Shakespeare's Gardens and My Two African Market Baskets

 

Do you have an African market basket? I think they are beautiful in form and in function. The one with my gardening books in it I bought from my neighbor. He immigrated to the USA from Ghana and is married to my neighbor. He imported about 30 baskets from Ghana to sell at a yard sale. The red basket is from Togo and I bought it at World Market and it holds papers for recycling.

I have a special basket made in Africa that holds some of my garden picture books. "Shakespeare's Gardens" is a favorite book. The first photo shows the gardens and the birthplace and childhood home of Shakespeare. Decades ago my hubby and I toured Stratford-upon-Avon, saw a play in the old theater and visited a few homes related to The Bard. Shakespeare lived and worked there for most of his 52 years. The book is written by Jackie Bennett with photographs by Andrew Lawson.

In reading this book I was stunned and saddened to learn that Shakespeare's grand and final home "New Place" was torn down in 1759 because the current owner couldn't stand the sight seers and because of some sort of legal squabble. All that remains is the handsome gardens. Towns people were outraged when New Place was demolished and hounded the man out of town. That is a harsh loss to the world of literature and gardens and admirers of Shakespeare. Shakespeare wrote 20 plays during his time as owner of New Place.

Have a Happy and Blessed Easter

 Here are two cards with Easter greetings.

Yes, Christ was crucified and rose from the dead, and he offers eternal life in heaven to all who say yes to him and become Jesus followers. That is the best gift offered to anyone ever. The certainty of seeing our loved ones again in heaven and being ever joyful there.

Thank you Monica for this adorable bunny card that flew to me all the way from Sweden. And now we all know how to say Happy Easter in Swedish, Glad Pask.

My sons and I attended church today, saw many baptisms, about 8, and we cheered for each person as they were submerged in water and committed to follow Jesus. Then we went to my house and had an Easter feast. A very good day. Best wishes to all of you no matter your religious views.

Pretty Painting from Swedish Book, Large Heart Stone, Camelias

Here is a heart stone displayed at the school a block from my house, and I include Bounce to show the size of the stone, it is quite large. Plus I include Bounce because he is Bounce!

 

The painting above is from a Swedish children's book and it was sent to me as a postcard from blog friend Monica at Beyond the Lone Islands https://dawntreader-island2.blogspot.com/.. The painting touches my heart, it speaks of longing and of goodbyes. The boy is holding a goose and saying goodbye. The book is "The Wonderful Adventures of Nils" by Selma Lagerlof. 

Above are camellia flowers from my camellia bush blooming in March It survived the neighbor's tree falling right above it.

Storm Blew Down Tree and Ripped Away My Skylight

 Oh friends, earlier this month we had wild winds and heavy rain in my area of California. 

 The neighbor's large old tree in her backyard fell on her redwood fence, across the alley and then on my redwood fence, landing on a canvas awning and hanging over my patio. The tree landed one foot from my house and no damage was done. It brushed my brand new gutter but did not hurt it. The second photo is taken while I am on my patio. Even the yellow solar lantern survived.

One of my skylights was ripped off the roof during the rain storm. It is the type of skylight that opens and closes and it was 40 years old and the metal hinge rusted through. So I spent a lot of time mopping the floor. The roofing company came over quickly and put in a new glass skylight.

Above shows where the skylight was, that is the clouds you see.  Not too dramatic in the photo but rain poured in and I mopped and mopped.

I said lots of prayers of thanks to God that no damage was done to my house when the neighbor's tree fell and landed on my fence and patio. In the same storm a young man was killed in his house when a tree crushed his house. That is shocking and sad. So I am counting my blessings.

The two photos below show my neighbor's tree on the right hanging over her fence, blocking the alley and leaning on my fence on the left side of the photo. The tree had a huge six foot root ball and was a big job to remove. The neighbor called her tree guy and had the tree removed. Earlier this year her other large tree fell so she knew a tree company.

In the photo below my house is on the left and you can see that her tree is a foot from my house and new gutters.

On a happier note the photo below shows that my patio, fence, canvas awning and pink camellia survived beautifully. The tree landed right on that section of fence and on the awning.

Amit Sood and His Ideas to Increase Our Resilience

 Dr. Amit Sood has some great and easy to start ideas to increase our resilience, our ability to get through trouble, loneliness and sadness. He wrote "Just as trees grow their branches toward the sun, spend more time with people who are your source of light." 

One idea of Dr. Sood's I like is "Greet at least one person each day as if you haven't seen them for a month, with enthusiasm and energy."

Here is a picture that might make you smile, it makes me smile. This is a painting of my pup, Bounce. Yes, he has a Hawaiian shirt like in the portrait, and he is holding a ukelele in the painting, the artist's creative idea.

 

Dr Sood also says try to notice one new thing each day. I find that takes a bit of work, it is not as easy for me as I might have thought. Another of his ideas to build resilience in us is to send a silent good wish to someone you're connecting with. He does this all day, which makes him feel uplifted. Dr, Sood is a former medical professor at Mayo Clinic and is now CEO of the Resilient Option.

Me in 1966 riding a donkey to a picnic spot on Buyuk Ada, an island near Istanbul. My Turkish friends planned the picnic which included a carriage ride and they cooked shish kebabs and other goodies outdoors. Fun. New Things. Let's Do It.

My Fight Smog Guitar From College and the Ocean

 I was ahead of my time, fighting smog, with this sticker on my guitar case back in my college days. I still have the guitar and case and took the photo recently. I sang and played countless English folk songs (Silver Dagger which I still sing around the house when I am alone), the Civil Rights movement (Follow the Drinking Gourd), and lots of Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan songs.

Above is the view from a favorite restaurant near my house. Friends took me to birthday lunch there in April. Parking is expensive and hard to find near the beach and this restaurant has free parking for customers, a valet parks it for you. Of course I give a tip. More photos taken near my home near the ocean. I moved here more than 40 years ago and love the sea, it is a balm to my soul and body.

Two above photos taken at 10 a.m. this month, on a foggy slightly drizzly day. The temperature here is 59 degrees F today and a low of 51 degrees last night. My sister lives in Wisconsin where it is reaching a high of 4 degrees F. Brrrr. Stay warm!

How is your January going? Have a great day friends.

Things I Hope for in 2024

 Strong old trees near the ocean and my house.

There are lots of things I hope for in 2024.

Peace.

Laughter. I read P.G. Wodehouse for laughter. The Code of the Woosters is a hoot. 

Puppy love. The love of a pup old or young.

Play. Play with pup. Play with friends.

Silliness. Never too much silliness in my life, it is always welcome. Related to play, see above.

Reading. In this way I enlarge my world and my experiences and my knowledge. Reading Greenlights I get to learn some things Matthew McConaughey shares. Look for those green lights in life, friends.

Spend time outdoors. Breathe deeply in that clean outdoor air and send out prayers of thanks for all good things.

Continue to make new friends, welcome new people into church, invite them for coffee.

Pray for my country to turn back to our roots of freedom and faith and to secure our borders.

Change my routine a bit. Visit our Boardwalk and ride the horses on the carousel. See Silliness and Play above.

Plant more flowers and flowering shrubs and plant another fruit tree. I am thinking an apple tree. 

Just some quick thoughts have created this list. What are some of your hopes for 2024?