Imagine what a wonderful world we would live in if we remembered this before speaking hurtful, debilitating things to each other.
Wanda
Category: Writing Prompts
Winter’s Surprise
Daily Prompt: Undulate
As I walk along the deserted beach
My mind, confounded, takes in the site.
Undulating waves crashing in the surf
Rushing to offer their briny gift to the sand.
A site I often witness, as I sunbathe being comforted by the sound.
But how can this be? A winter coat, scarf, and mittens
Have become my beachwear!
The waves covering the sand meet their winter counterpart
And kiss the Snow. Has winter lost its way?
I look into the grey skies
I feel the cold wind.
Not a soul in sight, nor bird in the air.
The empty peer tall and serene
Stands guard over this desolate beach.
I turn and see footprints in the sand and snow.
It’s then I realize winter has followed me.
I have not moved far enough south.
Wanda
Share Your World
What one word describes you best?
I think the word that describes me best is determined. After my kids read this I’ll know for sure. Although they continue to say I am just a little bit crazy. 🙂
What is set as the background on your computer?
Well, to be honest, I can’t see what I have as my background. I have this terrible habit of covering my desktop with files. There is just a little bit of Windows blue peeking through the chaos.
If you have been to a foreign country name those you have been to?
Back in 1984, I visited Mexico. Cancuun to be exact. I went with the girls from work. Hubby didn’t like to travel so I have not been anywhere else.
What inspired you or what did you appreciate this past week?
I feel that I have lost a close friend this past week. Sue Grafton lost her battle with cancer on December 28th. She has always been one of my favorite authors. I just love her Kinsey Milhone private detective character. She is the heroine of Sue’s Alphabet Mystery Series. I haven’t read her last book in the series yet. It’s Y Is For Yesterday. I can’t believe there won’t be a Z. I will always be grateful for the many, many hours we spent together.
When I lose an author that I love, it inspires me to read books that I have on my to be read list quickly. It’s like I am afraid that if something happens to the author the books will somehow disappear. See, a little crazy!
Wanda
Flower of the Day-Poinsettia
I took this picture this morning at my church. This is the Nativity Scene in the gathering space at St. Brendan’s Church. Aren’t these poinsettia’s beautiful? Did you know that the poinsettia is actually a small tropical tree? I wonder how they became the Christmas flower. They are indigenous to Mexico.
Wanda
Nativity Scene
I took these photos with my iPhone this morning after Mass. This is the Nativity scene that is right in front of the altar at St. Brendan’s Catholic Church. The colors in the poinsettias are just gorgeous.
Wanda
Point of View or Magic
Daily Prompt: Finally
Finally. That word says so much. It marks the end of waiting for some anticipated special event. Is finally relative to the user’s point of view? Or is there some supernatural process going on? Because finally isn’t the same for everyone all the time. For some, it can be waiting for a test result for three days, for others graduating from college after five years. Doesn’t finally qualify length of time? If so how can it change?
Throughout my life, I have used the word finally often. As a small child when time seemed to stand still while I was anticipating something. I remember my dad telling me that the older you get, the quicker time passes so I shouldn’t wish my life away. I didn’t believe him then. As a teenager when I was finally too old to be considered a kid. As an adult when pregnancies seemed to last forever and my kids at long last grasped an important concept. But now, in my sixties, I don’t seem to ever say finally about anything. I am in a perpetual state of catching up.
Time has a habit of creeping up on me. I don’t understand how time passes so quickly now. A year is still 365 days long. And there are still 24 hours in a day. Right? How does it happen that the year passes more like 200 days and the days more like 16 hours? No wonder I am always behind. Do the days and years really shorten, or is the universe playing tricks on me? Is there some kind of magic going on? Or has my perspective changed as I have matured? One thing for sure, I believe my dad now. He sure knew what he was talking about.
It’s already the last day of 2017. I always think that the year will last a long time, but the year is gone in just a blink of an eye. What did I accomplish this year? I did some quilting. I took care of a sick friend. I visited with my family and friends in Florida. I got rid of an awful lot of stuff…the sad thing is that I will be starting 2018 doing the same thing, getting rid of stuff. I am starting to wonder if there isn’t someone smuggling stuff into the house and garage just to keep me busy. How in the world could two people have so much junk? I guess when I am moved out and have purged all of the stuff I will happily use finally when describing the long process. 🙂
All in all, it’s been a good year for me albeit shorter than last year.
Have a good day,
Wanda
Blessed Christmas
Luke 2, 1:20
1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole world should be enrolled. 2 This was the first enrollment, when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 So all went to be enrolled, each to his own town. 4 And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, 5 to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6 While they were there, the time came for her to have her child,7 and she gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
8 Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields and keeping the night watch over their flock. 9 The angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were struck with great fear. 10 The angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For today in the city of David, a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying:
14 “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
15 When the angels went away from them to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go, then, to Bethlehem to see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 So they went in haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger. 17 When they saw this, they made known the message that had been told them about this child. 18 All who heard it were amazed by what had been told them by the shepherds. 19 And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart. 20 Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as it had been told to them.
-The New American Bible, Revised Edition (NABRE)
I wish all of my family, friends, and online acquaintances a Very Merry Christmas. I wish that the joy the Christ Child brings to us fills your hearts. I wish you all love, hope, and peace this season and the rest of the year and that God blesses all of you with your needs and wants throughout the coming year.
I am celebrating with Gracie this Christmas Day. We are on our own. My daughter and her family are ill with the flu. I have a terrible cold that brought on an asthma attack. My youngest is celebrating with her in-laws. My son and his family are healthy and celebrating at home in Miami.
I have been absent from the blogging world for a month. Not having time to do so many of the things I love to do, I have come to realize I am a neophyte when it comes to throwing things away. Can you believe it? After all of my complaining about Gary’s holding onto things that we didn’t need. It has been quite a shock for me to admit to myself it isn’t quite as easy to throw away items from your past. I feel a bit of a hypocrite. I know my husband is somewhere in the universe with a big smile on his face because I have admitted this fact. 🙂
The thing is, I have sold my house and the apartment I am going to is very small. So, the realization that I can’t take so much with me has hit home. I have my grandmother’s antiques that are beautiful, but I will not have any room for them. A quilting friend of mine’s granddaughter who will be graduating from college this year saw pictures of them and really fell in love with them. I was very happy to give them to her. I know that my grandmother is smiling knowing they are going somewhere to be appreciated and loved. My girls are also happy that I have found such a good home for them.
I am keeping the antique bedroom set Gary bought me when we first got married. It’s perfect for my smaller bedroom. It has been stored for years because we had gone to a king-sized bed. And I have a beautiful golden oak hall tree that will be in my sunroom right inside the door.
Joe and Kelly got a 30-yard dumpster for me to fill. I am happy to report that it has been filling up. I occasionally need to sit myself down and have a stern talk with myself about holding onto things. I have a much greater appreciation of what Gary used to go through when he had to get rid of something.
I also haven’t even picked my camera up since I have gotten home from Florida. I can’t wait until I can get back to photography. I really have had so much fun with it.
The past two weeks my good friend Sue was visiting. She makes my clothes and I quilt her quilts. We always have a good time together. It was a very needed break in the sorting of house and garage contents. She left on Wednesday. I always hate to see Sue go back home. But we all have to go home eventually.
I have been doing some quilting and have decided that I will continue to do more through the rest of the weekend and when Monday hits I will get back to the daunting job of sorting through our past.
Have a good day.
Wanda
The Latest Assault
It is with great interest and sadness that I recall the terrible ordeal that has happened in Las Vegas this past weekend. Interest because I just cannot imagine being pushed to the point of committing senseless murder. In my mind, I have to believe that the man was sick. There is no other explanation for his actions. It is inconceivable to me that one’s life can have such little meaning so as to cause you to express your anger in this way. I find I need an answer.
Or is it the work of the devil? I believe he exists and he works tirelessly to corrupt our lives causing havoc and despair. Is what so many have said true? Is our country in a deluge of evil spirits? Are the many visionaries right that we are in for a terrible chastisement because of our fondness for self-gratification and immorality? Is God losing patience with us? I hope not. I pray that He will continue to shed His light on us, to gently guide us to become the country we once were.
Satanic worship, blasphemes, the murder of innocent children, and discrimination have become commonplace in this country. Respect for life has disappeared. How much longer can we continue on this self-destructive path? I worry for my grandchildren. This country was founded on Christian principles. It’s about time we get back to them because I am very afraid that if we don’t, we will cease to exist.
Wanda
Memories Of Fall
I have always loved this time of year. The leaves begin to change to the beautiful colors of autumn. Earth tones are my favorite. I decorate with them. I wear them. I don’t think there is anything richer than those earth tones of fall.
I can remember sitting in my family room watching the different colored leaves float to the ground. The golds, rusts, maroons, purples, and greens. What a beautiful blanket they made on my lawn.
I have fond memories of raking leaves with my kids just so they could jump into the pile and start all over again. I was always ready for fall after the hot summer. It was like a breath of fresh air to me. The only complaint I have about fall is that it ends into winter. Brrr! I am not a fan of the cold weather.
Several years ago we moved down south to coastal North Carolina. Where we are there isn’t much fall foliage. That is the only thing I miss. Pennsylvania has some awesome color this time of year. For me to see anything like it I would have to go to the western part of North Carolina. I choose not to travel out there so I will just have to be happy with looking at the pictures online.
I have been going through all of the school papers I kept from when my kids were in school. I found one project from my son. It is a beautiful maroon leaf that is pressed between two pieces of plastic. It made me smile. I loved all of those little handmade projects my kids made for gifts for me.
My youngest is 34 years old now. It’s time I let these things go. I have asked them if they want them back, but they just look at me like I am crazy. Apparently, I don’t have a sentimental one in the bunch. They have all commented that they can’t believe I moved down here with all of it. Let’s just see how they are with their children’s handmade gifts.
It’s true, holding onto things is really silly. Memories are not kept in things, but in our hearts.
Wanda
Cookies & Moo 