Julanne's Village Jewels

      MOUNTAIN, LAKE, WILD FLOWERS SWOONING The word SWOONING actually means,  faint. what I  mean by SWOONING is to feel  like I will faint when I look at certain scenes like this one or hear, smell, touch, see, read something so delicious that I just about melt away. SWOONING happens to me often; every time I go out for a walk here around the lake, see a beautiful bird fly over head, notice flowers and plants flushing out, hear 'my wren' sing outside my apartment, read beautiful words like poetry or so enticing and inspiring I can hardly breathe. Sounds silly to some but I'm sure there are folks out there who know exactly  what I'm talking about. I have long been an admirer of John Muir, the man who loved and relished Yosemite National Park and was responsible for Teddy Roosevelt's proclaiming it a National park as well as other parks. I love to pick up this book; "The Contemplative John Muir", by Stephen K. Hatch. It is Muir's contemplations and wri

                                                                                                COLORS Few pleasures inspire me like COLORS! This is a watercolor I did about 10 years ago at some gorgeous place during a class. It isn't much but it was my first landscape and I was very proud at the time. I have always been AWARE of beautiful COLORS for as long as I can remember. Growing up, I had a blue and white bedroom which I loved. When I would come into the kitchen in the mornings as a little girl, my mother would always say"oh, you're a blue bird today!" (depending on what Color I was wearing that day)I remember the COLORS of my mother's roses, lilacs, lily of the valley and peonies, ahhhh splendid! About 20 years ago I took a watercolor class which inspired me to 'dab 'at COLORS since then but off and on. When I'm not inspired I just put it aside and focus on something else, like writing. I'm back now full of enthusiasm for painting! I 'st

  SIGNS I have been NOTICING lately all kinds of SIGNS in my life. Some of these SIGNS are actually CHANGES that I either feel or sense are coming about. Some of these SIGNS feel a bit uncertain or vague while others are breathtakingly beautiful and even enchanting! I definitely NOTICE some CHANGES in my energy level, my interests, my desires and my abilities.Some of these AWARENESSES are disconcerting and others I can ACCEPT easily. While other SIGNS can be amazingly wonderful and awesome to behold. I love walking around the lake and sitting on a bench to write, & watching all that is going on in front of me. One of my favorite' scenes' is the way the sun and water somehow  blend to make what I call ' fairy lights'. If you just happen to catch the light on a tree trunk or branches where the sun (or the combination of the water and the sun) make the tree fairly 'dance' and lightly ripple with delight! It is mesmerizing to watch and lasts about 1 to 4 minutes

WHITE BLEEDING HEART CELEBRATION There have been many lovely CELEBRATIONS in my life, but the one that stands out to me is CELEBRATING my 70th birthday! It was a most profound treat and one that was a complete surprise to me! My son and daughter in love and a friend of theirs sent me to England on a GARDEN TOUR!! This was my most cherished dream of many years and I was stunned and overjoyed to receive such a gift! I remember the night they 'gave' me the gift. my son asked me to come to the living room for a minute and then we went to another room where my computer was. I walked in and my daughter had the web site showing on my computer. I took one look at it and was unable to grasp the magnificence of the situation! After a few seconds of gathering myself together and realizing what I saw I squealed and felt utter joy! I went by myself to England on the 3rd of July and came home July 10th. I flew into Heathrow airport where the tour guides met me. They were delightful and I so