Treasure in The Mail !

I received a box full of treasures in the mail the day before I left for a week away from home. These little kissing parakeets salt& pepper shakers were among them. Aren't they cute? How did Constanza ( Peregrine Blue) of Por Amor Al Arte* know I like parakeets? I have two ( Bob & Betty ). Look at the items I unwrapped from the tissue paper pleasantly fragrant from the soap , sachets, and scented candle inside ! I displayed them on the antique Kitchen Queen in my sun-room and the treasures look as if they have always belonged there.

This little Teddy Bear will be attending many tea parties this summer.I am sure she will want honey with her tea.

I have never seen such a box as this little ram's head , the size of a walnut, exquisitely carved.I wonder what teensy treasure I can hide inside it.All the items are sitting on a fabric tea towel I am going to leave atop the Kitchen Queen. I love the colors and they are perfect for my home.

The pot-holder colors are pleasing to me , Constanza made it herself. I might have to hide this because the granddaughters were making plans to turn it into a doll dress. The true treasure here is the heart of the lady who sent me this box of gifts, each item was obviously well thought out and packed with care. Thank-you Constanza! No, this goat did not arrive in the package but is fast becoming a treasure around here. He was not intended to be a pet, but has endeared himself to us all, especially the granddaughters. Buddy loves to snuggle and play with us. He also bonded with the granddaughters' pet kitten, sleeping with the kitten, playing with the kitten, and bawling pitifully when the kitten is taken away to play.Buddy also perked up my 10 year old goat Thorin,who leaps about like a baby goat with him. "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Matthew 6:21~ "Treasure: Something very much valued." Amer. Dictionary of English Language ~ I have been having trouble with Blogger lately and although I was able to read your blogs, I was unable to comment on them. I was also unable to write and post my own. It is good to be back to blogging and although sometimes I get frustrated by Blogger, I remember what LindaSue of Buhl-A-Land said to me a long time ago, "It is hard to complain about a service that is free. " Also, Blogger does try to fix the problems quickly once they are known. Blogging is a treasure to me too, it has brought me the pleasures and treasures of friends like you . We are blessed, aren't we?

"It's A Gift To Be Simple, It's A Gift To Be Free.."

It's a gift to be loved...

...it's a gift to be happy...

...it's a gift to have enough food, and a place to call home...

...it's a gift to have family and people who love you...

...it's a gift to have sisters, a gift to have a parent or two who love you more than life itself, it is a gift to have Jesus as Savior. What more can we want for ?

The pictures above are of 4 of our granddaughters,the daughters of our oldest son. My husband and I have been away for more than a week, over the mountains and far away, visiting them.We had no television or internet, and spent the time just being with our granddaughters and sons, and youngest sons' wife Breezy. We brought the granddaughters home with us for summer vacation and are looking forward to fun times, sweet times, family times ~ building memories times. The trip home was enjoyable (excepting the blinding rain squalls ) as these little girls love to sing about Jesus and although they do have their sisterly spats, my husband and I have noticed these little girls love each other fiercely and are perfectly content with each other as friends and playmates. Makes our hearts glad."It's a gift to be simple..."

Saying Good-Bye To Someone Who Matters

My friend Pam has cancer, and more than a year ago was told she had until last summer to live. Well, she thoroughly enjoyed her days and made plans , and continued on taking trips, showing her miniature horses at the fair, enjoying family and friends, having tea parties . After surviving, and LIVING through the summer, she enjoyed the beautiful fall we had. The doctors told her to prepare for the end by Christmas... ...and she had a great Christmas with her husband, son and his wife, and her two grandchildren. Pam planned a trip to Europe and we fully believed she would be sending us postcards from England next week. God is taking her home to be with Him instead.Pam is amazing. Throughout this scary time she has not complained.She has enjoyed life to the fullest and the other day after visiting her in the hospital I realized what a big part of my life she has been, what an important part of my life she has been. Although we knew she was "terminal", I somehow never expected to have to say good-bye to Pam. Above is one of her horses & cart, her grandchildren and some of mine. She will be greatly missed by them, they all love her. "He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning until the end. I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and do good in one's lifetime." Ecclesiastes 3:11,12

Tea Time Tuesday ~Royal Albert Dorchester Series

Tea time Tuesday is here again and I am having tea in my weed filled herb garden. Do you think weeds might have herbal qualities? Maybe I should check up on that, I might be wasting energy and time weeding needlessly. Anyway, back to teacups.Here is my teacup, from the Royal Dorchester Series. I had mint tea of course, but we are not growing mint in the herb garden, it would take over. The mint is growing near the front porch steps. Did I mention my herb garden is very weedy? My husband and I spent most of our weekend working in our gardens because this was the first nice weekend ( weather wise) we have had since last October. The weeds don't seem to mind the wet and cold weather and apparently partied all winter and spring. They invited their families and friends too. The extremely wet, cold winter and spring took their toll on my rosemary bush, and also killed off much of my thyme and sage. Why not the weeds too? I suppose my chickens & sheep are happy with the weeds as we toss wheelbarrow loads of them into their pens. The sheep and chickens gobble them up like kids eating ice cream and candy. Oh, sorry, back to my teacup. This teacup is from a series made by Royal Albert. The Dorchester series consists of 6 cups and saucers , each a different color. This is the only one in that series I own but I do covet the teal set. Please enjoy Tea Time Tuesday by clicking onto the links below . You will see some very pretty tea cups, tea parties, and tea times...maybe even some lovely WEED FREE gardens. "My green thumb came only as a result of the mistakes I made while learning to see things from the plant's point of view." H. Fred Ale

• Terri ~ Artful Affirmations *
• Martha ~ Martha's Favorites *
• Lady Katherine ~ Lady Katherine's Tea Parlor *
• Sandi ~ Rose Chintz Cottage *
• Wanda Lee ~The Silken Purse *
• Pam ~ Breath Of Fresh Air *

Dewdrop Delights

"Gamma, what's dis?" Little 'J' was fascinated and excited by the dew drops in the Lady's Mantle we have growing all over our property. I told him they were dew-drops. "Shrewshrops?" Although he did not master the pronunciation of the word, his excitement and delight over dew-drops did not cease.He carefully emptied each little dew-filled leaf he encountered. We have a lot of Lady's Mantle around here, so Little 'J' had a very good time. "Earth's liquid jewelry, wrought of air." Philip James Bailey on dewdrops "The leaves of Lady's Mantle are like shallow pleated cups. The soft hairs make water form droplets that roll around on the leaves." About.com ~ I have always thought the dew-drops in Lady's Mantle look like diamonds when the sun shines on them. In the morning there are tiny dew-drops all around the edges of the leaves, making the whole leaf appear sparkly and jeweled. "Lady's Mantle ( named for the Virgin Mary ) is an old-fashioned flower still popular today for it's fuzzy, cupped leaves that hold water droplets after a rain." About.com ~ Little'J's delight over something so simple, yet amazingly beautiful ,makes me happy to be part of his life and also reminded me of the simple joys we forget to appreciate as we get older.Raindrops, dew-drops, miracles of God's creation. ~"The dew-bead. Gem of earth and sky begotten." ~George Eliot

"Let my teaching fall like rain and my words descend like dew, like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants." Deuteronomy 32:2