Wings to Fly

How will I change things?

                                          

I am sometimes a shadow of myself

and afraid to let myself soar... 

 Will I fly away like a bird  so high  above..

because flying away is a great way to escape all those

negative feelings and I can think of many ways to fly

away...I’m good at that.

all art work by Giuesppe de Piero

The holidays always make me feel so blue,  so lonely, so adrift...Families gather, but
mine is faraway in miles and in my heart, and it feels as if it is about to explode into a million
fragments...my emotions are on the surface and the ones that are buried or that I thought were
buried come forth with a vengeance.  And I feel as fragile as a tiny hummingbird with broken
wing gasping for its last breath while it lays in the palm of my hand...



But then a new year approaches...and my thoughts change to how can I make things better..

            

On coming to a close of the year 2010, I pause and look at me and what I’ve become...I have
changed...I am different and I like it.   It’s taken me long enough but I think that at last I can say
“I love you” and mean it.  And although there are many things that I could change and possibly should
change in my personality, there are loads of things I like too...and these are the very things I plan on
focusing on in this new year that is approaching.    I want to be honest and open...kinder and gentler...
quieter...eliminate false fears, don’t let negative thinking cloud my vision,  work for things I want and
naysayers be damned...Shedding old skin is good...healing, cleansing, rejuvenating...still authentic but  not being afraid to show who I am, warts and all.   Watch me cry...see me laugh...let me put my foot in my mouth one more time.  And when I do make a bad, let me learn from it and not instead isolate in my
shell smouldering with anger or hurt and pain.     I can’t change just to please you,  but I might change to please myself.

Christmas Eve 2010

WISHING YOU ALL A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS...

A BREAK IN THE RAIN...


         AND A FEW PHOTOS OF MY CAMILLIAS

         
AND A CHANCE TO SAY THANK YOU, TO ALL OF YOU, FOR GIVING ME SO MUCH
THIS PAST YEAR.    THE GIFT OF LEARNING MORE ABOUT MYSELF AND PASSING 
ON SO MUCH INSPIRATION... 

                        


THE RAIN HAS STOPPED FOR NOW AND THE CRYSTALS IN MY WINDOWS ARE CASTING
RAINBOWS THROUGHOUT  THE HOUSE...AND THE SKY IS A BEAUTIFUL, CLEAR BLUE...
for now...   LOOKS LIKE MORE RAIN HEADED OUR WAY


THIS WILL BE A STELLAR YEAR FOR THE POPPIES, THE PERSIMMONS AND THE LITTLE
APPLE TREES.   


                          

JUST TRYING TO STAY DRY!!!

The rain has hit Southern California with a vengence!    One day there is not enough rain and we
are in the middle of a drought and next thing you know we are experiencing torrential downpours
for 4 non-stop days with more in sight.  Princess and Ginger and I are lucky
enough to be able to stay home with a fire a blazing.  Poor Mr.Beatnheart is out there
working and driving the 50 mile round trip to his shop in Los Angeles.



This is like real winter!              and boy we are not used to it!       and we’re all getting kinda grouchy..

Ginger lookin kinda grouchy...

                                    
                         LIFE IS SWEET AND I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR A WARM,DRY HOUSE,
and without any doubt the fireplace in my bedroom.  I hope all of you are having
a safe and sane week without too much stress and worry.      Cynthia


  






DON’T FORGET...I’M CLOSING DOWN THE BOUTIQUE...SOME THINGS ARE STILL AVAILABLE SO DON’T HESITATE TO EMAIL ME !  

My First Apple Crop...

SOMETIMES IT’S THE SIMPLE THINGS IN LIFE
THAT MAKE YOU SMILE OR CLAP YOUR
HANDS TOGETHER LIKE A LITTLE CHILD.




Today, on this rainy, cold, California day
we picked our first crop of apples from our
tiny, gallon container, Granny Smith apple tree.


Tonight, we’ll celebrate 
with a bottle of
Trader Joe’s Finest Red
a wedge of French Brie
and a fresh Baguette...


and call it dinner.




Because it’s the little things.


the breaking of bread


the laughter of friends


or a tiny seed that becomes a tree
that produces such beautiful, edible things
that sustain and nurture us.


HOW WILL YOU CELEBRATE TODAY?

Hot, Sexy, Men!

Naaaaa....Shameless, Self Promotion!

oh, I’m bad...

but I think you get my sense of humor...

I still have a few of these available...

so check out the Boutique...cause these

are the last days and I’m closing the shop...

and moving on to new and better things.

well that’s the plan anyhow..

 So get gifts from the (Beatn)heart...

Or shop from your favorite Etsy dealers...

Many are on my sidebar...

support these talented shop keepers/ artists 

and buy your gifts from us little guys.

Peace, Love and Prosperity to Us All..

Warm Wishes,   Cynthia

Winter in my Garden...

                                    

full of pride for my long stem beauties...I never thought a girl from
Wisconsin could grow something like this...

 African daisies...

In the back garden a massive vine of Powder Puffs..

full o hummingbirds...planted?  who knows

40 years or so ago...

 A MALLOW BUSH RESIDES IN THE FRONT GARDEN

and the bees and hummingbirds are so glad it does.

succulent succulents

 I love combining succulents in unusual ways and 

putting them in different and unique containers.

This always helps to sell the container too.

rosemary is flowering again.

 MY ROSE ARBOUR...5 YEARS IN THE MAKING...who

would have thought that a CECILE BRUNNER ROSE IN A

ONE GALLON POT WOULD TURN INTO THIS...CERTAINLY

NOT MOI...

A four year old Brugmansia next to

one of English Husbands sculptures...

                                          

 Have a beautiful December...AND STAY WARM WHERE
EVER YOU LIVE.   COZY UP AND ENJOY THIS BEAUTIFUL.
MAGICAL TIME OF THE YEAR....


 Cynthia at Beatnheart

AND THE WINNER IS:

                  THE WINNER IS DEBORAH AT “COLLAGE WHIRL”..


  Send me your address Deborah and I’ll mail this out to you on Monday...

Beatn(heart) felt thanks to all of you who entered and especially those who took the exta time
to post the giveaway on your blog (Deborah happened to be one of those people)...your generosity
means so much to me...

The 50% off sale is still on in the Boutique until Dec. 23rd...soooo
 come on by and buy.

Cynthia  xxx

GIVEAWAY...LAST DAY

 

                                          TODAY’S THE LAST DAY TO ENTER.... THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU FOR SUCH A WONDERFUL RESPONSE!

What do I have to do, you might be asking yourself???

well there’s always something, isn’t there...

Visit THE BEATNHEART BOUTIQUE  next door, take a look at  THE 50% OFF SALE  and then come back here and leave a comment...That’s one chance.


 BECOME A FOLLOWER on this blog or if you are already a follower, that's another chance.

POST THE GIVEAWAY  on your blog and you get another chance.

  THAT GIVES YOU THREE CHANCES TO WIN...
                                  
                                

  It is made from a Smokey Quartz crystal which is said to bring clarity to your thinking.  Well who couldn’t use some of that!!   It also helps to transfer negative energy and helps you to obtain your dreams and goals.  I’m wearing one right now and look at me!  It is a gentle grounding stone that instills balance and harmony.

I have used copper chain, Czech crystals and a hand hammered rings.  It is a long length that slips over your head.

I AM MOVING ON TO DIFFERENT THINGS SO I AM OFFERING  ITEMS FROM THE BOUTIQUE AT  A HUGE DISCOUNT....    


                                                                                             So do your shopping here...buy handmade and made in sunny, southern California in the USA...If not from me then from all the other talented bloggers out there and etsy shop owners and help support the work that comes from our hands and our (beatn)hearts. something unique and personal.
Some wonderful and talented souls can be found on my sidebar ...my “SWEET INSPIRATIONS’ ... make their day and buy a gift from them.  

hard at work at my kitchen table.

The Drawing of THE WINNER will be on  Friday DECEMBER 10th.....

MY FAVORITE BLACK FELT HAT WILL BE FILLED TO THE BRIM WITH ALL
YOUR NAMES(some of you times three) I wish you could all win...That’s how special
you have been to me....

IMAGINE...

                All the people, living life in Peace...
  I hope someday you’ll join us... and the world will live as one...
                       
                                                                           picci taken by Beatnheart off the telly.

IS THIS MY BEATNHEART??

  

This is the time of year to reflect on all that you have done, what you can do to improve it, and how to
make the new year a beginning of a fresh start and a chance to make things better.

  I want my life to be new and improved and  to get rid of the old and things that don’t work for me
anymore...to examine and reflect...

 Christmas feels different to me this year.  Usually I look at it as a sad and lonely time...
a time that makes me miss having a family that is close and although that is still true I
feel a sense of maturity and growth in myself and upon closer examination, I realize this
has happened in part because of this blog....


    I love being a part of this community of women ( and a few brave men) who are doers, who are active and doing
worthwhile things and are walking the walk while they are talking the talk...

        I’M TALKING ABOUT YOU.  

 Those of you who have shared with me and made me feel less lonely...and the
courage and bravery of many of you as you roughed tough seas and made it through triumphantly.


i celebrate and salute you.....and thank you 


Don’t forget THE GIVEAWAY...You have until this Friday, Dec 10th  when I announce the winner.

THANKS SO MUCH FOR MAKING all of this THIS SO MUCH FUN...  Cynthia

I’ve Just Joined A New Band...

 our first publicity photo...fab, gear.

I think we’ll go far...

he’s secretly in love with me...

Even though I’m A Loser, Paul said “When I saw her Standing There”, I just

knew she was perfect for the band. They were holding auditions on Penny Lane

and I  just came walking in looking  a bit like I had a Hard Days Night but when I

played and sang with them it just clicked, magical, meant to be..  But “She’s a Woman”
Ringo cried, we can’t have a bird in The Beatles.!!  John said “Woman” please let
me explain and I said “Help” i need an aspirin.  Paul said “I Want to Tell You” that I
“Got to Get you into My Life”....”Please, please Me”, I cried...In My Life I have
waited and waited for this.   “Wait” no more John bellowed...Your In luv..

Oh Darling!  I gasped.  I know that “Something” big is going to happen with this band.  “Girl” crooned Paul,  Abbey Road is waiting for you.  and so the rest is history..Good Night and The End...

The entire Beatles catalog has just been released on iTunes...It’s time

to revisit the soundtrack of my teen years and the fab moptops that

helped shape me. I was Beatle crazy from day one, got to see them in person
twice, from this day still know all the words, and enjoy playing their songs
on my Uke.  I love The Beatles and always will.

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

The Art Museum, designed by Santiago Calatrava in l994.....Beyond wonderful.

Fantastic....A big white sailing bird on the shores of Lake Michigan.

The roof has flaps that open and close at noon.   

crossing over the bridge to the museum..Lake Michigan is in the back.

The “Seventh Ward”...upscale, trendy, fun..A former factory area on the Milwaukee River

turned into Lofts, shopping and great restaurants.

The old and the new emerge into one.

A glorious turn of the century (20th that is) building....

Spectacular...

Wonderful old buildings....

column detail...

Fabulous Food Hall and restaurants housed in

an old building.

The Electric Company door detail.

River front walkway... Factory turned into Lofts...

Location, location, location....

Glorious old churches.... 

Light fixture detail...

Bronze doorway detail...a mini tile mosaic

..thankfully many old buildings were not torn down.

I took loads of pictures that day.  Milwaukee is a beautiful, fun city with lots to do

and full of old world beauty, charm and grace.   This, mixed in with a lively, modern, urban

side,  makes it a fun place to visit .   

An enclosed walkway for those blustery winter days.

Fortunately for me, I didn’t have to use that...

What would Milwaukee be without the beer that made it famous...

A funky entrance....

Beautiful old buildings at every corner....