Is there a message here?
. . . a hidden secret?
Fine wrinkles in outer layers….
A reminder of the beauty of all ages!
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Is there a message here?
. . . a hidden secret?
Fine wrinkles in outer layers….
A reminder of the beauty of all ages!
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Recently I was chatting with a friend online. This friend often speaks about her mother’s ethnic cooking. Although I’ve never met her mother, for some reason the image of the possibility of how her mom’s hands might look shredding, pouring, measuring, stirring and more keeps surfacing for me.
This led me further to recall the photos I took of Minnie, the 96-year old mother of another friend and neighbor. In searching for one to pass on, I selected the following to share with you.

Another fun photo with Minnie’s beautiful expressive face AND pointing, moving finger as she emphatically shared, “My Mother always told me…” can be found on the blog I started with the same name, MyMotherAlwaysToldMe.com
I then started reminiscing, thinking about other hands photos, both mine and those taken by my beloved, late husband Sam. This led further to reflecting on the importance and the beauty of our hands. Thus emerged the theme of today’s issue Treasure Your Life Now.
As you continue, I invite you also to ponder on how many ways you use your hands.
For me, in addition to using my camera, my hands/fingers spend a lot of time on the keyboard, as well as on holding a phone. This past week I used the latter to learning how to screen capture, for video, what appears on my computer desktop as I work. I can therefore now create lessons AND visually record the activities during the Through and From The Lens sessions.
My point in sharing the latter is that, although the first session of the course is complete, you can still join in and catch up, seeing and hearing everything we covered. Do check details below the Queries. If it fits for you, you’d be joining an exciting/excited group of current participants. Now on to
Today’s Additional Photos –

a trusting little boy’s hand, resting in Sam’s
Quoted, as published, July 15, 2005 issue of Picture to Ponder – Issue 138.
“Sam and I were walking along the boardwalk in Wakodahatchee Wetlands earlier this week and on that particular afternoon Sam chose to use his walker as an aid. We passed a beautiful little boy, probably 2 or 3 years old, who started pointing inquiringly at the handle of Sam’s walker. Then he and Sam reached their hands out to each other.
With a little encouragement from his parents he repeated this action so that I could capture the above photos, as well as some others. See Inquiring Hand and Grasping Hands.
With these photos I wish you a weekend of inquiry and loving connections.”
On December 23, 2005, Issue 211, in celebration of the holiday season I featured

stating, “We can also view the hand as reaching out to touch you in gratitude and appreciation for what having all of you dear subscribers in our lives has meant to us this year.”

In Issue 131, “my predominant artist/photographer/writer’s hand through an opening in a decayed tree photographed by Sam many years ago. The sterling silver and fired clay rings are ones that I had fun creating…
I think that part of what called to me here is that the photo epitomizes the feeling of texture that I so love. I think the whole picture exudes love.”
Self-Reflecting Queries and Relationship Tips –
Where might you find some new, or old, things that you can bring you the childlike joy of inquiry, discovery and enjoyment?
As I wrote the last statement, I had the thought that this is what makes so many of my photos work. It’s the discovery of new things that excites me and invariably causes my camera to come out, especially if it’s a visual discovery.
So, what excites the child in you? Pay attention for the next few days and beyond. Then take some actions accordingly.
In terms of Relationships, I invite you to spend some time considering the following, exploring the same with your partner, family member, friend, and/or even yourself. How can you/do you use your hands to most express your love?
What hand actions do any of the above persons take that have you most FEEL being loved? Then consider making requests for this.
Do keep in mind that not everyone likes to be touched. Honoring another’s space, always ask first what will work for them. There are times you can always simply reach out with your own hand, not yet touching, and gauge the response.
As always, have fun, and please post what comes up for you in the COMMENTS section below.
 Through and From The Lens – Report and Opportunity –
As I mentioned above, since I was able to audio and video record the activities during the first session of Through and From The Lens four-week Telecourse, you can still join in without feeling you that you missed something.
You certainly will have the opportunity to introduce yourself and become an integral part of the group, if you so choose.
During the call one of the participants stated that she thought she didn’t belong, she was too much of a beginner. At the end, she shared:
“I feel like the whole world has opened up for me with this
class. It’s so interesting. I sort of have tears in my eyes because I was resisting it yesterday. ‘Oh, I don’t want to do that. I don’t want to go to class. I didn’t want to interact sort of thing.’
Then I listened to everyone else’s beautiful comments and you’ve been such a wonderful teacher. I’m just thrilled and touched, so glad I signed up for it. I didn’t want to let the opportunity pass to thank everyone who came on the call.”
Several then proceeded to tell her of the value she added.
For details, bonuses, registration information and to see testimonials and photographs from some other past participants go to Telecourse
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It seems that I’m on a run of featuring “What brings a smile” photos in Treasure Your Life Now. Last week’s Lorikeets photo still brings a spontaneous smile to my face every time I come across it. This week’s photo of my granddaughter at age 3 does the same. [click to continue…]
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This issue marks the 600 issue of Picture to Ponder ezine!!! It is the second issue with the more pro-active Treasure Your Life Now brand. If you missed it last week, I stated that Treasuring our lives has actually been one of the indirect, unexpressed bottom line premises of Picture to Ponder over these past 8 years. So it seems quite a fitting transition.
One of the most frequent themes relates to the many different perceptions people may have on the same view. There often is no right or wrong, other than one person sometimes being “righteous” about his or her point of view.
As an example, and to stay focused, I’m featuring only photo this week. It popped out for me with its quick, illustrative “story.” This photograph was first featured in Issue 115 published in June 2005.
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This issue marks the 599th Picture to Ponder ezine!!! As I’ve been stating in the past few issues, I am transitioning title and branding from Picture to Ponder to the more pro-active Treasure Your Life Now. Treasuring our lives has actually been one of the indirect, unexpressed bottom line premises of Picture to Ponder over these past 8 years. So it seems quite fitting.
There are times when we may perceive life’s journey as a series of bumps in the road. As we go through changes, we have choices. We can focus on what is behind us, the bumps directly in front of us, or that which is beyond. [click to continue…]
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Full Moon –
Tomorrow night, May 6 at 11:34 PM EDT will be the largest full moon of 2012. Scientific explanation of and a brief very interesting video, by Science of NASA, on this “supermoon” can be found on the Space.com site, FULL MOON page. Be sure to scroll down that page to see the video.
Thinking about, and observing, the moon in both the light and dark skies over the past few days made me very aware of light and shadows. So when I came upon Picture to Ponder Volume 6 – Issue 19, it seemed to be perfect to revise for today. It is based on my oftentimes repeated observations, “where there are shadows, there is light. In order to have shadows we MUST have light.”
We can most definitely look at the following through the filters of happenings in our relationships.
Today’s Photos –
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If you are one who has been married, or in a relationship, for 7 or more years, I’d love to have a conversation with you regarding Love With No Regrets. Do you ever wonder if there can be more than what you have now between the two of you? Are you and/or he/she challenged in expressing your/their true feelings? Are there things being left unsaid that you might regret not having spoken?
If any of the above fits for you, I invite you to schedule a 30-minute time slot on my Session Calendar For more background and general information see – www.LoveWithNoRegrets.com – or go directly to the RYL-Session page to book a time.
Now on to Today’s Photos – A strange combination, I know. And, what commonalities do you see?
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In recent posts I’ve mentioned that as I’m transitioning into my Love with No Regrets business, we’d be revisiting photos and Self-Reflecting Queries published over the past seven and a half years in Picture to Ponder. In general discussions have almost always been on expanded seeing both in our behaviors as well as our environments. My aim now is to find photos and queries more pointedly looking at these themes. [click to continue…]
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This past week “Loyalty and Devotion” one of the tips from “55 Ways to Show Love” has been running around my mind.
Last week, I had walked out on my screened-in patio and once again noticed a bud on a phalaenopsis plant. In my usual pattern, I got excited and watched it for a day or so. Then “taking-it-for-granted” kicked in and I forgot about it until the flower opened. Once again I did notice the plant, along with the second bud, then flower which appeared a few days later.
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As I am transitioning and developing my Love With No Regrets business, I’ve started looking at issues from several years ago to see which photos and Self-Reflecting Queries fit more specifically with relationship issues.
Since so many of our Picture to Ponders do, in fact, in some way deal with relationships, firstly and most importantly with ourselves, I’m anticipating a fun time. It is my intention that you too enjoy the journey.
If you’ve been around here for a while, you know how much fun I have with reflections, so it’s not surprising that the first issue I went to was this with Miami Reflections.
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