May

At last...
spring is here, weatherwise, too !
May is my favourite month
- with flowers blooming and birds singing...
I love it!

These flowers are at my dad's,
where I spent the long weekend,
planting tomatoes, peppers and other nutritious veggies
and enjoying the colours around the garden. 
Lots of green, pinks and reds and white as well. 

A little fragrant bunch came home with me
and greeted me happily a few minutes ago when I came home from work.

Enjoy May!

Yiota

spring clean(s)ing

 

 

I've never been much of a 'spring cleaning' person;

I've never had the patience or energy required for this.

So I just did a bit of cleaning here and a bit of decluttering there;

the result was a decent home but never a perfectly organised one.

Procrastinating is my middle name and as long as the flat is

clean enough to be healthy and messy enough to be happy

it was fine by me!

This year something changed, though.

I'm not sure I can put it to words.

It's this need I have for simplifying;

for having less stuff,

having fewer obligations,

having more time for my family and for me.

So before going away for the Easter holidays, 

I looked around for inspiration

- blogs, pins, spring cleaning lists-

and kept some notes on my,

truly inspiring, Susan Branch wall calendar.

My biggest challenges were the bedroom walk-in closet,

the kitchen glass cabinet (it's huge) and the balconies.

I'm proud to say I managed to do them all.

There are still cupboards and drawers to be sorted out

but I have a plan

and a whole month ahead.

Of course, with schools starting again on Monday......

we'll see. I'll keep you posted.

Wow! Look at how much I've already written.

And to think that it's the cleansing part I'm mostly 

interested in.

I'm trying to look after myself a bit (or rather a lot) more.

I eat healthily and try to walk as much as I can. 

(going to the gym is not an option for now)

I love seeing my fuel -salad-  all washed and ready to get in the fridge.

I make beautiful combinations; yes, beautiful.

I take my bowl to the study and search the net for spring images.

Finally, the most important part.

I seek inner peace.

I want to get rid of any past bitterness and find the strength in me to forgive.

I need to stop reproducing mean dialogues in my head.

It's the only way I can think of 

to move my life forward.

Cherishing the simple things and enjoying the gifts I was given.

Making others happy.

It's not easy. I've been through a tough period

and quite often I didn't even like myself.

So spring clean(s)ing it is, then.

Wish me luck

and do stop by.

I'll do my best to do so, too.

Take Care!

Yiota

spring.... sort of

Spring is supposed to be sunny and warm, non?

So why does it feel like autumn?

Where has my spring gone?

A friend of mine who lives in Germany tells me they've stolen our spring!

It was a bit sunny today, but really nothing much -

nothing like the famous greek sunshine, anyway.

Well, trying to keep my spirits up, I decided to bring some spring inside -

and by that I mean inside our home

and inside my soul.

Our two-week Easter break starts on Friday.

All's good then.

Take Care!

Enjoy spring!

lately...

...it's all about flowers

and a lot of work.

Happy Spring!

(the book is 'Jamie at home')

after the rain comes the sunshine

 and vice versa??

Last week was a hard one.

Things at home were very tense,

with my son spending long hours doing nothing much

and his homework taking up all day long.

I ran out of patience so often I'm ashamed to admit

and the whole thing left me drained and miserable.

Then on Saturday we all went to the city centre 

and had a great time

-hubby treated me to this beautiful little bunch-

and when we got home in the evening,

I was down with a kind of flu that made my whole body ache

and I didn't feel better until yesterday morning!

So Monday has come again, with the same slow pace of achieving things,

a long, quiet and civil discussion

and, well, we'll see.

Have a lovely Tuesday!

xxx

Monday morning

It's a bright sunny morning this one.

Just as Monday mornings  should be.

You know, to set the week off on a good start.

It was an easy-going weekend, too.

Coffee with a good friend at the cosiest cafe at the city centre.

I brought a lovely bunch of sunshine at home. Love!

A slow pace at home.

Sunday morning service at church. We need to do this more often.

Some ironing in the evening, without moaning about it -dare I say it was enjoyable? Too far-fetched!

A pleasant film.

A wonderful book (more on this, on another day)

Have a great week!

xxx

PS. In case you're wondering why I'm here, read the previous post.

fabric + flowers

~~ two of the things i love

~~ one frantic afternoon trying to finish my son's teacher's gift on time

(do you like what I made for her?)

~~ one stress-free afternoon to make the mosaics

enjoy!

~~ hope you all have a fabulous week!

xxx

green is the colour

I've been meaning to tell you and show you what I've been up to lately,

but I have been too busy - and lazy- and I also seem to have become used to

silently enjoying your posts ; it's much easier to read than write, right?

Anyway, it was Fiona from Raindrops and Daisies with her wonderful idea of 'Green Day'

that got me out of my hiding place and into the world.

So here's (part of) how I spend my days, now that schools are closed for the summer.

For more green love pop over at Fiona's.

Have a great weekend.

Back soon. I promise!

xxx

have moved down under

It's been so unbelievably cold these days,

it feels like October!

I had to take my tomato seedlings inside

 to protect them from the cold and the wind.

I started dreaming of dryers again.

I have so much  laundry to do and no idea where to dry it!

Just when you think you don't need socks anymore...

Anyway, it's Friday afternoon and we have the whole weekend ahead;

the weatherman said that we 'll get our spring back soon

so it's all good.

I'm making some cupcakes with my super fast cupcake maker

as soon as I go offline;

Friday afternoon = coffee + cake + crochet. Nice!

Weather permitting, I'm planning to spend some happy time

surrounded by pots, compost, flower seedlings and, of course,

my precious helper tomorrow!

I'm leaving you today

with my beautiful amaryllis, which is exactly as old as my son;

it is now two plants since I separated the two bulbs that were formed

and planted them again in autumn. Clever me!

Have a great weekend!

xxx

life

lately, it feels like life is slipping through my fingers.

all we do around here is work and study.

no time to play or have fun on weekdays!

i still get excited when the time of year for spring bulbs arrives -

i'm a sucker for spring, don't forget-

and i'm over the moon when i get a parcel in the mail,

even if it's something i ordered.

and if you ask my little one, he won't complain for lack of

weekend activities - plays etc.

but a new reality has slowly set in.

i looked at my paperwhite today,

and thought that these should be the last plants i buy for a while.

i smile when i see my extremely cute, yet totally unnecessary, shabby-chic rabbit and mouse toys on my bedside table -yes, i really need to

stay away from etsy.

books and entertainment for my little guy

will be the last fortress to fall,

even if i have to eat pasta and rice every day.

- besides, i love pasta! ;)

oh, well! it's the weekend.

i'm sure i'll find something fun for us to do.

i wish i had more time to blog.

i feel better already.

take care!

xxx

Waiting for the fish to bite or waiting for wind to fly a kite. Or waiting around for Friday night or waiting perhaps for their Uncle Jake or a pot to boil or a better break or a string of pearls or a pair of pants or a wig with curls or another chance. Everyone is just waiting.

~Dr. Seuss

Why always "not yet"? Do flowers in spring say "not yet"?

 ~Norman Douglas

flowers for your friday

{via}

Schools start on Monday.

My little man will embark on a new journey.

Hope he has lots of fun along the way.

Happy Weekend!

xxx