Eyes to See the Beauty
Callie Pitts for Nancy Ray Photography
A Note from Kelly
And just like that April is here, holding excitement and promise like a tiny egg with a little beak breaking through. Chirp, chirp! Easter was so fun with you, and I'm thankful for everyone who came out to fill up their baskets with gifts and tables with flowers from Cheerful.
I know though, that in all this springtime excitement we each have our own personal challenges coming up right along with the red peony shoots and the vibrant green mock orange foliage. Uncertainty has a way of looming over promise if we let it. It’s my hope and prayer that my little messages will be a respite from those difficulties, a reset of mind and heart, and reconnaissance for the days ahead.
You see, flowers have changed my life in a big way, and I must share it with you because I know that no matter your age, gender, or personality type, developing eyes to see beauty will ease the heavy burdens of your life and connect you with what matters most. April is the perfect time to start!
A whimsical arrangement featuring Poppies, Kumquats, Spirea, and Maiden Hair Fern.
My life shifted in a subtle, but profound way when I started noticing the flowers. It started with bright orange poppies along the road waving to me as if in a concerted effort to say, “Look this way, look for the beauty.” I was 22, newly married, and living in Lynchburg, Virginia. If you’ve ever been to Liberty University this little patch of poppies is still probably there on the left as you climb the hill to Thomas Road Baptist Church.
That day the poppies invited me to embrace the present moment, with all the joy, pain, and unknowns. They were a call to prayer. I was in a season of grieving the loss of my Grandpa (who was wonderful) while simultaneously experiencing all the fun that comes with being newlywed. Does that juxtaposition of emotion sound familiar?
In these moments we have a choice. Repeated choices form patterns. Patterns form habits. Habits become ways of being in the world.
Look for the poppies, and look again. Develop eyes to see the beauty with me.
This month there is a patch of bright orange oriental poppies that will begin waving on Route 30 as you head towards downtown from the west side of town — just past Sheetz on the hill on the left. It’s not a normal part of my route, but I drive that way to check on them each year.
My whole world is mapped out in flowers. Their faithful rising and surrender are a comfort to me. I can’t wait to share the sweet, everyday spots in our town that mean a lot to me as we develop eyes to see the beauty together!
About Poppies
Poppies come in all shapes and sizes and they are very easy to grow from seed — just toss the seeds around anytime and the following March you’ll see them start to take hold. Look for that ruffly foliage amongst your dandelions — they happen in tandem. The first photo is Lauren’s Grape. My friend Amy gave a pack to me and I sprinkled them about. No blooms the first year (timing), but they germinated beautifully the following season and produced amazing seed pods (photo below) that make even more poppies!
A few announcements for the month —
NEW! Fountain Festival is April 19 - 21. This is a new event for our town, but it is rooted in a very old piece of our history — the fountain that sits in our town square — a symbol of community coming together and shining in dark times. Saturday is the big old-fashioned street festival day! Look for the Cheerful tent right outside the shop. We’ll be celebrating our second birthday that weekend!
Thank YOU!
The Cheerful bike Rita designed was recently featured in The Chambersburg Chronicle in the Snapshots of Chambersburg section. Thank you to the community member who submitted their photo of the shop! What a fun surprise!
Also a fun surprise is the customer who sent a handwritten thank you note (with stickers!) recognizing Jodie as someone who made her visit to Cheerful really special. I am so grateful for Jodie and YOU!
And to all of you who came out for the Tulip workshop last month — that was so fun! I really enjoyed being with you. Here are some fun pictures from the places I told you about! If you are going to Holland this year, please stop in and tell me all about it when you get home!
It’s not a tulip farm without a giant wooden shoe photo op!
Boxes upon boxes upon boxes of flowers from the Holland flower auction!
Keukenhof Gardens
(aka Flower Disneyland)
Ariella Chezar was on our trip and led us in a flower arranging exercise with Holland’s exquisite flowers!
Things to come…
The peonies are on their way for Mother’s Day! Let’s get excited about all that with this adorable picture of my baby (who is no longer a baby, but will always be my baby!) and a huge armload of the bounty that I’m excited to share with you soon!
Shine on, Chambersburg!
