Neither wordless nor Wednesday

While not a bad day (today, Monday, as I write) it was a busy day where I got a lot done and had a couple of setbacks/irritations. I also had a wonderful moment when, on the way to Costco, the driver in the Jeep that blew by me going about 55 or 60 miles per house in a 45 mph speed limit, was pulled over by a motorcycle policeman. Made my morning! 🙂 Anyway, I don’t have a lot left to put into a long post so here’s a photo from my visit to Illinois in early November. Now I’m back to some rugby-watching, a glass of Burgundy, and soon a three-hour NCIS special. Then “to sleep, perchance to dream.” Cheers!

The joy of flowers

While in California, we really did do more than just spend time with our new grandson and his parents and I did take photos that weren’t of him…although it was perhaps 50-50 on the photos. We always take walks and as everything seems to grow in southern California, I must have photos of flowers and plants to go with family and doors even though it makes my walks very much stop and go! The start of a new week seems like a good time to enjoy some flowering beauties and quotes to go with them and the first is still one of my favorite flower quotes, even though often used.

“The earth laughs in flowers.”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson

Oscar may or may not be right about the flower, but its blossoming certainly brings us joy.

“A flower blossoms for its own joy.”
― Oscar Wilde

“In joy or sadness, flowers are our constant friends.”
― Okakura Kakuzo, The Book of Tea

“Flowers always make people better, happier, and more helpful; they are sunshine, food and medicine to the mind.”
― Luther Burbank

FOTD 5.2.22

Just for fun

After waking to the news of the shootings in Las Vegas yesterday, listening to coverage to find out what actually happened, and then being disgusted by the immediate advent of the blame game, I thought I’d go with something light and fun today, something I concocted on Pixlr.  I hope it brings a smile to your face and a bit of joy to your heart.
 

Joy

When I get in the van to drive two days to Wyoming, when I go out for a horseback ride in the mountains, when I spend an evening with friends over good food and drink, when I sit on the cabin porch listening to only the sounds of nature, I feel joy.

May you find joy in your life as often as possible!

Indian Summer

Sitting on the deck with the latest Elizabeth George
and a salted caramel macchiato 
in a red cup with Christmas decorations
	(free medium drink coupon)
	(next time get the mocha)
bare toes luxuriate in unseasonable warmth
eyes squint against the sun of a glorious day.

I recklessly and willfully
Squander time outside today
	riches that may not come again for months
	(foggy morning hours in the park
	stolen afternoon hours in the sun.)
Housework will be there tomorrow
	(and when I go inside.)

With the “fall back" time
	darkness arrives too quickly,
	breathing closely behind my back
	at 2:30, only two hours away.

I close my eyes against the sun
	trying to interpret the black shapes that move
	against the orange behind my eyelids.

Wordless Wednesday–O frabjous day!

Weekly Photo Challenge: Joy

Appropriately for the end of the year, the Weekly Photo Challenge is “Joy.”   Whether or not your year has been filled with or even touched by joy, I pray that 2014 will be a joyful year for you in all aspects of your life.

There are so many choices depicting joy, but for me, those choices have to start with my family.  I hope you’ll forgive me for not going my usual route with one photo, but these are joy-filled memories for me.

May the flowers be with you

Start your week out with a bit of beauty…

To be overcome by the fragrance of flowers is a delectable form of defeat.
~Beverly Nichols

Flowers… are a proud assertion that a ray of beauty outvalues all the utilities of the world.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson