Echinacea

Tags

cmmc, flowers, garden, nature, nature photography, Photo Challenge, photography, pink, Wilderness Wednesday

Gardening simply does not allow one to be mentally old, because too many hopes and dreams are yet to be realized. 

Allan Armitage

This is my post for Cee Neuner’s Midweek Madness Challenge: Macro.

CFFC: Pink

Tags

CFFC, flowers, garden, nature, peonies, Photo Challenge, photography, pink, Wilderness Wednesday

I have tons of photos with pink. It is, after all, my favourite colour. But it’s always nice to share something new.

Last year, I missed a lot of the flowers in my garden. I went to my parents with Little Guy for March Break and came home in June! We thought it was safer to be out of the city, which it probably was, and that this Covid-thing would be under control quickly, which it was not!

It’s still not over, but the flowers don’t seem to care and this year I enjoyed them as much as possible!

It’s only possible to live happily ever after on a day-to-day basis. – Margaret Wander Bonnano

This is my post for Cee Neuner’s Fun Foto Challenge: Pink!

Happy Wednesday!

Wilderness Wednesday: Apple Blossoms

Tags

apple blossoms, flowers, garden, nature, nature photography, photography, pink, trees

I love better to count time from spring to spring; it seems to me far more cheerful to reckon the year by blossoms than by blight.

Donald G. Mitchell

The artist is the confidant of nature, flowers carry on dialogues with him through the graceful bending of their stems and the harmoniously tinted nuances of their blossoms. Every flower has a cordial word which nature directs towards him.

Auguste Rodin

And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.

Anais Nin

Happy Wednesday!

CFFC: Pink Roses

Tags

CFFC, flowers, Photo Challenge, photography, pink, roses

I BELIEVE IN PINK. I BELIEVE THAT LAUGHING IS THE BEST CALORIE BURNER. I BELIEVE IN KISSING, KISSING A LOT. I BELIEVE IN BEING STRONG WHEN EVERYTHING SEEMS TO BE GOING WRONG. I BELIEVE THAT HAPPY GIRLS ARE THE PRETTIEST GIRLS. I BELIEVE THAT TOMORROW IS ANOTHER DAY AND I BELIEVE IN MIRACLES

Audrey Hepburn

Happy Wednesday!

This is my post for Cee Neuner’s Fun Foto Challenge: Pink and Yellow. Since we could choose pink or yellow, or both, I chose pink, because I did yellow sunflowers a couple weeks ago! 🙂

Pink Roses

Tags

#whatsinmycup, food, pink, tea

I believe in pink. I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner. I believe in kissing, kissing a lot. I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles. Audrey Hepburn

3-footed Reticulated Rose Design Castle China, Made in Japan

Demitasse tea cups originated in France in the 1800’s. Demitasse means “half-cup”, and was meant for drinking stronger coffee like espresso or cappuccino, typically served after dinner.

In addition to the glaze inside the cup, which reflects a rainbow sheen in the right light, this tea cup and saucer has a gold, or gilt edging. This luxurious detail was often painted on the edges of plates, cups, bowls, and other pieces. Depending on the age and condition of the piece, the gilt edge may be worn or spotted.

At one time, in an effort to create unique designs for upper class tea drinkers, designers added pedestals or feet to their teacups. Little feet (3 or 4) were a delicate addition as they were pieces added by the potter, and more prone to breaking off. They certainly became a conversation pieces to impress “sophisticated” guests.

* * *

My mother-in-law passed away suddenly this weekend, and we are all in shock. She was a sweet lady with a wonderful giggle. I shared many cups of tea with her over the past 20 years and she will be sorely missed by her family. It only seemed appropriate that today’s post would be pink roses, because of all the colours in the rainbow, her favourite was pink!

Resources:

http://demiq-demitasse-cups-saucers.blogspot.ca/2011/03/history-of-cup-saucer.html

https://blog.englishteastore.com/2013/03/26/why-do-some-teacups-have-feet/

P is for Pink

Tags

#atozchallenge, flowers, photography, pink, Wilderness Wednesday

My favourite colour!

Pink isn’t just a color, it’s an attitude! – Miley Cyrus

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Happy Wednesday!

 

WPC: The Road Taken

Tags

flowers, garden, Photo Challenge, photography, pink, Weekly Photo Challenge

For this week’s challenge, show us something that surprised you on “the road taken.”

I was looking for a different photo when I found this again!

Last Spring, I went for a walk (possibly the only one last Spring) and was surprised by a single pink peony waving at me between the slats of a white picket fence. Luckily it was just down the street, so I hightailed it home to grab my camera.

It’s still winter here, though it has been milder than in recent years. The snow has melted, leaving behind a world of grays and browns. I’m looking forward to the return of colour!

I believe in pink. I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner. I believe in kissing, kissing a lot. I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles. -Audrey Hepburn

To see more photos, click here.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Symbol

Tags

photography, pink, Weekly Photo Challenge

The pink ribbon is a widely recognized symbol for breast cancer, and it’s become a personal symbol.

Last July, two of my “La Village” friends, were diagnosed with breast cancer. Both underwent surgeries and treatments, and they are doing well. They are both amazing examples of what it means to joyfully trust God in a scary time.

When I went for my physical this year, I told my Dr. about them, and she agreed to send me for a mammogram.  There was no reason for it save my own peace of mind. This week I had to go back and repeat the breathtaking, woman-handling, plate mashing experience (blue paper dress and icy-handed technician too) again, as well as 2 ultrasounds…and the results are more tests.

Several weeks ago,  I wrote down this Dallas Willard quote: “This will be a test of your joyful confidence in God”. The test may simply be waiting for an appointment, or it may be a greater test. Either way, I am determined to hold on with “joy”.

Pink is more than a colour – it’s an attitude!

To see more “Symbol” photos from others who accepted this week’s challenge, click Weekly Photo Challenge: Symbol.

Cupcakes

Tags

cupcake, food, frosting, happy, humour, pink, sweets

Fluffy, swirled, sweet creations in a pleated paper cup – both pleasing to the eye and pleasing to the palate. With or without sprinkles, just the thought of a cupcake, any size or flavour, makes me want to close my eyes and lick my lips. I can just picture it in my mind, peeling back the paper like a personal gift, and image biting into it, pink icing frosting my lips…Mmmm…What is it about cupcakes that charm us to nibble and savour, regardless of age, race, gender or size?

Originally I was going to write about my recent cooking disasters: Greek Crock-pot Stew with an overwhelming tomato flavour…or the Chicken-Feta Sauce that looked like baby vomit, and had no taste…but who wants to focus on the ‘yuck’ when one can focus on the ‘yum’?

After Morning Break registration yesterday, I called and picked up a friend to go out for a bite of lunch…on the way, we passed a new cupcake store in town. I didn’t even know we had a new cupcake store in town, and since I very rarely travel down main street, I could have been missing out on its delightful creations for far too long. It was closed…but after lunch and a quick emergency run to a grocery store, we cruised down main street again and the cupcake store’s neon sign said “OPEN”! Hang a right, swing around the block, park, and walk quickly and directly to said store! How could we pass up such an amazing opportunity to indulge? We had, after all, just consumed a relatively nutritious lunch and it was time for dessert.

It is a very small store painted in pink (is there any other colour when you’re selling cupcakes??), but she offered 8 different flavours, each one with a swirled dollop of icing on top! It was hard to choose between Key Lime, Double Chocolate, Black Forest, Lemon Delight, Super Fudge…I finally chose Coconut Crème…and it was divine!

The first commercial cupcake was made in the early 1900’s, and since 2004, cupcake sales have been trending higher every year. Is it that cupcakes are just for us – a little bit of sweetness and colour, and a return to childhood when we were happy and carefree? Is it the size – small enough to eat without overwhelming guilt while still satisfying our craving for something sweet? I may not understand the psychology behind our love for cupcakes, so whatever the flavour (in my new favourite place), I’m just going to indulge from time to time, and savour every bite when I do.

Strike!

Tags

cupcake, family, food, pink

It finally snowed on Saturday, and it was mild enough to go out and make a snowman. So I dropped everything and out we went! It would have been even better if I could have found my new snow pants. I haven’t owned snow pants in over 20 years, so I bought some in October so I could play in the snow…and so far we’ve had a pretty snowless winter! Now I have a small snowman winking at me from the front lawn…and I will have to hunt for my craft buttons in the Spring once he’s melted!

3 loads of laundry later, and a few other assorted jobs, I started to bake brownies for Saturday night’s event. I did get more flour in the brownies than on me…honest! I’m not sure what happened, but these brownies took more than twice the amount of time to bake, and they rose like cake. I had to crank the oven temperature and check on them every 3 minutes because it was almost time to head out. That meant all the time I’d left to fix my hair and get dressed was spent running up and down the stairs between my bedroom and my kitchen. I lost count of the number of tops I tried on and I’m hoping what I ended up with, worked. My hair, on the other hand, went straight from the shower into a ponytail (I didn’t even take time to brush it). The brownies went straight from the oven on to a couple of trivets in the trunk of the car, the pan wrapped in newspaper. I out icing on at the church. At least one thing is predictable in my life…I have the gift of messing up baking!

I can finally say I did something new…Ok, I have bowled before, but that was many, many years ago. The Weekend Edition Group (20-60ish) at our church organized a bowling event for kids and adults. The kids played 5 pin and the adults played 10 pin. Wives and husbands could not be on the same team. When it wasn’t my turn, I got to hold a 7 month old baby boy with the biggest blue eyes. It’s been hard to relinquish my dream of more kids, so playing with little people really comforts that part of my heart.

Now, while I was not the top scorer (by any stretch of the imagination), I was amazed at how well I did! Ok, I got a lot of gutter balls (I seemed to send it down the middle and it would curve at the last minute…or it would ride the edge along the gutter half way down the lane before falling in) – I’m very talented! I even knocked them all down once…and of course, no one was looking. So I’m jumping up and down, and screaming…until I turned around and realized I was dancing on my own. Oops…that was embarrassing! But best of all, I had a hot pink bowling ball!

After bowling, we all went back to the church to gorge on pizza and lots of dessert. I may be walking funny for a few days, especially heading up and down stairs. By home time Saturday night, my left knee and right wrist were hurting, and my back was aching a little (although I really expected I’d be in traction after the first throw). Yesterday, my worst spot was not one I had anticipated…my rear end! I guess the lunging with the ball stretched my gluteus maximus! I had a really good time, but what a ‘pain in the butt’ – literally!