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Hello again ~ this new blogger definitely takes some getting used to. I'm trying another new font. They have a whole long list of them, which is nice and you can save ones you like.

The title of my last post was 'fall is coming', and it is, even though it is still hot and humid. We had lots of rain and wind over the weekend, today it is a sunshiny day. I've felt hints of autumn in the past month. My dear husband used to laugh at me when I would tell him in August or early Sept that fall was coming, because we'd be outside sweating buckets. We don't usually see really nice, cool weather until November.

Last post I mentioned my little a.c. clogging up so that water wasn't draining to the outside, thus running down the wall onto the floor. I turned on the big a.c. again, which did this same thing to me last year. I keep the thermostat up at 76, not as cool as I'd like it, but so far no dripping on the inside.

As I mentioned, I've done a LOT of reading in the past 6 months. One of my latest books is a trilogy by Phillip Keller,  called 'The Shepherd Trilogy'. 'A Shepherd Looks at the 23rd Psalm', A Shepherd Looks at the Good Shepherd', and 'A Shepherd Looks at the Lamb of God'. The author has been a shepherd so has some wonderful insights into that life. This book has been very comforting. I found it on Amazon as the trilogy in one book. Here is the link,  Shepherd Trilogy - 23rd Psalm.

I came across this song the other day and will share it here.

I've read a lot of devotionals that come in my email, that have been dealing with anxiety, fear, etc. All are very helpful in this stressful time that we are living in.

The Bible has many wonderful promises to keep focused on as well.

I've watched the first season of 'The Chosen' and tears have been shed with nearly  each episode. Tears of joy and thanksgiving at the wonderful lovingness of Jesus, our Lord and Savior. Tears of empathy and understanding. Tears for my own need of forgiveness. This series came up as a recommendation in my you-tube list.

Here is a short video by Max Lucado, 'God will Guard You.'

Here is a soothing instrumental selection of uplifting, faith building music that I'm being blessed by as I type.

My dear husband was in the US Navy from 1969-1973. After his schooling, he was sent to Spain, I joined him there and that's where we lived the first three years of our marriage, 70-73. When he got out we had a year before we had to come back to the states, so we had our belongings all carted up and shipped home, and we grabbed backpacks, cameras, canteens, maps and guide books, and traveled to 9 different countries in 60 days. 

We visited many museums, etc. One place we visited was the Vatican, which had some beautiful artworks of all kinds. We saw a lovely, emotional small bronze statue which he took a photo of. After we got home, he made a lino cut block of that statue, which we printed on cards. I have one of those cards, the template you could say. Then a drawing of this was done on fabric and I did it in embroidery with sewing thread, for my mother as she was recuperating from surgery. (The markings are for colors of thread for me to work with.) Looking at this again, I want to embroider it for myself with embroidery threads that I have.

 'The Lord is my shepherd

 I shall not want

He maketh me to lie down

In green pastures

He restoreth my soul'.

Psalms 23 

KJV

***

 With that I will close this post. 

My heart is full, tears are close to falling. I miss my dear husband so much. These past 6 months have made me miss him so much more. On the 8th, was our 51st anniversary. I celebrated with tacos and a margarita, favorite comfort food and our favorite drink. I thank Jesus, our Great God, for the 43 years we had together.

Love, hugs and prayers,

FlowerLady

 

 

Fall is coming

Hello Folks ~ Here it is the middle of September already. It's been over a month since I last posted, the longest I've ever gone between posts. This whole planet situation that we've been in for the last 6 months has knocked us all for a loop, some worse than others. What is going on here in the US has also caused and is causing much concern. My prayers go out for all situations not just here, but all around the world. No matter what we are going through, we can know that God is with us if we truly believe in Him. He didn't promise any of us an easy life, but He has promised to never leave us.

These last 6 months have been a lesson of patience, trust, faith, hope, putting one foot in front of the other, finding the good and beautiful in each new day, and being thankful in all things. Not always easy, but our lives will be better if we do learn along the way.

There is so much negativity, so much focus on all that is bad, on things that make us fearful, filled with dread, etc. etc. We need to step away from all of that, and focus on the positive. A lot of people have stepped away from some of the social media they were involved in. 

I read blogs, watch you-tube (free entertainment), I've read a LOT, work in my gardens, (weather permitting), do little projects inside, and crochet. Life will never be like it was, it's a time of taking each day as it comes and doing our best with each one.

I've watched some lovely, soothing vlogs that inspire me. Here are three gentle ones. These are by young ladies, and I'm an older lady, but their thoughts speak to my heart and spur me on.

My Life is Ordinary ~ and that's Perfect

 

This was a lovely wedding during this pandemic. This young woman is quite creative in all that she does. I've been following her vlog for awhile now because of the peace that she shares from her faith in God.

The 'joy' of this young lady is catching.

I've had some up and down times, which I know I'm not alone in during this time. My small a.c. clogged up so that one morning I stepped into water on the scullery's floor. Oh my goodness, I'd not even made coffee yet. I turned the a.c. off and proceeded to mop up and do some cleaning out at the same time. I had to move a little cupboard that I store canned goods in, and once that was moved out from under the ac, I then emptied and cleaned the lazy susan that is under the sink's counter.

After I cleaned it and the space where it had been, I moved it back into place as well as moved the metal cabinet back where it had been. Then one of the doors came off the cabinet and  after much trial and error trying to get it back on, a piece at the bottom of cabinet came off that the door sat and pivoted on came off. That did it, I decided to just take the other door off.

I looked in my 'stash' of material and found a hemmed curtain I had made using fabric covered in rose buds. It doesn't 'match' the other skirt, but it will work for now. (Another idea just came to mind, and I'll see later if that will work. It's using another curtain of the same material as is under the sink, just more cutting and sewing to be done.) ;-)

 The other day I visited a blog I've enjoyed through the years, but she hasn't posted lately. She's a photographer and her photos are beautiful, so gentle. You can visit her below.

Leavesnbloom

After visiting her blog, I googled how to blur backgrounds using different programs, one of them I have is Gimp, and I also have an 'old' Corel PSP art program and after playing around with it I was able to blur my backgrounds. Not the quality or atmospheric mood that she creates, but it will work for me. It was fun to figure out 'how' to do it and I was glad of that little accomplishment.

This little rose if Mlle. Blanche Lafitte

 Here she is the day before.

 

Below is my wonderful 'hugs-n-kisses' hibiscus. First photo in the morning, the other in the late afternoon, with my shadow covering the bloom.  

Believe it or not, this is the same flower.

 

I've been crocheting a baby blanket for a vlogging couple who after having had 4 boys, just had a sweet little baby girl, Lillian Faith. Isn't that a lovely name? In July their whole family was in their vehicle and was t-boned which cause their vehicle to flip. The baby, not yet born was fine, and everyone else was bruised but non seriously hurt.

Here's the blanket I'm working on. I had the green and lighter pink yarns, but ordered the white and the dusty pink. I only was able to make a certain amount of the lighter pink roses.

 

This lighter pink rose, was made wrongly, but it shows the color. 

My sweet supervisor sleeping on the job.

 

Ok, I'm getting hungry and also a little frustrated with working in the new blogger. I saw where you can add new fonts, but it doesn't always work the way I want it to. More practice will make perfect, I hope. For now, this is enough.

More to share at a later time.

Love, hugs and prayers for all of you,

FlowerLady 

The photo below is a screen capture from zoom time.