An Unexpected Snow Day!

A surprise morning off brings out

the art journal

the creative juices

the loong coffee breaks

and the joy of a grateful heart.

I doodled roses with a fine point black Sharpie pen

and had so much fun playing with watercolors.

What a wonderful gift today is!

~k

Heartfelt

 I played.

I tried out my new, fat

 Caran D'Ache NeoArt

 Aquarelle water-soluable wax pastels...

and LOVE them!

I finished my last journal and started a new one!

I've always loved and collected HEARTS:

rocks, books, jewels...so it seemed fitting

to try out new supplies by scribbling

 and doodling hearts.

It felt SO good to play,

to get a bit messy and free. I highly recommend it.

And I highly recommend these pastels.

I drew, then wiped a damp paper towel over parts,

just to see what would happen

and how they would blend and work.

I see many hours...years in this together.

LOVE these.

Have an amazingly fun weekend.

Hearts,

~k

PS. I stumbled upon a tiny Trust Stamp!

Perfect! My WORD for 2013!!

Very Thankful For You!

I am always grateful that my husband enjoys cooking and baking

and that he's incredibly good at it!

Happy Thanksgiving to my U.S. friends

and Happy Harvest,

Happy Blog World, and

Happy Friendship around our globe to all of you!

I am so very grateful that we met and that you visit me here. Wow.

♥Kath

Gratitude

I am so grateful to have choices.

I love the promise of a morning. A morning at home to do what I want to do and to make decisions about my own day. I don't have to leave and run out the door this morning. I can actually stay home and cuddle Ellie, throw her Wubba, clean my filthy house (!), and create and read and walk outside in the sun, take photos, eat almonds, stretch, call a friend, think about Christmas shopping (but not go).

Thank you, God, for my many blessings and for allowing me to have choices today...even if You already know and made my plans for me!

Happiest of weekends to all of you, who I am SO grateful for every single day. More than you will ever know. xo ~Kath

Gratitude Journaling...

I remember as a child, realizing for the first time, that I could think something inside that no one else could see or know. I remember who I was with, what I was thinking, and where I was standing. It was a startling discovery. It was amazing. It was scary. I was a little kid and I felt a whole new large life beginning. The power of the human mind. The power we could all tap into.

As an adult, I still am amazed at how much we can think and feel and wonder and solve. I know there is an infinite amount of mind energy that we can only hope we'll one day realize. And I know the incredible power of faith. And of prayer.

Amazing.

Wishing you all a very mindful day. Love, Kath

I am Grateful for...

...nature's therapy.

Whenever I feel a little down, Mother Nature shows me the light.

This is the new phenomenon in Western New York: we've never heard of it nor seen it before, yet it occurred twice this past week:

Frozen Fog.

When it happened the second time, I tried to capture it for you. These photos are untouched. Hope you can see the icy air! It was crispy, crystalline, and beautiful.

~♥K

Today I am Grateful for...

...a kind smile from a stranger.

Have you ever been rushed or stressed and then someone just looks at you and smiles? Have you ever been in a store or on a street and a stranger inspires you in some unforgettable way?

Sometimes that's all you need to make the day go better. I love that. ♥ A little unexpected kindness is so simple, but can mean so very much.

Today I am Grateful for...

...my "experiment" that worked!

Yes, I am taking only 2/3 of the medicine and I have a lot more energy. I feel like my old self again. I can even imagine working out soon, and I am signed up to try yoga the week after Thanksgiving! One step at a time...

I am so very thank ful. I just wanted to feel alive again.

(Thank you for asking for an update!. I am very thankful for you.) ~Kathy

Today I am Grateful for...

...forgiveness.

Everyone messes up sometimes.

We say things we wish we didn't. We don't say things we wish we did.

I find that being angry hurts and is exhausting.

But worse, is the feeling of regret.

The feeling that I am really sorry but someone is still mad, and I hope they will forgive.

And they do.

Then comes the part where I have to forgive myself.

When it's over and forgiveness frees it all

the feeling is

a little closer to perfect.

And that's all I could ever ask for.

Gratitude. Day 3

Today I am thinking about the beautiful differences between people and I am grateful that people share their many feelings, talents, and thoughts. I am grateful that when I am feeling overworked at my desk, I can hear laughter from down the hall. We can learn so much from one another. I think that's such an amazing, incredible gift. Aah, our sweet differences. (Or, Thank God not everyone is like me!).

Sweetness

I am grateful for:
1. the basket of plump, sweet cherries that I am savoring this evening
2. the breeze that is blowing through my window right now, relieving some of this mugginess
3. the help I received today, packing up my classroom
4. my paperpumpkin room that is filled with papers and paints and pens and messes
5. Michael cuddling up with puppy Ellie after work...I hear kisses
6. you ♥

Thank you for visiting! I really do appreciate you.