Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Our precious world

Families and innocent children celebrating the holy days being killed, people at airports heading to see family, on vacation and missionary trips being bombed and laying in a pool of blood, passengers shielding themselves under bags as smoke and debris fill the terminals, a terrified child; a child's terrified screams ringing high in my heart... the fear, the sorrow.  My heart aches and my soul mourns the lost of innocence and peace in our precious world...  I want to talk real loud and save the lost; change the world; silent the beasts.  But I know not how... so I'd bow my head, hide from view and cover my little heart.  We are tenacious self-destructive conformists. Any other view of our species is just a self-congratulatory delusion.   I cannot stand the world.     


And thus....  I am hiding in the safety of my burrow... days are pleasantly warm and sunny, and the woods which hide my soul is growing verdant and lush each day; gracing my little world in shades of emeralds and wholesome brilliancy. 

I come outside every day and with an expectant heart examine all I see there and all I don't see, but know it is... my heart skipping a bit by the slightly swish of wind and the impromptu of birds...  I love my little world and I am thankful to be here and be able to appreciate it all.


The hostas are all coming up, and there are other things growing in the beds too, which I should say, are to me the most unexpected and wonderful of surprises, as I had already forgotten I had ever planted them where they are... the earth is always gifting, gifting... never forgetting, always forgiving...

It's been so rewarding discovering all those bulbs and tubers I planted last spring and never made it, perhaps because I was too early or too late planting them?  Whatever the reason, they are now sprouting from the softened soil for the first time...  seeing them as I go along the garden taking soul notes, what a joy they are...  what are they?  I have to wonder, as I already forgot what I'd chosen back then.  A lovely surprise indeed they'll be, once they bloom.  


Over there, pass the fountain there's a door opened to the unknown...  


I walk to it and stand in awe; eyes searching at whatever may lay beyond... the lairs and burrows of wild creatures, blind wells, a dense bramble of privets and large trees... and maybe; maybe I want to see too a strange place, hollow and riddled with caves filled with valuable ores, treasure and dangerous monsters? 


I've been busy in the garden, not only planting and transplanting, dividing perennials, pulling out weeds and such, but also I've been busy painting things there.... it is after all, the season of renewal...  



Every spring I do the same.  I paint all of the patio furniture, objects, trinkets, curious things, junk, rocks, flowerpots... sometimes, I even get to paint the grass... ups! ;)


Everything and anything I reckon lovely would get a sprucing up with paint... and that's a lot of things! ;)  


The other day I painted all those uninteresting looking plastic flowerpots I had sitting in the garden. Whatever got me thinking to have them painted in black that first year we moved in, I just don't know.  This year, I needed color....


I chose the loveliest of colors, in azure.  "Legacy" from Americana Decor Chalky Finish.   And let me tell you, I've discovered that chalk paint is the best of paints ever for painting your plastic flowerpots.   Forget the sprays.  Oh yes, forget those sprays! 

Chalk paint runs so smooth on plastic and it dries so fast you can touch, fill or move your flowerpots almost instantly...  the paint covers so well that you won't need much of it either.  I get mine HERE. It is one of my favorite colors right now. An 8oz bottle will cover a lot... I mean a lot of flowerpots, trust me.


What are you up to these days?  A mystery plant is growing in my garden.  Stay tune for more!





LINKING TO:

FIVE ON FRIDAY

Sunday, March 27, 2016

In my little world...

Cloudy and rainy on this Easter Sunday...  

garden, plants, garden statues

A mist of a rain hangs from the atmosphere like some benevolent shroud of calm and peacefulness.  And it is difficult to train the mind to believe that fairy tales aren't real...  rain or mist, fairy tales or not, skin and hair seep in precious globules of wet benedictions descending from calm skies....  and as it is, I amble the silent garden in reverent steps; not minding the weather; nor minding what the eye sees.... only waking in the spirit.  Nothing is perfect, and everything is...

garden, plants, garden statues

The woods skirting our little garden is getting luscious with new growth and trees are festooning themselves in velvety greens and bright emerald....

garden, plants, garden statues, ferns, roses

The pansies are doing great after the long winter they had outside.  I have discovered that the secret to awesome potted plants is fertilizing...  often, and heavily, if you ask me.  

garden, plants, garden statues, ferns, roses

I love ferns...  I have a few Boston ferns, but recently I bought two new Kimberly ferns and I have seen huge potted Macho ferns in the store, and I'm sure I'll end up buying one, or two, to embellish our back porch with...



I've been embellishing some of my flowerpots too...  


Wrapping them in pretty fabric and adhesive paper as I see fit... no instructions necessary. No perfection aimed.  Just the loveliness of the outside and nature...

potted flowers, flowerpots, plants, ferns

I saw two birds kissing on their lips-bills yesterday, 


...and I see them scurrying about the garden in their quest to find bits and pieces of this and that to build their nest...  spring it certainly is on the air and everywhere...


The Autumn Joy sedum is such a faithful dweller of the southern garden...  I love the strength in them and how the succulent stems and leaves arise from the earth so compactly, and always dependable.  Its flowers bloom from August into November and they open pink and mature to a copper befitting of autumn.


I haven't seen Winter the cat in a long time and I'm thinking he may be gone forever from the garden...  I miss seeing him around here.  I want to think that he has been picked up by animal control and brought to some shelter, but I'm afraid that might not be the case, being that he is a feral cat and won't socialize to people.  

I thought of him again this morning when I saw this vision of another lovely creature roaming through the garden...  a new feral cat as white as Winter.  But when he turned around, I noticed that the fur on his face and legs wore the colors of the earth.  A lovely yellow-brownish color that reminded me of the iron oxide tinted soil of the south.  His eyes were not blue, like those of Winter, but more like two drops of caramel. 

He's personality too, differs from Winter's.  A more agile feline, who chases after squirrels and birds in a super fast and almost aggressive  way...  

I felt in love with this lovely creature the minute I saw him and I'm counting the minutes till I get to see him again.  His name, is Earth.... because of the red soil stained-like fur...  


Anything exciting, or mysterious or just plainly interesting happening in your little world these days?  Please do share.  I love to hear your stories and often come back to read you, and imagine.




Thursday, March 24, 2016

A garden Diary

The winds are carrying on wispy wings, flakes of crystalline water ice.... snow?  All of the 'spring snows' on breezy wings.... blowing everywhere, over the garden and upon my heart—mementos and gifts from Nature that I shall keep there and only bring forth on real future 'snowy' days of winter... for hope and cheerfulness...


You see, it really isn't snow what I see, but only the white petals of the ornamental pear trees swirling and dancing on balmy breezes all over my little world.  I just like to call it 'snow' because, well, that's just how quirky I am, and how I see things...   


Oh, but you must understand...  you see, it isn't just that I am a bit strange... although I'd have to agree on that one... You see, life is full of wonder and my philosophy towards it is just to enjoy it to the fullest an always be appreciative for all is given... as I walk through this woody garden of mine, eyes, ears and heart in tune with whatever evolves there, my soul is humbled; my heart thankful.  
  

There's a bird atop the budding trees, high up, serenading my morning.  My eyes search the top canopies trying to figure out his nature...  is he or she a mockingbird?  And what an amazing gift was placed on a bird's syrinx!  I stand in the middle of my garden amazed at God's creation.  My tongue sings a new song to the Almighty.


The precious hostas are finally breaking ground—all of them!  Their happy heads, like newborns rupturing forth from the sacredness of their mothers' wombs...  I am dancing with glee at their sight. 


The bale bundles we placed in the pond to control algae are already performing some miracles of their own, and the water resembles those of rivers.  



I truly recommend applying barley straw to your pond to control algae naturally...  It really works and it is super fast.  Only two small bundles will cover a medium size pond like ours.  We get ours HERE.


The carpenter bees have already arrived.  Too early in the year, and more active than ever... I predict a relentless summer.  

The Astilbes I planted only a week or two ago are already on the rise... how fast!  I cannot wait to see those pink panache of plumes undulating on air, like gentle waves on rivers.  

One of the two exact clematis I planted on each side of the arbor last months is already growing, and doing well. I haven't seen the other one, thus far.  And you just have to wonder, and imagine and question yourself about those mysteries in life.... like, why sometimes certain identical twins turn out to be so different from each other, being that they are physical copies of one another.... yet so different in spirit, with such radically inverted moralities? Why would one grow in spirit and the other won't?


The garden is becoming a truly delightful place to be again, and so many things are happening 'round here!  And so much I want to share with you!  But for now, enough of this quirkiness, in case I'd bore you! ;)

Like with those flakes of spring, may you swirl in happiness today, my friend.

  

Monday, March 21, 2016

Color

I'm washing all the white linen in our black and white master bedroom....
In the meantime....  
color!

linen, household items, house beautiful, bedding, decorative pillows

linen, household items, house beautiful, bedding, decorative pillows

linen, household items, house beautiful, bedding, decorative pillows

linen, household items, house beautiful, bedding, decorative pillows



I hope you feel beautiful today!


LINKING TO:

METAMORPHOSIS MONDAY
AMAZE ME MONDAY
BE INSPIRE MONDAY

THE SCOOP
TUESDAYS AT OUR HOME
INSPIRE ME TUESDAYS
INSPIRE ME MONDAY
ROSES OF INSPIRATION
TWEAK IT TUESDAY
TRASH TO TREASURE

Friday, March 18, 2016

Life in the little white cottage

The scent wafting from the fragrance warmer at the little white cottage this morning is Apple Bobbin', the music, Meditative Panflute—pleasant, soothing, sending imagination on a wild run along Pan in his pursuit of the beautiful nymph, Syrinx.  The sun outside is shining bright and strong and our living room is bathed in wonderful, golden morning light.   


Days are getting gloriously warm and the little white cottage is a ray of sunshine inside, so bright it is, that you feel you are already outside without having to go outside... this fills me up with such joy—light, the miracle of light is something amazing... it goes deep into my soul and it lifts me up and inspires me; enticing me to the wild outside all day long... 


Days are so perfect and beautiful, they rest enough hours to live them long enough and full enough.  And I find there's not enough hours in a day to do all I want to do and enjoy all there is to enjoy... such joy these spring days bring to my little heart!  But oh, life runs so fast... so fast... can you wait oh can you wait and slow down a bit dear Mr. Time? Please do... please let mornings like these linger a little longer upon the hours of my heart...



I like making little sanctuaries in various part of the garden.... here is one that I truly love—a little fountain under the trees with St Francis of Assisi preaching a sermon to birds, some bluish pebbles in the water along with some leaves from trees.  A few pots of Impatiens in pink, tangerine and purple surrounding the fountain complete the enchantment... 


I love how soothing morning and evening light filters through the trees and hit the water running through the woods, scattering little stars over it... when the sun shines upon the waters the entire wood comes alight with twinkling lights...  

The Vinca I found in the woods when we moved here two years ago and planted everywhere in my garden is with flower... purple little things among light green leaves... This was another miracle—this wild Vinca I found and now they're everywhere filling empty spaces with such loveliness...


The goldfish in the pond have grown so much over the winter.  They love their home and are doing so well.  I placed the potted magnolia on the little bridge over the pond. It looks so pretty there.  I can hardly wait to see those branches covered in lovely white flowers...  and the scent enamoring evening breezes.... 

The irises I planted by the pond when we moved here are already growing and soon will be gracing the edges of the pond in purple and white gloriousness... Last week I also planted there a few Astilbe plants of pink feathery plumes.  They will be alright sitting there with all that shade they will get in that spot... I love Astilbe and had always dreamed with having some embellishing my garden...

I've also added a few seeds of white and cardinal morning glories to the trellis on that shady corner of the pond... and who knows if those Elephant Ears made it through the winter... who knows!

If all these plants make it, and they will, I'm going to have the loveliest of pond ever this year!   



The ornamental Callery pear tree grows wild here in the south.  It amazes me to see them everywhere as you drive on the freeway or on the country roads, their white flower covering every branch like cotton candy on trees... a few of them embellish our property...


 I cut some branches this morning and brought them in....


I hope you have a wonderful weekend.....
filled with graces and beauty....
Enjoy your days, my friend...