The Beauty of Blessing, Milkglass, Garden Up Date and It's ONE Downfall

             " Our lives are just two threads in this eternal canvas.

They diverge, converge and interweave with each other,

Then diverge and converge again until the fabric is complete."

Kahlil Gibran

Two beautiful lady's blessed me so much last week!

First I was flabbergasted to find all of this gorgeous hand dyed lace by

Pamela Kellogg sitting by the door with my name on it! 

(via the mailman of course)

I'm still in shock and it is still sitting just like this on my sewing table.

It was ironed so perfectly but I couldn't wait till my camera was charged to unfold each piece and study all the beautiful colorways running through it!

Each piece is truly a work of art!

You absolutely must go to Pam's Blog and Etsy store where you will be delighted with gobs of eye candy!

THEN I was so lucky to win this breathtaking kit from my pal Pat Winter
I never win ANYTHING ~ this was truly my lucky week!

Beautiful fabrics, cigg print, lace, beads, trims and her gorgeous hand dyed silk ribbon!

This was all in a gift bag made from an old story book pages.

See the Dragonfly ~ that was a picture in the book ......

 a matching Dragonfly charm was enclosed with the beads!

These two beautiful woman have put the spring back in my step and ignited my flame of inspiration that was firmly in the OFF position.

Thank you SO much!!!!!

My garden offered some surprises as well!
These beauty's were hiding under my Birdhouse Gourds.

By the way ~ the latest issue of Mary Janes Farm had a great article on Milkglass

so I thought I'd share some of mine with you.

(the pumpkin is from my son's garden)

One day I will share my whole collection but this is the stuff I had handy.....

this is really a sugar bowl from a child's set but makes a perfect vase for

flowers with tiny stems.

One of my favorite pieces ~ a Punch Bowel complete with cups ~ $10.00!

Later I found just the bowl part so I have a spare if one breaks.

The little vase on the right is my favorite shape for a vase even though they don't hold alot of water.

The Salt and Pepper Shakers are like new.

I like using Milk Glass at Christmas time ~ it goes so beautiful with the colors of the season.

These candlestick holder seem to have been made to use upside down as well but I'm not sure.

Do any of you know how they might have been used?

Other gifts from the garden ~ the cornstalks for my fall decor.

I hear you guys laughing ~ what's so wrong with growing 12 cornstalks???

This is a Birdhouse Gourd flower.......

and the Gourd beginning to form.

If these grow nicely ~ I will have a giveaway this fall.

They are just the coolest things in the world!

The Trumpet Vine attracts Hummingbirds ~ they almost fit right inside!

I forgot the name of this but they are common ~

I bet most of you have one.

They grow very tall ~ this one is about about 5 feet.

Notice the rust colored mums already blooming!

The ones in my back yard started blooming the first of July.

Here in my corner of Connecticut ~ our growing season is about 4 weeks ahead of any year previous. We started picking tomatoes the end of June!

The shade garden is mostly a jungle of green except for the hydrangea and variegated grasses. The heat wave really stunted the growth of the impatiens which I rely on for late summer/early fall color.

This week I'll start tucking mums into bare spots to catch the eye and

provide flowers for cutting into the late fall.

Now here is the biggest downfall of my little peaceful domain I call my garden ~

 ~ my destination when I want to think

~ or get a good work out

~  possibly lose a bit of the ole' tire tube .

Look closely between the 2 bunches of tall grass ~

Here ~ I'll give you a close up shot ~

 Friendly's Restarant !

 as in Hot Fudge Sundaes ~ soft serve with fudge dripping down the sides, Orange Fribbles, Banana Splits!

Now don't even mention FishAMajig Sandwich cause I haven't had one in like a million years but that doesn't mean I'm not tempted.

As a matter of fact ~ I don't even like Freindly's all that much BUT

sometimes it just calls my name.

If you don't have a Friendly's in your back yard ~
Give this little recipe a try...........

Caribbean Delight

1 fresh pineapple cut lengthwise
2 medium mango's ~ cut in 1 inch pieces
2 mandarin oranges
2 bananas sliced with juice of one lemon poured over
1 cup fresh strawberries sliced
5 Tablespoons sugar
4 Tablespoons curacao
3 cups vanilla ice cream
5 Tablespoons grated coconut

Hollow out pineapple and cut it fruit into cubes.
Combine all fruit in large bowl.
Add sugar and curacao.
Spoon vanilla ice cream into the pineapple shell and top with fruit.
Sprinkle with grated coconut and DIG IN!!!

(from "The Book of Friendship" by Ariel books)

A Crazy Quilted Pouch to Share and My Garden

What's the thing that just makes your heart leap every time you do it?

For me it is being able to go in to my sewing room

and create a gift to match the love and appreciation in my heart for someone.

I finished this crazy quilted pouch this week for my spiritual mentor from afar ~ Paula White.

This woman's ministry has been the salve during some very difficult times in my life.

The other times I have seen her has been in big venues in NYC with thousands of people but

 Fri night and this morning she was at a local church. 

I knew I'd be able to get this to her quite easily.

I sure hope she likes it!

This is a Vintage Hanky Mini Quilt I made several years ago.

When I put the roses in front of it ~ I noticed they matched the ones on the bottom hanky perfectly!

Teddi and Daisy .......

(who have been known to practically fight to the death over food)

.......  sharing!!!!!

Hear that???? It's the fat lady singing

See that??? The man jumping over the moon!

Awwww ~ the last of the foxglove. If I'm lucky I will get a few blooms in late August.

Check out the bloom on the left ~ I have never seen a foxglove bloom Up like that before ~ have you?

Can't you just see the tiny garden Faeries scrambling into each bloom just before the crack of dawn.

Have a Beautiful Week-end......

Remember how special you are ~ there's NO ONE just like you.

Hold your pretty head Up ~ straighten that back

Feel Proud to be YOU!

Come Join Me For a Walk in My Garden

Here in Connecticut ~ the Garden Tours have begun!

(see a full list at the end of this post)

I have made my favorite summer drink just for you ~ 3/4 part fresh brewed tea to 1/4 part lemonaide

Come join me for a tour of my Garden.......

"Where you believe there is magic, you will find it."

Let's start at my little side porch in the front yard.......

I placed this hanging basket right at the door so we could all touch the fuzzy blooms as we walk in and out ~ no one can resist ! 

   As we walk across the tiny front yard ~ we come to stairs leading to the back....

And this big pot of lavender beauties on your right.

As we head down the stairs ~ to the right you see my little rock garden starting to take shape;

To the left ~ Franks Veggie garden.

As we get to the bottom of the 15 or so stairs ~ we are at the 1st of 3 levels of the back yard.

The 1st level where the pond and patio are ~  there shade and sunny spots.

We are looking towards my back porch and stairs to the upper deck.

This birdbath was a Mother's Day gift from Jaci. I like to pretend the girl sitting there is me!!!

It reminds me of trips to the Smokey Mountains with the kids ~ pulling over and enjoying the mountain springs!

This is the sitting area across from the little pond.

Here are some of the flowers in bloom in this area ~

Walking under the arbor to the end of the porch ~ it's my 2 baby's .....Ashley and Teddi!

You can see I still have  some oganizing to do under the deck!

Franky gave me the porch swing for my birthday in March and I LOVE it!

This was a favorite spot for Jake and I to sit ~ he liked morning naps under the porch ;)

To the left of Ashley are benches and stairs to go down to the 2nd level of my yard ~ the shade gardens.

Let's go!

Coming down the stairs to the right is my little veggie garden.

It only measures about 10' by 4' but I have it jam packed with tomatoes, radishes, beans, peas, beets, lettuce and hot peppers!

There is Franky's dog Daisy ~ tail flapping ;)

To the left is the entire length of the 2nd level.

It is mostly shade so the plantings include azalea, hosta, ferns, hydrangea, foxglove, Jacobs ladder, primrose, astilbie and various variegated ground cover.

At the end is Our Dear Jake's grave.

As we walk towards Jake area ~ we will pass some of the flowers I mentioned.

Here is Teddi visiting Jake. Ashley and I took this picture today and both cried when we looked at it.

You can see the sadness in Teddi's eyes ~ he misses his brother so much.

Let's follow Teddi down to the 3rd level through the Rusty Garden Arches ~ 

I lovingly call this the Garden Ghetto.

Rust and chipping paint are the order of the day but there is something charming and imperfect about it and it makes me smile!

Here in front of the shed ~ I've planted birdhouse gourds, zinnias, tall snapdragons and sunflowers.

Ashley has a  rows of tomato and cucumbers.

I've also planted a small section of corn to hide the big, ugly compost pile.

As we turn around and head back up ~ we will pass by this clematis under the Weeping Cherry Tree.

And this on the Rusty Garden Arches

We are now walking back up the hill towards Shade garden ~

How do you like the beautiful Birdhouse (to the left ) that Cheri & Tony, Franky and Ashley gave me for Mothers Day?

Here's Franky putting it up for me this week ~
(isn't he handsome!!!)

Here's a path we can take from the shade garden back to the Pond area .....

Here we are ~ see the stairs to the left that lead back up to the front yard?

(The Pond is to the left but we can't see it in this photo.)

At the front porch ~ you can see my house is right on the road.

This home was built in the late 1800's when people where still using horses for transportation.

My property is less than an acre and shaped like a triangle ~ the house is at the top of the triangle and the back of the yard is the point.

All the houses in my neighborhood are clustered together and about as old as mine.

My 2 elderly neighbors do a wonderful job keeping their property clean and neat ~ the rest don't.

Every time we have tried to move ~ it seemed every door would close so I am believing the Lord has us here for a reason.

In the meantime ~ I do everything I can to make my home a happy and peaceful place for my family to be ~ and my heart is truly grateful.

  

~ Gardening Tips ~

                             ~Paint  will do wonders for ugly wood that you can't afford to replace.

    

~ Create Garden Rooms!                                            

                                                                                                                        

In my little yard ~ I have at least 10 "rooms". Areas can be divided by arbors, changing the ground surface (grass, straw hay, mulch, brick are some of the things I use) or simply add a small tree or cluster of evergreens.    

~ Every spring I divide my hosta, ground covers, daylillys and use to fill in areas that are empty.

Then when I have the extra $ ~ I buy something more interesting to replace them.

~ Instead of just running borders along your proberty line ~ run borders INTO your property.

This will add interest to your garden. 

~ I happen to LOVE impatiens! Don't let upscale garden centers make you feel you need to shun annuals. I have never met a flower I didn't love !

~ Don't forget the beauty of sound.                                                                                                        

Bird feeders and baths invite the heavenly sound of birdsong and a water feature is the finishing touch. Frank and I fall asleep to the sound of our pond everynight ~ it's so peaceful after a long day.

Garden Tours

Use the link above for a list of all the Garden Tours in Connecticut this summer!

Amish Bird House

Follow this link for the beautiful Martin House in my garden.

It will be hand crafted with perfection by Mel Fisher of Strasburg, Pa.

"Open up the windows ~ Push away the grey

Create a special garden ~ to brighten up your day."