Glimmer, whether used as a noun or a verb, is such a descriptive word in the English language! Dictionaries define it as a faint or unsteady shining light—a twinkle, shimmer, or flicker.

A glimmer of light as dawn breaks.
The lamp shines a glimmer of hope. 

Nowadays, the word glimmer has acquired an even deeper meaning and often is used in plural. Glimmers will spark feelings of joy, calm and safety. They can be internal or external cues that ignite positive emotions. Light in the darkness. Hope in the future. Warm fuzzies.

Glimmers are everywhere if we will take time to seek and feel their magic. Beauty is all around us, even when we feel lost, afraid, alone, hopeless, or sad. To me, glimmers represent tiny flickers of God’s grace, whispers of His love and assurance that uplift our spirits and provide peace in what has become a noisy, chaotic world. Continue reading →

It’s mid week. Hump Day. Take a breather. Make room in your jam-packed schedule for some chill out time.

The intensity of living in drive-mode can overwhelm you with those self-imposed demands on your mind, body and soul. You can push yourself beyond your limit as you race through life day after day, striving to attain more, to be more, to do, do, do! You can become so busy doing you neglect to be—you forget YOU are a human BEING.

Living every day in a pressure cooker set on “high” is not healthy. It doesn’t build wellness or peace of mind. As you live a purpose-driven life and pursue lofty goals, remember to pace yourself, balance your activities, and refresh your soul. Your physical and mental body will thank you.

Your spirit will rejoice. Your soul will sing.

#mysoulsingsforyou #bestillandknow
#authorantheatripp #paceyourself #justbreathe #chillout #thewonderhabit2024

Meanwhile, back at the ranch …. she sat stoically on the winding stone wall along the ridge, watching us arrive and unpack supplies from the truck. There was a quiet calm about her statue-like pose which I interpreted as her acceptance of our presence, almost as if she knew our return was inevitable. She remained vigilant, her gaze unflinching as she contemplated our every move.  This grey fox displayed an unmistakable posture!

A silent sentinel, I thought.

It’s not unusual to see a fox at the ranch. We don’t know exactly how many adult foxes claim our property as their territory but we know for sure there are three! During this visit we witnessed all three together which is a first for us.

Sightings are a pretty common occurrence, almost daily, especially when we leave scraps out for them. They’ll gobble the food, ever watchful though, but when we approach they’ll turn tail and scamper off, keeping a safe distance.

The demeanor of this particular fox was different. She seemed more confident, allowing us to approach her with scraps of sausage without running away.  She seemed reluctant to leave at times, though I also sensed a certain air of defiance from her. She was determined to stand her ground.

A couple of days ago, around dinner time, we observed that same sentinel-like pose. This times she had situated herself a few feet from our deck, scrutinizing our movements in and around the house. Why didn’t we guess her true motives? Why didn’t we realize our fox was protecting something infinitely more precious than her territory. By now you have probably caught on!

Yes, once you know the backstory her behavior makes perfect sense. She is indeed a sentinel. A protector. This Mama Fox is guarding her babies. Her den (or one of them) is nestled under our deck. Late afternoon, on a couple of occasions, she and her adorable kits have emerged from their den to play in the sun beside the deck, while we looked on in delight.

Beautiful, untamed nature in the raw. What a joy to behold.

People have forgotten this truth,” the fox said, “But you mustn’t forget it. You become responsible forever for what you’ve tamed. —Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. From “The Little Prince”.

It’s been almost 9 years since my beautiful mother went to heaven. I think of her often with such joy and gratitude. In my day to day living, even little things can stimulate remembrances of her that make me smile, or remind me of her wisdom, her indomitable spirit, upbeat attitude, her courage, her deep love for my dad and I—and for life itself.

There are days when I miss her more than words can express. It is only my heart that knows the depth of longing at those times.

On some occasions, my inner child, the little girl Anthea, simply yearns for her Mummy. Truthfully it’s been one of those weeks, the longing for her magnified by the approach of Mother’s Day. A hug, a touch, a reassuring word. A few minutes to sit on a quiet bench and chat about life in all its glory. Imagine that. A mother and great grandmother in her own right, still needing her mom. A successful, independent businesswoman, and to some, a tower of strength, pining for Mother! Continue reading →

We can hardly believe it! Here we are in the Isle Skye on our trek up to the Old Man of Storr, pictured behind us!

We were asked what we had planned for our Diamond Anniversary, so thought you might enjoy hearing the back story.

In October 1963, Chuck placed a diamond engagement ring on my finger in Scotland.

On this, our sixtieth anniversary, the gift is a different kind of diamond. It’s a gift to each other. The Isle of Skye is our sparkling diamond.

The wonder of it all. Yes, powerful dreams can come true. Thank you Lord for granting the desire of our hearts.

Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. 
Psalm 37: 4

I’m calling this creation Journey into sunlight. From the word prompts for Week 2 of the #100daysofwonder2024 I chose the word “journey” as my creative inspiration.

After all, life in all its glory is a journey, isn’t it? It’s full of twists and turns, and roller coaster moments—bursting with ever changing shades of grey, rainbow colors, and varying speeds, always keeping us on our toes. Living in expectation of what’s next.

For several days this past week I was imprisoned by my least favorite chore—shrouded in a foggy, grey cloud of obligatory tax preparation. Yes, it was one of those “must-get-it-done-now” things so I wouldn’t have to face it later. So I buckled down!

On completion of the task I felt as though I’d broken through the confining gloom of a densely wooded thicket and stepped into the welcome embrace of a bright sunny meadow.

This painting depicts how I felt in that moment. It’s the scene I envisioned in my mind as I stepped from the murky shadows of the dark wood and into the sunlit field. Oh joy! Sunshiny yellows.

I slipped through a gap in the nearby fence to follow the grassy avenue, beckoning me to journey on—towards the light.

I hope your weekend is blessed with sunshiny moments of wonder ✨💛

I promised myself one miniature watercolor per week. Lol. Little did I know what this week would bring. Without boring divulging the boring details, I scrounged some time this afternoon to produce this little guy while the workmen hammered tiles on our roof. It’s intended to be a sparrow. You decide. It’s for sure a bird of sorts! 

From the seven words to prompt inspiration, I chose “sparrow”. It resounded with me after my unexpected crazy week. In scripture, Luke reassures us that not a single sparrow is forgotten, and God even knows the number of hairs on our head. That is so very comforting to me this week. How was your week? Here’s wishing you a wonderful weekend. 

Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. —Luke 12:6