sunshine and kindness.

Happy Thursday friends!

Are you well, warm at all?  Other than my CA readers, I think the rest of us are in the same boat as me. Cold.  From your toes to the very tippy top of your head..cold.  We've (more specifically I've) been trying to keep a fire in the stove to keep the central heat in the house turned off.  The fire building is both a burden and a blessing. As a lot of things are I suppose.  Once the fires been tended to and the coals are hot, hot, hot it's the most enjoyable and relaxing and WARM thing in the world.  But getting there takes work and patience.  Yes, I suppose there is a life lesson tucked in there somewhere.

One afternoon earlier this week the cold gave way to sun and we traipsed outside for an afternoon of play.  

After accompanying Brett on many a farm drive where we needed to entertain ourselves sans toys, I can successfully say we know how to make our own fun, the girls and I.  This afternoon was no different.

As the girls poked and prodded around the yard and garden, I went on a bit of a hunt.  Taking inventory of the non-existent garden, the brown yard, mentally noting the changes to the porch and landscaping we want to make this spring.  We're a ways off, but it feels very good to escape the cold, at least mentally.

I adore passing on the thrill of a good 'ol fashioned treasure hunt outside to the girls. 

How beautiful is this feather? 

In all honesty, we weren't even looking for this one, but our eyes were ready to take in whatever came along our path.  This caught my eye and I'm so glad it did.

This leads me to kindness and how it's crossed my path this week, also without looking for it.  I'm going to be honest, several times the last year big things haven't worked out, people's word has fallen through.  At times it's made me terribly self-conscious to reach out to anyone…silence can be cruel, playing all kinds of tricks on our minds, wondering if perhaps we were too needy.  But you know what I've found?  Everyone is needy! In some capacity or another, everyone needs help, whether that be in homemaking, organizing, an ear to listen, or business advice. 

And that's ok and good.  It's ok to be needy sometimes because what God is teaching me is that messengers of kindness will always, always show up at just the right time.  Our "God with skin", if you will. 

That has certainly happened to me lately!  Things like having my Rosy Retreats featured in Mingle magazine, having someone I look up to and admire so much ask me to do a studio tour on her blog ((Alisa Burke!!)….all just showed up in my email inbox, all the while I didn't even know these people knew I existed!  Kindness….God sending people to surround me (even if virtually) to remind me there is a whole community of artists in the world that "get me." 

Then I got real brave this week and asked business advice concerning my retreats from my blog friend Patty from Lemon Lane Cottage.  She has an adorable blog, very cute fashion posts, and also hosts retreats as well.  She has much experience with this kind of stuff than I do so I asked her a few simple questions.  

She took the time to write me back, in great detail with such wonderful advice and things to reflect on concerning my Rosy Retreats.  I am so deeply appreciative!  A little sunshine and kindness go a loooooooooooong way.  Who can you give a few extra minutes of your time today to help?  I'm not always the best at this, but vowing to do better.  My kindness bucket is quite full and overflowing this week and for that I'm quite thankful.  

As for my retreats, I'll be sharing more detailed photos and examples of the projects and activities each retreat will hold in the next week or so!  If you're wondering why I'm sharing so early (and having sign-ups so early) I don't want anyone to talk themselves out of going.  I've done this many a time…read about an event, thought it looked/sounded fun but didn't sign up.  Then once the event is a couple of weeks away I'd feel tired or hadn't budgeted the money and wouldn't end up going at all.  

So I hope that after I share a few more details you can kick your doubts and busyness to the curb and sign up!  We're going to have such a fun time! 

Now back to being bundled inside with my two best gals by the fire!