Being Patient Through Transformation.

“We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations.” ~Charles R. Swindoll

Ever noticed a chrysalis hidden within its cocoon? The final few moments before it emerges as a butterfly compose what science terms as metamorphosis, a transformation.

If you have been lucky enough to observe this process, which I highly recommend watching, you’d notice it has to struggle quite a bit before it gets all the attention for being the magnificent creature it is.

It’s long and painful. However watching it, you may be tempted to clip off the outer covering of the chrysalis with a pair of scissors. And you might do it, thinking you’re doing it a favor. But when it finally emerges, you’d be sorely disappointed.

The chrysalis’ covering holds within its shell vital fluids that are important to its wing formation. But your act of kindness, of clipping that outer shell deprives it of that, and as a result, the butterfly that emerges is crippled, deformed, and nothing like the butterfly it was supposed to be.

On the other hand, if you can muster up the patience to watch this metamorphosis take place, without any intervention from your side, you’ll see one of the most beautiful miracles of nature, and one of life’s best lessons.

Our lives are journeys to this same type of metamorphosis, to find a sense of purpose in life. We cannot achieve this without the difficult situations or the pain that life often brings in generous doses. 

Each one of us has had to let go of a dream, compromise, and experience pain and the entire gamut of emotions that an undesirable change can bring. But by no means did it ever spell the end of all dreams.
If you stay true to your conscience and live your life the way you believe it should be, you can be rest assured of this:

Every bad experience, painful relationship, and compromise you’ve ever made in good conscience will somehow transform into a beautiful inner reservoir of spiritual gifts and blessings.

Life wants you to take notice of three things when you’re going through a difficult time that may seem eternal:

Trust life. There’s a higher purpose behind every seemingly impossible and difficult phase. You’ve just got to hang in there and know that it’s for the best.

Change. If you find yourself feeling bad a lot more often than not, take time out to reflect on whether or not you’re happy deep down with what you’re doing.

Believe. Believe in yourself, even if the world around you doesn’t. If you don’t, who will?

Hold onto what you believe in. You’re meant to emerge as a beautiful butterfly from your chrysalis. Always remember that, with a smile, and give yourself a chance to delight and revel in the mysterious workings of the universe. (by Andrea Johnson)

Before and After Hurricane Irene in Westport MA

The day after hurricane Irene

 

by Noemi Cardoso

Hurricane Irene in New England 08/27/2011 at 5pm

Hurricane Irene Saturday 08/27/2011 at 5 pm
by Noemi Cardoso

The Emergency Homeowners' Loan Program (EHLP)

 

FHA  qualified homeowners:

HUD has reopened the application intake for the Emergency Homeowners’ Loan Program (EHLP), a program that provides mortgage payment assistance to eligible homeowners experiencing a drop in income of at least 15 percent, directly resulting from involuntary unemployment or underemployment due to the economy and/or a medical condition. The mortgage assistance covers past-due mortgage payments, as well as a portion of the homeowner’s mortgage payment for up to 24 months (up to $50,000). The program is offered in 27 states and Puerto Rico. The deadline to apply is September 15, 2011.  Since EHLP funds are provided to qualified homeowners on a first-come, first-served basis, it is critical that  homeowners provide all required documents in a timely manner or risk losing the opportunity to apply for assistance under the program.

The Emergency Homeowner’s Loan Program (EHLP) application process has reopened in 27 states and Puerto Rico to give homeowners at risk of foreclosure more time to apply for the program. Applications will be accepted through September 15, 2011. 

EHLP will assist homeowners who have experienced a reduction in income and are at risk of foreclosure due to involuntary unemployment or underemployment, due to economic conditions or a medical condition. Eligible homeowners can qualify for an interest-free loan, which pays a portion of their monthly mortgage for up to two years, or up to $50,000, whichever comes first.

How to Apply
To apply for EHLP, homeowners should do the following.

• Complete the Applicant Worksheet and the Third Party Authorization.
• Gather the applicable documents listed on the document checklist.
• Submit the worksheet, authorization, and applicable documents to a participating EHLP agency. To find a participating agency, click here.

Although September 15 is the last day to submit documents, homeowners are strongly encouraged to submit all required documents quickly since EHLP funds are provided to qualified homeowners on a first-come, first-served basis. 

EHLP States
Additional applications will be accepted in the following EHLP states: Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Hawaii, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

Substantially Similar EHLP States
On April 1, 2011, HUD identified five states operating their own respective mortgage assistance programs that met HUD's criteria as "substantially similar" to the EHLP. These include Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. Homeowners may still be able to apply in these states. Click here for more information.

States That are Not Participating in EHLP
Those states that are not identified above receive direct assistance through the U.S. Treasury's Innovation Fund for Hardest Hit Housing Market Program. The list of Hardest Hit Fund states is provided below. If you live in one of these states, click on that state's name to find out more about Hardest Hit Housing Market Program that is available where you live.

Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Washington DC

1325 G St., NW, Suite 800, Washington, DC 20005-3100
Phone: (202) 220-2300 | Fax: (202) 376-2600

 

Westport MA - 08-27-2011 at 2pm. Elephant Rock and Private Beach before Hurricane Irene

08-27-2011 at 2pm - Elephant Rock and Private Beach in Westport MA

by Noemi Cardoso

Before Hurricane Irene Hits New England - Westport MA

Westport MA - Elephant Rock
by Noemi Cardoso

Hurricane Irene Heading to New England.

Hurricane Irene Heading Towards New England?

 

The wind chimes have been removed over night because of the lovely sound became and irritable noise, the sun hanging on the deck wall has been knocked down a couple of time, chairs have moved from one side to the other on the deck like on a weird barn dance. The entrance to the Westport River has been much quieter in the last few days, just a couple of boats yeaterday and much less today, not the high traffic we usually see at this time of the year. The water is warm and the wind is actually nice after a couple of muggy suffocating days The surf is high and the usually quiet view I enjoy from the deck has become a much busier one, with waves that are usually not here. I see the waves at Horseneck Beach Gooseberry Island and Cherry and Webb and surfers are flocking into is like bees to an open pot of sweet honey.  The same scenario is seen at Elephant Rock where the waves are getting bigger and bigger by the hour. These are just few easy and clear signs that something is stirring up somewhere and we are just getting few signs here and there. Some of these facts are great news for surfers and other radical water sports lovers, but how about the rest of us? What does Hurricane Irene means if, in fact, she decides to make an unexpected visit on Sunday?

For me it's a brand new thing. See I've come from Brasil, where fortunate for it's population, we don't have hurricanes nor earthquakes. However while the beauty of the ocean, the sound of the wind blowing through the trees and the should of the ocean makes me happy as a child on the first day of vacation, the other side worries a little about it, since I have no idea on what to expect or how to prepare.

Last week we were talking ( a friend and I) about the Hurricane of 1938, which left ruins of a house right on the beach next to where I live, and I've been reading The Last Fling  about Hurricane Carol in 1954

Off course I experienced Earl lin 2011,and have seen the destruction Katrina has caused. I am aware of the incredible damages it can cause. But for me, as a newbie, I have to confess Earl was something beautiful to see; the way the waves crashed on the rocks, the roaring sound; it felt like Buzzards Bay was speaking and speaking about something serious. I walked down to Elephant Rock and enjoyed the strength of the winds and the beauty of it all. However they are now saying that Hurricane Irene is supposed to be much stronger, the strongest in the last 20 years so I hear on the news. I also know that 'the news' love all the sensationalistic side of everything, which I believe to be a dis-service to communities, since we can never say if this time is real or just another boy ''crying wolves' again.

In any case, my next door neighbor, knowing that I am a complete ignoramus in reference to hurricanes, came by to remind me to save some fresh water, empty my deck of chairs, decorations and etc, and get some dry food and a flash light since we might loose electricity. Like most of Westport, everything here depends on electricity: septic, stove, fridge, water pump, phone etc. So I  will be heading out to Lee's Market tomorrow to get some first necessities. We also have an evacuation plan and if things comes to worst we are all are going to the Acoaxet House to ride the storm, which is a relief since I have no basement to hide and even if I had the idea of being there by myself or driving out with high winds and flooding (in an area surrounded by water) with new moon to make the hight tide even higher doesn't entice me much. Granted I have my Kayak and life vest handy just in case.

I'm pretty sure you've watched as many news as I have with survivors of natural disasters,  they all mention the same, besides the fact that they are glad to be alive, the one thing that they miss the most are not their big possessions, but pictures, pictures that has captured precious memories and moments of their lives, family and children. For that I am glad that I took the time, a couple of weeks ago, to scan the majority of them and save it online, so my family here, in Brasil and all over the world can share those precious moments with me.

I really hope that Irene just pass us by and follow her path, but just in case I'll follow some of the basic recommendations.Then it will be time to enjoy the Sunset Summer series at Westport Rivers Winery and I might take a trip to East Beach on Saturday and walk around Goosebery Island , if the causeway is open, to check the waves closely and take some pictures as well.

 

Gates Are Made To Be Opened.

“Never allow a person to tell you no who doesn’t have the power to say yes.” -Eleanor Roosevelt

Many times in life we ask questions of people and then put way too much weight on their answers.

We ask people we admire if they think we have what it takes, and then consider their opinions fact. We ask people we respect if they think we should take a chance, and then follow their advice as law. We ask people if they’ll take a chance on us, and then interpret their response to be a reflection of our potential.

Other people can’t tell us how far we can go. They can’t tell us how our talents could evolve. They can’t tell us if our risks will pay off. Other people’s “nos” aren’t what limit our future–it’s our own “nos” that do that.

The other day, I read an interview with television producer and former American Idol judge Simon Cowell. He admitted that if Lady Gaga had auditioned for the show, he would have instantly rejected her because of her over-the-top persona. Like him or not, Lady Gaga has emerged as a force to be reckoned within the music industry–a bona fide record-breaking pop icon, who likely isn’t going anywhere any time soon.

Odds are she heard her fair share of “nos,” as does anyone with a dream.

Sometimes we hear “no” before we even get a chance to contact the person we really want to reach. We hear “no” from assistants, and publicists, and agents, and associates, and a number of other gatekeepers. Those “nos” are rarely final since a gate is made to be opened.

We can take all these “nos” and use them as proof that we shouldn’t move forward with our goals. Or we can learn from them, release them, and then keep moving ahead, driven by a deep internal yes that refuses to be ignored.

When you come up against rejection, remember: This does not mean “no.” It just means “not this way.”

Take A Little Time To See The Beauty Around You.

 

“The moment one gives close attention to anything, even a blade of grass, it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself.” –Henry Miller

It’s funny how on some days there seem to be more signs that life is good–people looking out for each other, positive intentions yielding positive results, nature revealing small pieces of beauty. The truth is that there’s always something good there. It’s just that sometimes we’re not in the right head space to notice and fully appreciate it.

The question isn’t whether or not the world is a wonderful place; it’s whether or not we’ll take the time to experience the world with a sense of wonder.

Whether you’re at work, at home, with people, or alone, make it a point to count the good things. Today is a perfect day to notice all the things to love about life.

What are you made of?

If you've read my blogs last year you know that 2010 was not the best of my years. Many things  have happened. Things that brought me to the ground, yes, I literally mean to the ground, flat, broken, hurt, so powerless for even lift my own head for a long while. My heart was broken into tiny pieces over and over again by differrent people in a period of 6 months. Broken by people I believed were friends; by people I thought would be here for the long haul; broken by the closest of the family I thought I had and by someone I had deep feelings for. I've realized that I'm not as wise as I thought I was. That even at almost 50 I am still a mere student on this process we call life. I realized that I was still making the same mistakes of putting my trust and love into people who didn't know what to do with it. Making them a priority in my life when I was not more than an option in theirs.

I love people, always did. The thought that good ones are, sometimes, around, gives me hope and persistence on keeping on looking and trusting that I'll find them and add to the ones who are already here. For every new person I meet, I give them the benefit of a fresh start; no grudges from previous experiences; no past memories are allowed to taint this new possible kindred soul; they are given a clean blank slate to start  fresh; there are no comparisons or expectations of disillusions or disappointments.

Some might say that's where I'm wrong. And I do understand their point. However, I think if I get into a new relationship, either be a friendship or romantic, with a bucket full of past experiences, memories, disappointments and mistakes made by myself and others, I am jeopardizing this new relationship from the beginning. I will be expecting them, and me, to fail. I am not in any moment saying that we shouldn't pay attention to signs and keep past experiences as lessons to be remembered, but assuming we know what is going to happen and to bring those past experiences into a new relationship  might be the bigger mistake yet.

Anyhow, with all that has happened, I kept trying to get up, only to have the next person come and smash the pieces I had just put back together right back into the ground, to a point I chose to withdrawn myself from people as a defense. I needed time to heal the pain and put the pieces left back together, let the wound heal and allow me to move forward.

I know it'll never be the same, I can see the scars and the shape of my heart is forever changed. Lost friends and loved ones still can be met and greeted, they are somehow still loved, maybe more for the memories of them than for themselves, but the trust is forever gone.

I am a gardener, a beginner at it, but non or less a gardener. It relaxes my mind and helps me focus on something pleasant. I can feel the energy and power of the dirt between my fingers, the evolution of a simple seed into an exquisite flower always fascinated me. This simple hobby has taught me tales of transformation, caring, possibilities, planning, attention to details and it's something I can dive into with all my passion. If I do all things right I will have, without a doubt, a beautiful garden (or potted flowers in my case). Well on dealing with my flowers I've learned that, in many cases, in order to flourish stronger, a flower has to have few twigs cut, old flowers removed, the soil has to be fertilized and watered - not too much, not too little, with balance - some drastic measures are also required sometimes, such as ripping them from the solid ground, splitting it into parts to allow it to grow stronger, multiply  and became even more stronger and more beautiful.  

On practicing this little hobby, away from most of the people I knew, in the silence of my little garden, listening to my favorite songs, alone with my thoughts and imerged in a spirit of reflection, I re-discovered myself. Like a morning glory reaches out, stretching for the first rays of sun, I can see my twigs stretching out and reaching out of myself.

As I sit here on the deck, enjoying the birth of yet another brand new day, sipping my coffee, looking over this magnificent ocean that far away meets with the blue skies on the horizon, feeling the sun warming up my body, I see a hawk hovering over the beach, hunting for her breakfast, and I wonder for a second if it's the same one who comes at the end of fall to sit on my deck once in a while, birds singing greeting the world and a gentle breeze - which maybe a preface to fall - coming to murmur "good morning" in my ears.

While my heart is completely submerse in the simplicity of this moment, a quote I've read a while back  comes to mind  -“A hard fall means a high bounce…if you’re made of the right material.” and I realize that, after all I am made of the right material, and I am bouncing high!

Life's simple now, but oh, so good, and I am ready to start it over.

Have a Happy Wednesday!                                         

 

Noemi Cardoso 08/24/2011

Home for Sale Swansea - Waterfront

Home for Sale in Swansea MA - Waterfront

 Search all Homes for Sale in Swansea MA

 

This exquisite home built in 1997 for current owner was thought in every detail. Upon entering the 4,260 sq ft home you can appreciate the owners passion for a modern architecture style.

The living room is open and bright with soaring ceiling, perfectly framed by towering windows to soak up the magnificent water views. A large deck off the living room is perfect for stargazing, enjoying sunny summer days, entertaining or just o be quietly enjoyed.

A well planned gourmet kitchen that offers all the conveniences you can ask for - water views for starters along with large island, granite counter, stainless steel appliances, sub zero fridge and freezer, thermador gas stove, food warmer, customized cabinets with reinforced drawers to handle the weight of cast iron pans and much more makes this a great place to enjoy family gathering in the kitchen during holidays and any other day of the year.

A library and a TV room along w 1.5 bathrooms, laundry and a walking pantry completes the first floor.

A welcoming foyer which is offers open views of the water is perfect for a relaxing reading before bed time welcomes you to the second floor which offers Large private master suite w/ cathedral ceilings, dressing room, master bath, walking closet.

Private path to a 350 feet leads you to an untouched waterfront ideal to launch your kayak.

Professional landscape, 4 acres of land, 2 car garage and located at the end of a cul-de-sac.

This is THE HOME you have been looking for. Call me now at 508-558-1945 for a private showing. Please allow at least 24 hours notice.

More information about Swansea MA

Click on the link to learn how to receive daily updates with all Homes for Sale in Swansea MA

Swansea MA Real Estate Market Overview - August 2011

Home for Sale in Westport

Home for Sale in Westport - MA

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Large colonial home, built in 2005. This lovely home offers lots of amenities such as solid counters, family room w/ cathedral ceiling and gas fireplace, formal living and dining room, open floor kitchen with island and stainless steel appliances, deck, front to back master suite with dual sinks, cathedral ceilings and walk in closet, 2 car garage, fenced in yard. Full unfinished basement with full windows and access to the yard ready for you to finished. Located at the end of a newer development off of Route 177, it offers easy access to Rts 88, 195, 79 and 177.

Learn more about Westport MA 

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Real Estate Market Report for Westport MA - August 2011

 

Home for Sale in Fall River MA

Search all Homes for Sale in Fall River MA

 

Experience what life has to offer from this Contemporary home on South Watuppa. 3168 sq ft of living space offers plenty of room for the whole family. Soaring ceilings with skylights and open floor plan on main level, wall to wall windows to enjoy the views. Large wrap around deck, 3 season area our off the kitchen, in ground heated pool, separate guest quarters on top of the 2 car heated garage ideal for grown ups of parents, finished lower level with 2 bonus rooms (den/guest room), full bathroom, family room and mini kitchen perfect for entertaining. For more details and pictures direct to your phone TEXT EVO2039 to 32075.

 

Happening in Westport.

There's always something special happening at Westport Rivers Winery and summer is not an exception. The return of the very popular Sunset Music, is guaranteed to bring a splash of color to your summer. And at 25 years old, they're celebrating with a special Summer to Celebrate series of intimate tastings and guest chefs.

Friday evenings from 6pm to 8pm you're welcome to trip on over to the farm located at 417 Hixbridge Rd, Westport MA, for some great tunes and wonderful views.The first of the series is on June 24th and tehy'll be wrapping things up on September 3.

It's a picnic style event, so either pack in your own food or buy some dinner from Wayne Gibson's,South Coast Local (who will be serving up a variety of BBQ, from pulled pork sandwiches to hot dogs for the kids). Don't forget a blanket, chairs, bug spray, glasses or a cork screw. Speaking of which, NO OUTSIDE ALCHOHOL is permitted. They offer plenty of their own farm-raised wine and beer for your adult beverage enjoyment.

$5/carload. Weather permitting. Beer, wine and SoCo Local food are served for a fee.

Schedule for August and September
8/19 McCarthy, Richards & Legge
8/26 Neal McCarthy and Michael Lavoie
9/3 Josh Pereira
For more information on the Winery as well in all of their events click here