~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

~Sunday Morning in Full Bloom!~

Hello Friends~I'm finally back to my computer~I missed reading all of your blogs for the week that I have been in Iowa. I had a wonderful, restful week of playing in my new home, and getting to know the surrounding area. I took several cuttings from my yard, and planted them in the new yard. It's so comforting to me to have some of my familiar plants, the ones that I love to look at the most....So, there I was driving my pick up along Hwy. 30 with a John Deere rider in the bed of the truck, a weed eater, several buckets of rocks (I am a rock hound) Plants, Luggage, a 9 foot long, full Hoya plant in the front passenger seat, and my trusty traveling companion, who by the way, is getting REALLY tired of these back and forth trips! Poor Freeway, honest to Pete! After I packed up the truck, I took Freeway on a 10 minute walk so that she could do her business, it was 40 degrees outside and windy as can be! Just then, my neighbors Palomino comes racing by~riderless, reins flying in the wind~at top speed! Where is my sweet little neighbor girl??? Freeway takes off after the horse, I'm running after Freeway. After corraling my dog, here comes the girl with her 4 dogs and headphones on, walking down the street! I said, "Did the horse get away from you? Are you alright?" "Oh yes," she replies, "that's an old horse, and all of her friends are in the pasture...she's just in a hurry to see them." Apparently so! Anyway, back to the story...We are ready to go! We made it back in 3.5 hours with 2 stops so Freeway could potty, unloaded the mower with the help of our neighbor Tim. I mowed, blew off the driveway and patios, raked and picked up tree limbs from the storm the day before. Yes, my dog & I were fairly exhausted last night!
Today, I have so many things to do, I haven't a clue where to begin. The movers will be here in the morning to start packing up. My husband will get in late tonight after working all day today. This house still hasn't sold, but we have been praying that it will, and we believe in prayer. I am so grateful that the Lord has given me a sense of comfort and peace concerning this last part of the move. I awoke this morning feeling well rested and ready for the day! No dread on me! I will just do what I can do.
Meanwhile, in catching up with all of my favorite blogs, I found that Tammy's Blog For a Stitch in Thyme is having the most beautiful giveaway! A stunning Victorian Lace pillow! This pillow is truly a work of art, finely made, by an incredibly talented fabric artist. I couldn't help myself but enter the giveaway!
I don't know when my computer will be packed up, or when I will have my connection at the other home, so....so long for now, I'll be back! Blessings~

~Wise Old Willow~

This old Willow Tree stands in our yard, broken limbs, great big bulges sticking out at every side, bent and gnarly too. This Great old dame was here before any of the homes, and some of the home date to the 60's, which may or may not be that old to some, but to this lady 40 years has left its mark on every single square inch of wood. My husband and I have such a love for this tree, we have had her treated for carpenter ants, fertilized her for 12 years, cut off most of the dead branches, although there are new ones each year. We hoped to be able to save her so that she would stand for another 40 years...and perhaps she will. As you near the tree, you can smell the musty smell of her old wood, and when it rains very hard the bottom of her trunk sits in water briefly. She has had raccoons and squirrels living up in her branches, and when we first got our dog Freeway, she used to jump up in that tree and look around! Blue Jays, Robins, mean old Blackbirds, and sparrows take refuge in her wonderful arms. Occasionally the neighbors kitty sits up in the ole' gal preening, perhaps trying to catch a bird. Every year, I wait for spring to see if she will emerge from yet another frozen, harsh winter~and she does. Bless this wonderful wise old willow, with all of her bumps and scars, saggy trunk and wrinkles she truly is Magnificent!

A Cloud With A Silver Lining~

This day began so lovely, sunshine and warmth, birds singing and making nests. It was a glorious morning. Then the mighty clouds began to form. I stepped out onto my deck and captured this magnificent sight. A cloud with a silver lining. Just as I snapped this picture the wind came up and in blew a storm that lasted for two hours. Furious Thunder, Lightning, Wind, and rain. It was Wonderful! Reminding me of a Robert Frost poem:



The line-storm clouds fly tattered and swift.


The road is forlorn all day,


Where a myriad snowy quartz stones lift,


And the hoof-prints vanish away.


The roadside flowers, too wet for the bee,


Expend their bloom in vain.


Come over the hills and far with me,


And be my love in the rain.



I love that,"Come over the hills and far with me, and be my love in the rain." I wish you a wonderful day with many Blessings to come your way.


A special thank you to my dear friend Kathy, who has encouraged my to be more diligent with my blog. Hugs Kath.


Oh yes and Joni ....I used spellcheck :-) Ha!

Love~Hope~Peace~Joy!

Hello Friends!~Blessings to you on this new day! I was up early and outside taking pictures at dawn...unfortunately, it was a bit too early for photos and this is the only picture that came out with enough light! The early bird???...Hmmmm

Soon it will be time to clean out the storage cabinets, gather my "Stuff" and get ready for the movers. May 18th they will begin packing up, and by May 22nd we will be in our new hilltop home. Hubby is already living there, (with the barest essentials) but I will be joining him once again. It has been lonesome here without him, and this time apart has most assuredly made the "heart grow fonder." He will be home on Thankful Thursday...thankfully! It seems that I am a bit of a disaster when on my own...broke the dishwasher door; the toilet handle; etc....Yikes! I'm like typhoon Betty here. Hee hee! But the end is in sight, and a new beginning is within reach. I am such a "Nester" (as my sweet mom would say) and having some things in one home and others here in this home gives me a suspended feeling, almost like I don't know where my nest is. It'll be over soon...
Well, I'm off to mow the yard after some breakfast~the rain is moving in fast, and I don't dare let the grass go another day. Blessings for a wonderful day!

Happy May Day Friends~

Happy May Day! Does May Day bring back youthful memories to you? I remember May Day oh so well! I attended a Catholic School as a child, and each May 1st we would go outside to the enormous statue of the Virgin Mary, at the base of which was a pole tied with many colored strands of crepe paper. We would each take one strand and dance around the statue singing and laughing! What fun! Then we would retreat into the classroom to begin the construction of our May Baskets. Scissors cutting~colorful paper flying about, pieces covering the floor of the room. Singing~Guitar playing by Sister Claret (aka Sister Carrot) She was truly the original Singing Nun :-) We would work most of the day on our Beautiful Creations taking just enough time to eat our lunches, then right back at it, all the time chatting about who we would bestow our Masterpieces upon. In the end of course, we each loved our own baskets so very much, and wanted to keep them with us, that most of us decided that our mothers should be the recipient. And so, every year my mother received a crafty, handmade, rather crude-but colorfully cute May Basket. My flowers are just beginning to bloom so I ran out before the rain to capture the beautiful colors of May for you! A little robin came to visit me this day~I caught him looking!!

Blessing to you on this Lovely May Day!

April Showers Bring......

I slept so well last night, I did not even hear the downpour! I hope that you will be able to see the flooded creek behind our home~Even though spring took some time getting here, it has arrived with a bang! Commuting between homes here in Illinois and over in Iowa, has given me a perspective glance at how differently my cherished plants with behave when we move. Yes...I am taking a few starters from this yard and bringing them to my new home to plant. Some of the Iris' came from my dear sweet mother-in-law many years ago, and I will keep those with me, also friends, family and my sweet neighbors have shared their flowers and plants with us, and I am going to keep those as well....MMmmmm...I wonder if there will be much left when I am gone!! Hee hee! Not really...I will just take cutting and roots..It will still be beautiful for the new owners.

It is much drier at our new home which is a blessing and possibly a curse because everything that touches the ground here will grow, over there, it may take some doing. I love a challenge!!!

I have been so distant with my blog due to utter busyness, fatigue and travel but I will be staying put for about a week, so you will hear from me more often. I missed you all so much!!

We haven't had an offer on our home yet, but the other house is ours, and my hubby has a place to come home to at night now. (He lived in a motel for 6 weeks). That's a big step in the right direction. Last weekend we moved just a few necessities over to the house so it's a little more homey for him. I scheduled the packers and movers for the 18th of May, which is coming up quickly. Has anyone else noticed that time seems to be flying by?? These days are just zooming along for me!

Dear sweet friends, I want you to know that I have been reading your blogs, as I am passing through, and keeping up with your lives. It is such a delight to see your newest artwork, hear about your days, and as always I am so inspired by your kindness, your talent, and your encouragement of one another.

Today will be my first day in my sewing room in a month!! How I have missed it! A rainy day is a perfect day to re-acquaint myself with my sewing machine!! I have a baby quilt that has been sewn for a month...it just needs to be cut. My goal is to get that done, and begin another project. Have a blessed day friends, I am thinking of you!

~Saying Good-Bye to One Small Town....~

It's Sunday morning!! Today is our Open House from 1:00-3:00. I have been cleaning, sprucing, and really just whipping around this place like a tornado getting everything ready to greet our potential buyers! Baking muffins, blowing off the driveway, packing the car with everything from camera to water dishes (for Freeway, of course) I've decided to head over to Dixon, Ill. to my favorite spots in our sister town. It's a cold, blustery day with snow expected, and I'm afraid I will have a hard time getting the old gal out of bed!! Snuggled in with her pillow on my white bedcovers it seems I will have to use the "R" word to get her going today! "Wanna go on a RIDE?" Okay....we're ready to head out!!! First stop on our Farewell Tour...

Freeway & I began our good-byes with a visit to Ronald Reagan's boyhood home. Completely restored right down to the reproduction wallpaper! President Reagan and the First Lady visited the home right after the restoration. It was quite a celebration to have the President back here in Dixon! He visited his high school, church and Lowell Park where he worked as a lifeguard. It's a wonderful old home with tiny bedrooms, a straight up staircase, lovely sitting room, and a big kitchen!! I'm certain that with two growing boys Mrs. Reagan must have spent alot of time in the kitchen. This bronze statue sits in the yard beside the home. Lovely!

The front of the Quaint old Reagan home on the hilly street.

This is a replica of the old fort where Lincoln served in the Black Hawk War. This is where the rare statue of Lincoln stands. It is the only bronze statue depicting young Lincoln in military dress.

This is Lincoln Park where in 1832 as a young man of 23 years old, Abraham Lincoln was a volunteer soldier in the Black Hawk war. This spot was the army encampment area and sits on the bank of the Rock River. Every year in Dixon, before the Petunia Festival begins, there is a "Walk for Life" which raises money for Cancer. the walk goes through the town, over the magnificent bridges, and ends at this park. There are sodas and water, Hot Dogs and sandwiches for the participants. It is a Grand Day!

The Nachusa House, a hotel built in 1853 was quite an elegant place for the times! A rail and stagecoach stop, frequented by Abraham Lincoln as he made his rounds throughout the state as a travelling lawyer. This Beautiful limestone building held many a famous historical figures. Besides Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, William Howard Taft, Theodore Roosevelt and even the President of the Confederate States of America Jefferson Davis. Lincoln however was a regular, and usually guested in the same room each visit. That room now is an apartment dedicated to the President. The location was perfect for him as the Courthouse is just across the street. In fact, grassy knoll on the left of the picture is the courthouse lawn.

The Old Lee County Courthouse built in 1901, stands on the spot of the original county courthouse where Abraham Lincoln addressed a crowd in 1856 on the Courthouse lawn a sweltering hot summer day. Of course the whole town turned out to see him and hear his speech! I'm sure they brought their picnic baskets and lemonade to the courthouse for the festivities!

A Marvelous Stonework House sits Delightfully on a corner of town~Lovely Wrap Around Porch

Another Fabulous Old Home~So Stately & Proud

The "Raging" Rock River & Lock Dam where my husband & I had fun

Boating. I don't think I have ever seen it this high.

I will miss these wonderful places, the rich history, the quaint small town wholesomeness...but...Marshalltown has it's own rich history, and is, itself another small town. So I end one journey, and begin another adventure. God has been so good to my hubby & I. We are so blessed!

Next on my farewell tour will be Sterling, IL., my town.

Blessings Friends!