Tuesday's Glimpse of Heaven

Bob Canning

If the sight of the blue skies fills you with joy,
rejoice, for your soul is alive.
~ Eleanora Duse (1859 - 1924)

I absolutely love this combination of colour -- vivid deep blue and white -- the contrast is just soooo satisfying!  Do you find it so?

 Wishing you your own heart-satisfying glimpses today,
Brenda
xox

Don't Take Guilt Trips

Source

If you must take a trip, take one to the shops...

Source

Or to an old world rose garden...

Source

Or a trip to the seashore... 

But don't even bother taking any guilt trips.

The memories will be awful,
never mind the collection of  'negatives'
from the photography sessions!

Here's wishing you some nice trips this year!

Hugs,
Brenda
xox

Snow and Singing

Woke to a winter wonderland this morning. It started blustering and puffing last evening, and this morning we woke to this. First snow since long before Christmas. I'm enjoying it, but then I'm not the one out in the cold shoveling its powdery piles (smile).

I came across a post from 2008 about the birds singing on one of the coldest days of the year. It seemed like a good day to repost it. Just in case some of us need a a song of our own to sound and resound in our hearts at the beginning of this new year.

 

 Choir of the Great Outdoors

 From Archives December 2008

Here's a picture I got this morning. Wish I could have gotten close enough to snap some of them in their choral lineup atop the deck railing. It felt like I was listening to a choir in a cathedral. I guess I was ... The Great Outdoors Choral Concert!

I find myself inspired by these fine feathered friends. If these little ones can still sing their hearts out in the bleakness of midwinter, maybe singing would be a cheery way to help us out when we experience our own 'midwinter' doldrums.

What piece or style of music puts the song back in your heart? For me, often it's something from Mozart or Bach; sometimes it's a old hymn or carol I learned as a child that starts it all. Other times it might just be the piece I hear on the radio that kicks the doldrums out of the room. And, then there's the music of the birds outside, in the deep of winter, that sets my heart to singing.

Wishing you a new song for the day,

Brenda

xox

51 Favourites

Source

In No Particular Order

1. heart to heart visits over coffee

2. rainy days
3. children’s laughter
4.  something new to read
5.  nice surprises from out of the blue
6.  packages in the mail
7.  books that inspire and cause me to 'dream'
8. reading in bed
9. a frosty glass of water
10. small chocolate surprises

11. kitty cats
12. inspiring people to see new possibilities
13. the smell of bookshops

14. beginning a new journal
15. sunny autumn days
16. tiny sandwiches and steaming tea in fine china cups

17. sandy warm beaches
18. people watching
19. winter days when the sky is bright and sunny
20. the smell of coffee brewing

21. cobalt blue and white

22. walks at twilight
23.  meandering in a beautiful garden
24.  early dawn
24. giving gifts for no occasion

25. laughing
26. hearing “I love you”
27. walking into an uncluttered, organized room
28. gorgeous color combinations
29. browsing my classic Victoria magazines

30. journaling in fine notebooks

31. snuggling with my sweetie

32. learning how to love like Jesus

33.studying at the library
34. crayons and pencils
35.  English country anything 

36.  watching happy dogs out for their walks
37. watching a child's eyes light up
38.  listening to and watching the birds
39.  blogging and meeting you

40.  writing letters
41.  listening to Mozart
42.  the smell of rain
43.  warm scones and strawberry jam
44. lavender scented anything
45.  putting on a spritz of fragrance
46.  packages tied up with string
47.  pretty or interesting postage stamps
48.  colourful ribbons in a bowl
49.  lace curtains at the window
50. the word cozy

51.  breakfast out on holidays

     

Wishing you favourite moments to treasure today!

Hugs,
Brenda
xox

January 1st...

Source

Just a wee note at the end of a lovely day spent with family. Our usual tradition is to order in (or go out for) a feast of Chinese food, and once again we enjoyed our favourite dishes, which always includes ginger beef no matter what else we decide on.

Hubby offered to wash up the last of the dishes, and then there are plans to draw near the fireplace later and watch a movie -- unless eyelids have other plans.

I leave you with a couple of thoughts that seem fitting as we look ahead to a new year...

"Write it on your heart that every day
is the best day in the year."

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

"You are never too old to set another goal
or to dream a new dream."

~ C.S. Lewis

 

Here's wishing you sweet dreams... 

when you're sleeping and when you're awake!

Hugs,
Brenda
xox