I Hope You Hear Music...

May all that has been reduced to noise in you,

become music again...

Peace be with you...

Blessings,

Yaya

Lip Stick and Eye Liner

What is it that makes you so drawn to someone?

A complete stranger...

They didn't speak a word, but yet they resonated with the most beautiful energy.

This beautiful stranger was elderly.

Probably a young late 70s...

She was gorgeous, and stunning, but in a simple way.

She made her style look easy, yet elegant,

but a simple elegant.

Her hair was extremely long,

and

she wore it up in a 1960s Bardot messy French twist...

Not tight and sleek,

but tossed up quickly...

She wore the 1960s Bardot eyeliner.

The fabric of her blouse appeared to be baby-skin soft...

It was long, loose and flowing.

Her sandals were loaded with sparkle...covered in glimmering stones.

They spoke elegance, but with casual flip flop comfort.

Her shopping basket was loaded with beautiful TJMaxx treasures.

Everything about this older woman spoke beauty.

Her energy was beautiful.

The kind of energy that says her world is beautiful.

You just know it.

You feel it.

She resonates beauty.

I wasn't dressed to go shopping,

nor did I plan to be in this store. 

It just happened...You know how it is.

The Mercedes automatically stops there.

I had on work jeans, and a beach tee-shirt.

My trip into town was strictly to pick up herbs at Osa's Garden.

My lesson today...

It takes the same amount of time to put on 'simple elegance',

as it does dumpy work jeans...mom jeans...yaya jeans...granny jeans.

It takes only a minute to clip up long hair.

It takes only two minutes to line the eyes, blush the cheeks, add a dab of mascara,

and paint the lips...

It's a five minute fix from dumpy work jeans, to simple elegance...

And do not forget that 'simple elegance' can be pajama comfortable...

Certainly not pajamas, but as comfortable...

Silky and flowing palazzo pants with a baby soft and flowing top is magical...

Beautiful...quick...easy...comfortable.

Five minute elegance.

Note to self:  Line the eyes, and paint the lips...don't leave home without it,

and a mist of Bath and Body...

You look great...

You smell great...

You feel great...

Today I felt, well, dumpy...dumpy with unfixed hair.

Life is too short to feel dumpy.

Dress up...Feel good...

Your life is your stage...

Paint those lips!

Put on those sparkling shoes..

Make life beautiful!!

Blessings,

Yaya

Your People...

Set up a beautiful life,

and tribe

that lifts you up,

inspires you to soar,

and loves you

whether you fly or fall...

Those that will help dust you off,

and encourage you to try again -

Those that celebrate you...

For you...with you...

As you do the same for them...

Those that celebrate your beauty,

and greatness,

your uniqueness and imperfections...

We are all perfect in our imperfect way...

Those people are your tribe...

Your people!

They allow you to be you,

and love you just the way you are...

Those that do not allow this,

are not your people...

Never stop being you,

because someone else says you're wrong...

Grandstand the essence of you...
Be true to your unique self...
Do it,
and life will be beautiful...
And remember to always sprinkle kindness everywhere you go...

Blessings,
Yaya

The Porch

A late summer afternoon

on a southern porch

conjures up dreams...

There is no better place than the porch...

Problems are solved here...

Books are read here...

Friends sit here, sip iced tea and visit...

Grandangels play here...

Memories are made here...

The smell of cornbread baking is in the southern air...

Okra frying...

Pinto beans simmering...

Iron skillet fried potatoes crisp and brown on the outside,

soft on the inside...

Macaroni and cheese baking...

Blackberry cobbler is ready...

Slices of sweet onion, and Big Boy tomatoes...

Homemade bread and butter pickles...

Oh the smells of my mother's kitchen...

How I miss that...those loved ones of yesteryear,

and bygone days..

Time spent on my grandmother's porch,

this same porch,

but a different time...

I was the child...

Now I am the grandmother,

but the porch is the same...

Summertime,

and livin' is easy...

Fish are jumpin'

and the cotton is high...

Blessings

-Yaya

Fields of Gold, Light and Love

Finding beauty in the small things...

Smell the air, and feel the sky...

Let your soul and spirit fly...

Wild gypsy soul...

Stop thinking,

and let God rush in...

HE will fill you up with more

love

than you know what to do with...

Soak it in...feel it...

Send it to them...

Light and love...

Create beauty...

Pray...Send out more love...

Pray...

Feel God rush in...

Be one with nature...the universal power...

Meditate...

Be still and know that I am God.

A lesson in the art of living...

Blessings

-Yaya

Summer's End is Nearing

Capturing every last moment of those precious summer days...

Picnics under the old peach tree...

Barefoot in the soft grass...

Lightening bugs in a jar...

Mud pies...

Peaches ripened and warm from the summer sun...

Peaches and cream...

Peach cobbler...

Baseball in the back yard...

Chase...

Butterflies and flowers...

Sitting in a tree...dreaming...

Ice cream...

Swimming...

Fresh country air...

Sunkissed faces...

Freckles placed there by angel kisses...

Thinking...

Dreaming...

Rocking chairs and porch time...

Water fountains splashing...

The sound of a tractor...a bumble bee...

Tomato Pies...

Cornbread Salad...

A southern sunset...

Twilight in the country...

Serenaded by the night orchestra...crickets...bull frogs...

Open windows, and screen doors that bang...

The problems of the world seem far away

from this tranquil country setting...

When I enter the driveway gates,

I feel such a sense of peaceful relaxation...

Summertime in the country is God's medicine for the soul...

The perfect place for that morning cup of coffee,

and bird song...

Or moon and stargazing

with a glass of wine...

Inspiring thoughts from the country house...

Bring a dream to life...

Be inspired...look for it...pass it on...

Blessings...

-Yaya

First Kiss of Spring

For a moment

I am seven years old,

climbing in fragrant trees

with gorgeous blooms...

The sky is deep blue...

It is almost twilight,

and a full moon is rising...

Spring is coming...

Spring is coming...

Fairies are dancing in the daffodillies...

Joy is everywhere...

A season of new beginnings...

Blessings...

Yaya

My Haven...My Retreat...

Our little countryside community

must be one of the most serene...

My beloved country house...

We've traveled the world,

but we always return here for a lifetime...

Home to me... my grandmother...

My mother was born on this property in the 1920s,

and before my mother and my grandmother,

my great-grandmother.

I love the country lane that takes me home...

A day in January can bring the occasional snow storm...

It is enchanting...

The firelight...

The candlelight...

Delicious coffee...

Flannel pajamas...

A book, and a lambs wool blanket...

I believe winter becomes us.

It provides the peace I need.

Serene within...

My refuge...my home...enchanted cottage...

A world away.

It is good to be home,

and it is good to have time to write again.

In creative writing they insist you write

EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.

I haven't written in days...weeks...months...

But,

never stop.

Write when you can, and when you must.

Never, ever stop dreaming...

you can change your dreams a thousand times,

but never stop dreaming...

And never stop writing.

Blessings,

Yaya