Bouquets from Twigs

 Searching online for bouquets from the winter garden I still just saw flowers bought from the florist or market. With COVID I haven't been visiting the market often, but still wanted a bouquet or two in the house. I may be addicted to having fresh bouquets in the house year round. Ha! I feel like I am missing something in the house if there isn't a fresh bouquet every week. So starting in Autumn when the garden was finishing up I went searching for a bouquet.

Well I did find a little bit of "this and that" at the end of Autumn.

Now with Winter from the garden it is twigs from the herb garden.

Then I buy a small bunch of red roses or whatever is inexpensive at the market to add some color to the twigs around the house.

Evergreen twigs with citrus and ivy to spruce up my back step and all from my garden.

My heart is happy with bouquets all year long.

Twigs in winter can make a bouquet.

What are you doing during this COVID Winter to make your heart happy?

Happy weekend, dear friends!

A Word for the Week

 

Colors for a Palette

Winter

Sooty black for the precise

Etching of bare trees. For ice

A pale translucent hue

Approximating grey; and blue

For shadows in the rifts

Between the moon and new snowdrifts.

~Kitchen Sonnets by Ethel Romig Fuller

"I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields,

That it kisses them so gently?

And then it covers them up snug.

You know, with a white quilt: 

and perhaps it says, 'Go to sleep, darlings, 

till the summer comes again.'" 

~Lewis Carroll 

The words from both Ethel and Lewis conjure up different colors to me.

Can you imagine walking through the grey and blue or

maybe covered by a quilt of white?

Do you sleep or hibernate through the winter months?

Are you searching for new life of the springtime?

Note: pictures taken on this day four years ago in my garden.

Today is much warmer with just rain and seeing a few daffodils pushing through the ground.

So if you haven't guessed the word today is WINTER in a multitude of colors.

Happy New Year

 Happy New Year, dear friends!

This morning as I was sitting in meditation I realized I had not made my list for this year.

I am a huge list maker and yet there is not a list.

Cleaning off my bulletin board this week, because at the beginning of the year I also clean, I saw my list for 2020.

Did I get anything done on the list? Not much! Afterall, March was fairly early in the year and it was downhill from there. I did get Christmas up and now packed away, but no travel, no adventures, and very little time with my little guy.

My "live-in-gardener" also does some wood carving and made this for our "little guy" for Christmas.

 

When I started thinking that I needed to make a list for 2021 this is what came:

Create JOY

Receive JOY

Give JOY

I think that will be my list for 2021. Nothing specific, but to take each day with this in mind.

What would you put on your list for 2021?

Have a great weekend, dear ones!

A Word for the Week

 A poem for you on this first Monday of 2021:

Ithaka

As you set out in search of Ithaka

Pray that your journey be long,

full of adventures, full of awakenings,

Do not fear the monsters of old...

You will not meet them in your travels

if your thoughts are exalted and remain high,

if authentic passions stir your mind, body and spirit.

You will  not encounter fearful monsters

if you do not carry them with your soul,

if your soul does not set them up in front of you.

Ithaka by Constantine Peter Cavafy 

(1911, as read at Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis's funeral)

The meaning of Ithaka:

In Greek poet C.P. Cavafy's poem, he conveys the meaning of life, or as he calls it, Ithaka. He notes that as we all try to achieve our goals, it is important to not lose sight of the journey. This journey is what offers us wisdom and makes us rich in experiences, knowledge and maturity.

Let's savor each day of the journey. 

Word for 2021

I give you my gift of my words.

Please receive it with love.

Notice the sorrows of the past year,

Then release them,

Let them fly away, wave goodbye.

A new day is coming.

Move forward with Hope.

Walk with the light.

A brighter day will soon arrive.

Receive it with JOY

Peace will be with you,

Peace will delight you,

And Peace must dance in your heart.

Happy New Year to you, dear ones.

~m. miller

As I move into the new year a word will come with me.

Receive

Quote from Simple Abundance: "We trade a life that we have tried to control, and we receive in return something better - a life that is manageable." ~Melanie Beattie 

Receive is a gift from a friend and one worth noticing for 2021.

I also intend to notice trees.

A simple thing, I know, but one that will give a healthy way for the world to heal.

Let's plant trees.

Let's treasure trees.

And let's receive what they have to offer each of us.

Happy New Year, dear friends!

Word for the Day - 2020

 Can you believe it?

We have come to the last Monday of 2020.

Today I thought I would share my word for 2021, but this morning another word popped into my vision.

Exuberant

"joyfully unrestrained" 

"display of something in abundance" 

Flowers always feel "exuberant" to me.

I feel such "exuberance" at seeing the year of 2020 come to an end and such unrestrained joy at looking forward to 2021. There is hope in my heart for a year of laughter and dancing, of new adventures and maybe even a bit of silliness.

Are you looking forward to a vaccination for the corona virus?

Are you looking forward to hugs?

Are you looking forward to new adventures? 

For now I am lighting a candle and sending a prayer for the new year.

May it be filled with joyful exuberance.

Yes, I do have a word for 2021 and will share it on Friday.

Because I love sharing words and quotes with you on Monday's next year will be 

A Word for the Week.  It will either be a single word or a quote.

Sending love and a smile as we come to the end of 2020.

How would you picture exuberant?
 

Christmas - Find JOY

 As we join together virtually to celebrate Christmas let us rejoice in the positives this year.

I know, sometimes it is hard to look at the Joyfulness, the things that make us smile.

Recently as I have walked in my neighborhood I tried to notice those little things.

This first picture is just around the corner from me and it doesn't matter what time of year

it is, I love walking through the tree tunnel. Right now it has ornaments and that just makes me smile.

Here are other little glimpses of JOY in my neighborhood.

This is more than just a little glimpse. It is two trees along the street that are full of ornaments.

The front of this house just made me smile.

I see this one even when I drive by and it is the one that told me I needed to notice the small JOY's.

Since we can't go to a restaurant I picked up teatime and brought it home a few days ago.

I loved having teatime with the two guys in my house.

I don't think they minded either.

In my office I write words that come tickling to my mind on the chalk board.

 

Though I had no one to, but two guys, share cookies with I just had to make these sugar cookies and decorate them. I hadn't decorated sugar cookies in a long time. It was fun!

As you might notice there are small bouquets of white poinsettias around the house.

I bought a plant at the beginning of December and after it dropped it's leaves I snipped the flowers and put them around the house. I am loving seeing them in almost every room in the house in little touches that delight me. Earlier this month I shared red roses in my bouquets, the poinsettias replaced the roses.

And now it is time to pause and savor the day, it is Christmas time all around the world.

I will rejoice and be glad in the little things each day.

The reason we celebrate is best depicted in this creche in a neighbors yard.

The simple message is still shining bright.

 

Dear Friends, Thanks for coming by so faithfully.

I always love when you leave me a message.

Merry Christmas to you and your families.