A Morning Walk

"Thou wilt shew me the path of life;

in thy presence is fullness of joy;

at thy right hand there are pleasures

for evermore"  Psalm 16:11

Each morning I love to get up early and sit on the back patio and listen to the birds sing and enjoy a cup of tea and admire God's beauty as I approach the day.  No matter how difficult my situation may be at the time, there is peace and joy knowing I have the presence of God in my life to direct me in the right direction when I get on the wrong path.  

It has been raining about every day, some mornings I drive the 10 miles into town and walk around the pond at the park.

All around this park is a concert sidewalk, the path goes down into the woods behind it also.  It's great to see the geese on the pond and sometimes children are there feeding them. 

But this morning I chose to walk in my yard with Madi (chihuahua)

Look close and you can see the rain falling on the fence. I like to put  buckets out to catch the rainwater, then water the potted plants.  See the pot in the upper right corner....that's is where the new bird's nest is that I found last week.  Now there are 3 small eggs in it.

The mama bird flew in it while I was sitting there, but when I got my camera and started to take a picture of her sitting on the eggs, she flew away.  Sure hope I didn't scare her and cause her not to come back.

I wondered outside and came across this mushroom. It was so big.  A little farther now the path was one that was shaped like a birdbath.

There is so much still to do in my 2 acre's , maybe I can talk my grandson to come back and help me finish, or at least do a little  at a time.  The rain is good but the grass (and weeds) grow so fast.

On the arbor there is a Lady Banks rose and I'd love to move it since it doesn't get enough sun.  Maybe someone can advise me on doing that.  It's been planted about 2 years.  The day lilies are about to open, they should be pretty.  The lantana around the plant stand is starting to bloom.

It's always nice to have tea and cookies at the end of each walk.  

My teacup is "Crown Trent" fine bone China...from Staffordshire,England.

HAVE A BLESSED DAY

Sylvia

linking to  http://asoutherndaydreamer.blogspot.com/  Outdoor Wednesday

ANOTHER RAINY DAY!

Well there is thunder in the distance and it looks like rain.  We do need the rain, but that means staying inside when I would much rather be outside.  The plants, flowers and trees need watering so it'll save me from having to do it, so that's a blessing.  Here are a few more of my flowers.

The knockout roses are really getting tall.

The iceberg roses are pretty, but the leaves seem to have spots on them.

Love the verbena

The Mimosa tree is in full bloom.

Isn't it neat how two blooms on the same bush can be more than one color on the hydrangea bush.

The Geranium's are growing on the front porch, in the hanging baskets.

Enjoy your day and thanks for stopping by.

HAVE A BLESSED DAY!

Sylvia

HAPPY FATHERS DAY

"Today is the day the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it"

Hope everyone has a great Fathers Day.  I would like to honor my father, who passed on in 1987 and my husband, the father of my three girls and grandfather to our six grandchildren.

As a young girl I became a christian.  I can remember standing next to my father in church, as the invitation was being sung at the end of the message. I pulled at my daddy's coat and told him that I wanted to except Jesus, he told me to walk down the aisle and talk to the preacher.  I did and have never regrated it.  It was always my hearts desire to live a life to please God, even though I have failed many times, and to marry and have a family. When I decided to blog I thought, "Now how can I please God in it".  I decided to name it "A Grandma's Blessing"  to share my faith and all that He's blessed me with.   Now you might say, "what does this have to do with Father's Day".  Well I believe a father has a big influence in a girls life.  He is the example she sees,  in how a man lives, how he treats his wife and family, how he shows love.  My father and husband were hard working men, (my hubby now retired).  They taught me to  "Go to God" when there was a need and not depend on  others.  God is faithful, He has blessed me.  He is the greatest Father of all.

"Children's children are the crown of old men;and the glory of children are their fathers."

Proverbs 6: 20-21

HAVE A BLESSED DAY!

Sylvia

AFTER THE RAIN

After the rain comes the sunshine!  I love it how everything is so clean and fresh after it has rained.  Last night the thunder and rain woke me, I smiled and went back to sleep.  We did need the rain since it has been 96 degrees on Wednesday and 92 degrees yesterday.

The rabbits come out to play.

The birds sing!

I finally put some seed in the feeder,  hopefully the squirrels won't find it, so far they haven't, but they will.  The birds are back now, the redbirds, sparrows, doves and woodpeckers.  This morning  I sat on the patio enjoying the coolness of the air and listening to them sing.

There were two doves sitting on the limb in the pine tree.

I walked around the yard and took a few pictures of my flowers. The hydrangea is blooming.

The bee balm is looking good against the hosta.

The potato vine is growing fast.  I planted it to look like a waterfall.  Two plants in two different pots.  Oh, and look what I found in one of the flower pot amongst the pansies and colea.

 Another birds nest.  This one is built different, it has a small entrance hole then it gets larger. I think it's a Le Conte Sparrow.  It landed on the fence next to the flower pot and had a fit cause we were sitting so close by.  I found it yesterday and haven't seen the bird since, there isn't any eggs in it yet so don't know if she has abandoned it.

I went on the Internet and looked it up.  This is what the bird looked like.

My 14 year old grandson spent the last two days with me.  He came to help me do some yard work.  It was so hot we didn't get much done, but he did get two cedars dug up and replanted that had come up under the cherry tree.

Oh what a lazy life some have!  Milo sleeping at my feet.  He doesn't mind the birds coming and going at all,  as long as they leave him alone.  

Thanks for listening to my rambling. 

 Hope everyone has a Blessed Day!

Sylvia

Hope For Today!

For You are my hope, O Lord God; 

You are my Trust from my youth.

Psalm 71:5 (nkjv)

                                                                                                       

(photo from internet)

Sylvia

MAY CALENDAR TEA

When I bought my 2013 Teapot and Tea Calendar, I looked at all the months to see the pretty tea pictures.  May had a recipe for a Victorian Sponge Cake, and I truly meant to make it and blog about it in the month of May but, Life got in the way.   Although I did make it and had my quiet Teatime last Friday,  I am just now getting around to posting about it.

Here is the picture of it on the calendar:

This is my Tea

My cake didn't rise as much as the one on the calendar.  I went right by the recipe, but..... it was really good.  Don't know why it didn't rise more.

 I would make it again and should you try it please let me know how yours turns out.

Victoria Sponge Cake Recipe

I dusted mine with powdered sugar instead of the superfine sugar and added a tablespoon of strawberry jam on top. If anyone has trouble reading the recipe let me know and I'll edit and type it in.

HAVE A BLESSED DAY!

Sylvia