MIKELL'S HIDDEN TREASURES
  • New Website Link and Free e-book and Newsletter Sign Up
  • Contact

A Weekend to Treasure!

9/28/2014

0 Comments

 
It would be hard to imagine a more perfect weekend!!!! Carrie and her family came all the way from New Jersey - 8 of us altogether at my favorite restaurant in Towson,  Strapazza's, for the season's last Feet on the Street.  It was a wonderful evening of laughter, dancing and celebration - Happy Birthday Jill and Michael! What a gift to have all of you come to Towson and include me in your festivities!

Saturday was a delight - back at Strapazza's for lunch with Mycala and then off to the exquisite Court House Gardens. Sketched several times over the weekend and Zippy and Sparkiie took walks and had a Sunday afternoon date! And to add to the celebration, the Ravens and the Orioles both won today's games. 
Picture
Picture
Picture
0 Comments

Wishes

9/24/2014

1 Comment

 
UPDATE: I wrote this wish list for 2015 on 9-24-2014. Some of the dreams that came true are listed below - italicized to differentiate them from the one's that didn't. The year was so much more extraordinary than what I had planned. Please see my Gratitude list for how the year actually unfolded!
Picture
One of the suggestions I gave my 'A More Creative You" class was to list their Wishes. The assignment prompted me to redo my own and add them as goals to add to my Rose tree. Some are silly, others most likely impossible, some simple and others more challenging. Two that were rather unexpected this year were my trip to Paris and purchasing a new home in the historical Lake Walker in Baltimore!

After losing my first list of wishes entirely, I'm grouping them in sections of 10.
Wishes that have come true are bolded and italicized!

I hope this will inspire you to make your own list!


Wish List for 2015 - I wish I could

  1. Continue to sing in the Renaissance chorus!
  2. Create a zodiac herb booklet
  3. Create an illustrated 100 page booklet on violets with legend, lore, recipes,
  4. Complete History of Jazz course
  5. Complete Baltimore History course
  6. Complete Parks and Rivers of Maryland course
  7. Complete Sing a Song course
  8. Continue daily journaling
  9. Complete my Intuitive Painting course
  10. Complete my Your Creative Spark course
  1. Create a series of greeting cards to send and to sell with information on symbolism
  2. Daisy - innocence
  3. Rosemary - remembrance
  4. Violets - protection against "wykked sperytis"
  5. Iris - faith, wisdom, valor and friendship
  6. Dogwood - wishes and protection
  7. Black eyed Susan - a heart full of smiles
  8. Roses - love
  9. Starfish - eternal love
  10. Pear - love (and lust?) hahahaha
  1. Complete my course on Gothic Cathedrals
  2. Be invited to Paris! Thank you Nancy!!!!!
  3. Went to Paris!
  4. Purchased ticket
  5. Reserved "the Nest"!
  6. Learned French
  7. Purchased travel books
  8. Planned wish list!
  9. Packed
  10. Went!!!
  1. Began house hunting!
  2. Checked credit score
  3. Found a mortgage broker
  4. Found a real estate agent - Eve! LOVE LOVE LOVE her!!!!!
  5. Began exploring communities in the Baltimore area
  6. Scheduled home tours
  7. Made plans with Mycala!!!
  8. Scheduled home inspection
  9. Scheduled settlement
  10. Moved into our new home!!!

  1. Flew to Paris via Iceland!
  2. Arrived at the Left Bank!
  3. Saw Notre Dame and the Rose Window at Sunset!
  4. Saw the Seine!
  5. Checked into our Nest!
  6. Saw the Eiffel Tour!
  7. Found Shakespeare and Company Book Store!
  8. Visited the Latin Quarter!
  9. Visited St. Severin Church
  10. Went on a Champagne Tour
  11. Visited the Cathedral in Rheims
  12. Visit the Louvre
  13. Toured the Orsay Museum
  14. Saw the Champs Elysses
  15. Visited the Georges Pompadeau Mall
  16. Toured Versailles
  17. Toured Giverney! Dream of a life time!!!!
  18. Saw Monet's murals at the Orangerie Museum
  19. Visited Montmartre
  20. Climbed to the top of Sacre Cour!


1 Comment

The Autumn Equinox, New Moon and Mabon

9/23/2014

 
The advent of autumn simultaneously warms my heart and brings an onset of nostalgia. Throw in a new moon, and the day is ripe with new beginnings and new possibilities, reminiscent of my grandmother's reverence for the cycles of the moon. No, she didn't consult zodiac signs and horoscopes, but she farmed seventy-four acres in Indiana, and sowed, reaped and harvested with the moon in mind. 

She taught me to pay attention to the phases of the moon, to honor the cycles of nature and to consider the impact of their power. I am a believer. I've seen the cycles of the moon in action. When I volunteered in the prison, we  all took a deep breath and gathered our courage during the full moon. We knew it would bring different behaviors. This is not my imagination. Police departments and hospitals have long documented the increase in crime and emergency room admissions when the moon is full.

The new moon's power is more subtle and often considered less potent, but I'm not convinced. The force it holds for new beginning is a positive power to be revered. Maybe it is simply a matter of the gift of opportunity, of a new beginning. 

Each day is a miracle. Today I was reminded of this, as I am almost daily, by a friend reflecting on her weekend filled with concerns about a family member's health problems, and the the death of a dear friend in his seventies. Life is fragile. 

My dad died in his early 40s and from that time on, I've been aware of the value of each day. I know life can end as quickly as a star can fall from heaven. For awhile, it seemed I had a reprieve. Very few people in my life died for decades. And then the pendulum swung. The death of loved ones increased, and my appreciation for life increases simultaneously. 

Today's treasure is a new moon, the autumn equinox and the arrival of Libra. The air is crisp and cool, the moon is encouraging us to begin new endeavors, thought processes and leaps of faith and Libra brings balance, reflection and celebration. 

This is the first day Mabon, the harvest festival, in the northern hemisphere. It is a time to harvest and to reap what we sow. Mabon is a time of rest, reflection and assessment. This is a time to celebrate your successes, consider which projects and endeavors were beneficial, and which can be replaced and set aside. Be gentle with yourself as you review and assess. Nature is here to support and lift you up, encouraging and empowering you to be the very best you can be. There is magic in the air!
 

Friendship and Roses

9/19/2014

 
Picture
Picture
Lisa and Shayla arrived today with roses -  a banner that is perfect for my Take the Rose Instead and Roses by the Sea Retreat, cupcakes too gorgeous to eat, and an exquisite note pad! 

They fill the room with love just by walking in! They have left to attend a conference with Oprah and will stop on the way back. I can hardly wait to hear about their experiences, reflections and insights!  

"A single rose can be my garden, a single friend, my world."     ~ Leo Bascaglia
Picture

Firework Spectacular at Inner Harbor!

9/14/2014

 

Sunset on the Bay

9/13/2014

 

Blue Angels and the Orioles Game

9/13/2014

0 Comments

 
Picture
The Baltimore Orioles and the New York Yankees played ten innings without scoring. I'm wondering if they were as distracted by the air show above Camden Yards as we were! It was a thrill to first hear the sonic booms and then see the arial acrobatics!  The Yankees finally scored in the 11th in inning, followed by the Orioles. The Orioles won the game, 2 to 1. 
0 Comments

The Tall Ship Ballet!

9/11/2014

0 Comments

 
Picture
Picture
Picture
The tall ships, sailing into Baltimore's Inner Harbor for the Star Spangled Banner Spectacular Festivities, was virtually a ballet!  The extent of the artistry was far beyond what I had anticipated. The detail on the ships was the exquisite! I had no idea it would be so creative, varied, intricate, or vibrant! There was a dog on the side of one of the ships that reminded me of Zippy!


Picture
Picture
0 Comments

Star Spangled Celebrations!

9/10/2014

0 Comments

 

Newcomer's of Northern Baltimore County Star Spangled Spectacular

Today the Newcomer's of Northern Baltimore County hosted a delightful luncheon in the private dining room of the Rusty Scupper that faces the harbor, giving us a perfect view of the visiting tall ships! But not all of the entertainment was outside!  Arlen St. John, who arranged the spectacular extravaganza, transformed into Mary Pickersgill before our eyes!  With the help of her delightful granddaughter, and a few simple props, "Mary transported us back in time to tell us her story and the challenges involved in creating the enormous Star Spangled Banner that inspired the song by Francis Scott Key. 

Mary Young was born on February 12, 1776 to another flag maker, her mother, Rebecca Young. She learned the craft which later gave her an economic base to support herself and later others. Mary married Pickersgill, but became a widow at the age of 29. She was able to support herself through her flag business and was commissioned to by Major George Armistead to make a flag for Fort McHenry. It was to be "so large that the British would have no difficulty seeing it from a distance." The flag was completed ahead of time, delivered to Fort McHenry where it inspired the song that eventually became the United States National Anthem, written Francis Scott Key during the Battle of Baltimore.

Mary Pickersgill bought the house she had been renting in in 1820. She contributed time and resources to supporting disadvantaged women who had been widowed, were unemployed or found themselves in need because of economic challenges. She founded a home for aging women, and later built an adjacent home for aging men.Over a century later the facility became the Pickersgill Retirement Community, located in Towson, Maryland. 

Her home, located at the northwest corner of Albemarie and East Pratt Streets in downtown Baltimore, is now officially known as the Star-Spangled Banner Flag House. Sincere thanks to Arlen and Newcomer's of Northern Baltimore County for bringing history alive and celebrating history in the making in beautiful Baltimore!

Picture
Picture
Picture
0 Comments

Defining Retreat - a More Spiritual Perspective

9/5/2014

0 Comments

 
Planning our Roses by the Sea "Retreat" prompted me to look up the word "retreat" in the dictionary. 

retreat - riˈtrēt/
verb
  1. (of an army) withdraw from enemy forces as a result of their superior power or after a defeat.
    "the French retreated in disarray"
    synonyms:withdraw, retire, draw back, pull back/out, fall back, give way, give ground, beat a retreat, beat a hasty retreat"the army retreated"
noun
  1. an act of moving back or withdrawing.
    "a speedy retreat"
    synonyms:withdrawal, pulling back"the retreat of the army"
  2. a signal for a military force to withdraw.
    "the bugle sounded a retreat"

It left me cold and uninspired. Recently I've found several words in the dictionary that seem to be lacking. There are so many people pouring into my life recently who have a gentler, more spiritual view of the world. It may be time for a dictionary with a broader, more spiritual perspective! 

A few moments after consulting the dictionary, a friend called to read me a quote she thought I might like about why we need to take time for retreats! 

"Taking a retreat is about stepping out of your ordinary existence to listen and attune to your truest, most authentic self. It is about being self-referenced to become self-restored. It is about trusting what you experience as sacred without the need for external sanction. It is setting apart time to tend the hearth of your inner life, feed your muse, reclaim your dreams. A place to reaffirm your values by giving yourself permission to do what you need when you need it, not when you think you should or when someone else thinks you should. About using loving self-discipline to push past limiting beliefs, to instigate change, to bring closure."

~ Jane Louden

0 Comments
<<Previous
    Picture
    Welcome!! I’m Mikell (pronounced Michael). If you love spicing up your life with herbs, recipes, decorating and crafts, symbolism and rituals like I do, I hope you’ll sign up for  my newsletter and free Enhancing Your Life with Herbs e-book!

    Categories

    All
    Art
    Collecting Firsts
    Fashion And Fabrics
    Herbs
    Holidays
    Inspiration
    Legends
    Lessons From Nature
    Maps
    Quotes
    Recipes
    Vintage

    Mikell 

    Mikell is a writer, artist and professional treasure hunter, finding the greatest treasures in the wonderful people who enter her life!

    Archives

    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    April 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    July 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012

    RSS Feed

  • New Website Link and Free e-book and Newsletter Sign Up
  • Contact