Daily Thoughts

Daily thoughts for a positive focus

About 3 weeks ago I started my Daily Thoughts series on my facebook page Suzy's Ilation. I also joined the #FMSphotoaday challenge for August featuring my daily thoughts.

I'm enjoying both the daily thoughts and the photo challenge heaps. The daily thoughts has helped me focus on the positive things in my life and the photo challenge has made me more observant.

So here's a round up of the last week for the photo challenge and my daily thoughts:

This was such a spectacular sky and quite strange too. Looked like a partial map of the world! What were the clouds trying to say? Taken from my dining room window just after dawn.

There's beauty in simplicity. There's not a lot in this picture, but it's one of my favourites. Probably because I love a vibrant pink. This was taken in my garden and lines up very nicely for the Thursday Challenge prompt "Simple"

Shed your load, don't pile it up. Eventually taking on load after load just wears you down.  This was taken at my local supermarket.

In the last few days so many random acts of kindness have come my way outlined in my Gratitude post on my Someday Somewhere blog. Why buses? Because the first random act of kindness is about a bus! I am truly grateful for random acts of kindness. This picture was taken from my workplace.

Featuring my favourite biscuit for the "spot" prompt. So glad I can find it in the Indian store in Welly. And from the prompt and the biscuit, came the thought of the day, keep spotting the good things in your life and life will look good all the time. Happy spotting.

I don't have any pet peeves now. Perhaps as I have grown older, my view of life has changed. But there was a time when one of my biggest pet peeves was someone rearranging my mess. I could never find anything once rearranged and tidied up. But people aren't out to be unhelpful or to purposely annoy. So now I don't let the little things annoy me.

Linking to:
The letter D at ABC Wednesday,  The Thursday Challenge,  Six Word Saturday
Our World Tuesday,  Ruchira's Wordless Wednesday #46,  Sundays in my city


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The Letter X

Letter X proves to be challenging

I had to go through my vast collection of picture to find something that began with the letter X or resembled it.

The only thing I could come up with was my Christmas (Xmas) pictures. Not very innovative, so I decided to be a little creative.

So here they are, my pics for the letter X

Xmas ornaments through Xs

 Just a reminder that it is Winter in the Southern Hemisphere. These pics were taken a few years ago as there is no snow this year. (crosses fingers and hopes it's a warm Winter)

Soft snow for the Thursday Challenge

Linking to:
Denise Nesbitt's ABC Wednesday Letter X     Six Word Saturday     Our World Tuesday     
Ruchira's Wordless Wednesday #41      Wordless Wednesday at Catch My Words 
Thursday Challenge Prompt "Soft"       Sundays In My City


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Nurturing Nature

Appreciating whatever nature throws our way

Woke up yesterday morning and the hills had disappeared into the clouds. I could barely see the houses down the street and there was a slight drizzle.

I had to get to the hairdressers to have my hair trimmed and on a day like this I normally would've called and cancelled my appointment. But I had already postponed it twice so today was a "I must go" day.

Driving through that cloud was really hard especially when there were cars parked on the side where they came up suddenly because you had to get quite close before you could see them, and then there are some who were driving without lights! I couldn't believe that.

But I made it there, did my shopping as well and got home safely.

And then as I sat down to relax and watch the opening of the Winter Olympics, I suddenly thought, actually I was glad for the weather today. It's been so hot lately and today it cooled down to a comfortable level. And on a day like this it's just so nice to curl up and blob - something we need to do every now and then. btw, Saturday is my blob out day and weather like this is just perfect for blobbing out.

It's good for the plants and grass too as there was just a slight breeze and a drizzle. So I guess every cloud has a silver lining and I'm starting to appreciate whatever nature throws our way.

Here in Wellington we often complain about the wind as it is usually quite gusty, but there are of course benefits to a windy city - we have very little pollution, the air always smells clean and fresh and of course renewable energy. And if we're having a bad hair day, we can always blame the wind :D

yesterday - the hills had disappeared completely

today - the hills are starting to come into view again

Windmill at Wellington

Linking to:
Thursday Challenge: Cold ((Ice, Snow, Windy, Weather, Beverages,...)
Six Word Saturday
Sundays In My City
Thursday Writer's Post: Do you nurture nature? Hosted by Tamara


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Mixed Bag

Six Word Saturday

Trying something new - or is it?

Zentangles seems to be something that a lot of people are trying out so thought I'd try something "new". But is it really?

I've been doing this for years ever since I was little. Whenever I am bored I just start doodling. At least that's what I call it. I never knew my "patterns" had a name - Zentangles.

So here's one of mine. Not perfect, but then are they meant to be? (Note to self - buy a set of quality pens)

Daily Post Weekly Photo Challenge - Family

I got these 2 very cute Japanese dolls for Christmas from my daughter. I love these dolls, they're so cute and a perfect addition to my collection.

And here is my "family" of Japanese dolls. 

Thursday Challenge - Distant (things photographed from afar)

Some days ago I saw some diggers in the distance so looks like they're clearing more land for houses. Haven't seen them since but now I see a camper-van, bins etc. They're probably ready to start building.

So here is a picture of the camper-van taken from afar and another picture to bring some perspective to the distance.

Also linking to: Sundays In My City


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Beginning - Finding Joy

Finding joy in all in 2014

At the start of each year I set a word and watch it unfold through the year.  Last year my word was "Abundance". It was interesting to reflect back on the year and look at how abundance crept into my world. 

But my word for 2014 is Joy which came to me in the form of a Christmas ornament that I hung on my window. So this year I intend to find joy in all things, to live in joy.

We choose our joys and sorrows long before we experience them.

~ Kahlil Gibran

So to start off the year, here are some things that brought me joy ...

The farmer's market yesterday was buzzing. There were so many people around, some were even strumming their guitars and singing. It really was a lovely day, a bit cloudy but with some blue skies as well. I guess the clouds were left over from the thunderstorm we had the day and night before.

And my mini Pohutukawa tree is in bloom . The Pohutakawa is called the NZ Christmas tree and it looks really pretty when it is in full bloom.

Wish you all many joys in 2014

Linking to:
Six Word Saturday
Sundays In My City 
Thursday Challenge (Clouds)
Six Blocks From My House
The Daily Post Weekly Photo Challenge - Beginning

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Christmas Spirit

It's starting to feel like Christmas

This year has flown by so fast and the last few months I've been so busy at work that all I wanted was the year to end and my Christmas - New Year holidays to begin.

The Christmas spirit just wasn't coming through and the enthusiasm for Christmas was really waning.

But my holidays have begun and the tree is up and it's finally starting to feel like Christmas.

I started a tradition after my son was born to buy an ornament each for my daughter and son. Even though they've grown up, the thrill of buying them an ornament still continues.

So here they are for this year

My card this year for Christmas

Wish you all Peace Love and Joy this Christmas and always.  Have a Blessed one.


The Thursday Challenge this week is a favourite photo for 2013. There were so many and so hard to choose.

So I closed in on some and not surprising they all seemed to be of the sky. The sky is so fascinating but the moon is mesmerising and when you have both you can't help be drawn to it.

And so I chose this picture:

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Attractive

Looking through the eyes of children

On Friday morning, the fire alarms went off at work and "evacuate the building" rang out loud and clear.

So off we went and assembled on the other side of the road as we are instructed to. 

Luckily it was nothing serious, probably someone left the toast burning and that set off the sensitive alarms.

Usually we're busy chatting and notice very little of what's happening around us but that day we were in front of a childcare centre and the little kids were peeping through the glass window with amazement and wonder and so much glee. They were so thrilled to see the fire engines.

And so I took a closer look too for the first time and took some pictures.

So here are the pics of the fire engines that the kids found so "attractive" :

In looking at the engines, I took more notice of something we often take for granted. I was also grateful that we have these services that help us in our time of need and save lives. I was actually quite fascinated with all the equipment they carry.

Fire engines are attractive. We should learn to look at things through the eyes of children. The look on their faces when they saw the engines was priceless.


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Linking to:

Thursday Challenge

A personal touch

Personal touches turn ordinary into special

This week we celebrated a very special birthday - my son's.

It's a tradition in my family no matter how young or old the person is, to celebrate with a cake. But my son does not like cake and never eats it and baking a cake is not one of my strengths. So instead I bought him a small chocolate sponge and then decided to add some personal touches to it to make it special and interesting.

Over the last month, the supermarket that I shop in was giving away little miniature groceries for a little supermarket. They looked so cute that I decided to collect them. My son and I enjoy opening up the packets and finding the little things inside. Made us chuckle each time. And eventually they came in real handy.

So here it is, a personal touch turns a very ordinary cake into something special. And this is a moment I want to treasure. My son wasn't expecting this and it put a smile on his face.

Happy Birthday my son. Many blessings, lots of love and hugs.

This is the moment 

This is the time 

When the momentum and the moment

Are in rhyme

Give me this moment 

This momentous moment ..
(from Jekyll and Hyde)

This week's Thursday Challenge prompt is Patterns - Shapes, Textures. Trees, Clouds ...

So I tried to find some pattern in my mini groceries and settled on geometry and the textures of all things dairy. So they are ....

New Zealand's Whittaker's chocolate  - yummiest chocolate ever. If you haven't tried this one, you've never eaten chocolate!      

             

Mini eclairs - absolutely divine - chocolate and cream - melt in the mouth moments.

Amazing how many things one can make from dairy.

Have yourself a very special day.


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 Linking to: 

 This Moment - Soule Mama

A single photo capturing a moment 

A simple, special, extraordinary moment 

A moment I want to pause, savour and remember

Thursday Challenge

Honouring Pink

A very pink day at work

October 25 2013 was a very pink day at work for breast cancer awareness. Work pods were decorated in pink and we all wore pink clothes or had some element of pink on our attire. There was also a bake off and the theme was of course pink. I was tied up with some work so wasn't present for the bake off sampling so there are unfortunately no pictures of that.

It's a pity that not everyone at work participated in the pink theme. We all work very hard but it's also nice and respectful to participate for causes.

So here is the pink theme of my group. Best said of course as always in pictures.

these are a few of our favourite pinks 

Paper roses - so cleverly done

pink duckies 

some very clever artistry here

This is a day I do want to remember in honour of all breast cancer survivors, sufferers and those who lost their battle with it. 2 in my family are survivors and 1 succumbed to it - this post is for you all.

And keeping with the pink and work theme for the Thursday Challenge Landscape prompt, here is a picture I took a couple of months ago at the start of Winter from my workplace. (Added a pink hue to keep it in with the pink theme)

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 Linking to: 

 This Moment - Soule Mama

A single photo capturing a moment 

A simple, special, extraordinary moment 

A moment I want to pause, savour and remember

Thursday Challenge
"LANDSCAPE" (Mountains, Trees, Forest, Lake,...)