spring – Let's Have Another Piece of Pie

Spring Is In the Air

It is finally warm outside here, in The Middle. Buds are on the trees and some have blossoms. Birds are singing and nesting and flying north once again.

I have longed for this. Winter lasted a long time this year and kept coming back every now and then. I do believe it is finally gone.

I sat outside for a couple of hours this morning just soaking up the sun and vitamin D. I love it. The breeze and the bright blue sky brings hope on its’ wings.

Here are some photos I grabbed….. go ahead and click on each one…….

“You talkin’ to me?”

I see you

elusive cardinal

neighbors

snow geese – way up high

buds

again – elusive cardinal

Enjoy!

Cate B

Spring Time Around The Burg 2016

We are having a lovely Spring in The Middle this year. Perfect temperatures. Not quite enough rain but a bit here and there.

We enjoyed a drive yesterday in the country toward a town called Calhoun and onward to Warsaw, Missouri located on a portion of Truman Lake. We had a late breakfast at The Rusty Skillet.

Here are some pics – taken from my iPhone6 but recognizable. 😀

Enjoy! Cate B

my Hayley Mills needing a haircut

Beef

“behind” Warsaw

high rise

words fitly spoken

Danger

Today I was sitting in my friends business having a wonderful time catching up and sipping coffee. They have a Quilt Shop. They sell all the supplies you need to make your own quilts from material and threads to the machines that assist you. There is an atmosphere of peace there.

I love businesses that bring out the creativity in people. I always get inspired without anyone saying anything to me. Even home improvement stores do that to me. But I am one to not always succumb to the long arms of creativity that reach out and taunt you until you say yes to their biddings. Then, before you know it, the tentacles grab you and lure you to buy all the supplies you need to make the perfect item you see displayed in all its finished glory before you.

I’m being funny here. I have learned my limitations of talents and abilities in the crafts department. And that is why I can say no to the taunts. I still get tempted but manage to pull away just in time. Quilting is beautiful and I love to cuddle under a lovely quilt……that someone else made. I lack patience in such a project. Maybe some day.

When my husband and I left the store we decided to take the country route home. It’s pretty brown here and gray in the winter months. But I noticed this barn with a “quilt” painted on the front:

My mind wandered from that point on. While with our friends we talked about seasons. How cold the mid-west winters are and how we long to be on a beach in a tropical paradise during those days.

We talked how the seasons in nature are similar to the seasons of our lives. I’ll tell you what I mean.

There is a purpose for winter. A time to die and lay hidden to bring forth life when the time to right. Sometimes those hidden things can never come forth or come forth stunted if they do not pass through the cold winter season.

Spring. New life. New colors. New blossoms. Multiplied beauty from the last year. Fresh and warm and welcomed.

Summer. Fun! Enjoyment of the fruits of a long cold winter. The fruits of spring rains and melting snow.

Autumn. The beauty of life slowing and changing into glorious colors once more before the frosty winds take over and put the seeds to sleep for another season of dying only to bring forth life once again.

As far as my life goes, my heart issues, I thought long and hard on this and still am. How often I, Cate B, reflect on the warmth of summer. How often I want the winter of my life to be finished and brought into spring way faster than it feels like it’s happening. I want it now. But, why do I want that so much? What is my hurry?

Sometimes winter is painful. Sometimes I can feel frostbitten on the inside and want so much to be blossoming like a field of wild flowers. But the more I listened to my friend talk with us from his heart the more I felt that I need to not rush this winter season of my life. Or any season of the heart. I really do want all of what God has for me in this life on this earth. So if going through the “winter of my heart” is what will bring me out blooming beautiful then so be it. After all, several times I have told my Lord that I just want all He has for me. I gave Him permission to make me into the person I’m to be.

So I will keep layering my clothes to stay warm against the elements. I will prepare myself for the coming seasons so I can listen and receive all the dying and blooming on the inside that needs to be done. And I will gladly grab those warm surprise days that pop up now and then or the trip to the warmer climate for a week to help get me through. It is worth it. Being alive and aware and becoming me is so worth it.

Enjoy!

Cate B

Around the Burg

Yesterday I met up with a friend who owns some beautiful horses. We went to meet them. These horses get to roam around and munch on fresh grass and hay and run. They have a great shelter and barn when the weather gets rough. They are very happy horses. The stallion was so calm and sweet. He amazed me.

I am sorry for the photo quality – camera batteries died so iPhone was it.

Enjoy!

The Stallion

This little guy was my buddy. The bucket kept moving while he ate. So…..

…..he put his leg up to hold it still. He was the only one who figured that out.

cate b 😀

I’m Still Here

I haven’t posted very much recently. It’s been a time of reflective – something. It’s winter! Now that I’m in the beginning of our seventh year in the mid-west, well, I feel, I feel…….. what do I feel? I feel that staying indoors in the winter is a good idea. Sorry mid-westerners for judging you.

But Spring is coming. I know that because it’s like the law of gravity. Spring will be here in March whether the weather is warmer or not. It’s a given. But seriously, even though the cold keeps coming back, each week we are gifted with warmer days and more sunshine. The air feels fresh and hopeful. Spring is coming.

I wrote a post in January titled It’s Time to Get Busy. It was about the book I’m ~~supposed~~ ~~to be~~ writing. I actually wrote the dedication page and two chapters back then. Also the cover is pretty much decided. Then winter break ended and I am with my lovely lassies (the grand daughters) full-time again. Well, the book is a work in progress. I decided not to stress about it. What is the hurry? I want it to be good and if I try to write and care for the girls then it will not be good.

I beat myself up too much about it though. I want perfection and I know I cannot achieve that as a human being so the beatings begin. Anyone else do that? Surely I’m not that unique.

Spring break will arrive in a few short weeks and perhaps another chapter or two will be written. In the meantime, it is still very brown outside and very cold today. Still waiting for snow. May get a little on the weekend. I haven’t been out much to even take photos, so this one will have to tie you over. 😉

Enjoy!

cate b

Momentary Setback

Here we are on the 17th of May, 2014 and the morning temperatures have been in the high thirties and low forties – Fahrenheit. It would be more common to have lows in the sixties and high eighties. Just like last week. It was summery and lovely. This week I toted back into the house my two plumerias, my pony tail palm, my rope plant and my “lemon tree”. I told them to relax, summer is coming. In fact, it is coming next week and should be here to stay. I’m not sure they believe me.

The peonies are slow and look cold. My neighbor’s peony is in the sun and have bloomed nicely. Here are my cold ladies:

they are coming — This was about a week and a half ago.

To me, they look sadly cold. But take heart, mid-west, today the high will be in the sixties and by Monday the temps will be warm and my tropicals will be outside all day and all night.

Have a lovely weekend. Enjoy!

cate b