We could be little...                                                       Or big.    A different color... Or just plain  different !               And though we may be curious...                            Or even guarded at first,   We can get over it and play together!

A facebook alert has been popping up on my news feed for about 3 months now. Not long ago, I finally clicked on it to see what the event was...my 10 year high school reunion. I couldn't make it back to attend, but on a whim, I decided to dig out my old yearbook, thinking about my former classmates who are gathering together this weekend so far away. Perhaps my fondest memory of high school was during my sophomore year, when my older sister (born to be a cheerleader), drug me (happy to be a wall flower) along to the squad auditions. We both made it. That year, our basketball team went all the way to State, and for the final victory game, our cheerleading coach rented her girls a limousine. We rode to the last game in style, cheered our little peppy hearts out, and the basketball team won State. My older sister graduated high school that year, and I never re-auditioned for the squad, but I always think of those days with fondness. There were other good memories too of course, but I...

One day, I sat at the piano waiting for ballet class to begin. The 8 and 9 year old girls sat on the floor, lacing their shoes and stretching before the instructor entered the studio. I noticed one shy girl lingering near me and quickly turning away each time I glanced up at her. Finally she mustered up the courage to say to me, "I know how to play 'Twinkle Twinkle'." Finally I understood. I stood up from the bench and allowed her to play her song.  Just a week ago when my little sister and best friend visited, we ate at a seafood restaurant. As soon as we walked inside, I noticed a dusty, old upright piano that likely hadn't been tuned or played in months. My little sister immediately leaned over and said to me, "I bet you play that piano before the night's over." Ah, she knows me so well. She was right.  When you truly love something, you find a way to do it.

My nephew turned 5 yesterday, so of course, he had to have the bestest present his Aunt Beth could find. What better place to find the bestest present, than at the bestest toy store?! We explored the wonderland of FAO Shwarz Toy Store in NYC for the first time. You know the giant piano in the movie "Big?" This is it! My favorite section though, is the Barbie section. Oh yes it is! A moving Barbie fashion show! Did you ever?! And a barbie fooseball table! This is a sport I could handle. Until.... Guess I'll just stick to shopping for the nieces and nephews. "Childhood is the world of miracle or of magic: it is as if creation rose luminously out of the night, all new and fresh and astonishing. Childhood is over the moment things are no longer astonishing. When the world gives you a feeling of 'déjà vu,' when you are used to existence, you become an adult." -Eugene Ionesco 

There have been times when I've poured my heart and soul into playing the piano. I'll give it everything I have. Then I'll pause for a moment and look around the room and it seems as if no one even noticed music was playing. As if I could very well be there for decoration and nothing more.  And just when I've resigned myself to that fact, someone will approach me. Sometimes they have an extravagant story and choke back emotion as they explain, "My Aunts from Germany sang that song all the time when I was little. I haven't heard it 40 years!" Or sometimes, it's a simple smile and understated, "Nice music." Other times, I just catch someone out of the corner of my eye at their table, mouthing the words to the song I'm playing. Then I silently reprimand myself for once again forgetting.  You may not always know who is listening. But you're always heard. ~~~ Love/Hate The Other Side of the Wall

Time to play "I Spy." Can you spy the pontoon boat at the bottom of the Grand Canyon? You may have to click to enlarge, or else put on the eye glasses you never wear! Here it is a bit closer...just a tad though (even though I zoomed all the way in). How about the kayak? (Thinking about my blogger friend at  Just One Life ) Here's the cheat sheet. And the fisherman? There he is. "No Picture or word, no brush or palette, no lens or paint, can extend the wonder of Grand Canyon beyond itself." - Grand Canyon: The Hidden Secrets  (IMAX) ~~~ Goodbye Breath If I was a Squirrel, I'd Live at the Grand Canyon On the Edge of a Nervous Breakdown Life Among the Rock

The Grand Canyon is a bird lovers paradise. But MAN, they're hard to capture well! This blue jay flitted from branch to branch. Ravens are quite common here, and larger than normal it seems. I thought this one was a vulture when I saw it soaring through the air. Mule deer are quite abundant also. They're as large as horses! This female was mid-munch when I snapped this photo. And the males are even bigger!!! (or maybe they're elk?) When these 2 made eye contact with me and took a few steps my way, I took that as my cue to find a different place to take photos! Eddie was warning me they're about to charge, but I kept insisting it was a bluff. Either way, we didn't stick around long enough to find out for sure! The plant life is vibrant among the barren rocks. This single tree reminded me of a Joshua tree. You know you're in the desert when... This colorful little butterfly let me snap pictures for several minutes. He was in no hurry. Countless creepy craw...