Do you ever do a Gratitude Journal?

Seriously, I saw Sarah Ban Breathnoch on Oprah, years ago, was struck by her, bought her book "Simple Abundance" and have in the past done my own Gratitude Journal which she discusses in her book. The book reads like a devotional in a way in that you just read the entries for the date, it's kind of amazing really. My advice has always been take what you need or can use from it and the rest let it go. For a Gratitude Journal, buy or make a journal, buy a nice pen...make them special little treats for yourself. Now each and every night just before you tuck your toes into bed, sit on the side of your bed and in your journal write down the date and five things....only five...that you witnessed or experienced during your day that you are grateful for...somedays you will experience so many you will not want to stop at five, some days you feel there are none...you breathed, you woke up, you went to sleep at last...write it down....after months look back through your little journal and you will begin to see that you are noticing all the little things in your life or what we would normally consider the little things...and you're appreciating them and you're living your life so that you will notice them. It's a very healing exercise in truth...here's my extra special notice from two nights ago...what a privilege to see this!

Nephew

My sister's youngest came for the weekend, found himself free as a bird for a change so rode his motorcycle over so he could come up old 74, very scenic beautiful windy, twisty, mountainous road to my house from his house...he wants to ride the Tail of the Dragon just West of Asheville before leaving, think he'll spend yet another night so he can get some good riding in and rest of course plus he gets to see some of his first and second cousins...the other picture has one of my daughters and her two boys, hopefully this evening I can get my older grandson to hold still long enough to get his picture with my nephew..handsome dude isn't he!

Volunteerism

Have you ever known a peony to just volunteer to join your garden and bring forth the most beautiful bloom? Well I have never heard of it honestly, but I think my Grandmother must be sending me a message or something...she rather loved them along with irises...here is my volunteer peony and she's absolutely beautiful, just like my Grandmother.

Customer Quilt Show Pictures

Asheville Cotton Company, our local quilt shop here in Western North Carolina had this lovely show of customer quilts, this one was my favorite as I so love Daisies, note the bottom ones have green back grounds and the upper ones have blue indicating sky. I just adored this quilt, gave it four votes and hope the lady won, though there were other really lovely quilts too. But this is one I'd love to make or to buy or to whatever...otherwise own it! Know what I mean? I'd like it bed size so I could oogle over it everyday.
I've been "poorly" so haven't been able to start on my new quilt. I was supposed to have a hysterectomy but two days before that developed Torticollis or wry neck...could not move anything on my body without extreme pain! First I went to the ER where I spent 10 1/2 hours on drugs too strong for me and and could not breathe. Next day I went for my hysterectomy, they sent me home as I could not open my mouth or bring my neck backwards....went to a chiropractor, just down the road from my house and I am thanking God for him every single day since. I am 50% better and can now see hope shining on the horizon though I have not reached a completely pain free and movement free goal yet, though I am doing everything he says. I have been seeing him twice a day and doing all the hot/cold/exercise/massage etc treatments he prescribed. He listened to my tale of events, xrayed my neck and made the assessment of severe arthritis in my neck, then he laid out a stringent treatment plan and I can move again but I'm not all the way there yet, he thinks by this coming Friday that last weekends events will be a bad memory. I'm putting all my faith and trust in him as thus far he's kept to his promises. The first two trips to his office I was in tears and pajamas. The third day I was able to dress myself and only cried when he hugged me and I could whisper thank you in his shoulder. You know when someone helps you to that degree you want so desperately to somehow let them know how grateful you feel.

First iris of Spring

This is my first iris of spring, it could be one that was passed on from my grandmother though I can't be positive since all the landscaping happened. I've rather forgotten where it was planted and this one came up as a volunteer...how I love that.
My grandmother had tons of irises, both purples and yellows and she loved them all...when she died my grandfather planted a lot of yellow ones around her head stone, now if you show up at the right time you will see literally hundreds of yellow irises blooming there....a tiny little graveyard just near Hidalgo, Illinois called Aten Cemetery...I love it as it is so full of good memories as well as good people....so many relatives are there. It's by a cornfield, hidden from public view...I now love it there, though when younger I hated going there as it meant saying goodbye to somebody I loved......I grow the irises to remember my grandmother. My cousin just sent me a photo of the long line of peonies my grandmother had growing out along her semi circle driveway, all pinks, all so pretty. My grandmother did love her flowers and she seemed to have a very green thumb. She quilted, so do I, she crocheted, so do I, she played the piano...I've always wanted to learn, she gardened, so do I....she was really a fascinating lady, so many layers to her...she baked the best bread and pies...I used to love to go stand in her pantry and just look at all the things she had canned. I miss her and miss her home too...it had it's own special smell...my children have told me our home smells like us...kind of strange isn't it? I once went in an old quilt shop in Lebanon, Illinois and took a step down into the next room...what I remember is...I smelled my grandparents home! I stood there for a very long time just taking it all in.

First Flight

Mother Nature has such miracles and she shares them with us each day if we only watch for them....here's a baby wren on it's first flight, no tail feathers yet, siblings still had little tufts of feathers on their heads. I was only lucky to get this close as the mother was having a fit about it. I stood very still and watched them, still she scolded. Now they've moved their activities to the side yard and I can watch them out the screened in porch where I am now sitting enjoying all the birds, a red headed woodpecker, the wren family, Mr and Mrs Cardinal and a titmouse have all made an appearance...oh the cardinals are now singing for me, so pretty.