Tuesday, February 5, 2019

FEBRUARY, AT FIRST LOOK...












At first look, 
through my window this morning,
 all I could see were shades of gray. 
 Not the gray 
that I might see 
in a beautifully appointed room, 
but a gray,
 that at first glance,
 would only seem
 dull and depressing...





...a gray 
that magnifies 
the drops of rain 
on an errant rose cane...





...or a gray 
that is washing away 
the dust and grime 
from the leaves of the camellia, 
leaving it bright and healthy
 for the days to come.


"What good is the warmth of summer
Without the cold of winter 
To give it sweetness."

John Steinbeck






Now that February is here
 that is most likely what we all see 
at first look.

 For such a short month,
 February probably holds us prisoners 
more than any other. 

 January
 is taken up with
 getting the aftermath of Christmas 
put to rights, 
and March starts 
the signaling of spring
 so that leaves February
 to hold the brunt of all
 that comes between...





...and it is up to us 
to look inside and see the "colors"
of our life 
for what they are.


"We bring roses, beautiful fresh roses,/ dewy as the morning and colored like the dawn."

Thomas Buchanan Read
(1822-1872)






At first look,
 I should have seen 
how even a gray sky
 can still shine through glass 
and make it sparkle...





...or just by flipping a switch,
 a lamp can
 fill your soul 
with warmth...





...or by turning on another lamp,
 the light can focus 
on a painted rose and 
make it come to life 
before your very eyes.





Beautiful roses 
that don't need any other introduction.

 They will bring joy and brightness 
into your life 
no matter how you look at them,
 whether in a vase,
 to shine in the moment,
 or as an everlasting
 that will be added next fall 
to a familiar garland.





From one room to another, 
you can gather your rosebuds
 where they may 
and they will always be 
a source of beauty
 in your day.





One thing that February has
 that no other month has 
is LOVE, 
and I will leave you today
 with only thoughts of love.

  I appreciate your following and
 all of your 
wonderful and constructive comments,
 but above all else,
your friendship. 
 It is enough
 to make me see
 beyond the gray skies.





BTW, 
how do you spell gray anyway?
  With an E or an A? 

That is something 
I will contemplate 
as I lay dreaming 
of spring.






~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


All of the above 
took place over the past weekend and
 into Monday morning...





...this is where we are today
 as I publish
 this post.





Pretty and pristine...





...and with 
the bare necessities 
taken care of...





...back to 
Cottage comfort.



...Judy...





Take heart...
Gray skies are gonna clear up.


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18 comments:

  1. Indeed, for the shortest month it dose seem the longest but you have found the color and beauty in February with your beautiful home and lovely vignettes. And even the water drops are a sign of times to come~

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  2. Oh, such sweet vignettes, Judy! It may be cold and gray outside, but your home is filled with color and warmth. The roses are beautiful. Hope you and your little friend stay warm and cozy. Hugs xo Karen

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  3. Oh Judy, such lovely photos! You know I like that first one for sure, the stain glass and lampshade are just gorgeous! As is all of your decorating! Beautiful post, words and photos! Snow, wow! I bet that was a surprise!
    I had to laugh when you asked how to spell gray! I had to look that up just the other day because I was wondering the same thing! With an e is British English and with an a is American English, so take your pick! lol
    Have a wonderful rest of your week!
    xoxo,
    Gina

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  4. Good morning, Judy. GrAy skies are going to clear up, put on a happy face ! We had snow last Tuesday and then yesterday, 2/4/2019 it was 70+ degrees here in my neighborhood. I hear we're going to have more snow next week.
    Love your little roses, such a pretty color. Your fur babies look very cozy. Have a happy week and weekend.
    Charlotte in Va.

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  5. A happy post, thank you.
    It's nice to remember that winter will end, spring will come, and sunny days are just around the corner.

    Smiles :)
    ~K.

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  6. Judy,
    I always look forward to your posts!! We had record breaking cold last week and now record breaking warmth this week!! Crazy weather..... Winter though is far from over here as we usually see our last snow in late March or early April!!
    Hugs,
    Deb

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  7. Hi Judy.... you have managed to take the gray doldroms away! Not sure if that's how you spell it, but you know what I mean! We've had many many gray days here, but today is sunny and clear blue sky.. with 6 inches of snow on the ground! I think we get two days of the nice sunshine, and then back to a few days of more snow and gray days. I don't mind it so much.. I like hunkering down in February and just staying in on those gray days. When the sun does appear, I may take a run to the store just to get out and get some fresh air. The colors in our homes help to brighten things up.. and I love when dusk comes and I can turn on the low lights to put a nice soft glow on things.... we love also, having a fire going in the mornings. It surely does warm up the place. The roses are so pretty and really do brighten up the place but we never have fresh flowers as just too spendy. Your stained glass is so pretty and it does make a person feel good to see their sweet fur friends nestled all warm in the blankets. Our kitties do that too and it warms my heart, knowing they feel safe and happy with us. Have a good week and enjoy that snow! I haven't even gone outside yet to tromp around in ours.... my snowboots are in a very good place...... the trunk of the car! Hum.m.m..... and I keep forgetting to have hubby get them for me... so I'll just stay inside and keep warm by the fire! Hugs... Marilyn

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  8. Wonderful post Judy! I usually view February as a prelude to Spring mixed in with cheery pinks and reds to warm up those Winter nights. BTW I usually spell gray with the A. Janice

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  9. This is such a beautiful post... Your photos and lovely quotes certainly do brighten up a cloudy day ... The flowers in your sink look especially nestled in awaiting for a wonderful floral arrangement ... All the sweet touches of hearts and red roses make your home and inviting ... You are absolutely right that it is up to us to see the colors of our life and make it happy. >> Thanks for your inspirational words... Happy Valentine's Day

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  10. Steve's brother and his wife live in Cool, near Auburn, and they have been sharing snow pics. We actually see snow on our hills. I think it is all magical and particularly like the last pics you shared of your views.

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  11. Judy, what a beautiful post! I do think we need to find sunshine in the grey days! I look at the cup half full, not half empty. :)
    Hugs,
    Jann

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  12. Hi Judy,
    What a great post. Your pictures and words always inspire. I am so glad that we are almost through February. This winter has been brutal. We will have a few more months but I am hoping the brutal weather will lift some and we might see more sunshine as we march down to Spring. I hope so.
    Have a good weekend.
    Hugs,
    Kris

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  13. So many beautiful photos, Judy, and your words capture my attention, as well. I was married in February (because it was cheap) and I HATE winter. It's too cold, too long and too gray or grey (I often wonder this myself!) for my taste. I know that we need it to appreciate summer, but if it were shorter I would like it more. On the eve of my wedding it snowed 24", it was a legitimate blizzard and shut down my town. Thankfully, things were up and running by morning and the wedding went off without a weathered hitch. Now on the eve of my 25th anniversary we are again dealing with snow in the forecast. There's nothing to do, but laugh and ride it out. Ah, February...Hugs!! xo

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  14. Hello my sweet friend! Funny you should ask...I was thinking the other day about the spelling grey! You can tell that my answer is E. Yes, Feb. can be a little harder for me to deal with, but I wonder if it means tax time for me :))) I try to get everything gathered up to take to the tax guy, so just in case (which never happens here) spring decides to make an appearance early.
    I loved every beautiful pic dear Judy!!!
    hugs from here...

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  15. Gray skies always pass. Soon, it will be spring. Charming post Judy. Flowers are always a welcome sight in Winter. Love seeing the snow. We didn’t get it any, just some frost. stay warm. Thank you for sharing at Dishing It and Digging It.

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  16. Gray for American English but I think either way is fine. I would have loved a tiny bit of snow this winter. It looks like it's not to be. Thanks for sharing at Keep In Touch.

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  17. Judy,
    Thanks so much for stopping by and for your well wishes...It was getting so hard for me to go to work so I guess it is a blessing that I am no longer working.... It will be much better for my knee as I can elevate it and pack it in ice, resting it until the surgery..... And I do believe that everything happens for a reason so this is what was supposed to happen...I have no plans to go back to work after the surgery. There is a possibility that I may need the other knee done but we will look into that once I have to first knee done...
    Hugs,
    Deb

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  18. The weather here has been about the same here. It was about 38 on Saturday and today cold and windy and tomorrow even colder! The snow is so beautiful when it first falls like a winter wonderland! I started doing a few spring vignettes hoping that it will actually come soon. I want to see green coming up! Another lovely post!

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Your comments are so special to me...Judy