Doors, windows and keeping the faith

The saying goes, "when a door closes, God opens a window."

Lately a lot has been happening around me that certainly feels like doors closing, and I'm trying to keep my faith and believe that a window is about to open somewhere. (I'm just hoping the window is big enough for me to crawl through!)

All this inner reflection has me noticing doors - open and closed.

An open door is obvious, it makes us feel welcome and invites us to come inside. But the closed door? Can it be just as inviting?

As I drive around my neighborhood I notice the doors, some bare and some with a wreath or a holiday decoration. The doors with decals and kids artwork always make me smile and and I remember when my kids were small and every holiday was celebrated with window clings and cutouts.

I admire the different wreaths filled with colorful flowers that match the outside of the house or the ones that clearly are seasonal.

Amazing how such a small detail can make a closed door seem more welcoming, more inviting and warm.

The door in the picture is my front door, the wreath made with love by my sister-in-law and puts a smile on my face everyday when I pull into my driveway. These past few days I look at that closed door and know the love of my family waits on the other side...so maybe a closed door isn't all that bad.

Maybe it's time to stop looking for the window and just open the door!

I hope everything you want and need is waiting just behind the next door you open. Have a great week!

Today's view from my desk

Today's view from my desk, a photo by Oreodeb on Flickr.

Over the last few days there have been hundreds of posts addressing the use of pictures in blogs. More importantly the correct usage and copyright laws associated with using the pictures we find around the 'net.

While I have always tried to use photos I thought were either in the public domain or from legal "free" to use digital sites - as an author who believes any type of online piracy is wrong, I have deleted any photos that might be in question.

So...with that in mind, this blog is about to get a LOT more personal with my photos taken by me. (I'm sure that means more pictures of my cats too!)

This picture was taken last week from my office window and pretty much all summer the view stays the same - peaceful and calm.

I hope you enjoy the view from your office window, does it inspire you in any way?

Have a great day!

Memories can't be stolen

Finger Print by www.sxc.hu

This week my house was robbed, by someone in our neighborhood, a teenager my kids know.


(That she was in my house in the first place disgusts me enough, but she came to the door seeking someone to talk to and I raised my kids to be compassionate and help those in need.)

As much as I wanted to believe that the CSI team would show up and dust my jewelry box and dresser for prints, or maybe bring in a dog to sniff out her scent...this is a small, routine theft, so apparently my little crime scene doesn't warrant all the bells and whistles. LOL. Okay, fine. I get it. My few pieces of jewelry don't amount to much when there are bigger problems out there in the world for the police to deal with.

I have to be content with the knowledge that justice works itself out, that karma catches up with people and face the fact that sometimes things just happen that we can't control.

Two of the five pieces stolen have extreme sentimental value to me - monetarily, neither one was worth much. But the one ring, given to me on my sixteenth birthday by my parents - held over 30 years of memories for me. Memories of the day I got it caught in my high school locker, the ring is deformed to this day from that incident. Memories of the day in college it got caught while I was prying the spare key from under the hood of my old car and the stone popped out of it's setting. I found the stone, had it fixed...but the one bent prong was never the same.

So, while my jewelry is gone, stolen and probably already sold for some quick cash for a drug deal, I am trying to remember how fortunate I really am. My kids aren't thieves or drug addicts stealing from friends and neighbors for their next fix. I was fortunate that anything of real monetary value was locked up safe and sound. And most of all, I'm fortunate she came in peacefully and decided to help herself to a few necklaces and rings - she didn't come in armed, no one was hurt.

In the end, no thief can steal the memories of the ring I no longer have. No one can steal something embedded in your heart.

Have a great weekend making some memories!

This year I finally have tomatoes!

For the first time in years...I have tomatoes!

Yes, these little beauties are growing in a pot on my patio and I haven't killed them yet. (Unlike the flowers pots that are flanking my front door which seem to have become an evening buffet for the local rabbits.)

What's even more amazing is the fact that I grew these tomato plants from SEEDS. I started them inside in a little "greenhouse" like container and then replanted them into the larger pot once the weather was right.

I had two different types of plants, forgot to label them in the greenhouse (I know, I can't believe it either *wink*) so I have no idea which plants actually took - it looks like they're going to be cherry tomatoes though since they're are a TON of them very close together.

The new trick this year (thanks to the engineer husband) was to move the pots off the ground and out of the reach of those pesky snails and rabbits! He put the pot on a table and moved it out to a sunny spot in the yard. I think I'll have to give him credit for the harvest.

If I get enough ripe tomatoes for one salad, I'm going to consider this a rousing success!

How about you? Plant a garden or a container garden? What's your secret to success?
(Besides watering, which seems to be my biggest problem - hey, I'd forget to feed my family too if they didn't remind me!)

Friday Five - Summer Treats and Writing

Today I'm blogging over at the Passionate Critters Blog.

Come on by and share your thoughts on summer treats and writing...what keeps your muse inspired when the weather is warm?

http://passionatecritters.blogspot.com/2012/07/friday-five-summer-treats-and-writing.html

Have a great weekend!

Fireworks and First Kisses

Tomorrow we celebrate Independence Day and although July 4th wasn't declared an official federal holiday until 1870, the American people have been celebrating this event since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. That's right, we didn't wait for congress to decree it a holiday - we already knew it was!

In 1776, after the Continental Congress voted to adopt the resolution for independence, John Adams wrote to his wife Abigail that the day "will be celebrated, by succeeding generations, as the great anniversary festival" and the celebration should include "pomp and parade, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations from one end of the continent to the other."

In 1778, even though the revolution was still being fought and that declaration was still not much more than a piece of paper giving us a purpose to fight for, George Washington gave his men double rations on July 4th to commemorate the event.

In 1781 Massachusetts was the first state to officially observe July 4th as a state holiday.

And we've been celebrating this important event in our history for the last 236 years. Americans have put aside the 4th as a day to set off fireworks, enjoy picnics and parades with our families, friends and neighbors. And believe it or not, I look forward to the fireworks on this one day even more than I covet the chocolate desserts that are always found on my holiday tables! (It's NOT a day for shopping, even though the retailers try to entice us with all the sales!)

Along with memories of fireworks, I also have quite a few memories that involve first kisses while those overhead explosions are filling the sky with lights - fireworks in the sky, explosions of fire in your stomach - oh yeah, some good holiday memories!

In the spirit of first kiss fireworks, here's a brief except from my work-in-progress, "One Night In Prosperity."

Aidan Caldwell's finger still under her chin, his thumb rubbed along the side of her mouth, pulling her thoughts back to him. “Lilly, I need more than a nod. Say it and maybe I’ll believe you this time.” 

His deep voice and dark eyes demanded an answer.

Again, all she could do was nod.

Waves of golden brown hair spilled from under the brim of his hat. Warmth filled his gaze and she sucked in a ragged breath at the realization he was going to kiss her. His arm encircled her waist and he pulled her to his chest while his lips captured hers. Light and sweet, those warm lips danced along hers. Passion simmered just below the surface, she was sure of it.

Unable to stop herself, she let the tips of her fingers run along the muscles of his arms, across his wide shoulders to the edge of his neck. Rugged and sinewy, just as she expected.

His fingers threaded through the hair at the base of her neck, hot goose bumps peppered her skin everywhere he touched. His lips left her mouth to glide along her jaw on the way to her ear.

"I can't do this without you," he whispered.

 By the time he released her with a heavy sigh, her legs wobbled beneath her.

I hope you have a wonderful and safe holiday, filled with fireworks overhead and a memorable kiss of your own! Do you set off fireworks or does your town put on a display?