Spring is coming

It is still early January,

the weather is mild

and it fools the bulbs into thinking it is Spring.

I planted Crocuses, Buttercups and Daffodils.

See how far they are already.

I love watching them come up.

Crocus

Buttercup

 

Let’s hope it doesn’t get too cold for them later.

Beautifully Simple

The new year has started

and I try to make life simple, beautiful and happy.

Often we complicate life and it is not necessary.

Make it simple

enjoy the long hugs

the walks in the fresh air

the sunrise

the flowers along the road

sitting in peace

a chat with a friend

a smile for a stranger

feeling the breeze in your hair.

 

Have a beautifully simple Day!

and

Have a simply beautiful Day!

 

Start the new year well

…. without judging

Go into your new day with open eyes and an open mind.

Meet everyone without without judging, without labeling them.

Start to meet people with curious eyes and get to know them again with fresh eyes.

I learn more about them this way.

Over Christmas I read the book Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine.

(as recommended via Beth’s blog)

A brilliant book:

 

Meet Eleanor Oliphant: she struggles with appropriate social skills and tends to say exactly what she’s thinking. Nothing is missing in her carefully timetabled life of avoiding unnecessary human contact, where weekends are punctuated by frozen pizza, vodka, and phone chats with Mummy.

But everything changes when Eleanor meets Raymond, the bumbling and deeply unhygienic IT guy from her office. When she and Raymond together save Sammy, an elderly gentleman who has fallen, the three rescue one another from the lives of isolation that they had been living. Ultimately, it is Raymond’s big heart that will help Eleanor find the way to repair her own profoundly damaged one. If she does, she’ll learn that she, too, is capable of finding friendship—and even love—after all.

the only way to survive is to open your heart

 

I loved the book, it opens your eyes in how you see people,

we often judge people but never know why they are the way they are.

What you go through in your life shapes your life.

How you grow up, what you hear, your friends everything influences your life and the way you are.

Read the book you’ll love it.

 

Happy New Year 2020

Wishing all my friends all over the world

a wonderful and happy new year!

May it be filled with love, good health

and full of happy memorable moments!

 

Sending you all my love and

thank you for your friendship over the years!

cartoon from Sketches in stillness 

Remembering Christmas

My Christmas Memories

When I was a child in Germany

we celebrated Christmas in the evening 24th December.

Dad would get a real tree in the morning and we were allowed to help

decorating it with our handmade decorations

like paperchains, straw stars and lanterns etc.

We made candle holders out of walnut shells.

Then we were sent out the room for a while.

We had to listen for a little bell.

Once we heard the bell we went into the room with anticipation.

The tree was lit (with real candles) presents under or next to the tree.

We did not open presents then.

Mum sat at the piano and played Christmas carols, we sang to it.

Then us children played Christmas carols on the recorder with my mum.

It was a wonderful happy, warm and peaceful feeling.

Then a record was put on with the Christmas story and a choir singing carols,

only then we started to open presents.

Everyone was happy, Dad watching the tree carefully with the candles.

We loved to blow them all out.

After all this Mum served a lovely small dinner with filled Vol-au vents,

and home baked Christmas cookies.

We spent a happy family evening together.

Always a magical Christmas for us, a special time,

and I remember it fondly filled with so much love.

 

Christmas tree 1969

Christmas Tree 1983

Merry Christmas 2019

To my dear blogging friends

around the world,

wishing you all a

very happy Christmas,

and hope you can celebrate with your loved ones. 

May your Christmas / holiday be joyful and peaceful.

Sending much love and hugs around the world. 

Ute ♥♥♥ 

 

Today is …. #48

… a day for gratitude….

 

Another year comes to an end.

Reflecting on the past year.

We have dealt with ups and downs,

family or work related,

maybe illness, loss and sadness.

We are growing stronger every year dealing with emotions

and difficult situations.

 

I wanted to express my gratitude to all of you

my wonderful friends around the globe.

You helped me cope with many things,

you made me happy,

you were there for me.

My heartfelt thank you.

I am so grateful for you being here.

I send you so much love and many hugs.

Thank you for being with me on my journey!

New skirt – handmade

I saw this beautiful crocheted skirt on Yochet’s blog here.

A great skirt, I love knitwear, so there was my project.

Just finished it and I am so happy with it.

Look for yourself.

front

side

back

all

I really enjoy wearing it.

Thank you Yochet for letting me know how to do it.

Great fun!

 

Today is …. #47

… a day for being a positive change…

 

If each one of us is a drop of rain,
Together we will form an ocean of kindness.
Together, we will be the positive changes,
we wish to see in the world.

Let’s be the start of the ripple in the ocean!

Beautiful Sunrises

Dramatic colours on my way to work in the sky

with these amazing sunrises.

Another day more like fire

It is great to start the day with natures’s beauty.