Peonies in Bloom

by Brenda Colleen Leyland, 2009

Arranging a bowl of flowers
in the morning
can give a sense of quiet
in a crowded day --
like writing a poem or saying a prayer.

~ Anne Morrow Lindbergh



Till next time,

This and That!

2009 by Brenda Colleen Leyland


Aha! I bet you thought you caught me with my feet up. Well, almost! Although my day certainly had its mellow moments, I will have you know I've been 'swotting' on an article that I needed to post over at InScribeWriters. It's now up, if you are interested in taking a peek!

Life is beautiful around here.

1. On Saturday, we enjoyed a day trip with friends to the mountains near Jasper. Wonderful outing! Sited some mountain goats clinging to the sides of some sheer cliffs.

2. We tried a new recipe for supper -- Tandoori chicken on the BBQ. Yum! Sorry, we ate it before I thought about photos.

3. Made a yumptious sour cream custard rhubarb pie last evening and spontaneously dropped in on our dear friends (we called first) to share it with them, while we watched Agatha Christie's detective Hercule Poirot solve his latest mystery.

4. Had time to enjoy the birds and the roses in our backyard this afternoon. It's been a coolish kind of day, but suddenly the sun came out and there we all were, Rick, Kitty and myself, sunning ourselves for the few minutes the clouds had parted.

And so, it's time to call it a day...where did it go? I hope your week is off to a lovely start.

Happily,

From My Study Window

2009 by Brenda Colleen Leyland

A glance out the window early this morning afforded us an uncommon treat --- the sighting of a yellow-headed blackbird perched in our Hawthorne tree.

Yellow-headed Blackbird

Crowds of red-winged blackbirds are now bringing their young to the feeders, and somehow this yellow-headed fellow found his way in the crowd. He boded his time for a spot at the busy feeder (which, from the angle in the photo below, is tucked in the left-hand corner)!



We're out and about today with errands and whatnot..... alas, no time to sit on the patio this fine morning. No time for serious blogging either. But I'm thinking of you all and wishing you a happy Friday.

Until next time,

All Creatures Great and Small

2009 by Brenda Colleen Leyland

"My profession is always to be alert to find God in nature,
to know God's lurking places to attend to all the oratorios
and the operas in nature." ~ Henry David Thoreau

Early one fine morning, Rick and I were sitting on the patio with our first cup of coffee, when one of our resident tree swallows flew by and landed on Rick's white garden hat (which was perched atop his head at the time). We'd been enjoying the show of birds as they swooped in for a share of their favourite breakfast cereal.

Apparently tree swallows like white feathers to build their nests with, so maybe Mr. Swallow thought Rick's hat was a big feather. Alas, we didn't have the camera handy, but what a treat to see him perched within arm's reach. How pretty were his iridescent feathers as they glimmered in the sunlight.

Most of the birds who come to feed in our garden are getting used to us sitting nearby. Red-winged blackbirds will swoop in with a chereep. And, as they fill their beaks to feed their hungry brood, they coyly peek around the side of the feeder as if to ensure we're not sneaking up on them.

Which reminds me, one morning last week I found a large bumblebee lumbering along on my living room floor. Although he'd found his way in the open back door, he couldn't find the way out. Now he lay there as if stunned. I scooped him up with a tumbler glass and paper.

When I tried to set him down in the garden where he could recover, he crawled off the paper onto my finger, his little body heaving as if to catch his breath. He sat a moment, I said a little prayer for him in case he was injured, and then suddenly he spread his wings and was gone.

I love these encounters with nature's tiny creatures -- they are such an amazing and beautiful part of our world. So many wild places around us are being razed to the ground for 'development'..... and rather than going into a lament or a rant about it, we endeavour to create a little haven in our corner of the world for a few of these, God's smallest creatures.

Don't let their size fool you! Sometimes the best pleasures come in small packages.

Lucy, Lucy, Lucy

2009 by Brenda Colleen Leyland

Not that long ago, I mentioned in an 'I am thankful for...' list that I was very grateful I have not had to work for a living in a factory or assembly line. With variety placing a high priority in my value system, I cannot imagine standing in the same position doing the same type of piecework hour after hour, day after day, month after month.

However, there may be one exception. Well, maybe not. Do any of you older-timers remember the television episode from I Love Lucy where Lucy and her friend Ethel are hired to wrap candy in the candy factory assembly line?

If you need a sweet dose of funny today, I found that scene posted on YouTube, so why not pop over there and enjoy Lucy and Ethel at their hilarious best.

Still laughing,





PS. By the way, as I'm still chuckling and feeling grateful, I want to acknowledge and appreciate every person who has ever worked, or continues to work, in an assembly line type of job.... I realize how much we owe to your contribution. Where would we be without you?

50 Leaves An Hour

A FEW WEEKS AGO, I was in the midst of spring cleaning, which meant I had the pleasure... and pain... of sorting through and dusting my collection of books and magazines.

I started out quite determined not to get bamboozled from my task, but before I knew it, I was sitting surrounded by piles of reading materials, browsing through pages of old friends, totally forgetting about the dusting ... the sorting ... and the letting go.

Which is how I happened to get caught in the fun of flipping through my Calvin and Hobbes cartoon books. I absolutely loved this one where Calvin has a school assignment to collect leaves. If it were to have a title, 'a job started is a job half done' would certainly fit.

I hope I'm not crossing the line by downloading a copy of this cartoon. But I can't just tell you about it, you have to see it! Click on the picture to get a larger version -- you won't want to miss a word of this dialogue between Calvin and his furry wise friend.

Our Monday is a wee bit cooler with overcast skies, but it still feels quite summery. Birds are busy, and I've got several writing projects to work on this week, so I best get to them.

Here's wishing you lots of fun moments today. We all know that laughter is good medicine, so be a good girl and take a big dose!

Simply Sunday...A Rose is a Rose is a Rose

2009 by Brenda Colleen Leyland

What a treat to find our very first rose of summer. A happy harbinger of many lovely things ready to burst forth as summer officially begins. Not only is it a lovely rose, but the hansa is very fragrant. When the bush in in full flush, our garden is filled with its heady scent.

Hansa Rose (Rugosa)

Avoid being impatient.
Remember time brings roses.
~ Author Unknown

Won't you come into the garden?
I would like my roses to see you.
~ Richard B. Sheridan, 1791 - 1816

Send two dozen roses to Room 424
and put 'Emily, I love you' on the back of the bill.
~ Groucho Marx

Pearls of Forgiveness

2009 by Brenda Colleen Leyland

I've been browsing through an old copy of Francis Gay's The Friendship Book. His little books are a treasure trove of interesting quotes and inspirational thoughts.



Here's an entry from the 1988 edition .....

"It's easy to harbour a grudge, to store up resentment against someone who has treated you badly. Not so easy to forgive and forget.


Forgiveness, however, brings its own precious reward, as the German novelist and humorist Jean-Paul Richter knew. He once wrote, "The heart that forgives an injury is like the perforated shell of a mussel, which closes its wound with a pearl."

Thoughtfully,

Sweet Posies

2009 by Brenda Colleen Leyland

"Never lose an opportunity of seeing
anything beautiful,
for beauty is God's handwriting."

attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson

Skywatch Friday...

2009 by Brenda Colleen Leyland

I'm pleased to share these interesting cloud formations for Skywatch Friday....





If you are a skywatcher, click here to see other amazing photographs. And, if you have your own pics, you are welcome to join the parade!

Enjoy!





Note: Skywatch starts on Thursday @ 2:30 EST because it is played all over the globe.

Spotted in the Garden

2009 by Brenda Colleen Leyland

Cedar Waxwing

Red Winged Blackbird

Miss Kitty on garden patrol

Miss Kitty loves to go out in the garden.

Even though we have a lot of birds coming to the feeders and some that nest in our birdhouses, Kitty's pretty mellow about their presence. The magpies shriek whenever they see her outside, but the other birds tend to ignore her. She will crouch and swish her tail once in a while, but mostly she minds her own business (that is to say, she's much more interested in the mouse family she's spotted near the compost bins).

Wednesday's Offerings

2009 by Brenda Colleen Leyland

Moss phlox

Dwarf Korean Lilac

Pink Seed Geranium and White Anemone

Mother-of-Thyme (Thymus serpyllum)

"Let the walls of your mind be filled
with beautiful pictures"
William Lyon Phelps

Snippet From An Old Song

2009 by Brenda Colleen Leyland

I love quote books, and lately I've been browsing through one of my own notebooks that, over the years, has been filled with many wonderful pearls.

Here's a snippet from a song I once heard. I know not its name or originator, but I thought this one line really pictures the steadfast faithfulness of true love.....

"I didn't build a home in your heart to move away."

Thought you might enjoy it too. And, I'll have you know, you dear blogging friends, rooms are being built in my heart for you too! Have a wonderful Tuesday. It's balmy and wondrous here this morning.

A Spoonful of Strawberry Jam

2009 by Brenda Colleen Leyland

I'VE BEEN HONOURED to receive this lovely award from Anne at Strawberry Jam Anne. Wow -- thank you! Just like your name, you know how to sweeten my day!

I understand this award is shared with blogs you've recently discovered. I'm soooo glad you 'discovered' where I live, Anne, and now I'm excited to pass it along to three of my latest discoveries!

1. Sandy at 4 Reluctant Entertainers. She shares her passion for gracious living and connection through her postings and wonderful photographs. She inspires the most timid among us to see that entertaining can be a beautiful way to touch the lives of others without the fear and pressure of having to have it all perfect first. Keep inspiring us, Sandy!

2. Christine at Vista Woman. I've been enjoying my visits to Christine's site. With any new friend, it's always nice to learn about our history, where we come from and what we like to do. The more I read of Christine's past postings, the more I'm glad our paths crossed. She shares tips, inspirational quotes and great photographs which give us lots of opportunities to peek into her world.

3. Judy at justalittlesomethingforyou has a delightful blog. And and it's true .... she always has a little something wonderful for us when we come to visit. There's loveliness spilling out everywhere!

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Ladies, if you decide to share the award with your own newest discoveries, here are the guidelines:
1) Accept the award and be sure to post it on your own blog, together with the name and link of the person who gave it to you. You can also share a comment about the person who gave the award and invite your readers to stop by their blog.
2) Pass along the award to blogs you’ve recently come across and enjoy. Contact these bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award. Go to their site and leave a comment on one of their posts telling them you have an award for them and to please come by your blog to get it. (When copying the award image, be sure to upload to your own computer first -- something to do with bandwidth usage.)


3) You get to choose the number of blogs you wish to award.

***************

Henry Ward Beecher once said that "every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his nature into his pictures." When it comes to bloggers, they also know how to dip their brushes and paint their nature into their sites. I'm thrilled to meet so many kindred spirits who share their love of beauty and connection and creativity.


So here's to each one of you! You make my life more beautiful. Isn't blogging wonderful!!

Hugs,

Simply Sunday

2009 by Brenda Colleen Leyland

EVERY MORNING lean thine arm awhile
Upon the window sill of heaven,
 
And gaze upon thy God,
 
Then with the vision in thy heart,
Turn strong to meet the day.
 
~ James Russell Low

My Favourite Weather

2009 by Brenda Colleen Leyland

"My favourite weather is bird-chirping weather."
~Loire Hartwould

Have a wonderful weekend. I'm out in the garden! Where are you?

Inspired Entertaining

2009 by Brenda Colleen Leyland


As you know, I'm all for living our lives more beautifully in every area of life, so when I saw Melissa's latest posting title come up in my sidebar (Living Life Beautifully: Summer Entertaining for Real People), I had to go and check it out. And, I was so inspired, I had to share her link with you at The Inspired Room.

And I'm also pleased to introduce you to a brand new site for me -- Sandy over at Reluctant Entertainer. Sandy is a guest blogger at Melissa's and today she reminds us about the true focus when we entertain guests..... we want to connect with people rather than focus on impressing them with trying to have everything magazine perfect.

Although we desire our guests to feel special by fixing up a nice meal and having our homes comfortable and inviting, that's not the chief focus. It's the connecting to people that matters. We will enjoy the wonderful food and the beautiful ambiance, but we will treasure them because they remind us of the times spent with our friends, old and new. So thanks, Melissa and Sandy for the beautiful and timely reminder.

Now, here's wishing you all a beautiful weekend!

Further to Robert Fulghum Quote

2009 by Brenda Colleen Leyland




You may recall, a few weeks ago I posted the quote by Robert Fulghum about filling our lives with singing and dancing and learning etc...... A sister blogger left a comment saying that she'd love to do that, only thing is she had to go to work, so she'd have to fit the fun stuff in at the end of the day.

I understand that, but what I've been learning over the years is to let the creative and fun stuff be our life and the work fills in around it. I know, you say, but I have to be at the office from 9 to 5, five days a week..... it's set in stone. And the work I'm doing doesn't allow any dancing or singing or painting or being creative.......

But that's where I remind myself, and I want to encourage you to see, it is possible if we learn how to carry a song in our hearts. It's looking for opportunities to be creative in the midst of what seems mundane and boring. We can dance a jig in our office when a nasty project gets completed. We can create a small oasis of beauty in our work space by bringing that piece of artwork we've created.

Many years ago, my job included hours and hours of photocopying each week. I'd stand in front of that machine, turning out page after page after page. How tedious, how wearisome, so far away from any sense of creativity and fun.

Yet, all those years ago, I found a way to let joy be a part of my day... and so, as that old machine would be cranking out reams of paper copies I'd sing to myself. I was amazed at how much that helped me with the work. Those seven dwarfs in that old fairytale, Snow White, figured out the secret of making the time fly by whistling when they worked.

Alexandra Stoddard once shared how she made it a lovely ritual to bring fresh flowers every Monday morning for her desk at the office. It brought a certain charm and gentility to her corner of the world. So I decided to bring fresh flowers to my office too. Sometimes I'd go to my favourite florist over lunch hour and bring back bunches of posies, leaving them on the desks of my coworkers. (I was ever mindful they also had their own hours of photocopying to tend). It made our lives more beautiful.

Sometimes it's easy to get in a slump, especially if things are a bit dull around us. But that's the challenge, isn't it? Always looking for ways to enliven with creativity the most tedious tasks. Always looking for ways to stamp our sense of beauty into the dull surfaces of our days.

I'm hoping that you'll be inspired to look for ways you can sing and dance and paint and learn even if you're heading off to the office for another day in the 'swamp'.

Joyfully yours,

Morning Glories Giveaway

2009 by Brenda Colleen Leyland

Lori over at Morning Glories and Moonflowers makes some of the cutest jewelry. Now she's hosting a Giveaway and if you visit her site and leave a message, you will become eligible to win one of her especially-made-for-you pieces of jewelry.

I'm hard-pressed to pick a favourite, but as I'm currently smitten with the sea/sky colours, I'm sharing this photo of Lori's button bracelet in a blue/green combo.

It's to whet your appetite to go and see what other delicious eye candy she's got on display. Look for her piece called, Summer Flowers, and Cotton Candy. Other favourites for me.

Lori, I'm celebrating your pizazz and creativity today! You make our world -- and our wardrobes -- more beautiful.

Charmed,

Spritely Spring Green

2009 by Brenda Colleen Leyland

I've been playing... and I really like this lighter, summery look for my site. There's nothing like the spritely spring greens to cheer any dark corner.

The photos were taken on a nature walk a couple of weeks ago. All manner of wild blossoms were poking fragile heads from under wintry debris that day. Here are a few:

And in green underwood and cover
Blossom by blossm the spring begins.

~ Algernon Charles Swinburne



Here's wishing you the pleasantest of weeks!