Blue Monday

A blue dining experience. I love the sky and the crystal blue water! I am always happy when a Face Book friend shares one of these cool images! Now please visit Sally and the blue crew today!

Today, Easter Sunday, was a perfect Spring day. My hubby and I were checking a few sales at the few stores that were opened and we looked over rose bushes at K-Mart. We have been thinking of making a small garden area with flowers but with our huge plumbing expense we may have to dream for another year! Sigh! So we stopped and thought about how those sweet roses would smell! Visit Marydon and share your Love is....

Hope your Easter Day was blessed and you were able to reflect on the reason for this season and enjoy your loved ones.

Happy Easter

I so love pastel chicks!

Be sure to visit Tete because she shares these sweet vintage images!

A sweet Easter tyme teapot and bunny friends! I am not sure where the image was captured or who owns it!

I love these peeps and chicks! They are sweet on an Easter cake!

These peep mobiles are getting ready for an Easter race. Body by generic twinkie, marshmallow wheels,pretzel steering and pink bunny drivers!

A peep cake tribute to the state of Kansas and their state flower the sunflower!

A lavender cottage to reflect in. Isn't this so sweet? Thanks Face Book friends for all the wonderful shares.

Wishing you all a beautiful Easter Day!I hope you have many blessings to share and a wonderful day of reflection with those you love.

Stop by and wish Beverly and all the pinkies a Happy Easter Day!

S is for ......Scripture and Sunday

The Jelly Bean Prayer

Red is for the blood He gave.

Green is for the grass He made.

Yellow is for the sun so bright.

Orange is for the edge of night.

Black is for the sins we made. 

White is for the grace He gave.

Purple is for His hour of sorrow.

Pink is for a new tomorrow.

And handful of jelly beans,

Colorful and sweet,

Is a prayer, a promise,

A loved one’s treat!

Happy Resurrection Sunday!

 

 

Resurrection Garden

 

 

 I have found a wonderful poem that I want to share today. Today has been a day filled much sadness. My husband knew a young man in his thirties who lost his life last night, murdered on the streets of his neighbor. He was a father to two sons. A young boy, the son of my co workers cousin ran into traffic at a mall and was struck and killed. Pray for the family.

Today was a day of reflection. Thinking back on my childhood and what a time Holy Week was in my phamily. Then the celebration of the Resurrection of Our Lord. I am not much of a follower of the way our world is headed. I have always taken my chances with God. I plan to continue that. But I still cherish my phamily values, the traditions we shared, the faith we were raised with. I have found during the most difficult times in my life the one person I could count on was the Lord Himself. Today when we got bad news about our plumbing I wanted to scream but I know there is a lesson to be learned. Old house, big trees, bad plumb lines. We will pray that we can get it all taken care of somehow, someway. It would not be the first time that we had to get out of a difficult situation. I just know it makes you stronger. So remember the reason for this season, the death and resurrection of Christ.

Here is a poem I found that says it best:

The Friday We Call Good

It seems strange calling
This Friday Good.
But it is good beyond
The world’s simple
definitions of it.
This Friday is Good
Because on that day
Two thousand thirteen
Years in the past,
Death met its match,
In the Suffering One,
Nailed high up
On a barren tree,
Suspended there between
The Silence of Heaven
And the fearful
Rejection of Earth.
On that Friday
We call Good,
History ended
And was buried,
To be born again
Three days later,
Renewed.
On that solitary day
Forgiveness
Defeated pride
And Death became
A mere actor
Strutting across
A finite stage,
A dramatic irony
With nowhere to go.
Why is this Friday Good?
Because on that dark day.
Love’s Everlasting Life,
The One who became
One with us in Jesus
Died,
That we might live—

Forever!

Dan Doyle is a retired professor of English and Humanities. He taught 13 years at the high school level and 22 years at the university level. He spends his time now babysitting his granddaughter. He is a poet and a blogger as well. Dan holds an AA degree in English Literature, a BA in Comparative Literature, and an MA in Theology. To read more of Dan’s work, click here.

Read more at http://god-bless-you.org/the-friday-we-call-good/#MVF9L88i8tJ6L8lK.99

 

Please visit Ms. Jenny . Come share your letter "S" today.

An Easter Story

There’s a lovely little legend
That I would like to tell,
Of the birth and death of Jesus
Found in this lowly shell.

If you examine closely
You’ll see that you find here,
Four nail holes and a fifth one
Made by a Roman’s spear.

On one side the Easter Lily,
Its center is the star,
That appeared unto the shepherds
And led them from afar.

The Christmas Poinsettia
Etched on the other side,
Reminds us of His birthday
Our happy Christmastide.

Now break the center open
And here you will release,
The five white doves awaiting
To spread Good Will and Peace.

This simple little symbol
Christ left for you and me,
To help us spread His Gospel
Through all Eternity

Love is..../Blue Monday

When I was a kid my Aunt Ang use to sing "You Are My Sunshine" and I learned that song and loved it and sang it to my own children! So I thought this sweet Love is... was perfect! Some day's are sad and gloomy, others are full of wonder and joy! So I want to share this Love is...with you! My hubby is certainly my sunshine on a cloudy day! Wink wink!

Please visit Marydon and share your favorite Love is...with us too!

I was visiting Arlene Cuevas and enjoying her creations. She is a talented gal and I repinned her mini Secret Garden on Pinterest. All the lovely colors made me think that I need to get busy and post for Blue Monday! So here is my share:

This was taken in 2011 at Rebekah's birthday! I can always count on Hannah to share her blues! Little sissy, Big Sissy, Middle Sissy! I am waiting for summer so we can have some wonderful phamily barbeques!

My grandson Colton, always handsome in blue, with his "Grandmother" at Jayden's first birthday bash this past September.

Nick and Noelle before we headed to the airport this morning! His sunglasses and our blue skies make the blue cut today!

Nick and his dad before he headed through security at DIA this morning! You don't want to see me! I was blue all day long!

Please stop by Sally's and say hello to her as well as the other blues!

Pink Saturday

A lovely sunrise! I like to shoot these photos each morning! The sky has a pretty pink tinge and I thought it would fit in perfectly for today's Pink Saturday. I hope you will visit Beverly and many of the other pinkies. There are many wonderful people who participate and so many wonderful loyal friends, I am always happy to visit.

I found this darling little April Angel at the thrift store. Her blue bird sitting on her bonnet as a chip on his tail but for $1.50 I had to have her! She is stamped "1957"! I really love her pink and white dress with rosettes and she holds a lovely hand mirror in her hand!  Her hat and her bow hold a sparkly "diamond" like crystal to commemorate the April birthstone!

Enjoy your Pink Saturday and come back real soon!

"R" is for Reading

What's on your reading list? I am rarely without a good read! I thought I would share some reading favorites for Ms. Jenny and all the terrific friends at Alphabe Thursday! "To Kill A Mockingbird" by Harper Lee. You would not have attended Catholic school unless you read this book from cover to cover! It was during the years I attended Catholic school that I learned to love reading! I could go on an adventure without leaving my home! I could dream about places on the other side of the world! I always excelled in reading!

Reading is a wonderful outlet. It expands your imagination and increases your vocabulary and knowledge of words and meanings. To broaden your reading skills read some poetry.

The Reading Mother by Strickland Gillilan

I had a mother who read to me Sagas of pirates who scoured the sea, Cutlasses clenched in their yellow teeth, "Blackbirds" stowed in the hold beneath. I had a Mother who read me lays Of ancient and gallant and golden days; Stories of Marmion and Ivanhoe, Which every boy has a right to know. I had a Mother who read me tales Of Gelert the hound of the hills of Wales, True to his trust till his tragic death, Faithfulness blent with his final breath. I had a Mother who read me the things That wholesome life to the boy heart brings-- Stories that stir with an upward touch, Oh, that each mother of boys were such! You may have tangible wealth untold; Caskets of jewels and coffers of gold. Richer than I you can never be-- I had a Mother who read to me.

This was a favorite poem and I read to my children all the while they were growing up.

A couple favorite kid books that my kids enjoyed in their younger days!

Another good childrens book!

My all time favorite read is the Holy Bible and I prefer the New American Standard edition. But I have a large assortment of bibles and I treasure each one. The word of God is a priceless wealth of information and you can apply it to everyday living. We have the bible on tape too. Narrated by Alexander Scourby and James Earl Jones.

I have an i phone but I am not much into the Kindle. I like an old fashioned page turning book I can hold in my hands! I am going to buy a few book shelves so I can organize my books and when I do I will take some photos. I want to thank google images for sharing these great images with me today.

Now stop by Jenny's place and visit some creative, talented, encouraging posts about the letter "R".

A Page From My Memory

On Saturday March 16th I sadly celebrated the life of my kitty Boots. Mr. Kitty/ Boots also known as "Reggie" passed away one year ago March 16, 2012. One of the saddest days of my entire life. He was a constant comfort in my life. I miss him so much.

A truer feline friend than anyone could imagine. He always stayed with me when I was sad or ill. He knew me as well as I know myself. The sadness of his loss has been difficult. I could not post this weekend as Nick arrived home and had his team mate Darragh with him.  I was putting on a happy face! Tickled to see my sweet boy and also spend a little time with his friend from Ireland. We treated the boys to dinner Thursday evening at Fazoli's! They are pasta eaters! Friday morning my hubby and I drove them to a hotel near the airport so they could catch a ride with a young man from Wales who picked his girlfriend up at the airport and then drove them to Gunnison. They spent the day there, touring the campus and running with the track team. Saturday the coach and her hubby and their little girl drove them home. We had a phamily dinner Saturday night downtown. We took Darragh to the Old Spaghetti Factory. All the kids went with us except for Noelle's phamily! We had a wonderful time and made a few memories. Sunday morning we took Darragh and Nick to breakfast and then Darragh had to catch his flight back to Kansas via Oklahoma City! He told us in Ireland they have mainly mom and pop places and in America we have lots of franchise diners. We tried to take him to a favorite breakfast spot but they did not open til seven and we had to be heading to the airport. So Denny's it was!
Nick and I shared our sadness about the loss of Boots. He was with me last year when he was put down. It broke our hearts but he got sick so quickly and slipped away so peacefully. I will always remember him and perhaps meet him at the Rainbow Bridge one of these days.

 "I have studied many philosophers and many cats. The wisdom of cats is infinitely superior." - Hippolyte Taine

 "There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats." - Albert Schweitzer

I had to share a couple favorite quotes about cats and now a funny cat joke!

 Q: What color is a happy cat?
A: Purrrple.
Q: How is cat food sold?
A: So much purr can.
Q: What is a cat's favourite dessert?
A: Mice pudding.
Q: How do you get milk from a cat?
A: Steal its saucer.
Q: What do you call someone who steals cats?
A: A purr-snatcher.
Q: What do you get if you cross a hungry cat and a canary?
A: A cat that isn't hungry any more.
Q: Why did the silly kid try to feed pennies to the cat?
A: Because his mother told him to put money in the kitty.
Q: What do you call a cat who does tricks?
A: A magic kit.
Q: What kind of work does a weak cat do?
A: Light mouse work.
Q: Why did the Mama cat put stamps on her kittens?
A: She wanted to mail a litter.
Q: Which state has a lot of dogs and cats?
A: Petsylvania.
Q: What kind of baths do cats like best?
A: Milk baths.
Q: What do you call a cat penny?
A: A purr cent.
Q: Which game did the cat want to play with the mouse?
A: Catch.
Q: How do you mail a cat?
A: Use fur-class mail.
Q: How do you make a cat dizzy?
A: Give it a tailspin.
Q: What do you get if you cross a fence post was a kitty?
A: A polecat.
Q: Why couldn't the cat go to the fancy party?
A: Her fur coat was at the cleaners.
Q: Why did the cats sell their homes?
A: The neighborhood had gone to the dogs.
Q: Where does a cat hang its wash?
A: On a feline.

Did I make you smile?  I hope you will stop by and visit sweet Sandie who always inspires me to write about the phamily pets and other animals I love in this life.

Blue Monday

Lefthand Canyon in Boulder, Colorado. The sky was blue and the water looks blue too. Please visit Sally and share your blue!

"Q" is for Quiet

I am sharing the letter "Q" today for Alphabe Thursday! Please stop by Ms. Jenny and all the participates of this weekly fun! I need some quiet. Peace and quiet! I have no qualms that you might think I am complaining.  I'm not! I just need a shoulder to lean on, an ear to listen. The work place is a chaotic, busy place and lately I have been getting physically ill from all the burdens of the job. What we need is another full time person and I need some time at this lovely cottage painted here in a Thomas Kinkade artwork! Quiet and quaint It is a winning combination.

I need a lot of quiet these days! Our two oldest kids, Noelle and Jeremy received handsome bonuses at their job today! They treated us to a really nice dinner. I even had a glass a wine! It was wonderful and I wasn't queasy! Just happy to be in a nice easy place for an hour or two!

This sweet quote says it all!  I hope you will pray for my phamily this week. Nick arrives home for Spring break tomorrow. He and his former room mate Darragh will fly in from OKC tomorrow afternoon.  We will pick them up and then take them early Friday morning to meet a young man who run on the track and field team for Western, the college they are looking at. He is picking up his girlfriend and they will drive to Gunnison. It is in the mountains so I ask that you pray that God will guide this young man and they will arrive safely at their destination. Saturday the coach will drive the guys back to Denver with her family. I pray for safe journeys all around. Darragh will fly back to Kansas on Sunday and we will have Nick for a whole week! We are tickled to have him home.

"But let it be the hidden person of the heart , with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet  spirit, which is precious in the sight of God." 1 Peter 3:4

Thank you for stopping by and please join the Alphabe Thursday crowd for fun and encouragement and lots of terrific, creative hearts!

Snow Day: Plain and Simple

Our car getting buried in the wet heavy snow we have heard about all week long!

A view from our front porch.

A lighter snow on the front yard.

My Dollar Tree bunnies. I thought they would fit nicely for Pink Saturday and Blue Monday with their delicate rosettes trimming their little white frames!

A true Key Lime Pie made by my daughter Noelle for her hubby Roger, a true Floridian! Real key limes and all!

Chic and Antique shared this on Facebook. Oh how I would love to sit inside this sweet cottage and dream and read and relax!

My oldest Noelle is sitting at her window at work on a snowy Saturday and she took these photos. It is going to be a long snowy weekend!

How about a steaming hot bowl of potato cheese soup?

French bread to dip in the soup!

Tete at Beyond the Garden Gate is recuperating from surgery. She shares all the wonderful images and I really like this St. Paddy's Day  greetin'

"The truth is that everyone's gonna hurt you. You just have to find the ones worth suffering for." Bob Marley

"The world may never notice

if a rosebud doesn't bloom

or even pause to wonder if the petals fall too soon

but every life that ever forms

or ever comes to be

touches the world

in some small way for all eternity

the little one we longed for

was swiftly here and gone

but the love that was then planted

is a light that still shines on

and though our arms are empty

our hearts know what to do

every beating of our heart says

We will remember you."

A poem today for my son Jeremys friends. Albert (Bubba) and Nicolette have lost their infant son. The funeral will be this morning and we are having a full blown snowstorm. This sweet poem I found does not share its author but was so perfect. Twenty six years ago March 27th I lost my unborn daughter Rachel. The pain of her loss never goes away, somehow we just continue on life's path. But we live because Our Father in heaven has a plan for us. I hope today you will pray with me for this grieving family. I can not image the pain of losing a little life that you were just getting to know.


It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” Deuteronomy 31:8

I hope you will join Beverly and Sally  today and also join Ms. Jenny. I know you will find many "Ps" in my post today, I wanted to share some things Plain and Simple. Make sure you stop by and visit with Charlotte and all those who share encouragement for Spiritual Sunday.