Wednesday, May 26, 2010

My Deepest Sympathies


My dear friend Lydia
of
'Beauty Will Surely Save the World'
lost her dear husband Ken yesterday.
Ken had been ill for quite some time
and Lydia and her children
have been his faithful caregivers.
Please pray for this beautiful family
as they learn to struggle through
the days without their beloved
husband and father Ken.

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Visit A Friend Today!




"Friendship is a relationship in
which two people come to
share the same soul."
Aristotle

Monday, May 24, 2010

I Couldn't Help Myself




I had this vintage tin bread box
that I love and it was just screaming
to be used, so

 I planted some flowers in it.
Somtimes you have to think
outside the box,
or in this case,
inside the box !



Sunday, May 23, 2010

Spiritual Sunday

"I am careful not to confuse
excellence with perfection.
Excellence I can reach for;
perfection is God's business."
(Michael J. Fox)

Thursday, May 20, 2010

A Quick Stroll





around the yard reveals some
 new
things bloomimg.
The white clematis vine is covering
the garden arbor.

The African Daisies are enjoying
the sunshine.

My hanging basket by the back
patio door is at it's
peek already,


and the Angel Leaf Begonias
are taking over the front planter,
but this is what made my heart sing.
One of my favorite rose bushes

is simply bursting with blossoms.

Isn't she a beauty???


Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Wishcasting Wednesday




It's been quite a while since I have
 participated in Jamie Ridler's
Wishcast Wednesday @

I have always enjoyed Jamie's Prompts,
they certainly encourage us to
stop and assess our dreams,
but of late I've felt like I was
just too busy to participate.

 There will always be dishes to do,

laundry to attend to

and meals to prepare.
If I don't make time for my dreams
then who will?
I cannot expect God to change
things
if I keep doing things the same
old way.
Today's prompt is
'What do you wish to have?'
I wish to have more time to persue
my art, to spend more time
simply enjoying my home and gardens,
 aside from toiling to maintain them.
I want to be able to allow myself
time to relax and enjoy
the fruits of my labor. I wish to visit
the beach more often.

After
all it is just a mere five minutes away,
yet I rarely take the time to
enjoy it.
While I do enjoy taking care of
my family and my home
I want to have balance...
guilt free time to enjoy my blessings
without thinking I should be
doing something more productive.
"What do you wish to have?"

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

My Anniversary is Today




(this photo was taken 2 yrs ago)
19 Years ago my sweet husband and I
 exchanged vows and began
our life as a blended family.
It was a simple wedding, 50 guests,
close family and friends.
We did not have a wedding party,
our four sons stood up with us.
Two years later our son Alex
was born, uniting the boys in
brotherhood.


This man is my best friend, my soul mate.

It wasn't always easy, blended families
bring a myriad of challenges,
but having Bill as my partner through
it all, certainly made the last 19 years
the best of my life.

As we near the beginning of our
empty nest years
I cannot imagine anyone else
I'd want to dance the rest
of my days with.
Happy Anniversary Sweetheart!



Monday, May 17, 2010

The Junior Prom









was this weekend, and here is my baby
all dressed up and ready to pick up his date!


 
I realize I'm probably a little
biased but aren't they cute?


I can't believe time has passed so quickly, seems like
I just did this with his older brothers.



Here they are with a group of their friends.

Sorry I've been missing in action for several days,
I had a very busy week and weekend.
Spent days immersed in yard work and trying
to get everything outside ready for the summer.


Everything is all tidy,


the vegetable and herb garden are planted.


The pond is doing well,


the lawn is ready for a game of bocce ball,



the pool is ready for swimmers,



and the deck is ready to host it's first barbeque!



Hope you'll stop by for a visit, I'd love to see you !

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Walking on Sunshine...




at least for today!

(my wire basket with impatiens survived yesterday's cold)
The weatherman says some more showers
 are coming tonight but should all clear
out for the weekend.

(I was worried about the poor things)

(thankfully all was okay this morning)

(can you tell I love rusted garden things)


(ignore the hose, see the rusted bench & wire egg basket?)

My husband says I'll put a plant in
anything if I can get it to hold soil.
Is that a bad thing???

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

It's Dreary and Damp Outside



today, the warm weather of
last week is just a memory.
It is exactly  days like this
that I am glad I chose to plant
white flowers among all my
(white alysum)
other plants.
It is the white blossoms that

(geranium)
pop when the skies are gray

(moonflowers)
or when the sun begins to set.

(bleeding hearts)
I even like to add some white
to my shade gardens for
the very same reasons.

(Morning Glory)
While the white blooms may
not grab your attention
the way a vibrant color does
on a sunny day. You can be
sure that it's the one thing that
stands out

(shasta daisies)
on a day like today!
How's the weather where you are?


Monday, May 10, 2010

A Chill in the Air Today

but the white clematis in my garden
is blooming beautifully.
The purple jackmani clematis
is doing quite well too.
The jacob's ladder has made it's
appearance as well.
(jacob's ladder)
A close up of the jacob's ladder.
I always feel bad for my blooms
when the weather takes
a chilly turn and often go out
in the gardens to talk to them
and reassure them that warmers days
are returning soon.
Am I the only one out there that talks
to her plants???