Can we talk?  (remember how Joan Rivers {RIP – I miss her sarcastic humor} always started a part of her comedy routine with that line?) I confess, I rarely share personal stuff here, especially personal stuff that isn’t happy news….this has been because I believe Garden, Home and Party, and blog friendships I’ve developed, is more about the fun stuff in life.  I am an optimist junkie.

But we all know life is a roller coaster of good and not so good events.  About the time you’re riding high, something happens and you’re knocked down, at least for a little while, then you head back up.  I believe this makes us grateful for the really good times.

A little over a year ago my husband was diagnosed with cancer.  I confess it was a blow since he hadn’t seemed ill.  We dealt with it and took the treatments the doctor recommended and after one step forward, two steps back, we finally got some really great news on Monday, (President’s Day, my new favorite holiday! ) 🙂 Mr. B. is cancer free.  We will still have follow up with the doctor,  but it was great news to us and our family.

Through it all, when things would get very stressful and I’d be overwhelmed with worry, I found that losing myself in beauty, garden or home, was my emotional duct tape.  It helped me put some perspective on the situation at hand, and feel revived.  I realize we all have our way(s) of dealing with stress, but it was interesting to me to discover this diversion truly helped me deal with it all.

Here are a few of the images that made me see that the sun, would indeed, come out tomorrow!

{via}

{Dan Marty – RIP}

{Jane Moore}

{via}

{Lisa Luby Ryan}

{Ralph Lauren}

Thanks for stopping by, you are all a constant source of joy.

♥ Karen