May all of your weeds be wildflowers!

The word serendipity is defined as the faculity or phenomenon of finding valuable or agreeable things not sought for. Does that sound like a wildflower or what?

Frank Fandrick has been a contributor to our blog since we started in 2009. I was delighted to hear from him after a trip he had made to Austin, Texas where he had taken some pictures of one of my favorite things--wildflowers! I emailed him immediately and asked if we could use them on our blog, and he graciously agreed.

What a pleasure these images are. I did some browsing on the Internet and found quotations, music lyrics and an essay that fit right in these pictures such as:

"Love is like wildflowers; It's often found in the most unlikely places.”

Or remember this song:

Hey, I’m a wildflower, growin’ in the sunshine
Soakin’ up the way of life I was raised in
Runnin’ barefoot bloomin’ in the summer shower
Ponytail dancin’, I can’t help it. I’m a wildflower.

The next image is a repeat of the first one with the addition of some Photoshop filters--looks dreamy!

Here is part of an essay called Wild Flowers, written by Richard Jeffries:
Before I had any conscious thought it was a delight to me to find wild flowers, just to see them. It was a pleasure to gather them and to take them home; a pleasure to show them to others--to keep them as long as they would live, to decorate the room with them, to arrange them carelessly with grasses, green sprays, tree-bloom--large branches of chestnut snapped off, and set by a picture perhaps. Without conscious thought of seasons and the advancing hours to light on the white wild violet, the meadow orchis, the blue veronica, the blue meadow cranesbill; feeling the warmth and delight of the increasing sun-rays, but not recognizing whence or why it was joy...the various hues of the petals pleased without any knowledge of colour-contrasts, no note even of colour except that it was bright, and the mind was made happy without consideration of those ideals and hopes afterwards associated with the azure sky above the fir-tree. A fresh footpath, a fresh flower, a fresh delight. The reeds, the grasses, the rushes--unknown and new things at every step--something always to find; no barren spot anywhere, or sameness. Every day the grass painted anew, and its green seen for the first time; not the old green, but a novel hue and spectacle, like the first view of the sea.

Add the images to a collage with some descriptive text and it is another kind of gem!


A special thank you to Frank for bringing us this breath of spring!

Pinterest!

This is such a fun thing to get involved with! I have learned a lot about special places to go on the Internet through Pinterest.

Here is how they describe themselves:

"Pinterest is a Virtual Pinboard. It lets you organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web. People use pinboards to plan their weddings, decorate their homes, and organize their favorite recipes.

Best of all, you can browse pinboards created by other people. Browsing pinboards is a fun way to discover new things and get inspiration from people who share your interests. To get started, request an invite.

Our goal is to connect everyone in the world through the 'things' they find interesting. We think that a favorite book, toy, or recipe can reveal a common link between two people. With millions of new pins added every week, Pinterest is connecting people all over the world based on shared tastes and interests."

You can repin things to your "boards" so you will have them within easy reach. I have had more fun with this than anything I've tried on the Internet for some time. Here is the link to our blog's Pinerest boards, and then a link to a another Pinerest enthusiast that I really like:

http://pinterest.com/SavvySeniors/

This lady is a retired librarian and has some wonderful ideas:

http://pinterest.com/suziholler/

Here is the Pinterest home page:

http://pinterest.com/

This is a great place to be creative and take advantage of other people's treasures.

"The creation of something new is not accomplished by the intellect but by the play instinct acting from inner necessity. The creative mind plays with the objects it loves." ~Carl Jung

The Painter's Palette

Seniors are doing many exciting things and we enjoy featuring their impresssive accomplishments on our blog. We have several painters who have kindly allowed us to feature work here.

 

I first saw one of these fascinating paintings on a computer screen at the community college where I used to teach classes to seniors and boomers. As I walked by Betty’s computer, I asked her where she had found the image I saw there and she told me she had painted it!

Betty Levy was born in Argentina and exhibited a very creative nature at an early age. She told me, "I like to paint for the joy of it." The image you see below was painted when she was in Greece. She went to a pottery workshop taught by the man you see in the image below.

As a young person living in the Miami Beach area of Florida she had two notable accomplishments -- wining first place in the Canada Art Show 1984 and winning first place in the same year at a show at the Surfside Recreation Department. While in Miami she was an understudy to a remarkable painter -- Juan Manuel Segovia.

Betty Levy's paintings include an eclectic mixture of subjects--perhaps a photograph she has taken while traveling, or a photo from a fellow student that catches her fancy or someone she actually knows. I've often watched this process transpire in the classroom...she will see an image she connects with and the words that come out of her mouth are, "I'd love to paint that!"

Our first painting comes from the picture you see below that was taken while she was traveling...

The peasant...the woman...the warrior.

and Guitar...

And the Grandfather and Grandson... 

An enduring subject, powerfully portrayed.

Fabulous Faces

More of Betty Levy's marvelous paintings featured in today's offering for the The Painters Palette!

I first saw one of these fascinating paintings on a computer screen at the junior college where taught classes to seniors and boomers. As I walked by Betty’s computer, I asked her where she had found the image I saw there and she told me she had painted it!

I told her that I would love to share one of her images on our Computersavvyseniors blog, and she generously offered the paintings you see below. Betty has traveled extensively and she takes pictures wherever she goes. These pictures inspire her painting. The paintings you see below came from pictures she took in Prague.

Tour guide for Prague trip:

A base player on one of Prague's streets:

A Prague fisherman:

Before I retired, as I would walk around my classroom, I would often see what my 50 to 90 year old students were working on independently. And after nearly 10 years, four semesters a year, five to twelve classes a semester, I continued to be surprised and delighted by the talent that would spring off of their computer screens.

It makes me want to shout...don't stop because of your age...believe in how good you are, trust in your talent, educate yourselves, be excellent. It is all within your grasp. You just have to let it live!

Collage Favorites

Tuesday Treasures

On Tuesdays we feature the talented work of some of our students and friends. You may see a display of creative Photoshop work, their beautiful photographs or an interesting story about an individual’s meaningful contribution to his or her community, country or the world. If you have memories, old or new, you would like to share, send them to me at mxw8110@yahoo.com.

One of the things that continues to be a happy surprise for me is the spirit of creativity that seniors exhibit in my classroom. Betty Malone has been in many classes at the college where I teach, and her work speaks for itself.

She has numerous and varied interests which you will see portrayed in the images below...

whether traveling (a simple subject, enhanced with special effects)...

restoring and collaging old pictures...

creating images of new beginnings...

or working with pictures of beloved grandchildren, both traveling and...

just being themselves...

 

she does such a great job of preserving and enhancing all of those special memories.

Thanks so much Betty for sharing these images with us.

Niebuhr said, "It is better to create than to be learned, creating is the true essence of life!"

Saturday Star Spotlight

Our students are doing a lot of exciting things and we're looking forward to featuring their impressive accomplishments every Saturday in our Star Spotlight.

Today, we are proud to shine our “Star Spotlight” on Norma Howard Lane who is  an avid traveler and photographer.

Norma Lane is approaching her 80th birthday and would be the first to tell you, “I've been into computers and photography longer than the Internet itself.”

Norma connected with Dave Berry (one of our photography contributors) at a meeting,  and told him, “By all means feel free to share the photos from my website on your Blog. I am proud of the photos I’ve been able to take over the years. I started hiking in the Canadian Rockies after undergoing knee and hip replacement surgery and as a result have become a much happier and healthier person.”

Norma highly recommends the Canadian Rockies as a vacation destination “especially if you are a photographer.”

Norma has taken beautiful photos at Banff National Park, Yoho National Park, Jasper National Park and Glacier National Park to name just a few. Dave said, “Norma is an excellent photographer. Her landscape photos are fabulous. She sure caught my attention. I now have the Canadian Rockies on my vacation wish list.”

Thank you Norma for sharing and God bless.

The Mind/Body Connection

Nancy Merz Nordstrom, author of Learning Later, Living Greater: The Secret of Making the Most of Your After 50 Years will share the benefits of Lifelong Learning on Thursdays.

LEARNING LATER, LIVING GREATER:

The Secret for Making the Most of Your After-50 Years.

Lifelong Learning in Your Later Years…

A Health Club for Your Mind, Body, and Spirit!

For the next few weeks I would like for us to take a look at the Mind/Body Connection. No, we won’t be studying any hocus-pocus, but rather some sound scientific research. Being aware of the Mind/Body Connection is very important, especially as we age.

The belief that our thoughts and actions can influence our health–the Mind/Body Connection–is not a new concept. Over the years, in certain circles, this notion was an accepted fact. Research in the latter half of the 20th century, however, has shown that this long-held belief is actually true.

But what does this belief really mean? It’s probably safe to say that wishing for a gold Rolls Royce won’t suddenly make one appear in your driveway. But there is significant evidence to suggest that coordinating the interaction between our minds and bodies can result in amazing things. Lifelong learning plays a major role in this because it helps balance both your mind and body. And when things are in balance, you feel better and have the ability and desire to create a rich and satisfying life.

Technically, the study of the Mind/Body Connection goes by several intimidating labels certain to demolish anyone playing Scrabble with you. Among these names are such polysyllabic nightmares as psychoneuroimmunology, psychophysiology, neuropsychology, and psychoneuroimmunology. We’ll opt for a much shorter abbreviation of the last one: PNI.

In the 1960’s, one of the early pioneers in the study of modern day PNI was psychiatrist George Solomon. He observed that depression seemed to make rheumatoid arthritis worse. He then began investigating the impact of emotions on immune function in general. His research was responsible for the development of the new field of PNI.

Then in the late 1960s and early 1970s, cardiologist Dr. Herbert Benson began studying the effects of meditation on blood pressure. He developed the term “the relaxation response,” which today is recognized far and wide. Finally in the mid 1970s, psychologist Dr. Robert Adler’s studies demonstrated that cognitive and emotional cues could affect immune response. Thanks to his research PNI was finally recognized as a legitimate medical specialty.

Since these early discoveries researchers everywhere have been studying PNI. Over the ensuing years, PNI has demonstrated its value in three different research areas – physiological research, epidemiological research and clinical research.

More on this very interesting subject next week…

THURSDAY’S THOUGHT…

John C. Lilly, American physician, psychoanalyst, philosopher and writer said, “In the province of the mind, what one believes to be true either is true or becomes true.” Well, if that’s the case, then we all have the ability to create meaningful later lives for ourselves – lives that are enriched and far more exciting than we ever thought possible. Lifelong learning is one important tool that can help us create that life.

Till Next Time…

Angels Explained By Children

Bill Witcher will be sharing words of encouragement, inspiration and hope with you each Sunday.

My sister-in-law Libby sent me this post. Angels are a mystery to all of us, but as usual children have a practical take on this subject like most things.

Smile while reading!!

I only know the names of two angels, Hark and Harold.
Gregory, age 5

Everybody's got it all wrong. Angels don't wear halos anymore. I forget why, but scientists are working on it.
-Olive, age 9

It's not easy to become an angel! First, you die. Then you go to Heaven, and then there's still the flight training to go through. And then you got to agree to wear those angel clothes.
-Matthew, age 9

Angels work for God and watch over kids when God has to go do something else.
-Mitchell, age 7

My guardian angel helps me with math, but he's not much good for science.
-Henry, age 8

Angels don't eat, but they drink milk from Holy Cows!!!
-Jack, age 6

Angels talk all the way while they're flying you up to heaven. The main subject is where you went wrong before you got dead.Daniel, age 9

When an angel gets mad, he takes a deep breath and counts to ten. And when he lets out his breath again, somewhere there's a tornado.-Reagan, age 10

Angels have a lot to do and they keep very busy. If you lose a tooth, an angel comes in through your window and leaves money under your pillow. Then when it gets cold, angels go south for the winter.-Sara, age 6

Angels live in cloud houses made by God and his son, who's a very good carpenter.-Jared, age 8

All angels are girls because they gotta wear dresses and boys didn't go for it.-Antonio, age 9

My angel is my grandma who died last year. She got a big head start on helping me while she was still down here on earth.

-Ashley, age 9

Some of the angels are in charge of helping heal sick animals and pets. And if they don't make the animals get better, they help the child get over it.-Vicki, age 8

Irish Blessings to You in 2012

My husband and I have many Irish relatives and I have always been fascinated by that culture. That is especially the case with Ireland's poetry and blessings. Here are just a few:

An Old Irish Blessing

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

An Irish Prayer

May God give you...
For every storm, a rainbow,
For every tear, a smile,
For every care, a promise,
And a blessing in each trial.
For every problem life sends,
A faithful friend to share,
For every sigh, a sweet song,
And an answer for each prayer.

Bless This House

Bless this house, o Lord, we pray.
Make it safe by night and day.
Bless these walls so firm and stout,
Keeping want and trouble out.
Bless the roof and chimney tall,
Let thy peace lie over all.
Bless the doors that they may prove
Ever open to joy and love.
Bless the windows shining bright,
Letting in God's heavenly light.
Bless the hearth a-blazing there,
With smoke ascending like a prayer.
Bless the people here within...
Keep them pure and free from sin.
Bless us all, that one day, we
May be fit, O lord, to dwell with Thee.

May neighbours respect you, trouble neglect you, the angels protect you, and heaven accept you!

Inspiring Words

Bill Witcher, co-founder of Computer School for Seniors will be sharing words of encouragement, inspiration and hope with you each Sunday.

“The Thoughts in Your Mind Will Always be More Important Than the Things in Your Life"

In a golf tournament a while back, one of the seasoned Pros only needed to get down in two from 12 feet away to qualify for the Fed EX Cup Championship. For a professional golfer, that’s no big deal. Twelve feet, 2 putts. No problem. Four putts later, his ball was in the cup and he was out of the finals of the championship. His terrible putting cost him hundreds of thousands of dollars.
When asked what happened, he admitted that the 12 feet on the green was not the problem. The six inches between his ears is where the problem occurred. He lost his concentration and allowed negative thinking to ruin a great opportunity.

John Maxwell says in his book, Today Matters, that your attititude can give you a winner’s perspective or it can make you a loser. It’s our choice. Our actions will follow our thoughts.

On June 28, 1939, Joe Louis defended his heavyweight boxing title against Tony “Tow-Ton” Galento in Yankee Stadium. Galento wasn’t a particularly talented fighter, but he could take a punch and he was a big hitter. In the second round, Louis knocked Galento down and seemed to be controlling the fight. But in the third round, Galento knocked the champ down.

Louis immediately jumped back to his feet and went after his opponent. When Louis went to his corner, his trainer chastised him: “You know you’re supposed to take the full count when you go down. Why didn’t you stay down for nine?”

“What!” answered Louis, “and give him a chance to rest?” Louis pummeled Gelento so badly in the fourth round that the referee stopped the fight.

In today’s competitive culture , everybody is looking for an edge. Top athletes and top businesspeople alike know that—all things being equal—attitude wins. But this is also true: All things not being equal, attitude sometimes still wins. Possessing a great attitude is like having a secret weapon.

Your Attitude—Not Your Achievements—
Gives You Happiness

Samuel Johnson, the eighteenth-century poet and critic, stated, “He who has so little knowledge of human nature as to seek happiness by changing anything but his own disposition will waste his life in fruitless efforts and multiply the grief which he purposes to remove.” He understood that contentment was generated internally, based on attitude.

The thoughts in your mind will always be more important than the things in your life. Fame and fortune are fleeting. The satisfaction that comes from achievement is momentary. The author of the Biblical book of Ecclesiastes observed, “He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; nor he who loves abundance, with increase.”

You cannot buy or win happiness. You must choose it.

Monday's Munchies

Many of us are wonderful cooks and generous about sharing our recipes. Mondays are for "make it happen" people. What could be a better way to encourage each other and create than to share what is going on in our kitchens.



A Real Treat!

Here is another gem from the kitchen of Patti Berry. A little something to bake that will stick to your ribs!

RASPBERRY CREAM CHEESE CAKE

This is a delicious cake that isn’t too sweet, but it is very pretty with the ribbons of raspberry jello and real raspberries throughout! YUM! You can make it in a sheet cake so it is easy to cut into 24 servings or make it in a bundt pan for a pretty presentation! If you are looking for a lighter cake, use the powdered sugar dusting…but I say GO FOR IT and enjoy the cream cheese frosting (good on almost everything in my opinion!!)

1 package yellow cake mix

4 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup sugar

2 tsp vanilla

1 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened

1+1/2 cups raspberries, fresh or frozen

1 T bsp flour

1 pkg raspberry jello
Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe below)

Preheat oven to 350. In large bowl, combine the cake mix, eggs, milk, oil, sugar and vanilla. Beat on low speed for one minute and then on medium for another minute. Add the cream cheese and beat on medium for two minutes. Put the raspberries in another bowl and toss with the flour until coated. Drop the raspberries and the jello mix onto the cake batter and gently fold them into the batter, do not mix completely, it should appear marbled in the bowl. Pour the batter into a greased and floured bundt pan or a 13x9 cake pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until it tests done. If using bundt pan, cool in pan 10 minutes and then turn out onto serving platter, dust with powdered sugar. If using 13x9 sheet pan, frost with cream cheese frosting or dust with powdered sugar for a lighter cake.

Frost with a cream cheese frosting, or you can simply dust with powdered sugar before serving.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

2 tsp vanilla3 3/4 - 4 cups powdered sugar

Mix together the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add the vanilla and then the powdered sugar, one cup at a time until it reaches the desired consistency…perhaps a little more or less than called for here.

Our special thanks to Patti Berry for this delicious munchie idea!

Internet Magic

Jane Booras is the Editor of numerous newsletters. From time to time, she will
be sharing how you can find whatever you need - photos, clipart, information,
maps, phone numbers - on the Internet.



So one evening you’re watching the classic movie channel and enjoying one of your favorite old black and white movies. “Who is that actor?” you say to your wife (or husband). “Oh, I know who that is, but I can't think of his/her name!” Sound familiar? So we play a guessing game. We rack our brains and throw out a few names. My husband is apt to say, “Oh, yeah! That’s ‘what’s his name’.”

So you wait for the credits to roll. Then one of two things happens. One, since there were no commercials, you have to head for the restroom as soon as you see “The End” come up on the screen. (Ever notice that the new movies don’t say “The End” anymore?) Or, two, the credits run alright, but they are so teeny tiny that you can’t read them – even if you get up and put your nose right up to the screen. Well, darn. How will you ever know who that actor was?

GOOGLE! Just go to your computer and Google the name of the movie. Say, “State Fair” made in 1945. Try it and identify the picture below.

Or, “Slattery’s Hurricane” made in 1949. Same thing. Google it.

My sister and I flew to Cancun, Mexico for a 5-day vacation on the Yucatan Peninsula. It was wonderful. One day on the way to a snorkeling adventure, the van driver stopped suddenly on a back road. There along the road in the underbrush were several raccoons, along with another animal that looked like a raccoon, but had a long tail like a monkey. The van driver told us what it was, but with his accent, we couldn’t quite get the name. Then my sister remembered that she often googles answers to crossword puzzles when she gets “stuck.”

When we got back to our hotel, we went to the business center where free Internet service is offered and googled “Mexican raccoon-like animal.” Google took us to this web site: http://www.brandywinezoo.org/coati.html. Click on the link and see the results for yourself.

Now mind you, my sister only googles answers after she has exhausted all other options – her brain and her precious crossword dictionary. But when things “niggle” at you for just so long, you have to know! That’s when you Google.

I wonder what ever happened to Encyclopedias. I suppose they are on the Internet now. Let’s google it and see what happens!

Dirt Muffins for Monday's Munchies

Many of us are wonderful cooks and generous about sharing our recipes. Mondays are for "make it happen" people. What could be a better way to encourage each other and create than to share what is going on in our kitchens.


Delicious Treats

Last year a group of students in one of my classes at a local community college in Dallas started the delicious tradition of bringing treats for our break. On the last day of class we were talking about how we would miss these excellent treats and someone came up with the idea of sharing them on the blog which is where "Monday's Munchies" got its start.

This week we are bringing back that great idea. Today we will feature "Dirt Muffins" contributed to us by Patti Berry. Patti is a marvelous cook. She has worked for years in the capacity of a volunteer by taking her wonderful baked goods to a hospital near where she lives. She has a real talent for baking along with a big heart!

DIRT MUFFINS (Makes 12):

1+3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup cold butter or margarine
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/2 cup applesauce
16 filled chocolate sandwich cookies, chopped
(I always use Doublestuff Oreos)

Topping:3 Tbsp flour
3 Tbsp sugar
5 cream filled chocolate sandwich cookies,
finely crushed (remember the Double stuff Oreos!)
2 Tbsp cold butter or margarine
2 squares or cubes of vanilla bark
1 Tbsp shortening

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar and baking powder. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In separate small bowl, beat egg and milk and applesauce, stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Gently fold in COARSELY chopped cookies. Fill greased muffin cups 2/3 full.

For topping, combine flour, sugar and finely crushed cookies. Cut in the butter until crumbly, sprinkle about 1 Tbsp over each muffin. BAKE at 400°for 15-18 minutes or until muffins test done. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan. In a microwave, melt vanilla chips and shortening until smooth (30 seconds at a time at full power, and stir). Drizzle over cooled muffins. Makes 12 muffins.

A special thanks to Patti Berry for helping us kick off the 2012 Monday Munchies on our blog!!

Installing Love

Bill Witcher will be sharing words of encouragement, inspiration and hope with you each Sunday.




Around Valentines Day I received an inspirtional email from My Daily Insights (www.MyDailyInsights.com) that I thought was very appropriate for our computer savvy students and I would like to share a portion of that email with you. It was based on an interesting concept. What if LOVE was a software program that you could install in your Heart? What would you have to do to get this very valuable program installed? Obviously, the first thing would be to call Tech Support and ask for help.

Tech Support: Hello, how may I help you?
Customer: Well, after much thought, I've decided to install LOVE. Will you guide me though the process?
Tech Support: Yes. I would love to. Are you ready to proceed?
Customer: Well, I'm not very technical, but I think I'm ready. What do I do first?
Tech Support: The first step is to open your Heart. Have you located your Heart?
Customer: Yes, but there are several other programs running now. Is it okay to install LOVE while they are running?
Tech Support: What other programs are running?
Customer: Let's see, I have Past Hurt, Low Self-Esteem, Grudge, and Resentment running right now.
Tech Support: No problem, LOVE will gradually erase Past Hurt from your current operating system. It may remain in your permanent memory but it will no longer disrupt other programs. LOVE will eventually override Low Self-Esteem with a module of its own called High Self-Esteem. However, you have to completely turn off Grudge and Resentment. Those programs prevent LOVE from being properly installed. Can you turn those off?
Customer: I don't know how to turn them off. Can you tell me how?
Tech Support: With pleasure. Go to your start menu and turn on Forgiveness. Do this as many times as necessary until Grudge and Resentment have been completely erased.
Customer: Okay, done! Wow, LOVE has started installing itself. Is that normal?
Tech Support: Yes, but remember that you have only the base program. You need to begin sharing and connecting to other Hearts in order to get the upgrades.
Customer: Got it. Hey! My heart is filling up with new files. Smile is playing on my monitor and Peace and Contentment are copying themselves all over My Heart. Thank you for all your help.

This weeks message is a simple one. Install LOVE in your heart and start sharing it with everyone you meet. Have a blessed week. - Bill

Magical Sayulita

Traveling is a passion for many people. And if you have a camera and Photoshop skills, you can create some wonderful images.

The unique text effect you see above, and the charming collage in the image below were created in Photoshop Elements by one of my talented students, Jack Murphy. He visits Sayulita, Nayarit, Mexico often and fortunately for us takes lots of pictures!

Jack grew up in the 50's in Southern California during a time when Californians were lucky…they had the weather, the immense growth, and a melting pot of people that made everything interesting.

Jack met Jeanette, his wife, at Macy's department store in the 60's and they were fortunate to be able to travel all over the United States and Europe due to his job and just curiosity.

Back in 1999 they found Sayulita, Nayarit, Mexico and because of its beauty, weather, natural art and simpatico people they decided to purchase something they never planned on, a second home.

I asked Jack to describe this fascinating place, and he said, "Sayulita is a beautiful quaint fishing and surfing village 35 miles north of the Puerto Vallarta airport. The waves are perfect for the beginning to intermediate surfer, and during the October through May period the deepsea fishing is boiling with tuna, mahi mahi, toro and mackeral. The reason for the great fishing is Banderas Bay is one of the main breeding areas for the sperm whales. Whales need lots of feed and the tremendous amounts of sardines attract all the other fish and sea birds. After the fishing or surfing it is time for margaritas and a well earned great meal. Sayulita has it all, it is paradise.

All of our family and friends who have visited Sayulita love it. Sayulita is truly magical!”

Thanks to Jack for sharing this lovely spot with us in such a unique way

Seeing Better on the Internet

As we come across computer tips in our online journey we will share them with you on the blog. Here is a handy little item you can use to change your screen view.

It is easy to change the size of the text you see on your webpages when you go out on the Internet.

First, go to the Menu Bar near the top of the screen and click on View and a menu will drop down.

Hover your mouse over the words Text Size and a smaller menu will appear.

Now you can select the size you want. Try several of them to see what suits you. I've selected Larger as you can see in the example below.

Note: If you choose the "Largest" option, you may not be able to view everything on the webpage. To see what is on the far left and far right just click on the scroll bar at the bottom of your screen (see image below), hold the mouse button down and drag from left to right.