Day-Dreaming Day

It was a day on the river, a day just for dreaming, a day for strolling and tossing rocks in the water.
A day in the sunshine and a day for greeting friends.

 

Dreaming along the McKenzie River in Oregon where there were eagles nesting nearby.

 

Beautiful handmade wooden boats we could touch and place a dream here and there.
Do you dream of drifting aimlessly on the water, sitting in the sun?

I am a guest blogger today at http://comesitbymyfire.blogspot.com/
Come by and visit.

Note:  Don't forget to leave a comment on Monday's post for the give-away.

Monday's Quotes

Kind of a silly quote, but I like knowing the tea I drink has been touched or licked by the sun.
I definitely have a "crush" on tea.

Quotes for me have been a love for a long time.

and I thought this new series would be a great way to share with you.

For my birthday celebration 10 years ago I actually put together books 

for each of my friends, books with my favorite quotes.

When I worked for Nike my favorite boss also loved quotes,

so we started a bulletin board of inspirational quotes to share with others in the office.  

Now my Monday's will include an inspirational or maybe funny quote to share with you.

Saying goodbye to One Word Monday's I decided it was time for a give-away.

The give-away will be a gift of words: A hand written note from me on a pretty card with

a tea sachet of Harney's Paris tea, ribbon with words, and a pretty bookmark with words.

If you would like this gift of words, please leave a comment on this post.

I will announce the winner on Friday.

Come along with me and enjoy Monday's Quotes.

April Raptures

No April Words

There are no words for saying

How wistful is the push

Of April through the budding

Of a lilac bush.

There are no notes for making

A little elfin air

Of new leaves on a willow;

No phrases to compare

With tapering blue hyacinths;

The first white butterfly;

With plum trees misted sudden

Silver on the sky. . .

One may only listen--

Hand at throat-to rapture

More lyrically lovely

Than my song may capture.

from Kitchen Sonnets by Ethel Romig Fuller

As April comes to an end what JOY's have been displayed in your part of the world?

I am totally enraptured by the pink blossoms, the sway of the daffodils, the clusters

of grape hyacinths, and the return of the robins song.

Fairies Visiting for Tea

 

When tiptoeing, traipsing, or running through life I am sometimes caught by the little things.
The fairies that I sometimes see in my peripheral vision that dance for me.
When I recently saw this plate at my favorite shop, I knew the fairies had visited here.
The flowers just said a fairy painted it.
So a fairy cupcake was placed on the plate and I shared in the day by dancing
in the light of the moon surrounded by the flowers shining faces.
The flowers formed the fairies skirts and I wore my tutu.
We danced, we sang, we laughed, and we played.
And yes, we put sprinkles on cupcakes to celebrate the laughter there.
Tea was served with this little delight.
In my cup there was Stash's Fancy Golden Tippy Hao Ya,
a tea worthy any day or night while dancing with the fairies.
What's in your cup today?
Are you dancing with the fairies?

A Girl of the Sun

 

Growing up in the sunshine I am called to run and play when the sun comes out.
Yesterday was such a day and I knew just where I needed to go.
Sauvie Island, not far from Portland, is along the Willamette River.
There is a historic apple orchard there that reminds me of the
times I played, danced, laughed, and skipped in amongst the apple trees as a girl in California.
The softness of the ground covered with grass, little daisies, and dandelions was a delight to walk through.
But oh did my heart sing with the blush of the pink on the beautiful white blossoms.
There are varieties of apples here no longer found in the market.
What JOY and DELIGHT my heart felt at spending time here with my camera,
my heart, and the sun.  It is a healing place, a place that just sings to me.

Is there someplace that you go to for healing and DELIGHT?

Quote and A Note

 Quotes are something that brings delight to my soul.

I just LOVE them.

This week I decided to end One Word on Monday's

and will be changing it to Quotes on Monday's.

The quotes might incorporate tea, but not always.

One Word just isn't enough to sometimes describe what is lurking in my heart.

So there will be a give away to end the One Word series.

I am not sure what it will be yet, but sure there will have some tea and maybe a word or two.

On Monday I will announce the give away.

I will be looking for just the right something to honor One Word.
Come and Join the fun on Quote Monday's.
In the meantime, go out and enjoy the sun!

One Word

Shopping

Touches of Sunshine

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Touches of sunshine, yellow sings to me.
Monticello Antique Mall in Portland, Oregon
has a special event with each season.
I have visited for several years each event.
The color the past few years has been mostly white;
so I was amazed when I visited their Spring event recently to see yellow everywhere.
Now yellow is my favorite color, but I didn't expect to see it shining here.
There were the sweet yellow birds, flowers, pottery, and even a cute little stool.
What can make a heart sing on a rainy Spring day?
Why it is yellow and a cup of Yorkshire "Gold" that makes my heart sing today.
Are you noticing the colors of Spring?
Happy weekend, dear friends!

Graffiti - Words

Graffiti doesn't always make an appearance in beautiful places,
but sometimes the message is still from the heart.

My word for the year appeared on the bridge I was crossing.

A good word to hold onto when walking through difficult times.

Yes, LOVE is at the top of the list.
Supporting each other with LOVE is sometimes all we can do.
It can make our heart sing.

Trust enough to Shine each day.

Words presented to me all in one day.
 Do you find words just jumping up before you?
Do you notice what they say?
Take heart and know that you are LOVED.

Saturday's Walk

Saturday I joined others to walk for a cure for MS.
We met in Portland, Oregon's living room in the center of town.
Pioneer Place is a gathering place.

There were drums to guide us along.

Two bridges to cross.
Yes, there are bridges yet to cross for a cure,
but I believe it can be done.

Me dressed in my "cuteness".
My daughter said to dress "cute" and a mother does
what a daughter asks?!  
After all our team was called the Cutopia Crusaders.
I felt like a stuffed sausage with my warm coat under a tee shirt.
There was a chance of rain, but the rain waited until the walk was done.

What do you think?
This I passed along the way.
A graffiti to think on.

Hooray!  We made it, 5k walking.
Time to celebrate.
My prayer is for healing of auto-immune diseases.
I BELIEVE a cure is coming.

To see any photo more clearly, double click on the picture.

An Ordinary Day

 

An ordinary day for me must always have flowers.
It must always have a cup of tea.
Thinking on these things.
Sometimes I don't like ordinary days until I stop and look with delight at what is there.
An ordinary day may include aches and pains, plus cleaning the house.
An ordinary day may be just sitting quietly with the rain falling outside the window.
An ordinary day may be a trip to the market or the dentist.
I often have a difficult time accepting ordinary days.
Do you?
I dream of running and flying to exotic places.
I dream of meeting fairies on a walk in the woods.
I dream of dancing through fields of flowers in my tutu.
I dream so many dreams, but yet.
I am thankful for the flowers, my family, friends such as you, and a good cup of tea
just surrounding me with JOY and love on an ordinary day.
I am learning each day to SHINE in an ordinary day.

One Word

 

Flowers

Making This World a Better Place

 Sleeping in the Forest

I thought the earth

remembered me, she

took me back so tenderly, arranging

her dark skirts, her pockets

full of lichens and seeds, I slept

as never before, a stone

on the riverbed, nothing

between me and the white fire of the stars

but my thoughts, and they floated

light as moths among the branches

of the perfect trees.  All night

I heard the small kingdoms breathing

around me, the insects, and the birds

who do their work in the darkness.  All night

I rose and fell, as if in water, grappling

with a luminous doom.  By morning

I had vanished at least a dozen times

into something better.

by Mary Oliver

And in my waking hours I learned to believe

there was healing in the world.

There is the possibility of peace.

The healing of diseases such as cancer and MS.

In my heart I must believe and make the world a better place.

So this weekend I will be walking for MS and supporting my daughter in her healing.

Thanks for making this a better place, dear friends!

Happy weekend!

Tea Time

 

Sorting through magazines recently I came across an article by James Norwood Pratt.
It is titled Tea is Sunshine.
Holding a cup of tea in my hands does often feel like sunshine cupped in my hands,
especially in the midst of a cold winter day.

"Tea is sunshine held together by water, a fragrant song composed
during the life span of a leaf on a mountainside somewhere."

"Tea restores a distorted nervous system to normal functioning and
thus enables us to live our ordinary lives extraordinarily well."

"Momentary peace of mind and body is no small gift."

When savoring your tea today or anytime in the future,
hold it in your hand, enjoy the "peace of mind and body",
and take pleasure in the gift tea gives us through the warmth in the hands
and the delight of imbibing.

What's in your cup today?

The Dandelion

 

My live-in gardener is constantly trying to rid our lawn of the dandelion.
This little ray of sunshine I see in many neighbors lawns.
Really, it is my favorite color; so why are people trying to get rid of them?
They are cheerful and they shine.
Did you know you can eat them?
I am told that the leaves, either raw or cooked, are good for digestion.
The flowers cooked in food, wine, or a jelly are good for the liver and a hormone balancer.
The roots can be used for a vegetable or you can dry, grind, and use as a "coffee"
The roots also are a gentle, effective laxative.
Even the white stem latex can be rubbed on warts to help rid the wart.
Now this lowly plant can't be all bad, can it?

Do your research before eating them, but these remedies were told to me by
a botanists that walked with me in the woods.
I often have thought if I got lost in the woods, I could enjoy a special meal of dandelions.

Here is a source for other edible flowers:
 http://whatscookingamerica.net/EdibleFlowers/EdibleFlowersMain.htm 
Thanks Vanessa for this link:  http://afancifultwist.typepad.com/pastriesandsweets/

Nature with Monet

 

An impressionist painting with my camera.
Light to delight the soul.
Reflections on the water.
Nature casually floating by.
The colors of their heads shine in the sun.
Oh I just stand there in awe,
smiling at God's amazing creations.

What is delighting you today?

One Word

Blue

Small Pocket of Treasures

 

Sea glass, rocks, and shells
Treasures from the sea
Blessed by morning light
Tucked inside my pocket
Oh yes, I love the sweet surprises
Found simply at my feet

Are you noticing today those little surprises?
Do you see them simply at your feet?
Or are you looking up at the glory of the sun?

Wherever you walk simply look, take it in, and savor
the beauty of your day.

Happy weekend dear friends!
The treasures here were found recently when I walked on the beach.

Red Blossom Tea Company

 

While visiting San Francisco's Chinatown last month I had the opportunity to
visit the Red Blossom Tea Company.
A very nice little tea shop in amongst the knick-knack shops so
readily found here.  It is a second generation shop and by just observing I could see
that others were there to also learn and enjoy a sip of tea.
Several friends had recommended stopping here, so I knew I was in for a treat.
What came home with me was a bag of Organic Golden Monkey black tea.
This week it is the tea of choice for my morning tea.
They describe it as "A wonderful everyday black tea harvested April from the Wuyi Mountains of Northern Fujian. Red amber color tea that brews sweet, with hint of oven-roasted sweet potato."
I am not sure I taste the sweet potato, but I am enjoying the mellow, smooth flavor
with my breakfast each morning.

They do have an online shop at www.redblossomtea.com

Can't Get Enough

My view from the window.

 

Can't get enough of the beautiful flowers of Springtime.
I can sit here at my desk looking out the window.
What do I see?
I see the cherry trees in full blossom,
clematis climbing on the fence in all it's glory,
daffodils waving in the breeze,
violets clustering under the tree,
primroses showing their smiling faces,
grape hyacinths in clusters shining,
tulips beginning to bloom,
and a hedge row of colorful camellias dancing just for me. 

Are the flowers of Springtime singing for you?

Easter Tea Time

Early morning, Easter Sunday~

The table is set.
Flowers here and there around the house.
My favorite part is the flowers.

Food is ready for guests to arrive.
This is polenta with pesto, tomato, and green onion.
Hummus on a few for those that can't have dairy in the pesto.
I almost missed that one.
Yes, this was mostly gluten-free, egg-free, nut-free, dairy-free afternoon tea.

Two little girls will be sitting here.

Even the desserts were waiting.
Gluten-free orange olive oil cakes with strawberries.
Regular lemon chocolates for most of the guests, gluten and dairy free lemon chocolates for two guests.
Toy peeps for the littlest guests.

Shrimp salad, oops it had mayonaise.
Missed that one, so thawed some larger shrimp for the two needing no eggs.

Marinated veggies with cucumber cups filled with hummus

Oh, two of the guests have arrived.

Green beans wrapped in bacon with a marinade poured over and baked.
This was quite good.

Tuna tartare in endive leaves.  Always one of my favorites.

There also were regular scones and gluten free scones, which everyone enjoyed with jam.
A gluten free chocolate mousse finished the day.
Tea served was a herbal Tulsi and Alishan Oolong.
Sparkling Cherry Juice for the younger guests.  Of course, it was served in a teapot too.

Another Easter Tea for family and friends.
It was pure delight!