Day 28 - Pansies

Upon making the bed this morning, I noticed there is about a 3 inch gap between the mattress and headboard. Hmmm, that wasn't there the last time I made the bed. I know this because I have a hard time fitting my hand in the (old) space to pull the wrinkles out. It became clear that a certain man with blue eyes whom I love dearly moved the mattress when put the clean sheets on the bed. He also moved the wicker chest I had in the bathroom which is no big deal except Girl Cat can no longer reach the sink.

It's little things like this that make noticing fun. I have found I'm actually paying more attention to things, which is the point of the exercise I believe.

___

I don't know about you but pansy's always perk me up. They remind me of my Grammy's camp in Vermont. I can't quite see them in my mind's eye anymore, but I associate the purple and yellow with a summer's stay at the lake.  I remember how Dad used to plant pansy's out front, under the tree that is no longer there. And I remember making a cake for Robert Belcher's Christening decorated with lightly sugared pansies. You can eat pansies, you know (see below). In Florida they are a fall/winter flower. The summer's heat is too much for their delicate countenance. I love to see a whole bed of multi-colored pansies. A pansy isn't all flashy like a rose,  or stately like an Iris, or bushy like a hydrangea. A pansy is like a good friend you want to share a cup of tea and quiet conversation with. A pansy makes you feel good, makes you smile.

 

Today I met a woman named Pansy in an Assisted Living Facility (ALF). She couldn't have been named any more perfectly. The few minutes that I spent with her, I was taken by her smile and gentle nature. When I get old I hope I'm as nice to be around as she was. And right now, when I'm no spring chicken but not exactly old (age is relative, I know!), I hope I do for others what a handful of pansies in a small green vase sitting on the kitchen windowsill does for me.

Merry ME

[Pansies are edible, and quite tasty. A few rules apply for eating pansies: Plants purchased from stores have often been sprayed with chemicals to control pests or disease. So it's best not to eat blooms until the plant has grown for some time (a full season). The new blooms produced in a mature plant are okay to eat. Gently rinse blooms and drain. Add to salads, as a decorative plate garnish, or decorate cakes. http://www.iciclepansy.com/eatingpansies.htm]

What do a lady in the park, a sewing machine, and pansies have in common?

I have no idea, but when I was looking for pansy photos on Google this picture popped up like it belonged in the pansy category.  It made me chuckle so I thought I'd add it to the post. Also it reminded me of an appointment I had today. The woman owned 8 sewing machines. Maybe in her better days she liked to take one on a stroll through the park. Only two jobs and I'm beginning to believe there is much to be learned by hanging around old people.