Saturday This and That . . .

The gardens are starting to look pretty amazing at the moment.  The fence in the back garden which seperates the grassed area from the pation is loaded with purple blooms and honey suckle in bloom.  Small pink flowers that fill the air with such a beautiful scent and which the bees just love. It has been such a beautiful week weatherwise, that the garden has just taken off in leaps and bounds.




Our Oriental poppies are once again putting on a beautiful show . . .




Wildflowers are blooming  . . .




We keep a section of the garden just for wildflowers.  The bees and butterflies love them . . .




The gooseberry bushes have plenty of berries coming on them  . . .  as does the black currant bush.



So much deliciousness to look forward to  . . .




We have pears coming along  . . . .



 loganberries and plenty of plums so far  . . .  but oddly enough I can only see two apples.   I am not sure what is up with that!




We will be enjoying a great harvest of blueberries again this year.   Yay!




The strawberries are thriving, but once again . . .  no rhubarb!  Just a few spindly stalks.   Again, I am not sure what the problem is.   It never seems to do very much . . .


 

My beans have all sprouted and the peas are going crazy along with the tomato plants!  I am so pleased!   I carefully water them each day.  They are my babies.   I will need to get some epson salts soon.

 

She is my constant companion as I wander among the berries and plants . . . she likes to be a part of everything that is going on.  Oh, how I love her . . .




She is such a dear sweet friend and companion . . . 



These beauties are making us smile once again, although I have forgotten now what they are  . . .  a rose by any other name . . .



And these beautiful little faces bob and dance each time I walk out into the garden  . . . pansies and sweet peas  . . . love them both . . . the sweet peas are not yet in bloom, but they are coming along beautifully  . . .




 Snap dragons thrill us.  They come back each year to visit.   We don't mind at all.




And this is just the beginning of the season  . . .  there is still so very, very much to look forward to!



I made some granola earlier this week and it got over done.  The birds have been enjoying it.  This blackbird in particular.   I put a small dish of it on our patio table and he's been a frequent visitor . . .

 

Its been hard to get a photograph of him without spooking him off, but I finally managed to snap a couple.

Oh I do love nature.

Although earlier this week I was really dismayed and horrified about that baby who fell into the Gorilla enclosure  I can't even bring myself to watch any of the filming.    Those poor parents and now they are being vilified.   How utterly terrible.   Of course the gorilla had to be shot.  Its sad, yes, but that poor child, and his parents.  There was no other way.   There was a hole in the brush along the enclosure.   Surely that was partially to blame . . .  I do not blame the parents.  I have had five children and I know . . .  kids do the darndest things despite your best efforts.  My youngest son when he was three years old drove his fathers truck into a car which was parked in front of it.  He got in and put it out of gear and it rolled forward.  These things happen.  It was parked in the front of the house.  Didn't make me a bad mum.  Just proved he was a curious boy. Sad for the gorilla, but happy that the little boy is safe and unharmed.

 

And we lost another legend yesterday . . . .



There is flooding in Paris and all across Europe into Germany and Austria  . . .

Its been raining buckets in the South  . . . .



But . . .  here the sun shines.  Happy to say.  Life . . .  it is filled with ebs and flows . . .

They say we will get rain today . . .  so far so good . . .

A thought to carry with you through today  . . .


~•~♥♥♥~•.~•~♥♥♥~• ~
When I stand before God
at the end of my life,
I would hope that I would
have not a  single bit of talent left
and I could say . . . 
I used everything you gave me.
~Erma Bombeck
~•~♥♥♥~•.~•~♥♥♥~• ~

Spiritual Enlightenment

 

Baking in The English Kitchen today  . . .  Orange Layer Cake.   Baked for a Missionary Birthday.  Sooo good!

Have a wonderful Satuday. Please know that . . .


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And I do too!

My Friday Finds . . .

A few of the things I find each week that spark my interest, intellect and curiosity. I hope that they do the same thing for you. Its hard to believe that this is my last Friday Finds post for May. This month (year!) has just flown by!

 

Remember when you used to be able to buy a box of assorted cards?   I haven't seen one of those in ages.  However you can make your own box of assorted cards.  A complete tutorial from Klompen Stampers.   I might do this.  What a great gift it would make for someone!

 

From Philo's Kitchen, Traditional Almond Cookies.   I am going to give these a go.   They look really buttery and delicious.



From Casetify.  These phone cases are absolutely gorgeous.  I don't have one of these phones and wouldn't know how to use one, but that doesn't stop me from loving these cases.  Actually half the time I am asking Todd to call my phone so I can find it.  lol   I am so not up with the times!  These are really pretty though don't you think?

 

DIY Herb Gardens for every space.  From the people at BHG. 

 

Personalized Coasters for Father's Day.  From Tried and True. 

 

Recycled Wine Bottle Wind Chimes.   I am going to have to raid the neighbors garbage.   From Indulgy.   No instructions, just inspiration.  But how hard could it be?



 

Enchanted Rose Studio.  I already have most of the beads.  This is soooo pretty.


 

Crazy Quilt Hearts.  These are so very pretty.  Plenty of inspiration on Box of Trix. 



 

Who doesn't need this kind of help.   I know we sure do.  It's hand to mouth all the time.  From The Busy Budgeter.

 

Make your own Earwig Traps.   From Hometalk.  Ewwww.....hate earwigs. 

 

Bleeding Tissue Art Tray.  From  Garden Matter.  A complete tutorial. This is so pretty.

  

Bubble Paint Hydrangeas.  From A Piece of Rainbow.  I may try this technique.  Simple and fun!

 I just can't resist showing you one more.  This is so neat and so pretty.

 

From a Fanciful Twist.  Painted Pinecones.  They look like Zinnias!

And that's it for this week. I hope that you found something here that interested you!

I was asked this week to do a baby picture for someone who just had a new nephew born.

 
 I have cropped of the details for privacy, but at the bottom was the baby's name, birthdate etc.  I was really quite happy with how it turned out, and so were they.  Whew!  Always a risk when you do something like this.  They are Irish so wanted something Irish in it.  That's an Irish Blessing and of course I put a little shamrock on his onesie.

A thought to carry with you through today . . .

~•~♥♥♥~•.~•~♥♥♥~• ~
Children, marriages and flower gardens
reflect the kind of care they get.
 ~H Jackson Brown Jr.
~•~♥♥♥~•.~•~♥♥♥~• ~

 Spiritual Enlightenment



In The English Kitchen today  . . .  Chicken and Mushroom Pot Pie.

Hope your Friday is a great one!  We are off to do a service this morning and sit with an elderly shut in.  Wherever you go and whatever you get up to, don't forget!

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 And I do too!!


 

A few of my favourite things . . .

These are a few of my favourite things  . . .



Cashew Nuts.   Yes, I am the person who steals all of the cashews from the tin of mixed nuts before anyone else sees them.   The incredible thing is that cashews are really full of good things and are so very good for you to eat.  Did you know that they are high in anti-oxidents, help eliminate free radicals and help lower the risk of coronary heart disease??  Did you also know that 82%  of the fat in cashews is unsaturated fatty acids and is monounsaturated fat???  Also, they have a lower fat content than most other nuts and are full of vitamins such as copper, manganese, zinc and magnesium.  So have another handful!  Do your body good!  (a handful is considered to be 15 cashews or 30g)

 

Classical Music.   I love listening to it.   Rachmaninoff is one of my favourites.  But I also love Beethoven and Chopin, oh and Handel. Classical music affects the brain’s organization and abilities, through its melody and rhythm. The rhythm also raises the level of serotonin in the brain.   In a recent study post operative patients were given a pain placebo in conjunction with constant periods of classical music. They left the hospital with 1/2 of the post operative pain medications, and in half the time. Classical music, for the student, for relaxation, healing, and for those troubled sleeping.  Its a good thing.  ☺

 

Buttons, especially vintage buttons and most especially white or cream coloured vintage buttons.  I have always Love, LOVED buttons.   I could spend hours looking at them, playing with them, running my fingers through them, catagorizing them, etc.  I don't think I am alone in that love either.   I would rather have a bag of buttons than a bag of gold . . .  but having said that with a bag of gold I could buy a bazillion bags of buttons, so maybe the gold would be better in the long run.  Hmmm . . .



Vanilla Ice Cream with Strawberry Jam spooned over top.  I just adore it.  My parent bought a freezer the summer I turned 11, and my mother used to buy gallons of ice cream for in it.  (She still loves ice cream)  I remember the day we bought my first bra, my mother also bought an ice cream scoop, which accidentally got left in the changing room at the store.   I remember her being really annoyed that nobody had turned it in.  In any case one of our favourite desserts, which we only had once a week, was vanilla ice cream with warmed strawberry jam spooned over top. We were in heaven.

 

Stationary.   I love stationary.  I don't really write many letters anymore, but I still love stationary.  Well, actually truth be told I love paper, full stop.   I buy it and then can't bring myself to use it because I don't want it to disappear.  Sounds like an illness to me . . .

 

Zucchini & Carrot Roses Tart from Buono Papa.

I love vegetables.   Any kind of vegetables.   I have never met a vegetable I did not like.  I could eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and for snacks in between.  To me, there is nothing more appealing than a plate full of lovely fresh, crispy tender vegetables, with just a sprinkling of salt and pepper on top.  Nothing else.   Heaven.   Pure heaven.  I could easily become a vegetarian, and not miss the meat . . .  except for turkey at Christmas.  I would need a turkey for Christmas, and Thanksgiving  . . .  oh and a good steak every now and then.



Good Mexican food and it is so hard to come by over here.  You pay an arm and a leg for authentic ingredients.  There are British versions, but they don't really cut the mustard.  They are not quite the same.

 

The scriptures.   They bring me peace and comfort, joy.  I always, always, always get something out of reading them.   When we go to the Temple and I am sitting in the chapel there I always open the scriptures which are provided for you to read and they always speak to me, answer questions I might have been pondering, fill my heart with wonder, satisfy my longings.  I enjoy reading anyways, but there is something about the scriptures.   I can revisit them again and again and again, and always pick up some tidbit, a gem, some inspiration that I have never seen before, even though it might be a passage I have read any number of times.  The scriptures have the power to reach you where you are right now.



Pipe cleaner pets.   Pipe cleaner anything.  I love working with pipe cleaners.  My grandson Jon does too.  He's very crafty and loves to work with his hands.



He must get it from me.   Oh, and he is one of my favourite people.  Along with my six other grandchildren.



The challenge of a blank page.   I love creating something where nothing existed before.  Elizabeth in the Garden.  She is picking posies.  Love it.

And those are my favourite things for this week. What are some of your favourite things?

A thought to carry with you through today  . . .

`*.¸.*´Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ`*.¸.*´Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ`*.¸.*´
"Keep loving. Keep trying. 
Keep trusting. Keep believing. 
Keep growing. 
Heaven is cheering you on 
today, tomorrow, and forever." 
~Jeffrey R Holland
`*.¸.*´Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ`*.¸.*´Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ`*.¸.*´

Spiritual Enlightenment 

 

Cooking in The English Kitchen today  . . .  Homemade Salad Cream.


Have a great Thursday!! Don't forget . . .

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and I do too!

Hello June and tender mercies . . .

 

 Welcome to the singing  month . . . with roses rambling over picket fence and stone wall . . . climbing up the walls of our old brick shed and falling all over arch of the trellis which invites you into our back garden.


 


Their sweet perfume, a gentle caress . . . my world is laced with shell pinks, and yellows and rose reds and ivory whites   . . .



Puppies run through fields of buttercups and return with muzzles glowing with gold  . . . 




While girls string chains of wild daisies, draping them about their necks and crowning their sun warmed heads with sweet simplicity . . .  he loves me, he loves me not . . .




And the sky sings too  . . .  a song of blue  . . . with whispy white clouds adding tender notes here and tender notes there  . . .




Bees buzz  . . .  and pea vines climb towards the sky . . . tender leaves arch and dance amidst the marigolds  . . . we enjoy those sweet tender leaves, the first of the season . . .  on plates of glass, gilded with oil and vinegar . . . and the tender snippings of those oniony spikes of chive, and lavender spiked blossom . . .




This is just the beginning of summer's song  . . . there is still so much of the garden's beautiful symphony to enjoy and to listen to . . . it is my favourite month of the year.




Let me tell you of the tender mercies of the Lord  . . .

- the sale of a painting which means we can now pay our rent for June.  He takes us to the very limits of our faith and then stretches it . . . an exercise which keeps my faith from becoming flabby . . .

- the finding of a long lost friend, some thirty years having passed hence, since we last communicated, and yet it is if it were only a blink of an eye had passed . . .

- a dream in which I got to hold my daughter's hand, and see love passed from eye to eye, where I had felt no love exists.  Only a dream, perhaps  . . .  but I still felt it, and that was enough for now . . . it filled my heart in an unexpected way . . .

- a small furry black head that tucked itself into my side, as we sat together on the sofa  . . . then soft liquid brown eyes that gazed up at me and filled my soul with a tenderness so sweet as to bring tears . . .

- hands to work, hearts to God.  When you go to work, on the Lord's errand, and forget yourself for a few hours . . . your own little troubles, they seem to melt away into nothingness . . .

And that will do for now.  The windows of heaven . . .

"The persistence and the fortitude that enable us to press forward with cheerfulness through physical limitations and spiritual difficulties are examples of the tender mercies of the Lord."
~David A Bednar, The Tender Mercies (well worth the read) 



In The English Kitchen today  . . .  Bean, Corn and Couscous Salad.

May you experience a Wednesday which is filled with the tender mercies of the Lord.   I hope you know that  . . .

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⊰✿░G░O░D⊰✿⊰L░O░V░E░S⊰✿⊰░Y░O░U░⊰✿
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And I do too!