Fruit Basket Turnover

Apples

Smooth, shiny, hard

Red, yellow, green

Sweet, tart, crisp

Perfect for my teacher

Apples

Oranges

Dimpled with little bumps

Bright orange

Succulent, fragrant

Juice drips down my arm

Oranges

Strawberries

Lots of little seeds

Rich red with green caps

Warm from the sun

Shortcake with whipped cream

Strawberries

Bananas

Smooth, waxy, mushy

Yellow with a tint of brown

Earthy, subtle, squishy

Energy for my exercise

Bananas

Peaches

Fuzzy, grainy, soft 

Peach, gold, pink, red

Juicy, sticky, sweet

Peach Cobbler hot from the oven

Peaches

Grapes

Little orbs of color

Green, purple, red

Sweet, tart, some have seeds

Throw them up and catch them in my mouth

Grapes

Cherries

Smooth, shiny, short brown stems

Dark red with purple pulp

Sweet, grainy, navigate the seed

Poolside, crunch, chew, spit

Cherries

Nectarines

Smooth, round, firm

Red, yellow, vermillion

Luscious, sweet, juicy

Take a bite, mmmmmmm perfect

Nectarines

Color Splash

I love fabric.

Especially cotton fabric.

The colors are exquisite.

The texture is smooth.

And, oh, the possibilities.

I have color moods.

I have been brown.

I wore brown t-shirts, brown capris, brown shoes. 

They were not ordinary brown things, but exciting shades of brown.

Brown sheer blouses with copper satin trim.

Brown sequin flip flops and sandals with beads.

Tan capris with cool buttons.

I made quilts with rich, warm, touchable brown fabrics.

I have been orange.

Orange and yellow sequined shoes.

Orange t-shirts with sequin trim along the neckline. 

Orange flowered skirts.

Oh the possibilities with orange. 

I made baby quilts for the hospital with orange four patches and cute birds.

The moods never last. 

Sometimes a year, maybe even two but not forever.

Now I am purple and pink.

It started last spring with the cutest cream sweater.

It was embroidered with purple and lavender flowers.

Adorable.

Black flip flops with big shiny purple, pink and silver beads. 

Now how many shirts can I find to match those shoes?

A cute off the shoulder fuchsia sweater from Forever 21.

Are you kidding me?

That place is for young people!!

The purple and pink fabrics make me so happy.

Sounds a little crazy, but maybe it is God's way of inspiring me to create quilts.

I found this amazing pattern for a new quilt. 

I collected the purple and pink fabrics. 

I found sale fabric in purple and pink for the background and backing. 

How perfect is that?

This year at retreat I will make that quilt.

It will be stunning dressed in purple and pink. 

What color are you?

Go with it!

Feel it!

Enjoy it!

Let God use it to influence you.

  

Side notes: The picture shows the fabric for the retreat quilt.

My profile picture is all pink and purple!!!

Dark or Light

It is a cold morning.
I walk out the front door and am blasted
by cold air.
I turn on my Ipod and start to walk.
There are so many leaves on the ground.
The wind was brutal last night.
The water is running down the street
in torrents.
Leftovers of a mean storm.
The broken sticks litter the ground.
The wind swirls around my head.

God are you here?
I see the sun peek over the neighbors fence
as I walk.
It is glorious.  
How can it be so lovely this morning
and so dark last night?


It reminds me of life.
Some days are dark and dreary.
Can I even get out of bed today?
Some days are light and full of laughter.
Why can't I stop smiling? 

Why do I struggle to find a balance?
My faith remains in the Lord.
Dark or light, He is there to see me through.  
I can hold on to that during my dark, rainy days.
I can celebrate that on my bright, sunny days.
God provides me the courage to face each new day
regardless of dark or light.

Photo provided by Ashlyn Smith

Nothing or is it?

Sometimes I lay in bed at night and think I hear the wind.
My ear strains to hear the rustle.
I get out of bed and look outside.
Nothing.

Sometimes I lay in bed at night and think I hear the rain.
Drip, drip, drip.
I go to the front window and look for water in the street.
Nothing.

Sometimes I lay in bed at night and think I see lightning.
Was that a flash?
I go to the window and peek through the blinds.
Nothing.

Sometimes I lay in bed at night and think I hear thunder.
Is my sewing machine unplugged?
I go to my sewing room and check my machine.
Nothing.

Is it my imagination or is God trying to send me a message?
Wind to blow away my insecurities.
Rain to cleanse my soul.
Lightning to give me a flash of insight.
Thunder to remind me God is all powerful.

Afternoon Calm

Close the blinds.

Turn on the table fan.

Turn on the ceiling fan.

Get my bed pillows from the armoire.

Arrange the pillows on my bed.

Grab my well-worn quilt from the back of the chair.

Lay down on my bed.

Snuggle under my old familiar quilt.

Stretch my toes.

Yawn.

Say a little prayer.

Close my eyes.

Breathe.

Fans blow and hum filling the empty space.

Drift off to sleep...

Just a side note: this is about me, not the cat,

but I did not have a picture of me napping!!!

Redbird

Sitting in the chapel.

Breathing in the spring air.

Praying for forgiveness.

Wait, I hear something.

Tchip, tchip, tchip.

A redbird is looking in the open window at me.

A feeling of love envelopes me.

You are forgiven. 

Walking in the labyrinth.

Praying for my fear to go away.

Sitting on a large rock.

Praying for guidance.

Tchip, tchip, tchip.

A redbird is gazing at me from the underbrush.

A feeling of peace surrounds me. 

Start a quilt group.

Taking my daughter to lunch.

Eating Mexican food in the car.

Wait, is that a redbird in the bush near the car?

Tap, tap, tap on the window trying to scare the redbird away.

Flying, striking, attacking the car window.

Redbird are you trying to tell us something?

You can make good grades.

I believe in you. 

Walking through the neighborhood.

Spending time with God on this glorious morning.

Praying for peace.

Sensing God's presence.  

Tchip, tchip. tchip.

A redbird flying from tree to tree accompanying me on my walk. 

A feeling of warmth covers me.

You are loved.

Poetry - Who Knew??

I have decided to make an adjustment to my writing direction. It is such a daunting task to get my ideas on paper. I have ideas for books, but they never seem to add up to enough for a whole book. Besides that I cannot seem to get the ideas from my head to paper in any sort of logical manner!!

My writing group sends emails everyday about publishers who are looking for items to print. It is unbelievable how many of the publishers are looking for poetry. So, I am going to write some poetry, even though I am not very poetic!!!

I am going to try to take a single idea and write about it in some form of poetry.  This will get the idea on paper and willl allow me to write something that could maybe be used some day. I love words and playing with them to get a certain meaning. So, maybe this has been what I am supposed to do in order to get started. Maybe I am just slow to figure out God's nudgings!! Poetry is so far from what I ever envisioned writing. 

So wish me luck and stay tuned to see what develops. 
Beth -+--