December Blessings

Blessings are all around...

Blessings outnumber stress issues...

Good health...

Wonderful family...

Love...

Grace...Faith...God is good...

We (I) just need to focus on the positive...

And get busy...

Keep calm and carry on...

So, the dining room table is set for Christmas,

and that is IT...

But the garlands will be hung,

a tree will be decorated,

baking will begin,

hot mulled wine will soothe,

and all will be magical and well.

Thoughts from the country house on this frosty morn...

"Today will never come again.  Be a blessing.  Be a friend.

Encourage someone.

Take time to care.

Let your words heal, and your love shine."

"YOU have an assignment that nobody else can fulfill.

Someone needs your gifts,

your smile,

your love,

your passion.

YOU are part of a divine plan.

Know it, and believe...

Blessings,

Yaya

November List

So much to do...

Running here...

Running there...

Cleaning...

Decorating for Thanksgiving...

Planning the menu...

Finding the perfect turkey...smoked...twice...drizzled in honey.

Baked to perfection.

Finding the perfect ham...smoked...twice...drizzled in honey.

Baked to perfection.

Sweeping, sweeping, sweeping the porch every time the dogs go out.

I decided if I sweep the porch, the walk and part of the drive,

each time I am out with the three fur babies,

I can stay ahead of the leaves...

If not, just make a wreath.

Yes, a big fat wreath of leaves!

And always remember to be thankful...

As we move into the holiday season,

here are some thoughts from the country house...

Home should be a haven of peace and joy.

Laughter.

Good food.

Family.

Love.

Kindness.

Encouragement.

Gentle speech.

Serving and helping one another.

Respect.

Home must nurture mind, body and spirit...

I want our old country house to be a gathering place...

A place filled with love,

and a place where great memories are made.

Blessings

Yaya

I DECLARE...Day Thirteen

I DECLARE

that God is bringing about new seasons of growth.

I will not get stagnant

and hold on to the old.

I will be open to change

knowing that God has something

better in front of me.

New doors of opportunity,

new relationships,

and new levels of favor are in my future.

This is my declaration.

Joel Osteen

Blessings

Yaya

I Declare...Day Twelve

I DECLARE
I am special and
extraordinary.
I am not average!
I have been custom made.
I am one of a kind.
Of all the things God created,
what HE is most proud of is me.
I am his masterpiece,
his most prized possession.
I will keep my head held high,
knowing I am a child of the most high God,
made in his very image.
This is my declaration.

Joel Osteen

Blessings
Yaya

Appreciation

"Appreciation can make a day...

Even change a life...

Your willingness to put it into words

is all that is necessary."

Margaret Cousins

If someone has done something for you,

make them feel appreciated.

It matters...

It makes a difference...

A smile...

Kindness...

A simple thank you...

A hug...

Flowers...

An 'I Love You'...

A card...

Let them know...

It could lift someone up,

and make all the difference in the world...

Thank you, God,

for the rain,

and every single blessing you have given me.

Blessings

Yaya

Stay in Peace

Don't be upset

and caught up with things or people

you

cannot change.

Instead,

let go

and 

concentrate on what you CAN change.

Things that enhance your life.

You deserve to be happy.

As you journey along your own path,

remember to lend a helping hand

to those who cannot help themselves...

Old folks...

Little children...

Make a difference along the way

if you can.

Stand strong, and beautiful

in faith and grace.

Stay in peace.

Blessings

Yaya

Surround Yourself in Peacefulness.

Today,

be sure to surround yourself

with peaceful people

and only allow into your space

those that respect your time...

Bless all,

and keep making life beautiful,

one little space at a time.

Seek inspiration,

and wisdom,

and people who lift you up.

Share your peace,

and your beauty,

and your inspiration.

Even if you inspire just one,

you have done a good deed.

Blessings...

Yaya

Angels Among Us

Do you talk to your angels?

Do you believe?

And so it is that I believe

our angels walk with us

as we experience the great unity of 

ALL THAT IS.

Blessings

Yaya

That Peaceful Little Place

A few roses,

a fairy or two,

angels among us,

fountains splashing,

birdsong,

my morning coffee in quiet solitude...

Carry on and face the day.

Isn't grace a beautiful thing?...

Walking in grace,

and strength,

with God,

along my life path that God has directed.

It's a beautiful thing.

I need my peaceful little place...

That place where I can go,

soak in the tranquility,

and come away feeling blessed and strong.

Blessings

Yaya

Life Is Beautiful, No Matter What...

Life is beautiful,

no matter what...

If not,

then make it so.

I refuse to submit to the stresses of life.

Instead,

I strive to make life beautiful,

no matter what.

Yoga, peaceful music,

little water fountains everywhere,

roses, flowers,

books, good coffee,

a glass of wine on the porch at sunset,

the smell of supper cooking,

grandangels, family,

visits with friends,

garden parties,

picnics,

a walk in the woods...

The list is long,

but if we seek,

life gives us so much.

I choose beauty over stress.

Blessings...

Yaya

Ponderings

Nothing ever goes away

until it teaches us what we need to know...

Smile,

Breathe

And go slowly...

YOU

are the child of an almighty king - 

A child of God!

Yes, 

YOU!

Blessings...

Yaya

Blessings On This Mother's Day From the Country House

Mothers and Grandmothers are forever.

'Mother' is just another name for love.

Mothers are the bearers of tradition.

"I thank God for my mother and my grandmothers

who stood on the word of God

and lived with the spirit

of courage and grace."

Maya Angelou

A mother's love

is like no other love in the world.

It takes but one woman to make a home.

Mother.

Mom.

Mama.

Remembering childhood visions...

My mother's smile.

My grandmother's porch.

Their love.

Their laughter.

As a mother,

teach your child to dream.

"Life is what we make it.

Always has been;

Always will be."

Grandma Moses

May your Mother's Day be filled with blessings.

Yaya

Country House in Bloom

We have been so blessed to travel the world,

always work related,

and we are grateful and love the adventures,

but returning home to the country house

is truly one of the greatest blessings of all.

I love this old house in the countryside,

and miss it terribly when I'm away.

I love walking barefoot over the old wood floors,

ceiling fans slowly turning,

the smell of morning coffee,

and the singing birds.

Everything is so green from so much rain,

and the blooms are bursting with color.

Oh so pretty...

I love my south in the springtime.

Roses and English Dogwood

The smell is divine.

They make the most lovely arrangements...

A few roses and a crystal vase...

Oh so beautiful.

Simple and ever so elegant.

Today's thoughts from the country house...

"At the end of the day, 

the only questions I will ask myself are...

Did I love enough?

Did I laugh enough?

Did I make a difference?"

"Choose your words carefully,

wrap them in love,

and create a masterpiece 

in the hearts of people in your life."

And on a last note...

"One thing that doesn't go out of style...

Being fabulous!"

Isn't that great inspiration?!!

I love collecting wonderful and inspiring thoughts,

and words of wisdom...

And passing it onward 

out into the big great universe.

Blessings...

Yaya

Red Bird, Oh Beautiful Little Red Bird

How pretty you are,

sitting up in the tree

singing for me.

You take my breath away,

you really do.

And your song...

Oh how I love your beautiful song.

Oh beautiful red bird,

please come into my courtyard

and stay a while with me.

 You will find water for bathing,

and all the food you can eat...

There is no better way to celebrate spring,

than with my fine-feathered friends.

Every bird feeder has been cleaned and filled.

The bird bath gets fresh water everyday.

My south is full of blooms and song birds.

Have a blessed and beautiful day.

Yaya

Happiness Is...

Happiness is...

Walking in faith everyday,

knowing that God has given us this day,

just the way it is,

for a reason.

Happiness is...

Kissed by spring

and angel glow,

yellow blooms

and butterfly wings...

A rainbow flower garden

filled with the magic that only a fairy can bring...

Happiness is...

The trickle of a bamboo water fountain

and distant zen music floating in the air...

A wood flute...

Wind chimes...

Birdsong and grandangels...

And so it is

that

happiness is

all the things above

and so much more.

Blessings

Yaya

Sick Little Grandangels, Dress Up, and Strawberry Cake

Spring is almost here,

and we dream of planting a rainbow flower garden...

We dream from the fluffy, down bedding...

We dream by the warmth of the fireplace.

It's chilly outside,

and baby girl is sick.

Baby brother, too.

We play dress up...

We read...

We take pictures...

We have tea parties...

We nap...

And we bake...

Strawberry Cream Cake.

It's so pink...

It's so fresh...

It's so perfect.

Thought for the day...

"There is no spot of ground,

however arid,

bare or ugly,

that cannot be tamed into such 

a state as may give an impression of beauty

and delight."

Gertrude Jekyll

Blessings

Yaya

Yes, YOU can do it!

I can't do it, Yaya.

Yes, you can!!

Watch.

Like this.

And so I made the necklace for her.

Papa made the hippie headband for her.

Then...

after watching,

and being told that she could do it,

and believing she could do it,

she did it!!

One beautiful bracelet after the other.

She made them

all by herself.

To accomplish great things,

we must not only act but also dream,

not only plan

but also believe.

Anatole France

Very little is needed to make a happy life.

It is all within yourself,

in your way of thinking.

Marcus Aurelius

Blessings

Yaya

I DECLARE...Day Eleven

I DECLARE Ephesians 3:20 over my life.

God will do exceedingly,

abundantly above all that I ask or think.

Because I honor Him,

His blessings will chase me down and overtake me.

I will be in the right place at the right time.

People will go out of their way to be good to me.

I am surrounded by God's favor.

This is my declaration.

Joel Osteen

Blessings

Yaya

at home with Andrea Bocelli

At home with Andrea Bocelli

In Tuscany, Italy.

Spring is around the corner,

and one can dream of a fabulous

trip to Tuscany...

However,

an armchair trip must do for now.

Dreaming of Italy...

Blessings

Yaya

Andrea Bocelli: Love In Portofino -- Exclusive Cinema Interview

For those of us who can NOT get enough of Andrea Bocelli...

Love in Portofino.

An Exclusive interview from his home.

Truly gifted from God.

Blessings

Yaya

Old Lace, Andrea Bocelli in Portofino, One Italian Restaurant, and a Glass of Cabernet...

So the weekend arrived.

We slept late.

Spent a lazy morning having breakfast and coffee,

all while watching a heavy snow fall.

It snowed all day,

but the roads remained clear,

so off we went on a treasure hunt.

And there it was...

This beautiful lace cloth,

just waiting for me to take it home and cherish it.

We dined at a wonderful local Italian restaurant,

and the food was divine.

Then home to the lovely old Frenchtown house

for a glass or two of Cabernet Sauvignon,

and a fabulous armchair trip to Portofino, Italy.

Yes, that is where we spent the evening.

Portofino...with Andrea Bocelli and his magical music.

Bliss!

Blessings

Yaya

I DECLARE...Day Ten

I DECLARE that God will accelerate His plan 

for my life

as I put my trust in Him.

I will accomplish my dreams faster than I thought possible.

It will not take years to overcome an obstacle,

to get out of debt,

or to meet the right person.

God is doing things faster than before.

He will give me victory sooner than I think.

He has blessings that will thrust me years ahead.

This is my declaration.

Joel Osteen

Blessings

Yaya

March Brings A Kiss of Snow

It is soft,

and light as a feather,

this little kiss of snow

on the first day of March.

Thought for the day...

Don't let people pull you into their storm.

Pull them into your peace.

Blessings

Yaya

Surround Yourself

Surround yourself with the dreamers and the doers,

the believers and the thinkers,

but most of all,

surround yourself with those who see greatness within you,

even when you don't see it yourself.

If there were dreams to sell,

what would you buy?

Blessings

Yaya

Tea and Fruit

We are still unpacking and getting settled into the Frenchtown house.

It is a cold, grey day on Lake Erie,

but a nice pot of tea warms the spirit.

I love this adorable little electric tea pot...

And the delicate English rose cups are perfect for spiced tea.

Oil paintings still waiting to be hung.

Traveling Man found this lovely French painting...

Reminds me of a bygone time in Paris,

oh so many years ago.

The fruit came from our beloved island,

deep in the southland.

I miss my south,

but always treasure our travel time.

For me it is enough to say

That something beautiful passed my way.

Ida Catherine Rohlf

Blessings

Yaya

I DECLARE...Day Nine

I DECLARE unexpected blessings are coming my way.

I will move forward from barely making it

to having more than enough.

God will open up supernatural doors for me.

He will speak to the right people about me.

I will see Ephesians 3:20,

exceedingly,

abundantly,

above-and-beyond favor increase in my life.

This is my declaration.

Joel Osteen

Look to this day!

For it is life, the very life of life.

from the Sanskrit

Blessings

Yaya

Beautifully Frozen In Time

Lake Erie...

Frozen in time.

Forever beautiful in my mind...

This winter work of art.

Inspiration is like a gift of morning sunlight to the spirit.

To be inspired is to be reawakened to the miracle of being,

to be made suddenly more aware of the beauty that surrounds us,

to be filled as never before 

with the day to day wonder of living

in a world that shines with hope.

Welcome to a new day.

A new beginning.

A new adventure.

A new blessing.

Blessings

Yaya

Home Away From Home

Traveling Man (my sweet husband) is always off on some new project.

That means finding a place to call home...

Home away from home.

It must 'feel' like home...

It is always exciting to drive off into the sunset on a new adventure,

in this case,

into the northern lights.

Here in Frenchtown

we found this wonderful old home,

empty,

needing a family to love it,

sitting pretty,

right on a golf course...

It called to us,

and so we said, "we'll take her."

Now the fun starts.

We look for treasures to use while living here,

but treasures we will love for years to come.

Treasures to take back to our south.

Treasures to fill the country house when we return home.

Ohhh how I love the painting here in the above photo.

Love at first sight.

And the OLD antique Imari bowl.  GASP!

It is over one hundred years old!  Yes!

And the tall green piece...

Green Scroll Collection from the Philippines.

It is stone, and so heavy I can hardly lift it.

A few Italian pieces, and one decanter from Mexico.

A wonderful sweater throw.

Perfect for those cold snowy nights.

Traveling Man spotted this sturdy little beauty.

He made an offer of $45.00.

They took it,

and so it now lives with us.

Pretty little silk cushion filled with down...

$2.00

OH MY GOSH!!!

Be still, my heart!!!

I LOVE this painting of the grand piano.

It will hang somewhere in the Frenchtown home until it is moved to 

the country house.

It takes my breath away.

This is one of the paintings bought at a local starving artist sale.

I love the lovely iron breakfast table and chairs found in a junk store.

Do not judge a store by its front...

Sometime the 'junkier' the better.
We found the perfect place for the iron table and chairs,
and it is the perfect spot for supper or breakfast,
as it over looks the sun porch.

This wonderful old home has a sun porch,

always full of light,

even on a cold snowy day.

Traveling Man found a beautiful bamboo sofa, and chaise lounge...

Just perfect for this area.

Did we 'need' the white German vase?

No.

Did we 'need' the white Italian candle stick and plate?

No.

Did we 'need' the 40 year old baker man?

No.

But how could we leave them there?

They fit perfectly in the little kitchen niche.

We awoke this morning to a new, fresh snow.

Everything is so white.

I am loving the northland,

but my heart is always in the south.

Blessings

Yaya