Chasing Treasure

A couple of weeks ago we spent a very enjoyable afternoon in the grounds of Bond University, at a Tastes of the Gold Coast function. The weather was beautiful the surroundings very pleasant, it was lovely just to meander around in the sunshine, enjoying the spring afternoon, sipping the odd free wine tasters, listening to good music and soaking up the ambiance.

Amongst the attractions (for me) were the two stilt characters with their buckets of bubble mix, sending beautiful bubbles into the air. If you've been reading my story for any length of time, you will know that I LOVE bubbles. I took lots of photos and totally enjoyed watching children gather around watching the bubbles flying into the air and trying to catch them before they popped.

This got me thinking. How we in our materialistic, western culture chase after things that attract us, only to find at some time, sooner or later, that the attraction dies and we are off chasing the next thing.

I know this is true in my life because I have experienced it all too often. As you may know, I am a keen op shopper, often a shopping expedition will included visits to more than one establishment and, depending on how much treasure I find, and how scattered my thoughts are during the "hunt", by the end of the venture, as I unload the car, I discover stuff that I've forgotten I've bought, or that has been superseded in my thoughts by a subsequent find.
I have found it useful to walk around with a treasure, or even stash it at the counter and re-examine it before settling my bill and in so doing have saved myself some unnecessary, less important purchases.

No doubt this is how materialism works, playing on our unquenchable desire to acquire stuff, whatever form it may take.

What bubbles do you chase?
Simply Susan

Wow Factor

Look what I found in my garden this morning! Some red and white striped lilies, how gorgeous! I thought you'd enjoy seeing a snap of some more. They are so happy and cheerful.

What a beautiful day it has been, weather wise and activity wise. I have delighted in spending most of the day in the company of my daughter, she came over this morning in time for coffee, we enjoyed drinking that outside and then she played with her new camera, taking pictures of the garden, making it look sensational, I must say. This afternoon, we co-hosted a jewelry party for Destiny Rescue, a mission that seeks to rescue young girls from slavery and prostitution in various Asian countries. We were delighted to welcome many guests to hear about the mission, view and purchase the jewelry made by the girls and indulge in a spot of afternoon tea on our deck.
It was good for us to reflect on the fact that we live privileged lives in a wonderful country and to open our hearts and purses and get involved helping those in difficult circumstances.

How good it is to build happy memories.
Simply Susan

Ice Breakers

Hospital lifts can be pretty unfriendly places, often chock a block with disparate people, from employees to visitors, to actual patients, folk in various emotional states, from elation to desperation and everywhere in between, all keen to firstly get into a lift and then to get out of it as quickly as possible. Rarely a place for fun or conversation as everyone tends to be occupied with their own thoughts.

Having cause this week to visit a friend on the ninth floor of our local hospital, I have made some interesting observations during my journeys to the top.

Funnily enough, following my recent post concerning Hippeastrums, I had cause to smile today, as they figured in my lift experience.

The group gathered in the foyer that I joined didn't wait long for the lift to arrive, however, the group was sizeable and included a lady in a wheelchair and a young woman with a stroller. The sign in the lift stated that it could accommodate up to 23 persons, but it was clear that that wasn't going to happen on this run. I inquired of the lady in the wheelchair as to which floor she was traveling to, on hearing it was the seventh, I offered to go in before her, to save her later inconvenience of her manoeuvering around us.

Having arranged ourselves as best we could and selected all the appropriate buttons, we advanced, quietly, skyward. We were soon joined by some visitors, one of whom was carrying a vase of hippeastrums, cream and red striped and dark red. They were beautiful and so I piped up from the back of the lift and commented on their beauty. The ice was broken and a conversation ensued about a new golden variety that was now available and how this lady had dozens of these amazing flowers blooming in her garden. Lovely how something acted as a catalyst to start interaction between strangers on a different emotional level than that where each was at when they entered the lift.

The ride down, half an hour later, was another interesting one, light banter being entered into, instigated by a group of male visitors with a good sense of humour, which culminated in greetings to 'have a good day' being tossed about as the passengers alighted with smiles on their faces.

I have blogged before about my fascination with the behaviour of groups of strangers thrown together by common circumstances, how fascinating it can be to observe, watching reserve being broken down, by common interest.

Long may we enjoy each others company and make each others lives more pleasant by good interactions as we journey on this earth.

Friday tomorrow, have a great one, keep watching for those lovely flowers
Simply Susan

Buds to Beauty

More wonders have been evident in my garden this week.

I never cease to be amazed at the glories of Spring. from seemingly dead plants and trees, wonderful lime green shoots erupt to become new foliage and beautiful blooms burst forth as the temperature starts to rise. Wisteria and Jacaranda spring to mind as two that generally flower before the leaves arrive.

I captured these snaps of Hippeastrums (Barbadoes Lilies) in bud, and a week later in bloom, how glorious they are, something so stunning from such unlikely stalks.

This wonderful season of the year is full of surprises as one moves around the suburbs.
Clusters of these lilies in blood red hues often hidden up against fences and nestled in garden beds, just delightful. The Jacaranda trees at the bottom of our street are beginning to flower, I can't wait, they are one of my favourites.

Blessings abound if we keep our eyes open.
Watch out for Spring surprises.
Simply Susan

Dust is My Friend

There was a distinct chill in the house this morning as I entered the kitchen to make the early morning cup of tea. Extra chilly due to the fact that having burnt the toasted sandwiches the night before, all the windows and doors had been left open overnight to try and eradicate the odour that was a result of my faux pas.

Since the curtains were open, the sunlight poured through lounge room window and shone on the glass door of our stereo cabinet. Highlighted in the sunlight, it looked seriously filthy, covered with dust and fingermarks.
Having registered my shortcomings as a housewife, while the jug boiled, I retrieved the glass cleaner from the laundry, tore off a couple of sheets of paper towel and proceeded to clean the offending smears from the glass.

The incident was momentary, the sun soon rose and the dirt became invisible. But it had been exposed, and I felt compelled to remove it, compelled by guilt and awareness of my inattentiveness to regularly cleaning it, "Out of sight, out of mind", I guess. I have other things to do, rather than fuss over housework.

This incident caused me to ponder how this reflects on my life. Just as dust and fingermarks accumulate unseen on the glass door, so sin accumulates in my life. Without the light of God's Word shining on my life, I can overlook my shortcomings and they can build up quickly into serious grim.
It reminded me of what the Bible says about sin, we need to "lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily besets us, and run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith". (Hebrews ch 12 v 1-2). As believers we need to keep short accounts with God. "If we confess our sins, He (Jesus) is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John ch1 v9).

I am so glad that Jesus did it all. He paid the price for me, by giving His life on the cross and taking the penalty of my sin against God, His forgiveness is total and free. I need reminding constantly of this, and not wander off on my own sweet way collecting bad habits and less than pleasing ways, its all too easy to forget my need of forgiveness and repeated cleansing. Just like the glass door with the dust and fingermarks, sin keeps happening, I need to keep up the housework.

The tea was lovely, but, guess what, the sun had moved around a little and, while sitting in bed, sipping my tea, I noticed the dust on the cheval mirror in my bedroom...

I am learning that dust is my friend.

Wishing you a dust free, happy Monday
Simply Susan

Early Morning Blessings

I rose early this morning to go for a walk.
Its always a challenge to leave the warmth of my bed, but having made the decision and got going, it proved an enjoyable experience.
A heavy dew had fallen overnight and it covered the ground like a net.

The walk took me through parks, sports grounds and suburban streets. The early morning sunlight shone on the droplets lingering on the grass and sparkled like diamonds - how beautiful, fields of sparkling diamonds, just beautiful!

Willy wagtails danced around in their black and white suits. I find them such joyful birds, they always make me smile as they are so cheeky as they sociably flutter around, dancing attendance like fussy waiters in a posh restaurant.
Birds twittered and sang calling to one another, rejoicing in a new day, and as, always on a morning walk, I felt like the world was my own, albeit briefly.

On return home, the first sip from a hot mug of tea went down a treat and I can now advance into the day having ticked the exercise box feeling invigorated, yet knowing that the walk was so much more than that.

I hope its great day for you.
Simply Susan

Spring

My favourite season has (officially) arrived! Spring that wonderful time of new life and hope.
As a garden lover, I find it particularly rewarding to enjoy the delights of discovering shoots appearing on plants that have appeared dead during the winter months. Though I must say that winter in South East Queensland is not to be compare with winter in the northern hemisphere, but it is what I have become accustomed to.

Joy of joys, my Jasmine has produced enough blooms this year to cut and take indoors, Oh, how I love jasmine, the flowers are so pretty and the fragrance is just beautiful, I love waking at night an smelling the fragrance that pervades the house. The azaleas are blooming, such delicate shades and blousey flowers. Already two of our rosebushes are in flower. The glorious spring green is evident on neighbourhood trees and I know that it will only be a matter of weeks before the gorgeous jacaranda trees will come into flower, glorious canopies of purple flowers. I'll photograph them for you when the time comes, once seen never forgotten.

Spring seems particularly poignant for me this year, as we have just experienced a family bereavement. This has caused me to consider afresh the brevity of life and the certainty of death.
Its so easy to breeze through life not giving much thought to what happens after death, after all it seems so unlikely as we dash about managing our busy twenty-first century lives. We expect to wake up in the morning and return home after work. But we are all only a heartbeat away from leaving this place that we call home and it behoves us all to take the time while we have it to consider, and research into this most important and inevitable event. It is something worth time and consideration to examine the big questions for ourselves and not assume that 'she'll be right", or that long time family beliefs will get you to the right place.

Let me share with you some spring blessings from my garden.

Delight in Denim

About ten years ago I discovered the very resourceful talent of making bags from jeans. I have made several tote size bags that have been wonderful to take to work, plenty of space for all the paraphernalia that one might need while away from home. I have found them to be hard wearing functional and attractive.

I am a gal who finds it hard to buy bags. I admire other peoples' and have tried to buy bags for myself, but no, I find it near impossible. I can never decide which colour, what size what fabric etc etc and inevitably, I will leave a shop without one.

Denim jeans have been a delight for me, the pockets provide handy access for mobile phone or keys. I try to select jeans with interesting features at the top, pleats, fancy pockets, even interesting denim, pale dark patterned.

A small denim bag that I made for myself about four years ago from a skirt, has finally worn out after consistent, faithful service, and so I was inspired to create another.

Even though I may be in the mood to create something, I still freeze for periods of time while I consider what and how to incorporate in my new creation. What if I choose the wrong trimming? Could I have made a better selection? Do the colours and textures compliment or blend with each other? This has been my dilemma over the last couple of days, while I tried to bring an idea from my mind into reality.

I used some denim from the jeans that I made "Felicity", the cat doorstop from a while ago. (If you haven't seen the pics, its a stretch, check fabric). I played around with tea dying the lace and had a go at making fabric roses, inspiration for them coming from a craft site on the internet. The lining and pink trimming fabric was in my stash, a treasure obtained from an op shop sortie a couple of years ago. Here are some snaps of my latest creation.

I hope it will prove as enjoyable and useful to use as the one its replacing.
Blessings from Simply Susan