Just Around the Corner!

“Spring is when you feel like whistling, even with a shoe full of slush.”

— Doug Larson

This pretty much sums up  our lead in to spring!
We have had so much rain  this winter  that the ground continues to be  saturated..  I  wanted to  cut some daffodils, but  I need   waders to get over to them.. Maybe I can tomorrow..

But  with the  spring -like feel to the air,,  it really  makes me want to  get  the house all spruced up!

Enter spring,  and the  heavy dark colors in the living room  call out to me to be lifted.. so out come the  white  afghans  to  subdue the  navies and  maroons.  Last year I  removed the  tapestry for cleaning and    didn't put it back until fall...  But,  I missed it.. so  it will stay and  enjoy the  liveliness of spring and summer!!  Besides it is full of  beautiful springy flowers!!

“The flowers of late winter and early spring occupy places in our hearts well out of proportion to their size.”
— Gertrude S. Wister
To  bring out the  flowery  glory of spring I  happened to be at Pier 1 yesterday  and  found  gorgeous pillows for the  sofa!!!

So Easter Bunny found a home nearby!!

My geneaology table,, actually is  the antique  gateleg table that my grandfather made for his new farmhouse he built   following WWI.  I  like to keep it  vintage looking  in tribute to my  heritage!

Young Lambs by John Clare

The spring is coming by a many signs;
The trays are up, the hedges broken down,
That fenced the haystack, and the remnant shines
Like some old antique fragment weathered brown.
And where suns peep, in every sheltered place,
The little early buttercups unfold
A glittering star or two--till many trace
The edges of the blackthorn clumps in gold.
And then a little lamb bolts up behind
The hill and wags his tail to meet the yoe,
And then another, sheltered from the wind,
Lies all his length as dead--and lets me go
Close bye and never stirs but baking lies,
With legs stretched out as though he could not rise.

Spring time puts such a spark in my giddy up... I have found   a spring in my  step...  a  praise in my heart and a love for   the One true  Creator of all things... Spring is a tribute to His  great majesty.  Tomorrow when we  host  a prayer   vigil in this room,  we will be reminded to  praise  Him for the Beauty of the Earth !
For the beauty of the earth
For the beauty of the skies
For the love
which from our birth
Over and around us lies
Lord of all to thee we raise
This our joyful hymn of praise
For the beauty of the hour
Of the day and of the night
Hill and vale
And tree and flower
Sun and moon and stars of light
Lord of all to thee we raise
This our joy ful hymn of praise
For the joy of human love
Brother, sister, parent, child
Friends on earth
And friends above
For a gentle
Thoughts and mild
For a gentle
Thoughts and mild
Lord of all to thee we raise
This our joyful hymn of praise
For each perfect gift of thine
To our race so freely given
Graces human and divine
Flow'rs of earth and buds of heav'n
Lord of all to thee we raise
This our joy ful hymn of praise

Homestyle Gathering

Home and Garden Thursday

Thursday Favorite Things

Grace at Home
 Pink Saturday

Joyful. Joyful

Finally, the  Christmas   box is out of the living and   things are  shaping... perhaps not   completely  but  well  enough to make me  happy  with my  quiet time in there! Because of a   decorative light problem I  did  some  changing about to make it all work....  the mantel  and  the  tree in the corner  are   finally    complete!

Here is one of the  several changes that have  happened  that I  wrote of in my previous post....

We have arrived at  a juncture in life when  neither of us  was willing to put the big tree up....  so  We are enjoying  our year round trees  in new   venues and new purposes....  it surely is much easier!

I had   a  lovely  wrought iron planter  as the centerpiece for the mantel,   but  it was  a  royal pain  plugging the lights in  so  I switched it for this   sweet  medieval lantern

So now the living room is aglow with  lights.....  I do enjoy them so!

The  creche   in candlelight...  

The  sweet  vintage  ceramic  tree  hubby's mother made  over 50 years ago....  hard to believe   we lost her over 45 years ago.

So there by the door is   my   favored  arched planter.... I like it there because  that   outlet is connected to the   switch by the stairs and serves as our night light in the evenings!
But because of the  rough iron I  must use   cloths  on the  surfaces..... 

  A bit of a wider view on into the  dining room... 

I must say the lights of  Christmas  certainly  dissipate the  drear of  rainy days

I am still loving   the    Christmas tray  that I mother painted and sold in a Guild  craft show  at least  25 years ago   that I found  in a  local consignment shop...  I  posted about it last week.... It really  boosted its  persona  when I simply  removed the sad ribbon and   sanitized it nicely....  I can feel mama smiling down on me as I am typing this post!

I know, previously, I  had  Mr. and Mrs. Fox  visiting  on the   hutch....  I think I am liking the  look  just fine this year....   everything in its season of life!

This year I am loving the  red and white gingham ribbon  with the red and white  dishes....  I really must  find another roll of that ribbon...  maybe a trip to Michael's is in my future! 

Make It Pretty

Return to Loveliness

Martha’s Favorites 

 Tuesday Cuppa Tea

Friends Sharing Tea 
I was delighted to be featured on Bernideen's  beautiful blog last week!!!

 Share Your Cup Thurs

  Grace at Home

 Thursday Favorite Things
No Place Like Home
I   was  also   over the moon  to   find that I was  featured on   Sandi's  fabulous  blog....

 Home and Garden Thursday   

                     

A little Bit Goes a Long Way... well sort of!

Yesterday marked   exactly  one month ago  that we  arrived home form our dream  trip....  I mention  that because I cant believe that month has gone by so quickly.  We missed spring here   so  as soon as  we    got  settled back in our routine,   we  stepped up  for Mother's day and  got a few  planting   which  are  coming along so  nicely now....

 Geraniums are so showy  and hardy.. they seem to like  our  hot summers  

 as well the blue salvia never  fails to delight  each year!

 Time to  consider what else we can do  to  enliven our   back  door entrance....  we do have some special folks coming   later this summer....   hmmm...   time to plan  and    initiate  those plans.....   get back to that one later!

Home  and Garden 

 Outdoor Wednesday

A Hint of Autumn... well, maybe more than a hint!

I am  so into   my  autumn mood....  I can  hardly stand to  walk through the house without  trying to  bring out a bit of  orange, gold and brown...  a hint of autumn here...   all in the effort of bringing the outdoors inside!

a splattering there...

a splash yet over there!

  all this just in time for the  predicted  change in the weather   coming soon!!!

Home  and Garden  

 Outdoor Wednesday

Cottage Style Party 

Summer Arrives in Glory!

I have really enjoyed these  first days of summer.  The  regular  rain showers have  kept the  grass so green and the colors so vibrant!

 The profuse petunias  create such a cheery  greeting by the back door!

Summer

Hydrangeas explode, grass spikes the soil

Sun scorches all, water crashes on shores 

Ice destroyed, eyes beaten by bright rays 

Heat everywhere, blue suffocates the sky 

We love a violent summer

source

 The  day lilies  show off with their fiery  hues ! 

 Rosy  blossoms  bless  my heart scattered here and there!

 My  garden kids  make me smile broadly.. they are such   happy little gardeners....

Home  and Garden  

 Outdoor Wednesday

Cottage Style Party

Special Luncheon Under Heaven

Today was  an awesome day....   there is nothing  at all  like  celebrating  anything   with  your Christian  sisters..   earlier this week I wrote about a luncheon I  was planning for today   to  meet with  a group of  ladies from my church   who  are partnering with me to do a service project  on Monday... to  give a  fun Easter party to   kids at  an inner city mission, some of which are  transplanted refugees from  the Far East....  what a glorious opportunity to share the love of Christ, especially during this Holy Week!   Since this is  a life journal that I am blessed  that my daughter enjoys  following, I will share that   at 9:30 this morning I had an appointment  to meet with  Good Samaritan Hospice to discuss my mother's care which   wasnt exactly the  best time for me to  be discussing many  difficult topics and then rush home to  cook for   a luncheon for 6,  but  also, because one of those  6 is  a very   special friend, I had already called her to come and help  me,  and my  dearest Lynn helped  so much, too....   So there    was  one  very   amazing blessing of  my  morning..

The menu   was 

Sesame & Ginger Chicken

source

Ingredients

1  pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-size strips

1/4 

cup bottled light Asian-style dressing with sesame and ginger

2 

cups packaged julienned carrots

1/8 

teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 

head butterhead lettuce, leaves separated

1/4 

cup honey-roasted peanuts, chopped

Lime wedges

Directions

Sprinkle chicken lightly with salt and pepper. Lightly coat a large skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook and stir for 3 minutes or until browned. Add 1 tablespoon of the dressing and the carrots to skillet; cook and stir for 2 to 3 minutes more or until carrots are crisp-tender and chicken is no longer pink. Stir in red pepper. On a large platter arrange 4 stacks of lettuce leaves. Serve by filling leaves with chicken mixture. Sprinkle with nuts. Serve with remaining dressing and lime wedges.

From the Test Kitchen

Stack lettuce on plates. Top with chicken-carrot mixture. Sprinkle with chopped nuts. Serve with remaining dressing and lime wedges. Serves 4

Deviled Eggs, roasted asparagus and  angel food cake topped with maserated strawberries and  whipped cream  rounded out the   lunch!

To maserate  strawberries:

1 pints (2 cups) fresh strawberries, sliced thick

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Thirty minutes to an hour before serving, combine the strawberries, balsamic vinegar, sugar, and pepper in a bowl. Set aside at room temperature.

Because this was a planning meeting, I had  individual baskets from the Dollar Tree  with the items  the ladies would need at the party at each place setting.. I was particularly  pleased the  varigated tulips opened nicely for me   right before the gathering time!

Inside each basket  were  the elements needed to decorate  Easter cookies with the children,    and  some story projects helps     to  pass out to each  child assigned to each lady! Ratio,3:1

Walmart was  a great one stop shop  for  purchasing all the decorating supplies  along with the  disposable  icing  sleeves so we  can  each have  at least  4  colors of icing in our basket of tricks!

 My daughter, Amanda  inspired me to  decorate the deviled eggs  with  chopped  red pepper, onion tops, and  carrots  to  make it  extra festive,  I also instructed my friend to  follow Amanda's   idea to  fill a baggy with  the  filling,  snip a hole in the corner and pipe the  goody into the egg white  for a super attractive look.....I love  the  special   touch that little  step made... 

         

 The  grocer did not have the butterhead  lettuce,  which  would have made for much nicer    servings....    this Boston lettuce was just  too  stiff and wouldnt roll easily... but  these  marvels were   quite delicious and were a  huge hit!

Oops, I    snapped this shot  before I had   gotten my serving of roasted  asparagus,  but what a   lovely side veggie that is for   this time of year....

 We enjoyed our dessert with  robust cups of  Arabica coffee...  Quite a lovely dining experience  today,  but   more importantly, to share  good food with  Christian friends  is  the best gift  under heaven.... 
The conversation was saturated with  what I truly believe  were  Holy Spirit inspirations   of  ways   to serve in the  church,   Benevolent  ideas  to explore,   warming  experiences  shared  and some that  were  just deeply personal revelations  shared in  the purity of  the safe  environment of trust and  understanding   One friend  summed it up this way,   "Today was  the church  in action lovingly  doing the work of the Lord." Our  stomachs  and our hearts and spirits were  filled to overflowing  today!

Home and Garden Thursday

Grace at Home

Cottage Style Party

The Charm of Home

Make it Pretty 

A Return to Loveliness

Martha’s Favorites 

Tea Time Tuesday 

Tuesday Cuppa Tea

Teacup Tuesday 

Friends Sharing Tea

Share Your Cup Thursday

Thursday Favorite Things

January House Plants

My wonderful friends and family have been so attentive and loving to us  during the time of the loss of Dad  in December.  One very tangible  way they have shown their love is  in the   gorgeous plants  they  sent and brought to us.

This  delicately  beautiful  orchid from my  dear  cousin, Cindy, is one such example...  Oh, how I pray I can keep it going.   So far so good,  Ive had it now  over a month...
During the very cold snap  I   brought all of them  into the dining room from the sunroom ... 

but now  the plants are  valiantly gracing other rooms!

These  magnificent peace lilies flank the fireplace !

 They lift the atmosphere  and put me in the mood for   spring... their vibrancy  and   life giving  oxygen  also lift the spirit!

I love how commanding they a re in the room...

'Connection with gardens, even small ones, even potted plants, can become windows to the inner life. The simple act of stopping and looking at the beauty around us can be prayer.'
Patricia R. Barrett

Home Party@ Sandi's   Rose Chintz Cottage     

Thursday  Favorite Things

Grace at Home  @ Imparting Grace

Home and Garden at  A Delightsome Life

   

Home Sweet Home at Charm of Home