New Discovery!

Thought for the day:
"Can one understand joy without understanding sorrow? Do they separate, even inside of me?Can I understand life, and not accept its Author?.....Where does the wind begin?....."

Paula D'Arcy

                                                                                


"The wind breathes where it wishes. The wind blows where it blows.....The eye of Your storm sees from the wild height. Your air augments the world, tearing away dead wood, testing, toughening all trees, spreading all seeds, thawing a winter wasteland, sifting the sand, carving the rock, the water, in the end moving the mountain. ...Your wind breathes where it wishes, moves where it wills, sometimes severs my safe moorings. Sovereign gusts--buffet my wings with your blowing, loosen me, lift me to go wherever You're going."...--Luci Shaw

Sweet friends, kind friends, friends that care and always want the best for you. I'm constantly reminded of the many blessings I've received because of the friendships that are a part of my life. The "techno-world" has brought new ones to me and reminded me of old ones that I now can catch up with and peek into their world once again. Even my love of crafting has brought friendships to me and it reminds me that we all love to be connected to one another. There is a sense of belonging, of sharing our lives, to imagine someone else might be interested in what we have done, or said, or thought. . .I'm thankful today for my friends.

Switching gears time.....

I was doing my morning browsing on my Facebook page today and over to the side my eyes were drawn to the cutest little quilted daisy logo and I just had to check it out! It led me to a FB page full of fellow quilters and a new online quilt shop that's trying to get off the ground. I believe in helping small businesses around our country and especially sister quilters! So look for the quilted daisy link (to the left) for Daisy Cottage Quilting here on the blog and  visit Sharon's little shop and better yet, purchase some pretty fabric from her for your next project! She also writes a blog called Red Geranium Cottage...now you know, there's got to be some "kindred spirit" stuff going on...considering all the red geraniums at my Quaint 'n Cozy Cottage! Ha! Ha!

Friendship Jam

"...it is neither the coming or the going that is of consequence---what is of consequence is the beauty that one gathers in this interlude called life." -Winston O. Abbott, Come Walk Among the Stars

A dear friend came by today just to see me and drop off a lovely jar of raspberry jam that she had made from the raspberries she had picked on her farm. Is there anything lovelier or more delicious than that? Whether I am speaking of the gesture or the jam, let that be your choice, dear reader. For the senses are awakened with the luscious smell of the berries, the gorgeous ruby red color of them and the tantalizing thought of how wonderful it will taste spread thick on a warm, buttery biscuit straight from the oven--all that is fine and good...but the gesture of my sweet friend, who in the midst of her busy errand-loaded day, took the time to stop by, just to check on me to see how I'm riding the rocky seas of my present life, wields a far greater degree of wakefulness within my heart. There is really nothing I can think of that trumps a true life faithful friend.

WATCH: Marine Stuns Crowd at Tea Party | The FOX Nation

WATCH: Marine Stuns Crowd at Tea Party | The FOX Nation

Elayna's Quilt

Just had to post a picture of the wonderful little lap quilt that my 9 year old granddaughter worked on when she was here over Spring Break. She sewed almost all of the squares of this crazy little quilt! (The pattern is called 5 Easy Pieces by Lady Jane's Pattern Co and uses just 10 fat quarters in its design.) Of course, Grandma B sewed on the sashings and cornerstones, but she did a great job in my opinion! She wanted to make it as a surprise for her little brother. What a sweet gesture! I took it down to Spring Creek to get quilted just the other day. Elayna also made a pillow top with decorative stitching to match the quilt, using the 10th square. I still have to put a back on that! Here's my sweet little seamstress. Don't you just love her??

She and her sister are coming next week for another week of "craftiness" along with their little Alabama cousin and my sister. We are SO looking forward to teaching the little lovelies some of the fun times to be had enjoying the domestic arts! I think it's so important to share our skills with the upcoming generations so homemaking doesn't become a lost art.

How beautiful!

My sister-in-law, Kathy recently sent this picture of her backyard. I thought it was so pretty that I just wanted to share it with all of you. Many of the hostas in the picture came from our nursery here at Ever Green Farm. A few weeks ago, Kathy was visiting us and spending most of her time here helping out and working with her brother (my husband) in the nursery. Guess what they were doing? Splitting hostas! Guess she took some of that knowledge home with her and divided her stash up, too! It looks like they survived the split!
Another thing she took home with her from Tennessee was the bench you see in the middle of the picture. That was handcrafted by my son-in-law, along with help and advice from my grandsons! I love the benches because he incorporates holes in the seat area that are the perfect size for pots of flowers! Very innovative and so lovely, don't you think?
This just looks like the perfect place to come away to...to meditate or pray...or just dream....

You've done a great job on it, Kathy! Congrats!

Angel Houses Quilt

I finished this sweet pastel baby quilt, using the pattern, "Angel Houses" by Bunny Hill Designs. I made it for a sweet friend of mine who recently had her 4th little girl! I wanted to make sure there was lots of pink in it and I think I succeeded! This pattern was easy as pie to make and has the added benefit of being free! I downloaded it from the Bunny Hill website : click here  I'm taking it to Spring Creek Quilts to get it quilted this afternoon. 

We are counting our blessings today that we narrowly missed the 2010 Deluge of Rain that was released on Middle Tennessee this weekend. Our farm received only 8.5 inches in 2 days...as compared with Nashville that received  13 + and some communities west of them got 18" !Here is an AP article put out today telling of some of the devastation: AP article
and then video of what was experienced by drivers on Saturday on I-40.
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsjH5wQWDds  
Our prayers are with all that are experiencing the heartache of the floodwaters and upturned lives. May the Lord richly provide for their many needs.

Looking to get inspired

After spending yesterday riding around the back hills country roads of the Cumberland Plateau with my husband in search of the perfect flowers, shrubs and trees for our nursery, I have to admit that I'm beginning to get excited to create some pretty floral displays around the house. I have to get out the pics from last year's displays to give me inspiration though as for some reason, it just doesn't come to me without pictures! Last year was the first year that I planted red ivy geraniums int he window boxes and I fell in love with them. They were so healthy all summer...and I mean ALL summer! They went in the planter in May and bloomed all the way til November! I couldn't believe it. But they are winners in my book and I'm going with them again this year.

 And at my birdbath, I planted Russian Sage for the first time last year. I love the look of it beside the Sweet Potato vine in the dish garden with red geraniums of course! The daylily was about to burst forth in bloom, too. And that's purple coneflower to the right of the birdbath. I'm going for a similar look this year since most of the plants are perennials in that little garden. Can't wait to get started on making my pots! But, now, they're calling for frost tomorrow night....guess I need to wait a day or so....