Camp Fire Songs

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Posted on September 11, 2014

I love to go a-wandering

Along the mountain track

And as I go, I love to sing

My knapsack on my back

Chorus:

Val-der-ri, val-der-ra

Val-der-ra, val-der-ha ha ha ha ha ha

Val-der-ri, val-der-ra

(My knapsack on my back)

Who remembers these words and music by Friedrich W. Möller and Antonia Ridge?

This song reminds me of a very happy time in my youth – singing around the campfire with the Girl Scouts. First I was a Brownie, and then I “flew up” to a Junior Girl Scout. Ceremonially it made me feel as valued as becoming a debutante at a “coming out” party. Although I had never experienced what that was like, I imaged as a kid the feelings were similar. I’m from an average, middle class American family with parents who had strong work ethics. They put their family, work and community first.

If you were a Girl Scout, watch this less-than-a-minute video. I promise you will fall into repeating the words as if you just said them yesterday, even if it’s been decades.

In retrospect, I guess my values haven’t changed much and I still love to go a wandering with a knapsack on my back. Val-der-ri, val-der-ra….

This blog is brought to you by the award-winning author, Sue Batton Leonard. For more information on her memoir, which won 2 EVVY book awards, visit this link.http://amzn.to/1ulyFYs

My twin and me, atop Mt Werner in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. What a gift to spend a birthday with Jan after 30+ years of being far from each other on our special day.

“Rock ‘N Roll Babe”

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Posted on August 15, 2014

Do you believe in rock and roll? Can music save your mortal soul? ~ Don McLean (American Pie)

A bad trip, ban the bra, beatniks, bean bag chairs, bellbottoms, Berkley, black lights, bongs, “blow your mind” and body paint are just a few words that describe this era. If are a baby boomer, and you are reading this story, that means you survived the age of Aquarius and the hippie generation. You were lucky, some didn’t! Aren’t you just the grooviest and out of sight!

Here are some images that further tell the psychedelic story. Only a few other words are needed. Peace, Love and Right On! All Things Fulfilling often serves as a crash pad for remembering the “good ole days.” It’s where I do my own thing!

Come back tomorrow – don’t be a cop out. I plan to be here if I don’t have to go looking for my granny glasses and my earth shoes. Now, where did I put them…….probably with my Rock ‘N Roll, Hoochie Koo album by Johnny Winter.

Old hippies don’t die, they just lie low until the laughter stops and their time comes around again! ~ Joseph Gallivan

If you like recalling times in our country’s cultural history, you’ll enjoy Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected. Click here for more information! The book is now a FINALIST in the Colorado Independent Publishers Association EVVY Book awards. http://amzn.to/1pMxnjH

Sing-A-Long Songs

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Posted on August 13, 2014

Monday’s blog fired-up my noggin’! Today on All Things Fulfilling, I’ll share tunes that baby boomers will have fun recollecting.

I’ll bet this image piqued your memory. If you are a baby boomer, you’ll remember LP albums and 45 rpm vinyl records. I’m willing to bet that you listened to tunes on a portable record player, like the one pictured.(That is if you could hear the words with all the scratches.) See if you remember the full verses to these songs –

How much is that doggie in the window…
….And if that mockingbird don’t sing, daddy’s gonna buy me a diamond ring…..
All around the cobbler’s bench, the monkey chased the weasel. The monkey said…..
Zippedity doo dab, zippedity aye – my, oh, my what a wonderful…..
I love you a bushel and a peck and a ……
Bibbidi…bobbidy…boo. Put it together and what do you got?
Jeepers, creepers! Where’d you get those ….
A dream is a wish your heart makes when you are ……
Mama’s little baby likes shortnin’, shortnin’, Mama’s little baby loves……

I hope your memory has served you well, and you haven’t lost your faculties. Chances are you are aging better than your ancestors! Are you singing yet?

If you can’t remember the verses of these songs, you can listen in to a few bars of music from each of them, and other popular hits of the same era through this link, http://bit.ly/1oSzXIz.

See how much fun it is to arouse the brain with past times in our personal histories?

Do return tomorrow to All Things Fulfilling.

This blog brought to you by Sue Batton Leonard, author of Gift of a Lifetime:Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected. Now available for your listening pleasure in audio book (the voice holds the real treasure), paperback and e-book for all types of e-readers. Click the link to see how to get it. http://amzn.to/WQbl8O

Hot Flashes

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Posted on August 12, 2014

Today, instead of the Flashback blog that I had promised, we will post an independent publishing NEWS FLASH ! Short, sweet and to the point!

Flashes, are good – it means something is hot, scintillating, light filled or illuminating! Here is the announcement ~

Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected has been nominated as a FINALIST in the

Colorado Independent Publishers Association EVVY Book Awards – anthology category!

Tomorrow on All Things Fulfilling there will be another sweet treat for our readers –flashbacks to songs for baby boomers! You are invited to celebrate with me.

This blog is brought to you by author Sue Batton Leonard. For more information and ordering Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected, please visit this link. http://amzn.to/VcIcTO. Now available in audio book (the voice holds the real treat), paperback and e-book.

The Start of Independence

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Posted on July 18, 2014

“Nostalgia is a file that removes the rough edges from the good old days.” ~ Doug Larson

Remember the first time your mother let you go to the department store with your girlfriends and gave you some money to buy a sandwich at the lunch counter? It was a big, big deal!

I bet you ordered a hot dog, grilled cheese or maybe splurged on a BLT? Perhaps a cherry coke,a frappe or a ginger ale to go with it. And then there was the juke box. Remember twirling the song selector around and around trying to find “the perfect song?” There were so many “pop hits” but with only a few extra coins in your pocket, playing dozens of songs, just wasn’t possible.

Where was your favorite lunch counter? At a drugstore, department store or at a regular malt shop? What did you find there that was so fulfilling – your independence, the food, the friends you met up with or how fast you could get the stool to twirl around and around?

I love writing about nostalgic times. It’s one reason I penned the memoir “Gift of a Lifetime:Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected.” Click here for info & ordering. Its now available in an audio book, narrated by the author and the voice holds the real treasure! Look forward to seeing you on Monday. See you then.

e-Commerce! Fulfilling Dreams!

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Posted on July 10, 2014

“You’ll fall even deeper in love with Fanny when you hear her voice,” narrated by the author Sue Batton Leonard

Gift of a Lifetime:Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected is now available in Audio Book format.

Brought to you through Audible.com – Amazon’s audio book division!

“Sue’s ability, through dialogue, to share Fanny’s voice and powerful role in Sue’s developing years is a gift to readers.“

~ Mary Kurtz, author

Click here for easy ordering

Listen to this memoir on your Kindle Fire, through the free audible app. on Apple, Android and Windows devices.

“Audible ~ Fulfilling Dreams through e-Commerce” ~ Sue Batton Leonard

Click here for easy ordering

Tomorrow I will have a photo for you of my sister and me as young children. You may not believe we are twins when you see it!

This blog brought to you by http://www.AllThingsFulfilling.com and author, Sue Batton Leonard

A Spirited Community

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Posted on July 6, 2014

“Walk with the dreamers, the believers, the courageous, the cheerful, the planners, the doers, the successful people with their heads in the clouds and their feet on the ground. Let their spirit ignite a fire within you to leave this world better than when you found it…” ― Wilferd Peterson

So much of what author Wilferd Peterson describes in his quote and in his books about living a fulfilling life can be found in the town of Steamboat Springs, Colorado and the surrounding Routt County. His words couldn’t peg this Western community of 10,000 people any better!

What a busy 4^th of July weekend! What constitutes a perfect independence weekend in sunny Steamboat? All Things western, creative and American!

Thursday evening warm-up: A gondola ride, picnic dinner and hike on the mountain. Enhanced with a stunning sunset, I might add.
First Friday Artwalk
Deliciously drenched strawberry stained, scented hands after helping to slice 10 flats of fruit first thing in the morning on Saturday.
Parade on Main Street. All creatures, great and small, festooned with wearing the red, white and blue.
After the parade block party – Annual ice crèam and strawberry sundae fundraiser at www.umcsteamboat.org. Routt beer floats and all American hot dogs across the street at Tred of Pioneers Museum. www.tredofpioneers.org.
Celebration of a prestigious institute for the performing arts in Steamboat. Perry-Mansfield celebrates 100 years! www.perry-mansfield.org.
The next generation of Olympic hopefuls compete – summertime ski jumping on the 4th at Howelson Hill, the site of the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club. Www.sswsc.org.
A beautiful sunset with fireworks to end the 4th with dazzle and spark.
Free concert on Saturday evening under the stars.
Art on the Mountain throughout the weekend – arts and crafts to satisfy the most discriminating tastes and interests.

This is only a small sampling of things there were to see and do over the 4^th of July weekend in Steamboat. Coming up next weekend is Art in the Park and the Hot Air Balloon Rodeo. For a full list of summer/fall events here in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, please visit this website www.steamboat-chamber.com.

It’s another fulfilling summer here in da ‘Boat! Come and join us in the fun!

Photo above: Stunning Vistas surround Steamboat!

Photo Above: Perry-Mansfield celebrates 100 years of mentoring students in the performing arts. http://www.perry-mansfield.org

Above: Cultural Heritage Museum – Tred of Pioneers. Includes ski racing and Olympian history from Steamboat

Hot Air Balloon Rodeo – Just one of many signature summer weekends in Steamboat

Colorado Mountain College – Home of Steamboat Springs Economic Development Council

Historic downtown Steamboat in the other season

The Arts are important year round. It’s a great community of creatives -writers, painters, musicians, potters, photographers and multi-media artists.

Photo Above: Steamboat has produced 88 Olympians and counting….

Pro-Rodeo in Steamboat in Summertime

Superb Fly Fishing in Steamboat Springs, Colorado

What a gift of a lifetime for anyone to be living and working in Steamboat! There is so much to experience.

This blog brought to you by author Sue Batton Leonard.

Democracy, Faith, Freedom and the U.S.A.

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Posted on July 4, 2014

Happy Fourth of July, everybody! Journey with me today through a series of images of our patriotic United States of America where freedom rings, thanks to our armed forces. All men and women in every branch of our military services deserve the very best we can give them in terms of healthcare and quality of life. They sacrifice so much to protect and defend The Constitution for the benefit of all of us, and for future generations of Americans.

I can’t get enough of All Things Americana~

See you on Monday on All Things Fulfilling! Have a great Independence weekend!

This blog brought to you by Sue Batton Leonard, author of Gift of a Lifetime – Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected

“Serving Children of the World”

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Posted on June 17, 2014

It is Tuesday, June 17. Today I am scheduled to speak with the Kiwanis Club http://www.kiwanis.org/ of Steamboat Springs, Colorado about my new publication “Gift of a Lifetime:Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected.”

The mission of Kiwanis is “serving children of the world.” I have dreams of reaching children around the world who have health issues through my story. Sick children and their parents need to hear stories of hope. My memoir will uplift many people. And a little humor has never hurt a soul so anyone can enjoy the book. As one reader said “Gift of Lifetime is indeed that…. a story of how the simplest words can have the most impact on our lives…”

There have been many studies in the medical field, in recent years, about the connection between healing and living with a positive spirit and humor. My memoir presents an example of how one person’s outcome in life was affected by having what I consider to be all the right conditions that are necessary to live a fulfilling life despite a very difficult start.

Thanks to the independent publishing industry and the ability to sell books on the internet, my book will reach readers from all over this country and places around the world who will take away from the story the message that we can learn a lot from people of all faiths, color and creed.

My greatest wishes for the book, is that parents around the world will learn of “Gift of a Lifetime:Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected” and share the upcoming audio book with their sick children to give them hope, and a little laughter to lift their spirits.

As Eleanor Roosevelt once said “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”

Thank you Kiwanis Club of Steamboat Springs, Colorado. It’s great being in your company today and I am grateful I am able to share my thoughts with you!

This blog brought to you by Sue Batton Leonard, author of Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected.Sue’s memoir See you tomorrow on http://www.allthingsfulfilling.com.

Crossing it from the Vocabulary

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Posted on June 16, 2014

God gave us the gift of life; it is up to us to give ourselves the gift of living well. ~ Voltaire

“Jine and Sue,” Fanny said one day, “I don’t want to hears you say it no mo.’ Not one mo’ time,” she said sternly.

“What?” Jan (my sister) or (Jine, as Fanny called her), and I inquired, “ What were we saying? We aren’t doing anything wrong.”

“You is makin’ promises and sayin’ ‘Cross Your Heart and Hope to Die.’ Dats da worstest,” Fanny said shaking her head, “whoever made up dat sayin’ has gots it all wrong!”

Remember using that expression when you were a kid? Whoever came up with that lousy expression anyway? Researchers have learned so much about the effects of positive spirit on health. http://mayocl.in/1iigiNw.

Although I know I did say “Cross my heart and hope to die” plenty of times in my childhood when making a promise, I certainly didn’t understand the meaning of it as a youngster. One thing I knew for sure, even though I never understood the magnitude of my childhood illness, is that I didn’t want to die! I had too many other things going for me- a menagerie of animals, a sister, two brothers, parents and friends who I knew cared for me. And what about my beautiful grandparents and my funny Fanny? I didn’t want to leave any of them behind!

I think rather then taking prayer out of schools, and eliminating “The Pledge of Alliance to the Flag, Under God” from classrooms, “Hope to Die” needs to be eliminated from all children’s vocabulary when making promises. Children need to know “Cross Your Heart,” plain and simple, works much better.

Fanny always said, “If you thinks yo’ life is bad, go poke ’round in someone else’s for a little while! Dare is always someone on dis Earf who ain’t got what you gots. Be grateful.”

As an adult, I know Fanny was right. In her own funny way she was trying to get my sister and me to realize that living well means having appreciation for all that we have been given, including choosing life.

Wondering more about what my funny Fanny said about living? You’ll have to read my memoir. I have had many people contact me since my memoir “Gift of a Lifetime:Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected”, was published who said “they wished they had someone in their lives who lived with such heart and soul when they were growing up.” Sue’s memoir

All Things Fulfilling

Writing Focused on Fine Art & The Humanities

Category Archives: Psychology

“Rock ‘N Roll Babe”

Sing-A-Long Songs

Hot Flashes

The Start of Independence

Democracy, Faith, Freedom and the U.S.A.