Testing Times

January has been a testing month for me.  The Gizmo saga was just one of many unhappy events that have occurred since Christmas.  Today I had a dental appointment.  Regular readers of this blog will know how traumatic a visit to the dentist is for me (and for many of you too).  I started to shake uncontrollably when the dentist hit a nerve and when I saw the contraption he was going to put in my mouth for an x-ray I almost went into meltdown!  Today was just a scale and polish and a check up but I know that there is a ticking time bomb in my mouth that I need to monitor over the coming months.  It seems that the back root (under a crown) has broken away and come up exposed through my gum.  I have no idea how much this will be to 'fix' (I couldn't face discussing this today) but I would imagine it will mean losing  the crown and tooth.  I am told that unless it is causing me problems to return in six months.  Today's visit was £50.00.  I went home with a pounding headache and backache from tensing myself in the chair.  Shortly after the receptionist from the surgery phoned me to say that the dentist had detected a filling I need to have done on another x-ray.  She said to return in about a month to have it done - it will be £50.00. 

Gizmo is healing nicely now but the blue bandage around his back leg (to prevent him from scratching out his stitches) lasted precisely two days.  We found the bandage intact behind the sofa like a discarded sock!  I just need to monitor him now to make sure that the neck wound doesn't open up again.  On Monday he needs to have half the stitches removed and then we need a further visit to have the remaining stitches removed.

The photo above was taken 9 days ago.  Pretty ice that had formed on a glass table outside in the garden.  I liked the way it was shimmering in the sunlight.  I am having to dig deep to look for 'happy' things at the moment.  Let's try:

• my Amaryllis plant has two buds on it
• I have the ingredients to make chocolate chip muffins 
• I have books to read
• January is nearly over!  Hooray!!!

I hope that February gives me some slack and time to process what has gone on in this whirlwind month. 

Thank You

Thank you to all my blogging friends for your kind and supportive comments on my last post.  They really helped to lift me up and put life into perspective again.  When I am feeling down I tend to retreat into myself and from experience, that isn't a good thing to do.  As I had neglected my volunteering duties at the vineyard for a few weeks, I decided that today was the day to reconnect with the land and the like-minded souls who tend the vines.  I spent a useful 3 hours tying the vines to stakes, pruning and generally maintaining each vine.  It felt good.  It felt good to have purpose again. 

Joy Every Day

I am taking part in Anne's Joy Every Day over at My Giant Strawberry.  The idea is to make a small book (or use one you already have) and record either by writing, drawing or pasting in something every day that brings you joy throughout the month of June. 

I am slow starter to this as to be honest there hasn't been much joy in my life for quite a while!  I will start looking at the small pleasures in life and hopefully the tide will turn for the better.  Thank you for the inspiration Anne. 

Worrying about Gizmo has kept me busy on the creative front and I have now added a few more items to the Etsy shop if you would like to have a browse.

Gizmo is improving but his 'sickness' turned into an upper respiratory problem.  I am keeping a close eye on him.  He is eating and drinking but point blank refuses to take antibiotics no matter how hard I try to conceal them in his food!  

A Good Feeling

I woke up to this glorious peach melba coloured sunrise beyond the telephone wires!  How could I not feel good about the beginning of the day?  I have been feeling uplifted after watching a You Tube video yesterday over at Karen's blog.  It is an inspirational TEDtalk video by Louie Schwatzberg on gratitude.  I think if you watch it you will gain a sense of wonderment from the nature and people around us.  The time lapse photography is a thing of beauty and the comments from the elderly man are wise words indeed.

A Summers Eve

The above photo was taken a couple of evenings ago.  I am trying to capture happy moments in time to sustain me when times are dark.

Today is a dark day.  It is cold, wet and overcast. I feel down today.  I will spend some time looking at positive images and reading positive words.

I lit a candle for the first time in ages today.  A lovely blackberry scented candle.  It is a day for lighting candles, reading, curling up with a blanket and eating hot food.  I am lucky to have access to all these things and for that I am grateful.

Serendipity

I have noticed something recently.  My new positive outlook on  life has begun to change my fortune.  There has been no major changes such as a money windfall or offer of interesting employment but there have been little things, and it is the little things that make all the difference.

In the last couple of months I have had 3 emails read out on the Create and Craft channel (don't laugh!) and a photo of my scene-it cards shown.  I have had two letters published in the local newspaper, I received a personal email from Uri Geller, I won a beautiful knitted bag in Viv's giveaway and today Louise sent me a lovely magazine on baking and cooking - just my kind of thing!!!

In addition to the good fortune being bestowed on me, I have had a surge of creativity and feel that I am making progress in my creative endeavours.

Being upbeat isn't easy for me. I have to work at being positive.  Even if I am feeling low I adopt a cheery attitude and have recognised that my good mood has a positive effect on those around me.  I have made a conscious decision to do something for someone else every day.

I truly believe that serendipity is at work.

Thank YOU

I would like to say a big thank you to everybody who took the time to respond to yesterdays post. I took on board the advice you gave and went for a brisk walk, bought a bar of chocolate and a couple of packets of biscuits, settled down with a magazine and rounded off the evening with a nice glass of red wine!

I did something else too. I did something on impulse. Now this will make you laugh! I started thinking about people who have an upbeat and positive attitude and the first person to come to mind was Uri Geller! Without further thought I sent him an email (never sent him an email before or visited his website) asking him how I could increase happiness in my life as I was feeling so down. Well, within 10 minutes he had responded to my email! He said I should think positive and inspire myself to help others. He also said to put myself into an 'attitude of gratitude' and recommended that I read the free book 'little book of mind power' on his website.

I was encouraged by his email and did indeed look at his book recommendation and found some good advice listed there. I recommend that you go and pay the website a visit if you are looking for guidance as I was.

Regarding the 'attitude of gratitude', I do believe that I am grateful on a daily basis. I know how lucky I am but sometimes need a gentle reminder. Sometimes my feelings of inadequacy are overwhelming and I don't trust my own judgement. Anyway, enough about me! In order to show my gratitude to all of you that regularly leave me supportive comments, I will be doing a giveaway very shortly. I don't know what it will be yet but probably something along the lines of what I have shown here. It may be some doggy or kitty cat tags, or some note cards, or some house gift tags or something I have cross-stitched, or something entirely different.

Thanks again for all your support. I truly am grateful. X

Inside, Outside

I would rather be inside than outside at the moment. The snow finally came.

Yesterday the sky hung low with snow and then snowed for about 3 hours.

It then settled and the sky looked so dark and dirty compared to the pure white freshly fallen snow.

The snow lay like a thick insulation over the garden keeping the bulbs snug underneath.

It didn't snow today and tonight as the sun began to set the sky alternated between pink and blue.

The garden looked quite magical as dusk fell.

I went back into the sanctuary of my home and marvelled at the scenic view from my window, safe in the knowledge that I was protected from the elements outside and fortunate to have a place to keep warm inside the house.

I hope you all stay safe and warm this Christmas. x

Things I am Thankful for no.6

I have really enjoyed taking part in Ginny's 'Things to be Thankful for in November.' It has made me focus on the 'things' that are important to me. The things that really matter.

Apart from my family, friends and health the thing that I am thankful for most of all is my freedom. Freedom to read, write and express myself as I want to without restrictions. Freedom to sing and dance and paint and laugh. Freedom to walk where I want, when I want. Freedom to light a candle or bake a cake, put on make up, have a bath, keep a pet, wear what I want, plant a tree, eat how I choose to and be at one with nature in a beautiful part of the world.


Freedom. Freedom. Such a lovely word. Never to be taken for granted.



Edited: The photo above was taken locally in the late spring. The view outside at the moment is far from the serene seen above. Roll on Spring!!!

Things I am Thankful for no.5

There is no picture today. Just words. Today I am thankful for having my basic human needs fulfilled. I have a roof over my head, warm clothes, food, heating, lighting and I know that I am loved. I never take these things for granted and I never want to forget how lucky I am.

Things I am Thankful for no.4

When I am feeling low and need a kick start in positivity, I am thankful for inspiring quotes such as this one by Louisa May Alcott:

'Far away in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see the beauty, believe in them and try to follow where they lead.'

Things I am Thankful for no.2 and 3

No. 2. I am thankful for my Tiffany style lamp and for the warm glow it creates.

The skill in the craftsmanship of the tiny pieces of glass soldered together.

The ripples in the glass.

The accent of the rounded glass beads that allow the light to shine through so beautifully.

No 3. Receiving the morsbag from Ginny in her giveaway and being reminded of the plight of wildlife who end up dying from swallowing plastic bags in the water. I am thankful that I can reduce my negative environmental impact by using reusable fabric bags.

Things I am Thankful for - no.1

Ginny over at Sweet Myrtle thought it would be a good idea to look at the things in life we are grateful for during this dark month of November. Today I am grateful for a bowl of steaming hot porridge topped with local pears and berries.

What are you grateful for? Click on the button on the top right of the sidebar if you would like to join Ginny in her month of thankfulness.

Ten Most Important Things

The ten most important things in my life (not including people or animals).

To walk in the fresh air every day

To eat well

To feel clean

To create

To have windows

To have a comfortable bed

To feel alive

To have purpose

To retain a sense of humour

To be true to myself

Little Things Mean a Lot

Thank you for all your kind comments regarding my last post. I had intended that my blog would only contain the good things in life but I guess that post was just one of life's hiccups. I wrote it shortly after I had found her and my emotions were running high.

I try to keep a positive outlook in life and it is the little things that mean a lot to me, such as spotting this butterfly a few weeks ago. It was close to the roof of my house and I quickly got a shot of it before it flew away with an identical butterfly that was resting further down the wall.

When out and about I try to seek out small pleasures such as observing lovely front gardens or window boxes, or watching the antics of birds on roof tops. Today I walked back from the shops down a particularly nice street of terraced houses. There was an unexpected sight at the last house in the row. On the wrought iron gate there was lots of tiny rusty bells with even smaller ribbons attached tied randomly all over it. I had never noticed this before even though they looked like they had been there for years! I was tempted to open and close the gate in quick succession to hear the little bells tinkle but thought better of it.

Just seeing the gate with it's ribbon and bell embellishment really lifted my spirits. I think an Angel must live in the house.