Look closely at what surrounds you and lose yourself in its mystery.
Take delight in the simplest of things.
Indulge yourself in nature's gifts of magic.
Remember to add that splash of color...you'll feel better! I promise.
The above magic courtesy of Longwood Gardens.
This little one celebrated his first Christmas.
The presents? Nah...........not so much....
...but, that wrapping paper? Oh, oh, oh...what fun to be had!
All sorts of textures and sounds to immerse yourself in!
And, sometimes a fellow gets so wrapped up in the fun, that
he simply takes it with him.
P.S. The above pun? Blissfully intended!
Almost...
Almost there...
In less than 24 hours, Christmas vacation begins...
Just a few more hours of corraling restless middle schoolers, who are really really trying to be so very good.
And, I am sure, they'll be vacationing in some exotic places orbe running blissfully from one event to another.
Or, maybe both!
As for me, I plan to get cozy.
To curl up and read, make some plans, figure out some goals.
I'm going to finish the crossword puzzle while I'm still awake.
Fill in the Suduko squares.
Curl up under my sister's blanket and just "be."
Almost...
P.S. Go visit the "Many Muses Musing," and check out some absolutely gorgeous depictions of cozy!
There are little scraps of magic everywhere...
Christmas holds so much magic, doesn't it? And, some of my utmost pieces of magic can be found in ornaments, expecially those handmade by my now grown children. From the toliet paper tube fastened into a candle or a Santa, to a tissue paper covered bird house, I love them all.
A few nights ago, I lost myself in another bit of magic - Photoshop Elements. I happily clicked on various filters and settings, just to see what I could do, just to play. This one seems so soft and dreamy, almost like a Monet painting.
Such a different look, and I enjoy it just as much! The aim, of course, is not to depend on Photoshop for a good shot, but the play time is simply magical!
If you're in the mood for a bit more magic, hop over to today's "Many Muses Musing," and enjoy!
Just popping in - ever so briefly - to send you a smile and a Christmas greeting!
It's hectic here; the house is not decorated unless you count the boxes strewn here and there - the boxes with the decorations inside of them.
Martha Stewart would be horrified.
But, I'm okay with it all, determined not to spaz out, determined to keep the season's magic in my heart.
So much magic waiting for us to notice it.
Slow down, have some coffee or tea - whatever suits your fancy.
Breathe in...hold...breathe out.
Smell the peppermint and cinnamon.
Savor a homemade cookie.
Celebrate the magic.
I love to play along with photography prompts, especially with The Mortal Muses group. If you ever want a dose of eye candy, go visit. Along with the sheer delight of what I see, I learn so much...so many ways to shoot the same object.
This little guy hangs on one of my sister's trees and he really does sparkle and make me smile. Quite a jaunty little fellow,isn't he?
The muses are celebrating 14 days of Christmas with a new prompt each day, and I know that I'll be reading, viewing, and playing along each day!
She stood stock stil for the longest time. I stood watching her, camera in hand, wating. Other cars came and went; some pulled over for a brief bit and watched with me, but then left quickly. She was simply too still, seemingly not doing much of anything.She seemed to be watching me, figuring me out.
So, we waited together in the cold and in the snow. I wondered what went through her mind...anything? nothing/ Or, was she simply being still, a quality I wished I could make a bigger part of my life.
I've been pondering my word for this coming year, and I'm thinking it might be "stillness." I don't quite know for sure, but I think maybe that's it. But, I need to let the word choose me instead. I need just a bit more of time. I'm almost there, but I'm pretty sure I need to quiet myself a bit more. I'm a "doer," a "Martha," always at it, getting things done. I rarely allow myself quiet time, time to just sit and be.
So many posts about goals and vision statements out there in cyberspace. I've been reading them, inhaling them, and digesting the, and fretting about them. So many people making so much progress. It seems as if they've got their year in order; they've given it their marching orders, so to speak.
I fell asleep digesting 2010, wondering what 2011 will bring. 2010 brought about so many changes: a relative's marriage falling apart, another relative with cancer, a new grade partner forcing me to let go of the easy routine into which3 of us had settled. It brought my father's dementia and disagreements about how to handle that. Quite honestly, it brought about way too much I'd love to see the back end of disappearing from my view.
But 2010 also brought travel to the Outer Banks and Saratoga Springs - both for the first time. It brought a daughter's pregnancy, which within days, will give me a new grandbaby to adore. It brought me time with a sister at Lake Anna, as we celebrated my mother's life. 2010 brought me a great deal of joy, but if I'm not careful, I'll lose that joy amidst all the craziness and grief.
So, I'm digesting Hanna's posts about beginning this new year. I'm losing my myself in links and possiblities. I'm also following up some resources posted by Reverb10. Part of me - a big part of me - wants to get this ball rolling, to get my life in order, but I just need to be still and allow it to be digested a bit. When I read Kim's post early this morning, I just exhaled. It seemed as if Kim was giving me permission to sit on all of this a bit, as if she was telling me it's okay to wait a bit.
My mare, and her almost hidden friend, finally began to move. The left the field, began to amble up this road a bit, and then made a u turn, and moved direclty towards me.
I didn't seem to faze her; she never seemed to hurry. She knew her path, where she wanted to go, and I knew she gave me herself as a bit of magic on a cold winter's day.
The man had a plan, and an awesome plan it was!
He ordered a pair of Bolt Bus tickets to take him and his sweetie to NYC.
He booked a hotel close to the theater district and Rockerfeller Center,'cause she'd always wanted to see the tree, the decorated windows, and .... as cheesy as it might be, the Rockettes.
He put the dog in the kennel so they could leave bright and early.
But...
Mother Nature had other plans, as in a blizzard which caused Bolt Bus to cancel their ride.
And, so, they ventured to the beach, even though it was cold and snowy there as well.
Not quite NYC, it's a sleepy little beach. About all you can say is that it and NYC share the same coastline.
The kind folks at Comfort Inn upgraded the man and his sweetie to the "Presidential Suite" which normally runs for 4X as much as what they'd booked.
And, when they wandered back to their room this evening, after poking through antique shops, and taking photos of the beach, this is what met their eyes.
Life is good.
And...they will get to NYC soon. There might not be decorated windows and a large tree to see, but NYC has more than that to offer, and they'll see as much as they can.
The man and his sweetie are enjoying the fireplace, the jacuzzi, and some wine.
Yup, life is good!
Reverb 10: December 10th Prompt: What was the wisest decision you made this year, and how did it play out?
So.....................
If you're paying attention to the dates on these prompts. you've realized that I am oh, so hopelessly behind, and that I'm not following any particular order.
I'm so not starting at point A, moving next to point B, and then on to C.
Nope. I'm hop, skipping, and jumping all over the place.
I'm doing what appeals to me, and I'm doing them when I have the time, and when I'm in the mood.
Guess what? The world has not ended. I'm doing what I can, when I can, and it's "good enough."
My home is just now starting to look like Christmas. I love Christmas, and I've always wanted to get my act together sooner. I can sit and wander through December magazines for hours. It's like making art - all the colors, the textures, etc.
But, I will absolutely, without a doubt, drive myself nuts if I attempt to recreate what I'm seeing.
There won't be any wonderfully crafted ornaments adorning the tree You know...those gorgeous ones made out of old sheets of music. There will be ornaments collected over the years, ornaments full of memories that make me grin. Some decorations aren't even going to see the light of day. I don't have the time or the inclination for them. But, you know what? It's all "good enough!"
I want to do it all, you know? Whether it's school, or my art, or my home. I want it to look like the pictures in the magazine, or in the newest art journal that everyone's raving over.
But, none of that...the pics in the magazine or the newest journaling style are quite me.
That test may not get completely rewritten, but some of it does, and it's an improvement. And, it's "good enough."
I didn't get my coworkers' gifts completely bought before today. So, instead, they'll get a present in January, something better suited to them rather than something bought to meet a self imposed deadline. Neither was mad, and both are looking forward to January. Good enough!
Most packages find their way into gift bags, or a quickly wrapped box. Some get the special treatment because I take time to play with what I have...to wrap ribbon, lace, and who knows what to make it lovely. I enjoy it, but I just can't do them all this way. So, I enjoy the process of the few that get some extra attention, and I call it "good enough."
I haven't created my calendars for 2011 yet, but they'll get done over Christmas break, and they'll get to everyone early in January. Good enough!
The world hasn't ended. No one's mad. And, I'm not driving myself completely nuts. My blood pressure's where it needs to be. Good enough!
If I'm doing my best, it's "good enough."
Not perfect, but "good enough!"
