Tuesday, January 01, 2008

Blooming in 2008.....


"Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man."

~~ Benjamin Franklin ~~

Wouldn't you love to frame and hang this beautiful botanical print? It is a hand~colored lithograph by Mrs. Jane Webb Loudon (1840-1848) and it is actually for sale online. Why a botanical print you ask? Yesterday, we took a drive to look at a house and when we arrived in the village of Soest here in Holland, we were greeted by daffodils already starting to bloom. That put me in thought about the New Year. I started this blog to learn not to rush the seasons any longer and appreciate each season for what it brings.

Mother Nature is rushing the seasons. Or is she? I started thinking about how I don't like to make resolutions. I like to let life happen and only resolve to do my best in dealing with whatever life brings. Daffys in December and January is an odd thing to see but maybe it is a reminder that life will continue to surprise me.

I hope this new year will bring you many surprises and allow you to bloom. I thank you all for your kind comments of support last year and hope you will continue this blogging journey with me in 2008!

27 comments:

Nancy said...

Happy New Year Heidi! How fun to see daffodils blooming in the winter. I love the idea you have that it is a reminder that life will surprise you, and since it is beautiful daffodils telling you this, they will be beautiful surprises.

Ragged Roses said...

Looking forward to joining you on your blogging journey Heidi! Wishing you and your family all good things in 2008 and I'm so glad to have 'met' you.
KImx
Did you catch Sense and Sensibility last night?

Jeanne said...

Happy New Year, Heidi!
Jeanne

Sweet Cottage Dreams said...

Wishing you the happiest of New Years! I just know that you will come up with some wonderful creations and inspiration for us!

Love ya,
Becky

PS: I thought of you the other day when I pulled out my cross stitch and thought of what you said, "A day doesn't go by without having a needle in my hand!" Something I should live by!

Nancy said...

That part about the neighbors was funny Heidi. I still can't believe you when you tell me it is tulip time in Holland.
love you, Mom

the tattered nest said...

I love daffodils! you are so lucky...and tulips are my favorite flower...enjoy them!

Penny from Enjoying The Simple Things said...

Now this is a WONDERUFUL post! I love the whole thought behind it. I tend to always be rushing and looking forward to tomorrow, and I foget to enjoy today. Thanks for the reminder!
Penny

Amy Marie said...

I agree with you Heidi about making resolutions...take it as it comes..it's part of life. We can just continue to strive to do our best! Happy New Year!

Joyce said...

I have found your site and LOVE it. Really like your Cranberry Cottage too. SO cute!
We know a young man attending the College University here in our city from the Hauge, he is the SWEETEST (and tallest) fellow!
I love the "seasons" story you wrote. I am a spring flower lover big time...they are my FAVS...tulips, & daffodils, especially. I start buying them for my dining room table right after Christmas.
It sounds like your having fun in Holland. I've never been but have been to Belgium.
Great Chocolates over there too!
Yum!!
One day I'll come possibly....:~)
Be blessed!
Joyce M.

Suzann said...

Happy New Year Heidi. Daffodils in January? I guess life IS full of surprises. I am so looking forward to your 2008 "celebrations". You have inspired me in many ways!
Suzann

Carolien said...

Just to say that I fully agree with Suzann and the others.

Wishing you a year with lots of pleasant surprises!

Carolien

Anonymous said...

Happy New Year Heidi!

I read in the paper this week how many native species of plants are going to disappear completely because they are flowering at the wrong time, which will prevent pollination. There is defintely something weird happening with the seasons. I would expect to see snowdrops in northern Europe in January, but not daffodils.

Wishing you a New Year full of sweet memories and special times.

Marie x

angelasweby said...

Heidi,
The print is really beautiful and the sentiment too. I always like to think of the New year as an opportunity to have another go. It's such a forgiving time of the year.
We were thrilled to have fresh rose buds from the garden on New Year's day. Jack cut them and they slowly opened in the warmth of the house. There is definitely a shifting of the seasons and not only flowers but birds and little hibernating creatures are getting rather confused.
I hope that this year brings you and Jos success in your house hunting. I know that you will find exactly what you are looking for.
Can I ask you about the pretty little print on the top right of your blog. Is it a postcard of yours?
Hugs, Angela

Kristen said...

Happy New Year Aunt Heidi! I am so hoping that we will get to see you this year! I am going to try to slow down this year and appreciate all that God has granted me! Hugs and Kisses!

Mary said...

Heidi - the print is beautiful. After gorgeous tulips, daffs. are my next favorite Spring bloom. I love that they naturalize here, whereas I only get tulips if I plant new ones every Winter - the Summers are too hot for them.

Oh yes, let's enjoy each season for what it brings forth - each one is filled with it's own beauty, we just need to stop and admire.

Rhondi said...

Hi Heidi Thanks for stopping by my blog. One of the featured women in "Where Women Create" is Freddy Moran. I am going to California in March to take a week long workshop with her. She was the inspiration for me beginning to quilt. I can't wait! I think I got the blue cat at a department store. I've had it for a long time. He always sits on top of a stack of books somewhere in our house.
How great to see daffodils in bloom inthe winter. Mine are poking about an inch about the soil. Rhondi

Kim @ Home Is Where The Heart Is said...

Dear Heidi,
Wishing you a blessed New Year!
Love, Kim

Ragged Roses said...

Hello it's me again! I loved Sense and Sensibility and I think by the end of the series I will love it as much as the film (I agree with you, I didn't like the opening sequence and for one moment thought my oldest wouldn't be able to watch it, but it was okay then!).
Kimx
I watched Jane Eyre this afternoon whilst doing the ironing ' bliss!

Anonymous said...

Happy New Year, Heidi! Right about now I'd love to see some daffodils blooming! Thanks so much for your friendship ... it's so nice that we can keep in touch this way. ~ ♥ Lynda xo

Anonymous said...

Heidi, I haven't been to this blog in awhile and I had tears in my eyes looking at your beautiful cottage and the wonderful iciness you encountered. The pics you got of this winter wonderland are gorgeous! And Christmas dinner made my mouth water!! I do like dinner. LOL Happy New Year to you and Jos.

Deborah aka Miss Bee said...

Heidi, I stopped by to thank you from the bottom of my heart for your expression of sympathy and condolences last month when Mother passed away. You are most kind.

Blessings this New Year,
Deborah

Nan said...

I love the quote. Isn't it just perfect?! One I hadn't heard. :<)

Reginas Cottage said...

Hello Heidi,
The print is wonderful.I love
daffodils and tulips.I started my
new project I knitting a Chanel-
cardigan.Sometimes I crocheted on my
Granny Square blanket (I have 20 but
I need 70)
Best wishes for 2008
hugs,Regina

Mia said...

And a very happy new year to you too! Daffodils in January??? Even though I was longing for them in my last posting, I did not actually expect them to pop up from the ground already... And they certainly do not do that here in Norway, where we have had the first proper snowstorm of the season. So no daffodils for months here. And it will take quite a few weeks before they even show up in the shops (flown, no doubt, from Holland to Norway...)

Thank you for introducing me to an other author, Marcia Willet to keep me company during these winter months. I shall look for her books next time I am in the bookstore.

Dena said...

Hi Heidi, what a beautiful picture. I love daffodils :) That daisy pitcher was such a find - I got it at a thrift store for $3.00!

Hope you are having a wonderful day.

Hugs,
Dena

Penny from Enjoying The Simple Things said...

Hi again Heidi!
We did have a cold spell this past week. We had a little snow - about 1 inch. And the temps were very cold. About 20 degrees. Now it has warmed back up. Today was about 62 degrees. Nothing new in our garden. We won't have anything growing until about March.
Hugs,
Penny

Rhondi said...

Hi Heidi Hope you had a wonderful time this weekend at Cranbery Cottage. Thanks for your concern for my DH. Today (Sunday ) was a beautiful day, sunny and warm. People were out walking enjoying the day. Rhondi