North to Nashville

Summer days are slowly turning cool,

drifting toward autumn...

The island cottage is closed for now,

but maybe one more trip to the beach before winter sets in...

On our way north,

we made a quick stop at the old country house,

spent a few nights...

unpacked and repacked,

and left again...

Another project,

this time in Nashville...

Perfect!

Just two hours from our Alabama country house.

A house has been found,

somewhat furnished,

and I am excited to be so close to home,

all while having a new adventure.

Another plus...the Nashville house is only an hour from the lake house.

One of my greatest thrills is 'hunting'...thrifting for treasures...

This lovely oil painting will find its place somewhere in the Nashville house...

And this beauty in oil....

Oh so pretty...Another sweet treasure.

A  night stand being used as a side table...

And for some strange reason, the antique figurine called out to Traveling Man,

(my husband)

and he bought it for a dime.

I'm not  into figurines, but somehow I found myself letting this one have a place...

Purple Italian vase with nothing more than shrub clippings...

Little by little the Nashville house is feeling a touch like home.

While putting together another house,

and trying to make it 'home',

here are some notes to self....

Devoid of clutter....everything beautiful....

The emphasis is on comfort, warmth....

A lack of formality and the disregard for perfection...

Furniture is organized around the fireplace for pleasure and use, 

not displayed like objects in space...

Fresh flowers always say welcome to my home...

Blessings

Yaya

Summer Days on an Island...

I have soaked up the southern sun, the salt air, and the sea mist...

I feel sun kissed...

My soul is tranquil and at peace...

I have played in the sand with grandangels...

We have laughed, read, enjoyed the freshest seafood...

Walked the beach at sunset...

I have cleaned the island cottage...

It smells like tropical flowers, and salt air...

My lemon trees are loaded,

and the oleander is so beautiful and pink...

I keep fresh cuttings of rosemary in my kitchen...

It grows by the steps, and when it rains,

the air is like none other.

I love my island and its magic.

I do not want to leave,

but I must.

I have been here since June,

and it is time to close the pink shutters...

Pink shutters made of Spanish cedar...

They match the pink oleander...

I am packed,

and all is in order to say my goodbyes...

I always leave a piece of my heart here at my beloved Lemon Tree Cottage,

but I shall return soon....soon...

I will miss my books....oh so many special books here at the cottage...

I always miss my oil paintings....they are like souls that lift my spirits when I look at them...

I will miss everything, but only for awhile...

And when I return, it will be as wonderful as the first time.

Magical...

Healing...

Tranquil...

"There is a time for everything,

and a season for every activity under Heaven."

Ecclesiastes 3:1

The Wounded Starfish

Betty Carolyn Hearon-Love

I am so thankful for my God given blessings...

Blessings to all of you...

Yaya

Surviving Life's Curve Balls

Action conquers fear....

It is in the struggle itself that you define yourself....

Time flies.  It's up to you to be the navigator....

It's not where you start ~ it's where you finish that counts....

I dream...I read....I journal....I blog....I read inspiring blogs...

I pray....I talk to friends....I write....I spend time with family....

I do yoga....I ride the bicycle....I walk on the beach....

I capture beautiful things with my camera....

I have dogs and cats and flowers.....

I collect beautiful things...oil paintings, books, silk clothing...

I antique, I drink good coffee and eat organic when I can....

I talk to God and the archangels....

Life is filled with dark clouds, but there is always a beautiful sunset to follow....

"As I grow older part of my emotional survival plan must be to actively seek inspiration instead of passively waiting for it to find me."

Blessings

Yaya

Island Dreams

I imagine in my dream

that I have arrived at the old cottage by the sea...

Just me...

The dogs...

The sea gulls call...

The waves splash, and ocean spray mists my hair...

The days are easy...lazy...restful...

No stress...

Just peaceful silence...

I read...

I sleep...

I rest and heal from the fast lane of life.

We have an island cottage, although not the one in my dream...

 I love it so...It brings me such pleasure.

My Lemon Tree Cottage...

It is a faded green with pink shutters,

surrounded by lemon trees,

grapefruit trees,

orange trees and pink oleander.

It is in the old village of our island off the coast of Alabama.

It is my love...

My soul soothing balm...

We all need a retreat...

Even if it is a corner in the back yard...

That peaceful, silent place of rest and relaxation...

Blessings,

Yaya

Blessed Sunday

Easy Sunday morning...

Coffee...

Birds singing...

Jessie and Cathy Duplantis at 9:30 AM...

Blessings...all of it...

Truly a blessing...

And flowers from the garden...

Notes from the 9:30 Jessie and Cathy Duplantis show...

Another cup of coffee...

Beautiful Zen music...

Yoga...

And more beautiful pink roses from the garden...

Sitting on the feather box...

A box of 'angel feathers',

collected by me, 

and grandangels.

It's nice to believe that they are feathers dropped by angels,

angels letting us know they are close and watching.

I love that thought.

It is comforting.

Encouragement is the oxygen of the soul...

Changing lives one soul at a time.

Jessie Duplantis

Blessings

Yaya

The French Vanity

Every girl needs a vanity...

A dressing table...

A powder table...

It doesn't really have to be 'French'...

But it seems so 'French' to have one...

An antique dressing table...

With drawers filled with powders, lotions, and potions...

Scented oils and perfumes...

Silver brushes...

Bangles hanging on an old pink boot jewelry holder...

A mirrored jewel box...

And fresh roses from the garden in a crystal vase...

It feels so

'French'...

Southern Country French...

Blessings

Yaya

Use What You Have...

An old urn,

and an old candle holder...

Cushions from an old wicker set no longer being used...

A table without a top.....a mirror placed on top, 

and covered with a thrift store cotton cloth...

A mesh canopy that was once used over a twin bed,

now covers a chaise lounge chair.

Rusty old urns filled with ground cover roses...

A lopsided silver plated, flea market candle holder on the table,

and another thrifted cloth.

An afternoon spent going through the storage shed,

rather than shopping.

Now for some thrifted wooden shutters on each side of the windows,

washed in a sea green...

And a good cleaning with the pressure washer to the deck floors and walls,

along with some yearly treatment/stain,

and the back deck will be ready for summer.

Cost?  Zero.

Start where you are.

Use what you have.

Do what you can.

Blessings,

Yaya

Life as Art

Stopping the rush...

Stop.

Go outside with nature...

Listen to the birds...

Listen to the water fountain as  it trickles and splashes...

Soak up the sushine.

Be one with nature.

It is calming, and soul soothing...

Read...

Dream...

Pray...

Meditate...

Rest...

Life is short.  Do it now.

Get immersed in everyday loveliness...

I want to create a life I don't need a vacation from...

My future lies in my daily habits...

I take time to seek God...

Peace...Grace...Strength...Beauty...Nature...

"To make living itself an art, 

that is the goal."

~~Henry Miller~~

Blessings

Yaya

Wash Day...

Once upon a time,

long ago,

there was a little girl who spent much time with her grandmother...

in the deep south...

Alabama...

The Heart of Dixie, and all things southern...

Clothes were hung on the line,

first thing in the morning...

with wooden clothes pins...

I can hear the flapping of the sheets in the southern breeze,

and bird song in the distant  tree branches...

The smell of pinto beans cooking...

Locked into my memory forever...

Wash day...

Soft cotton sheets,

Light weight cotton blankets filled with down...

And chenille bedspreads...

The scent of fresh spring air

filling the room,

and bed linens that smell like Heaven...

Locked into my mind forever...

Wash day...

Blessings,

Yaya

Spring Is In The Air

Windows are open...

Ceiling fans slowly turn...

Birds are singing...

Butterflies are fluttering...

Fresh flowers from the garden throughout the house...

Rustic French Country bread baking...

A collection of country cookbooks for this country girl...

What's for supper tonight?

Roasted organic vegetables and buttery lemon chicken...

Seasoned with Herbs de Provence...

Cold Chardonnay...

Fresh strawberries and cream...

The smell of fresh spring air in the countryside...

There is nothing like it...

And walking barefoot in the softest grass,

or on the smoothest old wooden floors...

There is nothing like it...

Water fountains are splashing,

 Spring is in the air...

It is here...

Spring time!

Bliss!

Blessings,

Yaya

You Can Never Have Too Much Happy

Rain on a metal roof...

The softest down bed...

Sweet, sweet comfort...

Adventures in beautiful places...

Bringing your beautiful little home on wheels with you...

Happy...

You can never have too much happy...

The perfect wine glass...

A wonderful magazine filled with adventures...

Pretty little flowers...silk or real...they are beautiful...

Peace...

Love...

Happiness...

You can never have too much happy...

Colorful scarves for curtains...

A lovely view on a gray and damp spring morning...

The smell of coffee perking in the little kitchen galley...

Bacon in the electric skillet...

A good book...

Bird song and cello music drifting on a soft breeze through the Airstream...

You can never have too much happy...

Pretty plants...

More colorful scarves...

Wind chimes...

Peacefulness...

Such peace brings happiness...

You can never have too much happy...

A favorite chair to curl up in...

Throw blankets and cushions...

Little tables and cotton tablecloths...

A special place to sit while sipping coffee...

A place to use the Ipad and computer...

Being removed from the chaos of everyday living,

doesn't mean cutting ourselves off from the world...

I love sitting here and reading inspiring blogs...

It feels good...

Peaceful...Happy...

You can never have too much happy...

Hippie gypsy lights with tassels...

An old futon and a feather down bed for seating...

A cotton duvet of many colors...

A sacred little space

roaming the universe...

That is 'happy'...

You can never have too much happy,

and I never want to forget that.

Happy blessings,

Yaya

Time Out

Sometimes you need to be alone...

Alone to reflect on life...

Take time out to take care of yourself...

You deserve it...

Pack up the Airstream and go...

Blessings

Yaya

Little Gypsy Dress and Pink Blossoms

It is made of the softest cotton,

and flutters in the springtime breeze like butterfly wings...

The little gypsy dress.

A soft spring rain brings magic to the garden...

Reflections in the water

of a beautiful little girl...

Dreaming...

She wants to camp in the Airstream

under the light of the stars and moon.

We're gathering and collecting our gypsy attire...

Our flowing dresses, bangles,

and magic shoes!

"This lifetime of yours...

Does it blossom?

Is it fun?

Does it glow at the center

like a miniature sun?

Does it find its own meaning

in the great scheme of things?

Is there joy in it?

Beauty?

Does your life have wings?"

Blessings

Yaya

Gypsy Love

My husband and I went junking,

looking for treasures to decorate the vintage Airstream...

This gorgeous oil painting will have its place, front and center...

It was there just waiting for us...

He found it for me,

and knew it would be love at first sight...

It is true 'Gypsy Love'...

I love the colors...

I feel its spirit.

I can hear the music...

I see the camp fire...

Gypsy Love...

This long and flowing silk skirt will be packed...

Worn with many bangles,

and sandals,  sparkling with jewels...

A shawl of the finest silk,

and fringe fluttering in a night breeze under the stars...

Far away...

Like roaming gypsies...

We will wander the land,

and sleep to the music of the desert...

Gypsy Love...

Bold and beautiful jewel tones...

Gypsy colors...

Fire and ice...

Gold and silver...

Reds and sunset pinks...

Sky blue, and burnt orange...

Elegant and gaudy...

Gypsy Love...

There is such comfort and elegance in a silky maxi dress..

Soft as baby skin...

I am packing for a trip,

and have no idea when or where we will go.

I love that feeling almost as much as the trip itself.

The perfect clothes to create the perfect mood...

The perfect music,

books,

food...

Collecting campfire and crock pot recipes...

The perfect decor in the Airstream...

Down bedding,

Linens of 100 % fine finished Egyptian cotton, so soft and silky.

Everything resonating with hippie gypsy love.

Peace...

Love...

Happiness...

Blessings,

Yaya

Dream Gypsys

I want to spend weeks and weeks

wandering....

Wandering through wide open spaces...

Just us, the dogs...

Good music...

Books...

A little wine under the stars and moonlight...

Living like beautiful gypsies, 

if only for a little while...

I want to wear long flowing silky maxie dresses,

long silk skirts, bejeweled sandals,

bangles on my arms, 

large hoop earrings...

Hippie Gypsy...

unfixed hair, long and messy...

A woman and her Airstream...

Dreaming and planning...

Decorating...

We will go back to New Mexico,

and feel the spirit in the air...

Colorado,

where the wild horses run,

California,

through the vineyards,

and redwoods,

arriving on a cliff in Elk,

looking out over the Pacific Ocean.

We will stay awhile,

and sip our wine on the empty beach,

like old gypsy hippies...

But first,

the Airstream must become a glamours camper...

A glamper with a chandelier,

down bedding...

'She' needs a name, too...

Maybe Dream Gypsy?

Dreaming and planning...

Dream your dreams,

then go out there and live your dreams.

Blessings

Yaya

Beyond the Sunset

She journeyed with angels

through Heaven's gate.

Sweet Mother of mine...

I thank you for giving us such a legacy...

Achievement...

Perfection...

Faith...

Laughter...

Music...

Love...

God...

Believe...

Travel...

Two piece suits and pearls...

Books...

Jewelry...the love of...

Flowers...

Gardening...

Family...

Southerness...

Front porch rockers...

White wicker and ferns...

Piano lessons and Sunday school...

And so, so much more...

Mother...

Wife...

Grandmother...

Teacher...

Friend...

My life was blessed by her presence,

and I have a heart full of gratitude.

An eternal source of inspiration....

"Swiftly we're turning life's daily pages...

How do I want each page to read?"

~KG~

Blessings...

Yaya

The Path of Life

 

The path of life

is ever changing...

It leads us where we are suppose to go.

I am at peace knowing that.

We have traveled the world,

but now it is time to settle in...

Into the countryside...

The old country house has become a haven of peace for me.

Always.

Even in the storm of Dementia.

My mother has been ill for sixteen years,

and has now come home to live out her days surrounded by family.

A sick mind can still be a caring mind...

A soulful mind...

A beautiful mind...

Dementia can be smiles,

in the mist of confusion...

Dementia can be kindness,

in the mist of agitation...

Dementia can be peaceful...

Surround the space with beauty...

Books, flowers, music, delicious healthy food...

Laughter.

 

It says in the Psalms,

"God has given us the power to reclaim calm

in times of adversity."

Exercise that power.

Don't give away your joy.

Joel Osteen

 

Today I choose peace and joy.

 

The windows are open...

The birds are singing,

and homemade vegetable soups simmers on the stove.

The ceiling fans slowly turn,

and the cello music drifts through the soft southern breeze.

It is all well with my soul.

 

Blessings

Yaya



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