Gratitude turns what we have into enough. . .

Faith is seeing light with your heart. . .

when all your eyes see is darkness. . .God has a plan for our lives. . .I am thankful for each new day He has given me.  I hope you, dear friends, feel His presence today!

Blissful Autumn. . .

 It is still hot here in Central Texas, but I put out some of my autumn things anyway.  Autumn is a favorite season for me. . .holding many memories. . .the first day of school, making s'mores, trick or treat, Thanksgiving, football games on Friday night.  Wishing you my friends a happy "not quite autumn" day!

There is a garden in every childhood. . .

 an enchanted place where colors are brighter, the air softer,

 and the morning more fragrant than ever again. ~Elizabeth Lawrence


I remember my neighbor's beautiful red rose bush. . .we would gather little red roses from it and make a corsage to wear to church on Sunday morning.  I am sure you, my friends, have many memories of special flowers in your childhood.  I am sure God gave us these flowers to make our lives more perfect!

Old-fashioned things. . .

 Some old-fashioned things. . .

 like fresh air and sunshine. . .  are hard to beat.

Leave a path through your garden so that angels might pass through. . . I am so thankful today for special "angels" who have helped me along life's way. Wishing you a blessed, peaceful Sunday, sweet friends.

My garden. . .my happy place. . .

"We may think that we  are nurturing our garden, but, of course, it's our garden that is really nurturing us."  Jenny Upton     Endless Summer hydrangea and Souvenir De La Malmaison, an antique bourbon rose, growing in my little cottage garden.  I love to have my hands in the dirt working in my garden.  What are your favorite flowers?  Hoping you have had a good day!

Dear friends,
I am once again able to upload images.  I changed my password so maybe this helped.  I really don't know.  All I know is that I am so glad I can blog again with images.  These hollyhocks remind me so much of my growing up days in New Mexico.  Hollyhocks really love the climate of the high desert.  One summer memory for me was sitting in the tree next to our house reading a book.  Trixie Belden books were my favorite.  I introduced Trixie to my granddaughter, Ally, and she loves her mystery books, too.  Well, enough of my rambling.  I hope to "reconnect" with you, my sweet friends.  Have a beautiful day full of peace and love.  Vicki

You can find me on facebook. . .

Dear friends,
I am no longer blogging, but I have started a page on facebook called "Bunny Cottage".  I post pictures of my cottage garden and home each day.  I also post positive thoughts and scriptures.  If you would care to visit me on fb, I would love to have you come for a visit.  Always wishing you happiness, peace and love.  Vicki

Dear friends,
I was never able to get any pictures to post.  So, I have started a new journal entitled "High Cotton".  You can find me and my new journal here at:  http://vzthompson51.wordpress.com  I hope you can stop by for a visit.

Farewell for a while...

For some reason, I am no longer able to download pictures to my "Bunny Cottage" journal.  I am not sure what has happened, but I have tried several times over the past week with no luck.  I am thinking maybe I will not be posting for a while until this problem is fixed.  I just wanted to let you know how much I have enjoyed your friendship over these past years.  I wish you and your loved ones the very best.  I will miss you!

It's a wonderful life. . .

 

"Look, Daddy.  Teacher says every time a bell rings

 

an angel gets his wings."  ZuZu Bailey, "It's a Wonderful Life"

 

"Remember, George:  no man is a failure who has friends."   Clarence, the angel,  "It's a Wonderful Life"

 

"Strange, isn't it?  Each man's life touches so many other lives.  When he isn't around he leaves an awful hole, doesn't he?"  Clarence, the angel,  "It's a Wonderful Life"

"A toast to my  big brother, George:  The richest man in town."  Harry Bailey,  "It's a Wonderful Life"

I love this movie and enjoy watching it every year at Christmas.  It teaches so many wonderful life lessons.  It is good to be reminded of the importance of love and friendship and family all year round.  Wishing you all the happiest of Christmases.  You are a blessing to me.

O little star, you hold so many memories~

 

 

The above star was on my parent's first Christmas tree in about 1936. So, it is a little over 70 years old. My mother told me she thinks they paid about ten cents for it. It has hung on every family Christmas tree since 1936. My parents were married during the Great Depression so they had very little material things. My mom told me that my daddy worked all one autumn digging up tree stumps from a farmer's field so that they could afford a winter coat for my sister. What my parents lacked in material wealth, they had an abundance of wealth in what really matters: love and devotion for each other and for their family. After my parents went to heaven, I made sure that we carried on with the tradition of our Christmas star. When I put up my tree each year, the little gold star is the first ornament I put on. It always has a place of honor on our tree. This little star has seen the ebb and flow of life and the love that a family has for each other over these past 70 years. When my grandchildren come for Christmas Eve each year, I show them the Christmas star and tell them the story of our mom and poppie and the love they have for each of them. My dear sweet friends, thank you for letting me share the story of our Christmas star with you.  

 

 

It is not happy people. . .

 

who are thankful.

 

It is thankful people

 

who are happy.

 

I love this time of year, don't you, dear friends?  It is a wonderful time to think on all of the many blessings we have especially the blessing of living in freedom in our wonderful country of America. Today, on Veterans Day, I take my hat off to all of our veterans, my two sons included, who have served so faithfully.  I have found it to be true, the more thankful I am the more I realize I have so much to give thanks for.  I hope you are having a blessed day today.  I am very thankful for each one of you.  Love and blessings to you!

Black and Gold. . .

 

Everything is black and gold,

Black and gold tonight:

 

Yellow pumpkins, yellow moon, yellow candlelight;

 

Jet-black cats with golden eyes,

Shadows black as ink

 

Firelight blinking in the dark

With a yellow blink

 

Black and gold, black and gold

Nothing in between

 

When the world turns black and gold

Then it's Halloween!~Nancy Byrd Turner

 

This poem brings to memory many Halloweens passed:  Trick or Treating as a young girl in New Mexico,  then getting my sons ready for Trick or Treat and always reading this very same poem year after year with my students in school.  Today, I look forward to Trick or Treat with my precious grandchildren.  What autumn memories do you have, dear friends?  Many happy ones I hope!

Be encouraging. . .

 

to all you meet.

 

You never know

 

who is having a hard day.

 

Hello, my friends.  I hope you are doing well this fine autumn day.  We are having some cooler temps here in Central Texas for which I am truly thankful.  I am counting my blessings today, and you, my friends, are right at the top of my list!

Ms. Naomi, my gardener friend

I was a young wife and mother raising two young sons and working full time as a school teacher.  Not a lot of time for tea parties and gardening.

 

 

And yet, even then I loved pretty delicate china tea cups and lovely roses.

 

I longed to have a pretty garden but knew very little about gardening. 

 

I was very fortunate, however, because a friend of mine that I had known all of my life, Ms. Naomi, was a gardening expert!

 

She graciously offered to come to my house and help me prepare my soil for a garden and even brought seeds and flowers for me to plant.  She came on Good Friday.  She said she always planted on this blessed day.

 

I was very excited to have her help.  She showed me how to plant and water and my love for gardening had begun.  I will always be thankful for this sweet lady.

 

I had a very pretty garden that spring and summer and into the autumn.  Even though Ms. Naomi has been gone many years now, not a spring goes by that I don't think of her and her gift of gardening that she presented to me.

 

Do you love to watch things grow?  I sure do.  I think I have my daddy's farming blood in me.

The most beautiful people we have known. . .

 

are those who have known suffering, known struggle, known loss

 

and have found their way out of the depths.

 

These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life

 

that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern.

Beautiful people do not just happen.

 

I dedicate my post to you, my beautiful friends and family, who have experienced life's struggles and losses but still choose to live your life with joy and compassion.  I hope you are having the loveliest of days!

 

There is no charm. . .

 

equal to. . .

 

tenderness of heart.~Jane Austen

 

I long to have a tender heart willing to see the best in others, willing to see when others are hurting, and willing to help when I can.

 

Dear friends, I am wishing for you a day of tender hearts.  Hope you are doing well.  Sending hugs and best wishes to you!