Today was another really nice day! Amazing-3 in a row! I took advantage of the weather and headed out this morning right after cleaning a cupboard and mopping a few floors. I prepared a wall for painting by washing it down and Rhiannon will do the taping hopefully before the day's over. If the weather holds, she'll paint it soon.

I got the flower bed by the driveway cleaned up last night and this morning. Hauled away all the brush and trimmed the flowers in the landscaping all around the house. Then I headed out to the English garden to tackle some of the many "big" projects. I started dividing irises and cleaning out the beds they are in. What a job! I did alot of that last fall, but truthfully it's such hard work, I couldn't get it all done. It was a job I had to force myself to continue. I put a box and pail full of irises out by the road and a friend came and took the pail. Just what I had hoped for.

Later the whole family headed for Coldwater and got some pizza for lunch. We had plans to photograph Emma at some parks, but didn't get to the one with the prettiest scenery before she fell asleep. She enjoyed feeding the leftover pizza crust to the ducks. Purchased the paint for the wall while in town. It's a real deep, true, bright, screaming red. Mom's kitchen here has all off-white walls but we decorated her kitchen with antiques and accessories of primary colors--yellow, blue, red. It is very 1930-40's. I plan to have Rhi paint the bottom of one wall this red and then I found two rolls of a fine blue and white print paper for the top. Hopefully I can talk the men into installing a white painted trim for chair rail and finish the decor with a few blue and white plates and a couple of red, white, and blue feed sacks.

We are planning to grill tonight for supper since the weather is so nice. Waited all winter for that. What a fun day.

Looks like my daughter changed the picture on this blog. If it wasn't for her, it would never get changed. The new picture is of me in the English garden before it was blooming on Easter Sunday a few years ago. I wish I had a picture that showed more flowers. Maybe this year!Thanks, Rhiannon.

Favorite flower clue: I transplanted two of them today out to my chicken coop only to have a few chickens escape the coop (fence needs repair) and dig them up. I had to protect them with shards from an old terra cotta pot until they get going or the fence is repaired, whichever comes first. This flower comes in a variety of colors and can be "single or double."

I read alot about gardening this week and one thing that most good garden books talk about is preparing the soil in any garden you are planning. It's the boring part, but it's essential to continued success. I am so glad I did that out in the English garden--truly makes a difference. Remember to prepare your heart on Saturday--actually all during the week--for Sunday services. Did you know that in times past Sunday was treated as a really special day reserved only for church services, resting, and reading devotional literature? We've really lost alot in our culture with our fast pace and constant busy-ness. We also learned from friends when we were younger that it is even wise to take it a little slower on Saturday night so you can prepare your heart and body for Sunday morning services. If you don't plan late nights and lots of tiring things for Saturdays, you are more likely to go to church in a happy frame of mind, having rested well by slowing yourself down the afternoon before. If you are tempted to miss church and haven't yet cultivated the practice of regular church attendance, limiting Saturday activities will help you discipline yourself in that direction. So prepare the garden of your heart for the preaching of the word by adopting some simple strategies that start on Saturday evening! Blessings, LORI