Friday, June 6, 2014

Cultivating beauty...


Look at this wee plant blooming while living in a crevice of concrete.
I thought a bit about how we live brightly despite our circumstances.

If you look around you'll see evidence to back this theory up...

I spied a rusty balcony set high above the street downtown with a riot of colourful blooms.
They were planted in a mixture of recycled metal olive oil cans and large tomato tins.
The tins must have been cast offs from a local eatery as they are far too big to buy them in a grocery store. 
Someone had made this oasis of cheer and beauty for just pennies and a few packets of seeds.

One needn't be rich to cultivate beauty.

There's a bag lady who collects cans and bottles wears the same outfit every time I see her 
She accessorizes it by wearing a bright silk scarf tied around her neck.
Her hair is neatly arranged in a bun.

I wonder what event or events have occurred that placed her on the street.
There is another woman who collects recycling in our area and she has a fabulous English bike with a custom made commodious carrier.
I am a wee bit curious why she is doing this as she appears to be affluent but I cannot bring myself to ask.
I have a tendency to want to know everything and scare people off.
Besides it is none of my business.

I take our water and wine bottles back to the store for the refunds.

On recycling day the blue bins that have bottles and cans are easy picking for the collectors and I am always amazed by their methods of carrying them.
Some have huge plastic bags and others have carriers and one fellow even drove a van!


I think it is important to surround ourselves with things that we find beautiful...
they needn't cost a lot...
you might collect some of Nature's gifts...


"A thing of beauty is a joy forever: its loveliness increases; it will never pass into nothingness."

~ John Keats ~

Have a lovely weekend...
I may be off line a bit as I have a birthday dinner party to prepare for and a house guest will be staying with us for a few days.
I cannot let my Hostessing go to the dogs, as I have a name to live up to.

Hostess

15 comments:

Susan said...

A wonderful post--as always--Leslie. You are an inspiration for me. I always enjoy your posts.

Pondside said...

I have no doubt that you'll live up to that name, Hostess! Wishing you a lovely weekend.........

Anonymous said...

I don't remember much of John Keats poems, but I remember I found his work outstandingly "clean" among others of his contemporaries (the Romantic poets) like Wordsworth, Blake, Byron, Coleridge, etc. I don't remember what gave me that impression! Any experts on Romantic poets out there? Thanks Leslie for bringing back memories! Emily :-)

Deborah Montgomery said...

My sentiments exactly re beauty. Have a wonderful weekend!

Lynne said...

I liked reflecting with you . . .
Enjoy your birthday planning . . . I am sure you will live up to your namesake . . .

Madame Là-bas said...

It is hard to understand other people's circumstances. Like you, I always want to know but some things are impossible to understand. Have a happy celebration.

Anonymous said...

Just a little of what I know about collectors, an old neighbour of mine collected pop cans for years. He did it for exercise and amusement to him, every year he managed to collect enough to pay his property taxes , he did not need the money. There is another elderly lady I see that does this on her bike daily too , she is up at the crack of dawn she does not need the money either , she also has a very expensive car . It makes me wonder too why they do what they do and I think it was an era that they were brought up in and they can not bear to see that people actually would waste what can be of value. It is the same as people going through recycling bins in search of Canadian tire money. That is what I understand of why some do what they do. I just love the balcony garden idea in old tins like that. I think it would be a great idea to grow tomatoes and salad and herbs in tins that are closely related to the ingredients that would be used. Thank You again for another thought inspiring post . Donna

Holli said...

Lovely post! Have a great weekend....seems there's a lot to do-between the Tea Party and the markets. Or maybe lounging in the garden? Loving this weather :)

Anonymous said...

I live in a condo in Toronto (not downtown) and we have a recycling area with large bins. Larger items such as furniture, or that is not on the official recycling list can be put out on Monday for pick up by the city on Tuesday. There are several people that come around the neighbourhood in pic up trucks late on Monday taking items that they might sell or recycle. It is an underground business that is preventing these large items going to land fill.
Sharon

Anonymous said...

Hello, this is my first time stopping by. What a lovely post. I think I'll come back for another visit - this was so delightful : )
Hope you have a lovely week end,
Julie

Diane said...

i wish I could have seen the flowers in the olive oil and tomato cans! That would have been a charming sight!!!!! I have a sweet potato vine growing in a tomato can :))

Anonymous said...

Lovely post and would like to comment further but off for breakfast with Mr. T. You made me laugh with your ‘name to live up to’. Have a lovely weekend - its a long one here. Tonkath

No Sacrifice Bags said...

Have a wonderful weekend.
I don't know anything about collecting recycling bin items; but I have stopped and picked up a few chairs people have put out on heavy item garbage day. I also love thrift stores, and my 70's era lazy boy rocker/ recliner, in my bedroom was $29 fromThe Salvation Army. I did reupholster it, though.

Sydney Shop Girl said...

Thank you for another moment to appreciate the simple things in life.

SSG xxx

Bonnie said...

Loved reading your post. I agree beauty doesn't need a large price tag. Thanks for the reminder. I hope you weekend was wonderful!