Reasons to be Cheerful, One, Two, Three...

I've never been one for Gratitude Journals, for me they seem a bit contrived, a bit like hard work.  I can imagine myself chewing the end of my pencils trying really hard to think of things everyday to be grateful for.  Not exactly the point of the exercise.

But being grateful and happy has taken on a little bit of urgency these days.  The news is bleak, everywhere you look people are worried and anxious, and if you do work outside the home, there is always a niggling thought of, what if I'm let go?  So, in the interest of self-care and providing a fairly sane and pleasant persona to those around me, I am making an effort every day to be very, very grateful for things (and people) no matter how mundane or ordinary they may be.  And I do feel so much better for doing this. 

So, in a collection of photos taken over the past couple of weeks, here are some things that I am grateful for and that make me warm-and-fuzzy happy:

My new walking stick, about 5 feet tall and made from a fallen piece of Ash.

I feel like the Wizard Gandalf striding about the fields!

Our two lovely boys - they make me happy and smiley every day

Making homemade pizza

Simple, fresh, nothing artificial

Bellini cocktails to go with above pizza. Notice the empty bottle?

Signs of Spring everywhere

Hazel Catkins

Early Spring sunsets outside our back door

Just a few, simple things that have made me smile over the past few days.

What makes you happy? What are you thankful for?

Happy St. Patrick's Day to you from me!  ~Siobhan xox

Magical Moon

We're at the tail-end of a Full Moon now and my darling other half took this photo just now of the most peachy, creamy, magical Moon, it is so beautiful.  I sat out just gazing up at it, taking in the lunar energy, it is so enchanting tonight.

Hope you have a lovely weekend wherever you are...we are all looking at the same Moon.

~Siobhan xo

If I Was...

I've been in blog-limbo the last couple of months.  A series of minor health issues, work stuff and general blah-ness have kept me from writing.  Caroline from the wonderful Coeur de La posted her list of 'If I Was' and asked her readers to join in.  What a great way to un-limbo myself! So here goes (thank you Caroline):

If I was a month, I’d be late October.

If I was a day of the week, I’d be Friday.
If I was a time of day, I’d be dusk.
If I was a planet, I’d be Venus.

If I was a sea animal, I’d be a starfish.

If I was a direction, I’d be South.

If I was a piece of furniture, I'd be an old, faded ottoman sofa.
If I was a liquid, I’d be champagne.
If I was a gemstone, I’d be a moonstone.

If I was a tree, I’d be a beech tree.

If I was a tool, I’d be a super-sharp scissors.

If I was a flower, I’d be a tulip.
If I was a type of weather, I’d be an early hot summer morning.

If I was a musical instrument, I’d be bells.
If I was a color, I’d be purple.

If I was an emotion, I’d be reflective.

If I was a fruit, I’d be a blueberry.
If I was a sound, I’d be windchimes.

If I was an element, I’d be water.
If I was a car, I’d be Toyota Rav 4, what I drive now, preferably shiny black.

If I was a food ... I would be a mozarella, olive and basil homemade pizza (with garlic bread).

If I was a place, I’d be right here...south coast of Ireland.

If I was a material, I'd be a soft, luscious velvet.

If I was a taste, I'd be fresh.
If I was a scent, I’d be oakmoss.

Do feel free to join in over at Caroline's (Coeur de La ).

~Siobhan xo