Monday, June 24, 2013

Blue Insulators



Sidetracked-- that is what is happening lately. 
 Wanting to play in the garden and I have wedding details on my list to do.....
  but,  just stopping by to share with you some things outside today.



Vintage blue electrical insulators
On bamboo poles in the garden


Endless Summer Hydrangea


Passion Flower Vine
Loves the Virginia Heat and humidity


Not sure what I will get posted in the next days
 of getting ready to celebrate the wedding of youngest daughter.

 May the Lord richly bless the festivities and preparations.

Thursday, June 20, 2013

In Pre Wedding Mode

Abelia
Geranium 
Miscanthus


Pink Astible
Stella de Oro Daylillies


This is what's happening in the garden these days.....

working on prewedding lists of "jobs" and details.

Youngest daughter gets married in 10 days.

Her last day of teaching school was today

 and so off we went to run some errands together and

check some things off the list.

Quiet, fun, and special time together.

So.... will be back a bit more after that....

 Meanwhile.....


God's tender hand guides the garden growth-

On automatic pilot.

Thank you, Lord.




Thursday, June 13, 2013

On the Painted Furniture Bandwagon

      It was time..
  to join the crews of people
 painting old wood furniture....
after a trip to Stylish Patina in Falls Church
 today for the wax.....

 A dresser inherited from college days in Chicago
 from a Coach to a brother in law to Sara
 and then to Towson for two years 
and back here in Virginia
 and now to a newlywed apartment.


Before:





 and after:


Left the handles as they were for now.
 Used paint we had in the house
 and then got the Annie Sloan clear and dark wax.
 They are awesome for the finish.

Headed to its new home this weekend.

Unexpected Gifts



Sometimes there are just surprises in your day..... 
 last week when I got home from travels
 I had a couple of gift packages that had come in the mail....



Art Print from Faith Artist- Amber Skeeters


Lovely card with photo

A gift out of the blue-- 
I had found her shop on Facebook
 and given her just a few words of encouragement as a faith artist....

God must have used those words very powerfully.

Another gift -  this one a book from my friend Sybil MacBeth-
 author of Praying In Color.



A lovely book showing the blessings of living in a 
liturgical year of celebrations.

A book from Paraclete Press that she wanted me to take a look at and see
the wonderful ideas of author Jerusalem Greer.

 Two women in Tennessee,
one I have met, the other not.


It is not a small feat 
to package something,
 find the address,
go to the post office and
 mail a gift.

But, perhaps I find too many excuses
 not to this in my weeks.

It is painting a day
 with sunshine for the recipient.
Humbly offered
and gracefully received.
My thank yous sent.
And my heart still rests in gratitude.


Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Spring Crafting in the Neighborhood

 Catching up with some creative things lately.......


My friend, Julie-one of
the "Ann Voskamp Girls"  came over to make an
art canvas
 with some of our favorite quotes.

We watched the video series of 1000 Gifts this Spring-
finished it and then decided we just need to watch it again.

And we will.





This is the canvas I had put together as a visual  for a retreat in April.


Earlier in May we gathered to make a small Spring Bird or Tweet  canvas.
We shared some of our favorite Pinterest recipes
 and bid farewell to a creative crafting friend- Robyn- 
moving to San Francisco with her Coast Guard spouse.

Robyn and her lovely daughter Natalie.

She will more than likely start her own neighborhood craft group out West when she gets settled.
I forgot to take photos of the projects until after most had left our evening together.

But here are a couple of the evening's creations.










We used Mod Podge to add vintage sewing tissue to the background for texture.

Had the birdies for our "tweety" gathering, 
some old IDEALS magazine for aged paper,
 old buttons, one trims and embellishments.

Always amazing to see what a group
 makes out of the same stack of materials.

And a tiny little bit of art-
 packs a punch of encouragement with the Nehemiah verse-

for the joy of the Lord is my strength!

There is nothing in me that generates the power to complete anything-
 it is indeed humbly to be reminded
 of just how much my weakness allows His strength to be poured out-
May this transfusion bring HIM GLORY. 


Saturday, June 8, 2013

Nevada Roundup

The mountain view from Faith Lutheran Parking lot.

Time to finish up with the adventures of time in Nevada.

A little bit of everything here.

I headed out to help pack up a house for a move to
 Ann Arbor, Michigan.

On to new adventures for the Schumacher couple.
at Leone Cafe with Jessica
she came to help pack and spend time with a sister




A specialty coffee



A favorite stop when out West
An Eccentric shopper in Boulder City.  Favorite shops there are:
BLOOM-http://www.bloombc.com/
 And GOATFEATHERS-https://www.facebook.com/pages/GoatFeathers/260359100647270
A first birthday party for Henry Blank.
This is where daughter Laura has been one of the Art teachers in Las Vegas.
Son in law Joshua was a math Teacher and part of the Football coaching staff.
 It is the largest Lutheran Middle and High School in the United States.
An amazing and state of the art facility.





Friday, June 7, 2013

Garden Postings- Yellow and White

Stella De Oro Daylillies
White Yarrow
Evening primrose- Sundrops
On a very rainy day in Virginia,
 photos from yesterday.....

Sedum in bloom


Some bright spots that I can see from my windows this drippy day.

I give thanks for rain.

Thursday, June 6, 2013

When You know It's Once in a Life Time - Part 2


Well, actually, I have been at Hoover Dam
 so many times in the past few years 
since the kids moved to Vegas, 
 I feel like I can give tours of the dam.

But on this day in early June,
I knew we were making memories and 
it was to capture the time and space of being together.
Jessica had not been here before.

Hoover Dam

The violent Colorado River was tamed when the dam was completed in 1936.
Over 5000 men worked for five years to erect the massive structure
 between Black Canyon's steep walls. 
The finished dam held enough concrete to pave a
 16 food wide, 8 inch thick road
 from New York City to San Francisco.
The dam is 45 feet thick at the crest 
and 660 feet thick at the base and holds back Lake Mead.




Late in the day - about 6 pm and 103 degrees


A view of the new bridge from the dam side - Highway 93 Now 

Pacific Time Zone



In this corner- playing between the states


A clear view of how much the water level
 has gone down since the dam was completed.
The white part on the rocks is from mineral deposits from the water.

Late afternoon Lake Mead- almost too bright to photograph


This day and the rugged landscape brings to mind the verse-


 And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Eph. 3:17-18

A visit out West brings a new perspective to wide and long and high and deep.

Monday, June 3, 2013

When You Know It's Once in a Lifetime- Part 1



Here in Las Vegas--
 packing up middle daughter to move to Ann Arbor.

Took a day off and did some exploring.

With two of my lovely young lady daughters.
Making memories
 and just knowing that this day is a GIFT.
A once in a lifetime- 
of connected journey,
 conversation,
 and visual treats-
TOGETHER.


Valley of Fire State Park- Overton, Nevada


The Beehives

The State Park is 55 miles Northeast of Las Vegas

Sisters- Laura and Jessica


A creature friend

Prehistoric Petroglyphs- from 300 BC to 1150 AD.
 Probably either form the Basket Maker people
 or the Anasazi Pueblo Farmers from the nearby fertile Moapa Valley.
Awesome very old drawings.


Jessica


Hiker's markings along the trail at Mouse's Tank

You use need your shades when out here in the sun




Red rocks and red sand
and now red shoes

Some signs of Spring growth here--
 as the daily summer temps will be 100-120 degrees.
It was 102 this day but with a breeze.

Jessica and Laura
Telling the story of 2000 years ago.
Wonder what will remain of telling the story on a blog-
in another 2000 years?