Wisdom From My Backyard

 Where Do You Find Wisdom?

Hi Everyone!  It's kind of been one of "those weeks."  You know what I mean.  I haven't felt my best and we had to have major work done here at the house with a replacement of our septic system and drainfield.  It has rained a lot and we have had some storms although, thankfully, nothing like some folks have had to deal with.  I have just felt a bit "blah" and this evening I decided to walk around my backyard, snap a few photos and look for some wisdom.  Why don't you walk with me? 

"But God made the earth by His power; 

He founded the world by His wisdom

And stretched out the heavens by His understanding"

Jeremiah 10:12

It's amazing how much better I feel after a bit of a walkabout in my own backyard. I find so many beautiful aspects of nature to look at as I walk around. I am reminded of my many blessings and of the many things for which I am thankful. The idea of gratitude has come up a lot in my devotionals this week and sometimes I forget to be thankful. How is it possible to forget such a thing? 

The old proverb says, "A rolling stone gathers no moss."  These stones in my rock garden certainly haven't been rolling as they are covered in moss! I love how pretty and green the moss looks. It adds to the overall patena of these stones and reminds me of the many years since The Mr. built this garden for me soon after we moved in and we have lived in this place for over 18 years now. We must be covered with invisible moss at this point for we have lovingly labored on this land and in our home all these years and our roots run deep with love for our home just as the roots of this moss run deep in the crevices of these stones.

This huge boulder is part of a decorative arrangement of boulders in our yard.  It was actually dug out of the ground on our property during an excavation we had done to divert underground water away from our house. It is solid and strong and was able to withstand millions of years of pressure and heat underground. Now, it is above ground and bravely faces whatever the elements send throughout the year. Fierce winds, pelting rain and scorching sun may chisel the face of this rock but it only serves to add to its character and beauty. I can't help but think of this boulder as an analogy of life. 

This looks like a labyrinth doesn't it?!  It's actually a cleverly disguised bird's nest hidden behind some leaves in the midst of this helter-skelter of branches. The birds were rather smart placing their nest here weren't they? They made certain that they would not be discovered and their eggs would be safe. I do believe the location of this nest took some planning although to some it might look a bit chaotic. But I know better. There is order in chaos, after all. 

The stream on our property is heavy with rushing water due to the storms of this past week. I find the sound to be both relaxing and a reminder of the powerful force behind the water rushing down our hillside. The force of water cuts like a knife and can carve a path in whatever lies in its way. Kept within its banks it remains in control but unleashed and left to its own devices it can flood and destroy. A metaphor for what can happen when thoughtless speech is not bridled or fearful thoughts run rampant in heads. May the force of my words and thoughts carve only good and positive paths. 

Sometimes beauty in nature is incredibly small and you have to get down on the ground to really see the intricate design and the shapes that are hidden. This takes slowing down, physically adjusting position and looking deeply at what is, literally, beneath our feet. This takes effort and is so easy to overlook. How many times I must have walked past this very spot and never noticed the beauty....because I wasn't looking for it. My eyes were elsewhere, I was moving too quickly and I was trampling on top of it to get somewhere else. I'm so glad that I made the effort today to see something that has been there all along but I had never noticed before. I wonder what else I might be missing out on seeing? 

The ivy in our back garden is bright and green and has already begun winding itself around the base of St. Francis.  Ivy can be an invader and has a tendency to spread and, left alone, it would cover the whole garden, strangling out the flowers that will be planted soon in the garden bed. So, at least once a year, I have to prune it back, allowing just enough to be in the bed to look pretty but not to overtake. Ivy has its place but so do the other flowers. I cannot allow it to be overbearing and to take over.  Pruning can be important, both in flower gardens and in the garden of life. 

I'm glad I took this walk around my backyard. It was just what I needed to get my thoughts on straight. There was so much beauty to be found, shapes to be seen, lessons to be learned. The beauty of  God's creation always does that for me and I didn't have to go far to find it!  How about you?  Where do you find wisdom? 

All this also comes from the Lord Almighty,

whose plan is wonderful,

whose wisdom is magnificent.

Isaiah 28:29

Until Next Time,

Debbie

Ways To Style A Spring/Summer Dress Over 50+

 One Dress Different Looks

Hi Everyone!  With warmer weather approaching I thought it might be fun to take a Spring/Summer type dress and come up with lots of different ways to wear it. This is a thin strap MSN dress that I found on ThredUp. I'm choosing to wear a short sleeve cami with it as I feel the top would be too revealing without it. 

I'm keeping this look super casual with some fun sandals that I ordered last year from DSW. This would be a fun look for the beach or for running errands around town.

Next up is a dressier look with heels and my hot pink duster. The colors are very bright against each other and I like the combination. 

Do you enjoy wearing bright colors on bright colors? I do if the colors compliment each other and the patterns don't overwhelm. Since this is a solid on top of a stripe the patterns don't overwhelm. I think this look would work well for a wedding or church. 

Now for a really casual look I've traded the heels for navy blue Skechers and topped it off with a blue jean jacket. 

And here's a similar look with a white jean jacket and sneakers. White sneakers would look better with the white jacket but I don't have white sneakers. We use what we have don't we ladies? 

The weather can always be a bit dicey, especially in early Spring, so it's always best to be ready with something warmer that can be worn. Here, I've added leggings, booties and a long cardi to my dress for a toasty and yet still Springlike look. 

So tell me which look you like the best.  And go have a look in your own closet and see what stylings you can put together with your own Spring/Summer dress! I look forward to hearing from you in the comments. It's rather amazing, isn't it, how one dress can be the basis for so many different looks!

Until Next Time,

Debbie

Spring Decor and Lots More

 Spring Decorating and Other News

Hello everyone! I thought I would share the Spring decor I have been placing around our home with you today as well as a few other items. A bit of this and that for your Friday! I simply cannot believe we are already more than halfway through March and Easter is coming April 4th. Only a couple of weeks away! Time just seems to fly by. Anyway, some of my decorations will look familiar to those of you who read my posts all the time. I can't buy new decor for every holiday, though, so I hope you will enjoy seeing some familiar items. I have arranged them differently in some cases and there a couple of new to us items we are using this year. I love my bunny figurines and the little baskets that were made years ago by my Mother and one of my sisters. I look forward to displaying these pieces each year. 

On the same table to the left are these glass pieces which are just perfect for Springtime decor. These belonged to my MIL and I think the little baby birds being fed by their mother are especially precious. Anything green is great for Spring!

My pretty candle ring wreath found a new home, this year, in the tobacco basket on top of my knick-knack cabinet. I love how I can place different items that reflect the seasons in this basket throughout the year. 

And here is the sweet plaid bunny in blue hanging on the front door. A simple way to bring Spring and Easter fun to the foyer area. 

Daffodils are always one of the first signs of Spring and I took this pic in the yard of our church a few days ago. It is so refreshing to see them blooming!

And, how gorgeous are these crocuses that are also in bloom in the church yard?!  The purple and white blooms with pops of yellow in the center are just magnificent!

And now.....for some big news......

The Mr. and I were able to get our first Covid-19 vaccine shot this week!!  I am so thankful and relieved for this.  I encourage all of my readers to get their shot as soon as it is available! We want to be rid of Covid as soon as possible!

One of the many things I am looking forward to in the future is going to the hair salon again to get my hair cut and styled. For over a year, I have been trimming it myself and it is badly in need of some professional cutting. But, for now I persevere with the 3-W's of waiting six feet apart, washing my hands and wearing my mask and eagerly await my second shot in April. I am doing my part to keep myself and others safe!

I'm looking forward to planting some beautiful flowers in the weeks ahead and will share that with you when it happens. Spring is such a wonderful time for growth and rebirth. Not only can new growth and rebirth occur in nature but also in ourselves and in our faith lives. I am so thankful for the many blessings that the Lord has bestowed in my life in this past year and in the year that is occuring. I want to "pass it on" as I share the love of Christ with others this Spring and in all the seasons to come. May your Spring be a time of growth and blessing!

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

II Peter 3:18

Until Next Time,

Debbie

Weekend Diary Hike at Lamar Alexander Rocky Fork State Park

 

The Mr. and I enjoyed an outdoor adventure today at a new to us state park in Tennessee. We started out to just take a drive but one thing led to another and we headed toward Erwin, TN and ended up at Lamar Alexander Rocky Fork State Park. 

I love our adventures because we never really know what may be a part of our time together. We enjoyed following the Appalachian Trail into Erwin, TN where The Mr. showed me sites he hiked to when he hiked the entire AT back in 1980. We then decided to explore a little more by heading to the state park. We were both pleasantly surprised at how beautiful the trail was as we hiked next to a rushing stream. 

This stream was surrounded by gorgeous rhododendrons, huge rocks and cliffs and moss covered boulders. The trail we were on was "Debbie approved" meaning not too steep or rugged. My knee still "talked to me" a little on the return trip, however. 

Personally, I can't wait to go back and hike here again! 

The scenery made this a very worthwhile adventure! 

And, my soul feels restored.

He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. (Psalm 23:2-3)

Until Next Time,

Debbie

Green for Spring and St. Patrick's Day

 Light Touches of Green

With St. Patrick's Day approaching soon many bloggers are styling green clothes and home decor. I prefer to keep a light touch when it comes to wearing green with hints of it here and there rather than an all out green outfit. Green is not one of "my" colors so it works best that way.

Green pairs really well with brown and brown is one of "my" colors so I decided to mix and match with those two colors. The plaid blouse has about three different shades of green and one of the shades is so light it is almost white. That keeps the green from being too overwhelming. You've seen the brown waterfall sweater before and it keeps brown next to my face which is more flattering than the green next to my face. 

I'm going a bit "matchy-matchy" with the purse as it contains brown and green tones, also. Personally, I like matching colors even with accessories. Not sure why matching accessory colors to outfits ever went out of style, but that's just me and my opinion. The purse, by the way, is a Vera Bradley that belonged to my MIL and she decided she didn't want it anymore so I scooped it right up. I love the colors and the fact that it can be carried by the small handle or as a shoulder bag. 

And did you happen to notice this pin I'm wearing? It provides yet another hint of green to the outfit. I have actually owned this pin since I was ten or eleven years old. One of my sisters brought it back to me from Hawaii after a trip there during the Vietnam War when her husband was on leave. I seem to recall that the stones were from volcanic rock. These gems, from volcanic rock, are called "Olivine." I'm so glad that I have held onto this pin all these years as I appreciate it more now as an adult and it adds a very nice addition of green to this outfit!

I wore this necklace for a while with the outfit and then decided it didn't really add to the overall look. I love this necklace, though, and is another piece I have owned for years. It actually belonged originally to my mother and it had matching earrings. I was always raiding her jewelry chest to "borrow" jewelry and she finally just let me have this necklace and the matching earrings. Of course, I managed to lose the earrings! So, I'm quite careful with when I wear this necklace as I don't want to lose it. I chose it to wear with this outfit because the flower design reminds me of a clover and it has a touch of green leaf showing. My mother was really, really gifted when it came to finding four leaf clovers. She could just be walking on the grass when she would spy a four leaf clover and pick it. Guess she was very lucky that way!

Are you like me and prefer hints of green in your outfits? Perhaps there are other colors you like to mix and match? Or you own jewelry that comes with a story like my necklace and pin? Let me know in the comments, OK? 

Until Next Time,

Debbie

Welcoming March

 

March is such a welcome month and I always begin to feel hopeful that Spring is not far away when the first of March arrives. I decided to celebrate its arrival by doing a couple of simple table vignettes. The foyer table is covered in pinks and blues with a heart shaped pink heather wreath, an "R" dressed in greens and whites, a pretty blue sign reminding us to laugh and two Jim Shore snow ladies. The snow ladies are dressed in Spring colors but are a reminder that snow may still fall, even in Spring. The snow ladies are also holding garden implements. Are any of you getting ready for gardening like the snow ladies?

On the upstairs side table I surrounded my faux candle with a candle ring that holds flowers of many Spring colors and even some green eggs. Alongside I placed a small glass candle holder that is silver and white. The colors of the candle holder are also a reminder of the white snow and silvery ice of winter. March is often a fickle month giving warm summery-like days followed by cold rain or ice and snow. It is a month that demands patience while still injecting us with hope of warmer days ahead. At any rate, it felt good to put out a few Spring items around the house today. 

How about you? How are you bringing a bit of Spring into or around your home?

Until Next Time,

Debbie

Song of Solomon 2:11-12