Garden in May

I love my garden.  It makes me happy to grow flowers that I can cut and bring into the house or just share with others.

These are photos from my cottage garden.

 My stunning peonies.  These are the first peonies that I purchased.  I've had these for about 16 years.

 They have a glorious scent of old fashioned roses.

 So pretty with a light rain falling.  I took better photos yesterday and lost them all....don't ask.  

 These white iris are dainty and elegant.  They were given to me by my friends mother, who is now with the Lord.  The delightful thing about gardens and gardeners is the generosity of sharing beauty by dividing perennials.  It's a joy.

 A flower head on my hydrangea.  I cannot wait - I look forward to these beauties every year!

I wanted to show you my new pots on the deck.

  Euphorbia Diamond Frost, Calliope Dark Red Geranium, and Margarita Sweet Potato vine.  In the matching pot, I used Sweet Caroline Sweet Potato vine.

 Another cool day here.  Tomorrow through the weekend it's going to get hot - upper 80's.  Then next week into the mid 70's again.  Unusual weather year....I was despairing of the tomatoes if this weather continues, but Tim smiled and said "We'll offset the cost of tomatoes with cheaper energy costs."

What are you up to this week?

Memorial Day

allposters.com

 We are thankful for those who gave their lives in the service of their country.

 

Cowboy Party

What does a poor cowpoke do when he finds himself uprooted from his native Texas and livin' nearly in the East???

Why his Momma throws him the best cowboy party ever!

Luckily, the birthday boy's older brother and sister take riding lessons from Lindsay and so it was easily arranged for this cowpoke to come ride,  and have his party here.

We offered a campfire for roasting hotdogs,  and his Momma brought beans, chips, and s'mores too!

This has been a rough week for his Momma Amy, but as everything was already planned and organized, and this was the only day off for his Daddy for many weeks, it was decided to carry on!  

What fun we had!

Happy 5th Birthday Caleb!

Sneak Peek

Yesterday we hosted a Cowboy birthday party for a friend.  He's turning FIVE!

Here are a few photos of his party.  His Momma is a clever gal and she did all kinds of neat touches with his theme!

Lindsay has better photos than I do and I'll show you some of those tomorrow.

In the meantime, enjoy the first peony to bloom in my garden this year!

All The Days Ordained For Me

 Psalm 139:16 - Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them.

Thank you for praying for my precious friend Amy.

It was a horrific miscarriage - we nearly lost her.  We did lose her baby boy Noah John.  

God's ways are higher than ours and sometimes to us mysterious, because we don't understand.  However, sometimes He shows us glimpses of His hand at work.

Amy was lobbying her family for the name Ezra, if the baby was a boy.  They all shot her down - they wanted the name Amy's husband suggested, which was Noah.  

Yesterday we had a glimpse of God's 'behind the scenes' work.  Noah mean "God comforts, God gives rest," and John means "grace."  More than a month ago they chose a name that God would use to minister to them in a way they never imagined.  God is giving comfort and rest in the midst of their pain, and He graciously spared Amy's life.

There were other things that He did, showing Himself in amazing ways, and though we see the graces of it, we grieve, and that's okay.  

Emma and I had the privilege of caring for the kids.  She goes a couple of times a month and helps out with their family.  Amy's husband Tony is a doctor - finishing up his first year of residency.  The first year is tough, and with a family it is like being a single parent.  Emma has helped ease Amy's load a bit and the kids adore her.

It's a beautiful thing to see your children grow.  Emma is an amazing young woman.  She is steady in crisis - willingly does hard things....

I'm proud of her.

Pray for Amy.  She's grieving.  

It is a privilege to walk along side her and be her friend.

 

Prayer Request

My precious friend, Amy, suffered a miscarriage today.  Would you please pray for her to heal well physically and emotionally as well?

Thank you friends.  

Home Keeping

One of the things I've struggled with in owning our business is the time it takes away from me being able to home keep.

For me the ability to rearrange furniture, clean the wood furniture, sew, bake bread etc, are a vital part of keeping home.  One that I miss very much.

Today I got to do it.  I made bread, and I made muffins for breakfast on Saturday morning.  The recipe is here. 

It was all delicious and a way to meet the needs of my family!

 

This and That

I am in the mood for a nice chat today.  I am drinking a nice glass of iced tea, and watching my granddaughter Kamryn this morning.

 I love this little girlie and I don't get to spend much one on one time with her - there are usually lots of aunties and an uncle who she loves to play with.

They are not here this morning because they are helping my Dad place flags on the graves of veterans in preparation for Memorial Day.

We have finished our required days for school and are finish our science book and doing a bit of math, and of course we are always reading.

Emma is now the proud owner of a Honda Civic.  It is a very nice used car, and she, of course is loving it!

  I am very proud of all my kids.  I am a very blessed woman.

I have been researching and plotting out my trip to England and Scotland.  I am thrilled to have the chance to go.

I must get my passport!  It's so great that my first stamps in it will be from Britain.  

I'm already getting good advice on how to get around.  I am looking into a rail pass for England and Scotland.  
 

Of course we want to see this....

 

 images.google.com

  And this...

 images.google.com

And a stop here...

  

   images.google.com

 For those of you who don't recognize this - it's Bath.  We are definitely making a stop here and visiting the Jane Austen Centre!


We'll be making a trip to Edinburgh to see this!
 

 images.google.com

I could get all caught up in this but I need to get back to reality.  The kids are home from their morning project and I need to make some lunch.

I also have bread rising...yum.

 

May Post Card Party

Today, I am late to the party.


I am enjoying our long cool spring.  I am hopeful that the rain will bring beautiful cottage flowers in the summer.

Meanwhile I'll enjoy the photos of last years garden.  

Link up if you want to share some photos that you think would make nice notecards.

A Haven For Vee