AS YOU PROBABLY NOTICED, I HAVE NOT POSTED IN A WHILE!I have been working so hard lately there's been no time to sneak to the library where I can post pictures faster! The gardens are going ballistic with all this rain. I think the English garden is out of control--and that's sooner than usual! I think it's usually July when I get that feeling that it's beyond my fixing. The vegetable garden is still ok, largely because of the raised beds and small design.
Here is a picture of Sophie and Granny sitting in the barn on Sunday evening. We had the 20-something's group from church here for a really fun event. I suppose Kori or Rhi will beat me to it in posting pictures of the crazy time we had. Sophie is wearing the "Cute Chick" sundress that I made for Emma two years ago. It has a matching hat and an embroidered pocket with a little chick on it. I designed the details, though I used a pattern. I love this outfit and it's great on Sophie with her dark hair and eyes and it's lavender details.
These beautiful hollyhocks--one of my favorite flowers--volunteered right by the barn door this year. I begged Clint to let them bloom before we moved them. It was a very healthy looking plant and some of my hollyhocks are not. They get that 'lace leaf' thing where something eats the leaves completely away. This particular one looked great.
So what have I been doing? Well, lots and lots of garden work and landscaping maintenance. I had to trim the spent flowers off all the meadow sage and dianthus. Did that yesterday and today. I also have been weeding and spreading lime in the English garden. I potted some flowers today that I got from my friend that runs a great little greenhouse business. She is a fan of my books and wanted the newest one, so I dropped one off to her. When I got home I potted all the wonderful plants I got from her into the hanging baskets for the front porch.
This last weekend Kori came over and we spring cleaned Mom's part of the house. Kori organized and wiped down all the cupboards inside and out and washed walls and windows. I helped by cleaning screens and mini-blinds and washing ceiling fans and some walls. I also washed all the curios on top of the kitchen cupboards. I got so inspired that on Monday I washed three windows upstairs and did other miscellaneous cleaning in preparation for company that is coming in a few weeks. With the heat we've been experiencing, I've just been ready to sit down each evening and act like a couch potato!
I've been reading a book about Smith Wigglesworth's life. It has been so inspiring! I love to read about heroes of the faith who've gone on before us. This one is really special to me because Rhiannon and I stayed in the town where he was born and is buried on our trip to England two years ago. When the book mentions details of the area, I can relate! I was encouraged to want the kind of wonderful results in witnessing and seeing miracles that he and his wife had in their lives. If you want to get a glimpe of something inspiring, I encourage you to pick up a book that has life stories of famous Christians and read about what they went through. It will help you to reach to greater depths and heights in your relationship with the Lord. Hebrews lists many of the saints who've gone on before in the "Faith Hall of Fame" in chapter 11. Testimonies are an encouraging thing! Read some today and give some today! Blessings, LORI
I have a book about Smith Wigglesworth but I haven't read it....like a lot of other books I have! I've been working on weeding out the ones that I've read and don't want or one's I just plain don't want. But there are....a lot! Might take a while :)
ReplyDeleteAren't English gardens supposed to be out of control? That has been my excuse for my English cottage garden for all these years. I am just starting to sew for my grand daughters, but none of them are beautiful baby girls like yours.They have become these gorgeous grown up sophisticated young ladies way too soon. Hubby is gonna read Wigglesworth again we were just talking in our morning time about getting some inspiration and our VBS is about Real Life Heroes!!!! Blessings to you my friend! Meg
ReplyDeleteMeg: what a joy to hear from you! Thank you for the lovely comments on the girls! They are a joy! A while back I posted pictures of me holding them--all of us in new dresses for their dedication ceremony. It was taken out in the English garden, of course! And, yes, you have reminded me to relax knowing that the English garden should be out of control! Thanks much!
ReplyDeleteLovely pictures. I've heard a lot about Smith Wigglesworth but haven't read any of the books about him. I am not in a place in life that promotes a lot of reading but I squeeze some in here and there. It's so nice that you have gotten so much rain. My yard is probably jealous. We haven't had much so far in June. Pretty amazing that we can have a flood in May and so little in June, but that's the way in TN. :)
ReplyDeleteIs it that way in Tennessee? I wish I knew! Maybe someday I'll own property there! It seems that's the way it is in Michigan as well--one extreme to the other all in one season. This one has been wet, though with our clay soil I have still watered a few times.
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ReplyDeleteGuess I am posting on the same post from awhile back which is a good thing because I didn't know you left a comment to me here, so I read it. thank You. It has been raining alot here lately but May was the driest month ever so how do you figure. Have a wonderful Lord's Day and by the way do you ever preach? Blessings Meg
Yes, Meg, I do preach occasionally when I am needed and I enjoy it very much. As well as that I have been making myself available for speaking engagements--Mother/Daughter banquets, etc., for about a year now and really enjoy that as well. It has been very wet here this month--everything is going wild because of the rain!
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