Aunt Sandi Says

My sixtieth year is over and - as of today - so is this blog called Sandi's Sixtieth Year. Thank you for reading my blog entries, and thank you especially to those who left comments.

I invite you to follow my new blog at www.auntsandisays.blogspot.com. You will see that the banner at the top says "information and opinion, facts and feelings, argument and acceptance." The truth is I'm not sure how the new blog will develop, but I do have some ideas I'd like to try.

Please visit me at my new address. I invite you to leave a comment and become a follower. And, if you have a blog I may not have visited, please let me know.

I will close this blog with an autumn blessing I found by Kenny Moore at www.uponthesacredstage.blogspot.com/2008/10/autumn-blessing.html

"May this fall season reconnect us to the ever-changing aspects of our lives: color, complexity, beauty and mortality."

Faith and Hope (Again)

Since writing about faith and hope in my blog entry of September 25, I have thought about these words again and again.

What I wrote last month focused mainly on faith in myself and hope in myself, particularly with regard to blogging. Lately, I've been thinking about faith in God and hope in God and how these words apply in all areas of my life.

If I have faith in God, how does that relate to faith in myself? If I have hope in myself, how does that relate to hope in God? How does this all fit together - or does it?

I wish I had some cosmic insight on this topic, but I don't. What I do know is that these two words keep coming up for me in a way that can't be ignored. I'll continue to think about them and write about them as the next decade of my life begins.

I did find this to share ( thanks to http://www.mobixone.com/decent-sms/three-nice-stories-on-faith-trust-and-hope/ )

All the villagers decided to pray for rain.  On the day of prayer, all the people gathered, but only one boy came with an umbrella.  THAT'S FAITH.

Think of a one-year-old baby. When you throw him in the air, he laughs because he knows you will catch him.  THAT'S TRUST.
Every night, as we go to bed, we have no assurance we will wake up alive the next morning - but we still have plans for tomorrow.  THAT'S HOPE.

Now I have another word to think about - trust!

My Trip to California

I spent my October 8 birthday in sunny weather over a long weekend in Cathedral City (next to Palm Springs).  It was a wonderful time spent reading and writing, attending a workshop, and seeing a part of California I had not seen before.

One of my favorite memories is the time I spent each morning looking out the sliding glass door to the view beyond.  I opened the door several inches so I could enjoy the cool morning air as I saw the blue of the swimming pool, the green of the golf course beyond, and the gray-brown hills in the distance.  The last morning, I got up early enough to capture this photo:

The rising sun transformed the hills to a beautiful pinkish hue.  As it rose higher, the colors changed:

On the day of my birthday, I was pleased to attend a workshop featuring Julia Cameron, author of The Artist's Way.  Since I am currently taking a class on The Artist's Way at home in Portland, this was particular interesting and encouraging to me.  In fact, even though I had no computer/word processor with me on my trip, I did some writing every day as Cameron recommends.  (see http://www.juliacameronlive.com/ for more information)

I did take advantage of one of the big tourist attractions in the area:  the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway.  It is quite an experience to travel up to the 8500-foot level and enjoy the spectacular view.  For more on my tram ride, please follow my new blog at http://www.auntsandisays.blogspot.com/

Autumn Poetry

The morns are meeker than they were,
The nuts are getting brown;
The berry's cheek is plumper,
The rose is out of town.

The maple wears a gayer scarf,
The field a scarlet gown.
Lest I should be old-fashioned,
I'll put a trinket on.
            -Emily Dickinson

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness,
Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eaves run.
            -John Keats

It's Ending / It's Beginning

My sixtieth year officially ended on Saturday, but my sixty-first year is just beginning.

As I settle back into my regular routine at home after a week of birthday travels, I am thinking about the past twelve months - but even more about the months to come.

As with so many things in life, an ending is also a new beginning.  This blog will come to a close by the end of October, but my new blog information will be posted here soon. 

The Sylvia Beach Hotel

I just returned from a stay at the Sylvia Beach Hotel in Newport on the Oregon Coast.  Although I have visited Newport many times and have actually been inside the hotel to visit the gift shop and peek into a couple of the rooms, this is the first time I've actually been a guest.  Why did I wait so long?

For those not familiar with this unique beachfront inn, its guest rooms are each decorated to represent authors and their works.  I stayed in the J.K. Rowling Room decorated to reflect many of the details in her Harry Potter books.  In fact, everywhere I turned, there was another object connected with Harry, from the white owl in the hanging cage to the display of magic wands upon the wall.

Other rooms are decorated in honor of Agatha Christie, Dr. Seuss, Mark Twain, and many other authors.  There is also a community room with comfy seating, a selection of books and puzzles, and a spectacular ocean view.  A hot breakfast is included with each night's stay, and the staff are very friendly and helpful.

Go to http://www.sylviabeachhotel.com/ to find out more.  As Harry would say, "It's brilliant!"