Thursday, January 15, 2009

Inner smiles

When I awoke it was -4 degrees f, -20c.
The windchill was -20 f.

I wanted to stay dreaming.


Once the shades were opened the ice
began to melt on the windows.

I took my dreams into the living room.
A cardinal's feather was caught in October's bittersweet.

I spent the morning caring for the tulips


and watching the light dance about the house.

The butterflies are a whimsey.

They shimmer in January's ice blue light.

They remind me of summer

when the jewels of the garden flew to the sweet nectar.



I drank my coconut and pineapple juice

and dreamed of flying kites.


I am warm and cozy.
This cold shall pass. Quickly I hope.
I smile often. It warms the heart and is good radiant heat.



















24 comments:

Anonymous said...

-20C? OMG! I complain that I'm freezing no more!

Lisa at Greenbow said...

It is cold here today too. That arctic air is only for the penguins. I absolutely love the photo of the cardinal feather on the bittersweet. It reminds me of how fraginle life is.

Tumblewords: said...

Beautiful photos - beautiful. You capture the essence of life so well, Sherrie. It's warm here at +25...but we still have about half of the 80+ inches of snow. Stay warm and keep the photos coming!

Cheryl said...

Dear Sherry......the tulip against the window with the ice melting is such a lovely photograph.

The butterflies, and hummingbirds bring summer into your house.......they add sparkle and light.....

We are walking towards spring now.....it is not far away....temperatures rose here to
7C so I was gardening today.....digging new flower beds for bee plants.....

Stay warm and cosy.........

Anonymous said...

I love the cold to come, and I love it to pass. Keep warm! Love the mermaid!

Q said...

My dear Aluajala,
Oh, it is okay to complain about the cold and the heat and the rain and the ice....sometimes a whine just feels so good!
Once the gripe is out it is probly best to go ahead and get into a warm sweater and a hot tea...
Having a honey to snuggle with helps too.
Stay warm!
Moscow is known for being cold...
Sherry

Q said...

Dear Lisa,
You are right, life is fragil. I am keeping watch today on the birds. I cannot let them into my house but I can provide clean drinking water and plenty of suet. (I bet if Teakettle wanted in I would figure a way...I do love the Carolina Wren...)
I was wondering why the Artic is sending their air down to my house...no need! My Mid-west air is just fine...thank you!
I love the penguins...I am not one tho...just a fragil human....trying to stay warm in the bitter cold.
You stay warm too.
Sherry

Q said...

Dear Sue,
Thank you.
80 plus....oh my goodness...that is a lot of snow..mountains of snow...I wish we had some actually. It is bare ground...frozen now many inches deep. I wonder what will not return in the spring. At least the snow insulates.
The dish gardens are keeping my spirits up.
The birds are busy and have no time for me today. They are getting their seeds and their water.
I had fun with the macro lens today. Glad you enjoyed the photographs.
Sherry

Q said...

Dear Cheryl,
Thank you. I was pleased with that photograph too. My living room and dining room windows have a living curtain. Bittersweet swags and Twisting Willow branches are the supports for the vines. I placed the Butterflies and a Dragonfly in the bittersweet hoping they would bring smiles when old man winter blew his cold breath into my gardens. The Glittered Hummingbird delighted me today as I remembered the sweet birds. They are wintering in the warmth and will return to me this spring....
It did warm for you...nice you were able to get into the earth. Bees love you...
Hope mine are okay.
I love "walking towards Spring". Thank you for another hundred smiles that will keep me warm.
Sherry

Q said...

Dear Meredith,
Thank you. I think 20 degrees is about as cold as I need. And I only need that once or twice in the winter.
I wonder who ordered this deep freeze?
Sherry

Jules and Ken said...

It is nice to be able to head south with the birds and monarchs and I count myself very lucky. I really liked your bittersweet photo, you have such an artistic eye.

Wendy said...

It's cold here too. Brrrr! I love how you stay warm. Birds, and butterflies, and mermaids, and seahorses, and flying kites and flowers!
Blessings

Anonymous said...

Your world and way of seeing is so very artistic.

Q said...

Dear Jules and Ken,
You are very lucky to be migrating with the Monarchs....say "Hello" for me please. I do miss all the butterflies.
Thank you...I was surprised to see the Cardinal feather in the dried bittersweet. I put the bittersweet up in October and just today I saw the feather. It is a tiny feather so maybe it was the way the sun was shining that revealed it.
I needed the delight this morning.
Sherry

Q said...

Dear Wendy,
I do "work" at having fun....
It helps to dream a sunny dream.
You stay warm too...
Like Cheryl said, we are walking towards Spring.
Sherry

Q said...

Dear NM,
I have fun.
I do need the bright and loveliness of flowers. I love Penguins and kites and sea horses...I actually love just about everything, except I do not like being cold...
Sherry

Corner Gardener Sue said...

You made me smile, too. Thanks!

Sue

Q said...

Dear Sue,
It feels so good to smile. A good tummy laugh also warms me up.
Sherry

Judy said...

I think that tulip in the living room window is simply magnificent! The way the water droplets glitter, but the sun shines through the stem and one leaf!
Thanks for sharing!

marmee said...

we are very very cold here today. the schools were cancelled because it was too cold. (i have never heard of that) 9 degrees f, right now at almost 10 am. that is unusal for tn. i am happy to have my children home on such a day. we have put on a fire and i am glad the sun is shining. the tulips are reaching for the sun. we will stay in.

Mary said...

Is is too cold there, Sherry.

It is too cold here, too! (unseasonably, that is)

Stay warm and continue to have fun.

I like your whimsy around the house.

I still have hummingbird chimes to cheer me :o)

Hugs,
Mary

Q said...

Dear Judy,
The tulips are giving me so much joy. I love watching them open when the sun warms them and then they will close at the end of the day.
Lovely flowers to have in the house in January when it is so cold...
Sherry

Q said...

Dear Marmee,
The artic blast hit many of us...
Instead of a snow day you are having a cold day!
Stay warm. Nice to have the kids home where you know they are safe and warmm.
Hug them for me...I miss mine.
Sherry

Q said...

Dear Mary,
I love that your Humminmgbird chimes are up and singing. They will bring those hummers back pretty soon! You only have another month before spring will start to shimmer at your house.
It has been a strange winter.
Fiber and birds are keeping me uplifted but I need bugs!
Bees to you,
Sherry