Composting in Outdoor Bath Tubs

The two women who live in the main house adjacent to my apartment have lived here for more than  a decade. There is a fiberglass bath tub outside my south window where they have been throwing their kitchen refuse for several years. On hot days, and when they dump several days worth of stuff at once it smells bad throughout my entire apartment. Last week I notified them that I prefer that the tub be moved elsewhere by the time really hot weather arrives. DA,  the older woman is in her 80's, and she can't help. Circe, is about my age and is flat out busy with craft fairs on weekends, and on week days busy with production. They told me they cannot take care of it any time soon. This response was actually not unanticipated. But, all of  a sudden, this problem became more acute this week. I had my first Sarasota buyer for one of my zafus, and they came to pick it up at my studio. 

At any rate, I received permission to find another home for the compost. Since it really was not my responsibility to begin with, it occurred to me that the easiest thing would be to have some other interested party come, dig it out and take it. So, I  placed an ad on craigslist. No takers so far - no surprise there. I mentioned there were red ants and possibly snakes to contend with. Guess that didn't help! Then I remembered a friend who does yard work/gardening who has a degree in some aspect of the gardening business. Called him...he's sortof interested, but stalling. Says he'll call this afternoon. Oh, I believe it, but I am also prepared for the fact that he just might keep stalling. I think he wants to be paid to remove it. This morning after meditating for about 30 minutes I felt invigorated and inspired enough to get my work shoes, long pants, shovel,  buckets and tubs. For fortification, I grabbed a few Chocolate Mint patties on my way out the door. Emptied the damn thing myself in a half an hour. Ahhh! Good clean air to breathe throughout the apartment...sweet!

Kitchen refuse in the Bath tub

Compost in Tubs and Buckets - ready to go!

 It seems that composting in bath tubs requires more than just dumping stuff in there. Any feedback based on experience is welcome!

So far, my one response from the craigslist ad hasn't been...ah well, shall we say... ahem... too interested in the compost itself.

"Why don’t you just dig numerous holes throughout your yard and bury the compost.  Obviously you aren’t doing the GARDEN thing."

Mom, Are we There Yet?

~~~OSHO~~~

Deepak Jain

Enlightenment is finding that there is nothing to find. 

Enlightenment is to come to know that there is nowhere to go. 

Enlightenment is the understanding that this is all, that this is perfect, that this is it. 

Enlightenment is not an achievement, it is an understanding 

that there is nothing to achieve, nowhere to go. 

You are already there - you have never been away. 

You cannot be away from there. God has never been missed. 

Maybe you have forgotten, that's all. 

Maybe you have fallen asleep, that's all.

Maybe you have gotten lost in many, many dreams, that's all -- but you are there. 

God is your very being. 

So the first thing is, don't think about enlightenment as a goal, it is not. 

It is not a goal; it is not something that you can desire. 

And if you desire it you will not get it. 

In desiring a thousand and one things, by and by 

you come to understand that all desire is futile. 

Each desire lands you in frustration; 

each desire again and again throws you into a ditch. 

This has been happening for millions of years but again you start hoping, 

 again you start thinking that this new desire that is arising, sprouting in you, 

will maybe lead you to paradise.

That this will give you what you have longed for, that it will fulfill you. 

Again and again hope arises. 

Enlightenment is when all hope disappears.

 Enlightenment is disappearance of hope.

 ~osho~

Vase with Sprig of Lemongrass - Light and Shadows

A Womans Perfume

Woman will have to remember her strength, which is being so in tune with God 

that that will reflect purely in her life, and bless everybody/thing in life around her.

Man does not have this God connection yet...most don't, although now some do.

Woman should be like a beautiful rose whose perfume (God's Love) is so strong
that nothing could go against God's Will in her presence.

Louis Philippe Rose

One Dirty Cat and One Pretty Zafu

Lucky is a pure white cat, with the pink nose and paws, etc. He came to me as a kitten. 

When he found me on the road his tail was injured. 

I tried to help heal it for him, but we did end up docking it. 

The vet left a stub, which Lucky can use very expressively! I'm grateful for that. 

This photo is what he looks like after he's been outside and found a sunny 

and sandy spot to roll around. He's happy; and I don't care about the floors.

A Very Dirty Lucky

And here is the latest Zafu in a beautiful Blue Linen blend fabric...think Spring!

Times Two

The Gentle Barn and a Miniature Cow named Buddha

To see the story/blog post about the miniature cow named Buddha see:

the Gentle Barn Blog:

The Gentle Barn

(facebook post)

Emergency rescue: This filly was born in South Carolina with a limb deformity that should have been addressed when she was a newborn, but instead she was left to hobble along in pain for a year. The local vet recommended to put her down, but we believe everyone deserves a chance, so instead we found a vet in Kentucky who specializes in this type of surgery in yearlings. 

 We are going to transport her to Kentucky to have surgery so she can run and play, pain free for the first time in her life. Please help us, we cannot do this without you, any donation amount is greatly appreciated! https://www.gentlebarn.org/donate.php

Fun and Kermit the Frog Zipper Cases

Kermit the Frog, Zipper Cases

Fun, Fun!  (thrift store find fabric)

The Watermelon Red zippers came from zipit , an etsy store that I love!

Forsaking all Others, Come unto Me

Crimson Circle

(from facebook)

“So often, Shaumbra, you look in the mirror, you contemplate your body, and it’s really just, in a sense, a byproduct of your ancestors. Not really so much of your choosing, other than the accoutrements that you put on top of it or the way you clothe it. But your body – your physical body – is simple a byproduct of your damn ancestors. Yeah. For better or for worse, you see. What’s happening now as these energies are coming in, for those who are ready, it’s pulling apart, getting you out of that, getting you out of the whole ancestral thing.

Some misunderstand the words that I say. They think that it is about anti-family. Families are great – as long as you didn’t buy into them karmically. As long as you didn’t lose the lottery and end up with certain characteristics. This body should be and can be the byproduct of your own passion, your own soul, and your own choosing. What am I saying by that? I’m saying that with these intense energies coming in, literally you can transform your body, if you choose; the way you look. You can start transforming some of the characteristics.

If you’re not choosing it though, it’s probably not going to happen to as much of a degree. But if you’re saying, “Hey, this is my body; it no longer belongs to this ancestral line. This is my life; it’s not just a byproduct of my past life aspects. This is my mind; it’s not just a byproduct of hypnotic programming. I Am that I Am.” Then, you see, you start literally transforming your body, mind, your identity.”

Adamus
The e2012 Series
SHOUD 10: "The End of Evolution"
June 2012

~~~

When I was a teenager I began hearing "well-intentioned" people say that I "was going to be just like my mother". I didn't like it. But, I believed it. And, even though I rebelled against the thought I did resign myself to it....for awhile. Then, it began to dawn on me from outside sources (books and people) that I might have a choice. And, then I made the choice - for myself. Admittedly, for years I thought that meant doing things opposite from what my mother did. It was war....me against her. Gradually I learned that wasn't it either. What helped me most was just simply getting "the hell out of Dodge"....moving far away from what was known and familiar. The years since have been about looking more closely at the "how" of me...how and why do I do things? And deciding what to keep, and what to lose - asap. We do many things unconsciously. It helps to be around others who live quite differently. To learn and unlearn. Unlearn mostly...until we abide in our Natural State.

p.s. my mother was an undiagnosed Schizophrenic - traits inherited from her parents. I wish I could tell her "it doesn't have to be this way". But she's been gone for a number of years. To a better state, I hope. But, that's between her and herSelf. 

~~~
  Jens Jensons
(from facebook)

Salvation can be thought of as a game that happy children play. It was designed by One Who loves His children, and Who would replace their fearful toys with joyous games, which teach them that the game of fear is gone. His game instructs in happiness because there is no loser. Everyone who plays must win, and in his winning is the gain to everyone ensured. The game of fear is gladly laid aside, when children come to see the benefits salvation brings.

You who have played that you are lost to hope, abandoned by your Father, left alone in terror in a fearful world made mad by sin and guilt; be happy now. That game is over. Now a quiet time has come, in which we put away the toys of guilt, and lock our quaint and childish thoughts of sin forever from the pure and holy minds of Heaven's children and the Son of God.

We pause but for a moment more, to play our final, happy game upon this earth. And then we go to take our rightful place where truth abides and games are meaningless. So is the story ended. Let this day bring the last chapter closer to the world, that everyone may learn the tale he reads of terrifying destiny, defeat of all his hopes, his pitiful defense against a vengeance he can not escape, is but his own deluded fantasy. God's ministers have come to waken him from the dark dreams this story has evoked in his confused, bewildered memory of this distorted tale. God's Son can smile at last, on learning that it is not true.
A Course in Miracles: W-pI.153.12-14

on Finding the Love of Your Life

Deepak Jain

(facebook)

You don’t even love yourself – how can you love somebody else? Love yourself, be good to yourself.

~~~

And your so-called religious saints have been teaching you never to love yourself, never to be good to yourself. Be hard on yourself! They have been teaching you to be soft towards others and hard towards yourself. This is absurd.

~~~

I teach you that the first and foremost thing is to be loving towards yourself. Don’t be hard; be soft. Care about yourself. Learn how to forgive yourself – again and again and again – seven times, seventy-seven times, seven hundred seventy-seven times. Learn how to forgive yourself. Don’t be hard; don’t be antagonistic towards yourself. Then you will flower.

~~~

And in that flowering you will attract some other flower. It is natural. Stones attract stones; flowers attract flowers. Then there is a relationship which has grace, which has beauty, which has a benediction in it. If you can find such a relationship, your relationship will grow into prayerfulness, your love will become an ecstasy, and through love you will know what God is.

 ~osho~

Fabric... How Many Ways do i Love Thee?

Some samples of new fabrics to work with for making various zipper cases...

I love working with drapery/upholstery weight fabrics because they already have enough body.

Fabrics - gotta love 'em! I do!

Like Two Eyeballs Floating in Space

Mooji

Live as though you don't exist; 

like you are two eyeballs floating in space with nothing behind them.

No brain attached. Not even hair - Nothing.

There is a place inside your own heart, 

inside your own being that knows the kind of seemingly foolish things I speak,

 and it is totally thrilled to be reminded of this infinite expanse and infinite joy that it is.

 Find this place.

~ Mooji

4th of February, 2013

 

~~~()~~~

Blue and Tan Floral Linen Zafu

 

 

75 Quail Eggs

75 Fresh Quail Eggs

Too beautiful to eat...seriously.

Black and White

A Baleful and yet very Poetic Smoky

Simple Drama - Lemongrass Sprig

Preparing to Live versus Living

We are very good at preparing to live, but not very good at living. 

We know how to sacrifice ten years for a diploma, and we are willing to work very hard 

to get a job, a car, a house, and so on.
But we have difficulty remembering that we are alive in the present moment, 

the only moment there is for us to be alive.
~ Thich Nhat Hanh 

Doesn't this make you want to smile?

Wisteria Cosmetic Purse

The toothpaste has been squozen...or, the piece of fabric has been cut. 

And, I rather like the end result!

As luck would have it I found one fuchsia zipper in my zipper box.

Transcending the Laws of time...

"What I seek today transcends all laws of time
and things perceived in time." (WB-346.1.4)

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©2013 Foundation for Inner Peace | PO Box 598 | Mill Valley, CA | 94942-0598

Featuring Zardenia, and the Lucky Seven

We're a family of seven...a family of "lucky 7"...five children who keep us SO BUSY! We are homeschoolers, but would not consider ourselves "traditional" homeschoolers. Homeschooling works for our family at this point in time. We work hard - really hard, to do the absolute best we can with  and for our children. Our three etsy shops are helping us show our children the beauty as well as the ups and downs of entrepreneurship. Some days they teach us more than we teach them. We learn from our children and grow with them daily.

Portrait of  "The Lucky Seven"

As a husband and wife team, we run our Etsy shops out of our home studio.  ZARDENIA  initially opened in March 2010, and featured the handcrafted jewelry created by the MRS of the ZARDENIA duo.

The "Mrs." - Emine, and two daughters

 Later that same year in November, we included jewelry supplies, findings and cabochons in our store inventory. We hope you will find some great supplies for your jewelry making needs. We still offer our jewelry, lovingly created by us. We also hope that our jewelry will also provide inspiration for your creativity.

Rose Brooch Pin

 At  FiveEtsyJewelry, we are committed to providing fashionable jewelry at affordable prices, hence our motto, "Let our passion be your fashion". Our goal is to provide great jewelry pieces, that we meticulously create at affordable prices. All of the jewelry in our shop are items that I (Mrs. Emine) lovingly create,  and that I would wear. I always look for the best supplies, and create the pieces with great energy and pride. As my fashion sense is always evolving, you will see an ever expanding variety of styles.

Bridge over Water Lilies Pendant Necklace

Washi Tape

 The name of our shop, Hazal's Bazaar is inspired by one of our daughters' names, and we take pride in cutting out lovely shapes of paper for your crafting and design needs. Hazal's Bazaar is a fun place for some of your paper crafting needs!

Another Cosmetic Pouch or Pencil Case

Another one - well actually, two alike but anyhoo....and now that fabric is used up. The Roses fabric was a Goodwill find. It was a Valance with white ruffled lace trim, and looked new. I must admit, taking out the seams took a lot longer than I anticipated. Ripping is not one of my favorite things to do - especially not black thread.

Zipper Pencil Case

Introducing my first zippered pencil case.

Mint Green Polka Dots & Victorian Roses

Reverse Side

Lined Interior

 It is machine quilted, and is lined. 

Measurements: 8" L. x 4.5" H" All cotton material and nylon zipper.

I think this one would be a great gift for a teenage student, or even adults.

Early morning sunshine through the kitchen window curtain