Sunday, October 22, 2017

Life continues

Hello Folks ~ Wow, it’s been two weeks since my last post. I’m not posting like I used to and I thank those who have checked up on me. I’m still cleaning up my property a little at a time. The other morning there was some cooler weather and I was able to work outside for almost 3 hours, but, there is still much to do. I’ve piles of brush here and there to rake and bag up. The huge pile out front from hurricane Irma was finally picked up this week. They did leave the bags of debris though as they don’t want the plastic bags ground up into the mulch the brush piles will make. I drove pass a huge piece of property where the trucks are dumping the brush and it is amazing how much there is and it is still being picked up around the county.

I’ve weedwacking and trimming to do, was able to mow again the other day. One thing about FL is that the growing season this far south is 365 days a year, and with the rain we’ve been getting lately, things are growing like crazy. It is so overwhelming to me at times, I just want to go somewhere and hide. That doesn’t solve anything though, so I thank God for His many blessings, for the strength He gives me and for working things out.

I had an unplanned expense, a whole new brake job, ball joints, new fuel injection, back door lock mechanisms so I can now open the doors and some other things on my van. It all needed doing. The brakes were metal on metal, and the ball joints had wiggle room. The van is 16 years old, and only has a little over 42,000 miles on it. My mechanic and his mechanic friend said my engine sounds great and with the work they did on my van it will be good for more years and miles. Although, the next expense on the van is a new fuel pump. I need to build up my bank account before that expense. I am grateful that my mechanic only charged me his cost on the parts, plus his labor. My BIL said I was given a great deal on the whole cost of the job. I baked peanut butter, oatmeal, chocolate chip cookies as a thank you for  them for their hard and honest work for this widowed FlowerLady.

I’ve seen a hummingbird twice, once from the ‘scullery’ as I was looking out into the ‘secret garden’, and then the other morning as I was sitting here in my chair. Some movement caught my eye and there was a hummer flitting from one red flower to another. What a treat! Don’t blink, because they are there one minute and gone the next. No time to get the camera.

Now for some photos.

Weedy and overgrown secret garden.

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St. Francis garden, where’s the path?

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I did pick my 4 key limes from my little potted bush as they were ready and were enjoyed in water and in a margarita. Winking smile I still have 3 lemons to pick from my Meyer lemon bush. Next year I hope to have more fruit as they will be bigger plants. I love key limes.

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Barnhouse rose.

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‘Kathleen’

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‘Miss Atwood’

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Unknown

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‘Mozart’

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Unknown

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‘Winecup’

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‘Ground orchid’

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‘Miss Tork’ without a care.

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I received a beautiful book the other day, one for me to write a review for. I’d been looking forward to it and was NOT disappointed. I cried reading the preface. I am enjoying it immensely.

Packaging

Ok, that’s it for now. I’m still working on getting rid of books, etc. did give away a bookcase to a young family. B-I-L Todd and I will be working on the living room, patching walls, painting, setting up new/used bookcases and tv stand. It may be another two weeks or so before I post again as I’ve work to do inside and out.

Before I forget, someone asked about the hybrid ‘kiss’ hibsicus. Yes, they are finicky in my opinion. Mine is still hanging in, but I do need to fertilize it as it has not looked as good as it did when I first got it. I love the blooms so will do some ‘babying’ of it and hopefully will be blessed with more of those fantastic blooms. Mine is called ‘Hugs & Kisses’.

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Thank you all for your kind words, your encouragement and your prayers, all are much appreciated.

Have a great week ~ FlowerLady

Saturday, October 7, 2017

Glorious Sunshine

Good Saturday morning Friends ~ I’m just in from hanging out the first load of wash in a couple of weeks. We’ve had rain off and on since Irma and gray days since Monday of this week. Yesterday morning’s visible sunrise was wonderful!! This morning it is partly cloudy and breezy and also very ‘humid’. Right now at 9:01 a.m. EST, it is 82 but feels like it is 92, the humidity at 90%. My clothes were very wet when I came in. I was thinking about doing some ‘trimming’ but changed my mind, it’s just to miserable out there for me.

I was able to mow the high grass the other day and do a little trimming. Still a LOT of trimming to do, all in good time. I am thankful I have my little cottage and gardens to take care of, so many in the world have so much less.

I woke up in such a positive mood yesterday morning. The night before, I had started re-reading “The Undistracted Widow – Living For God After Losing Your Husband” by Carol W. Cornish. I bought this book through Amazon in Jan. 2013, a month after my dear husband left this planet to be with God. There are lots of ‘jewels’ to encourage the widow. Lots of underlinings in the book, as I underline bits and pieces that really speak to my heart.

Here’s what spoke to me about ‘contentment’, something I am learning daily. * “Being content results from being satisfied with what God gives us, when and where He gives it, and why and how He gives it. Biblical contentment is an attitude of mind that displays complete confidence in God’s total care in the midst of distressing, even devastating, circumstances.  It evidences willing and genuine trust in God and His love and wisdom.” *

Another book I’ve re-read some of is “The Widow Directed to the Widow’s God” by John Angell James. I got this from Amazon in February 2013. This book is wonderful, written in 1841.

* “Let thy widows trust in me.” You have no other trust, and none are so much encouraged to trust in God, as they whose sole confidence, the Lord is. Then above all times, is the time to look up with hope to God, when we have no other to look up to. ~ The Lord is my helper. Be content with such things as ye have, then for He hath said, “I will never leave thee, nor foraske thee.” *

I highly recommend these books to widows or even to those of you who wish to help and comfort them.

I was overjoyed with seeing sunlight flooding into the living room yesterday morning.

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I grabbed my camera and went out to see what I could capture of this sunlight.

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Two little songs from when I was a child came to mind.

The first is this one. Complete lyrics can be found here.

Sunlight, sunlight in my soul today,
Sunlight, sunlight all along the way;
Since the Savior found me, took away my sin,
I have had the sunlight of His love within.

The next song was:

There is sunshine in my soul today,
More glorious and bright
Than glows in any earthly sky,
For Jesus is my light.

~~~~~

This hamelia paten shrub which butterflies and hummers love, is one of the things I need to trim back. This is in the ‘secret garden’.

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This is hamelia paten blooms with the blooms of Port St. John’s vine. With all of the rain we’ve been getting, things are growing like crazy.

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I have been feeling like creating and after hearing from one of my new girlfriend’s from church, I created this for her. She loves sunflowers. This little heart is 4 inches by 4 inches.

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Now people are preparing for hurricane Nate. I am praying for those already effected by this storm and those in the US in her path.

It is almost a month since Irma was here. I went grocery shopping yesterday morning and apologies were posted for supplies still not in, and asking for patience and thanking patrons for shopping with them.

I have much to be thankful for. Birds have been singing so much, this morning croaking frogs were doing their thing. Flowers are blooming and scenting the air. I have food to eat, clean water, a comfy bed, my sweet Miss Tork, family and friends.

Speaking of friends, Johnnie came over last Saturday afternoon and cleaned my gutters for me. Yay, Johnnie. He is going to get my leaning fencing standing straight again too. I’m waiting for cooler and drier weather.

Each day, we are all blessed with the gift of life.

I will close with a verse ~ Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord.
They are plans for good and not for evil,
to give you a future and a hope.

Have a wonderful weekend, and a fantastic autumn here in the US. For those around the world may you also have a great weekend and upcoming week. I’ve enjoyed seeing blogs with fall decorations indoors and out and the start to the changing of the colors of leaves up north. Thanks for sharing.

FlowerLady