Thankful Thursday

VIEW of the Bradford out my bathroom window!

It is Thankful Thursday or it will be! at Rhondi's

Here are things I am thankful for this week:

warm worn wooden rockers
Spring wind making wind chimes dance
soaking up sunshine and warmth
yellow pansies
breakfast for supper
real maple syrup on hot crisp waffles
Boot's paw on my shoulder
a book and wine with a bath
crunchy raw cauliflower
interesting people waiting in line at the PO
Philtrum: the indention between nose and upper lip
waiting for the last leaves to fall in March!
a hot fire to warm the cool Spiring night
freshly laundered sheets
piles of empty sunflower seed shells under the bird feeders
the church choir in lenten black
herb garden
freshly sliced apples
veggie tray with garlic hummus
switching the feeders and hanging flowers causing squirrels to be confused
walking on an empty beach on Sunday morning after early service
having a surprise visit
video conferencing with son
fellowshipping one on one with a friend and praying together
going to early morning church service
watching a funny old Fred Astaire movie
hearing my younger son chuckle and being silly with a friend
running into an old friend
using a new rake with no tines missing!
having a foot massage by hubby
eating a good vegetable cabbage soup
baked home"fires" with salt and pepper and paprika
peppermint patties
reading a good book with feet propped up
the gray color of worn shells
the weirdness of clocks springing ahead one hour and the adjustment!
morning sunlight
listening to grandpa tell about his life
changing tablecloths
sharing spiritual things

Redbud blossoms are so nice

Soft colors!! For tabletop tuesday----




I love the little jars with the little blue bird, dragonfly and flower. They even have sayings on the inside of the jars.



I just picked these branches from my redbud tree for my bathroom . There is something so soothing about lavendar and gray! I do not really care for the redbud tree itself, however!! It is so pretty right now, but I really do not like the leaves it produces.

I think I will use this for Marty's Tabletop Tuesdays here: http://astrollthrulife.blogspot.com/

What speaks of home

Old books and teapots just speak "Home" to me. I decided to arrange my teapots above my tv.






My 15 year old Bisop Boots (cat) speaks this as well. He is undertheweather (yup, one word) due to his rabbies shot yesterday.....pooooooor booooooty

Thankful Thursday

It is Thankful Thursday at Rhondi's .

Things I am thankful for this week:

I am thankful for the beauty of life. My MIL died on Feb 24 (plus the deaths of 2 others in my church family recently) and it reminds me of the gift of life and how thankful for the moments to spend with loved ones.


For the soft dewy rainy mornings
For the bright yellow daffodils
For quiet walks with my hubby
For the friendliness of a small town
For the exuberance of a neighbor on the renovations on her old home
For the blessing of Church family--meeting them through-out the day at stores, walks, visits
For time spent with my son who will be leaving for more military training next week
For vegan recipes ;-)
For reflective times with tea
For the playfulness of my old cat (a second childhood?)
For hot baths to soothe old bones
Belly laughter

Things I love

In my devotional time this morning I read something by Charles Swindoll. He was quoting a doctor named Sir William Osler. Here is the quote:

"No man is really happy or safe without a hobby, and it makes precious little difference what the outside interest may be--botany beetles or butterflies; roses, tulips irises;; fishing, mountaineering or antiques--anything will do as long as he straddles a hobby and rides it hard."

I think this is very true. I also think that is why many of us blog. It provides an easily accessible social network of sharing hobbies, sharing things held in common. Changing my rooms can be a hobby for me. For some reason, if I am sad, I just have to do a little changing up to provide a break and some satisfying kind of joy---weird as that might be.

On the table above I have a tray with some of my favorite photos from my walks about town. So much pleasure is taken just by looking at these. Shells sooooo speak to me--their softly washed beauty and hues. The warmth of candles--all are touches that make me smile inside.


Flowers in their brilliant contrasting shade to the world about them!


The pleasures of an herb garden (in back ground---) -some herbs have made it through the winter.


The peaking out of bright pansies
Rosemary and toads awaiting at my doorway (below)



AND a softly crumpled lived-in area in the sunshine.

As Swindoll says, "Diversions are as essential to our health and personal developement as schools are to our education, or as food is to our nourishment. And it's funny--you can always tell when it's time to shift gears and change hats. The frown gets deeper...the inner spirit gets irritable...the jaw gets set... the mind gets fatigued--these are God's signals to you that say, 'Don't abort, divert! Don't cave in, get away! Don't crumble, create!' The saddest believers I know--those most bored, most lonely, most miserable, most filled with self-pity--are those who have never developed interests ourside of the realm of their work.
The only vision they possess is tunnel vision, the most significant thing they've ever created is an ulcer, the only thing they can discuss in depth is their old nine-to-five routine."

I think this is true. Our minds, and our bodies need a break at times---a rest. Sometimes it really helps to focus on something creative.


Ps. I am using this post for Tabletop Tuesday at Marty's --check here for more:http://astrollthrulife.blogspot.com/2010/03/3rd-table-top-tuesday-spring-into.html

Moving furniture and rugs

Well, we decided to move the blue and green rug down from the bedroom to tie in with the throw over our yucky sofas. There was just too much busy-ness going on with the previous rug and throw---scroll down on the blog and you might see this here: http://spindlecottage.blogspot.com/2010/01/lightening-things-up.html However that post doesn't show the mix of the big rug with it very well. There was too much going on. However the striped version on the sofa does not make me as happy as the green flowered version so I may have to play some more.

We also centered the table in the dining area that adjoins this room. The table is now centered under the ceiling light and centered with the shelving. The problem with this dining area is that the floor slants BIG TIME to the right of the picture. When you put the table the other way it slants toward the right down hill. This way the table is much more level.

My MIL's death

My MIL died this past week; Feb 24 at 4 in the morning.

We were prepared for this , but it is still hard because we miss her and have so many memories of our times together. She is pictured here in the wheel chair with my daughter, myself, and my granddaughter. She was enjoyable even in the latter stages of Alzheimer's --she kept her humor and twinkle in her eye. She never lost her love for chocolate either. The picture on the header which will be there for a bit is taken near her old homestead where we loved to walk. In the pic are my two boys.