A Tulip Festival - for SkyWatch Friday!

Every Mother's Day weekend Albany, NY's Washington Park 

hosts an amazing tulip festival.  There are thousands of tulips everywhere.

The gardens are extensive... and we are always surprised 

as to how many varieties there are!

Moses will welcome you as you tour the gardens.

Happy weekend everyone!  

~ Maria 

See more beautiful skies from around the world 

at SkyWatch Friday!

Soooo many tulip gardens!

Lady Tulip

Crown Imperial Tulips!  

I've never seen tulips like this before!  

sunset kiss

Kisses from Heaven
I had to snap this quickly as the clouds were 
bound to change any moment.  
I felt extra loved that night as we watched the sunset 
over Seneca Lake while camping at Sampson State Park in NY.  
To me, this looked like a big kiss! 💋

Sweet happenings like this make me a happy camper!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Thanks for visiting and please enjoy all the posts
from skies worldwide!  ~ Maria 

SkyWatch at Verona Beach State Park

My husband and I were told the sunsets at Verona Beach State Park are gorgeous...
They were right!
This view was from our campsite picnic table.
We just loved our time there.
Thanks for watching with us and please enjoy all the posts
from skies worldwide!  ~ Maria 

stopping for a sunrise

On the way to work on Wednesday, 
I was blessed with this stunning sunrise.

I asked myself...
Do I keep driving
or
stop to enjoy?
*
*
*
I stopped and enjoyed.

Have a beautiful weekend.

God bless Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his family.

Thanks for visiting ... and here's the link to visit more wonderful skies around the world!

Please join us at

~  B l e s s i n g s    a l w a y s  ~

Maria

Slip-Sliding in the bomb-cyclone

What a Week!

What a Winter!
As I sat in my classroom, I had no idea just how bad it was getting out there.  We did not close early, so I thought it shouldn't be too bad driving home... Not!

It was actually one of the worst commutes I have ever had.  
I was slip-sliding on straight roads and was dreading all the windy hills.  On one of the hills, my car had no traction.  
It was so bad that I actually drove in reverse all the way back
down the hill and decided to take a much longer route home.  
The back roads are the last to be plowed, so I stayed on state highways as much as possible.
My 15 minute commute turned into an hour.
Knowing I had a long way to go, I pulled over to compose myself, said a prayer, and called my husband.  
I don't think I went faster than 20mph for most of the way home.
Pulling in the garage felt like a 
m i r a c l e.

Stay warm and cozy dear friends!

Thanks for visiting ... and here's the link to visit more wonderful skies around the world!

Please join us at

~  B l e s s i n g s    a l w a y s  ~

Maria

an eye on me - It's Sky Watch Friday!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

We finally had an opportunity to get out for a walk yesterday.

There were clouds, but nothing ominous.

Until we saw this smoothly sculpted eye giving us quite a look!

 Looking over my shoulder, I could see a front was on its way.
Quarter size drops of rain started falling on us.
We were close to home and it was actually a neat feeling thinking
it's rain and not snow.
Later in the night we saw bright lightning and heard rolling thunder...

... strange sounds in the month of March here in the northeast.

 Today, the sky is variable,
a mix of sunshine, clouds, and rain.

 ... And who doesn't love a silver lining at the end of the storm?!!!

I hope you all had a great week!

Thanks for visiting ... and here's the link to visit more wonderful skies around the world!

Please join us at

Springtime hearts, flowers and love

Stopping along the way to look up

smell the blossoms

breath deeply

celebrate love

and

be joyful

♥

Our oldest daughter, Amanda,

is getting married this summer.

This past Saturday, the women in our family

and her closest friends had the best time ever.

Can you tell we had a "beach" theme!

The memory jar was a joy to create.

Each flower girl chose a special stone to put inside.

Rachael and I added seashells, sea glass, sand dollars and her favorite

east and west coast photos.

A really big hit were the Lightly Lemon Cupcakes {in the collage}

A super easy recipe from Bisquick.

They are sooo light and lemony!

These chocolate / almond cupcakes and Nutter Butter flip-flop cookies were fun too!

    What a snapshot is to your life, 

your life is to eternity, 

so wouldn’t it be nice if eternity captured you smiling?
    Robert Brault

~    ~    ~Wishing you springtime joy!

God bless you always,

Maria

A Focus on the Eternal

Nestle all of your tomorrows

in God's strong arms

help us to live free for today

~

As we focus on the Eternal,
may we grow to possess the holy habit of internal contentment

{Enjoying the sweet birdies in my back yard and the book Calm My Anxious Heart by Linda Dillow}

...and Sky Watch Friday...

helping me to always look UP!

Happy Weekend Everyone!

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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family love from east to west

It was a year ago today that my son, Jason,

went to his interview in Austin, Texas.

He loves his job and loves living in a great city with amazing weather.
Knowing how I love "looking up,"
Jason sent me some beautiful photos taken on his commute to and from work.

We are so proud of him... but oh how we miss him.

♥

Chris and I were able to visit Amanda during the first part of my February break.
We enjoyed some of our favorite things!
Of course
talking ♥ talking ♥ talking!
I'm not a big shopper, {and neither is Chris} but I wanted to stop at the Vera Bradley Outlet nearby.
Unbeknownst to us, there was 40% off sale going on... that is off of their outlet price!
... so we were very, very tempted...
Like crazy ladies, we waited an hour and a half
just to get inside the store.

Chris was thrilled :o) NOT!
but
He was a real honey bunch and got us coffees at Starbucks and
we talked even more ♥

{I'm glad Starbucks found a nice mild blend...have you tried their "Blonde" coffees?}

I was able to take home the purse I wanted for such a great price!
 {It retails for $69, is on sale for $49 online and at the outlet it's $34 and with 40% off ... I paid only $20}

 We took home a few gifts too!

We also just love the Walkway Over the Hudson.
Amanda's dogs, Chino and Mr. Darcy love it too!

A stop at Adams Fairacre Farms is a must as well.

 I picked up amazing produce at amazing prices
and these sweet red tulips to bring a little springtime to my father's house.

On Monday, it was off to my father's in central New York.
We had a great visit and some heavy work to do.

Remember the days when people installed wall-to-wall carpeting over hardwood floors?

Look what was under my father's carpeting!

His home looks like new ~ even the air smells fresher!

{Chris always asks if he can help!}

We moved around a lot of furniture and emptied the china closet and buffet.
I found some sweet treasures that were most likely last handled when Dad moved over 30 yrs. ago.
When I picked up my mother's pie holder, I held it for a long time thinking that
it was last used when she was alive.
These sweet treasures had been stored away too long...

Dad was so happy to see some of these things,
Right now, the pretty red crystal candy dish has a little bluebird in it,
but some of his favorite candies will be in it soon!
The dessert tiered set and pie holder came home with me ♥
He's happy that these things came out of their hiding place!

How has this week been going for you?

Are you enjoying amazing weather like Jason?

Or,

are you having deep winter weather?

Here, in the northeast... we are supposed to have a little snow tonight.

2 - 4 inches...then rain.

Still... a very easy winter... and I like it!

Have a wonderful weekend my friends
and always look up as do the others at Sky Watch Friday!