A Sentiment

God knew what He was doing when He sent a gentle breeze and brought a lovely butterfly to set my heart at ease. The happiness of your friendship and the gentleness of your words have touched my life in special ways and now I feel assured. Thank you for your loyalty and for reading everyday. I only hope you find things to make a happy day.

Thursday, November 7, 2013

Chasing Away the Gloomies

Cloudy morning again. I guess we should expect this, as we only experience 54% sunny days in a year in Illinois. Cloudy days can be good days...depending on how we deal with them. I think attitude has a lot to do with it. A Gloomy Gus will only see the negatives...There are ways to bring sunshine into our homes with very little effort. I choose to deal with cloudy days by having some blooming houseplants My Christmas cactus is blooming like crazy right now. I brought it into our living room, so we can enjoy it's blossoms for the short time it blooms.As you can see the amaryllis is starting it's growth. Soon it will be a very tall plant that will need staking or some other way of support. Bulbs being forced in the refrigerator will bring spring blooms way before they are popping up outside. A trip to Walmart or Lowe's will be fun...seeing all the houseplants for sale...many of them with blooms. Subscriptions to gardening magazines is another way to cheer us up on cloudy days. I  look forward to issues of gardening magazines. Our library has so many different gardening magazines...I don't even need a subscription. I have a few stacks of old issues of them that I keep in monthly order. When November came, I just pulled out my issues of past November magazines and enjoyed them all over again. The older magazines were better than the new ones today, in my opinion. I have two subscriptions to English magazines...they are better than their counterparts here in America...I wonder why?
I love the color red and touches of it are all over the house. From furniture to kitchen utensils. I just got some red fatigue mats for the kitchen...I love them. Lamps turned on, during the day, help to keep the gloomies away. I burn candles quite a bit...they help too. Not only the light, but the refreshing scent. When I get  up in the morning, the first thing I do is open the blinds. I see my feathered friends on the feeders eating and chirping in their happy way. Who could be gloomy after hearing happy birds chirping? Looking out the window and watching the neighbor kids go off to the school bus. Happy faces, running to meet their friends. The big yellow school bus brightens the road as it whizzes by. Plans to decorate early are in the making. We are having family for Christmas on Dec. 1st...so we need to be ready earlier. Holiday decorations...bright and shiny brought  up from the basement will cheer us on another gloomy day.
For now, here I sit in the computer room with Joe on my right in a pumpkin colored shirt. He must be trying to brighten our day...
Balisha

16 comments:

Sharon said...

Balisha, this post is a bright spot on a cloudy day here. Your flowers are blooming! And I like your new banner ~ what a happy scene.

Judy said...

We don't have time to be gloomy Gus's and waste any day!

Margie's Musings said...

You have such a good attitude! I love that!

One Woman's Journey - a journal being written from Woodhaven - her cottage in the woods. said...

Thinking of you
as the sun is shining
very cold
and a strong wind here in the woods. Agree about English Gardening as I look at old issues
that are wonderful...

Jemma@athomewithjemma said...

Balisha,
What a beautiful and sunshiny post-so descriptive that I felt as though I was with you!
Your new header is delightful and charming!
Jemma

susie @ persimmon moon cottage said...

Your Christmas/Holiday cactus is beautiful! I brought mine in a couple of weeks ago and two out of the three of them are already blooming. The one that was a very pale pink last winter when I bought it, is blooming with white blossoms and pink stamens so far. Maybe they will darken in color as they are open for a longer time. The "holiday" cactuses do brighten things up around here.

I'm in Missouri and I'm already feeling the difference in the amount of daylight. I don't use real candles because they worry me, but I am already using my fake battery powered window Christmas candles all over
the house. I find that I feel almost "hungry" for light. Earlier this week when it rained all day, it was so dark here, I had every light in the house on trying to avoid those gloomies.

I have started doing the same thing with my old magazines as you do. I am glad I kept so many old magazines.

Your new banner is so cozy and perfect for the season.

debra @ HOMESPUN said...

I love your header picture!! :)

And your 'Pollyanna' post :)

lynne said...

Hi Balisha! I love your new picture! That is my taste exactly! My family is from England, so I might be able to answer your question about the gardening. England has a much longer growing season than we do and most people have at least a small garden. Men are very predominant gardeners there. My dad is in his eighties and his garden and yard are still magazine quality..

Balisha said...

Hi Sharon,
I loved this picture, when I saw it. I wondered how I could use it and then thought of my header. I hope I don't get in any trouble for "borrowing" it from the internet:(
Balisha

Balisha said...

Hi Judy...I know what you are saying. Enjoy each moment...you never know.
Balisha

Balisha said...

Hi Margie,
I try hard to have a positive attitude. I have my problems and down days, but I don't always share those times.
Balisha

Balisha said...

Hi Ernestine,
I thought that you subscribed to an English garden magazine. I haven't renewed yet...but plan to. I like Garden Gate too. No advertising in this magazine.
Balisha

Balisha said...

Hi Jemma,
So glad that you enjoyed the post. I loved that picture showing a busy kitchen in the old days.
Balisha

Balisha said...

Hi Susie,
My husband doesn't like candles because of a fire hazard. I use mostly jar candles and also the battery operated ones.
I think that your cactus may change to a light pink with age.I had one like that and it did open white.
Balisha

Balisha said...

Hi Debra,
I call myself Pollyanna once in a while. As I said to Margie...I'm not all sunshine and roses...I do have my days where I am out of sorts. I just like to have a uplifting post, most of the time, for people who read.
Balisha

Balisha said...

Hi Debbie,
I didn't know that men make up most of the gardeners in England. How interesting! It seems that from everything I read...everyone does have a garden in England.
I love fictional books about older people who live in quaint cottages and have gardens. Novels that are very descriptive are my favorite. It seems that I have a love for England.Could be that my Salisbury side came here from England.
Balisha