A Rednesday Birthday....

Happy Rednesday and Happy Birthday to me!

I can't believe another year has passed by like a flash. It was just yesterday it seems, when I just turned 20 something. It is hard to believe that I am almost 40. One more year will pass as fast as this I am sure. I was in the store about a month ago and came across these .99 cent reading glasses and thought heck...I will try these to see if I would notice any change since I have noticed for a while now that words on a page seem to be clustered together or even a blur. I was amazed and excited all in one when I realized...Duh! I can see clearly now. So, I guess this is it folks. I need reading glasses...a sure sign of age."Sigh"

A couple posts down I had a picture of my fave shoes...Red Mary Jane's I have had for years now. They are very worn in..I just can't seem to part with them. With my old age and all, I can't even remember where I got them, but know I heart them!

I even got a birthday gift in the mail from my Brother and Sister in Law, Nene the other day. I was so thrilled with what Nene chose for me. This sweet Rice Krispies 100th Anniversary plate and mug...

So sweet, so me, so red! They also sent me a couple sweet tea party dishes for sugar and sweets...If you go back to the first picture in this post you will see one of them right behind my reading glasses. I reallly love them...They bring so much cheer...I can't wait to have a tea party now!

They also enclosed this darling Rice Krispies plate and matching mug...I know it is Robin's Egg Blue...But there is a bit of red in it...tee hee. I really love this one too! It goes so well with red.

I even found the perfect poem to go with it. It reminded me of my childhood days... I loved to swing.

 I spent many a days swinging my life away....

 Oh the memories.

*****

The Swing

By Robert Louis Stevenson 1850–1894

How do you like to go up in a swing,

Up in the air so blue?

Oh, I do think it the pleasantest thing

Ever a child can do!

Up in the air and over the wall,

Till I can see so wide,

Rivers and trees and cattle and all

Over the countryside—

Till I look down on the garden green,

Down on the roof so brown—

Up in the air I go flying again,

Up in the air and down!

I was also thinkin' the other day... How I thought I would never make it past 35. I can't even tell you why I thought such a thing. But, here I am..I past it up... Now climbing the hill. I will share later this week my other gifts I got to pick out. Mr. Darling gave me some birthday money to spend...I went thrifting of course. It was so much fun. I haven't been in soooo long. Well, I am off to celebrate... Tonight, friends are coming over for a soup supper and cupcakes!

Linking up with: It's A Very Cherry World

Thanks to my SIL for this sweet birthday wish from afar found here.

Have a Happy Day...I am!!!

My Mother....

 Sometimes it is strange to think that my Mother was once a little girl.

Born in 1950,this little girl would one day grow up,

get married and have a family all of her own.

She grew up in a nice home with loving parents who spoiled her.

She wore the finest clothes and had the finest dolls.

Yet, she didn't stay a little girl for long.

She grew up way ahead of her time... 

At the tender age of 15, she got married. 

She had three children. 

One, of which was me...

( Her last baby)

She had a hard life from there. 

Many years of pain and resentment.

One of sadness, hurt, broken promises, broken hearts and despair. 

Yet, she never faltered. 

She tried her very best to be a good mother,

with what she had.

At times it wasn't much.

I will always remember never 

wanting to grow up... 

and I always wanted to live with my Mom.

There is one thing I would like to say to her today.

Thank you!

For never giving up on me through the years... 

  For always loving me, unconditionally.

And for instilling in me a loving heart. 

This is the biggest quality I have adopted 

as a Mother myself, for my children.

After those torturous years and hard lessons learned.

She finally found happiness in a new life.

In which I am very happy for her.

If I could give you diamonds

for each tear you cried for me.
If I could give you sapphires
for each truth you've helped me see.
If I could give you rubies
for the heartache that you've known
If I could give you pearls
for the wisdom that you've shown.
Then you'll have a treasure, mother,
that would mount up to the skies
That would almost match
the sparkle in your kind and loving eyes.
But I have no pearls, no diamonds,
As I'm sure you're well aware
So I'll give you gifts more precious
My devotion, love and care.
Author Unknown

***

Happy Mothers Day to you !

And to the Mother's you love !

Jump In !!!

GOD'S GOLD

Oh, the glory of this autumn day,
When the trees unfold their gold!

Oh, how lifted is my spirit, Lord,

When such beauty I behold!

Like precious coins, each leaf holds on
Through sunshine, fog, or haze;

The memory of this rich display
Will warm my winter days.

~~By Helen Kitchell Evans.~~

Swoop,
Scoop,
Pile them up

In a stompy pile and
Jump

Jump
JUMP!

AUTUMN LEAVES

One of the nicest beds I know
isn't a bed of soft white snow,

isn't a bed of cool green grass
after the noisy mowers pass,
isn't a bed of yellow hay
making me itch for half a day--
but autumn leaves in a pile that high,
deep, and smelling like fall, and dry.
That's the bed where I like to lie
and watch the flutters go by.

~~By Aileen Fisher~~

The kids and the dog ( and a sweet Lady Bug)
had a fun day in the leaves.
We had planned to rake them up and
put them in the trash bins.
Of course temptation set in and they started jumping in it.
Isn't it supposed to be work before play?
Heck, would you blame them?

These are the times to just STOP,
slow down and savor these moments.
They will all too soon be grown.
It was a pleasure for this Mama to see them so happy.


P.S The illustrated pictures are from
Illustrator Carin Bergers book,
The Little Yellow Leaf.

Have a Happy day, don't be afraid to just jump in!

Smell The Roses.....

The sky unfolded before her eyes
As she stared up in uncanny wonder
The sky was so gorgeous today!
She could have easily fallen asleep under sea of cerlean blue
She closed her eyes, feeling the sun's warmth upon her skin
The wind blew kisses around her bare toes
And she giggled with delight
Like a child who got away with stealing a cookie from the jar

She remained in an unconscious state
Her senses turned on to full volume
Taking in the wondrous world around her
Smelling, hearing, seeing, almost tasting the day

The air was sweet with plum blossoms
Thick and sticky like honey on the early afternoon air
It wafted though her nose and left but a small trace on her lips
It made her sleepy with its rich, invigoratingly aroma
It wasn't very often she had stopped to relax
To take in the world around her

To take but a few moments of her precious life and enjoy

the simple pleasures
In this very moment, she was at home
She opened her eyes
The sun greeted them with bright light

And for a few moments she felt she was somewhere else
Somewhere with sunshine and endless blue sky.
It was times like this that she realized she was glad to be alive
To be able to stop and enjoy these things

These simple things that we all see every day
And to feel enough relief to say, "life isn't so bad"

Love Is A Mother's Gift......

Love Is A Mother’s Gift

When God made mothers,
He took great care
To fill their hearts with love so rare.
Their children are their greatest prize;
You can see the great love in your mother’s eyes.

Love, love is a mother’s gift
To their precious children, their hearts to lift.
Warm, tender and giving love
That grows them up healthy and happy.Thank you, mother for all you give
To help me grow and to help me live.

I will love you forevermore,
My mother, my mom, whom I adore.Love, love is a mother’s gift
To their precious children, their hearts to lift.
Warm, tender and giving love
That grows us up healthy and happy.

By Joanna Fuchs

Time For Tea....

My dear friends threw me an afternoon garden tea party

last week for my birthday.

What a delight it was. I tell ya, they went all out.

I thought it was very fancy... which made me feel like a Princess for the day.

We has delectable treats, tea sandwiches, salad, fruit, cold tea, hot tea.

You name it, it was all there & all so scrumptious !

The food was amazing, as was the company.

The table was set out in the garden.

We ate, we sipped tea and enjoyed the wonderful warm Spring day together.

Thank you to my dear friends for the sweet tea party !

~The word "Tea" In 27 Languages ~

French: thé (pron. TAY)

Spanish: té (pron. TAY)

Italian: tè (pron. TAY)

Portugese: chá (pron. SHA)

Romania: ceai, (pron. CHAI?)

German: Tee (pron. TAY)

Dutch: thee (pron. TAY)

Swedish, Danish Norwegian: te (pron. TAY)

Polish: herbata Czech, Serb, Croatian,

Bosnian: Cay ("C" with a tiny v on top, and ay) (pron. chai)

Russian: Yau ("Y" with a t in it, and AU) (pron. CHAI)

Hungarian: tea (pron. TEYA)

Finnish: tee. (pron. TAY)

Turkish: çay (pron. CHAI)

Indonisia, Malay: teh, (pron. TAY)

Esperanto: teo (pron. TAYO )

Greek: tsa'i (pron. chai?)

Arabic: shaye.

Hebrew: teh (pron. TAY )

Yiddish: tay (pron. TAY)

Japanese: o cha (pron. O CHA)

Swahili: chai.

A little cup of friendship With a bag of tea

When you drink this Think of love from me.

~Author Unknown~

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*P.S. Don't forget this Friday

is the last day to sign up for

my Apron Give Away...

In the post below....

So, be sure to sign up for a chance to win !!

Happy Spring !

Hope this finds you well. This is just a small post to welcome Spring in. Open the windows, feel the breeze and smell the flowers. I am having a Springy giveaway this week !! So be sure to pop by to have a peek.

I love spring anywhere, but if I could choose

I would always greet it in a garden. ~Ruth Stout

This delightful photo is a family member on my Grandfather's side. It may be my Great Grandmother. I love the picture no matter !

Happy Spring Days To You !!!!

Spring Cleaning and then some...

March bustles in on windy feet

And sweeps my doorstep and my street.

She washes and cleans with pounding rains,

Scrubbing the earth of winter stains.

She shakes the grime from carpet green

Till naught but fresh new blades are seen.

Then, house in order, all neat as a pin,

She ushers gentle springtime in.

~ Susan Reiner ~

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Ahhhh, a mothers work is never done. Cook, clean, teach, make sure laundry is done, care for the kiddo's and the hubby, leaving some time for myself of course!

Our boxes that didn't make the move finally got shipped last week !!! EEEK !!! It was like Christmas going through all of the things that we missed. I have been going through it all, sorting, purging, putting away. Whew !! On top of it all there is house work and I have been hit with the worst Hay Fever that Spring can offer. I am not complaining... Just been busy trying to keep up with the dust.

I have also been busy sewing away in my little corner studio while the children work on their lessons. I have three Doll House Doll's coming up as well as some soldered pendants!!!!

The theme has been houses lately... Hmmmmm....

~Home, Sweet Home ~

Mid pleasures and palaces though we may roam,

Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home;

A charm from the sky seems to hallow us there,

Which, seek through the world, is ne'er met with elsewhere.

Home, home, sweet, sweet home!

There's no place like home, oh, there's no place like home!

An exile from home, splendor dazzles in vain;

Oh, give me my lowly thatched cottage again!

The birds singing gayly, that come at my call --

Give me them -- and the peace of mind, dearer than all!

Home, home, sweet, sweet home!

There's no place like home, oh, there's no place like home!

I gaze on the moon as I tread the drear wild,

And feel that my mother now thinks of her child,

As she looks on that moon from our own cottage door

Thro' the woodbine, whose fragrance shall cheer me no more.

Home, home, sweet, sweet home!

There's no place like home, oh, there's no place like home!

How sweet 'tis to sit 'neath a fond father's smile,

And the caress of a mother to soothe and beguile!

Let others delight mid new pleasures to roam,

But give me, oh, give me, the pleasures of home.

Home, home, sweet, sweet home!

There's no place like home, oh, there's no place like home!

To thee I'll return, overburdened with care;

The heart's dearest solace will smile on me there;

No more from that cottage again will I roam;

Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home.

Home, home, sweet, sweet, home!

There's no place like home, oh, there's no place like home!

~ John Howard Payne 1791 - 1852~

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Home is sweet when filled with the laughter of children. I will treasure these moments that I have with them for as long as I live and thank God every day for them.

Happy St. Paddy's Day

Failte !

Well, did you wear green???
We did !! So ya can't pinch us !!

My dear Mr. Darling is half Irish on his mothers side. They were known as the O'Gale's. Once in America their name was changed to Gale. So, in honer of our family roots we celebrate St. Patrick's day.

Did you know that corned beef and cabbage in not a traditional Irish meal? It is an American-Irish invention. The Irish are known for Colcannon, as their National dish.... it is a meal of potatoes, scallions, cabbage, heavy cream, butter and seasonings such as thyme, salt & pepper. I am making this dish for the very first time this year... so I hope it goes over well.

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Did you ever eat Colcannon

That's made from thickened cream,

With greens and scallions blended

Like a picture in your dream?

Did you ever take potato cake

When you went off to school

Tucked beneath your jacket

With your book and slate and rule?

~Irish Children's rhyme~

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Another fun traditional food is Irish soda bread, which was a daily fare in Ireland, made fresh for breakfast and tea. Authentic Irish soda bread is made with sour milk, not butter milk, or milk soured by adding vinegar or lemon juice...you simply leave the milk out overnight to sour. It is said that they didn't use any sugar...but, I like to add a bit for sweetness. Here is a recipe I have from a Victorian Holiday Book I refer to.

I know, I know a green tea frappuccino is by no means IRISH...

But it is GREEN and sooo good... Go get one today !

You won't be sorry !!

Have a GREEN kind of day !!