ALMOST

This post was written for Five Minute Friday

Word prompt--ALMOST

Five minutes to freewrite about it

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For a long time I worked hard to achieve a very important goal. Several times it looked as though I was almost there, but just not quite. And then, last month I finally achieved it--or so I thought. 

For one whole month I was able to relax and turn my attention to some other almost completed projects that had been put on the back burner. However, just as I started taking my new-found freedom for granted, unexpected setbacks started to pop up that landed me right back in the almost stage instead of across the finish line. 

Yes, I am disappointed, and a bit discouraged, but it does not cancel out the blessing of that one month of freedom, or mean that the Lord won't enable me to move past that frustrating point of almost there once again. 

It is a reminder to trust God and keep my focus on Him rather than on any obstacle in my path. He is in control and has never failed me yet. It is also a reminder to be thankful for each day's blessings, which are many, and to look for them so I don't miss out on any by fretting about the past, which is gone, or worrying about the future, which may never come.

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Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you--you of little faith? (Matthew 6:26-30, NIV)

VIEW FROM THE COURTYARD BY DAY AND BY NIGHT

The dandelions in my courtyard bring back childhood memories of making a wish on the puffballs and blowing the seeds away. Do kids even do that anymore?

I found this interesting article on dandelions on Google and learned something new. Although I knew about dandelion tea and the medicinal value of dandelion roots, I never knew that dandelions are members of the sunflower family.

This month's full pink moon was so beautiful, but sadly neither my camera nor my cell phone did a very good job of capturing it. 

According to The Old Farmer's Almanac, the April full moon is so called because it corresponds with the blooming of certain pink wildflowers native to eastern North America. 

LONELY NO MORE

The lonely pansy I posted about a few days ago here, is lonely no more. As you can see, it has been joined by two more blooms.

It is growing so fast, I'm guessing it won't be long before it catches up to the rest of the pansies in the courtyard.

ODE TO A PAIR OF SOCKS

A cherished gift from a special friend,

Now worn and frayed and reached their end.

They came from Arizona, I was told,  

With hues so vibrant, patterns so bold.

Compliments flowed like rivers wide,

Every time we stepped outside.

But time wore on, and wear they did,

And holes appeared where colors once hid.

I tried to mend them and stitch with care,

But alas, they reached a final wear.

Though now they're gone, their memory stays,

A sweet remembrance of colorful days.

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ONE LONELY PANSY

This post was written for Five Minute Friday

Word prompt--LONELY

Five minutes to free write about it

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All the pansies in our courtyard seem to be thriving, except for the ones bordering the walkway to the right of my building which, for some unknown reason, all died despite having the same exposure as the ones on the left.

One day, an insignificant looking patch of green appeared that I thought was a clump of weeds. But no. Just the other day I noticed a small flower peeking out from under the leaves (picture at the top of this post). 

The sight of that one lonely pansy warmed my heart. It filled me with hope and a reminder to never give up, because all things are possible with God.

TULIPS AND WILDFLOWERS AND FLOWERING TREES

My favorite redbuds are blooming, as are several other trees I'm not sure the name of. I think some of the pink ones may be ornamental plums?

And there are tulips all around town.

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A few daffodils still linger...

...and I noticed some pretty little pink wildflowers in the grass along with the dandelions in our courtyard.

I thought I had taken pictures of the pansies too, but they seem to have disappeared, so I'll have to retake them and put them in another post.

VANISHED WITHOUT A TRACE

Two days ago, the snowball bush (viburnum) in my parking lot was full of beautiful fragrant blossoms.

When I went down to my car this morning they were all gone. Vanished without a trace.

I've never seen flowers just disappear like that before. Have you? Usually the blooms start withering and turning brown first.

I tried Google, but it did not provide an answer.

JUST A GALLIMAUFRY

Gallimaufry is a word I was introduced to by my blog friend, Veronica Lee, who posts beautiful selections of photos under that header. I hope she doesn't mind me borrowing her caption just for this post.

According to Dictionary.com, gallimaufry can mean a hodgepodge; a confused jumble or medley of things; or a hash made of meat scraps. And that's what this is, a hodgepodge of thoughts and photos I've wanted to post but didn't get around to, and then they were no longer timely.

The clock was supposed to be for last week's Five Minute Friday prompt, "LIMIT," which I wound up skipping because of limits on my time. Like so many other things that I'd like to be doing, it got put on the back burner in favor of higher priority things that needed to get done, and then I missed the moment. So here goes to a very disjointed this and that.

Can you see the face in this linoleum tile? 

In all the years that linoleum has covered my bathroom floor, I never noticed it before. I'm wondering how I could have missed it when it's right there in front of me every time I sit on the loo.

There's a snowball bush in my parking lot that's full of beautiful fragrant flowers.

And a cat that sits on the rail of a neighbor's balcony when the weather is nice and watches me as I make my way into the courtyard.

This is a Friday Funny I've wanted to share for such a long while that I've forgotten whose post I was going to give credit to for it...

...and this was supposed to be for a Wordless Wednesday post, as was the cute little piggy bank below that I spotted on my last trip to the bank.

The next two pictures are of puzzles I completed with some help from my daughter.  

The round one was 500 pieces, and the other one 750.

And here's one other thing I just really noticed for the first time (even though I'm sure I've seen it many, many times before without giving it much thought). That little formation opposite the stem end of a navel orange really does look like a belly button.