The windows are open and the warm sun rays are dancing about the Earth, slowly bringing the outdoors into bloom. We have color in the garden, the beginnings of a small vegetable patch, and a backyard that will serve as part playground, part oasis for the months to come. Ah, the blessings of spring.

If you’ve never been thrilled to the very edges of your soul by a flower in spring bloom, maybe your soul has never been in bloom. Audra Foveo

I woke up this morning to a world cloaked in ice. A two-hour delay for the kids, giving me time to sit and savor my coffee before braving the cold to chisel away at the quarter-inch of ice enveloping my entire car. Now, mind you, a mere two days ago it was 67 degrees out. I’ll take it as a sign that a change of season is near, the tug ‘o war that Winter and Spring play each year. And while Winter leaves me feeling chilled and reclusive, even I couldn’t deny the amazing beauty of the ice. Intriguing and often perilous, yet so delicate and stunning. By afternoon, the sun was out and all the trees looked like they were adorned with glass, glistening, sparkling, twinkling.

Brew me a cup for a winter’s night.
For the wind howls loud and the furies fight;
Spice it with love and stir it with care,
And I’ll toast our bright eyes,
my sweetheart fair.
Minna Thomas Antrim

Winter is the time for comfort,
for good food and warmth,
for the touch of a friendly hand and
for a talk beside the fire:
it is the time for home. Edith Sitwell

sometimes the only answer,                 
          the only thing that makes sense
or feels right at the moment is art.        
             getting lost in the colors and textures.
breathing life into the ink, the paint, the paper.       
                                  spilling open onto the canvas.

]]> http://www.navylane.com/musings/2008/03/01/when-the-universe-says-to-get-creative-i-listen/feed/ http://www.navylane.com/musings/2008/03/01/when-the-universe-says-to-get-creative-i-listen/ http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/navylane/~3/253131827/ http://www.navylane.com/musings/2008/02/22/xo/#comments Fri, 22 Feb 2008 14:15:15 +0000 melanie http://www.navylane.com/musings/2008/02/22/xo/ Love is the kiss that wakes me each morning. Sunshine in a bright blue sky. My children snuggled up close to me. A lullaby sung before bed. The hug that warms my soul. Laughter in the air. The voice that calls me Mom. Kind words from a friend. A late night vigil over a sick little one. Handpicked flowers in a vase. Sacrifice. Compromise. Forgiveness. Acceptance. Dancing around in the kitchen. A handwritten letter. Smiles on my littles’ faces. Patience at the end of a long day. A meal made from scratch. A book that touches the heart. Honoring the body that houses my soul. Music that brings back a river of memories. A shoulder to lean on. An unexpected gift. A breath of fresh air. A moment captured in time.

Love is what pushes me out of bed each morning. Keeps me going even when I feel I am at the end of my rope and my world is crumbling. Love is there, a constant driving force that is all around me, in everything I touch, do, and see. Some days I need to dig deeper to find it, but, without fail, it is always there. To lift me up and push me forward. Whispering, ‘Don’t give up; take a deep breath and look around. Love is here.’

Love doesn’t make the world go ’round. Love is what makes the ride worthwhile.Franklin P. Jones

At first glance it looks like an ordinary,
flat page from an art journal, right?

But, aha! It is really two pages.
Quite the illusion, eh? ;)

Life is an illusion
only a poet can shatter it
poets are the creators of silence
holders of faith
and dreamers of reality.
unknown

P.S. Random useless fact about me: I have no idea where I found this quote, but I used to scribble those words on almost every notebook I had throughout high school.

· More illusions at Inspire Me Thursday ·