......remember the little birds

One little bird feeder

in upstate New York,

out of order........

I'm

thinking of

the small critters

affected by all this

snow and how Ms Bridgett

is looking out for them.

Be blessed this weekend

Dee Dee

......dreamin of spring

Dreamin of spring...

aren't you?

been hearing about the snow

sounds real nice

....might be

a

good thing if

it would melt

and the flowers

began poking up

through the grass

right about now....

thinking of you sweet family

and bloggy friends

Dee Dee

....a glint of green

What could be more lovelier than spring?

Yesterday the twig was brown and bare;

To-day the glint of green is there;

Tomorrow will be leaflets spare;

I know no thing so wondrous fair;

No miracle so strangely rare.

I wonder what will next be there.

~L. H. Bailey

Tis my Hibiscus tree
reacting to

the

Sun's

kiss.

Blessings.... Dee Dee

.....fruit of the Spirit

When Christians speak of the

work of the

"Holy Spirit"

they are speaking about the

operations of the Spirit of God

in the material world we live in,

and within us.

What are the fruits the

apostle Paul gives us, as told in Galatians 5:22?

love

joy

peace

patience

kindness

goodness

fruitfulness

gentleness

and

self control

The Spirit is within us to cause our

lives to be more in tune with God's

purpose on earth (and beyond)

Source: Spirithome.com

......on my mind, as

I study the Word......

Be blessed.....Dee Dee

sweet finds....

I have a favorite little place to shop...

I visit there at least once a month...

Chocked full of lovely old things...
I search for

treasures.

Yesterday I was "on a mission"

looking for

little

vases

for my

white roses now producing

an abundance of lovely buds.

I found what I wanted.

The cream colored vase is a Pioneer

and the little pink and white one

of

Victorian style.

.......something old is

now

something new

to me.....

Blessings today.....Dee Dee

The Visit

It was not uncommon in my family

to have visitors

arrive on short notice.

As a child, I watched many times as

our doors opened wide welcoming

folks who were not

so familiar....but... they were family.

Tradition followed in my home.

Uncle Arnold

arrived unexpected, at our home one day.

announcing he was my mother's brother, and my having

seen photos of him, we were happy to see him.

So began a beautiful relationship with our newly found relative.

Uncle Arnold stayed two weeks with us,

told us all kinds of family history, and

made quite an impression on my children, who grew to love him.

Newly widowed,

he was traveling up and down the east coast,

visiting and meeting for the first time, family all along the way.

Another time....

The voice on the phone said

"I'm Denny, your mother's first cousin

and we're not far away, can we come and visit?"

It has been eleven

years since our fist meeting. Once a year he is

welcomed into our home, along with his

wife and another cousin Sarah.

It's a beautiful thing when we're

together. He tells us stories of childhood,

growing up in Kentucky.

He knew my grandfather and my grandmother.

He's done a little research on our family,

and found that although we're not from royalty,

we've lots to be proud of....and some things, not

so much to be proud of. These are the stories I

find the most fun to hear about.

Today

Denny is coming for our annual visit!

The table is set for tea and biscuits....

I can hardly wait to hear more stories....

Ah....the continuity of family traditions.

Dee Dee

Cleopatra

Like many Americans,

I've been sitting each night in front of the

television, watching the Olympics.

For quite some time now,

I've been unable to just sit and watch.

I have to be balancing more than one

thing at a time,

or I get a bit "antsy."

I'm usually on the Internet with the television

on in the background or....

I'm drawing and painting....

now and then listening to the television.
Last evening

was an exception...

I actually watched the "Ice Dancing"

and by the way..

I thought they all skated beautifully

A toss up between the American and

Canadian skaters, perhaps........They were both amazing....

"Were you hoping for two gold medals?" " I was."

Anyway....what started off on my paper...as a "Folk-Art-Girl"

somehow between the Canadian and American skaters,

she became

"Cleopatra"

and ...... she somehow acquired bluish "dreadlocks."

Is that funny, or what?

And....

her expression.....I just know what she's thinking...

"Oh, Really?" "I don't think so, Mark." "I could have poisoned you

many times, if I thought I could've lived without you."

"So, there."

Having fun today......Dee Dee

When I grow old......

Still

thinking

spring

is

around the corner.

Strong

evidence

in the

garden

with

all the activity

going on

at the

birdbath.

Watching and drawing nature is the best!

When I grow old I want

to become a painter,

just like

Grandma Moses.

I'm practicing every day,

trying to capture the childlike innocence

in the way she saw the world.

I like it and understand it. I see it that way too.....

Blessings....Dee Dee

Dreaming of Summer

Soft warm Florida beach sand

and lovely blue ocean waters....

been on my mind a lot lately.

I'm just imagining kicking my shoes off and

running in the surf.

It happens

each year around this time.

It's a bit odd, considering

not so long ago

I could hardly wait

for lovely cool days.

So, there you have it...

I'm longing to see pink Hibiscus blooms.

and oh......I can hardly

wait to see the Crape Myrtle

showing off in the garden.

Sigh.....dreaming of summer already

I suppose

Dee Dee

Twice this week I've been

led to Phillipians 4

Let not your heart be troubled...

The Lord doesn't want us

to be anxious.

Paul's advice is to turn our worries

into prayers.

America's citizens are

going through troubled

times.

When we start to worry....

Stop

and

pray

not just today

Have a consistant relationship with

Jesus.

Blessings this Lord's Day

Dee Dee

Signs of Spring.....

We spent the morning

in the garden

trimming

and raking.

With welcomed cool breezes,

we worked until noon.

The sky colors seem somehow a deeper

blue today.

We saw a few signs of spring

The

Hibiscus tree has tiny leaves

and

the

potted

Roses

are producing new

blooms.

The garden work, having inspired us, we

found ourselves visiting the flower nurseries.

Fuchsia Knockout Roses planted along the fence...beautiful.

Pale pink and dark purple Petunias

soooo...pretty in a hanging basket.

Life is good....

Dee Dee

Greens

I'm

a

little

bit

country

She

told me greens

were good

for me...

I learned to

like them with

cornbread and black eyed peas.

On a cool winter day

they warm my

my whole

being.

I miss her kitchen

and the smells

of kerosene

coal and wood burning.

I miss how she poured hot coffee

into her saucer and sipped it...

I miss her greens....

Dee Dee

Sweetness....

Sugar and Spice

and everything nice

that's what little girls are made of.

Sunshine and rainbows

and ribbons for hair bows

that's what little girls are made of

Tea parties, laces

and baby doll faces

that's what little girls are made of....

~author unknown

Her Valentine

photo card

was most

precious

and inspired me to paint.

With each movement of the pencil

I thought of her sweetness.

Pink is her complexion

shy

is her

smile.

She is loved by me.

My

granddaughter

Sydney

Good Blessings.... Dee Dee

Icart

Here

a

A large framed

Icart

commands

attention.

Even

early morning

room

reflections

deter

not

it's

beauty.

happy weekend......Dee Dee

"Take some more tea,"

the March Hare said to Alice

very earnestly.

"I have had nothing yet,"

Alice replied

in an offended tone:

"so I can't take more."

"You mean

you

can't take less,"

said the Hatter:

"It's very easy to take more

than nothing."

~Lewis Carroll, Alice In Wonderland

Were I to swirl the tiny

remainder of tea

in my cup

could

I

see the future

in my

tea leaves?

A tree:

success, happiness

A face:

change

A flower:

love and honor

Can

wet

tea leaves

peer

into my future?

I'm doubtful....

More tea? It's easy to take more.....

just being me....

Dee Dee

I watched as my beautiful Valentine Roses

began to droop.

Their stems began to weaken.

I could see pink, fuschia and peach colored

petals dropping to the table.....one by one.....

They had been the object of my

affection for one full week. Sadly, I knew it was time to

remove them. Somehow I struggled with the idea

and found myself almost forcing them to hold on to

life

for a little while longer.

The late afternoon sun began filtering through the

blinds.

In a single

moment

I could still see beauty

in

these

"ragged roses"

Blessings..... Dee Dee click on photos...

The Poor Children

In our light bitter world

of wrong

they come;

God gives us them a while,

His speach is in their stammering tongue,

and his forgiveness in their

smile.

~Victor Hugo

I'm making warm scarves for

orphaned children

of Peru.

Stitch after stitch

I'm reminded of stolen

childhood

.......these ragged babies

that

weep.

~Victor Hugo

Praying for poor children of the world..... Dee Dee

figure skating

I remember

Peggy Fleming

America's Olympic

winner

in

"figure skating"

Long ago

beautiful designs

were skated on clean ice.

Complex designs called figures

were judged

in Olympic events.

Eliminated from competition in 1990

I'm

enjoying the

"figure skating"

events

of the XXI Olympics

held in

Vancouver

The

costumes are much smaller

than those worn in 1908

when Madge Syers

was the first women's

Olympic figure skating champion.

sigh....

Dee Dee

White

White

the

color

of

new snow

or milk

pure

innocent

have you ever told a white lie?

I love wearing white

some have seen a "white light"

the color

drained from

your

face

white as a sheet

I

like

white milk glass

and

white tea

poured from

white

tea

pots

Monday offers new beginnings for me somehow.

I'm finishing up my Bible Study worksheet

sipping tea from a white cup

tonight we continue in the book of John

the personality of the Lord

is there if you want

to know

to see Jesus

is to see the Father

blessings

dee dee

from

my

heartmate

valentine roses
you
are
all
that is good and kind
You
were
made
perfectly
to
love
Dee Dee

snow

We have snow! Well, sort of.

In the midst of it all

someone heard our cries

and

sent us snow.

Nothing would be

finer

than to be

in

Carolina

in the morning

We could make

Snow Angels

and

Snow Cream

and

Snow

Castles

We could sit by the fire

Watch

Doctor Zhivago

and

Imagine we are

Omar Sharif and Julie Christie

Russia

I'm feeling very cold now

and

letting my imagination run wild

Having snow does that to a Floridian

Dee Dee

where is the snow?

It is strangely peculiar

the feeling one has

when all the world

is seemingly covered with lovely white snow.

On the Gulf Coast

of Florida

we've had all the elements necessary

or so it would seem

for snow today!

We had no sunshine.

Overcast rain with grey skies

was spoken of in the forecast.

Ugh!

It rained all day long.

High winds enough to

blow palm fronds

to and fro in

all directions.

"Bone-chilling" cold!

I want it to snow!

and I'm feeling a little left out.......

Wishing and hoping and

Dreaming of white.

Happy weekend.....Dee Dee

Tea

We felt chilled,having been out

in the cold night air.

White tea with real orange leaves

and lemongrass. A story of serendipity.

It has medicinal value and a warm cup

brings me warmth and contentment.

Arriving at the ball park earlier this

evening, we sat for a moment or two

in the car. I was glad I had worn my

heavier coat with the fur lined hood.

The temps were in the low forties,

as we watched the group of small

lads gather on the ball field. "T Ball"

is the entry level for baseball.

"Run to the sign in center

field," he said. The Coach made sure

they kept moving to keep them warm.

The attention span of a four year old

is short, we observe, as the young

boy's mind wonders. His fourth

practice of the season. He would learn.

We sat on metal bleachers,

wishing we had brought along

a wool blanket to cover us.

He looked our way and we nodded

with smiles and approvals.

Grand parental observations:
He was learning a new lesson.

To be part of a team,

his efforts counted.

He was giving it his best.

"Good-bye B&P"

Still young enough not to care

what others thought, he had

waved at us.

Feeling Blessed..... Dee Dee

These Children Of My Children

Bags are filled

Cards are made

All is readied for them

.....bits of "Valentine Love"

These Children of My Children

The occasion is opportunity
to present gifts and tokens of love.
Each one is favored by me.
Planning was a process
recalling special times.

I hear their voices telling

what is important.
She is sweet and gentle
Her dolls share her world
that is changing as
she gains understanding of life.
The lads still freely giving hugs
warm an old heart. The boy
just beginning sports sets the
moral example for the younger ones.
Happy is the child of two.
Smiles from the
smallest of the group is enough.
They are all loved by me
these children of my children.

~Dee Dee

Tiny Heart Sprinkles

Love is in the air.

The market was bustling.

I could see pink Roses and red Tulips.

I wanted a variety of pink, fuschia Roses

and he gave them to me before the special day.

Heart shaped Godiva boxes of chocolates were

tucked under their arms and flowers were being

carefully selected. Men who love.

Would I want a heart shaped box with just two pieces

of chocolate? I would from him if it came with a

gentle hug. I would think it sweet.

I selected for him, a cupcake with tiny heart sprinkles.

We will celebrate the day of love, all week...forever.

Valentine Blessings..... Dee Dee

The Wisdom of John Adams

On a recent trip to Barnes & Noble, I picked up a couple of small books about two of the "Founding Fathers." I'm reading the one titled "The Wisdom of John and Abigail Adams." It is chocked full of wise things, just like the title suggest. It's a great little read I can pick up and put down, always walking away with something to ponder. In the section titled Education, John Adams is speaking to his grandsons, sharing a bit of his wisdom with them.

We think, and improve our Judgments, by committing our Thoughts to Paper.~14 May 1783

I WISH YOU TO HAVE EACH A PENCIL, BOOK, always in your Pockett, by which you may minute on the Spot any remarkable thing you may See or hear. A pocket Ink horn, any cheap thing of the kind, and a Sheet or two of paper, ought always to be about you. A Journal; a Diary is indispensable...Without a minute Diary, your Travels, will be no better than the flight of Birds, through the Air. They will leave no trace behind them. Whatever you write preserve. ~3 May 1815

As I read along, I wondered that Mr Adams would have appreciated the Internet, having always at his disposal, a cherished Laptop. Perhaps he would have "stored memory" a tremendous repository of his amazing life experiences. I am so appreciative of these times we live in.

Now days, he would certainly have no use for his "pocket ink horn."

Blessings..... Dee Dee Note: Look on sidebar "Reader Of Compliments"

Winter Courtyard View

Photo taken before the winter temps dropped into the 30s.....when the courtyard area of our garden was still thriving. Sadly the tall "Travelers Palms have seemingly perished, along with the demise of our delicate pink "Rose Bushes." The lilipoped Tangerine tree has survived the cold quite nicely. We are hopeful that all will come back in the spring.

Blessings...... Dee Dee click on photo....

Expressions Of Love

The Reader Of Compliments.....One smile from her lips will never be forgot,
It refreshes, like a shower from a watering pot.
She's my myrtle, my geranium,
My honey suckle, my tulip, my violet,
My holly hock, my dahlia, my mignonette.

She's my snowdrop, my ranunculus,
My hyacinth, my gilliflower, my polyanthus,
My heart's ease, my pink water lily,
My buttercup, my daisy lily, my daffydown dilly.
~From "The Broken Hearted Gardener,"
a nineteenth-century ballad

One of my lovliest of all possessions, is an old book titled Compliments. It is a treasury of tributes to friends and lovers, relatives and rivals. It is a collection of the most memorable compliments from different times and many places, paid by the famous, the infamous, the obscure, and the unknown, to those they loved, respected and admired. All this week before Valentine's Day, I will post on some of these expressions of tenderness. Some are subtle and others are funny. All of us enjoy being on the receiving end of lovely compliments and genuine expressions of love. I hope you enjoy.
Blessings...... Dee Dee

Be Blessed This Lord's Day

.....God ministers to us so gently, so stolenly, as it were, with such a quiet, tender, loving absence of display, that men often drink of His wine, as those wedding guests drank, without knowing whence it comes...without thinking that the giver is beside them, yea, in their very hearts. Source: Jan Karon's A Continual Feast

Watching Them Grow

Very dear to our hearts, are the children in a small Christian school in upstate New York. Our daughter is director of the school and we have the honor of being one of the very first benefactors of the school. Many of you who've followed my blog for a while, know this already. Now and then the children write to us, sending sweet messages and photos. We delight in watching them grow and learn, and are amazed at how they're excelling academically and especially spiritually. In recent days, we received photos taken of the children on a "Snow Day." The photo in my header, are some of the girls setting side by side in the snow.

Can you tell whose having the most fun? Hint: He has a tennis ball in his mouth.......

Blessings..... Dee Dee

Pretty Things....

There is none other like it, and they can truly boast of having the largest variety. Barnes & Noble's magazine rack is a favorite hang-out. That is how I came by the January issue of Country Living.... British Edition. You see, I'm a bit intrigued and a little curious as to the life styles and behaviors of those on the "other side of the pond." I've found there's not a lot of difference, the British and the Americans, for we've long been connected in so many ways. Opening to the first page of my new magazine, I read the words of the Editor, and knew I was hooked.

"Rid the log pile, get a blazing fire going in the grate and settle down to enjoy this January issue of Country Living." Well, I could hardly do that, living in Florida with temps in the 70s. But I found a comfortable chair and embraced each feature with vigour and enthusiasm.

Frustrated decorator at heart, I enthusiastically enjoyed even the ads and that is what brings us to the topic of my "post" for today.

I discovered Oxfordshire workshops, where some of the finest English furniture is hand made. Pink being my favorite color, I thought you might enjoy what I found. Hmmm....some pretty things to see by Wesley-Barrell.

Enjoy the day..... Blessings.... Dee Dee click on pictures

Teacups

Photo...Google Images

Always on the hunt for lovely old teacups and saucers, I often wonder of where they might have originated. Were they from a home of fine quality, or a simple dwelling where fine things were part of an enheritance.

I like to....think about the houses

and the drawing rooms, the

kitchens and the cupboards

where (the teacups) were kept.

And the people who cared for

them and what they thought and

felt and loved and lost. For as a

wise French writer once said,

"The reconstitution of the past is

a delicte pleasure of which one

should not be deprived.

~Geraldene Holt

Blessings for you today..... Dee Dee

Faces

Last evening, deep in thought as to my likes and dislikes, I discovered I'm drawn to art of the Victorian era.... faces precisely. I adore the wigs worn by women and men, and find their costumes extravagant and a "bit over the top." Blended in with my love of Folk Art, I've concluded my style of art could perhaps be "Victorian Folk Art." Is there such a thing? I wonder....What faces will I create with my drawing pencils and watercolors?

Faces of friendship

The face of singing music

The faces of hunters and fishers bulged at the brows

The shaved blanched face of orthodox citizens

The pure, extravagant yearning questioning artist's face.

The sacred faces of infants, the illuminated face of the mother of many children.

The old face of the mother of many children.

Behold a Woman! She looks out from under her Quaker cap...her face is more clearer and more beautiful than the sky.

~Selected lines from poem by Walt Whitman "Faces"

Be blessed today.....Dee Dee

Love Is Not Affectionate Feeling

Our grandson Isaac is two on Saturday. He's a gentle, sweet natured and happy little boy. I've never seen him without his smile. While wrapping some wooden toy animals for him, I thought of how unconditional his love is for everyone in his family. With three other siblings, he fits in nicely, claiming a secure spot and trying to keep up with the older children. My, how we all love this little guy. It's always the same when he first sees me...his little arms are out-stretched and he gives the best hugs.

I made the card I'm giving to Isaac for his Birthday. (borrowed photo Google Images)I was inspired by one of the wooden animals we're giving him.....the lion. It reminded me of Aslan, a character in "The Chronicles of Narnia." Isaac has heard the story, read by his father, on a child's level. The words I selected for his card are not the typical two year old birthday wishes. They are lasting words that his grandfather and I want him to know. Perhaps it will remain in his keepsake box for a while.

Love is not affectionate feeling, but a steady wish for the loved person's ultimate good as far as it can be obtained.

~C S Lewis

Good blessings for the day..... Dee Dee