Introducing Sophie Rae, my son’s new dog. She is a white golden retriever.
Isn’t she a darling? Welcome to our world, little girl! 💕
“Happiness is a warm puppy.” — Charles M. Shulz
A new addition to our family…
Tag: love
Evergreen Post: Thinking Out Loud
This is a post of mine from a previous September. I hope you enjoy it!
What is the essence of a life?
A deep thought indeed, but putting aside the belief in the existence of a supreme being for a moment, what is the first notion that question conjures for you?
Is it the wail of a newborn when she is pushed from the womb, wet and shivering, into a cold world of bright light and jarring noise?
Is it a living being’s will and drive to survive?
Is it the slow and arduous process of becoming what your potential keeps whispering you can be, or the serendipitous ease of slipping into a role you were born to fill?
Is it what we cling to as we grow old, try to recapture, strive to enjoy in every waking moment, as the end draws ever nearer?
Could it simply be the state of being, dreaming, pondering and loving?
Or hating and enduring what the universe has given you?
Maybe, life is the constant of the everyday.
It’s the laughter of a stranger on a crowded subway, the silly song that got stuck in your head and you sang in the shower this morning, a face that suddenly smiles in your direction, a warm hug, a lover’s kiss, or a soft place to fall after a long day.
Perhaps it is the enduring memory of a giant harvest moon, the languid ripple of a pond you sat beside last summer, the smell of warm cinnamon in an apple pie, the taste of licorice, or the sweet sip of ice-cold raspberry Koolaid you loved as a child.
Some of life is lived between the lines of our subconscious, in the many subtleties of our private, innermost selves.
Life is all of this and much more. It is joy and disappointment, connection and camaraderie, isolation and despair, exquisite pleasure, and acute suffering.
Life is the endurance of the human experience and the divining of purpose.
Life is the continuity of unconditional love.
What do you think life is all about?
What is your answer to this enduring question?
Original post along with your lovely comments here.
Photo Challenge: Wedding*
Back in the day when my sister was planning her wedding, she asked my children to stand as flower girl and ring bearer. This photo has been on display here in my home ever since.
They are adults now, of course, and my daughter is married with a family of her own.
Of special note, the pandemic didn’t bring all bad news: my son is now engaged!
♥ Cherish Every Moment ♥
September Sky
Indian summer winds blow through the hills,
As the autumn sun shines on your hair;
I will always remember the day that we met,
In that wonderful time of the year.
So, will you dance with me tonight, my love,
Beneath the September sky?
Will you sing with me tonight, my love,
And we’ll waltz for the rest of our lives.
~ excerpt from the song September Sky
by Louise Morrissey
I will never forget the night we met in September of 1994, when “I fell head over heels in LIKE,” and how my whole life changed. Thank you for being you.
Further Reading: The Day We Met
RDP Friday: Autumn
Sunday Snap: Giving Thanks
I know 2020 has been a year like no other, but still . . .
I’m thankful for my health.
I’m grateful for my home and who I share it with.
I’m thankful for a world of diverse cultures, colours, and wonders.
I’m grateful for the people who fill my life—and have filled my life—with love, sunshine, and warmth.
“Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.” – Melody Beattie
“When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.” – Willie Nelson
“The more grateful I am, the more beauty I see.” – Mary Davis
♥ ♥ ♥
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Happy Thanksgiving,
Canada.
My Girl*
mother’s day weekend 2013
Today, June 14th,
is my girl’s birthday.
Since the first moment I held her
and gazed into her eyes
when I was just eighteen,
she’s been as constant in my life as the stars.
I wonder if she realizes
how much she has enriched my life,
how proud I am of her and
how happy I am to be her mom, because
she is more than a daughter to me.
She is my friend.
♥
Happy Birthday,
** Denise **
♥
“A daughter is one of the most beautiful gifts this world has to give.” ~ Laurel Atherton
*This is one of my evergreen posts, first published here in 2013.
Baby Love
In the midst of the pandemic as well as my deep despair over everything that is going on in the world right now, comes a welcome respite of joy and gratitude.
My only sister and her husband became grandparents last night, to a perfect little girl who was longed for and whose mom went nine days overdue before finally going into labour late yesterday morning. I am brimming with happiness for them all.
Due to Covid-19 restrictions, my nephew was only permitted to stay in the hospital during labour and delivery, so like my sister and her husband and her other grandparents, he now has to wait until mother and baby are discharged to be with them.
A side note: when this same nephew was a baby and my firstborn was a young girl, she absolutely adored him. How do I know? Back then, she had a locket. She kept a pic of him in that locket along with a pic of herself. I smile whenever I think of it.
I can’t help but recall how thrilled I was when I became a grandmother fourteen years ago, to a dear little bundle who felt like a gift from heaven for all of us. And now my memories take me back to the day my own daughter was born.
I became a mom when I was barely a woman myself. So young I was, a child having a child. It didn’t take long, though, for me to make my baby a priority and to fall in love in a way I never had before.
Eight years ago, I wrote a short poem about it.
Baby Love
Remembering that day in June
when you were small and pink and new
your needs so urgent, your helplessness
eclipsing all I’d planned to do
Your eyes, the bluest I’ve ever seen
gazed into mine, I drank you in
strawberry mark on your behind
that perfect dimple in your chin
The tiny o your lips would make
when, nursing done, you fell asleep
that newborn smell, the lightest heft—
who knew that love could feel so deep?
What are you grateful for today?
Sad News
On Thursday of last week, we had to say goodbye to our little Maisie. She’d been ill for several months, had stopped responding to her meds, and we knew there was nothing else we could do. We couldn’t let our baby suffer anymore.
Needless to say, we are heartbroken. Vivian misses her too. She roams from room to room — and outdoors — looking for her sister and lifelong companion.
We console ourselves by remembering Maisie had a full and beautiful life. No cat, ever, was more loved. She always had Viv to watch over her and keep her company whenever we were away. She reveled in the freedom to explore the outdoors here on Perry’s Point, but preferred to stay close to us when we sat out on our deck.
Maisie, you were much more than a pet to us. You graced us with heaps of generous love and affection and your sweet, unique brand of friendship for almost thirteen years. And your quiet dignity, even in sickness, will never be forgotten. You are pain-free at last.
♥ Sleep well, dear angel. ♥
A Valentine from Vivian
I know you may think
that I look kind of lazy
But not every day
I’m as fresh as a daisy
Precious few are so perfect
to wear halos above us
So we look past the faults
of who we love and who love us
Like where did this dog toy
come from, we inquire
When there are gorgeous kitty cats
here to admire?
But I won’t dwell on that,
just an oversight, maybe
I’ll forgive and forget
and not act like a baby
And we won’t envy Jennifer
with her life that’s just ducky
‘Cause we know of a time
when she wasn’t so lucky
So don’t be concerned
if you haven’t seen Cupid
Don’t be down on romance
because that would be stupid
Just realize your True Love
may not be that far
And besides,
you are wonderful
just as you are!
If you still find you’re sad
and alone on this day
Take a look at our cuteness
to chase troubles away
And please, pretty please,
know we love you like crazy
Happy Valentine kisses
from me and from Maisie. ❤
The Daily Post Prompt:
Cupid’s Arrow – Write an ode to someone or something you love. Bonus points for poetry!
This was my first time using the new “Copy a Post” feature on WordPress for evergreen content. Originally shared in 2015 here.
Soft
My Mommy loves me so much…
…and that makes me purr.
Mommy loves my soft white bib. She says it feels softer than the rest of my fur. My sister Vivian’s white fur is softer too.
Mom read online that pigment makes fur feel rougher and is a characteristic of many cats, though not all of them.
Thanks for looking at my snaps! 💕
Photo Challenge: Soft
#2019picoftheweek
Jennifer's Journal 