Salute!

A hero is someone
Who has given his or her life
To something bigger than oneself.
Joseph Campbell

Memorial Day
2014

I hope that you have had a wonderful Memorial Day taking time to reflect on the meaning of this special day. We often take our freedoms for granted, but today gives us pause to reflect on the valiant men and women who sacrificed all for those freedoms. 

One young woman, Michele Marcum, shared her thoughts on what this day means. Michele lost her brother nine years ago. Read her moving account here at TAP'S Blog. 

A favorite quote from her post:

"Being a true Patriot means that we actively seek ways to honor the fallen by teaching the living."

What more can we do? To forget is unforgivable!

Hoping your "unofficial start to summer" is off to a great beginning. Good wishes for a pleasant week! 

Susan

Linking up with Mosaic Monday

at 

Little Red House

Life's a Beach...with flowers!

A change of scenery is always good. A change of scenery with our boy, his sweet wife, and her dear parents... just the best! Spent several days last week on the Gulf of Mexico in great company. While the weather was iffy and the breezes on the cool side, it was a very special time of fun, good food, beautiful views, and relaxation. 

Now, it's back to the real world, we spent the morning washing windows, inside and out. Life goes on! A brief trip to the hydrangea bush for some lovelies for Jane's party was most rewarding. This little bush is putting on quite a show... over 4 dozen hydrangea blossoms in various states of bloom! 

Hydrangeas have found a home again on the kitchen window sill! 

If you are interested, last week's post also featured flowers... on the patio. A real hodge-podge of flowers from my yard and the side of the road! 

Here's a peek...

Life is good ... even if I'm not at the beach. 

Hurrying over the Jane's to see all the pretty petals at her Flowers in the House party! 

Also joining Mosaic Monday at The Little Red House.

Hope you have a splendid week... wherever you are!

Susan

This and That...

 A tin flower that we could not resist bringing home with us surrounded by some of the pretties now in bloom.

 Flowers for a small celebration for two of "my girls" from our former child development center days. As the closing of the center approached last June, staff made plans to move on to new career paths. We got together to celebrate the graduation of one from Mercer University with her Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood/Special Education. The other is completing her training in neuromuscular therapy and was nominated to represent her technical college in the state GOAL competition... she was first runner up... representing nearly 200,000 students! 

Blue and pink hydrangea bushes are bursting into bloom! 

Lots of opportunity to play with light and shadows. The retirement magnolia has over a dozen buds. The newly planted hostas are sending up flowers. The confederate jasmine is making a comeback after way too much cold weather. The roses are blooming along the split rail fence.

There's much to see and enjoy in our little neck of the woods these days. I am appreciating all this loveliness a lot more after the cold weather and rain seemed to drag on forever. Hope you are seeing new life in your neighborhood, too. Planned on joining Mosaic Monday to see what's happening all around, but due to severe weather problems no MM this week!

Hope you have a wonderful week!
Smiles...
Susan

i carry your heart...

 

The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother never. A mother is something absolutely new. And so in you the child, your mother lives on and through your family continues to live...so at this time, look after yourself and your family as you would your mother, for through you all, she will truly never die. 

Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh

I didn't intend to do a Mother's Day post... I have written about my mama last year here and here on Mama's birthday, too. Then today while looking for family pictures to send a cousin, I found this one and the quote...

 

By today's standards, she would not be extraordinary, while 62 years ago a woman her age (41 1/2 when I was born) would have more likely been a grandmother rather than mama to a six year old and six month old. She was asked on many occasions by well meaning folks about her "grandchildren," always graciously saying we were her blessings with no generation between. She taught by example. I hope that in the ways that count, I am following her lead. 

e.e. cummings said it perfectly... "i carry your heart (i carry it in my heart)." She is always in my heart...she lives on through me, my brother, and her grandchildren. 

Happy Mother's Day! Hope you have a wonderful week...Susan

Anticipation…

One of the most delightful things about a garden
is the anticipation it provides.
W. E. Johns

Winter was a long drawn out affair this year. Cold weather in South Georgia is suppose to be an occasional thing...maybe a few near freezing mornings with a couple below freezing... most days should have lows of 40ish with highs near 60 or so, but not so this year! April, the first full month of Spring, should have been warm with a bit of cool weather just before Easter, but not so this year! 

However, all the unfamiliar cool and rainy springtime days were made bearable by my garden discovery...
two (yippee two!) peony buds! I purchased, via ebay, a variety of peony plants last spring. The kind seller shared information, but not much encouragement that peonies would flourish this far south. 

Well, even if these are the only two of the season...they were sensational and so worth the wait! Perhaps the unusually cold winter made them feel more at home? Whatever...I could not be happier with the outcome. They were so worth the wait!

Hope your week is filled with all things that bring you contentment and joy!
Smiles...Susan

Linking to Mosaic Monday. Please visit and see what's happening on this lovely Monday in May!