"The beauty of the earth, the beauty of the sky, the order of the stars, the sun, the moon...their very lovliness is their confession of God: for who made these lovely mutable things, but He who is Himself unchangeable beauty?"

~Augustine

"Five years" ago, this beautifully created, chocolate groom's cake, was a special part of a memorable wedding reception.

"Five years" have pasted since that memorable day. " Happy 5th Anniversary" to our daughter and son-in-law, today!  You both continue to bless our lives in so many ways.  Wishing you a fun day together!

Speaking of blessings...these two visited this week and what fun they are, as they are rapidly approaching their second birthday.  I continue to have trouble telling them apart.

As I mentioned previously, my nephew's wedding pictures will be shared in the near future.  These gerbera daisies created a beautiful wedding for them.

Today it is to reach 100 degrees here.  Hope you stay cool wherever you call home.  Thanks for stopping by and sharing in my simple joys.

On a warm, Friday evening, in the hills of Kentucky, we were treated to a very special, wedding rehearsal dinner.  Friends from the church the bride grew up in, offered the use of their old barn in the country.  It was the perfect place to celebrate with the couple, family and friends. 

Up the grassy hill we all walked together, eager to participate in a long awaited evening of celebrating.

My nephew's parents, my sister and brother-in-law hosted the wonderful event.  Pictured here, the future bride and groom.  Their warm, caring personalities made everyone happy to be a part of their wedding weekend.  Many country touches added to the quaintness of the evening.

Name cards were attached to colorful hanging ribbons hung from the wooden rafters, inside the barn door.  That was a great idea since most of the guests from the two families did not know each other.


 

My brother-in-law, sister and their family creatively decorated the old barn.  The strings of lights added the perfect ambience to the event.  The borrowed tables and chairs provided seating for all the guests.

 

The centerpieces were created from empty baked bean cans and bright colored, faux flowers.

My husband with the groom to be and his brother, nephews he remembers holding as babies. 

My sister, her daughter and our daughter in the blue.

Old canning jars were wired onto wooden branches and held small votive candles.  These homemade lanterns were hung throughout the property.

At the end of the evening, we all experienced an added blessing.  The most brilliant, beautiful sunset filled the sky, creating interesting shadows from the remaining clouds.

Thanks to my neice for sharing some of these pictures.

I read a quote by Susan Branch the other day and it said, "Take lots of photos so you'll know summer wasn't a figment of your imagination."  I have one real rose bush that just happens to be producing the most delicate, beautiful, fragrant roses this summer, and I am thrilled.  It has been five years since that little bush has been given to me, and this summer it is it's turn to shine.  Yesterday, I took my five year old grandson out to my  tiny rose garden.  One rose bush and five knock-out rose bushes...that is why I call it my tiny rose garden.  I showed him the roses and had him inspect the center of each rose, and then I showed him the tightly closed rose buds and explained to him the process of the bud opening to the full flower.  I am sure it wasn't real exciting to him, but he did act slightly interested.  Of course, I am used to that, because that is how all the people I am surrounded with, act:)

I showed him how you can cut a rose off and bring it into the house, and then I showed him a few ways one can display it indoors.  There again, he acted interested in what I was saying. I showed him the thorns, had him touch them, and explained to him that the thorns were placed on the rose bushes to protect it.   Finally, I showed him how his mawmaw loves to take pictures of these beauties, just to share with you.  Who knows, maybe it will help him to understand his wife better someday.

The rose is one of those flowers that excites not only the sight, but also our sense of smell.  Just smelling this flower can take me back to my childhood, when both of my wonderful grandma's gave me a love for roses.  I can remember it so well.  I can close my eyes and be transported to their rose gardens and how I loved smelling each rose.  The thin, silky petals are so perfectly shaped and the intricately created center of each flower simply amazes me upon careful study of it. 

"As a countenance is made beautiful by the soul's shining through it, so the world is beautiful by the shining through it of God."    ~Friedrich Heinrich Jacobi

"I find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think, all the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read, and all the friends I want to see.  The longer I live, the more my mind dwells upon the beauty and wonder of the world."    ~John Burroughs

And my friends, the older I get, the more I understand my grandma's love for these beauties. 

I am thankful that my little rosebush has survived it's five year life.  At times I did not think it would, but it did.  In reading my rose books I realize that growing roses can be difficult, and I know from visiting some of your blogs, you have mastered this skill. I would love to walk through some of your rose gardens with you.  I would like to be your neighbors and receive some bouquets of your roses.  I would also like to recommend that you give others a gift of a rose bush.  It is the gift that keeps giving year after year, if you can keep it alive:)



In the next post, I will be sharing a few highlights of our trip to Kentucky this past weekend, for my nephew's rehearsal party and wedding.  If you enjoy events like this, please stop by.

On a perfect summer evening, we gathered together for a very special tea party.

The gardens were exquisitely cared for.  The soothing sound of water running was an indication of what was ahead for us.

Once again, we met at this old wooden house that used to be a playhouse for the owner's children.  The ambience that greeted us immediately calmed our spirits, after the busy day we had all come through.  You see, this evening was created for a very special reason by one of my dear friends.

Three years ago, I had invited these three beautiful mothers and their three daughters, to a tea party at this location.  What a wonderful, rare evening we all had together.  The memories of the evening are still vivid in my mind.  In April our precious friend in the aqua jacket, went to heaven, so unexpectedly.  Three years later, her daughter, the one in the white suit wanted to participate in another tea party, only this time she invited the three daughters, along with our oldest daughters, to the same location.

Here we are, joining together as the next generation.  What a privilege it was to have our daughters share the evening with us in the same lovely, magical location.  Maybe someday, they will have a tea party here with their daughters.

The gracious hostess and home owner treated us to another equally beautiful evening that we will never, ever forget.

All the creative touches, the gorgeous gardens, the delicious food and the hostesse's warm, caring spirit, blessed each of us in memorable ways.

Tiny, pretty favors for each one of us.

Our hostess extrordinaire and her young, talented helpers carrying platters of food.

The candles were glowing, the crickets were chirping, the conversations were fun, at times filled with laughter and tears, as together we remembered one very special lady.

"The best portion of a good life is little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and love."   ~William Wordsworth

Our friend left us with many of the above, giving us reason to celebrate and remember her.  In the gardens we shared time together, being reminded of just how necessary it is to appreciate each other, every day that we have here.

It may seem like I share parties and weddings frequently on this blog, but it so happens that with a big family, there are cousins that were born within a year or two of each other, thus the numerous showers and weddings.  And, since I do enjoy sharing beauty and creativity on my blog, I thought I would share the shower I attended last evening.  It was for my nephew and his fiance'.  His mother, sisters, and sister-in-law planned the evening and it was so much fun to be a part of it.  The main reason for the fun, was the warm, gracious hospitality that was extended to everyone present.  That in itself, creates the best kind of shower.  The decorations and food are secondary in my book.  But, if you are privileged to attend a shower with hospitality, well thought out decorations, and delicious food, you are blessed as I was last evening.

  The taste and eye appeal were equal in this fruit tray.  Fresh, sweet, fruit were a welcomed addition in the hot summer evening.

Pictures of the honored couple, that were captured by their brother-in-law, graced the food table and wall. 

The bouquets of color coodinated flowers were picked from relative's gardens, and arranged by his talented aunt.

The lavender paper plates were decorated with copied pictures of the bride and groom, and covered with a clear plastic plate.  What a brilliant idea!  The girls in this family certainly are gifted in the ability to plan a party, and they do make the best party sandwiches ever!!!

The bride's color choices for the wedding are lavender and coral, and looked so good on the food table.  The flowers skattered on the front of the table were done by cutting off the stems of the flowers and glueing magnet disks on the back of the flower and using another magnet disk on the other side of the tablecloth.  Idea from Martha Stewart.

The groom served iced and hot coffee drinks, that happen to be his specialty.  Not only is he a handsome barista, but he has a fun, caring personality to go with it.  Great combination!

Mini cheeseballs made from a recent Sandra Lee magazine,recipe.  I will share the simple recipe with you at a later date.  The hearts were cut out of orange peppers, with a tiny cookie cutter.  The other hearts were cut out of slices of sharp cheddar.  Platter was served with pretzel sticks, pita chips and crackers.

The favors of the evening were gorgeous cookies were baked and decorated by the future groom's oldest sister.  I was so impressed with her talent.  Along with the intricate detail, came the delicious taste too. 

Her she is, the cookie baker and designer of the evening.

The best way to end a bridal shower was with tiny dessert creations by their dear sister-in-law.  With many people chipping in to help and each addlng their contributions, it produces one memorable evening for everyone.   I must tell you, as their aunt, I just cannot believe these kids are grown ups.  Truly, it seems like only yesterday I was babysitting them and driving some of them to school.  Let's see, where does that place me in the scheme of things? 

Thanks so much for stopping by today.

"Home-grown goodness" I received this past weekend, and I want to share with you. 

Flowers from a good friend's garden that now grace my kitchen island.  A combination of vibrant colors, placed in a glass vase with a white tuelle bow...perfect!

The same friend's daughter just learned to make blueberry pies, pastry and all.  She shared one with us and I can't tell you how delicious it is.  I wish you could stop by for a cup of coffee and a slice of pie.  In a dream world, that would happen on a Monday morning:)

"Ultra-sweet" tomatoes purchased for me by my mother, from a local well known tomato festival.  Tonight...our favorite BLTs with a slice of sharp cheese, a bit of mayo, and a slice of avocado.  Oh, I can't wait.  One of my summer highlights.

Lush green peppers and zucchinis, home-grown and delivered by my dear neice, when she stopped in at my house on Saturday morning.  The visit was to discuss some last minute shower details for an uncoming bridal shower, and true to her personality, she brought me a brown bag with these beautiful vegtables in it, right from her garden, plus six of the sweetest fresh peaches of the season.  I can't show you those since we already ate them.  Oh, the many joys of the summer.

My pink rose buds look so pretty in the tiny crystal salt shaker, I found on Saturday,at an antique store, for .50.

This my friends, is the best "home-grown" present ever!  I received this picture from my daughter on Saturday.  Pleased as can be, she loves eating the food herself, and much prefers adult food to baby food.  On this "hot" sunny Monday, I hope this little one's precious, toothy, grin will bring you your own smile today.