It’s a new day

Good morning Folks ~ It’s Friday here where I am. I hope you all have a lovely cay and weekend.  It’s a new day, may I rejoice and be glad in it.

My prayer for the day:

***
Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning;
for in thee do I trust:
cause me to know the way wherein I should walk;
for I lift up my soul unto thee.
Psa 143:8

***

Here are some of God’s gifts that I am thankful for.

Alamo vine

Ground orchids

Hibiscus

Queen Crepe Myrtle

Royal poinciana in the background. 

This is my view out the ‘scullery’ window as I wash dishes.

More sunflowers

Unknown orchids.

Vanda orchid ‘Miss Joachuim’.

‘Prosperity’ roses

Unknown rose with a beautiful lavender color and a rich rose scent.

Another unknown rose.

Sunrise the other morning.

Sometimes God’s colors in the sky just make me gasp. 

This was one of those times.

I’ve been working on clearing out ‘storage’ in our bedroom.  Am making forward progress and that feels great. Yesterday I cooked a chicken, minus the breasts in the crockpot and the aroma filled the cottage and made me feel content and hungry.  I also baked a loaf of banana bread with coconut, sunflower seeds and craisins added to the mix.  The chicken breast will be made into a spicy Thai dish.

We had a little rain yesterday as a thunderstorm passed over, and I and the gardens are thankful for the rain.

This morning I was listening to some music on you-tube and found a piece I’ve never heard before, but it spoke directly to me at this time.

It is called ‘ The Hurt & The Healer’ by Mercy Me.

May we all grow in God’s grace and tender mercies.

FlowerLady

Looking forward to fall :-)

 

Every summer I look forward to fall, as the summer heat and humidity are brutal down here.  All energy just gets sucked right out of you and sometimes you feel ill.  At least DH doesn’t have to deal with that anymore. He’s where it’s the perfect temperature continually.

I’ve had a  summer cold, (or else I was attacked by dust in the air from moving stuff stored for too long,) today is the 5th day.  I woke up feeling much better this morning than the last 4 days, my nose hasn’t been running like it was, cough is just about gone, and no sneezing so far today. I had to work the first two days, Sunday and Monday I just poked around here reading and relaxing.  Although I did clean and fill the jacuzzi, and relaxed in it yesterday.  That was very nice.  The temperature of the water is around 84, according to the thermometer that dangles in the water. I was happy when I flipped the switch and the pump came on and the jets did their thing.  I fill this up with the hose we do not have a hot water connection, don’t need it in FL.

Today I went out and did my errands. Bought three bags of potting soil, and didn’t succumb to the temptation of buying any plants. I ‘looked’ though, but didn’t see any thing I couldn’t live without.  I’ve got plenty right now to keep me busy and to give me color, scents, texture, etc.  I am going to work on rooting cuttings and planting seeds.

When I got home, it was cloudy so I decided to take advantage of the cloud cover and mow, although I didn’t do it all, I’ll maybe do that tomorrow morning. It was hot and I didn’t want to overdo it.

Here are blooms from the past couple of days.

Blanket flowers

Marigold and Mexican Heather

Plumbago

Sunflowers

Louis Philippe

Mushrooms

That’s it for now. I’m going to heat up some Navy beans that I cooked a pot of yesterday. Will serve it over jasmine rice, and enjoy it with a glass or two of Chardonnay.

Enjoy each day that you are blessed with.

FlowerLady

***

Every day you are alive is a special occasion. 

Every minute, every breath,

is a gift from God. 

Mary Manin Morrissey

Another glimpse …

 

into our life. We bought the floor lamp and two matching table lamps when we were living in Spain 70-73. We bought the bentwood rocker, actually a pair of them, from an elderly Spanish lady out of her home. One was in worse shape but she wouldn’t sell just one.  I don’t even remember how much we paid now. They are out in storage, and I want to bring this one into the bedroom if it’s still in good shape and if I have room for it. Time will tell.

That’s what I am working on this morning, the bedroom. Pack rats that we have been, and unloading the attic into bedroom while my husband reinsulated it and laid a plywood floor a few years back, the space is stuffed. Plus this space was two tiny rooms at one time, and we were sleeping in one room and the other was storage.  Well, we opened the two rooms up, so that the storage part is still there too.  If you get what I mean. There are two metal shelf units that I’m working on emptying, getting rid of some stuff as trash or give away, storing others, etc.  Some stuff I’ve not seen in ages and it is interesting to see what all is there. Some things are left over from when we were in business.

The pen and ink drawing is the treasure I found this morning.  I am going to frame it and hang it in the bedroom.  I was knitting a lot back when we first came home from Spain, as I had been knitting a lot while living there.  I don’t do it so much anymore.

I sure miss my best friend physically.  But my heart is full, as is our home and little haven here, of so many memories.  I feel and see love all around me. We were not perfect, by any means, we had our ups and downs like most people, but love and commitment prevailed. Laughter and tears were shared here, dreams came true here and love continues to grow.

FlowerLady

Hot and humid ~ summer is here!

Good afternoon Folks ~ I do hope you are enjoying your week. Summer has most definitely started down here in s.e. FL. It’s in the mid 80’s and feels like 98.  Humidity makes it awful for sure.  At least my dear husband doesn’t have to suffer through that this summer.  He’s where the weather is ‘perfect’.

I mowed and weed-wacked yesterday, trimmed vines, trees and shrubs this morning, pulled weeds too and washed and hung out a load of laundry. I can’t work outside after a certain time as it is just too dang much.  Had a couple of sprinkles as the laundry was washing, but that was it.  Some thunder later to the west of us, but no rain, which we could use more of.  We haven’t had any since Andrea dumped that last deluge on us a week and a half ago. I have to hand water things that are in containers as they dry out quickly.

Monday was my fourth meeting with my widow friends.  Here is the link to the blog and the day’s meeting.  You can look at tabs to get more info etc.  Friends Needing Friends

Flowers and weeds are growing like crazy.  I lost some things to the overly saturated ground from the rain, agastache and another sweet ground cover that was doing well.  Boo hoo!

But, I’ve still plenty of blooms drawing lots of butterflies and I am thankful.

Zebra longwing and hamelia paten blooms.  Hummingbirds love this also

Garlic vine blossoms

Hibsicus tree blooms in the driveway.  On the tree they are bright yellow. Hibiscus tiliaceus is a species of flowering tree in the mallow family.

Queen crepe blooms with palm and blue skies behind.

Gazania or blanket flower

Pentas

Purple top verbena.  I love this. Bought it at the spring plant sale and the butterflies love it and I love how tall it is and seeing it sway in the breezes.

Sunflowers

Front entry looking from the driveway

Start of front  path

Looking toward the driveway from entry patio

View of caravan garden

Now, below may not look like much to you, but to me, it means a lot. My dear husband was always drawing up plans for one project or another around here and I came across this one the other day and of course the tears just came. It’s little things like this that make me miss him every day.

I am thankful that he enjoyed working and creating with his hands.  He was that way from when he was just a boy. He would sit and build with his erector set while listening to Harry Belafonte on albums of his mother’s. He said whenever she put this album on he felt like building.  He liked using a hammer and nails, took shop in school, built furniture then for his bedroom at home.  In Spain we went to the woodworking shop on base and built furniture there out of teak. His dream was to have a work shop and we built one from the ground up and he loved it and so do I. It is FULL of all kinds of tools, lots of projects were created using those tools and I am using some of them now myself.  He did a lot of antique restoration for different people also. He was good. I miss working with him.

Here is the tune that he really enjoyed.  The music is fun and laid back.

Harry Belafonte - Matilda

Enjoy each day. Be yourself.

FlowerLady

***

It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are. 

e.e. cummings

Soggy here at Plum Cottage

 

Good morning everyone.  Well, it’s morning here in s.e. FL. It’s right around 6:30, I’m sipping my first cup of two cups of coffee. 

Thank you to those who have emailed or commented to see how I am.  The last of Andrea was Saturday morning with one big thunderstorm with LOTS more rain.  I didn’t leave for work until an hour and a half later than usual, because of rain, thunder and lightening.  As it was, I still had to wade in water to get to the van and to open gates. The driveway was a river.  The ground is still soggy today.

Sunday I was able to get a load of laundry washed and hung out to dry as it was a sunshiny day, and also trimmed the secret gardens hedge and cleaned up the trimmings.  Monday I mowed early before doing errands, that afternoon I went to my first staff meeting for FNF.  I enjoyed it and getting to know some of the ladies a little more.

Yesterday morning I got out early again and weedwacked and raked and bagged the debris.  I ‘plan’ to get out and do some more this morning as I just can’t do it all at one time.

The past week I worked quite a bit on the new blog for FNF.  The founder/director, Dotti, loves it. I am honored and thankful to be able to do this. Dotti is a sweet, fun lady to work with.  I feel blessed as this has given me something to do to help other widows.  I first wanted to help widows when our dear Aunt Ruthie lost Uncle Wilbur but even more so once I lost my dear husband Mark, in December 2012. I wanted to connect with widows and God led me to this wonderful group which is growing.

I do have some flower pictures for you. I have lost some plants due to too much rain for three weeks and still squishy grounds. Weeds, of course, are having no problem growing.

Clock vine

Rose leaf Sage

Prosperity

A tiny sunflower

More sunflowers.

06-09

06-10

06-09

06-10

06-10 ~ the weedy, overgrown little back garden.

06-10 ~ This sunflower should open up today or tomorrow.

Yesterday, after lunch, I laid down for a nap.  While laying there I just felt so peaceful. I think it was the first feeling of this since Mark left the planet to be with our Creator. I had paid bills earlier, the checkbook balanced, I had done some gardening, the new blog had been worked on again,  and I had posted to my Continuing Journey blog.  I lay there knowing God is taking care of me in many different ways. He is working all things out.

Today is a new day, may I rejoice and be glad in it.

Thank you all again for your love, support, friendship.

FlowerLady