"Think Flowers"

I've been out in the garden today and just had to share some of this glorious Florida sunshine. With all of you living in colder climates, hang in there...spring is not far away and before you know it, the cold and the snow will be only chilly memories. Until then...."think flowers!"

Wall E

Wall E cleaning up waste....Wall E and Eve.....

Don't ask why, but Wall-E just popped into my mind this evening. What is it about this little robot anyway? Pixar's Wall-E is designed to clean up a waste covered Earth far in the future. What does that mean exactly? Has man somehow moved on to other planets and comes back to Earth to dump their trash? I don't think I thought of this while watching the movie. At first I felt sorry for Wall-E. Not only did he have an endless unapreciative job to do, he was lonely. His only friend was a roach.....now that is lonely. Young and old alike have enjoyed watching Wall-E's efforts to make the best of his purpose. I really liked Wall-E. I laughed a little and maybe shed a tear or two. What a sweet time and a relief when he finds, and falls in love with Eve. If you haven't seen the movie, I recommend it ....better yet see it with a child.

Getting A Lot Of Attention

I pushed my loaded cart up to the cashier's counter, and she smiled and said, "So you like pink, do you?" I really hadn't noticed, but every flower arrangement I had selected had different shades of pink. I had a gorgeous hanging basket of fuschia Geraniums, a mixed bowl of Impatiens, more pink Geraniums, Begonias and Petunias.....you guessed it...all pinks. The prize, I held in my hand. I had found a sweet delicate little Bromeliad, with pretty light greens and "hot pink!" I had the most perfect container in mind for the Bromeliad, and could hardly wait to get it home. Ah yes, it worked for me. I have it setting on a table in the family room, where it's easily enjoyed by all. Hmmm... seems to be getting a lot of attention.

We May As Well Enjoy The View

While tidying up the kitchen tonight, I began thinking of the minutes, hours, days and years I've spent in that location, doing the same ritual. Oddly enough, I've quite enjoyed it and still do. Does that sound peculiar or somewhat strange? When cleaning the kitchen, my routine is so repetitive that I can mindlessly and without any effort at all, finish the task while thinking and planning something entirely different. Some of my best plans have been thought of and carried out at the kitchen sink, like balancing the whole motherhood thing, potty training ideas ....preparing formula, my wifely duties... calling out vocabulary words and packing school lunches. I've planned graduation celebrations, weddings, birthday parties and baby showers there. Now days, the space has taken on a different meaning to me. My life is more simplified and I'm finding contentment in this place at the sink. I'm still preparing foods, thinking and planning. I'm still tidying up, but I have company now. I'm with my favorite guy of many many years, and it's just the two of us. We're there each day, talking, laughing and sometimes making plans. I've decorated that small window sill over the kitchen sink.... I'm thinking as many hours as we spend there, we may as well enjoy the view........

chaff and grain together....

George Eliot 1819-1880

Oh, the comfort, the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person: having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but to pour them out. Just as they are-chaff and grain together, knowing that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and then with the breath of kindness, blow the rest away.

Never more beautifully said of true friendship.

GREEN

I thought of Betsy over at My Five Men, when I popped over to the website of Williams Sonoma furniture recently. I love when she does colors. She would call this post GREEN. Williams Sonoma's line of home decor is exquisite. I'm not a green lover normally when it comes to home decor, as a matter of fact, I have nothing green in my home. I did have Hunter green appliances when we bought our home back in the 80s....they are no longer...we have white appliances now. When poking around on the Internet, lingering much too long at designer decorating sites, I get interesting ideas, some I really like and some I don't. I'm most attracted, it seems, to decor that I would never have the courage to put in my home...but if I did, I would have bold fuchsia and aqua colors on French designed furniture with fabrics of brocaded velvet. If I could, I would live in a home with tall French windows, having miles of bright colored flowing fabric curtains. I would have mountains of bold colored pillows lying about. I would have a Harpsichord in the room with these bold colors, and I would learn to play it! Where did that come from? So you can see now why I found the green in these designer rooms to my liking. I'm imagining me on the sofa with a good book and I can visualize me in that very green bed, sleeping and dreaming in very vivid colors....all night long. I showed the pics to the mister. Hoping his reaction to be the same as mine, his response was somewhat expected ....."I don't think so Honey," and he walked away. I suppose the palette in my home will continue on with lovely whites for a while longer.....hmmmm

An Unexpected Visitor

One of the things I really like about living on the coast, is the wildlife. Today we were visited by a young Blue Heron. What a sweet little guy. The mister noticed him just as he flew inside the pool area and motioned for me to come quickly. No doubt the bird had spotted the water during flight. I ran for the camera and by the time I came to the window, he was walking down the pavers and into the courtyard. Being careful not to make a noise and frighten him, I slowing peeked through the curtains just as he flew upwards and landed on the fence. What an amazing creature I thought as I examined how beautifully made he was. I snapped off as many shots as was possible, before he flew away. No sooner was he here, and he was gone. Hmmm....I don't know, we kind of hoped our unexpected visitor might have stayed a while longer.click on photos...

Incentive

Photo Google Image

Seeing a photo of myself today, was all the incentive I needed to begin diet and exercise. I'm thinking I have that "Oprah yo yo" thing going on. No Thyroid problems here...just plain ole loving to eat good food. I have all the excuses in the world as to why I tire of eating the proper foods. My favorite is, I'm an old fashioned southern cook. I was raised on home grown vegetables, fried chicken, pork roast, roast beef and fried fish. These foods were always served along with mashed potatoes, fried potatoes, boiled potatoes or potato salad. We lived on a farm in Pennsylvania and vegetables of all kinds were served as well. Lets not forget Italian night once a week when pasta was served with salad and garlic toast. Breakfast at our home meant home made biscuits, fried bacon, eggs and gravy. My mother lived through the depression and made sure we never went hungry. We learned at a young age, it was only polite to clean your plate....and so we did. I'm much to old to blame childhood eating habits on my dilemma today, however. I learned long ago that pretty much anything white can do a number on your body, and I know portion control and exercise are key to a healthy diet. Tomorrow I shop for healthy foods and begin walking. I fully expect that for my efforts, I will in no time look like the young lady in the photo.

Love Poems & Love Letters

A book of poems and love letters....the poems are familiar, "How Do I Love Thee" by Elizabeth Barrett Browning.... the love letters a bit too private. In today's world these may have been seen in the tabloids. I would not buy a tabloid, but I am reading very private thoughts of a seemingly tormented gentlemen, Napoleon Bonaparte. Poor Napoleon should have known better than to marry a lady with such a colorful past. In this letter he seems somewhat desperate and lovelorn....I don't love you, not at all; on the contrary, I detest you-You're a naughty, gawky, foolish Cinderella. You never write me; you don't love your husband; you know what pleasure your letters give him, and yet you haven't written him six lines, dashed off casually! What do you do all day, Madam? What is the affair so important as to leave you no time to write to your devoted lover? What affection stifles and puts to one side the love, the tender and constant love you promised him? Of what sort can be that marvelous being, that new lover who absorbs every moment, tyrannizes over your days, and prevents your giving any attention to your husband? Josephine take care! Some fine night, the doors will be broken open, and there I'll be. Indeed, I am very uneasy, my love, at receiving no news of you; write me quickly four pages, pages full of agreeable things which shall fill my heart with the pleasantest feelings. I hope before long to crush you in my arms and cover you with a million kisses burning as though beneath the equator.

Eventually and despite Bonaparte's love for her, the emperor's need for children of his own to secure succession to the crown saw him divorce Josephine in 1809. He never got over having to divorce her and his last words were, "France, The Army, Josephine." Hmmm....love letter ....Ludwig Van Beethoven to the "Immortal Beloved"....Good morning. Though still in bed my thoughts go out to you.... sigh......he ends the letter.....your beloved L.

ever thine....ever mine...ever for each other.

A Better Attitude

When all is said and done, I suppose we really shouldn't grumble so much, but we all do. This time of year the tall oak tree in our front yard is shedding zillions of tiny leaves, so many you can hardly see the grass. The "lawn man" just cuts right through them, leaving the remains as mulch, a good thing. However, it seems the cool sea breezes are carrying an abundance of these oak leaves over the roof and into the pool...the reason for the grumble. This morning I determined to have a better attitude toward the leaf problem, and I actually found it somewhat invigorating to be outside in the sunshine and fresh air. I worked hard and fast and eventually finished. All proud of my efforts, I found this bit of exercise, skimming the leaves from the pool and cleaning up the deck area, actually rewarding. Although messy now, in a few days the oak tree will have new leaves and provide much needed shade from the hot Florida sun. I'm reminded of something once said by Dolly Parton....."The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you got to put up with the rain." So, no more grumbling!