To The Cemetery . . .

Memorial Day,

a day to give pause and honor

for those who have died.

I don't hesitate to make a trip to the cemetery. 

In fact I find it a quiet place to visit. 

There is no rush or scattered, frantic, hurry. 

I enjoy seeing others tending and reflecting. 

I imagine the life stories of the many lives

marked in marble, stone and in personal markings. 

Thoughts of parents surround me 

of the children who have died

and the hopes, dreams, promises that must have also died.

 My heart feels love and tenderness.   

I find history and who is left to tend, to reflect?

 I remember a death of almost 31 years ago.  

I don't have to go to the cemetery to remember.

Although in going I am reminded once again

of my husband, love, memories, laughter, children, friends and family.



It feels right and good

to honor, to respect,

to reflect.

Walk through a cemetery sometime. 

Stop . . . pause . . . reflect.

Love, Lynne

~~~

Bits and Pieces

People.

People important to you, people unimportant to you

cross your life, touch it with love and carelessness and move on.

There are people who leave you and you breathe a sigh of relief

and wonder why you ever came in contact with them.

There are people who leave you and you breathe a sigh of remorse

and wonder why they had to go away and leave such a gapping hole.

People change homes.

People grow apart.

Enemies hate and move on.

Friends love and move on.

Children change and grow and make choices and move on.

You think of the many people who have moved into your hazy memory.

You look on those present, and wonder.

I believe in the presence of God in our lives.

People move in and out of one another's lives and each person leaves

its mark, “it’s touch,” on the other.

You find that you are made up of bits and pieces

of all who have ever touched your life,

and you are more because of it,

and you would be less

if they had not touched you.

Pray God that you accept the bits and pieces in humility and wonder,

and never question and never regret.

Bits and Pieces, Bits and pieces

author unknown

paraphrased from original

Now this is tasty, easy and fun . . .

RV PICKLES

Easy, spicy, fun pickle for sandwiches and 

grilled hamburgers, brats, whatever.   



1 gallon jar of hamburger dills

(I purchased at Sam’s, Valsic brand)

4-5 lbs of sugar (I do four)

2 oz bottle of Tabasco Sauce

Small jar of minced garlic

Drain pickles in a colander

Alternate ingredients back into pickle jar.

Pickles, Sugar, Tabasco, Garlic . . . it will all fit!

Replace the lid, rotate and toss ingredients

to start the process of blending.

Put in refrigerator on its side and

Rotate for the next ten days. 

I fill small mason jars with pickles and store in refrigerator. 

It makes a fun hostess gift!

Rest on side in refrigerator and turn each day for ten days.

This recipe was given to me by
Rosie who enjoys her RV living!

The teacher and the first grader . . . .

The flower you see above blooms in abundance

along the roadways and landscapes throughout Ireland. 

It is a brilliant orange red.  In my searching out this flower

I have found there are two varieties. 

One Crocosmia and the other Montbresia. 

One is a brighter orange red and a bit larger in size, Montbresia

and the other is smaller, more dainty, Crocosmia.

I find this flower to be in vibrant bloom from July into late September. 

Driving through the country side and seeing the brilliant green

of the Irish terrain coupled with the striking red orange

of the Crocosmia is a sight indeed. 

I was knitting today and I started to think about Ireland. 

I set about to find some photos

and here I am sharing them with you. 

What a treat it is to stop in at knit shops located

throughout the many villages in Ireland.

The fragrance and texture of the rich wool plus the

gorgeous colors puts me "over the moon."

And this brings me to why I started this today.  

A friend of mine told me a few weeks ago that

she started knitting when she was a little girl.  

Her mom taught her and then when she was in first grade

she found out her teacher was a knitter.

The two of them, "teacher and first grader," would knit during recess. 

One day "the teacher" asked her if she would like to knit a sweater. 

 "The first grader" said yes, although she was

somewhat timid as to if she would be able to do so.  

So "the first grader and the teacher" were on their way,

red yarn, needles, a pattern and no recess in the plan.  

Sandy, (the first grader) told me she still had

the red sweater, now 50+ years old. 

I asked if she would bring the sweater

the next time she came to my home. 

Lo and behold, today she is here, and here is her sweater. 

Mind you, she was six years old. 

Isn't this a treasure, and what a fabulous teacher, don't you think?

I can't out do the "red sweater" but I do enjoy my knitting. 

Here are some pictures of a dish cloth I am working on . . .

A scarf which is almost finished  . . .

. . .  a pillow I finished this past winter. 

My first at cable stitch. 

  

And since I started with some photos

of Ireland, here is one more. 

A garden center near Bandon, Ireland. 

Keep watch because there are more photos of Ireland

I wish to share with you in the future.

SLAINTE'

Words, thoughts , wisdom . . .

I began to formally collect favorite words,

thoughts, reflections a few years ago. 

I have collected them in a file I named, "Flirting." 

My thought was I might like to write a book one day and

since I had saved, tucked away, written down, quote after quote after quote

I thought it might be time to ask for some input from friends as to their favorites. 

Many responded and some I am sharing here.  Maybe this is my attempt at

My Book. 

~~~~~~~~~

TWO WOLVES

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson

about a battle that goes on inside people.

He said, "My son, the battle is

between 'two wolves' inside us all.

One is Evil. 

It is anger, envy, jealousy,

sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance,

self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies,

false pride, superiority and ego.

The other is Good.

It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity,

humility, kindness, benevolence,

empathy, generosity, truth,

compassion and faith.

The grandson thought about it for a minute

and then asked his grandfather; "Which wolf wins?"

The old Cherokee simply replied,

"The one you feed."

author unknown

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To live content with small means;

to seek elegance rather than luxury,

and refinement rather than fashion.

To be worthy, not respectable,

wealthy, not rich.

To study hard, to think quietly,

talk gently, act frankly.

To listen to stars and birds,

to babes and sages, with an open heart. 

To bear all cheerfully, do all bravely,

await occasions, hurry never.

In a word, to let the spiritual,

unbidden and unconscious, grow up through the common. 

This . . . . is to be my symphony.

William Henry Channing 1810-1884

Contributed to my "Flirting" collection by Thora

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Life isn't about how to survive the storm,

but how to dance in the rain."

author unknown

Contributed by Carol

~~~~~~

What If The

'Hokey Pokey'

Really Is What

It's All About?

author unknown

A Jackie favorite

~~~~~~~ 

Creativity and inspiration . . .

Creativity and inspiration was a gift from my mother.

I miss my mom and especially in the spring time.

She would have been 100 years old this year.

She loved flowers, gardening, designing, sketching and watercolor.

Drawing and painting was something she always wanted to do.

She took a leap, took some classes and

started creating when she was in her sixties. 

This drawing is hers.  It is a photo I took of her framed 4x6 drawing.

My love of flowers, choosing, planting and arranging came from her.

We always had fresh flowers in our home in the spring, summer and fall.

Thank you mom for

INSPIRATION

If you can dream it, do it.

Walt Disney

This tablescape is difficult to see but I wanted to share it anyway.

The potted fern is really pretty, lacy and delicate. 

The bird nest is one I found on a pussy willow wreath at our home.

The small Carruth stone is a bird nesting with her eggs with the word home below.

HOME

Do what you can with what you have, where you are.

Theodore Roosevelt

A much better view of the fern.

TRYING

Never regret anything that makes you smile.

Kathy

Helebores, or Lenten Rose and also some Trillium from our woods. 

The trillium spreads very, very slowly and I now have four large bunches. 

Michigan spring can be a mix of weather and this year we had plenty of frost.

The trillium were touched by the frost. 

They are for sure, one of my

TREASURES

In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.

John Muir

I hope you are enjoying my flowers as much as I am.

PLEASURE

The best exercise of the human heart is reaching down and picking someone else up.

Tim Russert

The quotes are from a collection of mine in which I have named "Flirting."

Who knows maybe this creation of a blog is where the quotes will find a new home.

ENJOY 

Things are a buddin' and a bloomin'!

Spring has finally arrived. 

We have had snow, cold, wind, hail . . . you name it,

but finally the flowers are in bloom and

I am able to plant and enjoy!

Trillium in bloom

in the woods behind

the house.

Window box flowers for the garden house.

 

Blue Glow Succulent

 A first for me!
I potted a Boston Fern near the front door. 

Streptocarpus, Blue Ice Lady Slipper
I wish I could say I found this growing
In the woods but sorry to say, I did not.  
My friend Babs purchased this plant last year and wintered it.
 I saw it, loved it and found one for myself this year.

I need to be outdoors weeding, mulching and planting.
However, today found me introduced to setting up my own
personal blog.  So here I am experimenting and creating. 
Hopefully if you are following me you will stay with me
until I learn all the twists and turns of designing a blog.
Just call me a "newbie!"

How It All Began

Irish Garden House

This vintage Irish garden house belongs to
friends of mine and is located near the main house
which overlooks Bantry Bay Ireland.  The vistas of
 rich green Irish landscape, the view of the bay and Atlantic Ocean
in the distance, plus the beauty of the orange Crocosmia is awe inspiring. 

This is one life chapter of "where it all began . . . " 
and I look forward to sharing more photos and inspirations 
with you in my recently created May 2011 blog.  

Enjoy!