curved

Curvy caps

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Thursday Challenge

Next week: ROADS (Highways, Streets, Freeways, Traffic, Country Roads, Trails,...) 

peonies, roses etc (#550-563 of 1000 gifts)

"Everything has its astonishing, wondrous aspect, if you bring a mind to it that's really your own." - Robertson Davies

Last week I was moaning about the cool weather. No more.


550. We have sun, warmth and Peonies, Sweet William, and Roses (all in my very own garden)!

551. The smell of fresh-baked bread.

552. An evening out with son, who takes time to smell the blossoms (whatever these lovelies are called).

553. Pretty Vancouver streetscapes.

554. Bible promises for some personal discouragements.

555. A summer off from a volunteer job I do for church.

556. Hours spent Saturday on a photo album for an upcoming reunion. Here is my high school grad photo. Can you find me in it?

557. A deeply moving Canada Day service at church yesterday. The focus on aboriginal issues included Rev. Bruce Brown (pastor of the Vancouver Native Pentecostal Church and a member of the Aboriginal Ministries Council of the EFC) telling his own disturbing story and reading Prime Minister Harper's apology from the Canadian government to the aboriginal people (delivered June 11, 2008) specifically asking forgiveness for their mistreatment in residential schools.

558. Poetry in all kinds of places, even the bird-beach.

559. Sunday lunch at Pelagos (Crescent Beach, South Surrey) - one of our favourite places to eat fabulous Greek food!

560. Porridge flowers — at least that's what we used to call them (they're actually yarrow).

561. Loveliness in mauve...

562. ...mottled gray...

563. ... and red to blue.

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If you'd like to join me and many others collecting One Thousand Gifts, please do. Some members of this gratefulness community post their gifts on blogs, while others list them in private journals. Instructions on how to join are here.

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wooden

"Let's Face It" - in the round

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Thursday Challenge

Next week: CURVED (Bent, Rippled, Coiled, Spiraling, Twisted,...)

still trying (#535 - 549 of 1000 gifts)

"You may be disappointed if you fail, but you are doomed if you don't try." - Beverly Sills

I think we are experiencing the longest spring ever! The peonies that were tight little balls over a week ago are still clenched and waiting for the sun. We're all waiting for the sun which, of course, makes it much easier to tidy up writing loose ends in preparation for summer...


535. In that vein, I finished a big project, first begun almost two years ago and sent it on its first outing. It has anchored me in duty for so long I now feel like my balloon has finally filled with helium and I'm taking off!


536. A little poem I wrote got featured in TS Poetry Press's daily newsletter. So honoured.

537. Drifts of wildflowers.

538. A Word Guild Writing award for a book review I wrote. Most very grateful and honoured. And a big congratulations to all other winners!


539. Two dozen roses to celebrate the week of our anniversary.


540. A fun book launch. The Violet Flash by Mike Mason is second in the series following The Blue Umbrella. Here is Mrs. Mike in her little book shop.

541. I met Luci Shaw!! Here she is talking with Mike Mason and Ron Reed (they are all in the same writer's group — a modern version of the Inklings I'm sure!).

542. Here is Mike under his magical blue umbrella.

543. Hubby and me, 30 years ago yesterday. 

544. To celebrate our anniversary yesterday we went for a walk along the White Rock promenade and then for a Greek lunch. As you can see, the UV index was very tolerable.

545. Enjoyed a little drama between some crows hassling a bald eagle.

546. I love all the flower boxes along the walk. Every restaurant has different flowers presented in different ways. I was so charmed by these delicate pansies.

547. And how about these black and yellow petunias! 

548. Have been reading heavy-ish non-fiction lately, so yesterday dipped into something lighter. I am enjoying Angela Hunt's The Fine Art of Insincerity (a free gift from her sister's contest - thanks so much, Angela!).

549. For my husband and father of our kids - a true man of God. Hubby - you're the best!!

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If you'd like to join me and many others collecting One Thousand Gifts, please do. Some members of this gratefulness community post their gifts on blogs, while others list them in private journals. Instructions on how to join are here.

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liquid

Belugas viewed from underwater at the Vancouver Aquarium

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Thursday Challenge

Next week: WOODEN (Ship, House, Furniture, Carpentry Tools, Trees,...)

walking through june (#517 - 534 of 1000 gifts)

"It is solved by walking." - St. Augustine

Unbelievably it's already almost mid-June. How does this happen? My June is bulging with largish projects to complete before holidays. Things took a definite turn for the better when I set my mind to complete one of those projects last week — and did. There's nothing like getting one item crossed off my list to make me feel positive about the tasks still remaining. As the quote above implies, walking — making progress slowly but surely — is one way to make that happen.

Additional items on my gratitude list from last week:

518. A bush covered with its own lace doily. 

519. Hubby drove me into Vancouver for my poetry group meeting. (How sweet is that. I know, I'm a wimp - I hate driving into the city. But I was quite prepared to take transit)


520. Computer Spellcheck and Grammar checker.

521. Critters. This might be the same rabbit that appeared here last week.

522. No postal strike - yet!

523. Purple lovelies - wild clover in the grasses...

524. and a perennial geranium I pass every day.

525. Irises. This is one of three blooms (yes, only three) in my very own garden.

526. A wonderful afternoon spent messing with photos. I put new family photos in most of the frames around the house. Used my little HP photo printer for that. Great gadget!

527. A visit from a long-time friend. So nourishing.

528. Blow-up air mattress that inflates in seconds and deflates just as fast.

529. The yellow water irises are out.

530. So are the water lilies.

531. More critters. We saw these families of geese yesterday on a walk near Fort Langley.

532. Blackberries in the making.

533. The smell of wild roses everywhere -- incredible!

534. Beautiful, romantic foxglove.

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If you'd like to join me and many others collecting One Thousand Gifts, please do. Some members of this gratefulness community post their gifts on blogs, while others list them in private journals. Instructions on how to join are here.

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