Last Day of February Thoughts

I think we are all ready to say good bye to February!  March can be iffy - either very spring like or full of wintery weather, but we know that after March, is April!  We can hang on a few more weeks!

Kyle and I went to lunch yesterday with our friends Kelly and her son Zeb.  We used to go to church together, but now are at different churches.  We enjoyed talking and hanging out together!  Lots to catch up on, lots of shared interests.  It was a good time.

I came home and made a quick dinner and then Tim and I went to our Connection Group from church.  We are studying the book of Ephesians.  This is the section we were studying last night.

Ephesians 3:14-21

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named.  I pray that according to the wealth of his glory he will grant you to be strengthened with power in the inner person, that Christ will dwell in your hearts through faith, so that, because you have been rooted and grounded in love, you will be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and thus know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you will be filled up to all the fullness of God.

Now to him who by the power that is working within us, is able to do far beyond all that we ask or think, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

That power that is working in us is the same power that raised Jesus from the dead.  That's power and its given to us so that we can be strengthened in our souls, and that we can be rooted and grounded in love.  All so we can comprehend how God loves us and so that we can be filled with all the fullness of God!  I say fill me up, Lord!

Our hens are laying again, and its making me very happy!  It was so interesting that as soon as the days began to be a bit longer, the egg production started up again.  Now, its really in full swing!  Some of our girls are getting older, and won't be laying as frequently, but the younger ones will.

I want to thank you all for praying for baby and her mama.  Mama is well, and has been released from the hospital and baby has had so many tests and everything is fine.  So the consensus is that because she was early she needs a bit of maturing, so to speak.  If she feeds well, and has no more issues with turning blue (or dusky as they say) she'll be able to go home next week.  Grandma tells me that she'll get some nice photos so that I can share one with you all!

I hope you have a great day, friends.

The Place I Buy Most Of My House Plants

Over the last few years I've been adding live plants to my home, in addition to the faux boxwood balls I have.  The place I've purchased most, if not all, of them has been Aldi.

Last week when I bought the clearance roses, I also bought this hyacinth in a glass jar.

It has bloomed now and there are three blooms total on it.  The scent is sweet, and I love having it at the kitchen window.

The other day I stopped in at Aldi (this is not a sponsored post) for a few items, and they had houseplants!  They had three kinds that I saw, Pathos, Ivy, and Ferns.  I have thriving pathos plants, and a lovely ivy, but my fern hasn't been well, so I purchased a new one.

The quality of these plants are wonderful and the prices are amazing.  

Do you have house plants?  Where do you buy yours?  What are your favorite house plants to grow?

I do have a pathos that Lindsay grew from a cutting of one of her plants.  She's in the middle of packing to move in a few weeks, but after she gets settled she's going to be selling cuttings online.  I'll link all the information once she is set up.  Her brother in law sells aloes online.  He has very interesting varieties.  There is a whole thriving community of plant lovers online, who buy and sell. 

Winter Evening Sky

The sky Sunday evening.  I love seeing the beauty of God's handiwork. It reminds me that there is more going on than the stuff in my life.  A bigger plan and purpose.  Looking at the sky helps me lift my eyes off myself, and to ask God how I can be a part of what He's doing in the world.





Update on my prayer request.  The young mama is now a patient too, as she had a seizure like episode, they were treating her for eclampsia, though her blood work was not showing that.  It was probably anxiety and stress.  She will probably be a patient for another day.  Baby is having x-rays to check out her digestive system.  She is unable to keep anything down.  Thank you for continuing to pray.

Prayer Request

We did not host a baby shower on Sunday because the wee girlie decided to arrive three weeks early!  That's where the prayer request comes in.  The sweet baby has had a few episodes of turning blue, and so she is in the NICU.  The poor young mama, exhausted after giving birth Friday night, and probably not eating or drinking enough, nearly passed out in the NICU last night. She is fine, just needed some rest and care.

The thinking is currently that baby being a bit early is having a few struggles but nothing serious.  This is good news, but so hard for the young new parents and their families.  (baby girl is the first grandbaby on both sides of the family)

Added to all this stress is that the Mama's granddad died on Wednesday, and Friday night was his funeral, and with being in labor, the family had to divide up with some at the funeral several hours away, and some with the mama and baby.

So, I'm asking you all to say a prayer for this dear family.  They are all exhausted and emotionally spent.

We will, of course, be celebrating the birth of this little one in a few weeks, and she'll be in attendance!  I can't wait to celebrate her and her mama.

Friday Five

This five is snippets from my week.

1. I bought a clearance frame at Hobby Lobby ($5.99 from 59.99).  it had two goudges in the frame and I painted them black and you can't really tell.  This is a poster inside and I am waiting to hang it. The poster is nice as you can see brush strokes on canvas. 

I'll be sure to show you when I get it hung.

2. I'm finally working on a cowl for myself.  I'm guessing we have enough winter left through March that I'll get plenty of use out of it.

3. Rachel posted this photo of Sarah today on Instagram.  So cute and the sentiment she posted was sweet, too.

4. We watched our grandgirlies for a few hours the other morning.  They were sleepy still when they arrived and slept on the couch like this the whole time.  Watson joined them.

5.  This one has two photos.  I think I've mentioned this devotional before, but I am always struck by how applicable it is to my daily life, and how I am always directed back, from myself, to the Lord.  I've included today's devotional.  If you click on the photo, you should be able to read it.

The baby shower we are hosting is Sunday, and I have preparations to make for it. That's what I'll be busy with later today and tomorrow. It's going to be a special time.


Let's be mindful that while there are storms of life all around us, God is our ever faithful, ever present help.  We can walk in truth, love, and kindness with Him.

Winter Is Hanging On, But Spring Is On The Way

After I shared all those delightful outdoor living spaces yesterday, it started to snow.  It was light, so Lindsay and I headed out for errands pertaining to the baby shower we are hosting on Sunday.  We went into Hobby Lobby and 40 minutes later when we were checking out it was nearly a white out and several inches had fallen since we went in!  Yikes!  This is my year for crazy snow driving.

We survived, but we know we only were able to get back to her house because God sent a snow plow to go before us on the road with the biggest hill.  Seriously. 

When I left Lindsay's house a few hours later, the snow had stopped, the plows had cleared and the way home was only wet road.  Mostly.


This morning we are looking at this beauty.

and its going to be nearly 53 degrees.  Twenty degrees higher than yesterday.  That's how we know spring is coming!

I spent the late afternoon making paper flowers for the shower and I'm so in love with them!  Here's a photo to show you scale!

They are so fun!  I'll be sure to show you all of our decor and photos from the shower.  Its going to be sweet.  

Thinking Ahead To Warmer Weather

We're supposed to get snow today, but so far nothing is happening.  I'd be okay with nothing.  After the rainy/snowy/cold year we've had (since last spring) I'm ready for some sunshine and warm air!

These photos are all on my Pinterest board Outdoor Living.

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Last year, I made a sweet space in my garden to sit, but it was such  a rainy year that that hardly happened.  I'm hoping that it will this year.  Mind you, I don't enjoy humid weather, so upper 70's low 80's and sunshine would be delightful.  It may not happen that way, but we can dream about it, right?

Our friends headed off on the next leg of their trip.  It was a blessing to have them here.  Its so special to have friends that KNOW you and love and care for you, anyway.  

Paper Flowers

Lindsay and I are hosting a baby shower this coming Sunday and today we worked on making some tissue paper flowers.  They are easy and so cute!

Here is one that is only partially finished.  You can see the tissue paper on the left that hasn't been pulled up yet!

And here it is finished!

We made different sizes and cut the edges differently to make different kinds of flowers.  Its going to be so much fun to make these and use them at the shower!  I haven't made these since elementary school!

Fun Weekend Ahead

Our oldest friends, as a couple, are visiting and last night we went on a double date.  Since it was Valentine's Day we knew that anywhere 'fancy' would be busy so we went to Fuddruckers and had a grand time.

Today, Jane and I are taking a friend to tea for our friend's birthday.  This weekend?  Who knows!  But we'll have fun!

Happy Weekend!

Happy Valentine's Day!

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May you know you are loved, today, and always.


" I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you."  Jeremiah 31:3

Real Life at Creekside Cottage

After two days of this with mixed precipitation

We woke to beautiful sunshine streaming through the windows!

 This view makes me happy every morning.  You can see my red electric kettle on the left along with the Keurig and my Pioneer Woman teapot.  But you can also see that there are things on the table...

Evidence of a teen boy....

And a man who has his own business.  On the counter is paperwork, too.  We're preparing for taxes.

In the midst of it all is some 'pretty'....

I'm enjoying this $5 basket from Target's Dollar Spot to hold some gardening books and faux greens.

 And right below the shelf with the basket is the reality of winter...

Our dear friends are coming tomorrow for a visit, and so shoes and boots will be tidied, paperwork dealt with, vacuuming will be done.  We can't wait to spend time with them.

I always like to share the real with the pretty, because its easy to think that none of us ever have messes.  We all do.  

Now my grandgirlies have arrived for the day, and I must go.  Happy Wednesday!

Garden Dreaming

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Its snowing outside today, and that makes it the perfect garden dreaming day.  I love my gardens - the front English Cottage garden, and the other little garden beds around the house.  

I love neat boarders and wild, crazy beds full of beauty.  I like being inspired by gardens that I would never be able to replicate but am able to take small ideas from it and make them work for my garden.

I'm wanting to do more this year, and to get more intentional with what I have planted in my garden beds.  Even, perhaps but don't tell Tim, dig a few more beds?  See, back when I had 6 kids here and lots going on, I didn't have time for lots of garden beds.  But now, I have time, and I have Kyle, and Lindsay who likes to garden and grow things, too.

So I'm dreaming of the possibilities, and of flowers that I love to grow!

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I have this very same hanging candle holder and never thought to use it in this way!  I'm going to this year!

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Part of my long term garden plans include adding some spring flowering trees like Dogwood and Crabapple, and some more flowering shrubs.

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I have time for roses now too, especially the love David Austin Roses.  Old fashioned, delightful roses!

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If you've been reading here for any time at all, you know my love of peonies!  This white one is beautiful.

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I could go on and on but I won't, for today anyway.  I will say I've been enjoying episodes of Gardener's World on Y*uT*be.  England's climate, I've read, corresponds pretty well to zones 6-9 here in the US.  So if you live in those zones, you likely can grow most of the same plants they can grow in England.  Of course, being in zone 7 here doesn't mean I can grow the same plants in my garden as someone in zone 9.  Some plants I'd need to keep in pots and bring them indoors in the late fall/winter like my aloe.  I suppose the same is true for gardeners in the UK as well.  That the climate (temperatures, etc) where they are at in the UK might mean they can't grow some things that I can here.  But we can be inspired by each others' gardens, right? Right!

I'm off to accomplish some household tasks now, but later I'll be sitting down to some knitting and a few Gardener's World episodes.

Do you have garden shows you like to watch?  Let me know!  I love finding new shows to watch and be inspired by!