First Friday of June

Hello from Willow's Cottage on this first Friday of June.  I hope you have had a wonderful week.  I look forward to Fridays to post about all the blessings of my week.  It helps me stay grounded in gratitude.  Every Friday Susanne hosts Friday Fave Fives.  Join us if you want.

1.  On Saturday, Nurse daughter and I joined some other people and drove about an hour north to Groovy Plants Ranch.  Oh my!  So. Many. Plants.  We had a great time.  And we didn't carry home "that many" pots of flowers and herbs.

So much lavender!  I had to help them out by taking one home with me.

2.  A second fave about the trip to Groovy Plants Ranch is that I managed to get the lavender planted in the front garden and the bellflower and salvia planted in the back-- those 'few' plants I purchased.

3.  This week, a new to us handyman came to do a few jobs around the house.  He did a great job, and now our back door and front door are working better, there isn't a spot above the back door leaking raindrops on us.  It's not easy to find a good handyman, so we are very thankful for him.

4.  Time to read.  I love reading books.  This week I finished reading Christy by Catherine Marshal which is about 500 pages.  Now I am enjoying Francie on the Run, a children's book by Hilda van Stockum.

5.  Of course, I've been knitting.  I love to knit and I am thankful that I am able to do it and have an 'ample' yarn stash (insert laughing face emoji here).  These are two current projects.

A baby blanket in neutral grey.  The pattern is sometimes referred to as waffle weave.

 And an experiment.

A knitted US flag.

This is my first attempt.

So this was my week.  Nothing exciting or unusual.  But it was a blessed week.

How was your week?

Back Up

Thank you, everyone, for your encouraging words and for checking in.  I am fine, now.  I wasn't very sick or for very long, but I needed to get healthy fast because I had a reunion to attend AND I have company.  Here's a little happiness to share:

Always make sure you are headed in the right direction.

Watch for the small things--like a tiny feather on a hummingbird sage.

Sometimes

Hello Friends!  It's Friday Fave Fives time!  Welcome to Willow's Week.  Follow that link to participate in sharing your blessings from this past week.

1.  Sometimes, I collect sayings.  Here are two I've heard this week in response to "[using whiny voice] It's not fair!"  Both are true.  Both are wise.

Life's not fair, and then you die.

Life's not fair, but you can be.

2.  Sometimes, I notice colors and textures.  Probably it's my experience in working with textiles.  If the light is just right in the kitchen, the sun changes the colors of my green shamrock plant.  My heart leaps when I notice the beauty.

3.  Sometimes, the texture of something will pull up a memory.  I grew up among the majestic evergreen trees of the Pacific Northwest.  This week as I was parking in a public lot in Ventura which is a LONG way from the PNW, I noticed the texture of this tree.  The memory it invoked of my childhood made me smile.  I might have reached out and stroked the bark.  Sometimes I miss the green forests of home.

4.  Sometimes, one thing will lead to another.  I offered to help a friend from the weavers and spinners guild who is also a artist group friend to bring together, organize and document all the equipment (for example, spinning wheels, weaving looms and drum carders) that the guild has to offer the members for rental use.  When I told my daughter my plans for the day, she responded, "That's great, Mom.  Organizing and helping others organize is one of your spiritual gifts."  I guess she's right.  I like organizing stuff.  So, I spent part of a day this week enjoying my friend's company and helping out the guild.

5.  Sometimes, the rewards are great.  The guild is given a lot of unspun fiber, yarn, and equipment.  I brought several bags and boxes of yarn home to cull and organize and take back to the guild.  Also, I was given the opportunity to choose to keep some if I wanted.  I should have warned The Professor that it wasn't all mine to keep.

What little blessings make you smile sometimes?