Friday 23 August 2013

Where Do You Go?





Yes ....it's finished.

I'm not sure whether I will give my friend
this one or the other.....

No...I think I'll show you that later!

But, first....
I have a question...



Where do you go
when you're feathers feel ruffled....
when you feel
that you just need to get away....
and let your soul...
and your spirit..
just 'settle'?



There are a couple of places
that I like to visit...
and I thought
that I'd like to share just one of them today

Look through the windows...
and out into the gardens
what do you see?



Beautiful gardens
beckon you to come outside
explore...and relax!



No....
it's not real...
They have 'different' garden furniture
waiting to surprise you...
around every corner!



But...it's the gardens
that draw me
over and over.....



Walking over the lawns
(usually with an ice cream in my hand)


...towards the lake.

I usually intend to walk around it but
tend to make it
to the first set of chairs....
and sit down....



and it's as if everything within me...
suddenly relaxes with a
wrrrrrumphhhhh!!
(that's the best way I can describe it)




I can sit for hours...
and look at the flowers coming out...




...listen to the 'plop'
as the fish jump..




hear the birds sing...
and the bees busily hum as they pass



It's just so peaceful and relaxing
that I literally have to tear myself away
when it time to go home!



We usually stop
for a cup of tea and piece of cake
in the little tearoom




I always feel the better
of time spent
sitting by the lake!!

What about you?
Do you have 'special' place
where you stop
to let go...
(perhaps just for a little while)
...the stresses of daily life!


I have been busy finishing the Mandala
that I made for my friend
but then.....




Decided to try a different design...
...and colour!



I have to say
I do love the more gentle colours of my
Drops, Paris yarn



I also crocheted
a little hat for a neighbour's baby.
Looks lovely with
the brim turned back on one side!




That's not her head inside...!!
I forgot to take a picture..
so my friend held it up!


I'm so sorry I haven't visited this week
or replied to your kind comments.
I've had my daughter and family visiting
and the week has flown away!
We've had a lovely time



My only grand daughter out of 8 grandchildren!!


My mother
says 'thank you very much'
to all of you.
She so enjoyed reading what you wrote.
She reads my blog quite often and likes reading 
your responses!

It was so hot yesterday
that I decided to go to one of the local beaches
A lot of other people seem to have had the same idea!




The sea was full of people swimming.
We sat on the wall
and ate our ice cream...
and pretended we were on holiday too!!







25 comments:

  1. Dear Joan, Greetings to you today. I love to go to the mountains or the beach(but the ocean is too many states away now), nature refreshes my spirit and calms my anxious heart. I loved the photos of the garden-I could unwind there too.
    Your granddaughter is beautiful! Your handiwork is just lovely.
    Hugs, Noreen

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  2. Your granddaughter is stunning! And your work is beautiful, I love your choice of colors! We have no place like this, I wish we did! The water lilies are so beautiful. I would love to sit with you there.

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  3. What a nice place you have to go and decompress. I go up to a viewpoint that looks over the Columbia River Gorge and it never fails to make me put my problems into perspective. Your GD is just beautiful - I have 2 GDs but they live 3000 miles away. :-( LOVE your finished circle! ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  4. The garden or beside the water is always calming to me, too.
    You have a lovely place to walk around the lake, to sit or enjoy a cone.
    Your gd is so lovely! Happy you had time to visit.
    Enjoy the weekend. Your handmade treasures are gorgeous!

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  5. Hi Joan. Gosh, your granddaughter is absolutely stunning! It must have been a blessing when a little baby girl came along ! I used to crochet many years ago. Perhaps I should take it up again, although my fingers do tend to ache these days :(. I loved that little hat for the baby. What beautiful gardens you visited with the lovely lake. I find that being by the sea can always calm me and refresh my soul. Lovely that you have your daughter and family visiting. Take care x

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  6. How nice to have family visiting and what a beauty of a granddaughter!!

    Your granny square(?) turned out so well, all of the ones you showed are pretty. I haven't done one in so long, I wonder if I remember how?!

    Being out in nature always soothes me. It keeps us grounded. So happy we have so much of it around us all the time, just imagine living in the ghettos of large cities. No wonder those kids cause so much trouble...

    Have a happy weekend xox

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  7. A lovely place to go and unwind.
    I like the sea to hear waves, they always calm me.
    Xxx

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  8. How wonderful that you have such a lovely spot for your respite! I love your pictures!

    You have a most attractive granddaughter! I'm sure you enjoy her with all the grandsons around.

    Take care of yourself!

    xo Nellie

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  9. What a lovely place to smooth your ruffled feathers and relax. I usually just go to bed.

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  10. Joan, I think you picked the perfect place to rest and catch your breath. I go to the beach when I need to soothe my soul, but if I don't have that much time I try to sit outside near my pool I like to hear the water and listen to the breeze as it moves thorough the trees. I sit on my swing, close my eyes and breathe. Your granddaughter is beautiful. Glad you had a great time with your family.
    Hugs,
    Meredith

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  11. Hello Joan - I don't have one particular place but I find nature helps soothe. I love my garden (though i is small) I also love the sea but live in the Midlands. managed to get to the sea though when I last visited my mum. Anne x
    PS My mum has 9 grandchildren and only one is a girl :-) I have two of each. c

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  12. I love the photos of this special place and love seeing the ocean, too! I've stayed home more this summer to get rest and relaxation. I think I'll crochet some this weekend. Oh, and I have 6 grandkids....only one of them is a granddaughter! As a matter of fact, my husband and I have 5 sons and 1 daughter, 5 grandsons and 1 granddaughter! Isn't that funny? Sweet hugs!

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  13. Just looking at the lake's photos tells me it must brings a good feeling. Happy for you that you have such a lovely place!
    Mine happens to be in the kitchen...cooking, baking and so on! When VERY stressed, I move furniture, iron and so on!
    You may tell Mum we'd love to 'see' her again soon on the blog with a new adventure!
    Cheering from the Pacific NW coast,

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  14. There are no retreats close by our home where one can go to unwind, Joan. Sadly there are no local parklands or ponds. My indoor retreat is in my home where I have a room where I can just unwind. Your retreat looked very inviting, especially the treats at the end. Beautiful designs on the crocheting too. Glad you mother enjoyed her stint as guest blogger.

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  15. Ideally I would go to the beach ... but alas we have none here in the middle of Wisconsin. So instead I sit in my rocker with a good book, have a cup of tea (and something sugary to eat), and decompress that way. Or if I'm feeling energetic I take a bike ride. :)

    What a beautiful garden and lake - those water lotuses are lovely. And so is your granddaughter!

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  16. Beautiful granddaughter! And your crochet projects are so pretty. Love the color combinations. :)

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  17. So talented you are . . . I like the crocheted pinks in the mandela . . .such a gorgeous granddaughter!

    Yesterday was a moment I needed to "find me" . . . I cleaned the fire pit area and sawed logs and I felt replenished.

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  18. What do I do?.....If i cannot get away I just go outside and walk around my gardens or go and talk to the chickens. They are always entertaining. otherwise i drive down to the Valley and see what the farmers are doing and maybe stop by at the River (Skagit) and just contemplate---I usually feel better after that.
    You have a very beautiful Grand-daughter. I have only one GD out of all the grands. MB

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  19. What a lovely place, to be able to visit. How lucky you are, to be able to relaxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, in such a place.

    Oh, only one beautiful Granddaughter. I am so happy, that you did get one. Boys are wonderful too, but there is something about a girl. :-)

    Tessa~

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  20. Some beautiful views that you have enjoyed - I can see why this is a relaxing place. Love those water lilies! Your crochet is so pretty and colorful and your darling granddaughter is quite a beauty. When I want to unwind I make a cup of tea and relax with a good book. It takes my mind away..... Hugs, xoxo

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  21. Alas, no tranquil gardens nearby, but your visits sound serene! I am drawn to trees, and could spend hours among them. Needless to say I was enthralled in Yosemite, Yellowstone and the Canadian Rockies. My spirit literally unclenches and floats through the trembling leaves of the aspen or bobbing fir needles. To have running water nearby is an even nicer treat. Love the baby hat you made. Enjoy the end of August :)

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  22. What a gorgeous respite ... I could linger forever. I always walk amongest my gardens when my feathers are ruffled, which has been a LOT lately. Your gr-daughter is gorgeous!

    TTFN ~
    Marydon

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  23. You have a wonderful tranquil spot to rest and reset. Of course, I unwind by going to the mountains. :)

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  24. Getting out into nature is always relaxing for me .
    Glad you ad time with family.
    Beautiful granddaughter.

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  25. Nature, gardens... just the outdoors always soothe my soul. But, there was an old cemetery I used to visit when things were particularly stressful... it was the most peaceful place I think I've ever visited. I don't live near enough to make that journey easily, but you have reminded me of all the beautiful moments and made me want to visit again. =)

    Your crochet is lovely but pales next to your beautiful granddaughter... my littlest granddaughter is sleeping right beside me as I type... she will be one this week. Such joys they are!! They light our lives! blessings ~ tanna

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