When life gives you lemons, make lemonade

When the weather gives you a lot of rain, make living bridges .

Eye Candy Friday

photo : Ziniania

 

Wordless Wednesday

photo: Ziniania

photo: Ziniania

An Interesting book

I love memoirs and biographies. I recently read the memoir of Mary-Ann Kirkby "I Am Hutterite" The fascinating true story of a young woman's journey to reclaim her Heritage.

What really impressed me the most was the treatment of the pregnant women by the colony. I scanned that part so you can read how well a mother was treated in comparison with today's mother or even a mother of 30 years ago. These days if you have a normal birth (no cesarean required ) you are out of the hospital in 2-3 days. With a colicky baby, engorged breasts (if you have chosen to nurse), hurting in unmentionable places, they send you home completely unprepared. Most probably your family lives far away and your husband or partner is as clueless as you are, while you are dealing with this new baby. At the same time your hormones are playing havoc with your body, while you need to figure out how to deal with a crying baby, how to feed it and take care of it, and of course take care of yourself and your significant other. There is nobody to chop for you, or prepare you a meal, or give you some advise so you are left alone to your own defenses.

No wonder some women experience postpartum depression after the birth of their child. The famous: "It takes a village to raise a child " doesn't apply these days.

There is no village really... just two people or sometimes just one ... inexperienced and scared doing what they think is appropriate and hoping for the best!!!


Here is the excerpt from her book:

I enjoyed the rest of the book and some times it made my cry. I especially liked the last paragraph of her book on page 190.

"As Catherine bared her soul, I understood for the first time that freedom is not found on a Hutterite colony any more that it is found off the colony. True freedom is an inside job-it is taking responsibility for ourselves and daring to confront and release the anger and resentment that keeps us from leading meaningful lives. My parents had wanted us to have that freedom by not saddling us with their baggage, but most of all, by pursuing the path of forgiveness themselves. Now it was up to us to rise to the challenge."

P.S You can click on the paragraphs so you can see them on a bigger format.

Eye Candy Friday

Photo: Ziniania

A hand full of red roses...I took this picture on Monday 31 of October, just before I put my small garden to bed until next spring.

Apples

water color 9x6 inches

Autumn Song by Katherine Mansfield

Now's the time when children's noses
All become as red as roses
And the colour of their faces
Makes me think of orchard places
Where the juicy apples grow,
And tomatoes in a row.

And to-day the hardened sinner
Never could be late for dinner,
But will jump up to the table
Just as soon as he is able,
Ask for three times hot roast mutton--
Oh! the shocking little glutton.

Come then, find your ball and racket,
Pop into your winter jacket,
With the lovely bear-skin lining.
While the sun is brightly shining,
Let us run and play together
And just love the autumn weather.

Red haired lady

colored pencils 6x9 inches

colored pencils 6x9 inches

Same picture different lighting (I couldn't decide which one looked better.)