Happy Homemaker Monday

Time to Clear the Garden

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Today:
is a  beautiful early spring day....   clear, bright and fresh!

Right now I am::: 
anxiously awaiting  a phone call from my dearest daughter about   doing a google chat. yayayayayayay

Thinking and pondering::: I wasnt at all sure  about re-upping  in our local Garden Club....    for next year... this year has been so   crazy...  but to be honest, I dont think I gave it a fair chance, so when I was just asked what month Id prefer to hostess, I chose February... the die is cast!

On my bedside table:::

Beth Moore,  David,  Seeking a Heart Like His

On my tv tonight:::
Hallmark Movies  and this month  we are    beginning  a free trial of  Amazon Prime movies  

Listening to:::

Another Pandora  I created...  I absolutely adore  the music of Dan Gibson

On the menu for this week:::

menus?????
I find I am not a menu planner

On my to do list:::
 laundry

reading

Bible Study

  

    Plans for this week:::

Monday -  
Garden Club scrapbook  meeting

Deliver Baby items  for our church to a refugee  group we serveTuesday ~ 
Beth Moore study homework

garden work
Wednesday-
Garden Club 
( give the devotional)
walk the track
Choir

Thursday - 

Bible Study
Friday - 
Birthday dinner  with a friend
Intercessors for America Prayer  night

What I am sewing, crocheting, knitting or creating:::

must get around to this!!!!!
 I am so excited about the new fabric I found to make  valances for Birdie's room!

My simple pleasure:::

watching  Internet programming  with  my  hubby  in bed

we just discovered old you tube  episodes of What's My Line... love those!!!!!!

Lessons learned:
Drink more water!!!!

Looking around the house:::

Thinking about  porch time... will be here before I know it!!!! 

From the camera

My two angels!!!

Prayer List:::

Our  home, family,    church,  and  nation

Bible verse, Devotional:::
Acts 17: 24-28

24 “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. 25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. 26 From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. 27 God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. 28 ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’

Trying to Usher in a Bit of Spring

For us here in SW Virginia, spring is  still  an illusion....  we see it on the calendar,   but today  it is very drear with  55 mild per our gusts  and  snow flurries...I keep telling myself,  ok,  I suppose it could be considered kite flying weather,  but  then who  wants to  sail  right away on the end of a kite string. 

Then last night  as  I watched Jane Eyre on Netflix,the most  gorgeous  1996  edition,

 directed by  Franco Zefferilli...  the  story  was set in    remote  Yorkshire,  and as the wind howled out  my window I imagined  being  a part  of the  story...

Filmed in Haddon Hall in Derby, England,   

   

which is one of the most  beautiful medieval  homes still standing in the UK.

As the story  developed across  several seasons,   no scenes  were more ethereal than  springtime around the environs.

I  think one of the most romantic scenes of any literary novel,   the garden scene  when  Jane and  Mr. Rochester  professed their love .....

Spring blooms radiantly  around the Hall.

While I am  reminiscing over the film, I would be remiss to not mention what   caught my  imagination most about the inside of Haddon Hall...

  

  

If you havent guessed, yet,   it is the   exquisite mullioned windows....   and the light and shadow play   inside  that  took my breath away as much as  any living  scene on the film....  Now that was  a  magical  way to try to usher in  spring  to my  dreary    late March   evening!

Seasonal Sunday   with The Tablescaper.

Random 5 Friday

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1.  Well, spring has finally come to SW Virginia....   we  are  awakening this morning to  49   degrees,  drear  and windy March morning.. Doesnt sound  so great,  well,  at least the threat of snow is past, and  it looks like  kite flying weather! Yayayayayayay!

2.  Last night  hubby and I had a marvelous date night....Our daughter, a graduate form  Virginia tech sent us the notice
William Bennett lecture. Former U.S. Secretary of Education, host of the nationally syndicated “Morning in America” radio show, and author William J. Bennett will give the Cutchins Distinguished Lecture, “The Promise of America in Challenging Times,” at Virginia Tech on Thursday, March 27, 7:30 p.m., in Burruss Auditorium...
www.vtnews.vt.edu/articles/2014/03/032414-pamplin-bennett.html

So we went and  what  an awesome   event...

 I wish the photos were better, but  I had to  zoom in  quite a bit to  focus on the stage...

 it was wonderful to see the  huge auditorium utterly   fill up with   young men in  uniform,  not only from  VPI, but VMI and the Naval Academy, as well.

 I really wish this was   clearer,  but I did feel rather   naughty for  stealing the  snapshot even though others were     snapping  as he  came to the podium  and the   audience was still  cheering his   entrance.

Mr. Bennett is such an inspiring and encouraging  speaker.  he put new  hope for  our country  in each listener there, because he reminded us of our  Godly heritage, and the   patriotism that  will never die, even if it  is  rather  sleepy  today!

3.  Lynn and I celebrated our  42nd  anniversary this past week!

4.  I am  so     delighted and   my heart is  filled with  love for my  precious daughter who is  encouraging me with my health   initiatives... She is my  accountability partner.. We exchange our  eating  charts  with   our exercise    listed for  each week...

5. Tomorrow is  our co-ed prayer  time  at the church chapel...usually we  women and men meet separately,  but  since it is 5th Saturday  we all get together to pray then  go our for breakfast....this works great, because  the men  are all    husbands to us  gals, who are married...  so  it all works out nicely...

Tea Day..Mr. Lewis Would Have Been proud!

 Today  dawned   chilly and damp...just the kind of day   for a fire  in the fireplace....
 a cosy kind of day perfect  for spending with   friends!

And that is  wonderful  because 
 today was my Book Chat Tea! 
What a   marvelous   time we shared...
I know I loved it, and I  pray  the girls enjoyed it, too...

  I set the menu  weeks ago....

as well as , the theme....
  which was  to recreate    an English tearoom atmosphere  and  enjoy  English morsels. 

A lovely  British  blogger, Marie,  had  some recipes  for   tea sandwiches   which sounded  perfect for   the occasion.     Because   another element of the theme  revolved around  CS  Lewis and his love for  deep discussion, books and tea,   I  searched for   items  he might enjoy...  Marie  introduced me to  Gentleman's Morsels...  which were a huge hit.

The recipe was certainly simple enough as well.

8 thin slices  bread

apricot jam

1/4 lb very thinly sliced smoked ham

Dijon mustard 

I, also,  had Benedictine  and  egg salad 
sandwiches.

Benedictine~
2 (8-oz.) packages cream cheese, softened $
1 cup peeled, seeded, and finely chopped cucumber $
1/2 cup minced green onions
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
2 tablespoons mayonnaise $
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
48 white bread slices

 this  recipe would feed an army...  I  only  made about  5  sandwiches  and halved them,

I  made the  Cinnamon Chip Scones   I shared  previously

 and served them up  with   fresh homemade clotted cream....

 I served the  food  in the parlor and  allowed everyone to serve themselves... the tea   was served in the  dining room...

I love how  Dot is  demonstrating   the proper  way to  hold    her  cup!  She is taking  her task so seriously,  which makes it all the more fun!
   

 Lynne enjoyed   guarding the  food....  I just love     these gals...they  are such a   blessing to me!

 A marvelous  thing... to balance a  plate of dainties on one's knee  while  debating the    deeper truths of God's Word!....   A    glorious morning  was   shared by all!

  


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Visit Sandra here for more HHM!
Today:
has been sunny  but chilly...   which was perfect  because today was  my tea party  book chat,... and  we had a  fire in the fireplace...

Right now I am::: 
I am unwinding and    thinking about   tonight.... we are celebrating  our 42 years of marriage! 

Thinking and pondering:::
The joy that comes  from being with  our  Sisters in Christ  around His word and   enjoying  the  small pleasures!

On my bedside table:::

My Bible,   studying the book of  2 Samuel, Mark and  2Timothy

On my tv tonight:::
Enjoying the  reruns of Frasier on Hallmark

Listening to:::

Another Pandora  I created...  Paul Cardall..
I am pleased to introduce him to you

Contemporary jazz pianist Paul Cardall was born April 24, 1973; suffering from a congenital heart defect, he was given only days to live but defied medical expectations, enduring a series of surgeries and illnesses throughout his childhood. Finding comfort in music, Cardall began piano lessons at age eight but quit six months later, not playing again for a decade. While in high school, however, tragedy struck when one of his best friends was killed in a car accident; a grieving Cardall spontaneously composed a musical tribute, going on to write a dozen more songs and in 1995 privately pressing an album. Around that same time he took a job playing piano at a local department store during the holiday season, selling his record to customers; one copy of the disc made its way to author Richard Paul Evans, the writer of the best-seller The Christmas Box, who invited Cardall to write and record a musical adaptation of the book. The resulting album, also titled The Christmas Box, was released in 1997; upon signing to the Narada label, Cardall reissued the album two years later in conjunction with a new effort, The Looking Glass, which, like its predecessor, drew inspiration from Evans' novels. Cardall issued two albums in 2002, Daily Devotions andMiracles: A Journey of Hope and Healing. Stone Angel has distributed many of his releases, including 2004's Christmas Hymns, Vol. 1 and 2007's Songs of Praise. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi

On the menu for this week:::

NO  time lately to plan

On my to do list:::
 laundry

reading

Beth Moore Bible Study

  

    Plans for this week:::

Monday -  
Morning Book Chat Tea Party 

Anniversary dinner

Tuesday ~ 
Haircut
movie~God is not Dead
Beth Moore study homework

Wednesday-
walk the track
Choir

Thursday - 

Bible Study

Friday - 
Birthday dinner  for a friend
Intercessors for America Prayer  night

What I am sewing, crocheting, knitting or creating:::

must get around to this!!!!!

 I am so excited about the new fabric I found to make  valances for Birdie's room!

My simple pleasure:::

a cup of tea   with   very special  friends

Lessons learned:
Put yourself out there and live!

Looking around the house:::

not bad!

From the camera

Lynne and I  at the party that  we have looked forward to for   so long.... so   precious to have my prayer Sista's   over  to spend a  special time of   fun,  around  god's  word and    enjoy not only delicious tea fare, but deep  discussions   of the wWord and Spirit!

Prayer List:::

Our  home, family,    church,  and  nation

Bible verse, Devotional:::

Isaiah 26

A song of praise

26 In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah:


We have a strong city;
God makes salvation
its walls and ramparts.
2 Open the gates
that the righteous nation may enter,
the nation that keeps faith.
3 You will keep in perfect peace
those whose minds are steadfast,
because they trust in you.
4 Trust in the Lord for ever,
for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal.
5 He humbles those who dwell on high,
he lays the lofty city low;
he levels it to the ground
and casts it down to the dust.
6 Feet trample it down –
the feet of the oppressed,
the footsteps of the poor.


7 The path of the righteous is level;
you, the Upright One, make the way of the righteous smooth.
8 Yes, Lord, walking in the way of your laws,
we wait for you;
your name and renown
are the desire of our hearts.
9 My soul yearns for you in the night;
in the morning my spirit longs for you.
When your judgments come upon the earth,
the people of the world learn righteousness.
10 But when grace is shown to the wicked,
they do not learn righteousness;
even in a land of uprightness they go on doing evil
and do not regard the majesty of the Lord.
11 Lord, your hand is lifted high,
but they do not see it.
Let them see your zeal for your people and be put to shame;
let the fire reserved for your enemies consume them.


12 Lord, you establish peace for us;
all that we have accomplished you have done for us.
13 Lord our God, other lords besides you have ruled over us,
but your name alone do we honour.
14 They are now dead, they live no more;
their spirits do not rise.
You punished them and brought them to ruin;
you wiped out all memory of them.
15 You have enlarged the nation, Lord;
you have enlarged the nation.
You have gained glory for yourself;
you have extended all the borders of the land.


16 Lord, they came to you in their distress;
when you disciplined them,
they could barely whisper a prayer.
17 As a pregnant woman about to give birth
writhes and cries out in her pain,
so were we in your presence, Lord.
18 We were with child, we writhed in labour,
but we gave birth to wind.
We have not brought salvation to the earth,
and the people of the world have not come to life.


19 But your dead will live, Lord;
their bodies will rise –
let those who dwell in the dust
wake up and shout for joy –
your dew is like the dew of the morning;
the earth will give birth to her dead.


20 Go, my people, enter your rooms
and shut the doors behind you;
hide yourselves for a little while
until his wrath has passed by.
21 See, the Lord is coming out of his dwelling
to punish the people of the earth for their sins.
The earth will disclose the blood shed on it;
the earth will conceal its slain no longer.

Upright Beauty

Happy Pink Saturday!

Six months ago,   I  was   so ecstatic to   share that  we had become grandparents and for lack of a proper photo to share  of our lil Birdie, I found this doll  that  resonated her  sweet  loveliness to me,   mainly her little rosebud  mouth....

  but  in 6 months,   a beauty  demonstrates her  vivacity and charm  and   this  inanimate  yet  beautiful  doll just  doesnt  do   Birdie justice... at all.

Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him.

Psalm 33:1

Happy Pink Saturday!

Winsome Wednesday.... Power Through the Spirit

To return to Tracy's blog,   click  here! I am so thankful for the Lord's leading, His teaching, his  provision, His perfect timing...  I am learning so much  lately about his wonderful Spirit...  living in us....  how very  empowering He is,  yet,  such a gentleman,,,  He doesn't force His will on us,   but  when we  need Him,  He doesn't fail to show up with the answer or help we need at the  perfect moment of our need....  never  early,   never late. I am also learning how  easily He is  offended by our sin,  our attitude,  our   soulful  actions   when we  choose wrongly to do what feels good to us,  even when we  doubt it pleases God...  Like the dove  that descended on our  Lord.... the dove remained on  Him throughout  the rest of  Jesus' life because  Jesus never    did one thing to  send  Him  fleeting,,,  yet,   by our own wills  we  so often    grieve the spirit  by our sin, our lack of forgiveness,  bitterness, anger,  tongue, lack of faith, and  then we ask  why  we are not feeling the presence of the Lord.... Oh, to  trust and love God enough to   live  a life that  reflects  the light of the world, our   savior, Jesus Christ...to  choose to   walk lightly in the  glory of  the Father,  and  put our desire for  His presence  over   any other   worldly desire  we may  have!  To  realize just how precious the dove is to us, yet how  powerful   it's  affects  are on our lives!

After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him.

Matthew 3:16

Vernal Solicitudes

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My box of note cards    make me long for the  mild days of  spring...   days that seem so far away, yet spring   begins in  a  few hours time....perchance if  I just don't  look out my window, and  simply close my eyes and remember  the day these photos were taken,  I  can  feel the  warmth  and   feel the  slight breeze....I might hear the  babbling stream or even a buzzing insect..I think we all carry these memories in our hearts  of  lazy spring days... These Thinking of You cards  capture  the glories  of the vernal  solicitude!

I chatter over stony ways,
In little sharps and trebles,
I bubble into eddying bays,
I babble on the pebbles. 
~Tennyson

How did you think of a clean brown pool
Where flecks of shadows are? 
~Angela Morgan

How fair is a garden amid the trials and passions of existence. ~Benjamin Disraeli

Plants cry their gratitude for the sun in green joy. ~Terri Guillemets

To Cake or Not to Cake!

Less than a week now  until   my   fun Book Chat Tea...This has been in  the works for about a month now.  It all started with   the book Holy Fire, by RT Kendall....   and if you click on the book you will   go to the author's  page    and find out  why this book is so timely... all I can say it sums  up exactly  what I  believe in my spirit  to be true about  believing  the Bible in its entirety..IN other words, I   was taught the cessationist view,  but  now I think that is   heretical!  I believe the whole gospel!!!!YOU may or may not be interested in that...   but at any rate,  I purchased  the book for my dearest friends and prayer Sisters  and gave them a month to read it....then I  invited them to   a lovely  English  style  tea  to discuss the book  rather in  CS  Lewis style...  therefore  I have  rearranged my  living room  into an Olde English style study  or tearoom....

with the furniture  pulled in close together,   stacks of books  lying about..... and if this cold weather continues  a cozy  fire in the  fireplace will  take the chill off... hard to believe  it is  almost spring!

 My  Blue and white transfer ware   are at readiness... and I actually had  an opportunity   on Sunday to  try out the  tea cake  that  I  practiced baking..... I never  like to   serve  a recipe Ive never  made before.
My marmalade  sponge   cake   looked lovely,  just a single layer....saturated with  delicious orange  marmalade, but  when my  sweet cousin and  aunt  popped in on Sunday  I begged them to  enjoy a sliver  and tell me exactly what they thought.

 
Honest  to the core, their faces   showed  they werent quite sure how they felt....  they  said the texture was a bit off-putting....  I explained it was an Olde English recipe....  and  I  really like it, and Lynn has eaten half of it   now...  but I still   think I will  keep  experimenting...

even though I do  imagine  Mr. Lewis asking for  "a  bit more o that  lovely  marmalade  cake,   if you  wouldnt  mind!"
I still am making   those   beautiful  cinnamon Chip  scones  which by the way are   wonderful made a the day before   and    just  reheated as  desired...  
     

Anyway, dear cuz  offered to send me her favorite  sweet and   the recipe  

follows:

Millionaire Pie

1.  One Graham Cracker Pie Shell (I use the 9 oz/10" size)

2.  One 8 Ounce Package Softened Cream Cheese

3.  1/2 Cup Sugar

4.  One 8 Ounce Can Crushed Pineapple Undrained

5.  One Cup Fresh Frozen Coconut (Keep back 1 Tablespoon)

6.  One Cup Pecans Finely Chopped

7.  One 8 Ounce Container Cool Whip

Cream together your cream cheese and sugar with a hand mixer for 3-4 minutes.  Now add in the undrained pineapple, coconut, and pecans and mix together very well.  Now fold in half of the whipped topping and mix together well.  Pour into graham cracker pie shell.

Take the other half of the Cool Whip and place it on top of the pie, smoothing until evenly spread.  Toast the tablespoon of reserved coconut to golden brown under your broiler and sprinkle it on top of your pie for garnish.  Cover the pie and place back in the freezer.  When ready to serve, let the pie thaw just enough to be able to cut slices.

Optional:  Serve your pie on saucers or plates that you have had in the freezer for at least 4 hours, and it will work better if they have been in the freezer over night.  You can if you wish garnish the top of your pie with a maraschino cherry.  (I don't bother with this optional step.)

Enjoy!!

That does  sound delish  and  yahoo... another   make ahead dish....   because I will be   busy that morning  with the savories....  more on those  coming up  !!!!

Planning for and     getting ready for this tea has  really  been a  great boon to me over the past  dreary, cold, and snowy weeks....  It  has kept the hope of spring  ever on my mind and in my heart as I  have  dreamed of creating  a  joyous  time for my  dearest friends in the world!  

I am  sharing on 



A Return to Loveliness

Martha’s Favorites 

Tea Time Tuesday 

 Tuesday Cuppa Tea

Teacup Tuesday 

Friends Sharing Tea 

Share Your Cup Thursday

The Charm of Home