After The Storm....

This was quite the day.....
First a doctors appointment...never fun! Five weeks ago I had an EKG and the doctor saw an abnormality and so I had to have a stress test..Yuck! I thought of not doing it, and I thought that was not fair to myself or my family so for three weeks before the test I tried to get myself in shape by fast walking two miles each night, hot and steamy or not! I am not sure it helped me on the treadmill as it was set on an incline and it did not move at a pace I would have liked! I made it through, though, huffing and puffing....lol! This test involved the dye and the imaging and was three hours long!
Today, the doctor came in smiling and handed me the report saying I was just fine....not a thing wrong. Well, I tried to tell him that in the first place! Really, I did! I hadn't been worried, but it is always nice to get good news!

And, the doctor handed Mr.S his report from his CT Scan on his neck....it, too, was a thumbs up! (With all of the skin cancer surgeries he has had, he wanted to be sure the huskiness of his voice was not due to something more serious than allergies.) So, this has been a day full of sweet blessings!

After the doctor it was errands and hubs was with me as he had to stop at Lowes for a new garage door opener. We almost did not get the van out of the garage this morning! :( Then to the store and then to the farmers market for fresh homegrown tomatoes and corn and Michigan peaches....I say this every year,....you have not eaten a peach until you have eaten a Michigan peach!

As I was putting the groceries away, Mr. S was working on the garage door opener only to find the one he purchased was not for our door, so after dinner, off we went again to get one compatible with ours....when we left home we saw that a shower was brewing, heard the ocassional thunder and thought nothing of it and went on. When we arrived at Lowe's we saw that it was more than just a little shower, but you know men, and on we went into the store. Shortly, the lightening and thunder began crashing and the rain, well, it was a mega burst for sure....I wandered around looking at Orchids and hubs sat with others in the lawn furniture until it abated enough for us to dash to the car. Once home, it stopped and then it started up again with the sun shinning and I knew that somewhere I would see a rainbow....
I remember my Mom telling me once, that the rainbow was the sign of good things....well, good things did happen today and so very thankful I am. This time we were lucky!

Wishing you all many blessings and beautiful rainbows,
Jil

Pink Saturday And A Garden Party

Hello Sweet Pink Saturday And Etsy Cottage Style peeps....I am joining both Beverly for PINK SATURDAY and Etsy Cottage Style for their Garden Party with pictures of members gardens this year....It was a slow spring because of the weather in so many different spots throughout the country, but now that summer is here there should be some fantasic flowers to admire...Do come and stroll through our gardens...


I have been showing some of my flowers through the year, but here are some new with some of the old pictures....I hope you enjoy them!




Landscape roses that are so hardy and just bloom and bloom! Love them!



Two different plants of Pinks....



One of my Hydrangea bushes. I purchased three about six or seven years ago...the instructions said they were for indoors only. Well, as you can see I put them out and they are huge and doing well! All three are this pretty pink, but I would love to have a blue one and will have to learn how to adjust the soil acidity to have one!

A little rose like Begonia...I just love this variety and have several.

Sweet Violets....of which I suddenly have way too many and they will have to be greatly thinned!!!!

Precious Bleeding Hearts








I have been enjoying thoroughly, each and every new bloom in the gardens as I know this season does not last nearly as long as I wish it could.....when the days are short, dark, snowy and cold

I will be thinking spring and summer and just waiting for Mother Nature to wake up all her beautiful works of art that are sleeping beneath the ground.

Happy Pink Saturday, Happy Gardening and Happy Summer!!!
Smiles :-)
Jil
xo

~Pink Saturday~

Hello again, Sweet Pink Saturday! Before I say another word, I want to give you the link to Beverly's where you will find all the other blogs dressed in their pink finery! Be sure and say "Hi" to Beverly to let her know how much you enjoy this special day! I can't imagine a week without PINK SATURDAY!!

And, another week that has flown by. I can't make up my mind if this is a good thing or not.....the week was not unusual in any way....working in the gardens, creating, talking on the phone with friends and family, visiting with the neighbors....just a nice easy summer week. Sitting on the porch with a drink and a magazine and letting life drift by..... The kind of days you yearn for when the snow drifts are high.

I didn't know what to do this week for today, but I am painting and studying the roses I have, both real and painted. So, I was taking pictures and as I was printing them out to pin on my inspiration board I thought I would share them with you as they are so pretty....I am so happy God made roses for us, aren't you?!






Some of my roses that I want to improve on....



There are so many different ways in painting roses....each artist has their own unique style. It is so inspiring, to me, to just sit and study and absorb each different rendition.....I just yearn to paint them and hope in time I will finally get a rose that will satisfy this rose loving soul!

Before I leave to go Pink visiting....I want to leave you with this thought. There are times in all our lives when we get hurt by those we love....do not understand why ...or feel that it is deserving. In a lovely book I am reading I found this and just wanted to share it with you:

Forgive And Forget.
Our Lord we thank thee, for so much.
We bless Thee and praise Thy Glorious Name.

Fill your world with Love and Laughter. Never mind what anguish lies behind you.
Forget, Forgive, Love and Laugh.
Treat all as you would treat Me, with love and consideration.
Let nothing others do to you alter your treatment of them.


Wishing you a lovely and peace filled week!
Jil

Hot PINK SATURDAY

Hello Everyone....Are you all enjoying the heat wave? No. I didn't think so. Much as we yearned to be rid of the long winter with all the snow, I think we were not thinking of so much heat! I am blessed with central air, and believe me, it is a blessing, but we take a two mile walk every night and that is not fun right now. We walk on the boardwalk right next to the water and while it is a bit cooler, when you are trying to walk as fast as you can you get so hot and tired! I do it, though, with my water bottle! I really push myself and I was hoping for a fifteen pound weight loss by Monday, but I will be lucky to get to ten pounds. :( The older you get, the harder it is and I am determined to loose my "muffin top" by winter and sweater time.....

To get to all the other pink and sweet blogs just go to Beverly's and you will find them all for this Pink Saturday. While you are there, be sure and leave Beverly a comment.....we are so grateful to her for hosting this fun venue!

The little gal in the top picture is a memento from the craft show days....I keep her out to remember all those good times....

The cream stocking below, I just finished.....I love the sweet look of the tone on tone of creams.....it says many things to me, shabby, pretty and classy. I love making the muslin roses and am making some to offer in my Etsy Shop soon.

This stocking has a picture pocket, lots of lovely vintage laces and can be seen HERE I have several more in all creams coming very soon....I invite you to stop by and look.


*SOLD*
Off and Running To Say Hi To YOU!
Smiles,
Jil