Winter Lights at The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum

Taking in this Winter Light event has long been on my list of things to do and so this year I made it happen. Tickets went on sale already in October and I jumped at the chance.  They offered your choice of New Year's party hats to your own style of glowing light stick glasses. A special food menu with pork as the main dish, open bar, The Wishing Tree, crafts, games, create your own smores, selfie locations and besides the light show, the various artworks about the grounds. The band was great and even during their short breaks they kept us entertained. Posting to City Daily Photo.

Welcome to a stroll through the

Winter Lights at The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum

and music performed by Traveled Ground (American Roots Music Group)

featuring oldies and

Folk Blues Root.

We begin at 4:30 pm on New Year's Eve and sunset will be at 4:44 pm.

Life's a beautiful journey.

If you can, take time to wonder, and wander about with curiosity. Make your time here on earth worth living. 

Follow the map - or not, but at your own pace and not necessarily the same path as everyone else.

The beauty here is not only on the outside.

Wander within.

Don't love the view out a window? As a matter of fact, I won't share them all, but I snapped every single view from every window view!

Magic is everywhere.

Just a little stroll along the avenue of the Arb!

"Happiness is not achieved by the conscious pursuit of happiness; it is generally the by-product of other activities." Aldous Huxley

So put yourself out there! 

 

Something glowing, here there and everywhere as music plays merrily along your way.

There's always a Winter-wonderland waiting for you.

This is from the outside of the flower garden where inside you can see various flowers all aglow! 

"All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us."

J.R.R. Tolkien

"Logic will get you from A to Z; imagination will get you everywhere."

Albert Einstein

"The woman/man/child who follows the crowd will usually go no further than the crowd. The woman/man/child who walks alone is likely to find themselves in places no one has ever been before."

Albert Einstein

 

Do any of you remember this darling little Gnome like fairy house from my Autumn walk at the Arb in October? 

"If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or things,"

Albert Einstein

Keep asking questions. Be curious, Learn things.

"Wisdom is not a product of schooling but of the lifelong attempt to acquire it."

Albert Einstein

"We are cups, constantly and quietly being filled. The trick is, knowing how to tip ourselves over and let the beautiful stuff out." 

Ray Bradbury

Thanks for stopping by your visits are gifts!

Take good care of you.

 

Joyfulness and Critters Too

Good morning, everyone on this Happy New Year's Eve Day 2023. Life has been busy in my world, and my Blog, Instagram, and City Daily Photo has suffered so much.

Many of you may not know that I joined a Lions Club a year before COVID-19 hit and this past year I've been consumed in a lot more work with the Lions, so my social media time has taken a major hit, and I'm bound and determined to change that as of today! I miss my valuable friends in social media!

I'm posting to

 SATURDAY'S CRITTERS 

and City Daily Photo

Being a Lion You Serve. Working with Others for Others. Worldwide Service to Humanity. Where there's a need there's a Lion. We Serve. This December we aided in serving from smaller organizations to larger ones that serve our communities and our club (as others did too) served three families in need from Farmington to make their lives and holiday special for them.

and the Lions have a uniquely special critter, right?! 

December meant giving to communities not just where I live but surrounding me. 

Yep, that's me on the left with two Apple Valley Lions..

Lions from Farmington and Apple Valley assisted The Rosemount Lions in selling Christmas Trees which began the day after Thanksgiving, and they all sold out in just over a week!

What a difference we can make serving others.

The Farmington Police Department put on their "Toys for Town" gift giving and wrapping day which was an unbelievable success for those families in need. The response from community so warm-hearting-beyond-words. 

Of course, Santa and Mrs. Claus offered their assistance and took photos with all the folks on wrapping day!

Thank you again Farmington High School for opening your doors and providing space for these dynamic events.

Yes, even an Elf was caught helping out! 

"Every ending is creating a new space and opening for an amazing new beginning."

"The chief beauty about time is that you cannot waste it in advance. The next year, the next day, the next hour are lying ready for you, as perfect, as unspoiled, as if you had never wasted or misapplied a single moment in all your life. You can turn over a new leaf every hour if you choose." Arnold Bennett

A few highlights from festive holiday celebrations with family and friends as well, to those traditions that hold a bond like nothing else in keeping us connected. 

Plan an event and they will come.

Joyfully and happily!

"Why not squeeze every single second that we can out of life, because those of us that are young, you have plenty of years to grow, to be braver and bolder until those days when your bones may ache, and your skin wrinkles don't be sorry you didn't do more in this one amazing life." Karen Sather

These hoofs are made for walking.

If you can choose, why not. 

Be the sweetest you can be?

When you can. Build things.

When you can shop, shop!

Yep, I'm in there again with some of my family at Christmas in the Village!

"Set fire to the broken pieces; start anew."

Lauren DeStefano 

A huge lesson I've learned.

"We grow up with such an idealistic view on how our life should be; love, friendships, a career or even the place we will live - only to age and realize none of it is what you expected and reality is a little disheartening, when you reached that realization; you have learnt the best gift of all, any new beginning can start now and if you want anything bad enough you'll find the courage to pursue it with all you have. The past doesn't have to be the future, stop making it so." Nikki Rowe

Wishing you all the Merriest and Happiest New Year of all!

Take good care of you.

Happy Turkey Giving Thanks Day

 A most Happy Thanksgiving Day to you all!

When I hear or see the word Thanks

it brings a flood of memories to my mind.

Especially those happy memories that will never wear out.

Posting to City Daily Photo

The things you are passionate about are not random,

they are your calling.

Fabienne Fredrickson 

 

Have no fear Mr. Turkey you've been spared! You can jump off that fence post!

"Remember that fear is just a trick being played on you by the ego."

Fabienne Fredrickson

You'll never be great at everything but trying is the best way to getting there.

Run Turkeys run it's only a toy in the lead.

Hello sweet Mr. Turkey.

Gobble, gobble, gobble about 153 miles from Charleston by car.

Nice try, Mr. Big Blue Rooster, but you'll never be a Turkey!

"Drop the idea of becoming someone, because you are already a masterpiece. You cannot be improved. You have only to come to it, to know it, to realize it."

Osha

The day that you plant the seed is not the day you eat the fruit.

"The greatest fear in the world is of the opinions of others. And the moment you are unafraid of the crowd you are no longer a sheep, you become a lion. A great roar arises in your heart, the roar of freedom."

Osho

"Experience life in all possible ways,

good-bad, bitter-sweet, dark-light, 

summer-winter. Experience all the dualities.

Don't be afraid of experience, because 

the more experience you have, the more. 

mature you become.

Osho

"Always remember to judge everything by your inner feelings of bliss."

Osho

Thank you for stopping by

 and gifting me with your comments!

Take good care of you.

Keep Trying New Ways

Oh, the things you can do with an old ironing board and watering bucket.

"Throw yourself some life challenge; Be so focused, you don't even see yourself coming."

Chinonye J. Chidolue

"Seasons of Life" artist Sue Kalicki

Creativity is just about connecting things. A whole lot of nonsense put together, and diluted with a creative passion can eventually make sense. Keep thinking. Exploring. Keep trying out new ways and methods of doing things and just when you least expect, you may stumble on that next great world-changing idea that will make all the difference."

Chinonye J. Chidolue

Put your pretty party dress on and go dancing! Or in this case hiking!

"They will turn you over, toss you about, fob you off, take you less seriously, because to get there, you must walk on your own feet."

Chinonye J. Chidolue

"An idea is only an idea until you breathe life into it."

Chinonye J. Chidolue

"The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn't being said. The art of reading between the lines is a lifelong quest of the wise."

Shannon L. Alder

Notice those tiny hints in your daily haunts. Someone somewhere was thinking of you.

"You don't have to say everything to be a light. Sometimes a fire built on a hill will bring interested people to your campfire."

Shannon L. Alder

They are the ones worth keeping closest to you. 

Don't say I wish I would have pursued my talents and gifts.

Do Them. Now.

Thanks for stopping by and gifting me with your comments.

Take good care of you.

Bench and Critter Sharing

I must share this delightful photo of my grand-daughter's pup Athena and know this is just one of the many funny moments Lyra had dressing up her pup. (Yes, Athena was being very patient with her human.)

"Don't be satisfied with stories, how things have gone with others. Unfold your own myth."

Rumi

Welcome to

 SATURDAY'S CRITTERS

and I'm also posting to City Daily Photo

 Is there space for me on your bench too?

The More We Share 

The More We Have.

There's something quite enticing about noticing bubbles around young Bullseye sitting alone on a bench. Caring is sharing. 

"Positivity is the father of reinvention."

Josh Stern

"You don't meet people by accident. They are meant to cross our path for a reason."

 

As with most animals, they are always ready to let you inside their circle of friendship. Especially if you bring a throw toy!

"People who love animals are my favorite kind of people."

"Animals are innocent.

To have their trust is an honor."

Cassandra Clare

 

"You don't think your way into a new kind of living.

 You live your way into a new kind of thinking." 

Henry Nouwen

BE BOLD

"You transform all who are touched by you. Mundane concerns, troubles, and sorrows dissolve in your presence, bringing joy."

Rumi

Never Be Too Busy

 To Meet Someone New

Thanks for stopping by and sharing your comments and spreading joy wherever you go.

Take good care of you.