M's Blog – September 2011 Archive (34)

I am a huge Tom Waits fan, so I purchased this chapbook he was selling to raise money for his local food bank in Sebastopol, CA. It ended up costing over $30.00, and the poem inside was quite a bummer. Much as I love Tom, and was glad I could help out, I have decided to pass this on to a friend of mine who is an…

My gift for today is to share this link with all of you:

http://www.squidoo.com/givewithoutmoney

This article a great source of ideas for giving. Also, be sure to check out the comments below the article for more ways to give to the world…

I have a friend who loves baked goods, but she's not supposed to have a lot of sugar. I came up with a wonderful recipe for molasses banana bread, which she loves. Being a chocoholic of the highest order, I kept thinking: "Yeah, this bread is good, but it would be even better with chocolate!"

I…

My friend Robert just moved into a great new place recently. Being a typical bachelor, his only plant is made of plastic.

I decided to give him a house warming gift that will bring a bit of life into his new digs. My father used to live in a house that was owned by an eccentric botanist. The guy…

Good news! My foster father, Twister, can walk again! He's being discharged…

I've had this friend for 20 years now named Toastie. We met when I used to live in the tiny mountain town of Nederland, Colorado. He is a very unique and hilarious individual, and has always been one of my favorite human beings. Everyone up there has a nickname, and back in those days my nickname was…

Because of the nice climate in Northern California, there are a lot of homeless folks who come to this area. We are blessed to have an angel of a woman named Betty Chin here, a local Mother Teresa, who feeds the homeless everyday. She even raised money to build a shower for the homeless. She has won many…

My best friend Sonya has a birthday in early November. She loves fiestaware, but it's very pricey stuff! I found this cute periwinkle cup and saucer on ebay and won it for $6.00. I asked the seller to send it to Sonya with a note on the box warning her not to open it until her birthday.  When it's closer…

Today was a bit traumatic for me. I had to go to the dentist for a filling, and I get so scared of those shots that I have to take a valium. (this is one of those cases where lavender isn't enough to cut through my anxiety!) Then I am clenched up the whole time because I think he's going to hurt me somehow,…

I decided today to give to the charity that my foster mother chose in lieu of flowers. She spent her life working for peace and disarmament, even to the point of receiving death threats for her beliefs. I am so proud of the work she did, and to be able to say she was my mother. The Jonah House…

Go here to see a funny card for all of you from me!

Love ya's! ;)

I have a monthly column in Artella's Journal Journeys online zine, and I am on a deadline. (I'm not fond of that word or the stress it induces!)  I was having trouble coming up with a good idea for a gift today because my brain wants to focus on my column without distractions.

I decided to send a…

Last week someone sent me this book in the mail. I am enjoying it, but have no idea who the person is who sent it, or why she chose to send it to me! I love synchronicity, don't you?

I decided to send her a book back, just for the heck of…

I was in line at the Dollar Store the other night and the manager was talking to his friend about ativan. (A prescription medication similar to valium) When she left, I told him that I have been finding lavender tea to have a very similar effect, without the grogginess the next day. "That's the exact problem…

My friend Niki just started home schooling her 8 year old boy named Rain. I found a bunch of stuff in my home and garage to help them create a inspiring classroom: a globe, an easel, and paint that turns any surface into…

When I was a kid, one of my favorite comfort foods that my dad prepared was beanie weenies. (AKA: franks and beans) Over the years I have perfected my own recipe for this delightful concoction, including substituting "Smart Dogs" (meatless franks) for their mystery meat laden counterparts. The result is true…

I like these articles from the Daily OM, and this one seemed perfect to share here. Enjoy. Love ~M

My Aunt Claire lives in Germany, and I haven't seen her in many years. She lives with her daughter, Ursula, who I recently became close to over a shared love of art. They live near The Black Forest! Aunt Claire's Social Security check did not arrive this month, so her daughter emailed me to ask if I could help…

I really love going back to look at all the lovely gifts that have come to me in the past month of giving! Seeing them all listed together here makes me feel really blessed! I'm so happy to have found this lovely site, and all of you! I will begin Round Three tomorrow! Love~M

-Featured in 2 online…

On this, the end of my second month of giving, I wanted to create something for all of you. It has meant so much to me to have this wonderful site to come to each day, and I intend to keep coming everyday. I want to give every day of my life from now on, but for now, I will shoot for one year.

I made a…