Peony,
even on
a cloudy morning,
the sun is not yet shining,
on this June day.
Your flower continues to
grace us,
so delicately,
from above your firm fist,
having
burst forth
from
your sturdy stem beneath.
Peony
Tag Archives: Dickstein Cancer Treatment Center
Each New Day
Each new day the sun’s fist opens with an invitation,
and I ask,
shut it out,
or embrace it?
Do I stay inside, or…
hurry half dressed and barefoot into the garden!
Forsythias dropping their yellow flowers, green leaves appearing,
Vibrant red and pink azaleas,
on sturdy stems, boldly showing their delicate flowers.
The white lilac bursting forth,
with it’s sweet fragrance.
I Breathe, looking up at a clear blue sky,
with open hands in gratitude and a happy heart,
ready for the day ahead.
14-Day Blogging Challenge: Day 8
14-Day Blogging Challenge: Day 8
“My Biggest Success in the Last Year”
Over the last year, my biggest success has been in the design and development of my websites. I began my first website, andreahorowitz.com, because I wanted to share poetry and narratives about Survivorship, about Multiple Sclerosis, about Endometrial Cancer, about having become a patient after years of being the primary caregiver in my family, and my husband and I having become carepartners.
With belief in the importance of exercising my brain, and cognitive skills (encouraged by my neuroligists), I want to share information, hope, encouragement and inspiration through poetry, narratives, and in advocacy.
With a passion for creating fiber art, I also wanted a website where I could share about knitting, crochet, beading, and quilting, which led me to creating andreasherrycreations.com .
I also believed it would be fun to share about the place we call home, Horowitz Hacienda in the Pines, and write about the beautiful nature in which we’re blessed to be surrounded. We creatively engage in play based art and fun activities with my sister, Francine, and all of us have loads of fun with Sadie, our Shitzu mix.
I’m proud to have accomplished bringing these websites live and to have started blogging.
With encouragement for you to share and letting you know that I am interested in hearing from you, what is your biggest success in the last year?
14-Day Blogging Challenge: Day 7
14-Day Blogging Challenge: Day 7
“What My Favorite Book or Movie Is, and Why”
Nature is one of the things with which I love connecting. I’ve enjoyed learning and each year find more to learn about the birds which live in our area. Each year I pay attention to their migration patterns.
At Horowitz Hacienda in the Pines there are birdhouses hanging on trees, the fence, shepherds hooks, and pergola. In the garden, we also sometimes paint birdhouses for some of the birds to nest. Birdbaths and feeders have also been placed. There’s a satisfying feeling in caring for and feeding the birds. Each day is beautiful waking to the sounds of the birds. Mourning doves cooing. Wrens and Chick-a-dees chirping a beautiful melody. 
Afternoons, relaxing on the porch, sipping iced tea or lemonade. I watch for the birds in flight, while glancing through and reading one of my favorite books.
Sharing in this 14-Day Blogging Challenge: Day 7, one of my favorite book is “Birds in Your Backyard: A Birdlovers Guide to Creating a Garden Sanctuary” by Robert Dolezal. For bird enthusiasts (or would be bird enthusiasts) it is a comprehensive guide, richly illustrated, and provides food for thought on planning and planting with the rewarding experience of enhancing a yard into becoming garden sanctuary. There’s lots of information about identifying birds, their markings, how they behave, and what foods they like best. At feeding time, it’s a magnificent sight watching the birds eat. Sometimes I’ll photograph their activity. The spectacular goldfinch fluttering to and from the thistle feeder. Various species of birds favoring certain feeder foods. Some eat from feeders, some even from the ground. 
It’s always a sight watching the squirrels go after the bird food and hang off the feeders,too. I make sure there is food for them at the ground to try to keep them from the feeders. “A little something for everyone!” 
The birds at play in the birdbath and shaking off the water, or taking a sandbath are lively. They like both and they can be quite amusing.
Approaching dusk, the magnificent male cardinal in the euonymous tree. Singing his song, the last I hear, in our garden sanctuary, to say goodnight.
I’d also love to know: What is your favorite book or movie, and why?
April Snowdrops
In the activities of the day, I might have drifted to a place –
Oh – how – wonderful,
Spring you have arrived,
Seems more nearly than in actuality,
Still a white blanket covers earth,
When the air is crisp,
And smells fresh and clear,
April snowdrops peeking through,
Awakening to this new spring season,
of a nose taking in the fragrant
flowers, and freshly mowed grass.
First Day of Spring 2015
Arriving home today, first day of spring 2015,
after a routine scheduled doctor’s appointment,
looking at the winter landscape,
with feelings of being in awe,
having snowfall on the first day of Spring 2015.
Wondering of the miracles to be seen beneath the blanket of snow.
Yesterday, a landscape having just begun to show,
the signs of springtime’s shining green foliage,
beginning to appear.
Fully absorbed, enjoying the last day of winter,
the bright rays of sunshine,
a day comfortable and safe for strolling outside,
walking, with eager anticipation of more days like this to come.
My vision,
looking toward the vibrant,
beautiful blossoming,
of the red and pink flowering azaelea.
http://www.slate.com/bigideas/why-do-we-feel-awe/essays-and-opinions/dacher-keltner-opinion
I just voted for this Pink Glove Dance Competition video. Check it out!