Happy Easter!

Courtesy of The Graphics Fairy

To all of my Christian Friends, I wish you a happy and blessed Easter! He is not dead! He is risen indeed! Hallelujah!

If you read my last post, you saw this picture of the bird's nest outside my front door, in a shrub.

Well, some critter robbed the nest:

I know that it is the way of nature, but how disappointing!

I am going to try an experiment. A friend put these in an Easter basket for me. (that's right and I am not a young chick.)

So I am going to attempt to fool Mother Nature. Ha!

What do you think....will these be taken? Stay tuned....I will let you know.

Peace and love of Jesus be with you today and always!

XOXO

Hello there!

Hi Friend! Where does the time go? It has been a busy time for us here as the last tenant moved out of one of our rentals and trashed the place. So all time that would be spent here at home gets put on the back burner, so to speak. Jim has been painting the whole inside of the house, walls and ceiling. Today we hired a house cleaner to get it in order for May 1st.

So I don't have much interesting to report. Except that we have a bird's nest in the shrub right outside our front door. Does anyone know what kind of bird has eggs like these? They are cute, aren't they?

All thoughts of buying new camera equipment went out the window on April 15th. We owed the Feds more than ever before. You know how it goes; the more you make, the more they take. But we did the right thing and paid. You have probably heard the old saying: nothing is certain in life except death and taxes.

Hope you are doing well and enjoying warmer weather. Peace and love of Jesus be with you today and always!

Courtesy of The Graphics Fairy

Car Show in Alpharetta, Georgia

This is a Daimler, a precursor to the Mercedes Benz

Hello, Ducky! Sorry I haven't been around lately. Had to deal with some family issues and it has left me drained. All is well. But if I have not returned your email or phone call, please know that it isn't because I don't care. I have to hibernate sometimes to deal with sensory overload.

Last week end, my Jimmy took me to a local car show. It was about 25 miles north of us, I think, in old downtown Alpharetta.

This was an all British show. I get my love of cars from my father, I think. Although not a rich man, he has owned least one of these different brands except for the Rolls Royce, in his lifetime. He loved all cars though so it would be hard to catalog all of them.

When I was of driving age, he gave me his MG midget, and later, his MGB, both in British racing green and both convertibles. What fun it was to drive them!

MGB, don't know the year, sorry.

It was a mizzling day but it was not too hot. (A mizzle is a cross between a mist and drizzle-an Irish term). All the cars were very close together so it was hard to get good clean shots.
 

1933 (?) Rolls Royce

Front View

I don't think my father ever cared to know if there was an engine inside; he just love the cachet of owning certain cars.

Jaguar

 

 

 

 

Another Jag, different model.

Do you know the joke about owning a Jag? They say you must afford 2 of them, because one is always in the shop. The first XKE that my father owned, was lemon yellow and boy was it a lemon.

Allard, rare

Back wheel of Allard

Front Wheel of Allard. Look at the shine!

And the hood.

A sign along the way

I think this is an MGA. What a beauty!

These small sports cars were a joy to drive but I wouldn't drive one in the traffic we have in this age.
It would surely be a death trap.

Another Random Sign

 

A custom MGB

An old MG

MG Hatch back

Looks like my old one except for the color

A Bug eyed Sprite. Jim loves this one.

Last of all the Red Rolls Royce. I didn't like this because the color I think cheapens it. But somebody is having fun with it. Notice the Grey Poupon on the tray in the backseat?

Oops! I didn't get a full side view.

Well that is all, my friend! Thanks for coming along on our little car show. It was a fun day.


Peace and love of Jesus be with you today and always!

Spring Macro

Hi Sweetie! Nice to see you. Has spring arrived in your area of the woods? Although it is officially spring today, there is still a chill in the air. My dear friends from next door brought me this lovely Gerber Daisy....so pretty and cheerful, don't you think?

 

Last Saturday my Jimmy took a trip to Burger's Market to get a flat of Strawberry plants. We missed out last year so we are happy to have these. The above is a strawberry bloom.

I have been practicing with my macro lens. Auto focus will only do so much. You actually have to move your camera slightly forward or backward to find the perfect focus....not an easy task for me.

 

First strawberry spotted on one plant. I can't wait. I hope the birds and other critters don't get them all before we do.

 

Do you know what this flower is? DH got it for me. Is it a pin cushion?


Peace and love of Jesus be with you today and always, my friend!

What a difference a day makes

Japanese Magnolia Tree off my deck

Good morning, my sweet friend! Forgive me for being out of pocket and not visiting your blog but I have a good excuse.

Being a relatively healthy person, I suddenly fell ill in a movie theater. After asking someone to summon my husband (I was in a stall in the ladies) we made the very excruciating trip home. I just wanted to be in my bed. You know how that is.

Without going into the gruesome details I was told  by my GI doctor's nurse to go straight to the ER.
Fast forward.... I spent the last three days in the hospital. Diagnosis after CAT scan: colitis. After receiving excellent care, I am home, battle scarred (ha!) with punctures all over my arms but feeling great, thank God.

My reason for telling you all this, is that we never know when we are going to pass on.  I have learned; never to take anything for granted. Get right with God and your brothers and sisters.

 I am sure, without a doubt, that prayer saved me. There  could have had a different outcome.

 I was given excellent care by nurses, doctors and other care takers from many different countries. God was showing me, I think, that I needed to examine my heart. Do I only love those who are like me?

My perspective has definitely changed. We all need to be open to hearing what God is whispering in our ears. Did I convey this correctly? I am not as articulate as you are.

Thank you for visiting. It means a lot to me. Have a wonderful weekend!

Peace and love of Jesus be with you today and always!

Surprise of Spring

Hi Honey bun! How is your week going so far? 

I don't know about where you are, but here, there are suddenly signs of spring everywhere. And it always catches me by surprise. One day you are just freezing and see no end to winter and then....there are those little green leaves making their way up through the snow. Daffodils are now nodding their pretty heads in the breeze and buds are out on the trees and blossoms too.

The weather inspires me to go outside and clean my pots for new annuals and perennials. I love to peruse the plant catalogs that fill my mail box at this time of year. So many beautiful  choices to make.

Spring holds promise. 

If you want a tutorial on how to have the effect above go here.

Peace and love of Jesus be with you today and always!

Lent and Fasting

Hello Sugarplum! Today is the first day of lent; Ash Wednesday. It marks the start of Lent, a 40-day liturgical period of prayer and fasting or abstinence. It is a time to turn from our sins and repent. It is also a reminder of our mortality; ashes to ashes, dust to dust. I just got back from getting ashes on my forehead. The priest or deacon administers them with the words: "Ashes to ashes, dust to dust."

Some people will give up something that they enjoy for these 40 days. I gave up candy and sweets when I was a little girl. Since I don't really care for candy, cakes and so forth, that wouldn't be much of a sacrifice. I will fast from something that I really love. Not telling as that wouldn't make it as special.

What do you do for lent? Do you observe it? Just curious.

My good friend and Bible study teacher sent me this, this morning:

Lent

Season for Fasting, Season for Feasting

1. FAST from judging others; FEAST on Christ living in them.

2. FAST from harsh words; FEAST on words that build up others.

3. FAST from discontent; FEAST on gratitude.

4. FAST from anger; FEAST on patience.

5. FAST from pessimism; FEAST on optimism.

6. FAST from worry; FEAST on God's care.

7. FAST from complaining; FEAST on appreciation.

8. FAST from bitterness; FEAST on forgiveness.

9. FAST from self-concern; FEAST on compassion for others.

10. FAST from discouragement; FEAST on hope.

11. FAST from facts that depress; FEAST on facts that uplift.

12. FAST from suspicion; FEAST on truth. 

13. FAST from thoughts that weaken; FEAST on promises that inspire.

14. FAST from idle gossip; FEAST on silence with a purpose.

(author unknown)

A tall order, I know. But we can only try. :o)

Peace and love of Jesus be in your heart today and always!

Courtesy of the Graphics Fairy