"It is well to remember that the entire population of the universe, with one trifling exception, is composed of others." A.Holmes

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Tea & Tragedy

 Tea and reading on a stormy day . A little contemplation too . The teacup is a gift from Linda Sue , one of my first blogging friends .Linda Sue lives in Texas. She and her husband Skip prayed for my family during some very difficult times and I believe we're friends though I've never met her or her husband in person. Linda Sue's beloved husband Skip is with the Lord now and she continues to be an encouragement to me . The book on top of my Bible is one Linda Sue is reading and I am thankful for her recommendation .This book references Job and his pain & suffering as written in the Bible. Ever read the book of Job in the Bible ? Until a few years ago I thought it a depressing book to read ( avoid ), but when crisis and tragedy struck our family and seemed to keep on coming with no happy ending in sight I found myself taking my cuppa and my Bible down to the table by our pond and reading...and reading. I discovered the book of Job in the Old Testament , a book of sadness and almost unbelievable tragedy, was also a book of encouragement in a dark time.
The teacup is Majestic by Royal Grafton . I think it is a classic beauty . Thank-you Linda Sue !
"Suffering leaves our idols in pieces on the ground. It puts us in a position to see that God sent His Son not only to suffer in our place but also to suffer with us. Our merciful friend has been through it all...And while He may not deliver us from pain and loss , He'll walk with us through it. " Hebrews 4:15-16 Tullian Tchividjian 'Glorious Ruin ' .
 
I am linking to these lovely ladies of the teacup for Tea-Time Tuesday :
 

Sunday, February 23, 2014

Let Me Sleep In !

 Zzzzzzzzzzzz.................
 ....zzzzz ?
Some of us aren't early-birds , please , please, pretty please ...let me sleep in !?!

Sunday, February 16, 2014

Love Made Visible

 My husband made these dove & scroll adornments for many of the animal homes he has built for me over the years. This one is on the dove cage in the herb garden. He had already built me a large dove-cote, but he did this for me because he loves me.
 This dove scroll is on the goat house he built for me , and he really didn't even want goats.
 The dove cage in the herb garden. The white doves stand out so beautifully when all is green and the vine maples are in leaf. Stunning in the autumn when the vine maples are red and yellow. Now you can hardly see the white doves against the snow. Their cooing is comforting to me. Often they sound like they're laughing . Sometimes the wild doves will land in front of this cage, eat the seed my doves have scattered outside the wire, and they appear to be having a chat with one another.
 
 The white dove & scroll is on the large dove-cote we can see from the house. It is lit up inside so we can see it in the evening too. The brown scroll is part of the kiwi arbor my husband built in front of the dovecote. the kiwi began climbing it this past summer and we hope it will provide a shady arbor to sit under when it gets unbearably hot in July and August. The anticipation of fresh kiwi fruit is exciting too.
 The door to the dove-cote with the grape arbor my husband built in the foreground. The grapes did give us a lot of shade and fruit this past year , and this arbor mirrors the kiwi arbor.

Everywhere I look around our home, around Cedar Pond I see the hard work and love my husband puts into all he does here. I have always believed this saying to be true "Work is love made visible", and know my husband loves me very much !

Monday, February 10, 2014

Awakened By Silence

 I love the silence
 of snow here in our little world at Cedar Pond.
Awakened by quiet white silence and glittery powder on a Sunday morning. The silence of new snow.

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Pink Tea-Cups For My Tea

 It is snowing outside . I am in between wool projects, my sheep have not yet begun to lamb. I need not leave the house except to feed the animals. I decided to get out all my lovely pink teacups , bake a  batch of sugar cookies using freshly gathered duck eggs & butter . Baked with pink sugar sprinkles , they look to me as tasty as they are ! Oh the fragrance of freshly baked sugar cookies , there is no artificial scent that matches it , though many try.







 Royal Grafton Bone China ~ made in England
I am linking with these ladies for Tea-Time Tuesday :