On the Bog - marykatekopec.com

Frogs On the Bog!
On the Bog (with Kat, Bear, & Wogs)

On the Bog! Mary Kate Kopec. Love and Big Hugs!

Frogs On the Bog!

Spring rains had come and gone throughout the night. With the new day, the nearly clear, blue sky was brightened by the happy, warm sun and dotted by only the occasional fluffy white cloud.

The air smelled fresh and renewed, and the gentle breeze invited exploration and adventure! Everything on the Bog was beginning to look and sound more vibrant and alive!

Kat, Bear, and Wogs had woken up to their favorite delightful Bog sounds: birds chirping, singing, and trilling, … and frogs! Chatterbox frogs carrying on the most animated and chipper conversations!

Excited to spy a glance of froggy delight, Bear hopped in his wagon to go for a Bog stroll. Kat and Wogs, gleefully agreed and out they went to find some exuberant, chitter chattering frogs! Even Belle followed along behind, swooshing and swooping through the air in springy delight.

As they blissfully sauntered along, listening to the frog talk getting louder and louder, and keeping their eyes peeled for the amphibious fun, they came upon a small Bog pond … and there they were … the frogs!

Kat (giddily bouncing and pointing): Look! There they are!!!!

Wogs (happily halting the pull on Bear’s wagon, he turned to see): I see them! And look, there’s Squeech, too!

Bear (having been keeping his ears pert and alert, he turned his head and happily flicker-waved his tail, feeling adventurous success!): Mrow!

“Spatial Awareness” … lol … fancy talk for finding your happy place!

Find a place you love. A place that makes your heart sing. Where you feel at peace, with calm and happiness. Live there, go there, walk there, spend time there … whatever … be there.

Learn this goodness info about you … learn what makes you feel bliss-filled peace and calm. And when you feel the pressures of life, the world, your relationships, work, health, … whatever is being a challenge … spend time in your happy place.

Breathe. And just be. Let go. Give yourself a break. Time to rest and rejuve. Heal. And be squee again.

For me, hands down, this place is in the nature of my backyard. Pauli and I specifically chose our little, tiny corner of the world to be on a bog with a river and woods nearby … and delightful woodland creatures! It brings our hearts so much delight!

We open the windows and just listen to the sounds of the birds and the frogs and the buzz and hum of bog life.

We firepit under the stars and listen to the frogs go wild in nightly delight (and the crickets, too!) And owls … sometimes we hear the owls.

I could spend hours just being in this space, and it does my body good.

When we built our house, I was still very much in the depths of chronic fatigue and spent many, many, many long hours too weak to move out of bed. So we made sure I would have a happy view and delightful sounds to encourage me, even from bed. Living on the bog is healing balm for my soul. We wanted to empower delight in me to help me heal, or at least enjoy what I could of life being stuck in bed.

If I’ve learned anything, having your spot … the space that makes your heart sing … it makes a truly positive difference! It will help you feel light and airy. It will put a smile on your face and pink in your heart! It’s easy self-care!

So wherever your spot is … whether you live there or visit, or even imagine it … May it bring you healing, loving light and grow the smile on your face, ever so BIG!!!

Birthday On the Bog!
On the Bog (with Kat, Bear, and Wogs)

On the Bog (with Kat, Bear, & Wogs). Mary Kate Kopec. Love and Big Hugs!

Birthday On the Bog!

Gifted with a beautifully bright, unusually warm, and cheerfully chirpy and buzzy sprwinter day, the Bog was alight with birthday glee and delight!

It was standing room only as everyone gathered ’round to wish Bear a very Happy Birthday … and to see his sleek, totally cool, new ride … the most squeetacular, pink, polka-dotted red wagon ever!

Kat (loving Bear so BIG): Happy Birthday, Bear! Hope you love your new wagon!

Wogs (loving Bear so BIG): Happy Birthday, Bear! Wanna go for a ride?

Bear (flicker flitting his tail, hopped inside his new wagon, and purring happily, beamed with love): Mrow!

Kat and Wogs tied their balloons to the wagon handle for added birthday bling. Then Wogs pulled Bear along in wide circles for everyone to see. They hopped and bounced, and whooped with the happiest of celebrating Bog creature sounds!

To share in the fun, Bear insisted everyone get to try a ride in his new wagon. And Wogs enthusiastically played along. Kat clapped merrily, growing the fun!

With elated fluttery wings, Squeech and Belle chirped and trilled bubbly songs the whole way around.

Flop and Fluff each rode separately, bobbing with the thrill and shimmying their puffball tails, happy for the fun!

It was a silly, perfect, special, fun sharing day!

Bear’s Happy Birthday party and super cool new wagon were the talk of the Bog for days and days. It was a love-filled day worth remembering!

Spring brings such excitement! All the green, all the budding and blossoming flowers, all the sunny warmth! It makes my heart extra super spectacularly SQUEEtastic, love-filled, and Huggy PINK … which is saying something, cuz I’m bringing this happy goodness all the time!

Here in Michigan, it will still be a couple of months before we get “reliable” sun and warmth, and to get there, the rains will come. But the rain brings all the life and green, so you won’t find me complaining. I just hunker down and in and enjoy each day and each moment for wherever I am.

This summer, Pauli and I will have our landscape installed (we recently moved into a new construction home with dirt for a yard) … therefore an outdoor space to play in, and we are excited for all of the upcoming firepits, stargazing, and hammock time listening to the sounds of the bog and nature!

In this moment, I really just want to HUG you so big and give gratitude for you being here and celebrating the joys of spring with me!

May your day be filled with light, love, big hugs, and blossoming with gratitude!

A New Happy Place!
On the Bog (with Kat, Bear, & Wogs)

A New Happy Place!

With the snows gone, sounds of spring abounded On the Bog!

The day was bright and inviting, with only a bit of a chill remaining in the air.

Out for a refreshing walk, Kat, Bear, & Wogs ventured deeper into the woods beyond the Bog and found a new happy place!

Kat (pointing with overflowing glee): Look! A river. And there are fishies! And do you see the bluebird?!!! Ohmigosh, is that a weeping willow tree?

Wogs (nodding and delighting in their find): That is a weeping willow! What a happy place!

Kat (grinning huge at Wogs and Bear): When the leaves come back, we can come here to picnic and play!

Wogs (nodding enthusiastically): It’ll be our new happy place!

Bear (flickering his tail with excitement and keeping his eyes on a splashing fish he spied): Mrow.

With spring a’comin’ and bringing delight, this could be a wondrous moment of self-exploration and finding new happinesses about yourself.

Consider taking a moment to imagine new possibilities for yourself. What do you see? What goodness, what new thing might you like to try? A new place? A new healthy food? A new way to breathe (paced, for instance) to grow peace and calm into your days? A new friendship? A new interest to explore? A new happy, nurturing, and nourishing habit to grow?

With spring comes rebirth and reinvigoration of mind, body, and spirit! What positivity, reaffirmation, and goodness will you invite into you and your life? What hug and love will you give yourself today?

And speaking of hugs … try this one on for a big smiling silliness in your day today!

Spring Is Coming!
On the Bog (with Kat, Bear, & Wogs)

Spring Is Coming!

The sun rose, big and bright over the Bog, lifting the spirits of everyone as it started its climb upward into the brilliant blue sky!

Cottony fluffball clouds dotted the luminous blue, way up high, and invited the sun to join them.

It was a new dawn. A new day. And spring was on its blossoming way!

The snow had mostly melted, leaving only small, wet, glistening patches here and there.

The deciduous trees weren’t quite budding yet, but the faint buzz and hum of life from all the awakening creatures in the Bog could be heard. The stir of everyone waking up from their winter slumber filled the air with jubilant, bubbly excitement!

Even though the breeze was still brisk with the chill of winter fading, Kat, Bear, and Wogs felt warm with happiness and delighted anticipation for all the coming goodness of spring!

Squeech flittered from branch to branch, chirping and singing with energized cheer! Tickled pink, Flop and Fluff hopped and bounced with lightness and glee! Even Bear could be heard purring in delight!

Kat (feeling a renewed and refreshed brightness in her heart and waving big love and light to you!): Hugging you so big! Isn’t this just a wonderful breath of fresh air?!!!!

Wogs (feeling a bounce in his step and waving love and light to you): Hugging you so big! Take this moment just for you; be light and breathe deep!

Bear (purring loudly now and flicker-waving love and light to you from the tip of his tail): Mrow! (…which of course means he is hugging you so big … and encouraging you to take this moment to refresh and take a deep, cleansing breath!)

Winter can be so long, so cold, and so dis-inviting. I hope the thawing snows, brightening sun, warming weather, and the promise of spring coming helps to lift your spirits and help you feel light and bright again!

If you’ve been busy, busy on the go, go, go, or feeling low, please take a moment to simply be. Wherever you are. Whatever is calling to you. For even just a breath, stop and savor you, your precious and beautiful body, this moment, and this breath. Feel a re-blossoming of your goodness and joy! And smile the biggest you’ve smiled all day!!!

I’m hugging you so BIG! Filling you with all the love in my heart! And surrounding you with blooming, cheerful light!

Moonlit Snow Stroll
On the Bog (with Kat, Bear, & Wogs)

Moonlit Snow Stroll

The heavy snows of late had turned the Bog into a winter wonderland for all to enjoy, … even at night, as Kat, Bear, & Wogs were about to discover!

Unable to sleep from all the fun and laughter of games and hot chockit by the fire, Kat, Bear, & Wogs ventured out from their toasty-warm campsite for a sledding snow stroll.

The moon was a luminous, crescent beacon beaming from the darkened, nearly cloudless sky. The stars were just as bright. And the night felt magical.

Finding their way into the clearing, Kat, Bear, and Wogs were greeted with excitement from a stir of woodland creatures!

Zoot and Skootch hooted happy hellos.

Flop and Fluff hopped in bouncy delight.

Before them lay a path of bedazzled snow that twinkled and sparkled like diamonds in the bright moonlight!

Kat (pointing with enchanted delight): Ohmigosh! The shimmer! … All the glittery colors! They’re so beautiful!

Wogs (smiling and nodding, feeling elated): We should follow the moon glow for our stroll!

Bear (thinking, pull me closer!, wondered what would happen if he pounced on the sparkles, … and then he smiled mischievously): Mrow!

Hello, sweet special you! I hope however I find you today, you are well and feeling nurtured and nourished by your day (and night!).

In amongst all the wintery fun (and maybe not so fun), please take a kind moment to think of yourself and what you need. A hug. Time to connect with a friend. A cuppa somethin warm. Some delicious nom nom delight. … A moment to just breathe. To refresh. Relax. Rejuve. To behold you … beautiful you! To just breathe and be you.

xoxo

Joking Around!
On the Bog (with Kat, Bear, & Wogs)

Joking Around!

The winter sun burned as bright as it could, but it was no match for the thick blanket of clouds blotting out its warmth. Only a small polka dot of dulled, glowy brilliance burned the sun’s image into the clouds.

Overnight, the snows had come heaping and heavy, covering everything in sight. A disinviting chill and a crisp, frozen breeze swept across the Bog, leaving shivers in its wake.

Back at their campsite, Kat, Bear, and Wogs stayed nestled up by the roasty, toasty, crackling fire happily sipping on hot chockit and cracking jokes, enjoying their silly fun and togetherness.

Kat (giggling with excitement to tell her joke): Where do snowhumans keep their money?

Wogs (shaking his head with a big smile): I dunno.

Kat (laughing at her own silliness, gushed): In a snow bank!

Wogs (chuckling wide, replied): Oh, yeah, well what do snowhumans wear on their heads?

Kat (holding her middle for laughing so hard and so long, she shook her head, cracking up with her big smile): What?!

Wogs (thinking this joke was his funniest, he smiled huge): Ice caps!

Both Kat and Wogs rolled with the fun and doofiness, loving every minute!

Bear (shaking his head at his humans’ silliness, but loving being by them, he joined in the laughter): Mrow, mrow, mrow.

Being in the moment and enjoying the thing you are doing fuels goodness in your life! Look around and give gratitude for your moment, or something in your moment that is goodness in your heart. It can help you smile and feel better!

I give gratitude for you being here with me in this moment right now. Thank you for sharing your love and time with me! I hope your day is brightened by your visit, and a silly smile has beamed in your heart!
Love and Big Hugging you, always!

MK :0)

Want to give a gracious and deserved shout out to KidActivities.net for sharing the jokes Kat and Wogs told today!

Unexpected SQUEE-tacular Excitement!
On the Bog (with Kat, Bear, & Wogs)

Unexpected SQUEE-tacular Excitement!

The warm, winter sun lingered for yet another delightful day. But the forecast called for a drop in temperature with gray skies a’looming.

Not to miss a chance to enjoy gleeful weather, Kat, Bear, & Wogs set out for a happy crinkle crunching stroll across the rainbow sparkling snow.

When suddenly, out from behind the trees, a euphoric puppy bounced and flopped into the crunchy white fluff ahead. He jumped up and down, swishing his tail enthusiastically. Puppy-Dad emerged next, carrying a stick, smiling, ready to play a game of fetch.

Kat (waving, grinning, and giggling with excited delight): Look! A puppy!!! Do you think he sees us?

Wogs (smiling at the playful puppy): Not yet, but keep waving!

Bear (happily acknowledging another fur creature on the bog and wondering if it would like to play with him, he called out with bubbly hope): Mrow!

I love this quote from Ivy, the main character in Damn Girl. That Sucks! I love it, cuz it feels wonderful, filled with hope and goodness, and it really is true.

I got really lucky this past year to grow new and budding friendships. In these challenging pandemic times, it’s been such a delight to connect via Zoom and chat ourselves silly.

We bring our cuppa somethin warm, a healthy snack, and jibber jabber over everything. We laugh. We share. We connect and care. Sometimes we art together and share our progress. Sometimes we cry. Sometimes we help each other cope with anxiety or stress. Every time we end with big smiles, lots of love, and the biggest of hugs!

I’d never met these delightful flowers until suddenly opportunity presented itself. Students in need of coaching. Ladies around the world coming together in a beautiful women’s circle to show love and support. The universe delivered bright, amazing starlight to me exactly when I needed it. My heart was open, and I leapt to try new things and meet new peeps!

In this new year, as we begin to see some new hope and bright light, with spring not all that far off, if you are feeling open and ready, seek opportunity to connect and make new friends! Brighten up the corners of your life with cheerful grace and light.

I hope this is helpful to any of you who might be feeling a bit disconnected. I know I did. And sometimes still do. Tis the way of an isolating pandemic. But new or old, nurture your friendships and grow happiness deeply in them. It will fill your heart and hold you tight!

Sending you my PINK big hugs and SQUEE love!!!

Hoo Hoo. Who’s there?
On the Bog (with Kat, Bear, & Wogs)

Hoo, Hoo . . . Who’s there?

Winter’s chill was taking a break under the warm blanket of cloud cover. Bright stars sneakily peeked through, and the crescent moon beamed happily.

With such delight to be had, Kat, Bear, and Wogs set up their tent and got a roasty, toasty, crackling fire going. Some hot chockit and marshmallows would be so much fun!

As they settled in, chitter chatter of a new kind caught their attention over the sounds of popping wood and dancing flames, surprising them and freezing them in place to listen closely.

“Hoo hoo,” they heard and eyed each other excitedly. When off in the distance, another, more faint “Hoo hoo” responded.

Kat (whispering, filled with squee delight): Are those owls?!

Wogs (nodding, feeling the excitement and fun): I think so. I heard it was mating season.

Bear (cocking his head to hear better and loving the fun of having wildlife company): Mrow.

Thinking of you with so much love in my heart and sending you my biggest, bestest hugs to hold you tight on the long, cold, wintery nights (and throughout the days, too)!

Remember to keep hydrated. If you’re looking for warm/hot hydration, herbal teas, hot water with lemon &/or cinnamon, or even straight up sipping on hot water all go a long way to keeping you well hydrated and detoxing, which is some really good stuff! :0)

Winter Wander!
On the Bog! (with Kat, Bear, & Wogs)

Winter Wander!

The crisp, chilly air invigorated the senses, and the glowing rays of the sun brightened spirits on the Bog.

The evening’s breeze had blown the evergreens free of snow, and their branches beamed with open invitation for Squeech to come play and nestle. But he just smiled, liking his settled perch in the Bog.

In no hurry at all, Kat and Wogs took in the sights around them, meandering about, giving Bear a long, happy, fun sleigh ride.

The thick blanket of snow muffled the Bog sounds, creating a relaxing, hushed quiet punctuated only by the rhythmic crunching of their footsteps and glide of the sleigh.

Kat (feeling peace and calm in her heart): It’s so beautiful here.

Wogs (happy to be outside in the fresh air): Yep.

Bear (thinking moosh moosh, humans): Mrow.

I have a lil funny to share with you. It’ll take a short background for context, but then … funny. :0)

Somewhere along the way I’ve noticed peeps in my wellness circles using the words “serve you” in reference to self-care. Keep only that which serves you, and let the rest go is the common underlying theme. I definitely resonate with this and have grown this thinking into my daily care … which is lovely and wonderful … but now for the funny:

While I was digi-doodling this episode with Bear on the sled being pulled along by Wogs, I just keep thinking from Bear’s perspective: Keep only that which serves you … as in keep having Wogs pull him around on the sled … LOL … and keep Wogs serving him … thus, the “moosh moosh, humans.” If you’ve ever been a cookie cat parent, then I’m guessing you feel the funny. LOL. :0)

Love and Big Hugs!

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Snow Angels!
On the Bog! (with Kat, Bear, & Wogs)

Snow Days are Play Days!

The sunlight glistened and sparkled on the snow, sprinkling it with every color of the rainbow.

The air was warm; the snow, cold. Giggles, mrows, tweets, and squee beamed the happiness of the day!

The Bog bustled with delight and frivolity as Kat, Bear, and Wogs swished and shimmied into the chilly, white fluff making the best-est snow angles, ever!

Kat (giggling with delight): I’m my own angel!

Wogs (thrilled about the deep, fluffy snow): This is so fun!

Bear (swish-swashing his tail making the best snowcat angel ever, felt contentment and love): Mrow!

Happy New Year!

We are surrounded by angels. They come in every size, shape, and disposition. Each with their own gifts to share.

We can be our own angel, and we can surround ourselves with angels who brighten our lives.

We wish you a 2021 surrounded by only the best-est of goodness, especially love, happiness, healthiness, wellness, kindness, gratitude, and so much laughter as to lift your heart into the pinkest of bliss!