Yesterday it was snowing. I love to walk on the new snow. Everything is pure and I can start making my own little paths from scratch. It is a fresh start. New Year's was a fresh start for me in life, too. For the first time, really. I've never felt such a need before. Last year was one of the hardest I have had in my life. Just after losing a family member we lost another loved one. In addition there were severe health problems concerning several family members and myself. There were also many other challenges and sometimes I felt really tired and hopeless.
Nevertheless last year brought many good things, so many blessings and joys. Our son started preschool and it is the most warm and wonderful school. It is a small christian school. It is a true blessing to see him enjoy his days there. He is a happy little boy.
One of my joys and reasons for gratitude is friendship and this blog I have. I needed to start from scratch last spring and left my old blog to start a new one. I am so grateful of the warmness I have experienced here in this wide world of talented and warmhearted souls. Thank you for that, dear friends!!
When the new year started I promised myself something inspiring and beautiful. I ordered two of the most beautiful hand made rings from Mariaela. They are so, so beautiful. They remind me of the beauty that surrounds me every day. The stone rings remind me also from the strength that God gives us when it is almost impossible to carry on. Now I have two of the most wonderful reminders of this. I am going to wear them with joy!
Other things I am grateful for today:
- knitting!! I have knitted something simple but with love for friends. I am wrapping those little presents today :)
- inspiration - looove this picture and that scarf.
- the courage to start using instagram :) I know. It doesn't sound anything big but you know I am the worst in all things that need computers, phones or programs etc. By the way, how do you people make links to another person's instagram account in your comments? I do not know...please help :)
- the snow!
- the light that snow brought with it
- winter clothes! And that I can wear them now when it is finally winter.
- scones :)
Anu
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I really enjoy my visits in inspirational blogs. One of my favourites is Vibeke's A Butterfly in my hair
and it was there where I found this idea of a Gratitude Sunday a while
back. Vibeke wrote that she tries to join in on Gratitude Sunday with
Taryn and all
the others over at her blog Wooly Moss Roots. I am thankful for this lovely idea for Taryn and for Vibeke who brought this to my attention.
I
started
listing things I am grateful for here in english (In
finnish I have done that on and off for years in my diary).
Those most important things I am grateful for in my life like my family and faith are the
same as mentioned here. I have so much to be grateful for. We all do.
Beautiful gratitude post. thank you for our beautiful friendship and the beautiful moments spent reading your blog and emails.
ReplyDeleteis wonderful, the purity of snow and freshness, I'm glad that made you so happy, here no snow still…but surely soon come, but I think it's not just the same in a big city.
ps. I couldn't resist and I ordered a ring :)
Happy Sunday my dear friend.
Thank you, Anna!! I enjoy our friendship so much. I am always looking forward to hear from you :)
DeleteI really like snow flakes and the sparkling snow. I enjoy it the snow stays with us some time but usually at the and of the winter time I always wait for the spring to arrive.
Yes!! You ordered a ring. I am happy!!!
Have a happy week end my friend
So happy I found your blog! I truly enjoy everything you right... Beautiful rings!! Glad you treated yourself to them - isn't that fun!
ReplyDeleteLinda in VA
Thank you so much Linda. Your comment is lovely.
DeleteI LOVE those rings and I am glad I ordered them.
for Instagram links all that you need is write this @nickname, for example @al_di_la
ReplyDeleteThanks!! I am the worst in things like that :) I read these comments right away and tried and it worked :) but wanted to answer here when I have a peaceful moment. Thank you!!
Deletehello there
ReplyDeletemy dear friend
i am so happy to know that you liked that spicy tea that i sent you a while back. i am addicted to that ginseng one that you gave me, SO GOOD! and perfect together with something sweet : ) right now i am enjoying a cup of the green of london tea from my favourite tea label, le palais des thes. my husband got with some sara bernard cookies from his mother yesterday and it is one left...for me : )) i am going to have it together with my tea now. i have been winding up some skeins of yarn for hand today while has been snowing and cold outside. the wooden stove has been warming in the house all day and it has been so cozy. i got a scented candle for Christmas that i started on today, i so enjoy having a nice scent filling the room.
anu, i LOVE those "plum"colored pictures in that earlier post!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! so beautiful. actually i am MAD about them : )))...pure eyecandy that i am going to come back here to enjoy many many times more that's for sure.
you say that you are "hungry" for some new yarm (i always am it seems...ha-ha...). have you bought some/some specific that you are wishing for? i am using from my stash these days (such a good girl) but i would love to get my hands on some bottle green yarn...been drawn against that color lately but not so easy to find. but who knows, maybe i am lucky.
i am very happy to know that you both like and wear those wrist warmers that i made you a while back. they go so well with your pretty outfit, i adore that scarf of yours....your husband has such good taste : )))
i loved reading about your gratitudes and i want to thank you for sharing them....for letting us into your daily life and what that consists of...both the easy parts and the challenging ones. i also want to thank you for all the inspiration, generosity, kindness and warmth that you blessed me with in the previous year through our friendship that i treasure so much. i am so happy that you got that positive message before Christmas and that i could take part in that deep joy because you shared it with me....
i am speechless about that big ring, it is so me!!! like someone has been into my head and made it after my taste and wishes....i am going to keep my eye out for something like that one at her lovely Etsy. thank you for sharing that artist with us, it is always so exciting to come across someone that one is drawn against the work of. i have ordered myself a necklace that i am looking forward to show you when i get it. it is a part of the Christmas gift that i got from my husband (i picked it out myself), going to the mail box everyday with excitment to get to see if it's there : ))
okay, time to stop writing before this looks more of a letter instead of a blog comment...ha-ha....
wishing you a beautiful and peaceful winter week,
LOVE.
Dearest friend
DeleteOh, my how you made my week! Thank you for your words, all of them! I have had maybe the busiest week in months with my work and reading your comment gave me so much joy!! I have been working every day like a workaholic because of the fact that so many important things at work have happened during the same week. Yesterday I was in Helsinki and after I got home I had the most horrible headache...still do. But your words have given me happiness and strength. Friendship is so precious my friend.
I am happy to hear that you liked my plum colored pics. It is one of my favourite colors, plum I mean. I am so hungry for new yarn but I first have to get ready with some of my little projects before I can let myself buy more :) Well, I bought some silk for a baby cardi for my friend's baby....Let's see if I can manage to hold myself...But you are such a good girl cause you are using from your stash :) I will try, too :)
Those hat and mittens you have knitted for me are so soft, warm and pretty. I use them a lot. The yarn, Puno, is so lovely.
I was sure you would like mariaelas rings too and I wanted to tell you about that artist. I think her work is something so wonderful. I also like those pictures in her etsy shop. They are so delicate and somehow there is nothing too much in her work or pictures. Simplicity speaks it's beautiful language to me when I look at her work and pics. And yet there is that statement kind of feel into her work. I like the way she uses rough elements in her rings. Her rings are especially something I love although many of her products are beautiful.
I LOVE your neclace!!! It is that in you newest pictures, isn't it? Oh, so, so lovely. And you know I also picked that scarf my husband got me for christmas myself. He wanted me to have something I really love. We have great husbands, don't we :)
I am sending my love and so much hugs that I think there is a danger to get a little squeezed :)