My Collection

A.A. Milne – E.H. Shepard – Winnie the Pooh – DreamsQuote

This is always a good thing to remember, particularly when the world is challenging.

I am maintaining my sanity (I THINK :0) ) by spending a bit of time each day fully relaxing. Part of the time is spent doing yoga stretching poses, where I concentrate only on relaxing and breathing INTO each part of my body as I change positions.

Then, when I’m simply lying on the mat after my practice, or even for awhile in my recliner, I stretch out under my throw, close my eyes, and go to another place. This time is MINE. I can bring up favorite memories of people I love, see and hug people I can no longer see everyday – but who are in my heart forever, re-visit places I’ve gone, re-live experiences, entertain wishes, and more.

When the world “is too much with us” (William Wordsworth) – we can ease into a world of our own making, giving us a bit of respite. As long as we are breathing, we have a place to ‘go’ that brings us joy. And remember that each day is an opportunity to make NEW memories.

I hope you carry yours with you, too.

Coffee Art

You’ve probably heard the term, “Coffee table book.” Well, now we’re going to talk ‘coffee art,’ – art made from spilled coffee.

The artist is Giulia Bernadelli, and I found these on rebloggy.

Giulia Bernadelli – rebloggy

Giulia Bernadelli – rebloggy

Giulia Bernadelli – rebloggy

Each of Us is a Montage

Brooke Hampton via Chrissie Anderson Peters

Celebrating Winter

 

I don’t enjoy the cold of winter much, and I really don’t like being trapped up on top of our ridge line when Arkansas does winter badly, bringing us lots of ice and THEN snow, bringing trees down into our 650+ foot steep driveway from both sides, making us have to chainsaw our way out. Happily, this doesn’t happen often, so I can concentrate on the things I DO like about winter, like snowmen!

Amber, our 94 pound yellow lab PUPPY just helped me find, fill, and hang our ‘snowman’ bird feeder on the deck. Actually, I don’t think Amber gives a fig about hanging birdfeeders, but she’s very companionable, wanting to accompany me on whatever I want to do outside.

Snowmen and other snow people and animals are one of my favorite things about winter. I love the originality and creativity people bring to the idea of ‘building a snowman.’

I have several different kinds of snowmen that I keep up as decorations – once I decorate for Christmas – until the 1st of March, when ‘I’ declare an end to the snow season – although it HAS snowed on my birthday in March before. By then, I’m more than ready to think ahead to spring, planting seeds in my greenhouse and trying to make it warm enough in there for the seeds to sprout and thrive until they are transplanted into my raised bed, square foot garden.

This snowman is quite tall. You pull up his head and shake him out and then let him sit on a table. When you’re finished, he squashes almost completely flat.

This one is made of resin.

This is a new snowman to my collection, given to me this year by a good friend. It’s the cutest thing. You squeeze his hand and talk to him. He parrots back what you said in a squeaky voice, mimicking you when you laugh, make other noises, etc. I can’t stop laughing with this guy.

 

This one is made of wood.

 

Crocheted

Painted Gourd

Resin

I’m not really sure what this one is made of.

This is another new one this year. He’s a cup! I’m using him now for coffee, though he and another, similar, snowman, came in a cute ‘S’More’s kit, complete with cups, marshmallows, cocoa mix and a chocolate bar.