In The Arms Of An Angel, Fly Away.

Covenant School, Nashville TN

Evelyn Dieckhaus (9)

Hallie Scruggs  (9)

William Kinney  (9) 

Cynthia Peak (61)

Katherine Koonce (60)

Mike Hill (61)

Innocence Lost

God Rest their sweet little souls........

Color Comes To Town

I know that spring is upon us, when the Redbud trees start giving out their beautiful pink buds.

The redbud is a tree that is valued far more than its small size might suggest. This lovely harbinger of spring has been called “a breath of fresh air after a long winter” and no less than “one of our most beautiful native trees” writes tree expert Michael Dirr, of The Arbor Day Foundation.

It is hard to express adequately the miracle of a tree that had branches so bare all through winter suddenly go from stark brown to magenta.
But there she is again, emerging from her own winter of storms, freeze, winds, and drought, still standing, still surviving, still blooming, still giving.

—Shaku Selvakumar

Spring Thoughts

Our weather has turned wet and cold, not the typical Spring weather one is hoping for.
I have plans for planting and pottering, but sadly not today.
There's a cold, blustery north wind blowing, and rain has saturated the ground for the past two days.
Candle-light brightens the darkness, and the aroma of baking banana bread, fills the air.

Spring Returns

 Hello Spring, we've been waiting for you..... your healing sunshine is desperately needed.

The Robins have returned, a sure sign you have arrived.

Our days have warmed up nicely.

New grass and flowers are beginning their journey to awaken.

Songbirds have returned, and there's a nightly croaking of a frog heard at the tiny pond.

Springtime appears.

 

Flowers are budding

Birds are nesting

Bunnies are hopping

Frogs are croaking

 

"An altered look about the hills;

A Tyrian light the village fills;

A wider sunrise in the dawn;

A deeper twilight on the lawn;

A print of a vermilion foot;

A purple finger on the slope;

A flippant fly upon the pane;

A spider at his trade again;

An added strut in chanticleer;

A flower expected everywhere ..."

- Emily Dickinson,

Nesting

Despite blue skies and sunshine, there is a cold, whipping wind, outside.
A bone-chilling wind, that keeps me cocooned inside today, despite having other plans.
A new candle scent permeates the kitchen, I'm thinking Spring needs to hurry and get it's skates on...... 

New Birth

Does it get any sweeter than a newborn baby goat.
My great-granddaughter aptly named her Elsa.

Unfolding

A few days of warm sunshine, and everything is unfolding from a winter's sleep.

Fingers crossed Mother Nature is not playing a joke.
 

Were I to live a thousand years,
 I still would know that flaming thrill,

That rush of joy when first appears

 —the golden daffodil.

A thousand times my heart would sing

When purple irises unfold;

Or when forsythia's branches bring

Their dazzling showers of gold.

I could not see an almond tree

With branches all a rosy glow

But that a tide of ecstasy

Would through my being flow

Were I to see, a thousand times,

Blue scilla bells amid green grass,

I know I'd hear their fairy chimes

As I would pass.

Were I to live a thousand years

I'd never watch the nesting birds

Except through eyes bedimmed with tears,

My tongue bereft of words.

Were I to weave ten thousand lays,

Knew I a thousand songs to sing,

I still would lack the power to praise

—the miracle of Spring.

Silver Lining ~Wilhelmina Sitch 1888

 

Hello March

A glorious sunshiny day today.

I've been busy as a bee, changing out the now-tired Winter decorations and replacing them with Springtime favorites.

The birds are feathering their nests, fluffing and cozying for the next generation.

A season of re-birth, promising new beginnings and hopefulness, in an otherwise chaotic world.

 

" It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold, when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade."

Charles Dickens, Great Expectations

Returning

The calendar says Winter, yet throughout the garden, green shoots are popping up all over.

 

 

With Love From Me To You

 

 

My wish for you.

Comfort on difficult days,

Smiles when sadness intrudes,

Rainbows to follow the clouds,

Laughter to kiss your lips,

Sunsets to warm your heart,

Hugs when spirits sag,

Beauty for your eyes to see,

Friendships to brighten your being,

Faith so that you can believe,

Confidence for when you doubt,

Courage to know yourself,

Patience to accept the truth,

Love to complete your life.

May your Valentine's Day be special !

{{hugs}}
x x

Talking In Their Sleep

 

"You think I am dead,"
The apple tree said,
"Because I have never a leaf to show -
Because I stoop,
And my branches droop,
And the dull gray mosses over me grow!

"But I'm still alive in trunk and shoot;
The buds of next May
I fold away -
But I pity the withered grass at my root."

"You think I am dead,"
The quick grass said,
"Because I have parted with stem and blade!
But under the ground,
I am safe and sound
With the snow's thick blanket over me laid.

"I'm all alive, and ready to shoot,
Should the spring of the year
Come dancing here -
But I pity the flower without branch or root."

"You think I am dead,"
A soft voice said,
"Because not a branch or root I own.
I never have died, but close I hide
In a plumy seed that the wind has sown.

"Patient I wait through the long winter hours;
You will see me again -
I shall laugh at you then,
Out of the eyes of a hundred flowers.

Edith Matilda Thomas  (1854 - 1925)

Iced Over

If given the option, I would have chosen snow.

Soft, white flakes blanketing the ground.

Instead, we are covered in ice.

Trees, houses, vehicles, bird-feeders.

No snowballs today.

 

 

 

Soup's On

As with much of the nation we are experiencing a blast of cold winter weather.
It's predicted for much of the coming week, so hearty soups are the go-to meal of the day.

 

 

I've made a fifteen bean soup today, chocked full of country ham, celery, onions, tomatoes, carrots, garlic, and chili spice.

Served with a slice of buttermilk cornbread, it's the ideal comfort food, on a blustery cold day.
Come join us for a bowl.

 

 

 

 

We'll leave the light on for you ! 

 

 

 

 

If you feel like making your own pot, here's the original recipe.

• 1 lb. smoked sausage, ground sausage (browned in pan), ham hocks or diced ham. Our favorite is to use a leftover hambone with some meat on it.

• 1 pkg of Hurst 15 Beans
  1 lg. onion, diced
  1 clove garlic, minced
  1 tsp chili powder (optional)
  1 can diced tomatoes (15 oz.)
  Juice from 1 lemon
  Bay Leaf

• 
  

• I also add:  

  Two stalks of celery
  Three cubed potatoes 
  Two sliced carrots

• Optional: Hot sauce or crushed red pepper to taste

 Original 15 Bean Soup® recipe Hurst Beans

Winter Days

We have had the strangest warm weather these past few days.

Here it is, the middle of winter, and the temperatures have reached a balmy 71 degrees yesterday, folks were running around town, in shorts and flip-flops !
The Iris shoots are popping up out of the ground, twelve inches tall already.

Today....all change.
We are in for a true taste of winter, temperatures down in the thirties and  nightly freezes are in the forecast.

A good excuse to stay home,  indulge in a nice pot of tea and left-over Christmas cake, and some rather lovely reading material.

Hope all is well and cozy in your little corner of the world.

  

                                                                                 🏡            

 

Snowflakes

Under a cold spell for the past few days, the resident deer have been showing up at the water trough.
A group of eight does, mamas and their babies.
All fat and healthy, they have quite a variety to choose from in the nearby pasture and woods.
My arborvitaes  however, seem to be their favorites.

 

 

 

 Out of the bosom of the air,
Out of the cloud-folds of her garment shaken,
Over the woodlands, brown and bare
 Over the harvest-fields forsaken,
Silent, and soft, and slow
Descends the snow.

~~  Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Nesting

 

"Surely everyone is aware of the divine pleasures which attend a wintry fireside; candles at four o’clock, warm hearthrugs, tea, a fair tea-maker, shutters closed, curtains flowing in ample draperies to the floor, whilst the wind and rain are raging audibly without."
 ~ Thomas De Quincey 1796 

 

 

Brambly Hedge : Illustrated by Jill Barklem

Winter Days

A damp and sunless morning.

The school bus went by when it was barely daylight, those little children have such early starts to their busy days.
I have a list of  chores as long as my arm waiting for attention, but my motivation seems to be running on empty.
The last of the Christmas decorations were returned to their boxes yesterday, although I felt the need to leave a set of  twinkling lights in the kitchen.
Sparkly encouragement is welcomed.