Silence to touch souls

I have just spent a lovely day with mummy and daddy.  And what a gorgeous day it was.  To feel the warmth of the sun passing right through to my bones was without a doubt a double bonus.  Yey for the sun, at last.  Most of the day was spent just sitting out under the awning, chatting away about life, the universe et al.  I do have to say that I am enjoying my new daddy.  There's a sweetness and a simple joy to his life now that is rather special.  I remember someone telling me about their father who had Alzheimer's and how when he died they weren't sure which daddy to mourn, the one they'd known most of their life or the new one who they had also grown to love.  I understand that now. 

He took mummy and I on a walk.  They often go on this walk and mummy tells me that she allows him to lead the way, as always.  I think that she enjoys the fact that in this one area he still takes the lead and knows where they are going.  I must admit at one point I wasn't too sure and did wonder whether I'd be able to use my phone to help us find our way home through fields, but it wasn't needed.  He knew exactly where we were going.  For those moments you could forget that for the majority of his life he now needed to be led by mummy.  As we meandered along, I picked wild flowers from the side of the farmer's fields.  Simple pleasures.

They provided a glorious centrepiece when we sat outside for dinner later.

Mother Teresa once said " We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness.  God is the friend of silence.  See how nature - trees, flowers, grass - grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence......We need silence to be able to touch souls."  Today was one of those days.

When the time comes for me to leave, I know I hold my hugs longer and tighter and I know they do the same to me.

Words with meaning.

Nothing like a good wedding.  And for sure the infamous wedding at Cana was a good wedding.  It had the potential to turn into a full-on, talked about for years in disparaging tones, disaster, with a capital D. All down to the dreadful miscalculation and thereby subsequent humiliating running out of wine fiasco.  Not for them one drink and then you can buy you're own, so they were in a terrible mess.  But the whole wedding party was transformed, just as the water was transformed into wine.  Save the best till last and a good wedding was had by all. 

I discovered something the other day about this wedding.  It may be something you already knew - but I certainly didn't.  And that was that when Mary, Jesus' mother, told the servants to "do whatever He [Jesus] tells you", it was her last recorded words.  Oh yes, she features in the bible later on in the gospels, indeed she's there at the cross, but nothing else she says is written down.  I love that.  I love that the last thing we know that she says is to "do whatever He tells you".  There could be nothing better for her to say.  What a brilliant final delivery of words.  What an excellent piece of advice.  What else needs to be said.

"Do whatever He tells you".

That's what we need to hear.  We won't go wrong in life if that's what we listen to and if that's what we live by.  I don't know about you but that's my heart.  It's what I want to do.

It also makes me wonder what would you like your last recorded words to be?  Hmmmm.  That's worth thinking about, and you may even want to share with me.  Feel free to let me know.

Take a peek.

Fancy a few pictures of my palace - seeing we've been talking about it rather a lot lately.  Well feast your eyes on these.  I can't claim the first ones with my handy iphone and instagram though.  You'll see why - these are thanks to a photographer Tandy who stayed there once.

Just for your information.  That last sampler - 'Sometimes the best.......' was bought by me in America after I'd just found out that my 17 year old daughter was pregnant.  It was my statement of HOPE that no matter what it felt like at that moment, it was going to be wonderful.  And he is.  Kai is without a doubt the best and brightest of flowers.

And now over to my attempts.  They are at least the most up-to-date.  It's all ready for our first holiday guest of the season.  I do so hope they enjoy it.  No.  Strike that. I know they will love it.  They've stayed before and loved it then, it's even better now. 

It really is a tiny place - now you know I mean it! 

 

I will be painting those kitchen tiles white one day - it's not the first job on my list, but I will get there.  Don't you love my new purchase - the little yellow stool.  I so fell in love with it and want it so that I can put a tray on it in the living space(!) when I have tea.

 

Who wouldn't want to curl up amongs all those gorgeous fabrics.  Familiar cushions for anyone who's been in my London home (hark at me!!).  I decided Cornwall needed them.

 

Love my Cath Kidston cutlery.  Have no drawers in the kitchen but drawers are just for ugly cutlery. 

 

And finally the start of my enamel bowl of driftwood and shells.  To be added to and things to be made. 

Just a taster.  Hope you enjoyed them.

It is well, with my soul.

I've returned from my painting break.  Now it would be lovely if I was partaking in one of those lovely holidays where you learn how to paint pictures.  Maybe one day.  For now, this was a trip to the pink palace to decorate, in order to make good what the ripping out of it's soul did to the walls inside (see previous post).  It may be a postage stamp of a building, however painting over cracks, wires, ceilings, walls, and it sometimes seemed anything that didn't move, takes time.  Luckily for us during most of our stay it was raining so it didn't cause us great grief to be inside when it is sooooo beautiful outside.  However, there were moments when a wander down to the beach brought much pleasure and I thought I'd share this with you.

Due to petrol costs I cadged a lift from nephew Josh, who was on a IBM jolly to his uni town so I had the joy of an extra day of painting before Alan arrived by train.  Yes, still cheaper than petrol. I'm a bit of a scaredy cat when it comes to staying on my own - anywhere - so I was a tad nervous at the thought of being at the palace, as lovely as it is.  The silence gets me. I love it on one hand, but on the other it's me, Alyson, who can't stand the sound of her own thoughts in her head and not being able to speak them out.  It's got me into all kinds of trouble I know, but I love to process my thoughts in conversation.  And here I was, alone, not in the city where background noise is somewhat comforting, and I had no one to talk to, except God.  And it was ok.  I survived.  Actually enjoyed it.  Why am I telling you this?  Well, it's my rather long introduction to me, sitting on the beach communing with God and nature, one and the same I believe and it was wonderful.  This particular part of nature, is breathtaking and  it inspired God and I to speak lots.  Not that I think God needed to be inspired but you know what I mean.  Here was my bit of nature that morning.

 

Interestingly, where the tide had gone out there was, by the cliffs, a pool of water and it was there that I sat and was comforted by those well known words from the 23rd Psalm.  "He leads me by still waters, he restores my soul..."  Spent a good amount of the day meditating on the whole Psalm.  There's a reason why it's a goodie.

I walked to meet Alan later in the day, and felt complete again once he was there.

Cue for more pictures when the tide had returned.

The sea came right up to the steps down to the beach, by the little cafe.

Alan then made me climb over the rocks to get to the tiny little bit of beach left. 

I'm such a baby and the fact that I'd just been listening to the news that someone had fallen off a cliff didn't help, but to Alan clambering over rocks is just second nature to him. I think he has a touch of mountain goat in him!!!  So with shouts of 'just grab my hand!' I finally made it and all was well with my soul.    I feel blessed and honoured that, in the words of my friend Mary, we own a part of this.  Well, when it's not raining all the time that is!!