Coping with Loss

Losing someone you love is one of the most difficult things a person will face in his or her lifetime. Your world changes so much, and yet the sun rises and sets every day just as it always has. Somehow this feels wrong -- how can earth's rhythms be oblivious to your loved one's departure?

So how do you cope? You just do. You have to. Still, everything has changed, especially if you were the caretaker of your loved one. Your life had revolved around that person, and that person is gone.

As for me, to paraphrase The Beatles (does this really need a link?), I get by with a little help from my friends--and my family.

I am fortunate that we are a close family:  My son, sister, brother, nieces, nephews, step-daughters, cousins, and their families communicate frequently and get together when we can.  It is wonderful to have such a loving and caring support group.  They give me a shoulder to cry on when I need it and make me laugh a lot.  The following are pictures of some of the members of my dear family:

Below -- my son, back in the day. . . .                                                                                      

and now.

Above, my sister and her son.

above:  my brother and one of my nieces

above, four stepdaughters

above:  step granddaughter and great-granddaughter

above:  three of my four beautiful grand-nieces

Look at all of those smiling faces.  Smiling is contagious, isn't it.


SMILE

Lyrics by John Turner and Geoffrey Parsons, music by Charlie Chaplin
Smile though your heart is aching
Smile even though it's breaking

When there are clouds in the sky, you'll get by

If you smile through your fear and sorrow

Smile and maybe tomorrow

You'll see the sun come shining through for you
Light up your face with gladness

Hide every trace of sadness

Although a tear may be ever so near

That's the time you must keep on trying

Smile, what's the use of crying?

You'll find that life is still worthwhile

If you just smile

Joanie

Braeburn Farm

I recently discovered another blog that I love to visit.  It's Braebourne Farm and is subtitled "The Things I Love ..... and Other Beautiful Things."  The photos are beautiful (and include source info).  Here are a few of my favorites from the last week or so.

A word to the wise:  when you visit Braebourne Farm, be prepared to stay awhile.  It's a feast for the eyes.  And speaking of feasts, visit the companion site, Braebourne Farm Kitchen.  That's where I'm headed now.

Joanie

Where does the time go?

I think it's obvious that I am not the most diligent blogger in the blogosphere.  It has been almost three weeks since my last blog entry.  I confess that I've spent a lot of time looking at garden catalogs and trying to pare down my wishlist to an affordable level. 

The one plant I have ordered so far is Sweet Scabious 'Black Knight' (Scabiosa atropurpurea).  In fact, I ordered plants AND seeds from Select Seeds just to be safe.  It is supposed to be nice in flower arrangements and I was unable to find it last year.  Here's a picture from Select Seeds' online catalog:

Speaking of flower arrangements, I received a "blue" for the flower arrangement I entered at my last garden club meeting.  My odds were greatly increased by the fact that mine was the only arrangement entered!  Although the judges stressed to me that being the only entry did not guarantee a "blue" (first award), I still like those odds.  Here's my arrangement:

Now, back to those catalogs. . . .

Joanie

Baby It's !@#$%%^&&* Cold Outside!!

Even though a lot of our snow has melted since the "blizzard of dec 2009," there is still considerable snow, as well as some dangerous patches of ice cover.  Our latest forecast is for more snow starting this evening and continuing for part of tomorrow, although only a 1-2 inch accumulation is predicted.  More significantly, we are experiencing record-breaking low temperatures, with wind-chills in the 'teens.  That's pretty cold.

Ironically, during the past seven or so years that Cliff and I spent part of the winter in Tavares, Florida, our friends and family back here in Virginia teased us that we should have stayed home because it was so unseasonably warm back here.  So this year I am in Virginia instead of Florida and wearing thermal underwear (or would if I had any)!  But I hear that it's pretty cold in Florida too -- a low of 27 degrees predicted for Tavares tonight, compared to our predicted low of 22 degrees.  But tomorrow the high predicted for Tavares is 56 whereas ours is 38 with snowfall.  When you think about, it's pretty cold in both places!  So how do I spend these frigid wintry days?  Scouring garden catalogs, planning my 2010 garden, and dreaming of spring.

I remember April. Joanie