Brand New Grand-daughter

     I cannot resist showing you a few photos of Ruby Dylan, whom we visited for several days (as well as her proud parents, naturally) in Georgia just after her birth. We, of course, think she is the sweetest, most beautiful newborn ever! She is just a few days old in these pictures, one with her absolutely thrilled grandmother (that would be me) in the little handmade outfit I showed you in the previous post.

     Up to this point, I have not used the blog for family news or pictures and promise not to make a habit of it. We are just so thankful and happy that one exception to the rule seemed allowable.
    

Merry Christmas from our Home to Yours

     OK, where did most of December go? It's time I posted a few holiday photos before they look completely out of place and time.

     We feel most fortunate this year to have had both our sons, their wonderful brides, and one grandson together in Jacksonville. Although 2013 has not been trouble free for us and our loved ones, we have a great deal to be thankful for. We celebrated Christmas with true gratitude to God for the gift of God-with-us. I hope this Christmas was meaningful for all readers who mark the Christmas season. For others, I wish you holiday season joy and peace and a wonderful, surprising (in a good 

way) New Year.

     As a cloudy afternoon sky darkens toward approaching sunset, I'll leave you with views of our front yard display. Nothing fancy, just simple symbols of the joy of Christmas and a wreath to welcome all inside.

Question of the day: What is one hope you hold for 2014--small and simple, or bold and large--personal or beyond?

Post # 200; The Creative Journey Continues

Late Day Clouds at Jacksonville Beach, FL, July 2013

     Here's an odd coincidence; in my very first post on April 21, 2009, I used the cloud photo that inspired my most recent painting. Now, I've reached the 200th post for this blog. Along with my recent 67th birthday, that's cause for some reflection--in the form of blog evaluation and overall gratitude. 

     Evaluation:
     1. Rereading that first post, I see that my intention was to post about twice a week, "perhaps sometimes more". That has slipped into a schedule more like twice a month, occasionally more often. Every so often, I feel badly about this rate and try to do more, but it hasn't lasted--at least not recently. However, my posting pace is right for me at this time. 
     2. Even more than the posting schedule, I try to improve on my once weekly or so session of visiting all the beautiful, varied, and interesting blogs written by the blogging friends I have been fortunate to "meet" along this journey. I'll continue to do my best, and I am humbled by those of you who manage frequent, quality posts as well as visits to other blogs (and comments) in the midst of many other commitments and pursuits.
     3. I do think that many of the posts in this blog have been thoughtfully developed. I know that writing them, editing and polishing them, and choosing appropriate photos has been meaningful for me; writing is a path to discovery, I think--of self and of other things that matter. It's fun to know they are of interest to you, as well.

     Gratitude:
     1. God's love, family, home, extended family, and priceless friends.
     2. Health, especially renewed comfort and mobility after a hip replacement. I don't expect perfect health or total freedom from aches and pains at my age, but overall--much to be thankful for.
     3. Meaningful work and play activities, including tutoring and painting--and so much more.
     4. Rewarding volunteer callings, including helping in the Peace Presbyterian Church Food Pantry (which does astonishing community service for a smallish congregation), pre-GED tutoring at the amazing Women's Center of Jacksonville (discovered through Volunteer Match), working to better our lovely, though very imperfect city through JAX2025, and other projects.
     5. The sometimes gentle, sometimes fearsome, beauty and mystery of nature.

      I could go on--and will in my daily meditation time--but will spare you all that and end with more gratitude.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU TO READERS WHO KEEP COMING BACK IN SPITE OF MY UNEVEN POSTING AND SOMETIMES RAMBLING WRITING. You make blogging fun and worthwhile. 

A Very Happy Thanksgiving!

I seldom show my family or post purely personal experiences, but felt like thanking God one more time with a few images from our holiday gathering. For both my husband and me, celebrating with a large extended family has not been possible for--well--for decades. Our siblings, nieces and nephews all live a distance away and are scattered in various eastern and Great Lakes states. Even our immediate family has not been able to gather very often, due to distance and other factors, until this past year. Our California son and his wife moved to the Atlanta, Georgia area a little over a year ago, and our other son and his wife live right here in Jacksonville, Florida.

We feel deeply grateful to have our four wonderful "kids" (have to count the amazing women the boys married as our own, too) fairly nearby. Last Thanksgiving the six of us celebrated in Jacksonville with a meal on Thanksgiving Friday so that one couple could gather with her side of the family on Thursday and to make travel simpler for the others. However, our Georgia daughter-in-law gave up considerable income to be with us on Friday and Saturday. So this year, we all met at their home south of Atlanta. None of us can stop talking about how terrific it was to be together again this year.

The photos show Sumry's beautiful table setting, the fantastic cooks (Ashley and Sumry--Husband, Mark did a lot of baking, too, and I made a dish, but had the easiest holiday ever), the expert clean-up crew (Dirk and Pete), and the guys watching the turkey deep fryer (until we moved south, I never would have believed that a fried turkey could be so juicy, non-greasy, and delicious--not to mention the under-an-hour cooking time). Extra points to readers who can untangle that ridiculous sentence! The pictures also show what gorgeous weather we enjoyed for the day.

This comes with prayers and hopes that all of you have enough of what really matters in life and that you live in thankfulness and peace.

Exploring--Our North Florida Back Yard, Part II--Flowers and Rain

I continue to marvel lately at the degree to which I am a happy homebody even though I love to explore, both in our own area and to lands far away. You have seen this love of local and travel exploration in previous posts. Today, I offer another homebody post, exploring right in our back yard, now made into a delightful refuge by my husband Mark's hard work. As I mentioned before, we have a cozy fenced-in area and a wilder tree and fern-filled space beyond that with a small creek at the back of our property.

The flowers inside the fence are mostly in pink and purple tones, set against plants with a range of green and variegated leaves. I took these plant and flower photos (and many more!) for painting reference, planning to do a series of small pieces picturing Florida natives both from our yard and growing wild. You see a purple flowering passion vine, bright pink penta, and caladium foliage. The penta blooms at the foot of the brilliant mandevilla vine climbing a wrought iron obelisk, which you saw in my last post.

One particularly pretty rainy day in October, I took a few photos in the yard. It was one of those rains that made everything look clear and sharp. If you click to enlarge the photos, you will see raindrops pattering onto the patio and streaming down against the house. Perhaps I'll get brave enough to try to paint these scenes. Painting a rainy scene realistically is difficult, but I know I would learn from the effort no matter what the results.

Now that I am semi-retired, I have extended my reflection and meditation times and feel a better, calmer person for it. In addition to starting my day reading and meditating in an easy chair with a view out to this lovely back yard--feeling thankful as the day slowly brightens, I also take more moments throughout the day to step outside and breathe deeply. Whatever I have been busy with or stressed about melds into the whole in its proper proportion, achy old joints seem a bit less problematic, and I give thanks.

Question of the day: Are you primarily a "no place like home" person, a happy wanderer, or someone who savors both home and wider exploration?