Even In Winter

The pink Hibiscus blooms.......

yet a bit sporadically......

and,  if the temps stay above freezing here

in Florida,

the Hibiscus will continue

 to bloom

all year long.

Busy day planned.....it's off to "Vote"

this morning. 

May God's man win......Dee Dee

I Find Them A Lovely Curiosity

I am profoundly elated with our new Camellias,

and, that they've found themselves right at

home in our garden.

From the beginning of the blooming process,

one finds them a curiosity.  and upon closer

examination......

they are splendidly fascinating.

We are of good fortune, that the

weather has forgotten how to behave

during the winter months....

therefore, our potted Camellias

give one a feeling of spring.

In my garden there is a large place

for sentiment.

My garden of flowers is also my

garden of thoughts and dreams.

The thoughts grow as freely

as the flowers and dreams

are so beautiful.

~Abram Urban

Have a happy and blessed week......Dee Dee

Be Glad

Be glad of life, because it gives you

the chance to love and to work and

to play and to look up at the stars;

to be satisfied with your possessions

to think seldom of your enemies,

often of your family and friends,

and every day of Christ.

~Henry van Dyke

Counting my blessings today,

naming them one by one.....

counting my blessings,

seeing what God has done......Dee Dee

I Think A Kindred Spirit

This Thomas Jefferson  Memorial

is  appropriately placed in a garden........

I have often thought that if heaven

had given me a choice of my

position and calling, it should have

 been on a rich spot of earth,

well watered, and near a good market

 for the productions of the

garden.  No occupation is so delightful

to me as the culture of

the earth, and no culture comparable to

that of the garden.  Such

a variety of subjects, some one

always coming to perfection, the

failure of one thing repaired by the

success of another, and instead

of one harvest a continued one

 through the year.  Under a total

want of demand except for our

family table, I am still devoted to

the garden.  But though an old man,

I am but a young gardener.

~Thomas Jefferson

On my "Bucket List"

to visit Monticello and wonder

through these magnificent gardens.

My thoughts....a man that

 finds contentment in

gardening, has found his

connection with the Creator.

Wishing you a most pleasant

and happy day......Dee Dee

We Need "God's Man"

I posted a short while ago on a book

I was reading...."Being George Washington"

written by Glenn Beck.

Not the sort of book you hurry through,

I took my time, sometimes re-reading paragraphs

and discussing what I had read with the Mister.

While reading about this great  man, I

 realized and  quite possibly for the first time,

how clearly the evidence shows,

 God's guidance and Washington's

willingness to follow Him, during the

formatiive years  of our nation.

There is too much to say about

George Washington in such a small

posting space, for he was  larger than life,

but I will say a few things to ponder.

Apparent to me now,

from  reading about  Washington's

  long service to our beloved country,

his remarkable survival in the many wars he fought,

and

his eventual positioning as first  President

of the United States,

he was,

without a doubt

 privileged with having God's amazing protection and guidance. 

Considering the political climate

these days, all of us who care enough,

are trying to decide on how we will

respond to the call of our citizen's

responsibility. 

We're  busy trying to decipher

who and what each candidate is all about.

Do we know enough about them, 

from what we've learned

during the debates, from the Internet and campaign

literature?  What is the truth?  What are

adjectives we would use to describe each candidate?

Having just read about George Washington,

I have some pretty stiff requirements for

our next President. 

He certainly needs  to be Christian, honest, creative,

intelligent, brave, kind, fair, caring, and courageous.

Last and most important, 

 I need to see clear

 evidence of leadership.

 Will he  have the

wisdom that others will admire enough to get in

behind him, and follow his lead?  He must!

George Washington was not puffed up with pride,

boastful or narcissistic, he had to be persuaded

to run for president.

I found a quote by Washington, and this I will look for in

a candidate of my consideration......

"It is impossible to rightly govern a

nation without God and the Bible."

I think if we can find a candidate that

can say these words with conviction,

we've found "God's Man" for the next

President of the United States of America.

Praying for our nation.....Dee Dee

Magnificent Metal Birds

Nothing is  more refreshing than

an active vibrant splashy water fountain,

especially on a hot day here in Florida.

This beautiful work of art is the center

piece for a small park we visited this week.

 Located in

a wonderful setting, over looking Tampa Bay, 

it is the  perfect location  for it's subjects

 "great blue herons." 

 Seems when I have a camera in my hand, I'm more observant

of details, and so is the case when

examining these magnificent metal birds.

To allow the whole fountain experience

to take place, I took a seat on a park bench.

. 

The area was quiet enough. The sounds of

the splashing waters somehow had a peaceful

soothing effect and I enjoyed  myself completely.

I found it amazing how the designer of this fabulous sculpture,

 had the ability to create a dry, solid monument into a vibrant,

wet and continually changing work of art.

Look for splashes of joy today.....Dee Dee

Great Turquoise Earrings

Ah yes.....these turquoise earrings seem

to go with just about any color...

hair, eyes or complexion.

I had fun with these ladies.....

using all the tricks that come

with Photoshop,

well, not all of them.....still learning and

have a long way to go.  But then, that

seems to be the thrill of it all,

......discovery

and then applying a new technique to my

paintings. I suppose this might be

considered a study in color application.

Enjoying the moments.....Dee Dee

click on photos to enlarge

Finally Bananas

In our garden!!

First....tiny flowers bloom and they are 

such pretty colors .......

We could hardly believe our eyes yesterday....

The banana palm has been discreetly living

and growing  in our garden for years,  surrounded by large leafed

Philodendron plants.

I was told, unless you have two banana palm trees,

you will never have bananas, for they need

to cross pollinate. 

Last summer, I found growing, and  almost

hidden from view, another small banana palm tree.

It had most likely come from the roots of the

larger tree. I'm assuming nature took it's course,

for  here we are in January,

witnessing the miracle of banana birth!

Naturally, my camera fell in love with

the little "fruits."

I hear this variety of banana is

small, but quite tasty.

It has been exciting and  interesting

to watch as the pod  burst forth

and small pinkish colored flowers

developed.  In no time at all, 

 tiny green bananas have begun to grow.

I'll post again .....and share in the

process real soon.....Dee Dee

click on photos to enlarge

Looking Up

On this day in the park,

seems like all the prettiest

things were up over our

heads....take this old dead

tree, now home to various

birds, most likely  ant

colonies and

other bug life.

Just a beautiful

sight, surrounded by tall palm

trees, live oaks and the

golden leaves of a hickory nut tree.

Also seen overhead lovely Spanish Moss

hanging midst the golden

hickory tree leaves....

A beautiful natural wall,  made from

rocks collected on the park property,

lines a steep pathway.....

We spent a good while at the park,

walking up and down hills.

I'm thinking

 the whole experience made the Mister and

I feel extraordinarily healthy.

Late afternoon.... we spied

white Ibis birds roosting in a tall pine tree.

What an amazingly  beautiful world

we live in.....sigh

......Dee Dee

click on photos to enlarge

Found Treasure

I am a frequent shopper at

our library bookstore. Folks

just like me, contribute  like-new

books to be sold, and the proceeds

go to support the library.

From time to time, I've  posted  on

a found treasure from this location.

In a non discreet area of the

store, rare and collectible books

are placed, and it is  this section

I gravitate toward immediately,

 upon entering my beloved library doors.

Bless the angels, for this week,

 I found treasure, seen here, 

a wonderful and  lovely book...

A New York Public

Library Collector's Edition of

Jane Austen's

Mansfield Park.

Inside is her beautifully written story,

and a number of treasures from the

New York Public Library

including a handwritten letter from

Jane Austen to her elder sister, Cassandra,

and Cassandra's charming and

whimsical drawings of British kings and

queens to illustrate in a comical way

the History of England.

Jane lies in Winchester-blessed be her shade!

Praise the Lord for making her, and her for

all she made! And while the stones of  Winchester,

or Milsom  Street, remain,

Glory, love and honour unto England's Jane!

~Rudyard Kipling

Abundant happiness for you......Dee Dee

Pansies

On days like this.....I could stay outside the whole day long!

When I say it was a perfect

morning, I really mean it!

Gorgeous cool breeze

blowing,  as I hung out the laundry,

 and a contrasting

warm sunshine blanketed

my whole cottage garden world.

I took a long look at our

newly planted pansies and

found them smiling up at me,

in a real sweet kind of way, that

only Pansies know how to do.

How could I resist their smiles

as I snapped off one photo after

another. Each smile a masterpiece,

it was hard to select my favorites

for this post.

Look for His Blessings this weekend.........

they're all over the place.....Dee Dee

Dabbling With Digital Art

There once was a

tiny little

Field Mouse.....

who's fur was all wet

from

  playing in the snow.

He played all day long

and well into the night

in the

 pale moonlight.

-

This little guy was fun to do.

I began with pencils and

watercolors.....then used

lots of Photoshop elements. 

  

.....then, more fun with Freehand Painting using

Microsoft Picture It... Premium l0....

to place a valentine in his hand.

I'm always amazed at the finished product.....

finding this form of digital art time consuming,

incredibly satisfying and most addictive.

Blessings.....Dee Dee

click on photos to enlarge

Rainy Day Painting

It's gloomy and overcast today,

and already a bit of rain has fallen.

I hear that  snow has finally come

to many of the northern states

and in some places record

setting amounts.

So, I've been thinking of the small

animals that live and somehow

survive in those snowy and

sometimes  bitter cold

conditions. 

I've seen small Chipmonks play

and scurry about in the snow

, while visiting in the Adirondack

mountains. They seem well equiped

with thick furry bodies

that provide protection

from the harsh winter conditions.

My rainy day painting....

an alert, and perky Chipmonk

scampering about in the new

fallen snow.

Have a blessed day....Dee Dee

A Treasure Box

It's

 placed on a shelf

and 

seen through

a

glass door.

A treasure box,

 given to me

 by a friend.

She'd found a box of

vintage cards, and

tucked one  inside

the gift package.

The card 

with her writing,

is now stored inside

the treasure box,

  itself

being now

a

treasured

memory.

Blessings.......Dee Dee

Camellias To Calm My Heart

A super macro shot of something

pretty incredible......

So beautiful.....

Now and then, each of us face

uncertainties. 

Such was the case today

for me. 

 I did a lot of talking with the

Lord, asking for His assurance

  to get me through the day.

Know what helps most

when  your feeling a little

  frightened and vulnerable?

Take yourself  out of  the

equation and place 

someone else

 in the

"to worry about space."

Celebrating a good

report eventually,

I received hugs

and two pretty  Camellia

plants....from the Mister.

They worked real fine in

cheering me up and

calming my heart.

*Note:  Double

variegated Camellia bloom ....

Feeling so very thankful

and blessed by my Lord.........Dee Dee

Click on photos to enlarge

Cottage Images

It's been a busy day, Sunday's

are always that way for me.

Evening service was so good,

a study from 2nd Chronicles,

preparing us for revival this week.

The Mister and I've had a

nice bowl of chili....a cool weather

dish, if there ever was one,

and now we've settled in for

the evening.

Having little  time to dwell on my

post.....I've thought perhaps a

collage of  images seen around

the cottage, wothy of sharing.

Worth mentioning and so

 dear to me is

the Grandmother bracelet,

placed on my wrist at a

baby shower given for my

 first granddaughter.

I keep the bracelet draped

over a small jeweled frame,

that holds a picture of that  tiny

baby girl.

We all have them, don't we?

Little heart treasures.....sigh....

The grace of the Lord Jesus

be with you ......Dee Dee

I'm Seeing Red

......a sweet surprise....

Roses from my heart mate.

He said, "I knew your last

flowers were purple, so I

got you the red ones."

Feeling

like one blessed lady.......

A dozen red roses,

and almost one

month exactly 'till

Valentine's day.

Have a blessed Lord's day everyone.....Dee Dee

Yes!

"Girl Reading" 1909 by R Edmund Tarbell

The only thing better than a good  writing is.....

I can't think of anything.

You just don't pour it pureed over your potatoes.

You savor it. What on Earth does it matter

if you stop and repeat a phrase, roll it around

on your tongue, dart a few lines ahead

and then suddenly come back and reread it?

If the phrase is good enough, you are supposed

to stop and rejoice in it.

~William Murchison

-

Cooler weather...perfect reading conditions.

Happy weekend !.......Dee Dee

Lovin' Winter White

Early morning sun shining

through lace curtains in

our small guest room....

I have all white heavier quilted

bedding for winter...fresh clearn

and bright room.

I held the camera high up

to catch a glimpse of  the

small crystal chandelier.

The room being small, I've

been careful when selecting the

furnishings.

In addition to what you see, there

is a small bedside table

and lamp......

a cream colored armoire

that holds our linens

and one mint green

wicker chair.

Another winter chill coming

tonight.....winter, a time for

reflecting on all His blessings....Dee Dee

"Number Please"

"Operator, number please."

I talked on the phone with  my sister

 last evening, and in no time at all,

we had talked  for a couple of hours.

In the old days, this would have cost

us an "arm and a leg"

and the neighbors on the "party-line"

might have heard our whole conversation.

My, how certainly times have changed.

Most assuredly  the phone system

 has changed and I'm not so sure for the better.

"When my contract runs out, I'm

getting  a new phone, mine is an

old fashioned flip-top style, the hinge

is loose and it's primitive" ....my sister said.

 It's truly amazing how

fast technology is moving.

I suppose she's right, for

the  phones these days

 are no longer just

phones. 

Seems you can do just

about everything and anything

with one little hand-held

instrument. 

Are they even considered phones still?

With various applications,

 one can play games,

watch movies, shop on the

Internet and communicate with

half-dozen people or more at

any given time....and this list

of applications goes on forever.

I suppose this is called progress

and to be expected.

Deep down I kinda miss the

old phone days......

"Is this the party to whom I am speaking?"

Sigh.........Dee Dee

(Phone lady....Lily Tomlin)

"War Horse"

The First World War

 is experienced

through the journey

of a remarkable horse.

An odyssey of joy,

sorrow and high adventure,

the viewer experiences a

roller coaster of emotion

while watching 

 a  passionate friendship

between a horse named Joey

and a young man called Albert.

Directed by Steven Spielberg,

I highly recommend this

warm, heartfelt and beautiful movie.....

It has been out for a while,

so check your theaters and

see it there if possible. The

cinematography and special

affects are incredible.

Be prepared to shed a tear or two.....

Blessings........Dee Dee

Pitcher and Bowl

Out from storage.......

If your like me, you have things

hard to part with, so

they are tucked away for another day.

The pitcher and bowl set,  seen here,

is quite old, considered an antique,

I suppose.  It is quite clearly, very dear to me.

At one time, I admired it completely,

while placed  on a sideboard in my

youngest daughter's home.  When

her home decor took on a more modern look,

she placed the pitcher and bowl,

 along side other items,

intended for "yard sale."

"Oh no!" I cried out!  "How much

do you want for these?"

She very lovingly placed them in my

arms and I gleefully accepted them.

"They're  yours Mom, enjoy."

A few years have passed, and

the pitcher and bowl set

has been out of sight and

out of mind, until now.

While sorting through stored

boxes this week,

I found these "old  pretties."

They had been removed from my decor

a  long while back,

for I too had grown

tired of  them and

they some how no longer fit in.

Another day,

finally came this past week when

my eyes again beheld

the white porcelain loveliness

of the pitcher and bowl set.

I washed and dried them, admiring

each and every detail.

They  appeared  more lovely than I

remembered.

I wanted to place them where

I could see them each day. I had

missed how they gave the room an

old fashioned comfortable feel,

and already my heart was

feeling an old felt pleasure.

In plain view for all to see,

I have placed them in the living room, on a

small wooden chair.

I suppose if the truth be known, they

look a bit out of place.

  But,  I have reasoned

that they look just fine, for now.

 If  I'm the only admirer,  of

this long ago necessity for wash up,

then so be it.

Sweet Tuesday blessings for all......Dee Dee

Lavender Roses For January

When I brought them home, they

were lovely lavender colored

 Rose buds.

Overnight they opened into

something quite remarkable

to look at.  My January all

white decor has suddenly been

kicked up another knotch,

as Emerill would say.

Enjoy your day sweet friends and family.....Dee Dee