it's that time of year

it's that time of year

a middle tennessee garden blog


finding beauty in the natural things around us makes for one happy self and a lovely life. ~marmee

dash home farm, leiper's fork, tennessee

Friday, December 5, 2008

beauty surrounds us



walking has become a wonder.

these two leaves, brown against a green backdrop caught my eye.
i thought of dh and i walking together in life in the world.
we try to take some time to walk everyday.
to spend time in nature and nurture our souls.
winter has arrived even if the calendar says otherwise.
today it is 23 degrees this morning. brrrr!


the barren trees harken back of mystery!
an ever changing landscape does make for interesting views.
a leaf midway thru adapting it's new colour, fascinating.

i have had birds all my adult life until recently and this reminds me of millet.
a grain which you give your caged birds that they love.
is this nature's millet?


then upon seeing this i was instantly reminded of snow.
how beautiful everything looks when tinged with white.
white is one of my favourite garden colours, i just usually think of it in flowers.

have a happy winter day!

24 comments:

Unknown said...

What a nice post. 23 degrees! No thank you. It's in the 50's here, rainy, cloudy, gloomy. Guess I won't get the front porch cleaned and decorated today.

Cheryl said...

Your post is spiritually uplifting.....How lovely that you and your loved one walk together most days.......walking and talking are good for the soul....being at one with nature is healing......

I love white flowers to Marmee.......in fact my garden in the summer is full of whites and lilacs......

Have a wonderful weekend and gosh that does sound cold....brrrrrr

Susie said...

Thanks for taking us on your little walk today. 23 degrees sure is cold! It didn't feel much warmer than that here. I just got home from work and I still haven't gotten warm yet. brrrh!

tina said...

Happy Winter day to you too Marmee.

marmee said...

darla,
just came from a luncheon, sitting by the fire until getting abbey from school. it has warmed to 31 degrees, now! it is very toasty by the fire. i keep putting off getting my decorating finished thinking i will have warmer weather to rummuge thru my garage, attic and storage looking for the rest of my christmas.

marmee said...

cheryl,
glad that you feel uplifted when you visited today...i would like that to be a part of this. it has been good for us in so many ways walking, talking, seeing what we are truly grateful for, time together.
i keep thinking one day i will do an all white garden but maybe just a vignette would be more doable.
thanks for coming today and you have a pleasant weekend too.

marmee said...

susie,
it has gotten a little warmer at 31 degrees but this florida girl need warmth in large doses. i am sitting by the fire and spending a few minutes trying to refresh and warm up alittle. try to get cozy and enjoy your weekend.

marmee said...

tina, thanks you too and have a wonderful weekend. just 19 days until christmas day. i have a count down to christmas at the bottom of my blog page. i saw your blogging sis just haven't had time to comment. sounds like me and meems! see ya.

Anonymous said...

Hi Marmee, your place looks so festive with the decor and I agree, winter in TN has come to us early this year. I am still fighting it, our heater went out, but is now repaired! Where are our warmer mid fifties days and above freezing night? Nowhere to be seen. But your woods and nature still gives beauty, we must recognize that and be thankful.
Frances

Wendy said...

I too enjoy watching the leaves transform their colours. Winter is certainly here. And Christmas soon.

Quality time spent together walking outside - enjoy Marmee. It's very precious.
Hubby can't walk outside anymore. How I miss our walks and bike rides. But we still sit on our deck in summer - and enjoy the trees, flowers, and birds.

Gail said...

Hi Marmee,

It is cold here and I think winter has arrived...you have shared lovely thoughts and images with us...thank you! Have a warm weekend and enjoy your walks with your sweet DH.

Gail

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Brrrrrr, Marmee... It's supposed to go down into the teens tonight. It's already 21 now (10 p.m.)..

I love your 'header.' This one is great --and so was the Thanksgiving one. Where did you get those pictures????

Your post was great.. I loved the first one with those two leaves hanging on!!!!! We just got back from Arkansas today--and the leaves on our back deck are STUCK (frozen) to the deck.
GADS!!!!

marmee said...

frances,
thank you,having things feastive help with the cold days of winter. it makes them passable. the stark beauty of winter does have it's place.
we also had an issue with our upstairs heater that i hope is fixed. our gutter was dripping right on the fan blades and freezing them. i told the kids to double up on their blankets and wear warm jamies. my profile says that my house acts old and that is just one little thing(poor design).
well stay warm as you can. have a wonderful weekend!

marmee said...

wendy, i can't remember seeing one changing in half like that before. christmas is way too close, i don't feel ready but it won't wait for me i know.
i have had years alone too when dh was in recovery. it was hard especially since we had 5 young children at the time which kept me very busy. God is still faithful and gives us strength for whatever journey life has for us. i hope you relish christmas with hubby this year and enjoy your children and your grands. i am sure you will!

marmee said...

yes gail, winter has come...it is a chilly 30 degrees. i'm staying warm by the fire this morning trying to catch up on some blogs.
i hope you have a very nice weekend, dh still went to the market this morn. brave man! not me though! we have practises and birthday party later so trying to warm up for the road trips.

marmee said...

it is a very chilly 30 degrees this morning. i am staying in for long as i can.
the header i post are pictures i have taken. the turkey and indian were roadside at my house on haybales.
the wreath is by my backdoor which is the way we come and go. i am happy that you love them both.
so glad you enjoyed the post too. did you have a nice trip? was it very cold there?
i have the same issue with some of my leaves they are hanging on sticking because of the cold.
have a nice weekend home!

Dani said...

Yikes, that's cold! :)

Anonymous said...

puleeze!! walking in 23 degree weather! we are 'suffering' with nights in the 40's, running our heater and under blankies! but the days are cool, clear and sunny!!!! ahh, Florida!!! a little bit of heaven on earth (in the winter anyway!)
dh and i were reminiscing the other day about our time in Tulsa when we would have to go to construction sites and gather wood scraps to use in our fireplace (we were too poor to buy firewood!) but i do love a fireplace, and of course only retirees from the north build houses with fireplaces in Florida!
maybe you will have a nice white winter coat over everything for Christmas. then you can show us some lovely, peaceful winter scenes - like a Currier & Ives print. i usually think of winter as a time of resting for the earth, so that it can restore itself and come to life in greenery and flowers when Spring arrives. think of the bears who hibernate and just go dormant for a while. let yourself think of the more inside activities you can do while cozy & warm. have some hot chocolate, make cookies, brew some cider, a good turkey carcas soup, and some hot bread fresh from the oven. winter does have it's own charm, if you just relax and enjoy it. and take a winter break if you can - join us back home for a few sunny days in January!

Aunty Belle said...

Marmee, this blog is a lovely lovely work of art! You an yore Meems make me wanna know yore mama! What a wonderful way you sisters have about ya!

I'se been reading to and fro in heah...jes' wunnerful! Beauty is all around an' youse got the sense to see it. What a blessin'.

Yore Thanksgivin' babies--thas' a real good trick. My mama had two on the same day, six years apart.

Makin' a place so pretty and whimsical is an ongoin' work of love. Yore fambly is fortunate.

marmee said...

dani, it is frigid!!!!! now at 1:00 pm at balmy 38 degrees and i have to leave my warm cozy house to pick up a daughter from practise and then off to a grands birthday party...brrrrr! i will bundle up for sure.

marmee said...

gigi,
i am always so glad to see that you are looking in on me...it feels good.
you know me always up for an adventure and then realizing i'm a little off. well it was good for the soul and the body just obeyed. not today though i can't make myself. plus i have things to do like you said, indoor things. if only it were baking cookies and fresh bread, now that would be fun. not today, i am trying to catch up with unfinished chores!! i don't even like the mention of the word much less doing them. but that is a mother's life. the benefits outweigh the work right?
remember the year we didn't have a tree when rachel was a toddler and we got all our loose change and coins from under the couch and in the seats of the vw and begged the lady to let us have a tree on christmas eve. we were on the way home from meems christmas eve celebration. i will never forget it reminds me to be thankful for my overflowing blessings of today.
then the look on our precious little lambs, rachel's face the next morning. we had decorated that little charlie brown christimas tree to the hilt. do you remember? God has been good to our family in so many ways.
i am working on the details of coming down inbetween simplfying christmas. hehe!
i love you and hope you are have a great weekend!

marmee said...

aunty b,
glad you could come by. btw, that is my mom,gigi(great grandma) just before your comment. she is an extraordinary woman and has taught me and meems the important things in life. you would like her.
thank you for your kind words, i am a lover of all things artistic and fancy myself an amature artist, photographer, crafter, anything creative i love. i guess that's why i have 6 children, very creative,hehe>.
having two on the same birthday took a lot of calculating. and almost did it again with hubby and one son just a day apart.
thanks again for coming by you are always welcome!

Meems said...

Brrr... 23 degrees... time to light the fire and get cozy and warm. OR take a brisk walk with hubby. You've seen some enchanting things on your winter walk, Marmee. I was walking right along with you (only it was much warmer from my spot) and enjoying every inch of your beautiful land.
Meems

marmee said...

meems, yes brrr is right. i have been staying in on the weekend except for running around to things i have to take care of. i am hoping with all this cold to get some snow. "snow, snow, snow i want to wash my hair with snow,"
from white christmas.
somehow having snow helps to cope with the cold a little better.
thanks for coming along on the walk.