Savouring January - Day 21 - Smile

Sunday lunch, shared on a patio 

with my very favorite guy on a gorgeous 

spring-feeling January day, 

is sure to bring a warm smile.

It was an unexpected delight 

to be serenaded by birdsong as well.

I do believe, she adds with a grin, 

that they were enJoying 

the beautiful weather as much as we were.

Blessed be.

#SavouringJanuary2018

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Spring Preview

This gorgeous, spring-like morning held sky blue skies, 

cheerful birdsong, 

mild temps, 

and 

lovely white Bradford Pear blossoms!

.     .      .

Lookie at who else is waking up! 

 💕

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July 16 :: Morning

As the sun begins to rise, 

the birds are starting to stir, 

singing their greetings of Hope to one another 

as they gather breakfast for their babies. 

❤️

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Cultivating Enough :: Day 11 :: Flourish

Sparkling morning sunshine and cheerful birdie greetings 

blesses me so, gently encouraging me to flourish. 

.

I am fondly reminded of the lovely quote from the Talmud: 

"Every blade of grass has an angel 

that bends over it and whispers, 'Grow!  Grow!"  

.

Yes.  

❤️

#cultivatingenough 

#yestothismoment 

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Filling Up My Well, Looking With Love, and Enough

Filling up my well 

with deep breaths 

on a beautiful summer Sunday morning. 

So grateful for 

the witness 

of our kind grandmother trees 

and happy birdsong. 

#fivedeepbreaths 

(Well, maybe more than 5)

Today's assignment in Liz's Water Your Mama Soul 

is to take a photo looking at ourselves with love.

As someone who has long struggled 

to find room (and permission) 

for herself and her needs in her own life,

 this particular prompt 

is so nourishing for me 

to come back to again and again. 

and again. 

❤

Hmmmm . . . .

reckon Grandmother tree 

is trying to tell me something?

Ok, ok . . . 

Enough time on the computer.

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Thankful Tuesday :: Birthday Edition

Today I am thankful for:

1.  My 53rd birthday yesterday.  There was a time I wasn't sure I'd make it this far.

2.  Happy new garden stone with my word for the year, Peace, on it.

3.  Time with our girlies on Saturday which primed our shy little ones for a fun day of 

     playing on Sunday.

4.  In-laws who want to make birthday celebrations special and do.

5.  Gifting myself by leaving work early yesterday.

6.  Lying in the bed and resting for an hour when I arrived home.

7.  Dear, dear hubby who's Love Language is Gifts.

8.  Wonderful surprise of a dozen beautiful red roses.

9.  Feeding the Texas part of my heart with a yummy supper of chicken fried steak, 

     loaded baked potato and salad with ranch dressing at Longhorn Steaks. 

10.  Sweet new angel who speaks to me of Peace, Grace, Mercy, Hope, and Enough.

11.  Kind friendship extended in so many ways, offering warm birthday wishes. 

12.  Quiet evening at home watching part 1 of Dancing With the Stars' season finale.

13.  Birdsong, floaty lilac gown, go back to bed for a bit leisurely morning.

14.  Intense wave of grief has now ebbed away, leaving with me some new layers to 

       ponder, explore, and heal.

15.  Feeling grounded by staying connected to our photo prompts.

16.  It was a very good birthday indeed.

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Thankful Tuesday

Today I am thankful for:

1.  I do so love this big kid who enjoys playing with our littles.

2.  Beautiful sunshiny spring morning.

3.  Birdsong hymns to start my day.

4.  Kind response to help fix a mistake that left me feeling overexposed.

5.  Process of Praying in Color.

6.  Giving myself time to allow the wisdom to bubble up before speaking.

7.  Getting down our Easter bunnies and the smiles they bring with 'em.

8.  New favorite show:  Fixer Upper (I want them to come do my house!)

9.   Juicy, sweet grapes for dessert.

10.  Easy crockpot supper.

11.  Good night's rest.

12.  Patience with myself as I feel like a klutz a lot lately.

13.  Joy that beautiful dried Valentine's Day roses still bring.

14.  Quiet evening sitting and being with hubby.

15.  Warmth that comes from counting my blessings.

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Thankful Tuesday

Today I'm thankful for:

1.  Two sweet cards from two dear friends arriving on the very same day.

2.  One from a kind friend with a big heart and is a very gifted snail mail fairy.

3.  The other from a lovely woman who took me into her home one summer, 37 years ago

     during my radiation treatments so far away from home, that I haven't heard from in years.  

4.  Making a point to bask in their love again and feeling so cared for by both.

5.  Beautiful, sunny morning and birdsong.

6.  Warm memories of time spent with favorite little ones.

7.  Work is easing and so am I.

8.  Wonderful anticipation of starting a new writing class next week.

9.  Some quiet time to just be this morning.

10.  Voicing a "not this, but maybe this" and asking for the time I need to be sure.

11.  Glorious spring blossoms everywhere.

12.  No pollen ill-effects (yet).

13.  Making time for writing that heals my heart.

14.  Finding wisdom in new book, Better Than Before by Gretchen Rubin

15.  Our dryer works again!

16.  Yesterday's butterfly is my new favorite:

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Thankful Tuesday

Today I am thankful for:

1.  Beautiful spring morning serenaded by birdsong.

2.  Quiet moments to write, listen and be.

3.  Soothing orderliness to sit in.

4.  Safe journeys for dear hubby.

5.  Wise, heart-touching, perfectly timed book, Storycatcher by Christina Baldwin.

6.  Playful day at work yesterday.

7.  Connecting to and with my dear heart in writing.

8.  Noah, deeply inspiring new contestant on Dancing With the Stars.

9.  Hope-filled sunshine filling the room and spilling on me.

10.  Soft brown leather chair.

11.  Finding the space between my breaths and the opportunity to choose love.

12.  Warm smiles Valentine's Day roses still bring.

13.  New Ferris Wheel mandala that speaks to me of healthy boundaries 

       (and the wonderful prospect of exploring this more later).

14.  Wind chime songs

15.  New-to-me blessing about peace:

       

May the peace of the tallest mountain 

and the peace of the smallest stone 

be your peace. 

May the stillness of the stars 

watch over you. 

May the everlasting music 

of the wave lull you to rest.

~ an ancient Celtic prayer

May it be so

And it is Enough.

Blessed be.

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Wordless Wednesday :: Harbinger of Spring

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Thankful Tuesday

Today I am thankful for:

1.  Dear hubby who loves to laugh and play.  He will totally get a kick out of this photo I snap chatted just for him.

2.  Deep love that still spreads so warmly across my face and heart whenever I see these three longtime, faithful companions, 3-d glasses, remotes, and all.

3.  A quiet evening at home spent writing with oil lamp company.

4.  The fun of discovering snow in the morning here in south - always pretty and it usually doesn't last too long.

5.  The joy that comes from writing a new intro in an old group.  Love how that process brings home for me where and who I am in this moment.  (Especially love the feeling that I'd like to get to know me, too)

6.  Freedom that comes from finally detaching, letting it be, and listening well to Grace and my heart regarding a relationship I've been struggling with.

7.  Cheer-filled twinkle lights on a cold evening in February.

8.  Flock of robins that sang to me all morning and flew right over my head as I got the mail today.

9.  Bliss of an intentional, full hour of quiet meditation and reading this evening.  And the "welcome home" sense I felt from turning away from a meditation experiment while coming back to what has worked so well for me and the assurance that it will continue to.

10.  Brightness brought on by fresh bulbs in the lights over my kitchen sink.  (Some light, if too bright, feels oppressive to me.  These feel just the opposite ... clear and lighting my way)

11.  Being intentionally surrounded by angels again - I can see 17 from where I sit, here in my chair.

12.  Connecting with and getting to know new friends.

13.  The new practice of my Lenten butterfly spiral.

14.  Happy stack of crocheted granny daisy hearts.

15.  Feeling sleepy.

and it is Enough.

Blessed be.

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Snow Morning!

Lookie what we woke up to this morning!

My tree friends

Can you see the ice on the rose bush buds?

We also had birdsong!  Tons of robins flew over as I got the mail.

Can you spot a couple on the branches?

Of course the snow is all melted now, but we are expecting 2-3 inches 

tomorrow afternoon.  With our curvy roads and lack of experience with the snow, 

it can shut us down.

We'll see!!

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