Fireside I
It is to the Village Square that the townspeople come to exchange views and thoughts on their beloved spiritual philosophy, learning from each other in kindness and wisdom. Then when their minds have been filled, they retire to the tavern on the western side of the square where they share in social discussion, learning of each other’s events and challenges, happinesses and sometimes sadnesses, too. With a mug or glass in hand, they collect in front of the great Fireplace that dominates the long wall. Benches and chairs are often filled on market day with those who have come from farther away, bringing news of events and views the local people delight in hearing.
If you are feeling disoriented by all the philosophical talk by the fountain in the Village Square, then come sit down on the bench here with us for a while just to soothe your mind and share a mug of tea or coffee. Let’s all make sure the conversation is quiet and simple, caring and thougtful, exactly the kind of talk you might have around a warm hearth, the only light filling the room coming from the fireplace.
Pam, we are here in real time together now, yayy – and I am going to bed
natti everyone
and anil, who I haven’t seen today
Natti Nina
Nina dear –
Just to say Hi and good night (:
off to catch my flight, typing with one hand, biz call in the other hand (:
ciao, everyone,
a
hi everyone (:
back again. 8 minutes to boarding time (i’m through security), so what better way than to use this internet terminal at the airport and spend some time at the Village (:
(wife is fast asleep – at least hope she is, she’s getting so large now, that she’s finding it uncomfortable, and yesterday, i could finally see things through her eyes – two more months seems like a long time to wait !! ):
oh well, last night lots of forgiveness opportunities, but won’t bore you all with them, but Katrina – hey, so nice to be reminded of Bill (with your comment on rainbow-colored Course books)… anytime a thought of him arises in my mind, i’m instantly happier. wish i could have met him, but i got to the US in 88 (and never even had heard of the course then, so really a long shot to feel like i wished i met him) he passed away in 88 july, a clean three months before i arrived in connecticut.
oh well 🙂
still fun thinking of him, so thanks for that thought, Katrina – and as Douglas Adams may say, so long and thanks for all the fish (:
love ya all,
a
Coming really fast to drink a cup of tea and saying hello to all here, I don´t know how much time my internet is going to be reliable today.
Lots of hugs and much love,
Lisi
And in nice big friendly lettering were the words “Don’t Panic” I got my towel, how ’bout you guys?
Hey, Anil, so glad you could pop in like this from the airport. I guess it must be nice to know there’s a family you can check in on any time, night or day! It’s so funny to get your busy international news. My big trip of the day is heading down the road five minutes to the village to get bread! But I check in here as well just before going!
Loved the thought of Winnie with her umbrella. I could really imagine God taking revenge on me by sending down a pack of his dark angels. The imagery is great. So glad it’s just imagery.
Anil,(and anybody who loves a good laugh) about Douglas Adams – my daughter found his little “The meaning of Liff) on a flee-market,,he and his co-author John Lloyd writes in the intro:
“…the world is littered with thousand of spare words which spend their time doing nothing but loafing about on signposts pointing at places. -Our job, as we see it, is to get these words down off the signposts and into the mouths of babies and sucklings and so on, where they can start earning their keep in everyday conversation and make a more positive contribution to society.”
And then the book is filled with names on signs alphabetically -and Adams and Loyds hilarious explanations.
Just thought I’d share a couple for laughs:
Burleston: That peculiarly tuneless humming and whistling adopted by people who are extremely angry.
Hastings: Things said on the spur of the moment to explain to someone who comes into a room unexpectedly precisely what it is you are doing.
Haugham: One who loudly informs other diners in a restaurant what kind of a man he is by calling for the chef by his christian name from the lobby
Dear Friends, it’s been a while again since I gave you a “life-sign” from my quiet corner !
Today I read Anils text from October 18th and it is so beautiful ! Thank you ! I think I have to print it out and put it in my book of important quotes !
I think you have been discussing Rumi and Nisargadatta as well lately and I love them both and thanks to the Course I feel I now can understand much better what they are saying!
BIG HUG to each and everyone of you and thanks once more for your ponderings !
Hedda dear,good to have you around again.
Nice to see you popping by, Hedda! Hope it’s not too cold up there in Finland. Keep your blue book close to keep you warm inside.
Hi Hedda! I just brought in some mulled cider and cranberry muffins for everyone.
I’ve been thinking about Winnie’s plover story(1148) and how here in Nebraska we have a different type of plover. They are small, brown and white, don’t hang out in groups and will fake an injury to lure you away from the nest. It is a lie. They, like I, make up a lie which we think will prevent an attack on what we think is important. The attack isn’t real; the injury isn’t real.
Hi Hedda, really nice to see your here again at the Fireplace. Good time to arrive, just look at the cranberry muffins and mulled cider Pam just brought. Thanks Pam, now these muffins are my favorites.
Lots of hugs to all,
Lisi
Hi, Hedda! Love your pondering and hugs…think you are very much like everyone here. Sameness is good!
Nina is on a humor roll (See post in Village, too). Funny post about the words on signage…keep it coming…I am so enjoying this!
Pam, is the prairie plover a symbol? When Love comes near, it protects its mind by distracting with fake injury?
Okay…advice needed…I am jealous of Annie (jealousy is attack) for going
to the Maria Shriver gig. I’m never jealous for the reason I think?
Can I just laugh again at Nina’s funnies?
Anil and pam – I swear, for the past 20 years, I have a towel with me at all times. It’s supported me thru motherhood, and now into grandmotherhood. It may be a symbol of the Holy Spirit, it does often convey Love. .Nice how Spirit can hitch a ride into your mind thru little snippets of fiction, symbols in your memory.
Great to see you here, Hedda. Welcome! I, too, love to see the heart of the Course coming thru other beliefs. You can see the Love extending, even when elements of the lore are different.
I’ve been having some away-from-the-computer days. Need to catch up reading. . .
Winnie – very scarey plovers. really good story. delightful lingo, and fun to feel like I’m rattling my brolly with you. And, wow, ripe strawberries in late October. hee, hee. It’s like the whole world is MINE!!
Hi Hedda – I like feeling your presence with us. The image of your picture with Ken immediatley comes to mind when I see your name here. And of course, Finland, so exotic, so cool and beautiful, and so far from me in Hong Kong today, adds to the charm (:
Bernard bro – it is nice to be able to check-in to our home here, at any time of day and night, and find the sweet murmurings of our friends, and Nina – who’d have thunk that you’re a Douglas Adams fan (: – he is so witty, isn’t he ? So glad that you’re having a happy day today, and Assisi sounds like a great voyage –
I think I’m getting influenced by Annie in my mind – I now Google a lot (: – speaking of which, Laura, if you hitch a ride with Annie and her boss, you’ll get to experience the Shriver event, and meet lovely Annie at the same time – a double-combo that can’t be beat…. (:
And oh, before i forget, a warm welcome to Robert – look forward to hearing from you in the days ahead.
Cheers, everybody.
a
ps. Winnie – your post on babies inspired some thoughts in me, and i’ll write them out at a more peaceful time. now i must head straight to the bank, and sort out some routine paperwork, before i catch another flight tonight.
love,
a
Hello Hedda lovely to see you !
Mulled cider aye Pam ? You have been busy in the Tavern today. I must have been a tad over-dramatic…there wasnt a whole gang of plovers, just the parents.
Anil what an exciting life you lead dashing hither and thither oh by the way… I`m a bit confused about what to call you these days.. I dont know if you want to be called -> a .. ? since this is how you are signing in.. I did try it over at the Village Square and felt it got lost …..
hugs to you dear Katrina, but they were raspberries not strawberries and it is Spring over here so everything is blooming.
This is a great line Nina -> “the world is littered with thousand of spare words which spend their time doing nothing but loafing about” …hehe
Hope your internet problemo is sorted out Lisi
big hugs to all the beloved villagers xoxox
darling winnie –
a is good (: i like that you (and a few others do that). (but, i also like those who continue with the the full-form (: – i’m planning another modification to the name, but i digress…..(i think i kinda understand the whole ‘prince’/’the artist formerly known as prince’ story that i came across so many years ago.
your post in the Square did get me attention, dear one. that’s the baby post that i was referring to (above), and that i’m planning on writing something up on.
i kinda feel the words brewing within me, but it’s not ready to be put down yet – just some fragments of phrases, blowing hither and thither, in my mind that are slowly coalescing into something of meaning perhaps ? (:
nice break this – now back to the phone calls, and con-calls that pay the bills (:
love,
a
Good Morning, everyone. Sipping espresso with you, Annie, while the sky brightens after our couple days of welcome rain. Hope that Maria has you all empowered today. Don’t you think when you have a chance to do something out of the ordinary, and the opposite feels kind of tiring, it’s HS offering you energy. Hugs, katrina
Thank You everyone for your nice,warm words ! It’s late here in Finland now so I will give you a bedtime quote:
“Strange that you should not have suspected years ago, centuries-, ages-, eons ago ! for you have existed companionless trough all the eternities.
Strange, indeed, that you should not have suspected that your universe and its contents were only dreams,visions, fiction ! Strange because they are so frankly, and hysterically insane- like all dreams : a God who could make good children as easily as bad, yet preffered to make bad ones; who could have made every one of them happy, yet never made a single happy one….” Mark Twain; The Mysterious Stranger.
So Dear fellow travellers in dreams, thank God that we have the Course ! Love you; Hedda
Hedda, what a wonderful quote, thanks!!!
Warm hugs to our Finland´s friend,
Much love, Lisi
hugs a … We await patiently for your words about babes to stop dithering thither and come over hither…. {tee hee}
Hedda I am so glad you gave us that quote… it is awesome !
Strange indeed that we never suspected ….
And yet not so strange now that we know we had such a huge investment in remaining ignorant…
big hugs to everyone xxoxo
Bernard…I just noticed something…the background behind the posting scroll…the beige and white repeated pattern. I see it today as a warm blanket. Interesting not noticed before but now is a warm blanket? Perhaps the child needs a nap? 🙂
Hedda thank you for the Mark Twain quote. I have read it and reread it and then went to Wikipedia and found an expanded version and the history on the book(s) and it was unfinished when he died, with three versions. It sinks a little deeper with each reading. I feel things loosening and shifting. Then I go and read in the Course and it expands some more also. Wow!
♥♥♥♪♫♥♥♥♫♪♥♥♥♪♫♥♥♥{{{{{BERNARD}}}}}♥♥♥♪♫♥♥♥♫♪♥♥♥♪♫♥♥♥
♥♥♥♪♫♥♥♥♫♪♥♥♥♪♫♥♥♥A MOST FANTABULOUS HAPPY BIRTHDAY♥♥♥♪♫♥♥♥♫♪♥♥♥♪♫♥♥♥
Jumping on the Imaginarium Capabilites Float you invited into our Village
holding hands with a and the others who have discovered this most exciting ♥♥♥♪♫♥♥♥♫♪♥♥♥♪♫♥♥♥♥♥♥♪♫♥♥♥♫♪♥♥♥♪♫CELEBRATION♥♥♥♪♫♥♥♥♫♪♥♥♥♪♫♥♥♥♥♥♥♪♫♥♥♥♫♪♥♥♥♪
we all see and feel ourselves at one in our joy after our morning walk in
♥♥♥♪♫♥♥♥♫♪♥♥♥♪♫♥♥♥♥♥♥♪♫♥♥♥♫♪♥♥♥♪♫YELLOWSTONE♥♥♥♪♫♥♥♥♫♪♥♥♥♪♫♥♥♥♥♥♥♪♫♥♥♥♫♪♥♥♥♪ below is the copy of Rebecca Nile’s prayer I promised to post that most
♥♥♥♪♫♥♥♥♫♪♥♥♥♪♫♥♥♥WONDERFUL AND SPECIAL DAY♥♥♥♪♫♥♥♥♫♪♥♥♥♪♫♥♥♥
I’M SO HAPPY NO ONE MISSED THE PARTY AND THAT YOU LOVE THE YUMMYIEST ♥♥♥♪♫♥♥♥♫♪♥♥♥♪♫♥♥♥♥♥♥♪♫♥♥♥♫♪♥♥♥♪♫♥♥♥PIES♥♥♥♪♫♥♥♥♫♪♥♥♥♪♫♥♥♥♥♥♥♪♫♥♥♥♫♪♥♥♥♪♫♥♥♥ Rebecca is known througout Marin County as the Bubble Lady
She does Amazing Bubble shows in Imaginitive Costumes with Love and Laughs
she sent this poem to Jamie when we were all Monklings together
Holy Spirit, take my hand, guide me home I pray.
You’re the Light within that shines,
You’re what I choose this day.
Holy Spirit with Your help, I know I can forgive,
My world, my brothers and my self
Embraced in Love, I’ll live.
Holy Spirit tickle me when it seems I have forgot,
And start believing something’s wrong,
and think that I AM naught.
Holy Spirit, be my eyes, teach me how to see.
With true Vision, I will know,
I put my trust in Thee.
Holy Spirit strip away, illusions and the past.
Reveal to me, just what I am,
I’m tired of the mask.
Holy Spirit the Truth you serve is all I want to taste,
Temptation willingly I give,
no sacrifice, just waste.
Holy Spirit look with me, and there’s nothing I’ll hold back.
Released from hell, I feel at Peace
No fear, no guilt, no lack.
Holy Spirit you’re the Bridge to where I do reside.
No more to seek, I’m Home at last,
in God, where I abide.
FYI.I centered this all as it looked so pretty that way, but it didn’t take
{{{Hi Hedda in Finland}}}
Lovely to meet you and read your Twain offerings…really liked it.
Plovers Diving and Raspberry tasting Winnie
will look to find our new matey Charles’ post
Hedda, what a fabulous quote! I never knew Mark Twain was a real metaphysician.
Laura, that blanket effect just snuck in there, perhaps just for you.
Michele, I’m so glad you liked our day outing to Yellowstone. You brought along the delicious heart-shaped walnut and apple and brown sugar pie – many thanks! And the music you provided as we were strolling back down the hill – I didn’t know you could sing like that! Thanks also for the lovely poem. We all enjoyed it as we sat on the terrace of our Tavern after a long day and enjoyed the evening quiet as it settled around us, listening to the fountain as it played its melodious water song for us.
Hedda, Thank you for the Twain contribution! As Pam said, it gets deeper & deeper each time I read it….ever reminding me not to take myself so darned seriously.
Twain: i ordered that book
Morning my sweet worldly neighbors. Lots of great ponderings in the Village these days and Michele as always I love how you sprinkle your posts with endearing symbols. You are so generous, as if there is an endless supply of love; what a concept !!!!!
katrina my morning expresso brew has been extra strong these days and you are so right about the opposite offering me some energy. At first the crowds at the convention had me second guess what I said yes to (14,000 women given large metallic shopping bags at the door to collect all the freebees being offered by 330 vendors). Consumer Consumption was in the air and it took me some time to forgive it. I am not the typical female. I find no pleasure in shopping; don’t get me wrong I like a good deal. I just want it to find me I don’t like searching for it. I dislike crowds especially when 95% are made up of females, ( I’d rather hang with the boys) I only wear make up when I go to work and even then I skip it sometimes.
The basis/intention of the event did hold true to the concept of empowerment and I did sense it wasn’t all about the fluff. Maria Shriver has used her platform as the First Lady of California to create a wonderful template of creating a healthy society by empowering the female. I was happy I was given the opportunity to get an inside glimpse, apparently the event sells out each year (this was the third year). I don’t however feel the need to go again (translate: I would never pay money to be herded like cattle) Bells and whistles are nice and its interesting how now when I don’t care so much about these things I’m being given invitations to them. I would much rather be reporting from Temecula. Speaking of free bees Ken should offer some door prizes at the Foundation for all the seminar participants…purse string bags filled with oodles of nothingness…so apropo. (:
Hugs to all my buddies and a little rub and pat to Shobha’s tummy for our Baby Boy.
Annie, what a pleasure to have you here at the fireplace. Miss my daily coffee with you. Oh, but you were a busy woman for the past days. Thanks Annie for the report. You made me laugh, and laugh and in this moment, I feel I am laughing at the tiny, mad idea. Really healing listening to you.
A huge hug and much love,
Lisi
Holy Spirit, take my hand, guide me home I pray.
You’re the Light within that shines,
You’re what I choose this day.
Holy Spirit with Your help, I know I can forgive,
My world, my brothers and my self
Embraced in Love, I’ll live.
Holy Spirit tickle me when it seems I have forgot,
And start believing something’s wrong,
and think that I AM naught.
Holy Spirit, be my eyes, teach me how to see.
With true Vision, I will know,
I put my trust in Thee.
Holy Spirit strip away, illusions and the past.
Reveal to me, just what I am,
I’m tired of the mask.
Holy Spirit the Truth you serve is all I want to taste,
Temptation willingly I give,
no sacrifice, just waste.
Holy Spirit look with me, and there’s nothing I’ll hold back.
Released from hell, I feel at Peace
No fear, no guilt, no lack.
Holy Spirit you’re the Bridge to where I do reside.
No more to seek, I’m Home at last,
in God, where I abide.
Good morning everyone
Thanks for the report Annie. I cant imagine how you do all the things you do. I think you should wear your underpants on the outside…. you know like Superman….It`s so nice to have a cuppa with you…. and you`re right, our Michele has such a big loving heart….
hugs to all xoxoox
Thank you for the prayer Michele.
As I was drinking up those words I noticed my teeth were
clentched. It kinda shocked me! I know I have been uptight lately. But clentched teeth?
Where is this reisistance coming from? My first thought after that was I hope Michele is
ok, sounds like she’s calling for reinforcements. That’s when it hit me, after I wrote the
first line to Thank you, I wrote are you doing ok? I had to delete that cuz I realized its
my own heaviness projected all over this. Well at least I hope so…and do share your
state of mind cuz now I’m curious. I often pick up on other peoples emotions and can
not differentiate them from my own. This has caused me much confusion in my life.
Not feeling confident enough to wear my underpants on the outside today (: But maybe
that is the trick…to dress for success. I could get away with it this weekend being
Halloween and all. Oh Winnie thanks for the laugh…it really does dispell the seriousness.
And to my Lisi, sorry I haven’t called or written to let you know of my drinking coffee
on the go these days. It doesn’t taste the same from a cardboard cup. The smooth lip of
a ceramic mug adds so much to the pleasure of drinking java. Not to mention the leisure
pace of sitting with you watching the morning sky change. I will slow down this Sunday
and look forward to sipping and talking on our next Skype session.(:
Hugs Annie
p.s. Driving down to LAX tonight to grab dinner with Winnie’s son. He’s been tootling around the State of California and I wasn’t able to hook up with him sooner.
Saturday official ‘underpants on the outside’ day – who’s game?
Annie, I do hope things settle down for you. We’ve missed your banter in the Tavern early of a morning. We get by, o’ course, we put on a nice radio station and help ourselves to a number of good hot steaming drinks and watch the mist dissipate before a warm morning sun. But it’s much nicer when you have the time to stop by. Have a great time with the lad from Down Under!
Thanks for the inspiring poem, Michele. Lovely.
Announcing the 31st October, Sunday Fireside Get-together on the home page. Bring your wisdom and good humor!
It´s going to be great to have coffee with you on Sunday Annie, and of course, with all of you guys. See you on Sunday.
Michele, thanks for the beautiful poem. You are really so loving.
Lots of hugs to all,
Lisi
Good morning everyone… and such a lovely one over here but my first thought this morning is that today my beloved youngest will be with our Annie – how cool is that? I`m all overcome at the thought.
big hugs to everyone !
Hi Everyone oh! Love your new gravatar Bernard
Yes Annie…I am OK and liked your funny commentary bout the convention. I’m glad ya’ll enjoyed my friend Rebecca Nile’s prayer. No one was commenting on it before and I realized it was at the bottom of my long Happy Birthday post to Bernard so I thought I’d put it up in easy reach so to speak.
Say Winnie…I woulda loved to see your son too! was he in northern CA? Can’t wait to hear about him from Annie. btw when i type within this site my typing shows up so so slow…does that happen to anyone else
Sounds like somebody needs some hugs up in here!
*hugs*
Up in here! For you, and you, and you, and especially you!
*hugs!*
Oh Anne thank you for the hugs and right back at you beautiful lady !
Yes Bernard you look most handsome in your lovely new portrait hanging in the mayoral hall.
Michele, I dont think he was planning on going near San Francisco…….
It`s funny to think he had dinner with Annie tonight, yet he left yesterday and arrives tomorrow ..tee hee
Well i`ve just baked some shallot and cheese muffins …too bad i forgot the corn but i hope you like them anyhow…xoxoxo
Michele re 1191 The typing is real slow. It started about 3 weeks ago. I thought it was just my computer beings it is so very, very old. I am typing whole sentences and then stopping and waiting five to eight seconds for it to appear on the screen.
ohh yummy! Muffins. And yes , Bernards new avatar looks good. Thanks for the hug Anne.
Yay !! (:
Tomorrow is Yay Day – looking forward to the Fireside Friendship Talks (:
‘night all –
a
ps.. Annie – Baby Boy got your tap on Mama’s belly today – he’ll remember Aunt Annie when he meets you in LA (:
Michele, Pam – my typing seems unaffected (although Mr. Major (: – should we break out into FireSide I and FireSide II – maybe post #1200 can be the marker ?)
see you all soon !!
I’m getting ready for my second brew of the morning…skies are blue but it actually rained pretty good last night. Which is good for the grass but lousy for the trick or treaters, well only those dressed in skimpy outfits burrrrrr….
Anywho, yes I did meet Godfrey, Winnie’s youngest last night! I approached three different men at LAX confident each would be him. (didn’t have a picture I knew he was his early twenties and said his hair is cut real short and was wearing a grey jacket). Who knew there would be that many single young men with short hair wearing a grey jacket standing near the Daily Grill???? I loved the adventure and enjoyed the anticipation. I gave him a big hug (which I don’t think he anticipated) maybe I was a bit too excited after striking out three times…naah I would have hugged him anyway (: So we sat down for a bite …I ordered my lemon drop martini he ordered a Budweiser (I insisted I didn’t want to drink alone) one usually doesn’t have to coax a youngin into drinking. He was so polite.
I was rambling at first but then caught myself and asked him to give me some highlights from his trip to America. Apparently, we are not too different from Australia. So I think that surprised him, that we are more alike than we are different. But the things that made him lite up were his encounters with the animal kingdom. He had never seen a deer before and here they were roaming freely at the home he was staying at. I mentioned that the urban sprawl has done that and that its not uncommon for home owners to loose their prized roses ( super yummy to deers). The other creature that was fascinating was the humming bird. And they really are even for me who sees one almost everyday. We skipped from one subject to another just like a humming bird and I wish we were in comfy couches and had more time. It was short but sweet. I thoroughly enjoyed myself. We said our goodbyes. I gave him an extra large Hershey’s bar to munch on his 14 hour flight home, he said he knows someone who loves chockies… musta meant his mama (:
Well that’s all for now! Can’t wait for the next Villager to stop on by. Until then I’ll brush up on my patty cake lyrics for anil’s first born ( ;
Yummmie….shallot and cheese muffins thanks Winnisima! and love the idea of the corn edition
Pam…thanks for letting me I’m not alone in this type and it appears in one’s next lifetime. a…the artist formerly known as… i expect you have the fanciest bestest time warping systems ever if thou experiences no lag
Anne thanks for the hugs…whilst thou join us on skype?
Hmmm sending Baby boy a slow gentle high five for choosing such awesome parents.
See y’all tommorow !!!
I think it was lovely that you took the time to see my son Annie. I am sure you would have made a big impression on him !
Michele la belle… i have no slow typing problem at all…
No problem with slow typing but my computer has been silent for several weeks now. I know my youngest would tell me to turn it off and on again and it would probably right itself. But when i turn my computer off, it will not come back on sometimes for a whole day with me persistently trying at intermittent intervals….So on it stays since i am not prepared to take that risk.
I can listen to Ken on a borrowed cd player and my trusty little mp3 player but oh boy i really missed watching movies. I love to be entertained! Thank gawd i can still play SuperTux without sound. He`s a cute little penguin that jumps on stuff and when he`s not killing or avoiding baddies, looking for secret treasure. It`s so fun !
Anyways i figured i could get subtitled movies and that way i wouldnt be without stories.
It was bloody awful at first with no music. All i could think of was our dear Al { and how much i love her} and how difficult it must for those with hearing impairment.
Gradually i began to appreciate and “get into” the movie, by being more intent on all the visual aspects and really feeling into what the director and his crew were trying to impart.
By the time i had got halfway through i was really enjoying it and during one of my breaks from it { i usually only watch movies a bit at a time}…. and subsequent return, i realized in my head it was as though i could really hear it… it was a lovely experience made all the lovelier by the fact that it was about a western entrepreneur bringing movies to China a hundred years ago…… so i am watching and being delighted by a silent movie about people watching and being delighted by a silent movie……
hugs to all xoxoxoo