one world one heart 2010

Sometimes Mother Nature reaches down and stirs up a bit of troublesome wind. She stirs too roughly and a tornado is born.

When she is out of control she can plum whip up a hurricane of magnificent proportions.

Sometimes she gives a simple shudder and the land tumbles beyond recognition. I so hate when that happens.

A few weeks ago Mother Nature shivered the south into the coldest days we have seen in quite sometimes.  Strawberries froze on the ground. Oranges froze on the tree.

I did my darnest not to wish too strongly for snow where it did not belong.

Last Thursday, a plain enough day starting out, Mother Nature tore through my little town. She traveled in a thunderous manner frowning the sky black at mid~day.

Mother Nature flooded the roads with so much rain the ditches are still over~flowing days and days later. Cabbage fields are under water.

If it is not one thing, well, you know the name of that tune...

Here in my shady and somewhat scrubby back yard--home to all manner of wild things-- Mother Nature whipped around and pulled all the dead branches straight out of the oaks. She combed them clean.

I cannot complain, really. She cleaned the tree tops where I cannot normally reach. She pruned up high and come this Spring bright green baby~leaves will burst out in glory against the blue~blue sky.

Mother Nature put us all to work this sunny week~end, cleaning up oak~flotsam and pine~jetsam. Mossy debris of the branchy kind.

Bend and stretch. Bend and stretch. That was me.

But do look! Like a magic carpet set gently down in my own back yard!

Look at what I found! In my back yard. Sitting on my wooden plain~bench, not the fancy one painted with a green sit~down part, but the sand~covered one that sits near the bluff overlooking the wee winding creek. Where I sit to watch these.

Tucked under palmettos where the armadillo live there on my plain~bench sat a fancy~smancy, garnet~hued, silk pillow with ivory thread embroidered with  somecreamyflowers.

On the tippy~top waiting patiently perched a small package wrapped in crinkly tissue paper and tied with red and golden threads.

Carefully, carefully I unwrapped the tender surprise and here is what I found inside--->

I am not saying I found rubies and gold in my back yard sitting on a fancy~smancy, garnet~hued, silk pillow with ivory thread embroidered into somecreamyflowers.

Not rubies and gold but still...

Straight away I knew what must be done.

Mother Nature was testing my heart. No virgin jumping into the volcano to appease the gods down here in Florida. Well, at least not in MY back yard.

No. A different test of sorts. A test of my spirit and good*will.
Would I be generous enough to give away such a glowing treasure?

Here in Florida, where the temperature may be 75 degrees one day and then a few days later drop down and measure in at 18, I have learned the lesson of easy come, easy go.

In my heart I long for black and glossy knee~high boots but Life normally gives me warm and sunny days in amazing abundance. {{ Think how silly I would look at the beach!}} For our short but often moody winter weather I have a closet full of these. My life is satisfying and full.

Truthfully I have glowing treasures all around me and I do so love to share.

So.
Think quickly of your own life.
What makes you  glow warm and sunny even on a cold and dreary January day?
Leave a comment below describing what warms you ruby heart, what puts a golden twinkle in your eye.

Share HERE below and you will be entered into my giveaway for this necklace prize from Mother Nature. {{ I am keeping the pillow as it matches these. }}

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My giveaway-- part of  Lisa's One World One Heart initiative--stops February 15th at NOON. Winner MUST play along with the rules by answering my red question above! Be certain I can reach you by email. I will also announce the winner here as soon as I am able. Most-likely I will still be busy eating Valentine candy so do be patient. I am just saying...

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Comments

[Isabel]

Ahhh my dear your world is full of SPF magic! That is what I love about you: where ever you are, there is SUN!

As for what makes me glow warm and sunny even on a cold a dreary January day...that is easy...looking into my kids' eyes :) :) :)

[Stephanie]

well ONE of the things that warms my heart is the story telling I find each and every visit here....

AND

all the ways people come together to help when mother nature turns things upside down.

x...x
steph

[Leslie M.]

This is a beautiful project!

And you know what warms my heart on cold and dreary January days, or warm and sticky July days. It's the clear and shiny faces of two little ones and the warmth of two big dogs.

Of course, you warm my heart too!

xo

[anne]

What warms my heart on a cold an dreary day are my blogger friends, reading there delightful posts. Some in the sun climates and some not so. But they bring joy to me. And this month another thing that has warmed me are the postcards I have received from blogger friends, all other the world.

[Kelly B]

Great giveaway! Please enter my name! Pop over to my blog (#92 on the magic carpet) for a chance to win, too! :)

[Moriah Betterly]

Great giveaway! Please add my name to the hat! Don't forget to head over to my blog (#98 on the magic carpet) for a chance to win, too! Hugs!