Summertime, and the livin' is easy.

Happy New Year all you lovely lovelies♥ Another new year has slipped quietly in. Down here at the bottom of the world I am enjoying summertime and the easiness of it. It is Summer holidays here. Each day rolls lazily into another. Days where the order of each day is an easy one. Days beginning with sleep-ins, a cup of tea in the early mornings, a little reading (if I am to be truthful...a lot actually), watching movies, playing with my camera, walks in the garden, snoozing by the pond, a little stitching (just a little), visiting friends, country drives............and a lot of the time.......not much 'doings' at all.....just dreaming, imagining.......bliss! I love kicking back and not having to be anywhere, do anything in particular, prepare any sewing lessons, no tyranny of a timetable that has to be kept. Love, love, love long casual, Summer days that slip into balmy, starry nights.

Though I suppose  there was a whole lot of shebang and fireworks in many corners of the world to usher in a new year,  here in my humble abode my husband and I greeted the brand new year rather quietly.  Me and my good husband sat in the swinging seat by the pond....just the two of us and a gazillion, scintillating stars twinkling in the inky black sky. Not a soul in sight, not a sound to be heard; a most perfectly wonderful entry into a new year. You can have your fireworks, you can have your parties......as for me the theatre of the heavenly realms at night will always surpass anything that man can produce; indeed saying hello to the new year with the night sky above will always be my fancied choice. Sitting under the umbrella of a moonless  and cloudless night sky, marvelling at the magnificence of its beauty is profoundly satisfying to me.  Sitting quietly, listening to the whispers of God through nature, is a most splendid thing.

As I sat quietly with the sky winking at me, reflecting upon the beauty that encompassed me I wondered what words will be written on the pages of my book this year. I wondered and still wonder what words, sentences, paragraphs........chapters will be written in my book titled '2019'. I suppose the narrative that inks onto each page will  tell  multitudinous stories. Joyful stories, funny stories dripping with facetiousness, sad stories, exciting stories, stories with twists and turns,  simple every day stories wrapped in a little beauty and simplicity, stories that perhaps I would rather not be written......some stories that have never been. As I pen the words of my stories this year, regardless of what may come my way, I want each page to be underlined with thankfulness, gentleness, beauty, kindness, patience, faith, love....to find the joy in the ordinary....the simple things in life. I want each page to have the nuance of God's love for me invisibly threaded throughout.

As I am a gal who adores illustrations in my books (yes I still purchase children picture books, even though my girls are all 'growed') I can only imagine the illustrations that will be sketched in this book of mine. I know there will be many illustrations of pretties fashioned by my hands......quilts (finished ones, I hope), bags, cushions, the tarting up of a chair or two, the gussying up of many a corner in my humble abode, probably too many photos of the garden (sorry), a vintage find at a market or op shop.......so many colourful pictures to enhance my book.

Now.............enough of my reflections upon what may be and those unwritten stories swirling around and around in the future, if you please, may I begin my fresh, new book with some illustrations. My lovely husband gifted me with this sweet present for Christmas. Three little clouds with vintage pages of a book resting within. Those of you who like me, were a child of the sixties....do you remember the ubiquitous three ducks or three pigs flying up the wall?? Considered kitsch in some circles but it appears these days they are highly sought after. Here is my representation of that theme. 

Love these sweet little illustrations. I cannot help but be reminded of my two girls when they were little. Many a delightful hour was spent with the three of us huddled together on plumped, squishy squashy pillows........me reading with them and to them, escaping on a magic carpet ride to the land of make believe.

Remember how I said there would be a 'few' illustrations of a flower or two......or indeed of the garden.............well.......let the camera roll.

As it is Summer the Roses are blooming beautifully at the moment and are basking in the warm Summer sun.

Soft, frothy Roses♥ Ballerina pinks, rosy reds, creamy whites, buttery yellows, soft mauves, peachy tangerines, voluptuous apricots.........all are beautiful, not to mention the heavenly scents.

One vase of roses is enough to make a room sing the most beautifully scented song.

It is nearly but a week into the new year and already there are many stories to pen and even more illustrations to 'draw' with my camera. I cannot wait to write those stories. I too, cannot wait to visit your lovely places......to read your stories and to ooh and aah over your beautiful and glorious illustrations you capture with your cameras. A visit with each one of you is truly a most splendid thing.

From my li'l humble abode to yours......may your new year be a beautiful one♥

Until the next time..................