How's Your Heart Today?

How's your heart today? Positive or negative?  Open or closed? Grateful or envious?  Do you encourage or discourage?  Gracious or resentful?  Perhaps somewhere in between.  How do you sort that out. Or do you even know?

We cross paths day in and day out with people who either bolster our spirits or sap our energy.  We encounter folks who's faith is a light for us and those who's angst causes untold distress. Of course, we all have lessons to learn and those we share life with are our tutors. We all struggle. I have to think the key is to be gentle with ourselves.  No easy task sometimes though, but a goal well worth praying for and embracing.

Some seasons in nature, and in life, make that easier. Spring does that for me.  The lilacs, daffodils, tulips, the tree's blossoming.  New life, new beauty, new growth. I know it sounds sappy, but isn't that what we wish for those in our life? Wishing the same for you....

A Time To Plant

I will always be happiest creating, growing, digging, laughing, sharing. With Spring it's time to plant, literally and figuratively. And in planting comes creation.

My city garden was small compared to the possibilities of my country garden. Of course, both of them held more work than I could do evenings and weekends.  The good thing about it is I rarely remember I always bite off more than I can chew.  Or plant, as the case may be.

Planting comes in many ways, with a foundation of faith, hope, labors of love and big dreams.  We "planted" our second nesting box for the wood ducks this weekend. We also modified the opening on the first one in hopes the resident ducks will find the housing both affordable, attractive and accessible.

We planted strawberries and onion sets, and looked longingly (at least one of us did) at the asparagus poking through the ground.  It's only it's second season.  There won't be a big harvest, but it does my heart good to see it growing.  Sometimes dreams we plant take time to come to fruition.

The 50 daffodil bulbs I planted last Fall resulted in 5 plants poking through the ground. Not a huge return for the time invested.  I'll continue to whisper "grow" "grow". and time will tell. Isn't that the truth, time will tell. In time we'll know if the wood ducks nest for us. In time we'll see the garden produce. In time will see our hearts desires. Trust me on this one. Good things come to those who plant.

Old Buildings, New Opportunities

My new home away from home is a building that dates from 1904.  I love the thought of that.  I love the reality of that. So much history, charm and just plain longevity.  I hope someone says the same about me some day. So, okay, maybe I don't really want to be as old as all that.  The building comes complete with a "service" elevator that operates by rope and pulley.  The basement has a dirt floor. Makes me think of the following "remember Man that you are dust and to dust you shall return". Guess you could just say dust happens.  I have to wonder how many footsteps have fallen on those floors over the years.

So many people track their footsteps today and while I sometimes wonder how many I take in a day the very thought makes me weary.  I can only hope my footsteps are happy ones, full of faith and that love and laughter accompanies each one.

Some opportunities are encased in new and shiny wrappings, some come in quaint old packaging, I hope I bloom in this building, in fact, I plan too.  I hope you have a place dear to your heart that you bloom as well.  Whether it is new or old, whether you are new or old, may it bless you and nurture you.