Julanne's Village Jewels

                                                                      TREES OUT OF ROCKS USELESS Whenever we might see a wonder  in the world like this photograph, we might think that it is USELESS. If we look more closely, we can see that it is indeed  a wonder in this world! We've seen many 'rocks' that are just rocks but to see such a huge one with trees, living, growing trees,  shooting up to the sky, many years old . . . is remarkable! I read once that when tree cutters are looking for the best trees to cut down, they check & see if they are strong, sturdy, fragrant and USEFUL for making furniture, doors, floors, etc. If they do not have these qualities, they are considered USELESS and are left alone. Fair enough. There have been times I  have felt USELESS. I have no imagination, creativity, energy, ability to start a project or maybe even think about one. While I do feel USELESS, it is a feeling of emptiness, lethargy, adrift, lonely and loss. It feels endless som

                                                                                     WOODS     ORDINARY When I think of ORDINARY, I think of something familiar, customary or usual , nothing particularly out of the ORDINARY. Like this photo, do you see it as ORDINARY woods or EXTRAORDINARY WOODS? I have never seen leaves like the trees/bushes in the foreground that are shown here so I'd have to say they are extra 0RDINARY. Most woods I see are very similar, which makes them ORDINARY to me and I seem to always like them, just as they are. I personally feel I am ORDINARY and I'm very pleased with that feeling. When I see something or someone who is ORDINARY, I feel comfortable, and I could approach them if I chose to. I resonate with the familiar qualities they have and feel 'at home' more readily than with someone or something too fragile, decorated, distant and forbidding. I feel that anything ORDINARY that is real, authentic or wholesome is from NATURE. It's man, at

                                                                                                                                        ANGEL TRUMPET REFRAIN This is an ANGEL TRUMPET plant from my back yard before Village. I always think of a ballerina dancing when I see the "skirt" part of her ' dress' swaying in the breeze! When I was a little girl I remember I squeezed a flower & destroyed it and vowed never to deliberately do that again. I have grown to respect NATURE, flowers & the like. I know so much more now! That vow  has spilled over into every part of my life. I am training myself to REFRAIN from over-doing  anything! I have become very disciplined about portions and richness of food, over buying, over collecting and over exertion or over extending my time and energy, especially in things I do not enjoy, but know I must do. Part of this 'way of being' is chosen, the other part of it is mandatory. It is 'put upon me' as it were. I&

                                                                            MERANGERS                                                                              Dan Schmidt FORBEARANCE We are in the beginning of a New Year. I really love this time of year, the holidays are over and it is time to look forward to coming days and months. Each of us has our own experience with this, I know. I see it as a time to appreciate what I have enjoyed and let go of forgotten events, mistakes, omissions etc and create anew. I read about FORBEARANCE recently and was struck by the meaning. In NATURE, and in OURSELVES. What does that  mean? For instance, in NATURE, the severity of the weather causes leaves to fall and limbs to break, even fires in forests, all sorts of drastic conditions. Many unfortunate incidences happen to us humans that makes life precarious and uncomfortable.(As well as joyous and exciting!)Still, we keep going and practice FORBEARANCE whether we want to or not. It is built into