Tiara of Salvation

all images and text copyright J.R.Marsden

In this world in which we live,

I put my hand in his to fight.

I clothe myself in armour bright.

belt, breastplate,shoes, and tiara light.

Clothed in Him, I stand not alone.

joined by others in a battle already won.

Walk we must through shadow and fright.

Dark as night.

but we have the light.

Take heart , join hands in this spiritual fight!

Anna and Miss hazelnut and all Beloved Warrior Princesses

all images and text copy right and sole property of J.R.Marsden unless otherwise stated.

Beautious jewellry made by miss beloved Avellana see www.hazelnut-cottage.com for more delights!

Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.scripture quotation from the "Holy bible:new international version". copyright 1973,1978,1984 by international bible society.Zondervan publishing house

Luno sweet Luno.

image and text copyright Joanne Marsden.

Amazing egg puppet created by Erica Zoltan Sapir (who is currently in Bosnia using him in "non-violent communication" workshops.. see marrionettes sans frontiers and puppetteers without borders on my succulent sites.)

Luno sweet Luno.

Little man of the egg.

will you come out today?

will you come out and play?

Oh Luno sweet Luno,

Little man of the egg.

grumpy? If so, get a cat and pray.

I woke up this morning on the wrong side of bed. Actually i woke up in the middle.
I felt motherless, grumpy and alone. Truly I blame it on hormones and the full moon. It was too early to ring anyone , well nearly everyone.So I sat and watched the pink hues of dawn from my darkened morning room. In my melancholy I prayed a simple "o, Lord".
He took this as an invite. He sent my Pantalaimon kitty running to me saying "meow"
I said i really thought you being french you'd say something else or at least have an accent. but No she said "meow " again, so i followed her to the fire, where she told me to sit and she jumped up on my knee and purred softly. She curled herself around my hand. As she sat on my knee, I sat on God's knee. I felt him pour in His love and comfort and i had a litttle cry. Soon i felt warm inside and out and I felt better. Whole again, not grumpy and my litle poems flooded back to me. Here is one above with Erica's pupppet.Thank you Lord.

Le soleil se levé.

all images and text copyright and sole property of J.R.Marsden

Dawn breaks,

the magpie squawks,

like armies of gunfire ,

from his beak of desire,

shinies,

pretties,

treasures to store.

Oh bird,

life is fleeting,

you need to think more.......

Pierrot.

all images and text copyright and sole property of Joanne Marsden

My kitty,

she sits,

on my windowsill,

she drinks her cup of water.

from a wee little glass,

she prefers it that way,

like a lady of class.

text by playright Christopher Fry

image copyright and sole property of Joanne Marsden

Text from Christopher Fry, playright.

"Life is a hypocrite if I dont live the way it moves me"

GRUMPINESS BEATERS

all images and text copyright and sole property of J.R.Marsden

so far not too bad with the lent, not much relenting in the words of cousin Rich.

Heres a list of current grumpiness beaters......

sleeeeeep

naps

taking photos

chatting on the phone

eating good healthy food filling me with green leafy goodness

magnesium tablets

Jamie's continual encouragement

reading and rereading favourite books

reading kids books

looking at photographs

having a birthday and lots f paper love, flowers and presents,

writing

napping

chatting on the phone (i know i alread mentioned it)

playing with the cats

listening to David Bowie

watching favourite movies

praying

Orchidée

all images and text copyright J.R.Marsden

And so thinking I wasnt worthy of one orchid, (my lover gave me a beatiful pink orchid for valentines)... and then much to jamie's crestfallen wee face, his workmates clubbed together and bought me a white one for my birthday!!!!

so now i have two!

I promise jamie i love his more as it is my favourite colour and off my favourite man!

I've put his in my art room, a special sanctuary.

It is still so nice to be gifted and appreciated by others too.

Happy Birthday to me!!!!!

all images and text copyright and sole property of J.R.Marsden

I am certainly not grumpy today!

Not on my thirtytooth birthday!!!

Thank you so much to all and sundry, for all those sundries.

Here is a selection of but a few.

I shall blog my care bear outfit later, you can sneak a peak at it if you look close enough!

The sky shines, the sun is blue, erm the other way around!

I went and had a picnic with a friend by the swans and a lovely extra hour with my man in the morning before he went off to earn the bread. I think i shall take a birthday nap, just in case of any grumpiness (though I cant sniff any) then i'll soak up some sun and ring up some thank you's.

Even my beautiful papa rang twice and he was hard at work! Sensi Gus!

Happiness is paper love! (cards, i'll blog those later too)

to be grumpy or not to be..........

all images and text copyright and sole property of J.R.Marsden

Apart from one particular day when Jamie thought lent was over and was never to return, I think my valentines gift of this most exquisite plant reflects a girl doing well at giving up the G for lent.

Isn't my jamie a sweetie.I've never had an orchid before and will look after her well. I always felt they were kind of above me. It is particularly tall but mine all sweet mine!

How could one be grumpy with such wonderful local musicians!

all images and text copyright and sole property of J.R.Marsden

Well its 8.30 on a beautifully sunny sunday morning and a fine temperature of minus one.

My gorgeous garden has a pretty layer of frost all over its delightful greenery and no, I will not take a picture of it. I will stay warm and you can use your imaginations.

However to relieve your grumpiness (if you have any) I thought I must share with you this serious picture of some local talent coming to town!

Music and stories with Jean Coutarel.

I am seriously tempted to go.

Oh the photo's i could get!

Can you spot me as usual in the image?

Poor Jamie, these days we go for a walk and hardly get any where because i "spot" a good shot and have to take a picture.

It's good for him, he appears to be getting more patient.

He did get me the camera, how can he not be patient.

Once the suns on the garden , I will don my snowsuit to protect me from the chill and take photo's in practise for my new book (books).

Does any one know an agent for childrens books? I have an editor. I now need an agent.

Do I Look grumpy?........

all images and text copyright J.R.Marsden

I'm having a great time not being grumpy.

It is involving more reading, definate sun time, (more) photo taking, kiwi's , raw carrots, naps, time at Erica's, time with my man, prayer, singing,crying, thanking God.

Actively seeking non- grumpiness is great.

I suggest it.

My most dangerous time is those moments of intense hunger. at these times I have failed.

However it passes, I eat.

Happy lent lack fellow lenters and all others.

No grumpiness garden play!

all images and text completely and utterly copyright and sole property of J.R.Marsden.

Thank you.

Black and white play,

on a monochrome day.

Texture

Pleasure

No colour

in this beautiful way.

Mittens

all images and text copyright J.R.Marsden

Mittens for newborn kittens.

Orange.

Melange.

Bright and happy.

Oh, those stinky nappies!

Lent lack

all images and text copyright J.R.Marsden

So, as I said hier.

I gave up grumpiness.

I'd failed by 7.30 am, I'd been up an hour was cold and hungry. I got back on the horse.

I was soothed by two hot water bottles , muesli and snuggling closer to an electric heater and a kitty.

Better.

In truth I had a rather perculiar day.

The next grumpiness attack was combatted by time in the sun (see yesterdays seat) and time reading my personally dedicated book from the weekend expo.

Sunlight, kitty company and delicious pictures.

Au Jardin by Katy Couprie and Antonin Louchard.

The list of grumpiness beaters will get longer.

Hot water bottles,

Warmth,

Kitties,

Reading ,

Sunshine,

Playing in the garden.

Pancakes

all images and text copyright J.R.Marsden

Hmmmn they were delicious.

A conjoined effort of ringing me nana for the recipe, using the Kenwood to mix a fine gloop and the man to flip a fine pattacake.

Then we filled em with ham, cheeses , mayonaises, savoury delights .

Then we moved onto the citron and honey, my favourite.

Then we couldnt move because we were too full.

pancake happy.

16 degrees. Todays lent practise.....

all images and text copyright J.R.Marsden

I gave up the grumpiness today because i liked the idea so much.

A day early.

I had a great day.

When i felt it come on i did nice things.

(one of them was to remember my lunch time blue pill)

I also rather naughtily purchased a pair of denim sallopettes (dungarees).

In the sales, 60 percent off.

I made the sales assistant laugh in them,so I thought theyed certainly help me in my lent lack later.

I was only very grumpy once just before tea when my blood sugar had disapeared (completely).

So today was really a successful practice.

As well as many things today, I sat here (see above),

and drank a nice coffee (normally i only allow myself one in a morning) a treat to battre the oncoming afternoon slump.

It lifted me greatly.

I wrote a lovely list, did most of it, and then later i will gleefully burn the list upon the woodburner with its unfinished bits init.

great.

I love this giving up grump for lent.

I have some plans to keep me going through the eve. They include listening to "the shuttleworths" on radio 7 via the internet (laugh ooh it makes me piss!) and read one of my new childrens books.

Life is good.

I will not be grumpy washing up.

Mmmmmmm because I'll remember the pancakes we just had for tea.

Thanks for the rescue recipe and the kenwood to mix it with, sweet Nana of the lovely hands.

Big Budding news!!!!

all images and text copyright J.R.Marsden

Buds are on the cherry tree!

Tiny but coming through!

"More cherrries" says Stan!

Lend me your heart for Lent.

all images and text copyright J.R.Marsden

For lent (when does it start today or tomorrow?)

I am going to give up grumpiness.!

I think it will be very interesting and will let you know how it goes.

Suffering from mild depression (aren't we all).

I think it will be very interesting.

I will discover many self/prayer driven ways to relieve grumpiness.

i think Jamie will like this one.

I think I will not give up chocolate too as that will be helping with the giving up of grumpiness.

Here goes.............

I wonder if Jamie will buy me more chocolate!

Did you know the reason we girls crave chocolate when premenstrual is the need for magnesium contained in the chocolate! (my wonderful German doctor told me.)

i do find my magnesium tablets reduce my chocolate neeeeds!

Kids book Expo

all images and text copyright J.R.Marsden;

I did become well enough to go.

There was no kicking and screaming. Jamie woke me, I slipped in the bath, slipped into my clothes, slipped into the car, was chauffered to the expo!

Boy is there room for me in the market. My friends and I who are having a joint venture are gonna get there.

I was inspired , uplifted and my beautiful man bought me two books.

Imagery unimaginably amazing!

Katy Couprie and Francoise Delabeque.

There was so much!

It was amazing;

We listened to a lecture by some authors who photographically illustrate their stories.

We mostly understood it;

It got political as do all french discussions.

Then I ambled at my leisure.

I will be adding some book things to my sites of succulence for you to peruse and be inspired too;

Creativity is a wonderful thing.

Thank you God the greatest creator.

Any way, I post this mid creativitly busily so I go and carry on but take heart.

Find your dream and why not make it real?

C'est possible!

With practical steps and help from others.

Never be ashamed to ask for help.

Be ready to help others.

This is why life is round.

And so is one of my best friends pregnant belly's!;)

Enjoy your day.

Find your way.

See things with your good eye.

and ask for help.........

kittykaty!

all images and text copyright to J.R.Marsden

Your lulu love, phoning and moma slippers helped me today.

Fame will come to us one day and we'll still need these things.

How pleasant.

Life;

Full of love, friends, fluffy comforts and blood.

Rainbow kitties

all images and text copyright J.R.Marsden

Can you believe i am to ill to go to the childrens book expo!

i can.

bastard periods!

i'll drag myself there tomorrow screamin and bleedin if i have to.

i spent the day sleeping, photo taking, sleeping and phone chatting.(to hawaii).

see hazelnut cottage link for the friend in question.

Heart of glass blog /business from anna yet to appear, bless her i woke her up.

There aren't that many paople you can do that too and expect returned love. She is one of them;

next today some of the eating then sleeping.

Beautiful day though, i've spent some nice time in the garden, playing with the cats.

les etoile

all images copyright to me J.R.Marsden