I’ll be off grid next week, adventuring with hubby and backpack in the wilderness. So, have a great week ahead and I leave you with this bright beauty and the moods of seasons…
Autumn admired the brilliant blue sky
Winter wiggled out of my sneakers
Spring tapped me on the shoulder
Summer’s hello, sweet as apple pie!
Lauren Scott (c) ❤️
Sometimes, we find ourselves walking in the wrong direction at a good clip, so preoccupied that the gap in the pavement trips us, tumbling us in. Darkness seizes. Uncertainty and fear join in the huddle. Our bodies paralyzed by fear’s powerful grasp. But thoughts penetrate in the depths of our minds, how strength has always been a constant in our lives where weakness only an acquaintance. So, with great mental bandwidth, our fingers grip each little crevice of gloom like a seasoned rock climber. We move, inching upward, finding our way out as darkness begins to dim, and rays from the big golden ball in the sky warm our shoulders. We revel in our accomplishment, never again underestimating our capabilities, as we joyfully hold the future in our hands.
Enjoy your weekend, Feel empowered, and a Big Thanks to all of you for reading, liking, and commenting throughout the years.
Lauren Scott (c) ❤️
Strength photo: Google
My daughter took these photos in Tennessee
and these murals are too amazing not to share.
The artists are most likely local, so we do not take credit.
In fact, we applaud them not only for their talent,
but for the timely messages.
Don’t you agree the world needs a great deal more
of Peace, Love, and Sunflowers?
What a year this has been…so traumatic and devastating for many because of the loss they have endured, and for the rest of us, it has been a time where new normals could not be avoided – different ways of going about our everyday lives simply had to be implemented. For the west coast, fire season has come and gone, and gratefully, our first family of raindrops has arrived. Mother Earth smiles and sighs with relief.
Autumn officially presents herself and brings a cozy, warm complexion of spicy nutmegs, pumpkin oranges, burnt squash yellows, and pomegranate reds. Can we break away from the rat race even for a moment and remember to inhale, then exhale, s-l-o-w-l-y?
Do you think we can relax the pace and capture the magic around us that we would normally let pass by?
Maybe in that moment as the landscape shifts, we will feel gratitude for the gift of another day and the possibilities in a new year that are so close we can almost touch them ever so gently.
Love, Blessings, Happy Monday, & Stay well, Lauren 😊🧡🍁🍂🧡
UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL
ALL GROWN UP, STANDING TALL AND PROUD
NEW BRILLIANT BUD
THIS ONE WAS TRAMPLED BY COPPER AS HE
DASHED QUICKLY TO CATCH A SQUIRREL,
WHICH GOT AWAY (HE WAS SO SORRY
ABOUT THE SQUIRREL AND SUNFLOWER). 🙂
THE STEM LIES HORIZONTALLY, THEN STANDS UPWARD
AS YOU SEE IN THIS PHOTO. IT’S PRETTY AMAZING
THAT THIS LITTLE ONE PERSEVERED AND FOUGHT
TO LIVE. IT MAY NOT BE THE TALLEST, BUT IT’S THE
BRAVEST AND STRONGEST. WE CALL IT, ‘THE FIGHTER.’
MY HUSBAND CAPTURED THIS BUZZING BEAUTY!
(Please excuse any weeds you may see; we’re a little behind in that
glorious task. And I hope you’re not tired of these beauties just yet. This
year has been our first for sunflower experimentation. So, to see
them grow and bloom has been a real treat for all of us.)
Sunflower Satisfaction
Feeling a sense of wonder
watching them sprout
with newfound delight –
entering into the land
of blossoms and buzzing,
a gift unto all who enjoy
beneath the golden light
Lauren Scott © 2018 💕🌻
Hi All! We’re back in civilization, and I’m in the process of organizing our photos. I’ll share a few once I’m done. The lake was beautiful beyond imagination, and the relaxation was a wonderful change. As much as technology is appealing, to be unplugged is a treasure!
For today, I thought of sharing some unusual flowers and bushes from our yard. #1 photo is of our first sunflower bloom, a red sunflower. Have you seen one of these before? #2 is our Abutilon bush with its orange/yellow blossoms, which is dearly loved by hummingbirds. We sit at our table on the patio and listen for their arrival, then watch them joyfully drink. #3 is our Butterfly bush showing off its gorgeous purple flowers, which yes, attracts butterflies. I have yet to catch a hummingbird or butterfly in a photo, though. Hopefully, someday soon. And lastly, here are some quotes from John Muir to take you into the weekend:
“When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.”
“In every walk with Nature one receives far more than he seeks.”
“The world’s big and I want to have a good look at it before it gets dark.”
I hope you’ve all been well. Doing some camping clean-up is on the weekend agenda, along with reading some blogs. 🙂
Happy Friday! ❤🌼🌻
First of all, our little finch family has flown for good. It wasn’t long after the babies had hatched that the whole family had soon left. In our minds, it happened so fast, and unfortunately, we weren’t able to say good-bye. Well, it was fun watching the process – first time for everything, and now that Mr. & Mrs. Finch know our house is a safe haven, they just might return if they decide to grow their family. 🙂
Secondly, my husband and I are leaving this weekend for a camping adventure. It’ll be fun to get away, to immerse in some relaxation, hiking, and swimming. We both love time spent in the mountains, among the freshwater lakes and majestic pines. There’s just something special about that mountain air! Needless to say, I won’t be blogging, but I’ll return later next week. And for fun, I’m sharing some photos that may bring a smile…
Copper’s having fun, but who’s winning?
What a beautiful, fluffy, summer sky!
Finally, a sunflower bud, so we’re still eager for the blooms.
On a walk with Copper, look who we saw prancing!
And these flowers popped out, too. Just lovely and friendly,
don’t you think?
I plan to do some blog-reading until we leave; otherwise, I’ll see you when I return to city life and technology. Until then, take care and stay safe. Lauren 🌼❤🌻
This is one of several sunflowers we have planted around the yard and the only one that is potted. Because these seeds are in a pot, they’re probably at their true height right now. Last night, we even saw a new bud! Can’t wait to see that inspiring bright yellow flower!
It’s the little things in life that bring true joy, isn’t it? If we stop what we’re doing, if we slow down instead of frantically moving about, the little things will stand out more so not to be missed. As you know from prior posts, I’ve never been into gardening, but something sparked my interest this year. I’ve learned to appreciate taking care of flowers and plants, and then watching them grow and bloom. A special kind of beauty. We have a regular routine, but if they look dry at any time in-between, it’s as though my heart breaks before getting out the hose and giving them their much needed drink of water.
So, to end the week, I’m sharing some sunflower joy, and to encourage you all (myself included) to continue enjoying the little things in your lives. They are what matter most. They are what bring true joy within. I’ll end with a few inspiring quotes…
“You need to let the little things that would ordinarily bore you suddenly thrill you.”
~ Andy Warhol
“The small things of life were often so much bigger than the great things . . . the trivial pleasure like cooking, one’s home, little poems especially sad ones, solitary walks, funny things seen and overheard.”
~Barbara Pym
“I live to enjoy life by the littlest things, feeling the grass between my toes, breathing fresh air, watching the wind sway the trees, enjoying the company of loved ones, a deep conversation, getting lost in a good book, going for a walk in nature, watching my kids grow up. Just the feeling itself of being alive, the absolute amazing fact that we are here right now, breathing, thinking, doing.”
~Marigold Wellington
HAPPY FRIDAY AND HAPPY WEEKEND AHEAD. GO OUT AND ENJOY THE LITTLE THINGS, AND BE GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY!
LOTS OF LOVE, LAUREN ❤🌼🌷🌻😊
My last post on the topic of mass shootings was depressing, although
another chance to bring awareness to this frequented tragic issue in our country.
However, I thought it was time for a more hopeful topic. So, this photo shows
sunflowers-to-be! Yes, sunflowers growing from seeds (one of three pots), and
watching them sprout evokes feelings of awe and wonder – awakening
excitement and promise of tomorrow and of new life.
After they grow to around 12″, we’ll transplant them in the ground. We’ve
also planted some seeds around the yard and are enjoying watching those
sprout up, too. We have a garden area in front of the house that might be
a good place for transplanting these – for tall, happy sunflowers greeting
all who stroll by. The trouble is that we have deer wandering around all
the time. So, we’d have to put some kind of wire fence around them. Other-
wise, we’d be providing lunch for the dear deer. 🙂
Anyway, below are some quotes I found online…
“All the flowers of all the tomorrows are in the seeds of today.”
~ Chinese Proverb
“The tiny seed knew that in order to grow, it needed to be dropped in dirt,
covered in darkness, and struggle to reach the light.”
~ Anonymous
“The season of failure is the best time for sowing the seeds of success.”
~Paramahansa Yogananda
“The earth laughs in flowers.”
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
Sunflowers are happy flowers. They exude joy and friendliness, don’t you think? Fingers are crossed and with our love and care, we pray these seeds will grow to their full potential. I’ll keep you posted, and I hope you enjoyed this splash of hope and inspiration. xoxo
(Goal in sight) 🙂
There’s a home for negativity
It’s called the “round file”
Toss it in with verve
Let it stay for awhile
Watch your life improve
Get better in rapid time
Without it’s trying presence
Your world is now sublime
LScott © 2013
Photo: Google Images
Wishing you a day filled with sunshine,
even if your weather isn’t smiling! ♥
♥
Baydreamer ~ Lauren Scott 