The August Break 2014 - love

Love is Delight

Love is at the center of JOY

Love is Family
Love is Special Friends

Love makes me smile

Love is what makes our world a better place

God is love

This is the end of August Break 2014
It has been fun
Hope your month was pure Delight and full of Love and JOY.

The August Break 2014 - soft

Soft is the morning light through the curtains.

I love the silhouettes of the flowers.

Joey and I watch for movement of the hummingbird or bumblebees

as I sip my morning tea.

Softly, oh so softly I wake to the day.

The August Break 2014 - nature

For anyone that has read my blog for awhile you know I love nature.

My first thoughts when thinking on nature are animals such as the elephants

 at the Elephant Nature Park in Thailand.

Maybe your thoughts go to forests and the force of nature, as mine also did.

But for everyday it is flowers for me; so I was thrilled when I came across

this u-pick field of flowers.

I had been dreaming of picking a large bouquet of sunflowers and

then have fallen in love with zinnias too; so I was singing the Happy song.

Did you notice the bumblebee in the sunflower too!

Oh JOY, my heart sings in nature.

The August Break 2014 - something new

The "something new" theme for today rather stymied me for a moment.

Then I remembered that yesterday I bought new shoes to wear for working out at the gym.

I love Nike Free shoes, they are soooooo comfortable

and with each pair they improve.

This pair has great extra protection on the big toe right where I usually wear them out.

They are so light, it is almost like walking barefoot.

So there you have it, that is my "something new" for today.

I didn't even have to try them on at the store, I just knew they would be perfect.

In the photo is the first time trying them on.

If you had to choose something new today, what would it be?

The August Break 2014 - line

 There are lines in structures.

 But the line that came to my mind was a line I am familiar with every week

when I do the laundry.

The clothes line.

Once the clothes or in this case a large sheet is put there,

it is no longer a straight line.

It curves and sways with the breeze.

Almost every week my sheets are hung to dry right here on this line.

What line comes first and foremost to your mind?

The August Break 2014 - morning

 Just outside my office door sunshine coming into the yard early morning.

 Time for tea.

 My morning toast must always be cut in half.

My mother would do that for me when I was sick;

so it brings comfort each morning and a remembrance.

A plum cut up from our tree just outside the front door.

Two cute little green plums given to me by a friend.

Morning has it's ritual.

Do you have a morning ritual?

or do you like to shake it up a bit?

The August Break 2014 - little

I love miniature violets, but how do you display?

I put them in a large teacup, a simple cup;

but just enjoy the contrast so much.

Don't you just love those little flowers with the freckles?

“My breathe would catch at the sight of violets-so common in the woods at home, so surprising in the mountains. The violet's message was "Keep up your courage, stay true to what you believe in."

~Jessica Stern, Denial: A Memoir of Terror

The August Break 2014 - memory

After just reading an article in the Sunday newspaper on dementia

I had to smile when I saw the word was "memory" for today.

Thank goodness I have this wall of memories in my dining room.

Lest we never forget memories of family with JOY.

Each of our memories is individual to ourselves.

Treasure them,

Share them with those you love.

The August Break 2014 - shadow

They called the little one Shadow,

for he followed us everywhere.

We tied him at the curb to wait,

but still his shadow trailed along.

Do you see the ring he is tied to?

These rings are historic to Portland, Oregon.

Someone has attached miniature horses throughout the city

and when you least expect it there they are.

I took them some tea, but they had traveled on to another ring

somewhere in the city.

Farewell my little friend,

I always liked the spotted ones the best.

The August Break 2014 - treasures

When I thought of the word for today, treasures, I thought
of showing my grandfather's china with violets and daisies,
a pearl necklace once owned by my mom,
my wedding rings,
a beautiful teacup or teapot;
but I decided my family was my treasures.
So here we are, plus two pretty girls, in Hawaii.

The August Break 2014 - peaceful

Watching the sun come up early in the morning with my cup of tea in hand.

No, this is not the view from my house, but a place I visit sometimes.

That is about the most peaceful thing I can think of.

Water in the cup and water in front of me.

I am a water girl through and through,

I find solitude in being in it, by it, and on it.
What do you find that is peaceful?

The August Break 2014 - Black - White

When I see black and white photography I love it.

For some reason I don't play with black and white;

so I loved that the theme today.
Do you like black and white photography?
Sometimes we see something different by not be distracted by the color.
 Something to think on:
In life nothing is just black and white, but all the shades in between.

The August Break 2014 - jump

Jump for JOY

Dance to the Music

Laugh with friends
Oh if only I could still jump
I would swing in the highest swing
and jump in to the pile of hay
I would jump to the music
and run and jump in delight

How I love to see youth jump and delight in each day.
Sometimes when we jump, we fall, but we learn to pick ourselves up and do it all over again.

The August Break 2014 - bookshelf

 Books everywhere!

My books are in our hallway because there isn't anywhere else to put them.

I group my books in sections by: tea, inspiration, favorite fiction, children's, and to do.

Books for little D are in the basket.

He knows to go there for a book.

The basket above is books I have read and will pass on to others.

Next to the basket above is a stack of books to read.

My husband loves old books.

They are here in the living room along with travel books and picture books.

Do you get the idea?

We are surrounded by books.

Do you love books?

How do you categorize them?

Do you pass them along or keep them as treasures?

The August Break 2014 - Look Down

With this prompt I thought of all I see when I look down

from my toes that need a pedicure,

shoes,

grass,

concrete with cracks,

maybe even a penny,

or a floor that needs cleaned.

The photo is probably my most favorite one of looking down.

The colors and textures were amazing.

I wish I could have just hovered here.

What the birds must see when they fly above and look down must be magical.

The August Break 2014 - blue

 

Looking for blue, I found it back in Hawaii.

From the water to the sky

with touches here and there.

Each color of blue delighted my heart.

The August Break 2014 - hands

When I last visited with my remaining aunt I turned to take a photo of her hands.

She reached for her husbands hand, whom she dearly loves.

When I went searching for this photo my hands in other shots were almost always pouring tea.

Notice what you notice in the hands, they tell us so many stories.

When I look at my own hands it tells me the stories of my career in patternmaking,

holding a pencil, drawing the lines, and cutting with large scissors.

It tells me of the cups of tea I have poured, the hugs I have given, and the

pets of my cats soft fur.

The August Break 2014 - my guilty pleasure

Thinking about my guilty pleasures keeps returning to sweets.

I know I shouldn't like them as much as I do.

I know I have a sugar addiction.

But life is too short not to eat dessert first.

And sweets go so well with a cup of tea.

Think about it, what is your guilty pleasure?

Can you admit it?

The August Break 2014 - on the table

This week my little D figured out how to open the cabinet with my vases.

In the cabinet he pulled out this vintage turquoise dish

and held it gently in his hands.

He turned to me and said, "mimi's flower".

I am mimi and I said "yes".

He returned it to the cabinet.

He remembered that I often put a flower in it

and place it on the dinner table.

So here is mimi's flower on the table just for you.

The August Break 2014 - handwriting

This is not the language I usually use,

but the meaning is so true.

Let it go and fly.

The joy of it all will make you smile.

Happy Monday!

The August Break 2014 - drink

You know this tea lady would feature tea for drink, since that is mostly what I drink.

This picture was taken in my back yard at last month's WuWo Tea Ceremony gathering.

After we each set up our tea service we take time to visit and see what others have

brought for sharing, plus a bit of chatting and picture taking.

WuWo Tea Ceremony is generally done outside and gives a wonderful time

to savor sipping tea and enjoying the out of doors.

So it just happens that the "drink" prompt comes on the day I will

again be sipping tea with friends at this month's WuWo Tea Ceremony.

It won't be in my yard, but at a park.

I am looking forward to sharing tea with friends today.
Drinking tea is an everyday occurrence at my house.

The August Break 2014 - In My Bag

In my bag today is always a library card and often a book.

Love just seeing the inside of my bag, it makes me happy.

The print and colors of the lining are to smile for.

The book, well I made a proposal to teach a class at the NW Tea Festival,

they approved it!  Now this is challenging myself and I am studying.

I am sure this book will have just the information I need.

If you come to the NW Tea Festival the first weekend of October

I will be teaching a class on Afternoon Tea vs. High Tea.

So you could say it is in the bag also.

The August Break 2014 - selfie

You might not think this is a selfie, but I put my camera on a tripod.

The light was shining in the window and reflecting in my eyes.

Here I am in my little room right where I sit every day.

This week I added an oh so comfy new chair and cleaned it up real good.

Doesn't it feel good when we have a clean room?

The August Break 2014 - Today Is

Today is a day for exploring.

What will we see?

Something new just around the corner.

Do you take a day now and then just to explore?

The August Break 2014 - reflection

Wrapping you with a wreath of lilies.

Sending you some love.

There is a line where we begin together.

I remember and reflect the shine on my face.

But today the shine comes from above

and there upon the water reminds me of another day.
A day that delights my soul.

The August Break 2014 - three

Come for tea.

The cups are waiting on my shelf.

Three is the number I expect.

For me, D, and thee.

The August Break 2014 - orange

 When you squeeze an orange,

orange juice comes out - because that's what's inside.

When you are squeezed,

what comes out is what is inside.

~Wayne Dyer

 

The August Break 2014 - window

The August Break 2014 - pattern

The August Break 2014 - Lunch