Seen & heard at #Southbank #thamesfestival – 1. elegant lady & equally elegant dog! 2. Well I’ve got my finger cuffs w/ me..lady to her male friend
The sun’s shining. The smell of a plethora of cuisine & drinks are in the air. Music, entertainment, fun.
It’s all good!
Cheers…break’s over – back to the festivities…
I’m not really still in Italy…but I was just there a few days ago!
Ciao from Italy
Abano Terme, Montegrotto, Padova
Arrived in Venice after circling in the air for about an hour waiting for the thunderstorm to pass.
Sitting at the hotel admiring the globe lights illuminating the darkness and drinking the very unItalian Earl Gray tea – with lemon – meditating on the sculptured perfection of the Hotel Venezia’s (Abano Terme) front lawn accented with colourful small flowers in little quartered circles…Yes, we’re definitely back in Italy.
The next day was fabbo, bright and sunny. A wonderful surprise since the BBC weather predicted rain for the whole week-end.
What to do with myself whilst Hubby was working? The kind concierge looked up the weather on the internet, and we saw sunny and cloudy today – high possibility of rain tomorrow. Ok, it’s a no-brainer! Montegrotto & The Butterfly House today, and Padova with my favourite pizza place and lots of shops, cafes to nip into should it start to pour – tomorrow.
The butterfly house, officially called the Butterfly Arc, is totally WOW! I have never seen anything like it. It’s really hot and humid for the sake of the butterflies, but SO well worth a small bit of discomfort. Can’t even describe the wide variety of butterflies found there..So, piccie time!
This butterfly is this beauiful blue colour on the inside..AND...
Brown on the outside!
Amazing floral life there as well…
Chameleon and dragon lizards, and tortoises too…
…and more butterflies
Spent a not unconsiderable period of time trying to catch a snap of a butterfly in flight! Ha! Got it!
and there were…wait for it….bunnies…
…Then there was the Fairy Wood on the grounds of the Butterfly House…
The Fairy queen
and her mate and myself [fresh from the humid butterfly rooms]!
Wow again. Magic! You can even sit on the fairy queen’s throne and imagine yourself queen (or king) of the fairies.
There were many school groups at the centre that day enjoying a chance to be queen or king; so, as soon as the children were gone, I quickly nipped over to the throne and had a sit down myself! That was so cool!
There was also a big Slow Cooking fest on in Abano Terme, but unfortunately, it was strictly for the trade – not regular peeps. Boo hoo! Comforted myself with a nice cappu at one of my favourite little cafes in Abano Terme – Peccati di Gola. I think a lot of local peeps go there, so it’s got to be good!
Padova rocks! I really like the city (and university town) and believe it’s well worth a visit. But since I’ve spent this blog rabbiting on about the Butterfly Arc, I’ll save Padova for another day to cover it properly!
As we have frequent chances to go to Italy. I’m thinking it would be brilliant to have some VoiceOver representation there. I’m open to suggestions!
App of the Week
Hot Body Yoga
Keeping with the last blog’s Yoga theme…I found another iPod app with Yoga exercises using weights. There are many routines in this app for various goals, such as recovering from injuries, stretch, strengthen, etc.
One of the intermediate routines uses dumbbells. I’ll have to work my way up to that one, but I’m looking forward to it. The programme is aimed at women, but I think women or men could try it.
Voiceover News
Continuing with announcements for radio stations…just did a Mexican character for an animation vid…and auditioning like mad!
Cheers…
Stream of Consciousness Musings
A short train ride to the Devon seaside at Exmouth…
Brisk winds, cloudy skies, seashell filled sand adorned with big wads of seaweed which had been washed up on the shore…
The atmosphere was permeated with the smell of seaside air, mingled with the cooking smells of fish and chips.
Waves lapping up on the shore
(this might be one of those “you had to be there” snaps–haha!)
It is said that the air by the sea is filled with positive ions, good for cleansing mind, body and spirit.
So many lovely seashells (and mussel shells) everywhere
It was a good time. Enjoying the warmth and comfort of coffee and home made fruit cake in the Hall at the Sunday market, followed by a walk along the shore into the wind, a bit chilly…
but bracing and energising!
All good!
App of the Week
“5 Minute Yoga”
Really nice to loosen up with before a recording session, followed by Tongue Twisters and some lip trills, or something similar. It’s also good to do maybe at the start or end of a day.
VoiceOver News
Kept a little busy recording a Library Systems tutorial, and doing more announcements for the radio station. More goodies in the pipeline…looking forward to those promised projects coming to fruition. The sooner, the better!
Such is the voiceover life!
Cheers…
2010 is off to a good start, as I hope it is for everyone else. Marketing plan is in place as well as listings in several new directories. I also plan to take advantage of new ideas garnered from one of the voiceover groups on LinkedIn, and as bit and pieces are picked up along the way in this new year.
2009 ended with a commission to do the voiceover for a corporate type audiobook to accompany a client’s website. We went away for a few days and as you can see from the piccie above, it was Netbook and voiceover-to-go.
This being my first major audiobook project, I’m learning a lot of things as I go along. The first being, like my colleague, Julie Williams, wrote about in her The VoiceOver Insider Magazine – I underestimated both the time it takes and the proper bidding amount. Never mind, the client gave me an extension.
In the meantime, Lesson 1, I’m using the handy “Jobs” app on my IpodTouch to record all the time spent on the project at a proper rate, to be ready to bid more accurately the next time round. Still, I’m happy for the project… Thanks to all my mates at the vo-bb who shared their experience and knowledge with me. My colleague Jeffrey Kafer also advised to farm out the job of editing the recording, for accuracy and time-saving. Brilliant advice, it takes forever!
A few more tips I’ve come up with to share:
Continue drinking water throughout the project, brush teeth before every new session to limit mouth noise. Using Burt’s Bees – beeswax lip balm (or something similar) is a good idea as well. [Thanks to my colleague Bobbin Beam - see Bobbin's blog link under my Voiceover list - for that tip. I read about it a while ago in one of her blogs, and finally found a source for the product over here in England.]
Enunciate and make the recording as clean as poss – it really saves time in the editing process. If you get tired, don’t press on. Stop. I came across one chapter where there was a lot of editing to be done, and I think it was maybe because I was tired and started slurring my words.
Slow down on difficult phrases for clarity of diction & to prevent stumbling over the words, resulting in re-takes. You can always edit out (or have whoever’s doing the editing) the air between words later.
A couple of my vo-bb buds also advised me to record a chapter, then edit it before starting the next one. This gives our vocal chords and minds a rest by switching between tasks. Unfortunately – knowing I was going away from the studio – I did the entire recording first so as to be free to edit on the road. In future though, I’ll definitely alternate the two tasks.
Practicing with a bit of cork in my mouth as part of my warm up is helpful too for diction, and loosening up the mouth muscles. I also found some great exercises, a while ago on a speech therapy website, that I use for loosening up before recording. I feel like there’s a definite difference between when I do the warm ups first, and when I think I’m too busy – and just jump into the project with only a minor warmup.
Keeping the mouth and throat soothed while recording, with something like Entertainer’s Secret is also a handy idea. If you live in London, there’s a sweet shop in Barnet called Hopscotch Essential Treats.
They have a wonderful product called Voice Tablets. They are so soothing. The shopkeeper said a lot of peeps who worked with their voice used them. I sucked on them frequently between recordings. (They also sell really tasty chocolate covered raisins – but that has absolutely nothing to do with voiceover! Ha, ha!)
All for now….
Cheers
Wishing everyone the most blessed, happy, prosperous Christmas and Holiday period ever!
Christmas tree chez Lintonbon!
Illuminata – Tokyo
Illuminata – Tokyo
AbanoTerme, Italy
AbanoTerme, Italy
Here’s my little Crimbo pressie for all my cyber friends!
Voiceover as Linus – a Christmas message to you from me!<
Ok, back to work for me. Have finished recording voiceover for a 200+ page e-learning audiobook. Editing still to be done! Mulled wine tea to be drunk. Lots to do!
Safe happy hols all!
Cheers…
Stefania
AUTUMN MOON is a time of prosperity and reaping what you have sown, both literally and spiritually.
The Chinese symbols in the red box are: happiness, good fortune, and abundance. Original Art by Dina Dargo
The above lovely piccie was found in an email newsletter which I received from Inspiration Line.
My voiceover life is coming along, bit by bit, eyes ahead…keep busy. Was recently cast as the Vampire queen in an internet drama, and am waiting to hear of any revisions on a corporate video project that I’m voicing. Both of them require me to use my British dialect. Hows about that. It’s all good. I’m quite comfortable moving between an American and British dialect — as required. I’m also very grateful that referrals and nibbles are coming to me from my fellow voiceover colleagues.
I found this lovely article on the Inspiration Line Forum Board, and I reprint it here. You can find a permanent link to Inspiration Line else on this page!
Improve Your Mood in 5 Minutes
You’re in a lousy mood and want to feel better fast. What you need is a happiness fix—right now! Try one of these spirit-boosting tips to jump-start joy in 5 minutes or less.
1. Take it all in. “Little things in life that inspire joy are often subtle and don’t always grab your attention,” says Barbara Fredrickson, PhD, author of Positivity. So be on the lookout for small wonders: butterflies in your garden, an amazingly bright full moon.
2. Make up a ridiculous story. If someone is fueling your sour mood, create a goofy character in your head based on that person. “Imagine an outrageous comic calamity befalling him,” says Amy Riley, a life balance consultant for Tiara Coaching in Chicago. You’ll get a good chuckle out of it.
3. Put yourself in the movies. Think of your favorite film scene, one that makes you feel great every time you see it—like Bridget Jones kissing Mark Darcy in the snow. Now picture yourself as the main character. “Embracing that moment triggers optimism,” says John Ryder, PhD, author of Positive Directions.
4. Soak up the sun. Go outside or stand beside a bright window and bask in the warming rays for a few minutes. Sunlight ups the level of vitamin D in your body, which in turn keeps serotonin (a feel-good hormone) high, explains Mehmet Oz, MD, coauthor of You: Being Beautiful.
5. Touch your toes. “It opens up your hip joints, which is where most people store tension,” says Dr. Oz. Hold the position for a minute, then slowly roll up. As you lift, so will your mood.
6. Start a blog. Like journaling, it gives you an outlet for your feelings. “But it may be even better for triggering happiness because people can leave you positive comments,” says Caroline Adams Miller, coauthor of Creating Your Best Life. Begin one at http://www.Blogger.com/start.
7. Turn on the tunes. Listen to your favorite upbeat song and you’ll be happier in seconds. “Music has a powerful influence over state of mind,” says Alice Domar, PhD, director of the Domar Center for Mind/Body Health in Waltham, Massachusetts. That’s because music—especially songs that make you boogie—activates the part of our brain that’s hardwired for pleasure.
8. Show off your moves. Speaking of boogying, that’s another quick way to break into a smile. Got two left feet? It doesn’t matter. “Any form of movement will release endorphins and elevate your mood,” explains Dr. Domar. So while you’re listening to that favorite song, get up and dance.
9. Put photos on the fridge. We look at our refrigerator about 27 times a day, so make the most of it. “Research shows that the happiest people have many joyful family photos displayed in their homes,” says Adams Miller.
10. Get plant-happy. Deadhead the spent flowers on your gardenia or buy a bunch of tulips at the market. Studies show that being around foliage or colorful blooms relieves stress, soothes sadness and increases calmness.
11. Create a new code. Change one of your passwords (e-mail, voice mail, ATM) to a word that primes you to think in an optimistic way—the name of your much-loved pet, the funny nickname you call your husband, or even the word love.
12. Break out of the box. Do one small thing that’s new and unexpected. Put a temporary tattoo on your ankle. Top off your morning coffee with some whipped cream. “Novelty makes people feel good,” says Adams Miller.
13. Mark your calendar. Make a note of an upcoming event that you’re looking forward to—a weekend getaway with your best friend, an outdoor concert with your husband. The sheer anticipation you feel every time you see it penciled in is almost as good as the special event itself.
14. Be generous. A recent study found that when people spent as little as $5 on others, they reported greater feelings of joy. Shopping at the grocery store? Pick up a few staples for your neighbor. Just bought a cup of coffee? Give the barista an extra $5 to pay for the customer behind you.
15. Turn the negative positive. List five to 10 things that went wrong today, then read them out loud, says Riley. It may sound counterintuitive but it works: When you hear all of it together—you dropped your morning bagel on the floor, noticed a new gray hair, discovered that your teen used the last of the shampoo—you’ll see how minor it all is. And a little perspective goes a long way.
16. Send out good vibes. “Text three friends and tell each of them one thing you like about her,” says Sonja Lyubomirsky, PhD, author of The How of Happiness. Your kind words will make them (and you) feel terrific.
17. Lend a hand. Call a local nursing home, shelter, church or charitable organization and ask how you can help. Those few minutes on the phone are all it takes to kick your spirits into high gear. Knowing that you’ll soon be helping others—and then following through—makes you feel good about yourself, says Susan Ouellette, a health care educator in Baltimore, Maryland.
18. Think of the good stuff. Spend a couple of minutes reflecting on your accomplishments over the past five, 10, 15 years, recommends Dan Baker, PhD, author of What Happy Women Know. Maybe you’re a more skilled cook now than you were then, or perhaps you have developed a lifelong hobby into a successful part-time business. Recognizing and acknowledging your growth will provide an immediate sense of gratification. You’ll be cheered instantly.
By Jennifer Matlack Woman’s Day http://www.womansday.com
Over the Bank Holiday, I took a litle trip to the Scot’s Grotto in the town of Ware. It was great. The whole house inside and out is made of stones, shells and bits of coloured glass. Here are a few piccies.
Now it’s back to working on another prospect list and then shoot off a few more email demos!
Cheers…
A little bit of Voiceover/Life Advice which turned up in my
email in-box the other day.
“Turn your dream into a vision, then into a goal, then into a plan and then into reality! After all, a goal is nothing more than a dream with a deadline!
Had a chance to take a little break recently in the form of a 6-mile walk along the South West Coastal Path, along the cliffs from a place in Devon called Budleigh-Salterton to Exmouth. I thought it might be too much, but it was great fun. Good exercise. Devon is a lovely area of England. What is it, I wonder, about open spaces that makes one burst into song while hiking? Rather than rabbit on further, I’ll just show you the piccies…
The Starting point
Stop and smell the flowers along the way!
Clowning around with hubby.
Looks like we’re in good company here!
Seagulls getting a free lunch by following the potato farmer
as he turns over the soil.
This made me feel like we were walking through
a secret fairy garden!
The end of the hike at Exmouth. Done! Where’s the pub?!
After our little sojourn, it was back to work. Finished off and uploaded an e-learning video last week focusing on improving listening comprehension skills for beginning/intermediate learners of English as a Second Language. (Please see “Voice Over Videos -3″ page.) Ready to roll now on the next voiceover project. Where are you? Bring it on!
Cheers…
Seagulls at Brighton Beach
I was reading an article recently by Dr. Kem Thompson (www.totalsuccessforwomen.com) on the difference between “hope” and “speculation”. I tend to agree with Dr. Kem’s views. When I hope for something it’s like — maybe it will work out, maybe not. But, if I expect a particular outcome, I feel more empowered. If one method of achieving a voiceover – or other – goal doesn’t work out, I can find another way to approach the challenge. Maybe it’s like a maze. The end (expectation) is there, we just have to find the right path — or sequence of turns — to get us there.
By the way, it’s really cool when someone comes into our lives to help us find the way! Cuts the journey time in half! Thank you to all the people that have come into my life to help me on my voice over journey (and my life journey!). And, I hope I’ve been useful and inspirational to others as well.
It’s time to start another Goal Map to plan a move to the next level of my voiceover career. From time to time I re-read Brian Mayne’s most excellent book, Goal Mapping – The Practical Workbook – How to Turn Your Dreams into Realities. It’s about making little (or big) maps that show the path from where you are now, to where you want to be. You do one version with words of your goals in writing, covering the categories of main goal, when you want it accomplished, as well as the reason why, sub goals, who and how. And you indicate a time line from when you’re starting to your target date.
It’s kind of a tree with your timeline as the trunk; your main goal on top of the timeline; and branches indicating all the other points.
The second version of goal mapping covers the same structure, but everything is done in pictures that we draw ourselves. So that it has the energy of our own creation vs. using images from a magazine or newspaper.
If you follow through and do the actual work that you committed to do — goal mapping can work. I used it on planning a trip to Italy and things did work out.
Brian’s website is: www.liftinternational.com
CN Tower Toronto (all pictures in these Blog posts are copyright S.Lintonbon-2008, unless otherwise indicated!)
When we were in Toronto, we enjoyed the very best view of the city from the observation floor of the CNTower. We had to queue (line up) for about 1-1/2 hour, but it was worth it. You can see all of the city and the lovely marina; you can take your picture standing on the glass floor if it doesn’t make you quesy to look all the way to down the ground through the glass; AND there’s a nice restaurant there where you can have a meal or a good cup of coffee, and rest your weary feet after all that standing up and walking around.
The Marina has viewed from the restaurant in the CN Tower
Cheers!
Black-eyed Susan flowers
growing in the public garden across the road from Niagara Falls (Canadian side).
It’s a gloomy, rainy day around here. Hope the weather’s better where you are!
Got a text from my voice over agent the other day that I had an audition in central London scheduled for the following evening. A one-minute monologue was needed. After crunching out six on-line auditions, I did a little rummaging through my monologue collection and managed to come up with a beauty from The American Dream by Edward Albee. Did my best to learn it the next day in time for the auddy. Didn’t need it after all as the audition consisted of a screen test and acting via lines from the production company’s script. So … anyone who reads this … please cross your fingers, eyes and toes for me, for success in securing the gig (or something better!). And now, on to the next batch of auditions and v-over work gigs.
Found a great product from the Body Shop that promises to give one a feeling of instant alertness and energy (without caffeine!). I experimented with it last night & will use it a bit more. If it works favourably and consistently, I’ll tell more about it in a future blog on aromatherapy and voice over (though we all know — no strong scents in the v-o booth!). More research is needed first.
On hols, spent a stimulating 24 hours in Detroit hooking up with my childhood pal. The Renaissance Marriott is fantastic. It’s like a city within a hotel, and is right across the road from the lake.
There’s a fantastic “people mover” there that offers a really good, safe way to get an overview of the city when you’re short on time. It’s only 50 cents to ride it. We rolled around on its circular circuit snapping away. It stops at Times Square, Michigan Avenue, Fort/Cass, Cobo Center, Joe Louis Arena, Financial District, Millender Center, Renaissance Center, Bricktown, Greektown, Cadillac Square, Broadway and Grand Circus Park. You can find absolutely fabulous artwork on the station’s walls.
Cobo Center
Other sights from the people mover..
and we visited the famous Motown museum
Founder of Motown Records
Changing the subject, the view from the CN tower in Toronto, Canada is marvelous.
Piccies, and more on that in the next travel blog!
Cheers…
Hi all!
Just got back from great holidays (vacation) in Canada, Detroit and New York. It was so wonderful to see both new friends and old. I met up with one pal, that I hadn’t seen in 16 years. We’re mates from way back. Happily I was also able to meet up with a few of my fellow voice artists — who are some of my great cyber-pals — from various voice over forums (mostly VO-BB!).
I am really blessed to have had the chance to travel with my hubby, and to meet up with my chums. Hooray for life!
My dear friend Michelle from Chicago
Hubby and I got to spend a bit of time in Detroit to hook up with Michelle. It was wonderful. You’ll find out more about our adventures in my travel blog on the Motor City, Detroit, MI–USA.
In Toronto with fellow voice artists, Elaine and Jodi
In Toronto, Canada, we hung out at the Frog and Firkin with my voice over pals, Elaine Singer and Jodi Krangle. More Toronto exploits to follow in a future blog.
In New York at the cafe with my pal Liz
New York is such a buzzing city. There’s lots to tell and show in another blog. But this piccie is of fellow voice over talent Liz de Nesnera and myself. I was so happy to finally get a chance to meet Liz face to face. she’s a real star!
I found a little friend to keep me company in the waiting queue at the CN Tower in Toronto, Canada
OK, maybe this isn’t a friend in the sense of the word as my other pals, but if a moose had a voice…I could do it! (I’ve done dustballs, dogs, cats & babies voices!) The CN Tower was fantastic and we got a great view from the top. This little moose was to keep us company and pass the time while moving along in the hour-long queue. More later…
Changing the subject…here’s a little story on the power of persistence & accomplishing a goal one step at a time. Kind of like building a voice over career!
Several times my daughter had telephoned to say, “Mother, you must come and see the daffodils before they are over.” I wanted to go, but it was a two-hour drive from Laguna to Lake Arrowhead. Going and coming took most of a day – and I honestly did not have a free day until the following week. “I will come next Tuesday, “ I promised, a little reluctantly, on her third call.
Next Tuesday dawned cold and rainy. Still, I had promised, and so I drove the length of Route 91, continued on I-215, and finally turned onto Route 18 and began to drive up the mountain highway. The tops of the mountains were sheathed in clouds, and I had gone only a few miles when the road was completely covered with a wet, gray blanket of fog. I slowed to a crawl, my heart pounding. The road becomes narrow and winding toward the top of the mountain. As I executed the hazardous turns at a snail’s pace, I was praying to reach the turnoff at Blue Jay that would signify I had arrived. When I finally walked into Carolyn’s house and hugged and greeted my grandchildren I said, “Forget the daffodils, Carolyn! The road is invisible in the clouds and fog, and there is nothing in the world except you and these darling children that I want to see bad enough to drive another inch!” My daughter smiled calmly, “We drive in this all the time, Mother.” “Well, you won’t get me back on the road until it clears – and then I’m heading for home!” I assured her. “I was hoping you’d take me over to the garage to pick up my car. The mechanic just called, and they’ve finished repairing the engine,” she answered. “How far will we have to drive?” I asked cautiously. “Just a few blocks,” Carolyn said cheerfully. So we buckled up the children and went out to my car. “I’ll drive,” Carolyn offered. “I’m used to this.” We got into the car, and she began driving.
In a few minutes I was aware that we were back on the Rim-of-the-World Road heading over the top of the mountain. “Where are we going?” I exclaimed, distressed to be back on the mountain road in the fog. “This isn’t the way to the garage!” “We’re going to my garage the long way,” Carolyn smiled, “by way of the daffodils.” “Carolyn,” I said sternly, trying to sound as if I was still the mother and in charge of the situation, “please turn around. There is nothing in the world that I want to see enough to drive on this road in this weather.” “It’s all right, Mother,” She replied with a knowing grin. “I know what I’m doing. I promise, you will never forgive yourself if you miss this experience.” And so my sweet, darling daughter who had never given me a minute of difficulty in her whole life was suddenly in charge – and she was kidnapping me! I couldn’t believe it. Like it or not, I was on the way to see some ridiculous daffodils – driving through the thick, gray silence of the mist-wrapped mountaintop at what I thought was risk to life and limb. I muttered all the way. After about twenty minutes we turned onto a small gravel road that branched down into an oak-filled hollow on the side of the mountain. The Fog had lifted a little, but the sky was lowering, gray and heavy with clouds. We parked in a small parking lot adjoining a little stone church. From our vantage point at the top of the mountain we could see beyond us, in the mist, the crests of the San Bernardino range like the dark, humped backs of a herd of elephants. Far below us the fog-shrouded valleys, hills, and flatlands stretched away to the desert. On the far side of the church I saw a pine-needle-covered path, with towering evergreens and manzanita bushes and an inconspicuous, lettered sign “Daffodil Garden.” We each took a child’s hand, and I followed Carolyn down the path as it wound through the trees.
The mountain sloped away from the side of the path in irregular dips, folds, and valleys, like a deeply creased skirt. Live oaks, mountain laurel, shrubs, and bushes clustered in the folds, and in the gray, drizzling air, the green foliage looked dark and monochromatic. I shivered. Then we turned a corner of the path, and I looked up and gasped. Before me lay the most glorious sight, unexpectedly and completely splendid. It looked as though someone had taken a great vat of gold and poured it down over the mountain peak and slopes where it had run into every crevice and over every rise. Even in the mist-filled air, the mountainside was radiant, clothed in massive drifts and waterfalls of daffodils. The flowers were planted in majestic, swirling patterns, great ribbons and swaths of deep orange, white, lemon yellow, salmon pink, saffron, and butter yellow. Each different-colored variety (I learned later that there were more than thirty-five varieties of daffodils in the vast display) was planted as a group so that it swirled and flowed like its own river with its own unique hue.
In the center of this incredible and dazzling display of gold, a great cascade of purple grape hyacinth flowed down like a waterfall of blossoms framed in its own rock-lined basin, weaving through the brilliant daffodils. A charming path wound throughout the garden. There were several resting stations, paved with stone and furnished with Victorian wooden benches and great tubs of coral and carmine tulips. As though this were not magnificence enough, Mother Nature had to add her own grace note – above the daffodils, a bevy of western bluebirds flitted and darted, flashing their brilliance. These charming little birds are the color of sapphires with breasts of magenta red. As they dance in the air, their colors are truly like jewels above the blowing, glowing daffodils. The effect was spectacular. It did not matter that the sun was not shining. The brilliance of the daffodils was like the glow of the brightest sunlit day. Words, wonderful as they are, simply cannot describe the incredible beauty of that flower-bedecked mountain top. Five acres of flowers! (This too I discovered later when some of my questions were answered.) “But who has done this?” I asked Carolyn. I was overflowing with gratitude that she brought me – even against my will. This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. “Who?” I asked again, almost speechless with wonder, “And how, and why, and when?”
“It’s just one woman,” Carolyn answered. “She lives on the property. That’s her home.” Carolyn pointed to a well-kept A-frame house that looked small and modest in the midst of all that glory. We walked up to the house, my mind buzzing with questions. On the patio we saw a poster. “Answers to the Questions I Know You Are Asking” was the headline. The first answer was a simple one. “50,000 bulbs,” it read. The second answer was, “One at a time, by one woman, two hands, two feet, and very little brain.” The third answer was, “Began in 1958.” There it was. The Daffodil Principle. For me that moment was a life-changing experience. I thought of this woman whom I had never met, who, more than thirty-five years before, had begun – one bulb at a time – to bring her vision of beauty and joy to an obscure mountain top. One bulb at a time. There was no other way to do it. One bulb at a time. No shortcuts – simply loving the slow process of planting. Loving the work as it unfolded. Loving an achievement that grew so slowly and that bloomed for only three weeks of each year. Still, just planting one bulb at a time, year after year, had changed the world. This unknown woman had forever changed the world in which she lived. She had created something of ineffable magnificence, beauty, and inspiration. The principle her daffodil garden taught is one of the greatest principle of celebration: learning to move toward our goals and desires one step at a time – often just one baby-step at a time – learning to love the doing, learning to use the accumulation of time. When we multiply tiny pieces of time with small increments of daily effort, we too will find we can accomplish magnificent things. We can change the world.
“Carolyn,” I said that morning on the top of the mountain as we left the haven of daffodils, our minds and hearts still bathed and bemused by the splendors we had seen, “it’s as though that remarkable woman has needle-pointed the earth! Decorated it. Just think of it, she planted every single bulb for more than thirty years. One bulb at a time! And that’s the only way this garden could be created. Every individual bulb had to be planted. There was no way of short-circuiting that process. Five acres of blooms. That magnificent cascade of hyacinth! All, all, just one bulb at a time.” The thought of it filled my mind. I was suddenly overwhelmed with the implications of what I had seen. “It makes me sad in a way,” I admitted to Carolyn. “What might I have accomplished if I had thought of a wonderful goal thirty-five years ago and had worked away at it ‘one bulb at a time’ through all those years. Just think what I might have been able to achieve!”
My wise daughter put the car into gear and summed up the message of the day in her direct way. “Start tomorrow,” she said with the same knowing smile she had worn for most of the morning. Oh, profound wisdom! It is pointless to think of the lost hours of yesterdays. The way to make learning a lesson a celebration instead of a cause for regret is to only ask, “How can I put this to use tomorrow?”
~ By Jaroldeen Asplund Edwards, this story is also known as,
‘The Daffodil Principle’ and ‘Where the Sun Splashed Gold,’ from her book
Things I Wish I’d Known Sooner: Personal Discoveries of a Mother of Twelve
Cheers!
