2012 - A New Year Begins!

"For all those years you've protected the seed.
It's time to become the beautiful flower."
- Stephen C. Paul

I really appreciate the lovely people that I have met through the wonders of blogging.
I hope 2012 is full of good things for you. - Susannah x

I wish you sunlight and green spaces. . .

Time to reflect and notice the beauty. . .

Interesting doorways to explore. . .

Strong deep roots to anchor you . . .

"Walking, I am listening to a deeper way. Suddenly all my ancestors are behind me.
Be still, they say. Watch and listen. You are the result of the love of thousands."
- Linda Hogan

And the chance to soar. . .

A Note to my Soul

Shine from me and fill my world with light.
Let love, compassion, and all good things
radiate outward from my core.

Let me seek evolution, whilst trusting
the goodness of universal love.

Let my life be a mirror,
to the beauty of all that is.

Let me transform, and purify, and make whole.

Let me be aware.
Right here - Right now.

Let me align with my highest vision,
and join hands with my very soul.

Let me live with love,
and the deepest of understanding.

- SB

Be all that you can be!

Good health, peace, happiness and much joy to you all.

It is a pleasure to share this space with you.

Lots of love - Susannah x

Thought of the week

"Optimism is joyful searching; pessimism is a prison of fear and a clutching at illusionary safety." - Kathleen A. Brehony

I am linking this post to week 68 of I Saw Sunday
Images - Susannah Bec

A pile of gold hidden in the shadows. . .

"The evergreen! How beautiful, how welcome, how wonderful the evergreen!" - Jane Austen

Every year to celebrate this festive season, telegraph poles throughout the village are adorned with bunches of greenery tied with red ribbons.

All of the greenery has been lovingly harvested from the hedgerows and from peoples gardens and donated to the cause.

Then in the village hall, a team of willing volunteers give up their time to cut and bind it all into swags of evergreen to decorate the village. Ensuring that a long held village tradition continues on for another year.

There are minimal decorations inside my house this year. . .

Just stars, fairy lights and a single sprig of holly. . .

with the sunlight and mild temperatures it is not very seasonal

but it is always good to see the sun shining

Red berries outside my window, teamed up with the sunshine
to decorate my curtains with beautiful shadows. . .

And while out walking I saw a pile of gold hidden in the shadows. . .

Then came the winter solstice and the candles were lit. . .

and twinkly lights shone - illuminating the longest night

"There is magic, but you have to be the magician.
You have to make the magic happen."
- Sidney Sheldon

Light the darkness with your shining selves!

Good health, peace, happiness and much joy to you all.
Lots of love - Susannah x

Thought of the week

"Don’t forget to love yourself." - Soren Kierkegaard

I am linking this post to week 67 of I Saw Sunday
Images - Susannah Bec

On The Longest Night of the Year

"The candles are lit. Little sparks of light glimmering, promising hope as they flicker and shine.
I welcome the darkness of this the longest night and willingly accept its gifts,
as I wait in anticipation for the sun to be reborn."

I'd like to take this opportunity to wish you all a happy solstice,
a cool yule, and a wonderful festive season!

Light the darkness with your shining selves!

Good health, peace, happiness and much joy to you all. - Susannah x

Image - Susannah Bec

Pink Light, Birds, Bells and Buddha's

“Follow the river and you will find the sea." - French Proverb

Sometimes I awaken before it is light, and I sit and watch the dawn arrive.
Slowly dissolving the darkness with its gentle pink light. . .

Jackdaws greeting the new day from the top of 'their' trees.

I adore the view from my computer, I look up and these are the views I see.
I always feel I am more a part of that world out there, than I am
part of the rooms stretching out behind my chair.

Though of the rest of those rooms that I inhabit, my bedroom is my favourite room.
It has a big window that lets the light come streaming in, and is full of bright colours and pretty things.
It cheers me up and makes me smile. It always feels like summer in there!

What about you, what's your favourite room in your home?

"Joy does not simply happen to us.
We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day."
- Henri Nouwen

And here's my newly arrived snowflake, courtesy of Penny (Jinksy) and her caption competition. I love it, and it looks like those birds are eyeing the new arrival carefully too. :-)

In the shadows of my front room the Buddha is steadfastly holding his focus. . .

I'd like to thank all of you who left comments and good wishes on my post last week about my sister Deborah getting married! I've passed on your good thoughts to the newlyweds. :-)

I hope your week was a good one. x

Thought of the week

"Do your little bit of good where you are;
it's those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world."
- Bishop Desmond Tutu

I am linking this post to week 66 of I Saw Sunday
Images - Susannah Bec

Right there in black and white . . .

"Speak to me of love, said St. Francis to the almond tree, and the tree blossomed."

- Nicholas Kazantzakis

This last Wednesday after twenty three years together,
my lovely sister Deborah and her partner Wayne
finally became husband and wife.

They slipped off quietly together, and with just their daughter as witness, they made it official!

What struck me most, was what Deb said about the really low key wedding. . .
"the 'getting married' isn't important to me, but the 'being married' is."
Yep, that's the truth, right there in black and white.

Wishing them both 'Happy Ever After' and all the love in the world!

You can see more pictures of the day on Deborah's blog - The Caterpillar Uprising.

Thought of the week

"Beauty in things exists in the mind which contemplates them." - David Hume

I am linking this post to week 65 of I Saw Sunday

Taking a walk around the village. . .

"Hello darkness my old friend, I've come to talk to you again" - Simon & Garfunkel

December and its dark evenings seems to have snuck up on me this year. It seems strange to think that in just a few weeks time it will be the longest night! and from the winter solstice onward the light will gradually be increasing with each passing day.

As I have got older, I gain great comfort in watching the turning of the year. As with our own life, each stage passed through has its beauty - and each season is as needed and necessary as the last.

"True wisdom lies in gathering the precious things
out of each day as it goes by." - E. S. Bouton

One chilly morning this week, the sun was shining in a clear blue sky and it seemed perfect weather for taking a walk around the village.

Here are a few of the things I noticed on my walk. . .

Sunshine and long shadows.

I loved all the splashes of red - Lots of berries this year too!

I noticed that there is still lots of colour left in the gardens.

What lovely subtle colours! I love the fact that the little suckers
are visible - and the wonderful colours of the lichen

- the colours are echoed in this old door.

Then at the stables at the top of our road, I spotted this lovely horse and his shadow.
- What is he looking at I wondered?

Then I noticed the farrier! About to deal with two of his stable mates.

- They were both watching him too, looking very interested as he prepared his tools.

Then a long view over the fields, before heading for home.

Thank you for sharing my week. I hope all is well with you all. x

By the way - I did it! :-)
(I haven't yet finished the story but I did manage to complete the 50k word challenge.)

Thought of the week

"Give thanks for unknown blessings already on their way."
- Native American saying

I am linking this post to week 64 of I Saw Sunday

Images and words - Susannah Bec