JUST BREATHE...

 

"Sometimes the most important thing in a whole day

 is the rest we take between two deep breaths".

Ettys Hillesum

When I found the above quote, 

I knew it was indicitive 

of how my life is going.  

It gave substance to how

 I am enjoying life right now 

and took away the very slight feeling 

that maybe I should be doing more. 

 I am rearranging what used to be 

and adding in what is important to me

 in the here and now. 

 If the laundry doesn't get done on Monday,

 or the grocery shopping doesn't get done on Tuesday, 

we just dig a little deeper

 in the sock drawer

 and make a peanut butter sandwich 

for that night's dinner. 

 Those significant items 

will get done in due time,

 but when they don't, 

we just take deep breaths

 and enjoy something else in their place.

That doesn't mean that every thing

 is at a stand still, however.  

Ideas come and go,

 some more important than others. 

 The special ones get done a little sooner, 

and if not so special, 

maybe we take a few more

 deep breaths in between times.  

The important part is that we 

don't let remorse come into the picture. 

 This is a fairly new concept for us 

so we don't have much to base it on, 

but hopefully, it will work out

 and we will be able to stick to it. 

 So far, it seems to be working. 

With my back issues it seems to be 

more of a necessity than a luxury.

In one of these moments in time,

 I had an idea that would

 rearrange the kitchen.  

When memories are sometimes short

 we tend to forget and therefore we repeat the same mishaps over again.  

The Cottage is the only home 

that we have ever had

 that I really couldn't rearrange the furniture in each room 

when the feeling would strike. 

 Because there is no center hall, 

there is an abundance of 

doorways and windows in each room

 that only allow for a 

single method of placement. 

 I, like my mother before me,

 am a big fan of rearranging, 

and it took me quite awhile

 to get used to this way of living. 

 For some reason though, 

the kitchen seems to be exempt from it all. 

 I have tried numerous ways

 of fitting our existing pieces 

in different configurations but, 

I don't know who I am trying to kid,

 because the end results are

 always the same as the beginning! 

 We thought we could use

 the large Ikea cupboard as an island

 but it was just too big.  

This is a heavy piece and not easy to move, 

but the Captain is always willing to forgive 

as he almost always has to 

move it back to its original position.

All this nonsense could have been avoided

 if I had just tried my new idea

 in the first place. 

 This little table we have used in the kitchen for some time. 

 It is smaller scale and fits in nicely...

...enter the same little wooden table

 after painting its legs white. 

 It now has a more farmhouse appeal 

and the size is perfect,

 even with the larger white chairs.

Now, I can understand the true meaning

 of taking a rest in between 

a couple of deep breaths! 

 It makes life so much easier.

I have been practicing free hand drawings 

and think it is evolving a little bit. 

 I see improvement is needed

 on the bottom petal, 

but now I can see it so, hopefully, 

I won't make that mistake again.

A still life practice piece.

Thanks to the Captain and the fairies, 

the Secret Garden is coming along.  

Although it will take a really long time to come back to what it once was, if ever, 

I am happier with it now than I thought I would ever be again. 

 This coming weekend we will be making a trip to the nursery for some bright color 

and a piece of lath which, hopefully, I will be showing you soon.

  Watch this space.

I ordered Bernideen's book 

that she just had published 

and it is really a treat,

 especially for my storm damaged eyes! 

 She did such a nice job 

and her garden is simply beautiful. 

If you haven't stopped by 

her beautiful blog,

 please do.

 You are in for a big treat.

Well, I am off to take 

some other deep breaths 

so will visit again soon. 

 Hope all is well with everyone. 

 It is hard to comprehend 

what is happening 

in our country right now.

 It is an unbelievable and despicable time.

  I lived through the times 

before Roe v Wade 

and it wasn't good to say the least. 

 I don't know what these zealots

 have in mind for the future

 but going back is not the answer. 

   

Happy Tuesday

 and remember to breathe 

and make something sweet.

...Judy...

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