gardens in spring are full of anticipation for the established perennial gardener

wandering through the garden, noting the plants coming alive for another season
seeing how last year's plants have returned and expanded
and also realizing that something might not have returned

I was happy to see a new clematus planted last year doing great
the relatively new wisteria that had never bloomed before has blossoms for the first time
a lilac that has never really been strong didn't survive
the lily of the valley taking over even more space
Sweetwoodruf doing fine in its new location at the side of the back porch steps
irises are looking good

and the plan for this weekend is the brick paver walkway going in at the base of the renovated back porch
waterproofing will be done to the front and back porches next week or so
and once the prep work is done
my mom's old glider will return to the front porch after years in storage - and making new cushions for it
and in a box sits a solar fountain/birdbath that awaits being placed on the back porch, between two Adirondack chairs

patience is required for gardens and renovations
the back porch has been a work in progress - thanks to Becky and Scott
they completely re-built it three years ago - last year the railing was added - and this year is the walkway
it has been so exciting to see it transform from the (unstable) porch it once was (circa 1925)
doing the work was not easy - since the roof above housing an upstairs porch was not structurally sound and was a serious challenge

but the work is all coming together
I am looking forward to the 'summer rooms' which my porches are
having coffee in the early morning on Saturdays
reading - hand stitching - or just simply veging out with Sophie
another happie for me 

happy spring gardening to everyone from my little part of heaven to yours ♥

Girlfriends

A group of 40ish girlfriends discussed where they should meet for dinner. Finally, they agreed they should meet at the Ocean View Restaurant because the waiters there had tight pants and nice buns.

Ten years later, the group, now in their 50s, once again discussed where they should meet for dinner. Finally, they agreed they should meet at the Ocean View Restaurant because the food there was really good and so was the wine selection.

Ten years later. as they entered their 60s, the group once again discussed where they should meet for dinner. Finally, it was agreed that they should meet at the Ocean View Restaurant because they could eat there in peace and quiet and the place had a beautiful view of the ocean.

Ten years later, in their 70s, the group once again discussed where they should meet for dinner. Finally, it was agreed that they should meet at the Ocean View Restaurant because it was wheelchair accessible and it even had an elevator.

Ten years later, now in their 80s, the group once again discussed where they should meet for dinner. Finally, it was agreed that they should meet at the Ocean View Restaurant because they had never been there before.  :-)

the first peek

'Wispy'      Wisteria

the very first blossoms it has ever had

it is like having a little bit of the south in my zone 5 part of the world

local Rochester is celebrating 'Earth' weekend and we walked around today

I am thrilled that the 'green' movement is finally a big focus now (long overdo)

our environment certainly needs TLC

and the part that pleases me the most is to see the small children taking an interest

the more they are encouraged now - means a better future for our earth

before I left home, I walked around my gardens, bursting with happies at all the little lovelies making their debut for another season

I can't convey how happy I am to see everything coming back to life again

rebirth is all around us

isn't nature GREAT?   ♥

Do animals cry like people do?

You will enjoy the new insights that Rick Warren has, with his wife now having cancer and him having 'wealth' from the book sales. This is an absolutely incredible short interview with Rick Warren, 'Purpose Driven Life ' author and pastor of Saddleback Church in California.

In the interview by Paul Bradshaw with Rick Warren, Rick said:
People ask me, what is the purpose of life?
And I respond: In a nutshell, life is preparation for eternity. We were not made to last forever, and God wants us to be with Him in Heaven.
One day my heart is going to stop, and that will be the end of my body-- but not the end of me.
I may live 60 to 100 years on earth, but I am going to spend trillions of years in eternity. This is the warm-up act - the dress rehearsal. God wants us to practice on earth what we will do forever in eternity.
We were made by God and for God, and until you figure that out, life isn't going to make sense.
Life is a series of problems; either, you are in one now, you're just coming out of one, or you're getting ready to go into another one.
The reason for this is that God is more interested in your character than your comfort; God is more interested in making your life holy than He is in making your life happy.
We can be reasonably happy here on earth, but that's not the goal of life. The goal is to grow in character, in Christ likeness.

This past year has been the greatest year of my life but also the toughest, with my wife, Kay, getting cancer.
I used to think that life was hills and valleys - you go through a dark time, then you go to the mountaintop, back and forth. I don't believe that anymore.
Rather than life being hills and valleys, I believe that it's kind of like two rails on a railroad track, and at all times you have something good and something bad in your life..
No matter how good things are in your life, there is always something bad that needs to be worked on.
And no matter how bad things are in your life, there is always something good you can thank God for.
You can focus on your purposes, or you can focus on your problems:
If you focus on your problems, you're going into self-centeredness, which is my problem, my issues, my pain.' But one of the easiest ways to get rid of pain is to get your focus off yourself and onto God and others.

We discovered quickly that in spite of the prayers of hundreds of thousands of people, God was not going to heal Kay or make it easy for her- It has been very difficult for her, and yet God has strengthened her character, given her a ministry of helping other people, given her a testimony, drawn her closer to Him and to people.
You have to learn to deal with both the good and the bad of life.
Actually, sometimes learning to deal with the good is harder. For instance, this past year, all of a sudden, when the book sold 15 million copies, it made me instantly very wealthy.
It also brought a lot of notoriety that I had never had to deal with before. I don't think God gives you money or notoriety for your own ego or for you to live a life of ease.
So I began to ask God what He wanted me to do with this money, notoriety and influence. He gave me two different passages that helped me decide what to do, II Corinthians 9 and Psalm 72.
First, in spite of all the money coming in, we would not change our lifestyle one bit. We made no major purchases.
Second, about midway through last year, I stopped taking a salary from the church.
Third, we set up foundations to fund an initiative we call The Peace Plan to plant churches, equip leaders, assist the poor, care for the sick, and educate the next generation.
Fourth, I added up all that the church had paid me in the 24 years since I started the church, and I gave it all back. It was liberating to be able to serve God for free.

We need to ask ourselves: Am I going to live for possessions? Popularity?
Am I going to be driven by pressures? Guilt? Bitterness? Materialism? Or am I going to be driven by God's purposes (for my life)?
When I get up in the morning, I sit on the side of my bed and say, God, if I don't get anything else done today, I want to know You more and love You better. God didn't put me on earth just to fulfill a to-do list. He's more interested in what I am than what I do.
That's why we're called human beings, not human doings.

Happy moments, PRAISE GOD.
Difficult moments, SEEK GOD.
Quiet moments, WORSHIP GOD.
Painful moments, TRUST GOD.
Every moment, THANK GOD.

The light turned yellow, just in front of him. He did the right thing, stopping at the crosswalk, even though he could have beaten the red light by accelerating through the intersection.

The tailgating woman was furious and honked her horn, screaming in frustration, as she missed her chance to get through the intersection, dropping her cell phone and makeup.

As she was still in mid-rant, she heard a tap on her window and looked up into the face of a very serious police officer. The officer ordered her to exit her car with her hands up.

He took her to the police station where she was searched, fingerprinted, photographed, and placed in a holding cell.

After a couple of hours, a policeman approached the cell and opened the door. She was escorted back to the booking desk where the arresting officer was waiting with her personal effects.

He said, ''I'm very sorry for this mistake. You see, I pulled up behind your car while you were blowing your horn, flipping off the guy in front of you and cussing a blue streak at him. I noticed the 'What Would Jesus Do' bumper sticker, the 'Choose Life' license plate holder, the 'Follow Me to Sunday-School' bumper sticker, and the chrome-plated Christian fish emblem on the trunk, so naturally....I assumed you had stolen the car.''

Priceless.

gardening season is here
I am overwhelmed with what needs to be done, what I want to do...........yada yada yada
but my favorite thought is........that I will never stop wanting more plants  
at least that is, until I am among them   ♥

after having the flu the past few days, today, after sleeping restfully, I woke up feeling mostly better
without mentioning specifics, I got some very good news yesterday
and even good news can include a hint of melancholy
but happy nonetheless
and today, I happened to look down on the hallway floor - and there - a sparkly little piece of confetti
with 'Happy Birthday' in gold shining up at me
and I openly smiled
because I knew it was not by chance that those two little words sparkled up at me
it was a message from up above that yesterday's news was, in fact, an early birthday present
thank you, Jesus            thank you from the bottom of my ♥

the day before the birthday party

napping in daddy's chair

funny Keegan

I love reading blogs.
When I find a blog I like, I check their list of fav blogs and look for more that appeal to me.
Today I got to wondering about the people behind the blogs.
Who they are.  What they do.  What inspires them.  What they're like.  Why they blog.
Of course not all blogs appeal to us.  I search for a certain 'look' that's intriguing.
Creativity - uniqueness - that certain 'something' that pulls me in.
I choose to blog because it makes me feel good.  It is like keeping a diary - a diary that you share with others. 
Not everything gets shared - goodness no.
But I do share a great deal of myself - of what I love, who I am.
And along the way, I have learned much about myself just by reading about others.
Silly things someone has shared that I, too, connect with.
Some things I have tucked away for whatever reason.  And then it all comes back.
Remembering makes me happy.  Usually.
I get to wondering about blogs that have just stopped.  Why?  Is the person ok?  Why did they go away?  This is the 'worry' side of me showing.
Because when you read these blogs, the blogger becomes somewhat of a secret friend.
Some people might have started to blog for therapy; it filled a void for them.  Maybe they simply have moved on.
Others love to inspire by their creatuvity, their design ability, or some other talent.
And then there are those that blog simply because it's what they do.
But whatever the reason for our intermingling, past or present, we have shared with each other in a medium that I am sure we never could have imagined years ago.
New doors have opened to us - and the world has become smaller.
And this is  a happie - for many of us.  For me.........    ♥

from my friend Kathy
reading this brought back such funny family memories
it has to be shared   ♥

Proud To Be Polish
If you come from Chicago, Buffalo, Cleveland,or the suburb of Cleveland--Toledo, Hamtramck, or Milwaukee there is a large church called "Saint Stanislaus," or "Saint Hedwig," within one block of your childhood home (that is, unless you're one of those suburban exiles, in which case the church is within one block of your babcia's house!) The neighborhood you grew up in is called "Little Warsaw," "Slavic Village," "Polish Hill," or something of that sort. You like to celebrate St. Patrick's Day but only because "the Irish are oppressed too"! Your knowledge of the Polish language is limited to 'naughty' words (e.g., dupa, glowno, gaczki, etc), names for food (e.g, pierogi, kapusta, etc), and drinking toasts (e.g., na zdrowie, sto lat, etc). You occasionally add the suffix "-ski" to English words for no apparent reason (e.g., "I'm gonna go put the car-ski in the garage-ski"). [If you also happen to know a few basic conversational phrases in Polish, you are considered "old school" by friends and relatives.] You call your grandma "babcia" or "busia" and your grandpa "dziadzia." You know how to dance the polka, but you only do it at weddings after kicking back a few generous shots of vodka You like to drink. Especially beer. Especially cheap beer. When frustrated, you slap your forehead, shake your head, and say "O Jezus Marija!" You have one grandma that wears a babushka and galoshes every single day of the year and another grandma that wears a lot of jewelry and too much make-up. You have a grandma who uses every single part of animal carcasses to make sausages , soups, dumplings, etc. You have at least one uncle named "Stan," or "Stas." You have at least one relative who works, or used to work, for the Big Three. Your relatives devotion to saints, the Blessed Virgin, the Pope, the Democratic Party, the U.S. Steelworkers, etc. Your grandma has a shrine complete with votive candles and a picture of the "Our Lady of Czestochowa" or "Infant of Prague." Your parents have at least one crucifix or religious picture mounted on a wall in their house with palms tucked behind it. Your grandparents and other relatives habitually kiss everyone they meet. You refer to your two dozen or so cousins by childhood nicknames (e.g., Stannie, Nicky, Louie, Joey, Chickie, Honey, etc.) irrespective of their ages. You refer to grandparents and aunts by pet names (e.g., Aunt Honey, Aunt Chickie, Grandpa Jo-Jo, etc). You regularly attend Friday fish fries, harvest festivals, parish festivals, Vegas nights, and/or bingo. You bowl regularly and/or on a team sponsored by a local bar. You get your food blessed at Easter and your house blessed at Christmas time. Your family has a wigilia meal on Christmas Eve at which you share oplatki. You like to put sour cream, horseradish, and/or beer on everything you eat. Your family likes to play card games like hearts and pinochle, and this often culminates in full-scale brawls. You always prefer rye bread to white or wheat. Your dad has forced you to eat horseradish, claiming that it will "put hair on your chest" (even if you're a female!). You like to go "mushroom hunting." People in your family have their wedding receptions at places called "Polish Legion Hall," "Sacred Heart Center," etc. You know the words to "Sto Lat" and sing it at all birthday parties. You can out drink all of your friends. You have waited in line at a church or bakery to buy pierogi or paczki. You frequently add "dere" (there) and/or "ya know" to the end of sentences. Words like kiszka, kielbasa, and kolaczki actually mean something to you. You know the difference between Czechs, Slovaks, and Slovenes, and you think they're all inferior to Poles despite the numerous glaring similarities. You used to get a day off from school on Saint Joseph's Day (March19). You actually know who Kosciuszko and Pulaski are, and why they're important. You have at least one relative who plays the accordion. You are inclined to blame all the world's ills on Germans and Russians. You have an easier time getting along with Irishmen and Italians than with non-Polish Slavs. You're either completely overdressed or completely underdressed for every occasion. If you're a woman, you wear make-up at all times - even if it's 90 degrees outside and you're 88 years old. Your idea of "healthy" is boiled pierogi, light beer, and filtered cigarettes. You walk into a crowd of people you don't know and talk to them like they're your best friends in the whole world. You hoard vast amounts of money in your house. You have at least one bar in your house - usually in the basement. Your family always has an excuse to hold a "poprawinie" - e.g., when someone dies, or when someone gets married. You've never been to Poland, but you have mysterious relatives there to whom you send gifts and money every Christmas. Your front yard is filled with lawn ornaments - e.g., pink flamingos, jockey, Mary in the half shell, etc. You have relatives who are priests and nuns. You collect "prayer cards" from funerals. You or someone in your family owns highly outdated Dodges or Plymouths. You regularly attend Mass but spend most of the ceremony sleeping and/or looking at the parish bulletin. You haven't been a practicing Catholic for years but everyone in your family insists that it's "just a phase." You often visit cemeteries, light votive candles for dead relatives, and generally spend an unhealthy amount of time obsessing about death. You like to gossip and generally talk too much. People often have trouble pronouncing your last name. Your family is so loyal that even a second cousin would take a bullet for you. You drink your coffee black and take your liquor straight up. Polish people are GREAT

             wrinkle love

I love a lazy morning when I get one
I am usually at mass about now, but today I am not going until later
I have been watching HGTV and DIY Network - and getting inspired
making changes in my garden areas is in my thoughts right now
perennials are my favorite plants and I love as they come alive
but the cleanup is a major part each spring
the rewarding part is uncovering the plants as they peek through the soil underneath
it is worth the hard work
the next few weeks I will be researching my books for what I want to change - and add
and enjoying the bird activity along with listening to all their sweet music
watching the birds feed at my feeders and search for places to nest
it's nature coming alive for a new season
so many surprises all around My Little Part of Heaven

Lunch with an old friend

Today I am having lunch with Sharon - who I worked with over 30 years ago at Blue Cross
Thanks to Facebook I found her
Sharon lives in Westland and is meeting me here - and then I plan to take her up to The Village in Rochester for lunch
I am looking forward to spending the afternoon with her
Yippeee

♥

Keegan turned one

It's been one year since my grandson was born.
This past year has been wonderful having this darling little boy in our lives.

Here are some pictures from Easter

          If you are wise and understand God's ways prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don't cover up the truth with boasting and lying. For jealousy and selfishness are not God's kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind. But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness. James 3:13-18

♥