Finding joy in the everyday

Spring is a miraculous time of year. What appeared dead in winter bursts into life. Suddenly  seemed so dull and cold surprises us with  colour and perfume. Little did we know that beneath the cold hard ground the plants and trees were preparing for rebirth. Spring gives us hope for rejuvenation in our own lives as well. Spring is a time to renew the excitement and zest for life. It is time to throw off the layers and enjoy the sunshine and re-connect with nature.  I am away this week, having a  long  earned rest and spending precious time with my family. I thought I would leave you with  some photos from spring. I will be back blogging next Monday (26th).  

Dear blogger friends,  Welcome to December — for us here in Australia it is the first day of summer, for those elsewhere it is the first day of winter. I love summer, being able to wear summer dresses, walk around in bare feet, sit outdoors in the evening, enjoy a barbecue or go for walks at dusk when it starts to cool. Summer is salads, watermelon, ice-cream and strawberries. There is so much to enjoy at this time of the  year.  Sadly though, it is also the season of heatwaves, droughts, storms and fires. In November alone we have had some devastating bushfires that have destroyed huge swags of land, destroyed families homes, businesses, crops and 1000s of livestock (on one farm alone they lost 51,000 chickens and another almost a 1000 pigs)  and six people have lost their lives. This is such a bad start to summer and my heart breaks for all those farming families who have lost so much (including the income they would...

November has arrived, the second to last month of the 2015. I am going to say what I always say at this time of the year . . . where has the year gone.  I haven't done half of what I planned to do, I haven't saved as much money as my spreadsheet said I would, I haven't lost as much weight as I expected, I haven't been as organised as I wanted to be but I but I have probably read far more books than plans (!!) — o'dear, not a lot I can do about it.   Next year perhaps! So what are my plans for November (I can not guarantee I will get any thing on my list done, but I always try my best): 1. Start Christmas shopping. It would be great to have most of it done before December and as I have some ideas of what I want to buy it shouldn't difficult. I do have to make some orders from overseas, so they should be done as soon as possible to make sure they arrive on time.  2. Start a quilt that I am making for a birthday next year. I need plenty o...

Today is the second of September and spring is just around the corner (thats perhaps a little optomistic). After what feels like a very long cold and damp winter it is nice to look at some pretty colours of spring and imagine the warmer months, summer frocks and sitting in the sunshine reading.   These photos are all from my garden in past years. My garden currently looks rather sad and in much need of some warmth. The frosts have given it quite a battering but in a month or so it will look so much happier and in full bloom.  No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn. (Hal Borland) I have been mulling over why I blog (perhaps because the winter has been cold and dark and I have been indoors far too long and had three colds in two months!) — sometimes it doesn't seem to make any sense at all, writing away to myself hoping that someone else finds it all as interesting as I do!! In fact sometimes I think I should stop and not put so much time and energy...

Autumn (Fall) is my favourite season.  The days are usually sunny and warm with cool to cold nights. Perfect weather for sitting outside and watching the world go by and cozying up under a throw with a book in the evening. The best of both worlds. On Sunday morning (after driving my son to work) I sat outside and read for a while. The birds were singing and I could hear the flutter of leaves as they fell to the ground. It was all rather perfect and ever so peaceful in this crazy noisy world.  It is so hard to believe that it is April already. It hurts my head just thinking about how fast this year has gone. I am not the only one to comment on the speed and wonder how one can slow down the days.  I don't really know how to make the days go slower, they seem to move at a greater pace than ever before without me doing anything in particular. Perhaps it is the instant society that I wrote about yesterday, it simply doesn't want us to slow down.  We are on a...

Spring is on its way Dear friends and family, I can see spring in my garden and it has put a spring in my feet!!  My first jonquils and daffodils are flowering.  The cherry tree is in full bloom and the bees have arrived and I was very pleased to see tiny flowers on my Maple Tree. Winter won't be around very much longer, even birds seem to have a louder song to sing. The first jonquil in the garden First buds on the Maple Tree Pink Cockatoos - these birds mate for life and are very affectionate to each other. I thought I would share this story with you: I went out this morning to the fruit and veg markets to buy a half of duck (to make red duck curry) and to pick up some cat food for Ruby. While I was buying the cat food, an older lady came up to me and asked me what sort of cat I had. A cat lover can't help but talk about their cat to someone else, so I was more than happy to chat about Ruby!! I said that I had a Ragdoll cat and the lady said to me ...

I love Autumn, how couldn't you love these colours.  This year has been particularly good with the colours lasting much longer and I think much stronger. I have included a snippet of photos I have been taking in recent week. We have been enjoying beautiful weather, sunny days (to enjoy at lunchtime with a walk in the sunshine) and cold nights (perfect for snuggling up with a blanket and a bowl of soup). When we lived in the tropical north, it was Autumn that I missed the most - the lack of colour.  Autumn is the second spring,  when every leaf is a flower Albert Camus Autumn's the mellow time. William Alligham Autumn, the year's last, loveliest smile. William Cullen Bryant Every leaf speaks bliss to me,  fluttering from the autumn tree Emily Bronte How beautifully leaves grow old. How full of light and colour are their last days. John Burroughs ** All photography by Joluise **

The weather is glorious today, the sun is shinning, the sky is blue, the birds are singing and the blossom is everywhere so I thought it was  a perfect time to give my blog the touch of spring.  Some hyacinths in my garden I hope you are all having a wonderful weekend and can enjoy some beautiful weather like I am enjoying.  Cherry Blossom 

Flowers in my garden The blossom in my garden has starting to bloom, spring is on its way.  It has put a bounce in my step and I am so looking forward to more of this wonderful sunny warm weather. For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him. Colossians 1:16 Our God has fashioned earth and sky, Sun, moon, and stars beyond compare; His workmanship we can’t deny— His fingerprints are everywhere.  —Seals— What a great idea - never thought about doing this indoors. Wouldn't it cheer up any room.

Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire:  it is the time for home.  ~ Edith Sitwell T his week is the start of winter. However I think winter has been with us for a few weeks now with our frosty mornings and very cold nights. I don't mind winter, I quite like snuggling under the soft blanket in the evening with my mug of hot chocolate and a good book/film. I quite like the hot soups and crusty bread that one tends to have on a very chilly night or rugging up to go for a walk. Winter is often seen as the least favourable season, but each season has its beauty and winter is just as good as any other season but for different reasons.  Winter tends to make you feel alive, invigorated when that chill hits your face . . . even though the garden can look a little sad, you know that the bulbs will burst into sunshine shortly . . . the sun often shines on a winters afternoon and i...