a gratitude fling...

the weather here in bohemia is mercurial... the bohemian is sure she has mentioned that before. once or twice. per season, even. possibly...

but she never tires of her mountains, at the feet of which she is so thankful to be able to dwell...

and although the wind tried to destroy her camellia bush by blowing half of it over, still it blooms into glorious profusion, to her deep delight...

exchange group challenge: purple and yellow

she is so thankful for time. and resources. and the ability to create...

thankful for PAINT!  and such variety of colors! yummy...

and she's thankful for her tiny magnolia tree, blossoming in fragile white star blossoms the season of its second year of life.

and she is so thankful for her quiet place. a bower beneath the fruit trees, where she can read and think and listen to nature around her... and remember how deeply blessed she is. wishing you deep blessings and refuges full of sweet nature with its riotous colors! go out and take a look....

things to do on a weekend at the farm...

The bohemian's last weekend out in the small village of Llano Verde, Costa Rica... She and her hubby stayed with the family who live in this small house there... Things to do there: watch the pot of beans cook on the fire... pick oranges off the tree (yes, they're ripe and sweet!)... fix the flat tire... stop and smell the flowers... laugh at the calf antics and go to sleep to the sound of cows mooing and chickens crowing... lay around and rest... help with English homework... ride horseback... help catch the chicken for supper... go to church... pet the "fern grass" (that's what the bohemian calls this grass, which cringes and folds up when you stroke it)... watch the cows go past on their way to the pasture... listen to children say Bible verses and sing songs... say farewells to the family we stayed with... (The bohemian's youngest daughter actually stayed all week in this village to be immersed in Spanish and help their son with his English. The parents are to the left, the 3 girls beside the bohemian belong to her missionary friends. That's her honey beside her and the son studying English, beside him. The other young man is a friend who is always visiting there.) And so the bohemian's visit to Bohemia of the south comes to an end. She says farewell to the warmth and beauty of Costa Rica and prepares herself for the winter weather hitting the Pacific Northwest right now. She wishes all of you a very warm and toasty Thanksgiving celebration. Have a gratitude Fling...make your list of all you have to be thankful for. Don't forget to list playfulness, then go out and play! Pumpkin-pie-with-whipped-cream wishes to you all...

simple pleasures...

simple pleasures are life's greatest treasures... it's perhaps cliche but oh so true! it feels like its time for another gratitude fling! and so my list begins: my bohemian mountain majesty; the gorgeous sunny days we have been having; the balmy breeze that keeps it cool... this gift of a pashmina silk scarf from my daughter; the silver threads that run through it and sparkle softly; the lovely green swirls... time for creating art!! the gorgeous colors of art papers; paper punches and inks and stamps and embossing powders; and powerful imaginative, creative WORDS... metallics that shine and sparkle; glue, paper, scissors and tape; an intimately personal way to send love and wishes... colorful and powerful reminders to laugh and to hope... and parties!!! with balloons and crepe paper and cake and champagne punch and laughter and gift giving and loving friendships and family... what's on YOUR gratitude list? go ahead... have a gratitude fling! we have sooooo much to be grateful for! hope you find some playing time to heal your soul and make you laugh.... party laughter wishes to you....

dr. seuss wisdom...

theodore guisel: "I like nonsense---it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living. It's a way of looking at life through the wrong of a telescope---and that enables you to laugh at all of life's realities." oh, i feel another gratitude fling coming on!! i'm grateful for: *nonsense ( funny bones, a sense of humor, the ability to laugh, shared laughter, etc.) *a Thanksgiving celebration filled with all my children and their spouses, around a table laden with abundant blessings *my bohemian mountain, which is there whether i can see it or not, thrusting up from the earth's surface with majesty and grandeur *the xm radio station Holly *leftover turkey for sandwiches *my families *faith and hope and peace and contentment *blog friendships *the colors of my world: blue jays, black cats, orange leaves, glowing rainbows, my burnt orange guest room, christmas lights, painted journal pages, glowing honey-colored wood tones of my walls and floors, lime green fuzzy warm blankets... *memories of loved ones gone on to heaven where they're partying for real *pumpkin pie *cold relief medicine *My Honey --- he's so awesome!! okay. ya gotta stop somewhere. my life is so full of wonderment and abundance i could sit and type for days and days. and bore everyone to death. but sometimes it's just good to list things and realize how extravagantly blessed one is!! thanksgiving blessing and warm wishes to everyone as the christmastime season begins...

"Think big thoughts but relish small pleasures." -H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

the bohemian is today mourning the turn of the weather. it's true the day is warmer than the last, glorious, frosted mornings but with the warmer temperature comes clouds and dark days and, yes, rain. so today she turns her thoughts toward the small pleasures of her days, which pleasures she truly has in abundance. small pleasure #1: as always, her bohemian mountains small pleasure #2: brilliant fall colors small pleasure #3: her happy scarecrow (and ALL the fall decorations) small pleasure #4: holiday craft shows small pleasure #5: sky art (more angel wings) small pleasure #6: COLORS!!! this particular example of riotous color happens to be the bohemian daughter's african sarong, the most beautiful one the bohemian has ever seen. such a small portion of the pleasures of the bohemian's world. she hopes you'll make your own list and smile over it all day long... happy pleasure hunting!!!

a grratitude fling...

small graces: no rain at the Mariners' game! unfortunately, they didn't win...

sky art...

rain means not having to water the garden...

lasagna...

ray bradbury's writing...

butterfly bushes in bloom...

children's laughter...

dreyer's sugar-free ice cream...

good sleep...

many small graces are wished for you! don't forget to notice them! list them...in your journal, in your blog, on the sidewalk with chalk... practice gratitude. hey! i'm thankful for all of you!

small graces...

i get so inspired by dawn over at thoughts from along the broken road and her "grace in small things" lists! she does it every day and i know i can't do that but here's a list for today: * picture windows! i LOVE my huge windows! right now from my computer, i can see outside my house: green trees, blowing in the wind, on a backround of greyblue mountains. just above the mountains hang these white puffy clouds rimmed in a contrasting edge of dark blue. accent colors: pink flowers, yellow leaves, terra cotta colored bricks of the front porch. * hot coffee. two spoonfuls of honey, a dash of half and half. mmmm. i learned to drink coffe in haiti. they served it very strong, with raw cane sugar syrup. yes. just right. * Blue Mountain Grill. right at the end of my country road sits a little highway cafe. it's so nice to be able to go less than a minute from my house and still "go out" to eat. living out in the country, you get used to everything being far away. a trip to town takes up at least half your day! and don't get me started on traffic and road construction because this is supposed to be a gratitude thing here!!!! hurray for our little cafe! * My Honey. i just don't know how to explain how incredible it is to be married to such a wonderful husband! this is not a small grace but a big giant huge grace! he has humor, faithfulness, honor, compassion, good looks and a contagious laugh. and a dash of romance in his soul. love that man of mine! * my children, who are no longer children. -my oldest daughter, jessie: bohemian like me, fun, artistic, a little eccentric like me, dramatic, loves tea shops and parasols but is in NO WAY prissy! married to a romantic gamer who loves her drama... -my oldest son, aaron: redneck, carhart man. a dramatic, charasmatic charmer married to a beautiful girl who puts up with his redneck BS and brings out the tender side of him. not in public, of course...he has an image to uphold! -my younger son, brandon: clown, comedian, full of life, full of joy, full of humor. goes through life making sure everyone is having fun and laughing... his gorgeous girlfriend is as ornery as he is and they are a perfect matched pair! they keep us entertained and laughing... -my youngest daughter, katie: only one at home now. beautiful, funny, compassionate, and has such a servant's heart. she loves to do things for other people. we've travelled all around the world with her and she makes friends wherever we go. hmmmm... long post with no pictures. next time...more pictures. i promise. don't forget to be a joy rebel, a grace observer, a wonder noticer, a bliss hunter, a gratitude lister, and full-on participant in life....

blessed life...

more berries, more bayou... that's our bohemian's day again. it's such a nice cool day today.

the bohemian left the bayou tired but happy. there was laughing and singing and sharing and dancing and lots of children's smiles... but now it was time to go to the market. where's her list? oh. here it is: parsley, deoderant for Her Honey, bread... oh! look at those nectarines! and grapes. and ice cream. oh man, fresh baked french bread. from the market, the bohemian travelled to the gas station: gas and milk. then home again, home again, jiggety, jog... oh wait! stop by Mama's Garden, the fresh vegie stand. yes, yes! tomatoes! the bohemian and Her Honey have tomatoes planted in their garden. and the bohemian had even stolen the first ripe one and ate it all by herself! but she needed MORE! cherry tomatoes, and a lovely bell pepper and a sweet onion. YUM! her gardener friend was there, so chatting and laughter and watching of adorable children. then home, at last. pizza for dinner, ice cream for dessert. cool 75 degree day. yes, the bohemian was a very happy lady today. driving home from the market, she realized how much she loved living in her valley! she drove passed the U-Pick blueberry field, the bicycle rider, the dahlia farmer out walking his dogs around the corn field, the swimmers headed for the river with their tubes, ladies chatting outside the post office... and her fabulous view of her bohemian mountain!! wow. she feels sooooo blessed! hope you do too. don't forget to list EVERY WAY you are blessed. it will make you so grateful and fill you with JOY! till next time... xoxoxo

time for another gratitude fling:

* i am sooo grateful for my fan!!! we don't have air conditioning. we rarely need it. so when we have had this heat wave here in the northwest, our fan made life bearable! * our favorite game farm is in Bandon, Oregon. West Coast Game Farm...if you are EVER anywhere near there, stop in and pet baby wild animals! we've cuddled baby bengal tigers, a baby black leopard, baby linx, a baby cougar...not to mention all the deer, goats, & llamas that just run around loose waiting for you to feed them.

* next year's firewood which will keep us toasty warm!

my daughter (she might be a tree nymph...)

my other daughter (she might be a bohemian like me!)

my cozy cottage in my little village with the wildly wonderful views

my bower...

what are YOU grateful for? come on, take a gratitude fling, won't you? betcha can't do it and not end up with a big smile on your face... i double dog dare you...

gratitude fling...

one small perfect rose on the bush the bohemian's daughter gave her...

yummy colored snapdragons at the dog sitting home...

gorgeous clematis also at the dog sitting house...

thunderstorm coming... it was a doozy!! thunder, lightning, and rain... don't you just LOVE the smell of hot, dry earth just being freshly dampened by a rain storm? mmmmm......

our world's a wondrous, magical place...EXPLORE it and list to yourself all the wonders you find. it will rock your world.

gray thoughts/silver lining

what a gray day today! guess it's a good day to play the "glad game" (disney movie: pollyanna)... what do i like about the color gray? hmmmmmm... let's see... well.... *gray/grey...you can spell it two ways. that's kinda fun. *gray is close to silver, which i like because it's shiny and metallic. *umm... *did you know the pavement in Red Sqare is not red? i know. really random...

*i like ice, snow, and frost (at least to LOOK at!) oh, and dew drops. especially when they're sparkling in the early morning sun. and sitting in a spider web...

*i like the gray color tones of my weathered-wood shaked house...

(okay... so this picture looked grayer when i was loading it)

*DUCT TAPE...I LOVE DUCT TAPE!!!!!!

*mercury. i love the scientific qualities of mercury. it fascinates me! and so pretty-shiny! *and gray is a great color for tabby kittens...

*silver dollars. my grandmother gave me a (real) silver dollar every year for my birthday for a few years when i was small.

*mud puddles are kinda fun. when you have your rubber boots on. and you're in the mood to get wet. and maybe you have a brightly colored umbrella. and a friend.

okay. exercise over. i'm off to bohemia because i KNOW it's sunshining there.

have an awesome day, no matter what the weather is in your neck of the woods. and don't forget to play the "glad game"... yeah, i mean today. do it today!