Pale Pink & White~Happy Monday All!

Hello Friends~I spent a busy and productive weekend completing this rag quilt, adding to my lavender farm, and cooking fresh food (nothing processed), meals for hubby & I.

As it has been so hot here with humidity in the 80's and 90's, my husband stayed in and took a rest in the afternoons. We had SO much fun watching old movies, the Odd Couple was one. I just love Jack Lemmon and Walter Mattheu (sp?) GREAT! Even though I've seen it a dozen times, I can't help but giggle with the "Coo Coo Pidgeon Sisters!"

After finishing and listing the rag quilt above, which is one of my all time favorites, I began a new linen look quilt with a soft French theme. These sweltering days give me a wonderful excuse to stay in and actually get something done in my shop. I have really enjoyed working outside this year, planning and planting. I purchased the book, "Tasha Tudor's Garden" and I was so inspired by her beautiful landscaping! I wish I could have known her, and would like to plan a trip to see her rustic home and magnificent gardens.

Today...shopping, quilting, laundry and healthy meal preparation are on my list. Do you write a list for yourself? I find that with a list I get so much more accomplished. Without a list...well let's just say I'm all over the place and everything is half done! Well, off to my list. Bless you all on this beautiful Monday!

Out for a Morning Stroll.....

Good Morning Friends! As I was digging and weeding in the front yard I noticed a beautiful deer walking down the street, slowly and peacefully, just having a morning stroll. I was able to retrieve my camera before it came to be in front of my yard. So I sat on the front porch and waited for it to make it's way down the road. Just as I snapped this photo, the neighbors herd dogs came running out lickety-split and chased it into the conservation park below our home. The deer was running and leaping with its tail straight up in the air! It was so wonderful to see. Between yesterday and today I have planted 36 flowers and mowed the 2 acres of grass! This was my first mowing, hubby has been doing it, and I am so sore! By the end of the fall, I will be in Great shape I'm certain. Blessings to you dear friends, enjoy the moment!

Fresh from the Garden....

Hello Friends! Now that the warm weather is here...I have been a bum about my blog!! First thing in the morning I'm out on the deck having a cup of coffee and listening to the birds...next thing I know I'm off to the nursery to add a little color here, a little broad leaf there, and on and on. So by the time I come back in, I've got to get supper ready for my wonderful man! I have also begun to volunteer at our local hospital here in Marshalltown. It's been a wonderful experience, it truly has! I have met the nicest people in the last few weeks at the hospital. I'm so blessed by this opportunity to help out in my community.
As for moving, we don't yet know when or even if that will happen, we continue to pray and ask for wisdom, and clarity in the midst of confusion and turmoil. We are thanking the Lord for our joyful hearts, our health, our love for each other. We are so very, very blessed.
I will be joining your blogs this weekend!! Can't wait to see what you have been up too! I am so inspired by your words and your creativity. I have been sadly lacking a creative spirit lately. I suppose that these "dry spells" make me appreciate the moments when I am Bursting with Ideas for new and exciting projects. It will come...It will come. Love and Hugs~Blessings to you!

Flowers and Farming With a Chill in the Air!

Thank you friends for your encouragement

A New Season~A New Crop

After Paint (not quite finished yet)

Before Paint

Good Morning! And what a beautiful day it is! First off thank you so much friends for your encouragement and wonderful welcome back yesterday!! I was so happy to hear from you, and so blessed by your kindness. I feel energized today and ready to roll! Bless you MA, Alix, Cindi, Betty, Judi, LindaMay, Lynne, and Tammy, and especially Mom. I love you all!!

I did start painting the wagon, poor ol' thing, I think it looks better. I'm going to put some pretty flowers in it, and plant wild flowers in front of it. But today, I'll finish painting. We had originally thought we'd restore her, but on closer inspection, we realized it would be impossible as there isn't one single piece of good wood left on her. Not ONE! So, I'm painting in hopes that it will stay together for a few years. If we are still here...we will use the hardware, get some old barn wood and build another one. It's been blowin' pretty hard here.. up to 70 mph winds, the last few days. I did paint one day, until I discovered that I had more paint on me, than the buckboard did. I don't think it was ever sealed. I didn't really use paint on it, rather a sealer with a cedar tint. I wanted it to show up a bit. Whaddya Think??

Oh yes, and the farmer was here at the crack of dawn this morning!

Hugs to you and Blessings as well,

Sharon

~If You Know...........~

Good Friday Morning Friends! Say..I was just wondering if anyone knows what this flower is? It so pretty! Lacey, open and it smells wonderful! The lavender color is just gorgeous, but it doesn't smell like lavender at all. It kind of has a sagey smell. It is in my garden, and bloomed very late, in fact it bloom only 2 weeks ago! As I am discovering so many new flowers and plants these days, I find a unique loveliness in each petal, leaf and color. Since we have moved to Iowa, I have found wildflowers in abundance! They are very pretty indeed! I love to stand back and look at the helter skelter of a wild flower garden, but I'm not able to actually live with helter skelter! I prefer order and seperateness in my garden, so that each flower stands out in its uniqueness.

When we moved in, the weeds had taken over this beautiful plant...in fact I thought it was a weed and started to remove it. My husband stopped me, he said he liked the look of the greenery. So we kept it. Because my Sweetie liked it, it has become one of my favorites! But...I don't know what it is!!! So, if you know could you please share with me? Blessings All~

~Sweet English Lavender~

Good Morning! I planted some English Lavender yesterday in my garden yesterday. I just love lavender, and the plants at my other home were just getting big and spreading out. I don't know why I didn't take cuttings from the other plants....I took alot of cuttings, but no lavender! I love the lacey, twisting look of this most fragrant flower.
Also, we live across the road from a horse farm..and I have begun to notice flies in the yard on the warm days. I'm not fond of insecticides and am always trying natural ways of deterring the pests. I read on the internet that having sweet basil planted by the doorways will keep the flies away, well....let me tell you, I was on it! I have little pots of sweet basil at each threshold coming into the house, and it works!! What a blessing! It seemed that everytime I opened the door a fly would zoom in! Now, however, I haven't seen one in days!! Thank you Lord for sweet basil! I have several old metal chairs from the 50's that sit on the porch. It was time to paint again, and I thought I would wait until we were settled in at our new home before deciding on a color! Poor old things...probably the only thing holding them upright is the layers of paint! So that is my goal today... scrape and paint the chairs. It is cool today and there is a whisper of wind..Perfect! I'm off....Blessings Friends~

~We're Heeere!! We're Blessed~We're Ready for a Rest!~

Hello Friends! I'm back! Whew....I wondered if I'd make it :-)! We are in our new home in Iowa, and believe it or not....we are almost unpacked! I believe the Lord gave me a super boost of energy to help me get through it. And I am ready for some R&R. (smiles) Yesterday hubby & I went back to Illinois to our old home which had not sold yet :-( We cleaned and blew and chopped and raked, mopped and vacuumed....getting ready for our last open house before the company my husband works for takes over the home. We said good bye home-Be well old girl! And took off! It was hard, as every single flower in the yard was blooming and what a beautiful sight it was! I walked around and remembered who had given me each flower, and of course dug up some cuttings for my new home (which is sadly lacking the beauty of an abundance of color...temporarily!) and we took off for Iowa once again. Half of the way home, my phone rang! It was Judy, our real estate agent. The house SOLD!!!! We were so overjoyed!! Immediately my hubs & I gave thanks to our Lord for this wonderful blessing! Then.....we called everyone we knew to give them the Great News!! It has been on the market for 3 long months without a single offer...and two days before we have to turn it over to the company, we get an offer we can joyfully accept! Boy, the Lord keeps you on your toes!! Believe in prayer~never give up hope~trust God! During this three months, those are the words I heard over and over again from my mom..God Bless her! Thank you Lord! So, even though we are bone tired, we are rejoicing! I am so happy to be back on line, I have missed all of you so much and simply cannot wait to read your blogs to see what I have missed this last two weeks. I wish a Blessing in each and every one of your lives this week~Be watching...it's coming! Hugs & Blessings, Sharon

My Orchids Are Blooming!!

What a Beautiful way to begin the day! I came into my dining room this morning and what do I see? My two orchids are blooming together!! These girls are several years old, maybe 7 or 8 years, and they have never, ever bloomed at the same time! What a Marvelous gift! I love orchids and I have kept them for probably 20 years now, and these two are the only ones that have ever bloomed year after year. I bought very expensive orchids at flower shops, nurseries, etc. These two....Walmart!!!! How funny!! In the spring and summer, I keep them outside underneath a balcony patio along with all of my other plant friends. I bring them in before the first frost, and look at them! Bloomin' to beat the band! I will post some pictures of them when they open, they are just a delight to have all winter long! My last flowers bloomed from December until June! It is difficult to look at the beauties and not see the Creators' handiwork. I'm so thankful for the beauty that surrounds us, for the small things, for the wonder of nature. I can't wait for you to see the flowers! Stay tuned...it won't be long now!! Blessings~