Tuesday, December 31, 2013

The year in review: 2013 (part I)

Welcome to a review of some favorite images about the goins' on in my world in 2013. Here's part I, which encompasses the first half of the year. 

January:


 A tiny puppy...we got Josey Rose, a Miniature Schnauzer, on December 28, 2012.


 A primula (primrose) in the garden showing some green


Lamium 'White Nancy' was also still green in January

February:

 A trip to a warm place, the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden








 A Valentine Tea






March:


 After her first grooming


 Relaxing on the couch: Josey and Gracie


 First blooms: Snowdrops


A bluebird in the yard - they checked things out here, but unfortunately they didn't nest in our yard.

April:


 Primula


 Flowers blooming in earnest: here, a daffodil


Such pretty tulips

May:


 Our "hosta farm" - notice the horses (not ours) in the pasture behind us
If you look closely, you can see a tiny Japanese maple in the center foreground, as well as the composter built by my husband and our garden shed.






 Creeping phlox and a lonely tulip


Trip to a tea room (Shay's in Newton, Iowa)
I'm on the left and my friend Rita is on the right.

June:


 Majestic color: larkspur, clematis, beebalm, yucca, fairy roses


 Clematis 'Piilu'


 An oriental poppy


A favorite flower, lupine

As you can see, I am all about gardening. Because there is so much to show, I'm going to continue my year in review in a second installment. I hope you have enjoyed these images. Seeing them again has brought me much joy, particularly on this 10 degree day in cold, snowy Iowa!






Monday, December 30, 2013

A Tale of Christmas Past

 The Saturday before Christmas, we had a snowstorm that brought us 6 inches of snow. The temperatures were cold enough to retain the snow, thus we had a white Christmas.


 Christmas day was spent with our son, who lives in the area. The day after Christmas, our daughter and grandson flew in from Texas for a week's stay. They're still here.  :)  We spent part of the Saturday after Christmas celebrating with good friends, first at a restaurant and later at their house, where we exchanged gifts and ate the most wonderful Chocolate Mint pie! The Sunday after Christmas we went to my mother's home to celebrate with her. We had 4 Christmases! (And every one of them was white. lol)


It was a good Christmas, a time to celebrate Christ's birth and to enjoy family.
And a time for Gracie to try to pull tissue paper out of the gift bags!

Soon I'll be posting a bit of a year in review. Hope you have enjoyed the holidays and that 2014 will bring you joy, peace, prosperity, and good health.

Tuesday, December 24, 2013



Wishing you the joys of the Season, and celebrations of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ

Friday, December 20, 2013

Merry Christmas!





I've always loved this photo of the old barn in the pasture behind our house. I played a little bit in PicMonkey, adding the snowstorm. Enjoy!


Tuesday, December 17, 2013

The Notecard Party

Vee of A Haven for Vee hosts the Notecard Party on the third Wednesday of every month. It's an opportunity to post four notecard-worthy photos from your blog. Go to Vee's website here for information on how to be a part of her awesome meme.

My theme for the December notecard party is winter.


 "Meandering Stream"


 "Snowy Spruce"


 "Garden Visitor"


I share this last photo not because it's great artistically. I had occasion to meet Tia Torres of Pit Bulls and Parolees' fame. Here she is taking a photo of a dog-shaped cake that was made in her honor. I admire her for the work she does at Villalobos Rescue Center.

This photo fits the winter theme because I attended a program she gave in winter (March 2012).


Not part of the Notecard party, but just 'cuz I thought you'd like to see it:
Here is the Pit Bull Cake.





Thursday, December 12, 2013

Taste of the Tropics

Sometimes you just want to get away from the cold. When the mood strikes, I can drive for just a few minutes and reach the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden. I was there recently. Come along, have a peek!

 Blue Skyflower




 Papayas


 Look at the color of this tropical hibisicus!


 The "Living Wall" in the front lobby


 Amaryllis


Paperwhite (oh, they smell good!) and Amaryllis

Just a brief visit to a nice warm place where the flowers are beautiful and coats are not needed! A great respite for winter weary folk!


Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Tea as Art

I thought about sharing tea photos for Vee's Notecard Party, but the winter theme won out instead. My winter notecard party post will appear here on December 17.

As I searched for photos for my December notecards, I saw lots of pretty tea images. I'd like to share a few.

I love going to tea rooms! Here I pose in front of the fireplace at Shay's. 


 Tea and cookies in the guest room. Tea = hospitali-tea!


 Elegance


 A Silver Tea


 Tea with Old Country Roses


 Roses, meringues, and tea


Molten Lava Cake - delicious with tea
Recipe can be found here.







 Don't you just love these vintage plates? I photographed these at a luncheon and I don't recall the name of the pattern.


 Do you like peppermint almond bark?




 Glorious food and beverage at Sisters of the Heart Tea Room


 Beautiful Delft from The Netherlands


 Have you ever had a Dutch Sinterklaas cookie?


 Cup o' Cupid


 Rose Chintz, a beautiful pattern 







I shall close by reminding all that Jesus is the reason for the season.

Sharing with these friends:
Linking to Tea Time TuesdayTuesday Cuppa TeaA Return to Loveliness, and Friends Sharing Tea



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