Small Things Hardly Noticeable

"If you will stay close to nature, to its simplicity, to the small things hardly noticeable, those things can unexpectedly become great and immeasurable."  Rainer Maria Rilke 

Have you ever had one of those days when you experienced true, heartfelt joy? Today is one of those days for me. The sun is shining, there's a warm breeze on my face, the birds in my backyard are chattering back and forth, and the contentment I feel brings me such a sense of peace. I'm always so grateful for these moments.

As I wandered through my front yard, I noticed that the lily of the valley are finally blooming. To me there is no more beautiful, delicate, and fragrant flower on earth. They're easy to miss if you don't look closely. So of course I grabbed my camera, fought off the bombarding bumblebees, and captured their delicate beauty to the best of my ability.

I pay attention to these moments. These are the times when I know all is well with my soul. For this day. And that is enough.

"For lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth, the time of singing has come." Song of Solomon 2:11-12

Simplify, Simplify

It's hard to believe that it's been over a month since I last blogged. To be honest, it was becoming a burden to me. I am somewhat of a technophobe, so blogging is a constant struggle between sharing my thoughts and fighting with the technological demons that pop up to discourage me. So I took a break to try to figure out where I wanted to go with all of this.

And as I reflected, I realized that my lack of motivation isn't really a result of the technology issues. The real problem is that my blog doesn't have a focus. I have been blogging about things that interest me, but there doesn't seem to be a common thread that binds my posts together.

So moving forward I am going to move in a different direction. For years, my true passion has been reading about and finding ways to simplify. I truly believe that my true purpose is to share my conviction that our world is in too big of a hurry, and we're missing out on the meaningful things in life.

I was at Barnes and Noble this afternoon and this book caught my eye:

So I splurged and bought it for myself. I've always had an interest in and respect for the Amish, and who could resist the lovely apron on the cover! The subtitle reads One woman's quest for a slower, simpler, more sustainable life. That describes me, and what I believe will be the heart of my blog going forward.

I have discovered my focus and purpose. You will no doubt see some changes as my blog is reborn after seven short months. I hope you'll check back and share in this journey I'm on. Together, in the words of Laura Ingalls Wilder, maybe we can rediscover the sweet, simple things of life.

I Prefer the Before Pictures

Yesterday, I was at the library, looking for a book (right, I never leave the library with just one book) to read over the weekend. I wanted something with pretty pictures that would inspire me, give me ideas, or just take me back in time. I found one by the editors of This Old House, and flipping quickly through the pages I saw pictures of the insides of old homes, specifically kitchens. They were old-fashioned looking kitchens just like the one I dream of. So I grabbed the book, along with several others of course, and headed for home. When I finally had a chance to sit down with a cup of tea, I opened up the book and discovered that those pictures that drew me in were the "before pictures." Sigh. They tore those kitchens out and remodeled them into more modern-looking, state-of-the-art kitchens, complete with shiny granite countertops.

Sometimes I wonder if I'm the only person who wants a kitchen that hasn't been changed since the 1950s. For years, I've had this picture that I tore out of a magazine as an example of the kind of kitchen I want. 

Many of the items in this kitchen are new, but they are true to the spirit of an old kitchen. This is what I long for: sunny, cheerful and bright. I've always wanted a kitchen with a back door with a window in it, so I could hang a homey-looking curtain on it.

Yes, in so many ways, I prefer the before picture. Like many of you, I feel like I belong in a different time, and often find myself feeling out of place in this high-tech world of ours. I have been feeling very nostalgic lately, and have found through some research that nostalgia can be good for us. I'm often nostalgic for my own childhood, but I discovered that there is actually a name for my nostalgia for a time I never lived in: historical nostalgia. I hope to dig into this a little more. Maybe I'll figure out why I'm drawn to vintage tablecloths, aprons, and jadeite. And why I want to find an old farmhouse with an antique stove, sink, and clawfoot bathtub still in place, no remodeling necessary.

Do you ever yearn for an earlier time? Do you also prefer the before picture? I'm convinced that I can enjoy the blessings of my life and the times we live in, while finding a simpler way to live, embracing the spirit of the past.