The Bluebird Patch

Like my hero H arriet Tubman used to say  “Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.”  Never  discourage  people  from  dreaming their dreams . Words are the most powerful tool so use them carefully!!

   Only you can make you happy. Don't place your happiness in the hands of the unknown. Take responsibility of your own happiness and stop blaming others for your unhappiness. You need to figure out ways in which you can be happy despite others' (negative) behaviors and despite the external circumstances. Happiness depends much more on your attitude than it does on objective, external circumstances.

About the film...   HAPPINESS IS…a cinematic road trip that explores the myths and the truths of the “pursuit of happiness” in America. It is the second film from Andrew Shapter, Director of the critically acclaimed documentary, Before The Music Dies. The film journeys through history–without boundaries or prejudices–in an attempt to understand what Happiness truly is, in the face of what the definition of Happiness has become. Shapter and his small team traveled coast-to-coast, speaking to all sorts of Americans they encountered along the way in an attempt to discover what it means to be happy. In addition to examining the phrase “the pursuit of happiness,” the film guides us through the eyes of spiritual leaders including the Dalai Lama, philanthropists, scholars, and the occasional celebrity (including John Mellencamp and Willie Nelson), and a wide range of happiness “experts” as they describe their experiences and definitions of Happiness. Understanding what it means t...

       "Happiness is the consequence of personal effort. You fight for it, strive for it, insist upon it, and sometimes even travel around the world looking for it. You have to participate relentlessly in the manifestations of your own blessings. And once you have achieved a state of happiness, you must never become lax about maintaining it. You must make a mighty effort to keep swimming upward into that happiness forever, to stay afloat on top of it."   — Elizabeth Gilbert (Eat, Pray, Love) 

Oh the joys winter! Snow flurries, ice clinging on tree branches, watching movies under lots of blankets, drinking hot cocoa with peppermint schnapps in the morning, and eating a rustic meal in front of the crackling fire are one of my favorite winter memories. Last night I decided to make one of my daughter's favorite winter meals, braised oxtails. She has been begging me cook this for a long time and I was waiting for a day like this to cook this delicious dish. Oxtails are one of the most flavorful beef cuts. Long braising of oxtails makes the meat fall off the bones. Oxtails are the perfect winter meal. The cooking method is quite simple. 1. Dust and season the cut oxtails all around with flour, oxtail seasoning, salt and pepper. 2. Heat oil over medium-high heat in an enameled braising pot and brown the oxtails on all sides. Remove the oxtails from the dutch pan and add onions, shallots, carrots, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, oregano, and cook until tender. 3. Deglaze w...

"A good cook is like a sorceress who dispenses happiness." Elsa Schiaparelli        Stuffed quail with fennel, golden raisins and hazelnut wild rice mix topped with a port-cranberry sauce.   Roasted brussels sprouts with chestnuts and smoked bacon chunks.

There are positive links between access to technology and feelings of well-being, a study claims. BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT, analysed the results of a survey of 35,000 people around the world. Access to communication devices was found to be the most valued. It found that women in developing countries, and people of both sexes with low incomes or poor education, were most influenced emotionally by their access to technology. It is partly because women tend to have a more central role in family and other social networks, said researcher Paul Flatters of Trajectory Partnership, which conducted the research on behalf of the BCS. "Our hypothesis is that women in developing countries benefit more because they are more socially constrained in society," he added. Read the full article at BBC News.

Happiness.. from Kenson Lai on Vimeo .

Happiness is eating cupcakes at school  on your birthday. Happiness is believing that you are “home” even if it’s just for a short moment. Happiness is watching your children thrive in a new city. Happiness is having a sneak peek into your child's future.

Happiness is when your cat loves you as much as you love him - Ollie and Colin Photo by Dianna R. ( Free Sample Momma) Happiness is having some Paradise Cake  From King's Hawaiian Bakery! Photo by  Ernest Sanada ( @ernsand )  Happiness is watching my boys play on the beach at sunset. Photo by Tanya Ponce ( @MauiMami ) Happiness pictures can be sent to capturinghappiness@yahoo.com or can be posted via twitter with the #thrumylens hashtag