To the Pawpaws

Good morning!

I wish everyone a happy week.

This past weekend, my husband's grandfather passed, affectionately known as Pawpaw to his grandchildren. I met him three and a half years ago. I had heard such wonderful things about him so I was as fidgety as a squirrel. But as soon as he smiled at me, I felt at ease and really happy to meet him. You just instantly felt better around him, more relaxed, calmer and a little happier.

Pawpaw with his son, grandson, and great grandson--Easter last year. Four generations. All these people share the same name.

"Cold hands, warm heart" was what he always told me when he took my hand. My unreasonably cold hands have been a real inconvenience for me, a source of discomfort. The only good thing about them is that they serve as an immediate ice pack for people who have been recently hurt in some way/gotten a hot flash or they can cool down hot liquids in no time/cool down a hot plate. But, of course, Pawpaw made me feel good about the cold, clammy banes of my existence. He just made you feel so good.

I only knew him for the last few years of his life, but what an honor to know a man like that. A truly good man in every way. I feel blessed that I married someone in his bloodline, someone who has those qualities I saw in Pawpaw for the short time that I knew him.

I had a Pawpaw too. He passed on many years ago when I was a little chicken. His life was also a celebration of kindness. I am constantly thinking of him these days.

What a blessing we have had in our generous and kind grandparents! We have been so blessed by the way they lived their lives with love and service: not only for the priceless values they passed on, but also for their example.

May we all honor and celebrate the lives of others by living lives of true compassion, kindness and authentic love.

Have a magnanimous Monday!

Respectfully,
Liza Jane

Open Up

Today is a fabulous day so far. First off, it's Friday, which is the most wonderful day of the week. I've personally always been a Thursday person for some reason. I don't know what it is. Maybe I was preemptively anticipating Friday. But this Friday has been very lovely in particular. I went to Greenwood to meet my friend WST. I went early and got a little yoga class in at the Alluvian Spa. Then we both got massages. Feeling all happy and floppy inside, we went to Turnrow the bookstore across the street and ate lunch there. We enjoyed some more downtown action and took a nice drive all over town. I love looking at houses, and I love that WST knew that! She loves it too. I really respect and have grown to love the town of Greenwood. So much to appreciate there. All the people are really nice and friendly. I'm telling you, something is in the air in Greenwood, and I'm liking whatever it is. I don't think it's my endorphins via my massage talking. Or the chocolate I'm eating right now. I like it, I love it. 

Feeling good from Greenwood, I shot some of my magnolias in blooming action. The smell of these things is like Heaven dipped in velvet gold (?). That's literally what came out of my brain while I was typing. Anyway, the point is that I believe that the smell of magnolia flowers is my second if not my first favorite natural fragrance. The first being the smell of puppy breath. I'm just kidding. But I really do like puppy breath.  I also like lavender, which is what I was going to tell you was the first. But I think all three are tied. Anyway....

I've seen some funky live oaks, especially in New Orleans (even their trees are artsy, jazzy and funkier in general). And I just saw some in Greenwood. But I think this one is special probably because I look at it every day. 

Steel magnolia. Other buds waiting to open up. 

All up in that tree. 

And then my poor little orchid I let die a couple of months back. It's making a comeback, trying hard to open up. I've been watching this one for a while, and this has been a long opening process. But the buds look big now.

"And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom." -Anais Nin 

I got that from my old yoga studio in Nashville's web site. Discuss amongst yourselves.

Happy weekend! Peace.

Budding,

Liza Jane

Bee Lake Shenanigans

There is so much to love. All I really have to do is look around. There are a lot of people less fortunate than I so I have to remember that I am, in a way, doing a great injustice to those people when I am not grateful. Although I am so happy to be here and have quickly fallen in love with where I live, I sometimes play the role of victim about having transplanted my life. There are those days.

But then there are the days that I have no problem whatsoever staying above water, feeling very joyful with the way my life is. Lately, these moods have been coming and going from day to day. I have to keep reminding myself that being strong is being happy no matter what. If something terrible is going on, and it's impossible to be truly joyous, it's best to just accept peacefully whatever is going on. Surrender. God works in mysterious ways, and I won't ever be able to understand it.

Sunday, though, was a gorgeous day. I'll share....

Nothing like a cinnamon milkshake on a hot day. Note: Beautiful McCarty Gin and Tonic. 

And then building a chicken coop.

Love my back porch

We were invited to a neighbor's fish fry on the other side of Bee Lake Sunday night.

This is W's old roommate's aunt and uncle's place.

Loved the old, cozy feeling of their home. 

Good for them--garden seems to be going well. 

A bamboo garden.

Kathy showing me her lettuce sprouting up. 

Jackson got to see his old friend Gus.

Just like old times. 

Cozy kitchen filled with food. 

I like their sunny sitting room.

Frying down there. 

View of the lake from the balcony. 

Party going on around here.

Getting in the canoe. We need a canoe. 

Some woods off to the right. 

Jackson's having a good time. 

Fry.

Friends.

Bamboo.

Sun's starting to come down. 

Canoeing back in. 

Old bell on the pier. 

Dogs in the knees. 

Fishing.

And eating.

Out to the pier. 

Fun company. 

Sun going down. 

Sunset in the cypress. 

Saying hey to his friend Whitney.

Getting plenty of attention. 

There it goes. 

I thought this was a neat-looking tree.

There are ups and downs, but always, love is everywhere. I love love. 

Lovely,

Liza Jane