This Old House

Old buildings fascinate me. I love to be out hiking or vacationing and come across an old, broken down cabin from the late 1800’s or earlier. The work involved in building these stone and/or wooden houses with the given tools of the time is so different from today’s craftsmanship.


Huge stones were moved by hand or horse. Oftentimes, a mud mixture was used to fill in the gaps, not cement or mortar. The ceilings were made by binding together branches and wood. Then, they were piled on top in thick layers to insure insulation against the weather.

Many of these structures were built into rock walls, earthen mounds or other natural rises in the ground in order to protect against the weather.

The average home built today, albeit full of high-tech gadgets and massive in size, just doesn’t present the same ingenuity or interest to me as the homes from “yester-year.”

So, on that note, the quote of the day is:

“Take the time it requires in order to build yourself a home that begins with a solid base, is made of quality products and will not crumble under the pressures of time.” tc

The Nectar of Life

Today is the Summer Solstice. This is the longest day of the year. As you move through the next couple of months of summer, it would be good to keep in mind the lessons that the hummingbird teaches us.

1. Even though the hummingbird is the smallest bird, I just learned that this dynamic little creature has been known to chase off eagles.

~The ‘hummer’ teaches us to be fearless in life.

2. Their name comes from the vibration that the wings make. Humming creates an internal massage in us, which helps to restore our natural health and balance.

~Try implementing a little ‘humming’ in your daily activities and see how much better you will feel.

3. Hummingbirds are the most skillful flyer. They can hover in the air, fly forward, sideways and they are the only bird that is able to fly backwards. They cannot walk.

~This reminds us that if we truly enjoy the things that we do, we will feel as light as a feather.

So, on that note, the quote of the day is:

“Nature has an amazing way of teaching us something new, if we slow down for a just a moment and drink from the nectar of life.” tc