Jane went to bed late tonight. In fact I still hear her rustling as I type this.

There were reasons of course. Ivy and I were too noisy. I didn’t tuck her in fast enough. She needed another book. She was starving…

There are always reasons.

And because I’m tired and she’s the baby and I did a completely crap job of making dinner so she probably is hungry because personally I’m starving, I let her stay up.

Also. She makes these faces…

Jane is going to bed way to late tonight. I’m not proud but these things happen because… reasons… and faces.

Cathy at Words and Herbs has presented a challenge to cheer us all up:

“From Sunday the 22nd through to Saturday the 28th let’s share a photo a day (or more than one if you like) of our flowers and gardens and brighten up this dreary time.”

Today, I’ll share a vase that didn’t get posted here on my blog. Taken in early October, you can see a beautiful sugar maple in the background. It definitely cheers me up to think back to when my garden was full of flowers and I had lots of vases around the house.

And since it is Monday, I will link to Cathy at Rambling in the Garden for her weekly meme In A Vase on Monday.

I’ve come to this Monday with a renewed sense of faith. Things are rubbish out there, but we will get through. A little hope, a little positivity, always helps.

Right, now, where’s that drink?

• If we were having chai I’d get right into the rigmarole that is self-isolating children! So, you know that Lil Princess was put on 14 day quariantine, because a member of her class ‘bubble’ had tested positive, right? Well, Lil Man and I set off for school on Monday. As of this week, I was bringing him in with me because I didn’t want to risk this virus hitting anyone in my in-laws home, since they are all either Clinically Vulnerable, or clinically Extremely Vulnerable. He sat in my classroom, mask on until 8.20am, then headed off to his school, before the children began to come into our room. At the end of the day, he walked…

You must do the thing you think you cannot do.

~ Eleanor Roosevelt ~
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Dec. 16, 1770 – Mar. 26, 1827

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The wintery feel is in the air now and it (almost) made me want to stay wrapped up in the warm yesterday afternoon until I gave myself a talking to and remembered how important it is for me to get out as much as possible when the days are shorter. My efforts were rewarded by the striking sunset that I saw and my mood was instantly lifted.

Dusk Idolising

Each time I choose my walking shoes and catch the sunset’s splendour

Its strands of dessert orange-blue my soul

more grateful render

These fleeting bursts can quench my thirst for beauty and inflate me

To see each rising as the first, a gift I value greatly

My fingers freeze but I’m still pleased to seize this light’s perspective

The half-moon grins behind tall trees, our moods are so subjective

We do not know what will ensue, this moment let’s befriend her

To all my friends, furred, feathered, scaled… or even two-legses! Don’t forget to send me your stories, poems and pics… or your letters to Santa… for this year’s ADVENT CALENDAR… there are still spaces left to fill!

Dear Santa, don’t believe her

When she says that I’ve been nosey

When she comes in from the cold outside

Her cheeks all pink  and rosy.

*

Of course I have to have a sniff

Whenever I must greet her…

I feel that is incumbent

On a small dog of my metre.

*

She says my nose gets everywhere

In places that it shouldn’t…

Perhaps if she would keep her fur on

Then my cold nose wouldn’t.

*

But if she has to change her fur

Or get in steamy water,

Then I, a dog, will wield my nose

Just as a Small Dog ought to!

*

The Great Dog in the…

Dismissing our intuition is easy. It’s dangerous to ignore that little voice whispering in your ear, trying to guide you to your right path. Everyone has experienced it. Somehow you know without knowing why. Even when every logical list says go, your gut says no.  It is your unconscious reasoning. Intuition serves as a bridge, spanning the gap between your instinct, reasoning, and rational thinking.

We need tons of courage to disregard logic, and it takes guts to go with our gut. I have never regretted my decision to listen to my inner voice. But every instance where I didn’t, I wished for a redo.

What is your intuition telling you?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer