It's amazing what sunshine does for me! The moment I open the blinds in my bedroom, first thing in the morning, and see that the sky is blue and we have sun shining, I immediately give thanks and start off in a good space.  This has been the best September that I can remember!  Warm days, cool, crisp nights, the changing of the seasons, once again.  The colors are changing on the trees, so in the next week or two we shall see the signature brilliance that nature provides in the best color show on this planet.  There is nothing like Autumn in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan!
I am up eary this morning with much to do to prepare for this next trip out - though brief it is, being 8 days. Just the same, there are always so many details.   And so I hit the floor running in order to cover all of the bases and get everything in order for my departure time of mid afternoon. People often times will ask me if I ever get tired of traveling - of the touring and being in different places, in different hotels, and different people's homes.  I actually enjoy all of it, and that's a good thing, with as much as I do this throughout the year.  I do notice in myself that my routine in preparing for a trip out is that I have my list of 'to do' things for the trip and for the home, before I leave.  A day or two before my journey begins  the domestic part of who I am kicks in and I find myself in the kitchen baking, cooking a meal or two, cleaning out the refrigerator - connecting with, and grounding in that part of my home.  In thinking about that this morning,  I realized it is my way of having the best of both worlds.
Growing up on the farm taught me many wonderful skills for which I continue to use. I absolutely love this part of the year with the abundance that the garden and fruit trees bring.  I enjoy canning pickles and applesauce, giving myself time limits to get those things done.  Last night was the canning of my all time favorite pickles, BREAD AND BUTTER PICKLES.  Nine jars sit on my counter top this morning. There is such satisfaction in putting up the hot jars of pickles and then, one by one, hearing the little "POP" as they seal in the flavor to be enjoyed at a future time.  Pickled BEETS are my next favorite and, of course, APPLESAUCE, which I will do both of when I return from this trip. 
And so I begin, yet, another glorious day with DEEP GRATITUDE for my life and all that is a part of it.  I look forward to the people that I will be with in these next few days who are part of this journey within my JOURNEY. Thank you to all who have agreed to participate.  Namaste'

Okay, so here starts the beginning of my very own Blog - a place where I will come to express my thoughts, feelings, knowings and wonderings about life - my life, and life around me.  A sort of 'journal' for some of the things that run through my heart and mind.
As I sat down to the computer this morning, after first opening all of the blinds in the living room to let the day in fully, and brewing my wonderful morning cup of coffee, I opened my emails.  I give myself a hard time - sometimes - for not having a 'routine'.  For thinking everyday that I'm going to get up, meditate, work out - either doing yoga, or a fitness program with the many wonderful DVDs that I have and rotate the use of , eat a hardy breakfast, THEN get on the tasks at hand that require getting done.  I give myself a hard time because I will check my emails, first, and THEN get onto the other things.  I now realize that I DO have a routine and it will serve me to not judge the order of which I start my day, as that is what I have been doing for quite some time now. Life is working.  I am working.  It's all good!
So, I opened up my first email which is the first one I open every morning to start my day with an AFFIRMATION.  It is from my dear friend, Rev Frank Kish from the CREATIVE THOUGHT CENTER in Waynesville NC - a sweet Spiritual Community that I get to visit once or twice a year to bring my gift of music and the spoken word.  Rev Frank creates these affirmations and posts them daily for whoever wants to go to the site and it's a great way to begin my Positive Day.  Here is a link to the site in case you'd like to sign up.  

http://frankkish.typepad.com/the_prosperity_coop/

And so begins my day.  Then I check out the news to see what has happened overnight that I might need to know about that will either serve me, or what I can do in the assistance of the collective consciousness around the happenings. 

Today I see that Mary Travers, one of my BIGGEST influences in the FOLK MUSIC SCENE, made her transition last night at the age of 72.  I love what she brought to all of us and the legacy that she leaves behind.  When I was 13 and learning to play the guitar, PETER, PAUL and MARY's songs were many of the ones that I first learned to play and sing.  My latest album, BACK TO MY ROOTS, has 3 of their songs on it - the first song that I learned to play on the guitar 500 MILES, along with PUFF THE MAGIC DRAGON, and BIG BLUE FROG.  I shall be honored to be one of the many who carry on Mary's legacy.  REST IN PEACE sweet musical angel.  Your journey continues to the other side where your music lives on and on and on and on........Always and Forever, to no end of time......

The songs that I have written are coming along beautifully for the movie on MILTON'S SECRET - the Eckhart Tolle and Robert Friedman children's book.  Check out the book and order your copy today.  Do not delay!  It's a great little book on the Adventures of Then, When and the POWER OF NOW!

Am off and running now.  So much to do to finish my prep for my next trip out to Milwaukee and Colorado. 

Thanks for stopping by to read. Have an awesome day.  You are Blessed as is the world for your presence and your CHOICE to be on the planet, at this time.
Namaste'

New Beginnings......come at anytime
Sometimes when expected - sometimes a surprise...
Sometimes not so easy - sometimes just a breeze....
More than once a lifetime....Life begins, you'll see  
lyrics by Cathy Bolton 1993 from the song NEW BEGINNINGS on the CHANGES album