It was certainly a warm, sunny day here in Michigan! Clint got a sunburn while mowing the lawn. I got a little red while deadheading flowers, but I got them all done and am thankful for that! I decided to trim up all the meadow sage which circles the front of the house as well as the back deck. I used the wonderful little rolling cart seat that my mom got me several years ago. It's such a handy garden helper! It made the job easier and actually enjoyable! I worked really hard today doing a 4 hour cleaning job this morning followed by a complete afternoon of laundry and garden work. Still not done at 8 in the evening!

What's new in the garden? Well, the hollyhocks are blooming. They are my favorite flower, but I seem to have less of them this year. The only ones nearing maturity are the ones that "volunteered" up near the house. (More on "volunteering" later) They reseed themselves and apparently didn't do that great of a job of it last year. Many are also destroyed by some sort of pest that eats their leaves until they look like lace; one of the only kinds of lace I don't like! But I'm thankful for the ones that are blooming. Also making its debut is bee balm. I think it will be red, but I'm not sure. Might be a purple one. It's a new one put in this year and so we'll have to see what transpires. I have a coral colored rose, a bright red and a lavender one all blooming right now. Also a white one has a few blossoms left as well. Yesterday I purchased a purple ice plant and planted it in the rock garden area of the English Garden. It is very bright and showy and I am hoping it will do well where I placed it.

I need to go pick strawberries yet tonight as I know there are several waiting out there. I worked so hard today that I'm kind of dreading that job this late in the evening. But it was so hot out that I decided not to get in the sun any more until it dips behind our woods a bit.

I wanted to share with you what happened on the weekend with a fun little project I tried. Rhiannon and I went to a garage sale that had six linen placemats and napkins in pristine condition for sale for $2. At first I drove away and left them there, but the more I thought about it, the more I decided I needed them. They were white with blue butterflies and flowers embroidered on them. I had Rhiannon turn the car around and went back to purchase them. In just a few hours I had an outfit made for Emma from the items! It was so cute but the top was too small. I re-worked it and altered the style a bit and if fit beautifully. She wore it to church on Sunday! The butterflies ended up on the front pant legs and the little tank-style top that flares at the hips had the embroidered flowers and scalloping on it. I put some of the edge scalloping down the back and made button loops for three buttons. It is a very cute little outfit and all out of leftover linens! I hope to post pictures of her in the "creation" very soon.

I was taking a walk the other day when I noticed the beautiful orange lilies "volunteering" alongside the road just as they do each year at this time. My Grandma Corey coined that phrase for the family. "Volunteering" means they weren't planted, but seeded themselves. I've always loved those flowers and the combination that is naturally made in July with oranges and the blue cornflowers that grow wild along the road; at least I think it's cornflowers. Anyway, another wild purple/blue flower is growing right now and our road is loaded with them. Alongside the orange lilies they make a lovely palette. I amazes me that there are color combinations in nature that you might not think of using anywhere else, but they are very lovely and harmonious. God is a master artist. Loving creative things and hobbies as I do, I have always identified with God as an artist. I feel it's a side of our Lord that we often overlook. But His wonderful artistic nature can be seen all around us.

When we were visiting Glacier National Park a few years ago, I was struck most of all by the incredible combination of colors. The turquoise blue of glacial lakes against the blue/green of spruce forests and the dazzling white glaciers on snow-capped purple mountains. It was breathtaking. An area artist had made pottery in similar colors and had it for sale in the gift shop. I bought a small piece for Kori because I was so impressed with the colors. Again, it was the ability of God that painted that master work of art. I noticed a similar phenomenon at the Badlands. The colors of the striated earth are incredible! There is everything from brown to rust, to red to purple, all in stripes along the caverns of exposed earth. I kept thinking it reminded me of the muted colors of hand-dyed wool. (There's nothing I love to knit with better than real wool!) I wonder why someone hasn't knitted sweaters in stripes to mirror the landscape of the badlands--it could be done in hand-dyed wool and be a real intriguing item! Lovely!

All of the loveliness of the earth points to the ability of the Master Artist, God Himself. I'll try to add a few more thoughts on that tomorrow. Artists, stay tuned! Keep cool! Blessings, LORI