....lovin this "Ole Blue Bell Jar"

It's a favorite place of mine.....a little

antique shop, not too far from the island.

Seems, they have a continuous flow

of lovely old things.

Now that the flowers are blooming,

I'll be bringing them inside.

Keeping the cottage theme in mind,

I've been on a mission to find an old

milk bottle and blue Ball jars.

I found them right away....

a few dealers had the blue

jars alright, a one quart size $24.95 and

the two quart size $30.00.

Not my idea of a bargain, so I
wondered about looking in every

nook and cranny.

I saw it on the top shelf, and got a

little short of breath when I saw

the handmade sale price tag

read $9.00.

I came home, scrubbed it up all nice

and clean....and

popped some little white Cottage Roses

into some fresh cool water.

Hmmm.....I'm thinking

Pink Peonies next. In this "ole

blue Bell jar," they will look

mighty pretty.

Blessings......Dee Dee

You can see a long ways off from the island......

Lots of activity going on today, on

Honeymoon Island....South Beach.

Everybody and their brother must

have been there, for it's a great family beach.

The North Beach.....a wedding

had just taken place when we arrived.

We drove by slowly as the bride

was having pictures made. She

was a beautiful girl and what

a pretty smile she had as she

waved her bouquet in my direction.

I could tell by the

glow on her face this was, by far,

the happiest day of her life.

She made a good choice of location, and time

for her wedding.

With a gentle sea breeze blowing,

and the time was a little before sunset

conditions were perfect.

In the distance, the wedding party

could see the hotels

on Clearwater Beach.

Can you tell that the water

providing a backdrop for the couple

was an absolutely gorgeous

emerald green/blue....

maybe turquoise?

No...I didn't take photos of the newly-weds,

somehow it felt imposing.

Blessings......Dee Dee

click on photos to enlarge...

Featuring The Dahlia....

Bursting into bloom.....sweet Dahlia.

A good rain has

done wonders for the garden.

This little potted Dahlia

having all the right

conditions, has just

managed to feel

right at home

in the courtyard.

Good blessings this

Lord's day.

Dee Dee

Last Summer's Hibiscus

Ah.....but I'm looking forward to

our Hibiscus tree producing

beautiful flowers again

this year.

y prior post, showed the

one lone bloom thus far.

With plenty of rain and

sunshine, in no time

at all there will be

plenty.

-

Thank you most gracious Father

For the loveliest of days

And all things of nature's wonder

That you send along the way....

~Katherine Smith Matheney

-

Blessings....Dee Dee

The First Pink Hibiscus.....

I had to squeeze in between all sorts

of tropical plants to get to this

pretty thing.

The first pink

Hibiscus

bloom.

Other things are going

on in the garden as well....the

Crape Myrtle

has "lacy-like" blooms

just beginning. I will post on

them at a later time.

My efforts for photos

today are not so good.

The clouds have moved in

and we are hearing the

glorious rumblings of

thunder....announcing

a lovely summer rain.

On such occasions, it

is customary to curl up

on the sofa with a good

read, and so I shall,

without further ado.

-

Wait on the Lord; be of good

courage, and He shall

strenghthen thine heart:

wait, I say, on the Lord.

Psalm 27:14

-

Blessings.....Dee Dee

Intoxicating!

Faith is the identifying mark of the Christian....

-

These days, my garden is a comfort to me, in

more ways than one.

I had wondered if

we would see our beautiful "Four O' Clocks"

again this year, and

thankfully they are back.

-

I planted "Four-o-Clock" flower seeds the

year we moved into our little cottage here

on the Gulf Coast of Florida....long ago.

In years past, they were growing in heights

of sometimes, over three feet,

over taking anything

that go in their way.

The blooms were multi-colored

and the fragrance throughout my garden

was

intoxicating.

This year, I have one single plant,

a fuchsia color,

growing in the same portion

of the garden.

It is lovely,

and, yes....it's still producing

that same delicious fragrance.

Good blessings.....Dee Dee

A Tuscany Street

A street in Tuscany

far away from my beloved Florida

Gulf Coast.....

-

To have the Internet at

my finger tips, is to allow

visits to far away

places in just a matter of

moments.

And so it was in Tuscany, that I found

old streets lined

with aged stuccoed buildings

with lovely tiled roofs.
-

The setting pictured,

caught my artistic eye,

having an outside mural of

Mary and Child,

a green shuttered window,

potted plants on the sill

and a motorcycle

left parked on the street.

-

I love the whole composition,

as it tells me a lot about the

people living in the community.

-

As is a usual thing, I always have fun

recreating scenery on paper,

using my pencils and watercolors and,

my digital camera solarize setting....

The camera......really liking the results....

Blessings.....Dee Dee

click on painting to enlarge, if you like.....

Hmmm....like the Truffula trees....

Truffula trees....

I've never known the proper

name for this tropical plant.

It has several tall stems that

produce

spider-like appendages.

-

Until this past cold winter,

this little grouping,

grew proud and tall,

towering over most

other tropicals in the garden.

-

I've always referred to them as

the "Dr Seuss" trees

(Truffula trees....The Lorax??? maybe....)

Their little tops, however, sadly succumbed

to the cold, and they had to be cut back.

-

As you can see, from the photos, they

are making a miraculous come-back

effort to life.

I zoomed in with the camera,

using the macro setting to capture

their delicate beginnings.

The colors are pale orange and green....

Ah....would it not be a fun thing

should they came back with all

the bright colors of

Dr. Seuss's trees?

Good blessings today....Dee Dee

Cinderella??

'He obliged Cinderella to sit down, and,

pulling the slipper to her little foot, he found

it went on very easily, and fitted her as if it had

been made of wax'.......

-

Tuesday's pencils and watercolors.

Blessings......Dee Dee

I could have said this..............

Ah! There is nothing like staying at home,

for real comfort. ~ Jane Austen

.......the beach at sunset.....

I've noticed the people that come each

evening to watch the sun set on Honeymoon Island,

all seem to have that

same peaceful look on their faces.

They are, after all, away from the "maddening crowd."

-

While walking along the water's edge this evening,

we passed a young couple,

in a very romantic setting, watching the sunset.

I asked to take their photo, and they willingly

obliged. You can see in the photo shown,

the composition with them and the sunset,

was pure visual perfection.

As we walked away from them, we found there in the sand,

on a slight embankment,

symbolic evidence of

their love.

Shown in the photo is the stone heart

they had most likely made together.

-

They had reminded me of

the first romantic date between the Mister and I.

It was long ago, on a beach in South Carolina.

These many years later, we are still

enjoying each others company in the

same setting....

It still feels the same....and he still makes my

heart happy.

Blessings.....Dee Dee

Pink Cottage Roses

Ah....nothing quite like

pale pink "Cottage Roses".......

-

"Then followed that beautiful season....

Summer....Filled was the air with a

dreamy and magical light; and the

landscape

Lay as if new created in all the

freshness of childhood." ~Longfellow

-

Good blessings this summer day...

Dee Dee

Looking A Little Closer.....

A favorite place for a late afternoon stroll, is

The Memorial Park in Safety Harbor Florida....

a short drive from my home.

It's a lovely place....lots of folks stirring about

with their pets, all enjoying a bit of nature.

I love this setting of the old gentleman with

his little dachshund......sitting along the water's edge,

waiting for the sun to set.

-

All well and good, and it made a nice photo....but,

as you can see, I was drawn more to the

plants and flowers.

-

While trying to get good macro shots,

leaning very close to the plants,

I found something much more fantastic,

than anything else going on in the park.

I zoomed in a little closer and was

mesmerized by what was taking place

almost completely hidden from view.

I had discovered

delicate little yellow Milkweed flowers,

busying about multiplying

by

propagating seeds.

A gentle breeze was blowing, spreading

them all throughout the small

garden space.

-

I've never been more

pleased to find that my small digital camera

was able to capture the whole magnificent

procedure.

If you like, double click on the photos

for an extremely close look.

Blessings.....Dee Dee

Orchids....thriving in the tropical environment.

It's quite remarkable actually,

that here in Florida's tropical

climate, the Orchid is

completely at home....needing

very little care.

It has been my experience, they thrive

best when ignored.....no fussing about

just allowing nature to care for it.

A beautiful thing to see baskets

of orchids hanging in the trees.....

in my garden.

Careful that they are not

in direct sun, they will

bloom all summer long.

I'm hoping for plenty of rain

this year...that is when they

seem to do best.

Good blessings for the weekend....

Dee Dee

Sweet Pink Salvia

I love that old hymn "In The Garden"....

"........while the dew is still on the roses........

It is a usual thing, me in the garden

early morning........not dew on the roses,

but during the night sprinklers have watered

all the plants and they have droplets of water

on them.

The pink Salvia still a bit wet, looked

a little droopy and yet was still

was appreciated by me.

Enjoying the moment....

Dee Dee

Celebrating Summer

This year, I'm seeing our beaches in the present

and longing for the glamour and styles of old Florida.

Adrift in what seems like endless carefree summer days,

I'm feeling and seeing in my mind's eye all that

was the "Sunshine State's" charm, from days of yesteryear.

-

I'm thinking I should be wearing, flowing white gauzy fabric dresses, and

fabulously large brimmed hats......perfect beach strolling attire.

-
I love that I can these days, meander unrestrained by the Gulf waters edge,

allowing the summer days

to develop gracefully......as I indulge in all that is good,

all that is summer.

I continue to allow my imagination to soar from

one thing to another, always gladly adding

to my long and continuously

growing list of things I must do.

Blessings.....Dee Dee

click on painting to enlarge

.....pining away

To know me, is to know my ways

have been greatly

influenced by North Carolina mountain

folks, good people from Kentucky,

and Pennsylvania...and

the fine folks from South Carolina.

-

When we moved to Florida, many years

ago, I felt right at home here in

the "melting pot" of these United States.

Seldom, does one meet a true Floridian, for we've

all been transplanted from one place

or another. We all speak lovingly of

the places we "come from," and, we've all

at one time or another "pined" (longed for

intensely) for those places from

whence we came.

-

When I placed these pretty Daisies on my

dining table this week, I found

myself "pining away" for the mountains and

the flat lands of South Carolina.

It is there I remember valleys with these

beautiful white flowers.

-

A little longing today.........but all happy thoughts.

Dee Dee

Whimsical drawing .....Elizabethan era?

What to do on a rainy Sunday

afternoon....let the imagination

venture in all sorts of lovely

directions, I say.

I suppose my drawings of period

women seems somewhat

whimsical to most, and I wholeheartedly agree.

I never know what might develop

when I begin with my pencils and watercolors,

but, at some point the

drawing takes on bit of a personality.

This being no exception, meet

"Lady Butterfly"

I'm thinking perhaps she's

from days of Plutarch.....or the

Elizabethan era?

The philosopher himself once said

"Painting is silent poetry and

poetry is painting."

Could it possibly be that

my butterfly lady could be?

-

Well...maybe not.

"Ahhh....the freedom to express one's self ....

priceless!"

Dee Dee

click on paintings to enlarge...

......afternoon thoughts

Far away there in the sunshine

are my highest aspirations

(objects of desire, things

I want to achieve)

I may not reach them, but

I can look up and see their

beauty, believe in them, and

try to follow their lead.

~Louisa May Allcott

-

.......good thoughts for a

Sunday afternoon.

Dee Dee

Worship the Lord today......

The worship most acceptable to God

comes from a thankful and cheerful heart.

~Plutarch

......a winning combination

The Thomas Crown Affair with Faye Dunaway

and Steve McQueen....

freshly made strawberry shortcake.......

a winning combination for one

sublime Saturday evening.

-

"Doubtless God could have made a better berry

(than the Strawberry),

but doubtless God never did."~Allen Butler

-

Blessings.......Dee Dee

......all along the causeway

The Oleander

growing along the causeway, has never looked

more beautiful.

On our ride out to the island this morning, we

were stopping and starting so I could take photos.

The colors seem deeper and more vibrant than

in days gone by.

This past winter, we had temps to dip below

freezing for a few days, causing lots of tropical

plants to go into dormant state.....not the usual

thing for any of them.

As a result, they have

come back to life this spring with amazing

abundance and

richness of colors.

My camera was clicking away, so I'll be

posting some other pretty pics soon.

Have a great weekend everyone.....

Dee Dee

click on photos to enlarge....and be amazed

Found......one tiny "Echinoderm"

In a mostly unexplored area of Honeymoon Island

State Park, low tide always reveals an abundance of rocks.

Not a place to swim, a wonderful place for "shell seekers."

The rocks willingly trap very small shells that are home

to all sorts of little sea creatures.

On the day we collected these shells, shown in the photos,

we found inside one of them, a baby Starfish.

-

The Park rules, clearly prohibit disturbing

the habitat or, anything found alive,

so we gently placed Starfish and it's home back

in the rocks and shallow waters of the Gulf.

-

Happy to have found and seen the little

"Echinoderm,"

we "check-marked" the experience as a

sweet island memory.

-

Good blessings today.....Dee Dee

Sunset On Honeymoon Island

Want to feel close to God?

Walk on the beach at sunset....

The top photo is one of my

favorites, with the lone fisherman

having parked his SUV, and

hurriedly walked out into the

late afternoon waters of the

Gulf of Mexico.

He had time for just a few cast,

and that seemed to be enough.

We come here often, along

with a few other sunset watchers,

hoping to see one more fantastic

show put on by "Mother Nature."

Seldom are we disappointed.

Blessings.....Dee Dee

......summertime and the reading is easy....

A new kind of read for me....

"Gilead" by Marilyn Robinson.

Having just begun to read,

already I have marked a page

to refer back to at a later

time.....something written

to ponder.

I have read enough to

appreciate the writer's

gift for using beautiful

language.

With no chapters, the story

captures the splendors

and pitfalls of being alive,

viewed through the prism of

how soon it all ends. Rev.Atl. Jrnl.

James Ames, 76 years old,

coming to

the end of his life is

reflecting back on it

all, while writing a letter

to his young son.

-

Sometimes I have loved the peacefulness

of an ordinary Sunday. It is like standing

in a newly planted garden after a warm rain.

You can feel the silent and invisible life.

All it needs from you is that you take care

not to trample on it.

-

I continue to read.....

and

I also continue to paint, with reading in mind.

Good blessings for the day....Dee Dee

......life is good

A small grouping of palm trees,

close to the water's edge, is our

favorite place to watch the

sunset. Imagine our surprise

this evening, when we

happened on this fellow

hanging out with the same

idea in mind.

My first thoughts were,

this guy is the epitome

or maybe even the

personification of

relaxation.

We would learn that

nothing could be further

from the truth.

-

Inquiring if I might take

a photo or two,

his response was.....

"Go right ahead, but

I just have to tell you

what is going in in my life!",

This is my birthday, and

my daughter is in labor,

about to give birth

to my grandchild!"

-

It is not every day one can stumble

upon an expectant grandfather,

whiling away the labor hours,

in a hammock by the sea.

But, there he was,

cell phone in hand,

talking back and forth with

family members.

-

I took a couple of photos,

we congratulated him, and

wished him well.

As we walked on down the

beach, we agreed that he

was one stressed out and happy guy.

-

Up ahead were the "shell seekers"

and we would join them. It was low tide

and a good time to look for shells

as we waited for the sun to set.

Ah, life is so good.....Dee Dee

click on photo to enlarge