A Mid Summer Tea Party

Too soon living and duty collide. So why not revel on the brink of being little,
 and being big?

Why not imagine and enjoy the epiphany of now?

                                              

Before we say we are old, and my how time flies.

                                                   

Before we know so little and wonder at much.

We stop right here between the footprints of childhood and hand shake of woman hood, and we sip a long sip from tea steeped in the warm sunshine of a July afternoon.....

As I wash the dishes after my daughter's afternoon tea party with her friends...
I can't help but notice the sprinkles sparkling like a memory etched in time on grandma's plate...

            Enough, if something from our hands has power to live, and act, 
                                and serve the future hour. ~William Wordsworth~

Peculiar Perfection

People and plants. These two have plenty of similarities. I recall an expert gardener whose weekly segment I tried to watch   would always end with" after all plants are people too."
                                                    

Quite true I muse, as I think about all the joy and mystery that is derived from our relationships both with the human and botanical kind.

But along with the  anticipation and joy  there is also the constant reality that plants much like people have their idiosyncrasies. (a fun word:)
Yes, we all have our peculiarities of nature.         

Which is why I decided a long time ago to simply enjoy the blooms; or lack there of in some cases...Beauty lies in the imperfections.....there is where we discover truths about ourselves and others, and we have the amazing opportunity to love in spite of them.
                                                  

Isn't this what we are called to do?   Isn't that exactly what others do for us?

I'm off to do some watering== (aka known as laundry, cleaning and beans!) have a lovely day!

Found this fun picture at just the right time....  
                                               

Today

         I'd never trade the journey for knowing it all..
                      there's way too much to discover..~L.M.~

                   she learned a lot about life, from keeping her window open and listening...

Summertime Vignettes and a Salad

Sharing a few small summery vignettes with you today...

a new to me garden table on my back porch.

great storage solution and display at the same time.

I love when you wait and wait and eventually the very thing you've waited for falls into your lap...

my relic of a bike received a wash of white paint recently

I found these pictures a while back, they bring a summery vibe to this space

                                                            I love the way sunlight pools in corners 

 flowers on the table are simply a must have in the summer

I picked these raspberries this morning with my daughter Katrina in mind, so I sent her a photo to let her know..

 and finally the salad..

Watermelon Salad. 

The story behind it is almost as good as the salad. A few years ago we were dining alfresco with a few other couples. The patio was full, so the ladies sat at one table and the men at another.We opened our menu and saw watermelon salad and immediately all ordered it, as it looked so tasty.

Meanwhile at the men's table hubby remarked "who would order watermelon salad!" Of course  we had no idea until we had all enjoyed ours and determined to find a recipe, so that we could make this unusual salad ourselves!

Turns out hubby doesn't mind it at all, so win/win here:)

Cut watermelon into cubes and add red onion, chopped mint leaves and feta cheese to taste.

cucumber could also be added..

the dressing consists of olive oil, balsamic vinegar,maple syrup, dijon mustard, black pepper and poppy seeds (optional)

A refreshing and complimentary way to change up a summer palette.
                            Bon Appetite, and thanks for visiting.
                                                        Lucy~

Along For The Ride

One of the most amazing things about travelling is the opportunity to observe cultures and ways of life and living, in the places you visit.                                               

My vantage point on the back of a motor cycle gave me much to view, observe, and contemplate, as we rode through many idyllic towns and villages.
                 

I find enjoyment in some of the simplest things, from cheerful laundry stretched out on clotheslines, and friendly chairs on front porches.
                                           

There's a welcoming persona in seeing people working in their gardens and homes and offering a wave when  you pass by.
                     

Beauty comes in so many forms, and I felt it was a gift to be able to partake of a grand feast of it.
                                          

One word seemed to preside in the meandering lane ways and spectacular vistas.    Belonging. 

be·long

bəˈlôNG/

verb

gerund or present participle: belonging

1. 1.

   (of a thing) be rightly placed in a specified position.

   
   
2. 2.

   (of a person) fit in a specified place or environment.

   
   

   synonyms:

   fit in, be suited to, have a rightful place, have a home.

                                                       

Isn't this the longing in all of us?

The last time my second daughter (who is trying to figure out her life right now) was home, I hugged her long, and I told her "I am praying that you find your place you belong, and you belong where you're placed.
                                 

Belonging. I see it in the eyes of the dusty gentleman sitting in his pick up truck at night, staring across the river at low tide. We exchange a greeting and smile and something recognizable is there.
                                                  

Belonging. I see it again in the Dad and daughter laughing, chasing their dog by the waters edge.

I see it from the lady who is shaking a mat over the veranda as we pass by, and I even  catch a fleeting glimpse of it from the old woman watering her tiny garden beside the freeway.

Belonging in an earthly sense, is essential to full and rich living. Resting in what is and isn't, the power we have and don't, are key components to thriving in our belonging
                                           

As we bid au revoir to a luxurious, care free week, and return home, I do so with a grateful heart, that's steeped in my place of belonging.


the first night we were away, I received a message from my youngest...it said, "Did you reach your destination yet?"
in the last town we visited this timely reminder was in the window...

                                                               

Happy Travels to you today friend.

Window Shopping in Perth Ontario.

Good evening friends, I have returned from my road trip via motor cycle. Hubby and I had a great time away as we toured the province of Quebec and eastern Ontario. I so enjoy seeing the homes and gardens in other places. The similarities and differences and grand and glorious scenery keep me humbled and awed at the same time.
(I'll try and share some of the pictures in future posts, mind you some were taken as we flew (rode) down the highway!)

For now I thought I'd share the photos I took in the town of Perth Ontario. We stopped by after the stores were all closed ( I wonder if that was planned...?) but truth is sometimes window shopping can be fun too, and it certainly is easier on the wallet....so without further ado, let's stroll together...


   gorgeous blooms and window vignette,

                         
      "I feel like I'm in France," I said to my husband,

             loved this beachy, shabby chic one..           

             
        and this "I'm off to Tuscany one,"

a secret garden in the middle of town,

         "what a neat idea for display," I said...

another interesting one,

   I stared at this for a long time...isn't it mesmerizing?

  I would have loved to eat on this sunny terrace overlooking Rideau Canal...

         I find bridges to be very photogenic..

as we were leaving we passed this park, "oh look," I said, can we stop and take a picture?"

So he kindly did.

Thanks for coming along with us. See you soon!
                         ~Lucy~