Mandala Monday ~ Strawberries

Sometimes I like to play with my food 🙃

I’ve really been enjoying my little patio container of strawberries this year. It’s such a lovely, delightful little pot, and I’m getting so many berries on it – more than ever before!  It’s an ever-bearing variety, so it’s been non-stop since spring.

Tiny, but tasty! 🍓

And the bright, hot pink blooms are so beautiful..

This is from earlier this spring…

And this is from this morning…

I’ve got to keep an eye out for the pesky squirrels who like to snatch them just as they’re ripening. Those theiving little beasties!

I also have a little strawberry plant that my granddaughter and I started from seed back in March of 2020 when she had her last sleepover just before the big C burst onto the scene here in the US.  It too has been getting tiny berries on it…

I arranged this on my potting bench the other day using some of the berries from that plant while thinking of my sweet granddaughter…

She’s getting so big…

And so is my grandson…

Gosh, how time flies… we’ve really got to cherish each moment, don’t we. 💕

 

May your Monday be filled with sweet moments…

 

✿~Peace & Love~✿

Mandala Monday ~ Garden Things

Over the past week or so, as I’ve been harvesting nice little handfuls of beans each day from my veggie garden, I’ve felt the idea forming to include them in one of my mandalas.  Since they have a slight curve to them, I was feeling a ‘pinwheel’…

In addition to the green beans, I also added herbs of basil (which I’ve allowed to go to flower for the bees – even though I stole them from the bees by picking them oops) and lavender; along with coleus, impatiens, and a bright gazania for the center.  So simple, but I love how it turned out!  Especially against the rustic look of the wood of my potting bench.  Rustic = needs a power wash and stain.

Here’s another variation without the beans and impatiens and using a yellow zinnia for the center…

 I like using my potting bench for laying out my mandalas because it’s easier and it’s more comfortable standing than squatting to the ground – I can’t really kneel on my ‘bionic’ knees.  But I actually prefer making them on the ground.  I like the vibes better, it feels like more of a natural expression and less of a ‘display’ and I like feeling more connected to the earth by sitting on the ground.

But don’t get me wrong… I enjoy making mandalas no matter where I am.  And I will make them in a house, and I will make them with a mouse, and I will make them here or there, I will make them anywhere!  

And with any thing –  I really like the idea of using my veggies and herbs for my mandalas. The more shapes, textures, colors, and scents, the more fun. I see more of these kinds of mandalas in my future…

 And also in my past…  Earlier this spring when I was harvesting my peas I played around with them too out on my potting bench and made a few mandalas, but I never got around to sharing them.  Sugar Snap peas (so yum), rosemary sprigs, cedar, clovers and heliotrope, with a chive for the center…

And then I switched out the chive for a yellow zinnia for the center and added orange/red impatiens which really brightened it up…

I love bright things!  Although, I actually prefer the look of the first one between these two.

I wish there was a way to preserve my mandalas (other than just with a photograph), but I guess that’s what makes creating them a good meditative tool – they keep you focused on enjoying, appreciating, and absorbing the present moment.

 

 

Wishing you many enjoyable and beautiful moments to absorb in this coming week, and as always…

 

 

✿~Peace & Love~✿

Beauty Rings

Trumpets resound at the rising sun

as beauty rings out in the garden

 

© Julie Rehnelt 2020

 

 

✿~Peace & Love~✿

Mandala Monday ~ When Nature Gives You Wind

You make a mandala with the debris…

We had some pretty strong winds blow through here over the weekend, and sadly, the lilac in my garden took some damage. One of its main branches split. Luckily, that branch was on the backside, so it doesn’t affect the overall appearance from my view. Lilacs are hardy shrubs, so I’m sure it will bounce back.  I’ve mentioned in previous posts that my grandpa planted this lilac for my grandma like 75 years ago, so it has definitely weathered its share of wind and storms over that time.

The lilacs are just getting ready to bloom here and I was sad to lose one of the main branches of potential fragrant blossoms, so I decided to snip some of them off that broken branch and put them in a vase anyway. Maybe they will end up opening? Or maybe not. But they still look pretty in a vase…

The Rhododendron on the front corner of the house is in its absolute glory right now and thankfully didn’t suffer any damage from the wind.  Well, except for this rather unsightly hole…

So I decided to take some of those blossoms and put them in a bowl of water to help preserve them for a little while.  But they were lonely in there, so I added a bright yellow dandelion and a few violets.

I adore violets, sweet little things!

I don’t usually like to pick flowers or things of nature, because then they die, but I’ve been missing my granddaughter so terribly that when my daughter told me they had been out picking violets (we usually do that together each spring), I had to go out on my own and gather some too.  The little basket above is the one my granddaughter usually uses for foraging on nature walks when she’s at my house and I have to admit it made me feel sad to use it without her.  It makes me sad right now typing about it…

I hadn’t intended on sharing anything sad in this post, I was actually wanting to share about how you can turn life’s ‘storms’ into something beautiful, because I do truly believe that, but gosh my heart aches right now.  I blame my sharing about that little basket.

I know I’m not the only one facing heart ache right now and my heart goes out to everyone.  Love and Light to you all.  May you find beauty, hope and joy today.

 

 

✿~Peace & Love~✿

Wordless Wednesday

 

 

 

✿~Peace & Love~✿

Welcome July

The fireworks are already getting started in the garden…

Welcome July!

 

And because everything reminds me of a song…

Such an empowering and inspiring message, thank you, Katy!  🙂

 

Happy Monday, let your colors burst!

 

 

 

 

✿~Peace & Love~✿

Wordless Wednesday ~ Don’t Talk With Your Mouth Full

😋

 

 

✿~Peace & Love~✿

Wordless Wednesday

 

 

✿~Peace & Love~✿

Flowery Friday

Flowering things lately…

All of which are even more lovely when enjoyed with someone you love…

I’m so grateful for my sweet little granddaughter who shares my love of nature!  And for my adorable little grandson, who, even though he’s only 7 months old, already displays the same.  Not to mention, my lovely daughter who also most definitely shares that affinity…

All of them are so very precious to me.

❤❤❤

 

What’s precious to you today?

 

Wishing you all a beautiful Friday, a wonderful weekend, and lots and lots of love.  Don’t forget to take the time to stop and smell the flowers…

🌸

 

 

✿~Peace & Love~✿

Lots of This…

Wishing you all lots of this today…

Well… not just today, but every day! 💕

I found my little stash of pressed flowers that I had packed away in an old box and thought I’d play around a bit arranging some flowery flat lays.  Some of these flowers are from gardens I had way back in the early 90’s!

I’d like to experiment doing more of this type of thing and maybe even try creating some mandalas using these old pressed flowers.  It’s snowing yet again today (huge, pretty flakes!), so finding creative indoor activities is always good. 😉

Thanks for letting me share, have a beautiful day, and Happy Valentine’s Day!  💘

 

 

 

✿~Peace & Love~✿