I’d give all the wealth that years have piled,
The slow result of Life’s decay,
To be once more a little child
For one bright summer day.
~Lewis Carroll
The sidewalks were long and narrow that ran between the stucco houses, and high was the exterior wall of the two-story duplex two doors down from us on the seaward end of the block. At the base of that duplex’s stucco wall was an elongated flower bed filled with pansies and strawberries, and about halfway down the wall was a door that separated the flower bed into two sections. Behind the door was a storage area, a closet of sorts, filled with all kinds of fascinating objects. Because the closet was under the front stairwell of the two story structure, it was one of those odd-shaped little niches with a downward sloping ceiling on one end. In the closet’s mysterious, deeper recesses were all kinds of tools. When the door to the closet was ajar, it meant Uncle was inside sitting on his stool and working on a yard or household task Auntie had commissioned. The “doghouse” as he called it, was a rich and irresistible den of curiosities for a young child, and in it with Uncle as tutor-in-residence I not only learned but also fell in love with a myriad of things. The closet with its earthy smells and assorted contraptions was a magical place, and the gardening tools were as provocative a sight for young eyes as the images of the storybook gardens they conjured up. Decades later when a friend commented that I live close to nature, I thought of that closet again and realized the lasting impression that it and Uncle had made on my life. Then and there in a place that smelled of soil and sea I came to love and respect the earth for its charming and sometimes “shy presences”–the visible ones, the audible ones, the tangible ones, even the ones that dwelt in dim obscurity. Uncle’s closet and his tales gave birth to “stirrings” that ultimately led me to believe that all Creation is a gift to be cherished and that its Maker is to be adored and praised.
The LORD is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise Him, my father’s God, and I will exalt Him. ~Exodus 15:2 ✝
Thank you, Lord Jesus, that you save, you heal, you restore, and you reveal Your Father’s heart to us! You have captured me with grace and I’m caught in Your infinite embrace!
**Images via Pinterest
Sacred Touches 
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Natallie, this is such a blessing. I always see God in nature. This was stunning; just beautifully put together. Thank you for God’s smile.
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Thank you, Susan. I’m so glad the post blessed you and brought you a God smile! I pray He smiles on you all week. Blessings, Natalie 🙂
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Your photographs, quotes, etc., are wonderful:) Beautiful pictures.
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Thank you, Gigi. I’m so glad you enjoyed them. Sadly we may have an uncommonly late freeze tonight and I’ll lose some of my flower bablies. It seems Old Man Winter will not leave your area or ours completely. Hugs, Natalie 🙂
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Ah … sweet memories of childhood … you have been truly blessed dear Natalie xxx
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Thank you, Liana. Yes, I was indeed blessed with an extraordinary good childhood, and I try never to forget that and to praise the Lord continually for the gift of it. I know that not all children are blessed as much as I. Hugs, Natalie 🙂
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Ah, yes… CHILDHOOD! Your darling Pansy/Johnny Jump Up Ballerina sent me back in time. I remember spending hours on end designing my own floral petal ballerinas and dancing the days away. A lovely post! Thanks so much, Natalie. Blessings, Bette:)
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Ah, CHILDHOOD. It was grand, wasn’t it, Bette?! Sadly, you and I know only too well however that not all children were/are blessed with one as wonderful as ours. I’m glad you enjoyed the post and that it brought back good memories for you. Love, Natalie 🙂
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So right you are, Natalie. We have so much to be thankful for and so many to lift up the Lord in prayer for too. Love, Bette
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I’ve developed a great many “volunteer” pansies popping up rather willy nilly along my walkway—little surprises of color —tiny boons to a winter weary warrior 🙂
I love the story of your birth so to speak as well as the images–love that little pansy lady 🙂
Hugs—Julie
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I always have pansies in pots in the spring and fall. It gets too hot here for them to last through the summer. The ones in the fall last until we get some really, really cold weather so I have them nearly year round. The Pansy Lady sends her love to the Peachy lady. Hugs, N 🙂
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I love your Lewis Carrroll quote Natalie. It doesn’t matter how many years we have lived, we all still have a little bit of the child still in us 🙂
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Thank you, Carolyn. You are so right. As a mentor once said the me the child we once were did not die. He/she is still somewhere inside all our growing. Hugs, Natalie 🙂
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Natalie,Dear ! Never too late to comment on your brilliantly presented post and express my gratitude for all the blessings our Creator so generously provide … Well cherished moments near nature and glorious quotes with bright photos compose your praiseful post !!! Doda, ((( hugs ))) and ♡ (◠‿◠✿)
I’ve just come back from my Easter Holidays and try hard to catch up …
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Thank you for the kind words, Doda. It’s always nice to hear from you whenever that might be. I pray you had a very blessed Easter Holiday! Hugs and love, Natalie
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