Joy June 17

I've been too busy to post so I'll have to make up for it.

What has given me joy recently? This past weekend I finished a few knitting projects - golf club covers for my brother-in-law,

 a wool tea cozy for my sister,

 a baby blanket for a niece who is expecting her first child,

and a scrapbook page incorporating valentines from The Man the past couple years (sorry, no picture of that one).

It's fun & feels good to "get things done". I also called a tree service, which I should have done years ago.  There is a volunteer elm tree growing inches from the house & threatening to knock down the chimney. Sadly, it has to go. The joy part is the quote came in well below what I was expecting and we're ready to go with that project.

Finally, a picture I painted & posted at my facebook page received many complimentary comments and an offer to buy! Since it was painted in a  journal & had writing on it, I did a second one and the friend has confirmed she wants to buy it.  Does this make me a professional artist? Or just a commissioned one?

I guess that's enough joy to make up for lost time!

Quotable quotes; in the category Anybody Wanna Share?

"To get the full value of joy you must have someone to divide it with."  Mark Twain

Joy June 11

Several weeks ago I made a sourdough starter. I posted about it on my other blog, "It's My Food Blog", but today I wanted to post about my sourdough related joy!

I had read that sourdough starter takes quite some time to become truly "sour" & flavorful. That may be. I usually feed my starter mid week and then try to use some on the weekend, either for a loaf of bread or a pizza crust.

This week, when I fed the starter, it smelled truly sour for the first time - wine-y & yeasty. Yesterday I prepared the dough for a pizza crust, to be made and eaten tonight for supper. The starter was even more sour, foamy & "just right".

So today is a double-joy. The joy of my starter, which has not died and continues to age & mature, and a homemade pizza for supper tonight (one of our favorite suppers).

What's bringing you joy today?

Quotable quotes; in the category Go Ahead!  What Have You Got To Lose?

"Pizza makes me think that anything is possible."  Henry Rollins

Joy June 10

I did something very unusual for me today - something that, while it scared me, also brought me joy. I posted a picture of the watercolor I did this weekend to my facebook page.

Understand there are many artists in my extended family - sister, brother, mom, and my sister in law's sister & brother, and numerous friends - all extremely talented. Painting with watercolor is something I have always wanted to do and something I just don't seem to "get". Posting this was, for me, a very brave act.

I have been reading and watching tutorials online trying to decipher some of the mysteries of painting with watercolors.  Not sure I have it yet but I have been paying attention.  This is pretty much the first effort that came close to what I have been trying to do.  It's encouraging and makes me want to try again.

Quotable quotes; in the category I Guess I Still Have Quite A Ways To Go.

"The good watercolors take a lifetime - plus half an hour."  Toni Onley

Joy June 9

My main joy is I painted this weekend - made a few note cards & gift tags, made a painting journal and then painted in it - a scene of my garage & garden in the back yard. Unfortunately, the picture I took of it would not attach to an email so I'll have to try again if I want to share it.

High on the joy list - the poppies & roses are blooming in the yard and the weather has been great (in my opinion - some people think it's too cold). Cool & breezy and night time rain. Couldn't be better.

Watching Little Girl prance from window to window to view the outdoors has brought me lots of joy - both because I know how much she loves this and because she's so fun to watch!

Quotable quotes; in the category What Could Be Better? Or Simpler?

"Simple pleasures are best." Alan Bradley, The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie

Joy June 5

Today's joy is a list to tide over until I can get back online.

!  Whomever planted the little marigolds & flowers under the tree outside my office has planted them under every tree in our block and the trees around the corner! How sweet! Joy whenever I pass them!

!  At home, my spider wort is blooming - deep purple in the  sunny backyard and paler lilac in the shady front yard.

!  The weather is cool & breezy - my absolute favorite - and with all the windows in the house open, Little Girl gets to view the great outdoors from every vantage point - she's fun to watch.

!  I have "painting time" scheduled for this weekend and vow to open the paintbox and just go, no matter what happens.

!  The robin that kept me awake from 2 to 4 a.m. this morning was finally silenced by the cardinal, who was quiet himself once his work was done.

Quotable quotes; in the category Who Knew Beautiful Could Be So Much Fun?

"Earth laughs in flowers."  Ralph Waldo Emerson

Joy June 4

I have two joys to post - although both happened yesterday, I'm still happy about them today.

Yesterday I saw one of my neighbors outside my office.  I thought it was the tea lady next door but it must have been the flower lady farther down the street.

When I left work I found "someone" had planted a marigold and another little flowering plant at the base of the tree outside my office door.  From my desk I can see them if I move a little to the right. It cheers me to see them.

And when I got home yesterday Mr. & Mrs. Robin were in the neighbor's front yard making a chipping noise which could only mean they were calling to Junior, telling him it was time to fly and they would watch out for him.  Although baby was not visible I sure could hear him, clearly saying "I don't wanna!"

I love it when the parents teach the kids to fly. And I'm sure the kids feel joy, too, when they finally take off.

Quotable quotes; in the category It's Not Enough To Know It, You Have To Use It!

"Intelligence without ambition is a bird without wings."  Salvador Dali

June Days of Joy

Inspired by another blog I am accepting the challenge to post daily joys.  Of course, I won't make it every day as I have limited access to the internet - but I'll make a real effort to post a joy each day that I am able.

To make up for my late start, I'll post something that happened a couple days ago - the in-laws sent me a potted orchid.  I was leery about its health and fully expected the several buds on it to drop off, as had happened with past experiments.

Imagine my surprise when it bloomed this past weekend!  The two lovely blooms in the picture - and a third opened yesterday.

If I manage to keep this one alive (I had one, bought on a clearance rack, that bloomed again and again for several years, and another that is still alive but has not bloomed since the first time) it will be an extra joy!

Quotable quotes; in the category You'll Feel Better Tomorrow.

"Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning."  Psalm 30:5