Cold, but the sun is shining

Hello Folks ~ This morning in s.e. FL at around 7 a.m. it was 53 but with windchill it felt like 42. This cold weather is what the rainy weather brought us. Today I started crocheting another lapghan. It has a sunflower in the middle and it has been a joy getting started on it.  The yellow is brighter, the light green border is really a sage, and the variegated ball has mixed colors, even this bluish that is to the right.

I got a text from a dear, younger friend last night, saw it this morning and she had a casserole for me and could drop it off on her way to work. I said ok, and we had a cup of coffee and wonderful visit before she had to head to work.  

Her being here inspired me to get up off my fanny and finish the dishes, cleaning up the scullery. The scullery is a dream come true, humble, quirky and I love it. The space used to be the utility room. I feel DH's love surrounding me in the little space. The picture is rather blurry, sorry about that. The window was fogged up because of the cold also. But, it is a brighter day than yesterday.

I will close this post with the verse of scripture my friend shared with me that she had read last night.

It really spoke to and encouraged both of us and I pray it will encourage you also.

***

In the multitude of my thoughts within me 

thy comforts delight my soul.

 Psalms 94:19

Thanks be to God for all He has done, 

for what He is doing now, 

and for what He will do in the future.

That's it for today from Plum Cottage.

FlowerLady

Rain, rain and more rain

Hi Folks, it is late Sunday afternoon, around 3:45 EST. It has been another wet and dreary day. I can see why people get depressed living in the northern parts of the country where winters are long and dark.

 

Above is our weather radar taken a few minutes ago from AccuWeather, this weather system is covering almost the entire state. Here where I live, I've had mostly light rain, with just a couple of really heavy showers that didn't last too long. No thunder and lightening so far, and hopefully there won't be any and this rain will move northerly and off out over the ocean.

 

I am in Blogger writing up this post, and still have to relearn how to use this program.  I just added this photo from my archives on blogger, The flowers are buddleia and the butterfly is a Daggerwing.

Open Live Writer is a program for writing up blog posts offline, then uploading them. Super easy to use with great results for me for the past 8-10 years. My husband found this as an alternative to bloggers Windows Live Writer, which was also great but Blogger did away with that. I was so glad to have the Open Live Writer program to work on posts off line, then upload them when I was ready. I will just have to get reacquainted with using blogger. Blogger is not going to allow OLW to be used with them any longer.  Maybe something can be worked out, but so far, that has not happened and doesn't look like it will.

Had a nice break from the rain, now it has started back up. I've done some crocheting, reading and watching house hunters on you-tube.  One thing about my little Plum Cottage is that it is a little wood house with some awnings and I can hear the rain, the wind, etc. In a cement block house you don't hear all of that. When it is stormy weather I really hear it in here and it sometimes can be quite daunting when it is really bad.  

But, I am out of the weather, it is comfy and dry in here and I am thankful. Tomorrow the rain is supposed to be less and I am looking forward to that. I did get some laundry washed, hung out to dry and brought in before the rain we had the other day. Not having a dryer, I have to keep my eye on the weather. Have not had a dryer except for a very, very short time when we had found a stackable curbside. When we saw the electric meter whipping around when it was on, and how long it took to dry the laundry, it just wasn't worth it to us. I actually enjoy hanging the laundry out to dry, and then taking it in and smelling the scent from being line dried outdoors is just wonderful.  I can understand having a dryer though because of inclement weather, and perhaps where you live which won't allow one to have clotheslines.

You can see the whirly clothesline in this photo.  Oh my, this was taken a while back, as all of the plants along the picket fencing has grown up so much it almost covers it. It looks so neat and orderly here, now now.

Ok, my stomach is starting to tell me it is time to fix something to eat for supper. Miss Tork is telling me it's time to feed her a little something also.

I pray for all of you who are having severe winter weather. I had a friend email me saying it was -8 or -9 but with the windchill factor it was feeling like -30. I can't even imagine that at all.

I have started posting again to my blog The Continuing Journey, if any of you would like to read there or know a widow who might need some encouragement.

That's it for now. Have a great week. 

FlowerLady

 

Rain laden blooms

Hello Folks ~ It has not been a sunshiny day here in s.e. FL. Light rain started in the middle of last night and has been falling off and on all day. More of this is expected into Monday. At least I'm not having to spend $ to water my gardens, God is doing it for me.

It is a few minutes after 4 and is 61 degrees. I was out earlier and took some pictures. Only one photo in this batch is from the other day. I just love this hibiscus. I found it at Home Depot a couple of months after my dear husband left this planet to be with his creator. The blooms drew me over and then when I saw the name of this one I couldn't get it into my cart fast enough. 

This is 'Hugs-n-kisses'

 

Carpet roses

Chinese Hat

Ground Orchids

Pink Hibiscus

Peach Hibiscus

This is the bloom that made me go back in for the camera. There was beauty in the rain ladened bloom.

Pale pink azalea

Azaleas

Thunbergia and azaleas

Tibouchina

Philippine Violet

Climbing Maman Cochet, what's left of it anyway.

Another bloom of Maman Cochet

I turned it upwards to get a whiff of the scent, aaahh and to see it.

Now for the final bloom of the day. A wonderfully scented lavender rose. It came without a tag when I bought it.

 
I have enjoyed sharing these blooms from my wet gardens, but I have NOT enjoyed working in blogger at all on this post. I am really peeved to put it mildly. :-) It takes much longer to work on because of all of the going back and forth with the html code to get it right, and even then it doesn't all look the way I want it to. Sheesh!  (OK, FlowerLady, calm down, take a deep breath and hit the post button. It's not the end of the world.)  I am going to be looking for another free open live writer program. Some people are leaving and going to wordpress, but I can't afford to do that financially and they say it is a lot of work to switch over. 

So, with that, may I along with the all of you, remember to not sweat the small stuff and to stop and smell the roses. Life is too short to be aggravated over petty things.

May you all have a lovely Sunday and a great upcoming week.

FlowerLady

Open Live Writer/Blogger problems, cold temps and blooms

Good morning everyone ~ It is Tues morning is s.e. FL. Yesterday morning it was 44 at around 5:30 with real feel temp being 37. That is cold for us.  This morning it is warmer, being 67 at 6:55 a.m. 

I, like many others, have been having trouble between Blogger and Open Live Writer.  We get a 400 error msg when we try to upload a post. Very frustrating and discouraging to say the least as it is nice to write up a post off-line, then when all done upload it to Blogger. Blogger used to have their own Live Writer program, but did away with it for some reason. Anyway, a friend posted this morning and it worked for her, except for having to delete one photo.

(Well, I just tried to upload my post and up popped up the error msg. again So, here I am in blogger writing my post. Maybe they will eventually resolve this problem, at least I can still post using blogger.  It's just so much nicer to write a post off line then upload it. Previewing my post, I see that the spacing is all off, even though it looks right as I write up the post. I'm not going to mess with it, it is what it is.)

Over grown and weedy garden spaces keep giving me gorgeous blooms which I am happy to be able to share with you in the frozen north. I can’t imagine living in snowy conditions. I read this morning that 7 have died in the northeast from this latest snow storm, and some of them were from shoveling snow. Friends do be careful, keep safe and warm.

Here are the blooms from the past few days.

This hibiscus is in the main garden. Love these blooms. One day I need to get photos together of the different hibiscus grown here in Plum Cottage Gardens.

This is a wonderfully deeply scented rose, don’t know the name of it either. The bud, then the open bloom.

This is another unknown rose, didn’t have a tag when I bought it. I have two of them in the main garden. Almost missed these blooms.

 This little ‘Mozart’ rose bush just keeps giving me these glorious blooms. They make me feel happy and thankful every time I see them.

Today is a new day. Let us find joy, beauty, let us be thankful to God for our many blessings. If we have troubles let them be few, and may we take them all to God, knowing that He is working all things out.

Be warm, stay safe, enjoy time spent with loved ones,

FlowerLady

Flowers, books, yarn

Hello Friends ~ Here it is the 10th already. It’s been a beautiful day today. The ‘scullery’ window was fogged up when I got up this morning which told me it was ‘cold’ outside. I stuck my head out the door, and brrrr, yes, it was cold. I checked online for the temp and it was 50 with real feel being 43 I think. Right now the sun is shining in the late afternoon sky and the temp is 69, real feel 70.  I so appreciate the cooler temps we get.  The other day I was ‘sweating’ while working outside.

Yesterday morning I went out to do some errands, one of them being to stop at the Good Will thrift store since it was Sr. Citizen’s day and we get 25% off.  I found one shirt, and 6 books.

These three all look great.

I realized after I got home, that years ago I had read the book by M.Scott Peck. I don’t really remember what  it’s about so will continue reading it. DH and I both read his books ‘People of the Lie’ and ‘The Road Less Traveled’, and then I have also read ‘A Bed by the Window’.

I am looking forward to reading the book by Max Lucado. I’ve started the historical fiction ‘The Road we Traveled’ and it’s pretty good so far.

I then shopped at Aldi’s for certain things and was too pooped to do any more shopping so came home. This morning I headed back out on the road again, going to Walmart and then to Publix.

At Walmart I used two gift cards that I’d received and bought yarn for crocheting the comfort lap blankets that I make and give away. I love the colors I bought this morning.

Left – Anemone

Top - Macaw, True Blue, Mirage

Bottom – Spearmint, Scuba, Grape Purple

I’ve alread started using two colors and want to get them all started so that I can switch to different blankets to keep my interest up. I’ll take pictures when they are done. The bigger skeins are Red Heart and the two smaller ones are Caron Simply Soft. The bigger skeins are a great price.

I also used some gift $ to buy Sombucol tablets and syrup. This is a great homeopathic remedy for flue and colds.

The other morning I went out to work outside, planning to work in one area and ended up in a totally different area. Isn’t that the way it goes sometimes?  This back garden area is totally overgrown, roses, a vine or two, weeds and other stuff. It needs a total overhaul. I had to prop up the lattice fencing as I went along. There is a huge cactus right behind that rusty vent on gray pole. All of a sudden that cactus took off and became a thick monster. The hurricane we had last year, blew it away from the pine tree beside it, so that it’s now into the space that used to be a potting area. This  whole area will be a work in progress for awhile.

I ‘love’ that metal frame stand that holds a trash bag for putting weeds, cuttings, etc. into. We found it years ago and it is a favorite tool of mine. It folds up when not in use. Little by little I am making forward progress.

I want to scatter flower seeds into this bed and have already put a potted knockout rose in it.

It’s a start, lots more work to do.

If you want to see one hard working lady in her wonderful cottage/country gardens, check out Jeri Landers of Hopalong Hollow. Here is a link to her Winter Garden video on you tube. She is an author, an artist in several mediums, has wonderful gardens and a lovely old home. She inspires me. I wish I had half of her energy. She also has a wonderful blog.

Now, here are some flowers from Plum Cottage gardens.  Enjoy. They make my heart sing.

Look at how large this hibiscus bloom is.

This is a scented begonia.

Ground orchids, I love the coloring of this orchid.

A knockout rose.

Morning glory.

Tibouchina

Wild petunia vine

Now for some pictures of the sweet little rose called ‘Mozart’.

That’s it for now. Have a wonderful Friday and weekend, wherever you are, whatever you do.

Thank you again for your friendship and your kind comments. I am blessed.

FlowerLady

2019 ~ A New Year to Live Fully

Hello Folks ~ Here it is the afternoon of the 2nd day of this new year. I pray that you are all doing well, that 2019 will be filled with blessings whatever comes your way.

Each day is a gift, let us choose wisely how we will spend each one. Let us live in thankfulness, let us find joy, may we learn and grow through our experiences. Let us be kind, giving, forgiving, and encouraging to others. We all go through different trials in our lives, none of us are exempt. Some have a lot more to deal with than others, but we can all survive and we can thrive in and through our circumstances. I’m not saying life will be a bed or roses or all sugar and spice, but there are positives in every day. Let’s look for them and thank God who is the giver of all good things.

Again I want to thank those who blessed me with ‘gifts’ this past month. I am using some to pay bills, bought  some gardening tools, and some flowers. I will also be going out to eat with my ‘Grief Share’ family at the end of this 13 week session of meetings. For my health, I have ordered a pedometer. I have become too sedentary in the last couple of years, and that is NOT good for my health and well being.

I had researched pedometers a few months back, and put it out of my mind, then the brand I had thought about popped up in a sidebar somewhere, so I read up on it again. It had good reviews and the price wasn’t too bad. After ordering it, I found a website that had figured out pedometer steps for different activities. They had gardening on their list, and lawn mowing, yay for me. One hour of gardening = 7260 steps, and hour of lawn mowing = 9120 steps. I’ve read all over the internet that we should be taking 10,000 steps per day to be healthy and fit. Since losing my job 2 years ago, I’ve spent way too much time in front of my computer and not doing other things. I want that to change this year. I have plenty to do, and want to accomplish things while I still have the ability to do so. Here’s the one I ordered from Amazon.

On New Year’s Eve morning I went outside to work in my front garden area as it is so overgrown. So, I pulled weeds, trimmed and then got ready to rake and my rake handle broke. This is like the 4th time and the handle is getting shorter and shorter. This has been my favorite rake for years and years. A couple of tines are missing and I looked at it this morning and more are rusting out.  So, New Year’s Day morning I headed over to Home Depot. I had looked up rakes on their website and with it being a holiday it was a quiet day to shop.

I found the rakes and looked at the one I thought about getting and then at another one made by the same company that was $10 cheaper all because of the handle. The more expensive rake had a fiberglass handle, the cheaper a hard wood handle. I opted for the cheaper one and will keep it under shelter. I used the rake this morning and really like it.

  

I needed a garden pouch. The one I was using was one of those smaller cotton deals with two pockets. I wanted something that would hold more. I decided to go to the tool dept. At first all I saw were heavy duty tool pouches made of leather, then down lower, I saw this Husky pouch. I took it out of the pkg. to check it out and fell in love. I like the clip that fastens it closed, real easy to release. I think this was $7.98. Very well made and should last me the rest of my gardening days. I needed new garden gloves also, and this three pack was $4.     

Old gloves, with holes in tips, that have seen better days.

          

I needed more potting soil so bought two bags of a new-to-me brand. I’ll let you know what I think.

Some flowers bought for myself to enjoy. I’ve not bought any in awhile.

Pink Angel Wing begonias

A beautiful ground orchid. I have another like this and several purple ones. They do grow in soil.

Pink hibiscus, huge flowers

Now for some flowers already growing here at Plum Cottage.

Louis Philippe or Florida Cracker rose with a wild petunia flowering vine

‘Carnation’ roses

This is ‘hugs-n-kisses’ bought a couple of months after my dear husband left this planet. When I saw these blooms and then the name, the pot just jumped into my cart.

I think this is a ‘knock-out’ rose, have two of them bought a few years back.

Don’t know the name of this rose.

Can’t remember the name of this flowering vine.

Area I worked on this morning, before I started.

After, still more to do but I did make forward progress.

******

I found out about this great LED magnifying glass lamp through another blogger who paints miniatures and does fine needlework. Ordered it through Amazon and used an Amazon gift card, it came New Years Eve morning.  Let me tell you that this lamp is amazing. I look forward to getting back into doing bead embroidery. I love doing that and have missed creating with beads.

That’s it for now. Enjoy the rest of your first week of 2019. I look forward to working on my little ‘sanctuary’ creating a peaceful environmet.

FlowerLady

I will close this first post of this new year with the following. This came in my email through Grace Gems. My dear husband found this website years ago and thought it sounded like one I would like. I do and have been blessed over and over again by different writings from this website.

*****************

A New Year’s Resolution

"My times are in Your hand!" Psalm 31:15

Firmly believing that my times are in God's hand,
I here submit myself and all my affairs for the ensuing year,
to the wise and gracious disposal of God's divine providence.

Whether God appoints for me . . . .
   health or sickness,
   peace or trouble,
   comforts or crosses,
   life or death--
  may His holy will be done!

In everything I have to do--my entire dependence is upon Jesus Christ for strength.
And whatever I do in word or deed,
I desire to do all in His name,
to make Him my Alpha and Omega.
I have all from Him--and I would use all for Him.

(Matthew Henry - 18 October 1662 – 22 June 1714)