Nope.

Well, *sigh*, we learned yesterday morning that our bid was not accepted. It is always difficult to switch gears after you have already started a project in your mind and heart....but I will keep my chin up!

Hopefully, I will be posting pictures of our next project very soon....the one that we WILL be working on this summer. Just wish I knew what it was.

Inexpensive Inspiration

I have been meaning to spruce things up in my office, and it seems that Someone Else also felt I needed a nudge and some inspiration to keep me going. Swallows are an important symbol to me. Their beauty and grace are something that speaks deeply to my soul....and what did I find just recently when shopping for a project??

A beautiful book with swallow silhouettes on the cover...for $1, no less!!  I tucked it under my wing when I found it on a crowded shelf at my favorite consignment shop, brought it home, and continue to be delighted by it.

I put it on the library cabinet in my office right across from where I sit while working. I glance over at it all the time, and it makes me feel joyful.

Inside are even more beautiful images which I am tempted to frame. Lovely!

Do you have something in your workspace that inspires you?  Being surrounded by things that have meaning, things which speak to your soul, can have a far-reaching impact on your day-to-day joy and productivity.

A Summer Project?

For a month or more now, we have been searching for the next Revealing Redesign project house. We have seen some doozies! There was one this past Monday that I literally had to hold my breath while looking inside for fear of what I may inhale in the dirty, damp, moldy interior. I am not one to shy away from a challenge, but that house did not make me feel there was much purpose to even trying. Frustrating. But then just yesterday, we saw a little gem.

Could this be our Summer project? Another charming Cape Cod Style house...

This cutie reminds me of one of my other favorite houses....

You can see my post about her here.

I will keep you posted...and you keep your fingers crossed for me, okay? We will soon find out if she is to be ours.

Serene Green

These past few days, you could often find me just outside my front door sitting in the rocking chair that used to be in our nursery when we had babies, but now rocks happily in the breeze on our porch.

I have been sitting out there a lot, just trying to be still. I have had a lot on my mind, and have been trying to quiet it the hell down.

Have you ever tried the meditation where you pay complete attention to only one of your senses at a time? ....that and your breath. When those sticky, tar-like things we call "thoughts" cloud your awareness, calmly breathe in and out, and focus back on the amazing sights, sounds, smells....slowly, one at a time.

There are all of these things I would not have noticed if I had only been paying attention to the static and noise that is on a loop in my head. It made me realize that there are gifts that our Creator gives us each day that we simply refuse.

Like an archway of Bleeding Hearts, that looks as though it could be a cathedral for garden fairies....

I hope you will try it.

It is often the simplest things that can make the biggest difference.

Goodbye, Old Friend

A very sad day today.  My old girl, Savannah, Miss Wise Seventeen-Year Old, savvy barn cat, once super-mouser, world's loudest purrer, so pretty with her gleaming white paws and smart white whiskers, has gone for her heavenly reward.

May God bless you, my sweet girl, with the most beautiful heavenly window sill filled with the warmest of sun rays where you may rest in peace-- and, of course,  have all of the tasty mice you can eat.

We love you.