Porcelain dancers – Gift from Mom: “You’re forever these!”
She gifted me On my fortieth.
The Septolet is a poem consisting of seven lines containing fourteen wordswith a break anywhere in between the two parts. Both parts deal with the same thought and create a picture.
My porcelain girls are a 1979 gift from my mom for my 40th birthday. Created by German artist, Lorenz Hutschenreut, they are called “Ring Around the Rosie” – This 3 Girls May Day dance figurineis priceless to me!
Mom knitted my sweater, fixed my hair, arranged for the photographer, captured our love forever in this photo.
But, the real capture of love for me was more than just in my childhood… She continued to gift me with her strength, her optimism, and her encouragement for the rest of her life.
When I take out my dancing girls and decorate the vase with flowers, I am taken back to my fortieth, back to my childhood, back to time with Mom.
What a treasure!
Here Mom is with my sis, Sally, and me – – – and my daughter, DeDe. I like to think that we three are the “Dancing Girls.”
Ah, such sweet memories!
Do you have a special item of some sort that brings you back to your childhood?
Something that’s priceless to you because of the memories packed into it?
Tell me about it. Maybe try your hand at a septolet!
The scriptures and the devotionals that popped up this week all point the way to our preparation for spring. Get ready! Be prepared! Make way for the new!! It will come, won’t it? Eventually?
I am more than ready for our ice (used to be snow) piles to melt and allow the bulbs to wake up and begin to sprout!
Isaiah 43:16,18-19-
This is what the Lord says, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing…”
But, I do remember those former things!!
These were the last of them from last spring.
I am ready to hang my spring wreath and I am ready to “Spring Up!” my clocks tonight in preparation for Daylight Savings Time.
I am ready to keep that time schedule all year round to give us more hours of daylight in our waking hours. How about you?
Get ready for a sunny Sunday! I am ready for more sunshine. How about you?
I love it when my friend, Lisa, sends me photos of her sunrises above the lake near her home in North Carolina.
I’m ready for a ride on “Lucille” (our redheaded ATV who is a “Ball”) into the springtime wildflowers on our mountain trails around here.
Right now, looks like that’s a couple months away.
This year we won’t have our TazE (our beloved Boston Terrier traveled over the Rainbow Bridge last December. We miss her!) to keep us company on our rides. She was sure a great trail companion!
We saw some mighty PURDY sites together on those rides! Sometimes we’d take the trail all the way over to Pony, Montana, the cute little town northwest of us where there is a cute little tavern. We’d meet our other ATV friends there.
So, get ready, my friends. Make way for the realization of those dreams once more when we can take that ride again!
For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal (that’s my time right now); a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh (that’s ALWAYS now!); a time to mourn, and a time to dance (let’s do!!); a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace (let’s do that, too), and a time to refrain from embracing; …
May your storms diminish and your sunshine increase; May your troubles decrease and your joys abound.
May your eyes clearly see the beauty all around you. God bless you, my friends. Make way for those blessings! They are coming! Rest assured!!
Love and Lotsa Hugs, JanBeek
P.S. My eyes are healing after the cataract surgery last week. Thank you for your prayers. The farsighted vision is bright and clear – beautiful colors. Single lens replacement instead of the multiple variety was my only option. It has to do with the age of these tired 83 year old eyes and the shape they were in. But I’m not complaining. Another follow-up appointment is scheduled in 3 weeks. I’ll keep you posted. Thinking positively!
Hello beautiful sunrise from my dear North Carolina friend!
Hello Montana Snowdrifts!
Hello, dear friend, who walked over the 3’ drift to come say, “I’m here to plow you out!” (Oh my, look how the snow came in the front door!) God bless our helpers!
Hello Daughter#2 back in Maryland. Thank you for your love, hospitality, transportation, and luscious food! We miss you already.
Hello Lacey! You’re such a lucky pup to have your “People Grama” taking care of you while your parents are on their honeymoon!
Hello Daughter#1… So glad you’re back safely in Switzerland, enjoying a luscious dinner with your hubby. 👍🏽
Hello PicNick! Hey, DeDe, How fun that your #2 son came to visit and to show you his new car! Congratulations, Nicky (my #2 grandson). We’re so glad for you!!
Hello again, Lacey! Yes, I know, you need attention!!
Hello Montana sunset! Another day gone by, and we are so grateful for clear skies, for friends, neighbors, WP contacts and their comments, and for our local chiropractor who helped relieve my body aches!
(That was my first visit in my 83 1/2 years to see a chiropractor. I wonder why I waited so long!)
Have you ever been to one?
Whew! Feeling like an Angel just touched me! I hope you’ve had a blessed day, too, my friends.
Bee 🐝 well- and free of pain!
See ya tomorrow. Hah! It’s tomorrow already… I forgot to click “Publish” on this one yesterday ;o(
“A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance, but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.”
Proverbs 15:13
Use your merry heart To be like an umbrella Protection in storms
At the end of day Your sweet, merry countenance Is a lovely sight
Your positive view Shines through the dark clouds of gloom Lifting others’ hearts 💕
You’ve an extra dose Merriment is contagious You infect others
David Jeremiah’s entry in today’s devotional in Ever Faithful was titled “A Merry Heart.” It gave me the incentive for today’s post:
“After Richard Norris was badly disfigured by a gunshot wound in 1997, he remained hidden at his parents’ home for years. They covered the mirrors to keep him from glimpsing his face. But a team of doctors… gave Richard a new countenance.”
The scripture selected, Proverbs 15:13, fit the story perfectly. Richard’s spirit was broken. His sorrow of the heart was understandable. David Jeremiah went on to link Richard’s sorrow to us all:
“While Richard’s story is unusually dramatic, there’s a sense in which we all need a new countenance. Study the faces of people you meet every day…”
Oh how I love those Last two pictures of my friends Study every face
David Jeremiah goes on to suggest,
“Steal a quick glance at your own face as you pass a mirror or reflective window. …Our emotions inexorably flash through the forty-three muscles in our face and we communicate our feelings through our eyes, brows, and the set of our mouths.”
“One smile can light up a room; one frown can darken a day.
“The Bible tells us a merry heart makes a cheerful countenance. Rejoice in the Lord today and let the joy of Jesus shine through.”
I dare you to listen to this and not smile!!
You know I play the accordion, right? Well this is a concertina… buttons on both sides. Aren’t these kids adorable?
Open up you Merry Heart! Mine is open for you!!
Love ya, JanBeek
Open heart + Open hands = Merry, Cheerful Countenance
The storms that ushered in the 2023 new year along the Pacific coast in California were amazing! These waves, called “King Tides” were between 45 and 50 feet tall!
The swells were increased by winds up to 50 mph on New Years eve and they crashed into the shores, washing away the cliffs, bringing houses down into the ocean.
The winds also brought down trees all over the Carmel, Pacific Grove, Pebble Beach area where we are visiting family and friends. Fortunately, our friends did not lose any trees, but their neighbors had a tree land on their house.
Down the road a bit some houses were completely destroyed. Large trees were totally uprooted. Amazingly we have not heard of any deaths.
Can you imagine having this happening to your vehicle? Driving in this area is dangerous at best right now. Roads are washed out and trees have fallen across roadways.
My heart goes out to the people who have lost homes, businesses, vehicles, etc. We are feeling so grateful that our friends have not lost any of those things. Bob’s brother and sister-in-law have lost power and water service in their home, and their neighbor’s house has a tree in the middle of the roof, but no one was hurt.
The ocean along this central Pacific coast is beautiful, but given the rains and heavy winds of this last week, it can be treacherous. Many of the homes and businesses that built too close to the shore are regretting it today.
When we started our trip from Paso Robles to Pebble Beach, God sent a rainbow. It was an amazing sign telling us He would be with us – and our trip would be a safe one. God is good!
I have some wonderful photos of us with family/friends here… I will post some tomorrow. Right now, I just want to enjoy their company. Carpe’ Diem! Right? Bee present.
JanBeek 