A Walk through the Flowers

          Our walk begins at the lake and the water lilies are in bloom.  

Enter through the arch and stroll slowly up the stairs.

Wildflowers and tiger lilies.

The colors are so rich and vibrant.

I love hollyhocks. They say home to me as we always had hollyhocks growing along the side of our home growing up.

Get a bowl there are ripe berries just waiting to be picked.

I love the randomness of this garden space.

Linger as long as you'd like...I spent hours enjoying it all.

Have a joyous, nature filled day...and join me for Day 2 of my Girl's Week journey at Amanda's New Digs.

Amanda's New Digs-Day Two of "Girl's Week"

    The next leg of my "Girl's Week" journey was to visit daughter Amanda and see her new digs.

She recently accepted a new position with the Marshfield Clinic and has had to make a quick move.

So she has moved into an efficiency apartment in town. It is on the second floor and is adorable.

A picture of the Marshfield clinic; Amanda's new employer.

We had a great time and did a lot in a few days.  We shopped the second hand stores,

had some wonderful meals together, played at the farmers market, and just explored the city she is now calling home.

These sculptures greet you when you enter the city.

These wonderful creatures are all made of recycled metals.

This last picture is of a mural dedicated to all our soldiers and veterans.

Our time together was fabulous and it put my fears to rest. You see when she told us about the apartment she had found I had visions of a dirty, disparaging downtown area and I feared she would not be comfortable or safe, God has been good to her. The new environment is clean, active, and safe. Amanda can walk to shops, restaurants, and coffee houses.  She is only minutes from work and now has time to shop for an apartment that will become a long term commitment. Our little girl has grown up and is doing what she always dreamed of doing.  She is a pediatric social worker being of service to infants in need and their families. We are so proud!

With that I am on my way to my next stop...daughter Emily's and Brian's.

Girl's Week in Wisconsin

     I had the best time traveling the country side of  Wisconsin and over the next few days I'll share my adventures.  My first stop was the "Girl's Only Weekend "with my younger sister Linda.  Her in-laws have this wonderful cottage on a small lake in the Kettle Moraine area.  The weather was beautiful, the wild flowers were in bloom and the lake was just waiting for us! We spent the weekend relaxing, sharing conversation, the water, and some wonderful meals. I am blessed to have a wonderful sister who is also a wonderful friend.

As we got unpacked I couldn't wait to take a walk down to the water.

The whole spot reminded me of lake side vacations we had taken with our parents as children,

The stairs ascend all the way down to the water.

At the bottom of the stairs is a second cabin that is adorable.

And the lake! I loved swimming, the row boats, and just communing with all the nature that surrounded us.

It just says RELAX! or PLAY!

We swam 3 miles on the second morning. There was a small sand bar at the other end of the lake and Linda wondered if we could make it? Just like kids we had to try!

This is the entrance to the property from the lake to the upper cottage. It is almost magical enough to be a the inspiration for a poem or short story. Note to self!

On Monday we visited an Antique Mall, had a fabulous lunch, and said our good-bys.  I miss her already! But she is only a phone call away.

Tomorrow we'll take a walk through the gardens...then onto daughter Amanda's new digs!

Happy Independence Day!

I just wanted to wish you and yours a fabulous 4th of July celebration.

May we continue to cherish freedom for all people.

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Come Walk With Me at Perry Farms

And I continue to walk and take joy in all the God has created...

Have a day filled with nature...

It's All In The Routine

Everyone needs a little piece of the outdoors to call their own sanctuary. My retreat comes in the form of a balcony off our living room.

I've had one week of summer break from school and I was concerned about what I would do with the lack of a routine. I know myself and I don't do well without a routine. So I took advantage of the foresight into the change coming and did some things I'm really enjoying. For starters I am up at 7:00am, I walk from 8am-9am, have breakfast, 30 minutes of  inspirational reading and meditating and then on with the rest of my day.

Some of the other activities include:

Cleaning, Decorating, and Putting on a Fresh Face:

I started by taking one area of the apartment daily and began a deep clean, then changed up the decor in simple ways to freshen the look for the summer.

The area I decided to work on first was our balcony.  I have a bistro table and two chairs at one end and a chair and small end table at the other end. The furnishings work for coffee, tea in the afternoon, reading, and writing but it had no personality so I found two crockery planters for $2.00 a piece and purchased purple

and yellow petunias. I placed one on each table.  In addition I found the candle touchier. It adds such fabulous glow in the early evening.  The last thing I'd like to do is a small outdoor carpet to tie it all together.

The next stop the office/ guest room.

Crafting:

The addition of items that are unique, pretty, or simply speak to me often requires crafting, painting, and refurbishing. My latest project is a triptych of funky 1970's buildings. Each is in a different degree of distress but I have begun to clean, repaint, and eventually I will frame them.  Notice the scratches in the roof; that scratch ran the length of the picture. Restoration continues!

I also came across eight wooden houses in different styles for .50 each. I am thinking about ways I can display them other than setting them on a shelf. Any ideas?

These are just a few of the Painted Ladies. I'm thinking a part of a collage? I'll update you on my decision later.

Hope your having a wonderful Wednesday, and now I'm off to plan dinner and catch an hour of reading.

A New Day Begins the Framing of a New Routine

 I am sitting here at my computer. It is the first day of summer break and I am a bit confused as I am completely out of my routine. What to do first? I was up by 7:15, had coffee with Hubby before he left for work, said my morning prayers and did a little meditating on a spiritual reading, had my breakfast(1/2 cup strawberries,a small banana, and vanilla yogart) working on a healthier eating plan!,have answered all email and visited with a few friends via their blogs.  Now what! Housework maybe?

Or maybe some menu and recipe planning?

Or maybe I should take a walk?

Or call a friend and chat?

The possibilities are mind boggling! I am going to call my Mom for a visit via the phone, then do some last minute homework for school, and when I'm finished treat myself to a walk in the park, after that who knows...the day will unfold as God sees fit. 

Have a wonderful day whether you are following a routine that works for you or simply being spontaneous.

(The photos were taken at the Lighthouse Keepers home at Tybee Island,Ga. It is now part of the lighthouse museum.)