Sunday, April 27, 2014

'The Courage to be Myself' and Wandering Around the Yard.....

I have a poster in my bathroom and I read it every single day. We are who we THINK we are and we are who we TELL ourselves we are. This poster is by Sue Patton Thoele and was adapted from her book, The Courage to be Yourself.



I have spent the day quietly and reflectively.
Having a sick day gives us permission to STOP and think and ponder some of the issues we are dealing with, savour some good memories and contemplate life in general.


April is a special month for me. Louis Dean and I met in April - 9 years ago. We married less than two months later.


The weather turned warm today - in the low 90's! It won't be long before Louis Dean will haul that big old shop fan out and position it to blow in the gazebo.


I wandered around the yard and piddled a little bit. Pulled a weed or two and watered the container plants.


Louis Dean dug up and moved nearly ALL of our roses earlier this spring.


Except for this bed. 
The honeysuckle blooms in the back along with MINT!!
Rosemary bushes are on either side making THIS flower bed the most fragrant of all!


If we can get the plants off to a good start BEFORE the triple digits of our Texas summers we have a chance on keeping them!


Love this little guy holding a few marigolds.


While we didn't turn on the A/C today I DID turn the window unit on in the guest room and took my nap this afternoon. This is the new handmade quilt I picked up at the Salvation Army last week! $19.99!!
I have heavy curtains hung on the windows which make it a lovely DARK room for napping!


After I got up I made my first batch of Friendship Bread - at least the first batch in YEARS!
Back in 1988 I received a starter and made it every week for the next 13 years!
I lost it during the few years of life changes and am happy to have it back now.
My sister (Nita) gave me the starter and she bakes it every week.
Another friend gave me a bag with the Friendship Starter in it back in February but it never made it home with me! Still not sure where I lost it!


Our yard is developing more of an English garden appearance.


I love 'profusion' as opposed to neat landscaping.


I also like little pots of things tucked here and there.


My garden angel reminds me to pray as I work.


We are loving the fence our sweet neighbors put up!!


Louis Dean intends to continue the fence all the way around the back yard.
He'll do it in sections.


Before the fence, though, he is making a sand box for the grandchildren.
It will be 4 X 8 feet with a stone path along one side.
He is even designing a cover for it!

 

We started our day outside on the deck sipping coffee.
Since I am still 'under the weather' we watched Ed Young, Sr. on TV.
Of course, we watch him every Sunday anyway, and usually we then attend Fellowship Church where his son pastors.


We are ending our evening in the gazebo with a slice of warm Friendship Bread and a glass of wine.
A sick day can still be a good day - and this one was!

8 comments:

Amber said...

Hope you feel better soon! missing you, it's been a rough week and I need my mom :)

Ginny Hartzler said...

I'm impressed that you made bread while sick. The kids will love the sandbox. What are these sweet fringed flowers? The quilt is just gorgeous for that money, it looks worth hundreds.

Sweet Tea said...

I went through a time of making Friendship Bread "years ago", but I didn't make it for 13 yrs. LOL. I think that might qualify you for the Guiness World Book of Records...Your flowers look so pretty. Sure hope you're feeling better soon. (Mister has been sick with it since Thursday).

Angie said...

Really hope you start feeling better soon. Your outside space is beautiful. I love seeing all your pretty flowers! I can't wait to see the finished sandbox. The Quads are going to LOVE IT.

Blondie's Journal said...

I wish you would get better...it's not like YOU to be down this long...although I do say uou get much more done than when I'm under the weather!

I had no idea that you and LD were married so soon after you met. That is just wonderful to me...that is love at first sight, very much fairy tale and I believe in those!! My guy and I married one year EXACTLY to the date of our first date...in the Crystal room of the Chicago Palmer House. Our first date was in the Empire room in the Palmer House!! I thought that was something!! And here we are...28 years later! :)

Hurray for all of your beautiful blooms! Enjoy!

XO,
Jane

Vee said...

You are so good at seeing the best in everything, even a sick day. Hope that you are feeling much better this morning. Your little garden angel looks like Logan. =D

Kelly said...

I just loved reading that picture you shared! Such a good reminder of things to start each day with. Your flowers outside are looking so pretty. I really love your little pond next to the fence. Sorry you've been under the weather. Hope you're feeling better today!

Susie said...

Linda, Some times we need quite days. I love all your flowers. I can't imagine a yard without flowers. They bring birds , bees ,and butterflies and I love all of that. Blessings to you and LD, xoxo,Susie