Soulshine defeats Depression

 

 

Let your Soul Shine

written by: Lisa Morgan

Depression happens to the best of us. Most of us refer to it as the blues & some among us have made a living writing blues tunes & singing them successfully. Others among us have a beer, a glass of wine & sing the blues ...badly...sing the blues very badly. It's the thought that counts! The blues will come & go through out a lifetime, as it should. We can not appreciate the the good time, joy, bliss, happiness, the laughter without experiencing the lows, blues, pain & tear that will fall down our cheeks. 

Attitude adjustments are life's way of forming character & molding us into shape. ~

Lisa Morgan 

Roll with the punches or get the hell out of the way. Seriously move out of the way before the punches hit you or you need to get out of the way. Alas we are all human thus none of us are perfect in any way. We fail, we fall, we get back up. Get back up! My mother always says, "Learn from the mistakes of others; you can't live long enough to make them all yourself." Some people may not have gotten that Mama Memo, so I'm posting it for you now.

Depression Kills & Soulshine Heals

It's those time when we do not snap out of the blues that darkness overtakes us. Depression is an extremely dark, lonely place to dwell. No one wants to reside in darkness. It's a cold, bitter place where time stands still. Depression can be squelched. Soulshine is the cure for common depression.  There is always someone who has is having a worse day than you or has been dealt a hand possibly without a hand or two good feet. We mourn the dead. We end a relationship. We learn to love again, to live again, to breathe again. It is the dark that makes us crave the light. Depression kills & Soulshine heals. Choose wisely my friends.

I look around me at God's creations & I see wonder that abounds. I view people whose lives are much harder than anything I might search to complain about. I can walk, so I can make a conscience decision to walk in light. God's light has been a constant saving grace in my life. Jesus' sacrifice was a selfless act, that humbles me. Being meek is not being timid, it is being humble. There is always someone who will appreciate a smile or desperately need someone to smile their way. I choose to smile until my soul shines to light my pathway from darkness into a light filled space.

 Believe - Achieve - Receive- Give - Live

When there is only darkness, let your light shine through to pierce the darkness; others will see your light & mirror it bringing more light. Sometimes being the first to let your light shine, you'll bring light to others. Light will always overcome darkness. Depression is ceased by doing something for some less fortunate than yourself. Depression feeds off of self & is starved by selflessness. Soulshine will defeat the darkness of depression when your selfless acts bring joy to others, your soul will shine with bliss. Light your candle & let it be a beacon for others who are in darkness. Soulshine kicks depression in the butt saying "Snap out of it! Life is good!" Soulshine it's the cure for depression. Remember you are blessed so be a blessing to others.

 Thank you for spending your time with me,

Lisa Morgan

Author of the reality check book "Get Beach Slapped"

Muse @ MAXIM Chic Media & Consulting Agency 

Instagram: lisamorgan_maximchicmedia 

Twitter: @maximchicmedia

 #light #darkness #quote #wisdom #defeatdepression #soulshine #selfless #shine #joy #jesus #GOD #joy #lifeisgood #RT #blog #depression #self #humble #blessing #blessed #God #SEO #adwords  #happiness #fear #success #believe #heal #healing #blues #love #smile #life #lifelessons #attitudeadjustment #quote #GreggAllman #AllmanBrothers #music

www.getbeachslapped.blogspot.com

Baby Nutt Chronicles: This squirrel is nuts!

 Baby Nutt Chronicles: This squirrel is nuts!

By: Lisa Morgan

Baby Nutt

How do you feed a baby squirrel? You feed a baby squirrel with a syringe that you can purchase at a feed store, your local vet or possibly Walmart. The baby bottles may aspirate the baby & cause him/her to get fluid on their lungs & die. Be careful when feeding not to go too fast. My bay squirrel just had a birthday last Saturday. It's hard for me to believe Baby Nutt, my orphaned squirrel is almost 9 weeks old now. Where has the time gone? When Baby Nutt was 7 weeks old, I introduced avocado  pieces into his diet.along with the milk formula he drinks daily. It has been amazing to watch him grow from a tiny 3 week old squirrel with basically fuzz all over, into a rambunctious grey squirrel with a fluffy tail.


 He graduated from the small pet carrier, that he had been living in from the age of 3 weeks until 5 weeks of age, to a large pet carrier, in which he now takes up residence. It is a fully equipped squirrel crib with small tree limbs horizontally crossing through the holes on the sides; this makes a cross hatch pattern, for Baby Nutt to climb & swing upon.  He discovered he could jump last week. My husband yelled at the TV & it startled Baby Nutt who went from being asleep to leaping straight up in the air & hitting his little head on the top of the pet carrier, with a resounding thud! It was funny, but it felt bad for Baby Nutt, who appeared to be shaken for a moment. He shook it off like a trooper & it was at that moment Nutter Butter had an epiphany! He realized he could jump. Well suffice it to say he has gone form being a baby squirrel to a teenage spider monkey. He's bouncing off the walls literally.

Baby Nutt eating avocado.

Baby Nutt has also become quite affectionate. He has been smelling me from the beginning but last week when he started running across my arms, up & down my back; he began approaching my face to dole out mini kisses upon my nose or my cheek. Twice this week he decided it would be exciting to climb to the tallest part of Mom, my head. Luckily, I keep my hair up in a hair clip when I tend to him or let him out to play in my office. No he does not roam free in my office, unless you consider him scaling me like a mountain climber, to be roaming free.

It is quite amusing to see him shaking the door of the pet carrier. I give Baby Nutt a voice, so that when he shakes the pet carrier door I yell,"Attica, Attica!" Baby Nutt always looks at me as though I'm nuts. (Pun intended.) It's always interesting down here on the Funny Farm. A good example of the chaos, is when I stepped out on my front porch to feed the stray cat Pops, that apparently has adopted us, that's when I was startled by the opossum who I thought was just passing by last fall. He's twice as big as he was in the fall, so I'm assuming he has been eating cat food for months from the porch, thus his size. Cats, dogs, a squirrel & a opossum oh my! Like I said, "Funny Farm". Sometimes I feel like I've been transported back 50 years to an episode of the TV sitcom "Green Acres" & it extended into the next TV sitcom "Beverly Hillbillies" only without the uber oil wealth. (giggling)

Baby Nutt the messy eater with avocado & carrots scattered about.

Until we meet again at this same blog, have a blessed week. Remember no matter how chaotic your life is, at least you're not living on a Funny Farm & there is always someone less fortunate than you, with much less than you are blessed with. If you have your health you're a wealthy person indeed. God bless!

Thank you for spending your time with me,
Lisa Morgan
Author Get Beach Slapped
Muse at Maxim Chic Media

#RT #MAXIMChicMedia #squirrel GetBeachSlapped #cats #dogs #farm #health #pet #funny #porch #BabyNutt #author #blessed #blog #greenacres #beverly #hillbillies #TV #sitcom #wealth #babysquirrels #farm

Thoughts from the Porch: Bearing Fruit

 

 

 

 

 Thoughts from the porch: Bearing Fruit               by Lisa Morgan

Blessed are those who are selfless enough to plant a fruit or nut tree, knowing they may not ever partake of the bounty the tree will bear. This selfless act of laboring for future generation to eat should be looked upon as blessing for mankind & the animal kingdom who would partake of the fruit or nuts from the branches. We look upon being rich or wealthy to be measured in gold, silver, currency, but we should in reality look upon those with seeds as the wealthiest. God gave us seeds to plant. We are supposed to see this as a blessing for future nourishment for our bodies. Yet how many of us toss out seeds or pits, without a second thought.

 

 

 

 If perchance food became scarce; then the seeds, pits & yes the bottoms of root vegetables would become priceless. What today you see as garbage, could be the wealth of the future. Remember that tree may take years to grow before it produces & even a blueberry bush may take 3 years to bear fruit. The point is if we all collected the seeds from food we purchase, then we planted the seeds, the bounty would be amazing. Just a thought to ponder the next time you eat an apple, peach, blueberry, pecan, almond, avocado etc. Where does the wealthy individual lie? We are blessed more than we can imagine even if we are too blind to see. That's all from the porch swing for now as I eat an apple & place the seeds in my seed box.

PS. Squirrels & Birds love raw veggies & fruit when you have pieces left over that are raw please toss them in your yard. When I do they are gone the next day. God takes care of the least among us.

Thanks for spending your time with me,

Lisa Morgan

Author, Blogger, Maxim Chic Media & Consulting Agency (Muse & CEO)

www.getbeachslapped.blogspot.com 

 

#RT #apples #peaches #trees #fruit #nuts #blessed #soulshine #seeds #farm #farmers #America #vegetables #farmlife #priceless #wealth #blueberry #almond #pecan #selfless #food #gold #silver #squirrels #birds

 

 

Thoughts from the porch

                                                Thoughts from the porch

                                                      By: Lisa Morgan

 

Have you ever wondered why people who tout everyone should be open minded are actually themselves air heads? Why is that do you suppose? Maybe the new "buzz" word for the moment is open minded, which is the new term for air head, the more offensively term, for those who won't take the time to think or they have more than one brain fart at at time. Some of these open minded folks aka air heads have perpetual brain farts, which may have resulted in their blinds being blown one too many times. Perhaps it's the brain farts, that have caused the door to have remained open, on their minds leading to the open mind. 

The humorous part is that the open minded people often times are not open minded at all, they simply want everyone around them to be open minded to their thoughts, ideology or whims. Your mother said shut the door for a reason! Just for the record I must also add that brain fart is the more offensively term for senior moment or lapse of judgment or misspoken. Slice it anyway that you like, the meaning is the same....brain fart! The moment when you see the light bulb in some one's brain get switched on usually is the after thought of the brain fart. I'm here to enlighten those who suffer from being too open minded, without actually thinking through thoughts. You know what I mean, just allowing those thoughts to flow in one ear through the brain & out the other ear & never retaining anything. They allow someone else to tell them what to think because it's easier than actually thinking for themselves which requires work. We all know most people nowadays run the opposite direction of work. Work is the dreaded four letter word that is whispered while the new four letter word that is embraced is F#ck! Why is that? People used to be ashamed to say that "F" word & now it's like a badge of honor. What is going on people?

Please save an air head from too much open mindedness. Tell them to shut the door & ponder topics. Help stop brain farts across America! Help the open minded by handing out common sense to go along with that open mind. Common sense is the cure for all brain farts, perpetual open mindedness, misspoken words, lapse of judgment. Senior moments will happen to those well up in years & their cache of common sense should purchase them a well deserved break, for that senior moment.

It is great to being open minded to suggestions, to seeing some one's view, to addressing a situation from a different approach, but to leave the door open to the mind is dayhem foolish. You can't let everything into your brain without having a filter on it! Think of your brain, as your home. You have a door to your home to allow people to enter & exit, to keep things in & things out. Folks in the south have screen doors beyond the doors allow fresh air to flow in & keeping the unwanted pests like flies & mosquitoes out. Likewise with the brain you should have a filter to keep out things that are toxic, dangerous, ignorant or plain foolish from living in your brain. Those are my thoughts from the porch, the place that I ponder my thoughts while sipping on tea, mostly tea. I hope you kept your open mind while reading this blog & that you laughed along the way. Now don't let the door hit you where the good Lord split you! Come back real soon for the next installment.

Thank you for sharing your time with me,

Lisa Morgan

                 Author of Get Beach Slapped a satirical reality check book


 #RT #GetBeachSlapped #humor #realitycheck #book #blog #openmind #porch #southern #tea #laugh #ebook #Amazon #barnesandnoble #Googleplay #screendoor #airhead

I'm not a hoarder, I'm a collector of Vintage Chic!

I'm Not a Hoarder, I'm a collector of Vintage Chic!

 by Lisa Morgan                                                                                         March 9, 2017

Who are you calling a Hoarder? I just collect stuff. Sometimes I just save things from going into landfills, other times I save things from those who don't appreciate them. Isn't this what we tell ourselves when we love all things vintage? I know that I have had to ask myself more than once, "Do I really need this?" Usually I say,"What? Are you kidding me of course I do!" Somewhere during this analytical conversation with myself I always start talking aloud, which will have someone inevitably look over & grin at me. I always respond the same way, "I talk to myself sometimes, please just ignore me." Most times the other person will laugh & respond, "Me too. especially when I'm trying to talk myself out of buying something I know I don't need or have room for at home." Yes a fellow hoarder or recovering hoarder! We are everywhere...well in America....we are everywhere.

I have given away more things or treasures, as I like to call them than I care to recall. When I am flipping channels on the "Idiot Box" aka TV & I happen across the show "Hoarders", it always compels me to clean & organize, which leads to gifting some of my treasures to new homes. I try to skip that particular show for just that reason.

Vintage Chic is about saving treasures from bygone times, re-purposing, salvaging items that would otherwise be decaying in a trash heap, cluttering up the world even more. It is wise to reuse or re-purpose items rather than to keep purchasing inferior quality junk from anywhere especially from China. China is the one hit wonder of merchandise. Use it once & discard it afterwards.

I love the things that remind me of my childhood & simpler times before the internet, when drive in theaters brought people closer together. A time when people had real conversations, wrote love letters & gathered around the dinner table to eat. A time before crack, meth, heroin & cocaine had gripped our nation. A time when no one was discussing transgender bathrooms or sanctuary cities, when men were men, women were women & everyone was proud to be an American citizen. What the hell happened? Protests about everything, anything, nothing lest we forget being offended. Stop the madness! Collect your thoughts as if they were items & place them in order of importance, in the event of a catastrophe. When placed into perspective some of these collective thoughts are broken junk worthy of being tossed. Don't be a hoarder of broken thoughts. Ponder what matter to you, research, repair your thought process if necessary or make changes to what you previously thought to be relevant or true after research, thought & maybe a prayer or meditation.

You can call me a hoarder if you like. I'm sure I've been called worse sometime in my lifetime. I box up things from time to time just to see if I can live without them. I rearrange items for no reason other than to get a new perspective in my humble abode. I don't think I'm a hoarder. I can see my counter-tops, my floors, my furniture,  although my husband says I have entirely too many pillows, candles, books but they are all in their place. No I'm not a hoarder. I'm simply a respecter of vintage items that speak to me, thus I call it "Vintage Chic" decor. I find the term salvage reminds me of a graveyard for autos. I'm living with my vintage chic items. No you can never have too many pillows or candles, contrary to what my husband believes.

Take a moment to look around your home & truly look at the items you surround your self with. Do you have a fondness for this item or is it just collecting dust? You can always have a garage sell or consign items if you feel you are starting to get claustrophobic or that you are seeing less & less of the baseboards or walls than you should. Embrace your inner hoarder. Be unique, be true to yourself, be happy in your surroundings.  I'm not a hoarder, I'm a collector is what I tell myself. My inner hoarder responds, "Well good luck with that!"

Thank you for joining me,
Lisa Morgan
Take a moment to check out my website www.getbeachslapped.blogspot.com
My book Get Beach Slapped is available in paperback & for downloads.

MAXIM Chic Media for social media management 850-520-5040
maximchicmanagement@gmail.com
Thanks for your support!

My Swinging Past

                                                              My Swinging Past                                  3/1/2017

                                                          written by: Lisa Morgan

As a child I used to sit with my maternal grandmother "Granny" swinging to & fro watching the grass grow or so it seemed to me at the time. My Granny was a Poarch Creek Indian lady of small stature, although she was larger than life itself to me. I'd brush my Granny's salt & pepper colored hair & she'd regal me with stories of the past. She'd talk & I'd listen, which for anyone who knows me was quite the feat, for me to listen & not chime in, nonetheless that is exactly how it happened. Granny was very near & dear to my heart. I remember the last time I saw her she was swinging on the front porch & telling me she wouldn't be around much longer. She had a premonition & her life was filled with premonitions that came to pass, as did this last one. Granny was a gentle soul, a kind woman, a tolerant woman & a God fearing woman who loved her family.

The reason I told this backstory to you is because it was a everyday occurrence in my Granny's life to swing to & fro in her old porch swing with the chipped paint. It wasn't until I was writing my book Get Beach Slapped a couple of years ago that it dawned on me why Granny loved swinging on her front porch. I was sitting on my back porch or lanai for those who prefer a more colorful term for porch, anyway I was doing absolutely nothing suffering from writers block when it occurred to me how peaceful it was just to be still. I rarely am ever still much less quiet so for me to be both simultaneously was quite miraculous & yet there I was at peace. I began watching the birds tending their nests while singing a happy tune. The squirrels were scampering from tree to tree forging for food & chirping at one another, as if it were a choreographed. I noticed the bees being chased by dragonflies, while my cats were mesmerized by the dragonflies. My dogs would occasionally chime in just to make their presence known. It was as if an entire orchestrated musical was playing out in front of me, quite the comical musical I might add. I wondered if one of the squirrels might be the mother to my orphaned squirrel Baby Nutt. I suppose I'll never know.

Why had I not noticed this before? How simple it was to stop, to do nothing but watch quietly & learn. I hearkened by to the days of simplicity with my Granny sitting, listening & watching. Granny's escape from the stresses of her day was to sit, swing, watch & listen. I suppose I'll never truly know what she was thinking about as she would sit gazing at her yard. I was too young to understand what being an adult entailed or better still what being an aging adult entailed. I was young, vivacious, ignorant beyond belief, filled with wonder & love for my Granny. She never was too busy for me though she was a hard working woman. She never was too tired to talk to me even though looking back now I see how exhausted she was at the time. She had a gentle voice, a forgiving soul, a humble woman indeed. Granny's swing was her sanctuary, her escape, her solitude where she would be still & unwind.

It reminds me of the bible verse Psalm 46:10 "Be still & know that I am God....". I believe my Granny was appreciating the many wonders of God's hands, the beauty, the enormity, which gave her humbleness. I wanted nothing more than to become wealthy one day to buy my granny a big house & take care of her, but it was not to be since she died early one morning, while visiting my Papa at the hospital where he was suffering from a concussion & broken collarbone; after a fall from atop a barn he was painting. Don't ask it's a long story, much longer than this blog. So my Granny passed away one month before my 18th birthday & I never bought her a big house, but never expressed a desire for anything, other than what she had each day.

Granny taught me to be still even though it took 35 years for the lesson to sink in. I never claimed to be Einstein. My Daddy's birthday will be coming up in April, he would have been 77. Daddy died at age 67. My Granny passed away at 65, so forgive me if I get a little melancholy over an old porch swing with chipped paint. My desire these days is to obtain a porch swing, whereby I can swing to & fro doing nothing, while gazing at the awe inspiring creations of God's hands. I guess I'm a much humbler woman than I realized. Maybe I'm a bit more like Granny than I realized. Thank you God! It's time to feed Baby Nutt. Life is filled with miracles everyday, if we only be still long enough to enjoy them.

Have a blessed week,
Lisa Morgan
@thebeachwife on Twitter
author of Get Beach Slapped www.getbeachslapped.blogspot.com

MAXIM Chic Media - social media management:
maximchicmedia@gmail.com
850-520-5040 MAXIM Chic Media team

 Always remember John 3:16

The Baby Nutt Chronicles: Baby Nutt says "Hello World!"

                                     The Baby Nutt Chronicles: Baby Nutt says, "Hello World!"

                                                       written by: Lisa Morgan   2/28/2017

Baby Nutt

It has been a rather warm February this year despite a few cold snaps that lasted a mere one to three days. Today was no exception with the mild temps, thus I decided to open the backdoor from my master bedroom leading to the veranda (that's back patio for those above the Mason Dixon line). My dogs had just finished their afternoon snack & were eager to stretch their legs while doing some business outside. The fresh air welcomed itself into my master bedroom & I was obliged to prop the door open with a chair, so the wind would not slam the french door shut, when I turned my back on it.

I noticed one of my tuxedo cats named Nemo scurry into my master bathroom. Nemo is a gentle giant of a cat, who is basically still a kitten although he is 18 months old. After maybe five minutes I noticed Nemo had an object he was playing with on the bathroom tile floor. Nemo stood next to what appeared to be a dead field mouse. It dawned on me that Nemo had scurried inside with a prize, which I was going to immediately dispose of properly. Nemo then scooped up the rodent with his paw & threw it on the floor. I saw it move slowly. I shooed Nemo away with my hands & I then eased closer to assess the situation. Upon closer inspection, much to my surprise the field mouse was an infant squirrel.

I gently picked up the squirrel with a clean washcloth. I observed there were no cuts, blood or visible injuries to the tiny light grey baby squirrel. My next move was to place a chenille blanket around the baby squirrel to warm him or her up, as the infant was cool to the touch. I told my husband & he immediately went to the most knowledgeable & nosy busy body on earth to get further information....Google. What do you feed a baby squirrel? How often do you feed baby squirrels? What formula do you feed a baby squirrel? Sol my husband had found a website www.squirrelnutrition.com  that had a wealth of information on the topic of rescuing, feeding & loving squirrels. Who knew? The all seeing all knowing busy body Google that's who knew. William Sells & Squirrel Haven Rescue many thanks to you, for your helpful information on squirrels. I read as much as I could on baby squirrels in between his first feedings.

Luckily we had whole milk, coconut oil in the house & my husband only had to purchase heavy whipping cream from the store. The formula is 1 cup whole milk, 4-5 tablespoons heavy cream 6-7 drops of coconut oil or about 1/2 teaspoon, then you heat all ingredients in a boiler on low heat until it starts to get frothy. You will need to stir often while cooking to keep the formula from scalding. Remove the boiler from the heat & allow it to cool to room temperature. As with a human baby you will need to test the temperature before placing the formula in a syringe to fee the baby. Never feed a cold baby squirrel You must have the squirrel warm before heading him/her.

I swaddled the baby squirrel & placed him/her in a pink milk crate atop a twin sized ivory colored chenille blanket. My brother had once raised a baby squirrel & he also gave me tips for the newborn. My next move was to heat up a bag of uncooked rice for a minute & then place the rice in a small cotton zippered pillow cover. It was warm & would bring the baby squirrel's body temp up & stabilize it, while I mixed & heated the milk recipe to feed the helpless creature. I mean how hard could this be to keep this helpless animal alive? You feed it, keep it warm, stimulate it as it's mama would to encourage it to move it's bowels & kidneys & you repeat. Wow I'm attempting to nurture this squirrel to save it's life. God please help me!

Baby Nutt being fed by syringe in my studio

Baby's need food, diaper changes, to be warm, to be held & loved. I can do this because in the past I have raised three kittens with eyedroppers, syringes & bottle until they were old enough to eat food. Surely this could not be much different. I know the routine of 2 hour feeding around the clock & setting my alarm to wake & feed the kitten or in this case squirrel. Luckily for the squirrel I don't sleep more than two to three hours at a time nightly, without waking to the urge to go potty, thanks to menopause & being just slightly over 45. Whatever...I'm 53 but I digress from the story. I can handle this responsibility of keeping the new edition to the Morgan funny farm alive. Our animal menagerie just grew by one more. Lord above please guide me & bless this baby squirrel to survive.
I decided that if we named the infant, then we would be attached to it, as if I weren't already at first sight. Since the mama squirrel never showed back up, we named the new edition "Baby Nutt" & it appears he/she may be a boy. Baby Nutt gripped my finer as I fed him, while I sat on the floor of my art/writing studio; afterwards he slept until the next feeding.

I repeated the routine to heat up his pillow of rice, heat his formula & allow it to be warm to the touch before attempting feeding number two. As I picked up Baby Nutt he screamed at me like a puppy or kitten would, which I took as a sign of determination & possible hunger. I fed him but he was not as eager to eat as he had been initially. Despite Baby Nutt's less than receptiveness to feeding number two, I proceeded slowly urging him to finish his 2 cc of formula. I cradled him in my cupped hands to give him security & warmth. Oddly enough I gently swayed him like I would a baby, then I kissed his tiny head, after which I placed him on the warm rice pillow & covered him back up with the chenille blanket. Day Three I remembered that I had a heating pad in my bedroom dresser drawer. I placed the heating pad on the lowest setting & replaced the warm rice bag with the heating pad. It did work better, but if you don't have a heating pad then the rice in a cloth bag will work. 2 cc- 3 cc every 2-3 hours around the clock until baby is 4 weeks old then he/she will up the feeding amounts to 4-6 cc every 3 - 4 hrs until the baby's eyes open at 5 weeks of age. Then you can feed 8-10 cc every 4 hrs, but the baby will vary slightly with amounts but 8- 10 cc is average. If baby wants more to eat then allow him/her to eat these are suggested amounts to make sure baby does not get dehydrated & is healthy.

How weird is this that just as I was wondering what do with my afternoon today, God gave me the answer. Today you will do your very best to save the life of an infant squirrel. Now here we are at sunset with Baby Nutt resting in his pink milk crate in my art/writing studio. Well I suppose that's the way life goes. We never know from one minute to the next what will happen. We can make plans, schedule appointments but life will intervene to remind us that we are not ever in control. I'm fine with he acceptance of God's plan over any idiotic plan I had. Life is about to get more interesting with the addition of Baby Nutt.

 I wonder if Baby Nutt likes music. After all Sol is a musician & I listen to music everyday in my studio, while I'm cleaning house, in the car or outside in my backyard. Music soothes all creatures large & small, so it would make logical sense that Baby Nutt would enjoy some music turned down low. Let's try my favorite stand by album Laid Back by Gregg Allman, as the beginners introduction into music for Squirrel 101.

Apparently Baby Nutt either is enjoying the blues music or maybe his ear are not open yet or possibly he's deaf, but either way he is sleeping as the Laid Back CD is playing. Who knew Baby Nutt was a blues fan? Just call #BabyNutt the Allman Joy Nutt...LOL, then again maybe it's my way of justifying listening to the Laid Back album yet again. It relaxes me what can I say? I'm going to put on some Etta James music to see how Baby Nutt responds. Nobody sings the blues like Gregg Allman, Ms. Etta James, Marvin Gaye or Ray Charles. After Etta finishes "At Last", I'll have Ray Charles sing few tunes. Does that sound nuts?

If anyone has ideas, tips or stories to share on their experiences with rescuing, saving or raising infant squirrels please let me know by adding them to the comments or adding them to my Twitter @thebeachwife  & use the hashtag #babynutt to your posts or comments. I'm going to do my best to ensure this small furry baby has a chance at life. I appreciate all information that might assist me in nurturing Baby Nutt. Are squirrels supposed to be blues fan? Am I a little squirrel-ey? Maybe so! Stay tuned for the next installment of the Baby Nutt Chronicles.

 Thank you for taking your time to read this blog,
Lisa Morgan
Author of the reality check humor book "Get Beach Slapped" available on Barnes & Noble, Google play, Amazon & other book outlets. Download the ebook. Follow my Twitter page @thebeachwife

#RT #squirrels #BabyNutt #EttaJames #RayCharles #GreggAllman #animalrescues #author #blog #life #funny #farm #nuts #MarvinGaye

SoulShine on Valentine's

                                                           Soulshine on Valentine's

                                                    written by: Lisa Morgan   2/13/2017

 Link below is to SoulShine by the Allman Brothers Band, quite possibly the best band ever!

https://youtu.be/pDIQ7Otf1mw 

Valentine's Day was a day created to shame men into buying flowers, candy, jewelry & cards for the women they adored or lusted after. The St. Valentine's day massacre was a lousy day for those men who got whacked at Capone's behest. Let's put it in perspective folks. Don't get depressed, stressed out over it...it's a Tuesday. I quit stressing over holidays a few years ago because it's not worth the hassle of expectations, emotional roller coasters. Here's some sage advice for you: Feb. 14th 2017 is a Tuesday, so be kind to each other & at the stroke of midnight on the 14th, it will be Wednesday the 15th, don't stress just live & let live.

Do not allow society to dictate when you say I love you, or spend time reminiscing, or sharing time with the one you love. If you are alone, then know that it is better to be alone than to be in a bad relationship. Spend time doing something you enjoy or doing nothing but being still. Call Valentine's Day the day you do something nice for yourself. Life has too much stress, don't allow society to place even more pressure on you.

Take a walk, look for the beauty around you, adopt a dog or cat from a shelter or rescue. Animals give love 365 days a year & do not care if you have a bad hair day, gain weight or if you have bad breathe because animals have those issues too, but the difference is they love unconditionally. We humans could learn from the animals. If you have someone special in your life, tell them they are special & not just because society says you have to do so on Feb. 14th or else you're a loser. Give yourself a break. Hey fellas before you ask me, yes you should forward this or share it with the lady you love, so she can get pissed at me for being honest. (giggles)

The link below is for Queen of Hearts by Gregg Allman from his first solo album Laid Back. Do yourself a favor & buy the CD. If you listen to the songs on this blog & you're not moving, then honey you might just be dead.   (Queen of Hearts by Gregg Allman)
                                                       https://youtu.be/iyrFpR59_vQ

   

 

 I prefer to listen to good music & unwind with memories. Neither of them cost anything unless you purchase new music. I personally listen to my trusted favorites, that I purchased on 8 tracks, then cassettes & finally CD's. I prefer my soulful southern rock & bluesy rock bands. Allman Brothers, Wet Willie, Little Feat, Tedeski Trucks, Boston, Bob Seger, Marshall Tucker Band, Lynryd Skynrd, 38 Special, Neville Brothers, Bonnie Raitt, Black Crowes, Marvin Gaye. I suppose I'm still searching for my elusive misspent youth. I've said it before, "looking for my misspent youth is like searching for an ice cube on the beach." I listen to the tunes I like & then unwind. If my husband falls asleep in his chair watching a TV that he has seen 4 times already & he snores too loud; then I say,"all is well as it should be in my home, no worries. I'll just kick back with a glass of tea & some Allman Brothers tunes. I don't sweat that which I can not control such as taxes, death, laundry or the weather.

Life is good indeed, life is very good. Spread some love." 

The link below is "Never Knew How Much" by Gregg Allman & I must say this is my favorite.

https://youtu.be/itnrjDZnM_E 

Take time to purchase a CD or Download an album  from the Allman Brothers or 

Gregg Allman & show your love for the boys in the band!

Thanks for stopping by to read my blog,

Lisa Morgan

Author of the reality check humor book GET BEACH SLAPPED

#GetBeachSlapped #RT #love #ValentinesDay #music #AllmanBrothersBand #GreggAllman #blues

#soulshine #AllmanBrothers #Boston #Bonnie Raitt

Signs at the Crossroads of Fear & Courage

 Signs at the Crossroads of Fear & Courage                            by: Lisa Morgan

Signs are supposed to guide us in the right direction. Signs can also be misleading, humorous or deceiving. Navigating a road to success can be complicated especially when you have misinformation guiding your path. Allowing fear to guide you cause you to be lost down a road of isolation coming to an intersection at the crossroad of fear & courage. When what you fear makes you angry, take that passion from the anger & transform into courage. Fear is a powerful weapon that an enemy can use to subdue you. You can also allow fear to hold you down in chains, when all you have to do to free yourself from the chains is to gain knowledge. Knowledge will break chains that bind you. You must be careful of where you obtain the knowledge for sometimes wickedness will fool you into thinking you are filled with knowledge & wisdom, when in fact you are pumped up with arrogance, pride & ignorance. Allow that which you fear to encourage you to have courage. The courage can then be used for good to defeat, whatever caused the fear. Be a person of great courage & not of anger or fear. Also remember that which you fear might not be so frightful if you research what it is that you fear. Inform yourself with knowledge not hearsay, but truth. The truth may open your eyes to see that which you feared may not deserve the fear, for there is nothing to fear.

A wise person knows knowledge is a powerful tool. The first key to wisdom is to revere the Lord God & from there you can start paving your pathway to wisdom. Acknowledging that you are not the center of this vast universe is key to being a wise person. Humbling yourself is not a bad thing but an empowering thing., You see if you put things in perspective realizing how insignificant you are as an individual among all the creations God has created, then you are humbled, thus you can out your pride aside & hear God, wherein comes the beginning of wisdom. Sit on top of a mountain & look out at the valley below or rest your weary bones onto a secluded beach to gaze out upon the ocean, then if you should feel how small you actually are in the scheme of things. Those who think they are on top of the world have a hard day of reckoning coming, when they realize that world that sat upon was nothing but a spinning wheel. Spinning wheels blowout from time to time leaving you stranded. Be aware of those who speak of everything you want to hear, that tickle your ears with sweet nothings, because that is exactly what they speak of...nothing.

If you have ever felt helpless in a situation, where you could not help someone or save someone, then you know how powerless we as human actually are despite all of our arrogance. I will say that prayer helps me.  Everyone walks their own path in life. Sometimes we choose the difficult road that is winding with treacherous cliffs leading to dead ends, even though there was a straight path ahead which was a much easier path; it appeared to be boring, thus the more exciting path was chosen. The truth is even a straight & narrow roadway will have crossroads. The crossroads we face will all have consequences regardless of the choice & these are the lessons we learn from. If you are lucky to live long enough, you realize to learn from the mistakes of others, so you don't have to make those same mistakes yourself. When you waste time making mistakes that others before you have repeatedly made then you are being a fool. Life does not give us refunds on wasted time.

Dreams are a funny thing. Dreams can be a driving force or a nightmare. Dreams can become illusions or be prophetic. Dreams leading to aspirations, believing that you can achieve, achieving goals through hard work & seeing the fruits of your labor flourish is the reward you reap. Likewise if your dreams are lined with greed, envy, jealousy, sloth (laziness), pride; then inevitably what you have sown will be a crop of malcontent, anger, deceit more of the aforementioned greed, jealousy, sloth & pride. The viscous cycle of jealousy, anger, pride, sloth only lead to a nightmare negating any rest or peaceful dreams. Dare to dream but enact wisdom, courage, hard work to see those dreams come to fruition.

A garden does not flourish without being tended to with care. Briers, weeds or tares will suck the life out of everything they touch. You must be mindful to remove the briers, weeds/tares from your garden, otherwise you will have a brier patch. Briers & weeds always attach themselves closely to the living things around them to disguise themselves. Make sure your "Garden of Eden" is not transformed into a "Garden of Weeden", through fear, laziness, ignorance & deceit.

 I wanted to add one more tidbit of wisdom before I finish this post, be mindful not to post your Google Search to your Facebook status. The world may not be ready to know that much about you. Rest assured your next visit to church, the local watering hole or family gathering might never be the same, if you do make that mistake. Never look to me for wisdom, as I am constantly learning myself. I merely offer up life experiences, after making my own mistakes; you can do with the information what you will. Choice is a beautiful thing. Freedom is a powerful thing. When you combine knowledge, truth, choice & freedom, you have a fundamental cornerstone for building a foundation. America was founded in such a way. Let freedom ring, while never forgetting freedom is not free, there is always a cost to anything & everything in life, remember those crossroads I spoke of earlier, they come into play with choice. Here's to hoping each one of you has an interesting journey on your road to wisdom, keeping your eyes & ears open for truth.

Thank you for spending your time to read my post,
Lisa Morgan
Author of Get Beach Slapped, the reality check book.
#GetBeachSlapped #wisdom #quote #life #saltlife #freedom #dreams

Saying Goodbye to Butch Trucks: A Truck Full of Soul

Saying Goodbye to Butch Trucks: A Truck Full of Soul                      written by: Lisa Morgan

                     (The one & only Claude "Butch" Trucks, Allman brother drummer)

My all time favorite band hands down is the Allman Brothers band. I was 6 years old when their first album was released in 1969. I remember my cousin listening to the Allman Brothers vinyl LP, while she had her door closed to keep me & her younger sister out of her sanctuary. My uncle was playing the Allman brothers, while working under the hood of any number of classic autos such as a Mustang, Camaro  or a Corvette; thus my affinity for classic cars, my first car being a 1969 candy apple red Camaro SS. My late dad was a guitarist & singer who listened to old school country, blues & bluegrass music. My daddy loved his fat bottom 1960 Les Paul Gibson guitar. My mom listened to Elvis rock-a-billy, Lil' Richard country & gospel. She loved to listen to 8 tracks, while driving with my siblings & myself in tow, but my mom can not carry a tune in a bucket. Think of Lucille Ball singing & that was my Mom, who loved to sing but did not have any pitch. My dad used to have me sing Merle Haggard with him,while he played his guitar & I was maybe 7 or 8 at the time. I am no singer or musician. If only talent rubbed off on you like a black cat's fur when you're wearing all white.  I have slept beside my musician husband for 32 yrs. & believe me musical talent or vocal ability does not rub off. One of the funniest things to me is when people realize I'm married to a musician & they ask,"Oh really, do you sing or play an instrument?" I always think the same the same thing & then reply," No honey just because I sleep with a musician, it doesn't mean it rubs off." My friend Michelle, whose deceased husband Jim, was a great guitar player & singer, agreed with me on this note. Funny how people assume talent rubs off, well believe it does not (giggling). Appreciation for talent is the result of being around someone with talent.

My dad was in a band when I was born. My mom said I would sleep all day & listen to the band rehearse, while I was an infant. Apparently the music soothed me. Oddly I would spend my entire life staying up late nights listening to music & for many years my husband's bands would rehearse for hours at our house. My dad's sax player was the late Sonny Royal, whom I was told was an excellent sax player. Sonny died a few years later from a brain aneurysm. Naturally being around music since birth, I married a bass player/vocalist. My husband Sol is a versatile bass player with a bluesy voice & the fact that he had a strong resemblance to Gregg Allman, was a no brainer. Sol's older twin brothers were huge Allman brothers fans, like most guys their age, so Sol was exposed to the iconic sounds of the Allman Brothers at a young age. Sol once told me that during the late seventies when he was a teenager, on the road with his brothers' band, that they were staying at a hotel in Biloxi, Mississippi, where the Allman Brothers, Doctor Hook were also staying. The bands were getting rowdy, partying a bit too much & many of the guys in those bands were arrested, for throwing furniture in the hotel pool. The life of a musician is neither glamorous, to be envied nor without much costs. The road musicians travel is a road of excess, addiction, groupies, soul searching, passions, inner sanctum, hardships, blissful moments unsurpassed on stage & brawls from hell. Never think that the life of a musician is without consequence, there is always a price to pay.

My husband's brothers were co owners in a recording studio for a period of time with the late Butch Trucks, who recently passed away from a self inflicted gunshot wound. If for some reason you have never had the privilege of hearing Butch Trucks play drums, then by all means do your soul a favor & listen to the Allman Brothers band. Butch was a founding member of the iconic soulful, bluesy, southern rock band, which shaped generations of musicians, with their unorthodox lineup of using two drummers. The Allman Bothers band molded my perception of music & forever spoiled me. I became somewhat of a music snob, this is what I call my husband, a music snob. Not just any 3 chord tune will do or any D. J. scratching records will ever compare to real musicians & vocalists. Either music has feel or it doesn't. You either have musical talent or you don't...period. Butch Trucks had the feel & the talent, by the truck full. A bullet silenced his life, but did not silence the music he created with his band of brothers "The Allman Brothers Band". If you know someone who is depressed please take time to listen to them, they may be reaching out for help & more depressed than you know. Depression has a way of enveloping a person. It is a complicated issue, one that can kill if left untreated. Search for your soulshine to combat depression.

Soulshine by the Allman Brothers band: https://youtu.be/pDIQ7Otf1mw

My husband's former drummer Tommy (Grammy winner from Asleep at the Wheel), once said that "nobody played a shuffle like Butch Trucks". Every musician I've ever met that has "feel" & knows "feel" agrees, that Butch Trucks was synonymous with "feel & locking it in the pocket". The two drummers for the Allman Brothers band Jamoie  & Trucks were the  backbone that meshed with Berry Oakley's bass licks driving the groove of the band; while Gregg's soulful voice melded with his enticing Hammond B3 melodies; urging your soul to stay & slowly groove a while. Duane's blues guitar spoke to the essence of your core & Dickey Betts signature riffs made the term "Southern Rock" what it would be known for. No other band melded blues, rock, gospel, country & jazz together, the way the Allman Brother band had done. They will always be synonymous with the Southern Rock sound, which I call Southern Soul.  No drummer alive today who can play a shuffle or put the beat in the pocket, does not respect the way Butch Trucks hit the skins on stage. The attitude of "give it everything you've got" drove Butch Trucks to perform for his fans, the only way he knew how, with all of his heart & soul.

I was listening to the Allman Brothers music the day before Butch tragically died. While I listened to two albums, I noticed how ironic it was that such a young group of musicians, in the late 1960's early 1970's would write lyrics, which their lives would mirror, as tragedy would befall this motley bunch of gypsies. They are the only ones who knew, what it was like to loose their band mate Duane, at such a young age & be damned determined to make sure the world never forgot, that while Duane walked this earth for a mere 24 years, he left a lasting impression on countless lives. Berry Oakley followed Duane a year later to the grave. I would be very remiss, if I did not acknowledge the impression Butch Trucks has made on countless people worldwide. The Allman Brothers band has seen me through some good times, late night revelries & some depressing times, all the while bringing peace & joy. The music of the Allman Brothers shaped the musical landscape, like a rushing river can carve out canyons, they have left their mark on music. The legacy of the Allman Brothers Band will be one forged from heart, soul, tragedy, grief, addiction, survival; all of which are heard in the blues, gospel, country, jazz influenced songs they recorded.

I suppose we will never know what Butch was thinking right before he passed away. My husband's former band mate also took his own life, with a bullet to the head & his wife my best friend found him, so I understand the pain the family feels. Sometimes the demons one suppresses will grow stronger, if they are not bound up & sent back to hell, where they belong. Addiction is a self imposed whipping post. You have to conquer it or it will consume you. Musicians are particularly susceptible to addictions, as they are basically assaulted with them at every turn.  The grief is enormous & at times will seem insurmountable for Butch's wife, children, family & friends. My heart breaks for Butch's wife. I'll say may prayers for her in the coming days, she will need all of the prayers & support she can get for quite some time. My friend Michelle, who found her late husband Jim dead from a self inflicted gunshot wound to the head. The amount of pain she endured was overwhelming to witness, yet I was rendered helpless to take away the pain she suffered. i could only lend a shoulder to cry upon, an ear to listen & a hand to help her up again. The agony one suffers when a loved one dies tragically never goes away, it lingers in the backside of your mind & your soul has impressions cast upon it, that will never heal. Memories have a way of either trapping us or elating us, thus we tuck them away for safe keeping. Time helps to heal the superficial wounds, but the scars from the pain remain for life.

My husband's youngest brother Jonny, passed away at age 26, from a tragic car crash. He left behind a young son. Nothing about grief is easy nor should it be. Life is very precious. We appreciate what we lose. The wise person appreciates before the loss & cherishes the moments, that will become memories. It's those memories that will sustain us throughout our lives, after a loss. The fool tosses moments around like a jester & scrambles to piece the memories together after the loss. Even a fool can become wise with enough time. I speak from experience & I'm sure I have company.

                                  (My God rest your soul Claude "Butch" Trucks. )

My dad named me Melissa & like many girls of the era, when I heard my name in a ballad, I was hooked. Melissa is one of the most beautifully written & yet haunting blues ballad I've ever heard. My husband has probably sang at least 20 different Allman Brothers songs, over the years with his various bands. You would be hard pressed to find any Southern band with members over the age of forty, who have not played Allman brothers songs. I feel my quest to find my misspent youth ever fleeting, like looking for an ice cube on the beach. The great musicians from my youth are one by one crossing over to the other side. Damn...I suppose I'm getting old, but I don't care because the 60's-70's produced some of the best blues, rock & funk songs ever recorded.

Do yourself a favor & treat your inner child to some down home Southern Soulshine from the original Southern Rock band "The Allman Brothers." Grab a glass of sweet tea, kick off your shoes & let your worries melt away. I promise you the Allman Brothers music is good for what ails you. I personally logged many long nights alone listening to their music, while my wild child husband was in a bar somewhere thumping his bass. I danced many hours in honky tonk southern bars with my friends during my youth, to the magical music of the Macon Ga. musical outlaws aka Allman Brothers. Hey I never said I was an angel (giggling).

The world has lost an outstanding drummer/percussionist with the passing of Claude "Butch" Trucks. The Trucks family has lost more than any of us could understand, but we empathize with the Trucks family during their time of great sorrow. I pray they find peace & comfort. Duane Allman, Berry Oakley, Allen Woody, Lamar Williams, Frank & Dan Tolar were joined by Butch Trucks on the other side.  I hope they all rest in peace & occasionally get together for a jam session. RIP Butch Trucks, you will be missed but never forgotten. Win, Lose or Draw....Never Knew How Much...Melissa....Jessica....Please Call Home... Queen of Hearts....Stormy Monday.....In memory of Elizabeth Reed....Black Hearted woman....Blue Sky....Multicolored Lady....Soul Shine....Midnight Rider.....Whipping Post.....Stand Back......Ain't Wastin' Time No More ....Southbound....One Way Out....Ramblin' Man....Statesboro Blues... These Days......Ain't my Cross to bear......
Ladies & Gentlemen the Allman Brothers band! Good night sweet prince, may you find the peace you so desired & may you rest in that peace.

Thank you for taking your time to read my blog post,
Lisa Morgan
Author Get Beach Slapped (a Non PC reality check book)
Artist/ Blogger/ Lyricist/ Screenwriter/ Certifiable Professor of Observation/ Humorist aka Smart Ass

#GetBeachSlapped #RT #AllmanBrothers #ButchTrucks #GreggAllman #Soulshine #AllmanBrothersband #music #blues #RIP #blues #rock #southern #DuaneAllman #Melissa #crossroads #RIP #suicide #family #cross #jam #jazz #country #death #DickeyBetts

No More Fleas Please!

                                                                 No more Fleas Please!
                    written by:Lisa Morgan                                     1/18/2017                                                

We have had a mild winter in most of the country & that means lots of insects will be attacking us when spring begins. Spring, summer & fall in most parts of the country mean flea season is upon us, along with mosquito season. If you have pets aka furry babies, then you have no doubt fought the battle of the fleas, probably losing the battle for the most part. We are told by vets to purchase over the counter flea treatments that seem to lose their effectiveness over time & also are nothing more than pesticides in either a topical or indigestible form. Who in their tight mind wants to knowingly poison their pets?

I have tried everything! I will say that I have found the apple cider vinegar that has the "mother" listed on the label to be the best solution & a natural cure or homeopathic solution. Simply mix 1 part ACV (apple cider vinegar) to 1 part water in a spray bottle & spray liberally each day for 7 -10 days after which touch-ups of twice a week should suffice. i usually either take the furry kids outside to spray or douse them or I bathe them & spay them afterwards while they are still in the tub.

If your pet has hot spots or has scratched spots where the skin is broken then use a diluted solution of 3 parts water to 1 part ACV & make sure to get the ACV with the "mother" listed on the label. You must shake the ACV before mixing with the water. Do not spray on or near the animal's face as it will burn. Treat your pets as you would small children.

Wash all bedding in HOT water & dry on HOT cycle to kill all fleas & their eggs. You can spray a white vinegar solution mixed 1 part vinegar to 1 part water on all bedding, furniture & flooring as needed. Be sure to test furniture  for color bleeding in an inconspicuous place. I have found that this mixture also takes out odors when it dries. Use table salt on carpets before you vacuum to dehydrate the fleas. You can mix the table salt with baking soda to absorb odors & further dehydrate the fleas, also it's safer & less expensive than other popular brands that mask odors & have chemicals. It's simply a natural home cleaning alternative to chemicals. I suppose this falls under the "staying green" category, that my Mom calls grandmother remedies or common sense approach to cleaning.

I hope this helps anyone struggling with fleas or flea infestations. The more time you are not spending waging a battle with the fleas, the more time you have to enjoy spring, summer & fall with your family & your furry babies aka pets.

Thank you for visiting my blog,
Lisa Morgan
Author of the reality check humor book Get Beach Slapped

MAXIM Chic Media - social media management
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Beware: Killer of Tequila on the Loose

Beware: Killer of Tequila on the Loose

The following is an excerpt from by book Get Beach Slapped, a satirical Non PC reality check. I took a realistic look at life & my life to be exact. My rebellious views from my twenties had grown up & I found that my views had changed but not my values, this is very important not to conflate the two. Keeping your sense of humor is advantageous, as you age because you will need it. I found that having a sense of direction is far more important, than a sense of humor as you age. The ability to find a bathroom wherever you are is crucial after age 50.  Go ahead & read the meme I created. If this post gave you a giggle or chuckle then go to Barnes & Noble to download my reality check book GET BEACH SLAPPED or purchase the paperback, if you're old school like me. 

Amazon has my book, as does Google play. I personally like to support bookstores, but I'm thankful if you buy the book.

 

Have a stellar week my friends. I'll be doing some much needed writing over the next few weeks, so stay posted. #GetBeachSlapped #RT #books #

#author 

Thanks for taking your time to read my blog,

Lisa Morgan 

Author Get Beach Slapped

Animal Lover

Music lover

Survivor of marriage to musician

Known to be a consummate smart alec 

Artist/ Screenwriter/Blogger/lyricist