Sunday, February 27, 2011

Don't forget your pinkie


My niece made me smile when she reminded her cousin
...When you raise your teacup...
~ don't forget your pinkie ~

One of the highlights of my week
was tea with some of the ladies in my family


Always have treats
flowers
teas and chocolates
and
when you hold your teacup
~ don't forget your pinkie ~

The daintiness and yet elegance of a china teacup focuses
one to be gentle, to think warmly and to feel close.

-- Carol and Malcolm Cohen
~
Wishing you a very sweet week.
March is around the corner!
What will it bring?

{no more snow please}

Friday, February 25, 2011

Triumphant Tulips


Rock, Paper, Scissors
Winter, Tulips, Snow
Tulips win!

Thank goodness I prepared for today's weather
making sure I had those tulips on my table
to keep us smiling indoors!




*
It's spring fever.  That is what the name of it is. 
And when you've got it, you want - oh,
you don't quite know what it is you do want,
but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!
~Mark Twain
 
*
I love spring anywhere,
but if I could choose I would always greet it in a garden.
~Ruth Stout
 
*
No matter how long the winter, spring is sure to follow.
~Proverb

*

Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of slush.
~Doug Larson

*
Stay warm and cozy my sweets
Have a pretty Friday and a sprinkled pink Saturday!



{sharing something for Friday Pretties at Joyce's blog
and something for Beverly's How Sweet the Sound ~ Pink Saturday post}

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Here comes the Sun!



It's been a long winter
but finally
the sun has stayed out for more than a day.
How wonderful it feels to have the sun on my face
As I walk passed the creek I
see and hear
the ice
surrender to the sun



I celebrated by bringing out the tulips.


~ Goal for today ~
*)( bring home some real tulips )(*

Wishing you
sunshine on your shoulders
upon your face
and
on your path


Visit Sky Watch Friday for amazing skies the world over!
 Skywatch Friday
Thank you Sky Watch Team!

Monday, February 21, 2011

Counting the Gifts


Dear God,
~ Thank You ~

The scene outside my father's backyard windows
A soft, sweet doe in the early morning snow
Finding a little protection from the winds on the lee side of a row.

Thank you for
this little bit of summertime on another wintry day


Thank you for
treasured time with my father, sister and niece


For the heart of a little niece who shares her Valentine creations


~ Thank You ~

There are gifts all around us.
Let's spend each moment with eyes wide open to all His gifts.
There's nothing like the JOY from a heart filled with gratitude.

Giving Thanks with Ann Voskamp at A Holy Experience



Friday, February 18, 2011

A Vintage Secretary {a place for everything}


Look what came home with Maria last weekend.

If her teapots and pink dishes could talk they'd say
they're lovin' it inside this ol' secretary


~ which is vintage just like they are ~


It doesn't match Maria's house ~ but it matches Maria.
And now there's a place to write pretty letters while sipping tea

{The hand painted stationary was made by my sister for our first anniversary in 1979}

I'm looking forward to a wonderful week off from work.
It starts tomorrow afternoon with a 3-day trip to my father's.
My sister and I will talk and laugh and enjoy time with our Dad.

Then I'll come home on Sunday
and find stationary and cards that are not in their place,
and introduce them to their new home.


Wishing you joy and much laughter,
Love,

{sharing something for Friday Pretties at Joyce's blog
and something for Beverly's How Sweet the Sound ~ Pink Saturday post}

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

The Fragrance Remains


Valentine's Day is also about Friendship.


On Sunday, I came home from church and found
these in a box on my front porch rocker.

Ruth, a dear friend of mine,
heard about my little tree that stays up through February.
how
I put all my "love" ornaments on it.

hearts ~ doves ~ teacups ~ roses

She heard how
when Timber came to visit last month...
he pulled on an ornament and the whole tree tipped over
it sounded like a shelf at Tiffany's breaking into a million pieces.

Ruth heard how
Rachael and I spent the afternoon gluing and taping what we could
and how
most of it was "saved"
except for the beautiful hand-painted rosebud ornament on the bottom.

I've known Ruth for decades.
She and her husband, Joe, are amazing artists.
She surprised me with an ornament that she painted with roses...
a sweet heart pillow and a clear heart to hold the broken pieces of the original.
On the new heart ornament I will write the name of 
The original rose ornament was broken just before the shooting there.
My husband, Chris, wrote about it {here}

Thank you so much Ruth ~ you are so sweet and thoughtful.
“The fragrance always remains in the hand that gives the rose.”

Monday, February 14, 2011

Every day of the year



Wishing you Love and Joy
every day
of the
year

Happy St. Valentine's Day! 
and
God bless you, dear friends and family.
love, 
      Maria

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Little by Little




Jesus didn't say,
"try to be the light of the world"
or
"you could be the light of the world." 
or
"you might someday be the light of the world."

He said,
"you ARE the light of the world."

Little by little, the the days grow longer and brighter.
Each additional minute of sunshine brings more light and joy.

Let us bring a transforming glow to the darkest parts of life.

Little by little, the world grows brighter and more loving because
 You ARE
 a light to me
and to
all.

Love,
 ~ Maria

Inspiration for this post came from the sermon last weekend.
{sharing something for Friday Pretties at Joyce's blog
and  for Beverly's How Sweet the Sound ~ Pink Saturday post}

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Get Warm {Hug a Mug}


 This Friday,  it was blustery and cold,
so we warmed up at our local Coffee Café.

 *
. . . Today . . .
. . . as I drove home from work . . .
I could almost hear
the STOP sign howl at the 30 mph wintry winds.
...STOP...

{at Dunkin' Donuts!}
luckily
I had my steaming hot French Vanilla Latte to hold
{an even better treat for .99}
and my fleecy car blanket on my lap
*
It's amazing how a hot cuppa coffee can turn a blustery day around!
 * * *
* *
*

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Go Green Bay!


You know we love the Packers

When we make green and yellow cornbread.

We Green Bay!

Some other goodies we had for Super Bowl Sunday
Photobucket

Swedish meatballs and perogies
Juan made crock-pot chili 
{food network's recipe - slow cooker chicken chili ~ it was so delish!}
Amanda's Packers Cupcakes
My brother & sister-in-law brought over a crockpot of Italian sausages too.


{Green Bay won ;o)

Friday, February 4, 2011

Soft hearts ♥ Pretty and Pink




I'm working on a cake with a heart center.
It's a Bluebird Notes challenge!
The first photo in the collage is the cake pictured on the box.
Wishes may come true!?!
I'm not sure how the middle is going to look ~ but I'll find out tonight.
It's my husband's birthday!
Photobucket

Here's the frosted cake.
{the heart inside is raspberry mousse}
I saved some of the raspberry mousse for the top too.

The inside photos are going to be a surprise for Koralee at Bluebird Notes.
Regardless of the outcome... I'm going to send them her way!
oh... I hope the middle looks even remotely like a 

Ok now... here it is!
My cake kind of fell.
It broke here and there.

But it didn't stop us from enjoying all the fabulous raspberry mousse 
and chocolate fudge buttercream frosting!  Yum!  love that stuff ♥
We'll be enjoying it for Chris' birthday!
Happy Birthday Honey ♥

~ Happy Hearts to All ~ 
Love, 
     Maria


photo:
{Taken by daughter, Amanda in CA in '09 ~ I had a little fun using bokeh in Picasa}


{sharing something pretty for Friday Pretties at Joyce's blog
and something pink for Beverly's How Sweet the Sound ~ Pink Saturday post}

 ps.
Go Packers :o)