sweet indigo life

travel to Jordan, oceans of memories & Christmas traditions

 
This little glass teapot is a "genie lamp" of memories for my family.  It contains a vast and wide ocean of history...it is no longer allowed on the tree, it must be protected.  It travelled to Canada in the 60's with my in-laws when they emigrated here from the south of England.  We miss them all the time but particularly when Christmas time arrives, as they instilled so many traditions in us.  We practice those traditions but somehow {and I know why} they just aren't the same.

One of my favourite Christmas movie scenes of all time, is Clark Griswold in the attic.  He stumbles upon his own veritable genie lamp of memories, and the hilarity ensues.

On gratitude:

 “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.”  St. Augustine

"All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware.”  Martin Buber

“We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.” Jawaharlal Nehru

Today's gratitude is travel centered.  I chose three quotes I love to sum up my feelings for the "experience" of seeing the world.

To journey out and see things, to glean experiences- that is to me what riches and wealth may be to another.  I seek the divine experience.  I have only just begun my life of travelling.  Where I am in life now allows for travel the odd time; the kids are older, the business can run without me temporarily, whenever I shop for groceries or gas I am accumulating precious flight miles, I bargain hunt on my computer for deals on rentals, and other things. I make it happen by hook or by crook.  Thank goodness my husband-to-be feels the same way I do.  I don't think I'd be happy to go trotting off without him.  We are well matched in this arena {and others, but that I'll save for our wedding posts}. 

We booked our tickets to Jordan last night!  {Thanks to those amazing miles we accumulated.} I have to tell you, I feel like a kid waiting for Santa.  I shall now go and polish up my camera and wait.  Patiently. {Well no, not quite patiently.}

xo

*i love the simple things*

*grapefruit that grows outside your door

*sunlight that grows the grapefruit right outside your door

*raw brown sugar on steel cut oats

*driving with no maps, getting lost, and loving it

 

*welcome mats

*front doors with character

*friends: old, new, ones that left and are back again, ones that left and have stayed gone (I wish you well), ones that are fleshy, ones that are virtual, ones that love me back

*rock and roll music really loud.  no, REALLY loud.

*flying over the Grand Canyon

 

*swimming in crisp blue water while looking for fish, also known as snorkeling

*waves breaking at sunrise, coffee in my hand

*hiking

*sleeping

*dreaming

*meeting friends for dinner

*smelly candles

*freshly laundered bedsheets

*bubbles in my bath

*Bailey's in my coffee

*rum in my Egg Nog

*helping my kids hatch Sea Monkeys

*breathing.
 
Thank you Christina, at Soul Aperture for hosting this *love infused* series of lists.  Gratitude can be cultivated in copious amounts if we only pay attention. Scroll down to read my first post today, a whirlwind tour of southern California taken last week.  xo

Journey to an exotic land~(you aren't daydreaming)

 

~daydreaming~ by gillian da silva

I want to tell you about an exciting journey.  Do you enjoy travel? Photography? Adventure? Then read on because this applies to you.

This journey is to a most exotic land with a dead sea, a vast Arabian desert, and souks loaded with ceramics, embroidery, jewellery and other handicrafts. 

A place almost as old as time itself.  An ancient place that you could journey to on a photographic safari! Yes YOU!! 

Journey to Jordan, is a photographic safari to Jordan happening March 1-March 8, 2010.  This event has been organized and facilitated in it's entirety by Tara Bradford (Paris Parfait) and Alessandra  de Sousa (Gypsy Girls Guide).

Journey to Jordan will take us on a magic carpet ride through the highlights of an ancient land, with photography instruction led by Jordan's premier photographer Zohrab.

Space is limited, therefore I recommend you sign up for this chance of a lifetime opportunity as soon as you can.  Please visit the Journey to Jordan website for sign up and all other pertinent information-and I'll see you in Jordan in the spring! (Note to self: must practice, practice, practice my landscape photography skills.)

Can you just imagine how very amazing and beautiful this land is going to be? (Insert back flips here.)

***A million *Thank you's* to Tara and Alex for putting together this trip of a lifetime. xoxo