Make your own JOY

Make your own JOY.

Step out there and take action.

Be kind to each one you meet.

Hug!

Dance!

Sing!

Turn the music up a bit louder.

Be Bold!

Be Brave!

Sit with the bear.

Really it doesn't hurt anyone 

to play,

to laugh,

or give a smile.

Even skip down the road if your body allows,

but for sure just remember to make your own JOY!

Now how can I not feel JOY when sitting

with the bear surrounded by flowers?

Road Trip Reason

 For quite a few years I had heard of The Farm Chicks show

and I wanted to go.

Since there were no big trips planned this year, my "live-in gardener" and I hopped in the car and took off down the road to this show.

Wow! What an event!

Full of people!

Whimsy and Fun!

 I just love the whimsy and the peeling paint,

plus creative ways of using a vintage item.

 The swimwear with the diving girl particularly caught my eye.

You see, I once worked for this company, Jantzen.

It brought back memories of walking through the archives

of their vault years ago and seeing pictures of Marilyn Monroe

wearing a Jantzen swimsuit, plus so many more touches with the famous.

 Even old bed springs are collectable now.

 What would a show be without the naked lady?!!

or naked lamp shade?!

 Plus we could find the perfect dress for a party here.

I loved the colors and the frou-frou netting.

 Or a tutu for the dance?

 Nature and white things could be wrapped up together

and carted off home.

 It was festive, a party for sure,

and many people came to dance and play in the aisles.

 But we couldn't miss one more headless naked lady for sure

 And more white!

 A pretty table set maybe for tea?

At least that is what I imagined.

 There were chairs!

 And antlers too!

 I love the vintage fabrics, the colors in these pillows.

 The signs says it!

Kind of wishing I brought home one of those pillows.

 Tractors like the ones I have for my grandson to play with.

 And then we danced!

Danced in the aisle!

Danced with whimsy and delight!

What fun to just hop in the car and go!

Are you wondering if I brought anything home with me?

Mostly memories and the JOY of just visiting.

Another day I will share the two things I found that I tucked in my car.

Monday's Tea Quotes

 A  mountain stream.

Though I cannot flee

From the world of corruption,

I can prepare tea

With water from a mountain stream

And put my heart to rest.

~Ueda Akinara


I am the official poem or quote reader at the end
of my tea ceremony group gatherings.
Yesterday I read this above quote
and decided it was a good one to share with you today.

10 YEARS! Celebrating

10 years ago this week I started Delights of the Heart.

It was my goal, a simple goal, to delight my own heart

and if others wanted to come along all the better.

I dreamt of sitting down with dear friends

and sharing the beauty of the day wherever I might find it.

I had just retired from a 25 year career as an apparel patternmaker

and technical designer.

I love being around people and knew being home more

could be depressing, thus the blog began.

Over 2400 posts have been published here with JOY.

You have become my friends.

I hope I have helped you see more clearly JOY and BEAUTY

around you.

 Smell the roses along the way.

Sit awhile.

And maybe even sip a cup of tea.

Dance in the moonlight and Savor the day.

Celebrate the small things as well as the big ones.

PS - And just to say it because many others are,

I treasure your privacy and keep it safely here.

No emails or information is shared with others.

Happy weekend, dear friends!

Tea Time on the Road

By now you know me well enough to know I will search

out tearooms when traveling.

So no surprise I found one in Spokane, Washington last week.

Brambleberry Cottage and Tea Shoppe

206 E Pacific Avenue, Spokane, WA.

Phone: 509-926-3293

On chatting with the owner, Dawn, I found out she has been

in business 25 years.

She does her business well.

I tried two different teas, a peach black and a honey pear.

The honey pear was my favorite and quite delicious.

  And then there was afternoon tea.

What a pretty tower of food.

To tell you the truth I can't remember what each item

was to give you the menu, but it was good.

As usual there was a cucumber sandwich.

The most unusual was a pesto sandwich

and it along with the salad was a delight.

I always have a smile on my face when I can enjoy afternoon tea.

The scone was good, but oh my! That crumpet was delicious.

My "live-in gardener" even asked for the recipe.

By the time we got to the sweets we were rather full,

so we ate the creamy deliciousness in the cup

and took the rest along for later.

After chatting with Dawn, she encouraged us to take a walk in the garden.

There was a beautiful wisteria hanging over the old baby crib and

lovely window boxes too.

If you find yourself in Spokane, Washington definitely

give Brambleberry Cottage a call for reservations.

The quote on the card we picked up from the cottage was a delight.

"There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated

to the ceremony known as afternoon tea."

~Henry James

Linking to Bernideen at http://blog.bernideens.com/

The Power of the Flow

 After returning home last evening and looking at my pictures

I realized this road trip was much about flowing waters.

Starting in Spokane, Washington with the river flowing through

the center of the city, I was astounded by the pure power of the flow.

 The power of standing just above on the bridge filled my heart with JOY.

 Then there were smaller flows, but beautiful in their own way.

This was found in the Japanese Gardens in Spokane.

 The immensity of the Grand Coulee Dam.

I couldn't even see the water flowing down that wall until

I peered through the binoculars.

Can you believe it spans 1 mile from end to end.

Here is part of the Columbia River that continues it's flow 

all the way to my home.

 The Chief Joseph Dam was not too far down the highway.

 Then on leaving Leavenworth, Washington we had to pause

and enjoy the beauty of the flow in those beautiful surroundings.

This was a different river, Wenatchee River.

 As we drove closer to Seattle we stopped to savor the Snoqualmie Falls.

Isn't it spectacular?

Oh the sound of so much water flowing nearby was capturing

 our senses and such JOY to see.

 So before heading home we stopped for some still water, some quietness.

This was at the Glass Museum in Tacoma, Washington.

It sits right next to a river too.

We picnicked nearby and enjoyed the quiet of the day.

 But yes, there was flowing waters from a teapot along the way.

Another day I will share more of tea time on the road.

When you travel do you find sometimes a theme to the trip?

"the power of the flow" really resonated with me on this road trip.

Water invigorates my soul

The energy flows

It surrounds me

And I laugh with JOY.

We grow in it's arms

Our thirst is quenched

Life becomes the flow

and we rejoice.

~m.miller

I am Enough

There are times I wonder if I am doing enough

to make the world a better place.

I ask myself am I enough?

What more can I do?

That word "enough" just sticks in my mind.

Do we have enough?

Do I give enough?

Do I love enough?

And then I came across this quote this week

and it just resonated with me.

Yes, our little bits of good are enough

and all we can do is do our best.

"Do your little bit of good where you are;

it's those little bits of good put together

that overwhelm the world."

~Desmond Tutu

 Pictures were taken when out and about recently.

Sometimes I think just a little cabin in the woods

would be enough.

Update: A nice road trip was had by me and my

"live-in gardener". We are home now and looking forward 

to connecting soon with you again.