Same View - Different View Points

Good Morning !

This is the view from my office window - it'll change with the seasons but other than than this view won't change much - I'll still see the tip of the Church steeple just down the rode - the trees will stay in the same place - and the houses will remain exactly where they are - nestled in on firm ground with long roots to this neighborhood.

But there are days - when my perspective on things change greatly -
Sometimes I look out and see a scene from yester year..........when things were slower and easier in
some respects - for this transplanted city girl I see a little bit of country and it warms my heart on cold days.

Some mornings I get up and stumble to the computer before I do anything else - I do some catch up reading which always ends up with reading the news.
There are days when everything seems so black and white with not much color in the world at all.

And still other days all I see are details - far too many of them - they leave my vision clouded and unable to see the overall beauty.

Sometimes I find myself sitting with a cup of tea and looking out as though watching a movie - and marvel at central casting who decided where each and every tree should go in this scene..........

There are days when my world has a little more bad news than I can bear - and I have no choice but to slip on my Rose Colored Glasses -

And then other days when I don't have time to stop to enjoy a moment to myself - those are the days when everything seems to go by in a blur.

Sometimes I view it as a painting - and can get lost just staring at it - as though it were my personal museum and I'm awestruck

Things don't change so much as how we see them do.
The world - at it's core - is still the beautiful place it's always been -
Sadness finds it's place into our hearts - evil will always lurk - but beauty abounds

And so today I choose to see it for just what it is........
A beautiful gift
Mine for the taking and I'll take it with a grateful heart.
Snow and all

Take time to enjoy your view today :)

Much love,

My Painted Stone Fireplace

Well I did it - I fought myself over this one for 2 months - I really did - and had it been a beautiful stone fireplace I would never have touched it - but it was U.G.L.Y - seriously - the center is concaved the rocks are in awful shape - and it was time for an update.

so again - if you missed yesterday's post - here's what it looked like

and here's what it looks like today....................I'm especially pleased that the " rocks " don't stand out like tons of separate rocks - it looks much more cohesive now
It went from Darth Vadar ( I was afraid to be in the room alone with it ) to Snow White - with a few swipes of a brush :)

The hardest part of all was painting the bottom edging against the freshly stained floors - I was a nervous wreck to be honest with you - but not one drop landed on the floor
I'll eventually build a boxed hearth - because this is so off balanced I can't really lay anything on it.

I still have to paint that metal surround edging - it's going black because that's easiest and that pitiful excuse for a mantel will be changed ( it's just a piece of mdf - I may put skirting on it to make it look more substantial and see how that works )  I had an old piece of metal scroll work that I placed in the middle - ( actually where the rock is concave ) it hung outside in the last place so had to dig through my garden decor boxes to find it..............that probably took longer than painting the fire place lol

For now I have photos of my 2 favorite cities - New York and Paris - resting on it
and the flowers John brought home ( you can read about that fiasco HERE )

What do you think ?
Are you horrified that I painted it ?
Or do you think it's an improvement ?

 Just so you all know - John loves it - so there'll be no John says - Suzan says for this post lol
 You can see yesterday's post HERE to see the brick fireplace I painted in my last home - and some
 gorgeous stone fireplaces too :)

Just on a side note - there's a huge cat that just ran by my window - ( it's 2 in the morning )
I'm hoping he's not a stray - poor thing - it's so cold out there - but wow - he's HUGE -
I'm wondering if he's eating all the mice that got the boot from this place when we bought it?

Have a great first day of the week all :)

Much love,

Join me at these parties !!!
Coastal Charm                        My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia                Not Just a Housewife
Homework                             Savvy Southern Style                                 52 Mantels
Bloom Designs                       Common Ground                                       The Charm of Home
French Country Cottage           Redoux Interiors                                       Shabby Art Boutique
Chase the Star                        My Turn for Us                                         The Shabby Nest
I should be mopping the floor  Between Naps on the Porch                        Our Delightful Home
Uncommon Design                 Remodelaholic                                           Glitter Glue & Paint
Ginger Snap Crafts