Sandra Heska King

daring to open doors

  • Home
  • About
  • DISCLOSURES
    • Amazon Affiliate
    • Book Reviews
  • Published
  • Contact
  • Blog
    • Commit Poetry
    • Dared

Through and Through Life: Finding Joy in the Yellow

April 7, 2011 By Sandra Heska King

Morning hangs damp and gray.

Like my spirits.

Rusted farm bell stands guard on weathered post, bolted with two eyes and a nose. It’s mostly silent these days, its original purpose faded into the past with disuse.

Awning ruffle ripples gently, and tree branches sway.

Cracked concrete apron has almost swallowed my children’s handprints.

The garage gutter bends low, the hoop long ago removed.

My kitchen table hosts a front-row seat to ghostly memories of basketball games, homemade carnival booths, hopscotch, bicycle weavings, kiddie pools, a parade of cars, a camper, squeals and laughter.

It’s mostly silent these days.

My husband pruned the shrub outside the window last fall. The one that held a nest every year where we could peek down at the eggs and babies. It used to reach to the window, but now just stubble.

With buds.

He meant to cover the Rose Dog bush (planted in her memory) but didn’t, and I hope that it will bloom again.

In the meantime, yellow finches cascade from feeder to ground.

My forced forsythia is in full yellow bloom.

My yellow tulips nod joy.

I whip yellow French toast eggs, add a little milk, a sprinkle of cinnamon, and a splash of vanilla.

And in the mostly silence, my thoughts turn from what once was to what could be.

And a yellow (almost) sun breaks through the clouds.

(Yes, that’s the late afternoon sun. Honest.)

Finding Joy in the Yellow,

Wilderness and desert will sing joyously, the badlands will celebrate and flower— Like the crocus in spring, bursting into blossom, a symphony of song and color. Mountain glories of Lebanon—a gift. Awesome Carmel, stunning Sharon—gifts. God’s resplendent glory, fully on display. God awesome, God majestic. ~Isaiah 35:1 (Message)

 

Spilling crumbs again with Emily.

And finding joy with Bonnie.


FaithBarista_FreshJamBadgeG

Share this:

  • Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Print (Opens in new window) Print
  • Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest

Filed Under: stories and reflections

Comments

  1. nance marie says

    April 7, 2011 at 7:17 pm

    i like finding the yellow with you 🙂

    • Sandra says

      April 7, 2011 at 8:20 pm

      😀 😀

  2. Kenda says

    April 7, 2011 at 8:03 pm

    Beautiful pictures, beautiful thoughts…thanks.

    • Sandra says

      April 10, 2011 at 3:52 pm

      Thank you, Kenda.

  3. laura says

    April 7, 2011 at 8:28 pm

    I like these bits of yellow. They are sweet whispers of joy on a tired night. Praying more yellow your way, friend.

    • Sandra says

      April 10, 2011 at 3:53 pm

      Amazing what a bit of yellow can do for one’s spirit!

  4. Susan J. Reinhardt says

    April 7, 2011 at 9:24 pm

    The forsythia is blooming here, as well as the daffodils. Fragrant hyacinths are joining them, while tulips are coming up.

    Love your pics!

    • Sandra says

      April 10, 2011 at 3:55 pm

      My vinca vines have a few flowers, and bulbs are coming up, but no real blooms yet. Won’t be long, though. I’ve weathered winter well, but I’m ready.

  5. wolfsrosebud says

    April 8, 2011 at 8:09 am

    What a lovely piece… words, thoughts, and pics. Thanks for your hospitality. I had a lovely time visiting you this morning…

    • Sandra says

      April 10, 2011 at 3:55 pm

      Thank you so much for dropping in. Wonderful to have you!

  6. Cindee Snider Re says

    April 8, 2011 at 8:49 am

    God is so good to give us glimpses of Heaven, taste of joy in the midst of our gray days. Blessings to you today, Sandra, and may your world be filled with bright moments of yellow! 🙂

    • Sandra says

      April 10, 2011 at 3:56 pm

      Your friendship brings some yellow to my days, Cindee!

  7. L.L. Barkat says

    April 8, 2011 at 9:05 am

    I love the finch. The forsythia. And the yellow, yes. 🙂

    • Sandra says

      April 10, 2011 at 3:57 pm

      🙂 🙂

  8. Megan Willome says

    April 8, 2011 at 1:44 pm

    OK, Laura Boggess sent me hugs & forsythia this morning. Didn’t know it was yellow until I Googled it. Now this! I’m taking it as a God thing and sallying forth.

    • Sandra says

      April 10, 2011 at 3:59 pm

      I’m smiling big. He does those “God things” well!

  9. imperfect prose says

    April 8, 2011 at 3:56 pm

    Cracked concrete apron has almost swallowed my children’s handprints.

    LOVED this line. but the whole thing… it stole me, and i wanted to sit there with you eating french toast and breathing in the yellow.

    • Sandra says

      April 10, 2011 at 4:01 pm

      Now that would be lovely–eating French toast together with bowls of fresh berries on a yellow gingham cloth

  10. Carol J. Garvin says

    April 8, 2011 at 7:55 pm

    I’m convinced God made sure he created spring flowers in pinks, mauves and yellows to bring us warmth and cheer as they chase winter drabness away. I enjoy all flowers, but the spring ones are something special. We need them after enduring winter.

    • Sandra says

      April 10, 2011 at 4:03 pm

      Oh yes! The joys of persevering!

  11. Joybird says

    April 9, 2011 at 2:04 am

    I love the way you just set the scene for me. I’m just gently there with you. And I really like french toast! (sorry I know that’s kind of random)

    • Sandra says

      April 10, 2011 at 4:04 pm

      Random is good. 😀

  12. Faith Barista Bonnie says

    April 12, 2011 at 6:45 pm

    Sandra! What a delight to find this photojournal in the faith jam – poetry of joy through pictures and your reflections. I loved each scroll down through our words and images. Thank you for sharing. Loved visiting together!

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Meet Sandra

I’m Sandra, a camera-toting, recovering doer who’s learning to be. still. Read more…

Get updates from the stillness by email

Your personal information is safe and will never be shared.

Archives

Categories

Instagram Inspiration

sandraheskaking

“And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thi “And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” ~ Philippians 4:8 

#fall #southflorida #hope #thoughts #philippians4 #dayafterelection
“My heart leaps up when I behold A rainbow in the “My heart leaps up when I behold
A rainbow in the sky:
So was it when my life began;
So is it now I am a man;
So be it when I shall grow old,
Or let me die!
The Child is father of the Man;
And I could wish my days to be
Bound each to each by natural piety.” ~ William Wordsworth in “My Heart Leaps Up”

🌈🌈🌈

From my back door and then from the patio. A phone can never capture the true glory of a rainbow. I hope my heart never fails to leap at the wonder of one.
We were monarch parents a couple years back, but o We were monarch parents a couple years back, but our food was not enough to support all our “children.”
🌱
But some were better parents. And next month @tspoetry is celebrating with a garden party. And you are invited. 
🌱

✨ An evening poetry celebration with Dheepa Maturi, Laura Boggess, Jules Jacob, and Sonja Johanson
✨ sign up today: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/year-of-the-monarch-garden-party-tickets-1005650847757
✨
This is called a sweetheart plant. I bought it at This is called a sweetheart plant. I bought it at a farmers market in Ponte Vedra in Feb 2023. And it hasn’t done a thing except not die. I did repot it a few months back just cuz I thought it might need it. A few days ago I noticed it was sprouting a sprout. And today—10 days after having my aortic valve replaced and the day after having a loop recorder inserted—it has UNFURLED!!! A new heart. 🩷
Looking west this morning. “Sometime, enough of Looking west this morning. 

“Sometime, enough of us should plan
to gather and form our own
luminous cloud.” ~ Luci Shaw in “The Weight of Air” (from The Generosity)
Security is on the job. Security is on the job.
So after 13 years of checkups and annual echos, it So after 13 years of checkups and annual echos, it's finally come to this. One week from today I will have my aortic valve replaced. Eeeek! I know it's done all the time--piece of cake. But that's to other people. 😂 Speaking of cake, I've always hoped to blow out 100 candles (at least), and I keep singing this line in my head...

"And my heart will go on and on." Thanks to @celinedion. 💕
Hi! Long time, no post. So… I grew this from a pi Hi! Long time, no post. So…

I grew this from a pineapple top. We repotted it again over the weekend. Still no fruit, though. Our neighbor has a baby growing on a small plant, though. What’s up with that?

(Also, I do not have a green thumb. Currently the only things still living are this, an avocado, and a little Boston fern.)
We got out here early today, but it was already so We got out here early today, but it was already soooooo hot (later on the"feels like" was 110), and I was just plodding one foot in front of the other wishing I was still in bed. There was not much to see--except the crane family, some blackbirds, a dove. And it was buggy. And a deer fly bit me on the forearm, and it swelled up, and I still have a 1- x 3-inch reddened area. But then... a pink parade.
Just snapped a couple photos of a normal looking s Just snapped a couple photos of a normal looking sky from my back patio with my iPhone! I grew up in Michigan and never saw them before! #northernlights #westboca #southflorida
“So they took branches of palm trees and went out “So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” ~ John 12:13
🌴
🌴
PALMS

He had a date with them. ~SHK
🌴
🌴
~ Six words I wrote on my blog in 2015 as part of a daily “One Word Less for Lent” series.
🌴
Photo taken in Israel, 2022.
Dressed for success... Dressed for success...
“Sing, hope, to me” ~favorite line from “The First “Sing, hope, to me” ~favorite line from “The First Spring Day” by Christina Rossetti via Every Day Poems and @tspoetry in my email this morning. 
❣️
Whole poem (with lots of favorite lines) here:
❣️
https://open.substack.com/pub/everydaypoems/p/the-first-spring-day?r=3acod&utm_medium=ios
❣️
Wild red poppy anemones from our spring trip to Israel in 2022. And, of course, red is the color of hope. 
❣️
#dipintopoetry #poetry #poetrycommunity #poetsofinstagram #tweetspeakpoetry #everydaypoems
Sweet baby colts. Just one parent. Apparently the Sweet baby colts. Just one parent. Apparently the other was hit by a car. 😭💔
Bufo serenade AKA the Ballad of the Bufo Bufo serenade AKA the Ballad of the Bufo
South Florida is confused. South Florida is confused.
“Somehow she learns to breathe.” ~ @gyoung9751 in “Somehow she learns to breathe.” ~ @gyoung9751 in “The mermaid breathes,” a woven poem from tweets. In my email today from Every Day Poems via @tspoetry.
🌱 
#dipintopoetry #everydaypoems #poetry #poetrycommunity #poetsofinstagram #poetsofig #tweetspeakpoetry
"You have what you need / is what the birds sing a "You have what you need / is what the birds sing all morning" ~ Annie Lighthart in "Conditions of Happiness."
🌱
In my email this morning from 
Every Day Poems via @tspoetry.
🌱
#dipintopoetry #poetry #poetrycommunity #everydaypoems #poem #poetsofinstagram #tweetspeakpoetry
If you’ve made it this far, the rest of the week s If you’ve made it this far, the rest of the week should be a snap. #wednesday
Stay behind me. I’ll protect you. No worries. So w Stay behind me. I’ll protect you. No worries. So will all those shots. Mostly.
🦝
D still has PTSD from the Great Possibly Rabid Raccoon Brouhaha of 2021.
Follow on Instagram

Get the Mug

Embrace the life you have t s poetry mug

Privacy Policy

Full privacy policy is available HERE.

I Read Light

TSP-Red button

bibledude-net



Sponsor a Child

Join the Compassion Blogger Network

[footer_backtotop]

Copyright © 2026 Sandra Heska King · Site by The Willingham Enterprise, LLC on the Genesis Framework by StudioPress · Log in