Tuesday, February 28, 2012

The tale of the lost earring

I love junk jewelry and love wearing my earrings and necklaces wherever I go. Particularly lovely to me are jewelry that resembles shiny stars hanging from my ears and itty bitty flowers around my neck. They give me some sorts of a mystical status. At least, that’s the way I feel when I wear my magical earrings.

Of course, as you would imagine, these earrings are not really magical, but I just like to call them that because that’s how they make me feel inside every time I wear them—a sparkle of magic swirling all inside and around me!

The other day, as I was putting on my favorite earrings in my living room, one of them fell off from my hands. It should have been there—right there where I was standing… but it wasn’t!

I searched everywhere you can imagine—in me, around me, under me, the couch, under the couch, the couch cushions, between the chairs, but to no avail. After such unfruitful search, it occurred to me that maybe things were not exactly what we think they are, or see or believe to be, and perhaps the carpet under my feet wasn’t really a carpet… it was a shaggy monster! Ah yes, that had to be it!—a monster with an immense appetite for such futile a thing as an earring! So I decided I should search for my precious jewel again—this time, inside the monster, of course!

Quickly, and very careful as not to wake him up, I crawled in the monster’s mouth as gently as I could. It was a creepy place; dark and damp inside with all sorts of creatures crawling around. A place so precariously dark that the wrong movement or the slightest noise; even a sneeze might cause the monster to swallowed me in a blink! But I wasn’t going to stop now!

I searched between every tooth the monster had, around and under the ugly tongue and even dared look down at the long dark tunnel of his throat. Can you imagine how scared I was of fallen down that dark tunnel to whatever creepy things awaited down there? But still my earring was nowhere to be found. Disappeared. Gone. Nada!

Maybe, I had been mistaken all along; maybe I thought that my carpet was a hungry monster when in fact it was some sorts of an invisible hole on the ground; a cosmic hole if you may where things that fell through it would travel great distances through layers and layers of earth right to the outer space,

...and most probably my earring was now orbiting the earth along the tens of millions of bits of space junk accumulated by man…

I could see it clearly in my mind—like some strange star floating along defunct satellites, rockets and pieces of dismantled spacecrafts. Nothing I could do! Right?

In spite of everything, I’m still optimistic. I am! After all, the waste is out there, and who knows… perhaps, one day my earring will rain down on me? Oh I so hope so!

I just don’t want this magic to ever end… and who would? This dense buzz following us around; this sort of tickle in our being; this delightful enchantment of seeing what others can’t see and feel, and just because we were gifted with a child’s eye; feel and perceived our world through the eyes of a child… ah yes, can you see it not? A bluebird in every tree!

Yes, I know what some of you must be thinking; and it is true, sin and sin’s effects have made us a cruel world. But you can still see glimmers of hope in a sad world… God has given us the most incredible, unexplainable, inimitable existence in a kingdom beyond human imagination. The magic of God is all around us for us to witness and believe.

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Show Off Your Cottage Monday

I’m so ready for bouquets from my garden and outdoor projects… you? The wild in me stretches and awakes, but I have a feeling that Old Man Winter is going to be around for quite some time yet… in the mean time, to ease my spring fever I’m enjoying some roses from the market… They comfort me and give me a vision of hope and what’s soon to come.

A huge THANK YOU for participating in our linky party and taking us to your cottage! Can't wait to see what you've been doing this week! Last week was another fantastic party! I am enjoying seeing all the creative ideas and projects you are sharing!

Etiquette for linky parties

1) Link to a recent project post, and not a link to the front page of your blog, your Etsy store or a giveaway.

2) Link back to the host’s blog via a button or text link. This is a common courtesy, and it is usually appreciated if you link back in the same blog post that you are linking up.

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Just writing out of boredom

I wonder what are you all doing right now… on this very moment? Has it been an interesting day for you? A boring day? I can tell you something about me—I’m yearning for warmth and radiance and sunshine and lovely sunshiny days in the garden.

It’s been super cold here today; with snow capped mountains in the distance and for some inexplicable reason I am thinking of you this very moment. Basking under the sun in a land of saguaros? Or maybe collecting oranges in the sunny orange grove of your own backyard?

Have you ever felt this strange feeling that there is another you out there? I mean a sort of a karmic soul-mate and that there must be some deeply rooted connection between you and that person from past lives?

I feel like that sometimes and have connected in such way with some of you that even though I don't know you; nor have ever met you in person feel we’re very much in tune with each other; like I’ve known you forever. We think so much alike, and there's so much that we have in common it is almost scary.

The mystery deepens when I will be about to write or post something here and then you had already post about something similar, and if I think about something a lot in one day you will end up bringing it up also. I think it means something else rather than coincidence. What do you think? How do these things happen?

Sometime ago I read that karmic soul-mates can be anybody. They are part of our soul family. When our souls are created, they become part of a soul family. Many souls are created at the same time. Not all souls will go to the same family just as not all humans born belong to the same Earthly family.

Have you ever experienced something like that in your own bloggy experience? Do share your story. I’m all ears tonight with nothing else to do! ;)

Friday, February 24, 2012

A moment in time...

Lovely, dark fog this morning in the garden. Frost on the rooftops, on the dried leaves scattered throughout the grass and on spent roses—like frozen jewels on crystal petals. I can hardly see the trees just down the garden past the fence; muffled as they are in this silent and puzzling cloud of muted whites and grays. And I liked it.

Like in a dream from which you had just woken up, I move from the window and realize I've been standing there, looking outside for a long time; or perhaps, was it just a moment in time?

I’m thinking I should go outside before this magical world of ice melts before my eyes, but I had candles here and coffee brewing in the coffee pot. It is still early and the morning calls for some cuddling up. I love when the house is this quiet, and the feeling of calmness it bestows.

May you all have a cozy weekend!

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

The secrets of Winter

Rain… rain is soothing; rainy days are a restful stop for the soul. And thus, it has been raining here all day today, and the early morning is wrapped in a gray mist that seems to be traveling the garden’s floor in some type of mystical waves; like sleepy phantoms.

And yesterday, in the garden, the air snapped with anticipation as magic evolved in the form of gentle flakes of snow. Like an unexpected apparition—snow; out of the bosom of the air it came, silent, and soft, and slow. Big fluffy flakes danced and meandered about the garden in the form of tiny delicate clouds; like a veil from heaven, it rested in the atmosphere for just a fleeting moment before it got swallowed up by the invisible spirits of the ground. And Father Winter too—it blew and whispered enchanting words to my ears with unexpected surprises…

From where I was standing, in my kitchen, a larger shadow crossed my field of vision over the garden. I am acquainted with these swift shadows of winter. I know them by name, and silently in my heart I wait for these precious few moments with cheer anticipation. So I run to the window, and indeed, there it was—the shadow; that Northern Flicker that has been visiting my garden this winter.

Such peaceful a scene—the gentle snow, the voices and colors of winter and the birds which inhabit it—precious gifts from above that I treasure in my heart with thankfulness and quiet gratitude.

These are the secrets of winter, long in its cloudy bosom hoarded, from time to time whispered and revealed to whoever wants to listen, and see, and appreciate it.

Sunday, February 19, 2012

SHOW OFF YOUR COTTAGE MONDAY

I knew I’d acted on impulse the minute I saw this dresser being uploaded onto my truck the day I bought it. What was I thinking then?

Although the colors were definitely not my palette, I thought that maybe this dresser would look cute in my pink girly room... but then I ‘really’ noticed the bad painting job on it, the super bright blues and greens and hideously large pink knobs, and could not believed I had just bought that thing! ;)

You were all so gracious about complimenting my dresser when I first show it to you in a past Show Off Your Cottage Monday! But I knew what some of you were probably thinking... And I agreed! ;) All this time I had been making plans to improve this strange piece... I'm not too fond of bright colors; I like to keep my decorating color schemes quite simple. Too many colors overwhelm me and this dresser was really overwhelming me... So I opted for some new paint... a lovely combo of grays with a hint of blue in it, from Dutch Boy: Hurricane Cliffs and Ypsilanti Skies…

And got new knobs! Half the price at Hobby Lobby. And boy, what a nice difference just that made!

I cannot begin to tell you how much I love this color of lighter gray-bluish paint; as the name itself suggests, it's like a serene rain laden sky where somehow sunshine has escaped the gloominess and is peeking through the clouds. I like it so much, I kept painting some other stuff! Remember my pink chair here?

Well, now it's not pink any more!

I love how this new color has given the room a more serene atmosphere... now if I can only change the carpet for hardwood floors!

Etiquette for linky parties usually includes:

1) Link to a recent project post, and not a link to the front page of your blog, your Etsy store or a giveaway.

2) Link back to the host’s blog via a button or text link. This is a common courtesy, and it is usually appreciated if you link back in the same blog post that you are linking up.

More Tips


If you are really a go-getter, why not leave a nice comment for the blogger hosting the party each week? It’s a bit of work to set up and manage a regular linky party, so make sure your host knows that their efforts are appreciated, and that you are not just looking for some free promo.

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Oh no... I did it!

OK my lovelies... to those of you who have inquired, I've done it... I'm officially a brunette now… and with much shorter hair!

It took a lot of courage out of me to opt for such drastic change, but in a way it felt good to be able to make that decision. I am not sure thought if this color match my personality… I think I'm already missing being a blonde ;) This is me this Dec. 27th, 2011 -- my last photograph as a blonde... Sad!

I did a little research on the Internet and couldn't believe the amount of sites with topics on blondes vs. brunettes. Where does the whole "dumb blonde" idea comes from? Pure speculations... I'm sure! ;)

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Show Off Your Cottage Monday

I love my Roscher Paisley china; they’re my favorite china ever. I love the beautiful cream tones and pretty ornate design on it. They make me think of lace and dinner plates with crocheted lace edging.
 

I love to treat my favorite china to a soapy extravagance from time to time. Washing and drying pretty china by hand it’s not a job to me… it is a pleasure. This weekend, however, I decided to put them in the dishwasher this time, because I’ve been a busy bee deep in paint in the upstairs room (which, by the way I’ll be talking about this project real soon – so keep post it), and didn’t have time to play with them.
 



I got carried away and decided to bring in my set of vintage plates and put them in the dishwasher too. These plates are so pretty. They have an intricate lace design of the edges and dainty roses in the center.



Well…. I should’ve known better. My vintage plates were not dishwasher safe; which means they cannot handle the heat produced in the dishwasher, and thus, some of them were damaged.
 

They got stained for life, but they’re still pretty thought, and thus, I’m planning on using then in the garden. I’m thinking I’ll keep them here, in my garden rack where I keep an assortment of interesting things... and I can always used them as flower pot saucer. They would look pretty with my small clay pots.
 



I'm getting all excited thinking about spring. The sun us out and it is unbelievably warm and lovely and flocks of robins are serenading my garden. They’ve taken over the garden; flying everywhere in quantities galore… totally crazy and unbelievably magical!

Friday, February 10, 2012

Changes

Changes… there is something in the air that calls for changes. I want to change every room in my house, change the carpet for hardwood floors, change the curtains, change my eating habits, move to another city; quit my job. Changes—dreams; some of them unreachable; some unreasonable. But at least I can change some things... Lately, one of the things I want to change is my hair. I am thinking I want to be a brunette again…

Are you a brunette? My hair is naturally dark, but I’ve been a blonde for the past three years. And have I mentioned how I lose interest and get bored of things real quickly? Unless I truly enjoy something, of course--like gardening. So I’m thinking I should be a brunette and have my hair cut in long layers. It is already reaching down my waist and badly in need of some real shape. I love my daughter's haircut and asked her if I could share a photograph. We look so much alike, so I'm thinking this would look real cute...
Or this...
I really like this darker color... love the style too!
Dark with some redish tones
Penelope Cruz and her sister!
Cindy and I...
OK... I'm heading over to the hair salon now. Oh but wait! I have to admit it! I'm a whimp, a coward and horrible at making decisions and I simply don't know what to do. I may think I love changes, but I'm actually scare of them... Do you think I should go back to being a brunette? Ayayayai! I'll keep you posted on what I decided, so don't go too far! ;)