Life...

2017 didn't start off well for any of us.  My soul melts a little bit each day under the weight of uncertainty and the terrible illness that's eating away my beautiful mother's brain.  A little bit of me, and a little bit of us all dies off with her everyday too.  

I have always thought of myself a faulty spirit... too little too stun with life too un-centered, and rendered-speechless in the way of the world.  And yet, somehow, I have come to realize these past few weeks that I am much more than what I think I am... strong, and wise, a mediator, a soother and a peacemaker.  The calmness with which I've been able to respond to stressful situations has come to me in a way of a surprising revelation.  Remaining calm under certain circumstances when everything falls to pieces or when panic strikes is not easy, but I've been gifted with graces beyond my reasoning these past weeks.  I had also discovered that I can too move into a problem solving state of mind if needed be.  That I can recognize the disaster and instead of reacting emotionally, fluidly engage my ability to critically think and logically process my way through.  I have exceeded any of my humble expectations on this, and I am proud of my simple, vulnerable self... for all I've done.  For all the good I have done for my loved ones on these stressful times and all I had accomplished under such high standards in such few days.  There had been days this past weeks when I thought I walked with the entire Universe on my shoulders... and yet, somehow, I managed to ease frightful hearts by making it look that it was just a pair of wings instead.  Life is a miracle, and she who walks it by faith will see great things done on her behalf.  

I am back now at our dear, sweet nest... feeling a little calmer, a little happier, a little more like the-dreamer of a little girl I've always been, but a little bit stronger this time, and always treading on dreams, always carrying a hem-full of roses.  I hear that it snowed around here for a few days while I was away, that temperatures got as low as 13 degrees and that birds missed me terribly.   

I've been adding more art onto my eclectic gallery art wall, making some more canvases, more faces of Frida Kahlo, adding more faux flowers so they will not die.  All the houseplants are doing wonderfully, and the geraniums are putting off new flowers.  I finally got the wonderful, humongous DaVinci painting I've been eagerly waiting for and cannot be any more pleased with it, more in love.  I still need to work on a suitable frame for it.  Some thick, gold frame that's what I am envisioning.  An old dresser sits in the garage awaiting to be painted.  But it is still too cold for these endeavors, and it must wait.  I really don't have a place to put such a big piece, but it is a lovely piece, and I want to paint it in a dark paint and tone it in gold.  I have so much I want to do outside too, but that's another chapter in my everyday life.  For now, I'm finding my peace decorating and enjoying my days inside our cozy home, journaling, writing, reading and watching my 'novelas', until the sun starts warming up my little world again. 

I hope that you all are doing well, 

and I hope that every beautiful thing around you, be turned into a thing of joy...

peace, and joy and birds to watch outside your window to you!

Happy New Year!

The end of another year.  Days are too short.  Life too swift.  Too uncertain.  Too precious to not want to live it to its fullest.  Like the stories of some magical book, life unfolds.  Each page differently.  Each page created as we read.  Pages chock-full of adventures, good and bad.  Love, betrayal, secrets, and suspense leading up to a larger reveal.  A book read too fast if you ask me... its pages turned too quickly and many a time not fully understood, or enjoyed to the utmost.  We remember specifically happy scenes of previous chapters, and we want to flip those pages back, read them again, live those moments that had so beautifully captivated us again and again, but the end it's yet to be read.  We must continue reading till we reach the end of that book that it is our life.  I am frightened by what I may encounter in those pages ahead, what ghosts must I meet, what waters must I cross... frightened by those goodbyes I must say as I read and compose the book of my life...  I want the narration beautiful, the chapters sweet and long and the story to unwind like numbers in a combination lock, with a subtle intricacy giving way to a conclusion that will forever leave me in awe.  Oh, I know I'm not alone on this.  Ordinary people may see only a hopeless end, but the true Christian knows best... we rejoice in an endless hope.  Even if the chapters in the book of our lives are not coming to fruition as we might had expected to, or dreamed of, or wished for.  Ah yeah, at the end, we'll be alright! 

“I’ve read the last page of the Bible. It’s all going to turn out all right.”  ~ Billy Graham

Happy New Year, friends!

The eclectic gallery art wall

The sun was out today.  The earth got bathed in gold dust.  Sunshine illuminated every crevice and nook in my little world; warming up the earth and making the birds sing a new song.  My heart, too, was illuminated in its wonderful, magical warmth and brilliancy, and I went out and enjoyed a little joyfulness in the garden.  My spirit was immediately lifted up, my brain inspired, my body invigorated and I felt this wonderful, crazy idea of doing something wild and wonderful and the first thing that went through my mind was to redo my favorite room in our little white cottage in a happy, over-the-top whatever style that is filled with flowers and color...

Pillows went flying down the floor, sheets, rugs, decorations everything was tossed around and moved, and out came all those canvases and arts I've been collecting for many years of unknown artists and creative souls out there wherever I go...  little by little the emptied white walls came alive, colors, shapes, textures and more now fill every corner and more.  You encouraged me to love my magical unicorn and bring him back.  And thus, I did brought him in too, and I cannot love him more now because I've been totally enchanted by him and I adore him.  He's beautiful, and magical and I don't know exactly how long I will keep this room as is right now, because it is busy, and overpowering, and my brain seeks rests sometimes.  But for now I'm loving it all... 

So many pictures I didn't know which to chose!  What do you think? Like it?  We will be traveling again soon to spend time with dear ones during the holidays.  My comfort and coziness I'll leave here at our little white cottage for a few days until we come back.  I take with me love, and words of encouragement, faith and the guarantee of the sweet providence of God.  And to all of you my dear friends and readers I wish you all the best of blessings.  May this Christmas mark another period of joy, peace, and love in your life.

 Merry Christmas, everyone!

Winter at the little white cottage

I must had been born a hermit... no, I am an old she-bear buried deep down in her cozy little cave, happily hibernating... I don't want to go out, or get dress. Combing my wild mane is out of the question these days... I've told you.  I'm hibernating.  It's been so cold around here!  Cold, cloudy and raining for days.  I think even my breathing and heart rates have slowed down some, and I'm sure my body temperature has dropped too, because I'm always freezing, even inside our cozy little cottage I'm always freezing...

 

I have stopped visiting the gardens as often, and only go out from time to time during our short days, and always clad in my warm nightgowns and rain boots... 

If it wasn't for the Fisherman, who pleads with me that I accompany him to all the social gatherings he's required to go to, I will stay buried here forever and ever... but I must comply with my obligations and thus have been busy attending Christmas parties, and get-togethers almost every weekend and such.  It takes a lot of me to do all these things, but deep down I have to thank my dear husband for helping me out of my shell, 'cause I know how lonesome and sad life could be if one insists on being alone and away from people all the time.  So alas... one must get dress, move on, and get going...

Everything looks so beautiful under this December rained-down light. Mysterious, gray, and quieted in an atmosphere filled with little lights and Christmas songs.  Our little white cottage is a gem and a bright light in the extra dark nights of our lightless neighborhood. Like a fairytale cottage out in a clearing of some magical dark forest... 

   

I'm not burning as much energy as I'm used to these days either... which means I'm not running, or working out as much, which means I'm happily engage in the things I love most... like making our home homier, decorating, changing furniture around, swapping bed linens and decorative pillows... adding one more candle to the tabletop, one more rose on the bull's head. Happy little things that are always so necessary to my heart.

He is a bull you guys... no ram here...

it's all in the horns, really! ;)  

Working on my journal, and embellishing some books...

Tessa wants to redo her bedroom in my favorite colors.  Can you believe it!  She's growing up so quickly, it is almost frightening... so I have bought her a complete bed set for Christmas, and I am now trying it on my bed to see how it will look on hers...  do you like it?

She wants a lot of glitter she says, so I'm thinking I'd need to add some more metallic/gold design pillows...

like these here...

Aren't they pretty!

Oh, and one more pic of our winter little white cottage?  Si?

I hope I haven't bored you with such long post! ;)  Tell me, is is cold in your little world too?  Are you anything like me when it comes to those cold winter days, or are you the type that enjoys being outside?  Do share!

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