Are there times in daily life, when you long for tranquil moments of peaceful quiet?

Recently, I captured a few pictures that provided that, causing me to stop and notice,
and at times to sit and reflect for a few brief minutes, on the beauty before me.

The morning mist at a neighboring farm...

 

 

The sun streaming in on a flowing creek by the side of the road, causing

it to look like it was filled with thousands of sparkling diamonds...

 

...and as I sat looking at it all, suddenly a gorgeous, stately white swan floated down stream.  I pass
this creek so often, and many of those times, my mind is filled with the duties of the day, and I
totally miss the beauty it offers.  I will tell you, I never saw a swan on this creek before.

...the clothes line filled with laundry, already hung in the early morning mist.

...the jet streams of white in the crystal blue sky.

It was one of those rare autumn mornings, where it seemed that everything was covered with
beauty, color, and grandeur.

It refreshed my heart.  It helped me to realize again, that no matter how wrong things look in our
world, God is still creating scenes for us to enjoy...to be "wowed" by, and sometimes it all
catches me unaware.  It brings peace to my heart, and encouragement to my soul...

...because not one of us knows what is around the next bend, in our lives.
Thanking God for His many gifts today.  Thanking Him for you too.

 

What to do with some ripe, beautiful Gala apples that I found in my refrigerator, and an extra bag of chopped walnuts?

I found a recipe for "apple-walnut bread" that I wanted to try.  Yes, there are so many delicious looking recipes in the blog world, and at times I find it a bit frustrating to try and decide which one
to use.  I will use this one again. 

 

 

I cut up the apples and mixed them with brown sugar and cinnamon.

The recipe says to cut them fine, but I like bigger pieces of apple in

my quick breads.

 

I have a mold that includes four little shaped bundt pans in it. Hence, this recipe created four unique
loaves of apple-walnut bread.  Yummy apple-walnut bread!

Each loaf has light texture and slightly sweet taste.  Serve it warmed, and add a bit of butter to the slices.
Make sure to grab a cup of hot coffee or tea to go with it.

If you find yourself with extra apples and some walnuts, you may want to visit http://debbie-debbiedoos.com/2013/09 apple-walnut-bread . An easy to make recipe. 

To make my day even better, look what I discovered on an old wooden fence by

the side of the road today.  Pink roses, that despite the freeze warnings we have had

here lately, were still showing their pretty faces to everyone passing by.

Sure added a smile to my day.

 

Apples and roses...what could be better?

 

Oh, and thankful that you stopped by to enjoy them also.

 

 

"Each day of our lives we make deposits in the memory banks of our children".   

 ~Charles R. Swindoll

"Presence is more than just being there."   ~ Malcolm Forbes


I am thankful today, for three wonderful son-in-laws who take time for little ones.


Thank you for stopping by.

It was a perfectly clear, brisk autumn day today.  We visited the horse farm for the last horse show
of the year.

Our oldest daughter and some of her children made the visit with us.  My "cowboy", our daughter
and oldest granddaughter enjoying rare moments together.

The boys were given a brief lesson on how to touch a horse.

We walked through the pine trees...

...and discovered wooly caterpillars.  The little guys were thrilled with the discovery.

I was more impressed with the brilliant colored chrysanthemums than the caterpillars.

 

 

We watched the riders practicing in the ring.

 

And, watched a fun contest of rider and horse, dressed in their Halloween costumes.  The creativity
was impressive with each young rider.

The "bumble bee and grassy field blanket" team.

"Minnie and Mickey Mouse" team.

The "beach ball" team.

 

 

I am sure their grandpa would love if perhaps some of his grandchildren

would develop an interest in horsemanship in the future.  He does his best

to introduce them to it all.

 After all, he grew up with horses and learned the ropes early in his life, and I am sure he hopes

to pass that interest on to them. 

Whether that happens or not in the future, we sure did have a fun, relaxing morning at the farm,
ending our time, eating hot dogs and French fries on the lawn.

Thank you stopping by today and sharing in our morning.  Whatever your weekend holds, I wish
you time to enjoy your family and friends, time to soak in the remaining beauty of this season, and time to be thankful for it all.

 

"Autumn is a second Spring when every leaf is a flower."   ~Albert Camus

 

 

"How beautiful leaves grow old,

 How full of light and color their last days."    ~John Burrough

Just a little something from one enjoying autumn's fleeting moments.

Wishing you moments of beauty in your day today!

 

"If I had but one day left to live, how would I chose to live it?  If I had but one day to prove
to those whom I love what was most important to me, how would I act towards them and
respond to them?  What cherished words would I openly share with them...what generous
blessings would I lavish on them...what unspoken appreciation would I gladly express...
what warm memories would I gather and rebuild like the dying embers of a fire?"

Once again I read the thought provoking words in my dear friend's book, and once again
they convicted me.  The book is "Pathways of the Heart".  The author is one of my dear
friends, Patty Fischer.  I met her many years ago, when we were both teenagers.  She has
influenced my life in many ways over the years.  I am so thankful that she put her
gift of writing into a book and thankful for the way I learn from it, each and every time I
open it's pages.  Her gift of being able to write real life poetry is a true gift from God.
Her life journey has certainly had it's mountain peaks and dark valleys, and yet she
continues to bless and inspire so many as she walks it's pathways.

Thank you, Patty!  Thank you for the gentle reminders I need so often in my daily
life.

 

It was Sunday evening.

 

It was our niece's wedding.  Our niece we held as a newborn and watched

 

as she grew into a lovely young lady over the years.

 

 

With the skillful and artistic supervision of a dear family friend, who had the distinct role of

the wedding florist for the evening, each of the bride's attendants, put together their own

bouquets, including a strand of tiny, clear lights in each one.

The girls were thrilled with this unique privilege.

The wedding and reception were held in a historic, downtown building.

Candlelight and special effects lighting filled the room.

"Soft pink" was the predominant color of the evening, and warm smiles offered a sincere welcome

to each of the guests.

The "couple of the evening" met during a weekend youth retreat, at a local summer camp.

They are each from a family of three children, and they were both gifted with

creative genes, and warm, genuine, caring personalities. 

One part of the lovely bridal party.  The blond that is "great with child" is our youngest

daughter.  It was a joy to have her and her husband home during the last few days.

Truly a meaningful, inspiring and romantic evening.

The tiny niece of the bride, just might have stolen the show during the evening.

Although the ring bearer and the flower girl stole the dance floor for a bit.

The cake table was the handiwork of the bride's father.  One of many tables he has built

in the last few years, although I think this might have end up, looking the prettiest of

the tables.

The cake was beautifully done by a family friend.

The 18 year old photographer of the evening captured this elegant shot.  I can't tell you

how impressed I was with her and her photography skills and dedication.  She has

a thriving photography business and she is a senior in high school.  Wow!

It was an evening that provided all of us with an extra dose of beauty and memories.

We wish them God's blessings as they begin their lives together.


Thank you for stopping by.


Oh, and one more thing, I am trying to correct the layout of the choppy sentence structure.

I don't know how it happened and I am trying to somehow correct it.  Until then, thanks

for trying to ignore it as you visit here:)

 

Today, way up north, in the beautiful state of Maine...

 

...our daughter and son-in-law are attending the wedding of a family friend.
I just received this picture and thought you might like if I shared it with you.  I can't believe how  "old" they look on this picture, when only four years ago this weekend...

...this is how they looked.  I am most grateful for the blessings they have added to our family.

Thanks for stopping here.  You are a blessing to me too!

We cut back our rose bushes for the winter.

In between two of our big rose bushes at the back door, look what we found staring at us

with it's pretty little face.

I did not plant it.  I did not even know it was there.  But, it grew in underneath the foliage of the

roses, next to all the sharp thorns. It made me smile.  Isn't that a lot like life?

In the midst of the pruning and the thorns that can sometimes comprise our daily lives,

we discover an unexpected blessing.

From the outside looking in, we see one thing, but underneath it all, we may discover hidden

beauty.

Sharing my tiny gift with you today.

Happy Friday to each of you!


We are looking forward to having our youngest daughter and son-in-law home for the weekend:)

It has been so long since we've seen them.

What is it about the "extraordinary touches for the ordinary days" that make us feel so special, comfortable and at home(wherever we may be)?  Why do special touches and unexpected happenings seem to lift our spirits and make the day feel happier? 

I never met her, but a few days ago, she invited me to join her for a late afternoon tea in her home, on Wednesday.  She said that she has been visiting my blog for a few years and that she would like if we could meet. I learned that in the last year or so, she had moved nearby.

A late afternoon tea is an unusual happening for me, but I knew from the time I walked into
her front door, that I was happy to be there.  The table was set with fresh flowers from her
garden, old pretty  tea cups, and a lovely lace tablecloth.  The teapot serving as her centerpiece
was a gift from a student, during her years of teaching school.  She had a tea cup with pink roses
at my place setting, remembering that I like pink roses, from reading my blog.  How sweet!

Tiny votive candles were lit in the midst of candy corn and peanuts.

A pretty tray of grapes, cheese and crackers provided a delicious treat, along with the Red Raspberry
Zinger and Earl Grey tea. She offered gracious and kind hospitality, and the conversation flowed
from one topic to another.

I learned that she grew up in Canada, met her husband in Puerto Rico, and now lives down
the road from me.  In today's fast-moving world, I can tell you it was so nice to take this special break, in the middle of an ordinary day, to drink tea and chat together.

She proudly showed me fresh produce that her husband brought in from his garden, this late
in the year. 

When I was saying goodbye, this dear lady presented me with a beautiful basket of flowers
from her garden.  I was amazed at her generosity, and will be reminded of her, as the
bouquet now sits by my kitchen sink. 

She thanked me for sharing our grandchildren on my blog, because all of hers lived far away.  Blogging certainly does present some interesting aspects to life.

Speaking of blogging, if you want a truly moist, delicious, and chocked full of goodies recipe, you might want to visit KariAnne at www.thistlewoodfarms.com/walnut-raisin-pumpkin-bread. She shared her friend Kelly's bread recipe. Even if you don't want to make the bread, you might want to visit and see how appetizing she makes the bread baking process look.  I never saw raisins look so good!

I've made it twice now and both my husband and I think it is one of our favorites. If you like those three ingredients, I do highly recommend it.  I made some of these small bundt cakes, and froze them for future use.  Before serving, I will dust them with powdered sugar.

This is the site I discovered tonight outside my backdoor, and found it to be the best way to close out my day. Blessings come from some of the most unexpected places, and these are a few of mine to share with you. 

Thank you for stopping by.