Inspiration

I found this lecture by Kavita Ramdas, head of the Global Fund for Women, tremendously inspiring. My favorite quote, "We are not flowers, we are sparks of change." If you have 18 minutes and 40 seconds to spare, this talk about women who are trying to improve conditions in their world while preserving culture and traditions is well worth your time.

Sunday Stroll - Last Stroll of April

April flowers grow low and sweet,

kissing the earth,

while greeting the sky,

welcoming the spring,

as we walk,

barefoot and joyful,

through days of gray and days of blue,

into the month of May.

Where ever you are, whatever the weather, I wish you joy!


1,2,3) from a collection of Butterfly Daffodils, 4) creeping phlox, 5) purple prince tulip 6) double cheerfulness daffodils 7) white impression tulips 8) bi color primrose 9) poet's narcissus 10) pansy, muscari (grape hyacinth), appledoorn tulips, poets narcissus 11, 12) Color-changing Daydream tulips

all photos by Aisling, April 25, 2010

To see where other strollers are walking, please see my previous post!

Sunday Stroll Invitation

"A day out-of-doors, someone I loved to talk with, a good book and some simple food and music -- that would be rest."
-- Eleanor Roosevelt


If you have time this week for a Sunday Stroll, please post about it on your blog and then come back here with a comment etting me know that you are joining in, and please include a link to your post. You may use the Sunday Stroll button at the top of this post on your post or sidebar if you would like. I will add participant names to this post so that other strollers may walk through your garden too. I'll check back as often as my day allows and try to keep the list updated. Enjoy the day!

Look who's strolling:

Margaret at Periodic Pearls

Marcia at Child in Harmony

Me, here at the Quiet Country House

Heather at Heather's Homemaking

Cloudhands at Uncarved Block

Wordless Wednesday - Glide

all photos by Aisling, April 11, 2010

Inspiration

I have enjoyed the music of Natalie Merchant since her days in 10,000 Maniacs, many years ago. Her latest project amazes me... She is singing the poems of 19th century poets. I love the blending of literary and musical pursuits, both of which are important to me. If you have a long stretch of time, 27 minutes and 17 seconds to be exact, this video on Ted.com is well worth watching.





If you have less time, you can hear some of her music at her website: Natalie Merchant . The current project is called "Leave Your Sleep."

Sunday Stroll - Peace

Late this morning, my seventeen year old daughter and I drove along the lakeshore to the city. By some standards, this city of less than 15,000 residents would be merely a small town... but to us, it is a city. We were attending a fundraiser for a fresh foods project which supplements the dry goods provided by local food pantries. Walking to what we thought was our destination, we encountered these characters hanging out on a little footbridge over the river.

We hurried past a beautiful church were magnolias were blooming...

only to discover that the building we thought was our destination was not the location of the fundraiser afterall. Thankful for my cell phone, I called and had my husband track down better information about the event. With a very chilly wind nipping at our noses and tossing our hair in our faces, we hurried back to the car to drive to another part of the city for the Empty Bowls event.

Late in the afternoon, after the event and a little shopping, we drove back along the lakeshore toward home. The orchards are bursting into bloom, much too early...

but these rolling hills, so green and blue, are peaceful and welcoming in the springtime.
Where ever you are, whatever the weather, I wish you peace.

All photos by Aisling & Haiku

April 18, 2010

Sunday Stroll Invitation

"If the sight of the blue skies fills you with joy, if a blade of grass springing up in the fields has power to move you, if the simple things of nature have a message that you understand, rejoice, for your soul is alive."
-- Eleonora Duse


If you have time this week for a Sunday Stroll, please post about it on your blog and then come back here with a comment etting me know that you are joining in, and please include a link to your post. You may use the Sunday Stroll button at the top of this post on your post or sidebar if you would like. I will add participant names to this post so that other strollers may walk through your garden too. I'll check back as often as my day allows and try to keep the list updated. Enjoy the day!

Look who is strolling:

Margaret at Periodic Pearls

Linda at Vulture Peak Muse

Marcia at Child in Harmony

Jena at Married to the Farm

Me, here at the Quiet Country House

Late Arrivals

I added a stroll or two to my list of strollers late yesterday and early this morning, so scroll down to my "Sunday Stroll Invitation" or check out this link to be sure you don't miss any of yesterday's lovely photo tours.

Have a beautiful day!

Sunday Stroll - Immersion

Immersed in the sunshine of a particularly mild March,

my May tulips are blooming in April,

and pansies are peeking up in the front garden.

A tiny misumena vatia, or goldenrod spider,

has taken up residence in the jet-fire narcissus.

Immersed in warmth,
muscari & Rip Van Winkle Daffodils,
white rock cress & wild violets
are blooming along the garden path.

As I walked through the garden,

and up into the woods,

and back down the eastern hill,

this little bee continued to revel

in the beauty of warm gold dust and spring sunshine.

Delicate wild pink tulips are blooming near the silvery lavender.

And in the woodlands,

dogtooth violet is nodding above her mottled leaves.

I wonder if the little bee ever got his fill?

I am about to follow his lead...

I am heading out for a long walk

to the "Sand Hill"

with my seven year old,

to immerse myself in the remaining hours of golden spring sunlight

and the lively, imaginative chatter of my son.

Where ever you are, whatever the weather,

I wish you wonderful hours in which to lose yourself!

all photos by Aisling, April 11, 2010

Sunday Stroll Invitation

"April hath put a spirit of youth in everything."
- William Shakespeare

If you have time this week for a Sunday Stroll, please post about it on your blog and then come back here with a comment etting me know that you are joining in, and please include a link to your post. You may use the Sunday Stroll button at the top of this post on your post or sidebar if you would like. I will add participant names to this post so that other strollers may walk through your garden too. I'll check back as often as my day allows and try to keep the list updated. Enjoy the day!

Look who is strolling today:

Margaret at Periodic Pearls

Marcia at Child in Harmony

Me, here at the Quiet Country House

Cloudhands at Uncarved Block

Dee at Red Dirt Ramblings

Deborah Jean at Deborah Jean's Dandelion House

Sunday Stroll - Easter Color

Bright bits of Easter Color,

were tucked amid spring flowers today

near hyacinth,
and daffodils
and tulips bright

while over these wind-swept hills

clouds gathered.

Where ever you are, whatever the weather, I wish you happy gatherings.



all photos by Aisling, April 4, 2010