In Bloom!

 After a long hiatus from blogging...

Come take a walk with me around my gardens. 

 My garden gloves are dirty,

 my rubber clogs are full of mud,

and my knees are telling me that is enough for a day or two! 

My front porch has turned out to be my retreat

 in the heat of the day.

It faces the east so gets the morning sun.

Hubby & I both enjoy sitting here & spying on the neighbors

as they pass by.

We live on a private drive, with 17 families having homes here.

My roots are deep, after 33 years in the same place!

Out of necessity, I have become a "lazy" gardener.

Well...not lazy, just not able to bend and twist as I once did.

So, pre-planted containers have become my friend!

For quite a few years, I have told hubby that my goal

was to put out enough perennials that some day

I wouldn't have to plant a thing.

Well, that will probably never happen

as I love the color that annuals bring.

But the only thing I have done to this wall,

 is set out a few pots of Impatiens.

The rest come up each year!

This wall garden is on the north,

 so hosta's & ferns flourish.

I also have several hydrangeas

that will bloom in a few weeks.

Across the driveway is a shade garden under my tree.

This year I have cut way back and am

only putting out a pot or two of annuals out here.

I'm tired of dragging a garden hose around the yard!

The little garden bench was built by my Dad a long time ago.

It really doesn't go with my garden style anymore

 but I can't bear to toss it in the trash.

And in back of my house is my favorite area.

This is what I see from my kitchen bay window!

The little purple flower is a "Jolly Bea" perennial geranium.

I've had it for years & it will soon be covered with blooms

and if kept watered, it blooms all summer!

There is also a pink knock out rose that is loaded with buds!

My Iris...

I wish they bloomed year round!

And...my Mom's bird bath, which I treasure.

Later, daylilies, foxglove, daisies,

& bea balm (Monarda) will bring more color

Patio...a mess!

(Another piece of Dad's handywork..the "wagon")

When we first moved here, we planted a Norweigen spruce

which is a beautiful tree.

But~it has grown out of control & is taking over our patio area.

It brings much needed shade but also takes up much needed space.

(The patio isn't very big)

We are contemplating what to do...have it removed,

or just deal with it.

Last year hubby took the choppers to it

& I have been unhappy with it ever since.

Any suggestions???

And then there is my rusty old gazebo!

(I don't think our son has ever forgiven me for putting that thing

smack dab in the middle of the back yard,

right where his "pitcher's mound" used to be!)



My garden angel was a gift when my mother passed away.

..soon to be 10 years ago!

This has always been sort of a memory garden.

The gazebo is being covered with a climbing hydrangea.

It's blooming now!

Later, there will be Shasta daisies, assorted daylies, Monarda,

butterfly bush, & catmint.

And in the very back of the yard are two mounds,

this one with dogwoods & oakleaf hydreangeas.

A few iris are blooming out here too.

My poor dogwoods have had a struggle to live.

The year I planted them happened to be the year

of the 17 year locus & they just about ate them up!

And our last 2 years of drought have put a lot of stress on them.

But they survived the winter & bloomed for me again this year!

It's a chore to garden.

I'm no longer the 30 year old young lady that moved here those many years ago.

Now I am a grandmother with bad knees

and I am learning I can't do it alone.

We hired two guys to do the weeding and edging for me.

They also hauled & spread 7 yards of mulch (2 dump truck loads!)

and made me a very happy lady!

Now to go make a pitcher of iced tea.

I hear it is going to get up to also 90 degrees here next week!

At least we beat the heat!

Christmas Cards

A few days ago, I sat down at my desk

 with my faithful address book

and sent out Christmas greetings

 to family & friends.

It is a tradition that I have always enjoyed..

despite what my daughter thinks!

(Love ya, Karen!)

It is a running family joke that I love

 to "X" off names on my list

IF I don't receive a card from ones I sent.
Not true!

Well...maybe a little bit true.

Evidently at some point I got carried away

 with my red "x-ing" pen!

I've kept this Christmas list book since 1988.

Throughout the pages are lots of address changes,

notes of loved ones no longer on this earth,

and some names of friends we have lost track of.

It has sort of become a history book

of family & friends.

But it is also a tradition I am seeing fade away.

I don't receive as many cards in the mail these days.

No doubt the Internet has something to do with it...

making contact through the keyboard a convenience,

plus a way to cut back on money spent.

I'll store my little old red address book away

 for another year.

I just hope I can remember where I put it!

Merry Christmas to you...

if I didn't get a card in the mail to you!

Grieving for Newtown

 I know we are all grieving over the loss of the precious little children & their teachers in Connecticut.  I cannot get over the horror of what those little ones went through, along with the ones that remain.  

After we got home from church this evening, I received a text from my daughter.  A young friend had sent this poem to her and as I read it out loud to my husband, the tears flowed!  Yes!  Those precious souls are now with their Savior and no longer have to know what a very wicked world we live in.  Please pass this on. . .

T’was Eleven Days Before Christmas

T’was 11 days before Christmas, around 9:38

When 20 beautiful children stormed through Heaven's gate.

Their smiles were contagious, their laughter filled the air,

They could hardly believe all the beauty they saw there.

They were filled with such joy, they didn't know what to say.

They remembered nothing of what had happened earlier that day.

"Where are we?" asked a little girl, as quiet as a mouse.

"This is Heaven," declared a small boy. We're spending Christmas at God's house."

When what to their wondering eyes did appear, but Jesus, their Savior,

the children gathered near.

He looked at them and smiled, and they smiled just the same.

Then He opened His arms and He called them by name.

And in that moment was joy, that only Heaven can bring,

Those children all flew into the arms of their King.

And as they lingered in the warmth of His embrace,

One small girl turned and looked at Jesus' face.

And as if He could read all the questions she had,

He gently whispered to her, "I'll take care of mom and dad."

Then He looked down on Earth, the world far below,

He saw all of the hurt, the sorrow, and woe,

Then He closed His eyes and He outstretched His hand,

"Let my power and presence re-enter this land!"

"May this country be delivered from the hands of fools"

"I'm taking back my nation. I'm taking back my schools!"

Then He and the children stood up without a sound.

"Come now my children, let me show you around."

Excitement filled the space, some skipped and some ran.

All displaying enthusiasm that only a small child can.

And I heard Him proclaim as He walked out of sight,

"In the midst of this darkness, I AM STILL THE LIGHT." 

written by Cameo Smith, Mt. Wolf, PA.