I have been, too. Early this morning, a dream of sunlight bursting through pink petals, which had appeared overnight in a vast and wondrous garden.
Even though winter’s time has not yet expired, in my dream I took up my camera…
… and switched the setting from black and white to color
for the fluffy clouds of rose which appeared through all the branches.
When I awoke, my thoughts were not of this joyful explosion of spring, but of stories recently heard of sadness and loss, tears flowing for people I’ve never met but who I send my heart out to, and wish them to feel some comfort amidst their difficult days.
I thought of the party I attended yesterday, the 90th birthday of one of my Mom’s oldest friends, Anne Marie, and how she looked elegant and gay in a sparkly top and black velvet pants, surrounding by loving family and friends, all so grateful she was still with them. I was only dropping Mom off, and hadn’t planned to stay, but swallowed my tiny bit of resentment at changing my plans as Anne Marie seemed so glad I was there… How many more of her birthdays will I have the chance to attend?
I arose to lovely messages from two dear friends met through Flickr, who expressed that my photographs have inspired and meant something to them, touching me beyond words.
An eventful morning already, by all accounts. Emotions and wishes and hopes and dreams. And now the sun is shining and I shall venture out. The pink petals from my dream may not be real, but love and friendship and compassion most certainly are. As the song says, Life is precious, and every day is a prize. And so, here is my wish today for all of you:
xoxo
– g
To celebrate, I’ll treat you to a tour of the incredibly beautiful things that Kat has made and sent to me since our friendship began last summer. She has a tremendous sensitivity to beauty and graceful, inspiring imagery and if you visit her blog regularly as I do, you know it is just a peacefully gorgeous place to spent time. And if you haven’t visited her at
Secrets, please do so right after you read this!
• • • •
When D and I went to Peru in September and October, Kat asked if I could pick her up a small handcrafted bag at one of the street markets. I had so much fun shopping for her in Peru! (she’s posted a photo of the colorful handmade
bag I found for her in Peru over at Secrets) She kindly offered a swap and I mentioned that I so adored her collages that I’d seen in her Flickr stream. I must say that fairy dust fell across the garden when I received from her this gorgeous creation:
• • • •
I find it divine in every way, the colors, the care and
all the charming little embellishments:
The details are exquisite:
I can’t really say how much I love it! It’s on the shelf above my desk as I write this.
• • • •
And not long after, we exchanged Christmas packages. Unfortunately, mine to her was much delayed by blankets of snow where she lives in Merry Olde England, until well into January. But, I received hers in time and here it is!
Handmade card and tags
Beautiful angel wrapping paper enveloping a Cath Kidston hand towel,
Cath Kidston Rose & Carnation soap and a lovely china dish with roses!
• • • •
And THEN, our January birthdays! She smartly and thoughtfully mailed a package to me well ahead of time so it was sitting on my desk for a few weeks while I waited (im)patiently to open it on my birthay. It contained more dreamy, flowering, magical treats!
The lace, ribbon and pearl cuff bracelet Kat made herself, as the cards and tags. The card alone is so beautiful, I just keep staring at it!
I sent off a package to Kat for her birthday and hope it arrives in time!
• • • •
I’m sure by now you can appreciate what a thoughtful and beautiful spirit Kat is. Lastly, I’d like to share her book,
Wishes of Peace, which she wrote and photographed herself and which is available to purchase on
Blurb.
I purchased a copy as soon as it was released! As with everything Kat creates, it is inspiring, uplifting and full of hope.
I hope you’ve enjoyed seeing all these treasures that were made with love and friendship, a friend I would not have met but for Flickr and blogging, just like all of you! I hope that you get to know Kat as I have done for she is a very precious soul. Do visit her at
Secrets of a Butterfly!
Very Happy Birthday, Kat!
love and hugs,
xoxo
– g
• • • •
A break in the rain today, which really means it became a softly falling mist instead of a downpour, afforded me an opportunity to spend an hour in the woodland garden, clearing away the last of the leaves to create a welcome stage for the daffodils, crocus, hyacinth and other bulbs which are already shouldering their way up.
• • • •
But the January stars of the garden are our beautiful hellebores, many flowering already and all showing healthy buds. I adore these plants for their evergreen leaves, exotic blooms, perseverance and their disregard for the vagaries of winter weather.
In the garden, their gently nodding heads require that you get very close and low and carefully lift them upward to appreciate their full beauty. Floating in water, they create a serene and lasting arrangement, somewhat Zen in their purity.
• • • •
In a week that highlighted the suffering of so many, I find these stalwarts of the winter garden a welcome metaphor for endurance in the face of bleakness, for hope and for rebirth.
• • • •
(No doubt there will be many more images of them in future posts – they bloom from now until early summer…)
– g
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