26 Years Since Our Wedding Day

We made ourselves a castle
Once after school was out;
We raked the leaves together
To wall it all about.
We made a winding pathway
Down to the school-yard gate,
And there we worked with might and main
Until the day grew late;
Until one bright star twinkled
Above the maple tree,
And lights shone down the village street
As far as we could see.
We planned that every recess
We'd come out there to play,
But in the night it blew so hard
Our castle blew away. K. Pyle

Let's toast to our castle never being blown away ~

No matter how hard that night wind may blow.

And let us remember ~

Storm clouds may come and go but every Sunset Brings a New Dawn.


Frank forgot to get me flowers this year but much more endearing to me was this bug.

He noticed it in the garden while I was out and took a picture of it with my camera to surprise me.

Only Frank would know how happy that would make me!

That kind of thoughtfulness touches my heart : )

Speaking of bugs ~

I looked up from my computer the other day to find this sitting right above my head!
After he has his picture taken ~ I " escorted " him outside.
The next morning I found him all the way in the backyard on my phlox!

He is beautiful but does anyone know what he is?

Funny Fruit and Veggies & Scenes from My Home and Garden

Isn't this the funniest thing!

And THIS! Well I'm just "peachless" he! he!

These are all pictures taken standing in front of our picket fence ~ ~ ~

Sometimes I just walked around my house with the camera and see cool shots I want to take ~ here are a few I took yesterday ~

.....the afternoon light shining through a lantern

......wallwords and a cool reflection. The real mirror is to the right ~ it's reflection to the left.

.....my butterfly bush looking through the antique lace curtains.

Teddi Is SO Handsome!

Today I went to the groomer .......

I look SO handsome my Mommy can hardly stand it .......

She keeps kissing me ~ putting me in silly poses ~ and taking my picture .

Mommy pleezz lets me go to sleep ~ it's nap time for me and Jake : )

What Has Been Sitting By My Bedstand This Summer ~ Book's In Review

This is the book I am currently reading. I was intrigued by a recent interview I heard on this book and noticed it had been on the New York Times best sellers list for some time. I started reading it last night and got a third way through. I hope to finish it at the beach tomorrow.
It takes you out of "the box" we so often experience God through. You know ~ the one that says our Dear Jesus is a most assuredly a white man confined within the walls of a church experience.It's all about relationship friends ~ one that is free and open to all and most certainly not dependant on 4 walls. This is a story about a real man with real feelings, anger and not able to trust God ~ and how God comes to find him.
Note (8-28-08) ~ I finished this book and let me say ~ it was something. It's one of those books that really "bring it on home " at the last 2 chapters. I am a BIG believer in relationship with God verses the idea of needing to go through another source to reach Him. Here is a quote from the book I love ~ words that Mack felt the Lord was saying to him.
"Religion must use law to empower itself and control the people who they need in order to survive. I (Jesus) give you an ability to respond and your response is to be free to love and serve in every situation, and therefore each moment is different and unique and wonderful.
Because I am your ability to respond, I have to be present in you. If I simply gave you a responsibility, I would not have to be with you at all. It would now be a task to preform, an obligation to be met, something to fail."
and a quote by A.W. Tozer
"An infinite God can give all of Himself to each of His children.
He does not distribute Himself that each may have a part,
but to each one He gives all of Himself as fully as if there were no others."




This is a really well organized book that gets right to the point. It is one you will want to keep in your studio/craft room and reference often.

OH WOW! One Thursday this summer I was walking through Borders on my way to pay and this book jumped out at me. I never listened to Korn, had never heard of Brian "Head" Walsh, and couldn't guess for the life of me why I was buying this book. I started to read it after dinner ~ never dreaming I would not be able to put it down. It is a raw , not for the lighthearted but powerful story of how this rock star ~ addicted to crystal meth ~ was able to turn his twisted mess of a life around through the power of our Lord Jesus Christ. It didn't come easy ~ Brian often had shouting matches with the Lord ~ said he was sorry by day and did more drugs by night. God never turned His back on Brian and carried him step by difficult step out of his private hell to a joy he had never known before. I loved hearing Brian's point of view as he does not come from a church background so his point of view is real and not immersed in anything but the raw direction of God.

I finished this book at the beach on Fri. I drove home completely washed through and through with the glory of God and the joy and thankfulness that God sees such beauty in all of us ~ no matter how ugly we feel.

When I got home I got the news that my sweet cousin had died in her sleep. It was the afterglow of this book that helped me through this awful news.

NOTE ~ Brian's New York Times Bestseller book " Save Me From Myself " is the same book with more pictures. "Washed By The Blood" has less pictures but contains discussion questions after each chapter. It is geared to his fans who question why he left the band "Korn" and gave his life to Christ. Since I grew up in the drug culture of the 70's ~ I was able to handle the beginning chapters where he describes his experiences with drugs etc.

I will be 50 in March and this book still spoke to me. Some others may find it offensive.

I just LOVE this book! It came in the mail just this week and I can almost taste the new DMC thread I spotted at Joann's Fabric last week. It is perfect for the simple, easy patterns in this book. Nothing fancy here ~ just refreshing and peaceful. It would be a fun challenge to do each season they picture in the book!

Come With Me For A Summer Sunday in Conn.

It's 10 am and I am headed to Fairfield Beach 30 minutes down the road. The funniest thing happen. By the shore ~ a woman was doing advanced yoga poses. She had her eyes closed and was clearly in her own little world. A toddler boy ran over, stood right by her side ~ and began imitating her. It was just the cutest site! The boys Mom ran up to take a picture and yoga lady finally realized she had a new friend!

This huge grasshopper was greeting me by my front gate when I arrived home! Isn't he beautiful!

Frank and I decided to take a ride to The Smithy in New Preston, Ct. Everything they carry is local. We bought peaches, herb cheese made at a farm down the road, vanilla tea cake and some AMAZING cranberry chutney!

Headed toward home ~ we stopped at Maple Bank Farm in Roxbury.

http://www.maplebankfarm.com/

Watermelon,cantaloupe, Buffalo mozzarella cheese and hot peppers all filled our bags as we left.

Look at this gorgeous oxen ~ ~ ~

and precious sheep.

Back home just in time for a dinner of watermelon! And for dessert ~ farm fresh tomatoes and local buffalo mozzarella cheese drizzled with olive oil and spices. And some cranberry chutney and organic vanilla tea cake. Yea ~ we basically walked in the door and pigged out on everything we bought!

I would rather spend a weeks worth of grocery money on this kind of food ~ and wing it on eggs and soup the rest of the week!

By the way ~ Look at the cute apron I made Sat. night using this tutorial ~
http://mybyrdhouse.blogspot.com/2008/04/jeans-half-apron-tutorial.html

It was a BLAST to make! I am going to make some shorter ones and add some machine embroidery .

My Byrdhouse is really a FUN blog to visit!

AND ONE MORE THING ~ ~ ~ ~

TEDDI AND JAKE ~ this means YOU!!!!

Guy Wolfe Pottery

Are you familiar with Guy Wolfe Pottery?
Martha Stewart seems to be the one to have discovered him many years ago in his Litchfield
County, Ct studio. When mom came to visit one year ~ we took a drive to his studio to see what all the fuss was about.
There he was ~ creating a piece as we watched in amazement.
He was friendly and transparent but had that edginess to him many artist possess mid -creation. As we I tried to drink in every morsel of his studio ~ there on his bench was a large order from her Her Honor Herself ~ Martha!
He later told us he had a huge order to fill from her as well as his thoughts on selling the rights to his name. He had so many orders from all over the world ~ he was struggling to keep up. (It appears many years later ~ he has indead sold the rights to his name and the new stuff you find is not made by his creative hands ~ sigh.)
He followed us out as we carried our BOXES of purchases to the car. As I turned to take one more look before we drove away ~ I watched him jump on an old wooden swing hanging in the front of his studio and start to swing as high as he could! I bet he was trying to touch the sky with his feet!
I've wanted my own swing ever since!



This is the real deal ~ a piece my Mom bought for me from Guy's studio many years ago.


This is the reproduction stuff your likely to find today.

Take A Stroll With Me Through My Garden

This Glorious Sunflower has finally bloomed! The bees are enjoying as much as me!

This is my side yard. We have been working on the retaining wall here all summer. Finally the grass is coming up!

Oh dear! My angel has just hung you a moon!

I wish you could hear the relaxing sound of my pond babbling. I feel blessed and loved by God when I sit here. This little pond feels like such a gift from Him.

I have less than a half an acre but have managed to cram lot's of Secret Gardens EVERYWHERE!

"Our Special Chairs"

One for Frank and one for me ~ these were our retreat when the kid's were younger. We'd come here with our coffee and tea and make big decisions out of earshot of our kids. He bought these for me one year with his Christmas bonus. It breaks my heart ~ they are rotted beyond repair and I fear this is the last year they will sit there.

I always think of Pat Winter when I sit on my wooden swing. I'm not sure why but they are nice thoughts! This is where I run when a new book comes in the mail I have ordered or where I rock Teddi if I can catch him. Being rocked is way to "girly girl" for him. Kinda the same way he feels when I put a pink t-shirt on him that says DIVA : )

That is my Jaci statue hiding under the hydrangea. Frank bought me a statue of each one of my kids many years ago. The heads of Franky and Cheri have fallen off ~ YIKES ~ and the angel that is supposed to be Ashley ~ well let's just say it may be a case of mistaken identity ~ he!he!

Lots of different layers and textures in a garden creates excitement around every corner!

If I was a Garden Fairy ~ the purple spikes would be my Home.

Everytime I see a Butterfly ~ it's like I 've seen one for the first time!

AWWWWW ~ a refreshing glass of home brewed Ice Tea in a frosted mug.

Thanks for joining me for a walk in my garden! Come back SOON!