A Return to the Garden

Yesterday the Lan Su Chinese Gardens opened for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic.

It was open to members only with reservations and a mask.

Just a few were welcomed each hour and we were given 1 hour to enjoy

by following the arrows through the garden.

It was such a treat to be there for awhile.

My oasis away from home.

There were more fish in the pond and dragonflies flitting about than I have ever seen there.

The flowers so beautiful!

The peacefulness of hardly anyone around delighted my heart.

Even the little grasshopper on the rose sang to my soul.

Waterlilies were in full bloom.

I almost felt like I could reach out and hold the dragonflies in my hand.

Walking through a jungle of delight my heart was happy.

The fragrances greeted us as we entered and again as we left.

So thankful for this place of beauty in the center of Portland.

It is indeed an oasis missed.

Word for the Day - 2020

Wisdom

When I think of wisdom pictures of paths come to mind.

Do we have the wisdom to know the path to take?

The wisdom to make choices?

From wikipedia:

Wisdom, sapience, or sagacity is the ability to think and act using knowledge, experience, understanding, common sense and insight.^[1] Wisdom is associated with attributes such as unbiased judgment, compassion, experiential self-knowledge, self-transcendence and non-attachment,^[2] and virtues such as ethics and benevolence.^[3][4]

Is the path narrow or wide?

Do we walk the path alone or together with others?

Do we carry the load or share with another?

The Serenity Prayer is a prayer written by the American theologian Reinhold Niebuhr^[1][2] (1892–1971). It is commonly quoted as:

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
courage to change the things I can,
and wisdom to know the difference.^[1]

Niebuhr's prayer originally asked for courage first, and specifically for changing things that must be changed, not things that simply can be changed.

I know I have quoted the Serenity Prayer before, but it still comes to mind often these days.

I have a fascination with paths and find I photograph them whenever I am walking one.

The image indeed reminds me of wisdom, choices, courage, and diligence

to keep moving forward the best we can.

May your week be blessed with wisdom to make courageous choices for yourself.

Pie

Recently a friend invited me to come to her yard and pick berries.

In the past I have picked marionberries there, but this time it was

loganberries and raspberries.

Now Oregon does grow wonderful berries

and I love, love having them in my freezer.

So off I went!

The berry vines were loaded and more than my friend could use.

In no time we had a bucket of loganberries and another of raspberries.

Definitely a pie was in order.

"We must have pie. Stress cannot exist in the presence of a pie."  ~David Mamet

Indeed I must agree with that quote.

Earlier this week I was reading about "soul food" and what food comforted you growing up.

Thinking on this I came to the conclusion it was pie for me.

Any kind of pie would do, but fruit pies were at the top of the list.

Yesterday I went on a hike with my 7 year old grandson and told him about

reading about "soul food".

I asked if I could teach him how to make a pie and he agreed.

So one day we will plan a day to make a pie.

The berry pie was a combination of loganberry, raspberry, and a hand full of blueberries.

Needless to say, it was quite delicious and quite gone now.

Do you love pie?

What kind is your favorite?

There is another pie filling in the freezer for winter.

I love having summer sun in my freezer during the bleak winter months.

Then the raspberries are frozen too, but for another reason.

I love raspberries in my morning yogurt.

Already I look forward to a hand full of raspberries tomorrow.

Yummmmmmmmm!

Happy weekend dear friends!

Hope pie is a part of your weekend.

Travel

Did I say travel?

I bet you thought I hopped a plane, train, or even my car,

but no my travel these days is in my own backyard or neighborhood.

I am guessing many of you are traveling there too.

Now you might think I packed that large bag and took wings.

While walking in my neighborhood I have found two (secret) places

to take my tea and sip awhile.

I am so thankful for weather that is conducive to walking and sipping outdoors.

Normally the Kennedy School in my neighborhood would be full of people.

It is an old school that has been turned into a B&B, restaurants, and movie theater.

They just reopened, but a normally full parking lot only has about 8-10 cars in it;

so I knew no one would be around at the far end of the parking lots.

What I found is this little table and stool just sitting there in their veggie garden.

What a perfect place to sip tea. There was not a soul there, but me.

And some very tall sunflowers too.

“For once you have tasted flight you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards,

for there you have been and there you will long to return.” ~ Leonardo da Vinci

Yes, I have tasted flights and I very much miss it.

But for now I am loving walking and finding secret places to take tea.

In my cup was Wild Lapsang from Wuyi Origins in China.

What a treat to fly away in my mind to China as I sat there sipping.

Another day I will sip in my other secret place and share.

Well maybe they aren't completely secret, but I like to imagine they are.

Do you love finding secrets places to enjoy the day?

Do you dream of flying away?

Where would you fly?

I am dreaming of going to France and the United Kingdom.

I know, I have been there before, but it just seems like where my heart is saying to go.

One day I do believe dreams can come true again. 

Word for the Day - 2020

Freedom

from wikipedia: Freedom, generally, is having the ability to act or change without constraint.

Something is "free" if it can change easily and is not constrained in its present state.

In my church on Sunday we were asked "what does freedom mean to you?"

I said for me it means "I can safely walk outside my door, down my street,

and live my life not feeling threatened in any way."

For many this is not happening and they live in fear.

For me an eagle is a symbol of freedom.

Our country was built on this freedom.

May we soon be free to fly again,

to walk out our door and feel safe.

July 4th

Freedom

By Langston Hughes

Freedom will not come

Today, this year

            Nor ever

Through compromise and fear.

 

I have as much right

As the other fellow has

            To stand

On my two feet

And own the land.

 

I tire so of hearing people say,

Let things take their course.

Tomorrow is another day.

I do not need my freedom when I’m dead.

I cannot live on tomorrow’s bread.

            Freedom

            Is a strong seed

            Planted

            In a great need.

            I live here, too.

            I want my freedom

            Just as you. 

I pray for the day when each can walk with freedom in their two feet

and without judgement and cruelty.

Where we can live side by side and acknowledge our differences,

but celebrate together our similarities.

Let's embrace our fellow man, woman, and child with our arms and hearts,

for now figuratively with masks on.

I am reminded daily why I wear that mask for each of you.

In that we are free to live another day.

Thank you friends for stopping by.

May your weekend be blessed with joy

as you shelter in place.

Added after the fact, but to relevant not to share:

"For this is a time for courage and a time for challenge. Neither conformity nor complacency will do. Neither the fanatics nor the faint-hearted are needed. And our duty as a party is not to our party alone, but to the Nation, and, indeed, to all mankind. Our duty is not merely the preservation of political power but the preservation of peace and freedom.

So let us not be petty when our cause is so great. Let us not quarrel amongst ourselves when our Nation’s future is at stake. Let us stand together with renewed confidence in our cause–united in our heritage of the past and our hopes for the future — and determined that this land we love shall lead all mankind into new frontiers of peace and abundance." - President John F Kennedy, undelivered speech to Democratic Party of Texas, 11/22/63

Nesting!

What does nesting mean to you?

During this time of the pandemic I have thought quite a lot about nesting.

I found two different nests in the gardenhouse, collected by my "live-in gardener".

Since I haven't been out to the stores I haven't shopped much,

except groceries.

Now I didn't ever think I spent much other than groceries

somehow I must have spent more than I realized

for now I seem to have a little extra to spend.

Maybe it was just the gas I was putting in my car

to do all that running around, I am not sure.

So, yes, I have been doing some nesting.

I love collecting flowers in the garden to place in little bottles on the mantle.

Finally hung some flower pictures too.

Being home more I have taken the time to look around my house

and do a bit of nesting with this "little extra to spend" money.

In my nesting I washed all the curtains in the house and

realized some needed to be replaced.

My rug in the living room was fraying around the edges.

Now a new rug rests in my living room.

New shades in the bedroom were needed.

Plus pictures needed to be hung, something I had put off.

And in all this looking around, I decided I needed a studio

that was wholly mine to leave things out and messy

or to make a sanctuary for my inner-peace.

I love having access to the garden, the view always enchants me.

A place Joey likes to be now that I am there.

And a place to have easy access to my photography and art supplies is a total delight.

In the kitchen where you see the little table was once my computer

sitting place. It was quite cluttered!

Now we have the sweet little table sitting there.

It was stored in our basement, as I thought I would sell it.

So there has been some nesting going on

and I am loving my sanctuary!

I am loving the new arrangements and little changes.

They are delighting my heart.

Are you finding yourself nesting a bit more than usual?

Are you making small or bigger changes?

Are they delighting your heart?