Knocking Me Out

This is one of my beautiful 'knockout' roses---the absolute perfect rose for women who do too much. This is quite a unique rose bush in that it requires very little maintance, other than providing plenty of water. A couple of months ago I planted a row of these, in alternating shades of pink, along my fence line. I can hardly wait for the big show! In time they will create a hedge about 4 feet tall, and the greatest thing is this---they bloom all year! That's right. Now I can have beautiful blooming roses in my yard even when Jack Frost arrives. What a treat!

4 quarts, 6 pints...

...1 half pint and 2 bottles of syrup. When I inventoried and organized the freezer a day or so ago I discovered some figs from last years harvest that I had completely forgotten about. So, because figs will be in again in about 6 weeks, I spent yesterday afternoon making strawberry-fig preserves, dotted with paper thin lemon slices, of course. They look like beautiful, vibrant rubies when the sun shines through this window.

Thursday Trivia...

the 'dressy' (but not formal!) dining room
"After the Bath"....in the dining room

Unfortunately, the front of my little cottage---where the so called 'formal' rooms are located---faces the east, making that part of the house uncomfortably warm this time of year. Realizing that today we would again see temperatures in the mid 90's, I knew I should do something which would in some way remedy the situation. After much wavering, I removed my favorite ivory colored Belgium lace curtains from the dining room windows and replaced them with a window treatment which would provide a significant amount more insulation. Actually, I liked the end result more than I thought I would...though not enough to pass on the pretty lace ones! On the wall not seen in the picture is a painting entitled "After the Bath." I had originally planned to hang it in the bathroom upstairs but it actually looks quite nice in the dining room as the color of the walls brings out a lot of the colors in the background of the painting. I really enjoy painting but have difficulty finding enough time to devote to art right now. I hope that in the not too distant future I will have plenty of time on my hands to paint and garden and quilt and do a number of other things which are constructive and creative as well as enjoyable....

I'm back...from a little piece of Heaven on Earth...

Mom's home!
I'm still mad 'cause she stayed so long... "Now she can cook my favorite dinner!"
Andi was one happy little girl when I returned from 18 days in Montana. Look at that shocked expression when I first walked in! She took off running in circles like she was in a marathon then, after pondering a minute, crawled under the bed and sulked before parking her cute little self in a dining room chair. Talk about a grand performance! I missed my baby girl like crazy, but the trip was absolutely wonderful---every minute of it--- and I would give anything if I could simply close my eyes and wake up there again. The breathtaking scenery was a constant reminder of the magnificent vastness of God, the only One who could speak such wonder into being.

In My Cottage Garden.....

....the gardenia's near the entry are heavy with blooms, permeating the air with the sweetness of their glorious perfume.

My Mother Kept A Garden

My Mother kept a garden,
a garden of the heart,
She planted all the good things
that gave my life it's start.
She turned me to the sunshine
and encouraged me to dream,
Fostering and nurturing
the seeds of self-esteem...
And when the winds and rain came,
she protected me enough-
But not too much because she knew
I'd need to stand up strong and tough.
Her constant good example
always taught me right from wrong-
Markers for my pathway
that will last a lifetime long.
I am my Mother's garden.
I am her legacy-
And I hope today she feels the love
reflected back from me
~Author Unknown

LiFe GoEs oN!

Marvelous Montana!