Spring

Robin

My friend the robin has been sitting at the edges of the house all day waiting for his picture to be taken, warming himself in the sun, looking in at me through the window I use to look out at him. I think he wonders at my choice of nest. Surely something smaller, something you've made yourself, something open to air and sunlight, surely that would be a nicer place to live ...and I think he might be right.

"The reason birds can fly and we can't is simply because they have perfect faith, for to have faith is to have wings." -- J.M. Barrie

"I want to sing like the birds sing, not worrying about who hears or what they think." — Mawlana Jalal-al-Din Rumi

"What wings are to a bird, and sails to a ship, so is prayer to the soul." — Corrie Ten Boom

Random Photos

Have you ever noticed how sometimes photos accumulate? Like leaves caught in the eddy of a stream they swirl and gather, remaining stationary, not flowing on, unclassified, passed by. They're just waiting for a rush of water to carry them forward, down stream, out into the world. Planters I once liked the look of, long since sold out, but I like the look of the photo so much still it sits in my digital files waiting to be inspiration for something someday.
Magnolia blossoms from last spring, still in my cell phone images, wait to be joined by this year's saucer blooms.

And a butterfly from last summer when the Phlox was in bloom attracting every nectar loving insect and bird in the neighborhood.

A Proper Tea Party

Some of you may recall that I, my nieces, and nephew have been quilting our way through American History. They've been learning a little about sewing and a lot about our country's past by making quilt blocks with their aunt.

Friday when they arrived little Emma (she's 3) wanted to have a tea party. We often have tea parties when I babysit, they help me make chocolate chip scones and then gather round the coffee table for peppermint tea and scones. However, there wasn't time for quilting and a tea party... but there was a compromise: She could make a quilt block about the Boston Tea Party. She was delighted.

In American history the colonists in Boston threw a shipment of tea from England into the Boston harbor in protest over the high taxes they were being forced to pay the crown. In fabric crayon terms that means a whole lot of blue scribbling to represent the water to start with.

Next an orange crayon was selected. "I think this is the colour the tea cups were" she said.


Well obviously, for it to be a tea party you'd need tea cups. That just makes sense.