h e l l o !

W O W
Life happens!

...this past year...

Everyone was coming and going!

We packed up my childhood home
and my father made the move to live closer to us.
He also turned 90 and we had a sweet celebration!

Amanda got married to a wonderful man.
Rachael & her husband moved to Texas.
Jason still lives in Texas and is getting married next year.
Even my sister and her family moved away!

...and now...

How have YOU been?
~ It's been a long time ~
I've missed posting and visiting you.
I hope you are all well... 
and your paths have been

calm and gentle.

❤︎

Be a Lily in the Valley

 

We do the most for God's great big world,

when we do our best right

where we are.

"How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment

before starting to improve the world."

 Anne Frank

Now is that moment 

♥

to be a lily in the valley.

And I pray that you,
 being rooted and established in love,

may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people,

to grasp

how

wide

and

long

and

high

and

deep

is the love

of Christ,

and to know this love that surpasses knowledge

—that you may be filled to the measure

of all the fullness of God.

Ephesians 3:14-21

{Finding His gifts in the skies above and in the gardens along my paths...}

Enjoy heavenly skies at

and Pink Saturday at Beverly's!

Early Signs

The northeast has had AMAZING weather.

Today it was in the 60's!

Early signs of spring are everywhere these days.

Doesn't God know know how to decorate for spring!
It's beautiful!

Last year's lil' crabapples dangling like red earrings, new spring buds and aqua skies.

Aqua and Red

And now we know why we love these colors together!

Look at the red new buds on this tree!

The crocuses are opening up... 

After I cropped this photo, I noticed a bee doing some early spring work!

This was fun to see.

And, YES! I did hop on the squares :o) 

That's a must!

It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold:

when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade.

-Charles Dickens

Spring has returned.

The Earth is like a child that knows poems.

-Rainer Maria Rilke

May we find the hope of spring blossoming in our hearts

like poetry!

Have a wonderful week, dear friends 

♥

Enjoy more sky views by visiting
Sky Watch Friday!

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He whispers

"The Lord said,

“Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord,

for the Lord is about to pass by.”

Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart

and shattered the rocks before the Lord,

but the Lord was not in the wind.

After the wind there was an earthquake,

but the Lord was not in the earthquake.

After the earthquake came a fire,

but the Lord was not in the fire.

And after the fire came a gentle whisper.

When Elijah heard it,

he pulled his cloak over his face and went out

and stood at the mouth of the cave."

1 Kings 19:11-13

~ Listening for His gentle whispers ~
 welcoming the calm and peace into our souls.

Joining Beverley at "How Sweet the Sound"
for "Miracle Makeover" Saturday!

and

 Sky Watching at Sky Watch Friday.

at the heart of a flower

~ Love and Joy ~

 

can be found in the center.

I never noticed that at the center of a pink begonia is a bouquet of golden joy!

Wishing you new discoveries of the Creator's love and joy

always,

  ♥ Maria

{sweet little begonias from Ann's garden}

summer fruit, flowers and treats

f.r.u.i.t

f.l.o.w.e.r.s

t.r.e.a.t.s

My photos today are from the gardens around the home
of my father-in-law, Gerry and his sweet wife, Ann.
They helped organize a huge family picnic
celebrating all the July birthdays!

In summer, the song sings itself. 

~William Carlos Williams 

Wishing you a beautiful song
that lasts all summer long.

Here comes the Sun!

It's been a long winter

but finally

the sun has stayed out for more than a day.

How wonderful it feels to have the sun on my face

As I walk passed the creek I

see and hear

the ice

surrender to the sun

I celebrated by bringing out the tulips.

~ Goal for today ~

*)( bring home some real tulips )(*

Wishing you

sunshine on your shoulders

upon your face

and

on your path

Visit Sky Watch Friday for amazing skies the world over!

 

Thank you Sky Watch Team!

Flower Wishes

When I see a flower

like this

...I must...

... for ...

Happiness to grow.

In friendship's fragrant garden

There are flowers of every hue

Each with its own fair beauty

And its gift of JOY to you!

♥ Sowing the Seeds of Kindness ♥

These seeds are from far way,

Thank you Saskia!

Have a wonderful Wednesday dear friends!

Sweet Lilies of the Valley

"The temple bell stops but I still hear the sound coming out of the flowers."

~ Bashō

How delicate and lovely are these beautiful bells!

This bouquet was my third from the garden.

They start to brown in a handful of days...

But

oooooooooo

the fragrance is heaven

Botanically known as Convallaria, 

but also known as

May lily,

May bells,

Our Lady's tears,

Convall-lily,

Lily Constancy,

Ladder-to-Heaven,

Jacob's Ladder,

Muguet

The Lily of the Valley

signifies a

"return to happiness"

They were first on Rachael's list for a bridal bouquet.

BUT

Rachael's flower budget is very modest, so she ordered a simpler bouquet of mixed flowers.
You see, our florist, Fran,

{a lovely woman that has know our children for years}

told us that a bouquet the size of the one above, from my garden,

would cost hundreds of dollars. 

They are $60 for 10 stems!

{Here's a link I found online.}

I'm so happy that they were blooming for Rachael's wedding shower.
~ These were free ~

"The flowers of late winter and early spring 

occupy places in our hearts well out of proportion to their size." 

~Gertrude S. Wister

 *

 Dear Family and Friends,

~ I hope you have a wonderfully sweet week ~

Laughing and Crying Out Loud with Earth

Happy Flowers in Flower boxes at local Artisan Shop

Sometimes, Earth needs a good laugh,
~

Sometimes, she starts to cry...

Virga

{wisps of rain or snow, seen trailing from clouds, that evaporate before reaching the earth}

{Photos of Virga taken on my way home from work.}

Virga subsides and tears dry.

~ Now turn that little pout around ~

Okay

Now, Earth,

you're giggling!

*

Thank you, Lord,
for this amazing planet we enjoy.

*

Dear Family and Friends,

~ Have a happy, happy weekend ~

Enjoy it All

Love,

Thank you to our Sky Watch Friday hosts: 

Klaus Sandy Sylvia Wren Louise Fishing Guy

Doing the Bunny Hop After Easter!

Easter was a Glorious Day

 Sun and Son
made it perfect!
*

I made two more Swedish Tea Rings

and lots of

{tempting}

cookies

My brother and sister-in-law hosted.

Family * Food * Fun

~ ~ ~

Monday morning

Chris and I were off to my hometown

to bring Dad back home.

We talked and talked all the way home.

But then there's that

Maria part of the trip.

A stop to Pires Flower Basket.

Springtime wreaths on every door.

pussy-willows, pansies, daffodils and tulips

{these came home with me}

I fell in love with that color!

...On the way home...
{traveling east on I-88}

hills and valleys and farms

...fill the senses...

...with the sunshine...

that followed us home

*

We returned to our home at 5:30 just as Rachael pulled in the driveway...

She was ready

to dig in to the exciting world

of tax prep.

As we ate a quick dinner of spaghetti and meatballs ~ I thought of a Robert Brault quote:

"You'll never have a more enjoyable Italian meal than on the Saturday night after Thanksgiving."

It seems to work for the day after Easter too! 

It was certainly a Bunny Hoppin' Day!

Dear Family and Friends,

I hope you had a wonderful Easter...

Filled with

Sun and Son

Have a wonderful Week.

{without too much hoppin'}