On my desk......
Dear Friends...
Grey skies sit over Surrey and I am enjoying the peace and quiet of home.
I felt an enormous sense of relief today. I have spent the last week waiting on
a chest x-ray as a result of this silly flu that has been lingering weeks on end.
I am sure you can imagine what a weeks worth of google searches resulted in :)
I was so relieved to hear that my lungs are clear...a huge weight was lifted.
I filled the air with music, carried on with my consumption of green tea,
sat at my desk and took a deep sigh...carefully.
(the cough still lingers.)
I thought of a post and wasn't sure where to start.
I looked around and realised
it was right in front of me, my desk,
and on it sits....
My collection of cards waiting for a recipient...
My lovely New Zealand paua shell heart from friends Lisa and Susan
and a sweet little blue star from my long time friend Kathy.
We met the first day of college in 1979 and I remember it like it was yesterday.
On my desk...a writing pad covered with some of my favourite pictures...
Thatcher Island Twin Lights along Cape Ann...
A little cottage by the sea in Rockport...
and a row of Adirondack chairs in an open field in New Hampshire.
A reminder to sign up for a photography class
at the Victoria and Albert Museum.
A few recent book purchases...
and a little inspiration from my daughter Claire
Something I hold near and dear from my blogging world...
beautiful words about Collage of Life
from Christina at River Rose.
Those scribbles that I never seem able to throw away...from
posts written long ago...
My colourful little Chinese friend to remind
me that everything has a way of working out.
and last but not least just because I love this painting...
'The Room with a View'
by Duncan Grant 1919
Painting of Vanessa Bell
more here
How about you, what sort of keepsakes do you keep on your desk?
images~me
I like how you have your cards sitting there waiting for recipients. It's a good idea. I might have to do something similar if i decide to participate in a 52 weeks/52 letters thing I came across online. A way to reinstate handwritten and "snail-mail" into our lives...Who doesn't like getting an actual post card or letter or package in the mail to balance out all the bills and junk mail!
ReplyDeleteSo glad that your x-ray was clear Jeanne, what a relief....I hope you feel better very soon.
ReplyDeleteA very good friend of mine is from NZ and she has those paua shells scattered around her garden and in her garden path as a reminder of home :)
Take care xx
Ooh, squeal! I *love* seeing your favourite desk objects, Jeanne. They give me so much more insight into your character. I also have a stash of cards. Collecting them is a bit addictive. Some of them are hard to part with! And seeing your handwriting intrigues me, too ☺. J x
ReplyDeleteHappy to hear the chest x-ray did not show anything.
ReplyDeleteIn a time when it is so easy to shoot off an email, I love that you have a collection of cards waiting to be posted. I send out handwritten notes all the time, but seldom receive anything through my mail slot other than bills and dental reminders.
I'm so glad your x-ray was clear! I've had pneumonia and it is not fun! Glad you are on the mend. And I love your desk - so full of memories, ideas and inspiration. It's wonderful.
ReplyDeleteI have a table in my studio which I use as a desk. Today it's covered with tubes of paint, tins of brushes, water jars, all my favourite cds and my stereo. When I look up I see some of my own paintings that I painted when I was too busy to notice I'd become an empty nester! Colourful Chagall prints to my right, Country Living (UK) Magazines and art books to my left.
ReplyDeleteI hope you feel better soon. Take care Jeanne. xx
HI Jeanne
ReplyDeleteSo sorry you've been feeling unwell..and so happy to hear your chest xray is fine.. I went through a similar thing last year with xrays and mammograms and leukemia tests and yes the waiting was hell.. and google is not our friend during these times.. hahaha
Well my desk is a mess right now.. doing a bit of a clean up... but I love inspirational cards and postcards and photos... and have a few chinese statues too...
Have a lovely day.. feel better soon.. and so glad all is well.. ciao xxx Julie
First of all, glad that all is well or at least better. As for keepsakes, there are some things special to me, but if I keep everything my desk ends up one big clutter so I try not to get too attached.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to take a photography class this spring, too. Wish we could share the experience. Hugs.
You poor thing, Jeanne. Happy the xray is clear, sorry that you've had such concern in the first place. Boo sucks to chest infections!
ReplyDeleteLove your desk post:) I have a communal desk...shared with hubby and goofballs. So if I posted photos it wouldn't be anywhere near as inspiring...in fact, it would be a turn off! I can tell you though that I have a beautiful watercolour of the Irish quayside, complete with fishing baskets and fishing trawlers. It warms my heart. Hope you continue to feel better! Meredy xo.
My desk tends to be what I call "an organized mess" (but I'm really lying...it's actually a mess). I wish it looked like yours. I work full time from my home office so it looks great one day, and the next...well...messy again. Thanks for the inspiration. Glad to hear your lungs are clear.
ReplyDeleteThank goodness your x-ray is clear! You may find Jeanne that now you have that worry removed your cough starts to fade! Fingers crossed! Enjoy all the lovely things you have planned!
ReplyDeleteThank you all for your comments:)
ReplyDeleteNow....truth be told....I have two desks..my messy one with the computer and an avalanche of papers everywhere and the one I have posted here.
Actually....it is an old dining room table that I converted to a desk in the corner of our living room. It is the perfect place to spread out and it is big enough to keep all the items I have shown in this post. I call it my thinking space because I certainly can not do that when a computer is in front of me.
I wish I was that neat to keep eveything on one desk but I am a chaotic mess when it comes to paperwork and that is only because I am one of lifes great procrastinators.
Like now....when I should be walking our dog Tika but thought just before I go....and here I still sit :)
Feeling so much better now! Gillie is right...now that the results are in....my cough is starting to fade.
A million things to do but first .....I have to walk Tika...
By for now :):):)
Oh Jeanne, good to hear those news!A long time ago I had a very bad cough which repeats bothering me in a endless way and it ended up in asthma.It was a horrible time, but I started with chinese acupuncture (I`m a believer in old medicine therapys), because I didn`t want to take all the medicine which was given to me.
ReplyDeleteAnd I must tell you: it never came again!The story is about 14 years old....and whenever I catched a flu since then, I`ve got all, but never a cough again.
Love your sweet things on your desk, all these reminders of very good friends and moments!
I`ve got a desk, but I don`t sit there very often.Whenever I put my notebook on, I`m sitting at the dining room table. I can watch from there the birds looking for food or the nature scenery outside...I really enjoy that.
Celebrate your personal *healing* day with all things you like,Jeanne! :) Happy Thursday...Beate :) XXX
How wonderful that your tests were fine. The waiting is unbearable! What a lovely desk - I'm glad I'm not the only one who has a box of cards waiting to be mailed. There's just something about snail mail:-)
ReplyDeleteLove the painting - love everything Bloomsbury. Just did some volunteer work for Charleston. Lovely post!
I adore your assortment!!
ReplyDeleteVery little on my desk because it barely holds the computer and keypad. Room for a cup of coffe from a favorite mug, and a nother cup of colored pens and pencils1
On the shelves next to, however, I have an art glass heart from a special friend, an Eiffel Tower from Andrea The French Basketeer! Etc.....
xoxo
Karena
Art by Karena
Que bellos recuerdos!!!...Lo mejor es recordarlos y saber que están mas cerca de lo que uno cree! En particular guardé postales de viaje que mi padre me envió cuando era niña en los años 60, de una Europa lejana a mi Argentina. Y también mis papeles, tickets de museos, y detalles inolvidables de mis recuerdos de viaje...Besos, Gloria.
ReplyDeleteSo happy to hear you received good news on the x-ray.
ReplyDeleteThe paua shell heart is fabulous. I've never seen anything like it.
Like you, I've lots of little memory pieces about on my desk, some are photos, a few handmade pieces by a friend, special little boxes, a Quimper mug full of folk art pencils, ..... there are many things that give me joy just to glance at them. ;-)
Lovely post!
My heart leapt when I read what you had awaited! Sooooo relieved all's well, that you're feeling fine and full of energy! Hang onto life's tail and enjoy the ride!
ReplyDeleteDear Jeanne, I don't have a desk but your things are beautiful. I'm very glad you're better. Have a lovely weekend xx
ReplyDeleteMy Dear Friend, Jeanne,
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry that I have lost track of time and haven't been able to check in lately. From what is being written, I understand that you have had an x-ray and am so happy that all is well. I do hope that you are on the mend! I appreciate that you mentioned River-Rose. When I first started blogging I was in awe of the Collage of Life- and still am. I also want to send you hugs for all of the prayers you are sending to "Breathing". xoxo -Christina
Glad to here you are on the mend Jeanne, nothing like Googling your symptoms to find you're suffering from any manner of terrible diseases! Mr. Virgo MOTH does it ALL the time & I have had to call time out frequently.
ReplyDeleteMillie x