Happy Birthday to Me and Critters

Welcome to my weekend wandering

 and Critters post for

SATURDAY'S CRITTERS 

Living the good life.

My star joy maker of this post, Athena 

my grand-daughter's pup.

Northfield Market Fair every Saturday.

New friend at the market! 

and my posting for City Daily Photo 

and my thoughts about birthdays and especially birthdays of other people in my life (animals/critters) their memories give me joy.

Red Wing, Minnesota later in the day.

"Do anything, but let it produce joy."

Walt Whitman

"The soul's joy lies in doing."

(Attributed to William Shakespeare)

My goodness Sage, or Humpty Dumpty your eyes 

however, have I not noticed them before this?

 You spread that comfortable joyful feeling that welcomes us.

Most birthdays we often -

 

Recall our own days of being a kid, mostly unafraid and our world seemed enormous and blissful and endless, and laughter was everywhere we went, and everything still made perfect sense. Like Peanut Butter and Jelly and chips inside sandwiches 

and delicious bonfire dinners.

I may not look 6 years old anymore but 

 

"I feel a resurgence of my 6-year-0ld self that little warrior, goddess of a girl reminding me of who I was when I was little, before the world got its hands on me." 

Jennifer Elisabeth

Jake from downtown Red Wing, Minnesota

Opps I've seem to have lost my head.

 

All that truly matters is this.

"That you are here that life exists, and identity. That the powerful play goes on, and you will contribute a verse." 

Walt Whitman

and that you spend time with those you love and care about.

"Don't worry if people think you're crazy. You are crazy. You have that kind of intoxicating insanity that lets other people dream outside of the lines and become who they're destined to be."

Jennifer Elisabeth

BE YOU and I'LL BE ME

Here's to you human unless you're 

going to share your

 ice cream cone with me please.

Yes as a matter of fact

 I'm a gorgeous princess.

 

My mantra.

"I want to be the best version of myself for anyone who is going to someday walk into life (as well as those already in my life) and need someone to love them beyond reason."

Jennifer Elisabeth 

Wait, do I live in a park?

 Pretty sure it's definitely nature at its finest.

Just not a park the backyard.

We crave the outdoors for silence, simplicity, peace, meeting others and earth's random scents around us, like fresh mowed grass and flower blossoms.

AND -

One trail, sidewalk, campsite, shoreline or carving our own path through the woods. It's our very own quiet escape.

Oh, and floaties on the water.

books and stories to share.

"Your personal truth is your gift to the world."

Jennifer Elisabeth

"Sometimes I call my leisure walks through towns, museums, the woods or shorelines as "wandering" as they nurture my heart and soul and I learn new things. Its healing, in numerous ways and a bonus, I can share my discoveries with you. 

Well almost all of them.

Thank you for stopping in and gifting me with your thoughts.

Take good care of you.

This just in and in honor of "reflections" the photo below is a hint for next week.

Life is Better by the Water and Critters

 Welcome to 

SATURDAY'S CRITTERS

and City Daily Photo

although I may have missed the window to post for this last Saturday on Saturday's Critters that Eileen hosts, as it was a packed weekend off. Saturday was a superb celebration in my hometown of Lakeville for the fifth annual Intenational Day of Living Together in Peace at Casperson Park on Lake Marion and Sunday was an out-of-town trip and special visit through one of my favorite cities Stillwater, Minnesota.

I was gathering critter photos but many of the pups I only petted.

These pups have it right, they're taking in the sights and when they passed by me, they wanted to be petted, so dog daddy put away his phone!

"Listen to your life. ALL moments are Key Moments."

Frederick Buechner 

"Follow your wishing heart." your critters do.

Smith + Trade Mercantile

 is of course one of my favorite shops that sell so many works from various artists, and they offer classes you'll want to sign-up for.

"He who works with his hands and his head and his heart is an artist."

Francis of Assisi 

and

"Start by doing what is necessary, then what is possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible."

"Why not?" is a slogan for an interesting life - Mason Cooley

and artwork you dream of. - Me

A few photos from The International Day of Living Together in Peace.

"Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for a Kindness."

Seneca

The day upholds the desire to live and act together, united in differences and diversity, in order to build a sustainable world of peace, solidarity and harmony. Living together in peace is all about accepting differences and having the ability to listen to, recognize, respect and appreciate others, as well as living in a peaceful and united way.

I know you're thinking nice job kiddos on the artwork, 

but a Lakeville Police Officer added to this too! 

Meet Millie and what a sweetheart she is.

Saturday was a cold and windy day and I'm betting they felt that cold deeply with their bare feet.

There were lots of song, dance and food from all the cultures living within our community. It was a great day to learn many things.

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend.

Stillwater old Lift Bridge

Now a foot bridge that will take you to Wisconsin!

"Listen to your life. See it for the fathomless mystery it is. In the boredom and pain of it, no less than in the excitement and gladness; touch, taste, smell your way to the holy and hidden heart of it, because in the last analysis all moments are key moments, and life itself is grace."

Frederick Buechner

Thank you for your visits and your kind words.

Light your today with kindness everywhere you go. Smile.

and take good care of you.

Just Around the Corner and Critters

Welcome to places that are just around the corner.

"Sometimes discovery means getting lost on a path where you return to a meaningful version of yourself. It gives you the scent of a world smiling still. It becomes the fresh water of your life itself."

Jayita Bhattacharjee

Mackinac Island, Michigan

SATURDAY'S CRITTERS 

post and I'm also posting to City Daily Photo

 What can you learn from a statue?

"There are no boundaries only possibilities."

S M Rinpoche

"The future depends entirely on what each of us does every day."

Gloria Steinem

"What you do speaks so loudly I cannot hear what you say."

Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

 "The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well."

Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Every accomplishment begins with a decision to try."

Edward T. Kelly

 

"Happiness adds and multiplies as we divide it with others."

A. Nielsen

Huntsville, Alabama

Athens, Alabama

"There are some things you learn best in clam and some in storm."

Willa Cather

Need I say where this is?

 

"The doors we open and close each day 

decide the lives we live."

Flora Whittemore

 

 

"Carry laughter with you wherever you go."

Hugh Sidey

"It is when you are really living in the present that you are living spiritually."

Brenda Ueland

Charleston, South Carolina 

"How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment

 before starting to improve the world."

Anne Frank

Thank you so much for stopping by and gifting me with comments.

Take good care of you.

Hold on to Your Potatoes

And of course, welcome to City Daily Photo and 

 SATURDAY'S CRITTERS

Meet Artemis, my daughter's dog you've seen before however she's all dressed up with a tie? (really) for the occasion of "honor" as my running theme for today's post. 

"I don't want to understand life. 

I want to live it."

"Sometimes compassion is the greater part of honor."

Rachel Vincent

My Dash, he has the sweetest most devoted heart as all pups do, especially for his Mama. Me.

... and on those cold, cold evenings, always search for the hot chocolate!

It's a shiny moment in one's heart to honor yourself with chocolate!

"Remember to rejoice in the shiny little moments

 of our lives before we entirely lose our peace of mind."

Bhuwan and reshaped by me.

No Emme tell me you aren't sticking your sweet little togue out at me!

"We spend almost all of our time listening to the things people are saying that we rarely pay attention to our conversation with ourselves. It's not always what we hear but it's our inner conversation with ourselves that shapes our life."

Bhuwan Thapaliya

Hello sweet Rusty my son Dan's pup!

"We have to be part of the silence in order to cherish and understand the silence completely."

Bhuwan Thapaliya

Hello sweet pup that I don't know but absolutely I want to pet you!

"If you stay humble and keep your humility embedded in your behavior then no circumstances can erode your core. You will keep on shining evermore."

Bhuwan Thapaliya

"Life is moving much too fast. I think I can't catch up with it. A little bird flew out of nowhere and sat calmly on my shoulder. No worries, I'm not afraid of being left out now. I'll never chase life. Instead, I'll try to see, understand and enjoy life as much as I can. Little bird, you opened my eyes."

Bhuwan Thapaliya

Doesn't this expression say,

 "No, I didn't do it" or "Can I have a hug?"

Afterall ....

"Simple, genuine goodness is the best capital to found the business of this life upon. It lasts when fame and money fail and is the only riches we can take out of this world with us."

Louisa May Alcott

Thank you so much for honoring me with your presence here and your comments.

Take good care of you.

For those that may still be wondering where "Hold on to your potatoes" came from see here.

Very Small

Our May theme for City Daily Photo is

Very small.

Seems there was a Lion roaming the streets

 of Jordon, Minnesota today!

"The Lion never fears to walk alone."

Lailah Gifty Akita

Can you spot the lion?

"A lion doesn't concern itself with the opinion of sheep."

George R.R. Marten

"If you take care of the small things, the big things take care of themselves."

Emily Dickinson

Thank you for stopping in and you can check out more May 2025 theme of "very small" photos for City Daily Photo featuring bloggers from all over the world.

City daily Photo