born to fly

and this, my friends, is what makes it all worthwhile...

joie de vivre n. Hearty or carefree enjoyment of life.

My girl...

searching for crawdads in the creek...

and waterbugs in the pond...

 

no fear this one...

  

just pure JOY.

Watch out world for this one.

xoxo

CS

vintage treasure hunting...

My mama and I went meandering last weekend in search of treasure...

 

we found this lovely aqua vintage ring case along with lovely sparkles to fill it up...

  

a vintage bisque doll's head... 

vintage postcards, porcelin dishes and lace...

 

gorgeous baby photos, and this lovely pink cameo.

Enjoy!

xoxo

signs of spring...

And Spring arose on the garden fair,
Like the Spirit of Love felt everywhere;

 

And each flower and herb on Earth's dark breast
rose from the dreams of its wintry rest...

 

When Heaven's blithe winds had unfolded them,
As mine-lamps enkindle a hidden gem...

Shone smiling to Heaven, and every one               
Shared joy in the light of the gentle sun...

{Poem excerpts taken from Percy Bysshe Shelley's, The Sensitive Plant.}

Thanks and appreciation for this post to:

1. The baby chicks hatched in sweetpea #2's classroom...

    they have all found a new home on the farm.

2. My blooming spring flowers.

    and

3. The tiny baby birdies the sweetpea's discovered in a neighbor's tree...

    can you see the tiny beaks peeking out of the nest?

4. God.

       For everyday reminders of Grace.

xoxo

CS

 

strawberry fields...

I will not stand and wait for life to come.

I will live what I am dreaming of.

I will live what I am dreaming of.

-trading yesterday

 

xoxo

CS

The one about the lilac...

Almost four years ago, when we had just moved cross country from WA state to Northern VA, one of the first things I did was go to the nursery and purchase a lilac shrub to plant in our yard.

There are certain flowers and plants that just make a house and yard feel like HOME. Lilac with its beautifully fragrant shower of blooms has always been near the top of that list for me.

And so I dug, and planted, and watered, and nurtured and fertilized.

And waited.

Sure my blooms would arrive and all the sweat, perseverance and love would pay off.

And...

my lilac shrub caught a disease and limb by limb withered, browned and shriveled before my eyes.

Sadness and confusion.

I studied and researched online all about my lilac to try to find a cure.

Turns out the only solution was to cut the lilac completely back...to the ground...and it "might" reemerge at some point.

Chances are it was gone for good.

And so, I did what needed to be done and said au revoir to my beautiful lilac shrub.

 

I moved on to other plants and flowers in the garden that I had easier success with. Every now and again I would think of buying another lilac shrub to replant but thought...

why should I when it will probably just die too?

And so, life moved one...I made our house a home with other growing things and checked back into that empty spot where the lilac once stood and saw...

nothing year one...

nothing year two...

I don't know exactly why, but the spot remained bare and I never did replant anything there.

and then year three...

a small green shoot appeared out of the ground in the very spot where my lilac had been planted.

I thought...

probably a weed...but...

and I just let it grow...unattended, self directed, self nutured.

and then year four...

 

All on its own...

my beautiful lilac shrub sprouted its lovely green leaves and fragrant blossoms.

Showing off its strength for all passerbys to see.

I'd love to say that I had faith the entire time...that I never gave up on that lilac shrub...

instead I'll say...

lesson well learned.

Many of you know the struggles I've been through with my oldest sweet pea. I'm reminded here, through the beauty of my lilac shrub, that no matter how much you love and nuture with the best intentions...life just doesn't always pan out the way we've planned it.

Sometimes we have to cut back, start over, give things up to God....

I'm happy to say that just like my blooming lilac, sweet pea #1 has in turn found his direction, on his own, and is thriving and blooming.

 

Who knows what next year will bring...

but for TODAY, I'm enjoying the blooms.

xoxo

CS

Happy Mother's Day...

 

Enjoy all the little moments of TODAY.

xoxo

CS

*Digital kit above from Kenner Road and photo frame from Rhonna Farrer.*

spending time...just spending time...

With the sweet peas...on a family trip to VT to visit their big brother at school.

 

ENJOYING everyday moments in time...

 

DOCUMENTING the little pieces that make up our life...

 

COMFORTABLE in the knowledge...

 

that my photography may not be perfect, but I've still managed to capture how my HEART felt at this particular moment.

GRATEFUL that someone else occasionally grabs the camera so mama can be recorded as a part of the journey...

 

LOVING when these smiles come out on display...

 

Simply spending time.

xoxo

CS

playing catch up as usual...

playing a little spring flag football...

 

yes he got the flag...

and ok I did bribe him with $1 per flag. <hanging my head shamefully> (He pulled 6 flags that game.)

 

enjoying the sideline entertainment as daddy throws sweetest pea #3 into the air...

 

and mama tries not to have a heart attack...

xoxo

cs