Morning Glories

Morning glories open themselves up to the world in the morning, in all of their glory.

But here is the hard part... At the end of the day, they turn a most beautiful shade of lavender, and then close up, wither and die. They live for only one day, and then they are gone.

You see it doesn't matter how long your life is. It only matters that you were here, in all your glory, that you opened up completely and let your light shine, and that you brought joy to those who came into contact with you. That's what matters to the morning glory, and that's what really matters to all of us.

The morning glories make me appreciate every new day now, in a way I didn't before. Now, each morning I give thanks that I have been given the gift of another day in all its glory.

We can learn from all of life if we remain open to the beauty that is all around us. And nature can be one of our greatest teachers.

(An excerpt from a poem I found online by Veronica M. Hay. Read all of it here.)

Did I mention that I love to make jewelry? That, and photography, are two of my favorite pastimes.
Here's my latest creation.

You can find these and more over at my Etsy store,
The Sunshine Studio.

Goslings

"Our" geese have three goslings! They are adorable, little balls of fluff. They don't stray far from their mommy's side. Well, far enough to get some bread from us!

Simple Beauty

Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts.

Another beautiful North Carolina sunset...

Know what you want to do, hold the thought firmly, and do every day what should be done, and every sunset will see you that much nearer the goal.

~Elbert Hubbard