Share the Joy Thursday : It’s Summer, Ready or Not !

So it is Summer !

That is glorious.

Especially for us winter-haters.

The season of all things hot, blooming, green, holiday, flowery, fun…

The celebration season, right ?

Now, don’t get me wrong, I am grateful it is here

but

somehow this year,

summer arrived way before I was in the groove and has just been doing it’s thing without me.

Usually I would have had the grill out and been using it every night.

I would have my back deck arranged with some annuals in pretty pots, some herbs in containers, and maybe even some plants that I had grown from seed flourishing in the almost July sun.

Instead, because of life and a variety of circumstances,

the deck is completely empty.

The table isn’t even up yet.

And this week, for some reason, I am feeling like this poor, poor Gerber daisy

that was destined for one of those pretty pots on the back deck , but instead sits wilted and miserable in poor soil in a plastic pot in the dining room.

So where is the joy, you may ask ?

Well, this morning, I took a little stroll through my backyard with the camera and got kind of blown away…

Here were the abundant joys of summer happening without any of my influence,

presenting themselves for my “in JOY meant”

when I finally took the time to look around for them !

A riot of clematis blooming in the morning light.

Elephant ear hostas, already with flower buds

and leaves the size of serving plates !

    

Even roses that didn’t get the protection they deserved last winter, still decided to put on their summer show with no help from me.

And the display that touched me the most,

this precious blue hydrangea.

I have planted blue hydrangeas before, and though their tags told me they were the blue variety, they would always bloom white like this one :

Gardener friends told me I needed to add more acid to the soil. Or was is ph ?

Whatever, I never did anything, and just accepted that my blue hydrangeas were now white ones.

But this blue plant is special.

I planted it in memory of my neighbor Katherine, who died in 2008.

I called Katherine My Lady of the the Blue Hydrangea because of the gorgeous bushes she had at her house next door, and whose blooms she generously shared with me from time to time.

Katherine’s husband, Stephen, sold the house and moved away last fall and I really miss their presence next door.

But when I saw this hydrangea bush that is planted bloom BLUE this week,

I was filled with a bittersweet joy of how life, love and light just keep going on…

So it is summer, Kimbo, ready or not.

I think we will have to forget about the getting ready stuff, and just meet it right where we are…

and perhaps remember that there really is no wrong way to do that.

Wishing you a joyous Summer day, Beautiful Ones !

and go visit Meri for some more joy !

Bringing the Color Back…

I woke up feeling unlike my usual colorful self.

I even had some company in my “paint it black” mood.

A big, noisy black crow cawing away outside the studio window.

It took me a minute or two to figure out what he was cawing at…

Little Black Boo was hanging in the window, having a staring contest with the big black bird.

Or perhaps the Crow had a message for me.

That’s the significance of the Crow paying you a visit, you know.

Maybe the message was get out of your black mood by turning to what you love and to the color in your world.

That’s how I interpreted it, anyway.

Here’s what I did :

I took a few minutes to be creative and packaged up Lisa’s Creative Sistahs Swap Sketchbook for Jennifer. It was the first time I had gluey fingers in a few weeks !

Then I packaged up some Rock My World orders to bring to the post office today.

I also filled my new Rock Fairy pouch that I bought on my sweet outing with my friend the Bodhi Chicklet a few weeks ago.

It came from a store called Ten Thousand Villages in Pointe Claire, Quebec. They sell free trade items and help international artisans make money from their artwork.

This beautiful embroidered pouch was only $5.00 and is perfect to keep a supply of rocks in my purse for anytime use !

This afternoon, I am headed to my friend Patti’s poolside paradise for some girl friend time.

That is sure to bring my color back, right ?

This song was playing in my head all morning after the visit from Messenger Crow.

I love this version.

I hope you have a colorful Tuesday, Beautiful Ones!

Big Love !

Simple Woman’s Day Book–Monday, June 27, 2011

FOR TODAY
Outside my window...a most beautiful summer day has finally appeared. Sunny, dry , light breeze and a high of 82 today ! Awesome !

I am thinking…that today would be a lovely beach day but I will be sticking closer to home, playing the Rock Fairy for some big orders.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am thankful for...all the hard work that David and I have put in to the apartment upstairs that is for rent. (David especially !) It is looking so beautiful and ready for a great tenant to come and share our house with us !

From the kitchen...with all the painting, cleaning, and so on, there ain’t much cooking in the kitchen. David had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, some carrots, and a couple of bananas in his lunch today !

I am wearing...black leggings, a lilac tank top and my favorite studio shirt ! Ready for painting action !

I am creating...some more Rock love to go out into the world….

I am going...to buckle down and get to work right after this post. I need to stay off this computer as much as possible today !

I am reading...”The Red Garden” by Alice Hoffman. I am actually listening to it, read by Nancy Travis. I borrowed the audio version of it from my local library to have for one week on my Ipod. How awesome is technology ?

I am hoping…that just the right tenants find our cozy apartment as soon as possible.

I am praying for…a dear friend and her Mom who suffered a stroke. Much light and love to my friend and her family.

I am hearing...the hum of the laptop, birds chirping outside, and in the distance, the flow of the little city I live in.

Around the house...dust kangaroos hang out under chairs, dog snoozes, one cat chases a fly that flew in from the door propped open in the living room, the other watches him play. The bed is made, and the sun and air are streaming into the bedroom. Cozy place, I live in.

One of my favorite things...how the flower boxes I planted (the only gardening I have done this year !) are filling out so beautifully.

A few plans for the rest of the week: Meditation Monday tonight (I need that today !!!), a Tuesday Artsy time at my friend Patti’s poolside paradise, a follow up appointment on Thurs. with the oral surgeon as my tongue is still partially numb as a result of my wisdom teeth coming out (it is improving every day though !) and hopefully, finding the perfect renters for us ! (Can you tell that this is on my mind a little ! )

Here is a picture I am sharing…

Taking time to smell the flowers…

Now off to the rock painting ! Happy Monday, Beautiful Ones !

Haiku My Heart Friday–A Garden in Full Bloom

Her Haiku Garden

Tended by big, loving Hearts

Blooms abundantly.

Haiku My Heart, created and hosted by the beautiful and loving, Rebecca, of recuerda mi corazon, is now ONE YEAR OLD !

This project has brought together so many bloggers from all parts of the world and all walks of life, it is really quite amazing.

All of these Haiku writers join together each week to share poetry, words, images and loving thoughts with one another and with the world.

And that is a something beautiful!

Thank you to Rebecca and all of the Haiku My Heart participants for all the gifts you have brought into my life.

Write on, Beautiful Ones !

Share the Joy Thursday - Dave-Kat Love !

                Today’s Share the Joy Thursday is brought to you by Uncle Dave and Niece Katie,

and the number 3 !

(‘cause that’s how old the kooky kid pulling the mustache hair just like I taught her is ! )

     

                      

                    

                    

                    

                  

                     

They kind of love each other.

And there is a whole load of joy in that !

Happy Thursday, Beautiful Ones !

Head over to Meri’s for more :

I know a place…

So this life has been throwing major loops into the paths of many people I care about.

And a few little ones into my own world.

But in spite of the crappy stuff, the scary stuff, the hard to accept or forgive stuff,

the “makes you feel powerless” stuff,

there is a current of life, light and love that runs so beautifully deep throughout it all.

It blows me away whenever I gather my strength and go to that place of thankfulness instead.

A place of hope :

A place of discovery :

                 

Where peace is possible, even if it is just for a moment or two…

            A place where we can choose how we want to travel through this life…

             

and where Love and connection to other hearts reigns supreme.

A place where little joys are around every corner to celebrate, if we just look for them…

So while this world may not be easy to understand in so many, many ways,

returning to the place of thankfulness over and over again makes this life precious.

And it gives us the strength to get up each day and

Welcome to Summer. May it be a season of thankfulness for your heart.

Big Love, Beautiful Ones!