Appreciating The Simple Things......

This last Sunday was such a beautiful day....I started as usual, first thing in the morning watering my garden.  I couldn't resist picking my roses and wildflowers and making this flower arrangement to admire and enjoy......

I absolutely LOVE flowers!!!!!  They are one of  the many gifts Jehovah has given us to enjoy and we need to stop and smell the roses as often as we can so that Jehovah knows how much we appreciate what he is continually doing for us!!!!

I can't help but show my beautiful hill filled with these brilliant blooms this time of the year!

Even the lizards love the yard!  Isn't he cute!

More of my hillside ground cover!  Magnificent!!!!

I'm telling you these flowers are stunning!!!!

So last minute we decided to have some family over to enjoy the evening with us.  Korey and Summuer came over with Ed & Margarette and Andrew (Summuer's parent's & brother) and Liz and Hiriam and the grand kids came too........

We feasted on chicken and roasted vegetables and wine and bread......Fabulous!!!

The guys........

The girls.......

Oh yeah, it was gooood!!!!!!

What a nice time......

We even had the fireplace going to make it cozy.....

As the evening started getting chilly, Korey and Andrew decided to sneak into Kim's closet and borrow some of his jackets.....
Boy did they have fun teasing Kim!!!

And when the night was thru I decided to break out the cookie dough and make some homemade cookies with my new lime green Kitchen Aid Mixer that I have been wanting for
 5 years now.  I can't stop baking!!!!!

I made about 100 cookies with this batch!  Yikes!!!  I keep making cookies and giving them as gifts to our friends and neighbors.  I promise I am not eating all of them!!!!

Spring Is Here....but It Feels Like Summer!!!

Ok, it had to be at least 90 degrees today here in Sun City.  So I decided to take advantage of this beautiful day and I had my jacuzzi turned down to 84 degrees (just perfect) and I just enjoyed the day in my yard.......It was sooooo refreshing!

These are some pictures of what I get to view while I'm in my jacuzzi.  I love how our hill is just brilliant with blooms this time of the year.  Every year the ground cover shows off its flowers for us.  We had an over head patio installed a few months ago to get ready for the heat.  And we installed this bird feeder.  The birds just love it!  We have had such a variety of different birds come to feed.  I just love coming out here in my jammies in the morning and having my cup of tea and watching the birds sing and eat.........

Right above the jacuzzi sits my dry bed of wild flowers and a windmill.  I have always wanted a windmill and I finally have one (a yard sale find).  Kim put it together for me and I love to see it blowing in the wind....

This large rock is also a fountain that runs continually and the birds love to take their baths in everyday on top of the bubbling spurt.......

All of my geraniums and my bougainvilleas are very happy, too.

We also put in a fountain that adds to the atmosphere.....I think Patti (our dog) likes it too.

This fountain was a Craigslist find.....and boy was this a find!   It is an Al's Garden Art Fountain that originally sold for $1,200 and we paid $200.  Yeah!!!!
But boy was it a doozie to get home.  I think we underestimated how heavy this cement fountain was when the guys put it on the trailer and the tires went flat!  Yeah FLAT!  We had to inflate the tires just to move the trailer.  It took four men to move just the bottom piece!  But it was worth it!

I put mirrors up on the walls so that wherever you sit from the yard you can enjoy the view!   Even Cae Cae (my granddaughter) has her seat!

The atmosphere is enchanting with candles and oil lamps burning at night.  Here are a few handmade oil burners I picked up from a yard sale.  They were made by a true artist.   

So while I was out here today I decided to plant some more of my seeds.  Do you recognize this planter?  It was used for my towels in my big master bathroom in our previous house.  There was no where here to use it so I decided to plant my herbs in it.  I planted basil, cilantro, spearmint, and a variety of lettuce.

I'm even using some of the wine carafe's that Uncle Ducky used to cover his sprinkler heads.  I planted carrots, green onions and garlic. And since I didn't have anymore nice big pots I used the nursery 5 gallon plastic pots and just decorated them with polka dots.  I can't wait until everything is in full bloom and producing all of the vegetation!!! I'll have to give you an update.....

Different varieties of tomatoes are planted as well as bell peppers and  jalepenos.

I decided to try my hand at planting cucumbers, zucchini and  cherry tomatoes in hanging baskets.

The flowers are just brilliant with color.  They make me happy!!!!!

And of course you can't complete the afternoon without some Sun Tea!!!!....
So get out there and enjoy the beautiful weather......Stop and smell the roses.....and don't forget about that glass of Ice Tea........

Our Baby Returns........

Finally!  My Kamron came home to visit us!  We haven't seen him in almost two years!!!
Yikes!  We had the best time with him.  I made him German pancakes for breakfast....then made corned beef and cabbage (his favorite), and lasagna (another one of his favorites).  We went to mom's house and ate even more! We hung out and watched old family movies......
Sorry for the blurry pictures, they were taken with my cellphone and it takes horrible pictures.....

I couldn't wait to introduce Micaiah to Kamron.  I have been telling him how he reminds me of Kamron when he was his age.  We went to Simply Sharon's to listen to music and had a great time visiting.

Me and My Kamron...enjoying the moment.  Check out his dreds!  They are so long he can sit on them now!!!!

Dad, Mom, and Kamron.

Me and Kim....Happy to see our son!

A Wonderful Weekend With Friends......

Kim and I had the opportunity to go to Victorville this weekend  to catch up with old friends.  Kim was asked to give a talk in one of the local Kingdom Halls there so we thought what better time to get a chance to visit with our friends of 30+ years, Layman & Nancy Myles.

They have been in their new home for approx. five years and we are coming over for the first time.  I am ashamed that it has been that long since we have visited them!  But as usual, just as good friends do....we just picked up where we left off.  So this is their beautiful home!  Wow, come on in we'll give you a tour......

They have a beautiful tree in their front yard.

Nancy has had a long time obsession with light houses so it didn't surprise me to see a light house greet us at the front door.  Too cute!

Here are some more of her collection.  Aren't they beautiful!

When you walk in you feel like your in a model home.  Just beautiful!!! This is the living room area when you first walk in to their lovely home.  Check out that massive clock that Layman made!   I only have creative friends!  And Nancy did such a great job of decorating her home.  It was so warm and cozy.  

Kim and Layman and Lance took some time to get in a game and catch up.

Lance is watch on while the two old men play.

Nancy is in her beautiful kitchen putting away the food.  We had a great lunch and  enjoyed great company with our long time friends.

This is the family room.  So warm, cozy and inviting.

And of course, "Bro. Layman" built himself a beautiful shed in the back to house his tools!  And as usual, he took me for the tour and I coveted his tools as usual!

Before we left Nancy had to take a picture of Kim and me cozy-ing up on the couch before our long journey home.
What a great time, we talked about our great time and how wonderful it is to have such loving true friends and how we always feel lifted up and encouraged and happy after visiting with Layman and Nancy and Lance.  We may not see them that often but we just pick up where we left off the next time.  That's what true friendship is.
The trip home seemed to go by so quickly.........Until next time.