Lady of Wellington

Secret Garden

2011-12-22T13:38:00.001-05:00

Love grows in the secret garden
Beauty of life blossoming bright
Blessings flower in grateful hearts
Souls shine from our God of light
Cat

“If you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is a garden.”

~Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden

Like a Flower

2011-12-21T18:06:00.000-05:00

Thorns can pierce the heart

of the blood red rose

Its petals drip to earth

like intentions so pure

Hold its spirit gently

fragrance not to crush

The soul is so fragile

of the sweet red rose

Cat

The Glad Game

2011-12-19T20:04:00.002-05:00

One of my favorite stories as a child was Pollyanna

It is a novel written by Eleanor H. Porter in 1913.

The story was made into a movie in 1960 and starred Hayley Mills.

Pollyanna is an eternal optimist.

He father taught her to always looking on the bright side of things.
They called it "The Glad Game".

The game was to find something to be glad about in every situation.

Quote from Pollyanna...when referring to the Bible...

POLLYANNA: There are eight hundred happy texts, did you know that?

REVEREND: No, I didn't know that.

POLLYANNA: Yes, well there are. And do you know, my father said that

if GOD took the trouble to tell us eight hundred times to be glad and rejoice,

He must have wanted us to do it.

My favorite scene is when Pollyanna and Jimmy Bean

are visiting Mr. John Pendleton.

They hang all the crystal prisms in the window.

The sun coming through the window creates a room full of rainbows.

"Why, Mr. Pendleton, it's a baby rainbow-
a real rainbow come in to pay you a visit!"

Then Pollyanna shows grouchy Mrs. Snow the beauty of the rainbows.

She teaches these two very negative people how to enjoy the simple beauty in life.

May you play the "Glad Game" more often

and see rainbows in the crystal.

And also with you

2011-12-14T15:28:00.005-05:00

Edward Hicks, The Peaceable Kingdom (1826)

National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you:

not as the world gives, give I to you.

Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

John 14:27

Peace and joy in this wonderful season.

Sit back and relax and breathe.

Ave Maria

Benedictine Monks Gregorian Chant

Monasterio Benedictino de Santo Domingo de Silos

Grace

2011-12-06T21:00:00.001-05:00

If all flowers wanted to be roses,
nature would lose her springtime beauty
and the fields would no longer be decked out with little wildflowers.

~ St. Therese of Lisieux

“I do not at all understand the mystery of grace –

only that it meets us where we are

but does not leave us where it found us.”

~ Anne Lamott

“Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed.

Happiness is the spiritual experience

of living every minute with love, grace and gratitude.”

~ Denis Waitley

“Gracefulness has been defined to be the outward expression

of the inward harmony of the soul.”

~ William Hazlitt

Feathers of Hope

2011-12-03T18:34:00.001-05:00

"Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune without the words,
And never stops at all."

Emily Elizabeth Dickinson

Her birthday is on December 10th

(December 10, 1830 – May 15, 1886)

Clap Your Hands

2011-12-01T21:10:00.000-05:00

"God gave us memory so that we might have roses in December."

"Always be a little kinder than necessary."

"Those who bring sunshine into the lives of others

cannot keep it from themselves."

"Do you believe in fairies? Say quick that you believe.

If you believe, clap your hands!"

"Laughter is timeless...Imagination has no age...and dreams are forever."

Quotes by James M. Barrie

1860-1937

A Scotsman best known for writing Peter Pan

On Cloud Nine

2011-11-28T20:56:00.005-05:00

Photo from 'We Are Human Angels'

She hangs the stars late at night
Way up high for all to see
The twinkling stars that shine so bright
She hangs them there for you and me

LadyCat

Light Within

2011-11-22T21:12:00.002-05:00

Light gives of itself freely, filling all available space.

It does not seek anything in return; it asks not whether you are friend or foe.

It gives of itself and is not thereby diminished.

~Michael Strassfeld

There are two ways of spreading light; to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.

~Edith Wharton

When you possess light within, you see it externally.

~Anaïs Nin

As we let our light shine, we consciously give other people permission to do the same.

~Marianne Williamson

We cannot hold a torch to light another's path without brightening our own.

~Ben Sweetland

Photos by Lord Thomas of Wellington

Day and Night

2011-11-18T19:39:00.003-05:00

Day - Edward Robert Hughes

Night - Edward Robert Hughes

Dusk, I realized then, is just an illusion,

because the sun is either above the horizon or below it.

And that means that day and night

are linked in a way that few things are;

there cannot be one without the other,

yet they cannot exist at the same time.

How would it feel, I remember wondering,

to be always together, yet forever apart?

Nicholas Sparks, The Notebook

Twilight - Edward Robert Hughes

Soul Dance

2011-11-16T10:40:00.001-05:00

Soul Dance

Angels and Saints

bring comfort and peace,

so dance to the beat

of your Angel's wings.

Your love and joy

will never cease,

when your soul dances

and your heart sings

LadyCat

Shine On

2011-11-14T17:57:00.001-05:00

Photo by Lord Thomas of Wellington

Tell me what you feel in your room

when the full moon is shining in upon you

and your lamp is dying out,

and I will tell you how old you are,

and I shall know if you are happy.

Henri Frederic Amiel

Thank Heaven, the sun has gone in,

and I don't have to go out and enjoy it.

Logan Pearsall Smith, Afterthoughts

Three things cannot be long hidden:

the sun, the moon, and the truth.

Buddha

If the sun and moon should ever doubt,

they'd immediately go out.

William Blake, Auguries of Innocence

Yeah we all shine on, like the moon,

and the stars, and the sun.

John Lennon, Instant Karma

Touch the Angel's Hand

2011-11-11T19:08:00.001-05:00

Letter written in 1513

by Friar Giovanni Giocondo

(1435 – 1515)

He was a Renaissance pioneer, architect, engineer,

antiquary, archaeologist, classical scholar, and Franciscan Friar.

I salute you. I am your friend
and my love for you goes deep.
There is nothing I can give you
which you have not.
But there is much, very much
that while I cannot give it,
you can take.

No heaven can come to us
unless our hearts find rest
in today. Take heaven!
No peace lies in the future
which is not hidden
in this present little instant.
Take peace!

The gloom of the world is but a shadow.
Behind it, yet within reach, is joy.
There is radiance and glory
in the darkness, could we but see,
and to see we have only to look.
I beseech you to look!

Life is so generous a giver,
but we, judging its gifts by
the covering, cast them away
as ugly, or heavy or hard.
Remove the covering and
you will find beneath it
a living splendor,
woven of love,
by wisdom, with power.

Welcome it, grasp it,
touch the angel's hand
that brings it to you.
Everything we call a trial,
a sorrow, or a duty, believe me,
that angel's hand is there,
the gift is there, and the wonder
of an overshadowing presence.
Our joys, too, be not
content with them as joys.
They, too, conceal diviner gifts.

Life is so full of meaning and purpose,
so full of beauty,
beneath its covering—
that you will find earth
but cloaks your heaven.

Courage, then, to claim it, that is all.
But courage you have,
and the knowledge that
we are all pilgrims together,
wending through unknown country, home.

And so, at this time, I greet you,
not quite as the world sends greetings,
but with profound esteem
and with the prayer that for you
now and forever, the day breaks,
and the shadows flee away.

e11even

2011-11-10T20:24:00.001-05:00

Happy 11-11-11!!

This year we experienced four 1derful dates…

1-1-11, 1-11-11, 11-1-11, 11-11-11.

This year only, if you take the last 2 digits of the year you were born,

plus the age you will be this year, it will equal 111.

happy e11evens!

Reach for the Sky

2011-11-04T20:30:00.003-04:00

Photo from We Are Human Angels

The air up there in the clouds is

very pure and fine, bracing and delicious.

And why shouldn't it be?

Iit is the same the angels breathe.

~Mark Twain

Flying without feathers is not easy;

my wings have no feathers.

~Titus Maccius Plautus

The bluebird carries the sky on his back.

~Henry David Thoreau

Waterhouse and Flowers

2011-11-02T19:55:00.009-04:00

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose
by any other name would smell as sweet."

William Shakespeare
Romeo and Juliet

Artwork by John William Waterhouse

1849-1917

Wildflower, 1903

Gather ye Rosebuds While Ye May, 1909
John William Waterhouse

Gather ye Rosebuds While Ye May, 1908

The Soul of the Rose, aka My Sweet Rose, 1908

The Shrine, 1895

A Touch of Whimsy

2011-10-31T14:25:00.001-04:00

Here are some whimsical pieces of art,

that make me smile when I look at them.

I bought them about 25 years ago, at least.

But we still display them to add

a touch of color and fun.

Some bright and happy colors

to take us into cold November.

Rekindle

2011-10-25T19:10:00.000-04:00

“At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person.

Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude

of those who have lighted the flame within us.”

- Albert Schweitzer

“Let us be grateful to people who make us happy;

they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.”

- Marcel Proust

Kindness in words creates confidence.

Kindness in thinking creates profoundness.

Kindness in giving creates love.
-Lao Tzu

From caring comes courage.

-Lao Tzu

I Guess

2011-10-24T21:01:00.002-04:00

I Guess

Here is the good church

Here are the good people

I guess they were all old

I guess they were laugh old loud funny to the disrespectful

I guess the sermon was not pleasing to the self righteous

An abrupt ban on returning after that day

Close the door

Where is the steeple?

Stars and Dreaming

2011-10-21T20:50:00.006-04:00

"I often think that the night is more alive
and more richly colored than the day. "
Vincent Van Gogh

Cafe terrace at Night
Vincent Van Gogh. 1888

"For my part I know nothing with any certainty,

but the sight of the stars makes me dream."
Vincent Van Gogh

Bedroom in Arles

Vincent Van Gogh, 1888

Live Deliberately

2011-10-16T11:44:00.001-04:00

Winter Walk
by David Nevue
Enjoy!

Road Full of Fallen Branches

2011-10-13T09:23:00.000-04:00

The Journey

One day you finally knew
what you had to do, and began,
though the voices around you
kept shouting their bad advice
though the whole house
began to tremble
and you felt the old tug
at your ankles.
“Mend my life!”
each voice cried.
But you didn’t stop.
You knew what you had to do,
though the wind pried
with its stiff fingers
at the very foundations,
though their melancholy
was terrible.
It was already late enough,
and a wild night,
and the road full of
fallen branches and stones.
But little by little,
as you left their voices behind,
the stars began to burn
through the sheets of clouds,
and there was a new voice
which you slowly
recognized as your own,
that kept you company
as you strode deeper and deeper
into the world,
determined to do
the only thing you could do
determined to save
the only life you could save.

~ by Mary Oliver in Dream Work (1994)

I was just recently introduced to Mary Oliver,

when I read her poem "Wild Geese" here

at the inspiring blog of Sixpence and A Blue mOOn.

I came across the poem twice in the same morning.

When something like this happens,

I feel the universe is trying to tell me something.

Since then I have been reading as much of

Mary Oliver's poetry as I can find,

and have become a great admirer.

Willow Manor Ball

2011-10-12T06:12:00.002-04:00

We are attending the Fourth Annual

Willow Manner Ball!

I am attending again this year with Lord Thomas.
Here is what I'm wearing to the Ball.

What I'm sure I will feel like the morning after...

To join in on all the fun, please click here.

Splintered Boards

2011-09-28T20:40:00.002-04:00

Wooden Skeletons

They stand exposed

with time worn character.

Useless and unwanted

longing to be needed.

Ignored by the present

neglected by the past.

Holding on to their dignity

by a splintered board.

The Bell

2011-09-27T19:31:00.000-04:00

The Bell Tower

This is the view out of my office window at work.
I often think of this poem when I hear it ring.

For Whom the Bell Tolls
by John Donne, 1624

No man is an island,
Entire of itself.
Each is a piece of the continent,
A part of the main.
If a clod be washed away by the sea,
Europe is the less.
As well as if a promontory were.
As well as if a manner of thine own
Or of thine friend's were.
Each man's death diminishes me,
For I am involved in mankind.
Therefore, send not to know
For whom the bell tolls,
It tolls for thee.

Fog

2011-09-23T19:42:00.002-04:00

Fog

by Carl Sandburg

The fog comes

on little cat feet.

It sits looking
over harbor and city
on silent haunches and then moves on.

This was my favorite poem from childhood

Dead Leaves

2011-09-22T20:38:00.006-04:00

I love the smell of dead leaves in the Fall.

And I love the song "Autumn Leaves".

I remember singing it in choir, in elementary school.

My favorite line was "The sunburned hands I used to hold".

"Autumn Leaves" was originally written in 1945 as a French song.

It was titled "Les Feuilles Mortes", which means dead leaves.

The lyrics were written by poet Jacques Prevert

and the music by Joseph Kosma.

Johnny Mercer wrote the English lyrics in 1947.

The falling leaves drift by my window
The falling leaves of red and gold
I see your lips, the summer kisses
The sunburned hands I used to hold

Since you went away the days grow long
And soon I'll hear old winter's song
But I miss you most of all, my darling
When autumn leaves start to fall

Faith

2011-09-19T20:25:00.000-04:00

Night With Her Train of Stars

Edward Robert Hughes-1912

“When we walk to the edge of all the light we have

and take the step into the darkness of the unknown,

we must believe that one of two things will happen.

There will be something solid for us to stand on

or we will be taught to fly."

Patrick Overton

Glimpses of Beauty

2011-09-18T17:48:00.003-04:00

Snapshots from a small town,

over the weekend.

Water fountain at the Historical Museum...great patina

Melancholy Angel

Bird going home to his love

Fall in all it's glory

Go Placidly

2011-09-01T19:21:00.001-04:00

Desiderata

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible, without surrender,
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even to the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons;
they are vexatious to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain or bitter,
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs,
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals,
and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love,
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment,
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be.
And whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life,
keep peace in your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

Written by Max Ehrmann in 1927.

He was a poet from Terre Haute, Indiana who lived from 1872 to 1945.
This is from his book of poetry titled "The Desiderata Of Happiness".
This poem is as timely today as is was at the time it was written.
Desiderata means "desired things" in Latin.

Identity Crisis

2011-08-31T19:46:00.002-04:00

Who is September?

Comes in like summer

leaves like fall.

And the temperatures

fall like leaves.

Hot and cold

green and gold.

Do you know

who you are at all?

Holly Golightly

2011-08-29T17:26:00.005-04:00

We watched Breakfast at Tiffany's again last night.

It's always so sad.

But I LOVE the character that Audrey Hepburn

plays in this movie...Holly Golightly.

She is one of my all time favorite movie characters.

The picture above hangs in the entry to our bedroom.

Here are some of my favorite "Holly" quotes from the movie.

"You know those days when you get the mean reds?

The blues are because you're getting fat and

maybe it's been raining too long, you're just sad that's all.

The mean reds are horrible. Suddenly you're afraid

and you don't know what you're afraid of.

Do you ever get that feeling?
Well, when I get it the only thing that does

any good is to jump in a cab and go to Tiffany's.

Calms me down right away.

The quietness and the proud look of it;

nothing very bad could happen to you there.

If I could find a real-life place that'd make me feel like Tiffany's,

then - then I'd buy some furniture and give the cat a name!"

"If we're going to be friends let's get one thing straight right now.

I hate snoops!"

"Ahh... Do I detect a look of disapproval in your eye?
Tough beans buddy, 'cause that's the way it's gonna be."

"It's useful being top banana in the shock department."

"It should take you exactly four seconds to cross from here to that door.

I'll give you two."

"I'll never get used to anything. Anybody that does, they might as well be dead."

Kindness Roses

2011-08-27T15:20:00.000-04:00

My thoughtful husband presented me with a

vase full of roses from our yard this morning.

Our rose bushes have been very prolific this year.

They started blooming in early spring

and are still blooming in late August.

We have had colors ranging from

pale pink to a deep red.

All of our beautiful flowers were a

pleasant surprise this spring.

We moved in to our house during

a snow blizzard in February.

So we had no idea what type of

flora and fauna we would have.

I have used this quote here many times before,

but roses always remind me of St. Therese.

Maybe we need to get a statue of her

for our rose garden next year.

"After my death, I will let fall a shower of roses.

I will spend my heaven doing good upon earth."

"A word or a smile is often enough

to put fresh life in a despondent soul."

"Nothing is sweeter than to think well of others."

St. Thérèse de Lisieux

Havin' a Ball

2011-08-25T20:17:00.002-04:00

We always have a great time playing basketball.

But somebody was a little confused with the football.

I can accept failure, everyone fails at something.

But I can't accept not trying."

~Michael Jordan

Critter Encounters

2011-08-22T19:55:00.000-04:00

We had a fun day at the zoo at our local park.

Here are some of the guests at the park.

A Galápagos tortoise

A pretty butterfly

Llama having a bad hair day

King of the mountain goat

A cute wallaby

I Hope You Dance

2011-08-20T19:11:00.008-04:00

"Those who danced were thought to be quite insane

by those who could not hear the music."

~Angela Monet

“It's the heart afraid of breaking that never learns to dance.

It's the dream afraid of waking that never takes the chance.

It's the one who won't be taken who cannot seem to give.

And the soul afraid of dying that never learns to live."

~Amanda McBloom

"I Hope You Dance" Lee Anne Womack

Angel Dance

2011-08-16T21:02:00.009-04:00

Angels and Saints

bring comfort and peace.

So dance to the beat

of your Angel's wings.

Your love and joy

will never cease.

While your soul dances

and your heart sings.

The Weekend!

2011-08-14T21:26:00.002-04:00

A beautiful church

A horse and his best friend

Quaint shops

Our favorite winery

Knowing Clouds

2011-08-08T19:56:00.000-04:00

I've looked at clouds from both sides now,
From up and down, and still somehow
It's cloud illusions I recall.
I really don't know clouds at all.

Lyrics from "Both Sides Now"

by Joni Mitchell

Inelegance

2011-08-05T23:05:00.000-04:00

What dreadful hot weather we have!

It keeps me in a continual state of inelegance.

~Jane Austen

Love is "Grand"

2011-08-03T20:40:00.001-04:00

Thayer Artwork

2011-07-30T22:03:00.000-04:00

The Artwork of

Abbott Handerson Thayer

1849-1921

The Virgin

Angel

Winged Figure

Winged Figure Seated Upon a Rock

The Favorite Kitten

A Bride

Stardust In Your Eyes

2011-07-18T20:58:00.000-04:00

Get in touch with that sundown fellow
As he tiptoes across the sand
He's got a million kinds of stardust
Pick your fav'rite brand, and

Dream, when you're feeling blue
Dream, that's the thing to do
Just watch the smoke rings rise in the air
You'll find your share of memories there

So dream when the day is through
Dream, and they might come true
Things never are as bad as they seem
So dream, dream, dream

Johnny Mercer, 1944

I love the line "He's got a million kinds of stardust"...so magical.

Starry, Starry Night

2011-07-11T19:59:00.000-04:00

The Starry Night

Vincent Van Gogh, 1889

Starry Night Over the Rhone

Vincent Van Gogh, 1888

Vincent (Starry, Starry Night)

Written and sung by Don McLean in 1971

after reading a book about the life of Van Gogh

Starry, starry night.
Paint your palette blue and grey,
Look out on a summer's day,
With eyes that know the darkness in my soul.
Shadows on the hills,
Sketch the trees and the daffodils,
Catch the breeze and the winter chills,
In colors on the snowy linen land.

Now I understand what you tried to say to me,
How you suffered for your sanity,
How you tried to set them free.
They would not listen, they did not know how.
Perhaps they'll listen now.

Starry, starry night.
Flaming flowers that brightly blaze,
Swirling clouds in violet haze,
Reflect in Vincent's eyes of china blue.
Colors changing hue, morning field of amber grain,
Weathered faces lined in pain,
Are soothed beneath the artist's loving hand.

Now I understand what you tried to say to me,
How you suffered for your sanity,
How you tried to set them free.
They would not listen, they did not know how.
Perhaps they'll listen now.

For they could not love you,
But still your love was true.
And when no hope was left in sight
On that starry, starry night,
You took your life, as lovers often do.
But I could have told you, Vincent,
This world was never meant for one
As beautiful as you.

Starry, starry night.
Portraits hung in empty halls,
Frameless head on nameless walls,
With eyes that watch the world and can't forget.
Like the strangers that you've met,
The ragged men in the ragged clothes,
The silver thorn of bloody rose,
Lie crushed and broken on the virgin snow.

Now I think I know what you tried to say to me,
How you suffered for your sanity,
How you tried to set them free.
They would not listen, they're not listening still.
Perhaps they never will...

Hot Day in the City

2011-07-09T22:04:00.000-04:00

We had a really hot day here today...it hit 89 degrees.

So we decided to go the the art museum again.

There is so much beauty, I feel I must share

some more works of art with you : )

Unknown Artist, 1515

Renoir, 1890's

Fouquet, 1460

Luks, 1907

Thayer, 1903

Unknown Artist, 1709

Georgia O'Keefe, 1936

And here's one of the horse drawn cabs

on the Circle, where we went for dinner.

It was a fun and relaxing day.

I hope everyone is having a nice weekend!

Backyard Summer Fun

2011-07-02T16:53:00.015-04:00

Then followed that beautiful season... Summer....
Filled was the air with a dreamy and magical light; and the landscape
Lay as if new created in all the freshness of childhood.
~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

There shall be eternal summer in the grateful heart.

~Celia Thaxter

Have fun and happy summer!

Life is Eternal

2011-06-26T22:47:00.016-04:00

On a recent trip to take flowers to the cemetary,

we saw two birds nests on grave markers.

The Angel statue is cradling a bird's nest in her hands.

The second nest is built in between the flowers and a grave stone.

It is a robin's nest and still has one robin's egg blue egg in it.

New life beginning amongst the graves.

An Afternoon of Art

2011-06-22T12:47:00.000-04:00

We recently spent an afternoon at the art museum. Here is some of the beauty.

Mrs. Thomas Watkinson Payler

Joshua Reynolds 1771

The Dream of Saint Joseph

Francisco Rizi 1665

Angel of the Resurrection

Tiffany Studios, NY 1904

My favorite is Rembrandt's self portrait.

It has a place of honor in a room that looks like a man's study.

The room has dark wood paneling and wonderful old books on the shelves.

Rembrandt is right above the dark fireplace.

His portrait reminds me of someone...

Shower of Roses

2011-06-08T20:14:00.000-04:00

"I will let fall from heaven ... a shower of roses."

From "Story of a Soul: The Autobiography of St. Therese of Lisieux
The Little Flower

"May today there be peace within.
May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.
May you use those gifts that you have received,

and pass on the love that has been given to you.
May you be content knowing you are a child of God.
Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow

your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.
It is there for each and every one of us."
St. Thérèse de Lisieux

"If I did not simply live from one moment to another,

it would be impossible for me to be patient, but I only look at the present,

I forget the past, and I take good care not to forestall the future."
St. Thérèse de Lisieux

"The splendor of the rose and the whiteness of the lily
do not rob the little violet of it’s scent nor the daisy of its simple charm.
If every tiny flower wanted to be a rose, spring would lose its loveliness."
St. Thérèse de Lisieux

"Miss no single opportunity of making some small sacrifice,

here by a smiling look, there by a kindly word;

always doing the smallest right and doing it all for love."
St. Thérèse de Lisieux

"Trust and trust alone should lead us to love"
"I can nourish myself on nothing but truth"
St. Thérèse de Lisieux

"The world's thy ship and not thy home."
St. Thérèse de Lisieux

Pink!

2011-06-07T20:09:00.000-04:00

I absolutley love Pink. She has such an amazing voice.

Here is her 2010 Grammy performance of "Glitter in the Air".
Enjoy!

Impromptu Sunday Dinner

2011-06-06T06:11:00.002-04:00

We put this dinner together in about 15 minutes.

It was a perfect evening on the patio.

The creatures that have no voice

2011-05-31T20:42:00.002-04:00

Click HERE to help

and

Click HERE to visit the ASPCA

Our task must be to free ourselves…

by widening our circle of compassion to embrace

all living creatures and the whole of nature and it’s beauty.

Albert Einstein

If you have men who will exclude any of God's creatures

from the shelter of compassion and pity,
you will have men who will deal likewise with their fellow men.

St. Francis of Assisi

Summer Night

2011-05-22T14:41:00.000-04:00

'Tis Moonlight, Summer Moonlight

by Emily Bronte

'Tis moonlight, summer moonlight,

All soft and still and fair;

The solemn hour of midnight

Breathes sweet thoughts everywhere,

But most where trees are sending

Their breezy boughs on high,

Or stooping low are lending

A shelter from the sky.

And there in those wild bowers

A lovely form is laid;

Green grass and dew-steeped flowers

Wave gently round her head.

Summer Night

by Kobayashi Issa

Summer night..

even the stars

are whispering to each other

As You Like It

2011-05-13T23:43:00.008-04:00

As Shakespeare quipped

“All the world’s a stage”

You have the script

Now turn the page

The spotlight is on

The curtain is up

The role is won

Now the close up

Like a parade

On the fourth of July

The whirling blade

And the Navy guy

Accept your accolade
Take your bow
It's been a charade
Who are you now

The lights go out

Wait in the wings

It's different no doubt
Behind the scenes

da Vinci

2011-05-09T19:09:00.000-04:00

La Scapigliata, 1508

"Why does the eye see a thing more clearly in dreams than the imagination when awake?”

“There are three classes of people: those who see.
Those who see when they are shown. Those who do not see.”

"All our knowledge has its origins in our perceptions.”
"Beyond a doubt truth bears the same relation to falsehood as light to darkness."

"The noblest pleasure is the joy of understanding."

"The smallest feline is a masterpiece."

Leonardo da Vinci

(1452 – 1519)

Mother's Day

2011-05-06T20:30:00.001-04:00

Happy Mother's Day to our Moms

We miss you

Alice and Chester Hanna Loretta and Don Aldridge

For more Sepia Saturday entries, click here

Peaceable Kingdom

2011-05-05T20:17:00.000-04:00

Peaceable Kingdom

Edward Hicks (April 4, 1780 – August 23, 1849)

Three thoughts on peace from three very different people.

"Peace begins with a smile."

Mother Teresa

"If you wish to experience peace, provide peace for another."

Tenzin Gyatso, The 14th Dalai Lama

"When the power of love overcomes the love of power,

the world will know peace."

Jimi Hendrix

Unwritten

2011-05-04T11:52:00.004-04:00

"Unwritten"

Sung by Natasha Bedingfield

I am unwritten, can't read my mind, I'm undefined
I'm just beginning, the pen's in my hand, ending unplanned

Staring at the blank page before you
Open up the dirty window
Let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find

Reaching for something in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your inhibitions
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten

I break tradition, sometimes my tries, are outside the lines
We've been conditioned to not make mistakes, but I can't live that way

Staring at the blank page before you
Open up the dirty window
Let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find

Reaching for something in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your inhibitions
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten

May You!

2011-05-01T18:18:00.000-04:00

"May" is a beautiful month in Spring,

full of blooming flowers and possibilities.

But "may" is also commonly used in the

English language to express possibility.

It can also be used to give or request permission.

So give yourself permission to explore all the

wonderful possibilities that this Spring has to offer you.

May you have a magical May!

Eleanor Rigby

2011-04-21T16:25:00.010-04:00

The Eleanor Rigby Statue

was sculptured by Tommy Steele in December 1982.

Eleanor Rigby

(John Lennon/Paul McCartney)

Ah, look at all the lonely people

Eleanor Rigby picks up the rice in the church where a wedding has been

Lives in a dream

Waits at the window, wearing the face that she keeps in a jar by the door

Who is it for?

All the lonely people

Where do they all come from?

All the lonely people

Where do they all belong?

Father McKenzie writing the words of a sermon that no one will hear

No one comes near.

Look at him working, darning his socks in the night when there's nobody there

What does he care?

All the lonely people

Where do they all come from?

All the lonely people

Where do they all belong?

Ah, look at all the lonely people

Eleanor Rigby died in the church and was buried along with her name

Nobody came

Father McKenzie wiping the dirt from his hands as he walks from the grave

No one was saved

All the lonely people

Where do they all come from?

All the lonely people

Where do they all belong?

This song has been brought to mind twice in the last week or so.

The first time was when someone was discussing the sadness

of attending a funeral of a person that lead a very solitary life.

The second was when I was visiting the lovely blog
of the talented artist Catherine Nolin.

She has done a painting titled “Eleanor Lives in a Dream” http://catherinenolinfineart.blogspot.com/2011/04/eleanor-lives-in-dream.html .

When I first heard this song many years ago, I thought it would have been nice

if Father McKenzie and Eleanor Rigby could have met when she was alive.

They could have become friends and maybe they wouldn’t have been so lonely.

But I was thirteen when I first heard this song, so that explains a lot.

But wouldn’t it be nice if all the lonely people could find another lonely person.

Then there would be no more lonely people in the world.

The Geese of Spring

2011-04-17T18:53:00.006-04:00

"One swallow does not make a summer,

but one skein of geese,

cleaving the murk of March thaw,

is the Spring."

Aldo Leoplod

Glorious Spring

2011-04-08T06:33:00.000-04:00

The flowers that the showers bring

The songs that the birds do sing

Listening to the bluebells ring

Spring, glorious, Spring

Jar of Omissions

2011-04-05T17:53:00.000-04:00

Nothing that is something

A void that fills a space

Drop them in one by one

A jar full of omissions

April Rain

2011-04-01T05:52:00.000-04:00

April Rain Song

Let the rain kiss you

Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops

Let the rain sing you a lullaby

The rain makes still pools on the sidewalk

The rain makes running pools in the gutter

The rain plays a little sleep song on our roof at night

And I love the rain.

By Langston Hughes

1902-1967

Beauties to Behold

2011-03-24T06:09:00.000-04:00

A few favorites...enjoy!

"Theory" (1779-1780)

by Joshua Reynolds

The Awakening Conscience (1853)
by William Holman Hunt

"Cupid as a Link Boy" (1771)

by Joshua Reynolds

A Link boy was a boy who caried a flaming torch

to light the way for pedestrians at night.

Unité

2011-03-22T13:20:00.006-04:00

Artwork "Come Together" by John Lennon

“There are two kinds of people in this world,

those who divide everything into two and those who don't.”

Robert Benchley

Come together, right now.

John Lennon

Age of Innocence

2011-03-15T18:58:00.009-04:00

One of my favorite paintings is

"Age of Innocence".

It was painted by Joshua Reynolds

(1723-1792), pictured below.

We have an oval painting of "Age of Innocence"

in an elaborate gold frame,

that hangs in our foyer.

The original is on exhibit at the Tate Museum

and has been there since 1951.

A recent examination of the painting

by the conservation department at

the Tate Mueum, showed that Reynolds

painted over attempts at another painting,

eventually titled "A Strawberry Girl".

An x-ray of the painting show that

only the hands of the original "Strawberry Girl"

remained unchanged by Reynolds.

The identity of the model of
of "Age of Innocence" isn't clear.
It was suggested that she was either
the artist's great-niece Theophila Gwatkin or

Lady Anne Spencer, the youngest daughter

of the 4^th Duke of Marlborough.

Theophila Gwatkin sat for Reynolds finished

painting of "The Strawberry Girl" pictured here.

Here is a painting of the Marlborough

family done by Reynolds.

Lady Anne Spencer is the youngest daughter,

with the white dress and blue sash.

I can't tell if it is one of these girls or not.

Reynolds painted a companion piece to

"Age of Innocence".

It is titled "Master Hare" and is pictured below.

It was painted in 1788 and is a portrait

of a young boy, Francis George Hare.

The original is on display at the Louvre.

I would like to find a print in a simiar size, as the

one that we already have, of "Age of Innocence".

I think the best place to find it will be on line.

I'll keep you posted on my progress.

May the Road Rise to Meet You

2011-03-12T11:51:00.000-05:00

Irish Blessing

May the road rise up to meet you

May the wind always be at your back

May the sun shine warm upon your face

And rains fall softly upon your fields

And, until we meet again.

May God hold you in the palm of his hand.

May the blessings of each day

Be the blessings you need most.

DUBS

2011-03-04T19:30:00.000-05:00

The Many faces of BW "Dubs"

King of the frig Playing Scrabble

You'll Never Walk Alone

2011-02-22T20:04:00.000-05:00

"When you walk through a storm

Keep your chin up high

And don't be afraid of the dark

At the end of a storm is a golden sky

And the sweet silver song of a lark

Walk on through the wind

Walk on through the rain

Tho' your dreams

Be tossed and blown

Walk on, wak on

With hope in your heart

And you'll never walk alone

You'll never walk alone

When you walk through a storm

Hold your head up high

And don't be afraid of the dark

At the end of a storm is a golden sky

And the sweet silver song of a lark

Walk on through the wind

Walk on through the rain

Tho' your dreams

Be tossed and blown

Walk on, walk on

With hope in your heart

And you'll never walk alone

You'll never walk alone."

"You'll Never Walk Alone" is a song

written by Richard Rodgers and

Oscar Hammerstein II for

their 1945 musical, Carousel.

This song first inspired me

as I sang it in choir practice,

early one morning in grade school.

It was a difficult morning for me, personally.

When we started singing this song,

I felt the meaning of the words,

even at my very young age.

And they gave me the strength

to go on through my day at school.

The song still has great meaning for me today.

We really never do walk alone.

Don't Wait

2011-02-15T12:40:00.006-05:00

I had a curious dream.

So many ladies all dressed in white.

It was flowing chiffon so soft.

They were moving from room to room,

so quickly and so quietly,

never even noticing my presence.

They were lovely and so graceful,

but for a second I felt frightened.

Then one asked me what I was doing.

I said, "I am waiting".

She firmly said “DON’T WAIT”.

~Vivian Greene

Red Robins

2011-02-10T14:15:00.007-05:00

These beautiful robins were eating

frozen berries from our tree

during the recent blizzard.

They are all so chubby and seem to have

weathered the snow storm pretty well.

There are three robins here...

can you spot them?

Sweet bird! thy bow'r is ever green,

Thy sky is ever clear;

thou hast no sorrow in thy song,

No winter in thy year.

- John Logan, 1748 - 1788

The Seasons Connection

2011-02-09T15:53:00.000-05:00

One thing I didn't want to leave behind

when we moved was our faithful rooster.

He stands ever vigil through every season.

Lord Thomas's daughter rescued

him at the last minute for me.

Here he is knee deep in snow

(if roosters have knees).

He is in front of the tiki torch,

that is left over from last summer.

Quite a contrast of the seasons.

All the while a robin it sitting on the fence,

watitng to join the two with spring.

We are all anxiously waiting with him.

It's neary here! It's coming fast!

The Robins will appear at last.

Oh Wonderous Joy! I too shall sing!

And join in Nature's "Song for Spring".

~M.Garren~

Let Your Light Shine

2011-01-29T15:29:00.000-05:00

"This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine."
Harry Dixon Loes

I have seen this recurring message on several blogs
and facebook posts over the past couple of weeks.

When I keep seeing a similar message over

and over I tend to think maybe the universe

is trying to tell me something.

So I thought I would pass the sentiment on.

There are some people that just glow

and are a true joy to be around.

I think it is because they shine their inner

light out to everyone around them.

They give off such a positive energy that it is

absorbed by all who come into conact with them.

You leave them feeling better than you did

before you came into contact with them.

This post by a friend on facebook sums it up...

There comes a time in life, when you walk away
from all the drama and people who create it.

You surround yourself with people who make you laugh,

forget the bad, and focus on the good.

So...love the people who treat you right,

and pray for the ones who don't.

Life is too short to be anything but happy.

Walk as children of light ...

(Ephesians 5:8-10)

On a side note...we will be moving

into our new home over the next week.

I may not be on the blogs much, since we

will be busy feathering our new nest.
I will be around more as soon as we get settled.
Keep Shining!

Authenticity

2011-01-23T16:23:00.007-05:00

Ophelia - by Arthur Hughes (1831-1915)

This above all,

To thine own self be true,

And it must follow, as the night the day,

Thou canst not then be false to any man.

~ Hamlet, Shakespeare

"Be who you are and say what you feel,

because those who mind don't matter

and those who matter don't mind."

~ Dr. Seuss

The authentic self is the soul made visible.

~ Sarah Ban Breathnach

"Above all, be true to yourself,

and if you cannot put your heart in it,

take yourself out of it."

~ Hardy D. Jackson

Raspberry Zinger

2011-01-21T06:51:00.000-05:00

I have found a new favorite Celestial Seasonings Tea flavor.

It is Raspberry Zinger and is in their herbal tea line.

It contains Hibiscus, rosehips, roasted chicory, orange

peel, blackberry leaves, raspberries and raspberry leaves.

Celestial Seasonings always have

all natural and high quality teas.

The company was started in1969

by a group of young entrepreneurs.

They harvested, dried, blended and packaged

fresh herbs from the Rocky Mountains by hand.

They then packaged them in hand-sewn muslin bags.

They started by selling them in local health food stores.

Their small cottage industry turned into

an almost overnight success.

Another very popular and yummy tea is Sleepy time.

I love the cozy packaging on this one.

Inspiration from Wayne Dyer

2011-01-17T17:51:00.001-05:00

Wayne Dyer is another one of the authors I enjoy reading.

He is an author and speaker in the field of self improvement.

I've always liked watching his inspirational talks on PBS.

Some of his books include:

One of my favorites is his book

"There Is a Spiritual Solution to Every Problem".

It is based on the prayer of St. Francis of Assisi.

Dr. Wayne Dyer is often called the “father of motivation”.

He spent his childhood in orphanages and foster homes

and had overcome many obstacles.

And he now writes and speaks to

help others how to do the same.

Here is some wisdom and inspiration from Wayne Dyer.

When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.

Loving people live in a loving world.

Hostile people live in a hostile world. Same world.

Love is the ability and willingness to allow those that you care for to be what they choose for themselves without any insistence that they satisfy you.

Conflict cannot survive without your participation.

How people treat you is their karma; how you react is yours.

When you judge another, you do not define them, you define yourself.

Everything you are against weakens you. Everything you are for empowers you.

Our intention creates our reality.

When you dance, your purpose is not to get to a certain place on the floor. It's to enjoy each step along the way.

And my favorite...

Begin to see yourself as a soul with a body rather than a body with a soul.

My, she was yar

2011-01-16T17:26:00.000-05:00

My favorite movie is "Philadelphia Story".

It has my three all time favorite actors in it...

Cary Grant, Jimmy Stewart and Katherine Hepburn.

They play Dexter, Mike and Tracy.

One of the best lines from the movie is

"My, she was yar...It means, uh...easy to handle,

quick to the helm, fast, right.

Everything a boat should be, until she develops dry rot."

Cary Grant's character, Dexter is referring to

the boat that he and Tracy honeymooned on.

Tracy responds "She was yar alright. I wasn't, was I?"

The boat was named the 'True Love'.
We recently watched the movie "High Society".

It is the musical made from the same story.

It stars Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra and Grace Kelly

in the roles of Dexter, Mike and Tracy.

The music is written by Cole Porter.

He wrote the song 'True Love' for this musical.

It is sung by Bing Crosby and Grace Kelly

aboard their boat the 'True Love'.

It is a beautiful song and here are my favorite lines.

"For you and I

have a guardian angel on high,

with nothin' to do.

But to give to you and to give to me,

love forever true."

Bluebird

2011-01-14T13:26:00.000-05:00

Soar high and don't let your wings get rusty

This pair of wing's worn and rusted

From too many years by my side

They can carry me, swear to be sturdy and strong

And so here we go, bluebird

Gather your strength and rise up

Ready to fly, you and I

Here we go

Lyrics from 'Bluebird'

by Sara Bareilles

Follow Your Dream

2011-01-12T19:44:00.000-05:00

Don't bend,

don't water it down,

don't try to make it logical,

don't edit your own

soul according to the fashion.

Rather, follow your most

intense obsessions mercilessly.

Franz Kafka

Friends

2011-01-09T23:32:00.002-05:00

A true friend reaches for your hand

and touches your heart.

~Attributed to Heather Pryor

Just a note...I just found out that I have been awarded the stylish blogger award from Vanilla.
Thank you so much! It works like this:

•Thank and link back to the person that awarded me
•Share 7 things about myself
•Pay it forward to 15 recently discovered bloggers
•Contact those bloggers about the award

Some things about myself:
I...
...started blogging in November of 2009
... have three sisters
... love animals
...have hazel eyes
...love to play scrabble
...like to watch 'Antiques Roadshow'
...my best friend is my husband

And now I pass the award onto these recently discovered stylish bloggers:
photoplay
rosehilldesigns
sixpenceandabluemoon.blogspot
luluslovlies
recuerda mi corazon
charrisart.blogspot
adrielleroyale
catherinenolinfineart
bluechairdiary
Bee's blog
Birdie's Nest
Wanda's Art Blog
the vintage moth
Meri's Musings
Resonate

Illuminated Prayers

2011-01-03T20:25:00.005-05:00

An author that I enjoy reading is Marianne Williamson.

I have her beautiful book titled "Illuminated Prayers".

Marianne is a prolific author and some of her other books include

A Course in Miracles, Illuminata, A Woman's Worth
and Everyday Grace.

I find many of her quotes to be inspiring and

would like to share a few of them with you.
The first is my absolute favorite!

As we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence actually liberates others.

Forgiveness is not always easy. At times, it feels more painful than the wound we suffered, to forgive the one that inflicted it. And yet, there is no peace without forgiveness.

God exists in eternity. The only point where eternity meets time is in the present. The present is the only time there is.

If you give your life as a wholehearted response to love, then love will wholeheartedly respond to you.

We are not held back by the love we didn't receive in the past, but by the love we're not extending in the present.

We can always choose to perceive things differently. You can focus on what's wrong in your life, or you can focus on what's right.

Joy is what happens to us when we allow ourselves to recognize how good things really are.

Maturity includes the recognition that no one is going to see anything in us that we don't see in ourselves. Stop waiting for a producer. Produce yourself.

Marianne Williamson

A Day at the Ballet

2011-01-02T18:31:00.001-05:00

Our local ballet company does a wonderful

performance of the "Nutcracker" every January.

It is coming up next Saturday and everyone is excited.

We are taking our grandchildren again this year.

I was able to get front row tickets this year,

by getting there early on the first day

that tickets went on sale.

I love everything about the "Nutcracker"...

the graceful dancers, the gorgeous costumes

and the great set decoration.

And of course, the beautiful music,

that is written by Tchaikovsky.

Every piece is wonderful, but my absolute

favorite is "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy".

Here are some photos from

last year's great performance.

Happy New Year from Wellington!

2010-12-30T02:35:00.003-05:00

“Another fresh new year is here

Another year to live!

To banish worry, doubt, and fear,

To love and laugh and give!

This bright new year is given me

To live each day with zest . . .

To daily grow and try to be

My highest and my best!

I have the opportunity

Once more to right some wrongs,

To pray for peace, to plant a tree,

And sing more joyful songs!”

By William Arthur Ward

Just a side note...This is my 100th post!

Happy New Year!

Auld Lang Syne

2010-12-27T02:25:00.000-05:00

The song 'Auld Lang Syne' is

traditionally sung on New Year's Eve

when the clock strikes midnight.

The words 'Auld Lang Syne'

literally translates from old Scottish

dialect meaning 'Old Long Ago' and

is about friendships from times past.

The original poem was written by Robert Burns,

a Scottish poet and song writer in 1788.

Below is the first verse and the chorus.

I really like the idea of "taking a cup of kindness'.

"Should auld acquaintance be forgot,

and never brought to mind?

Should auld acquaintance be forgot

and days of auld lang syne?

For auld lang syne, my dear,

For auld lang syne,

We'll take a cup o' kindness yet

For auld lang syne"

Only five more days until 2011!

Happy Christmas!

2010-12-22T13:46:00.000-05:00

The Nativity Scene by Raphael (1483-1520)

May the peace of this season remain

in your hearts throughout the year.

Love and joy to you.

Merry Christmas from Wellington!

Winter Solstice and Lunar Eclipse

2010-12-20T21:21:00.007-05:00

The Winter Solstice and a Total Lunar Eclipse

will coincide on Dececember 21st

Early in the morning on December 21st a total

lunar eclipse will be visible in North America.

For the western states the eclipse will start

late in the evening on December 20th.

This will be the shortest day of the year.

So now the days will start getting longer.

That means spring will be closer every day!

Happy Birthday, Baby!

2010-12-19T15:52:00.005-05:00

Lord Thomas of Wellington (Bach)'s
birthday is Monday, December 20th.
Please join me in wishing
him a very happy day.

He is the expert baker, but here is

the cake I made for the occasion.

Christmas Postcards

2010-12-15T15:06:00.053-05:00

I've mentioned before how much I enjoy Victorian postcards.

Here are some pretty Christmas ones that I found on line. Enjoy!