Doris is a devoted follower…and lover of the honey bees. She is on a mission to bring awareness to save the bees on this planet. So Doris when I took these photos while in California, I automatically thought of you! Thanks for bringing so much cheer and kindness to this world. You make it a better place to be

Did everyone enjoy their 3 day weekend? We sure did! But I’m glad the regular work week is here so I can rest and do a little sewing again.

Last week I took this bouquet of peonies, lilac and lamb’s ear to my brother at his work to surprise him. He did such a sweet thing for me and Mom this past week so it was a little thank you for his kindness. I think he was pleasantly surprised when he received them. I love how old fashioned the bouquet looks too.

We spent Saturday mulching our gardens. All day Saturday. My body is so so sore and tired that I’m glad Sunday is a day of rest! Today we will be visiting with friends and having a BBQ; Monday a BBQ with our family. We hope everyone is enjoying their time this holiday weekend with those they love.

I had to laugh at Mom’s post the other day about being boring. If you were a little mouse listening in on our  many phone conversations through the day, you would think we were quite entertaining, perhaps even a tad bit crazy and eccentric too.

School just got out last week so my youngest is now underfoot; although you can hardly be underfoot when you are approaching 6′ tall. He can eat me out of house and home and leaves a trail of dirty dishes everywhere he goes. Welcome summertime!

Then there is my 24 year old who is struggling to become a real grown up. She causes me angst, stomach aches, temper tantrums, and a very sore tongue from biting it so much. She moved back about a year ago…with her 1 year old Boxer dog named Dexter. She is in countdown mode to move out (Mom’s deadline) and I hope I make it to the finish line without hurting anyone.

My oldest boy is doing great in life. A single dad who loves to hang out with his younger brother and totes along his 5 year old daughter Aria. That means they all hang out at my house hoping for Mom’s home cooked meals….a lot. I love it, but it also means a lot of unexpected company at my house.

Our oldest daughter and her husband have just moved across town and now live about 3 miles from us. They are still getting settled in although we were at their house several times this weekend fixing lawn mowers and training her on how to actually use one!

So Mom is right, our life is busy, chaotic, always interrupted for the “more important things” like family. It provides great material for lots of stories and lots of laughs. Boring, never around here. Some days I dream of boring. Seriously I do! (PS: I thought these photos of the cactus and agapanthus were good metaphors for my family life, prickly but beautiful and going in all directions yet still part of one flower.)

Somewhere in time, perhaps even as a very young child, our eye’s begin to see the beauty of nature all around us.  As adults we often get to busy to pause for the refreshment that can be seen in every flower, sunset, little critter or a child.  This Sunday let’s commit once again to “stop and smell the roses.”

Deb’s vacation pictures remind us how beautiful nature is that surrounds us each day if take time to really see.  She is sensitive to what her eyes see and  beautifully captures for all to enjoy.

Today pictures I have received from Deb as her and Robert vacation in California celebrating their wedding anniversary.  Enjoy

Wishing you many, many more.

I asked Deb if she had taken any recent garden pictures she would share with me while she was on vacation so I could have something pretty to post.  Look what she sent me.

She said she stalked it quite some time to get all of these beautiful shots.

I think this is an awesome shot!

I am bragging again but what the heck, she takes fantastic pictures!

I am sure this shot scared that little ladybug to no end.

Now I started wondering why are lady bugs called ladybugs?  Are they all females?  How did they get the name ladybug anyway?  Help me out if you have an answer.

The old song seems to always ring true.  We had lots and lots of rain here in the Midwest as many other parts of the nation did.  Our hearts go out to those who had more than the banks could hold.

Here are a few of the results of April Showers that have brought us gorgeous May flowers.

Rose buds

Petunias

Azalea

Clematis

What’s blooming at our house?

I received this article this week that couldn’t have been more perfect timing. Having a little pity party of my own and the stress and strains of motherhood, this reminded me that what I do is important, even if it is not seen, noticed or recognized.

Invisible Mother…..

It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I’m on the phone and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I’m thinking, ‘Can’t you see I’m on the phone?’

Obviously not; no one can see if I’m on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all. I’m invisible. The invisible Mom. Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more! Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this??

Some days I’m not a pair of hands; I’m not even a human being. I’m a clock to ask, ‘What time is it?’ I’m a satellite guide to answer, ‘What number is the Disney Channel?’ I’m a car to order, ‘Right around 5:30, please.’

Some days I’m a crystal ball; ‘Where’s my other sock?, Where’s my phone?, What’s for dinner?’

I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history, music and literature–but now, they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She’s going, she’s going, she’s gone!?

One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England. She had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well.

It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when she turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, ‘I brought you this.’ It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe. I wasn’t exactly sure why she’d given it to me until I read her inscription: ‘With admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees.’

In the days ahead I would read – no, devoured – the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work: 1) No one can say who built the great cathedrals – we have no record of their names. 2) These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished. 3) They made great sacrifices and expected no credit. 4) The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.

A story of legend in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, ‘Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof, No one will ever see it And the workman replied, ‘Because God sees.’

I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, ‘I see you. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does.

No act of kindness you’ve done, no sequin you’ve sewn on, no cupcake you’ve baked, no Cub Scout meeting, no last minute errand is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can’t see right now what it will become.  I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on.

The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.

When I really think about it, I don’t want my son to tell the friend he’s bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, ‘My Mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for 3 hours and presses all the linens for the table.’ That would mean I’d built a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, he’d say, ‘You’re gonna love it there…’

As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we’re doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible mothers. The Will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you.

To all the wonderful mothers out there!!

May God give you…

For every storm, a rainbow,

For every tear, a smile,

For every care, a promise,

And a blessing in each trial.

For every problem life sends,

A faithful friend to share,

For every sigh, a sweet song,

And an answer for each prayer.

I don’t know the name of this clematis. I’m sure when I bought it they told me, but some things I just can’t remember. I just know I liked how beautiful it was and had the perfect spot in my gardens for it….on the gazebo of course.

I planted it just last year and it is loaded this spring with blooms. Just stunning!

Oh see how lovely the dew drops are?

Enjoy your day and take time to feel some sunshine on your face! Ta-ta my friends…I’m out to play in the dirt some more because some kids just never grow up!