All Passion Spent

There are a thousand thoughts lying within a man 

that he does not know till he takes up a pen to write. 

--seen on a tombstone in England

The same could be said about reading a book.  This was brought home to me by a book published in 1932 by Vita Sackville-West.  I was familiar with Vita Sackville-West because Susan Branch visited Sissinghurst in May 2012 and wrote about it in her book "A Fine Romance."  She also blogged about it HERE.  This led me in June that year to read Vita's son's book about his parents, "Portrait of a Marriage," and her grandson's book, "Sissinghurst:  An Unfinished History."  

Perfect Moments

IDEALISM:  The practice of forming or pursuing ideals, especially unrealistically

This pretty much describes me.  The Pandemic is helping me give up my idealist ways because it has limited my pursuit of the ideal life in many ways.  It has also forced me to re-evaluate many of my ideals.   Just this morning, through reading inspiring messages by others further along the way than me and then writing about it in my Morning Pages I've decided to change my whole view of life!  Instead of seeing my life as a whole-----and judging whether it was a success or not------I'm going to start looking for, and creating whenever I can, my own "Perfect Moments"  such as this one.....

The view from the swing in my woods on a winter's day

Synchronicity and Authenticity

On my West Highland Creagan blog I am doing Sarah Ban Breathnach's new Simple Abundance, which is all about becoming our authentic selves.  I wanted to share this 2013 essay on authenticity here in hopes that you would join me over at West Highland Creagan.....

The Artist's Way

Welcoming in the New Year - 2017

Dear Friends and Readers,

I've had a full day writing New Year's posts for my various web journals.  I hope you will look in the side bar to check them out and join me there.  I have a new series started for Another Perfect Day 365 called Thanks-Living.  It is an adjunct web journal to Another Perfect Day where I introduced what I will be doing on APD365.  I will continue to post once a month on Another Perfect Day, and as the spirit moves me on I Come In The Little Things.  Freedom in Christ is a daily devotional I posted in 2011.  You can't sign up for it since it is not "active" but you can go to the site and read the devotionals each day.  Take Joy Society features the group's get-togethers as well as a monthly piece on Susan Branch this year on the first of each month.  I also add links to the tabs at the top of the page that I hope will inspire and uplift the reader.  That leaves this web journal, Morning Musings.

I started this web journal so that I could connect with people out in the world.  I've grown quite fond of you all and appreciate the feedback you give me in the comments.  I say all this because I hope you do not jump ship if I do not post as often as I have in the past.  I have no plans to continue with the monthly artist feature.  As for the other monthly features, they may also go by the wayside, as well, if I find I do not have any ideas left after I've spent them on the other web journals.  I'd rather not post, than post something not up to my standards.

The Annie Dillard quote above expresses what I hope this year will be for me--a time of discovering how to get in touch with who I really am and live that life.  Writing helps me do that--writing about what matters most to me.

Part of that will be to finally illustrate my Gabriel's Tale story and self-publish it.  Along with that will be an updating of my Poetry & Gabriel website--the ever-changing technology has rendered it's features inoperable.  It contains the prequel to Gabriel's Tale.  I've already written a second adventure and have ideas for a third.  In addition, I have a dozen other children's stories I could illustrate eventually.  This has been a dream of mine for a long time and I feel the time is right to put all my energy there.

Until later,

❤️Take Joy❤️

More or Less - November 2016

I've been thinking more about the past lately because I'm realizing I have more time behind me and less time ahead of me.  Today is the 50th anniversary of when my husband and I first laid eyes on each other.  I was 16 and he was 20. I had no idea that day he'd ask me out later in the week and that I'd fall in love with him.  Seven months later I moved out of state with my parents.  We almost didn't meet.  This got me to thinking about my Hungarian grandparents and how they met.  This was their wedding day in 1920. . . .

Finding Purpose

♫With a Little Help From My Friends♫

Yesterday when I wrote about feeling adrift because I'd lost my sense of purpose (I've always been purpose-driven!) so many of you wrote to empathize and offer encouragement.  All of your comments have been taken to heart and I'm sure helped clear the way to the point I came to this morning while journaling and reading my morning devotions.  After posting yesterday I asked my husband if I sounded like I was whining.  He assured me I didn't.  But if I did, no one made me feel like I had, so I greatly appreciate that.  Instead you let me know you understood, offered me solace, and shared your story so I could glean what I could from it.  I thank you for that.  Then the most amazing thing happened.  I looked outside my window yesterday afternoon and saw this. . . .

Inspirational Music Video

I've not had much to say because I've been immersing myself in all things Tasha Tudor this month in preparation for starting the Maryland Chapter of the Tasha Tudor Museum Society.  I came across this video on YouTube by Wayne Wallace set to David Neuvue's "Be Still My Soul".  The video reminded me of a Monet painting and coupled with the music you can become quite lost in the wonderfulness of God's beautiful creation.  If you click on the lower right-hand corner you can make the video full screen.

                 

Surreybrooke

♫The Secret Garden♫

My most favorite garden center is just 3 miles from my house.  It's more than just a plant nursery, it's a nursery of wonderful ideas for your garden.  Nancy Walz's Surreybrooke is located in Middletown, Maryland and has been a place I go to purchase some of my most unique flowers each year.  I made my first visit of the season last week and wanted to share the photos I took.  Nancy's Surreybrooke is a place you can wander to see the plants in their natural setting.  I just need to tell her where I saw the plant in her garden and she'll show me where to find it in one of her greenhouses.  Throughout the grounds you will find historic log cabins moved to her farm and reconstructed.....