards and provided great service to our little party. Thanks to Anna who surprised her parents with an awesome 25th Anniversary party. I had so much fun reconnecting with our good college friends and Liz and Tom's e

Rhododendrom in full bloom Yesterday was day to celebrate friendship! I had an amazing moment of serendipity. I am lucky to have good friends that I met in 3rd grade when I moved to Rockville Centre. We grew up in the same neighborhood and have played kickball and spud together, as well as having teen tea parties. We may have been the only teens in the neighborhood who enjoyed sharing our days over a cup of tea and cookies. We all still live on Long Island and we help celebrate our birthdays together! Here are my thanks for yesterday. I was thankful for celebrating my friend Stella's birthday. Margaret and I treated her to a reflexology massage and dinner at Wild Ginger! We enjoyed the massages, relaxing together. We ended the evening over a cup of tea at Stella's house. We always get together and have lots of laughs! I took my daughters out to lunch at Bertucci's and we ran into my neighbors from Rockville Centre. So we decided to lunch together. My daughters got s

White Pom Pom Tree Blossoms, May 2012 I saw these beautiful white pom poms during a neighborhood walk. My cold is finally going away. After a few rainy days the sun came out yesterday! Yesterday I enjoyed simple pleasures. A home cooked meal with my family, coffee with a friend. It is all of the little things that bring us small joys! Here are my thanks for yesterday. I was thankful to cook a home cooked meal for my family. I made chicken cutlets, green bean casserole with french fried onions, and home made mashed potatoes with gravy. Yum! I was thankful for having dinner together as a family. As the kids get older and everyone is busier it is hard to schedule family time. Last night we all got to sit down and enjoy a meal together. We enjoyed catching up with one another and hearing why my husband does not want to dine at the Outback again.  He did not appreciate getting prime rib which he asked for well done, microwaved. He said the prime rib tasted like leather. We were surp

Brian and his adorable pup, Mac  Is there anything more fun to watch then a boy and his puppy! I enjoyed seeing my nephew Brian and his adorable mutt, Mackensie. Mac is a ball of energy and I was lucky not to get a totally moving blurry face while I tried to take their picture. Taking good pictures of animals takes a lot of patience. Today has been a rainy Tuesday. A good day for hot baths and steaming cups of tea! Here is what I was thankful for today. Thankful to have 2 minutes of calm. Found this on Stumble Upon. Press the link and treat yourself to a quick 2 minutes of mediation. I failed this a few times. I could not hear the lovely ocean waves and first. Let me know how you like the link! /www.donothingfor2minutes.com/ I was thankful to take a wonderful hot bath and finish a novel I have been reading. Reading a good book while taking a hot bath is a simple pleasure for me.   I was thankful to be able to walk the dog in between all the rain today! I enjoy walking in a li

Go Rangers! We all enjoy routing for our favorite sports teams. My husband Spencer is a long time Ranger fan and was thrilled that they beat the Devils last night! It's these small joys that can give us a burst of happiness. Here are my thanks for yesterday. Thankful that my husband, Spencer is enjoying routing for the Rangers in the playoff games. Spencer's friend Mike is also a Ranger fan so they have been enjoying watching some of the games together. I am thankful that my daughter Becky had a good semester at college. She checked her grades yesterday and was happy with her work.  I am thankful to see my daughter Liz working hard on her school work. Thanks to Karina her fantastic math tutor who is great at helping Liz understand Algebra II better. Perseverance and knowing when to ask for help can help you achieve your goals in life. I was thankful to have Becky's friends over last night. It is fun to watch them enjoy playing Scribblish. These are college freshme

My Mom with my Dad and brother in Costa Rica Happy Mother's Day Everyone. Today I am dedicating sharing thanks to thanking moms! I love this picture of mom that was recently taken when my parents visited my brother in Costa Rica. My good friend Liz, sent me this beautiful quote this morning, "God could not be everywhere, so therefore, He made mothers." Becoming a mother is a life changing experience which teaches us the true meaning of unconditional love. I remember the day that each of my daughter's were born. Nothing prepared me for the love I feel for them. Our mothers love us no matter what so I'm going to start off my sharing thanks by honoring my Mom! I am so thankful for my artistic creative mom! My mom had me when she was 20! She was a young energetic mom. I wish I could bottle her energy. Even now, she does more in a day then most people get done in a week. My mom encouraged my love of music by finding a way to pay for violin and piano lessons. Sh

Mother Nature Human Statue at Hick's Flower Show I have been enjoying reading tributes from daughters to mother's in the comments from my blog readers. If you are reading my blog please share something you are thankful about your Mom. I'm going to post all of the comments in celebration of Mothers Day on Sunday! Love this human statue of mother nature I saw at the Hick's flower show. Here are my thanks for yesterday. I am thankful for my daughter Liz's perseverance. She rallied and was able to have the courage to go back to school this week.  I am thankful for my good friend Sejal. She has really been a terrific friend and has helped Liz rally. We have been enjoying running errands together. I am thankful for my sister-in-law Ginny who invited Becky for a fun day in New York City. They went to see the musical Ghost. Becky really enjoyed spending time with her cousin and aunt!  I was thankful for the delicious cuban sandwich at Panera! Enjoyed some mall wal

Played Scribblish with my daughters! Yesterday had its tough moments and it also had some truly joyful ones. I have always loved playing board games and card games. I love when we turn off the tv and are able to play a game that sparks our creativity. Here are the small joys I was thankful for yesterday. Becky's friend Shannon came over and they wanted to play Scribblish! So they invited me and my other daughter Liz to play. Scribblish is a cross between pictionary and telephone. We all had a good laugh over our drawings and captions we wrote while playing the game. Thanks to Monesha who gave Scribblish to Becky for her birthday. I am thankful for my good friend Sejal. She is a true friend, who really cares about our family. I am so lucky to have such a faithful friend. It is wonderful to be able to spend time with someone who does not judge me.  I am thankful to Dorothy Shi Studios who took a beautiful headshot of my daughter Liz. Last night we enjoyed looking through t

Deep blue Iris Love seeing all the beautiful Iris in bloom. Took this picture outside of the music school where I work part-time. I wish I had a picture of Becky's smile today! I wanted to take her picture, and she is at an age where she does not want me to take her picture. I respect that! Here are my thanks for today. Thankful for Becky's beautiful smile. She got her braces off today and her pearly white teeth are dazzling. She had braces put on late at age 17, as one of her teeth was stuck in her gums. Happy she got them off finally at 20! Thanks Dr. Ostreicher for a wonderful smile. I am thankful for peoples flexibility. Happy Liz's counselor could make time for her today. Thanks also to Mrs. Burt who was able to change the times of some of my music students. Sometimes life happens and we need to be flexible. I am lucky to have such kind associates to help with us. I enjoyed seeing these beautiful blue iris today. Love the vibrant color and lovely fragrance. T

Central Park Wooden Bridge My family has a weird tradition of celebrating holidays early. For our family, the celebration is being together so we decided to gather a week early so my niece Chelsea could join the fun since she will be returning to take a summer college course. Half of us live on Long Island and the other half lives in New Jersey. This Sunday my sister-in-law Ginny was kind to host this wonderful early Mother's Day gathering. Here are my thanks! So thankful for Ginny, who hosted a delicious Mother's Day feast. I loved the BBQ steak, ribs, grilled vegetables and beautifully decorated chocolate cupcakes. It was great to see my nieces and nephews and my parents. So thankful for having a wonderful MOM! She is a fireball of creative energy! I hope I am as active as she as in my 70s. I am thankful to the traffic gods! We hit no traffic on the George Washington Bridge in either direction on our trip to New Jersey. I drive is always more pleasant when you are n

Bass jazz notes in Central Park One of the things I love about Central Park in New York City is the unexpected surprises that you see. Last Saturday I was able to visit the park while my daughter was at the photo studio. I loved seeing and hearing this bass player who decided to practice jazz outside near the pond. There is so much wonder around us everyday if we just take the time to look and appreciate our surroundings. Here are my thanks for yesterday. I was happy to be asked to go see the midnight opening of, "The Avengers." with my daughters. My daughter Becky who is 20 said that its so much fun to see the midnight show because the audience is pumped about the movie. I have to admit I may have been one of the oldest people in the audience! It was a great movie with a fun script and good performances by Robert Downey Jr., Scarlet Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson and Mark Ruffalo was great as the Hulk. I enjoyed sharing this experience with Liz and Becky and recommend t

Meditation Garden I love this beautiful contemplating meditating goddess statue framed by pink flowers. One of the many joys of blogging is the wonderful comments from readers. I am still resting - recovering from a bad cold. I even went to the doctor yesterday and was put on antibiotics to help my body fight the bacterial infection. I was thankful that I did not have bronchitis. Here are my thanks for yesterday. Thanks to Janine who shared that meditation helps her recharge her energy. Janine said, "My favorite way to recharge is to meditate, either while lying or sitting on the yoga mat, or while walking outdoors - letting go of all thinking, worries, etc. No thoughts whatsoever. The stillness is vast, profound and supremely energizing!" In honor of Janine I posted a picture today that is meditative and beautiful. Thanks for your beautiful comment, it made my day! Thanks to Premier Urgent Care who gave me a check up and put me on a zithro pack to help me kick th

Pink Azaleas, May 2012 Yesterday was a beautiful sunny spring day! Welcome May and lovely May flowers! Love all of the azaleas I have been seeing walking around my neighborhood. Bright pinks, pearly whites, and vibrant purples. We are getting April showers for the first day of May here. We could use the rain, so I am thankful to see and hear the patter of raindrops on our sunroof. I'm still trying to get rid of a nasty cough, cold or allergies that have been lingering. Been enjoying resting. We all move at such a fast pace that we often forget the importance of rests! I'm a musician and all music have rests written in which help create the beauty of the melody. A rest can give you a breath and separate melodic lines to create a beautiful song. Life is similar, we need to value our rests so we can energize and be able to create! Here are my thanks for yesterday. It was nice to rest and catch up on one of the last few episodes of, "Desperate Housewives." Watching

Liz on Central Park West after her Photo Shoot. Waterfall in Central Park, April 28, 2012 Loved walking around Central Park in NYC. I went in the 100th Street entrance from Central Park West. It was a top 10 day and the park was filled with young and old out to enjoy the sunshine and the scenery. On my stroll I saw an outdoor birthday party, a father and son fishing (Yes you can fish in NYC in Central Park), a wedding party, an old lady in a wheelchair with a cute bulldog on her lap, and a young Jewish singles gathering around a small pond. I saw toddlers excited about feeding the ducks, cyclists, rollerbladers, a string bass player practicing Jazz on a green pasture, and  lots of cute dogs! The park was teaming with positive energy. Here are my thanks for the weekend. Thanks for a beautiful day walking in Central Park. Had so much fun capturing pictures with my camera and people watching. Loved the positive energy from all the people outside enjoying the greenery and the s

Tulip field, April 2012   I took this picture a few weeks ago. The field of tulips was vibrant, beautiful and I was happy to be able to enjoy the whimsical colors of this moment and capture it with my camera. Yesterday I walked by this tulip field and all the blooms were gone washed away by rains. This made me realize how important it is to enjoy moments of beauty when we can see them because they are fleeting. A moment of beauty and joy is fleeting so when we take the time to stop and appreciate it this good feeling can stay with us long after the moment is gone. If we do not stop to enjoy these moments they will not be here tomorrow. Yesterday I saw a rainbow during a sun shower. I was driving and wanted to pull over and just enjoy the wonder of seeing a rainbow. By the time I found my camera that rainbow had vanished.  Here are my thanks for yesterday. Thanks for being able to see a rainbow. There is something about seeing a rainbow that makes you feel magical and lucky!

Dogwood days of Spring, April 2012   I love all of the pretty pink and white dogwood trees in bloom as I stroll the neighborhood. Captured this image while taking Oreo for a walk. Here are my thanks for Monday! Sometimes its the little things that people do that can make your day. This morning when I was getting gas the gas attendant cleaned my back and front windshields. It is great to have a clear view when I am driving. What made me smile is he did this on his own! So happy when I called the pediatrician that they were able to schedule a physical for Liz on Friday morning at 9:30 am. It usually takes a few months to get a physical appointment and I needed to get one done so she can attend camp in July! Thank you receptionist! Thanks to seeing more spring blossoms. I enjoy seeing the dogwood trees, and lilac bushes. I love the smell of lilacs! Purple power. Thinking of my daughter Becky who is taking her last final today. Thankful that my husband Spencer took off fr

Make a wish, and then blow! Is there anything better than picking a dandelion seed fuzz, making a wish, closing your eyes and blowing to have the seeds drift off in the breeze? Spring is full of new beginnings and possibilities.  I started this blog in hopes that sharing what I am grateful for can carry seeds of thankfulness and spread a positive message to the world. If sharing my appreciation helps just a few people develop a more positive outlook and help them pay a little kindness forward I have succeeded in some small way. If you are reading the blog today, go outside pick a dandelion and make a wish! Here is what I was thankful for yesterday. Thanks to the cashier at dunkin donuts who treated me to an iced coffee today. I will say since I have developed and attitude of gratitude, I have experienced more random acts of kindness.  I am amazed how such a small kind act can truly make your day. Thanks to the Geras. We met Sejal and Monisha for a late dinner at Panera and

Liz outside the theater at, "How to Succeed!" If you a looking for a fun family musical with great singing, dancing, stars, and 60s office chic costumes I recommend seeing "How to Succeed," with Nick Jonas. Both of my daughters have been Jonas brothers fans since we saw them open for the "Back Street Boys" at Jones beach. It is refreshing to see a lead actor thoroughly enjoy being on broadway. My daughter Liz has looked upped to him because he does not let his Type 1 Diabetes stop him from living his dreams. Liz is deaf and does not want her disability from stopping her from living her dreams to be an actress, writer or filmmaker. One of her favorite Jonas Brothers songs is, "A Little bit Longer." We went to see the show with my best friend Liz and her daughter Annalise who also has Type 1. He is a great role model for her and after the show the girls just missed getting his autograph when some other Jonas fans cut in front of them. Thanks to a

Love these purple flowers gracing the neighborhood, April 2012 I feel like I have moved to southern California. We have been having lots of glorious sunshine and I can not remember the last time it rained. Here are my thanks for yesterday. I am thankful for the rain! The may flowers are here early and it was good to see some April Showers. There have been brush fires in the past week. Hoping the rain will nourish the earth. Thankful to feel the warm spring rain on my face. Sometimes it is fun to feel the drops on your face. I must admit I loved jumping in puddles when I was a kid! Thankful to see my daughter Liz return to the gym for a workout! Thankful for getting a beautiful thank you note from my friend Ellen in the mail. It is wonderful to get a magical handwritten note of appreciation. It made my day. I will be honest I love mail that is not an advertisement or a bill. If someone does something nice for  you, make their day and send them a thank you note in the mail. I invit

Oreo getting a spring trim, April 2012 I am dedicating tonight's post to the many acts of kindness I received today. It is how someone's small act of kindness can really brighten your day and inspire us to pay it forward. Here are my thanks for today. Thanks to the gas attendant at my Getty station who helped get my bumper back in place. I was getting gas and he noticed my bumper was a little off and he fixed it for me. He is always kind and helps me fill the air in my tires when my air pressure light goes on. Thanks to Liz's math tutor who spoke kind words about my daughter. It is wonderful to hear someone compliment your child. Thanks to my friend Sejal, who picked up my daughter from tutoring for me. I am so lucky to have her as a friend. We always try to help each other out. She is also a great listener and friend. We enjoyed having lunch together today. Thanks to my daughter Liz who gave Oreo a spring haircut today. She is terrific with animals. I also want to wis

Crab apple blossoms, April 2012 Felt like the beginning of summer today. Did I mention I love summer! Hope you were able to get outside and enjoy the sunshine! Here is what I was thankful for today! Thankful to see our crab apple tree in bloom. The fragrance is heavenly. Thankful that I got my taxes done. Was dreading doing my taxes since I knew we would owe money.  I am so happy that Liz was accepted to Socapa, film camp this summer in Los Angeles. She went to one of their camps in Vermont a few summers ago and she learned a lot, met interesting people, and had a great time. Recommend this arts camp for teens! I am thankful to be able to share a cup of coffee with Sejal together. We both love Dunkin Donuts iced coffee on a hot day. I invite you to share something you are thankful for today.

Tulips in Bloom, April 2012 I love tulips. They are in full bloom and I have been enjoying seeing them adorn the gardens in my neighborhood. It was a beautiful Spring Day today! Here is what I was thankful for today. Thankful for enjoying seeing tulips blooming in my backyard. Loved the field of tulips I saw while walking around the neighborhood. Dazzling colors and textures. Thankful to share a movie afternoon with my daughter Liz. We had a chuckle, seeing the new "Three Stooges Movie." Loved seeing Mo beat up the cast of the Jersey Shore. Hilarious! Enjoyed a nice date night with my husband and our good friends Liz and Tom. We went to see the Titanic in 3-D tonight. It is one of my husband 's favorite movies. Very powerful, and sad. The 3-D really made you feel like you were in the movie experiencing the madness. Thankful to here from my daughter Becky at Pitt. I love when we text each other. I invite you to share something you are thankful for this weekend.

Spring Violets, April 2012 I enjoy seeing the patches of purple in garden and amidst the grass. It was a great day to get outside today! I have also been trying to tackle tasks that I have been avoiding. I am thankful that I was able to cross a few things off my to do list! I am thankful for my friend Margaret. We took a nice long 3-mile evening walk. It always feels good to get some exercise. When you are walking with a good friend the time flies by and you forget you are exercising! I was thankful to find my 1099 from the music school. I was able to pull together all the information I will need to get my taxes done. I was thankful to be able to share stories about our college road trip with our good friends the Geras. We had fun swapping Spring break stories. Thanks to my mom and dad who took great care of Oreo. She loved running around their backyard. My mom also worked hard to help Oreo learn to leave my parents cats alone. I invite you to share something you are thankful for

Liz and Kavita in Times Square, April 2012 It is Spring break and my daughter Liz has been off from school. We have been enjoying good times celebrating holidays with family and friends. Liz is a junior in high school so we went to tour a few college campuses the past few days. It was nice to have my older daughter Becky come home for a few days so we could celebrate her 20th birthday and Easter. I am thankful for some of the adventures I have had the past few days. Sharing thanks for exploring New York City with the Geras. We decided to go see something avante-garde called, "A Crack in the Universe" through the wonderful High-Five Program.  The High Five program encourages teens to see cultural events in New York City at the incredibly affordable $5 per ticket price. A teen can bring one adult with them to the performances. This was an incredible dance/video/art meditation performance that was definitely thought provoking, however the write up did not mention that the perfo

Pretty Pastel Colored Flowers   It is joyful to walk outside and enjoy the beautiful Spring weather. Yesterday was the first day of Spring Break. One of the most important lessons that I have learned in music and life are that rests are important. It's that small breathing space that can make a melody sing. It is great to be able to relax, sleep in and take a breather. Here is what I was thankful for yesterday. Melted crayon artwork to stop bullying, by Liz Davidson Thanks for creative expression! My daughter Liz had a friend over last night and they experimented with melting crayons to create some really cool pieces of art. Art can really help you get out your emotions. Liz was cyber-bullied by someone who hacked her facebook and posted messages of hate.  It was great to see Liz and Kavita enjoy making colorful masterpieces by hot glueing crayons to poster board and melting them safely with a blow dryer. Thanks to YouTube! I am amazed on what kids look up to learn using YouTube.

White tree blossoms on my neighborhood stroll Another glorious Spring day filled with many small joys. Enjoyed walking my dog Oreo around the block and saw this amazing tree in full bloom. Love the white fluffs against a crystal blue sky. I am thankful to watch people bloom and grow. It is inspiring to see people going after their dreams and goals with passion and purpose. Here are my thanks for yesterday: I am thankful that my husband Spencer plays a sport he loves. I'm rooting for his roller hockey team tonight they are in the playoffs for the C league. As I was driving my daughter Liz back from art class I saw someone running, at first I thought it was a teenager, and then I realized it was my husband running to get in shape for his hockey game tonight. I admire his spirit there are very few 50 year old roller hockey players out there. I am thankful for Spencer giving Monesha a ride into the city so she can visit my daughter Becky at UPitt. He picked her up at 5:25 am so she

My cat Sasha soaking up the sun.   It was a beautiful sunny Spring day on Long Island today. I love seeing the sun rise earlier in the morning. I was happy to see daylight as I was driving my husband to the train station this morning at 6 am. I am always amazed how cats can find the best spots to soak up the sun rays, and enjoy a grass bed to boot. So many reasons to be thankful today! Thanks to my husband for loaning me his car today. We are now a household with 4 drivers and 2 cars. It was very helpful to have 2 cars so I could get to work and my daughter could get to the library at the same time. I was also very thankful that my teen had another safe day of driving.  Thanks to Mrs. Kraus, my daughter's English tutor for her great lesson plans to help catch Liz up in English. I am thankful that she is dedicated, creative teacher. Thanks to Laney in the guidance department who has been very helpful in arranging tutoring for Liz. I really appreciated her organization and

Wildflowers in the garden, April 2, 2012 I was surprised to see these yellow wildflowers adorning my Mom's beautiful garden. I enjoy the beauty of flowers and I must admit that I sort of have a black thumb. I admire people who are tender gardeners. It was a beautiful Spring day out today. I'm changing my mantra to magic Mondays instead of manic Mondays. Today was a busy day and had some magical moments. Plenty of reasons to share my thanks for today. 1) I am thankful for my friends Sejal and Mo. We all got to have lunch together today. It was so much fun being able to share lunch, laughs and great conversation on this quiet Monday. I even got to take advantage of Bertucci's $10 large pizza deal with they offer on Mondays and Tuesdays. 2) I was thankful to be able to talk to Becky today. She was upset that her glasses broke. I've reached a point in my life where I try to not sweat the small stuff. Broken glasses can be replaced. Happy I'm going to get to celebr

Vibrant purple petunias from Hick's Flower show It's April Fools day. The original punk'd. This day is known for playing tricks, although on April Fools day I think about my father-in-law. His birthday was April 1st and he was a wonderful, kind family man. He loved to garden and would love today's flower shot. It's been a busy weekend, lots of reasons to be thankful. 1) Thanks to the South Shore Symphony and Leggs Limited dance and guest dancers for putting on a first class production of Petroushka last night at the Madison Theater at Molloy college. It is such a privilege to play violin for the South Shore Symphony. 2) Thanks to my fans, Spencer, Stella and Jeff who came to see the show! It is great to have close friends and family in the audience. 3) I am thankful that my parents are having a wonderful time in Costa Rica. My brother posted some pictures of them today. It was fun to see them enjoying themselves in such a tropical setting! 4) I am thankful

Spring dancer at the Hick's Flower Show, March 2012 Spring just makes you want to dance! The energy of all the trees and flowers starting to bloom. I loved the fun attitude of this sculpture that I saw at the flower show. I am also enjoying listening to the sounds of spring. Birds chirping in the morning as the sun streams in my window. Here is what made my soul dance today. 1) Thanks to my friend Stella who I met for another belly dancing class. It is so much fun to twirl around with a scarf and use the finger cymbals. Stella and I often get a fit of the giggles during the class. The rhythm of the music is hypnotizing. 2) Thanks to the beautiful crescent moon out tonight. One of the great things about walking your dog is I get to enjoy the night sky. Tonight's night sky features a sliver of crescent moon, beautiful stars and some mysterious clouds. 3) Thanks for the joy of playing fetch with Oreo today. She has been enjoying chasing tennis balls in the backyard. 4)

Trees in Bloom, March 28, 2012 The weather changed several times today. Woke up to partial cloudy skies, thought it was going to be sunny and then it rained when we took the dogs out for a walk. Later in the afternoon the skies cleared and it was warm and sunny, and now while I am typing this blog it is raining again. You may be reading this saying where is she going with this? Life is constantly changing. We all want some stability and the reality is we need to get comfortable with change, embrace change, and remember that it can lead to tremendous growth! Spring is about renewal, that you plant a seed, nurture it and watch it grow. I have been enjoying sharing pictures of new buds bursting on the blog! Here is what I was thankful for today! 1) I was thankful to get Amy's wonderful comment. She shared some wonderful moments to be grateful for. I love when blog readers comment and add what they are thankful for. Sharing appreciation multiplies good feelings. This is what shari

Garden Buddha taken at Hick's Flower Show I am very drawn to eastern philosophy and the idea that we are all connected. I loved this garden Buddha that I saw at the Hick's Flower Show. It looked like such a serene place to meditate. Spring has sprung, although we have returned to normal temperatures of 50s around here. Just sitting outside among the beauty of Spring flowers creates a moment of peace during a hectic day. Here is what I was thankful for today. 1) I was thankful that I could be a good listener for my good friend Liz. It is so good to be able to talk and share feelings with kindred spirits. I am hoping that my listening skills brought her some inner peace from the frustration she is feeling. 2) I was thankful to meet a new violin student today. I can tell my student practices and I am looking forward to working with her to improve her skills and help her become a great violinist. 3) I am thankful to play with the South Shore Symphony. I am looking forward t