Author Archives: Maggie C

Unknown's avatar

About Maggie C

Stained glass artist, woodworking artisan, writer, respecter of life.

Blessed One

Posted on by
11

Susie from Susie Lindau’s Wild Ride blog has introduced a #Blessed Project on her website, aimed at encouraging us to “count our blessings,” so to speak. Her suggestion is as follows:

“Sometime between now and December 18th take a break and make a blessed project list. This will remind you of what makes you happy. We can only think about one thing at a time, so this project should hip-check negative thoughts out of your cranium for a while. Endorphins will fill the space. Can you feel it?”

I love the idea! Here is my first list of things for which I am thankful. (There may be more to follow. I have been blessed a LOT!)

I am blessed by:

abundance…

tf-abundance

supportive family and friends…

tf-friendship

diverse interests…

tf-family

new beginnings and hope…

tf-growth

resilience…

tf-resilience

strength to keep reaching toward the light…

tf-strengh

and seasons that each bring their own beauty!

tf-seasons

I wish you all a #blessed Thanksgiving Day and every day!

What do you count as your blessings?

Weekend Coffee Share (11/20/2016)

Posted on by
17

If we were having coffee, I would tell you that the Accidental DIYer has struck again. The last time I suffered this affliction, my unsuspecting living room floor went from this:

161120a

to this:

161120b

and ultimately to this:

161120c

It’s still not a completed project, as the hardwood floor needs sanding and refinishing, but that’s for another day.

This week, what started out as a plan to repaint my kitchen cupboards, turned from this:

161120d

to this:

161120e

So now my little paint project has escalated to a demolition of the area around my stove, cutting down the shelving to accommodate a new range hood, putting up new backing on the wall behind the stove, rebuilding cupboards on either side of the range hood, lining the old cupboards with wood veneer, cutting cupboard doors down to new size and hanging them, installing new counter tops (I’m thinking of trying to make my own concrete counter tops)… Oh, and some painting.

I don’t know how this happens, other than to say that my toolbox is bigger than my common sense.

If we were having coffee, I would find some polite way to cut our visit short so I could get at my project. I’ve got to figure out how to move the stove away from the wall. It’s so heavy I can’t budge it at all. I’m sure I’ll come up with something. It may involve redoing the flooring.

Oh, boy. Here we go again.

#WeekendCoffeeShare is generously hosted by Diana at PartTimeMonsterBlog.com.

liquid magic

Posted on by
4

which came first,
the clouds dropping water
upon the ground,

magic

or the ground water evaporating
into clouds?

magic7

did it start out as a fog,
neither of the clouds
nor of the ground?

magic2

perhaps it began as ice…

magic1

or frost…

magic3

however the magic began,
I am glad
for the way it dances

magic4

and quenches our thirst for life.

magic6

The Daily Post weekly photo challenge:  Magic

Weekend Coffee Share (11/12/16)

Posted on by
22

161112

If we were having coffee, I  would tell you that I am trying very, very hard to not be political right now. Hillary supporters are grieving. Trump supporters are celebrating. And I’m not really sure who the people are that think vandalism and violence and rioting is the appropriate response to the presidential election results.

But I realized last night that I’m not being political at all. I’m being human. And that’s very important right now. One of the definitions Dictionary.com gives us for the word “human” is “sympathetic; humane.” I might add fallible, imperfect, visceral, discerning, emotive and perseverant to the list.

Regardless of our political stances, we are all human. And so it hurts when Starbucks puts out a drink cup design meant to represent unity, and social media trolls decry the design as a divisive political statement. Since when did unity become a Blue or Red characteristic to vilify?

And it hurts when I watch late night show host monologues of the evening after the election, and it makes me cry; not with laughter, but with sorrow. I try to cry softly so as not to upset my dog, because he doesn’t understand what’s going on. He watches me warily and worriedly, and then he comes over and jumps up to frantically lick my face as if to say, “It’s okay. Be happy! I don’t like it when you’re sad.”

And then I wonder how many parents are trying to grieve discreetly so as not to frighten their young children. And it hurts more. Much more.

If we were having coffee, I would think I should apologize for being such a downer, for being a thoughtless host for expressing my not-so-uplifting feelings. But then I would rethink, and realize that I’m just being human. And I would try to respect that you, too, are human and regardless of your thoughts and feelings about the election or the candidates or the Starbucks coffee cup, we would most likely both be humane about one another’s beliefs.

And what’s a good coffee share without honesty and respect and – if not real understanding—at least a willingness to listen. So please have another cup of coffee and I will respectfully listen as you share your honesty. After all, that’s what a thoughtful host does.

Thanks to Diana at PartTimeMonsterBlog.com for hosting the #WeekendCoffeeShare.