February 2nd, 2026 @ 4:23PM
Driving home from work eastbound, I spotted a beautiful bald eagle in flight flying westbound over the eastbound lanes. I got to witness the eagles full wingspan.🦅
Eagle Sighting 2-2-26
Month: February 2026
My Musical Life 2-2-26
February 2nd, 2026
#17 Stoned Soul Picnic (The 5th Dimension) 👍🏼
Can you surry, can you picnic, whoa?
Can you surry, can you picnic?
Come on, come on and surry down to a stoned soul picnic
Surry down to a stoned soul picnic
There’ll be lots of time and wine
Red yellow honey, sassafras and moonshine
Red yellow honey, sassafras and moonshine
Stoned soul, stoned soul, whoa
Come on, come on and surry down to a stoned soul picnic
Surry down to a stoned soul picnic
Rain and sun come in again
And from the sky come the Lord and the lightning
And from the sky come the Lord and the lightning
Stoned soul, stoned soul
Surry on, soul
Surry, surry, surry, surry
There’ll be trains of blossoms (There’ll be trains of blossoms)
There’ll be trains of music (There’ll be music)
There’ll be trains of trust, trains of golden dust
Come along and surry on, sweet trains of thought, surry on down
Can you surry, can you surry, can you surry?
Surry down to a stoned soul picnic
Surry down to a stoned soul picnic
There’ll be lots of time and wine
Red yellow honey, sassafras and moonshine (Red yellow honey)
Red yellow honey, sassafras and moonshine, moonshine
Stoned soul, yeah
Surry on, soul
Surry, surry, surry, surry
Surry, surry, surry, surry
Surry, surry, surry, surry
My Abundant Life 2-2-26
February 2nd, 2026
Knowing What You Love
“Perhaps loving something is the only starting place there is for making your life your own.”
Alice Koller (American Writer and Academic; September 13, 1925 ~ )
“It should be straightforward, this knowing what we love. But it seldom is. After decades of letting other people influence us—…The only opinion that counts from now on is your own.”
“Be open to authentic aspirations.”
“Remember this is the year for asking questions. The most essential one we can ask is: what is it I truly love?”
“Trust that your authentic life will unfold naturally and with grace.”
My Bucket List
“I got my resume done and applied for both positions. I reached out to my connection for a referral/recommendation. I feel accomplished.” (Heather Houston (2-2-26)
“Knowing what you love or what your style is comes with exposure and time. I didn’t grow up on a household with matching furniture, that was for those with privilege. I didn’t have sisters to chat and share my interests with. I have found that practicality wins most of the time. However, I have lately been feeling the urge to expand myself into my self expression with what I wear. I think visiting a clothing store might be in my cards in the next few weeks. I intend to begin assembling a few pieces that speak to who I am and the style I enjoy.” (Heather Houston 2-2-26)
–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 36-37 of 501.
I challenge each of you on this blog series to post comments so we all can grow together.
Daily Gratitude 2-1-26
February 1st, 2026
- “I am thankful my husband reminded me to begin the days with alternating hot and cold packs on my biopsy site. Amazing how this helps the circulation and lymph system clear the bruising.” (Heather Houston 2-1-26)
- “I am grateful we got our Costco shopping done earlier in the day so we could relax the balance of our Sunday together.” (Heather Houston 2-1-26)
- “I appreciate my husband helping break up the proteins we purchased into meal sizes so we could freeze them for future use.” (Heather Houston 2-1-26)
- “I am blessed to live in a time with readily access to food items from around the word. Affording us an opportunity to create delicious exotic meals. It is my little way of traveling without leaving my kitchen.” (Heather Houston 2-1-26)
- “I am thankful my husband’s imagination in the kitchen tonight made a yummy pizza for dinner. He used his famous ‘green sauce’ as a base and it came out fantastic.” (Heather Houston 2-1-26)
- “I am grateful for the laughter between myself and my swimmers as I egged them on to start their workout in the freezing pool water🥶. I’m a sadistic coach.” (Heather Houston 2-1-22)
- “I appreciate my partner listening to me as I vent stress of my uncertainty and ongoing “To Do” list. He is so patient with me.”♥️ (Heather Houston 2-1-22)
- “I am thankful for a light dinner of bao dumplings and beer.” (Heather Houston 2-1-22)
- “I appreciate the movie alignment with my partner as we watched Gandhi…again. Just love this flick!” (Heather Houston 2-1-22)
- “I am blessed to have drifted off to sleep so quickly last night as I was wiped out.” (Heather Houston 2-1-22)
My Musical Life 2-1-26
February 1st, 2026
#16 Cry Like A Baby (The Box Tops) 👍🏼
When I think about the good love you gave me
I cry like a baby
Livin’ without you is drivin’ me crazy
I cry like a baby
Well, I know now that you’re not a play thing
Not a toy or a puppet on a string
As I look back on a love so sweet now
I cry like a baby
Every road is a lonely street
I cry like a baby
I know now that you’re not a play thing
Not a toy or a puppet on a string
Today we passed on the street
And you just walked on by
My heart just fell to my feet
And once again I began to cry
When I think about the good love you gave me
I cry like a baby (Cry like a baby)
Livin’ without you is drivin’ me crazy
I cry like a baby (Cry like a baby)
I know now that you’re not a play thing
I cry like a baby (Just like a little bitty baby now)
As I look back on a love so sweet now
I cry like a baby (Just like a little bitty baby now)
Every road is a lonely street
I cry like a baby (Cry like a baby)
My heart just fell to my feet, you know
I cried like a baby (Cry like a baby)
You left the water runnin’ now (Cry like a baby)
I cried like a baby (Cry like a baby)
My Abundant Life 2-1-26 (Part 2/2)
February 1st, 2026
Creative Excursions: The Gift of Time
“I celebrate myself, and sing myself
I loathe and invite my soul…”
Walter Whitman (American Poet, Essayist and Journalist; May 31st, 1819 ~ March 26th, 1892)
“Creative excursions are regular solo rendezvous with your authentic self designed for this purpose. In the beginning of any intimate relationship the best gift you can offer another person is the investment of quality time together. So it is with your authentic self.”
“When you embark on creative excursions, your authentic self will lovingly reveal to you the beautiful mystery that is you. This occurs spontaneously as you make the pursuit of personal growth a sacred endeavor.”
“Creative excursions require an investment of time, not money.”
“…once we realize that nurturing our imaginations and developing a relationship with our authentic selves is an investment we can no longer afford to put off.”
My Bucket List
“Well, wouldn’t you know it, I did it again. Putting off what I should do. UGH! No more. Working on my resume now!!!” (Heather Houston 2-1-22)
“I have added a weekly creative excursion to my calendar on Fridays so I an reconnect to my authentic self and pay amends to her for not nurturing this part of her deep desire. This could be anything that will dedicate time to my authentic self…small or large…alone or with my husband. The point is to take time each week to acknowledge and feed my soul. It feels a bit selfish, and I am learning to put myself first after a lifetime of placing myself last or not at all. I am blessed my husband supports me in this general idea of filling my cup first before filling others. Part of this commitment will include rewatching or watching for the first time films throughout my lifetime. I think rewatching these films will bring up fond memories of times in the past as well as seeing them newly with my new outlook on life.” (Heather Houston 2-1-26)
–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 35-36 of 501.
I challenge each of you on this blog series to post comments so we all can grow together.
My Abundant Life 2-1-26 (Part 1/2)
February 1st, 2026
February
“China tea, the scent of hyacinths, wood fires and bowls of violets—that is my mental picture of an agreeable February afternoon.”
Constance Spry OBE (British Educator, Florist and Author; December 5th, 1886 ~ January 3rd, 1960)
–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 35 of 501.
I challenge each of you on this blog series to post comments so we all can grow together.
My Distilled Life 