Finding joy in the everyday

Artist: Cynthia Decker Digital artist, USA I stumbled across Cynthia Decker last year when I posted one of her digital pictures for my washing line art. When I started to look at her work, I fell in love with the amazing detail — she is one talented lady.  I have a couple of favourites (I do like them all though) — the bookcase (just check out the detail) and the cat, books and dog through the window.  Which one do you like? ******

Thanks to my cousin Bets for posting this on Facebook a few weeks ago — a perfect reminder to all of us who are married which, as we saw on Monday post ( LINK ), becoming a less frequent institution with a  growing number of couples with desire to marry. Marriage is HARD work and for many it is a very bumpy ride which sadly a growing number of husbands and wives are willing to give up on when the bumps become too much.  We all like to travel on the smooth freeways, but many of us find ourselves on the stoney backroads and without God these backroads are very unpleasant.  I can remember as a child my dad driving on  dirt roads like corrugated iron and it was bumpy and did the car and tyres no good but many of us  are not willing to put in the work required to move back to the bitumen freeways.  — if only we as a society were more willing to improve our listening skills, the ability to give rather than take, praying during the good and b...

Tomatoes freshly grown from my garden become a yummy spicy relish :) Husband and son loved this recipe and were full of compliments. 

According to a recent news story (source: January 3rd, 2016 — Canberra Times ): Sixteen per cent of Australian couples now live in a de facto relationship, according to the latest census, up from 10 per cent fifteen years ago. The proportion of cohabiting couples who are unmarried and have children has risen from 4 per cent to 11 per cent. . . . it's actually women who are driving this massive social change. They're not hardline feminazis raging against a patriarchal institution but bright, practical, independent women who can't see what difference a wedding would make to the security and stability of their partnership. Educated, making their own money and enjoying sexual freedom, these women are proud their social status is no longer tied to their marital status.   The liberation of women includes the idea that women are free to make choices about everything – including fertility and cohabitation – that their own mothers did not feel free to make,...

Artist: Arthur John Elsley (1860 – 1952) English painter of the later Victoria/early Edwardian era

I think it is important for each of us to have a favourite place (or two) that we can go to when we need calmness, peace, quiet or just a place to think and dream.   Women are not machines. We are human and need, like anyone else, a place to recharge our batteries.  We cannot constantly please others, be a help-mate to our husbands, clean our home, produce food for dinner, keep the pantry stocked, provide advice, give love and hugs and lots lots more without taking care of ourselves.  We need a place where we can sit and quietly recover . . . I know some women are against "me time", perhaps because of the word "me", but I am strong believer that as humans we all need time out during our day. This time out not only allows us to catch our breath but it also allows our bodies to have some calmness and we all need that in the hustle and bustle of life. I have several spots where I love to sit — in the warmer months I like to sit in the garden on this ...

Whilst I was away last week my husband made a cover for the bath-tub (something we hardly use). On Monday I went to the plant nursery and bought some indoor plants to "prettify"  the space!! Ruby decided she must be in the photo-shoot regardless of my views!! All I have to do is keep these plants happy!!!

Something new for 2016, "Stories from the news "— things I find in the newspaper which I think you might fine interesting or worth chatting about.   Todays story is called " ‘ Need a Mom’ founder Nina Keneally offers New Yorkers maternal services for $55 an hour "  AN AMERICAN woman has launched a ‘rent-a-mum’ business to provide a ‘maternal touch’ to the lives of those who need it most — as long as they have the cash to pay for it.  She is available to rent — for about US$40 ($55) per hour dependent on the services — and offers motherly advice on everything from work-related matters and personal relationships to maintaining a home.  “Some people just want some conversation, some feedback about what’s going on in their life,” Ms Keneally told People. “Some of them have lost their parents or are estranged from their parents. “I’ve been asked to help iron and clean out closets. “One mother called me because her daughter had surgery and she wants...

Art Friday: Ato When one wanders around Pinterest you stumble across some interesting artists such as this one that goes by the name Ato. I think he/she is Japanese and I think the illustrations are adorable - I love the softness of them, the tender scenes and find them very sweet. I hope you enjoy them too.