Sheilaclapkin's Blog;

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What you can do to add the twinkle and shine to your face? Well, some of you have gone a very surgical route to skim and repair, lots of vanishing creams, and rough scrubs. What in the world are you all doing to your selves? All you really need to do is to find a necklace that compliments your face and put it on. Take this test. Get all dressed up and ready to go out to a party. Look directly in the mirror from shoulders upward. Yes, it is you. Now find your favorite necklace and put it on and stand back. Does it not Grace your face? Does it not give you a new glow, a bit of a twinkle, a soft cast of a new private liking of your face? Does it not brighten your eyes; shrink your nose, smooth out most of the rough spots? Oh, there you go, you are smiling. What a smile does for a face is unbelievable, fantastic, extraordinary, just plain incredible. The problem when you smile is that you don’t see it. You cannot tell how it brightens the look of your face. Study faces as they look back into your eyes when you smile. This is how you can tell that your smile has brightened them. Learn to study the face that smiles back to your smile, and you can see in their eyes that your smile has uplifted their spirit. Your spirit is lifted as well. Brilliant exchange.

Now that you know this new necklace trick, set aside some time, to hide in your room and play the game of Necklaces Grace Your Face. Make some space, now take out your necklaces, and line them up. Try on some colorful clothes from your closets, and go for an afternoon of gracing your face. After some time at my mirror gracing my face, I went outside to pick up the newspaper. My neighbor just happened to be out picking up his paper as well. He said, ‘Oh I see you are wearing your pearls, big day ahead?’

I answered, “Yes Sir.” He should only know that I finished the day, dusting, cleaning up the kitchen, vacuuming, finished washing and folding the laundry, pulling weeds and other tidying up. But I write to tell you that a necklace not only will grace your face, but also adorn you with dignity, sparkle, charm, polish, and a heretofore hidden beauty. Nothing more or less than a well-chosen necklace will grace your face.

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The change from round bobbing to elongated patterns is perhaps the root of existentialism. Maybe something that exists one way is not necessarily its purpose and therefore can be viewed with human extensions unbeknownst at the time.

Perhaps you have cracked some sort of universal code.

All that you see can be converted. Wind and water have the power to distort.

Changes are made in truth whether you see them or not. Witness is not always truth.

It can be a distortion of what you think you see. Distortion comes in degrees.

Patterns are created whether the mind can transmit them or not.

Round does not necessarily transmit round.

Creations are Godly interpretations.

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The wind is blowing unusually swiftly today, and I realize you can only write about the wind when you are standing in the midst of leaves twirling, boughs bowing, birds swooping against the forces, the wooing, howling sounds, the brushing on your body, hair moving uncontrollably, scraping sounds of wires being tugged across the walls, scratching of limbs not quite finished leafing.

You begin to notice places where the wind has blown dust particles, and bits and pieces of elements you did not know were hiding in some places you barely noticed. Now the gleam of wind cleaning makes them eye popping. Now that I know this concept, I can use the concept of winds to sweep many places with my mind. There she goes again. Well, relax and listen.

The next time you have an opportunity, go out into the wind and watch. Take mental notes. Wind swept areas change dimensions, leaving a wider range of sharing habitats. What can you do by changing elements? First, accept that everything changes. With changes comes new learning. New learning and change can be ecstatically wonderful or difficult. I strive to find joyous changes, but even so, the difficulties arise and you are to embrace them and change until it suits you.

Keep in mind that you need to keep yourself on a happy road. I know this sounds trite, but it is not. I noticed a few people on my happy road that are not happy. I smile at them, courtesy and keep on going. I celebrate a task well done. How do I do it? Simply. Mine is a second cup of coffee. I’d like to know yours. Celebrating little victories will offer me many a second cup of coffee. Now they say coffee is good for you. Good deal! This news comes at a good time for me. How about you?

I saw a lady coming out of “Home Goods,” jumping up and down in joy and screaming, “Hail Mary.” She must have scored big time. Oh how I envied that momentary joy and went next door to Gelson’s and created my own jump for joy in the fruit department, as I grabbed the last freshly cut up Mango Salsa! YUM!

We do not have to envy the joy of others, because we can achieve it. Keep the target in view and shoot. Practice creating joyous moments, and grab them when you recognize them. Every morning Mr. C reads our horoscopes out loud, but this morning he said he would not read mine because he didn’t like it. I registered the comment and made a mental note to go back and see what was so bad about my upcoming day. The paper has been thrown out and gone in the trash truck. I am stuck with a bit of a not knowing, so, I will look deeply into this day and make it astounding on my own. Somehow, I do not think, I will ever want a read out loud horoscope to every run my days ever again.

Oops, two days later and the truth is, I have had spectacular days. And another truth is, I cannot stop myself from asking about my horoscope or taking the paper and reading it. Today’s horoscope is perfect for me. I have accepted a position as Recording Secretary and Corresponding Secretary of my favorite organization, Brandeis. I have not served as Secretary of anything in many years. But, alas I have attended and taken notes for my first batch of minutes, and truth shall be known, I feel like a little fish out of the big water. One nice thing is that everyone is there to help. Today under Virgo, it says something that will help me in my new job, as I wrestle with the minutes for the first time. Virgo: “Your need to work is strong. Get it done, but don’t turn it all in yet. Save it to review and refine tomorrow.” I like this one. Don’t you?

The wind has blown light and fluffy looking clouds over the vistas over our bluff. A little boy once asked, “What do clouds feel like?” I wish I knew for sure, but my answer now would be, “Soft, smooth, tickling, soothing, and fluffy. But the truth, I know you know.

FEATHERS FROM THE ANGELS

I believe that when you see a feather in front of you, an angel has dropped it there.

Each of us has an angel watching over us and from time to time, this angel will drop a feather,
or two. Actually you may hit the jackpot and get lots of them.

You are invited to pick up your feathers and keep them. I put them in my underwear drawer. Someday when you are as old as I am you might have a drawer full as I do.

Some of you may not believe in angels, so your drawer will be empty. You can start right now if you wish. Go ahead and take a walk. You are sure to find angel droppings.

Angels go along with anything you say, by the way. They let you make all the decisions. They just hang around to protect you if you need protection and if you are safe, they just enjoy your safety.

If you do not believe me about angels and feathers dropping, go out and find someone who believes in angels. See what they have to say. Ask them about how many feathers have been dropped for them.

You do not need to keep this angel information a secret. It is free information. Spread it around. There are enough feathers for everyone.

I have had my guardian angel all of my life,
but I didn’t know my angel was/is there until someone told me about the feather droppings.

One day I was a long, long, very long way from home, and suddenly hundreds of feathers started blowing towards me landing at my feet. What a wonderful affirmation blowing my way.

I surely do believe in angels. They show me that they are here all of the time. Sometimes there is only one angel and sometimes there are many. If you recognize the angel signs, you will know how many angels are here with you.

And, for your information, if you believe in angels dropping feathers, you will feel warmth and loving kindness all the rest of your days on earth.

If you do not believe, you will have to manufacture your own warmth and loving kindness.

It is your choice. I made mine. I believe.

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This may be an item for your blog as requested. This is a woven square of wool, which belonged to Marlyn’s grandmother. This would make it well over 100 years old. Marlyn’s grandmother came from Perthshire in the East of Scotland. The nearest big city was Dundee which was a town famous for weaving jute into sacks. Thus there was a tradition of weaving and this rug may well have been hand woven. It is a very simple pattern and has mostly been used by us as a picnic blanket. It does have a hole, which I made when I slammed the door of the trunk down on it whilst it was in the car. M carefully sewed it up.   J.

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At State Street Elementary School, fifty or more years ago, we had a principal’s whose name is Mr. Wells. He used to sing a song titled, “Oh What a Beautiful Morning.” I always thought it was called: The corn is as high as an elephant’s eye, but it is not.

It sings about a bright golden haze on the meadow, and oh what a beautiful morning, day, feeling and everything is going my way.

It sings about the cattle standing like statues, they don’t turn their heads as they see me ride by, but a little brown mav’rick is winking her eye.

It sings that the sounds of the earth are like music, the breeze is so busy it doesn’t miss a tree and an ole weeping willow is laughing at me.

Then it ends with: Oh what a beautiful morning, oh what a beautiful day, I’ve got a beautiful feeling; everything’s going my way.

It as you read, only says one line with: The corn is as high as an elephant’s eye. Only once, and to me it is the whole of the song as I remembered it. On further study, I see that the message is not about corn, not about being as high as an elephant’s eye, but a positive and beautiful message about waking up in the morning to a beautiful day, having a beautiful feeling that everything’s going your way.

I am glad to have re-visited this childhood song sung at every assembly during my elementary school days by Mr. Wells.

Now, Mr. Wells was not just a singing principal, he was a strong disciplinarian. A little group of hoodlums at the school harassed all who dared to step into their territory. Mr. Wells seemed to approve of them. I want you to remember as you read; this is elementary school grade 5. As I look back, it seems young to have had such a difficulty. Some people have asked, did you tell your parents? No I did not. I did not want them to think badly of me, as the hoods made me feel about myself.

I dared myself to do lots of things, and one of them was to take my chances with the hoodlums. One of them was so cute; I couldn’t catch my breath as I walked by him. Barely breathing at the sight of the cute hood, one beautiful morning when the corn was as high as an elephant’s eye, I stepped into “Hoodlumville Territory.” They jumped on me and pinched my breasts, spit on my face, kicked my knees and as I scrambled away on all fours, I yelled: ” You Son of a Gun.”

The next morning, I found myself in Mr. Wells’ office with the Hoodlum Gang. Mr. Wells asked me if I cussed at these boys.

I stated, “No.” He said did you say,” You Son of a gun?”

I stated, “Yes.” He asked the Hoods to leave his office and as they did, he took off his belt and slapped my upper body three times. As I turned to leave the office, I coughed out words through my tears, ” I did not know guns had sons.”

It was not such a beautiful morning, it was not such a beautiful day, I didn’t have a beautiful feeling, and everything was not going my way. But, the corn was as high as an elephant’s eye and it looked like it was climbing up to the sky!

Rest In Peace, Mr. Wells.

Photo: Guanajuato, Mexico, by Joy Lerner

A long time ago, part of me crawled up from the sea to inhabit the land.

Out came the color and radiance of that which was here to command.

Surrounded by beauty it came into full view in the presence of loving hearts on a journey.

This land and its inhabitants have gathered every color available and made their environment scream with delight in the flurry.

The new inhabitants gather together on the date of their birth and worship the light.

Claiming their new life after escaping into lands, attracting and enchanting their beautiful selves, without diminishing any of their personal grace and rights.

Flowers bloom that we could not even imagine and perhaps is part of nature’s blessing.

Monuments put naturally into the landscape attesting to honor, and respect their predecessors in their direction, towards personal grace, righteousness, and the harmony of natural progressing.

Wildly falling water seems endless in creating life and preserving the ecosystem far beyond their ancient gazes and input of the inhabitant guests.

All species foreign and native to the land follow the colors and the patterns. It is stamped into the conscious light on each survivor’s crest.

The history of the land has been preserved to honor the past, care for the present and to secure the knowledge gained for the future.

People of this land are vibrant, intelligent, and beautiful creators of life. The environment is now and forever. For those who come, the numbers will be more, not fewer.

Reflections abound, they astound, just look around, see how profound.

Let us look around, spellbound back to 5,000B.C.

I would surely like to know, how it would be to talk with these inhabitants of not so long ago.

What would they say? What would we say? How would we communicate?

I think, I would do a little dance and sing off tune. They would smile, chuckle, shake their heads and appreciate.

I would bow and scrape at their majesty and they may clap and sing to celebrate.