I used to marvel at my Mom's love of decorating! Growing up, as the holidays approached, I would see tasteful and artistic decorations slowly transform our home into a fairyland of delight! I remember putting on records like Perry Como or Bing Crosby in our living room, positioning myself under the Christmas tree, and getting lost in the myriad of colors, rhythms, smells, and textures!
The process of decorating for the holidays, be it Halloween, Easter, Thanksgiving or Christmas, was a pure delight for my Mom. She had a Masters Degree in Home Economics from the University of Washington and the holidays gave her a chance to put all of her talents to the test! The sights, smells, and sounds will always stay with me. Even now they make me smile! I can see her decorations in my mind and heart!
What I didn't understand then, but I get now, is that transforming our living environment from the mundane to the spectacular, was a gift to my Dad and a gift to me. It was also a gift to HER soul.
I have always said that if I had a third career besides teaching and consulting, both of which I currently do on a full time basis, it would be interior and exterior decorating. I absolutely LOVE doing this!! It feeds a part of my soul and heart that nothing else does! It makes me happy! It gives me an artistic and creative outlet!
When Bert and I drive past houses I am like an in-car "decorator at your disposal" sort of person. I always have a running dialogue about "If they just painted their front door it would make such a difference"....or "A splash of color would really transform their house." I inherited the decorating "gene" from my Mom. She used to say the same kind of things! :)
This last week, when things were really nuts and stress had reached a "beyond any normal proportion peak", I found great relief and stress management in starting to decorate the outside of our house for the upcoming holidays... not Christmas decorations per say, but "Winter Is On The Way" decorations. What? You didn't know that "Winter Is Coming!" is a season that merits decorating? :)
Bert works late three nights a week (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday). On Wednesday night when he came home at 8:30 pm he found me hanging small white lights out in our garden. He gently said, "Honey, it's late. What are you doing?" I replied with a huge grin, "I'm creating a winter fairy garden!!"
Isn't everyone doing that at 8:30 pm in the dark?
And in putting up those lights, and re-doing the pots on my front porch, I was happy beyond measure! I sang my Christian songs and even threw in a few Christmas carols. You could hear me singing lines like "oh, oh tidings of comfort and joy...comfort and joy!"
And out in that garden, doing what made me happy, no matter the crazy hour, DID give me comfort and joy!
God Bless! Hugs and Loves to all who read this!
Love Linda
The process of decorating for the holidays, be it Halloween, Easter, Thanksgiving or Christmas, was a pure delight for my Mom. She had a Masters Degree in Home Economics from the University of Washington and the holidays gave her a chance to put all of her talents to the test! The sights, smells, and sounds will always stay with me. Even now they make me smile! I can see her decorations in my mind and heart!
What I didn't understand then, but I get now, is that transforming our living environment from the mundane to the spectacular, was a gift to my Dad and a gift to me. It was also a gift to HER soul.
I have always said that if I had a third career besides teaching and consulting, both of which I currently do on a full time basis, it would be interior and exterior decorating. I absolutely LOVE doing this!! It feeds a part of my soul and heart that nothing else does! It makes me happy! It gives me an artistic and creative outlet!
When Bert and I drive past houses I am like an in-car "decorator at your disposal" sort of person. I always have a running dialogue about "If they just painted their front door it would make such a difference"....or "A splash of color would really transform their house." I inherited the decorating "gene" from my Mom. She used to say the same kind of things! :)
This last week, when things were really nuts and stress had reached a "beyond any normal proportion peak", I found great relief and stress management in starting to decorate the outside of our house for the upcoming holidays... not Christmas decorations per say, but "Winter Is On The Way" decorations. What? You didn't know that "Winter Is Coming!" is a season that merits decorating? :)
Bert works late three nights a week (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday). On Wednesday night when he came home at 8:30 pm he found me hanging small white lights out in our garden. He gently said, "Honey, it's late. What are you doing?" I replied with a huge grin, "I'm creating a winter fairy garden!!"
Isn't everyone doing that at 8:30 pm in the dark?
And in putting up those lights, and re-doing the pots on my front porch, I was happy beyond measure! I sang my Christian songs and even threw in a few Christmas carols. You could hear me singing lines like "oh, oh tidings of comfort and joy...comfort and joy!"
And out in that garden, doing what made me happy, no matter the crazy hour, DID give me comfort and joy!
God Bless! Hugs and Loves to all who read this!
Love Linda
1 comment:
That's really cool that you've inherited that gene! I can see you working out in the yard at 8:30 p.m.! Whenever I'm doing something like helping put up decorations for the house for CHRISTMAS, I usually hum a christian song, a CHRISTMAS carol or really any song! I love you all tons!
Love,
Kayla
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