Day 13 Family Fun and Living in the Moment

Day 13
In Mark Nepo's book, as I continue my reading, today he talkes about the Wisdom of the Torn Heart.
He decribes wisdom as being soft and yielding and courage to stay among the living.  Even when the world is painful we need to lean into what is nourishing and letting the rest move on through.
That comes at a good time of the year, as we move into the holidays.  Over the past 4 years I have lost a very important core of my family, mom, dad, sister-in-law and good friend.  These loses tear at my heart and sometime are to painful to carry.  But the love and joy in my life helps to keep going.

I didn't start out to talk about loss but the journey through this book did happen to mirror what has been in my heart. This was my first birthday without my mom and I sure missed her and the wonderful birthday dinner she always fixed...Roast Pork, Mashed Potatoes, Gravy, Cheesebiscuts, Green Beans and Lemon Meringue Pie. She made sure to treat me to something special, usually a trip to the antique mall!!  My wonderful family made sure to take me out to a wonderful place and we had a great time.

My mom, daughter and me

My lovely daughters and me

Hubby and daughters, true joy!

Mom with her 1st great grandchild!!

So today I will remember my parents, claim the love they gave me and enjoy the family around me.

Apple picking this weekend for some pies, crepes and applesauce and doesn't apple cider sound good too!!

Safe Travels,
Di

Day 12 Family Fun and Living in the Moment

Day 12We tend to Cling
Sometimes you want nothing to change, we can't stop life from flowing.  So we are left with feeling what was and what is, and we call the difference loss.  Mark Nepo,  The Book of Awakening.

Yes, I cling, yes I know we can't stop life and freeze it!  So, I am working on letting things in and try not to over analyze things.  Wow, for me that is tough but I am working on it.  So with that in mind...

I am in a scrappy mood!!  I am still doing projects, I have 2 more burlap bags to use up.  And believe I will make wreaths (mini), but today we stuffed more apples and used the scraps to make flowers with burlap and vintage materials.

Talk about fibers everywhere!

I do have flowers and stars in here.  First I followed the recommendations and rinsed the burlap feed (chicken feed) sack many times, the tub was filled with dirt, burlap and feed).  I hung them outside to dry and then washed several more times.  Of course, we had company coming so I had to clean the tub (honest I did)!

Second, I drew a template for the flowers and stars and cut them out.

Third I sewed around each flower and star with a zigzag stitch.

Fourth, I pick out a cute button and attached the fabric to the burlap for the flowers and just attached the buttons to the stars.

The finished product with the angels watching.

I am linking this post to my favorite linking parties on the right!!

We are getting ready for the fall decorating inside this weekend.  We did outside last weekend and you can find that in the past weeks posts.

http://fishtailcottage.blogspot.com/2011/10/outdoor-fall-decor-3.html#links

My sneak preview on the next project.

Have a great night...

Di

Day 11 Family Fun

Day 11Our life experiences will have resonances within our innermost being, so that we will feel the rapture of being alive.
                     -Joseph Campbell

My spirit is singing because I am moving forward in my clear and positive thinking and being creative today.  So today, I am blogging and seeing beautiful projects and getting ready to start the apple season by making some apples for fall and christmas (yes, I said christmas). 

I will share this project in my future post!  But I used my vintage tablecloths and assorted fabrics I had.  The boys helped me collect the sticks and stuffed the apples with me.  I will share this with my blogging friends.

 When I went to the church flea market I found so great items and then found a garage sale with some lace and this wonderful anchor.

                          Isn't this a great piece.

It fit into my display swimingly, which I am sharing with Faded Charm, White Wednesday (click on the link on my sidebar to the right)

My grandfather World War I and II, Navy Officer, the anchor just sings to me and it's white!

Gourds from the church sale, I love the design, stars, squids the boys say!  Going to share with my uncommonslice of suburbia, also on sidebar.

All white items were my finds this week, I am a happy girl.

Is she not the sweetest...she is on a metal frame and don't think I can part with her (I think I always say that).

This beautiful swan was at Goodwill and she had to come to the house.  I have a vase that hubby's parent got on their honeymoon, dad gave it to me.

My next project with be to "fall" this up!  Hope to have it ready for next week.  There are 3 white cases with 20 separate "stalls"  The mounted TV takes up 2 stalls.

 Daphne has a great giveaway, of course I want this beautiful purse!

I included some family fun, living in the moment and joy (my blogging friends).
Safe Travels,
Di

Day 10 Family Fun - Living in the Moment

Day 10
First Day of a schedule where everyone is at work or school and taxi service was on.  I sat back and thought you know not every day is Fun.  You can only do so many projects, what could I do for family fun?  I certainly am living in the moment and trying to be present but today was a hard one.  I am waiting to here on a job, no one calls back and that is frustrating.  Some days you feel all walled up!

Our family has moved from Orlando and Charleston and we are scattered all over the house.  Family situations have occured and it has been a difficult time closing my mom's estate.  My husband and I have experience sickness, stress and loss this year and have found that our family means so much to us.
Some days you feel like just reflecting...

So with all that is my head, how to have family fun today.  I center myself, take a deep breath and find my purpose.  As I stood in the laundry room, the washer not draining, I took a deep breath and knew that my purpose is life and my talent is living it!  I read this in Mark Nepo's book The Book of Awakening, but thought yeah that is a bit deep.  But you know it did hit today, my fun was picking up my grandsons from school and read not 1 or 2 but 4 books when we got home.  That was my joy and fun today.  Nothing grand, no projects just living in the moment.
My two boys...just what I needed, a little boy time just us...

Thank you for this grand 31 day adventure.

Di

Day 9 Family Fun and living in the moment

We went to the playground and it appeared as a fort with endless possibilities.  Do you remember just letting go and twirling around or swing as high as you could go?

Those days at times seem so far away, yet I get a glimpse when the little one makes some wise observation.  Just 6 and he says "MiMi, don't you think we could just do this for the rest of our lives?"
Yes, Ro, I think we will do just that...at least for the afternoon.  No worries, no thoughts but enjoying the laughter of children and the beauty of the day.
So, just let go and enjoy yourself, try to let the worries go away...give thanks.
Safe Travels my Friends,
Di

Day 8 Family Fun and Living the Life I want

Day 8 Family Fun and Living the Life I want
Gardening in a new environment, making changes in the yard and in my self.
Sharing the changes over the summer to fall...we started with a charming cottage to rent while getting use to our new home city.  The changes is me are just as important as the yard.  A lot of pruning, replanting and nurturing.  I am able to rest and rejuvenate because of my family.  They have worked to help settle and spend plenty of time with us.  They have feed us great natural meals full of vegetables and family time.  Now we are lucky enough to have our oldest, her husband and little boy stay with us through the holidays.

It hasn't been easy for me to take a look at the past year.  Alot of changes, but well worth it.  So as the yard gets ready for the fall, so do I.  I look forward to the changes we made this summer showing progress to the next seasons, I welcome the change more now than ever.



 Hubby ready for work on the yard, it was very overgrown and weeds abundant.  We had beautiful pots to fill.  Thankfully the patio slate is beautiful and the layout perfect for some grilling.

I had to spend quite a bit of time digging out these herbs, they had embedded into the slate from the herb garden.

The daylillies were perfect as is!

The herb garden was a little over run but the lavender and rosemary are so beautiful.

The herb garden needed work but I put my rabbit in to spruce it up and guard it.

I replanted my favorite succulents in my concrete pot

I redid this cute area with blooming purple passion vine and ivy.  I also planted a pepper plant.

We added our vintage iron table and an umbrella for shade

We planted cucumbers and my helper watered every day

As the weather gets cooler we are eating outside and the greenery has shaped up with hubby's care.  We added red rockers for a pop of color.

A cute table and lights for the downstairs patio to enjoy the view

This has grown so pretty!

Bunny and Atti did a great job on the herb garden.

Wouldn't this beautiful tablecloth be great on my table!http://moderncountrystyle.blogspot.com/2011/10/giveaway-modern-country-tablecloth.html

And now we are ready for fall and cool dinners outside.  Now we will have to see about a fire pit!

Linking up with Donna at her great Saturday night linky

http://www.funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/

Safe Travels,

The other loves of my life!

Di