What You See....

This is a photo of the right side of my dresser.

What the visiting viewer might see is....

a wedding photo

a ceramic jewelry box

a bright pop of blue in a cup holding some bits and bobs

a lamp

AND your EYES would be correct. For you are seeing *visually.*

What the girl who lives here sees....is

a memory of the most special day of her life. the moment she and the one she had fallen in love with ~ committed ~ to walk the rest of their days ~ together ~ an unconditional pledge of love made - a young woman and man...in the making. vows...
30 years of sticking to it.

a beautiful ceramic rose covered dish, crafted by her mama's hands years ago - made especially for this girl's grandmama, ~ her mom's mama. "Frances". My middle name, yes...named after that special Farmer's wife grandmama. And now I have it, because when the grandmama passed on, the mama knew that this one would want it....a generation of women...continuing

a vintage teacup sporting my favorite color, but it is what the cup holds... the vintage rainbow bracelet worn by my mama, and the pearl bracelet worn by my dad's mama...that I see MORE... delicate touches of femininity that graced the wrists of women of strength who mentored me - godly beauty inside with simple touches of beauty outside.

a milkglass lamp - that sat on this same dresser many many moons ago..again, belonging to my mom's mom. She turned this lamp on in the evening to light her room as she prepared to go to bed...or maybe early in the wee hours of still darkness ~  rising before the sun rose...as a farmer's wife - to start the pot of coffee on the burner and read her bible on the kitchen table.

Yes, my EYES are also correct...with one difference...They see from the *heart*...



Even while you see reflections from the mirror and the glass...I see reflections
from my heart...memories that left "impressions" in my spirit...of women who loved the Lord, stayed true to the men they committed their lives to and served willingly, crafted things of beauty with their hands and creative flairs...and bits of sparkle and jewels worn to enhance their fairer gender. "Pops" of lovelies and color...and always - in my memory - a smile...chosen over tears...always.

What you see...is not always ALL that there is to see. :-)

a Thursday reflection seen and felt from my heart...entered into a blog journal post.

Hugs to all my dear and WONDERFUL blog-sisters spread all over these AWESOME United States.

God bless those heroes who continue to defend our days of freedom and safety both here in the homeland and abroad - far from home...


We LOVE you Justin. With GRATEFUL hearts, we MISS you...God BLESS YOU. This Marine Mama is sending a HUGE Bear Hug flying across the waves to you...

What ARE those creatures?

Good Morning... Gideon here...shhh! I'm whispering because Mom doesn't know I'm keyboarding, and I'm trying to hurry. I just needed to get on here and VENT...


But first...I thought I would post a photo of myself freshly groomed! If I have to go through all of that stress and trauma, (and wear that dumb bandanna til I get back home), then I think something beneficial should come from it... Maybe someone will see me, and I'll become a poster canine.

Now on to trifling events...

As of last Friday, some foreigners have invaded next door.


They pretty much look like THIS...I can't operate mom's camera, so I pulled this picture from the web...

Every time Kobe, Woobs, and I want to go out....sigh...THERE they are on the other side of the fence, and they start up with some kind of simulated bark...not sure what that noise is...I heard mom say "yapping". But then WE start barking, and mom gets all flustered and says something about deafening cacophony (whatever THAT means..)
but she looks something sort of like THIS...



Evidently, some family members are visiting the neighbors and brought their furkids with them...Mom always tries to find the bright side of something, and says that at least they don't LIVE there...

I think that is a good thing too, because it sure made her cranky when Kobe went to the fence and was shouting back at the funny looking foreigners and trampled her newly bloomed lillies!!!!



This Dude...



got sent to...



heh heh...he's putting on the pitiful look to try and get out sooner!! **Mom's a sucker cause it ALWAYS works...

Anyway...I'm hoping they decide to go back home soon, and I think Mom hopes they go back home in the next hour....!!!

I'll leave you with a parting shot of what my final conclusion is...I do believe I've figured out who they are...


I say Peace to you Strangers...Happy Travels back to your home land - wherever it is. Can't wait til Mom looks Normal again...

STRESS is some kind of bad sickness...I'm thinkin'!!

Well, I gotta go do what I do BEST



Happy Tuesday, and oh yes...Mom always ends with a word about our favorite Marine. We miss him a lot.


WE LOVE YOU Justin...US dogs miss you, wherever you are!! Come Home to visit soon! God BLESS you!!

signing off with this pretty cool pic I found!!!... woof!! here comes mom...BYE!

"The Correct Way"....on a MERRY MONDAY

When I was growing up...my mama taught me many things. And I do remember her sharing with me about decorating the house. Where furniture should be placed and how drapes should hang, how to set a table...what to do, and what NOT to do..



She informed me about hanging a picture on the wall, how the center of the picture should be at eye level. That was the Proper way it was placed for the best viewing. I remember thinking ~ WELL... there are short people, and there are tall people, so how did you KNOW what to do??? lol...

It was another one of those "THEY say..." rules of decorating.



When it comes to decorating YOUR nest, I say ALL rules are out the window...unless YOU made the rules. ;-) A home is an expression of you and your family. It is an extension of your personality...what is important to you...what makes you smile...what makes you remember...little threads and bits and bobs of what makes you and your family SPECIAL... and like no other.

What pleases YOU is what makes a HAPPY home. Your style doesn't have to be the  "IN style". Because WHO decides WHAT is YOUR style?? ;-)



Of course!!

If you were to pop into my nest...you would find your neck getting a workout because it would be going UPPPPPP...and DOWNNNNNN looking at what hangs on the once blank canvas of the walls.



There is a little bit of rebellious spirit in me that says ~ Art does not HAVE to hang at eye level! My mama taught me so well, and so many good things...but when it comes to the NEST....well, I want to be FREE to be ME!!! I don't think mama would take it personally...




In the short  hallway entering the master...Sweet EMMA  hangs WAY up there, above Kurt's hooks where he loves to hang his clothes - across from his closet... (That man loves his hooks!)



((Is your man like that???))


Okay...neck looking down, down, down to the floor! Sweet vintage baby print from the farmhouse my dad grew up in...Just sits perfectly on the treadle of this little table.


WAY back up to the ceiling!...this little print fits perfectly over the top of the curtains on this window in the guest room. .. a little pop of color hovering over all the white!


Now back down to the floor...(feel like a roller coaster ride yet??) loved this original beautiful canvas painted by SOMEbody... it had a little tear in it and was turned in to Salvation Army last year...I just Scotched-TAPED that tiny tear on the back and chose to let it adorn  my Entry hall - What a SHAME that so many hours went into this piece and then it was let go...(so much talent I wish I could do that!) *I was so happy to rescue it!


Going back UP again...Another favorite  hangs in the small space where the garage entry door is to the house. The calf and boy in the  barn stall just "go" with the brass horsehead coat rack. (left here by the previous homeowner)


And back down again, (our eyes are riding an elevator!)...these Pears go below chair-rail height, but rest in that spot on the long hall wall quite comfortably...


And what the heck...how about a rarely used corner spare chair as an easel?   I like it, and that is what matters.

So... Go for it!!! You are all unique gals...DO what you like, and LIKE what you do, when it comes to your lovely nests... You are one of a kind and therefore like NO ONE ELSE!! That's because GOD made you that way...SO...



NO color or style or pattern is OUT...if it is what YOU love!!



So tell me...In your nest....Are you adventurous and do you break the rules sometimes... or do you play it safe and stick closer to the "traditional"???


Would you hang art and mirrors outside??? (like this girl?????)... or not! :-)

Sending showers of hearts to all my wonderful and unique bloggy sisters...all SPECIAL!! {{{hugs}}}

It's MERRY MONDAY!!

Don't forget to smile that special smile!!!




We LOVE you Justin! God BLESS you, our cherished Marine!!!

Sky Blue House...Sentimental Me...

THIS POST TODAY IS DEDICATED TO "THE ONE I LOVE"...SIMPLY BECAUSE HE PUTS UP WITH A LOT OF BUNK FROM ME...

Last year in April and May, work crews came and pulled off the old and put on the new at the little Cape Cod cottage on Woodberry.  All of the  roofing, siding, shutters, windows, doors, gutters, and lamps were replaced. She was a new house. Everything about her looked fresh and different.



But I knew better.

She was still "the Nest" where 19 years of the fabric of our lives had been woven together.  Where our kids had grown up. Where our marriage had withstood the trials and challenges of time and change and come out stronger. Where God took brokenness and circumstance and relationships and forged them in a haven of love and patience and joy and tears. It was "home."



I searched and searched my albums 'til I found this ONE picture of our house. Obviously a snowy winter that year. This was the color of the house when we drove up the driveway that Friday after Thanksgiving Day in 1992 and knew we had finally found our nest.

One of Kurt's favorite songs (and mine too) is Josh Turner's "In My Dreams".
And that's what I think of when I see this picture.

A little sky blue house. It wasn't beside a small stream, but there sure was a creek down the hill behind it in the County Park backing up to our property. There was definitely plenty of bare feet running there in the South and cartoons playing and pulling weeds in gardens, and kisses traded and glasses of water or sweetea. And we sure did watch a lot of love grow there....

Not long after we moved in...a few years, the cottage got a new coat. Her original outfit was faded and wearing out...Enter her beautiful and welcoming RED front door, and Cottage Picket Fence!





New look, but still the same sanctuary where we watched love grow...and God hovered over, and blanketed us with His protection, and wrapped us up in His ever watchful care and plans...

After the contractors were completely through giving our house her new duds to make her shiny and new and presentable to be put on the market....here was her new look.



I dubbed her "The Lady in Grey"...for she did look fine.

When all was said and done, and our little cottage was sold, and the moving van had packed all of our earthly belongings to carry over 1000 miles away to another house, there was ONE item on that truck that was a piece of the ORIGINAL house on Woodberry.

I had snuck out one night with a flashlight after the work crew had left, and climbed up in the dumpster, and I dug that memento out of the mess, and stashed it in the garage!

Well, this past week, over a year later... I went down into the workshop part of our basement, where "stuff like that" is stored, and brought that memento UPSTAIRS and hung her in the family room.



One Original Blue Shutter.... 36 years old.

So there she is, a slice of my cherished Cottage on Woodberry...hanging in the nest here in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. A little shabby but JUST goes perfectly with the worn old blue cupboard in the print below it.



I pulled this little sign from the screened porch and placed it here. Seems to me that it is the BEST place it could hang...on this shutter from the Sky Blue House.

The Original exterior of that little house in Charlotte is gone. All replaced. Except that ONE piece. And I HAVE IT. Call me mushy. Call me daft... or call me sentimental.
That shutter represents a LOT of memories ...When I see it, I remember that cottage, and all those little bare feet running around in it and out in our beautiful shady yard with sun, and rain, and snow, and gardens, and cats and dogs, and chickens, and nerf guns, and legos and tonka trucks and swing sets and a treehouse, and little swimming pools, and leaves...lots and lots of leaves on that heavily wooded lot.



Kit-Kat and the little Marine to be...in the background is our yard in a riot of Fall color, with a little patch of blue house peeking through...

I am a Nester. Houses are fun to feather, but Homes are made up of memories and love.



This saying greeted everybody entering our front door in the Cottage on Woodberry...and it was true.

.....Sentimental Me.

My husband puts up with a lot...Bless his heart.

How about YOU? Are there saved parts of a previous house or things stashed away from your current nest, because you want to hang on to a thread or piece of the fabric of your life?? :-)

Have a great day my blog sisters...and thanks for popping in, and thank you ever so much for prayers for our military , leaving their homes to go and defend your freedoms and safety to stay in yours...


We LOVE you Justin...God BLESS you, wherever you are....

W is for....

Today is Wednesday. June 20th. 2012.

It is the first day of Summer Solstice...the longest period of "Daylight" we will experience in this year. From here on out, the days will begin to slowly have LESS daylight...



Time moves on, doesn't it? It waits for No man...

What will you find yourself doing on this LONGEST day of the year?

Today being Wednesday...simply a few photo thoughts for the letter W.


This WORLD is where we live...for now. We journey here, as we wait for eternity. Enjoy the day.


The WORD is alive...full of truth...as much today, as the day it was written...


WEEDS...sigh - always there...necessary work


WORN ... time to let go...{makes me sad}


WIND continuous, (it seems)...here in Iowa


WINDOWS a connection to our outside world and Mother Nature.


WOVEN fibers, work of hands at the loom... to keep a body warm on a wintry night..


WHIMSY a spot of delight or fancy in an unexpected way or place...


WORKOUT Whatever you do...do it well. DO or DO NOT...There is NO TRY!


WONDER at the amazing beauty of new life in the yard every day...The CREATOR is AWESOME...


WINE a taste of goodness from the vineyard...the sweet taste of scuppernong and muscadine...


WAITING for "Mailman Scott" to pick up and send on their way to TWO special peeps in Matthews..


WELCOME to my little Midwest nest - here on Thunderbird Rd...


WAVY lace in the early morning sunshine on this longest day of the year...


WHITE WICKER WHISPERS...beckons to me to sit a spell, on the porch and listen to the birds sing...


"WOOBIE" says... “When you can’t change the direction of the wind — adjust your sails.” ~ {H. Jackson Brown}



Happy Wednesday...Hope wherever you are, that your sails are full, and you are moving forward to finish your race today...

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." ~ Hebrews 12:1


We LOVE you Justin...God BLESS you...Stay Strong.