A few of things that I am thankful for today...

My daisies are starting to bloom...

That there is such a thing as air travel, because...

These two are coming home today, and it is the first time since Christmas.  Her best friend's wedding takes place on Saturday.   It will be a busy weekend, but we can't wait.  Yes, I will have some more wedding pictures to share with you later...if you want to see more, stop back.

One more thing on my thankful list, is each of you who so faithfully stop by, to share in some of my "little somethings for you".  It means so much to me.

Recently, I took another drive in the country.  Winding through many country roads, I admired the beauty of it all.  The destination I had in mind, was a tiny wooden house in the middle of flower gardens.

The lady that owns and operates it, may be there or she may not be there.  If she is not there when you arrive, she will show up within a few minutes, on her bicyle. 

It is no problem to wait for her, especially if you happen to have your camera in your purse.  There are the most amazing photo opportunities everywhere one looks.

This is where she comes to work everyday.  If she needs water, she goes out to the pump and gets it.  It is here that she creates all sizes and designs of flower arrangements, in the quietness of the farm country.

Her furry little friend is her constant companion.  I have learned in my visits to her business, that she has many friends and many return customers.  I can totally understand why this is so.  She is so talented and so warm and caring. 

On this day, I had brought her an old condiment container with four little crystal bottles in it.

I set it down on the counter of the house and asked her to please fill it with rose buds and tiny flowers.

She studied it, and then headed out to her rose garden, with me right behind her.  With the sun shining overhead and the aroma of roses in my nostrils, I was so savoring every moment in that garden.

She studied, she cut, and then she brought them in and started her project.

The arrangement was for a milestone birthday for someone special.

For me, it was like watching a master flower artist, who doesn't know she is a master flower artist.

Here is the finished product.  I took this picture on my kitchen table before giving it away.

I liked it simplistic, and yet elegant beauty so much, that I used the picture as my banner picture.  That way, even though I gave it away, I still have it with me.

I just am thrilled to share the gifts that God has given to individuals in this world.

I hope it inspires you to use the gifts that you have been given, because you can rest assured people like me, will always be blessed by them.

Thank you for stopping by.

Friday evening, in our part of the country was filled with storms and lots of rain.  As I sat on my porch in the midst of it all, I prayed for our friends whose son and daughter were getting married the next day.  You see, the wedding was held in a church, but the reception was going to be held outdoors. 

The location for the reception was a tree farm that was owned by the bride's grandpa for many years.  As a little girl, she spent hours of time at the farm and did dream of maybe someday getting married on the grounds.f

The wedding and reception were beautiful!  I know how much I enjoy seeing pictures of weddings and thought you might like that too.

Many of these pictures were captured by my neice and her mother.  I am most grateful that they shared their expertise with me, so that I could share them with you.

The above picture is the lane to the tree farm.

Despite the fierce storms the night before, the weather was perfect on this Saturday evening.  We were all thankful for answered prayers.

One could tell that many hours of time were spent on sprucing up the grounds of this old farm.

The bride has two sisters and a brother.  I understand the bride and groom's families spent hours of time preparing for this big day.  I was also told that the bride's youngest sister was the creative genius behind the vintage decor of the tent.  The old pieces of furniture, the old wooden window frames, the old everything were put together in such an amazing fashion, that one actually felt like one was in the midst of weddings from a Victoria magazine.

Borrowing from friends and family, flea markets, and garage sales, she produced beauty for all of us.

Two of her uncles have a flower and produce business which helped in

all the gorgeous flowers involved.  At age 20, this young girl certainly has a bright future ahead.  She is also a gifted photographer and did all the pre-wedding and engagement pictures for her sister. Actually, I heard that all of the girls in the family are quite gifted.

My neice was the reception photographer and spent lots of time capturing special moments.

 

Upon arriving at the farm, this was the receiving line, where the bride and groom greeted all the guests.  It was the first time that we personally met the bride, and we were blessed by her warm, vivacious personality.  We have known the groom and his family for a few years, and know what a fine, young man he is.

 

 

 

 

Pictures of the couple graced the old, wooden barn door.

 

The evening dance floor, surrounded by strings of lights.

Everywhere one looked, were touches of beauty.

 

The tent which had withstood the wind and storms from the night before.

 

The placecards were hung on the old wooden shutters.

The table located at the entrance to the tent, and filled with memorabilia.

The table centerpieces with old canning jars, filled with fresh flowers, and placed on lace doilies.

 

I can't imagine a prettier place in which to place a wedding cake.  The evening shadows on the lake, added the perfect backdrop for the old chest, flowers, and cake.  I wonder whose room she borrowed this chest from?  What an artist mind she was blessed with!

My dear husband and me, as we were about to enter the tent.

 

The drink table.  Another carefully thought out location.

 

 

The groom's mother.  An elegant, gracious southern lady, whose warmth and kindness added joy to the event.  She also is a gifted party planner.

The couple's first dance as husband and wife.

 

The ambience of tent was enhanced by all of the tiny, twinkling lights that were carefully placed everywhere.  It was the first wedding to be held at this tree farm, and none of us will forget it.

 

 

The head table with the lake behind it.  I wanted to sit in the tent for hours and soak in the magical moments.

The evening ended with a fireworks display.  What a memorable time we all had in our night in the country.

Thanks for stopping by today.  I hope you could enjoy the beauty shared.

I read a quote by H.  Jackson Brown, author of the famed "Life's Little Instruction Book".  It says, "Always have something beautiful in sight even if it's just a daisy in a jelly glass."

It just makes me happy to have touches of beauty in my kitchen.  That is why I wanted to share this bouquet of light pink tulips that my sister brought for me.  She got them at Costco and gave them to me as a hostess gift, when she came for dinner.  They are still so pretty.  Makes me want to invite her for dinner again real soon.

They make me smile every time I sit down to the table.  Would you agree with me?

Even now that they are opened, they continue to add elegance to the kitchen.

I change the decorations on my kitchen island as often as I change my blog banner:)

A few years ago, my sister gave me a glass carafe, and my daughter gave me the rose creamer and sugar that are there now.

I added some faux green ivy, a string of tiny white battery operated lights, and a simple bird nest, with pink butterfly to the glass carafe. 

I like the look that it creates.

 

A strand of tiny white lights makes everything look better.

You can buy them inexpensively in any craft or garden store.  This strand requires 2 AA batteries and lasts a long time.

 

I rescued this green iron shelf from the garage, where it held some old cans of paint.  I brought it into my screened in porch and added some vintage items from

 our home.  I strung some tiny white lights around the back of it.  I like how it turned out.  What fun to shop through one's house and attic.  I do wish I was more skilled at creating vignettes, but this is okay with me.  The pink glass butter dish in the second to bottom shelf, was purchased at an old barn sale years ago, by some dear friends. 

 

On the same shelf is this old glass painted sign, just like my grandma had in her home.  My daughter found it at a flea market and gave it to me.  It reminds me of my grandma every time I see it.

 What a comforting promise for me in the world today.

Just a few simple touches of beauty, in my home tonight.

We are so busy!  You know how it is the day after a holiday weekend.

The driveway needs to be swept...never mind that you can only find the car wash brush.  It will work, as long as Pawpaw doesn't find out:)

Sometimes you just have to grab whatever shoes you can find, never mind that they are your older sisters and on the wrong feet, because you know time is so limited...

Next we are off to our McDonald's job, and all of you know how demanding that is.

So much food to serve, so many details to tend to, and customers can be a bit grouchy, especially after a holiday.

 

But, we are now organized and ready to face our day.  Bring on the orders folks:)

 

You know how it is...you just jump right in to face the week ahead, ready or not:)

Sure do hope you are already off and running today.

  I am. 

I do want to remember that every day we are given, is a gift.  A bit of humor sure helps too.

Happy Monday!

I introduced you to this dear friend in a previous post, but yesterday I was privileged to see some of her most recent masterpieces, and decided it seemed like the perfect post for Memorial Day.

Her hours and hours of work and expertise are done for service men and women who have been touched by war.  She did not want me to share this picture of her, but I think you need to see this gifted lady.

The organization is "Quilts of Valour".

 

 

My friend does the machine done quilt top.  In other words, she is the designer, the color coodinator, the piecer, and the artist of these quilts...an artist extrordinaire!  Her good friend is the the master quilter of these particular quilts.  There are many women who work tediously for the "Quilts of Valour" organization.

 

 

Look at the details in this quilt...amazing!!!

 

All done for very special men and women who serve our country.  Who help preserve our freedom...our heroes.

I want to share what a friend read at church, in regards to these men and women;

"I watched the flag pass by one day,

It fluttered in the breeze.

A young Marine saluted it,

and then he stood at ease.

I looked at him in uniform

So young, so tall, so proud,

He'd stand out in any crowd.

I thought how many men like him

Had fallen through the years,

How many died on foreign soil?

How many mother's tears?

How many pilots' planes shot down?

How many died at sea?

How many foxholes were soldiers' graves?

No, freedom isn't free.

I heard the sound of TAPS one night,

When everything was still

I listened to the buglar play

And felt a sudden chill.

I wondered just how many times

That TAPS had meant "Amen,"

When a flag had draped a coffin

Of a brother or a friend.

I thought of all the children,

Of mothers and the wives,

Of fathers, sons and husbands

With interrupted lives.

I thought about a graveyard

At the bottom of the sea

Of unmarked graves in Arlington.

No, freedom isn't free."

~author unknown

 

Today, you may be having a picnic.  You may be celebrating a holiday from work, simply relaxing and stretching out on your hammock, or a blanket under the shade tree.  But, somewhere in this world of ours, soldiers are not having that privilege.   Thanks to them, we do.

Thanks to all of you...every last one of you who serve our country!

Those of you who haved serve and who do now serve in our United States Military! 

Those of you who lost loved ones in war, and those of you whose loved ones are not with you this holiday weekend because they are serving our country.

On a personal level...thanks to our wonderful son-in-law and all his years serving with the United States Coast Guard, our two nephews now serving with the United States Army.

Today we salute and honor you!

 

Wishing each one of you an enjoyable Memorial Day weekend!

Wishing you time to remember those who gave their lives for our freedoms...

And time to remember the ones who are to this day(including our two nephews), giving their time, work, dedication, and lives so that our flag can continue to wave in our country.  Freedom is a valuable gift!

May you have moments to spend with family and friends.

And, minutes to relax and reflect. 

Happy Memorial Day!