Hymn Singing

I've been trying to be more mindful during our church's worship services and really notice the words I'm saying and singing. Some things I've been practicing during this Lenten season are helping. I'll share more about those later.

We, as Protestants, have such a rich heritage in the hymns that have come down through the centuries. One that has meant a lot to me recently is Rise Up, Oh Men Of God.

The first verse says: "Rise up, oh men of God. Have done with lesser things. Give heart and soul and mind and strength, to serve the King of Kings."

I've been trying to 'have done with lesser things' and it's making a difference in my mental state which is affecting my outward demeanor. I'm not angsting anymore and am more joyful and calm.

I'm really enjoying this season leading up to Easter. I'll tell you tomorrow what I've been doing.

Come Into my Parlour

Since I already have the parlour pretty much the way I want it, I like to do small things to make me happy; such as tie a burlap string around a stack of books. I'm easy!

This tea arrangement makes me happy, too. The books I tied up are under the teacart.

I bought two of these needlepoint pheasant pillows on e-bay.

I've posted this photo before but haven't shown it hanging on the wall. It's one of my favorites taken in Stratford-on-Avon. I made it into a black and white photo and then hand-colored it using transparent oil paints. Pretty cool, huh? Excuse the reflections of the curtains in the glass.

A bevy of family portraits on an end table. I threw in the turquoise frame to shake things up a little.

I have matches in this box which hangs to the left of the fireplace. There's a story that goes with this box.

I think I was college age and our family was at this bluegrass/craft festival up in the Smoky Mountains. I saw this box and really liked it. Daddy, being the sweetie he is, said, "I'll buy it for you." I only ever remember him buying two things for me; this box and a Sarah Coventry bracelet that I still wear forty years later. And he's taken my brother and me to the country store for many ice cream cones.

I remember one time he was taking us fishing, and we stopped at this same store for lunch supplies. As a special treat for dessert, he got little cups of pudding but failed to buy any spoons. Of course we didn't discover this until it was time to eat. We didn't know what we were going to do short of sticking our fingers into the pudding, but Daddy being ever resourceful, looked around and saw some reeds on the river bank. Walking over to them, he cut a long one. As he walked back to us he cut it into three pieces, each piece about the length of a straw, and handed one to me and then one to my younger brother.

We looked at each other and then over at Daddy who had stuck his reed into the pudding and was drinking it like a milkshake. We thought he was a genius for being so innovative. He was and is a genius still. He's one of the smartest men I know. And one of the kindest. I love my daddy!

I'm A Violet

THIS IS WHAT KIND OF FLOWER YOU ARE

You Are a Violet

"You have a shy personality. You tend to hesitate before trying new things or meeting new people. But once people get to know you, you open up and show the world what you are really all about." Look in the side bar to take the quiz and find out what kind of flower you are. I know you've always wondered!

Love To My Blogger Buddies

I've been re-reading through some of my old blog posts and the comments that followed, and I'm struck by the wisdom and wit of so many of you.

So I want to say with a loud voice, "I love ya'll! Your comments have meant more to me than you've known, because lots of times I don't respond (bad me).

You've challenged, chastised, and cheered me up immensely. I wish I could meet all of you like I met Pom Pom when we were visiting Colorado in 2010. I know she has many, many blog followers, so if you're ever in Colorado, look her up. You'll be SO glad you did. I want to be her next door neighbor, and every time this overly-introspective, morose spirit of mine starts its downward spiral, she'd be there with a cup of tea to pull me back out.

Thanks to all of you who read my feeble whinings and love me anyway. You're loved back a hundred times over.

Sage Advice

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.“

---Mark Twain

Lambie and Monk Monk

I had this sweet little two-year-old living with me all last week, so of course we had to do a photo session. I've taken photos of his older three brothers legs around the same age, so it was his turn. There's nothing sweeter than chubby toddler legs. His 'monk monk' got in the photo, too. His favorite thing is to sniff the tag. Kids are so funny!

His mama had a favorite lamb. She liked to put it's left ear up to her nose and breathe through the fabric. I replaced the pink lining of that ear three times.

One time at her house I asked her where Lambie was, and she said, "In the attic, I think?" I told her in no uncertain terms to go rescue Lambie right that minute and put it in the nursery for her children to love.

Lambie and I have been through a lot together. He's been left in Tennessee at my parents' house, and we had to go back after traveling for an hour. He was with Laurel when she drank poison, and some got spilled on him. A kind friend's sister washed him until the chemical smell could only faintly be smelled. He helped in Laurel's recovery by staying by her side day and night.

I carefully took apart that left ear three separate times, shopped for the perfect matching fabric, and remade it so she wouldn't know the difference.

Yes, Lambie and I have been a bond. Relegated to the attic indeed!

Keeping On With Painting

"Thoughts unspoken die unborn. The same goes for your paintings. If the desire lies within you, paint your heart out! But above all, keep developing, because that’s where real life begins.”

Tim Adams

I can't deny that I've had a lifelong desire to paint. I do best when I copy other works. This is what most if not all painters do to learn; they copy great paintings.

Anytime I've been in an art museum, I've seen plenty of students sitting there painting or drawing the works of art displayed on the walls.

I'm going to copy the one above. It's a loosely-executed watercolor called Le Journal by Jules Pascin. I love how it's outlined in black paint.

The watercolor at the top was painted plein air while I was visiting Fripp Island. It's of the marshes on the opposite side of the island from the Atlantic. I need to do a little more work on it. I'm not happy with the trees yet.

The framed landscape at the very top was my first watercolor attempt. It was painted from a photograph.

I need to do with painting what I do with everything else that I consider important enough to do. I make an appointment and then keep it. The trouble is finding a good time to make the appointment!