Happy New Year





My dear friends, a surprise and unexpected visit from my son (he lives in Europe) brought "IT."  My Christmas/Birthday was one of the loveliest I've ever had. I'd like to thank you for your words of hope and encouragement.  

May the New Year bring health, love, and peace. May all your days be filled with magic.

Looking back on the months gone by,

As a new year starts and an old one ends,

We contemplate what brought us joy,

And we think of our loved ones and our friends.

Recalling all the happy times,

Remembering how they enriched our lives,

We reflect upon who really counts,

As the fresh and bright new year arrives.

And when I ponder those who do,

I immediately think of you.

Thanks for being one of the reasons I'll have a Happy New Year!

(Poem by Joanna Fuchs)



P.S. Abby also wishes everyone a Happy New Year, unfortunately, she is too tired to say so personally (notice the hanging tongue :0)

Waiting for "IT"

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"Isn't funny that at Christmas something in you gets so lonely for...I don't know what exactly... but it's something you don't mind so much not having at other times"   Kate L Bosher

Decorations are up, I finally finished the tree, plans for a small, intimate gathering are made, all presents are wrapped, Christmas music resound through the house, and yet... I can't quite feel "it"!

It saddens me to think I've lost my Christmas spirit, so for now I'll  hope it's just misplaced... 

One of those days

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It's one of those days...and I feel "peculiar"...

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So many fluttering, fragile thoughts...

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Dancing with "Fog" and "Smoke"...

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It's one of those days when ONLY red would do...

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I watch "Reality" play games with "Make-believe"...

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It's one of those days when I long to ride somewhere, "anywhere" aboard a train...

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The wind calls me...

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and I don't know what to wear...

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"Solitude" drops in and stays for a while...

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My soul is restless...I hold it in my hands...

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It's one of those days at the Purple Caravan...

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Lessons from my daughter

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I was quite surprised to see the response to my last post. I had no idea so many of you shared this feeling and I thank you for your candid honesty. I enjoyed learning about your special and unique ways to celebrate (or not) the holidays.

As a mother, I try my best to keep negative comments to myself. I don't want to influence my daughter this way. I'd much rather let her decide on her own how to lead her life and enjoy this time of the year. Luckily, my girl prefers small crowds and is quite happy to receive simple but meaningful gifts.

This morning I was still struggling with my "ramdon thoughts" when she came into the room with a big smile on her face and said: "Mom, this year we have another reason to give thanks: We have Abby!"

Afterwards she left for work, totally unaware of how, with just those few words she had lit the way and reminded me of all I should be grateful for! It never ceases to amaze me how much we can learn from our children if we just listen to what they have to say...

Cup of coffee in hand, I stood still, while Abby (looking quite concerned) waited patiently for me to "snap out of it" :0)

Another day, another lesson, another reason to give thanks.

Happy Thanksgiving my dear friends, may your day be filled with joyful abundance!

Random thoughts



(Image Source: Magnolia Pearl)

Thanksgiving Day is merely nine days away and am thinking...am not ready. I am not ready in the sense of "I don't want it to get here" I don't want to go shopping for the food, I don't feel like setting the table, sprucing up the house, or any of the "duties" involved with a holiday.

Christmas is also around the corner. I absolutely cringe at the thought of getting ready for that too. I really don't want to put up the tree, buy presents, gift wrap, etc.

I wish for uneventful days, days without pressure, duties and "musts"  and I wonder, what is wrong with me? Why this apathy? I hate to admit it but I must confess, holidays are getting "old" they seem to be the same, and while tradition is nice, important, and all that, I know if I had a choice I would really break away and simply do without them.

Now, before any of you my dear friends start to get concerned and think I am sad or depressed, please know that I am not. I guess am just going through a phase. Funny, but at my age I feel just like I did when I was fifteen, and as a typical teen thought my life would not be just like everyone else's and was convinced that "my life will be truly unique!"

The girl of the past and the one in the present are sitting together. They are sharing random thoughts...

 

A sparkle on the leaves

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"How silently they tumble down
And come to rest upon the ground
To lay a carpet, rich and rare,
Beneath the trees without a care,
Content to sleep, their work well done,
Colors gleaming in the sun.

At other times, they wildly fly
Until they nearly reach the sky.
Twisting, turning through the air
Till all the trees stand stark and bare.
Exhausted, drop to earth below
To wait, like children, for the snow."
- Elsie N. Brady, Leaves

November has arrived. Pen in hand I sit by my window and try to collect my thoughts. I must try and concentrate and plan for the coming holidays... but I can't! The magic of Autumn continues to lure me and distract me. I use any excuse to go for a walk, to step outside and hear the leaves crunch beneath my feet, to wrap myself in a velvet cloak, to sit on a park bench,  close my eyes and soak the last bit of warmth the golden sun has to offer.

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Abby, who has also succumbed to the spell of the leaves pauses for a moment to model her black velvet dress :0)

 (Sorry, photo is a bit fuzzy)

   

November has not only brought golden leaves, it's also brought a lovely surprise which has added a sparkle to my day. I have received the Simply Lovely Award from my dear friend Paula, the talented creator of Tattered Gold.   In this amazing world of Blogging there are places that shine with a light of their own, places where magical feelings abound. Paula's place is that and more.

Thank you Paula, you are the best!

To continue with the "rules of the game" I should pass on this Award to 15 lovely bloggers. I do agonize everytime I am asked to do this, I TRULY feel that ALL the Blogs I visit and follow deserve this Award and more. So, my dear friends,  feel free to grab the botton and display it. I hope this brings as many special sparkles to your day as it has brought to mine!

 Sunshine is calling... I hear the distant sound of a tamborine...

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"There is music in the meadows, in the air --

Autumn is here;

Skies are gray, but hearts are mellow,

Leaves are crimson, brown, and yellow;

Pines are soughing, birches stir,

And the Gipsy trail is fresh beneath the fir..."

(William Stanley Braithwaite, Lyric of Autumn)

Happy Halloween

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Here I am, perched upon my broomstick, ready to take off and enjoy my most favorite day...

Here I am, wishing you a magical Halloween. Let those secret wishes soar into the night and may nothing but good vibes sparkle your day!

Happy Halloween my sweet friends!!!

Under October's spell



"There is a path that leads to nowhere...

there is a path that leads everywhere...

I follow the path...

and the path follows me..."

Hello dear friends, it's been a while since I last wrote. I am so behind in catching up with everything!  I note that I am becoming more and more impulsive and very prone to let my thoughts meander. Dust bunnies are taking possession and multiplying in many corners of our house and yet here I am, totally lost in my own world!

The days are absolutely too fantastic. It would be a shame to waste them only to perform such banal tasks. The way I see it, no matter what, the dust will wait until I am ready. Don't you agree?

Our beloved country place will be closed in exactly two weeks. I have chosen the paint colors for the walls and have decided on the type of floors (it will seem very long till April gets here!) In the meantime, I have added a lamp I found at a local thrift shop and embellished with a beaded fringe for that romantic gipsy look I love so much.

From the moment we found the place I envisioned "the" lamp for the dining area. After a non-fruitful long search on the internet I found it by pure chance in a delightful shop located in Montclair. It was their last one and it was on sale!



 Meals really do taste so much better under the many colored "gems" that sparkle lending a touch of magic and romance...



Busy decorating with lamps and dealing with poor Abby's ear infection (don't have a clue as to how and where she got it!) but now that she is much better (don't let the puppy eyes fool you :0)





I have been able to find time to play. The lonely country roads covered with golden, crunchy leaves are full of treasures waiting to be discovered... I put on my best hat and set out to find them...



There is something about wearing a hat with a veil, I am suddenly a woman of mystery, in tune with everything around...



Wrapped within a cozy shawl... the witch inside me wakes up slowly...



I play with the fire and wish for good things...

Halloween has come early to the Purple Caravan, I dance and play with the Moon...

After the day breaks, the "witch" inside me goes to sleep, and for now it's just good old me, Abby, and this amazing sunshine...

 May all your leaves be golden and may all your dreams come true ...

Diamond Days



I had a very difficult week. I won't go into details but I will say this: coaxing a cold, wet puppy to go and do "her business" while holding on to an umbrella that seemed to have a life of it's own, while pushing away a poncho that kept slapping my face, was not easy. To make matters worse, once Abby realized there was mud to play with, my struggles took Herculian proportions!

But then, on Friday, after a rainy start, my favorite month arrived in full glory. I ventured out to check the damage made by the storms and was thrilled to find these survivors buried under broken branches and dead leaves:

The incredible light that seemed to come from within each and every branch made it's way into my spirit...

And so I spent Saturday morning re-arranging this...



and that...



and this too...

At the end of every season, I can't help but think on how the wheels of time keep turning and how important it is to live each day to the fullest.

I roamed about the house and felt the power of the sunlight filtering through...



In between changing and arranging I paused for a while and said good-bye to the pretty Summer blooms...



I also said good-bye to this little fairy that sleeps on the foot of my bed from Spring to Summer...

It got a little crazy as boxes were moved about and little witches started to appear...



There was a lot to be done but golden trees were calling...and so was Abby...

My dear friends, I wish you Diamond Days, full of magic sparkles, crunchy leaves, cool, brisk air and above all, a peaceful heart. Happy October! XO