happy spring!

"Spring has returned. The earth is like a child that knows poems." - Rainer Maria Rilke

I caught these blooms a few days ago, against the dark wood of our clubhouse.

HAPPY FIRST DAY OF SPRING!

Valentine week in photos

"All walking is discovery. On foot we take the time to see things whole." -Hal Borland

Last Sunday was a stellar weather day. It was also the birthday of my sis and brother (twins). Brother lives halfway across the country but sis is nearby so we took her out for lunch then went for a walk at Crescent Beach.

 She showed off her plot in the community garden. The bottom photo is of kale, growing in a nearby bed. I thought it was stunning with its variegated coloring and fuchsia ribs.

Eagle sightings were good on Sunday. This eagle gallery is really only two birds. The mature bald eagle was obviously on the alert judging by how often he turned his head.  A little farther down the path, we saw a juvenile eagle, looking very hip and casual in tattery feathers.

Monday brought more signs of spring. These crocuses look ready to pop the minute they get some warmth and sun.
 

And how about this Valentine dessert hubby and I shared it at the end of our date on Thursday. It was the last course of a luscious Italian meal.

On our walk this morning we passed these Pine Siskins, all excited about their topped-up feeder.

All in all, it's been a photogenic week!

snow that's a sign of spring

While the east is digging out from under their latest storm,  here on the west coast we're inching noticeably toward spring.

On our Thursday walk, I snapped these catkins.

When we got home, I checked my own garden for signs of life and sure enough... little bulblings are sneaking their snouts through the soil and pine needles.

Then yesterday I caught sight of the surest sign of spring yet—the first flowers. These snowdrops are so white my camera could hardly handle the glare.

I love it!!

guess who's back!

Red-winged blackbird, heard, then seen on our walk this morning!

His call is the harbinger of spring.

gifts of celebration (#951-970 of 1000 gifts)

New-dressed trees line path

cool evening keeps dogwoods crisp

Shy girls bloom prom-wear

Over a couple of glorious days in the last little while the world has turned green. The walking path behind our house, lined with skeleton trees all winter, has transformed itself into a verdant avenue. This is only the first (#951) of many blessings this past week has held.

I downloaded Ann Voskamp's "May Joy Dare"  and am using it as a blessing prompt.

May 1st  - 3 gifts tasted:
952. Coffee

953. Greek lamb kebob.

954. Tuxedo Truffle Cake—for my birthday.

May 2nd - 3 gifts flat:

955. Knife blade for cutting my breakfast banana.

956. My Kindle e-reader. A hundred or so books and it still retains its trim 7/8-inch girth.

957. This lovely garden stepping stone, a gift from my sis.

May 3rd - 3 gifts found in difficult people.
958. They teach me to listen.

959. They teach me the discipline of kindness.

960. They give me practice in the soft answer.

May 4th - 3 gifts before 9:00 a.m.
961. A hot shower.

962. Reading the Bible, thinking about what it means, and praying.

963. Blooming wisteria, seen on our walk (yes, we walk before 9:00 a.m.).

May 5th - Gifts in a sign, a smile, and a snack.

We happened to take a day trip to La Conner, Washington on Saturday. It was tailor-made for these gifts.

964. These signs were seen in the Calico Cupboard and while window shopping.

964. There were smiles all around as we heckled the pirate ships going by during the La Conner boat parade.

965. Ice-cream cones were the snack gift, made all the more so when we ran into the honeymooners we had just seen at the boat parade and whom M. had photographed. They asked for another photo on the occasion of finding non-sugar ice-cream which meant diabetic he could have a rare ice-cream cone with ice-cream-loving she.

966. Of course La Conner had more than three gifts. A big one was the beautiful  Quilt and Textile Museum, housed in Gaches Mansion. Here is a sample of some of the beauties we were allowed to photograph. (The second floor with its "Deep Spaces" show was off limits to cameras. Pity, because it was an amazing display of creativity executed with fabric and thread, as were the quilts pictured.)

May 6th - 3 gifts found in Christ.
967. A history. Yesterday our church celebrated its 75th Anniversary. Spoken memories and a video recalled highlights from the past 75 years.

968. Worship. The service  included songs from about five eras of worship music. There's nothing like music to refresh memories of one's relationship with Jesus.

969. A celebration with food. In the spirit of David celebrating the return of the Ark to Jerusalem by sending everyone home with a gift of meat, bread and a cake of raisins, we went home with bag lunches that contained meat (ham), bread (wrapped around the meat) and a (cup)cake along with carrot sticks, dip and juice box.

970. To round out this week's gifts, yesterday our own sweet son came over. He took us on a vicarious trip of New York with his photos, flattered me on my cookies, and left  some sunshine for my garden.

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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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a good week (#933-950 of 1000 gifts)

"Happiness not in another place, but in this place ... Not for another hour, but this hour." - Walt Whitman

This has been a good week in many ways. Here are some of those ways.

933. The rabbits are out and about again!

934. A wonderful talk at our women's group (last Women By Design of the season).


935. Lunch with a friend.

936. This sign gave us a chuckle.

937. Hubby's veggie chili.

938. Light coming through blossoms.

939. Shopping at Mark's.

940. Another camouflaged hydro box.

941. Birdsong sung by the likes of this Redwing blackbird.

942. Spring shapes, like the arching sprays of this spirea. Is this gorgeous or what?

943. So enjoying this book by Luci Swindoll. Sage advice from an (almost) octogenarian. E.g.: "I believe making lists is one of the most important secrets to a happy life" (Kindle Location 1242). I couldn't agree more!

944.  Talking about lists, I was thrilled to make The Word Guild's 2012 Writing Awards shortlist (twice).

945.The gossip bench.

946. Condiments: ketchup, dressing, mustard, horseradish, vinegar... I love condiments!

947. Registered for this conference at the end of May. Excited!

948. Spring pastels.

949. Ended our walk yesterday by trying out Pho Vietnamese Restaurant in Langley. This is #69 on the menu. Beautiful and tasty!

950. Being able to make lists on Facebook. Suddenly I 'like' Facebook! (Okay, lists aren't new, but I finally got around to setting them up.)

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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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creativity everywhere (#919-932 of 1000 gifts)

"Nature does not ask permission. Blossom and birth whenever you feel like it" - Clarissa Pinkola Estes

I missed putting up my 1000 gift post last week so this week a double portion. Lots of gifts here, and I could name many more.

919. More and more blossoms, like a wedding veil.

Trees in bloom

920. Trees of tulips (magnolias really). These pink ones are gorgeously plentiful.

Pink magnolias

921. More birdsong. Our walk is alive with it these days.

Joyful sparrow

922. Some very helpful information for my WIP.

923. Last Saturday's mission trip training. It helps when some of your teachers are comedians! On the serious side, I especially enjoyed the thoughts about the need for cultural sensitivity to the people in the place you visit, and sensitivity to your missionary host, offered by this dynamic duo.

924. Last Sunday's walk along the Nicomekl Creek Trail, where we came upon Brydon Nature Park Lagoon—a serene setting with no lack of spring-busy ducks and coots.

Brydon Park Nature Lagoon on the Nicomekl Creek Trail

925. Love the way my city decorates their utility boxes. Perhaps it's their attempt to shame the surrounding meadow into putting out a little more color of its own.

Quite the blooming box

926. After our walk by the creek, we wandered into a Thai restaurant for a yummy lunch.


927. Monday's reading with my poet buddies.

928. Pointers from a real gardener on what to do with spring blooms. I especially like the tulips with stems cut at varying lengths, displayed within a tall glass vase (3rd from right).

Spring flower demo

929. Captured—the first new spring family of the season!

Goose family on an outing

930. A new camera! If you've read here any length of time, you know I love photography. My first digital camera—a birthday gift six years ago—has been my constant companion since I got it. But it's beginning to show its age. I've been researching DSLRs for months now but holding off on the purchase (so much to learn, so much money).

Lately I've rethought my yen for a DSLR. I love the lightness and tuck-in-your-purse size of my old digital and have been asking myself, Do I really want a big heavy camera? Will I be able to use it the way I customarily use a camera? Saturday I decided to forsake the DSLR route, at least for now, and bought another Panasonic, a zippy little DMC-ZS15. So far I'm loving it!

New camera tryouts: Top: original shot, Bottom: detail of the engine.

931. Yesterday's walk at Crescent Beach—one of my all-time favorite places in the Lower Mainland.

Crescent Beach - April 22, 2012

932. Late last week got the suggested edits for my book, which I'm still working through. Editor's words in the covering email: "...let me tell you how much I enjoyed your manuscript. I found this to be utterly captivating and well-written!" He liked it. Whew! He's the first person who has read it since I rewrote, and he liked it. So relieved!!

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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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