My analogy of our citrus orchard and awards in life.
Here it is the first Wednesday of the month.... so that means that it is Grammy Award Time. This past month I got a lovely award from both Marie and Tara. These are both great gals and good blog friends of mine. I hope that you will check out their blogs because they are good people and will add sunshine to your day.
This is the Attitude of Gratitude Award.
It is for people who take the
lemons they are given in life ...
...and...
...make ..
...lemonade.
We all know people who do that...
...and...
...we all know people who put on a sour
face no matter what sweet things they
have in life.
Let's all try to be the lemonade type of people.
I appreciate getting this award from Marie and Tara. I am glad that they think I am a "lemonade" type of person. I'm honored to post this award in my side bar.
...
Now I will pass it on..... but this award made me think..... about life...
Yesterday John was working out in our orchard.
Austin and I went out to take a walk and see Grampy.
I was thinking about this award as Grampy gave us a tour.
I think the fruits of our orchard can be compared to life.
Take oranges for example. I love oranges. I love eating them and juicing them.
I love their sweet flavor and orange color.
I know what to expect from an orange..... but....
...sometimes I get surprised...
both with oranges..... and in life.
Sometimes things do not turn out like I think they should or would.
Sometimes, like with this Blood Orange, I cut into life and find it is different than I thought it would be.... a different color.....a stronger taste.
At first I may not appreciate the change.... but if I bite into it with an open mind I am nearly always enriched by the new experience..... and glad I did so.
...
Sometimes big things come my way.
Like this Pomelo they may unfamiliar and hard to peel.
I may feel that it is too hard to deal with and not worth the effort....
...but.... if I take the time and effort to conquer the task...
I am delighted with the outcome and with what I have gained from the experience....
...just like eating pomelos.
They are a very hard citrus fruit to peel.... but inside is a treasure..
pure gold..
After the work of peeling it you are rewarded with the sweetest, best flavored citus ever...
...a truly delightful experience....just like the rewards in life of accomplishing a difficult task.
...
Sometimes in life, instead of getting something big we want like a pomelo, we are handed something much less....much smaller than we expected....
...like these kumquats.
A kumquat is so small that I can't peel it....
and when I cut it I find it is mostly pulp, seeds and sour juice inside.
...at first I didn't know what to think when I was presented with kumquats.
They did not meet my expectations and I was disappointed.
...Then John told me to not worry about peeling it....just eat the whole thing....
peel...seeds... and all.
So I did.
Wow....what a surprise!!!
They are yummy....but entirely different from any other citrus.
It is the peel that is sweet and delicious while the insides are tart...
...chewed up together they are wonderful...
...in fact they are our grandchildren's very favorite citrus.
...
What I first perceived as too small and sour turned out to be delightful when I learned how to eat it and gave it a second chance.
I have learned that same lesson at times in life.
Sometimes the little sour things can turn out to be sweet rewards when I learn how to bite into them and look at them in a different light.
...
And then there are grapefruit
Grapefruit are not my favorite citrus...
...in fact...
I don't like grapefruit...
...but...
John loves grapefruit and has planted several varieties...
...so...
I can see their place in our orchard.
While I don't like grapefruit I sometimes eat them with sweetener when John is having one.
I have learned not to gripe about their flavor.
I've learned not to complain about their weird taste... because John enjoys them.
I've learned that my opinion is not the only opinion.
While my opinion is right for me.... it is not right for John... and that is fine.
It is OK to have a difference of opinion.
A husband and wife do not have to agree on everything.
On some things there is no right or wrong....just different view points... and that is fine.
It took me a long time to learn that..... but after 43 years of marriage I am finally catching on.
Just because I believe or feel one way about something... that doesn't mean that is the right way or only way to view it.... just like with grapefruit.
...
And that brings us back to
Lemons...
and to today's award...
An Attitude of Gratitude
I would like to pass this award along to the following people who I believe do have positive attitudes and make the most of what could be sour experiences.
These are this award's blog rules....
Please link it to the person who gave it to you....in this case me.... and post it on your side bar. Then pass it on to 10 others , or any others, you think deserve it.
I know that many of my friends have already received this award.... If you already have it concider that you got it from me too.... because if you didn't already have it... I would send it to you.
1. Meme of Walking Widow
2. Chelsea of Sheba's Mom
3. Marla of Are We There Yet
4. Gloria of Canela's Kitchen
5. Angie of Can you All Hear Me at the Back?
6. Grandma B of The Long Journey
7. Sherryl of Heavenly Being Holmes
8. Krystyn of Really are you Serious
9. Patty of Patty's Page
10. Marlene of Stitchin by the Lake
11. Tricia of Jacobsons Journaling and Jibberish
12. For all the rest of you..... go on and take it.... you deserve it.
Thanks to all of you bloggers that set such a good example of lemonade people for me.
Have a good day. Love, Lura
Here it is the first Wednesday of the month.... so that means that it is Grammy Award Time. This past month I got a lovely award from both Marie and Tara. These are both great gals and good blog friends of mine. I hope that you will check out their blogs because they are good people and will add sunshine to your day.
...but.... if I take the time and effort to conquer the task...
A kumquat is so small that I can't peel it.... 
25 comments:
Thanks for the award Lura, that was very sweet!
Thank you so much! It is good to enjoy the lemonade of life! It is a great way to live ...cup half full, and fill it with lemonade!
congrats on the award(and just so you know i was going to give it to you but then tara did first! so i decided instead of you getting it twice, i'd give another person the opportunity to receive it. just so you know! :) but then you got it twice anyways! you must be one grateful gal lura:)
I love that you have an orchard. I've never tried kumquats before, I wonder if I would like them. hmm...They sound like I might.
I love this post. You are a lemonaid kinda gal. I love your citrus analogy. It's true that at first look or taste the fruit we are handed my not be what we hoped for. But there is always a lesson or joy to be found.
I like lemons too - I remember mama making lemonade in the summer with the fresh well water- and then brother and I would walk to the field with jar filled with lemonade and daddy and we would share instead of afternoon tea- I would love a lemon - hugs from Meme
How lucky you are to grow all of that wonderful fruit! My mom used to have oranges in her yard before she moved and they were wonderful!
I'm excited to meet you on Friday!
XOXOXOXXO
Jen
What a beautiful post Lura. I devoured every word of it, no pun intended!!! I love citrus fruit and especially grapefruit, but I am not allowed it now because of certain medications I am on. I miss it. I could eat grapefruits just like oranges! Pink are my favourites. I am a great believer in making lemonade out of all the lemons life throws at you! I think you are too. We are cut from the same cloth. I feel sorry for those who aren't able to do this. They are really missing out on many of the great blessings in life. I love you so much and I can't wait to be together, only ONE more sleep!!! Yayy!!! Tell John to drive carefully tommorrow. He has precious cargo on board, but I expect he knows that already!
Good morning Lura. Thank you for the award....and "when life hands you lemons, make lemonade" is a standard I live by. Lately, the lemons have been in baskets. Oh well, this too shall pass.
Your post about Kumquats stirred a memory for me. When we were living in Texas, where my father was stationed, my sister and I used to climb the tree and sit and eat the kumquats until we were almost sick. THANKS FOR THE MEMORY !!! It is nice to be able to go back and revisit some things.
Our grandchildren (in the Air Force) are now in New Mexico. We are planning on going to visit them in about May. New Mexico is the one state I had not been in, even though I had been in all the surrounding states. I am looking forward to retracing footprints left in Texas also.
LOL
This is Amanda. Just saying hi well see ya love Amanda
Great post. I loved your analogies, and I also learned something new--about kumquats. I never knew you were supposed to eat them skin and all. I'll have to try that.
ahhhhh an orchard....how fun. It is so important for kids to see where food comes from ....not just a store....:)
Have a wonderful weekend:)
I loved your post too.......:)
Thanks by the Award Lura and send kisses to you and Marie, huggs!!!Gloria
You are so happy meet you finally??? I think so!! xxx
Dear sweet Lura, thank you so much for thinking of me. I do not feel as though I'm able to always make lemonade from my life's lemons, but your blog helps me feel like I can do better. we have been down and out for over a week now, with Gabe and Ethan both having horrible chest colds, and with Gabe's asthma we haven't dared go out with the haze we've had, and we're constantly using his inhaler. On top of that, Ethan is cutting his lower teeth and he is doubly miserable, which makes for a doubly miserable mama!
I wish I could say we could see you this week while you're visiting with Marie, but I just don't think it will happen. I am e-x-h-a-u-s-t-e-d, and just not feeling very 'lemonade-y'. =(
Have fun with the Utah fam while you're here!!
Wow! What an orchard that has turned into!! I LOVE your analogies, so to the point!
Sweet post!
Congrats on all your lovely awards, Lura...just the things for sweet you! :o) Your orchard abounds with citrus...mmm...can almost taste those grapefruits and lemons--thanks for sharing! Hope you've been having a grand time meeting Marie! Happy Days to you all ((HUGS))
Wow Lura, thank you so much for sending me this award. Now all I have to do is try and remember how to lift it into my sidebar! I think my brain has turned to mush!
But, you know what means more to me than even the award? The fact that I could be considered an 'example' to anybody. That means the world.
love, Angie, xx
I've spent the morning catching up on reading friends blogs. Yours are always amazing. How much time do you spend a week blogging is what I want to know. And where do you get all your cute pictures? I had now idea you had an orchard in the back yard. We have some fruit trees but of course we can have no citris here. Johnny really was amazing, congratulations on such a talented grandson. I hope your feeling better by now, we missed seeing you.
Lura, It was so nice meeting you and Erin (and Marie) on Friday. Your orchard is wonderful. It makes me homesick for my oranges I used to have in CA. Enjoy one for me! I hope you had a wonderful time hosting Marie.
This is Amanda. I am so exited i got to meet you. I told my mom and lonica and i was exited to meet marie thank you love amanda happy v-day
What a lovely post. And congratulations on the award.
It must be great to be able to grow your own citrus fruits. My husband was supposed to bring back some oranges from shopping last week. I ate one in the dark and thought it rather sour. It turned out it was a grapefruit! He's been shopping today and yes they are oranges. I checked.
Sorry you've not been feeling well. I hope you are feeling much better now.
I miss you!
When do you get back?
Thanks for dropping me a line.
I love the citrus pictures. You sure are married to Farmer John! The analogies were fabulous. You have a talent, that's for sure.
How did I miss this post? It is great.. and so true! I love you mom!
I love your orchard! We are working on ours a little at a time. Only 5 trees so far and I think our peach tree is dying. :( I enjoyed your teachings to go along with the fruits too. Thanks!
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