Yes, I know it’s already February. I just feel like I’m starting up, in some ways… I was on the first of the monthly Zoom calls tonight for an online school I’ve been a part of for a few years. The glass-fronted cabinet is sorted and catalogued (more or less), something I’ve been putting off for a while. A lot of things feel like they’re crystallising into reality. As opposed to a good thought/just in my head.
Well – I’m off to a good start! Just have to keep going…
I’m not sure I have a coherent thread for this post to progress into, really, so here’s a Taylor Swift video I just saw.
I think it’s a love song.
Sifting through a variety of boxes and bags from the cabinet has reminded me just how many rocks (and shells) I’ve picked up over the years. No cactuses, though 🙂
I do have a happy rainbow mushroom (and friends).
A mouse and an axolotl.
And Eeyore looks after my books.
February is over a third of the way through. I’ve got stuff to be getting on with!
I went on a bit of a road trip today, checking out the Little Free Libraries in our local area. I turned 57 today – an age I can’t quite believe I can apply to myself, but an age I am thankful to have reached.
It’s been a lovely day. We started at the far end of the route I had decided on, and found ourselves in a kind of fairyland…
The idea of the street libraries is to “take a book – leave a book – share a book”. It’s quite OK to just take a book, but I somehow ended up with a stack of books that I already had, so I left one wherever I took one. Some places had other things as well.
(this is where fairyland comes in 🙂 ) The trees aren’t free (there’s instructions on payment, by donation, I think) but it is free to talk to them. They like it.
So, we wended our weary way home, stopping here and there, until we got back and I could rest and relax. Our household has various dietary differences at the moment, so it didn’t make sense to get a whole cake that I would end up eating, mostly by myself.
There’s a weed by our front door that’s been growing for a little while.
We should probably do something about that before the house inspection next week.
The ground, this world over, has been hard and dry lately. Most of it is out of my hands, although I can do what I can do, especially on my little patch of earth. One thing that I feel is important is to keep track of what’s happening around the world. And to pay attention to what is true, rather than be distracted by the racket. Another thing, for me this year, is to get a bit of order into my surroundings, which is what I’ve been doing today. Yay! That way, I’m not menaced by a sea of miscellany, and can use what I have effectively. Double yay! 😀
It’s been a good day in my world. The hard, dry soil is still at the door. But it’s good to know that life still breaks through!
(and just wanted to add another random YouTube suggestion 🙂 )
I just finished watching “Amélie“. I can’t remember the last time I saw it, but it popped into my head, so I thought I’d revisit it. Lovely! It feels like a very French film… (it is rated R – there are a few little “adult” scenes). Dreamlike. Like a puzzle to unwrap. Lots of subtitles to read – worth it, though.
I thought I was remembering seeing it for the first time in a little cinema in New Farm, in the early 90s. The film was made much later, so that couldn’t have happened. It does feel like one of those films you see in a small darkened cinema, with only a few people dotted about, in the middle of your day off…
Here’s a trailer. The little “CC” button in the bottom right will provide subtitles 🙂
Here’s some music to set the mood.
I could probably stand to listen to more French (film?) music 🙂
I’m glad I took the opportunity to step back in time for a couple of hours. Felt like I’d been strolling through a gentle, sparkling rain, with a bit of sun peeking through. Refreshing. Playful.
I need to remember to take those moments that step into whimsy. There’s always time to dream! ❤
Just finished a week long online challenge, waking up at 7am, watching a (roughly) 30 minute live call, then doing homework. I still have some things to work on, but have also spent some time looking ahead, and seeing what God is asking me to do this year.
I’ve been doing this reset for a few years, and the year long Prophetic School that comes after. Registration is open for this year for another 9-10 days. It’s worth it! 🙂 One of the exercises for the week was to watch a movie, listen to a song…and take note of what you feel while watching/listening. My immediate thought for a song, and one that I’ve been randomly singing since, was a Dolly Parton song. I’ve posted the original on this blog before, but last night I saw that she had just premiered a new version (with friends).
Somehow I managed to delete 10 000+ emails (of varying importance) this morning. Yes, I know I need to sort out my inbox. Just not like this.
I did get them back, but the whole of last year’s email list didn’t go back into their folders. My morning/midday(ish) was spent trying to get things where they should be. I think it’s as good as I can get it. And I know that today didn’t happen at all the way I thought it would.
At this end of the year, I do a bit of a change-and-tidy – sorting out the remains of the previous year, setting up the new year in whatever way seems best. One of the things I do is pray over a “word” for the year. It’s not in a weird way -just asking God what He wants me to focus on. Sometimes the word is clear, sometimes a bit maybe/maybe not.
This last Sunday we broke up into little groups, to be prayed over by older/wiser couples in the church. We were asked to briefly explain what we wanted prayer for, and had a bit of time to ponder that before the groups got together. I was pretty set to ask for clarity for the new year…maybe healing – all the good stuff! And then, I felt the word “challenge” drop down in my spirit.
That’s one of those words, really. You can decide that you must have heard wrong, and pretend it never happened. That never goes well. Or you can take a deep breath, and go for it.
So, I asked for prayer, and there was good feedback to ponder on. Some things aligned with what I already knew would be in focus this year. Some I’m still thinking about. I was excited, if a bit unsure of details… Monday morning, I woke up feeling like I’d been hit by a truck. This was not the challenge I was looking for!! 😆 No, I don’t subscribe to magical thinking. The most likely scenario is that I’ve been doing a bit too much overall, and it’s caught up with me. Made me laugh, though! 😀
I’m not sure how the challenge is supposed to look. I feel it will be a “good” challenge. There are steps I’m taking while I’m waiting for some things to coalesce – just one thing, then the next, then the next. One foot after the other. I know there is something to do with writing, and have some ideas about that. There are other creative pursuits to…pursue 🙂 And all wrapped up with rest times, meditation, prayer… I will be using my art room more effectively, and at different times of the day.
To that end, I have obtained a duck. A pastel lit, resting duck, by which to dream.
Behold – the duck!
May your year be restful, and may you find your own pastel duck to dream by. ❤
So we’re out of the in-between week, and into the new year. I feel like I should have already taken off running. It’s been a bit strange, factoring in the weekend. I’ll start…stuff…on Monday 😆
I’ve started the new diary. And the other new diary. Here are the old ones (and the book I was reading).
I like to colour co-ordinate.
That top diary was started in 2022. My handwriting tends to be tiny – I generally fit three lines into one ordinary-sized ruled line. It can take a while to fill a book!
Here are my new diaries. And the book I’m reading.
The book underneath is one I’ve had for years. It’s beautiful ❤ Which means I haven’t wanted to mar its beauty with my writing. The cat diary has spaces for a drawing a day, and a written musing. The book is about writing.
Yes, every word matters, in the sense that it’s good to think about what we say, or write. So, this year I will write. And draw. I’m hoping to expand a bit from these books! I don’t “correct” whatever I do each day – once the day is finished, I don’t touch it again. I also draw from memory, which means I end up with some strange images 😀
And so, I will cope with imperfection, and push past to good. Maybe even great! I don’t know what’s up ahead. All I can do is mosey on in to the spaces I’m supposed to be in, and see what I can do there.
a bit of creativity, a bit of eco consciousness, a bit of inspiration.... hopefully not a lot of pompousness and blathering :D
i'm not entirely sure what's going on here... let's travel along and see...
1000 Fields of Roses 