29th September
When spider webs unite they can tie up a lion.”
~ African Proverb

No Lions in my Garden but plenty of spider’s webs!
***
“Fear an ignorant man more than a lion”
~Turkish Proverb
********
28th September
"We need not think alike to love alike.”
~ Francis David (1510-1579), clergyman

Colin and I certainly love alike but when it comes to thinking alike we differ in some areas. Luckily they are small differences and they certainly make life interesting.
***
"Where all men think alike, no one thinks very much."
~ Walter J. Lippmann
********
27th September
“Take control of your destiny. Believe in yourself. Ignore those who try to discourage you. Avoid negative sources, people, places, things and habits. Don't give up and don't give in.”
~ Wanda Hope Carter; motivational speaker and writer

I like to think that when I need to face up to life’s obstacles I persevere until I have overcome them. My fellow 365’ers are certainly not negative people they are a source of great encouragement.
***
When the world says, "Give up,"Hope whispers, "Try it one more time."~Author Unknown
*********
26th September
"Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, 'I will try again tomorrow.'”
~ Mary Anne Radmacher; author

Life as occasionally put obstacles in my path and I have needed to call upon my courage to overcome them, this has made me the person I am today!
***
Don't be afraid to give your best to what seemingly are small jobs. Every time you conquer one it makes you that much stronger. If you do the little jobs well, the big ones will tend to take care of themselves.
~Dale Carnegie
********
25th September
“Put all excuses aside and remember this: YOU are capable.”
~ Zig Ziglar (b. 1926), motivational author, speaker

I am not sure how capable I am sometimes but once I am motivated into doing something I like to think I do it well. Abbie is just the same.
***
“Ability is what you're capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it.”
~ Lou Holtz quotes
*******
24th September
"What ever beauty may be, it has for its basis order, and for its essence unity.”
~ Father Andre

Since starting this project at the beginning of the year I often see beauty in things I would not have looked at previously. Even an old bike and milk churn!
***
“Everything has its beauty, but not everyone sees it”
~ Confucius
********
23rd September
“Our happiness is completely and utterly intertwined with other people: family, friends, neighbours and the woman who you hardly notice who cleans your office.”
~ Eric Weiner; author, national public radio correspondent

On reading this prompt I immediately thought of the Butterfly effect, even if this theory is disproved I still believe that our lives are intertwined with each other to a greater extent than perhaps we realise.
***
We all live with the objective of being happy; our lives are all different and yet the same. ~ Anne Frank
********

22nd September
"What's the name of the game

does it mean anything to you

what's the name of the game

can you feel it the way I do

Tell me please

cause I have to know

I'm a bashful child

beginning to grow"
The Name of the Game - Abba

By no means a bashful child but always up for a game!!

***

“We are never more fully alive, more completely ourselves, or more deeply engrossed in anything than when we are playing.”
~ Charles Schaefer

********

21st September
"Slipping through my fingers
all the time I try to capture
every minute the feeling in it
slipping through my fingers
all the time do I really see what's
in her mind each time I think
I'm close to knowing she keeps on growing
slipping through my fingers
all the time"
Slipping through my fingers – Abba

Sometimes life goes by so quickly;
it is like water slipping through your fingers.

***
“He who allows his day to pass by without practicing generosity and enjoying life's pleasures is like a blacksmith's bellows: he breathes but does not live.”
~ Proverb

********
20th September
"I don't wanna talk
about the things we've gone through
though it's hurting me now it's history
I've played all my cards
and that's what you've done too
nothing more to say no more ace to play
The winner takes it all
the loser standing small beside the victory
that's her destiny"
The Winner Takes it All – Abba After all the health issues I have had this year,
I certainly am beginning to feel like a winner.
More energy, less pain and people keep telling me I have my sparkle back.
Thank goodness I thought I had lost that sparkle for good! lol

***
“You were not born a winner, and you were not born a loser. You are what you make yourself to be.” ~ Anon

********
19th September
I was a woman never thinking of others
and my life was so lonely
didn't care for anybody
but then I happened to meet
a begging man in the street
as I turned down his praying
I heard someone saying: "ah -
Treat him well, he is your brother
you might need his help one day
we depend on one another
love him that's the only way
on the road that we're going
we all need words of comfort and compassion
treat him well, he is your brother
love him that's the only way"
He is your brother – Abba

This man is not my brother nor a beggar but he certainly trying to provide his own supper.

***
"Give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime" ~Chinese Proverb

********
18th September
"I have a dream a song to sing
to help me cope with anything
if you see the wonder of a fairy tale
you can take the future even if you fail
I believe in angels something good in
everything I see I believe in angels
when I know the time is right for me
I'll cross the stream
I have a dream" I Have a Dream – Abba
I often dream a lot whilst out walking.

***
"If you are seeking creative ideas, go out walking. Angels whisper to a man when he goes for a walk." ~Raymond Inmon

********
17th September
"You can dance, you can jive
having the time of your life
see that girl, watch that scene
dig in the Dancing Queen"
Dancing Queen –Abba

Following on from my great success as Dick Whittingtons cat I was promoted to the chorus line.
I was often the only one instep. lol.

***
"We're fools whether we dance or not, so we might as well dance". ~Japanese Proverb

********
16th September
Anna says “!This week I have been inspired by the hit musical, blockbusting movie, Mamia Mia!!!! Enjoy.....”
"Tonight the Super Trouper
lights are gonna find me
shining like the sunsmiling, having fun feeling like a number one"
- Abba

I was certainly a trouper in the spot light many years ago.
My portrayal of Dick Whittington's cat was a wonder to behold!!!!

***
“Never fear shadows. They simply mean there is a light shining somewhere nearby.” ~ Proverb

********

15th September
"And will you succeed? Yes indeed, yes indeed! Ninety-eight and three-quarters percent guaranteed."
Dr. Seuss

I am hoping that these will lead to my weight loss success.
***
“Some people dream of success... while others wake up and work hard at it.” ~Author Unknown

********
14th September
"If you never did, you should. These things are fun, and fun is good."
Dr. Seuss

A lot of fun was had at our retreat today.
***
“If it's not fun, you're not doing it right”
Bob Basso
********
13th September
"Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened."
Dr. Seuss

One of the prettiest smiles I know.
***
“The world always looks brighter from behind a smile.”
~Author Unknown
********
12th September
"From there to here, and here to there, funny things are everywhere."
Dr. Seuss

Just one of the funny things I came across on the streets of Cardiff.
***
“Everywhere you go, take a smile with you.”
~Sasha Azeved
********
11th September
"Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is youer than you."
Dr. Seuss

I think there are many faces to me, wife, mother, nanny and friend to name a few.
***
“Strangers are exciting, their mystery never ends. But, there's nothing like looking at your own history in the faces of your friends.”
~ Ani Difranco
********
10th September
"You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself, any direction you choose. "Dr. Seuss Walking around St Fagans today certainly steered us back into the past.
***
If you are seeking creative ideas, go out walking. Angels whisper to a man when he goes for a walk.
~Raymond Inmon
********
9th September
A new week of quotes, and Anna has been inspired by the magic words of Dr Seuss! “If you have children or grandchildren, I am sure you will be familiar with his words of wisdom.”
"Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So... get on your way."
Dr. Seuss We are off to the Welsh mountains today.
***
“There are many paths to the top of the mountain, but the view is always the same”
~Chinese Proverb
********
8th September
"Cinderella" So many shoes and so little time to wear them!
***
Have faith in your dreams and someday your rainbow will come smiling through. No matter how your heart is grieving, if you keep on believing, the dream that you wish will come true.
~Cinderella
********
7th September
"Thumbelina"
Colin always complains when he has to cut the grass.
Maybe we should stop borrowing Thumbelina's lawn mower!
***
"Great works are performed, not by strength, but by perseverance. "
~Samuel Johnson
*********
6th September
"Repunzel" I used to try to grow my hair this long but gave up many years ago!
***
"Life is an endless struggle full of frustrations and challenges, but eventually you find a hair stylist you like."
~Author Unknown
********
5th September
"The Princess and the Pea" Why is it when a bag splits in the freezer it is always the bag of frozen peas?
***
Peas are also extraordinarily good value, and indispensable for stretching leftovers into something really tasty. Good mood food indeed.
~Daily Telegraph

********
4th September
"Little Red Riding Hood"

Kath and I just needed to have a play on a trip to Paris.
***
“Who makes himself a sheep will be eaten by the wolves”
Proverb
********
3rd September
"Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" Some times you just have to grab your kisses where you can!
***
“I used to be Snow White, but I drifted.”
~ Mae West

********
2nd September
Anna prompts are going to be some fairy tales to get us thinking this week. She was Inpsired by Rosie on Flickr. “Love this girls inspiration and photography! Rosie looks at the fairy tale and see's the modern tale behind the traditional story.”
"Sleeping Beauty." Sleeping Beauty was always Abbie's favourite 'Princess' when she was younger. Things change!
***
If you can't sleep, then get up and do something instead of lying there worrying. It's the worry that gets you, not the lack of sleep. ~Dale Carnegie
********

This week's blog has been put together with photos that were taken by myself and Abbie. We had a photographic workshop on Saturday where I have tried to pass on some of my photographic skills to the next generation.
I think she came up with some pretty amazing shots of her Nanny and Grandad.
THANK YOU Abbie.

********
1st September
“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you’ve imagined.”
~ Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862); philosopher, writer, naturalist
Anna told us her childhood dreams:
“ We all had childhood dreams, mine was to be a vet, a musician and a fashion designer (when older). What were your dreams, and are you living them?”

My childhood dreams were quite simple. After having 3 different homes and my mother, my aunt and my grandmother all dying in the first 15 years of my life, all I wanted when I grew up were:
a home to call my own, a loving husband and 6 children. I have all these except the 6 children. This was one part of my dream that I definitely reviewed once I had given birth and started to bring up my family.

***
“There is nothing like a dream to create the future.” ~Victor Hugo

********
31st August
"Peace does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work. Peace means to be in the midst of all those things and still be calm in your heart.”
~ Author Unknown

Nothing is more calming to the heart than enjoyment of nature and even though we live in the suburbs, our garden is like a little nature reserve. With birds, hedgehogs, fish and newts. During our photo shoot yesterday we found another cricket though we weren’t too sure if it was still ‘Alfie’ hanging around the garden. LOL

***
"Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves."
~ John Muir (1838-1914)

********
30th August
"The best thing about the future is that it only comes one day at a time."
~ Abraham Lincoln

I am the kind of person that has always lived for today, I try not to worry too much about what the future might hold because one day I will be worrying about nothing!!!
***
“When it comes to the future, there are three kinds of people: those who let it happen, those who make it happen, and those who wonder what happened.”
~ John M. Richardson, Jr.

********
29th August
“Dreams come in a size too big so that we may grow into them.”
~ Josie Bisset (b. 1970); Television actress

I hope Abbie has many dreams that she will grow into.

***
“Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.”
~ Epicurus quotes
********
28th August
"Within sorrow is grace. When we come close to those things that break us down, we touch those things that also break us open. And in that breaking open, we uncover our true nature.”
~ Wayne Muller; author, therapist, minister

When I have been faced with a crisis in my life I try to recall a very short quote” What doesn’t break me makes me.”
***
It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.
~ Charles Darwin

********

27th August
“Ordinary riches can be stolen, real riches cannot. In your soul are infinitely precious things that cannot be taken from you.”
~ Oscar Wilde (1854-1900); writer, playwright

I have many happy memories that can not be stolen from me. The most life changing for me was the day I married Colin over 39 years ago.

***
"It is easy to feel rich any time. Just count all the things you have that money can't buy."
~ Kevin Eikenberry

********
26th August
"Gracefulness has been defined to be the outward expression of the inward harmony of the soul.”
~ William Hazlitt (1778-1830); writer, essayist, literary critic

To do things graceful has not been one of my strong points in life, however over the past few months I have been doing things a lot slower. The one thing I have learnt from this is even though the job is done more slowly, it still gets done. Therefore, from now on, I am not going to rush at life but take it more slowly and enjoy it.

***
Whatever the tasks, do them slowly
with ease,gracefully,
in mindfulness,
Do any tasks with the goal
of getting them over with.
Resolve to each job in a relaxed way,
with all your attention.”
~ Thich Nhat Hanh, Zen Master