Six things I learned in January

I'm linking up with Emily at Chatting at the Sky for her monthly "What I learned" link up! Each month we share some of the things we learned during the month. They might be serious, or they might be silly. Thanks for stopping by!



1.  You know those Wet Floor signs that you see when someone is mopping at a restaurant? Or at the mall where melting snow has turned into a puddle of slippery mess? Yes, like this one.

Well, on the 6th of the month, when 2015 was still fresh and new out of the gate, I went to the mall to exchange a pair of pajamas. And, apparently, I was NOT PAYING ENOUGH ATTENTION!! OR BEING CAUTIOUS! Because, the sign was right in front of me!

I had just paid for the new pj's and I turned to leave the cashier's desk, and SPLAT!, I fell hard on the concrete floor on my right ribcage. 

I'm so thankful that I hadn't taken off my down Bubble coat and that my arm instinctively flew right across my chest to protect myself.  

It still hurt really bad, but nothing was broken. After two angels stopped to help me up (both of them paramedics!), my daughter drove me home with an ice pack on my ribs.

I was in too much pain to be embarrassed, really. And, I started being grateful right away that I didn't break anything!  

Not a great way to start the month or the new year. I don't recommend it. Now, I started walking like a penguin on slick spots and snow. You just can never be too careful!  (be careful out there, people!)

2. I shared five days of my art on Facebook this month. Watercolors and knitting and photography. It takes vulnerability to share our art. I was proud that I could do it. There was a day I wouldn't have.

3.  As of January, (we downsized to a smaller home and garage in December), we finally started parking one of our cars in our "new" one car garage. I was relieved to find that even though it is somewhat of a snug fit, that our car does indeed fit in the garage!! Yay!

4.  I am a Downton Abbey Junkie. Yes, I admit it. The last couple of weeks I was in for a shock and a little disappointment in Mary's choice to go away for a week with Tony Gillingham. But, I was even more amused by her grandmother's, The Dowager's, reaction and advice. She told Mary, "Take charge of your feelings before they take charge of you." 

You, go Granny!

5. The other day, for the first time ever, I bought Global stamps to send a letter to Canada. I learned that with a $1.15 Global stamp, you can send a 1oz. or lighter letter or card ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD. Is that cool, or what? Time to get a bunch of snail mail pen pals from all over the world, huh?

6. Whilst waiting in line at said Post Office, I had time to study the $20.00 bill in my hand. I learned that it is Andrew Jackson's picture on the bill. And, on the back is the White House. (aren't you glad you know that now?)

I was also glad to be reminded that the USA still prints "IN GOD WE TRUST" on our money. Yes, I am glad.

Thanks for stopping by friend!

I'm so glad you did!

Blessings to you,

~Anne

Ten things I learned in February

Today I'm linking up at Chatting at the Sky where we are sharing the things we learned in February. 

Here are ten things I learned this month in no particular order.


1. If you have a Valentine's Day date that is less than stellar and you find yourself getting a little disappointed when your expectations aren't met, look for the humor. During the evening I started noticing things that made me shake my head and giggle a little inside. I decided to write a little story about it. It made us think more humorously about the evening. Even my husband said it was funny.

2. Watching the Ellen show makes thirty minutes on the elliptical seem more like ten. I'm serious. There's nothing like laughing on the elliptical.

3. The movie Nebraska didn't do too much to glamorize my home country. Well, what can you really do with black and white? Although, Maine would probably still look beautiful in black and white. I recognized pivot sprinklers and corn fields in all directions. But, honestly, the movie mostly made Nebraska look depressing. It may be flat, but it really is beautiful farm country. In color.

4. Downton Abbey Season 4: {SPOILER ALERT TO THOSE WHO HAVE NOT WATCHED SEASON 4!}My synopsis is that it did end better than last season. However, I don't really like Rose all that much and she was in almost all episodes. I miss all the tension there used to be between Mary and Matthew, and none of her present suitors thrill me. However, I WILL watch it next season!

5. I am now classifying myself as a birder. My chair sits facing our front window and I've become obsessed with watching the birds that keep landing on our weeping cherry tree that is right at eye level. 

worth sharing again!

I've been sharing some of the pics I've been able to get of these little creatures on my blog this month. If you didn't know before, I LOVE birds.

6. Don't dawdle on museum exhibits that you don't really like. This month hubby and I went to the Eisenhower Presidential Museum in Abilene, KS. It was great, but there was a whole bunch of less interesting stuff at the beginning and it took forever to get through even though we didn't read everything in print. 

Come to find out, there was LOTS more to the museum and we ended up having to kind of rush through some better stuff at the end. Lesson learned.

7. The Nester posted a blog yesterday that changed my perspective. It is called The 1 Thing Every Home Needs and she suggests finding a space in your home that is no longer going to be a home for things.

I've struggled with clutter on surfaces my entire life, but yesterday, after reading her post, I cleared my table off for the first time in months. And, I truly enjoyed wiping it down with a damp cloth. Read her post. You'll be inspired.

8. I was equally inspired by Emily Freeman's post from Monday titled In Celebration of Slow. I'm not sure why, but I've often felt "less than" because I take a while to process things. I am a deep thinker and a slow processor. 

In this post, Emily gives our kind much needed perspective and permission to keep being the slow processors and thinkers that we are. I feel so liberated by her post. Thank you, Emily.

9. Writing a spiritual narrative of your life might stir up some stuff. Just a fair warning if you're thinking about writing one of these.

10. My favorite quote of the month:

"When we give our lives the gift of attention, our consciousness blossoms. Attention is an act of love, an act of connection. Like a child in a good home, our art responds to a nurturing atmosphere."

Julia Cameron in The Sound of Paper

I like the idea of giving my art a nurturing atmosphere.

Thanks for stopping by today! 

Blessings to you,

When mercy looks like five stars

Today, I'm linking up with a community of encouraging writers at Lisa Jo Baker's blog for Five Minute Friday. The prompt is "mercy". Writing for just five minutes straight. From the heart. No need to be perfect, just sharing our hearts through words.  Won't you join in?

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Finally. The morning air is crisp-like and not smothering.

I awoke really early this morning. Not my desire, but it happens. I slip on my orange slippers and walk to the kitchen to flip on my tea kettle. At 6:09 a.m., I see the first glimmers of light coming through the window.

Morning twilight. 

So I decide that I’m gonna see the sunrise. Or at least the pre-dawn sunrise. I step out on my porch with some dry cereal crunching in my mouth. I’m secretly wondering if the neighbors can hear me crunching, but I stand there anyway.

It is silent.

The sky is this clear blue that you only see in the wee morning hours before the sun rises. The dawn is approaching, but there is still enough darkness to make out the faint glimmer of five stars.

Just five. 

I stand there more, and stop crunching on my cereal to listen to the silence. Oh, the sweet silence of morning.

I look up again. And, I see a couple more stars.

Then three more.

I think to myself, I’ve allowed my eyes to adjust and now I see more clearly. I see that there are more and more stars that I don’t normally see during the day.

I think to myself that that’s the way God’s mercies are.

Mercy after mercy He showers on me, but I have to take time to let my eyes adjust to His.

I have to allow myself to be still and silent to see His mercies.

eyes wide open: taking the scenic road {day 11}

I had this awesome idea today for a post. I drive to the town where all three of my kids are in college and my husband works. Thirty miles away for lunch with my middle son and my husband. I get this great idea to blog about "taking the scenic road home." 

See, I usually take the interstate for the thirty or so miles it takes to get there and home. But, there is a more direct way. It is a two lane highway. Instead of seventy miles per hour, the speed limit is fifty-five. So, it's slower. Well, at least it seems slower.

I make kind of a split second decision right before I get to the entrance ramp to the interstate. I think I'll take the highway. I'll bet it will be really scenic. I don't have to get home in a hurry. I'll take my time and enjoy the view.

And, you know what? The views were wonderful. My pace was relaxed. So relaxed that the guy behind me was so close to my bumper that I couldn't see his headlights in my rear view mirror. I thought, I'm probably ticking him off. So, I instantaneously speed up to sixty. I worry so much about what other people think. Even strangers. Kind of ridiculous.

I get out my smart phone and I find the camera app. I think, I'll take some pics all along this highway and make a post about the scenic road home. The pics will add so much. They will be so good.

But, alas, my phone software and my computer software decided not to get along tonight. The really neat photos of my "scenic road home" are stuck on my phone. 

So. You'll have to just imagine it with me. Two-lane highway. Sunny. Trees of gold, green, orange. Scant traffic except for the guy on my bumper that won't pass me. Wispy clouds. Silence. I decide I want to just take in the beauty of the drive with no music.  

It was peaceful. It was beautiful. It was relaxing. No tearing down the interstate at seventy with cars passing me on the left. Just leisure.

How often do I take the scenic route in life and not worry about "getting there"? Usually I am running behind, so the scenic route is not an option. I'm thankful today, though, that I took the s-l-o-w route. The relaxed pace. Taking in God's. Fall. Beauty.

Let me know in the comments if you've ever taken the scenic road, just because. And how you felt. I'd love to hear from you!

Vowing to take the scenic road more often.

see day 1 for a list of all 31 posts