Costa Women Blogs

When I sat down to write this blog post, I asked Spirit what shall I write about… Within a few minutes, I received a message: “Ending is a new beginning.” It was a very timely message. I was just going through an end of one chapter of my life. Once again, I had packed all my things to boxes and suitcases and  got ready to embark on my journey to California for June and July. Call it coincidence or Divine timing, but within fifteen minutes, two of my friends reached out to me as they were both facing a challenging situation that involved an ending in one form or another. “Ending” has been something that I have struggled to accept in the past. After I experienced a loss of loved one, I did not want a new beginning – I wanted my old life back. But even though I found against the fact that every chapter in life comes to an end sometime in this level, I could not change it. Somewhere along the road, I surrendered and learned to accept it. The saying “This, too, shall pass.” has comforted me on the way, it culminates the Buddhist teachings of impermanence. You surely have experienced endings and new beginnings on your path too and found your way to handle them. Maybe you are going through one of them right now… Just know that you’re not alone! The Light has never left you, but you might just need a little help to see it again. It is good to allow yourself to have time and space to go through the layers of emotions and treat yourself with extra care as much as possible. Once the stirred water calms down, you can see a new dawn in the horizon. There’s a spark of Light that reminds you that there is a purpose for everything. You can find a deeper meaning for life if you seek, the growing awareness allows you to see your life in a new Light. It might be a time to reconnect with your purpose and redefine a thing or two, and more importantly to say YES to you! The change might be instant or it might take some time, whatever it is just known that you will be fine. When you reconnect with your purpose, it becomes your guiding star that lightens your path. It gives you a sense of meaning and helps to move on as you know what direction to go. If you need support to reconnect with your purpose, I’m here for you!  ps. Are you curious to know what helped me to reconnect with my purpose? Click here to find out more. 

  Believe it or not… we are all creative and loving beings, we are naturally born this way. So how come we don’t seem to remember this… and  instead of creating our joys we act quite differently, pretending to be serious, sad, depressed, bored, in a rush, tired, limited,  etc… IAM sure you get my drift.   Whatever has happened in our individual lives that has caused us to act so differently from our innate creative and loving self… I have good news… it doesn’t matter and it can be easily changed. We can change how we respond to life.   We can begin to be aware by practicing observation…   IAM the space that has no words,Just… observing the flutter of random thoughtsIAM the presence of this moment,Just… observing the extreme waves of energy aroundIAM the breath of life,Just… observing the vibration of my Body ConsciousnessIAM the expansion,Just… observing the exploration and discovery beyondIAM everything and nothing,Just… observing myself as I feel allIAM the lazy one now,Just… observing myself doing nothing for a while Barbara Franken    AND we can begin to be feel inspired…   Imagining waking up each morning with an inner yearning to spend this new and exciting day spontaneously BEING our heartfelt joy and passion…  no matter what we have to endure or accomplish this day? We can allow ourselves to joyfully say and feel these few words within our body/mind… and practice them throughout our day.   Today IAM singing out loud…Today IAM creating beauty in my garden…Today IAM preparing food…Today IAM painting my dream vision…Today IAM at peace…Today IAM writing a poem…Today IAM taking photographs…Today IAM cleaning…Today IAM playful in nature…Today IAM acting as if IAM rejuvenated…Today IAM embracing all of myself…Today IAM acting healed…     When we allow ourselves to be mindful of all our daily doings and beings…we become aware of our creative expression that is played out in each moment… and recognise it is our signature of who we truly are… a creative being… our Creator Self. Our physical body then naturally aligns with our hearts desire and we experience the expression of our Soul… our Divine essence.   Maybe we can remember how we felt as children or have the urge now to let our hair down, to enjoy some ‘me time’… to laugh, to act, to play, to create, to explore, to scream out loud and to have fun.   We have indeed all been brought up to be responsible, mindful and serious, but can we remain true to our heart and soul too? Allowing ourselves to feel the rhythm of life, pulsating through us, connecting us to the all loving presence, we each are? Relaxing into our own innate passion and joy that flows through us and out into the world…  allowing us to act spontaneously in the moment how we feel and create a life we have always dreamed of?   Or are we going to allow our chattering mind and important ego identity or other peoples fear, negativity and jealous nature, take over our very being and just plod along on our journey following the rest of society?   We can choose to change our ways of being… as I wrote about in another post, otherwise our Divinity will find a way to nudge us and help us on our way. But it is easier to just breathe a while and become aware of the passion and joy that flows as a strong force within and allow the creative being we are to move with the rhythm of life… inspiring us.. to live our grandest dream and be the Grand Creator we truly are.   I wrote this blog and poem a long time ago, but decided to bring it back now in a new way to remind YOU of how easy it is to shift your perception, to look at the big picture with big compassion eyes and allow yourself to just feel, observe and allow.   This practice helped me feel into the space around me and within me, allowed me to observe and experience being everything and nothing… feel completely into the oneness of all… and feel no separation. It allowed me to relax and just do nothing AND play, have fun and feel the great creative and loving being IAM.   This is my gift to YOU.   Barbara Franken… Creative Visionary & MasterCreatorInspiring New Energy Consciousness     A paperback and Digital Book is available from all Major online stores… Amazon and Apple   I share my own magical journey, exploring Who I AM with the help of nine Elemental Beings and expand from a world of fear, struggle and limitation into a New Energy Consciousness of love, grace and freedom. It is in this loving space that I discover my Divine and ALL LOVING self and allow myself to integrate together as one Body Consciousness… a DivineHumanBeing… and Magnificent Master Creator who expresses and creates heart and soul passion on the physical plane and beyond.         There is no time like the present moment to choose to change and reinvent yourself as the world around you is in turmoil. My MasterCreator Class guides you through a magical journey to wholeness and living a life of celebration.   More Info: MasterCreator Class ONLINE           All the money raised from my books and classes goes to my non profit business: The Magnificent Consciousness that holds 2 FREE local projects… ‘Creative Art Project’ inspiring our children to explore, discover and express life and their part in it ALL and a ‘Relax and Talk Group, inspiring everyone to balance their body, mind & spirit back into wellness in a  natural & simple way.  

Sandra Danby is an award winning author who specialises in writing stories around the theme of adoption.  A proud Yorkshire woman, Sandra is a tennis nut and tea drinker. She believes a walk on the beach will cure most ills.  Hello Sandra.  Nice to meet you after many years as a Twitter connection!  Firstly, I wanted to ask you why you moved to Spain? Hello Ali!  Our first villa holiday was to Majorca and we fell in love with it and wanted to explore more of Spain. During our second villa holiday, this time in the mountains behind Palamos near Barcelona, we decided we wanted to live here. That was followed by a succession of short breaks, city breaks and [yet more] villa holidays as we stayed in different parts of the country. We realized quite quickly that we like the sun and so focused on Andalucia. The first time we visited Ronda, we knew it was the place for us. The countryside is spectacular.  My three reasons for recommending Ronda to anyone are:- The mountains are spectacular, there is some of the best hiking, horse-riding and birdwatching here. It ticked our boxes of nature, privacy, sun, and access to Malaga airport. Then, of course, food and wine. Everyone here grows their own vegetables, it is much simpler than at home given the amount of sunshine. Also our finca is groaning with olive, fruit and nut trees. Ronda has its own wine denominacion and there are some wonderful bodegas to visit, taste and buy. The people are so friendly. We live in a small village – we are the only ‘English’ in the village – and people are unfailingly helpful and forgiving of our muddled spoken Spanish. A cup of coffee is a social ritual, as are the swapping of vegetables [everyone grows too many!]   Tell us some of your history – what were you doing before you moved to Spain? We were living in Wimbledon and were at a point in our lives when our jobs were changing. I transitioned from working as a freelance journalist to becoming a full-time author, and so was suddenly able to write anywhere. It gave us the freedom to be away from London and the South-East of England for the first time. I have always been a writer, from a small girl when I made my own magazines. After studying English at university I became a journalist and magazine editor. Now I write novels. I can’t imagine not writing, it is my life. I resent a day of tasks which prevent me from writing, and I will continue to write to the end of my days. Where do you get your ideas from? There is no Idea Factory [to quote Stephen King]. I read a lot – novels, history, newspapers and magazines – I visit galleries and museums, I walk in the countryside. I think as a writer you become a sponge, absorbing what surrounds you and re-using it sometimes years later. I am a magpie, a hoarder, I have boxes for newspaper cuttings and folders on my computer for storing stories, notes and links to useful websites. If an idea fits with a project, it is put into that particular box/folder. When I come to start work on a new book, I empty out the box and let my mind wander. Quite often I have an idea for a book, but with a few missing connections. When that happens I try to focus on a solution and then research around that idea, which may mean reading books or going to a museum or location. What usually happens that, at a time when I am distracted by something, I get a Eureka moment, the connection which knits it all together. Often it is better to stop searching and let the sub-conscious do its work. Your latest project is…? My second novel ‘Connectedness’ is published on this month. It follows on from ‘Ignoring Gravity’, which tells the story of journalist Rose Haldane who finds out, in her thirties, that she was adopted as a baby. In ‘Connectedness’, Rose is asked by artist Justine Tree to find the daughter she gave away when she was an art student. ‘Connectedness’ was written after we moved to Spain and so there is a big role for Malaga – how could I ignore the birthplace of Pablo Picasso which is on our doorstep. Both books are available at Amazon as ebook and paperback.   As an established writer now, what would 3 top tips for people who are thinking about writing a book (or starting with a blog) The journalist in me says plan, think it through, be clear what you are trying to do, and write what you enjoy and not what you think other people want. Never try to follow a trend, you will always be too late. The novelist in me says go with the flow, once you have your idea, start writing and see where it takes you. But there is nothing to replace a strong plotline. You should always know how the book ends, even if you’re not quite sure how you’re going to get there. Most important of all, write every day. Even if it’s rubbish. I treat writing like a job, I sit at my computer every day, I give myself deadlines. Writing is my life, it is not a hobby. And your personal thoughts on self-publishing, or finding a publisher? Self-publishing is hard work. There are two ways of doing it. Publish your book, put it on Amazon, and leave it there. Or, publish your book on Amazon and promote it like hell, pay for email promotions, tweet, blog, network with other writers, but most importantly, write the next book. And the next. The hard fact is that there are millions of books out there and unless you tell people that yours is on Amazon, they are unlikely to find it. Unfortunately these days, even traditionally-published authors are required by their publishers to do the same type of social networking that I do – quotas are set for the number of tweets/blog posts etc that they write. As an indie author, I get a bigger slice of [admittedly smaller] royalties, I decide when my book is finally ready to be published, I choose the cover design and write the promotional copy. I have the power to decide. Thinking about building an audience – do you think your cooking blog has generated more interest in your books? I’m not sure about that, that’s not why I started ‘Notes on a Spanish Valley’. I simply wanted to share the simplicity and beauty of our life here. It pre-dates my writing blog, my website followed after that. Recipes were a later addition to the blog, purely because we both love cooking and eating. My book publicity is done via my writing blog at my website but when I published ‘Ignoring Gravity’ I did get a lot of support from my NOASV followers, a radio interview on Hannah Murray’s book show at TRE, and an invitation to speak to the Book Club at Competa. So perhaps I’ll be lucky again with ‘Connectedness’, especially given the Malaga connection. Recipes for cooking and recipes for book stories – which ones do you love best? The two Spanish dishes we eat the most at home are Pan con Tomate for breakfast, using our own enormous ugly tomatoes in the summer. My husband likes Mercadona’s Pan Pueblo but I prefer to make Jamie Oliver’s gluten-free seedy bread. And our Spanish version of Pistou which uses a large quantity of tomatoes, courgettes and peppers, all from our veg patch. What was your Favourite childhood book?   My favourite book would have to be ‘Swallows and Amazons’ by Arthur Ransome, actually the whole series. I loved the freedom of the children, sailing, camping, exploring. I grew up on a farm by the seaside so the exploring hills and sailing things hit a chord with me. I loved the mapping in ‘Secret Water’ and the adventure with Chinese pirates in ‘Missee Lee’. I have the audio books downloaded on my iPod and still listen to them. What do you do you relax? Read. Lay in the sunshine and read. Lay in the sunshine and listen to an audio book. You get the picture? Wherever I am, there is a book on the go. What would be your top tip for someone new to Spain? Don’t be afraid to try the language. The Spanish are the most helpful, forgiving people, they won’t worry if you stumble and get your verbs wrong. But they do appreciate you trying. I took weekly conversation classes in the UK before moving here and I worked quite hard at it, but to be honest the complicated grammar has been forgotten. I manage perfectly well speaking in the present tense. I found it helpful to read women’s magazines and picked up quite a bit of vocabulary reading recipes and even advertisements for face cream. Your one big goal for 2018 is… Publish ‘Connectedness’ then take a break over the summer before admitting that I’ve done enough research and it really is time to start writing the third book ‘Sweet Joy’. So how do we find out more about your books and recipes? Author website: http://www.sandradanby.com/ Spanish blog: https://notesonaspanishvalley.com/ Twitter: @SandraDanby and @Spanish_Valley Amazon Author Page: https://amzn.to/2G48RdW Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sandradanbyauthor Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6563021.Sandra_Danby Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/sandradan1/ Thank you Sandra!  See you on Social Media!

Written by Maggie Hammond When purchasing outdoor backpacks, wet weather is always among the top considerations and how well the backpack will hold is always a concern. Your bags durability could be a difference in whether your safety matches stay dry or your electronics get soaked in a bad weather. This article will guide you on the different waterproof-levels of backpacks and which level you need for your activities.    Water Resistant Backpacks   Water resistant backpacks do not really mean waterproof backpacks. They are made with durable materials such as nylon, cordura or very strong polyester. Water resistant backpacks will keep your belongings safe and dry if you are using them in light showers and cycling through intermittent rain. The only thing water resistant backpacks are good for is to keep water from penetrating through minimal rainfall but if subjected  to rain for a considerable amount of time, then water will definitely soak through.    There is a wide range of water resistant backpacks in the market and you can read the review of some of the best here and easily find one that suits your needs. These make very good everyday backpacks as they are designed with all round durability.    Water Repellant Backpacks   Water repellant backpacks are great if you hike or cycle in persistent rain or spend a lot of time in the elements. As long as you do not submerge your backpack in water, your belongings will stay dry, regardless of how much it rains. Even if your backpack fell in water but you are quick enough to pick it up, it should be able to hold up. When purchasing one of these, the construction material should be the first thing you consider. They are usually made of burly fabrics containing polyurethane or coated with durable water repellency treatment then laminated with TPU. They also come with waterproof zippers as well as tape seams and you can always waterproof your belongings to stay on the safe side.   The 100% Waterproof Backpacks   For several activities like rafting, you should consider purchasing a 100% waterproof backpack. If you also do long distance cycling or camping then you will probably need the extra protecting this backpack will offer. 100% waterproof backpacks float on water and do not let it in even when submerged inside. They are designed with airtight roll-top closures to ensure that they do not let even a drop of water inside.    Summary Now that you know there are different levels of waterproof backpacks, you cannot just buy any backpack that says waterproof. The one you get will highly depend on your needs and activities. If you commute by bike through rain then consider what level of waterproofing you need and purchase a bag that will suit those needs. If you hike and camp a lot, you will probably need all your belongings to stay safe and dry at all times so a 100% waterproof backpack will come in handy. Regardless of which oneyou choose, ensure that all other features and construction material work to your favor as well.

Hear Ye… Hear Ye… Oyez… Fellow Human Beings… Exciting times are now upon us… It is time to put our physical dual reality into perspective… It has served us well, we have great experiences with the light and dark… Discovering how to play, have fun, be inspired and create… Exploring  what we like and want more of… With the conscious breathe we can allow ourselves to absorb this now crystalline time and expand beyond the mind and physical limited reality and discover our heart and soul’s desire and be the DivineHuman Being IAM…     Tom and myself had moved further down the south coast of Spain to discover our new home in Benalmadena, Costa del Sol in 2014 after spending a wonderful 7 years living in Mazarron on the Costa Calida. It wasn’t long before I was inspired to paint the above SoulArt. It signified the end of a magical journey I’d had with 9 Elemental aspects of myself, unveiling my unique truths and this was my final message.   It was time to celebrate my FREEDOM.   I had stepped out of the Human Game of fear, lack and limitation… and was now FREE to live as my DivineHuman self, choosing to experience from a field of potential whatever my heart and soul desired in each moment.   We settled in quickly, it felt like a new beginning, and wouldn’t you know… it wasn’t long before I intuited the idea of writing about my magical journey… I knew exactly where and how to begin and end… I sensed the whole story, especially how it was essential to begin at the end and end at the beginning. It felt similar to knowing the answer to the question… who comes first, the chicken or the egg?    I knew how life is infinite; an never-ending spiral with no beginnings or endings. How life’s continuous path shows us, if we observe and feel into it carefully, how everything exists in the now moment, how every way is neither right nor wrong, it is just an experience for each person to choose a point, to explore and discover themself. We can choose to begin our experience as an egg or a chicken; playing in the Human Game of duality or living a life of magnificence in a harmonious world of unity, joy and love.   It didn’t take me long for my words to flow on paper and begin a longer process of preparing to publish my new creation Your Magnificent Self… A Journey to Freedom that I published back in November 2015.   My final message I intuited from my SoulArt for myself and all that are listening…   Hear Ye… Hear Ye… Oyez… Fellow Human Beings… Exciting times are now upon us…It is time to put our physical dual reality into perspective… It has served us well…We have great experiences with the light and dark…Discovering how to play, have fun, be inspired and create…Exploring what we like and want more of…With the conscious breathe we can allow ourselves to absorb this now crystalline timeand expand beyond the mind and physical limited reality and discover our heart and soul’s desireand be the DivineHuman Being IAM…   We are all multi-dimensional beings and the NEW ENERGY now allows everyone to experience life however we choose. It’s time to celebrate this new freedom. What are YOU going to choose to experience?   Barbara Franken… Creative Visionary & MasterCreatorInspiring New Energy Consciousness   My true Love Story: Your Magnificent Self… A Journey to Freedom.I published my magical journey to share a more detailed information of my Awakening and Integration, exploring Who I AM with the help of nine Elemental Beings and expanding from a world of fear, struggle and limitation into a New Energy Consciousness of love, grace and freedom. It is in this loving space that I discover my Divine and ALL LOVING self and allow myself to integrate together as one Body Consciousness… a DivineHumanBeing… and Magnificent Master Creator who expresses and creates heart and soul passion on the physical plane and beyond.   A paperback and Digital Book is available from all Major online stores… Amazon and Apple     An Invitation for the ones who are Awakening/Integrating and are ready to commit to and celebrate their new role as MasterCreator…. I have created a MasterCreator Class, a safe & quiet space for you to dive deep within and fully embrace All of Yourself through passive and active mindfulness… dance, song, art, journaling, acting & inner journeys.   There is no time like NOW to Sign Up and give YOURSELF this magnificent gift… For more Info on the next local Class on the Costa del Sol and online go to: MasterCreator Class     All the money raised from my books and classes go to my non-profit business that inspires others through creative expression to explore, discover and express ‘The Magnificent Consciousness’ each person truly is and their unique space in the heart of life.   At the moment in Benalmadena I hold 2 free projects… A Creative Art Project with Children and a Relax & Talk Group for people struggling with Mental  & Physical Wellness. More Info: Our Magnificent Consciousness

I believe that each person has a purpose. Fulfilling the purpose might lead some of us to the road less traveled as Robert Frost describes: “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.” As you are reading this, the chances are high that you have taken or you consider taking the road less traveled. When you start your journey, just capture your vision in your heart and let yourself truly connect with it as it will carry you forward. When you choose the road less traveled, you might move forward smoothly, or you might face challenges on your way. There might be moments when you want to give up, but somehow you find the strength to keep going. Your vision and your BIG why have the power to pull you through those dark moments and doubts… You keep going onward and upwards! There are days when you meet people who won’t see your vision and you may feel all alone….People might ask you, or demand you, to go back to the main road, but your heart is the true GPS of your Soul. Their comments can come from love, or they may come from fear, and anything in-between, you may choose to believe in them or just let them be… The key here is to observe what is happening inside of you. You can use it for your learning, upliftment, and growth. It is possible! Every now and then, you meet people who are able to see what you see! You recognize kindred Spirit and together you shine even brighter. The joy fills your heart and you recognize that you have a running start…   Love your purpose, live your purpose! With Love & Light,Katja