Bella and the park

Bean and I met an adorable Bella yesterday at the park.  Bella marched up proudly and explained "My name is Isabella, but I prefer Bella and I'm four". She asked us to watch her go down the slide and she bounced very gently on the see-saw with Bean.  She looked at Bean and then at me and said "You're her favourite person you know".   It was beautiful - so intuitive and loving. 

I asked Bella if her Mum was her favourite person and the answer was "Oh yes".  She pointed to three women near the swings and said "My Mummy is one of those Mummies over there, the one holding my sister."

The sun was shining and it was really great to meet Bella.  She seemed so wise for four! Are they all like this? Gem!

I'm off to the river

The mark of a successful person is one that has spent an entire day on the bank of a river without feeling guilty about it.
- Author unknown

Thank your lucky skies

 

Bean's 1st party is very soon

"Enthusiasm is excitement with inspiration, motivation, and a pinch of creativity."

- Bo Bennett

No wonder the cow is chilled

Troubling

"Nothing is permanent in this wicked world - not even our troubles."
 - Charlie Chaplin

Loving leaves

 

I love you Mum

Mothers and daughters are closest, when daughters become mothers.  

- Author Unknown

UK wanderings

We lost

How you think when you lose determines how long it will be until you win.

- G.K Chesterton

Beginnings & endings

 

 

 

Simple

The greatest step towards a life of simplicity is to learn to let go.

- Steve Maraboli

Beauty on our journey

Present

Today I released a little home of happiness called present.  If you're wondering what on earth I'm talking about visit 1000 Homes of Happiness and have a look.   In a nutshell, it is the wonderful, inspiring project of a fantastic mother and her three gorgeous girls.  It involves paper, words, love and postage and is brightening lives every day.

Present is something I try very hard to be these days.  Recovering from PND and anxiety has taught me the importance of being present.  Taking a good, deep breath and living in the moment.  Not worrying about the future or regretting things from yesterday.  Breathe...ahh, life's good, because it is just now.

I also love to give presents.  I'd much rather give presents than receive them.  I love unique paper and ribbon and I stumbled across a lovely little shop near my house recently that sells amazing paper, ribbon, cards and yes....even some presents!  They also have some origami and Japanese inspired cards and gifts.  

What better place to release sweet little home present?

Here she is...doesn't she look right at home?

 

The Bean blessing our little home just prior to release

I really, really, REALLY hope a kind person on a mission to find a beautiful card for someone they love finds present amongst the gorgeous things in this shop and lets Kellie, Poppy, Ava & Bloss from  1000 Homes of Happiness know all about how they found her!  And something deliciously coincidental - little home mindfulness was recently released by the girls!  Wow what a gem, such a lovely coincidence!

Some great words I love about being present...  

"Having spent the better part of my life trying either to relive the past or experience the future before it arrives, I have come to believe that in between these two extremes is peace. "

- Anon

"Children have neither past nor future;
they enjoy the present, which very few of us do."

- Jean de la Bruyere

"Today is the greatest
Day I've ever known
Can't live for tomorrow,
Tomorrow's much too long...."

- Billy Corgan (Smashing Pumpkins), "Today"

"Unease, anxiety, tension, stress, worry — all forms of fear — are cause by too much future, and not enough presence. Guilt, regret, resentment, grievances, sadness, bitterness, and all forms of nonforgiveness are caused by too much past, and not enough presence"
- Eckhart Tolle

My gorgeous garden

Old friend

"One of the greatest titles we can have is 'old friend'.  We never appreciate how important old friends are until we are older.  The problem is we need to start our old friendships when we are young.  We then have to nurture and grow those friendships over our middle age when a busy life and changing geographies can cause us to neglect those friends.  Today is the day to invest in those people we hope will call us 'old friend' in the years to come."

- Grant Fairley

We found our own fun outside

Family

The goodness of the father reaches higher than a mountain; that of the mother goes deeper than the ocean.
- Japanese Proverb

Craving colour

Oops

When you realize you've made a mistake, make amends immediately.  It's easier to eat crow while it's still warm.  

- Dan Heist

Park life

Looking forward to Spring

Thank God for Spring

when all the world is new again

and even gnarled old trees

wear coloured blossoms

on their scarred grey limbs

and reach the sky

to capture once again,

a passing bird

or honey bee -

- Nan Witcomb

Ahhh where we were married

My niece loves butterflies

May the wings of the butterfly kiss the sun
And find your shoulder to light on,
To bring you luck, happiness and riches
Today, tomorrow and beyond. 
- Irish Blessing

Travels