My Brother's Garden

I hate to admit it, but there must be a green thumb handed down in my family. I don't have it. But then again, I don't have a garden. Father's Day was spent at my brother's house and I went rambling into his garden and got these very pretty shots. If you take the time to look, you will find beauty anywhere.

Detritus

Pockets filled ~

With daily reminders ~

Without which ~

I would feel incomplete

Detritus of my day ~

Stop, Look and Listen

Stop:

I’ve heard of the saying, “…stop and smell the roses…” said in a most unctuous, grating voice. In the mood I’ve been lately, Evil Me screams “You know where you can shove those roses right?”

As I was driving today, I had this small epiphany.

Happiness makes you glow, anger makes you burn. But both give off light and energy. It’s what you do with that light and energy that matters.

Look:

So for lunch I left the building and strolled around the grounds and I just ‘looked’. I left through the basement and although I’ve climbed these same stairs for almost 7 years, I looked up and it looked so different. Dark, narrow and steep stairs but after the climb: bright blue sky.

These building companies spend so much money on the landscaping, it is a shame to ignore it.

If I close my eyes and narrow my focus, it’s as if I’m out in the country again!

Listen:

I said a prayer this morning:

 “Lord, succor my soul as I swallow my anger and help me remain inviolate. Remind me of my self-respect and I will get through today.”

A moment came around 10am when God answered my prayers and although I wasn’t conscious of his blessing, I said things I needed to say and I remembered my self-respect, so I got through today. God always hears the prayers, we just have to make sure we’re listening when he answers.

A Day in the Country

When I first dived into Twitter, I never expected it to take me to places I’d never been to. A year after joining the twitterverse, I was generously invited to visit someone at their farm. At first I thought they were just being polite, but they convinced me of their sincerity. And I think it gets pretty obvious on Twitter just how sincere or insincere people can be.

I’m experiencing some “unpleasantness” in my life, lots of introspection because I feel the need to re-prioritize my life. Some strong incentives to make decisions or have the decisions made for me. My basic reaction is to flee.

So I grabbed my two oldest nieces, we hit the road and ended up visiting Beverly. Beverly has been one of my longer standing twitter friends. She’d always struck me as sincere, pleasant and her being a poet just sealed the deal for me. I followed her and never ever regretted it. From the moment we exchanged pleasantries, I always felt comfortable and safe with her. So when she invited me for a visit, how could I not accept?

She showed us her farm complete with a big red barn. My nieces thought they were going to milk cows, feed the chickens and collect eggs. That’s what every city slicker thinks when they think of a farm.

We headed out for our road trip on Friday night. Here are just a few reasons why I love road trips, sunsets, rainbows and windmills.

We saw this beautiful red barn.

In the hay loft where these little, hissing, baby vultures, big bad mama bird flew over the barn and we heard her settle on the roof, but she was too fast to catch on camera.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so I leave you to the sights of our trip to the country to visit my friend Beverly. My 12yr old niece said, "You guys talk a lot." I looked at her and asked. "And you don't walk around your house with your phone glued to your ear talking to your friends?" She looked at me sheepishly and we smiled. 

Thank you Beverly, a day in the country was just what I needed!

My Mother's Garden

My parents love to garden, it's both my dad and my mom who spend hours gardening, but like the house, it's called Nana's house so, I called it my mom's garden.

Then there's the odd mini banana tree in a pot. My mom's green thumb nurses a piece of home.

Pink Peony

Gossamer petals ~

Beauty in the sun ~

Basking in the fading light ~

Belying mournful ~

Shadow heart ~

June 3, 2010