A Gift and a New Painting

Hello Everyone,
I want to share what I received in the mail from Marcia at In Stillness and Simplicity ~ a set of her beautiful "Blue Skies" tags! These are just so sweet and pretty ~ perfect for spring. Thank you so much, Marcia!

I love the quote on some of them by Ralph Waldo Emerson: "All I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all I have not seen."  To visit Marcia's blog, In Stillness and Simplicity, click HERE.

I just finished this painting last night around midnight. It's untitled, but I've had a couple of suggestions for the title from family: "The Birds" and "The Hungry Games"  :)

When I finished it, I realized the kitty's face looks like my Buster - even though I didn't use him as the model! 

Buster Brown

Do you have a suggestion for the title of my painting? Would love to hear it, if you do!

Have a great week!

Until next time,

Cindy

Linking to: Paint Party Friday

                                                              What's It Wednesday at Ivy and Elephants Blog

                                                         Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home

The Colors of Spring

Hello Everyone,
I'm sharing more photos of one of my favorite places to walk - the grounds of St. Frances Spirituality Center. This is especially for Beverly at How Sweet the Sound for her Pink Saturday link party - only this week, we're all invited to share our SPRING posts! This is one of the warmest and most beautiful springs we've had in Northwest Ohio on record...and believe me, I am enjoying it! These are from today's walk.  Enjoy!

“Spring is in the air and my heart feels like dancing. I get out in nature as much as I can. Every blade of grass, every flower, and every bird I see brings joy to my heart. I know that just around the corner new experiences are available to me. I greet each new day with optimism and joy. It is such an exciting time to be alive!” - Louise L. Hay

Have a great weekend! Until next time,

Cindy

Linking to Pink Saturday at How Sweet the Sound

Cats on Tuesday ~ Here Comes the Sun

Hello friends,
Time for special blog update from me, Buster, for Cats on Tuesday. I think I'm wrong way on computer...can't see screen. MOL! Need to turn around!

Now, let me tell you about very fine weather we have lately. It's warm like summertime! So, every day after my daily meditations, I sit on patio swing in warm sunlight, watching birdies in trees. Mom get very upset if I catch them, though, so I try to be just watcher...not hunter.

Must clear mind of all thoughts of catching fat, juicy little birdies...ommm

Me on patio swing

Now I give update on other cats I share house with...Sam and Rudy.

Sam sleeping, as usual. Sam big man-cat! I think he need to cut down on his noms! MOL!

Today, Rudy watching "Animal Planet" on TV box.

Here is another picture of me, Buster, enjoying sunshine.

Life is good, friends. I hope you enjoy my update!

Until next time,

Buster

Linking to: Cats on Tuesday at My Cats and Funny Stories

Spring Photos

Spring is busting out all over! It was a lovely day for a long walk. Storm clouds moved in before I got home and it started to sprinkle. The air smelled so fresh and earthy after the rain. Everything is coming alive again after napping all winter. I love spring! These are from my walk:

...And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

William Wordsworth

Stormy skies...

Have a wonderful week, everyone!

Until next time,

Cindy

Linking to: Outdoor Wednesday at A Southern Daydreamer

Angels in Early Spring ~

Incredible weather in Northwest Ohio again this week ~ it was bright sunshine and 75 degrees today, and it's suppose to be the same all week. I walked again today at the St. Frances Spirituality Center, so I'm sharing more pics of the angels and statuary there. These were snapped with just my phone camera. When I took this first one, it was so bright, I just had to point and shoot. I had no idea what I'd captured until I got home, and was surprised to see how the sun is shining right above this statue of Jesus!  I love it! 

If you missed my interview with best-selling author, Cindy Adkins (author of several ebooks, including "Spirituality: Making God Personal - Finding Joy" and  "Angels at My Door")  click HERE. 

Until next time,

Cindy

Linking to: Sunlit Sunday at My Little Home and Garden
                    Outdoor Wednesday at A Southern Daydreamer
White Wednesday at Faded Charm

Spiritual Sundays

                          

Author Interview with Cindy Adkins

 [To avoid confusion, please note: Cindy Adkins and I share the same name and are both writers and artists. This is my interview with her.]

Hello Everyone,
I'm very happy to share my interview with best-selling author and gallery artist, Cindy Adkins. Cindy lives in New Orleans, Louisiana, and is the author of 11 ebooks on Amazon.com that cover a variety of subjects from blogging and mixed-media art, to her fascinating books about angelic encounters and spirituality. Her latest book, "Spirituality: Making God Personal - Finding Joy" was just launched this week on Amazon.com and it's already a best-seller!  Please remember - if you don't own a Kindle, you can download a free app from Amazon to download books and read right on your computer (that's what I do and it's super easy.) To download the app, click HERE. Enjoy the interview!

1. What inspired you to write this book?
This book is really close to my heart. I think that it provides readers with a way to reach out and make God real in their lives. He is someone who we can talk to and this book makes that really clear. Also, I really wanted to be able to focus on a few Bible verses that are infused with hope and bring those to life, so to speak, in such a personal manner that lets people know that God promises us joy and we are able to find it through Him. Once we do, it changes everything.

2. How did you come up with the title?
I think that so many of us think of God as an entity that is “up there” somewhere - not close at hand and willing to listen to us whenever we come to Him. So, I chose the title because I think that when we make God personal and speak to Him heart to heart, it can change our lives.

3. What is the central message (in this book) you hope your readers grasp?
 I would say that the main theme of this book is that we all have questions about life. Some of them have no answers, such as why someone dies when we least expect it or why relationships don’t work out. But, even if we do not have the answers, we need something tangible to hold onto and that is faith.
Through this book, I also want readers to be aware that there are so many ways in which the Lord can make himself known to us if we start to pay attention. It provides people with guidelines for how to be sensitive to those nuances that are around them. What I want readers to know is that God is just as involved in our lives today as He was with those people that we read about in the Bible. He created us. We are important to Him.

4. Who are some of your favorite authors/books?
  My favorite author is Debbie Macomber. I enjoy her books immensely and I also love the book by Squire Rushnell entitled “God Winks.” When I discovered that book a few years ago, my husband and I were on vacation in Florida. After I read it, I went back to the store and bought 20 copies and mailed them to all my friends. I think that we all need inspiration around us and we can give hope to each other. That is also why I wrote “Do You Need a Hug from Heaven?” because so many of us receive “hugs” from heaven and may not recognize that we have experienced one. The whole point of my spiritual books is to let readers know that they are not alone and that at every point in their lives no matter what is happening, they have an ever-present Heavenly Father who loves them and that there are angels watching over them.

5. Do you have any advice for other would-be authors?
  I would say that if someone feels compelled to write something, they should sit down and begin. You see, we may write in solitude, but our words can impact thousands of people and change lives. I am comfortable with writing because I used to teach English and also the thesis I wrote for my Master’s Degree prepared me for doing extensive research. For 3 years, I had my own column in the newspaper, so writing is something that I find extremely enjoyable.

6. Can you tell us anything about any future books/projects you’re working on?
  I am very excited about something I am working on currently and it is a Young Adult Christian novel. I know that many of the books that I read when I was young influenced me greatly and I would like to make a positive impact on young people. In fact, when I was about twelve years old, I used to devour a series of books that is no longer in print and in those books, the author wrote about her daughters’ trips to Europe. By the time I was 18, I was on a plane headed for Europe and went as far east as Turkey. It was because of her stories because they made such a lasting impression on me.
So, can you imagine writing a Christian novel that talks about how fulfilling it is for teenagers to go on a mission with their church or how meaningful it is to start a non-profit organization? Today’s teenagers are savvy. They certainly have more exposure than I did as a teen, but I think that it is important to write for them in a manner that is not only intelligent, but also, pertinent to today’s world with ideas that they can wrap their brains around. Naturally, it has all the elements of “boy-meets-girl,” mixed with old-fashioned values. This novel is not preachy - it’s realistic. I have a feeling that my young readers’ mothers and grandmothers may be borrowing it because of the story. Why? Because it’s a tearjerker.

Thanks so much for the interview, Cindy - and thanks, also, for sharing the exciting news of your plans to write a Young Christian Adult novel! I'm sure it's going to be just as engaging as all of your other books.

If you're interested in purchasing Cindy's newest book, Spirituality: Making God Personal - Finding Joy, I've provided a link (below) that will take you directly to it on Amazon.com. I've also provided links for all of Cindy's other spiritual books: Spirituality: Are You Hard-Wired for Happiness?, Do You Need a Hug From Heaven?, and Angels at My Door. Simply click on the picture of whichever book you're interested in seeing. To visit Cindy's blog "Whimsical Musings," click  HERE.

Until next time,

Cindy

                                Linking to:  Spiritual Sundays
                                                  A Return to Loveliness
                                                 What's It Wednesday at Ivy and Elephants
                                                  Potpourri Friday at 2805

Awards and Hugs

Hello Everyone,

My friend, Barb, of Grandma Barb's This and That surprised me with 3 awards last week! Barb posts lovely photos of old barns and lighthouses and other interesting places she visits. Her other interests include gardening, decorating, visiting thrift stores and art. To visit Barb's blog, click HERE. The first award is called the Sunshine Award. In order to accept it, I must answer a few questions about myself. So here goes!

Favorite color: Green
Favorite animal:  Cats
Favorite number: 7
Favorite non-alcoholic drink: Tea (of course!)
Prefer Facebook or Twitter?  Facebook. I have a Twitter account, but don't tweet much.
My passion:  Nature
Prefer getting or giving presents: I must be honest and say - both!
Favorite pattern: Polka dots...I love round shapes.
Favorite day of the week:  Sunday
Favorite flower:  Tulips (very hard to choose, though - I love all flowers!)

The second award from Barb is the Genuine Blogger Award. There are no stipulations attached to this award and I am proud to accept it.

The third award is this HUG AWARD, which you can read about HERE.  Who doesn't love hugs? We never know what a person might be going through...and hugs (like smiles) have the power to change lives. So...I dedicate and pass along this virtual HUG to all who read this post!!

I'm passing all 3 of these awards along to my lovely friend, Myric of Petites Passions. Myric posts recipes, her beautiful arts and crafts and repurposed items. She just recently refinished her dining room table and chairs. Take a look HERE!

Until next time,

Cindy

Weather Ups and Downs

Yesterday was 69 degrees and sunny (although very windy) and tomorrow is suppose to be 35! Yikes!! Well, I can't complain too much because it's been such a mild winter overall. I'm within an easy walk of the St. Frances Spirituality Center, where I took these photos yesterday. It's so beautiful and peaceful there - and this is only a tiny sample of the grounds. I go there often to walk, so I'm sure I'll be sharing more photos with you later.

Snowdrops! A sure sign of Spring!

Love this little angel sitting on a bench!

I think these flowers are crocus, although I've never seen them so open like this before.

The nuns still use this old truck to ride around the campus. There are 400 acres in all, with a farm, walking paths, a gazebo, a grotto, a pond and a wetlands area.

The weekend is almost here. Have a great one, everyone, and for my American followers, don't forget to change your clocks this weekend!

Until next time,

Cindy

Cats on Tuesday ~ Rudy Interviews Sam

Hello friends,
Rudy here. Time for our special blogging day, Cats on Tuesday! Now, some of you who read our blog might be thinking - we hear from Buster and we hear from Rudy...but why we never hear from Sam? Why Sam not ever blog? Well, Sam is shy - so this week I am going to interview him for you!

Here I am getting ready to blog.

This is Sam...also known as Sammy.

Rudy: "Sam, why you so shy?"

Sam: "I am not shy...I am strong, silent type. No reason to speak if nothing impawtant to say"

Rudy: "What is your favorite thing to do?"

Sam: "I like to sleep, take cat naps, eat, watch birdies out window...then sleep more."

Rudy: "Sam, you have anything else to say to blogging friends?"

Sam: "No. Time for my nap."

Okay, friends, that is my interview with Sam! He is man-cat of few words. MOL! Hope you enjoy knowing him better. For more funny cat stories, visit Gattina's blog My Cat and Funny Stories!

Until next time,

Rudy