Thankfuls

 29th April 2023

Hello, friends, although this post is for the Ten Things of Thankful blog hop, I first, to get it off my chest,  want to mention a little "sorrow" that I'm feeling. 

April is   National Poetry Month. It's the same every year and in the past I've enjoyed taking part in it. The idea is to post a poem  a day  throughout the month of April. I love   challenging   myself with this brain aching activity.                                                   I am so sad that, this year, I missed it.  Yesterday, I saw a post  about it and  was gutted that it was too late to get involved. 

However, it did make me think that maybe I need to be more involved with a community of writers through my blog. 

So, folks, the first thing I'm grateful for today is that I was prompted to search out the TTOF bloghop. 

When we came to buy our house, it was a main concern of mine to have a south or south west facing garden, so that while sitting out in the afternoons and evenings we'd get beautiful views of the gorgeous sunsets across the bay. And our garden is definitely  a very pleasant place to be throughout, not just the summer, but spring and autumn too. 

The plants - a rhododendron, four rose bushes, two climbing clematis, and  lavender plants  are just a few - give me so much joy and a feeling of calm. The only problem? Yes, you got there. There's just never enough time to spend in the garden.

That's the back garden,  as I said, facing south west, which was a priority. 

However, it   didn't occur to me to think about the front of the house and the fact that it faced East.  I never gave it a thought, never imagined it might make an impact on our life. 

Well, I'm here to tell you that it does. 

You see, our bedroom faces East, which means we get the early morning sun streaming in as soon as it makes an appearance. And, at this time of year, when there's still a little bit of a chill in the air and we have a window open for ventilation and to keep the mould at bay, it's such a blessing to have the warmth of the early morning sun drench us as it casts itself  in rectangular strips across our bed. 

We listen to a meditation, with the birdsong interjecting and drink our first cup of tea. It's a treasure I didn't expect. 

With my heart full to overflowing, I think that's enough for ten thankfuls  for today. 

Until next time then... 

  

Spring Cleaning

 17/04/23

Spring Cleaning

Forty days of lent, that long, penitential, pilgrimage, 

 brought us to Holy Week.

Holy Week , when, hopefully we were  more closely united to Our Lord in His sufferings.

Then the climax, the three days of the Easter Triduum, including Holy Thursday with Jesus washing

 the feet of the Apostles, with the betrayer leaving, with the Command, Love one another as I have

 loved you, with the institution of the Priesthood. And then  Good Friday, where we accompany Jesus

 as He carries His cross to Calvary, as we stand with , and accompany  Mary and the Apostle John as

 He takes His last breath.   

Finally, after all the beautiful liturgies, that are completely draining,

 both  spiritually and emotionally  we  reach the climax,  the Easter Vigil and Wow,

 now the Joyous season of Easter begins. 

Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia  

This joy, this hopeful  tone,

 this feeling of a new beginning, 

spills over into other areas of  life. 

 For instance, there's  something, isn't there, 

 about the warm spring air 

that makes us ( it can't be only me !)

 want to clean, to clear out, 

to declutter  and to reorganise.  

The new light shows up the dust,

the grime, the messy corners. 

Under the bed, those cobwebs, 

where did they come from? 

Out you go.

That pile of books, can it be

culled?

OK! 

I'm not going that far

How long have those sticky

 fingers prints been on the glass doors?

I'm coming for you.