catnipoflife

Observe life at its best, Listen to life’s songs, Embrace life’s bounties, Breathe the breath of life, Savor life to its fullest!

Apr 21

Life IS a Bed of Roses

by catnipoflife

Roses and Thorns @amritham99@wordpress.com Click the rose. . .

We have all heard the expression “a rose is a rose…” Knowledge of this sentiment may be attributed to its reference in Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare (1564-1616), the poem Sacred Emily by Gertrude Stein (1874-1946) or The Rose Family by Robert Frost (1874-1963). Each of these famous poetic encounters focuses on the softness and loveliness of what we have come to know as the rose. Would a rose by any other name still be a rose? Of course, it would be the same flower only its name would be different. Now, that brings a strange thought to mind: If the rose had been named ‘dandelion’ from its inception, then a dozen dandelions would be the perfect affirmation of love!

Let’s get back to the rose as we know it: Showy clusters of big, cherry, ruffled petals emanating a slight spicy fragrance. Oh, but don’t stop there for with the rose’s flowery essence is its accompanying thorny stem. Um-m-m? With that, another thought enters the mind in the form of a question: Have you ever heard anyone exclaim, “Wow! Those are great thorns on that rose. I’ll take a dozen.”? Sounds silly, doesn’t it? Of course it does. Yet, the statement “life is NOT a bed of roses” falls into a similar category and has been around a long, long time. Its meaning is based solely upon the perception of the rose’s soft, velvety petals and sweet succulent aroma that can calm the most brutal of stormy encounters.Perhaps we should give this ‘rosy’ situation a little deeper thought. If we lie upon a bed of roses, will only its velvety touch prevail? Probably not unless we lie only upon the petals of the rose. Maybe we should say, “Life is NOT a bed of rose petals.” Seems more appropriate. Um-m-m-m? Let’s see. Remember, we have those prickly thorns to consider.

Let’s continue with thoughts as questions. Is life, in and out of love, always protected? Do we continuously experience love and compassion with only a mere thought or desire within a magic touch? Are all thoughts of hurt and sadness abandoned with blissful events filling the cracks and crevices of our mind? Does rain bring forth showers of refreshment without any possibility of a stormy outcome? If wishes were automatically granted, would life, love and happiness include extravagance without times of despair? Such thoughts shed a different light on whether life might indeed be a bed of roses! For me, life IS a bed of roses and I thank my mom and dad for preparing me for life’s many thorns and instilling in me the importance of perseverance.

What are your thoughts? Do you agree or disagree on this profound theory of life among the roses? After reading bed of roses, share your thoughts on this thorny matter. . .

Photo Credit: 123Greetings.com

“With the beauty of the rose comes its thorny stem.
Life captures the essence of the rose for it too is beautiful
but filled with many thorns.”

bed of roses

dewdrops glisten in the morning light
gently resting on the petals of a rose
a sunbeam reveals a dark shade of green
while a mild fragrance permeates the nose

swift movements,smooth clips with the blade
the perfect long stems are carefully sought
elated with the feeling of surprising a true love
a thorny prick awakens a dreamy thought

throbbing sensations snap the mind back to reality
for love is rare that does not inflict pain
enduring heartaches,harnessing desires
genuine and caring,until all is well again

red roses symbolize passionate love
those that are yellow keep hearts bright as day
talismans hold dreams of tomorrow
while the white embellish true love all the way

so, my love, keep these roses close to your heart
protected and secure with love’s seal
for life is a bed of roses,full of many thorns
sharp,cutting,but not without the power to heal

©2004 Echoes
Sharla Lee Shults

“But he who dares not grasp the thorn should never crave the rose.”
~ Anne Brontë

PoetrybySharla

8 Comments »
Apr 6

Thoughts on the Easter Lily

by catnipoflife

Sometimes we ponder and ponder in hopes of eventually mustering the right words to tender an emotion, offer inspiration or purpose newfound knowledge. That is exactly where I found myself today as thoughts were enveloped in the “spiritual essence of Easter.”

Ah-h-h-h! The wonders of the Internet directed my fingers toward exploring its limitless boundaries in search of something overpowering. Webcrawlers fetched page after page delivering data, information, pictures, videos, etc.  At the end of the day, a plethora of windows had opened stroking my heartstrings with sights and sounds of wonder and passion. For every time a window opened a new window was discovered that led to another window and . . . Oh, my! Sounds like something venomous caught in a silky web waiting to be a tasty appetizer while life begins to ebb! Doesn’t it?

Needless to say, my efforts were not in vain. The words of my heart had already been written and laid to rest upon the sands of time to be revisited and never forgotten. Now, I share with you, my readers and followers, what thoughts I discovered on the Easter Lily. . .

Thoughts on the Easter Lily

“Rightly the lily is the flower of Easter. It lies buried in the ooze of pond or stream. There is  the grave of the dead lily that appeals to nostril or eye. But silently the forces of life are  dark and the damp to prepare a glorious resurrection. A shaft of green shoots upward toward the sun. This is followed by a cluster of tiny buds. One day the sun smiles with special warmth upon the dank, black ooze, and there leaps into the light a creature of light and beauty; it is the lily, an angel of the earth, whose look is light.”

—Author Unknown

Blooming of Easter Lilies

Having become totally absorbed in the thoughts on the Easter lily, click the video clip to the right and witness a time lapse of the Blooming of Easter Lilies.

History of the Easter Lily

How did the lily come to grace the fields of America? The cultivation of lilies did not originate in the United States for the lily is a native of Japan. History reveals the account of a WW I soldier, Luis Houghton, bringing a suitcase full of hybrid lily bulbs to the South coast of Oregon in 1919. Houghton freely distributed bulbs to his friends and neighbors. Because of the events of WW II, the Japanese source of bulbs was abruptly cut off. Therefore, those growing lilies as a hobby noted the value of lily bulbs sky-rocketing and many decided to go into business on their own. At that time, Easter lily bulbs were known as “White Gold,” resulting in cultivators attempting to cash in on the crop. By 1945, there were about 1,200 growers producing bulbs up and down the Pacific coast, from Vancouver, Canada to Long Beach, California.

The Lily. . .

Of course, this post cannot end without my own personal atonement to. . .


The Lily. . .

Sounding of trumpets
Extol the most high
Rallying a crowd
No one should deny

Calls to drill and battle
Resound a time nigh
Echoing surrender
Or a battle cry

No white, just crimson
Adorn the fields
Beds of blood and bone
A battle yields

Within times’ passing
Ghastly signs disappear
Blades of bright green
Awaken thoughts held dear

Slender stalks emerge
Rising from earthy graves
Flaunting scaly bulbs
Pompous as ocean waves

Milky-white trumpets
Surge with praises toward the sky
Spiritual essence of Easter
Extols the most high

©2012 catnipoflife 
Sharla Lee Shults

“I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys.”
Song of Solomon 2:1

Happy Easter to all and may your day be filled with blessings beyond words!

PoetrybySharla

6 Comments »
Apr 1

Daily Reflection

by catnipoflife

We all write because we have a passion for sharing knowledge and understanding that will somehow embrace someone else’s life. Of course, with writing comes a lot of reading. Whether it is selected for research, entertainment or enrichment, each of us seek encouragement and reach out for visions in our own unique way.

A very important aspect of life is that of daily reflection, which comes in many forms, shapes and sizes. It is a means for sharing love, dreams and inspiration to send a heart racing, free a heart from grief, or perhaps offer a path for forgiveness.  Emotional journeys are the keystones for setting experiences or imaginations to paper. Poetry is a formidable mode of expression to soothe the heart and lift the spirit. Fiction explores a world seen through the mind’s eye and casts imaginations into depths often times seemingly unfathomable. Non-fiction offers a path to obtain information or to experience art and relive/revive history.

For whatever reason you write or desire to write, keep that passion alive! Let your fingers take their daily walks (across the keyboard or glide effortlessly with pen and paper in hand) as your mind expands all horizons working out the creativity stored in the scrapbook of your mind.

Everyone has a story to tell and every story has its time and place to be read among thousands upon thousands waiting to be discovered.

Reflect on your mental imagery and that which is stored in your Scrapbook of the Mind. . .

Scrapbook of the Mind

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Wild flowers adorn a country hillside
Emanating shades of purple and green
Intermingled poppies add accents of gold
And overshadow new buds in between

Pastel colors gleam within a rainbow
Creating a hand-painted watercolor sky
Honeybees swarm feasting on sweet nectar
As passers-by dreamily let out a sigh

Fields of green expand the horizon
Rich in chlorophyll from the warm sun
Ardent admirers decide to linger
Tempted to take off their shoes and run

Tall twin oaks appear majestic in the distance
Offering cool shade after the summer rain
Travelers venture outward stepping into a picture
Wanting to remain, never to leave again

Visions through a rear view mirror
Capture picture-perfect images of a rare find
Eyelids blink at shutter speed
Storing mental pictures in the scrapbook of the mind

©Echoes 2004
Sharla Lee Shults

“Just as pieces stitched together in a quilt warm our bodies,
scrapbooks bind together memories to warm our hearts. “

PoetrybySharla

4 Comments »
Mar 24

We Share the Same Dreams

by catnipoflife

There is a question that to this day still perplexes me: Why not make any day a Valentine’s Day? Is it just the cards, flowers and gifts on this one day that make the heart truly sing? I don’t think so!

Think about it. Each day begins with a sunrise and ends with a sunset. There are dawnings and there are twilights each flaunting spectacular colors equal to the challenge of any prism. From delicate to blazing, butterscotch to psychedelic hues, watercolor pallets emerge in a burst that fathoms beyond all imagination. Showers of gold outline sunsets of pink and echo angelic views across vast landscapes and open seas. As we rise each morning and retire each evening, the angels dance across both clear and cloudy skies leaving footprints of illusion. These are perfect times as nature’s paintbrush wisps through the clouds, over the horizon and across the seas. Can you see it?

Um-m-m-m? But what about the between hours? Are they not equally as poignant?

Vibrant blue morning glories gradually shifting to natural shades of purple enhance the splendors of the day— subtle, delicate, perfectly balanced. From the low, warm light of mornings and late afternoons to the mystics of the night time, all around us nature awakens, ever emerging, ever changing. Do you feel it?

Lights, sound, action! What a magnificent, anything but silent, motion picture right before our eyes—rumbles of distant thunder announcing a Springtime shower, the roaring of the ocean along the beach in Summer, the rustle of leaves in Autumn, the crunching of footfalls in the dry snow of Winter! Can you hear it?

The smell of rain along a dusty road, salty sea spray to raw ocean smells, smell of bayberry and cinnamon, and the burning smell of a cozy open fire invite all to lift their noses and take a deep breath. Do you smell it?

Delight comes with candlelit dinners for two, double straws in a single vanilla float, cuisines of festivals with every crumb taste tested, gripping taste of hot cocoa around a blazing campfire and so much more. Can you taste it?

Love is sharing whether by sight, feel, sound, smell or taste. Share with the one you love that in love, We Share the Same Dreams. . .

 

PoetrybySharla

5 Comments »
Mar 23

Inspiration. . .

by catnipoflife

  Isn’t it amazing where we sometimes get our inspiration for writing? It may come in a dream, a vision,  a conversation or as simple as looking out one’s back door. Ah-h-h-h! The wonders of nature never cease. This morning didn’t begin much differently than any other day: morning shower with pretence I was standing in the rain and of course, that was after my favorite aromatic, acidic brew – coffee! By the way, if you did not visit catnipoflife’s sister site Awakenings yesterday, check out the posting Calling all Coffee Lovers .

Oops! Derailed – let me get back on track. Once I am relatively awake enough, I let my fingers do the walking onward and outward across the Internet. Now, that is a trip all its own with the ever present cyber ghost lurking in the background just waiting to announce his ghastly presence.  This morning the ‘ghost’ let me be and I managed to glide effortlessly along with little to no interference:) The sites were easy to find since I began with my connections and discussions on LinkedIn. That brings me to the topic at hand. . .

I was led to Bonnie Gail Carter and her poetry That’s Life, which is very reflective of catnipoflife. Her writings touch the heart from emotions of experience, rather than mere words on a page. I was touched by her poem Wind Song, which incited me to revisit one of my previous writings, Riding in the Wind.

What inspires you to write? Take a ride in the wind and become involved in the ever present catnip of life – observe life at its best, listen to life’s songs, embrace life’s bounties, breathe the breath of life and savor life to its fullest! If that does’t inspire you, what will?

Click the link Riding in the Wind and feel the connection to catnipoflife. . .

Inspiration

2 Comments »
Mar 20

Angels in the Snow

by catnipoflife

Today I read some beautiful poems from MaryHelen Ferris @ Greatpoetrymhf’s Weblog.
I was inspired and reflected back on some of my catnipoflife writings.

Wintry days have their own unique manner of finding a way to warm the heart. Angels in the Snow definitely finds a place among MaryHelen’s heart rendering verses. If you do not live in snow country, then your angels could be Angels in the Field, Angels in the Sand or simply use your imagination.

Click the picture and hope you enjoy. . .

 

“Make yourself familiar with the angels and behold them frequently in spirit; for without being seen, they are present with you.”
~ St Francis De Sales

 

PoetrybySharla

2 Comments »
Mar 19

Ode to the Willow Tree

by catnipoflife

This morning my husband and I marvel at the sights of new budding in our midst: Tiny white blossoms emerging on the pear tree, the azalias bursting forth in colors of pink, white, red, purple, lavender, and bicolor, the flowering dogwoods exploiting their magnificence, and the new crepe myrtles exhibiting signs of their very first spring. Yet, I don’t think any are any more magnificent than that of the weeping willow.

     Only a few days ago what seemed to be only barren limbs, striped and naked from the winter, now launch the weeping willow’s cascading essence with sweeping, low branches beginning to droop toward the earth.

           Its pendulous canopy is nothing more than the epitomy of grace.

     Thus sparked my . . .


Ode to the Willow Tree

Oh thou lovely willow tree
Why is it you weep?
Is it raindrops dancing
On each tiny leaf?

Like encircling curtains
Pendulous branches fall
Cascading slender leaves
Extend outward and sprawl

Oh thou graceful beauty
Why do you so weep?
Are your branches heavy
From secrets you keep?

Myths and sorcery
Envelop your past
Many a love spell
Romances have cast

Oh thou soothing sight
Why is it you weep?
Are your limbs lonely
For someone to keep?

A haven of comfort
You offer each a place
Who venture underneath
For your wispy embrace

Oh thou willow tree
I know why you weep
Your tears are healing
So I peacefully sleep

©2012 catnipoflife
Sharla Lee Shults

“Where there is a gracious heart, there is a weeping eye.”
—Mathew Henry (1662-1714)

Amid the pelting summer rains, the willow tree’s beauty never wanes.

PoetrybySharla

3 Comments »
Mar 15

Couldn’t sleep……

by catnipoflife

Couldn’t sleep. . .’rain pounding’ sounded like my husband in the backyard hitting golf balls onto the roof, ‘lightening flashes’ appeared as spotlights exploding under extreme heat, ‘thunder roaring’ reminded me of our son learning to play the drums! Ah-h, the memories, how sweet they are! So, as I pondered such recollections of times past, I smiled to myself and whispered to my cat, Bootsie, “Let’s just go ahead and get up?” Of course, she yawned and stretched; then, gave me that cat look which indicated she did not want to be disturbed:)

Coffee was brewed in no time at all. A quick splash of water on my face revealed tired eyes from the lack of sleep but the day needed to go on. I donned my favorite robe (you know the kind that has all the knobby nodules but you just can’t seem to part with it) and ventured out onto the back porch. Not long afterward my husband joined me and we both listened to the rain as it ricocheted off the tin roof. What a great sound even during the wee hours of the morning!

Then, whoosh! As quick as it arrived, the rain decided it had stayed long enough and ventured forth toward a different destination. Hints of blue begin to peep around the clouds still floating aimlessly along looking like huge puffs of cotton candy. You know, the kind we use to gaze upon as a child and ponder what animal or caricature they represented in our brilliant imaginative minds! You haven’t been there? Well, you just need to give it a try on the next cloudy day!

Anyway, here comes the really funny part. With the steam rising from our coffee cups and smiling at each other between sips, all of a sudden, my husband looks up and says, “That cloud looks like a platypus!” I almost fell out of my chair! For at that same instant, I had glanced up from my cup and what did I see? None other than Mickey Mouse! Oh, dear, I do hope we were not looking at the same cloud.

Time for you to take a break and see what kind of clouds are waiting for you outside (of course, if you have not already). Before you go, click the links Cotton Candy Clouds and Smell the Rain. . .

“Nature always tends to act in the simplest way.”  -
Bernoulli

PoetrybySharla

6 Comments »
Feb 28

Nature’s Doorway

by catnipoflife

What has your day been like today? Have you stepped outside to observe life at its best? Need a break from your daily routines?  If you answered yes to any of these questions, then it is time for you to take a peek at Nature’s Doorway.

Are you ready? Then, open the door and come on in. . .
“All things are artificial, for nature is the art of God” – Thomas Browne

Video Clip

5 Comments »
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