The best things in life are free.
This is most obvious when coming out of periods of darkness.
The best things are all around us every day.
Lying in bed in the mornings in that period between wakefulness and sleep listening as the curtain flaps like a nun’s wimple in the morning wind.
Seeing rays of light stream across the floor as the same curtain moves forward and back in the wind. The light is angelic, full of white. Definitely from another realm.
The camellias blooming. Festive in white with sweet yellow faces, turning to the sun the way people do when released from confined spaces.
The small birds frolic when the camellias bloom, swinging their tails like trapeze artists, so full of joy all they can do is sing.
Dolly pegs. They smell like days of old when life was simpler. When people gave thanks for a sunny day that allowed their washing to flap in the breeze and catch the light. I pretend I am a fifties housewife when I use my dolly pegs, wearing a polka dot dress and a fetching shade of red lipstick. I remember my grandmother’s lace tablecloths flapping beneath a blue sky, held in place by dolly pegs, reliable and true.
When looking at the best things the sky can’t be avoided.
Splendid blue grandeur.
Even when diluted by clouds the sky is spectacular.
The sky offers comfort. It is constant. It always has a story. It offers all sorts of dreams and imaginings.
Its shades and hues change as the wind does.
Seventeen shades of blue. I counted them.
Azure, baby, carolina, cerulean, forget me nots, cornflower, bleu de france, topaz, dodger, cyan, peacock, ulysses butterfly, summer sky, capri, columbia, lapis lazuli, celestial.
Seventeen shades.
On such an autumn day.
Selma In The City 
“El cielo es azul”
It means “the sky is blue”, it’s from one of my favorite songs and I sing it to myself whenever I forget that behind all those thick, grey clouds there is a (seventeen shade of) blue sky 🙂
I love how you described all those small things, the details… We are so busy trying to see the “bigger picture” we easily miss the small things, the best things, all those free things which makes us feel alive.
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Selma you are like an angel or a spirit from another realm – here’s to happy days. I just love your names for blue.
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I’d love tobe able to pull off the polka dot dress and red lipstick!
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Hi LUA:
What a beautiful phrase. It sounds much nicer than it does in English. You’re right – it’s the simple things that make us feel alive!
Hi GABRIELLE:
There are so many other names for blue. I had no idea. It must be a nightmare working in a paint shop trying to find the right shade. I second the call – here’s to happy days!!
Hi VIC:
Wouldn’t it be cool? I went to this gig a few weeks back. It was a rockabilly band and a lot of the girls were dressed like that. They were gorgeous. I would love to dress like they do!
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Gorgeous post. I find joy in all these things too, so it made me happy to read!
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Lovely writing!
The simple things hold such a subtle beauty.
The sky here today is opalescant – milky – grey – not a trace of blue but I have just seen 17 shades in my mind, so i can wait. . . 😉
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I thought there was only one shade of blue… dark.
Perhaps the other shades are what you move through as you’re leaving the blues behind.
My hope for you Sel, is that your heart continues to be warmed by that angelic white light from another realm.
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Beautiful! There is so much beauty in our life as long as we choose to be aware!
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There is nothing better than blue sky. I hope to see some soon after Utah’s 20 month winter is over.
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Beautiful, like a song of praise.
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I love this post. It all comes down to – BREATHE. Something we’d all do well to remember to do. 🙂
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Hi JENNIFER:
Without those simple things our lives would be quite different. I like to celebrate them when I can.
Hi SINGER:
Opalescent. That conjures up a sky of such beauty. WOW. I love it!
Hi BEAR:
And mine for you. I am so touched you stopped by. That means a lot to me.
Hi TOBEME:
Being aware is the key. We’re often too busy rushing around to notice. I like to take the time when I can.
Hi LIBBY:
You guys really have suffered with your winter. It’s crazy. Hope those blue skies come along soon.
Hi PAUL:
Aww. Thanks so much.
Hi TEX:
Oh, right on. We’ve got to breath in the metaphorical sense. Very important!
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Seven shades of blue? This post is amazing. Very soothing! Envy-inspiring because it’s summer here 😦
But the post still makes me feel cool. Oh wait! I think it’s the AC (pun intended).
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lovely, wonderful names for the shimmering seventeen shades…
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Wonderful post – I could see the pictures as I read your words. 🙂
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“Even when diluted by clouds the sky is spectacular.
The sky offers comfort. It is constant. It always has a story. It offers all sorts of dreams and imaginings.”
So beautiful, your way with words. I’m so glad you share them with us.
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Hi MAIMOONA:
If you ever want inspiration for a story have a look at colour charts. You won’t believe how many different shades there are. Some of the names are amazing. I highly recommend it!
Hi JULIET:
Blue is one of my favourite colours. I love that there are so many shades of it. Makes it feel everlasting.
Hi SUSANNAH:
Thank you so much. What a lovely thing to say.
Hi KAREN:
I’m glad you read them. Without my wonderful readers the words would just disappear into the ether forming their own tiny patches of blue among the clouds. LOL. I am FULL of it today 😀
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After a long and hard day, following my cat having surgery and my life thrown into kitty sitting unexpectedly with her in this condition, I would like to tell you, Selma, what a pleasure it was to read this post of yours. You hit all the right notes that just made me feel good for a moment. As I write this to you, I reflect on your writing from Australia and the recent comment you left on my post from New York of the trees on my street and this correspondence over the places we live. This is really nice and warm and wonderful to have on a day like today. Thanks! And by the way, Sunday is Mother’s Day in America, so I wish you happy mother’s day now…. Enjoy.
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I wish there were more posts like this so that I could shake off all the insignificant worries and concerns cramming my head and make room all the beauty around me and all the precious little moments of delight…
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Hi JOHN:
I like it too. It is an amazing thing that the internet allows me such insight into your world (all the way over in the Northern Hemisphere). I can even see the beautiful trees outside your window in New York which I might otherwise not have been able to see. When you think about it that is quite a special thing.
It is Mother’s day here tomorrow too. So thank you.
I hope your kitty is OK. I’ll keep you both in my thoughts!
Hi SHIONA:
Oh me too. They just provide a little pick me up for us. Even writing them is a pick me up. And they are precious moments.
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Takes me back to my childhood – I would like nothing more than to close my eyes, recline back and look at the sky. Sigh!
However, if I close my eyes and remember your post…….it’s like being there 🙂
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