Sunday, September 30, 2012

Finishing The Sewing

The first glimpse of day came
with bright sunshine peeking
through lace curtains,
and the aroma of
Eight O'Clock coffee.
Saturday's to do list came to
mind and I sat straight up in bed.
Finishing  the sewing I had
begun the day before, was
 first and foremost
on my mind,  as I walked
toward the kitchen. My sewing
was where I left it, scattered
about the table,
 but in my own recognizable order.
Breakfast was finished quickly 
for the Mister had errands to
run. This meant the house would be
quietly mine.
 
So, remembering and  listening to 
 Andy Williams singing
 Moon River,
I began my sewing, making
 stuffed door hangers
to match the towel sets.
 
 
My sewing plans were
finished by mid day and I
had that "working steadily
until finished feeling of
sheer contentment and
satisfaction." I can't wait to
make my deliveries and see
the smiles on those
sweet, sweet faces.

 
"Choose a job you love and
you will never work a day
in your life." ~Confucius
 
Have a blessed Lord's Day! Dee Dee

Saturday, September 29, 2012

"Towels"

I've always been a project sort
of person.  I look forward to the
seasonal changes and the holidays.
Gives me good reason to bring out
my sewing machine and create a
little something. Indications of fall
on the calendar have me thinking
mums and scarecrows.
What to make?  What to make?  Hmmm......
"Towels!"
Not your normal sort of towel, uniquely
different and sure to please the recipients.
 
So, I've been sewing away today, and
I do like what I'm making. I hope to
finish up and make deliveries tomorrow,
and transport a few to far away places, by mail.
Stop by again, if you like.
I'll be posting on my humble efforts.
 
Have a sweet ole' day! Dee Dee
 

Friday, September 28, 2012

Fishing Takes Concentration

 
We drove out to Weaver Park today.
It's a lovely place to walk, overlooking
inland waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
We soon realized, it was just us and
"the bird".....
A Blue Heron, was standing
all alone in the low tide, shallow waters.
 
 
Oblivious to the rest of the world,
the young Heron was focused.
 
 
Seemingly a bit young to be on
it's own.....I wondered at the bird's 
ability to survive.
 
 
But then I thought of one of
my favorite websites....
It is here I've watched
nesting birds and learned how
 the parenting duties are
not taken for granted.
This little Heron has had
ample training on how to
find food and survive in the world.
From what we could see
fishing methods for feeding himself,
had been accomplished.
I'm thinkin' Mom and Dad Heron
would be proud.
 
Have a sweet ole' day! Dee Dee
 click on photos to enlarge

Thursday, September 27, 2012

More Signs Of Fall

Several years back, we took pleasure
in watching our neighbor's
Banana Palm tree. During Florida's
winter months, it stood sadly
stripped of it's once lavish green
leaves. An unpleasant sight
to behold, after it's leaf pealing
fall ritual.
 
 
And then one day, we were quite
pleasantly surprised to find a
Banana Palm tree growing in the
midst of our garden,
beneath the  Philodendron plant.
The roots from the neighbor's
tree had traveled beneath the fence.
For a good many years we have
delighted in it's large frond
leafy grandeur.
Last year, for the first time, it
produced bananas and then promptly
and oh so sadly
"gave up the ghost."
 
 
But ah.....the continuity of plant
life gives us a continual feast of
pleasure. Early this past spring, a young
Banana Palm tree grew upward,
from it's
"ancestral  roots."
We watched it grow this
summer, flapping it's large leafed
appendages in the warm coastal
Florida breezes.
Now, in the Banana Palm's
traditions, we are watching as
it begins the
"leaf pealing fall ritual"
prior to winter's dormancy.
 
More signs of fall, indeed, here
in my part of  the world.
 
Have a sweet ole' day!  Dee Dee
 

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Cottage Fall Mums

There's nothing quite like
a pot of fall colored Mums
to give a nice look of welcome
to our  cottage....
 

 
I had trouble deciding on the
colors this year....
 
So I got a nice variety....
These are on the porch for now
just taking my breath away......
Did you ever?
 
 
I'm  thinkin' about the
Creator again....and how
amazing His work is.  I'm
so thankful for color......
With a hint of cool in the weather
today, seems  I'm right on target
with my fall decor.
 
Have a sweet ole' day now!  Dee Dee

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

"Imperfectly Beautiful"

I pruned this little Knockout Rose
about mid summer.  It had grown
completely out of proportion and
desperately needed attention.
 

Earlier this month I noticed new
green leaves, and watched as it
continued to grow.  This past week
the first of many buds came on the
little Rose bush.....and they began
to open into blooms that looked
like this.
 
 
They were small and scraggly and I
felt sorry for the Rose plant.  What
had happened to cause this?
 
 
 
I watched them each day, and
found that eventually some of
the blooms had order to them......
 
The colors were exquisite and
they reminded me of Roses one
might see in a dried arrangement,
or Victorian painting.....
 
I brought my camera out and
found by using the Macro setting
I could get up close to the tiny
Roses.  I  found that what
I was seeing, was  "imperfectly beautiful."
 
Have a sweet ole' day! Dee Dee
click on Roses to enlarge 

Monday, September 24, 2012

It Is Fall .....Afterall

They're called Jonagold apples.
Have you tasted them?  If not, perhaps you might......
 
 
They're a cross between a
crisp Golden Delicious
and the blush-crimson
Jonathan.....
developed in 1953
in New York state. They are  deliciously
sweet and thin skinned.
Smaller than usual this year,
they fit in a small child's hands just right.....
 
Have you had apple tea?
It's a lovely
fall treat,
 simply made with
a nice black tea, cinnamon,
apple juice
 and
a bit of lemon, if you like.
 
Oh glorious fall......
~
"The breezes taste of apple peel.
The air is full of smells to feel-
Ripe fruit, old footballs,
Burning brush,
New books, erasers,
Chalk, and such.
The bee, his hive
Well-honeyed hum,
And mother cuts
Chrysanthemums.
Like plates washed clean
With suds, the days
Are polished with
A morning haze.
~John Updike, September
 
Have a sweet ole' day!  Dee Dee
 

Sunday, September 23, 2012

Precious Life Reflections

 
It's not often that I find
this kind of treasure....
vintage sewing notions.
They were tucked into
a clear plastic box, awaiting
my arrival at the
 antique store.
 
I brought them home,
handled them, admired them
and pondered at how I could
use them. 
 
I came up with all sorts of
ideas.
My best idea was to give them
away, to a sweet young lady.
 
I took photos of them for
memory sake....the best
memories of all are the
expressions on her little face,
as she thanked me.
 
Having precious life reflections today and
I hope for each of you a blessed Lord's day.....Dee Dee

Saturday, September 22, 2012

White Bougainvillea

I planted this pretty thing in
a terracotta clay pot back in
the spring.....
 
 
When fall comes, it will
be placed in the ground.
The Bougainvillea needs
the good earth and plenty
of space to grow.
 
 
Is it just me, or is this one of
the prettiest things you've ever seen?
 
Think on this.....
Not one day in anyone's life is an
uneventful day, no day without
profound meaning, no matter how dull
and boring it might seem.
Because in every day of your life,
there are opportunities to perform little
kindnesses for others, both by conscious
acts of will and unconscious example.....
even just words of hope when they are
needed......
From the Corner of His Eye~Dean Koontz
 
Have a blessed day, everyone!  Dee Dee

Friday, September 21, 2012

Big Sister

Baby sister is two weeks old......
 

 
"We're dressed alike....we have
the same shirts on .....and flowers in
our hair," said big sister.
 
Hush-a-Bye, Baby
 
Hush a-bye, baby,
on the tree-top!
When the wind blows
the cradle will rock;
When the bough breaks
the cradle will fall;
Down will come
baby, bough,
cradle and all.
 
New grandchild gave me
 good reason to
take my Mom's Book from
the bookshelf this morning.
I'd  forgotten so many of the
old fashioned good things
it contains. Sweet
activities.......like garden,
 sweet potato vine.
Oh my, I remember my mother had
one growing in her kitchen window.
Small children love this kind of thing.
They like Apple Crumb Pie too, and
this book has lots of kid friendly
recipes.
I read "The Three Billy Goats Gruff" today.
The goats in this story were Italian,
having names like "Vinny."  They
speak with Italian accents, prompting
questions from the nine year old. Made
us smile.  Reading with children
brings on smiles and also conversation.
 
Enjoying these sweet times, and so
glad you stopped by.
Have a sweet ole' day.....Dee Dee
 
 
 

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Fall Colors?

We fear that summer will be short,
but when we have had our swing of pleasure,
our fill of fruit and our swelter of heat,
we say we have had our day.
~John Donne 1620 
 
From my cottage window, I see
Robellini palms, Crotons,
Pink Hawaiian Ty Plants  and
variegated Schefflera.
 
This time each year I post
about all the fall colors in
my garden.....
though not your normal
fall leaves....
 
 
Things are looking more
beautiful than ever.  The
warm summer  rains have
come often......
 
Seemingly we are living in
a tropical "rain forest."....
 
The pink Hawaiian Ty plants
begin with colors of green.....
later turning lovely shades of
pinks and purples.  They spread
beneath the ground and before
long they come popping up all
over the place.  I love how they
blend with our Crotons and
Scheffleras.
 
A few of each placed
in a large vase sure give the
impression of a nice fall flower
arrangement.
 
Have a sweet ole' day everyone!  Dee Dee
 

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

"My Doll Is Broken"

In an odd sort of way, these words
"My doll is broken"
are music to a grandmother's ears.
 
She had spent the morning
tidying up her bedroom and
wanted me to see. A large
dollhouse stands on a table
in the center of the room.
Throughout the room, in carriages,
high chairs, cradles and on
her bed,  are dolls.
I'm fond of her bookcases.
They are filled with her favorite books
and I continue  adding to her
collection.  Now reading
a Laura Ingalls series, we
talk of the characters she likes best.
Some books she likes so well, she
reads them more than once.
 
"Hand me your little porcelain doll,
and I'll repair her."  I'm thinking
a new dress for her might be nice.....
she has no clothes.
 
Porcelain dolls are not made well
and I've noticed a tear on the
arm. I suppose they are mostly
made to be seen and not handled.
I'm glad she was handled and
perhaps loved a bit too much.
"Yes, little one, your doll is
broken, but not for long."
 
These are such sweet times.....Dee Dee
 

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Monday, September 17, 2012

Sunday's Garden Images

"Genesis"
In the beginning, God created
the heaven and the earth.....
 
 
.....and the earth brought forth grass
 
 
and herb yielding seed after
his kind....
 
and the tree yielding fruit, whose
seed was in itself after his kind......
 
and "God saw that it was good."
 
Have a blessed week, everyone!  Dee Dee

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Apples and Apple Cider

 
The kitchen has an old
fashioned and familiar
 fragrance drifting
about.....the candle
burning is called  "apple cider."
 
Close by,
an old chippy white porcelain bowl
holds  "Granny Smith" apples.....
 
 
 I'm thinkin' apple pie making time.........
 
and using the apple peelings and
cores to make a bit of
sweet apply jelly.
 
Did you know that we just might
be eating apples, thanks to
Johnny Appleseed?  He was a
real person that traveled around
 planting  apple orchards
wherever pioneers were settling?
 
Just thinkin'
 
Have a blessed Lord's Day!  Dee Dee
 

Saturday, September 15, 2012

September Showing

You can look at the
Mexican Sage
in our garden and
know the time of year.
 
Seems the Sage gets a
growing spurt about this
time, and the blooms
get  pretty white  tips.
 
This begins gradually......
 
Perhaps this is how they seed.......
 
By summers end, they look much
like what you see here.  Tall
and wispy.  The slightest breeze
causes them to sway, and together
they are a beautiful sight to see.
Having  been in our garden for a
number of years, we see they are
right on schedule for their
seasonal September showing.
 
Sweet ole' blessing for all....Dee Dee