2019-09-06 12:00
Photo courtesy lucasphotography from Pixabay“One swallow does not make a summer, neither does one fine day; similarly one day or brief time of happiness does not make a person entirely… Read More
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Simple pleasures and everyday adventures
2019-08-30 11:30
We’ll be keeping a close eye on the progress of Hurricane Dorian this weekend. It’s not supposed to reach us until Monday, and as I write this, we don’t yet know where it w… Read More
2019-08-26 15:15
Photo courtesy Alfred Borchard via FreeImagesOur backyard has grown from oasis to jungle after months of rain and sun. My husband has had his hands full keeping the bird feeders and birdbath… Read More
2019-08-23 12:00
When I read this poem I had to share it, because it so perfectly captures for me the look and feel of the area in which I spent my growing-up summers, an area that I love deeply and find bea… Read More
2019-08-19 15:59
Back in March, I wrote about one of the authors who inspired my mindset when I started Catching Happiness. Today I want to introduce you to another: Alexandra Stoddard.Stoddard began her car… Read More
2019-08-16 12:00
Photo by Philippe Jausions on Unsplash“We waste so much energy trying to cover up who we are when beneath every attitude is the want to be loved, and beneath every anger… Read More
2019-08-12 12:00
Now and then I dip into the Catching Happiness archives and share a post from the past. Lately I've been thinking a lot about the balance of comfort and discomfort in the pursuit of happines… Read More
2019-08-09 12:00
“…discomfort can open great windows of opportunity. When we were younger we ran from discomfort constantly. We were in search of an easy life, and of course we never found it. W… Read More
2019-08-05 13:10
The soupy view from my windowAugust in Florida features heat, humidity, frequent thunderstorms, and sometimes, hurricanes. Though I try not to wish the days away, August is a month I mostly… Read More
2019-08-02 12:00
Photo by Patrick Fore on Unsplash“We have no more right to consume happiness without producing it than to consume wealth without producing it.”—George Bernar… Read More
2019-07-26 12:00
“Be idealistic. No one on earth deserves to be happier than you do. Because you are unique, if you are not happy, no one can be happy for you. Happiness is love in action. The more you… Read More
2019-07-22 12:30
Nearly every day I find myself drenched in sweat—we’re talking “wring out your t-shirt” sweat (too much information?). That’s because Florida has experienced re… Read More
2019-07-19 12:00
Tank (right) experiencing perfect happiness“Happiness is not about the achievement of pleasure (which is joy or satisfaction), but about the lack of desire It arrives when you have no… Read More
2019-07-15 13:01
Interesting perspective in this photo by sergio souza on UnsplashI have a judgmental brain. Whenever something happens to me, I want to slot it away in either a “good&rd&hell…Read More
2019-07-12 12:00
Photo by Ana Tavares on UnsplashIntroduction by Ted Kooser: There’s nothing that can’t be a good subject for a poem. The hard part is to capture something in such… Read More
2019-07-08 12:00
On Saturday, I drove by the place where I took Tank riding on the beach a few years ago, so I dug up this post from June of 2015 to share as a summer rerun. It was a lot of fun to remember t… Read More
2019-07-05 12:00
“To achieve high levels of happiness, reach for brightness in your daily life. Light and dark are integral to the natural cycle of life. We can accept darkness as we point toward the l… Read More
2019-07-01 16:53
January through June of 2019 have to have been the quickest six months of my life. And experience tells me that the next six months of the year won’t be any more leisurely if left to t… Read More
2019-06-28 12:00
Photo courtesy an_photos via Pixabay“I believe the nicest and sweetest days are not those on which anything very splendid or wonderful or exciting happens, but just those that bring si… Read More
2019-06-24 19:49
Photo by Kyle Peyton on UnsplashIn the Northern Hemisphere, we’re at the edge of summer. We just experienced the longest day of the year on June 21st, and today is Midsu… Read More
2019-06-21 12:00
Photo by Viviane Okubo on Unsplash“The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain. Is not the cup that holds your wine the very cup that was… Read More
2019-06-17 12:06
A few years ago, my husband became interested in gardening. Since then, he’s spent hours every weekend working/playing in our yard, turning it into an oasis. He plants mostly pere… Read More
2019-06-14 14:16
At the harness races--one of my favorite photos of usSeven and a half months ago, my father died. This year, on Father’s Day, for the first time, I won’t have a father. This feel… Read More
2019-06-10 12:35
Last week a friend asked me what I planned to read this summer. Um, everything, and never go outside again until December? Sadly, that will not happen. I have been mulling over what I want t… Read More
2019-06-07 12:00
Photo by Sorin Gheorghita on Unsplash“Although there are no easy solutions to avoiding…destructive pleasures, fortunately we have a place to begin: the simple rem… Read More
2019-06-03 14:59
Luna's summer fun list involves a) balls and b) swimmingEven though it’s summer (or about to be), we’re not kids anymore, looking forward to the unbridled freedom of weeks of sum… Read More
2019-05-31 12:00
I may be spending a lot of time indoors this summer—yesterday, the “feels like” temperature was 101 degrees. And it’s only May! If you need me, I’ll be at my co… Read More
2019-05-24 19:12
Photo by Jamez Picard on Unsplash“To be creative means to be in love with life. You can be creative only if you love life enough that you want to enhance its beauty, you… Read More
2019-05-20 15:58
Zzzzzzzzzz...My spring break was boring. In a good way.I was so tired. Physically, mentally, emotionally. I went blueberry picking. I slept. I read. I took my vitamins every day. I puttered… Read More
2019-05-17 12:00
“You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.” — Maya Angelou Read More
2019-05-13 12:00
I’m still on my own personal spring break right now, doing my best to rest and slow down. Here is a post from 2014 that shows this is an ongoing issue for me. Maybe for you, too?&ldquo&hell…Read More
2019-05-10 12:00
“Creativity is an awful lot like sex. If it always has to be great, that creates a certain amount of performance anxiety. If, instead, you experiment a little, even when you’re n… Read More
2019-05-06 12:00
I’m on my own personal spring break right now, which included a blueberry-picking excursion yesterday. So I dusted off this post from 2015, a throwback to the first time I went blueber… Read More
2019-05-03 12:00
Photo by Amaury Salas on Unsplash“Even if you never go near the arts, you are creating away like mad every single day, working in the medium of experience itself. Action… Read More
2019-04-29 12:00
I always hate to see April go. In May we usually start getting summer weather: temps in the 90s and rising humidity. And we all know how much I love summer in Florida. Not.But it’s not… Read More
2019-04-26 12:00
Photo by Alistair MacRobert on UnsplashIntroduction by Ted Kooser: Stuart Dybek was born in Chicago, where there are at least a couple of hundred hotels a poet might stroll pa… Read More
2019-04-22 15:03
Photo by Dominik Scythe on UnsplashIf you’ve been reading Catching Happiness for a while, you know I’m big on baby steps and small changes. Small is less intimidat… Read More
2019-04-19 12:00
“It is in the details of life that beauty is revealed, sustained, and nurtured.”—Sarah Ban Breathnach, Simple Abundance Here are a few small things I love:Monarch butt… Read More
2019-04-12 12:00
Photo by 1AmFcS on Unsplash“I don’t mean that we should sell ourselves short or be cavalier about our potential or responsibilities. But I do think that, misled by… Read More
2019-04-08 19:36
Last week, after a poor night’s sleep, I sat at my desk handling a number of small, irritating-but-necessary tasks. Outside, the sky was gray, threatening rain. I ran into minor proble… Read More
2019-04-05 12:00
Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on UnsplashIntroduction by Ted Kooser: Marge Saiser, who lives in Nebraska, is a fine and a very lucky poet. With the passing of each year her poem… Read More
2019-04-01 12:00
Since my romantic youth, I’ve had an interest in poetry. My fantastic creative writing teacher, Marie Tollstrup, taught us to read and write poetry, and a love for the form has stayed… Read More
2019-03-29 12:00
“It takes a long time to develop the behavior and habits of mind that contribute to our problems. It takes an equally long time to establish the new habits that bring happiness. There… Read More
2019-03-25 12:00
Yesterday’s Action for Happiness Mindful March calendarprompt was “Make a list of amazing things you take for granted.”So I did.Here’s a portion of it, in no particul… Read More
2019-03-22 12:00
I’m not the only one with mindfulness in mind (hee) right now. The word “mindful” seems to be a popular addition to any topic: mindful eating, mindful parenting, mindful de… Read More
2019-03-18 12:05
In 1995, Sarah Ban Breathnach published Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy. I don’t remember how I heard about it, or even if I bought my copy soon after it was published… Read More
2019-03-15 13:47
Saint-Cirq LapopieSome of us are still shoveling snow, and some of us are already sweating. March has been…wild. How about we all escape to the south of France for a few minutes? You… Read More
2019-03-11 15:28
Photo by Lesly Juarez on UnsplashI’ve been playing with my theme of mindfulness these past 10 days—doing simple things like turning off the radio while I drive so… Read More
2019-03-08 13:00
Photo by Fabrizio Verrecchia on Unsplash“Most of us take for granted that time flies, meaning that it passes too quickly. But in the mindful state, time doesn't really p… Read More
2019-03-04 13:38
Though you may not have noticed, I sometimes choose a monthly theme around which I loosely organize my posts on Catching Happiness. For example, February’s was the unimaginative-but-ap… Read More
2019-03-01 13:00
“When we can be centered in ourselves, even for brief periods of time in the face of the pull of the outer world, not having to look elsewhere for something to fill us up or make us ha… Read More
2019-02-25 20:26
Photo by Ryan Christodoulou on UnsplashMarie Kondo is having a moment. With two books on organization (or “tidying”), The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up and Spa… Read More
2019-02-22 13:00
“If I have learned anything through the years, it is that, though we discover and experience joy with others, our capacity for joy is carried like a pod of nectar in our very own breas… Read More
2019-02-18 12:56
Today is my horse Tank’s 24th birthday! As a registered American Quarter Horse, he “officially” turns a year older on Jan. 1, but I still celebrate his actual birthday&mdas&hell…Read More
2019-02-15 13:00
Photo by freestocks.org on Unsplash“The truth is, the way we can show up as our very best and offer the greatest amount of love and support to our partner is to take the… Read More
2019-02-11 13:05
Photo courtesy Andrew Martin via Pixabay As I mentioned briefly here, the word of the year that presented itself to me for 2019 is “rise.” And it did present itself—I… Read More
2019-02-08 13:00
Photo by Conor Luddy on Unsplash“Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.”&m&hell…Read More
2019-02-04 13:11
Photo by Susan Yin on Unsplash “What else is a library, but a temple of truth? What other function do books have, the great ones, but to change the reader? Books to… Read More
2019-02-01 16:35
Early morning at LVCIt’s Friday, and it’s cold, and it’s February—would you like to escape to an enchanted place, even for a few minutes?Come with me to Le Vieux Couv… Read More
2019-01-28 13:14
While it’s true that a good measure of our happiness depends on internal factors like attitudes and beliefs, it’s NOT true that our environment has nothing to do with feelings of… Read More
2019-01-25 13:00
Luna ready for actionHappy Friday, everyone! I don’t mean to rub it in, but here in Florida we’re enjoying a stretch of pleasant weather—i.e., cool temperatures and lower h… Read More
2019-01-21 17:11
Photo by Randy Fath on UnsplashI’m back. So where were we?The past two weeks flew by (what a surprise). After wrapping up a couple of freelance writing assignments, I en… Read More
2019-01-04 13:00
Photo courtesy malohan, via PixabayIt’s a bright, shiny new year. How is it treating you so far?So far so good, here at Catching Happiness. I’m happy to say my freelance work con… Read More
2018-12-31 13:01
Remember this? This happened in 2018!I don’t know about you, but for me 2018 was f.u.l.l. The last few months have been a mad scramble, and I’m planning some time off this week t… Read More
2018-12-28 13:00
“One of the most important things I've learned during the last fifteen years is how to enjoy and savor the present. When I am writing, I am inside the sound and meaning of the words, p… Read More
2018-12-24 13:05
Prudy, Luna, Tank, and all the humans here at Catching Happiness wish you and your loved ones much holiday happiness, whatever your traditions may be. Read More
2018-12-21 13:00
Introduction by Ted Kooser: Do others of you think about what you'll miss when you leave this life? For me it will be the great skies over my part of the world. Here’s Emily Grosholz&r&hell…Read More
2018-12-17 13:18
Friday’s quote from Operation Happiness got me thinking about the concept of building a foundation for happiness—the kind of foundation that will support us when we’re deep… Read More
2018-12-14 13:00
“Part of building a foundation for sustainable happiness involves preparing to weather the most challenging times with as much peace, light, and inner fitness as possible. The way to d… Read More
2018-12-10 13:00
Photo by Clay Banks on UnsplashI’ve been having trouble getting back into the habit of writing for Catching Happiness—maybe you’ve noticed? My life has been… Read More
2018-12-07 13:00
Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash“Water teaches us things, with the most valuable lesson probably being: flow! Go through life with ease and elegance, follow the path o… Read More
2018-11-30 21:10
Every year since 2014, I’ve participated in Positively Present’s 30-Day Gratitude Photo Challenge. I love using Dani’s prompts to think about how much I have to be grateful… Read More
2018-11-26 13:00
Today I’m on my way home from California where I attended my father’s memorial service and spent Thanksgiving with my stepmom. We’re all doing as well as can be expect… Read More
2018-11-23 13:00
“After all, a vacation is not a matter of place or time. We can take a wonderful vacation in spirit, even though we are obliged to stay at home, if we will only drop our burdens from o… Read More
2018-11-19 13:00
Instead of talking your ear off, today’s post is going to be a round up of some of my favorite photos from Paris:The Paris Opera House (Palais Garnier):The Eiffel Tower:The Seine by da… Read More
2018-11-16 13:00
Today I’d like to share information and photos from two Paris museums which are not the Louvre, but held a special attraction for me. Both are much smaller and less overwhelming than t… Read More
2018-11-12 13:00
Paris was, in a word, fantastique! I’ve been to Paris before, but it was always a brief stop on my way someplace else. This time, I spent 12 full days exploring what the city has to of… Read More
2018-11-05 12:43
I know you’re waiting to hear about France, and I’m eager to share—my three weeks there were some of the most interesting and exciting of my life. But first I have to share… Read More
2018-10-26 12:00
Photo by Ugne Vasyliute on Unsplash“People can hate on you for doing what it is that makes you happy, but ultimately, it has to belong to you. It shouldn't matter what a… Read More
2018-10-19 12:00
Photo by Jeff Frenette on Unsplash“Voyage, travel, and change of place impart vigor.—Seneca the Younger Read More
2018-10-12 12:00
Photo courtesy Damian Aldeta Fuentes via Pixabay“Look inside the green heart of Paris and you will see the exquisite beauty of one of the world’s most cherished places. That beau… Read More
2018-10-05 12:00
Photo by Inna Korol on Unsplash“There is but one Paris and however hard living may be here, and if it became worse and harder even—the French air clears up the bra… Read More
2018-10-01 15:15
Photo by Tom King on UnsplashPreparations for my trip to Paris and points beyond have reached a fever pitch at Chez Catching Happiness. In only TWO days I’ll be jetting… Read More
2018-09-28 12:00
Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash“Be like a tree and let the dead leaves drop.”—Rumi Read More
2018-09-24 15:55
“I believe happiness is a choice. Some days it is a very difficult choice.”—Steve GleasonI just posted some pretty pictures on Instagram from a walk I took with Luna last w… Read More
2018-09-21 12:00
Photo courtesy Rhythm_In_Life via PixabayAt work, at home, and everywhere else, our happiness, productivity, and success is intertwined with the happiness, productivity, and success of the p… Read More
2018-09-17 12:00
Photo courtesy Sierra Maciorowski via PixabayFor the past six months or more, I’ve been reading Paris…novels set in Paris, collections of essays and excerpts from larger works o… Read More
2018-09-14 12:00
Puppyhood: this too shall pass and this too is good“The discipline of joy requires holding in the mind simultaneously that this too shall pass and that this too is good. This alch… Read More
2018-09-10 18:15
Photo by Amelia Bartlett on Unsplash“‘What do you like doing best in the world, Pooh?’“‘Well,’ said Pooh, ‘what I like best,’ a… Read More
2018-09-07 12:00
Photo by Maria Shanina on Unsplash“If we want a joyous life, we must think joyous thoughts. If we want a prosperous life, we must think prosperous thoughts. If we want a… Read More
2018-09-03 12:00
Photo courtesy Candace PenneyNow and then I dip into the Catching Happiness archives and share a post from the past. Even though this one was written in 2013, I’m still doing some of t… Read More
2018-08-31 12:00
August is pretty, even though it's hotEvery year I stagger through the summer and I feel surprised when my energy begins to come back in September. This summer is no different. I’m hap… Read More
2018-08-24 12:00
Introduction by Ted Kooser: John Foy is a poet living in New York whose book, Night Vision, published by St. Augustine’s Press, was the winner of The New Criterion Poetry Prize. I espe… Read More
2018-08-17 12:00
Photo by MI PHAM on Unsplash“In today’s rush, we all think too much, seek too much, want too much and forget about the joy of just Being.”—Eckhart Toll… Read More
2018-08-13 15:57
It starts with a grumble in the east. You quickly glance up at the sky—what’s the cloud situation? Is there lightning? The Spanish moss hangs limp from the oak trees and there&rs&hell…Read More
2018-08-10 13:05
Well, it’s August. What more can I say? I’m feeling about as lazy as is possible while still being conscious, just marking time until the weather cools off. But my fingers still… Read More
2018-08-06 15:39
Breathe.I’m an expert at worrying. About the future. About what might happen. But in this moment, I’m OK. My loved ones are OK. Sure, there will be times when this isn’t th… Read More
2018-08-03 15:06
Photo by gabrielle cole on Unsplash“So many of us believe that to be joyous we need to do a lot of work. But the truth is, our essence is already sparkling with happines… Read More
2018-07-30 11:37
Now and then I dip into the Catching Happiness archives and share a post from the past. I hope you enjoy this one, from 2010. Have you ever been to Someday Isle? Maybe you find yourself… Read More
2018-07-27 12:00
“I begin to suspect that the world is divided not only into the happy and the unhappy, but into those who like happiness and those who, odd as it seems, really don’t.”&mdas&hell…Read More
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