cha cha cha changes.....

Have you taken a walk down memory lane lately? Have you thought about just how many changes you have endured, or watched in your children or family seemingly without noticing at the time? This week, my teenager will graduate from middle school and every year they produce a video of each child in the graduating class basically from birth until graduation. You only use about 10 or 15 photos to show the changes the children have gone through and it really is something. This was our year. As we went through the photo albums and then picture cds, and finally flash drives, I began to realize all of the changes we have all been through. It was an amazing journey down that memory lane that encompasses the past 14 years. Who would have thought all those years ago that so many things would change without our even realizing it was taking place. Try it soon, I'd be willing to bet you will remember things you didn't before. Amid the laughter and the tears there are treasures. It makes me want to say, " Thank you God, life is good."


Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," Declares the Lord,"Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Happy Memorial Day!

I wish for everyone to have a happy and safe Memorial Day. Thank you to all of our Soldiers who give up everything so that we can remain safe and free. Thanks for the time spent away from your families, friends, homes and all things that are precious to you so that we and our friends, families, homes and freedoms so precious to us are protected. Thank you for choosing to be our Heros. You will be on our minds and in our prayers.

Feeling Creative?

This seems to be one of those weeks that I just want to make something. Usually it doesn't turn out as pretty as the idea I had when I started, but sometimes I get lucky.This week it was a pair of earrings with a royal blue lampworked bead, mixed with white freshwater pearls and gold beads. They dangle just the right length and are pretty comfortable. I have never been one to wear much jewelry but for some reason a few months ago, I decided I would learn to make it. It seems to have a steep learning curve for me, but I don't give up easily.
I have fed this artsy mood ( really kind of unusual for me) by searching out artists and paintings, Jewelry designers and designs and performances that I really just enjoy. One such artist is Campbell Jane. She paints the prettiest angels and mermaid angels and the most magical trees I have seen in a long time. You can see her work at www.campbelljane.etsy.com and she has a great blog too. www.folkartbycampbelljane.blogspot.com Check it out and you will see what I am talking about. I haven't seen one of her paintings that I didn't like. Campbell Jane's paintings touch your heart in unexpected ways. It is something I didn't notice at first, but later I can't quit thinking about. They just make you feel happy when you look at them.Some are whimsical and some are not. All seem to have their own special quality. It may be different for everyone.
As for performances, My son's school put on their spring musical program tonight. Don't you know the kind of programs that mom's love and dad's get dragged to kicking and screaming. LOL My son didn't have a part, but I went to watch my friends children perform. It was such a treat. You can tell immediately which children God designed to be entertainers.

When I get a little braver, I will list some of my jewelry in my etsy shop. Until then you just need a little imagination.

Psalm 37:4 Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.

Suburned in a thunderstorm?

I am about to tell you a story that is absolutely true and incredibly unbelievable.
I have lived at the beach most of my life and yet I have never had this happen before. We, (my husband and I) went to the beach other day for about 2 hours. We walked, picked up shells, and marveled at the color of the water , the smell of the ocean, the feel of the salty air and the sky. The weather was cloudy and thundering and we had to dodge raindrops, but only for about 47 seconds.
The water was the prettiest green color. I love greens and this shade was like a cross between a beautiful emerald and bright spring green peridot. It was perfectly gorgeous. The sky looked like steel. All around us, there was a dark silvery blue almost the color of lead sky except for a small patch of bright light blue. At one point it looked as though the storm was circling us in. All around us,was steely gray, but we were standing in the only spot of light. It was really kind of eerie and yet comfortable at the same time. The thunder roared in the distance, but there was no lightning. The breeze was cool and the waves crashing on the shore were so relaxing.
The part of the story that is unbelievable is I got sunburned. LOL. I know that it is much easier to get burned when it is cloudy than when it is sunny, but man this burn was a surprise! It was actually storming. LOL Of all the things you would never expect, getting sunburned during a thunderstorm has to top the list.
Next time I get a burn, I would love it if it were sunny.

Praying for Rain

I think in reality the weathermen mean well. They really do, but somehow they aren't making good on their promises. The past 2 weeks we have been promised rain and thunderstorms daily and yet we have not seed a drop of the wet stuff until tonight. It actually rained for about 30 minutes. No thunder or lightning just desperately needed rain.

I have to say I have taken advantage of the days without rain and planted new flower beds in the front yard. I have put in beds of iris, daylilies, brugmansia, hibiscus, hostas and a few new guinea impatiens just for color spots.
Today, I saw my first daylily bloom of the season and I was gone most of the day so I didn't get to photograph it. I sure hope another bud will be open tomorrow.

I have ignored the guilt of not having my "chores" done so that I could plant, but I am at the point that things really shouldn't be put off any longer. When you start dreaming about the housework you need to do it is time to let the garden wait and get caught up inside. I can always find an excuse to get my hands dirty though and so I will use it as a reward for getting my chores done first tomorrow.
I have heard that God created rainy days so that gardeners can get their housework done, well, maybe I should pray for rain.



Blooming this week are:Deep purple Iris, Chocolate Vine ( Akebia Quinata), Snowball Viburnum, and Clematis Nellie Moser, Bottlebrush and coreopsis grandiflora.

Isiah 35:1 The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom.

To Yard Sale or Not?

Today was like yard sale heaven! Several of the churches in our area were having their huge annual sales and the weather is glorious ( there is nothing in the world like April at the beach). There were also a lot of individual sales today.
Late last night though as I was laying in bed, I thought to myself...
"Self you have enough of your own junk, you sure don't need to go and buy somebody else's junk!" LOL So, in a flash of willpower of an unbelievable strength, I resisted the urge to get up and go searching for things I don't need and have no place for. I decided I would stay home and plant instead.

I have been redesigning my front yard for several years. Each time I get it planted, somehow we decide to change something. This time though it is staying! My husband and I built 4 new flower beds in the front yard and I filled them with seedlings that I had grown last year.
We planted Brugmansia, Hibiscus, Tall bearded iris and more daylilies that I thought possible. I cannot wait to see it all bloom. I am still new at blogging, so as soon as I figure out how to post pictures, I will add some.
Till then, you just have to imagine....



A Kiss of the sun for pardon
A song of the birds for mirth,
One is nearer God's heart in a garden
Than anywhere else on the earth.
Author Unknown.

Grocery Store Orchard?

I have a passion for growing anything that has a seed. I know that fruits you buy in the grocery stores are mainly ( ok 99%) hybrids and will not come true from seed, but somehow I just can't help myself. I have to plant seeds from any kind of fruit that I buy.
I decided to experiment last season and continue it this season too. So far from fruits purchased in my local produce department, I have grown, oranges, tangerines, lemons, limes, starfruit, grapefruit, pomello, pomegranates, scuppernong grapes, pineapples ( from the crown)papaya and guava. There are times that I will buy a fruit just for the seeds. I told you this was an obsession. LOL
The diversity is amazing. I cannot wait to see the results. My newest addition is the Moro Blood Orange. It germinated in about 2 weeks just under flourescent lights without the advantage of bottom heat. I am planning to try some kiwi vines soon.
Are you growing grocery store orchards too? Am I alone in my universe?
I am trying to keep notes on techniques and germination rates. Hopefully at the end of this growing season, I will be able to publish my results.
In the meantime, try it and see what you can grow.
I dare you.....


Genesis 1:12
The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to it's own kind. And God saw that it was good.