Jamaica Skyscape - Wordless Wednesday Linky

   
  Welcome to Wordless Wednesday hosted by Clairejustineoxox and Judy H-J's Thoughts where you can link up your Wordless and not so Wordless photo posts.

Nature Walk - Creative Monday Blog Hop

    One way to lift the spirit is to go on a 'Nature Walk' armed with your camera to capture favourite scenes. These days it is good to see these flowers that are beating the summer heat. Interestingly they remain closed for most of the day and usually start opening just after 5 p.m. I had a good time taking pictures and oh how I love the colour! 

    Hello and welcome to Creative Mondays hosted by Clairejustineoxox and Judy H-J's Thoughts where you can link up all your creative posts.

1. Link up your Crafty, Recipe, DIY, Fashion, Creative writing, Photo, Family Tutorials, Favourite, Helpful, Make-up, Outfit or anything creative posts here...

2. Link as many posts up as you like.

3. Please visit a few posts and leave comments.

4. It would be great if you could grab the Creative Monday button and place it somewhere on your blog.

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Happy Creative Monday and have a great week.

Olympic Memories

Flag of Jamaica on Copyright Free Images

   
     I can hardly believe how quickly the London Olympic games have come around. I am here reminiscing about the last Olympics in 2008 when Jamaica did so well winning 6 gold, 3 silver and 2 bronze medals.  My family including my twin sister Janine and brother Sutcliffe were glued to the television for many of the major events. Our favourite has always been athletics although we have shown interest in a wide variety of sports.

    The death of my twin almost killed my interest in sports and it was quite a struggle to regain it.  Nevertheless I have always been determined to do everything to cope. As I write this post and consider how things have changed in my life over the last 4 years I ask myself this question “What would Janine and Sutcliffe want for me?” Without any doubt I know that they would both want me to enjoy these games. That is what I aim to do as I recall this powerful saying "Have faith in God and no matter what happens in life you will find strength." – Catherine Pulsifer

    This year Jamaica celebrates its 50^th anniversary of Independence and we look forward to our athletes doing their best and the Jamaican flag flying high.

Palm Seed Beauty - Wordless Wednesday Linky

   Welcome to Wordless Wednesday hosted by Clairejustineoxox and Judy H-J's Thoughts where you can link up your Wordless and not so Wordless photo posts.

How I use Hair Accessories - Creative Monday Blog Hop

   Over the years my twin and I never missed an opportunity to buy hair accessories whenever we went shopping in Kingston, Jamaica's capital or Ocho Rios, one of the popular tourist resorts. Now I have quite a collection. Recently the collection increased! I was thrilled to receive these beautiful dragonfly clips that were made by my cousin Marlene who lives in Massachusetts.

  Below are pictures of how I use these accessories. I brush back my hair in one and hold it together with a rubber band. After that I use the clip to hold up the end of my hair neatly and also to cover the rubber band. There are also times when I only use the accessory to hold my hair together.

    Hello and welcome to Creative Mondays hosted by Clairejustineoxox and Judy H-J's Thoughts where you can link up all your creative posts.

1. Link up your Crafty, Recipe, DIY, Fashion, Creative writing, Photo, Family Tutorials, Favourite, Helpful, Make-up, Outfit or anything creative posts here...

2. Link as many posts up as you like...

3. Please visit a few posts and leave comments

4. It would be great if you could grab the Creative Monday button and place it somewhere on your blog...

5. We would love for you to follow some way by GFC,Google+,Facebook, Twitter or Email.

Happy Creative Monday and have a great week.

Book Review - Beginning with the End by Mary R. Morgan

   'Beginning with the End' is a compelling book dealing with the loss of one's twin. Author Mary R. Morgan lost her twin Michael Rockefeller in 1961 when he disappeared on an anthropology expedition off the remote coast of New Guinea. As the daughter of then Governor of New York, Mr. Nelson A. Rockefeller, she had to deal with this crisis in the glare of the public eye.

   Throughout the book she gives important insights on the experiences that one encounters following the loss of one's twin. The information will not only resonate with fraternal and identical twinless twins  but anyone who has suffered the loss of a loved one. Her personal account of what it means to repress grief over a long period and how the support one gets from family and friends affects an individual is very instructive.

   The need to adjust to life without a twin is dealt with in a detailed manner. The steps she used to achieve this are interesting. I was particularly struck by the use of imagery and the impact of nature.

    Serious food for thought is given to the twinless twin as he/she learns how crucial it is that you do not try to see your twin in another individual as it causes a myriad of problems.  Mary reveals this as she relates how it affected her relationships.

    The feeling of being off balance is an important revelation. Mary’s account is a real eye-opener for those of us who have had a similar experience.

    Her flashback to moments spent with Michael encourages the twinless twin to treasure memories while trying to adjust to a whole new world. Immediately the saying “Once a twin always a twin” comes to mind.

     Mary holds a Masters in Clinical Social Work from Columbia University and has played an important role as psychotherapist to other twinless twins. Of particular note is her assistance to those who became twinless twins following the 9/11 World Trade Center disaster.

     I recommend this book as it offers an unique perspective on loss and grief as well the healing journey that one must take if life is to continue to be meaningful. 

Roaming Time - Wordless Wednesday Linky

   Welcome to Wordless Wednesday hosted by Clairejustineoxox and Judy H-J's Thoughts where you can link up your Wordless and not so Wordless photo posts.

Golden Raisin Cake - Creative Monday Blog Hop

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup milk

2 1/8 cups of baking flour

2 medium eggs

1 cup of raisins

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

3 teaspoons baking powder

Method

1. Cream butter and sugar.

2. Add whipped eggs and beat well.

3. Add the flour, baking powder and milk. 
4. Add the raisins and vanilla.

5. Pour into a greased pan and bake for 35 to 45 minutes.

     Hello and welcome to Creative Mondays hosted by Clairejustineoxox and Judy H-J's Thoughts where you can link up all your creative posts.

1. Link up your Crafty, Recipe, DIY, Fashion, Creative writing, Photo, Family Tutorials, Favourite, Helpful, Make-up, Outfit or anything creative posts here.

2. Link as many posts up as you like.

3. Please visit a few posts and leave comments.

4. It would be great if you could grab the Creative Monday button and place it somewhere on your blog.

5. We would love for you to follow some way by GFC,Google+,Facebook, Twitter or Email.

Happy Creative Monday and have a great week.

Favourite Drink & Special Glass

   It is summer and the heat is on! Orange juice has always been a favourite for Janine and me with Pineapple juice coming a close second. Recently I enjoyed the orange juice in the glass above. My mother bought this glass 60 years ago!  I will now allow it to remain as a special glass. I would not want to be the one to break it!

I'm Watching! - Wordless Wednesday Linky

   Welcome to Wordless Wednesday hosted by Clairejustineoxox and Judy H-J's Thoughts where you can link up your Wordless and not so Wordless photo posts.