Lovers of the Printed Word

Cozy Corner

Fioré loves a good book

Especially if it's in the sunshine

Sarah prefers a newspaper

also in the sun...

Long ago, July 20, 2009, in a post titled "Sarah Plain and Long" (and often confused with my views on S*arah P*alin) I promised that I would share if these two gals ever learned to get along. They didn't. It's mayhem and bedlam here most days. I'm always grateful when they settle down with some reading material.

Blueberries

My aunt once had a visitor exclaim over a collection, "Oh! You collect cows!"

"No," my aunt replied, "My sister-in-law just thinks that I do."

Berry Apron with Blueberries and Blueberry Scented Candles

That's pretty much how it is with me. My mother (my aunt's sister-in-law) thinks that I collect blueberries. My sister does, too. So I have quite a few blueberry-related items about.

Blueberry Mugs

Now I am not denying that I love blueberries, especially wild Maine ones. If you've never eaten a wild blueberry, you are definitely missing out. Not wanting you to miss out, I'll let you know before this post is over what you can do about it. Heck, I even missed out this season and I live here!

Blueberry Bean Pot

I've never used the blueberry bean pot. Seems like a lot of mixed metaphors there. Anyway, its home is on the second shelf of the telephone table and there I keep it very well. Talk about mixed metaphors! Beans, berries, and now pumpkins?

So this is the message of the day: If you don't have access to wild blueberry fields, you can go to your local grocery and get some of these...

Wyman's Wild Blueberries

Have a great weekend now...

Summer Days

There shall be eternal summer in the grateful heart. ~Celia Thaxter

Have a great day. I'm off for a few to catch up on promises. ;> Comments are closed. Blessings to you...

I Feel as if I'm Withering

Yes, I really do. Will you keep reading if I promise that this will not be my usual whine?

When life is circling the drain or feels as if it is, it's so easy to focus on the drain. We all know the story of the storm coming up while the Lord slept and the disciples worried. I'm one of those worrying disciples. And we all know the story of the Lord walking on the water when Peter had the faith to join Him and Peter walked on the water as well — for a minute or two. He got in big trouble fast when he started looking at the drain. That's not in the Word for nothing now is it?

A few days ago, my mother brought Nan a bouquet of wonderful flowers from my sister's garden. Included were a lot of colorful daylilies. As my grandmother sat at the breakfast table yesterday morning, she noted that some of the flower combinations were unlike anything she would ever put together. We had fun looking at them with fresh eyes and imagining God at the workbench of Heaven designing them.

Then we decided to paint following a formula/guideline that A Woman Who Is shared in a post titled "I'm Still Here." Neither Nan or I are artists, but we had fun.

Now this is the thing about withering and I learned it some time ago from Karen who always reaches out in times of stress. Withering and circling the drain is NOT for me. So, I am going to reach a bit further in a couple of ways. First, I'm going to add any blog to my blogroll if you have been reading and commenting here. (This was first learned from Kim at Daisy Cottage.) All you have to do is email me and let me know that you'd like your blog to be included. Please also include the link to your blog. (I'll be letting some go, too. It becomes obvious after a while when bloggers have moved on. I understand. If I "let you go" and you want to be back, just let me know as well.) Now this could take some time, but I'll get there eventually.

This morning, directly after posting, I'll add my followers to this page. And I'm going to visit each and every one and thank him or her and become a follower there, too.  Copying Penny with this one. Edited to Add: Okay, I'm three minutes in or so and I already have concerns. Guess that we'll amend this to read "like-minded" blogs. ;>

These things will be a great way for me to get my eyes off that drain!

Happy Tuesday, my friend!

Postcards

Recently, Suzanne (At Home With The Farmer's Wife) suggested that folks could get a postcard from her by just letting her know that one was desired. Cool deal. Mine came a few days ago and gave me the opportunity to send her one in return. John mailed it for me while we were having our day away. Hope that it got that quintessential postmark. I forgot to have him request one. I'm not as rich as Suzanne, but I've got one spare postcard waiting to go somewhere. If you want it, all you have to do is be the first to say so. :D

I should have called this post "Nan's Story" or the "Hospice Story." I'm unwilling to get into details because I don't want to rock the boat as it were. Suffice it to say, M*edicare has very specific guidelines and when an agency is billing M*edicare it must, of course, be careful and above board and follow all directives. Hospice wanted to change some of my grandmother's care and we didn't want it changed. Hence the letting of hospice go. Pretty simple except that it has involved a lot including now paying for the hospital bed and letting the nice little hospital bed table that went with it go. I have just been fighting to keep the mattress. The "bed lady" said, "She doesn't have problems." I said, "Look, Bed Lady, I don't know where you get these ideas because she has every problem in the book. I'll get in touch with her doctor and get it straightened out." If he can't, I'll be finding someone who can! I'm feeling quite irritable and cranky these days.

Nan returned to me weaker than when she left. It's sad to see the ongoing decline. Now I know what my mother means when she says that every time she sees her mother she looks worse than the time before. I used to take that as a comment about my care. It's not. It is what is is...

Okay, back to Suzanne. Honestly, if you need some levity in your life, you must read this blog. Sometimes I howl with laughter. Here's a case in point: Brew for Breakfast. You'll love it!

Island Day~Mosaic Monday

Specifically, B*ailey Island Day

The quilted version

Although it lasted a few short hours, it was wonderful to get away. Beautiful sea. Beautiful sky.

The inscription under the lobsterman statue is this:

Thank you for looking at my mosaics!

Thanks to Mary at Little Red House for hosting this fun weekly event. Have you tried your hand at a mosaic yet? Mary gives all the information you need on her sidebar and it really is a lot of fun. Come join us!

(photos will enlarge even more when clicked upon...click once to open in a new window and again to see at the largest size...)

To Know Him More

Oh, I Want to Know You More!


Just the time I feel
that I've been caught
in the mire of self.
Just the time I feel
my mind's been bought
by worldly wealth.


That's when the breeze begins
to blow I know,
the Spirit's Call.
And all my worldly wanderings
just melt into His Love.


Oh, I want to know You more!
Deep within my soul I want to know You,
Oh, I want to know You.
To feel Your Heart and know Your Mind,
looking in Your eyes stirs up within me,
cries that say I want to know You
Oh, I want to know You more.
Oh, I want to know You more.


When my daily deeds
ordinarily lose life and song,
my heart begins to bleed,
sensitivity to Him is gone.
I've run the race but set my own pace
and face a shattered soul,
Now the Gentle Arms of Jesus
warm my hunger to be whole.


Oh, I want to know You more!
Deep within my soul I want to know You,
Oh, I want to know You.
And I would give my final breath
to know You in Your Death and Ressurrection,
Oh, I want to know You more.
Oh, I want to know You more.


Oh, I want to know You more...

~ Steve Green


Source




If you have the time to listen. (Must turn off playlist at the bottom first.)

Blessings this day and all through the week...