.....a Canvas to the Imagination

Here is a framed quote/tag I just made : )
Enjoy!

Beautiful Fall

I enjoy making these framed thoughts, hope you enjoy this one...




















Even though we don't get this spectacular scene in Malta,
yet we can still stop to notice the changes in the air, the sights,
scents,of this wonderful season. Take time to sit still
and enjoy all that nature has to offer.

I just made this tag on a whim today for a special young lady
who has just had her "First 12th Grade Day" at school today
and who shared this quote with my favourite crafting group
Craftsayings.

Thanks Marissa and thanks to your Mom-Mom Joann too : )
Blessings!

Happy St.Valentine's Day!

Whimsical Wednesday ~ A.S.A.P.

Do you know what day it is? Of course you do, and if you are also counting down to the big day ...December 25th and making up To Do Lists, getting your gift shopping done and planning a family dinner or at least a get-together, you will surely know what I am talking about when I say things need to be done ASAP.

We hurry through our day, trying to fit in always more than we ever can. We feel as if we are running out of time. Everything seems so important and we label everything as 'Priority'.

I'm sure most of us have received requests labelled ASAP. And yet how do we deal with all this rush? Do we really know how to choose what is important, what is priority and what do we do to slow down so that we know what we are doing...and why is it that it is always up to us to do things, and to do them ASAP?

I found this image while browsing through my files and thought what a great tag to add to my Whimsical Wednesdays especially at this hurried time of year.


So even before you get all flustered and tired, stop awhile and A.S.A.P.

Whimsical Wednesday ~ Kindness and Courage Tag

This is a tag I made quite a while ago for a friend who had requested it.
I think the words of Adam Lindsay Gordon are so true to what we go through
sometimes in our daily lives.
I hope this quote tag will uplift your spirit and make you smile.

May God bless your kindness and give you the courage you need.

Somewhere over the Rainbow...

I just about caught this rainbow before it faded away...

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

You can see where it ends, just behind the Sanctuary dedicated to

the Assumption (Nativity of Our Lady/Tal-Herba) which was built

in 1610 in an area where an old church had existed even before the

1565 siege. In 1673 it was closed to public worship, then used as a

sacristy for the newly built church.

In the 1770's its altar, with the facade around the altar piece,

were covered in marble while a few years,

later it was dedicated by Bishop Labini on the 23rd March 1783.
Sometime before 1644, while retaining this small Marian shrine,

another church, dedicated to the Nativity of our Lady,

was built in front of its main entrance.
Today hardly anything remains of the 1610 church.

The image of Our Lady was crowned on the 7th August 1910.

Later, in 1849, it was declared a public oratory.
Again the church was enlarged on a cruciform plan during the 1920s.

Quite a Pot of Gold

that never seems to run out of Blessings!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In Thankful Praise

Opening our eyes is a miracle

Hearing the alarm is too,

Lord may I always give you Thanks

My whole day through.

For the cereal in my bowl

Or hot buttered toast,

For hands that helped to make them

And for our lovely Sunday roast.

For our children's smiles

Their ups and downs,

Our failures, our successes,

Our grins and frowns.

For the sun that wraps us

In its warm embrace,

For the rain that refreshes

Our tired face.

For flowers and fields

That colour our world,

For birds' tweet and twitter

Above the traffic din heard.

For a true friend's gesture

Or a good deed done

May I truly be thankful

When the day is done!

May we rise above ourselves

In thankful praise so true,

You're always there to guide us

Our world goes round because of

.....You!

Doreen Scerri © 2010

A Tribute to Dad On Father's Day

So many days I think of you...

So many days we spent

So many hours happily

With no thought of sorrow

or of the morrow,

just having plain fun,

enjoying moments of laughter

and making sweet memories as

you watched me walk, then run!

Days turned to years,

so many...

and yet each is so special still,

for Dad you did your part and

so much more,

and your role you did fulfill.

I thank you for the memories

for sharing the smiles and tears too

For Dear Dad I have to say

There are not many quite like You!

~Doreen~

Father's Day 2010

Message in Haiku ~ Earth Day 22nd April, 2010

Sea, air, water, land...

Earth day two thousand and ten -

Have you done your part?

Click on the Earth Day 2010 logo for the official Earth Day Campaign.

Scroll down the page to Discussions for information on a chance to win $1,000

Thoughts in Haiku

As Lava erupts from the volcano under the Eyjafjallajokull glacier,
I think in Haiku (this is my very first Haiku)...

Volcano erupts
Monster ash cloud moves south east -
Passengers stranded.

Pictures are from my shared files

Today I lit a candle

Today I bid farewell to Connie, a lovely person,
a sweet acquaintance and a dear neighbour.
In her memory I lit a candle and wrote this poem which I share here...

Today I lit a candle
For someone I hardly knew,
From what I've learned today of her
She was one of a chosen few.
With her kind and gentle smile,
A silent wave, a nod,
With a quiet disposition,
She was a virtuous woman of God.

I'd have loved to have known you better
Yet your silence and example says all,
It seems you were so well prepared
And always ready for your call.
In your memory I light this candle
That we may never be apart
For in your passing to eternal life,
Your light will shine within our heart.

~Doreen Scerri~

If you click on the candle above, you will be taken to a lovely site where you can light your own candle and spend some quiet time.

Sweet Inspiration

I dream...and imagine,

A little every day...

Of what I'd like to do,

And then slowly but surely

Work towards making it all come true!

A picture, a bird, a word, a tree,

All inspiring, all free,

A poem, a painting, sweet music to my ears,

Caress my mind's eye,

Calming my fears...

Whenever I least expect it,

There it is for me to see...

I try and grab the moment ~

It's been left there just for me!

Doreen Scerri ©

God's Miracle of Life

Have you ever found yourself walking quietly in a field, a garden or the countryside? How soothing to have your thoughts clear, you feel refreshed and renewed. It is like you are rediscovering yourself and your special place in this world...you are alone and yet you are not. You feel God's presence and every significant detail around you is important...the leaves on the evergreens, the bare branches waiting their turn to be dressed with lovely foliage, the growing plants, old trunks reaching up to the sky...and among all of this you are re-born!

And if you cannot reach your own 'garden' space, you can still experience these special moments...just find a quiet chair, sofa, rocker, or your favourite reading corner, close your eyes and take a few deep breaths, then imagine yourself walking along a quiet path among beautiful flowers, shrubs, trees, and experience God's miracle of life as you feel how important and special you are in His Garden of Love.

Doreen

Smile quote by Yours truly...

These words came to my mind this past weekend and have resurfaced in my subconscious so I thought of sharing them here...

Let yourself smile before you say anything,
it might make all the difference in what you say and how you say it.

~Doreen~

Dream~Create~Believe

picture taken on one of my walks

Dream~Create~Believe

I found this saying on a site shared by my friend Bev ...

I was inspired by these three beautiful words that have so much energy

Dream a little dream
Dream on...
Your dream can become a reality.

Create, for you are an artist:
We all have hidden talents
If only we dream and believe...

Believe, yes believe...
listen to your inner voice,
Believe...
for all things are possible when you believe.
~Doreen Scerri~

These words have also reminded me of the lovely words by St.Francis...

"Start by doing what's necessary;

then do what's possible;

and suddenly you are doing the impossible"

St.Francis of Assisi

Monday's Musings ~ Walking

I love taking this route on my walks.

I took these pictures earlier this year - notice the

quaint archway at the corner of this street

Finally I have started walking again, that is walking as an excercise. Several times I wonder why I don't do this simple yet so effective way of exercising every day. I tend to blame the weather or a bad back and keep postponing my walks.
Walking gives me time to relax, to unwind and maybe even clear my mind so I can think better. Doctors have been telling us for years that walking for at least 30 minutes every day will help to keep us fit and healthy besides reducing our risk of so many different diseases and conditions - definitely a great piece of advice and one way of keeping healthy which costs nothing but the benefits of which pay great dividends. It makes one wonder why there are not many who listen and act for their own benefit. Anyway I will not go into that here. I'd like to focus on the uplifting effect this stress-reducing activity has on me.
Every time I head out on my route which is always pretty much the same except for some side streets, I love noticing aspects of the locality and its people, their habits and environment. When I went out this morning I went on my usual trail which takes me away from the main gas-emission polluted roads and trafficky areas to the more tranquil parts of our neighbouring town. On the way there I passed through different side streets, noticing the various scents and smells, unfortunately not always pleasant with the morning garbage bags that had been put out and with the early morning dew having settled on the wet night pavements as well as on the parked cars. The results produced quite a nauseating effect on my nostrils but I tried not to focus on it while trying to envision its outcome rather on the humid streets waiting patiently to be dried by the yet rising sun. My initial slow pace slowly developed into a brisk walk and soon I was out of this zone.
As, one step after another, my feet took me further out towards the houses with gardens and trees, the air naturally cleared and I enjoyed the freshness and even the faint scent of the fall scrubs and flowers. Although on our island we don't get the colourful display of trees shedding their rust and golden leaves, we can enjoy the spring-like bountiful array of foliage and flowers especially after the first rains. As I walked on I wished I had my camera with me. Some of the gardens were a feast to the eye. Again I wondered why I had not gotten back to walking before now and decided that I'd rather give myself the challenge to keep this up rather than looking back and trying to forgive myself!
As I came to my favourite area, I realised that the side of the street I was walking on was in total shade while the last time I had walked here some time in the summer, I was trying to look for some shade! Yes now I remember that had been another reason why I had stopped walking...the heat waves, did I say reason, maybe so, but maybe that was an excuse too!
So, early this morning from my doorstep and back to my doorstep I am pleased to say I have stepped out with a new challenge. Now here I am back home thoroughtly envigorated and happy to have taken the plunge. My aim is to go out two to three times a week and hopefully build that up to a daily routine ~ that is my new adventure for tomorrow! Won't you join me and take up the challenge too?

What poetry is to me...