Sunday Solace

Good morning, good afternoon or good evening, depending on when you are reading this Post, which I'm writing here in ye merry olde England. 

Today I am grateful for a few dry days, as we have had constant rain since the end of September!   There has been severe flooding in many parts of England over the past few weeks, and it's heartbreaking to see the terrible damage caused to peoples' homes and businesses.  The Army have now been called in to help out.  The trouble is, when this sort of thing happens, it can be up to a year before people are able to get back into their homes. So as I sit in the comfort of my own warm home, I do give thanks. 

Although I love the longer days of Summer, what a wonderful backdrop of stunning colour Autumn provides us with. I thought I would just show a few pics to remind us of the beauty of nature at this time of the year.  These photos were all taken at Dartington Gardens, which is only a twenty minute drive away from where I live. The gardens there look wonderful at any time of the year...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 A few years ago in my Blog, I used to have a Sunday Solace feature, so I've decided to bring it back for a few weeks.  I thought I would bring you some inspirational quotes - quotes that I have always loved. I do hope you will enjoy them.....

"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt by the heart." (Helen Keller)

"Keep your face always towards the sunshine, and shadows will fall behind you." (Walt Whitman).

"What we think, we become."  (Buddha).

"It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light." (Aristotle Onassis).

"Try to be a rainbow in somebody's cloud."  (Maya Angelou).

"No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted." (Aesop) 

Well, it's time for me to leave you once again. I hope all is well with you and that you have a good week ahead.

For those of you who are interested, you can see photos of my Summer garden in my new Featured Post today. Just look for it on the right hand sidebar of the Blog 😊

Girl Power ....

Friday, December 17, 2010

Urgently Needed: Girl Power...

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Okay, urgent post folks!! Some of our blogging friends are going through some pretty tough times. The gorgeous Jane from My Pear Tree House has a very steep hill to climb. And needs our support. I have a proposal. It involves girl power and the moon.... Interested? I thought you might be..

• What if each night you look at the moon for, say, 15 seconds and send positive thoughts to Jane and to others who you know are going through harsh times?... 
• What if you post this concept on your blog or speak to your friends?...
• What if your followers blog this concept and speak to their friends?... 
• What if hundreds of women look at the moon each night and send off their thoughts?
• What if women needing support received these hundreds of thoughts?...
• You see, we all have the same moon, don't we?..
• Girl power. 
• Can we do it? 15 seconds a day? Pay it forward?
• I say we can. It can only help. It can connect us all. It can be global..
• So what do you say?...
• Start blogging the concept girls or make a pact with your friends

Do it now. And get a shifty on......

 

The Mayonnaise Jar & 2 Cups of Coffee

When things in your lives seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and the two cups of coffee (source unknown).

A Professor stood before his Philosophy class and had some items in front of him.  When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls.

He then asked the students if the jar was full.  They agreed that it was.

The Professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar.  He shook the jar lightly.  The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls.

He then asked the students again if the jar was full.  They agreed that it was.

The Professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar.  Of course, the sand filled up everything else.  He asked once more if the jar was full.  The students responded with an unanimous "yes."

The Professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand.  The students laughed.

"Now", said the Professor as the laughter subsided.  "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.  The golf balls are the important things - your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favourite passions - and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that matter, like your job, your house and your car.

The sand is everything else - the small stuff.  "If you put the sand into the jar first", he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls.  The same goes for life.  If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you."

"Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.  Play with your children.  Take time to get medical check-ups.  Take your spouse out to dinner.  There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal.  Take care of the golf balls first - the things that really matter.  Set your priorities.  The rest is just sand."

One of the students raised her hand and enquired what the coffee represented.  The Professor smiled.  "I'm glad you asked.  It just goes to show that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend."