We are at the cottage and the hydro company had designated a planned outage day a couple of days ago. As I was right in the middle of this, I was thinking “How can I make my life better under these circumstances?”
There are so many things that you can no longer do because it is all dependent upon electricity and power. No more surfing the internet for you! No more googling information at lightening speed access at your finger tips or oogling other people’s profiles or posts on Social Media. No more access to TV or Internet programming like YouTube videos. You are cut off from the world at large so to speak.
You can’t phone anyone unless you have a landline which we don’t. Being in the wilderness, so to speak, we can’t call anyone because we are out of range of cell towers and can’t call over the wifi internet because it is down too. I guess we will have to resort to smoke signals or sending telepathic messages with our minds.
We have a wood stove and although it is spring, it was quite cold at only about 10 degrees Celsius at mid morning. It warmed up a couple of degrees throughout the day.
Actually, going to the bathroom is even a problem because you need the water pumps to be working if you want to flush the toilet and get rid of the evidence of your business. We have buckets of water to the ready for that exact purpose.
It is great to have fridges and stove but they are not usable in a power outage. Food won’t go bad right away especially if you don’t open the fridge door or freezer that often. Cooking requires a BBQ with propane fuel or over an open fire pit or an old-fashioned camp stove. You can’t just microwave something easy to eat nor can you go to a restaurant because you are miles and miles out of town or the city. Neither can you call a food delivery service. Can you imagine how expensive that would be for the distance and gas costs if they even considered coming to your locale? And the tip for the service? Be ready with a manual can opener or fresh food that won’t spoil.
I had planned and followed through on making a batch of coffee before the timed power outage occurred. I was SAVED for sure!
So, we take our lives for granted and all the wonderful infrastructures that society has given us. Thanks to all those people throughout ancestral history and those more recent people who have contributed to a more modern and technologically advanced society with conveniences and those who figured out the paths to take forwards for an improved state of life.
With the experience the other day we needed to experience and to start living the way previous generations had and did. We had to be ingenious and enjoy doing things that other people used to do before the luxury of electricity and power which is not that long ago of an advancement in civilized society.
I have started an initial or tentative list of things to do when there is a power outage. What do you think and what would you add to the list? Here is the list in no particular order of priorities. Feel free to add your two cents worth and contribute to the discussion. The list will be more comprehensive one day.
Breathe
Think, Process and Glean Information
Plan Your Future
Reminisce about Past Memories and Events
Reflect upon Your Life
Light candles
Eat
Drink
Cuddle, Snuggle and Hug someone (or yourself)
Sex (if you are mature enough)
Get dressed or not (stay in your pjs all day if you so desire or just feel like it)
Brush your teeth and comb your hair (We are not savages or wild ones, you know – not yet, anyways)
Read books or magazines or encyclopedias (remember them?)
Draw
Paint
Colour
Write poetry or words of wisdom or Stream of Thought Consciousness Writing
Print by hand or learn calligraphy
Journal
Clean your abode
Organize (everything from your living spaces to your wardrobe and most importantly, your mind)
Study
Work (AKA chores and tasks)
Go for a walk (jog or run, if you still can)
Cycle
Lift weights
Stretch
Exercise
Isometrics
Yoga
Go for a swim (if it isn’t freezing cold out still)
Sit by the water’s edge (Enjoy the water of the lake wave in and out with that lapping sound and sight against the shoreline)
Take photographs (Oh My, Yes, Of Course!!! )
Sleep
Nap
Dream
Relax and Release
Visualize
Say Affirmations
Sew by hand (or mend someone’s heart)
Forgive but do not forget so as not to repeat the experience
Do Puzzles
Hobbies
Interests
Passions
Do a Vision Board
Arts and Crafts
Chop wood or kindling outdoors
Split wood (not hairs)
Meditate
Be mindful
Sit outside
Enjoy the sunshine (when it comes out from behind the clouds)
Appreciate Nature (by watching the leaves and flowers grow, for example or watch the birds fly by overhead high up in the sky)
Feel the windy breeze (as it passes you by on its journey across water and land)
Invest your eyes with gorgeous colour and beautiful sights
Talk to yourself or somebody special – like Billy Idol’s song from 1981 of “Dancing with Myself” that my husband changed into “Talking to Myself” as he often changes the words and lyrics to songs for fun and amusement and why not?
Sing, Hum, Tone or Chant
Play musical instruments like drums
Dance (solo or with someone else – Umm – again…Billy Idol…)
Tell or make-up jokes
Whisper to one another through the Silence and Quietness (for fun, of course)
Play board games
Play with toys
Play cards
Do magical tricks – pick a card, any card…
Play paper and pen games like tic-tac-toe
Play games like skipping rope, tag or hide and seek (old-fashioned games for the little ones or big ones too)
Play sports
Sit around the wood stove or fireplace or fire pit
Tell stories
Go for a drive
Pray
Count Your Blessings
Write a Gratitude List
Laugh
Love
Live
Kiss (especially SpiderMan Kisses with the upside down kind between Peter Parker and MJ or Mary Jane Watson)
Use your 5 senses of touch, sight, smell, hear, taste
Cuddle or play with your dogs, cats and other loving animals (even hug your plants if you want to although technically, they are not pets, you know…)
Use your 6th sense called Intuition
Be happy, joyful and content!
Appreciate and Celebrate Your Life!!!
Send out positive vibes and energy!!
Send out thoughts and feelings of LOVE!!
Finally, use your Imagination and Create Something Wonderful and of Beauty and Goodness to Benefit the World !!!
Maybe in the future, we will get a generator and will be able to utilize an alternative emergency power source but for what happened a couple of days ago, we were living old school. Here is the thing, YOU CAN AND WILL SURVIVE!!! We will too and we did!
In the meantime, while I have dealt with this unusual situation and circumstances, I just may have decided to not do much of anything at all and simply enjoy life and the passage of time.
So Be Well Everyone!!! Hope this helps someone someday.
Lots of Positive Energy and Love Being Sent Your Way For Sure!!!
Thanks for appreciating, liking, commenting, purchasing and sharing.
Umbrellas at Night – Photography by Mary Mikawoz – Click on image or link to see the bigger picture.
Last year, we were out for a nice supper along the Malecon in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. There was a fantastic extended Mexican family enjoying the Spanish music produced by the Mariachi band they had hired. Amongst all the frivolity, I was enjoying the moon being at a different angle than further up in the northern part of the continent and the vibrant colours of the umbrellas at each table.
I have created an artistic effect so that it is almost like a painting. I love the colours showcasing red, yellow, orange, blue and green. I have put in tiles to make it a wonderful puzzle effect.
As for me, I love beauty in all its forms. With my art, I am often in a zen-type of mood and feel as if I am “in the flow.” With my photography, I feel as if I am inspired by God or the Universe to capture these moments in time. I feel as if I am zinged when I capture that special shot and it is meant to be.
Thanks in advance for liking commenting, sharing and purchasing. Check out my other images and collections. Thanks for all positive feedback.
Feel free to follow me on my art page to see new photography or artwork as I release them. Thanks, Mary Mikawoz
Thanks for appreciating, liking, commenting, purchasing and sharing.
Mystery Life of an Orange – Photography & Digital Design by Mary Mikawoz – Click on image or link to see the bigger picture.
So, I am interested about you. I have represented 4 oranges in various states of being.
The question is for you? As you reflect up on the images, I ask you these questions:
Are you whole and complete in body, mind and soul?
Are you cut right open like your heart has been sliced and seared open by a knife?
Are you being ripped or torn apart and therefore coming apart at the seams?
Live you life today with full and good intentions other wise before you know it, you will be gone. Do you agree?
These are the mysterious lives of an orange in all its various forms, as are your life and your being. If you do not permit feelings or have your emotions flowing, are you really living at all? Express yourself in the best possible way or method while dealing with the trauma and the problems that await us all. Embrace, forgive, release and let go. Only by facing our shadow side, will we make progress from the negative to the positive side.
These are deep thoughts but theses are necessary ones. So, I ask you, “What do you intend to do about your life?”
As for me, I love beauty in all its forms. With my art, I am often in a zen-type of mood and feel as if I am “in the flow.” With my photography, I feel as if I am inspired by God or the Universe to capture these moments in time. I feel as if I am zinged when I capture that special shot and it is meant to be.
Thanks in advance for liking commenting, sharing and purchasing. Check out my other images and collections. Thanks for all positive feedback.
Feel free to follow me on my art page to see new photography or artwork as I release them. Thanks, Mary Mikawoz
Thanks for appreciating, liking, commenting, purchasing and sharing.
Crisp and Clear – Photography by Mary Mikawoz – Click on image or link to see the bigger picture.
I consider this image to be called, “Crisp and Clear.” It is incredibly beautiful scenery with the majestic mountains. It was taken on a moving train trip from Winnipeg to Vancouver. At this time, we were in the Thompson-Nicola area of British Columbia.
As for me, I love beauty in all its forms. With my art, I am often in a zen-type of mood and feel as if I am “in the flow.” With my photography, I feel as if I am inspired by God or the Universe to capture these moments in time. I feel as if I am zinged when I capture that special shot and it is meant to be.
Thanks in advance for liking commenting, sharing and purchasing. Check out my other images and collections. Thanks for all positive feedback.
Feel free to follow me on my art page to see new photography or artwork as I release them. Thanks, Mary Mikawoz
Thanks for appreciating, liking, commenting, purchasing and sharing.
Look Way Up – Photography by Mary Mikawoz – Click on image or link to see the bigger picture.
I was sitting up in a Muskoka chair on the deck of our cottage when I looked up. I do that sometimes. I just look around at different angles and directions. I looked up at the incredible trees and saw that this beautiful ice ridge had formed off of the roof. I was intrigued and thought to myself, “How Beautiful!”
I like that nature can frame its own creations in this way. I love the flow and rhythm of the ice and how one lone icicle is dripping away from it all.
This reminds me of The Friendly Giant who used to say, “Look up, Way Up.” What a wonderful TV show that was. I really enjoyed it as a child. Interestingly enough it started off as an American show and was brought up to Canada and to CBC so that we could enjoy the program.
As for me, I love beauty in all its forms. With my art, I am often in a zen-type of mood and feel as if I am “in the flow.” With my photography, I feel as if I am inspired by God or the Universe to capture these moments in time. I feel as if I am zinged when I capture that special shot and it is meant to be.
Thanks in advance for liking commenting, sharing and purchasing. Check out my other images and collections. Thanks for all positive feedback.
Feel free to follow me on my art page to see new photography or artwork as I release them. Thanks, Mary Mikawoz
Thanks for appreciating, liking, commenting, purchasing and sharing.
Contrast Quadrants – Photography by Mary Mikawoz – Click on image or link to see the bigger picture.
I call this piece “Contrast Quadrants.” This imagery reminds me of life. There are many different ways of looking at things. One of the best ways is by using a quadrant or a matrix. I think life looks different depending upon what your current perspective or point of view is at.
In one case, you are in a positive area and other times, you are negative. One side is left and the other side is right. One is blue and white while the other side is golden and black. One is up and the other is down or one is top and the other is bottom. One is dark and one is light.
I have transitioned the pieces between the contrasting imagery. I hope you like it and provokes you into some thoughts about perspective about the meaning and use of contrasts in our lives..
As for me, I love beauty in all its forms. With my art, I am often in a zen-type of mood and feel as if I am “in the flow.” With my photography, I feel as if I am inspired by God or the Universe to capture these moments in time. I feel as if I am zinged when I capture that special shot and it is meant to be.
Thanks in advance for liking commenting, sharing and purchasing. Check out my other images and collections. Thanks for all positive feedback.
Feel free to follow me on my art page to see new photography or artwork as I release them. Thanks, Mary Mikawoz
Thanks for appreciating, liking, commenting, purchasing and sharing.
Polar Bear Splits – Photography by Mary Mikawoz – Click on image or link to see the bigger picture.
This is an incredibly gorgeous and huge white polar bear. He is relaxing or doing some yoga poses and stretches or gymnastics. He is definitely exercising of some sort or another. This is why I have called the photo “Polar Bear Splits.” He is stretching and relaxing until he is chillaxing. Onward and upwards for an incredible animal but also be very cautious because they can be very dangerous bears.
As for me, I love beauty in all its forms. With my art, I am often in a zen-type of mood and feel as if I am “in the flow.” With my photography, I feel as if I am inspired by God or the Universe to capture these moments in time. I feel as if I am zinged when I capture that special shot and it is meant to be.
Thanks in advance for liking commenting, sharing and purchasing. Check out my other images and collections. Thanks for all positive feedback.
Feel free to follow me on my art page to see new photography or artwork as I release them. Thanks, Mary Mikawoz
Basic Shapes by Gustavo Ferreira Gustavo of Pixabay
What shape are you? Are you square and not with it all? Are you round and kind of cool, going with the flow like a rock down a hill? Are you triangular and if so are you an equilateral being who is balanced or an obtuse one? I suppose you could be so many variations of triangles. Wait until we get into so many other shapes like rectangles, pentagons, octagons or even diamonds.
I think it does not matter what shape you are like. We are all similar in that we are human beings but different and distinct in how we present ourselves to the world but does this really define us?
We can exist as individual sparks of divinity expressing ourselves in unique yet diverse ways. The question becomes then, how much are you defined by being different than others? Are you better for being the way that you are? Am I worse for me being me?
What does it really matter? Does the colour of my skin make me different and is this really an important distinction? What about my culture, my religion, my country, my sex, my gender, my orientation and so forth? After all, underneath it all, are we not the same?
I am not even talking about the blood and bones aspect of each us but on a soul level.
Don’t we all originate from the same source? Is there not an all encompassing “someone” or “something” that is greater than all of us here combined? Who or what makes us breathe? Is this simply a mechanical or biological feat of the body? Do we simply live and then die with no tomorrow or future?
Old Oak Tree by Mary Mikawoz
I contend that we are the observer or witness of our lives and that we are a higher spirit or soul. I contend that there is a force much greater than ourselves who manifests everything from the planets that are rotating around the sun to the seeds that grow in the Earth and then grow into a tomato plant, a beautiful flower or a solid oak tree.
I believe in a force greater than ourselves that is, perhaps, unnamable and far beyond our wildest comprehension but not of our appreciation and gratitude.
It does not matter what your shape is and how you present yourself to the world as long as you do so with a good heart and intention. It does not matter that we all follow the same religion to believe in a power greater than ourselves but that we recognize we did not get here all on our own accord. It was not our work but a higher force or divinity.
Snowflake by Gert Altmann of Pixabay
I challenge you today not to see the distinctions and differences in people as an oddity but a beautiful creation of God, the Universe or Source whereby we are each individually made just like there is no two snowflakes made exactly alike. Let us be appreciative of our connection to the all-divine and know we are perfectly made just as we are.
Mary Mikawoz February 24, 2023
If interested, you may subscribe to my “Musings” by inputting your email on the lower right-hand side of the blog below the Archive Date links at Mikawoz WordPress – https://mikawoz.wordpress.com/?s=musings
Memory Video Reel – Photography by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
Love this word “Memory.” Actually, for most it can be a combination of good memories or bad ones.
I tend to have changed my orientation lately in life. I choose to remember only the good memories. It brings me much joy and happiness to know I have had a good life overall.
I have definitely had bad memories, for sure, but now I choose to forgive those people who have done me wrong. It does not make the event acceptable but quite the opposite. I am seeing them as fallible or imperfect people. Most times people are doing their best under their current circumstances, experiences and knowledge.
This is not to accept what is evil or bad. I am not condoning abuse or violence or hate of any kind. I feel those people who have been hurt go around hurting others. It is like they can’t accept what has happened to them so they need to share their misery with other people. I am sorry that some people feel this way and that they act in a negative pattern of continuing to hurt others.
I don’t see the need to carry the past into the present moment. If you can do something about it that is legal and will help your state of mind, then do so. There are rules, regulations and laws exactly to deal with perpetrators. People need to know there are repercussions for their actions
Maya Angelou – Photograph by Getty Images
It is like what Maya Angelou has so famously written: “Do the best you can until you know better. Then, when you know better, do better.” These are such wise words of insight into the human character and the development of our spirit.
It does harm to treat people with disrespect and often times, it will boomerang back at you in the same way or intensity. What you give out is what you receive.
As the Bible say in Galatians 6:7 in the King James Version -”Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” Essentially speaking. “What you sow, you will reap.”
It makes sense that if you sow the seeds of goodness, that is what you will harvest then. It is your choice in every moment to decide how to think, feel and act. I wish you well in letting go of the past and remembering the good memories or moments of your life!
Mary Mikawoz February 22, 2023
If interested, you may subscribe to my “Musings” by inputting your email on the lower right-hand side of the blog below the Archive Date links at Mikawoz WordPress – https://mikawoz.wordpress.com/?s=musings
I think listen or listening is one of the most important words available in the language regarding conversations.
I find that some people are not really listening. They are kind of hearing but they are not listening. They are listening to the point where they can make their counter argument by saying inwardly, “I need to say this in opposition to that point” or “I can top that story. Wait until they hear my fish story about the one that got away.”
I think conversations are in jeopardy of losing their importance in society as we all turn towards interfacing with our devices be it a phone or tablet or computer. When we go into a coffee shop, what do we all do there? We have our faces stuck in some electronic gadgets and do not look up to interface with other humans. We rarely smile or even acknowledge someone’s presence or existence. We are involved with another world of reality.
Now, I am not saying it is all bad. I welcome the incredible developments in technology. I am of that age that you only received information via books, encyclopedias, the radio, the television and more learned people like teachers or other wisdom holders. I am of the age where you really had to search for meaning instead of just having it at your disposal in nanoseconds.
Kids these days do not know how good they have it but they really do. I suppose that is the point and that we are to improve, grow and develop with each coming generation of people. I think we have to take the best of everything and work within those parameters until there are no boundaries or limitations at all of what is possible in our realm.
I sometimes long for the art of listening where conversations over a cup of coffee or tea or even a glass of wine were meaningful in the most beautiful way of connectedness. I hope we connect even more especially since we are facing unprecedented change in our world. Smile to someone you do not know today and then enjoy that cup of coffee with your new found friend while you listen to their story.
As a very good friend of mine, Ron Owens, says, “A stranger is just a friend you haven’t met yet.”
If interested, you may subscribe to my “Musings” by inputting your email on the lower right-hand side of the blog below the Archival Date links at Mikawoz WordPress – https://mikawoz.wordpress.com/?s=musings
Mary Mikawoz Creative Pursuits Blog 