What Soothes YOUR Soul?

Sometimes a feeling comes over me that's hard to describe. It's like a punch in the gut but I call it nostalgia.  A memory is sparked and if alone, I might even sigh aloud.  Or I get choked up and all emotional. What spurs me to feel this way??? Sounds often do. A train whistle. I mean really....I stop dead in my tracks and revert to being 12'ish in summertime. That dove's coo as well.

Last night I was sitting on my back patio - tiny little patch of cement - with a tiny little glass of wine. Alone, I was leafing through a shelter magazine, featuring beach houses. Oh, my gosh, they are what summer is or should be! It stems back to my fondest memories of childhood spent at a beach home. Mimi's was grand; but I don't need grand: a tiny little cottage would do.

Check it out:

What a little home for happy-happy-joy-joy days!  Oh, this is lOvE!  There are no plans this summer for a trip to the sea.  I will live vicariously through blogs and more magazines.  Erin of EOS lives close to the sea and her blog set my imagination loose.  (...and forced me to post these pics!).

The sea is it for me; no matter the season.  Yet the older I get, the less I enjoy basking in the sun - give me a fall/wintery day of walking a beach and that's my idea of heaven on earth.

I also found this poster:

Curious if anyone else feels those gut wrenching bits of nostalgia?  I know I should not envy, covet or look to my past.  I don't think that's what I'm doing.

 

The sea cures much and soothes my soul.  I'm just sayin'.

 

No Fireworks...please!

There will most likely be a ban on fireworks due to the Texas drought!  It's quite hot here.  Yet, our gorgeous Dynamite Red Crape Myrtles finally blossomed.  We have two - on both sides of the house.  We thought something happened cuz everyone else's crape/crepe (sp???) myrtles have been in full throttle.  We had our downpour last week and look!

How funny that her name has an explosive connotation.  Planted by our homestead - thar she blows!  We sure don't need fireworks around here: either the physical OR literal type!  Thank you, very much!
On this very day our sermon was on JOY and we're told it's a must, i.e., a command in The Bible.  Read 1 Thessalonians 5:16 a few times.  Ben Stuart preached on it today.  He tells us:  "Every time there is a 'when,' we rejoice." 

Even today WHEN you-know-who is slipping and we see a shadow of darkness appear?

Ok, Lord....HOW!?  Oh, yea.  Joy is a gift.  We receive this gift through The Holy Spirit WHEN we seek and ask! 

JOY TRANSCENDS CIRCUMSTANCES. 

...even WHEN the fuse has been lit!

As I tiptoe away from the fireworks of the flesh (it's so dangerous!), I contemplate on a sovereign God!  And I am filled with joy at the thought that MY GOD is stomping on that fuse for me! 

The joy of the Lord is your strength. (Vava)

Nehemiah 8:10

The Marvels of Monday!

Isn't it marvelous what green spray paint and a new drum shade do to an almost 10 year old lamp?

I had a MARVELOUS field trip to Arbor Gate today...for some lavender.
(and they promised these would do well here with good soil, sun and afternoon shade!)


And while in my backyard; I couldn't help but admire this marvelous bit of nature.  Love this plant!
Anyone know what it is???

Sis-in-law painted this whimsical bit of artistry to hang on her screened-in back porch.
Isn't it A-MA-ZING????  Quite marvelous, really!

MARVELOUS Monday began early for me with my cup of coffee and some quiet time.  "Jesus Calling" is a favorite of mine.  It's written as if Christ is talking directly TO you.  And, almost every day..He does.  To me!  Today was no different...

     (if you don't have this book, take a minute to read today's!  You'll be blessed!)

I've been intentional in seeing God in everything.  Trying to.  It's a VERY cool way to live out your day!  And, He gifted me with my favorite sound - yes, friends, you know what I love.  The coo of a dove.  I could hear him so well.  And I looked out my bedroom window and there he was.  Showing off.  JUST FOR ME!

(a poor picture taken from inside...but no matter.  He was there singing TO ME!)

Mondays are my day off and it's been simply MARVELOUS! 

My prayer is that I walk with The Spirit and with eyes wide open tomorrow - at work, running errands, doing life.  Try it, you'll like it!

Doing LIFE!

     I've had two months since my last post to refocus on LIFE.  It's been full.  Working part time has been interesting.  I started out questioning myself.  Self:  why are YOU here?  But, with great counsel  (now a dear friend) by a wise woman...am just really leaning into it.  Leaning on God, yes.......and what I cannot do, He can! And I can say that now I am enjoying it so much.  It brings me joy and LIFE.

     As much as I love entertaining, the preparation for a wedding shower at the homestead yesterday forced My Guy and I to focus Around the House and in the Garden (yes, it IS a book title!).  What I cannot do, he can (small "he" vs large "He")!  I'd like to take this time to nominate My Guy as Best Husband of The Year!!!  Dug beds, laid flagstone, hauled dirt, planted, washed windows, mended fences.  Without complaint.

This bed was enlarged; but due to the Texas drought, our new plantings are really suffering...



Sometimes smaller is more do-able.  Surely I can keep the pots alive!

     Life is good.  I am surrounded by good teachers.  All the day.  As long as I'm intentional about keeping my eyes, heart and mind OPEN; I plan to learn.  The wise woman once said to me a year ago (and this is huge!). 

Does [insert activity] give you LIFE?

...it's been twirling around in my head since she first mentioned it.  At that time; "it" wasn't.  So I quit.  There is a popular song on right now by Adele with the catchy phrase "I coulda had it all."  Love the tune; but I don't want that as my theme song!  We CAN have it all!!!!!  I don't mean the material things; but those things that count!  Peace, joy, harmony, love!  And so, that's what I've been doing.

Doing LiFe! 

Around the House and in the Garden happen to be two of my favorite things to work on.  And also one of my beloved books.  Page 198 just rocks!

"Keep close to the people you love, the ones who stay engaged and open to LIFE, who bring joy and peace to house and garden.  Take with you everything you have learned - and remain humble enough to learn more."  (Dominique Browning)

     Perhaps on this Sunday when the sun goes down and the heat lowers, My Guy and I will sit in our garden.  We can relax and enjoy it.  Would THAT give me life?  Oh, yeah!

Tell me...friends.  What are you doing these days that gives you LIFE???

A Month of Sundays

     It'd been "a month of Sundays" since I splurged on a Starbucks Caramel Macchiato.  Thanks to a gift card, I did so today.  Yum-o!

     It's also been a month of Sundays since we've worked the yard.  Just haven't felt the pull.  A looming "event" sort of forces me to clean up my act.  I'm hosting a wedding shower in June...plenty of time to beautify the yard!  :) 

     I dusted off my favorite gardening book, "Blueprints for Harmonious Gardens" by Tara Dillard.  Oh, you must visit Tara!  Such wonderful advice:

1.  Our exterior should match our interior (I mean really!  How many of us love to fluff & stuff?)  Gotta do the same outdoors.
2.  Have a lovely view from inside looking out every window.  Love that!
3.  "Cute" doesn't cut it...in our yard.
4.  Buy pretty pots.  Even empty they'll look pretty.

And there's SO much more.  It'd been a month of Sundays since I read her book.  I revisit notes from Ms. Dillard, and as the Project Manager, tell My Guys what to do.  And they're doing it! 

Yard Guys

We're extending our front bed....but we're doing FAR more in the back yard. 

Oh, I had to find out about that idiom I am using:  A Month of Sundays.  It was first recorded in 1832. One writer suggests it originally connoted a long dreary time, since games and other kinds of amusement used to be forbidden on Sunday.  (Answers.com).

Back to the back:  we have a flagstone terrace and Ms. Dillard suggested enlarging it.  And so we are.  I desperately wanted pea gravel between the stones; but every nursery expert My Guy talked to talked him out of it.  My second choice was steppables, something green.  We are going to plant the short, tiny mondo grass between the flagstones. The Guys are doing the heavy labor, I'll plant mondo.

I've got two months until the shower and I'd like to have a couple of other projects taken care of.  I SO want my interior doors painted black.  Anyone that reads Joni of Cote de Texas knows all about black doors.  However, My Guy is really having problems embracing this notion.  He lets me do anything I want so I shouldn't complain.  But!  As much as I love him...um, interior decorating is not his thing. 

Just look at Joni's bedroom:

Cote de Texas



And may I quote:  "Notice that my bathroom door is painted black - actually all the doors in my house are painted black. I think its a great look and a very inexpensive way to make a cheap, builder grade, hollow-core, paneled door look impressive, if that is at all possible."


I must get My Guy to read this post.  :)  Surely he won't be able to live with cheap, builder grade doors anymore!!

I'd like to raise my cup of Caramel Macchiato to you!  Let's not wait a month of Sundays to do what we love. 

Spring has sprung!

Although I'm working now I get home early enough that I can cook dinner.  Today was so dern pretty that I opted to take a book outside and soak up some Vitamin D.  Mmm....it was a stellar spring afternoon!

No slaving in the kitchen tonight!  We were having a picnic in our very own backyard AND pretending we were French!  A petite baguette, two kinds of cheese, apples & grapes and an avocado.  Yum!

#2 Son wasn't interested in such a petite dinner but came out later for chit chat, pictures and fun.  He's the most sensitive of our boys and gets a kick out of My Guy and I enjoying each other.  And, I rather like it too!

I'm in the suck-the-marrow-from-life mindset...hope it sticks!

Moving!

Hey friends....I'm keeping Vava's View about life in general.  And, so have dedicated a new blog to our story about you-know-who.  I'd love to have you visit "A Son Called Reed."  Thank you SO much for your encouraging comments on the first two posts!!!!  As I've said many a time - what WOULD we do without girlfriends ♥?!♥