Love and paradise

There are two rosebushes that don't bloom during the warmer months along with the rest. Instead they bloom in the cooler months. I don't know why. They just do. One was a gift from a friend when my father-in-law passed away. It is fittingly called "Paradise". During the grey days of winter I have the bright luscious blooms of this rose to enjoy. It seems appropriate that it should be so.

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Opening the new year with hope and savoring the old one with thankfulness

I look back at an old year...
And I am thankful

I look ahead at a new year...
And I am hopeful

Like cutting into and savoring a beautifully ripe orange
Such sweetness was held in each of last year's slices of time

I cannot fathom what lies in store in each of next year's juicy slices

Scatter the smiles and sunshine all along your way

When strolling through Golden Gate Park with Hubby, we came upon a seasonal planting area that is tended by volunteers from the community. It was in full bloom with dahlias. With camera in hand, I leaned over the iron fence protecting the gardens and drooled over the amazingly gorgeous dark-brown (and weedless) soil. I almost wanted the soil more than the flowers! I guess that's a sign of a gardener.

Anyway...

As I slowly walked the perimeter looking at the array of dahlias (and the soil at their feet), I came upon this bunch of dahlia petals that had fallen from an overly-heavy mop-head of a blossom. The petals were still so fresh and vibrant, as if they had just fallen minutes before when a volunteer brushed by to tend a neighboring plant.

I only took one photo.

I've looked at this photo several times since taking it.

When I look at the image, the words of a hymn come into my mind...

In a world where sorrow ever will be known,
Where are found the needy and the sad and lone,
How much joy and comfort you can all bestow,
If you scatter sunshine everywhere you go.

Chorus (for the altos):
Scatter the smiles and sunshine all along over your way.
Cheer and bless and brighten every passing... passing day
Scatter the smiles and sunshine all along over your way.
Cheer and bless and brighten every passing day

I've always thought it was interesting that the cheerful chorus is repeated twice after every verse. It makes me think that's probably the part that deserves most of my attention.

One dahlia blossom is so small in comparison to the rest of the world. So am I. Yet this dahlia scattered its petals on the ground which caught my eye (and my camera lens) and then made me think of something so sweet as this hymn... makes me wonder what I can learn from that dahlia.

"Scatter Sunshine" (click here to listen)
Text: Lanta Wilson Smith
Music: Edwin O. Excell, 1851-1921
Scripture references: Psalm 100:2 and James 1:27

My new book "What Kind of Pumpkin Are You?"

I'm a bit shy about sharing this (don't ask me why), but I will anyway... I've self-published my first book--What Kind of Pumpkin Are You?

What Kind of Pumpkin Are You? is an inspirational and humorous book intended to bring a smile to your face and hope to your soul. I envisioned it being read on days you don't want to get out of your jammies and would just rather go back to bed and sleep the day away--yeah, those kinds of days.

Anyone who knows me well knows I enjoy finding meaning and analogies in the world around me. One day a few years ago I was visiting our local “pumpkin patch” (it becomes the Christmas tree lot by December and is a vacant lot the rest of the year). I took photographs of the groupings of pumpkins as I found them. I thought it was interesting how someone had had some fun with stacking the pumpkins various ways. Once I got home and began reviewing the photos in post-processing, I was surprised to find themes of hope, acceptance, and love in the unstaged shots. I ended up compiling them into a Halloween blog post that I re-posted as an annual post each year since.

Well, that blog post has now been expanded into this book, What Kind of Pumpkin Are You? The book is available in a selection of soft and hard cover bindings that fit various budgets (my personal preferences are the "Imagewrap Hardcover on Express Photo Silk Paper" and the "Perfect Bound Softcover on Express Satin Paper").

Click here to see a flip preview of the entire book
(you can also order your own copy while you're there)