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

 

Did you have an enchanted garden in your childhood?  I remember being enchanted by flowers at a very early age.  I am still enchanted by them.

Spring is in the air. . .Mr. Hummingbird will soon be here. . .I can't wait to see him once again!Wishing you an enchanting spring day, sweet friends!

I loved books and reading as a young girl. . .

 

I remember this book quite well.  I absolutely loved it in sixth grade.  All of the girls at Sunset Elementary stood in line waiting to check it out as soon as it was turned in.  I have learned that it is a much sought after book.  One is listed on ebay for $1,000.  It seems that a lot of girls from the later 1950's early 1960's loved it as well.  Do you remember a favorite book from your growing up days?

 

I also loved "Charlotte's Web", "The Boxcar Children" and "Pippi Longstocking"!

 

I found these vintage images of friends.  My sister is my very best friend.  Sisters are like that I think.

 

I appreciate your friendship, dear journaling friends.  I am fortunate to have met you here at "Bunny Cottage".

 

"A friend is one that knows you as you are, understands where you have been,  accepts what you have become,

and still, gently allows you to grow".~William Shakespeare

A little of this and a bit of that. . .

Isn't this vintage image sweet?  She seems to be saying, "Welcome, spring!!"  I got her from a site on Pinterest.  I enjoy Pinterest, and I have put up a few boards.  However, it can sometimes be overwhelming to me.  I can definitely say I am not addicted to it, but I do enjoy it.

When I moved from my last home to my cottage apartment, I left behind a very large cottage garden full of antique and old garden roses.  I must admit this was quite hard to leave behind.  However, I determined to surround myself with roses at my new home.

I have purchased several of Christy Repasy's beautiful roses.  I absolutely adore her art and the vintage tin frames in which she displays them.  The textures on these frames are wonderful.  So when I get to missing my rose garden, I just look at my walls and enjoy Christy's roses to my heart's content.

 

My friend, Jean, recently gave me some vintage linens for my birthday.  She knows I love bluebirds.  These bluebirds are singing about springtime and blue skies.  Do you see the tiny music notes?  I am 62 years young now.  I can't believe I am this age, but I can assure you, I am happy to continue having birthdays!!

 

This is my little balcony garden.  I have many flowers here including three pots of roses.  The roses are putting on new growth like crazy and should bloom around Easter. 

 

I bought this pot of geraniums recently, also a pot of petunias.  I have had to cover them some at night, but I really don't mind.  They make me smile just looking at them.

 

If you could join me for breakfast some morning, I would let you sit here in one of my comfy patio chairs.  We would have toast with pear preserves (made by my sister, Myra), bacon, and some delicious steaming hot coffee.  We would have a lot to visit about I am sure.  Well, dear friends, this has been a very "jumbly" sort of post today.  Probably because it came from a "jumbly" sort of mind.  I do hope you have a very happy day.  Wishing you the very best always!

 

 

 

February 14th was a very important date. . .

in the small southeastern NM town that I grew up in. . .We always had a party at school.  What fun as we exchanged Valentines with our schoolmates!  I always loved this!

 

At home, the night before the party, my momma would always help me decorate a shoebox for keeping my Valentines. . .We would add crepe paper ruffles, glitter, ribbons and lace to "fancy up" the box.  I would proudly carry my box along with the Valentines for my teacher and friends to school the next morning.

 

When the party was over, I could hardly wait to get home with my Valentines to show my momma.  Together we would look at each one and "ooh" and "aah" over it.  I still have some of those cards from my classmates.    Dear friends, I want to wish you a very happy Valentine's Day and hope that you have sweet memories of days gone by. . .It seems the older I become, the more nostalgic I become. . .but that is not a bad thing, is it?

Won't you be. . .

 

my valentine?   I love these vintage valentine boxes, don't you?

 

As a young girl, I always wanted a box of chocolates in a pretty heart-shaped box.  My sister was a teenager at the time with boyfriends who often presented her with pretty valentine chocolates.  One Valentine's Day my daddy surprised me. . .

 

He bought me a sweet little box of chocolates for Valentine's Day!  I was so excited and happy!  Tomorrow is the first day of February, one of my favorite months. . .the month of love.  I hope my post  finds you doing well today, dear friends. Wishing you good health and contentment and of course, lots of love!!

A Texas gal. . .

 

sat in her winter garden. . .It made her smile to see a few of her roses were still blooming.

 

She knew that fairy babies hid in each one. . .

If you listen closely, you can hear the flutter of angel's wings. . .

It is at this time of year, she enjoys the warm  winter sunshine and dreams of gardens to come.

She knows that she can continue to enjoy her "indoors garden" as she watches the paper whites spring forth with lovely white blooms.

 

As she strolls her garden paths, she thinks of the periwinkles she will plant in the spring in honor of her maternal grandmother, Maude Mae Crownover. She was told these were her grandmother's favorite.  She never knew her grandmother in person, but she has always known her in her heart.

 

She is thankful that even in winter the little song sparrows flock to her feeder, and it makes her heart sing to see them there!

 

There is nothing sweeter than the warm sunshine on your skin on a cold winter's day.  She would like to stretch out in the warm sunshine and snooze like a mother cat.

 

She prefers a cottage type garden.  Nothing too formal for her.

 

 

She can almost catch the smell of her lovely roses as they burst forth into bloom this spring.

 

This Texas gal wishes all of you a happy winter's day as we think of springtime blessings to come!!

Did you ever go shopping with these?

 

 

As a young wife and mother on a very limited budget, I would faithfully save my S&H green stamps.  Then when I had them all stuck in their books (a very messy process usually), I would go to the S&H green stamp store to spend them.  I usually got a new shower curtain or some pretty bath rugs for my bath.  I always liked to make my home as pretty and inviting as possible.  Did you save stamps?

 

I have had some trouble downloading pictures to my journal today so I am not sure how this post will turn out.  Hopefully, you will be able to read it and the pictures will be visible.  I love beautiful handpainted china and this dish is one of my favorites.  I would love to be able to paint like this.

 

Today I will close with one of my favorite quotes:  "To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you."~Lewis B. Smedes

 

I have learned that life is too short to have negative thoughts and feelings.  I try to be thankful for each day and enjoy it to the fullest. 

 

Love and blessings to you, my friends.