Chapel of Hope Stories

Dear Reader:

Can’t we all remember the moment, in our lives, when we realized that we couldn’t control what happened in it…and even if we could…should we?

I don’t know about you…but has life suddenly started feeling like a board game gone awry? Some days when I hear another bad news story in the media…I feel like I am continuously stuck on two of the four corner squares in Monopoly- Jail and Go to Jail. And then if I am not stuck in jail I am pulling the “bad” Chance and Community chest cards.

Even Mother Nature is sending us a “gift” that initially sounded good according to our local weather persons…but is increasingly sending off alarms now. I am referring to the “Godzilla” dust storm heading our way from West Africa…another natural occurrence that is bringing mixed blessings.

One of our local weather girls, smiling brightly, said that the dust storm, that usually occurs in June, will protect low country residents from early hurricanes forming….

My brother, Ben, stopped by for a few minutes before heading back to Conway…he was visiting his son and family in Charleston, and his daughter and granddaughter in Summerville…yesterday was moving day for them…a new apartment. I told him he had a matching mask with his outfit. 🙂 Quite debonair old boy!

Dear Reader:

Yesterday I was doing some research on a cool sculpture I read about in a novel and somehow ended up going from sculptures to wooden plaques? Suddenly there it was: “She designed the life she loved.”

I call these unexplained internet mystery links “Blink links” because it seems that I blink and suddenly find myself in a new genre discovering something more fulfilling than my original intent.

Immediately I felt the epiphany as I re-read the engraved wooden quote…”She designed the life she loved.” “That’s me, I realized, in a nutshell!”

For the past twelve years I have consciously, and unconsciously, been re-designing the life I want to live for the remainder of my life to be… I have paved new paths off old roads while discovering new adventures.

I have never taken the time to actually sit down and make a “Bucket’s List.” And if I ever do….I won’t call it a Bucket’s List…I don’t really like that term. My life list will be called “Desiderata” from the beautiful poem by Max Ehrmann.

The last three stanzas are my favorite and verbalizes the way I see my life unfolding.

…You are a child of the universe

no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.

Max Ehrmann, Desiderata, Copyright 1952.

………………………………………………………………………………………………..

This past decade plus two, however, has provided me the time to see life in a different light, grow closer to my Creator, and understand my purpose in life. Those are three powerful change-agents.  These changes have morphed into home renovations, a  garden peace center and a daily blog.

I can’t imagine my life without my garden today…my sanctuary. It has provided me the space that I need to converse with God, which I do casually on a daily basis, the beauty surrounding me in God’s Creation, and my blog with which to share my story…my journey to you loyal readers and supporters.

Today I have the most amazing friends one can be blessed with, a supportive, loving family, a mostly renovated home, a magical garden, and hard-earned pensions that provide adequate financial resources…enough to live on and enough to save on for surprising and spontaneous opportunities that makes me shout, “I am a child of the universe and I have a right to be here and be happy!”

So until tomorrow…Never forget to daily take time to thank your Creator for life…the most precious gift!

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh

My hibiscus bush is loving this semi-tropical mixture of showers and sunlight inter-mixing on and off…the blooms are gigantic! *Still waiting on Hibiscus # 2 to bloom to discover its color.

I ordered an old tin plaque that had the name of the year the garden was created so I wouldn’t ever forget it again. It came two days ago…still trying to decide where it should go…might wait until Jeff comes Monday to nail it in…but I love the words on it…

“Boo’s Garden

Blooming Love

Since 2013″

Dear Reader:

Some memories from the past come floating back so easily with just a few words…actually two… “Funny Money.”

Mother was able to put three children through college because of daddy’s pension which she never touched…and believe me…there were several occasions (that I can recall) when she sure could have used that money.

So basically myself and my siblings’ college tuition was paid…but we were all on work scholarship to earn our spending money during our college years.

I didn’t have a car in college so I had no insurance or taxes or monthly payments until I graduated and finally got an old used car from mother for that special occasion. I was thrilled…that old car made many trips between Laurens (upstate) and Charleston (lowcountry) in those first few teaching years following graduation.

However, when least expected, a letter would arrive from home to Erskine and mother would have cold cash inside…it always warmed my heart and miraculously arrived when most needed…or simply most wanted!

I remember one day I was opening my mail in the canteen and waving the letter with joy…mom had sent me her special treat of money. Libby stopped by and sat down and told me that in her family…they called that kind of unexpected cash “celebration” … “funny money!”

This immediately caught my curiosity…and I wanted to know the reason why. Libby said her mother (“Miss Nell” as she was known affectionately in her hometown- she was “Queen of the World’s Grits Festival” in St. George, SC) thought everybody needed to be surprised with some unexpected money, occasionally, that was theirs simply to enjoy…to spend with abandonment. To just have fun with…

“Funny Money” just adds a little pizazz to life and everyone deserves a little pizazz in their lives! Miss Nell said that she enjoyed sending it even more than her college age children loved receiving it. Because it was simply “I love you” money…go have fun!

To this day…I still send my children (and their spouses) some “funny money” to spend on themselves or take the grandchildren all out to the movies or do something fun…it really is more fun to send it …Miss Nell was right!

As the grandchildren get older…I hope I will still be around to continue the tradition…it is a good one! Thanks Libby…Thanks Miss Nell!

So until tomorrow

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh

John and Mandy are back with fun memories from their mini-get-away…it is amazing how many memories can be packed into a small amount of time…they are called moments...the most special element of time.

I was able to follow a busy bumblebee around the newly opened blooms on the old-fashioned narrow-leaf sunflowers…there were three blooms and the bee hit all three while I took photos.

This tiniest little geranium has an even smaller bloom but it lives up to its name…Rose Splash… (especially after a night rain)

Dear Reader:

We have talked several times on this post about the mistake too many people make when they emphasize  “doing” over “being.” In today’s world…work seems to have taken priority in people’s self-imagery and identification.

Yet…if we hear resumes read as eulogies at a funeral…heads start nodding…no one cares about that…friends and loved ones want to hear stories of caring, of kindness, or giving tirelessly to worthy causes…including stories of being an amazing parent and/grandparent. Family and friends want others to know their loved one was special because they lived their life for others…not just themselves.

“Doing” by itself, no matter how many hours are involved, is not the way God intended us to live our lives. We must leave time for “being“…for heart and soul searching, for finding our special passion that will best contribute to others.

Yet…when I discovered this quote yesterday, “Becoming is better than being” it immediately made me pause and re-consider this new possibility. Don’t we all want to be able to say (by the end of our journey on earth) that we are better individuals today than we were yesterday. We have given ourselves permission to grow and stay open to new ideas concerning the well-being of others?

I was reading a fascinating article about the on-going struggle with trees in a forest to find light for survival…this constant search actually defines the shape of the forest in the process.

For instance…in rain forests…if one tree topples…thus allowing more light to seep down into the deep jungles…smaller plants now have their opportunity to grow taller and thrive …whereas they would have wilted and eventually died from lack of light …if not for one tree falling and opening up a pocket of space for the light to shine down.

The more I thought about that fact… the more I realized that this was what the quote was all about…If we have shared our light, our passion/talent with others while alive…our passing allows those most affected to have more light now…in which they can thrive more successfully. We are all interconnected and interdependent…just like nature.

So until tomorrow…the next time you have to make an important choice in your life…whether it involves a job promotion, a career change, a move…whatever…ask yourself if your choice benefits only you…or the people around you and the people you will encounter along the next path in your life.

“Today is my favorite day” Winnie the Pooh

Dear Reader:

I love hearing true stories from people who saw a need and reacted immediately…sometimes leaving their own jobs and/or changing their entire lives at great risk.

This happened to one woman interviewed yesterday on one of the talk shows. She had been a teacher and was helping one student  …who was struggling after school one day…the girl had to make a sentence with the word “accustomed.” She was stuck.

So the teacher gave her a clue…“You could write a sentence about your birthday parties over the years and how you have grown accustomed to them.”

Tears fell down  the young girl’s cheeks…“I wouldn’t know about that she said…I’ve never had a birthday party. My mama and I live in a shelter.”

That one statement changed the teacher’s life…she wrote a grant and got some seed money to start “Beverly’s Birthdays”…going into shelters and other assisted living situations…giving birthday parties for every child who had a birthday in that particular month she arrived. She then returned each month until every child had a party.

Like the ‘fishes and the loaves’ word spread and more and more donations came pouring in. Soon more staff was needed and the idea became a full-time commitment.

Don’t we all admire people who can react so quickly to a need ….sacrificing everything for the cause.

Like the title says…”A Life Without Cause is a Life Without Effect.” 

Cause and effect…one of those key standards of learning in school. I remember I taught this concept (critical in understanding history) with a “snowball fight” in class. It worked with any unit of history but I saved it for the causes and effects of the American Revolution.

I would write the number of cause and effect words on the board that were related to the unit and assign each student to copy one on a white sheet of notebook paper.

The student then rolled the paper up in the shape of a white snowball and upon my signal the class let’em rip. When I blew the whistle…each student had to pick up one “snowball” unwrap the paper and study the cause and/or effect.

They then had to walk around the classroom until they found the right student holding the matching word or phrase that completed their cause-effect example.

When called upon…the two-student team read their ’cause-effect’ and then explained how it lead to the Revolution. It was a great review before the final assessment.

Isn’t life, itself, always about cause and effect? Every time we make a choice we wait to see if it was the right one…depending on the final effect that either ripples outward positively or back inward negatively.

Life really is all about choices…the better we get at choosing the right path for ourselves…the stronger our compass becomes directing us past the obstacles waiting ahead.

Anytime our choice involves others in a positive way…we can be sure it is the right one. Choices require courage.

So until tomorrow….Living for others is the rule of nature.

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh

My moon flowers are loving life since I planted them last week…they have grown at least 2 to 3 inches in the same amount of days.

I also planted a “Siskiyou Pink Guara…if it looks familiar…it is in the same family as the white/pink tinted “Whirling Butterflies”…It will take off soon and grow tall like its “cousin”…  staying light and feathery….I thought it would add to the one “whirling butterfly” by the fence.

John and Mandy decided to escape to a different view than home…with a three-day vacation at Wild Dunes…had a fun day today. So nice to just wake up in a different place with a different view after three months at home. Beautiful!

Dear Reader:

One positive aspect of stay-at-home living has been a sharp increase in creativity…humans coming up with ways to entertain their children, using technology to communicate with loved ones, and increased reading and storytelling times at night.

A recent survey I read about concerning children’s outlooks on the new restrictions in their lives from COVID19 were overall positive. Sure…they missed their teachers and friends, activities, and sports…but they loved having dad or mom home for the first time in a long time, loved eating meals at home, and especially loved dad reading them good-night stories ….when in many cases this had not ever been possible, in their young lives, because of normal work hours.

For many children, surprisingly, the stay-at-home experience had brought them more security…not less. Parents admitted too…that their creativity had been brought back to life….initially as a desperate measure to “fill the days” but then it became an anticipated part of the routine…creating daily adventures for the family to participate in.

One family said their children made paper mache coronavirus images from the children’s imagination…placing them in hidden spots around the home and yard. On their “safari” adventures outside…if the “virus” was spotted…everyone was notified lining up six feet from it…and using their water guns…they got to shoot the cornavirus six times each.

Attaching an activity around the homemade  “virus” made it less scary but also reminded the children of the importance of social distancing and always being on the look out to avoid situations where it might be lurking.

Another popular idea for birthday parties or just plain summer afternoon fun… is making paper mache coronavirus pinatas…filled with candy.

One mother said that the main appeal of the family being together was simply the new feeling of unity and bonding that had not been there before when everyone left in the morning…and didn’t return until the end of the day.

Everyone was involved, then, in their own little worlds, hurriedly picking up meals on the way home, baths, homework, and sleep. There had been little time for interaction together as a family unit. Now they felt like a home “team”… facing the COVID19 obstacles together…discussing safe tactics and choices.

I know I have probably read more books in the past three months than I usually do in a year…Like millions of other readers… books are providing me a sense of adventure in fiction that is personally missing in my daily reality.

Amazon.com has seen a huge spike in book sells…people are ordering more books now than ever before…a fairly economical escapism tactic.

But don’t forget…we all have an unique opportunity to create one of the greatest adventures in our lifetime by simply living through this rare pandemic…We want to make sure we have plenty of personal stories and memories written down to make this time one of our greatest family historical adventures. *The great-grandchildren and those who follow will appreciate it one day!

And speaking of grandchildren…since it is almost a rarity for all of us to come together these days…we need to make the most of our family gatherings…so the children can store up happy memories of this time too. Rainbow happy memories.

Great masks for teachers and parents to remind their student and children…that adventures are only a story away…just pick one and read!

So until tomorrow….

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh

Poogie is so protective of the children…when Rutledge jumped in the Wando river with Walsh…Poogie immediately swam over to be there in case anyone needed any help….such a sweet, loving dog!

This photo was taken back in March… right before the coronavirus hit full speed…when the family almost lost Poogie…she underwent two surgeries and lots of tests (see her paws) and miraculously survived…but the family has been alerted to the fact that her health is still rather precarious…the vet’s advice…just love her and let her do everything that makes her happy….she’s on “borrowed time” now.

However… when we think about it…from the time we take our first breath until our last…aren’t we all living on “borrowed” time and shouldn’t we all be living life like it is our last day?

Happy Garden Images

The hibiscus blooms are so large…some are just plopped on the ground! 🙂

Dear Reader:

Even though the reality of this summer, 2020, will not be like other summers…minus camps,  family vacations, summer sports…there is still, for me, a sense of nostalgia just saying the word “summer” from my childhood memories.

…Except for one year in elementary school. Upon reflection I was either a slow learner (or perhaps the light just hadn’t dawned on me until the last day of school in May when I was eight years old in the third grade.)

To “kill time” that last half day of school, Miss Johnson was reviewing different things we had learned….(well kinda learned for me) like simple multiplication (which was never simple to me) and fractions.

She was trying to make a fun game of it and giving out prizes but I didn’t care about that (it was just pencils and erasers anyway-nothing I was interested in)…I was just ready for the bell to ring…marking the end of school and FREEDOM!!!

I remember distinctly, in my childhood innocence during the first early grades, that I thought we went to school 6 months and then had summer vacation for 6 months…seemed fair to me…half and half! I mean I knew there were 12 months in a year, could recite them in order, and even spell them…but obviously I had failed to grasp the concept of the “division” of school vs vacation.

Miss Johnson had now switched over to the calendar and was calling on us to spell the months and recite them in order…I actually volunteered to name all the months since I could memorize pretty good…it was the application that gave me problems.

I got my pencil/eraser prize and started watching the clock again…we were supposed to get out at 11! Just ten more l-o-n-g minutes!

It was then that Miss Johnson  dashed my innocent childhood forever. She asked a student to come up and pick out the three months that made up summer vacation. Freddie Jones picked up the three month squares containing  June, July, and August. Everyone clapped for him… except me.

NO!….he was wrong…there was supposed to be six months of summer…why was everyone clapping? The bell finally rang and among squeals and shouts the kids trampled each other flying out the door.

But I stayed behind…and timidly tapped Miss Johnson on the shoulder as she sat wearily behind her teacher’s desk.

“Freddie wasn’t right, was he Miss Johnson…I mean about the three months of summer vacation…don’t we get six?”

Miss Johnson stared at me as if asking herself how could I possibly ask that question…how little I must have learned…but quietly she responded:

“Becky, the summer months are June, July, and August…we get out the day before Memorial Day (like today) and return to school the day after Labor Day the first week in September.” She was holding up all the months signs as she spoke. As I continued to just stare at her in disbelief…she tried one more time…”Becky, after all it is called “Summer vacation, isn’t it?”

I nodded meekly, she wished me a wonderful summer, and I left third grade with my shoulders drooping and tears filling  my eyes.

Then suddenly I became angry…“How could this be…what a RIP-OFF! Nine months of school and only three months off for vacation?”

Still, even after that awakening...summers still seemed to last forever for several more years…don’t you remember that from your childhood?

It was only (many years later) when I was sitting in the Big Desk that I realized just how short summers really were and “Little Becky” was right to complain! 🙂 (Big Becky wanted more time too!)

Yesterday was our longest day! I set my iPhone alarm for 5:44 p.m. to go off during Rutledge’s party so we could all give a loud cheer out to the summer solstice- welcoming summer….

We had such a great time! A special Rutledge birthday where the rains held off for most of the activities and the evening ended with Walsh, Poogan, Rutledge and Jake taking a dip in the Wando river off the pier….while a rainbow reflected off the waters.

• I can still hug my grand dogs! Congratulating Pip in person! And love sweet Poogie!

To end the evening…we all went down to the dock and watched Poogie swim with Walsh…her favorite thing to do…but soon Rutledge and Jake decided they didn’t want to be left out…so they jumped in the river too…suddenly a rainbow appeared in the sky and the perfect family gathering had ended on a beautiful note. My heart was so full…I had so missed being with all the family!

So until tomorrow…I can think of no better way to spend the longest day of the year than celebrating time and a birthday with family!

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh

Happy Father’s Day to one and all…have a beautiful day!

Dear Reader:

I think the universe forgot to let us in on a little secret when we were young and terrified of fiery dragons- even sometimes having nightmares with them as the chief culprit.

We didn’t know then that the real dragons in our lives were fear of the unknown, fear of failing, or the scariest dragon yet… the fear of succeeding… with the inevitable changes that would require of us.

It is our personal exploration towards self-awareness that takes us through the desolate frontiers of hidden dragons waiting to send us scurrying back home with their fiery breaths and our trembling beings.

No one told us when we were little that we would need to slay the dragons in our minds before we could reach our personal promised land of happiness, contentment, and accomplishment.

It is not until we reach the end of our adventure that we have the hindsight to finally realize that our story wouldn’t be worth telling if we had not found the courage, within us, to confront each dragon along our life’s paths.

Don’t you remember your English teacher requiring everyone to write a short story…then reminding everyone that there must be “conflict” in each story because conflict creates and drives the story, exemplifies opposing perceptions of good and bad, as well as, adding excitement and emotion to an other-wise dry tale.

My grandchildren fascinate me with their Super Heroes figurines. If I give them a bag of the little plastic figures to play with…the first thing they do is separate the good guys from the bad…and they can immediately tell me their names and why some are good and some are bad. Children love play that involves good vs evil…always letting good win.

Lachlan’s fifth birthday arrived just as the coronavirus was  hitting the media back in March…so we kept Lachlan’s birthday down to him and cousin Jake (also 5) and let them play with two good dinosaurs (not dragons.)

Along with a book that Lachlan wanted involving Ninjas…he got a Ninja figure and then there was another good character that Jake played with…he immediately told Lachlan that he had the bad guy and he (Jake)  the good one. (Didn’t bother Lachlan at all 🙂

It takes us all awhile to “get it” on our journey…but conflict highlights what is important to us and illuminates our character…for better or worse. Conflict defines us. God envelopes us.

So until tomorrow…Adventures must have dragons but as we grow up… still recalling read fairy tales and Disney movies…At the end of our adventure…we will live happily ever after.

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh

Pip is resting up from all his notoriety since placing in the Top Ten category of the Lowcountry Monthly Model Calendar. He has agreed, however, to share his patriotism (as the Fourth  quickly approaches) with the public on his daily walks…a true American hero dog! 🙂

My hanging hydrangea plant loves  its new location where it has room now to spread its blooms….

I came across the initial “Garden Founders Day” photo- September 26, 2013…Mandy had just made me my four stepping stones on the kiln at school for my birthday two days earlier….(Before and  after…)

Thursday we had no rain at all…and yesterday looked like a repeat with sunny higher temperatures…so I pulled all the pillows out of the potting shed and set everything back on the garden swing and benches for the first time in two weeks.

Until…suddenly at 4:00 the sun disappeared and blackness descended….terrific lightning and thunder that shook my whole house foundation…haven’t had anything like that kind of thunderstorm for quite awhile!

I barely got the pillows thrown back in the potting shed and ran in the house off the deck just as the skies opened up….a fierce early summer thunderstorm.

Thank goodness the beach stayed nice yesterday earlier in the day…Mandy took the kids…she said Jake wouldn’t stand still long enough to get a photo…but I have decided Eva Cate and Rutledge should go into business together…Rutledge-construction/engineering and Eva Cate design and decorating! 🙂

Don’t forget it’ s Summer Solstice.…and this year VIRTUAL Summer Solstice 2020 – Another new experience with another new season and new beginnings! Welcome to Summer!

Dear Reader:

With so many Americans facing financial troubles these days…we can’t help but think back to the Great Depression. Personal stories about growing up during this period were told  to me, in abundance, at family gatherings. Mother and all her siblings, plus cousins, grew up during these difficult years.

*It is why Tom Brokaw labeled them later the “ The Greatest Generation” in his popular book by that same name.

Written in 1998 Brokaw profiled those who grew up in our country during the deprivation of the Great Depression and then went on to fight in World War II. Others fought  home front “battles” to produce massive quantities of decisive materials as their contribution to the war effort!

I grew up hearing about all the odd jobs Uncle Herschel and Harlette did (as youngsters) to make any amount of money…even nickles and dimes…to help keep the farm going during the Depression. Later they both served in World War II.  Mother and her sister, Eva, sewed and knitted clothing materials to send to the war front through the USO.

My father also served in WWII (with the 12th Tactical RED SQ) and was involved in “Air Offensive Normandy,” as well as, Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes, and Central Europe. He returned with the rank of Sergeant receiving six bronze service stars and the Distinguished Unit Badge for the 14th HQ 9th AF!  How very young he was!

He grew up in the tobacco fields of Smithfield, NC and was definitely a self-made man…destined to be a bright star…until his untimely death at age 31. (But come to think about it…maybe he just achieved that status early too! )

I love these two pictures of mother at Cape Fear falls in Fayetteville, North Carolina where she was working when she met daddy on a “blind date.” I can tell she was  fearless and a risk-taker from the second picture and she would need these attributes after losing daddy so young, then her left hand to cancer, and raising three children alone. Extraordinary woman. Brokaw was right “The greatest generation.”

Mother told me that she and Eva (sister on the left) and Grandmother got all dressed up in their best dresses in this photo to celebrate V-E Day! May 8, 1945.

An editorial in the October 1932 issue of Ladies Home Journal reminded readers that “The return of good times is not wholly a matter of money. There is a prosperity of living which is quite as important as prosperity of the pocketbook!”

…” We must build what amounts to a new country. We must revive the ideals of the founders. We must learn the new values of money. It is time to create a new security for the home and the family…Where we were once specialists in spending, we now must become specialists in living.” (Source: Simple Abundance-Breathnache)

So until tomorrow…All we need  is our own light and the stars of heaven…throw in some good old-fashioned grit and Amazing Grace…and we will overcome this pandemic.

“Today is my favorite day” Winnie the Pooh

The Ginger Shells that Vickie gave me several years ago are standing tall this season, with all the rain…adding a beautiful perimeter to the growing moon flower vines, lantana, and baskets.

The sun made its appearance early yesterday afternoon and within an hour…bright blooms were popping (like popcorn) all over the garden (zinnias, pentas, ganzias, etc)….so happy to see the sun.

Pam Stewart forwarded me this idealistic scene…appeals to me right now…would love to go rock with a huge glass of ice-y sweet tea! The “manna” of the south! 🙂 The best de-stresser of all! 🙂

Colby shared this warmly welcoming (the College of Education) informational “invitation” she just received on-line…made her feel even more excited at the upcoming year! What a cute picture Colby and what a fantastic teacher you will be…it’s in your genes! Great way to start the year Clemson!

Dear Reader:

Monday, my new lawn maintenance keeper, Jeff, cut my yard and garden for the second time. Michael had assured me Jeff would be terrific and he is!

He is a detail person…cutting weeds between flowers and plants, detailing and outlining all the paths in the garden, along with the driveways and sidewalks in the front and side yards. After Jeff leaves…everything looks precise and pristine!

Didn’t God know what he was doing when He made the world round? By doing this, we discover that at any time and at any place…(what may initially seem like an end)… is only a beginning!

This is true over the sadness of losing Michael, my yard man I had for several years, but now gaining Jeff and starting over with a new beginning…both men –  hard workers and diligent overseers.

Look how precise the garden paths look following Monday’s cuttings…

(What I have noticed is that I need to get my driveways and sidewalks pressure washed…so they will be white and shiny again…always something with a house, isn’t it?) 🙂

I’ve come to notice how gardens are used more as metaphors for life than any other place or thing…“Life is a Garden” is a popular quote and also “Love is a Garden” follows quickly behind.

I can see the double metaphor…because in both circumstances…time, patience, continuity, reliability, wonder, surprise, and pure thankfulness must abound to have a successful loving relationship or a thriving garden.

In order to have successful endeavors in life…we must not be afraid to ask…for help, guidance, clarity (clean, clear paths) unconditional love, understanding, protection, and inner peace.

In return we must share our time, space, friendship, and gratitude for those encircled in our lives…while always expanding our circle of friends.

We should pray our journey is a long one…while savoring all the stops along the way. It is the stops that make life meaningful and memorable.

And always find and honor your pace. There are still so many places to be seen for the first time where you will no longer see things as they are. Instead you will see things now as YOU are.

So until tomorrow…”Remember…always keep one still, secret spot within your heart where dreams may go.” – Louise Driscoll

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh

Yesterday was another cool, cloudy day that required long sleeves to be comfortable…hard to believe we start out in the sixties each day and barely get in the 70’s…for June in the lowcountry…this is quite extraordinary…but all the plants and flowers in the garden are loving it!

What I loved was several moon flower seedlings that Anne had started…and  told me to go pick out six for my container while she was gone. I did and happily worked on getting the seedlings planted yesterday. Love getting my hands dirty!

Then when I checked the mail…Marcia Temple, Mollie’s mom, had sent me the sweetest gift. See for yourself!

I love gifts from artisans around the world..empowering women to “rise above poverty through fair trade.” The green bracelet says FAITH on it.It reminds me to always go forward with faith!

Guess whose birthday it is today? June 18!

RUTLEDGE! 

Seven years ago Marcia and I were hurrying to Walsh and Mollie’s house with lunch as they were scurrying out to go to the hospital…where we later joined them...after we ate lunch! 🙂

Rutledge had arrived…Eva Cate’s first cousin and she was so excited!

Seven years old…Rutledge will be in the second grade this year and Lachlan in public kindergarten…they are both so excited about school starting.

We are having Rutledge’s birthday party Saturday…originally he arrived on Father’s Day…so special!

Until then…Rutledge is working on his construction engineering skills…might be a future in this endeavor! 🙂

P.S. Did I tell you that Paul McCartney is so honored and “humbled” to be able to say that he shares Rutledge’s birthday? 🙂