All you truly need

Good morning Friends ~ I am feeling much better even though I still have the occasional cough and sneezing bout and running nose. My energy level is back up and the weather is cooling down somewhat, in the high 80's this week. Hurray.

Yesterday morning DH and I both worked outside, me trimming, weeding, raking, etc. He was moving and rearranging iron pieces he's collected over the years. We were still sweating, but it wasn't as bad as it has been all summer. We both look forward to cooler weather so that we can get some outdoor things done around here, one of which will be repainting our little cottage again. :-) We have a 5 gal. bucket waiting to be spread on the walls. I love to paint, and hopefully my right arm will co-operate as it's not the same since our accident 11 years ago, and with age bothers me more. I'll just do as much as I can at any given time, and enjoy the process. Maybe I'll even start this week. :-)

Yesterday afternoon, after lunch and a nap, I got online and checked out some country properties in GA and SC. We would love a country place, so I check places out every now and then just to see what is out there. Sometimes I get a tad depressed, because at the moment it isn't possible for us to move, other times I feel so thankful for what we have, and am ashamed for being discontent. I can't even keep up with cleaning our little cottage, yet I look at little bigger places, around 1200 sq ft. Larger living spaces and pieces of property mean more upkeep, and at this age, I've got all I can handle. Yesterday after being online, I got up from my chair here in my sweet little space, and walked out into the scullery , kitchen, and was really thankful for our haven. DH has a really nice workshop, we have storage sheds, and I have gardens. The 4 lane busy road out front and the neighborhood make us crave the country. But, when we pull into our driveway off the busy road, we enter our own little haven from the crazy world that we live in. We breathe a sigh of relief and thanksgiving.

I thought of the book 'Simple Abundance - A Daybook of Comfort and Joy' by Sarah Ban Breathnach. A book DH bought me years ago, found at a thrift store, because he thought it looked like something I would enjoy. I have enjoyed it through the years and have quite a few things marked and underlined.

Here is a selection that I was reminded of yesterday.

"Today, no matter where or how you live,
look upon your home through the eyes of Love.
Walk around the rooms and offer thanks
for the walls and roof that safely enclose you and yours.
Pause for a moment to consider
all who have lost their homes through death, divorce, debt, or disaster.

Be grateful for the home you have,
knowing that, at this moment,
all you have is all you truly need."

Wishing you all a great week,
wherever you are,
whatever you are living in,
whatever you are doing.

May you feel God's love, peace, and strength surrounding you at all times.

Below are a few blooms from this past week.


Caldwell's Pink or Pink Pet


Mexican petunias


The next two are the Love rose.





Louis Philippe or Florida Cracker Rose


Dwarf Poinciana


Blackberry Lily blooms



***

"I have learned,
in whatsoever state I am,
therewith to be content."
St. Paul

***

Zone 10 ~ s.e. FL

True Confession

Good morning blogging Friends ~ I've been thinking about something for quite awhile now, it's about computers and blogging and how they have made changes in my life.

The good changes are the friendships made, information shared, the inspiration that abounds. Pictures have been wonderful. Pictures of gardens, individual flowers, critters, recipes, crafts, people.

The bad has been my feelings when I started viewing other gardener's colorful, flower filled gardens. Viewing lovely homes.

In the gardening dept. I had been quite content before seeing all that's out in the wide world, with my own humble little tropical/cottage gardens. Then I started feeling like mine didn't quite fill the bill, and I wanted more and more. My flower beds grew as I bought more plants, on a shoestring. I also traded seeds with other gardeners, and traded some plants with other FL gardeners as well. My work in the gardens increased.

At first, I was a tad 'green' with envy viewing all of these overflowing lovely gardens. Shame on me. Then as time has gone on, with posting pictures of what I can grow down here, and receiving all the great complements, I've been learning contentment, and happiness once again in my own little space.

This morning I went out and worked for about an hour, pulling weeds, raking up debris, laying some roofing shingle tiles as path material, feeling thankful for another day. We can't all live or garden the same, we all have different circumstances. But, we can all create beauty in our own way, in our own spaces.

I want to thank all of you for your lovely gardens and homes, and for the inspiration your pictures have been to me, in spite of the 'green' that moves over me on occasion. I've seen nice simple changes in my gardens and in our cottage because of you, and eagerly look forward to working in my gardens and in our home with each new day.

I will end this rambling post with the following with thanks to all of you.

"I've heard it said,

That people come into our lives for a reason

Bringing something we must learn"

Lyrics from For Good, Wicked the musical

Zone 10 ~ s.e. FL