good karma blogging

one of the best things for me about blogging is the conversations, the connections that can be made, if you are up for it--open to it. i love the sharing of thoughts and ideas--that by writing and reading we all find our place, that we know we are not alone and that we belong to something bigger. (phew....i'll step off the soap-box now, keeping it handy--as i like the view from there)

this week i received a note from a dear old friend. alright, she's not old. she's young. we are the same age in my mind--you know how that goes. ;) she wanted the low-down on how to blog. and she asked me. i laughed out loud too.

the thing is, there are many ways to blog or journal.
i only know, my way. the way the works for me.

but, truly i'd love some help on how to do *linky parties*.
alright, i'd like to know what the heck *linky parties* are.

i'd like to do less trial and error--though i rock the error part.

i'd like to know where you all learn how to do stuff on your blog.

collage pictures? i'd like to know.

signing your name in a funky font? i'd like to know.

i'd like to know how to do the fancy stuff.

i'm wingin' it. flying by the seat of my pants. it's how i usually roll.

did you know there are not too many *how to blog* books? i need more blogging books. and i need pictures.

this is the only book that so far has helped me along: "blogging for bliss" by tara frey, it's my blogging bible. or my blogging cliff notes. yep, my blogging cliff notes.

what's helped you....would you share your resources? thanks--know that what comes around, goes around. :)




love and light and good karma
deborah

a little apple love

here's a little valentine for you from me....well, not exactly.

it is past valentine's day. and this isn't my photo. i didn't take it. wouldn't even know how to get the letters onto the picture. yes, i know it's some digital help.

i stumbled upon it a few days ago. it called out to me. how could it not? :)

i knew i wanted to use it in someway.

found it on flickr.com. i asked permission to use the photo here, on my blog.

it was super easy.

asking is easy. being alright with the outcome is easy.

you know what isn't so easy. having your words, photos, art, music....the list goes on.....taken.

i'm sure that it doesn't feel criminal to take a little photo here or there, but it is stealing. so just ask.

you know what? i've never been turned down. on top of that, i have found some wonderful new bloggers and photographers. everybody wins. everyone should be recognized for their work. period.

so here's a little valentine from apples in wonderland and jodi from living life photographically. hop on over there and tell her, i sent you.



hugs and kisses, love and light
deborah

what i asked for....

i have a confession: this weekend i made my first turkey dinner--complete with dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy. yep, my very first. ever.

when dreaming about christmas this year and my intentions for the holidays, i realized that i truly have everything i could ever want, materially. perhaps, even more than i really want. new gadgets don't make my skirt fly up or curl my toes in the way they to do for some people. and i have plenty of sweaters. however, what i did want was time with those that mean the very most to me--those relationships and doing things--making memories that will last a lifetime.

so after r's basketball game (which they won in double overtime....phew, that was exciting!!!!) my folks headed back to our house. they were coming to teach and supervise their turkey making recipe and methods (tent-foil steam roasted, just like my grandparents used to do. i swear, my dad looked so much like my grandpa folding the aluminum foil so precisely--very engineer-like). i followed all directions. with hardly any back-talk;) really--you measure the celery and onions? really? this much butta'?

r played board games with my folks and won *legitimately*--says my dad, while big red and i hand-washed the china.

what a fun and sweet and lovely night. we also decorated one gingerbread house and made two kinds of cookies. alright, the cookies were from an envelope mix--because really the fun is in the rolling out, shape making and decorating. well--b says it's in the *eating*.


later we caught the last hour of "it's a wonderful life". and, you know, it really is.


best
deborah