One Man's Weed...

is another man's flower.

Wow.  Am I right?
Look at those tiny little heart seed pods.  At least I'm pretty sure they are the immature seed pods or fruits as they are specifically called.

I've noticed this particular weed for years, but this year I really noticed it.  As in, what in the world is this gorgeous little volunteer and can I grow it where I want it? 

Will it last in a vase? I wondered.  Yes, it will! 

A big question: What IS it?  I thought I knew.  Pennycress.  But, when I checked, I was wrong.  It is Shepherd's Purse. Cool name, huh?  I do have Field Pennycress growing as a weed around here too and am going to investigate cultivating it for dried flowers.  

Now, if I can "harness" them and get them to grow where I want them I'll be thrilled. 

Little hearts showing up right now in the world was pretty wonderful.

♥ A very surprising gift for sure.  ♥

Abandoned Continued

I don't know the story at all of the buildings we explored and hope to eventually learn more. I guess what remains will be the story for now.

No problem. 

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::self portrait::

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The days are finally warming up and it's time to get to work outside!  

Praying+Creating+Gardening = Peace

Beautiful Words

By happenstance, this morning I came across this photo that I shot before Christmas. I had begun to play around a bit with it using some free botanical images from Creative Market.  I had saved my file titled "Experiment with Typewriter".  So I continued the experiment now with adding graphic elements to one of my photos. 

My thoughts were about what a beautiful thing a typewriter is and what wonderful words and thoughts have come out of them over the years.  Of course now, it's a keyboard and computer for everyone. When we wrote only by hand or with a typewriter, so much more thought needed to go into our words before they were recorded.

I just really like the visual of our words, being chosen carefully to be released to bloom.

It's Lent---It always sneaks up on me.  And, still not sure what I think my Lenten season will look like.  I'm sure I've mentioned on here in past years that I have a tendency to dread Lent.  I need to always stop and remember that we are an Easter people and I can look ahead to the resurrection.  I do believe that Fat Tuesday will look like hamburgers on the grill and grilling beers though!  (With coat, scarf, and gloves on.)

So There Was a Third

The ideas started spinning when I began to adorn the vintage sari ribbons.  You can see the first two here and here.

After making the first two, I thought just words would be interesting. I can see this being a wonderful gift to someone!

Descriptive words or words of affirmation.  You could string it along a shelf or wrap it around a bottle or jar filled with treasures.

I used one of my vintage typewriters to type the words on to muslin.  That in itself got more ideas going, fun!!

I hope you're having a great week. I've been working now with some rusty metal assemblages and am really enjoying the process.  I'll share some soon.

Another Sari Ribbon Garland

As I said in my first post about the Sari Ribbon Garland, I couldn't make just one! :) 

 I have a small collection of vintage religious medals and bits of broken rosaries. 

The patina on them just makes them that much better.

The little piece in the back is part of a handmade scapular that was in a little box of medals at our church's garage sale.  The cross is hand embroidered on felt.

 In smaller segments, this ribbon would make great book marks!

The Well Worn Path

Always...my quest...to sing a new song and to move up and out of the well worn path.

Again today.  

This particular moment held me in the path of doubt and second guessing.

Give this some thought.  What "song" do you sing over and over and over?  What negative thoughts? What twists of truth?  What self absorbed worries?  (to name just a few annoying "songs" we allow to play or sing in our minds) That type of song creates a well worn path that  leads us nowhere or keeps us in a way of thinking and being that is not fruitful.

Is God inviting you to sing a new song?  He gave us that phrase in scripture so many times and there is so much hope in it!  So much encouragement!! 

Thanksgiving, love, gratitude, and trust are all really good songs. I'm pretty sure if you ask Him, if you turn to Him, and ask "What do you want my song to be?" In time, the tune will reveal itself and will resonate with you.

 There is truth and beauty that resonate with me when I keep a song of praise and gratitude in my heart. That then gives me the courage to get out of the rut; to step up and out of the well worn path.

Life is Just a Bowl...

...of cherry tomatoes.  :)

I'm not sure what variety I planted.  Hopefully, I can find the tag down in the dirt once the plant is gone because these have been delicious!  They are dark like  some heirloom tomatoes are.  And they are big too.

I planted three plants of a different regular red variety and I actually pulled up the plants and tossed them even though they were full of little red tomatoes.  They had absolutely no flavor at all.  And the skin was tough and chewy. I need to find the tag for those too so I don't accidentally buy them again!  These dark ones have a fairly thick skin, but they are super sweet.  I like them best right out of the garden and not refrigerated.

The tomatoes are already slowing down.  They lost a lot of bottom leaves as our tomatoes usually do this time of year.  I've had a lot, but not as many as I thought I would by judging how big the plants grew.  I plan to make green tomato relish with the end of the season ones.  The recipe is from my Mom and I just love it. 

July in the Garden: Part 2

Here we go with part 2, photos in no particular order.  :)

I'm liking the crystals I picked up at a garage sale added to the garden!

Crystals from one garage sale and this rusty chandelier from another....yay!!!! They paired up perfectly! 

Whimsy

I'll post some photos of my cutting and vegetable garden too.  Ahem, it's weedier.  I also cut a lot of flowers so there aren't as many blooms there.  

It's my hope (once again, ha!) to get back to regular blogging.  It's just a better space and pace that the other social media sites.  

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