Category Archives: April

Sunflower Farm

Posted on by

“To live is so startling
it leaves but little room
for other occupations.”
Emily Dickinson

 

 

There’s a YouTube channel I follow and enjoy watching, the Sunflower Farm Creamery. The farm is located in Cumberland, Maine and broadcast on YouTube since January 2012. The farm is owned by husband and wife school teachers that raise Nigerian Dwarf Goats. The couple also make and sell goat cheese, fudge and caramel.

I began following them because I found it extremely relaxing to watch their beautiful old farm and the playful goats.

Recently, with the Coronavirus impacting even this farm, the owner began daily videos showing all her pregnant goats and has included some yoga and meditation to follow along. The 30+ momma goats are due to foal their kids in less than 2 weeks, so I watch daily to see not only their progress but look forward to the arrival of all the kids.

If you want to relax and enjoy a good daily laugh, I’d suggest watching Sunflower Farm.

Shine On

 

Lion Cubs

Posted on by

“I think my message to the politicians
who have within their power the ability
to make change is, ‘Do you really, really
not care about the future of your great-grandchildren?
Because if we let the world continue to be destroyed
the way we are now, what’s the world going to be like
for your great-grandchildren?’
Jane Goodall

Lion Cubs

Today when I saw this image taken by photographer Barbara Fleming when she visited the Serengeti Loliondo Conservation in Tanzania, it reminded me of Elsa from the movie Born Free.

The lion is one of my favorite wild animals. I first remember falling in love with the lion when I saw the movie The Wizard of Oz. A few years later, my grandmother knew how much I loved the lion so she took me to see the movie Born Free.

If you’re not familiar with the movie Born Free, it is a 1966 British docudrama about a real-life couple who raised Elsa the Lioness, an orphaned lion cub, to adulthood and released her into the wilderness of Kenya. To this day that movie still makes me cry.

If you’ve seen the movie Born Free, you will understand why this image is so powerful. Look closely at this image. It not only shows eight beautiful lion cubs lined up for what appears to be a professional family portrait, but the image has captured each of these lion cubs own distinct personalities. Right down to the two shy and timid cubs hiding behind the female lioness.

Shine On

In My Life

Posted on by
“Though I know I’ll never lose affection
For people and things that went before
I know I’ll often stop and think about them
In my life I love you more”
John Lennon
John Lennon

There’s a Beatles song that was written by John Lennon that is one of my all time favorite Beatle songs. The song is In My Life and was released in 1965 on the Rubber Soul album.

John Lennon wrote the original song but Paul McCartney contributed to the final version. Later the pair disagreed over the extent of their contributions (specifically the melody). George Martin, who produced the recording, contributed the instrumental bridge. It is ranked 23rd on Rolling Stone‘s “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time” as well as fifth on their list of the Beatles’ 100 Greatest Songs.

According to Lennon, the song’s origins can be traced to when the English journalist Kenneth Allsop made a remark that Lennon should write songs about his childhood. Afterwards, Lennon wrote a song in the form of a long poem reminiscing on his childhood years. The original version of the lyrics was based on a bus route he used to take in Liverpool, naming various sites seen along the way, including Penny Lane and Strawberry Field.

In a 1980 interview, Lennon referred to this song as his “first real major piece of work” because it was the first time he penned personal lyrics about his own life.

Here’s a YouTube video with Bette Midler performing the song accompanied by ukulele player Jake Shimabukuro.

Shine On

 

Lovely Geraniums

Posted on by

“Never trust a man or a woman who is not
passionately devoted to geraniums.”
John Beverley Nichols

My Lovely Geraniums.jpg

One of the small flowering plants that I have on my patio garden is the geranium. This fragrant hardy plant can grow in almost any climate and is thriving on my patio.

These lush growing plants look good in a bed all by themselves, or mixed in with other annuals. They also make attractive edging plants for the flower garden.

I’ve been growing geraniums for years. To keep them healthy, just water generously and dead head the plant often. Plus, they are the easiest plants to propagate.  Just clip a healthy stem and place it directly in the dirt. It’s just that easy to have beautiful lovely geraniums.

Shine On