Latest News: Top 10 Blog Posts for 2021

Featured


(April 2021)

Top Ten 2021 Blog Posts With the Most Views (Culled only from 2021 blog posts)

1. Pride Month 2021 – I Support You and I Am With You 

2. Asking for Help is the Hardest Part

3. Get to Know Me: What Weird or Useless Talent Do You Have?

4. Why Writing is Important to Me – An Interview with Clare Rhoden

5. Throwback Post: It Was A Crummy Day

6. Exciting News – Lillian’s Imaginarium is Open and Get to Know Me – How Handy Are You When It Comes to Fixing Things?

7. Get to Know Me: What is Your Favorite Season and Why

8. Dear Anyone Who Feels Like They Don’t Matter

9. The 51st Birthday Celebration – Camilla Downs and Throwback Post: Compassion Has Replaced Judgments

10. Get to Know Me: What Do You Do On the Weekends? and Get to Know Me: Choose Anything for a Day

Top Ten 2021 Blog Posts With the Most Views (Culled from all blog posts)

1. Recipe: No Powdered Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting

2. Pride Month 2021 – I Support You and I Am With You

3. Asking for Help is the Hardest Part

4. Olive Oil as Facial Cleanser and Moisturizer – Oil Cleansing Method

5. Trees Preach the Ancient Laws of Life

6. Get to Know Me: What Weird or Useless Talent Do You Have?

7. 17 Easy and Free Ideas on How to Rejuvenate Yourself

8. Why Writing is Important to Me – An Interview with Clare Rhoden

9. Happy Birthday to Me – Reuniting With Someone Special

10. Throwback Post: It Was A Crummy Day

Top 10 Blog Posts of All Time With the Most Views

1. Olive Oil as Facial Cleanser and Moisturizer – Oil Cleansing Method

2. Recipe: No Powdered Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting

3. Recipe: Almond Flour Cookies

4. Help Team TLC With A Christmas Miracle

5. 17 Easy and Free Ideas on How to Rejuvenate Yourself

6. Oil Cleansing Method – Update

7. Taste the Wind

8. A Moment of Defeat

9. I Wish I Wasn’t An 18p- Girl: Moment of Defeat – Take Two

10. Lillian and Being Different Presentation

Top 3 Countries With Most Views for 2021

Top 3 Countries with Most Views for All Time

Blessings,
Camilla
See It. Share It. BE IT … Spread Love Everywhere You Go!

“Words of Alchemy”, published December 2019, is a free-verse poetry memoir covering the last 6 years of my life. The poetry of nature, the poetry of healing, the poetry of appreciation, the poetry of love, in one beautiful book.

Amazing news! My 20 year old daughter, Lillian Darnell’s debut book, “Where Would You Fly and Other Magical Stories” was published January 2018. Learn more and order here

Wonderfully exciting news! My 16 year old son, Thomas Darnell‘s book, Biggest Little Photographer is published. Be inspired! Learn more and order here.

Monday Night Poetry – Mermaids of the Sea – Camilla’s Birthday

February 27 2024

My poetry friends sang me Happy Birthday last night, and treated me like a Queen. ❤️❤️❤️ Full house last night, with wonderful poetry shared.

Lillian wrote a poem for me; which I shared. It was a hit! (Lillian is my 22 year old special needs daughter) She totally understood the assignment. 😁

The mermaids of the sea bow down
To the queen of the oceans
Bravely dancing

In the seas of love and the heart of kindness
Dances the braveness of the mermaid
Of my heart of friendliness

Swimming into the dancing sea of stars
The mermaid dances to the song
Of life bravely and free
To the mermaids of sea
Lillian Darnell – 2024

I wrote a poem titled, “Me”. I’ll share that one in a separate post.

Fun Find – The Manning Family Renunion

**THROWBACK POST**

September 29 2013:

Another cool find in the GREAT EMAIL PURGE of 2013!! This one’s from a year or two ago.

A newspaper clipping from the 1974 Manning Family Reunion! These people didn’t mess around. They ran these family reunions like a business. I was at this one but was only 4 years old so don’t remember it. My Mammaw is the 3rd one from the left in the back with glasses on: Estelle Mann. She is cousins with Archie Manning.

Here We Come Netherlands

February 26 2024

Not only is it my birthday 🎉🎉🎉, but Thomas received the acceptance email from Breda University this morning (50-60% acceptance rate). 🎉🎉🎉 I turned in my passport application last Thursday. Let’s go! I am over the moon excited for and proud of Thomas! ❤️❤️❤️

Sexy Grown Folks Poetry – Surrender

February 25 2024

Last night was a freaking blast. Sexy, steamy fire was delivered by all!!! 🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥🔥 I wrote two poems. Here’s one.

Bones of it written in June 2023, with new material added February 24 2024

Surrender

I will not settle down
I will not behave.
I will give myself amnesia
For how I was taught
I’m supposed to be

I will begin to remember anew
Making my way
With Authenticity
Waking every day
Expressing myself real and raw

Let my gravity
Be the force
That pulls you
To me

I feel it.
It’s pure ecstasy.
As my body dissolves into yours.

Pure ecstasy
I quiver with it.

You feel it.
It’s pure ecstasy
Pure ecstasy
You feel like you will explode.

You want it
I want it
I want your touch
A touch that makes the little hairs on my arm rise

I want your feel
I want to run my fingers along
every inch of your body

I want your scent
A scent that stays with me,
Lingers in my clothes, my hair
And on my body

I want the taste of you
In my mouth
I want my taste buds to
Memorize you
So my mouth waters when you’re near

Your beautiful soft skin
Deep dark eyes
Thick black eye lashes
Luscious, full lips
Warm, bright smile.

The more I get
The more I want
The more you get
The more you want
The more we get
The more we want.

You want my lips
You want my body
You want my eyes gazing into yours
You want to see my warm smile
You want me pressed against you.

Luscious, passionate kisses
Soft caressing of my body,
of your body,
Your touch, your kisses, make me lose control
My legs wrapped around your body
Makes you lose control.

Desire filled embraces
Hands intertwined
Gazing deep into
each other’s eyes.

Our plump lips
Gently touching
Mouths open
Tongues touch
Excites, ignites.

Every kiss
Reminding me
What it’s like to empty my mind
To let go

Kisses of molasses that leave a trail
Of rose petals scattered
On the trail to my heart

Clothes come off
Bodies become one
The heat increases
Hands sliding and gripping
The pleasure so intense
Audible groans of pleasure.

Bodies quiver
Bodies come together as one
Embrace, kissing passionately
Gazing into each other’s eyes.

Bodies climax together
They relax into each other’s embrace
They snuggle closely
Relaxing into each other’s touch.

I feel it
You feel it
The more we get
The more we want.
Camilla Downs

Merry Christmas from a Young Thomas, Lillian, and Camilla

February 25 2024

Thanks to my wonderful (ex) mother-in-law for sharing this yesterday. What a beautiful memory (2007 or 08) Team TLC: The Beginning ❤️❤️❤️ I got to keep the ex’s birth mom (he’s adopted) in the divorce. 🤣🤣🤣 She’s the best! 💗💗💗

 

What is Poetry – Monday Night Poetry

February 21 2024

Monday Night Poetry was an absolute blast! Everyone’s poetry was fire! 🔥🔥🔥 I shared two new poems. Here’s one:

What is poetry?

Poetry is the feel of the breeze
as it brushes against your skin,
through your hair

It’s the soft touch of another
as they hold your hand,
press their lips against yours

It’s the sounds of the birdsong,
the song of the crickets,
the purrs of a beloved cat

Poetry is the words of another
Felt in the depths of your soul

Poetry is
The words that move you
Words that take you by the hand and heart
Words that bring a smile or a laugh
Words that take your breath away
Words that enter your heart and
exit your body through the liquid love of your eyes

Poetry is the the language of the broken hearted
It’s the language of activism
It’s the language of nature, soaked into our souls,
mixed with our experiences,
and released from our body through words.

Poetry is art
Poetry is pain
Poetry is love
Poetry is a path to feeling and healing

Poetry is a golden thread of sunshine
That connects us, binds us
And let’s us know we’re not alone

Poetry is home
Poetry is fast
Poetry is slow
Poetry is a living thing
The heartbeat of the human race
Poetry is magic
Poetry is witchy

Poetry extracts the pain, the love,
the advocacy, the activism
From the mind, the heart, the mouth
Pouring and releasing it into the winds of time
To work it’s witchy magic
On all who read or hear it.

Poetry make my heart beat faster
Poetry makes my lower stomach tingle
Poetry makes everything else melt away
Poetry is the absolute fucking best!
Camilla Downs – 2024

I Feel Like Dancing – They Are the Fire

February 18 2024

💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯

Is this why I feel like dancing every time I hear music? Hmmmm. Yes, yes it is. Along with being healthy and out of the hell of financially struggling to survive. 🎉🖤🖤💋🖤🖤🎉

Dinner Date with Thomas – Sushi and Conversation

February 17 2024

Dinner date with Thomas tonight. Pisces Sushi with deep, rich conversation. Those conversations where you realize you made many good choices, with just a few not so good, during the past 17+ years.

Raising Thomas and Lillian alone, with no other parental involvement has been one of the most important, the toughest, and most rewarding things I have ever done.

I mean, how did I do so many things right, when I wasn’t even sure what the hell I was doing? Thomas has so much empathy and compassion for others, with a deep, true understanding of the nature of life and local and global issues. Blows my mind! 💗💗💗

I’m happy, grateful, and a bit relieved to be at this stage of the parenting journey.
I cherish these soul nourishing, conversation-filled dates, as the time approaches when I fully hand the wheel to Thomas for the next chapter of their life. 🖤🖤🖤

Live Music at Pinon Bottle – Johnny Harpo and Greg Grenade

February 17 2024

First time visiting Piñon last night. I had such a great time! 💋 This awesome local band was playing great tunes! They were taking requests, even more fun. I requested Mississippi Queen by Mountain, and they say they’ll do that one when they’ve got the full band there.

Hey South Reno, go check this place out! It was nice to have only a 5 minute drive there and back home. And if you get the chance, go see this band! 🖤🎶🖤 @pinonbottle @johnnyharpo