Self Development
A Day of Rest
Sundays are traditionally a “day of rest”. I have been trying to use them as a time to recoup and get ready for another week. Even at that, I find myself doing a lot around the house. I try not to shop or get involved in “work”. I sneak in a cup of coffee and a few minutes of playing solitaire. Monday has its agenda lined up.
Maybe your day of rest comes on another day. We have professions that require us to have different schedules. You may work as a caretaker in a hospital or rotate your days off. I hope you are able to slow down at some time each week. The encouragement her is that we need to relax once in a while for our health & disposition.
Well, my sidekick knows the secret to relaxing. She is here demonstrating for me. She gives me the permission I need to unwind. After this photo she turned around on the loveseat we share and has curled up under my arm. The heat from her body and peaceful breathing seems to hypnotize me into a relaxed state. She is also a good reminder to go to bed at night. I tend to want to stay up late; she will coax me to shut off the light and go into the bedroom for some rest. Both of us let out a sigh!
I recognize that a change of pace and a break in my schedule does my spirit good. How about you? What gives you rest? Is it seeing a friend? Being with the family? Catching up on yard work? Calling an old friend?
I had a friend who was over 20 years my senior. I used to call her on a Sunday afternoon to connect with her. I miss those calls now that she has died, because I think it helped me greatly define my week. She was always insightful.
One of the reasons we need a free day is that it gives us perspective and clears our minds. We all need to keep evolving, but just like our phones and computers need to be rebooted, so do we! We need clarity to stay well. Sleep is healing. It helps our bodies stay healthy. Maybe for some of us we find extra time to pray. I have been thinking of those who can’t relax due to the flooding in their areas. We need to pray for our world at large!
Tell me, how do you rest? Do you give yourself permission to unwind? When do you pray or meditate or shut down the noise in your busy life? Who do you know that paces themselves well?
(Mayoclinic.org has a number of studies on sleep.) Also good to read and learn the many benefits of rest, exercise, and the effects of caffeine.
Have a great week! Delight in Living!
Refresh . . .
Time will pass, so you might as well dive in. It really doesn’t matter how old you are or if you have a dream or desire to accomplish something. Our vision is only as narrow of a lens that we want it to be. The sky is the limit! We have the potential to do so much. It is time to start.
Schooling can begin at any age. We have all heard the stores of people in their 80’s and 90’s getting the degrees they wanted. Those who say they don’t have money or time or whatever are saying it isn’t a priority. There are many scholarships available if one really wants to learn something.
Time is available even in small amounts to read, think and write. Now with countless programs on the internet, school is available even for full time workers. Use your mind well. You can do it! 
So many people continue to share their wisdom and want to be mentors. Seeing these bright green leaves and the beautiful butterfly reminds me that their are new opportunities all around. Perhaps you want to be a mentor or to be mentored.
I can’t imagine where I’d be now if there weren’t any mentors for me. Mentors pop up and unknowingly open up new lines of thought for all of us. I have been fortunate and open to learning from others. I am so very grateful for the wisdom others have shared. Are you looking for someone?
Bits of wisdom seem to ooze out of long lived people. My father believed in 10 minute naps. Recently I heard Michael Hyatt (check out www.Platform University) speak of his mid afternoon rest time. My mother-in-law who lived to 94 used to tell me that she rested when the kids napped. I didn’t pay attention to this advice until lately. I am beginning to see that rest is as important as eating right and exercise. It sets us up for success and clear thinking.
I find an hour each afternoon to meditate, pray, and relax. It slows me down to appreciate the good things that are happening and the things that need my attention. It break gives me a 2nd wind of energy.
Winning at life means learning to stay well and starting fresh. It means being involved and spending time in worthwhile endeavors. Those things evolve. No matter what age, dive in and learn a new instrument, a language, or a new career. The world offers so much. I have heard from others that they wasted away their 20’s and even part of their 30’s that life offered them unlimited chances to be a success. It is never too late to start down a new path.
For many of us, we are not longer in the primary roles of parenting. We have already subscribed to a attitude of gratitude. We’ve begun to find our own niche-that in an area of expertise and comfort where we are our best. But once again, I encourage everyone to keep learning. Try something new! Keep growing and helping others to feel better about themselves.
Find the mini miracle today that was showered down on you! Try not to panic when things are seemingly out of control; even if they are it isn’t always possible to step in and remedy them. Often time and the culture around us helps cure the evil that is being done. Oh, and of course keep the faith!
6 Steps to Clarity
Well today’s blog is on Clarity.
1- Replicate in your actions the things you want to do. For example, clean your car–it will help you take pride in driving and pride in your vehicle. Wash your clothes and tidy your closets. Empty out the unnecessary things in your purse or suitcase and you’ll also clear out the weight in your mind of excess and needless thoughts.
2- Ponder on thoughts by writing them down on paper and pray about situations. Writing help us to clarify and make us accountable. One of the reasons that it is so good to make lists or to journal is that it helps our memory and simplifies our lives. One of my handouts is a series of journal ideas. I have used and reused the ideas. Ask for the PDF’s on Inspirational Aids, Set 1 for Journaling.
3- Watch how animals react today and everyday. Buffalos run toward danger in an attempt to get through it faster. Hunting dogs point to their targets using their senses of sight and smell. Dogs chase rabbits out of their territory and mark property they claim as their own. So how do you react? Do you tackle the projects you have head on? Are you a procrastinator who puts things off to the last minute? Are you someone who creates a plan and works it?
4- Wash your glasses; clean your mirrors. Simple measures bring objects into focus. As I entered the office today, I saw the beautifully clean windows. The films of dirt and dried on rainwater had made the doors so unappealing to me and it was great to see them sparkle.
5- Seeing things from other directions or levels can help. Just lay on the grass with your pet and you’ll see a different version of the yard. Bugs you wouldn’t notice are climbing over rocks. In the distance, things seem more active. Overhead the birds fly and the squirrels play on the electric lines.
Often I will look over our yard from the upper windows. I can see the whole yard and watch Rosy.
6- Discuss issues with other people. Talk with individuals from different generations. Experience helps give us perspective just as youth and vitality does. Sometimes children bring clarity and answers to our seemingly complex problems. Things that may seem confusing are much easier with a person shows us how to do something. Here I am thinking in terms of the computer or handicraft like crocheting. Hands on is so helpful.
Have a great week of clarity, vision, and joy.
Mini Miracles are being sprinkled your way! Look for them.
All Things Fresh & Wonderful
We all tend to like new things. Whether it is a new pair of shoes or a new purse new things can bring us great joy and maybe even a feeling of accomplishment. Isn’t it good to feel you have earned something?
Well as I have gotten older I am even more excited about new things. They don’t have to be big things, it’s the little things that count. I just ordered a new keyboard cover for at work. I like them because hair, crumbs or whatever may be around does not damage the keys. Plus things stay
nicer looking. This is my older cover and getting worn out and baggy! So my big thrill this week is waiting for the new ones (yes, I ordered a couple to save on postage).
What is new at your house? Did you just return from the store with milk and bread? Isn’t it nice to be able to get the basics?
Have you been entertained by the television? Are you a radio fan? Do you enjoy podcasts? (We have them here each week).
Maybe it is a time of quiet when the kids are out of the house for camp or a mission trip? Maybe it is a chance to sit outside and absorb a little sunshine with a glass of iced
This is my older cover and getting worn out and baggy!
tea? Do you enjoy a good book? Take time to relish in the land of words and imagination.
But new doesn’t begin or end with material things. The most important things we can do for ourselves and for others is to stay current. It means learning new things, propelling yourself and others into a forward momentum that keeps us alert and able to give to one another. Exercising, working, and involvement in our communities brings out the best in us and in others. Let’s do it. Learn a language. Study a new field. Try something new. Get involved in a hobby with friends or family.
Liking yourself means being good to yourself. It has taken me a long time to realize that when I am happy and feeling accomplished, it flows onto others. Someone recently labeled me as a Catalyst. I was so pleased to think I could have that effect on someone. That is what I have always wanted to do; that is be a motivation for people.
So if I can be of service to you and provide coaching or counseling care, contact me at linda@lindagullo.com
Today’s goal is to make All Things Fresh & Wonderful! Find the Mini Miracles that were sprinkled around you today and have a wonderful one.
Brokenness
It is Monday and I hope your day is a wonderful one in many ways. For us it is about 6-10 degrees cooler that the past one. We have had some intense rains and humidity. The weather affects our allergies and attitudes.
Mother nature does her own thing in spite of how we feel. In this photo you can see a broken tree. It happened to fall in the backyard of a neighbor. Thank goodness it didn’t land on a house, car, or animal. Often this family has two dogs that roam in the yard; fortunately they were not there when it decided to tip. This is the 2nd time in recent weeks were someone I have known has had a tree come down. 
In the first incident a large tree did come down. It landed on top of a house and power lines. It put a hole in the roof of a friends house and into the ceiling of a bedroom. He has major damage and expenses that insurance is not covering. The removal of the tree has become his problem and financial responsibility. It is a large and heavy tree.
Again we must be thankful that no one was hurt. A group of people could have been sitting on the deck or in the yard. Unfortunately, it will take time, patience, and money to cure the problem.
It is still being sawed apart and dismantled. The roof needs to be totally rebuilt and the interior as well. Part of the tree is still standing and will require lots of work and money on the part of the owner, because insurance did not cover it. He is still cleaning up the mess and will be for several weeks.
In the case of these trees, they will be disposed of and chopped up for firewood and mulch. Brokenness however, comes in many forms. In the case of people, we are often left with broken hearts as a result of circumstances. We are depressed from broken relationships, because someone has died or moved away. We feel alone and our spirit for life is dampened.
FEELING BROKEN IS A FEELING THAT WE CAN CHANGE. Our attitude toward healing is powerful. Sometimes we have to slow down and write things down to help purge negative feelings. It also helps us formulate positive ideas to move forward. Look to others who are successful and happy. Talk to them. Go out of your way to make relationships succeed. It is easy to do nothing or to blame other people for the way we feel.
But what I want to discuss here is “HOPE” for the feeling of brokenness. Brokenness comes in many forms. Sometimes we say we are broken. Circumstances in our lives take on a series of unfortunate changes, but we come through. We are resilient people. All things are temporary. When we are broken making changes and choices to pull ourselves through difficult times helps immensely.
Psalm 34:18 tells us that “The Lord is close to the broken-hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
Today, having learned from these other people who had tree issues, I talked with our tree specialists. Two lovely blue spruces that have given us privacy and shade need to come down in our yard. They are over 40 years old, and so it is like losing a couple of friends. Our dog has used it for shelter in the winter snowfalls, so I think it is going to be a loss for her too. It is a home for birds, so they will have to relocate.
We have decided it is better to take action before we have one of them come down on its own. Trees like so many things in life are placeholders and serve us well when they are healthy. Unfortunately the budget hadn’t planned for the removal of these, but so be it. Changes that we can control make our lives move smoothly and I don’t want other trees to be diseased in our yard, nor do I want them to come down on their own.
Let’s all stay healthy, work together, and Delight in Living.
Validation
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
DO YOU LIKE YOURSELF AND LOVE LIFE?
Welcome to Mini Miracles from Minor Moments, where you’ll find of marvelous & magnificent pieces of knowledge about yourself. My plan is to help you like yourself and recognize your own talents. We all have them and until someone shows us, we often miss seeing them.
Hi, I’m your host Linda Gullo. Please join me weekly. Mini Miracles is a brief encounter with simple stories. These show stoppers last only about 10 or 15 minutes. It is great to listen to when you plan to be in and out of the car when you are running short errands. Please subscribe to our feed and share it with others.
There are so many things I’d like to share with you. If this is your first time listening to me, you know that this is a treat for me. Podcasting allows me to reach out and be part of your day. I welcome your ideas so stay tuned to the end for contact information. So thanks for joining me again and taking this time to listen to an episode on Validation.
If someone were to ask you, “what makes you the person you’ve become?” What would you say? Do you think you know yourself well? If you asked the people closest to you, what would they say? Would it be hard to receive feedback? Are you being validated in a good way? Validation is meant to be a positive way of knowing our worth. I don’t mean money-wise here, but value in how one interacts, shares, or takes things on willingly.
Often the feedback we get from others helps us define ourselves. What do you bring to a conversation? Do you have a valid contribution? Do you jump right in and help others or begrudgingly do things?
Being validated is valuable. It makes us who we are and they enable us to move ahead. They also come from the people who love us the most. If you listened to an earlier podcast on Reflection, you know how valuable they are to helping us become better versions of ourselves. do you feel validated by the people you are with each day? If not, how can you change your own image to feel more congruent with your values?
I have found that interesting people are fun to be with. they make a game of life. Like dodge ball they stay in the safe zone, but also have a good disposition. I wrote a list of what makes them interesting. I thought you too probably could create a list, but here goes with what I have found.
1- There are the readers. These people are well rounded. They tend to have up-to-date information on the news of the day and the politics around the country. chances are they’ve read a umber of BEST SELLERS. They have a stack of books on their pile to read.
2- There are the collectors. These people have “zeroed-in” on a hobby of some sort. They may collect stamps, records, memorabilia or something from a period of history. The reason for their collection also tells you about them. They tend to be driven and consistent. They are avid learners.
3- There are the travelers who have set goals to do walking tours in the USA, or visit specific countries, or continents. They have learned 1st hand about the cultures , the people, and the cuisines of each area. Recipes flow from their vast knowledge and simply delight in sharing. They have stories to tell of people they have met and the impact of experiences can help any of us as we prepare for tips. Be sure to mentally note those people and talk with them, as often as, possible.
They are like walking historians and geography wizards –especially if they have recorded things in photographs and videos. Traveling confirms what we learned from textbooks. It helps us to be open to others and their actions. Travelers collect ideas and their minds are brilliant.
There is a lady who comes to our church. We have learned that we have a few things in common. Both of us love to travel and we are past educators.
She does more traveling now that I am able to do and comes in to sit next to me when she is in town. She is retired and thrives on her time to be out and about. She is filled with smiles and sparkles with delight. Her traveling itinerary is filled for the next year or more and I long to get the updates. I live vicariously through her trips.
Number 4. Next there are the musicians. They entertain on the spot and connect people with music. They sit down at a piano and start a sing-a-long. Or they pull out a guitar and begin rocking. In Europe I saw the Mariachi Bands in the community squares. Large groups of people would gather and enjoy the music.
In Ireland, the pubs are the place to see the talented people gathering to perform. In between their gigs they sit and share with you. They add to the hospitality of their country and make one feel accepted.
5- Talkers –They seem to collect stories. Give them a topic and away they go. They make great salesman and they are comfortable with themselves. They usually have developed a sense of humor and ease in sharing. Being with them brings out the best traits in a group. They end up being the first to volunteer.
There are the experts in every area. The technicians who can unscramble flaws in a cars system. The researchers who contribute to medical discoveries. Gardeners who make our yards beautiful.
Any of these people can to on for hours carrying on a great conversation. What a delightful way to learn from these masters the secrets of their trades.
So where are the mini miracles? People who are conversationalists take us out of our pity-party. They do more than entertain us; they have the potential to inspire us to be better. They wake us up and help us forget our misery, our aches, and pains. They give us balance and emotional stability. They help us believe in ourselves and create trust amongst us. Talkers teach us to listen so we can learn from them about things we would never read or experience ourselves. They impact us and stimulate us.
Just one note as I wrap up today.
Being careful to accept healthy reflections is important and to know who is giving them to you is also essential. We need to be congruent with who we are and what we are really good about doing. But learning from those around us is precious and for that I am grateful. I hope it rubs off on you too.
Enjoy your week. Feel free to send me feedback on topics or to get on our email list for free updated PDF’s and handouts. That address is www.lindagullo.com
Please join us regularly for Mini Miracles from Minor Moments.
Reflections
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
DO YOU LIKE YOURSELF AND LOVE LIFE?
Welcome to Mini Miracles from Minor Moments, where you’ll find of marvelous & magnificent pieces of knowledge about yourself. My plan is to help you like yourself and recognize your own talents. We all have them and until someone shows us, we often miss seeing them.
Hi, I’m your host Linda Gullo and it appears that I’ll be touching base with you on Friday each week. There are so many things I’d like to share with you. So thanks for joining me again and taking this time to listen to an episode on Reflection!
A reflection is an image turned backwards. If you ever had prints made of a photo and it looked all wrong, it may have been because the negative was backwards. It used to happen more before the days of digital photos. We had a dog by the name of Petey years ago. He had one ear and his opposite eye brown in color. He was really cute and comical in his manner. I remember seeing a picture of him reversed and it made him look frightening to me. A crazy image that caught me off guard. He would stand in front of a mirror and bark at himself.
Reflections
The most common thought that comes to mind about reflections is when we see ourselves in a pool of water. One sees himself or herself in the stillness or the rippling of the water.
One of my first reflections was in murky lake water. Sometimes those reflections are unclear and confusing. I also recall the shadows that are cast along the outside of windows that may seem almost threatening at first. They were of other people not me. We need to see ourselves, good or bad, and accept ourselves with approval. You are unique. I am unique. We need to appreciate our differences and help each other with a spirit of acceptance
Reflections can occur in the glass of a store window. I recall seeing myself as the leader of a group of walkers on a State Street department store window. What a cool image it was. At first I didn’t recognize myself. Not all images are clear or make us think so much, but that one did. I was 18 years old and walking briskly.
I walk fast and probably learned the habit back then to walk with determination and drive. I had motivation and a purpose. I didn’t second guess myself or my reason for being there.
I was moderately dressed with a bounce in my step and feeling the cool breeze coming down Jackson Blvd. It was Fall and refreshing. I can tell you the incident still is vivid in my mind because of what I saw.
Think for a minute about your own image? Pause the podcast if you’d like. Take time to journal on it or take notes. (Pause)
Reflections are valuable. They make us who we are and they enable us to move ahead. They also come from the people who love us the most. Even the smallest child will look to Mom or dad for confirmation. They look to see if they are able to do something. They check to see if they’ll get into trouble turning the dial or pressing the button on the controller.
We are all testing our own reflections. Do we appear to others as we want them to see us? Do we modify the way we dress or the profession we take on? Do we make ourselves more present to our family, our work, or our friends?
The reflections we get from spouses are precious. I recall making a change in a stock portfolio many years ago. I actually bought stock on a recommendation from someone I trusted. I thought about it all day and when I came hoe I told me husband. “I’m not sure I should have invested that money”. He said “don’t worry about it Linda, you make good choices!” This is coming from a man, who has trusted me with his life and medical decisions for years. Thank you honey for all your encouragement!
Wow what a perfect reflection that was for me. He trusted me. He believed in me. He was just what I needed to put the “energy wasting” concerns aside. Those are the reflections we need to receive and the ones we need to give out too.
Just one note as I wrap up today. Being careful to accept healthy reflections is important and to know who is giving them to you. Saying things for the sake of being kind isn’t good. We need to be congruent with who we are and what we are really good about doing.
Enjoy your week. Feel free to send me feedback on topics or to get on our email list for free updated PDF’s and handouts. That address is www.lindagullo.com
Please join us regularly at our blogging site where you will see the daily updates and podcasts as well. Again it is www.lindagullo.com Thanks and again, have a great week
Don’t Go Back! The Path to Success
Are you always trying to learn something new. Just how do you do that? Do you find great mentors? Go to U-Tube? Take a course at the local college? Listen to success stories? Maybe you do all of these.
For me, I have been fortunate to have some really good mentors along the way. One man I knew was a Psychologist and Professor. I knew him outside of his role and on a more day-to-day means, because I worked with him. He was kind, well read, and thoughtful. He was prophetic in many ways and helped me see into the future of possibilities. He helped me like myself and believe that all things were possible. He read scripture and acted in accordance with it. He was always available to help people and followed through we his promises.
One of the lessons he reinforced for me was “to never go back or return to what has or hasn’t worked.” Don’t go back to jobs. Things change, people change, and times change. Don’t try to recapture the good old times, because they just won’t be the same. Going back isn’t how we remember things. I had learned that one time and his words rang true.
Years before my husband and I lived in Rochester, New York. We were young and freshly married. We had different professions and knew others in the same job market. We used to go to 3 different restaurants frequently. One was a high end hotel where the dinners and ambiance was awesome. We enjoyed our romantic dinners there. 2ndly, there was a popular chain of restaurants where we dined during the week and enjoyed the time together. These places were clean, had great steaks and sandwiches that were economically friendly. 3rdly, there was a local bar and grill with great food, where we’d enjoy a drink in the evening with a side dish.
Fast forward years later, when we returned on a business trip. The town had changed considerably; industry in that area had changed too. The chain of restaurants that featured steak dinners was long gone. We didn’t have time for the Bar and Grill. We headed to our favorite Hotel of Glitz and Glimmer, where we had enjoyed music and dinners by candlelight. It had mirrors, and patterned carpets. Glamour in styling on the walls and tabletops. We just couldn’t wait.
It wasn’t there. We just looked at one another. It was a vacant area with concrete and weeds all around. What happened to it? Did we imagine the whole thing? We couldn’t find a parking lot? Nothing to mark the spot! Sadness in our expressions, a few words, and disappointment. We asked about it.
It had moved due to a fire. Now we find its replacement still with a version of the same name. It is in a mall; no ambiance. Just a cheap and lifeless restaurant with a few menu items. One Grecian Urn stood at the doorway. It was awful, not clean, and certainly not good food.
That taught me to never go back. Enjoy today. Seek new things. Share with other people the positive things. Look for good mentors and don’t let go back dampen wonderful images in your mind.
So I share this advice to you today, don’t go back. Start fresh. Validate the past for what it provided, especially if it was good. Move ahead to new visions and the possibility of new life.
Delight in Living and find the Mini Miracles around you.
Who Do You Trust?
When we are young children it is easy to be drawn in by glitzy, bright, and charming things. That is why children can put the wrong things in their mouths like non eatable items. As we get older, we are still enticed by things that appear to be one way and are something different. That holds true for products, people, and jobs.
We all experienced toys that we thought were special. As a small child I wanted the Ballerina Doll that was on television. She twirled and danced in in the commercials and had beautiful costumes. I was so disappointed when I got her that Christmas. She was hard plastic with mobile joints and weird hair. She only twirled if I twirled her and I couldn’t figure out how to do that. Of course, there was no music to hear like the commercial played. She came with one outfit and it wasn’t pretty at all. I was so disappointed, but I knew that she was expensive and something my parents went out of the way to buy.
Years later, my son wanted a play saw; he was about 3. It made a noise if the battery worked and was colorful. He too was so disappointed when it arrived. I tried to tell him that the commercials made things look more exciting, but it turned out to be an early lesson on disappointment.
Later in life, I bought into the theory that my father-in-law was good at repeating. He would tell us if something looked to good to be true, beware! I took his advice over the years and it saved me money, hanging with the wrong people, and getting manipulated. It has always bothered me that I had to be suspicious of people.
The bottom line is that we want to believe in the best of all worlds. We buy into commercials even as adults. We have vanity cabinets full of hair products and potions; we have closets full of gadgets from fast talking sales people. We try new things; we want fun and exciting toys even to the end of our lives.
Just check out the neighborhood garage sale and flea markets to see what I mean. We need to keep our eyes on the important things. What brings us value? Am I with healthy, wholesome people? Am I spending my money on worthwhile things? Am I thinking through the whole thing? Will this item be working for me for a month, a year? Will I be putting this in a cabinet and forgetting it next week?
I was reading an article about a skin product that made one flawless. The bells went off in my head. Nothing is perfect and flawless unless one is a newborn child. We try to become excellent in all things and we are not designed to be perfect in all ways. Reality checks are necessary.
Enjoy who you are and be the best version of yourself. Don’t try to be the “skinny-mini” model a few doors down the street. We have only one body and we need to stay well and care for ourselves, but we don’t have to try to emulate the latest diet crazes or dress in the clothes that are a current fad.
Go forward with care and good thinking. Delight in Living and enjoy the Mini Miracles in your life. Maybe you’ll be fortunate enough to see them more brightly this week. Like yourself and love life!
What do you need to discover?
Do you know yourself well? What haven’t you done in your life that you want to do? Do you want to travel? I enjoy watching Joseph Rosendo from Travelscope.net as he walks through different cultures and participates in various celebrations. He is often on in the midst of a celebration with the people from an island, or some far away place. I enjoy that he is actively engaged with them although I think there are some
places, caves, mountain tops, etc that I prefer to only watch on television.
This photo is from a trip I took back in Summer of 2013 to Portugal. It was in the barrios of Lisbon. The area was being decorated for Festival nights. Yearly they have a St. Anthony Festival in the summer months.
Buildings were still decorated. The people there were so kind and welcoming. Even on though we were there a morning following a a rain, the garlands were still in place. Plantings were blossoming. The pace was relaxing and as visitors we were warmly welcomed. I’d go back in a heartbeat to visit, but not in the month of July again. It was just too hot for this mid-western girl.
We were fortunate to travel throughout the country from the interior of the country to the ocean. As you can see in the photo with my pink straw hat, it was hot and the ocean was indeed our natural cooling agent. 
It was 106 degrees on several of the days we visited.
We saw the fields of Cork Trees, the Olive Orchards, and the Sandeman Wine Cellars while there. These are their industries that provide work and money for them. The Cork farms are protected by law and behind barbed wire electrical fences, but it was so interesting to see how the cork was retrieved and used.
We sampled their Fado music. It is fun to be part of the cultural music and dances in each part of the world. I am anxious to see and learn more about Brazil as the Summer Olympics gear up there. Television will be my guide this year. I think of the Portugal and Brazil as “sister countries” in my mind. Perhaps because of the Portuguese Language and the popular soccer teams from each area. I am interested in learning more.
Do you enjoy listening to music? Seeing the various dances each country uses to celebrate their events is enjoyable? As a child geography classes didn’t excite me, but as an adult the “hands on” approach to learning by traveling woke up so many desires to see and visit more. People have talents and a beauty within that we miss when isolated in our own little suburb or city.
On this beautiful summer day, I invite you to grab a book, listen to music, visit the library, or sit and enjoy a travel show. You’ll be glad you did!
Peace for the day! Delight in Living!