Up-date on Diana

In June of this year, Diana came to live in my yard. She is a Dwarf Japanese Larch (tree) and what sets her apart from other types of trees is that she drops her needles. Yep, that's right - her needles, not her leaves.

This morning the sun was shining (it can be a rare event in the Pacific Northwest) and Diana was splendiferous with dew drops shimmering on her reddish needles throughout twisted branches. I attempted to take a picture to share with you. In one she is in shadow - the sun as the backdrop. In the other one, she hard to see because of the large tree in my neighbors backyard.

I'll try again and when I get a shot that does her justice I'll post it here.

It is amazing to see the green needles turn reddish brown and orange. They have yet to drop but I'm assured they soon will. Winter is coming and Diana is getting ready.

Connecting the Dots

One of my Intentions is that everything that happens serves my highest good. That is a great focus when everything comes together and life runs smoothly.

But what do I do when life is not running smoothly, things are not coming together - is my highest good still being served?

As I type this, I'm in a place where I'm struggling to 'connect the dots' - to see the gift, the blessing in a string of chaotic, challenging life events. My plan is to take some time each day and just 'be' - no phone, no computer, quiet peaceful music, monitoring my thoughts and steering them back to the positive.

What do you do when chaos and negativity surrounds you?

How do you keep your balance?

How do you 'connect the dots' back to the positive in your life?

Serendipity

Yesterday I had some errands to run. It occurred to me that I hadn't checked my PO Box in awhile and I thought the rent was due in September (yes, it had been quite awhile). That task completed I decided to go to Sterling Bank because I'd yet again forgotten my on-line banking password.

Kim, the Branch Manager, was gracious and quickly fixed my problem. Something funny? When I told her a new password  that I was sure I could remember, I couldn't use it. Why? Because it was the one I couldn't remember!

Now on to Serendipity - I met two readers at the bank and I am a writer. They read romance and I write romance.

Sometimes Synchronicity shows up as Serendipity. Does that ever happen to you?

Sometimes life happens!

Yes, that is true. Sometimes life happens - you know those unexpected events that seem to derail us from our path. But is that true? Are we really derailed or is this The Universe giving us another perspective on where we are going?

For now, my plan is to look at these unexpected events as opportunities and not challenges, a chance to focus on a different perspective instead of seeing myself as derailed, delayed, disappointed.

What has happened recently in your life that you see as road block? What if it isn't a road block at all? What if it is 'lifes' way of pointing you in the direction you need to be going? Something to think about because sometimes life happens!

You can see what I'm doing with another part of my life at www.RomancingTheGenres.blogspot.com I post there on the 1st Friday of the month. Click around, there may be a Genre-ista whose post intrigues, entertains, or interests you.

Starting Again...

Some of you may be reading Intentions and Synchonicities for the first time because you clicked on the link at Romancing The Genres. Yes, I'm a two blog writer! What do these two blogs have in common? Me!

Romancing The Genres is my writer blog. Sarah Raplee McDermed and I came up with the idea for a group blog and made it happen. We launched on May 1, 2011 and have had over 8000 page views since then. The 21 Genre-istas are from 9 states and New Zealand. Some are published authors and some are yet-to-be published authors but we've all completed at least one manuscript. (No, just finishing a manuscript does not get you published). You can read more about my writing on the blog (I post the first Friday of every month) or at my website.

Intentions and Synchronicities is my personal blog. I've been remiss at keeping up regular posts but am 'starting again'. At I&S I blog about things that interest me, share how Intentions and Synchronicities play a role in my life and invite you to join a discussion about these topics. I've friends who share these ideas and one of the things we're talking about is one or more of them joining me on this blog. Look for a post from Michele Lauren in the near future.

How do you influence events in your life? How does synchronicity play a part in your life? How do your beliefs in how the world works affect your Intentions and your perception of Synchronicity? Those questions and other topics will be discussed or ruminated about on this blog. I'd love it if you'd join me.

The Result

When all is in Synchronicity our Intentions are manifested!

This past week was Busy! Wednesday, Charlie and Jim from Comfort Heating, installed my new heat pump and mini-split. The Ruud, shown above, was designed and manufactured for the climate of the NW. It is much more energy efficient than my old one and will heat my house even when the temperature is in the low 30's! That means I'll seldom use my oil furnace...

Hiding behind my blueberry plant is the outside unit of my Daikin mini-split. Small and Quiet, unless the branches of the blueberry are moving, you don't even know it's on! Next is the inside unit - also quiet. It is on the wall in my sleeping area, keeping it cool enough to easily and effortlessly sleep in the (it's finally here) warm weather.

Also on Thursday, my Japanese Dwarf Blue Larch - Diana - arrived and was planted in my backyard. I'd gone to Drake's 7 Dees Nursery Wednesday afternoon for Ladies Night and came home with geraniums and a couple of fushias to keep Diana company.

She'll grow to be 15 - 20 feet tall and with a spread of 7 - 10 feet. In the Fall her needles will turn red and orange and drop. In the spring new, green needles with a bluish cast will grow. Her branches are somewhat twisted so her bare limbs will provide an ever-changing pattern during the winter months.

It is wonderful to sit here at my computer and glance out the window to see Diana and her Geranium buddies getting to know each other and feel comfortable in my yard, to know that a month ago I had a clear Intention of making some changes (lessening my dependence on heating oil, enhancing the comfort of my sleeping area when it is hot, and finding a tree that speaks to my soul and my creativity). And here I am, on Saturday, July 2 sharing The Results! My Intentions made Manifest through Synchronicity.

The Gift of Synchronicity - Part III

I'm looking out into my now treeless backyard. One week from today my Larch D. Diana will arrive. I've done what I can to prepare for her. The corkscrew willow is down, spindly limbs in my yard debris cans, thicker limbs ready to make into yard screens on which to grow flowering climbing plants.

Arrangements have been made for her delivery and planting. She'll arrive on the last day of the installation of my new heat pump and mini-split. By July 1 all will be in place.

Easy and effortlessly.
Intention and synchronicity

If you are interested in another of my adventures.

Check out www.RomancingTheGenres.blogspot.com

The Gift of Synchronicity Part II

When we are focused on something we want, we attract positive energy. The same is true of what we don’t want. If we are focused on what we don’t want, we attract it.

I have a cork-screw willow in my backyard. It’s as tall as my house; its canopy takes up a goodly portion of my small backyard. When my Aunt Ruth died in 1993, one of the cork-screw willow wands sprouted. My mother planted it in a pot. When she died in 2002, I brought the pot to my house and planted the root-bound tree in my backyard.

This spring it leafed out and looked lovely. I know I’m not the most observant person in the world, but one day it dawned on me that my tree was no longer green! I made calls trying to find out what was wrong and what it would cost to save it. My timing was awful. I missed the first company that came out to check the tree. The note on the door: It needs to be sprayed, call ----.

Thus began over two weeks of calling different companies attempting to get answers on how much it would cost to save my tree. To be fair, it wasn’t all the spraying companies fault. Even though it’s June, our weather has been dismal – lots of rain and spraying in the rain won’t help.
A gift card I’d received in the mail from a local nursery caught my eye: $25.00 off any purchase of $75.00 or more. During this time of attempting to get an estimate on spraying the tree two people who’d been in Landscape Maintenance took a look. “Take it down” was their advice.

Monday I went to the nursery and toured their selection of trees and had discussions about my yard, my needs and most important my wants (not a messy tree that needs constant cleaning up after), I found Larix D. Diana. She is a Larch, a deciduous conifer. Her needles turn orange and red in the fall before dropping. New ones sprout in the spring.

Yes, I purchased her. I’d fallen in love. The Universe was guiding me. One of the heroine’s in The Women’s Circle series is Diana.

The Invisible Power of Intention

Have you ever had a thought and then it seemed that the Universe opens up and what you need is suddenly there, in front of you? I’ve had the thought for some time of moving to solar energy for my house but I couldn’t figure out how to heat it without converting to electricity. My Intention was to lessen my footprint on the earth by lowering or eliminating my use of heating oil.

One day I got a Newsletter from a company I’d not done business with in decades. Curious, I glanced through it and lo and behold there was an article on a new ductless heating system that has been in wide use throughout the rest of the world. An inveterate watcher of Home and Garden Network’s House Hunters International I knew exactly what the article was talking about. I’d seen it and heard raves about how efficient this system was.

Before I had a chance to follow through by calling that company, Kevin, the person who services my furnace came by for his annual check-up. We got to talking and I mentioned my Intention and also that I needed someone to service my heat pump. He referred me to another company. I called and Jim came over the same day. Again, I got to talking with him. He knew all about the ductless system (mini-splits). A few days later, Charlie came over to assess my house and discuss options. Going fully with the mini-splits in my 1924 Craftsman-style house would be difficult but there were other options that would lessen my use of heating oil and give me more efficient comfort in either hot or cold weather.

I had the Intention of lessening my foot print on Mother Earth. I didn’t have to do anything overt. Everyone came to me with the information and answers I needed to make my decision.

The Invisible Power of Intention. The Gift of Synchronicity.

Like The Phoenix

Like the Phoenix

Intentions and Synchronicities blog was started because I wanted to start a conversation with like-minded people about the power of Intention and the importance of Synchronicity. Just over a year ago I posted my first message. In October I posted my last – until now. In the interim I’ve made some discoveries about Synchronicities and I’ve struggled with my daily Intentions.

Rising from the ashes of neglect, Intentions and Synchronicities is resurrecting itself. I’ve talked to like-minded people who will join me. Although posts will be fewer through June, they will become more regular in July.

My Intention is to post once a week. It is time, I believe, to re-energize this part of my life.