Picnic Anyone?

Picnic music to get in the mood right HERE.

 When I recently spotted this picnic table waiting, I was struck with loneliness.
Songs of being alone sat heavy on my heart.
Even the houses have turned their backs to this lonely table.
Picnics in my mind are for sharing love and languishing delightedly in the day.
Picnics are for sharing laughter and a song.
Picnics are for good food and cold drinks.
Picnics are for sharing with a friend and family.

Let's pick up a quilt and tip toe through the grass to

those trees I see on the horizon?
I will bring a tall, icy pitcher of tea with sliced lemons,
sandwiches sprinkled with peppers and slabs of fresh garden tomatoes,
and a tall chocolatey confection wrapped with buttercream frosting.
But most of all I will bring love and laughter and a song to sing.
Come along with me, let's have a picnic today.
What will you bring to the day?

PS - my pansy pods are drying and when they are ready I will be sending
to Mark, Laurie, Judith, and Glenna.  There is one more pod drying if I missed
someone that would like one.  I have Mark and Laurie's addresses, but
Judith and Glenna, I will need your address.  You can find my email address
in my profile to send the address.  Can't wait to share.

Monday's Quotes

The Dormouse lay happy, his eyes were so tight
He could see no chrysanthemums, yellow or white.
And all that he felt at the back of his head
Were delphiniums (blue) and geraniums (red).

~A.A. Milne 

How did that one little pink flower

appear in my photo.

Blue and red a lovely combination

to celebrate the week July begins. 

Poppy Love

Open to the beauty of the day.

Surround yourself with friends.

In searching for a quote or poem in reference to poppies,

they almost all refer to Flander Field and war time.

May these soft pink and purple poppies represent for us today

a time of peace and JOY.

The ruffled edges remind me of the skirts of a ballerina.

The centers are like tiny tuffets just for us to sit awhile

amongst the sweet scent of the poppy.

There will be about 10 seed pods on these poppies,

some will be re-sewn into the garden.

The first 5 to comment they would like a pod,

I will send when they are dried and ready to send.

Enjoy the day and savor the sunshine of a summer weekend.

Slow and easy, time to meditate.

Delight!

Happy weekend, dear friends!

From my Back Steps

 I love this gift of a beautiful, sweet geranium.

A gift that gives JOY to me each year.

Thank you, dear friend, for I know you will come a visit'n .

 Just this morning I sat on my back step sipping my morning tea.

From my back step the cooing of doves delighted me

and I ran to get my camera.

Oh those elusive doves knew better than to hang around.

No dove pictures were to be found.

But from my back step the twitter of birds still delighted me.

The scampering of the squirrels made me smile.

Ahhh, the pure silence of the morning filled my soul.

And of course my tea was inviting to my palate.

In my cup today was Golden Needles from Yunnan, China

and purchased from the Jasmine Pearl in Portland, OR.

 This year in our pots on the back step we tried to recreate a French Garden that we 

had so many years ago.  There is coleus, dusty miller, geranium, and small daisies.

I am really enjoying them.

And still roses in the garden.

Savor, delight, and enjoy the little things in your day!

Exuberance!

 Exuberance!!!

The dictionary describes exuberance as "the quality of being full of energy,

 excitement, and cheerfulness; ebullience". 

How often do you feel exuberance in your soul?

How often do you laugh out load just with pure JOY?

Does a young child make you laugh?

Oh the delight of the balloons!

But on the same thought a flower can make my heart jump for JOY.

The colors and varieties make me smile.

Notice what you notice today!

Let your heart be happy and laugh with the simple things.

Tea in the Garden

 It was a perfect summer solstice day for tea in the garden.

The tables were set and ready for guests.

 A special little gift was tucked under the cup.
A touch stone embellished with a butterfly.

 A leisurely tea time was enjoyed.

 A potluck tea is fun. 

This was a meetup group for tea lovers.

Here Jenn, the coordinator, and myself enjoy a moment after tea had been served.
Celebrating the sun on a beautiful afternoon was truly a delight.

Linking to Bernideen in the Garden at http://blog.bernideens.com/

Monday's Quotes

 "Poppop" and the little guy spending time together.

 Families enjoying the day in the sun picking blueberries and picnicking.


Why God Created Fathers

When God created Fathers, He made two loving arms

To cradle us and shelter us from the worldly harm.

When God created Fathers, He made a pair of hands

To care for us and guide us through our choices and our plans.

When God created Fathers, He made the warmest heart

To understand and give our lives a happy, loving start.

Why God created Fathers, is not a mystery. . .

He meant to share His love with us and did it perfectly.

~anonymous

Blessings on the fathers that guide their children,

that love them perfectly.

For some this father is a dream

For some this father is a special man that steps in

to love us unconditionally.

It may be an uncle, friend, or grandfather that takes

up the banner strong.

God bless these special fathers on this day set aside just for them.

~m.miller

Note:  The quotes today were read by me as opening 

thoughts yesterday at my church in acknowledgement of father's day.

Happy Weekend, dear friends!

Seen from my window

I smile in pure enchantment

The sun is shining

~m.miller

A haiku and flowers to send you best wishes for a wonderful weekend.

This is my breakfast view right now.

Oh how the hummingbirds love to stop by for a visit.

And the honeybees are delighting in the garden.

Even our mail man yesterday said he liked that the 

honeybees were happy in the garden.

Sending Love your way.   Enjoy the day!

Honeybee Hike

 Leach Botanical Gardens in Portland has a Honeybee Hike for 2-5 year old on most Wednesdays.

 Last week we ventured to the gardens just to play.

 There were stories and a dinosaur there.

 Worms to hold, if you were especially brave.

And a garden to water and find tiny carrots to eat.

What fun we had playing in the garden 

and enjoying the sunshine with our grandson.

For more details you can check out my post at www.beautifulPDX.blogspot.com

It is a delight to venture out with a little one and see life through their eyes.
Just the little things of life, like a worm squirming in your hand, bring laughter and JOY.

A Walk in A Garden

Port Townsend, Washington

Port Gamble, Washington

You know I love gardens;

so when a surprise garden makes an appearance 

I just smile and pull out my camera.

On a road trip not so long ago I came across

two beautiful gardens and had to just click away.

Oh but I savored the foggy morning and the sunshine later on.

The blue of the water and the sky enchanted me.

Roses plus daisies delighted me.

It is most wonderful to discover new delights

and notice what I will notice.

Do you watch expectantly for new delights?

Do you smile when finding a new garden to enchant?

"Oh Lord, how shining and festive is your gift to us,

if we only look, and see."   ~mary oliver

Celebrate the Simple Things

Taking a moment or an hour to celebrate the simple things is precious to me.

I often celebrate the day with a cup of tea in the garden.

A book by my side for dreaming.

The savoring of the squirrels scampering across the lawn

or the birds swooping under the branches of my big tree.

For it is in these small celebrations that I delight

and that sooth my soul.

What is soothing your soul today?
 Linking with Bernideen for Tea in the Garden.

Monday's Quotes

There is no trouble so great or grave

that cannot be much diminished by a 

nice cup of tea.

~Bernard-Paul Heroux

Welcome friends to a new week.
Make it a good one!
Start with a cup of tea.
~marilyn

Roses in our Garden

 Peace

 Oranges and Lemons (my name: Carnival)

Charlotte

Lida Rose

Dove

May be another Peace, the colors vary on this one.

Belle Story

 Poet

 In front of our house, though not all the roses in the garden.

Renee de Violette

Jude the Obscure, a favorite of mine.

At last count there are 29 different roses in the garden.

Yes, we are a bit addicted, my live-in gardener and I.
The heat last week didn't help them much, so they
are looking a bit worn out now; but they will come back with vigor.
The photos were taken before the heat wave.

..........."If songs, like crimson roses,
Are plucked from thin blue air,
Why should mortals wonder
If God hears prayer?"
from Kitchen Sonnets, by Ethel Romig Fuller

Happy weekend, dear friends!
Enjoy the sunshine and stop to smell the roses along the way.