Still Swooning Over Autumn Loveliness

 "Fall is begging for us to dance and sing and write with just the same drama and blaze.”  ~ Shauna Niequist

I love autumn days. I love how the leaves -- now fallen -- nestle into garden nooks and spread across green lawns. I love the way these crinkly bits of nature blend with honey-hued rocks and give a delightful contrast against herbs and perennials still green.

And, isn't a splash of colour -- just like in the photo -- perfect for brightening up the whole thing?

It's a different kind of beauty we enjoy now than what we loved in full summer bloom. Rose bushes once flush with delicate pink blossoms look like sticks in the ground. The purple stalks of liatris now make me think of miniature bulrushes. And, our majestic sunflowers droop nearer the earth as they send their last bit of energy into forming seeds instead of standing tall.  

Personally, I don't see the fuss about getting the leaves off the lawn. I prefer an 'au naturale' look myself. Although, I admit, there is a certain romance to the whole thing of raking up the leaves into a great pile for kids or dogs to romp through (be sure to see too-cute video). If I were to rake, it would for that reason -- not because it looks unsightly. So one might ask if we just leave them on the lawn here in the city where we live. Alas, no, hubby takes that in hand and very un-romantically mows them up into the lawn mower bag for the compost. 

That's why I'm taking JOY in this leafy mess before said mower does its job and 'tidies up the place a bit'.

On that note, I'm leaf-ing you with this wonderful piece of autumn word artistry by Shauna Neiquiest, author of books like Bread and Wine, and Cold Tangerines....

“Fall: bright flame before winter’s deadness; harvest; orange, gold, amber; cool nights and the smell of fire. Our tree-lined streets are set ablaze, our kitchens filled with the smells of nostalgia: apples bubbling into sauce, roasting squash, cinnamon, nutmeg, cider, warmth itself ... and everything we see is celebrating one last violently hued hurrah before the black and white and silence of winter. Fall is begging for us to dance and sing and write with just the same drama and blaze.” ~ Shauna Neiquiest

Have a*´¨)
> ¸.·´¸.·*´¨) ¸.·*¨)
> (¸.·´ (¸.·´ * beautiful day! *

Hugs,
Brenda
xox

Photo:  Brenda Leyland, 2014

Graphic:  Glittergraphics.coms

Shauna's Quote: First read on post by Adrienne Westenfeld

They Are Singin' In The Rain

In the garden on a rainy fall day

It's raining today.... delightfully so. Which makes it a day perfect for chopping vegetables for homemade vegetable soup ... for lighting candles and turning on the twinkle lights in the living room ... for reading ... and for getting another few pages done on my story.

A few minutes ago I was standing at my window just enjoying the sound of the rain coming down. Soft and peaceful. And then it got crazy out in the garden. I ran for my phone video so I could capture what I was hearing. Couldn't see anything...

But listen... turn up your volume if needed

As suddenly as they started, they stopped. Guess choir practice is over. It's completely still again... except for the softly falling rain. Sure glad I didn't miss it.

Wishing you all a*´¨)
> ¸.·´¸.·*´¨) ¸.·*¨)
> (¸.·´ (¸.·´ * a singing kind of day! *

Hugs,
Brenda
xox
 



Photo & Video: Brenda Leyland, 2014

Throwback Thursday: Sunday Picnics

Oh the joy of going on a Sunday afternoon picnic when we were children.

It's hard to believe that we are all dressed in our Sunday best for a picnic in the park by the lake. True, it was a Sunday afternoon, but it was the norm in those days... my mom in her pretty dress and my dad in his suit and tie. If it got warm on a summer's day, then off would come the jacket and maybe his shirt sleeves would be rolled up.

That's Little Sis in blue and me in pink ... with our blonde, blonde hair ... posing on the front seat. The young fellow behind us is our older cousin, and maybe we were both just a little bit in love with him. He was so handsome.

Having no defined recollection of this particular picture, I'm not sure what we ate that day, maybe it was fried chicken and potato salad. Or, sandwiches with ham or sliced meat with pimento cheese -- I see the loaf of bread.

Sunday Picnic circa early 1960's

I loved those simpler times when our outings often included a leisurely drive down interesting, meandering country roads. Up hills and then the z-o-o-m down the other side, often on dirt or gravel roads where tiny rocks would pong and ping off the car sides and bottom, a whirl of dust in our wake.

Sometimes we'd stop for a visit at our newly married aunt and uncle's place. Sometimes we'd stop at a neighbours -- that's when we hoped the family would have kids our age to play with. Other times when the car faced west towards the nearby lake and summer village, that's when we knew ice cream or even spun sugar cones would be the treat at the end of the journey. Oh joy, oh bliss!

My, that's a long time ago. I'm so glad for family photos as they remind us of those happy moments we've nearly forgotten.

And so that's my little walk down memory lane today....

Wishing you a*´¨)
> ¸.·´¸.·*´¨) ¸.·*¨)
> (¸.·´ (¸.·´ * a happy walk down your own memory lane! *

Hugs,

Brenda

xox

Photo: Family Archives

Playing with Picmonkey

Simply Version One

   

This morning we are learning how to create collages on picmonkey. Above is my first attempt.....

Much as we've admired the creativity so many of you share on your own blogs using collages for your photography, I've never felt I had the time to play with this. Plus, with so many technical learning curves as I venture into social media, a smart phone, some online writing classes... sometimes my brain says that's all for now, Girl, please don't add anything else into the mix right now!

But on this quiet, sublime morning of autumn, both me and my brain feel lively and ready to take a playful tour through all the buttons provided... to see what kind of monkey business we can get up to.

  

We're Getting Fancy Version Two

 

Here's My Favorite Version Three

Now this was FUN, FUN, FUN!  I'll be p-l-a-y-i-n-g with this some more.  But now, I see by the hands on my clock, I  best be off to accomplish some other projects... writing on my story, for one.

  

Oh yes... Which would be your favorite version?  Version Three is mine.

Wishing you a*´¨)
> ¸.·´¸.·*´¨) ¸.·*¨)
> (¸.·´ (¸.·´ * beautiful day! *

Hugs,

Brenda

xox

Photos: Brenda Leyland, 2014

List Ten Books That...

My brother recently challenged me and my sisters to 'list 10 books that have stayed with you or affected you in some way.'

Turns out my real challenge was not to find 10 books for the list, but to keep the list to 10. That was nigh impossible for this girl. In truth I probably have more like 100 books that I could list as having stayed or affected me in some way. But to follow the rules: 

• List 10 books that have stayed with you or affected you in some way.
• Don't take more than a few minutes and don't think too hard.
• They don't have to be "right" books or great works of literature.
• Challenge friends to do the same.

  Except for my bible, this list is in no particular order ...

1. My Bible. Heavily-underlined and starred, it’s my ‘go-to’. The Book of Psalms is a top favourite.

2. Rose in Bloom by Lousia May Alcott, Sequel in Little Women series. The loving, trusting relationship between young Rose and her guardian uncle gave me a beautiful picture of how love gives one the ability to trust… and then obey. My relationship with Jesus started to be became a love affair as a result.

3. First I loved the red-headed snippet Anne of Green Gables and later I fell in love with her creator, L.M. Montgomery.

4. His Gentle Voice, author’s name long forgotten. The true story of a young woman who, in her desire to meet her life partner and be a missionary, learned to listen for His gentle voice. It was the first time I’d ever felt God nudging me to a specific book to read.

5. Living a Beautiful Life by Alexandra Stoddard. She became my mentor for living life more beautifully in every way.

6. From the Father’s Heart by Charles Slagle. Written as short notes and letters from Father God to the author. The Father became a real Person to me, someone with whom I could share real conversation and my daily stuff. It changed my concept of God.

7. Heaven, The Heart’s Deepest Longing by Peter Kreeft. Years ago I didn’t know why I had this ever-present homesickness down deep inside. When I saw Kreeft’s book sitting on a library cart it was as if it was there waiting for me. It confirmed what my heart began to know -- I was homesick for Eden, for what we lost in the beginning... and for heaven, what we look forward to in the end. Interesting, once I recognized that was what I was pining for, the homesick feeling resolved, I think because I knew one day it would resolve for real. And so it was okay to feel this way.

8. Martin Luther – Reflections from His Writings. Especially the essay The Freedom of a Christian -- the divine exchange of the Bride’s brokenness for the Bridegroom’s glory. I fell more in love with Jesus, the Bridegroom.

9. Ordering Your Private World by Gordon MacDonald. I was happy to learn that I wasn’t the only one who struggled with feeling disorganized and over-busy on the wrong things. MacDonald shared some helpful things for me.

10. If You Want to Write by Brenda Ueland. I turn to it whenever I need inspiration or encouragement in my writing life. Love that my last name and hers are similar.

Adding List Two:

1. At Home From Mitford by Jan Karon
2. The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister
3. The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning
4. Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
5. Love the Way to Victory by Kenneth E. Hagin
6. The Winged Life by Hannah Hurnard
7. A Severe Mercy by Sheldon Vaunaken
8. Heidi by Johanna Spry
9. Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh
10. Bobbsey Twins at the Seashore by Laura Lee Hope

Adding List Thee:

1. Life of the Beloved by Henri J.M. Nouwen
2. The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence
3. Walden and Other Writings by Henry David Thoreau
4. My Dream of Heaven by Rebecca Ruter Springer
5. The Shack by William Young
6. One Hundred Names for Love by Diane Ackerman
7. Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
8. Walking on Water by Madeleine L'Engle
9. The Right to Write by Julia Cameron
10. Keeping the Feast (memoir) by Paula Butterini

Adding List Four:

1. Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher
2. Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
3. The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery
4. Man's Search for Meaning by Victor F. Frankl
5. Surprised by Oxford by Carolyn Weber 
6. Delighting God by Victoria Brooks
7. Mr. Popper's Penguins (children's) by Richard and Florence Atwater
8. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
9. Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh
10. Not My Will (teen novel) by Francena H. Arnold   ...

What are the first ten books that come to your mind?

Wanna share here or on your blog?

Wishing you a*´¨)
> ¸.·´¸.·*´¨) ¸.·*¨)
> (¸.·´ (¸.·´ * bookish kind of day! *

Hugs,

Brenda

xox