Seasons Change

 

Last month while working from home, I happen to look out the window to catch this sweet little squirrel cutting each small twig to the precise size for her nest. Can you see her among the leaves? The next day she was busy gathering all the leaves left from last Fall.

It amazed me how fast she worked, running up and down the tree to get ready for her new family. 

It also reminds me of friends around me getting ready to change their homes, a wonderful neighbor losing her husband over the winter months now selling her home, to live with her daughter and my employer/friend moving into the city. 

Life has come to be busy and others just the same, leaving little time for gatherings and chats. As the season changes, so does time bringing new beginnings, reconnecting, longer days, and hopefully slower pace, but one thing that stays the same and I’m forever grateful for, is the comfort of my home and my little family.

 

Enjoy!
Joyce

Poor, dear, silly Spring, preparing her annual surprise!

~Wallace Stevens~

Spring Is Here

The days are longer and the air still has a bit of chill . Soon the flowers will be waking up and the buds blossoming on the trees. I so can't wait to watch nature slowly pop up once the snow is gone.

I hope along the way I find some extra time laying around. I forgot what it felt like to work full-time, trying to put a week of errands in two days. I also realize my juggling skills are not like they were when I was younger and a couple of things will fall between the cracks, but there is always tomorrow or maybe I need a wife.

Enjoy and embrace the moment!

 

 

 

"Spring unlocks the flowers to paint the laughing soil."

~ Bishop Reginald Heber~

Chicken Soup For The Cold

I have been nesting the last couple of days fighting this cold (or whatever it is), playing tug of war with the comforter with Bo, but I don’t mind. Even though he has 5 beds throughout the house, but for some reason he loves sharing my comforter.

 

We haven’t had much snow so far this year, except for some snow dust, but the chill in the air has been a bit brutal and thankful I have a comforter to share.

 Also, with nesting gives me a chance to catch up on reading, and quiet moments with myself. Which by the way isn’t always a good thing! J Off to heat up some warm homemade soup my sweet friend, CJ dropped off at our door today and two treats for Bo too.

 

A happy memory is a hiding place for unforgotten treasures

~Paul L. Powers~

 

The Quietness Of The Season

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday.

Gary, Bo and I have been down at our cabin for the last two weeks. We celebrated our anniversary and Christmas in the mountains. We even managed to spend a night in Nashville at the Sheraton. Did you know they are dog friendly? Bo even had a fluffy bed brought up for his stay. There was even a dog park nearby.

It always takes me a couple days to unwind and get used to doing nothing and not looking at the clock and checking things off my list. Once I get into the routine of waking up when I wake up with no alarm, it is almost as time doesn't exist and we just do things at the drop of the moment. I don't think I will ever get tired of the view here. I love looking out at the mountains and being up so near the clouds, one moment everything is still and the next the whispering of the trees among the wind, watching the sun come up over the mountains and on the otherside of the cabin seeing it tuck away for the night. The beauty of the mountains and their strength standing so tall. It all leaves my heart skipping a beat. We have had some beautiful sunny days, some rainy and grey ones, high winds and now light snow.  

 

We will be home in time to celebrate with friends to ring in the New Year.  Until next year wishing you all a Happy New Year and may 2013 be brighter and filled with joy and happiness.

 

xo Joyce

 

Celebrate the happiness that friends are always giving, make every day a holiday and celebrate just living

~ Amanda Bradley~

It’s Been Awhile

I can’t believe it has been shy of four months since my last post. I didn’t realize time has slipped away this much until I was getting concern emails, notes and texts. A lot has been stirring in my corner, but all is good and just trying to juggle time and things on my plate. I thought of maybe putting a “close” sign up on my blog, but that doesn’t feel right at the moment. I so miss my quiet mornings visiting you and your blogs, but have been able to still connect with some of you through Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. 

Let me see,  a few things have happened or changed besides the season, since my last post. I feel safe now to share with you, my friend Catherine, who was diagnosed a year ago with cancer and not a good chance to survive is now cancer free! Thank goodness my prayers were answered.  I knew of this great news for several months, but was afraid to jump too high, I guess out of fear that I didn’t hear correctly or that maybe it would come back. She was in a trial study and managed to make it through the difficult trial and is now cancer free. She has some nasty aftermath from the cancer and treatments, but is a trooper working through it all.

As you know the original break from the blog was because of the sudden death of a friend, around this time I was left with once again a lot of questions, stirring up old and new ones. Questions I am working through, along with trying to balance life’s calmness and busyness. The last several months I have also increased my hours at work to shy of working full-time, which leaves me little time here or for anything else. The company I work for is moving to the city, but as of now I will be able to continue to work out of my employer’s home office and from home. Gary and I have managed through some spare time to get away to the cabin, my corner I like to call peace. Actually we officially will be calling it Casa de Paz (House of Peace), once two very special artist friends from here completes the sign.   

 

Even though my schedule is full for me, I was starting to miss volunteering - always have done it and probably always will. There is no better pleasure for my heart then to roll up my sleeves and help others.  Even though I enjoyed CASA, I also knew it isn’t fair at this time to the children of CASA to go back with limited time. I happened to see a post on Facebook about a lost pup- I don’t know what possessed me to contact this gal, but one thing led to another and felt in my heart this is where I want to try and help, working behind the scenes with animal rescue. Her name is, Dana and she is working with a town that has little money, so by the time the small allowance gets to the animals there is little left. I know of this town, because one of my CASA kids lived there. It is a place where it has been known not to be safe after dark. Which made me want to help all the more the animals that don’t have a voice to be heard. I don’t mind reaching out and asking for donations. I figure the worse that could happen I would hear the words “sorry we can’t”. I have even decided on my ETSY shop, from Oct through Dec, I would give a portion to animal rescue. I have been thinking of continuing this idea, to give to rescue even after December. I love ribbon and some dear friends of mine have managed to help me with this love, so why not spread the love. OK maybe some would say my love for ribbon is an addiction, but ribbons seem to make everything so pretty and now hopefully will be able to help animals until they find their way home (as I like to call it).

I took the photo above of Bo with my iPhone at the cabin. It cracks me up and hope it adds a smile to your day. Can't you just read his mind?

 

I wish I could say I will be able to get back to blogging on a regular base and I will try my best, but I hope you will continue to stop by from time to time and say hi. I will hop over from time to time to visit your corners.   

Don't forget to take time to find life's smallest treasures!

Many hugs and kisses xo…

Joyce

 Every day might not be good… but there is something good in everyday

~Author unknown~

Water

Thanks everyone for your wonderful comments on my previous post. The last couple of weeks have been busy with adjustments, questions, and hope, along with once again the famous question, where is the time going?

I have been spending time on the lake lately, it could be the Pisces in me that draws me to a small or large bay of water. There is something calming and cleansing about the water. The way it catches every reflection nearby is memorizing, leaving me with a sense of peace.   Does water do this to you?

We had such a heat wave the last couple of weeks, my poor little garden is so dry and brittle. We are on a water restriction, so no more watering the flowers and plants. The good thing is even the weeds have slowed down.

I know I have been gone for the last couple of weeks from here, but decided to take a bit more time off, but I promise to be back soon.  I have been and will continue to pop in on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and will continue to stop in and visit your blogs. 

Many blessings and golden moments my friends!

xo

Joyce

All the art of living lies in a fine mingling of letting go and holding on.

~Havelock Ellis~

In A Moment

Saturday night, a dear friend of ours had a freak accident and passed away yesterday afternoon. A man who loved his family and was the core to all of his friends.

I know how fragile life can be and the glimpse of the beauty, but it still leaves the heart in pain, as one slips away like sand through our fingers.

 

I’m going to take some time to help a friend and will be back.

Embrace, love and enjoy…

Joyce
xo

When the heart weeps for what it has lost,
the soul laughs for what it has found.
~Sufi aphorism~