Mermaids of the Lake Blog

It's Spring!

By Mermaid Debbie

Spring is finally here! In the Inland Northwest spring takes it's own sweet time! It is downright stubborn! Eventually, it gets here and we all breathe a huge sigh of relief and act like it was such an unusual thing.... that spring was so late this year. Spring is always late. This year is not unusual! What was unusual was the 70 -82 degree days we had last week! We will experience many more rain showers and cloudy days well into June, but they will be worth it because summer here is spectacular!!!

Meanwhile, we celebrate every bud on every tree, every daffodil, tulip, and grape hyacinth that pokes it's leary little head out of the cold, damp ground!

We celebrate GREEN!!!!!

The birds are darting back and forth, happily singing and grabbing bits of grass and twigs to build their cozy nests. The swallows, in particular are loud and happy as they do their joyful spring dance! They swoop and tweet and sing to their little heart's content!

Soft, mossy Green!

I love them! Robins are grabbing worms and sipping from my bird baths!

 

Happy Spring!!!

 

Swirls and Twirls - Nature's Lovely Expression

By Mermaid Shelley

Do you find yourself drawn to a pattern or a certain motif? Leaves, hearts, diamonds, knots - all sorts of images can create an emotional response and resonate for a variety of reasons.

I've found myself once again fascinated with spirals. I'm not unique in this, as it's one of the oldest and most enigmatic sacred images known. 

It is one of the earliest examples of human creative expression, appearing in nearly every society in the ancient world. 

The spiral has universal appeal and has a mysterious resonance with the human spirit, it is complex yet simple, intriguing and beautiful.

The spiral pattern is found extensively in nature – encoded into plants, animals, humans, the earth and galaxies around us.

 

Mathematics can explain the complex algorithms, sequences and equations that make up a spiral pattern, but it can’t explain the lure and fascination of the spiral to the human heart.

Yet again, I find this elegant theme in nature resonating with me. I love that it is a theme found everywhere I look, whether it be in the night sky, the pattern on my thumb, or in the fern in the woods.

Look for God's order and beauty
He shows it to us in a myriad of ways! 

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A Beautiful Quote About Giving Thanks

Live your life so that the fear of death can never enter your heart. When you arise in the morning, give thanks for the morning light. Give thanks for your life and strength. Give thanks for your food and for the joy of living. And if perchance you see no reason for giving thanks, rest assured the fault is in yourself.

~Chief Tecumseh, Shawnee Indian Chief

Giving JOYFUL thanks every day!!! Even (and especially) in the midst of hardship, trials and tribulations, giving thanks is essential to happiness.

And today, one of the things we are thankful for is Beverly of How Sweet the Sound and all the other friends we have made by being a part of Pink Saturday!

We know we show this alot, but we continue to be blessed with the most amazing sunrises here on our little lake that we love!

Happy Weekend. Happy Pink Saturday! ~Shelley and Debbie

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Make Happiness a Habit!

By Mermaid Debbie

Our happiness depends on the habit of mind we cultivate. So practice happy thinking every day. Cultivate the merry heart, develop the happiness habit, and life will become a continual feast. ~Norman Vincent Peale

Now this is a habit worth keeping!

Snow!

By Mermaid Debbie

We love winter. However, sometimes right about this time of year, we find ourselves longing, just a bit for warm, sunny days. (Afterall, we are mermaids and we are missing our swims) That's okay. Summer will come! Wasting time complaining about the weather will not bring summer sooner. So, today we are looking at it like this.

This beautiful scene was taken in the woods behind my home. I wish it would stay this beautiful until Spring comes along, but with a couple of warmer days it is already melting. And, with that we will find another positive way to see it. No sense complaining about the weather. (Unless, of course we are talking, flooding, ice storms, hurricanes, tornadoes, ect...)

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Funny Kitty!

My kitty, Janie loves flowers soooooooo much! She acts like they are catnip! In the five years since I have had her I have not been able to keep a bouquet of flowers or a potted plant on any surface in my house that she can get to.

"Just living is not enough," said the butterfly,
"one must have sunshine,
freedom and a little flower."

~Hans Christian Andersen

We are linking up with Beverly of How Sweet the Sound
for her weekly party in pink, Pink Saturday!

Happy Pink Saturday!!!

Did you know that this is the blog of Mermaids of the Lake, an online women's magazine with a mission to INSPIRE? Please pop over and visit! Thank you so much for finding us here.

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Let's Get Creative: Adorn Your Mantle With Nature's Abundance and a Little Help From the Store

By Mermaid Debbie

I live in a lake cottage in the woods and decorating my mantle with a little help from nature is as easy as one, two, three, four! You can bring the look of nature indoors too. If you are lucky enough to be able to gather your own boughs and pine cones from your yard, roadside or even nearby park, you will find this creative project an inexpensive breeze. If not, head to your closest Michael's or Hobby Lobby (most craft stores) and purchase a few items. The grocery stores in our area even carry bags of pine cones. (the cinnamon-scented ones) You can also purchase many varieties of artificial evergreen boughs and sprigs from the craft store. If you buy a live Christmas tree from a lot, ask if you can have the branches that they have trimmed off of the trees. They usually have piles!

Happy Holidays!

You will need:

• A store-bought garland, preferably with pine cones attached
• String of white lights (100 count)
• Evergreen boughs
• Candle sticks (with candles)
• pine cones of varying sizes (Michael's even has the great big ones now)
• Two small wreath-like rings of greenery to place on the candle sticks
• Small bunches of red, artificial berries from the craft store
• Heavy-duty scissors (like kitchen shears)
• Branch snippers
• Grandma's silver!

Step one: Lay out a store bought garland. I chose one from Michael's that has real pine cones attached to it. This will give you a nice sturdy piece to start tucking your bits of pine and fir boughs into.

Step two: Add the string of white lights

Step three: Tuck in the evergreen boughs. I snip these from my yard and I have a couple of types of pine, as well as fir and balsam, so I generally use a variety.

Step four: Add pinecones and tuck in red berry-sprigs

Note: If you want a fish or two for your holiday display... it is a much more difficult process. You must spend hours and hours on the water, patiently waiting to catch your own, and pay enormous amounts of money to a taxidermist. Slipping a vintage ornament in the mouth is easy!

I love the look of shiny, silver mixed in with the rustic pinecones and boughs.

For more holiday Let's get creative ideas see below:

Let's get creative: Cookie and cake plates
Let's get creative: Cutest ever gift tags

We are so happy to be participating in PINK SATURDAY this week. Every Saturday hundreds of bloggers link up with posts on something pink! This month, our host of PINK SATURDAY, Beverly of How Sweet the Sound has decided that we can choose something pink or something holiday themed! Join in the fun! Visit How Sweet the Sound today!

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God you reign

 

You paint the night
You count the stars and call them by name
the skies proclaim
God You reign
Your glory shines
... You teach the sun when to bring a new day
creation sings God You reign

God You reign
God You reign
forever and ever
God You reign

You part the seas
You move the mountains with the words that you say
my song remains
God You reign
You hold my life
You know my heart and You call me by name
I live to say God You reign

hallelujah, hallelujah

~Lincoln Brewester

Watch the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3H_5mdOPoR8&feature=related

A lesson from nature...

Flowers do not force their way with great strife. Flowers open to perfection slowly in the sun.... Don't be in a hurry about spiritual matters. Go step by step, and be very sure.
~White Eagle

 

It's a pink day!

Somehow starting the day off PINK just makes for a perfect day!

Happy Pink Saturday to all!

Spider Lake, Hayward, Wisconsin

Thank you, Beverly of How Sweet the Sound for hosting the pinkest blog party every Saturday!

Mermaids of the Lake is an online magazine with a mission to INSPIRE. Thank you for visiting our blog. Please pop over to our e-zine too. We would love to have you! www.mermaidsofthelake.com