The winning name

French military hat made famous in the film "Casablanca." No, it's not the same hat!

Tonight my chef - just before whipping up some spicy chicken curry - drew a reader's name from the hat. And the winner of the summer reading giveaway is Kristen of Sticking to the Point! I will mail her a copy of Catherine Sanderson's book Petite Anglais.

Next month I will have another giveaway to kick off fall, my favourite season. Thank you all for your concerned comments and emails. The burned spots on my head are healing, my headache subsided and finally there is hot water! Hallelujah!

Hope all is right in your corner of the world. In any event, you might want to check out The Happiness Project. Its concepts are simple, but significant in helping lift one's mood a shade or two closer to sunshine. Also, you may enjoy watching this brief video The Years Are Short.

Food for thought: The writer Lillian Hellman believed it was "a sad day when you find out that it's not accident or time or fortune, but just yourself that kept things from you." In her best-selling book Something More, Sarah Ban Breathnach reminds us life's biggest risk is "settling for playing it safe."

So let's all do ourselves a favour and veer slightly off course this week. Even a tiny step or two outside our realm of "normal" may help realise dreams that for too long have remained dormant. Worth a try, don't you think?

Comments

[Yoli]

Tara I hope you are well, I have not been watching blogs since Sally has been sick but I just started reading yours now. I shocked to see that you were hurt but glad that you are much better. Thank you for the inspiration. I am always at risk of playing it safe and I want to be more like you. I am learning teacher.

[rel]

Tara,
the vid clip was perfect!
rel

[Rosa]

I agree! I'm going to do a little exploring, how's that? Love the hat and congrats to Kristin! Glad to hear your head is better. That had to be smarts. Ouch. And hot water! Yeah! Isn't it funny the simple things we take for granted until they're no longer available? We have a lot to be thankful for in our lives, don't we. xo

[kristen]

how exciting for me, i never win anything! and i've been wrapped up in words and books so this will be most welcome. thank you tara. xo

[tinker]

Yes, I agree - in fact that's just what I've been trying to do, recently. Unfortunately, that's also meant falling behind again in blogreading, and so missed your lovely giveaway.
Apparently I missed much more too - burnt head -- oh my! Off to find out what happened - but I'm so glad you're feeling better, Tara. Take good care of you~XOXO

[jeanie]

I am so very fond of Sarah Ban B.'s work. It really helped reframe my world (The Simple Abundance) and she just got better! Interesting -- I've always played it fairly safe -- physically, mentally, emotionally. Right now I'm looking at several paint chips (OK, they've been on the wall for four months) in the living room. One is a deep burgundy. Just painting the wall is scary to me (and why? It doesn't take THAT long to redo it!). But going to such a deep color? I don't know that I'll get that one done this week, but that's a good quote to keep in mind as I look at them, plan to make it a color -- some color -- ANY color for fall!