Little Things

by | Oct 25, 2015 | Gardens, life, photography, seasons | 28 comments

little lost leafMost days I watch the news while I eat lunch. I slurp my healthy soup, chomp on my organic salad, and swallow my vitamins while I fill my mind with contentious, noxious images and talk.

Not a recipe for whole body and mind health, I suppose, but I’m not about to change my ways. I like knowing what’s happening in the nation and the world—the good and the bad of it. I’m a big believer in truth, in accepting reality.

But national and international news are only one side of reality, the side that’s big and far away. For the most part, our lives are composed of little things near at hand.

So yesterday afternoon I took my cellphone, and without bothering to lock the door since I wouldn’t be gone long, I walked down my street and the next one with the intention of looking for pretty little things, the kind of things I might otherwise drive right past. I wasn’t surprised that I found way too many to share on today’s post, but here are a few of the little things I saw:

Pretty little things

IMG_0620A late blooming rose beside my driveway.

IMG_0627Harry and Barbara’s fall-blooming camellias.

IMG_0658A long-legged bug appropriately found on these long yellow petals.

IMG_0644Lacy growth from knot in rough cedar bark.

Funny little story.

Family life is made up of many small things–little stories, often funny, that we tend to remember and repeat. Something my daughter told me during a recent phone call may turn out to be one of them.

My son-in-law (her husband) is proud of his eyebrow-raising skill, one eye at a time. (It’s really quite remarkable.) Before bed, he and his son (my seven-year-old grandson) were practicing eyebrow raises. What I’m waiting to see is whether it was a general practice session or specifically targeted at the next day’s yearly school photo shoot.

Little new things

IMG_0665No matter how overflowing with clothes and shoes my closet is, something new is always fun. Last week I ordered shoes from a catalog. And here they are–lace-up cranberry shoes for fall. I have no idea how the company, Hotter, found me, but the shoes fit and they’re comfortable.

A little poem

My other son-in-law always makes puzzles for my granddaughter for her birthday. This year’s puzzle is like a scavenger hunt using haikus written by family members as clues. I’m not sure exactly how it works. After reading the following haiku, she’s supposed to guess it was written by me. What do you think?

Sprinkles of fall rain

on my sketch pad and pencils.

Yellow leaves on grass.

A delicious little drink

IMG_0668“A cherry wine with natural chocolate flavor” from Icicle Ridge Winery in Peshastin, WA given to me by daughter #2. A delicious small pleasure this afternoon.

Color, color everywhere

IMG_0646IMG_0647IMG_0648

 

 

IMG_0654

IMG_0655IMG_0622

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to my neighbor, Sandy, for the first five. The stewardia tree in its autumn splendor grows beside my driveway.

my signature

28 Comments

  1. evelyneholingue

    Little things are often the best and to be cherished amidst the turmoil of the world. You are fortunate to live surrounded by natural beauty, and obviously aware of it. Love the colors of the plants and flowers. Your sons-in-law seem like fun! And the shoes are really cool. Will check the website!!!

    Reply
    • Nicki Chen

      Most of my life I’ve been lucky to be surrounded by beauty. It’s a real gift. I learned early to be sensitive to and appreciative of beauty. My mother and grandmother were both artists.

      This evening I got my first look at my grandson’s photo. Oh, my! It’s a gorgeous photo. He kept both his eyebrows where they belonged.

      And my granddaughter completed the scavenger hunt my son-in-law arranged. She had to solve 24 haikus to make it to the end.

      Reply
  2. CrazyChineseFamily

    Nature has so much to show once you actually start looking for small things. Around my neighbourhood I found so many little special things that I am amazed why I never saw them before. (I guess I was just lacking time and interest…)

    Reply
    • Nicki Chen

      Even big things can escape our attention. Sometimes when I’m taking a walk, I notice a house I’ve walked past before and wonder how I’ve failed to notice it. One thing I like about drawing and photography and writing is that it compels us to pay attention to the world around us. Rather than sliding quickly past sights and experiences, we take them in and then share them.

      Reply
  3. Jocelyn Eikenburg

    What a beautiful post about the joys of appreciating those little things in life. The shoes are super-cute!

    Reply
    • Nicki Chen

      It’s so easy to take close-ups with my iPhone, so that encourages me to pay attention to all the small things under my nose.

      Reply
  4. macjam47

    Love your shoes! Nicki, what an enjoyable post. Thanks for the reminder to slow down and smell the flowers.

    Reply
    • Nicki Chen

      Having a blog gives me an excuse to take time out to do seemingly useless things like walking around the neighborhood and snapping pictures of flowers. Such beautiful flowers should be appreciated and shared.

      Reply
  5. dollmakerbarb

    I love your photos; every season is pretty In the Pacific Northwest, it seems. There is always something lovely to photograph!!! But those cranberry shoes stole all the thunder from your photos in this post, for ME at least. I am a shoe-lover with narrow feet, so purchasing shoes that fit me is both expensive and difficult. I actually went to a narrow shoe forum to find a pair of hiking shoes that came in narrow width. It seems unfair that almost all shoes are made in wide widths now, but very few in narrow. That said, when I can find them, I buy them!!!

    Reply
    • Nicki Chen

      There’s a big store dedicated to wide not far from here. It’s unfair that they don’t have specialty stores for you. Narrow-footed people unite! Comfortable shoes are so important. I can’t believe that I used to wear high heels. I do remember that when we went to dances, we brought little fold-up slippers to change into for dancing.

      Reply
  6. nrhatch

    Cool shoes . . . or maybe they are Hotter than Cool?
    Glad you enjoyed a few simple pleasures ~> life’s treasures.

    Reply
    • Nicki Chen

      You’re like my son-in-law, the one who gives his daughter word puzzles for her birthday. I’m always amazed and delighted with the jokes and word-play he comes up with.

      Reply
  7. Mabel Kwong

    Lovely photos, Nicki. I really like your new shoes. They look very warm and snug, and I hope they don’t hurt your feet. They look similar to Doc Martens. Glad that they are your size. Rarely do I order shoes before I try them because my feet are tiny and bunions are problematic.

    Very bright flowers. They look stunning. So tempting to just see and not touch and take them away.

    Reply
    • Nicki Chen

      I think this was the first time I’ve ordered shoes from a catalog. They have a free return policy, so I thought I’d give it a try.

      At Butchart Gardens (my post for next week) they have a strict don’t-touch-don’t-pick policy. I took a photo of someone who couldn’t resist the temptation. It was a cute photo, but I didn’t use it.

      Reply
  8. Jill Weatherholt

    I enjoyed your little walk, so much more than the news, Nicki. Beautiful photos!

    Reply
    • Nicki Chen

      Thanks, Jill. We all need a break of one kind or another, even from the work we love.

      Reply
  9. Carol Ferenc

    Gorgeous flowers, awesome shoes and afternoon wine. Ah, Nicki, life is good 🙂

    Reply
    • Nicki Chen

      Yes. Isn’t life good! I hope I won’t get boring. I have a couple more posts about gardens coming up and maybe even one about vineyards. Nothing planned for shoes, though.

      Reply
      • Carol Ferenc

        Nature’s beauty is never boring to me. Love your posts and the photos are always amazing.

        Reply
  10. autumnashbough

    I love the photos and the shoes! Thanks for sharing.

    Yes, I usually catch up on the morning news with oatmeal and coffee on my computer. It’s only the news that gives me indigestion.

    Reply
    • Nicki Chen

      I go through stages with the news. Right now I’m enjoying it. A year from now (or sooner) I’ll probably be fed up and have to make some changes.

      Reply
  11. Traveller at heart

    This is a good post.

    Turkish are not into flowers and gardening like the Brits do, at least not in this little city where I’m based but the vegetables and fruits from the local market are so fresh and tasty despite the limited varieties (the best are exported) that one can be forgiving. I do have my favourite stall holder where I can get quality veg and fruits. I don’t strike a bargain because I know what it takes to grow a good crop.

    Turkish are hospitable people.

    One does not always appreciate the little things in life. I took a lot of things for granted. Over the years, I have learnt to be mindful. I count my blessings and I feel very privileged, being the recipient of kindness, generosity, support and understanding, from people I least expected.

    I still get a sense of contentment when I click on ‘unsubscribe.’

    Reply
    • Nicki Chen

      I love to visit markets too. In my city, the outdoor farmers’ market is only open in the summer. It’s very popular and filled with beauty. Last weekend I visited my daughter in another part of the state that is famous for its apples, cherries, pears, grapes, and wineries. We visited one vineyard and drove past some beautiful orchards.

      You said you know what it takes to grow a good crop. Those of us who aren’t farmers may not realize how difficult it is.

      Most people are proud of their bargaining skills. I like your attitude better.

      Reply
  12. Kate Crimmins

    Love this collection of stories! Hotter found me too. They make great shoes but my feet are too narrow. Maybe a tie shoe would work. What I love best about Hotter catalogs are the colors. Them Brits don’t stay with neutrals! Yay! Wish I could grow camellias.

    Reply
    • Nicki Chen

      If your feet are narrow, Kate, I don’t think the laces would help. Something about the design of my shoes makes it hard to pull them tight.

      I haven’t tried growing camellias, but they must grow well around here from what I’ve seen. My neighbor’s camellia is a climber, all the way to the top of their fence. Every October or November the fence is filled with pink flowers, petals on the sidewalk.

      Reply
  13. Constance - Foreign Sanctuary

    Nicki, such lovely photos. I love the pop of color in the first one.

    I think it is important to enjoy the little things, the simple things. Sometimes we are so caught up in life that we forget to slow down and smell the roses. I love the little details you shared in this post and I really like your new shoes.

    Meal time at our house involves no technology whatsoever. We may play music, but we don’t use smartphones or watch TV during meal time. It is the time of day that we catch up with each other and a time I look forward to.

    Reply
    • Nicki Chen

      I like the color in that first photo too. I almost walked past it. It was definitely one of the “little things.”

      Mealtime is so important for a family. I’m glad you take full advantage of it by sharing your day with each other. When my husband was alive, I also used to enjoy sharing that time with him.

      Reply

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and your favorite bookstore.

Archives

Follow Me

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Loading
Available on Amazon

Archives