thoughtful thursday

there are few items in the world that can make a person smile the way the art created by young children does. the art of children is free, open, exuberant! it enhances the world.  there are still some of the pieces my children created so many years ago hanging about the house.  besides the special place in the house for grandchildren art, my bedroom closet's walls are covered with their paintings and drawings. when i step into the closet and see their art, i can't help but feel wonderful.

whimsical wednesday

wishing upon a star for whimsical wednesday was a brief endeavor; although it took all day until it could occur!  with the days longer, the first star of the night was not seen until almost nine pm.  my wish was made.  was yours?

miscellaneous

the days are getting longer;  soon it will be the longest day of the year.

waif, the dog, chewed the avocado sprout.  my first successful sprouting of an avocado pit is gone.  i'll try again.

daisies and hollyhocks bloom.

a downy woodpecker has managed to figure out how to hang on the hummingbird feeders and sip nectar with it's narrow beak.

the happy flyers have been finding themselves all over the place.  it makes me happy to share them.

get ready.....

let's wish upon a star this whimsical wednesday.

photo friday

on a recent visit to new york city, my traveling companion and i encountered abe lincoln standing on the steps of the new york historical museum. 

                                             

thoughtful thursday

share.  freely, willingly, lovingly.

whimsical wednesday

it's lucky penny day for whimsical wednesday!  my lucky penny times three appeared early this morning!  while putting away items from yesterday's outing, i found a stray penny in a jacket pocket, one in a shopping bag and one on the floor by the washing machine!  does that mean i'll have three times the luck today?  how about you? did you find a lucky penny this whimsical wednesday?

miscellaneous

there's a critter (or critters) that come looking for food just after dark.  to keep them out of the bird feeders, i put out extra corn.  the greedy ingrates were not very polite. not only did they eat all the corn, they dislodged all but one of the hummingbird feeders to drink the nectar!  the hummingbird feeder left undisturbed was close to the house.  instead of rehanging the feeders in various locations, they were placed close to the house as well.  there are benefits to this new arrangement. the feeders are spared and the birds are in close proximity.  it's a joy to watch the birds just inches from the windows.

a surprise greeted me on the screened porch late last week.  a wee kitten, black and white, all alone.  there was no evidence of any other kittens or a mama.  one of the outside kitties had a litter of two recently.  the black and white kitten was introduced to the litter of two in the hopes that the mama would adopt it.  the test of acceptance would be if the black and white kitten would be able to nurse along with the mama's kittens.  to my relief, the all alone kitten has been accepted!

get ready.....

this whimsical wednesday just happens to be lucky penny day!  we shall look for that stray penny (anywhere that might be) for our whimsical wednesday activity! happy hunting!

photo friday

                                                                                   
                                           my first successfully sprouted avocado pit!

thoughtful thursday

always say please and thank you.  and, for gifts received and special occasions, write thank you notes.

whimsical wednesday

                                                                    what do you see?

miscellaneous

recent travels took me to chicago and new york city. it was a trip filled with family, friends, art. it was also filled with whimsey! the happy flyers i created for a recent whimsical wednesday activity were passed out in the big cities. putting the flyers on vehicle windshields and tucking them under doorknobs was such fun. and last week's whimsical wednesday activity of exploration was the perfect activity for the big apple. while in new york city, i saw a license plate from delaware!! finally!

get ready.....

get out your camera this whimsical wednesday! take photographs of items in such a way as to make it difficult to tell at first glance what the item is. show it to others and ask them what they are looking at!

photo friday

tea shark

exploration

exploration. yesterday's whimsical wednesday activity. a process, it occurred to me, that we should be open to on a daily basis. even if just for a few minutes a day we take the time to discover something about the world around us, we will have given ourselves the gift of life itself. exploration is born of curiosity. curiousity enriches, fulfills, engages and offers so many wonderful surprises along the way. explore and explore freely!

whimsical wednesday

RED TAILS IN LOVE. that is the name of the book i read last year that sparked my exploration activity for this whimsical wednesday. the book is set in central park, new york city, and featured a red tailed hawk pair who decided to build their nest in the top floor facade of a building on fifth avenue that faced central park. the book discussed the bird log, kept by avid birders who flock (no pun intended) to central park to sight and record the many birds that find themselves in central park; either as residents or just passing through. since reading the book i have wanted to visit the boat house and read the bird log for myself. i did so today. after a pleasant walk through the park to the boat house, i settled in with the bird log and read every word. a mild disappointment was that the log only contained entries and information for the year 2012. (the log is a simple binder filled with notebook paper children use for school. no doubt moved to a more permanent binder as it isn't imaginable that the history contained in the bird log would be discarded.) only finding this year in the bird log provoked a brief let-down because i had hoped to read entries discussed in the book. however, i was thrilled to be actually holding the bird log and reading the very fully detailed entries for myself. after i finished reading the bird log, i decided to continue through the park, making my way to the metropolitan museum of art (the met) so that i might explore galleries yet experienced. as i walked passed the model boat pond, i looked up at the now looming buildings on fifth avenue. with a start i realized i was looking at the building where the pair of red tailed hawks had decided to build their nest! i knew from the pictures and description in the book. and i knew it was the building because there, as in previous years, was the red tailed hawks' nest!

get ready...

this whimsical wednesday is about exploration, to break new ground! visit somewhere you've wanted to go but just haven't gone yet; read about something online you're interested in but haven't taken the time to look at; dabble in that new craft you want to learn. whatever it is, cut a swath of exploration towards it, then dive in and enjoy!

Photo Friday!

thoughtful thursday

tuesday was may first, may day.  may day brings a long held tradition of putting flowers in a container, leaving them at the door of someone, knocking (ringing), then fleeing before the door is opened.  flowers are always a good idea and so are surprises.  i participated in may day this year by offering my version of the tradition to several wonderful people throughout the day.  everyone who received a may day basket was very surprised and very pleased to be remembered.  "i haven't gotten a may day basket in years!" was exclaimed many times over.  so small an effort to make others happy.  we can all make small efforts each day to make the world a happier place to be.

whimsical wednesday!

our activity for this whimsical wednesday was to create a happy flyer.  the day passed with the happy flyer in mind, however, chores kept me from creating until the evening.  i created a simple happy flyer.  a standard sheet of printer paper was folded into quarters.  in each quarter a message was hand printed:  
SMILES AND HUGS FOR A HAPPY DAY!

this single sheet of paper was photocopied to yield fifty separate, small flyers when cut apart.  each happy flyer was finished with a smiley sticker.  i looked at the stack of goofy but heartfelt happy flyers and a smile was provoked.  exactly the reaction i hope flyer recipients will have.  i am looking forward to distributing my happy flyer creation.....

more spring

many seasonal firsts in the last week:

*turtle rescue (from the road).

*hummingbird at a feeder.

*bluebird in the bluebird house.

*honeysuckle blooming.

*first strawberry picked and enjoyed fresh from the vine....yum!