This Perfectly Imperfect Life

This morning while on the treadmill... I was looking out at the raised bed around the Dogwood and caught sight of something very exciting! The Crocuses are coming! The Crocuses are coming!  What a sight for sore eyes, I tell you. Finally! :-)

The sky has a lot to say, do you look up and listen?

My girlfriend, who started the Wednesday evening bookclub, is a teacher and she is doing a presentation on reading for the teachers at her school tomorrow (after the kids go home for the day). She asked me if I could send her a photo of myself either holding a favorite book or in front of one of my bookcases because I am the inspiration for who she wants her students to be as readers! Is that awesome and humbling or what?! I'm not much of a fan of having my picture taken or of taking my own, but, I was so touched by her request (choked up in fact) and the reason for it, I couldn't say no! This is the photo I took today to send her: Often we don't think we make an impact on those around us. Often we do, but we don't usually find out. Imagine what a difference it could make to that person if we did tell them?! I can tell you it's made a difference with me. Have you told that person who inspires you that they do and why? Well go on then and go

Last Friday, I started re-reading Courage and Craft by Barbara Abercrombie and the following  To Do from the book really stood out to me this time: "Try writing a description of what's outside your window for twenty-one days. Train your eye as if you were looking through a camera or had a paintbrush in your hand." This helps you to really see what's going on around you and not let the writing be only about what you're feeling at any given time your journal. While I've been making it a habit to make myself journal during times of upheaval (something I used to do, but then quite suddenly stopped in 2010), I thought this would be a great exercise for me to challenge myself with. Barbara's book is a great resource and source of inspiration! On Saturday 3/15, I sat at the kitchen table, where I do a lot of my writing in general, looked out of the patio doors, which essentially combine to make one enormous window, and wrote: Outside my window - #1 -

#GardenWalk is kicking off Spring with a new Featured Tweeter post! Join me  here .

First off I want to wish everyone a belated Happy Saint Patrick's Day! The photo above is of a plaque hanging in our hallway. Secondly, I'd like to thank everyone for their prayers, love, support and positive thoughts!  We'll have the results of all the tests and two biopsies from this morning in two weeks. We go back  on 4/3 .  My blood pressure was through the roof before hand (I didn't know what to expect, pain wise or otherwise) so my doctor came in and had a very long & good talk with me before the procedures. He still believes my chances for cervical cancer are extremely low to nill, but, he knows I have a depressed immune system so he feels that most of this is to be extra safe and to confirm/disprove the positive hpv result.  If the hpv result is still positive, he feels my chances of my body being able to rid itself of it are very good even with my health issues/depressed immune system. He also believes if the hpv is positive, it's somethin

I love the variety and character of the homes in our community! Here are some from my recent walk.

Sunday morning was chilly here on the coast because of the wind, but sunny and I didn't want to come back home right after breakfast. I just wanted to be out and about for a bit, but not in the errands or shopping way. Hubbs indulged me! We live minutes from two lighthouses and stopped at this one on our way home.

That hangs in the air, the best thing you can do is live your life until you see where it lands and then go from there. At least that's what I've been telling myself since last Sunday afternoon after a phone call from Obgyn. Not that you ever expect to hear them, but three words you just don't expect to hear on a quiet Sunday while making an early lunch with your husband are: Abnormal pap and biopsies.  My doctor says my chances for cervical cancer are extremely low, abnormal paps are unfortunately more frequent as a woman gets older and he doesn't want me to worry. But, I've never had one come back like this (possibly indicating cervical cancer), and with my already compromised immune system, and worrying being a natural part of who I am... It's been a long week!  Of course there are random moments of worry and panic and tears (aka what I like to call 'come to Jesus meetings') but I know how sick I can make myself over something and that won

Hello friends! My daily round-up posts were derailed by a nasty upper respiratory that is still holding on to varying degrees. With this long, bitter cold Winter we're having in our neck of the Northeast/East Coast, there hasn't been enough open window time so the Hubbs and I keep passing the cooties back and forth. Anyhoo! March is turning out to be quite the rough month for me and as a result, I'm fighting to stay positive throughout each day, focusing on who and what I love most, and in doing so, simplifying certain areas of my online life which have become overwhelming.  Through My Eyes 360 is staying put here, but for the time being will be inactive as I focus on my original blog, The Portable Homestead, where you will see my photography as well. You can also scroll down and view a slideshow in the right hand column of my Instagram where I generally post new photos daily. I hope you will join me over at theportablehomestead.blogspot.com and I will see you soon!

The roar of your lion is drawing near, but we will be ready & expect you leave with the softness of a lamb at months end.