Those Who Bloom

Life is Good

Never too many Books ---- My Sentiment Exactly

My Advice....

Works for me................now anyway

Oh So Sweet Version of the Star Spangled Banner!

Gives me goose bumps!

Worth It......................

My State of Mind Lately......

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Pics courtesy of
http://www.jazjaz.net/2009/04/40-hauntingly-beautiful-photographs-taken-in-graveyards.html
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My state of mind courtesy of life

Things I've Learned

1.I've learned ... that the best classroom in the world is at the feet of an elderly person.
2. I've learned ... that when you're in love, it shows.
3. I've learned ... that just one person saying to me, "You've made my day!" makes my day.
4. I've learned ... that I feel better about myself when I make others feel better about themselves.
5. I've learned ... that having a child fall asleep in your arms is one of the most peaceful feelings in the world.
6. I've learned ... that what we have done for ourselves alone dies with us.
What we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal.
7. I've learned ... that one sincere apology is worth more than all the
roses money can buy. If you practice you'll have to do less of this.
8. I've learned ... that words harshly spoken are as difficult to retrieve as feathers in a gale.
9. I've learned ... that being kind is more important than being right.
10. I've learned ... that you should never say no to a gift from a child.
11. I've learned ... that I can always pray for someone when I don't have
the strength to help him in some other way.
12. I've learned ... that no matter how serious your life requires you to
be, everyone needs a friend to act goofy with.
13. I've learned ... that sometimes all a person needs is a hand to hold and a heart to hear.
14. I've learned ... that the things that I judge, are done by people just like me.
15. I've learned ... that simple walks with my father around the block on
summer nights when I was a child did wonders for me as an adult.
16. I've learned ... that life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes.
17. I've learned ... that we should be glad God doesn't give us everything we ask for.
18. I've learned ... that money doesn't buy class.
19. I've learned ... that it's those small daily happenings that make life so spectacular.
20. I've learned ... that once a relationship is over, if you experienced
more smiles than tears, then it wasn't a waste of time.
21. I've learned ... that under everyone's hard shell is someone who wants
to be appreciated and loved.
22. I've learned ... never to humiliate another person. Always give him an
honourable way to back down or out of something and still save face.
23. I've learned ... that even the Lord didn't do it all in one day so what makes me think I can?
24. I've learned ... that if you are still talking about what you did yesterday, you haven't done much today.
25. I've learned ... that to ignore the facts does not change them.
26. I've learned ... that when you plan to get even with someone, you are only letting that person continue to hurt you.
27. I've learned ... that it is best to give advice in only two circumstances; when it is requested and when it is a life-threatening situation.
28. I've learned ... that a good friend is the one who tells you how you really look in your jeans.
29. I've learned ... that the less time I have to work with, the more things I get done.
30. and...mostly, I've learned that I have good friends
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coutesy of ~http://www.poeticexpressions.co.uk/POEMS/Things%20in%20life%20I.htm

“A Woman Should Have”

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ..
Enough money within her control to move out
and rent a place of her own,
even if she never wants to or needs to.
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ..
Something perfect to wear if an employer, or date of her dreams wants to see her in an hour.
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ..
A youth she’s content to leave behind.
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE …
A past juicy enough that she’s looking forward to
retelling it in her old age.
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE …..
a set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, and a black lace bra.
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE .
One friend who always makes her laugh and one who lets her cry.
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ….
a good piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in her family.
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE …
eight matching plates, wine glasses with stems, and a recipe for a meal, that will make her guests feel honored.
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE …
A feeling of control over her destiny.
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
How to fall in love without losing herself.
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
How to quit a job, break up with a lover, and confront a friend without ruining the friendship.
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
When to try harder and WHEN TO WALK AWAY.
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
That she can’t change the length of her calves,
the width of her hips, or the nature of her parents.
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
That her childhood may not have been perfect, but it’s over.
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
What she would and wouldn’t do for love or more
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
How to live alone even if she doesn’t like it.
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW..
Whom she can trust, whom she can’t,
and why she shouldn’t take it personally.
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW.
where to go, be it to her best friend’s kitchen table,
or a charming inn in the woods,
when her soul needs soothing.
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
What she can and can’t accomplish in a day,
a month, and a year.
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~by Maya Angelou

A woman should have an old quilt to wrap her troubles in ~ Grace Lovell

A Broken Sugar Bowl

I have a broken sugar bowl. My caffeine-deprived fingers fumbled its lid one morning as I was getting my coffee. My oldest son was nearby and said, "Don't worry mommy. You can get a new one."
Simple words that were meant to comfort me. Instead, they broke my heart.
My kids don't have a spirit of thankfulness. Things like toys, games, books and clothes come easily for them. They have generous grandparents, aunts and uncles. And they have a mom who is an uber-bargain-shopper. This has all lead to too much stuff. And not enough gratitude. When something breaks, we just get a new one. I decided that moment would be a teaching moment. We talked about being grateful for what we have and caring for our things because sometimes, when something breaks, it can't be replaced. Sometimes we fix what's been broken and sometimes we make due (do?) without.
And so we carefully pieced back together the lid of my sugar bowl. We found each little sliver of ceramic and super-glued it in place. Nearly 2 years later, I still have my broken sugar bowl. I could run to Target and buy a new one for $6. I could probably find a nearly new one at Goodwill for $1. But the lesson that is remembered every single time we use that sugar bowl is worth more than a new one.
We still have too much stuff and not enough gratitude. We also have a bunch of friends who probably wonder why I have a busted sugar bowl. But now we also have a reminder. Even if it's only me that gets the reminding.

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The above is thanks to: A Soft Place to Land http://asoftplacetoland-kimba.blogspot.com/2009/11/broken-sugar-bowl.html

"A spell lies on the Garden......

Summer sits. With her finger on her lips as if she heard the steps of Autumn echo on the hill."
~Getrude Huntington McGiffert, writer

This time of the year has always been bittersweet for me.

My garden now has a life of it's own - I raised everything from infancy, nurtured it, grew it, let it mature & for the last two weeks, let it do it's own thing, as it is matured & doing well without me - it too is getting ready for Fall'snap & Winter's sleep.

That crispness in the morning air, yet mild afternoons, stirs an inner feeling in me that somehow only comes out in September. The exciting sense of a new, fresh start as school begins - even as a child I was always excited for school to begin, to me this has always been the season to refresh & renew.

Yet I am sorry to see the last roses of Summer, the tinge of yellow on the curls of leaves, the waning of the crickets chip & the increased activity of the geese flying overhead.

It's funny what can ping your heart making you sad & happy at the same time.

The last rose of Summer?

My girls put on another super show for me this year - each one gave me at least a dozen blooms each - most a lot more. I dutifully clipped them back in early July & sure enough I got one more show - this one happens to be a real beauty - AND I am showing her off in a real steal I found at Goodwill. During my weekly visit to our local GW to look for things for my Etsy shop, I spied a 4", Royal Selangor, genuine pewter, hammered bud vase - still wrapped in it's original box - all for the outrageous sum of $0.99! It compliments the rose wonderfully and will look wonderful on my mantle along with the rest of my pewter collection.

A Dream About a Monarch Butterfly

About five years ago I had an idea to plant butterfly bushes right out side my kitchen window - at the entrance to my herb garden. I figured what better way to make doing dishes less chore some than to watch butterflies dancing & flitting while I sud & rinse?

So I purchased three butterfly bushes - so what if they were only about 5" tall - I had high aspirations.

Five summers later - NOTHING!! - That is until the other day. I was casually working in the kitchen when something caught my eye - yup - there it was - the biggest, most beautiful Monarch butterfly - leisurely sipping nectar from my bushes!! I stood there in awe - and perfectly still - until I remembered that I had to get my camera. First I took pictures from my window and then ever so quietly crept outside - she must have sensed me because she stopped immediately - so I just stood there & she flitted right back - let me share!!!









Definitely worth the wait!

Happy Birthday to a Wonderful Guy

My son turns 14 today! Wow - it seems like yesterday - but a lifetime ago. I can't remember life without him.

Happy Birthday Guy!

As luck would have it....................

We play car tag at our house since we have three cars, so one of us is inevitably blocked by the others - so someone (me) always has to go and rearrange cars. Lately I just have taken to parking on the street (since I have been so lazy lately), but yesterday I had done some errands and had packages to take inside, I pulled onto the driveway. I never got around to moving and it turns out that was a good thing - because out of the clear blue - a huge limb fell off from the otherwise healthy tree in front of our house right onto the spot where my car would have been!!!! And it defiantly would have been destroyed! Maybe my luck is changing!

Teddy the wonder dog is checking things out.

More Garden Glories

Another walk through my garden - showing off some of my best.

These are just plain Impatiens - but I love the way this batch has grown. These are the workhorse of the garden - lowly - but they do show off and fill in the gaps!




This dastardly Clematis has finally took hold and bloomed - I find them extremely hard to grow - but this one was worth the wait!




I planted a lot of Dahlia tubers - not much success - must read up on what to do for next year. I did get these great flowers, unfortunately a storm, two days after this picture was taken, bent the stem in half (which was staked I might add). This beauty is now gracing my coffee table.






I have been nursing these two bushes for about four years & finally they have given me hydrangeas as big as cheer pom-poms!

Wonderful Star Gazer Lillies

These girls were planted for the first time this year and they really know how to put on a show - I only wish you can smell how wonderful they make the yard smell! You can smell them clear into the house - better than any air freshener you can buy!!!

Fireplace Candelabra

I have always wanted one of these - especially since the flue in our fireplace broke and we no longer can actually light a fire. Instead, I found yet another spot to put stuff in - I love the mirror I found and propped against the back wall -it makes everything look endless. Last weekend at the Bellmore flea market, I found this one for $8.00 - a big bag of tea lights at Odd Lot for $4.00 & white pillar candles for $3.00. Not to have the candles melt away and cause a mess, I simply hollowed out a well deep enough to accommodate a tea light, placed one in the hollow and now I have the look I want, no mess and all I do is replace the tea lights as needed. This is how it was done and how it turned out.










All in all - I think it turned out great!!!! The room simply glows with this lit!