I Quietly Shuttered My Blog . . .

And then . . .

YOU DID WHAT?!?!?

But, I have lots more to post on your blog!

I haven't done my tutorial for claymation,
I haven't played my piano . . .

AAAAAAAAAhhhhhhh!

And then . . .

My comment box and email basket

began to overflow

with the most precious words of encouragement . . . 

 And then . . .

I began to overflow . . .

And then . . .

I thought about the wonderful analogies you sweet readers expressed to me:

Blogging is a gift we give of one's self

Blogging has yielded a neighborhood for us to share life within

Blogging made us neighbors

(and neighbors do so miss neighbors who pack up and move)

Blogging has become SO MUCH MORE than a virtual exercise

Blogging matters

And on and on the list goes . . .

I knew it all once upon a time, but dark clouds of late had pushed all those thoughts from sight.

But then I closed my eyes and felt it . . .

The best and most beautiful things in the world

cannot be seen or even touched -

they must be felt with the heart.

Helen Keller

  . . . and the clouds receded.

* * * * *

So dear friends, I shall be away for a time wherein I shall discard a very "logical" decision to quit blogging in favor of a heartfelt promise to hold teatimes here at Wisteria Cottage whenever the spirit moves me.  In between the pourings out, I shall supervise the building of a new greenhouse and the planning of a MUCH BIGGER GARDEN -- this alone should provide endless subject matter for blogging.  I shall also be fitting in a delightful visit to my sister in North Carolina next week for some RandR and a much needed stockpile of endorphins (if you can hear laughing . . . it's us).  Did I mention that I will be finishing my prayer garden, and learning to make cheese, and  . . . ?

Most of all I wish to give you all a hug (the REAL kind) as I fling wide the shutters of this wonder-filled little spot wherein I keep something very special:  FRIENDS!  I love you all so much . . . and I have only actually "met" a one or two.  Amazing!  I think a bloggy get together truly is in order some day, but until then we will meet here for tea on occasion and it will be WONDERFUL.  (And off she goes with a grin on her face and a dance step at her feet . . . truly blessed with something more valuable than a bit of extra time in each day.)

p.s.

Touché Karen Deborah . . . you win.  I started blogging at your request to see what we are up to, and yes it captured that spirit of being neighbors again.  When Chris in Alaska mentioned that she blogged to give her mom a glimpse of belonging she also encouraged me to think who might need the same from me.  I immediately thought of you and the tears flowed -- it was like moving all over again!!!  (A childhood of steady moves has made it an Achilles Heel for me -- I loathe moving!!)  I could not leave you on that couch in front of the tv.  I would rather you come here via blogger express and laugh at the chickens and the kids and all the rest.  

You dear readers have ALL showered me with the "pick me up" I needed to conquer the perfectionist publisher in me  (forgive me, it used to be my livelihood) and toss aside the schedules in favor of a bit of whimsy on occasion.

I'll be away for a time, but I shall return now and again with the kettle bubbling and the stories brimming as I share tales of life among the wisteria and the roses. 

XO!

Sunset after all . . .

How quickly tides can turn . . .

It seems a new breeze has shifted my course

and my blogging sunset has arrived.

I will be gone from blogging after all. 

Shuttered as a summer's cottage
after a sweet holiday,

this dear place will remain

with e-mail link and playlist fully functioning

for those precious friends who wish to keep contact

or hear a sweet tune.

This has been a wonderful adventure,

Thank you.

XO!

Glimpses from the Cottage Window

Dear Friends,

Time continues to creep along as we nourish ourselves in this wintry weather.  A peek from the cottage window fascinates us with the brilliance of Winter on one day . . .

Giving way to the beauty of Spring on another.

Fascinating!

Life carries on with the girls reading and studying and dreaming about our ever-expanding veggie garden. The chronicles of which will surely fill the pages of this blog as Spring settles in for good and the frostiness of Mr. Winter breathes its last breath. Till then they study and I busy myself with a whole new realm of kitchen craft: Milk and all of its glorious forms. Having mastered yogurt I have moved on to piima cream (absolutely delicious like clotted cream and creme fraiche together in one luscious spoonful), kefir (a zingy sip), and now prepare to delve into cheese making.  If you're lactose intolerant you may want to avoid me on the Dairy Days.  All of this lacto-experimentation has led Elizabeth to consider adding a Jersey cow to our delightful menagerie.  Stay tuned  . . .

Amidst all of our daily doings we have been battling a VERY flaky internet connection.  Gary says, "All fixed now with this new device" -- of which we actually needed to purchase in duplicate to span the land space between our guest house with DSL and our home without DSL available.  How complicated!  How bothersome!  I am exhausted with buying new devices . . . (but must admit that I like internet access for research, newsiness, and bloggy connections with all of you).  Now with internet access restored I had somehow mislaid the time once set aside for blogging.  My schedule mysteriously filled up to overflowing with little or no time for me to blog about it with you. HRMPH!

I read the following verse one morning:

Verily, verily, I say unto you,

Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die,

It abideth alone:

But if it die,

It bringeth forth much fruit.

John 12:24

And so wondered if I should let the blog die away in order to free up space for REAL life to spring up around me. I even went as far as to challenge myself to take my notion of "blogging time" and spend it in a local cafe or other public place with face-to-face contact, measuring the difference.  I wandered around and around (eating croissants in excess) with lots of ideas in search of answers. All at once I gathered up all my thoughts and sat, like Pooh Bear (that roly-poly one -- yikes!  No more pastry, please!), to think, think, think.  I thought of much but answered few of my questions.  The fun vanished and I just felt weary.  I wanted a return to sweetness without so much evaluation.  I eschewed counters and statistics and evaluations, deciding to embark on some plain ole fun.

All the while my blog lay fallow.

One dear friend (and silent blog reader) commented on my lack of blogging.  I replied that I had no inspiration.  Maybe when Spring returned and the flowers bloomed I'd come back.  She replied, "Life just isn't as sweet as you report on your blog.  Just write about your daily life."   I pondered that for quite some time and as I am wont to do, I ruminated and gathered, ruminated and gathered. I came to the conclusion that "Life" may not be all sweet, but sweetness can be found in every facet of life if I simply stop and look for it.

And so I am off on a new avenue in my bloggy journey to find something sweet to celebrate with you in each day. Now along the way I will surely find much that I have to step over, go around, or toss out of the way and I will dutifully share these REAL elements of life my dear friend wants to read about, but I resolve not to give up in my quest for sweetness in a day.  It's there . . . though it may be ever so small.

I would love to commit to a DAILY blogpost (wouldn't that be fun to see each other every day?) but I know myself . . . I would dash around making "work" out of the "play" that I am determined to keep alive on my blog. I found that the WORK element I saddled myself with in the past over this blog drained the fun . . . and now I'm off to refill the aquifers of FUN. Wanna come along?


Here's the first sweet site from Wisteria Cottage:

Never at a loss for whimsy around here, the following photo captures just the perfect dab of silliness that keeps us in smiles around here. 

I have to ask . . .

If a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush,

what bounty does this portend?

 : D

Happy Tuesday!

The Daily Gift

My eyes fluttered awake long before the sun arose. I turned over and smelled sweet lavender – a hint of the calming drops laid upon my pillow before rest. I prepared to drift back to the foggy world of dreams: flying, soaring, wonderful adventures in the realm of rest. But, alas, I could find no cozy nook, nor welcome slumber. Though darkened skies remained, I arose to be on hand to greet the new dawn.

Feeling no apprehension, nor anticipation, I padded out of bed and on downstairs to sit in front of my favorite window, “picture, picture,” to await the show.

Deep indigo sky wrapped me in an inky wonderland between rest and routine. The peace of the glowing fire invited me to watch a chilly dawn without the discomforting chill. A CD singing out in joyful moods from Bach, Mozart, Grieg, and a host of soulful composers mingled with the fragrance of lavender emanating from my teacup creating a most precious mood of sweet peace.

Two eggs, home-laid – one chocolate brown, the other sweetly pink – broke open to reveal vibrant yolks, so easily folded over into a delicious break from my fast. Gently cooked eggs atop a thin slice of home-baked deep nut-brown bread surrounded by succulent petals of local mandarin added palatable delight to my visual feast as the sky lightened to lapis, then royal, and on to cornflower blue, matching the transferware plate that accompanied me back to my favorite chair as the pageant of blue marched on in the prelude to the star of the day.

Suspended I sat, slowly chewing and tasting the awe of God’s majestic color palette. My childhood memories of green and gold crayola treasure boxes never held so many hues labeled blue . . .

The books of poetry lying ‘round my feet, even the blessed Scripture at my elbow, enticed me not from the pageantry of a new day’s dawn.


No needs, no worries, no sorrows, no tears in this purest of blue moment.

Not a breath of breeze, not a song of bird (save that silly rooster who takes his sunrise duties most seriously) filled the air. Only icy blue silence.

All is calm,

All is (soon to be) bright . . .

I marveled at the thought that this magnificence plays worldwide yet never exactly the same way in the lineup of moments strung like pearls encircling me with beauty. Ah yes, beauty all around . . . though often I fail to see it and give thanks.

Each day finds me further along life’s path. The fine lines of time etch onto my heart and visage, writing my unique symphony of life. I pray it be a thankful composition.

Frosty white mingled with icy blue as the gardens glowed in the final beams of the fading moonlight. Still I sat riveted in childlike delight.

Pachelbel’s Canon in D built to a slow crescendo in the peace-filled moment and I fondly recalled my wedding day – a day of much planning, careful arrangement, and an exhausting array of tasks that melded together and played out in wondrous splendor and true joy over 25 years ago. I found myself suffused in a fairytale moment of pure love, joy, peace, and so much beauty as I set off down the aisle to meet my soulmate.

Today the sunrise, the sweet peace, the security, and the soul seeking love I cherish fills this day with the same wonder and joy of that wedding day, and yet I had not a hand in the planning or crafting of such a blessed gift in a new day. I simply noticed the beautiful gift.

These past days without interenet access at home have gifted me with freedom in exchange for power. As I let go the power, I soar. In my life I daily struggle with a quest for freedom as I grip vise-like to what little power I perceive I possess. In most cases I yield in a tear-stained and weary form. I long to be free, but I loathe relinquishing power to trust. It is so hard to be free when you hold onto fear . . .

But, today my Lord’s gentle prodding to arise in an uncharacteristic darkness proved devotional. I sat in complete powerlessness and freely received a most awe-inspiring gift: a new day dawning without a jot of help from me.

Clouds now appear in the palest of blue beauty, reflecting even more of the glorious fire of the dawn. Childlike glee felt at parades and fireworks displays wells up in my heart, filling my eyes with tears of joy and thanksgiving as I greet the day.

“All is well,” reads the early morning greeting card.

“I possess the power, so you may freely live."

Love, God

* * *

Who laid the corner stone thereof . . .
When the morning stars sang together,
And all the sons of God shouted for joy?

Job 38:6-7