Monarch~September Note Card Party

To A Butterfly

I've watched you now a full half-hour,
Self-poised upon that yellow {purple} flower;
And, little Butterfly! indeed
I know not if you sleep or feed.
How motionless!— not frozen seas
More motionless! — and then
What joy awaits you, when the breeze
Hath found you out among the trees,
And calls you forth again!

This plot of orchard-ground is ours:

My trees they are, my Sister's flowers;

Here rest your wing when they are weary;

Her lodge as in a sanctuary!

Come often to us, fear no wrong;

Sit near us on the bough!

We'll talk of sunshine and of song,

And summer days, when we are young;

Sweet childish days, that were as long

As twenty days are now.

~William Wordsworth

 

Some photos first appeared *here.* This was kind of fun to use the same photo in each card (and one that I had previously used) and fill in around it with odd and sundry photos. Some I had used and others that were just sitting waiting in my folder. I do love my Lacie (exterior hard drive).

So off we go! Let's have us some fun...

Around and Round

That morning glory must love all the rain (it's raining again today) because it has never had so many blooms. While I was trying to take photos of them, John, bless his heart, was counting them. 

He said 27, 28, 29 or maybe even 30!

*~*

Can you believe that it is already time for the Note Card Party? I'm very excited about the new rule. If you don't know about that, please click on the date in my sidebar or on the Note Card Party button. Either will take you to the information you need. I'm going to be a stickler this time! 

Mr. Linky will be up between two and two thirty Eastern Standard Time Tuesday afternoon (tomorrow). It will remain up all day Wednesday and close Thursday morning around 10. 

Psalm 66: 8–9

Let everyone bless God and sing His praises, for He holds our lives in His hands. And He holds our feet to the path. ~Psalm 66: 8–9

Let everything that, 

everything that 

Everything that 

has breath praise the Lord

Let everything that, 

everything that 

Everything that 

has breath praise the Lord

Praise You in the morning 

Praise You in the evening 

Praise You when I'm young 

and when I'm old

Praise You when I'm laughing 

Praise You when I'm grieving 

Praise You every 

season of the soul

If we could see 

how much You're worth 

Your power, 

Your might, 

Your endless love 

Then surely we would 

never cease to praise

Praise You in the heavens 

Join with the angels 

Praising You forever and a day

Praise You on the earth now 

Join with creation 

Calling all the nations to Your praise

If they could see 

how much You're worth 

Your power, 

Your might, 

Your endless love 

Then surely they would 

never cease to praise

I will worship, 

I will worship 

I will worship 

You with every breath

I will worship, 

I will worship 

I will worship 

You with every breath

Prayer changes things and Praise will take you into His presence! Have a blessed day and a blessed week...

Windows No Doors

~Little Red Shed in October~

Little Red Shed is a photo that I dusted off. It was first featured *here.* There's just something about those windows... (ISO 100, exposure 1/250, aperture 2.8 — information taken from Picasa Web Album) 

~atmospheric~

I love my own windows. This has been my view for the last few days: rain, rain, rain. (The setting was A (aperture priority, yet I do not know the aperture as Picasa was no help this time), ISO 100, shutter speed 1/125, and I used the tripod.) It's a pretty accurate representation of the day so I put a frame on it and called it good enough. I had hoped to go out somewhere looking for doors and windows again, weather permitting. It didn't. (The door photo in my header was a practice shot. Nondescript practice shot.) 

Linking with Donna at A Personal Photo Challenge. This month's theme is Windows and Doors. Maybe you have some in your files that you'd like to share with us. 

Thanks to Donna for hosting at this busy and intense time for Jim and herself. (I'm kind of hoping that she won't be seeing this one. ☺)

Happy

So I was reading the final chapters of the book I mentioned yesterday when I began to wonder what John might look like if he were a member of the Duck Dynasty. More on that in a bit.

Two unlikely gals introduced Duck Dynasty to me: Debbie of Words on Wheels and Auntie of Auntie Sezzzzz (Found it!) Oddly enough, both of these wonderful bloggers have pulled a disappearing act. Anyone seen either of them lately? They may be hanging out in Louisiana — groupies!

This is the book I was talking about. I did not expect to like it. John picked up the book that I was hoping to read so, having nothing to read, I went with this one. And I loved it. LOVED it. It is a powerful testimony. At one point, I was reading aloud to John about the part when Phil decided that he would repent. I glanced up to see John's eyes glistening a bit. John had been there once upon a time you see. Neither Phil's story nor John's is mine to tell so you'll just have to read it for yourself!

Now back to that earlier question. What would John look like as a Duck Dynasty dude...

Pretty good if I do say so myself except that he has dimples under there. He shouldn't cover them up!

P.S. Duck Dynasty airs Wednesday nights on A&E at 10 EST. We watch via an A&E app on the iPad.

Puttery Day

Whew-ie...those were some kind of impressive thunderstorms last night! Since I would be challenged to properly describe a storm, I'll urge you to read *Vicki's post* for its vibrant description. Mercifully, our storms did not have quite the intensity of hers.



Who would ever dream that September 11 would be the warmest day of the summer?  It was 92°F in the shade with only the slightest of breezes and terrifically humid. Weird, weird weather. I certainly was not planning any time out of doors.  

Instead, I did what any normal gal would do. I cleaned my kitchen cupboards. 

~my favorite cleaner~

If you read here, you know that I've been planning to paint my kitchen cupboards for approximately six years. Right. I do so hate painting; I'll do almost anything to avoid it. I scrubbed instead and then I decided that since I'd not be painting, I'd cover up a mess with Susan Branch calendar pages.

As you can tell, it really does need some paint, but for now these sweet graphics are going to work. That they are both recipes rather pleases me. And I adore that vintage mixer!

I really wanted to go with the current calendar page...

That wouldn't have been too smart, however.  It is the first time I noticed Susan's message to us for September 11, which I found sweet and dear. No other calendar in my home marks the date with any sort of notation. This was Susan's:

Did you see the turkey plate? Do you think it's too soon? Probably, but as you can tell, a gal must work within her limits and with what she has.

Then I moved on to other puttery things before landing on the sofa reading another new book. I nearly finished it, too. I didn't want to like it, but I loved it. Tell you about that tomorrow perhaps.

This area gets featured a lot since it is my home's "mantel." Funny story: My sister was visiting recently when she saw that vintage photo. Sis wondered who in the family the photo might be. I explained that she was a flea market ancestor. My sister was completely exasperated by that. She now wants me to label all such "ancestors" with this notation: no relation. ☺

~cutest cousins~

Next time she comes, I hope that she recognizes our cousins here. I put them out especially for her.

Better put a bow on it and call it "the end." Thanks for reading!

Remembering

~Flag (Photo taken 9-8-2013)~

If you live in the U.S., have you noticed an abundance of flags flying in the past twelve years? We have. In fact, both John and I first purchased flags to display that year. The entire town is covered in flags — one on every street post, and most homes display a flag. This became a way to show unity after the tragedy atrocity of September 11, 2001. 

The protocol for flying the flag today is half-mast and John says he'll be out there soon lowering ours. (It should have been done at dawn.) It goes to full staff at sunset.  

There's something very special to me about seeing a flag fluttering in the breeze. There are still many reasons to be concerned about world events today; there are still many reasons to be concerned about the country today. The world is not a nicer, safer place since 9-11. Someday it will be again. Until then, we put our hope in The Lord and trust in His Word.

~~~

Thank you for all the cookie suggestions. Some have made me really want to try your recipes...chocolate pudding chocolate chip cookies? Oh yum! I had no idea that there were so many Snickerdoodle lovers among my friends. ☺ 

Lisa suggested Pumpkin Molasses Cookies from Mennonite Girls Can Cook. So now we have some in the can! I doubt that they'll be staying there for long.(Thank you, Lisa!♥)

I need to take lessons in photography from Betty! With photographs like mine, the Mennonite Girls will not be thanking me. Just take my word for it: These are exceptionally delicious.

Feels Like Autumn

                                      

The air is chilly. It's going to rain. It will not be a perfect autumn day out of doors, but it will be as perfect as I can create indoors.

This little photo to the left represents hours spent at Pinterest perusing other gals' Autumn or Fall Boards. I was going to provide a link to each of them and then realized that these are the sorts of things we did before Pinterest, but not so much now. Instead, I created an Autumn Board of my own using so many of my friends' pins. What delights you have been gathering! There's enough inspiration there to last for years.

Some weeks ago now, I promised John a batch of cookies. I don't know about you, but I do not like baking cookies. They take so long to bake with all those 10–12 minute interruptions. ☺ He doubtingly asked when. I said that it would have to get much colder.  Now he's been watching for frost warnings like crazy. Just last night, as I was reading the final pages of *A Fine Romance, he said, "It's going to be 28° tonight."

I slapped my book shut and started up from the chair. Those were action words and I had some gathering of plant covers to do. He started to laugh and then had to confess that he was lying just to get some cookies. What a scamp! I think he wanted to know if I could still move. I've had my nose in one book or another for days.

*Speaking of A Fine Romance, I linked to two blogs at the end of my post on Branch and Hedgerows where the blessed gals went to book signings, if you'd be interested. Both gals had their photos taken with Susan and one even found Joe in the parking lot in that beautiful van of theirs. He seems like such a good sport!

I'd just like to add that finishing the book may have given me the same sort of feeling that Susan and Joe had about leaving England behind. I'll be leaving it handy by so that I can dip back in again and enjoy whatever page I land on. It's that kind of a book.

Now if I were to bake John some cookies today, what would you suggest?

Late Summer

For the man sound of body and serene of mind there is no such thing as bad weather; every day has its beauty, and storms which whip the blood do but make it pulse more vigorously. ~George Gissing

~Late Summer Mosaic~

Hmmmm... Apparently, I am not serene of mind nor sound of body. It was a foul autumn in 2012; winter was vile; it was a truly rotten spring; summer was not so great either. What does it mean when the entire year was a weather bust?

It's why I am so looking forward to autumn 2013 and hoping for better weather ahead, both figuratively and literally.

~-~

Moving on to more cheery thoughts—have you tried these? Brownie Brittle they're called and so good, if you enjoy the crunchy bits of brownies, which I do. Six of these squares equal a serving for a total of 120 calories. One might, if she were very good, get away with eating just one and it would be enough chocolate to last for a few minutes. ☺ (No, I am not being compensated in any way to say this. We just tried them and we like them. Pssttt... Brownie Brittle people, you can send a case to Vee in Maine. Thank you.)

Those wondering how the rules will shake down for the note card party should check the new rules soon to be posted on the Note Card Party page, which can be reached by clicking on either the date in my sidebar for the Note Card Party or on the button also in my sidebar. I think everyone will be happy or nearly everyone will be happy. I know that I'm happy! No, really. I am happy.

~not my house~

Leaving you with a photo of some beautiful window boxes. They're not as fine as they were in August as they are becoming a bit leggy, but still so pretty on yesterday afternoon's drive home from the apple orchard. Soon the lady of the house will be decorating for autumn with pumpkins and bittersweet...then Christmas with evergreens and pine cones, but don't let me get ahead of myself.

A marvelous new week to you...

Apple Orchard Afternoon

Such a pretty apple orchard afternoon it was. The quote is included because a dear friend stopped me after church to say "thank you" for a plaque that I once gave her with this on it. She is a school teacher who has been feeling a bit discouraged wondering if her years of teaching have made any difference. She says that when she sees that quote, she is encouraged. I don't recall giving her this gift. However, I am thankful that God can use such seemingly little things. I'm thinking that they are the big things after all.

This is a maybe Mosaic Monday. I'm not quite sure if Mary is back yet. If so, I'll be linking up. If not, I'll catch her another Sunday.

Forever

The grass withers, the flower fades: but the Word of our God shall stand forever. ~Isaiah 40:8

Blessings to you and yours today!

Dear Note Card Partiers,

And all those who might like to be...

After our August party, I hinted that there might be something new in the works. Before any more time gets away, I thought we should discuss it. Actually, some of us have already been discussing it behind the scenes.

~Four~

Just as a refresher, the rule has been to find four previously used photographs that would work well as a set of note cards. The photographs could even be recent additions. Some have felt that using recent additions is too repetitive in such a short time span.

This is the problem in a nutshell: some newer bloggers and some less frequent bloggers do not have a lot of material to work with; some older bloggers do not want to work with the material they have. ☺ 

Sooo this is what I would like you to consider:

1. Leaving things just as they are

2. Amending the rules to allow one (or more) photograph/s formerly used with whatever new photographs are needed to round out the foursome. (That four card set is very important to me because it keeps the visiting and commenting process easier for all of us.)

3. A combination of both 1 and 2 — do it any way that works for you.

Some have suggested allowing four entirely new photographs and I'm reluctant to do that because there's something important to me about looking back through the archives to find what one can find. That's where the idea sprang from in the first place.

So, if you have an opinion on this, please leave it right here in comments. I'd love to hear from you!


P.S. The new rules are up and posted on the Note Card Party page reached by clicking on the date for the party or the button for the party...both in my sidebar.

Fresh Tomato Galette

Oh yes. It was good. Very.

The recipe? Simple.

Crescent rolls, mozzarella and provolone cheese, fresh, ripe tomatoes drizzled with olive oil, a bit of sea salt, and five olives cut in half. ☺ Bake at 350F for 20 minutes.

Kati! Can you believe it? I have finally landed on the correct day. =D

Branch and Hedgerows

Funny little story for you...not ha ha funny necessarily, but you will be able to call me Dorothy after this.

I was visiting *Brenda at Coffee Tea Books and Me* one day recently where she was discussing Susan Branch's new book A Fine Romance. Brenda wrote about the book in such glowing terms that I promptly ordered it using my daughter's card. Ahem. That doesn't sound good, but my daughter knew all about it and has already been paid.

My daughter had also ordered books and I ordered other books and they came as they were ready and not all in one delivery. A Fine Romance was in the delayed category and so, as my mind is wont to do, it forgot. Not I forgot; my mind forgot. Right. That makes me feel better.

Anyway, one day I heard a rap at the door and it wasn't the sheriff this time and so I collected a package addressed to my daughter. Said package sat on my kitchen table for the remainder of the week with me wondering when daughter would arrive to pick it up. Then my mind clanked into gear and I began to wonder if that book looked like the right size to be... Hmmm... Could it? Should I open the package to find out? I could just lift that bit there.  I'd hate to be caught snooping. (Not that that has ever happened before!)

Sure enough. My book was sitting there all that time. I could have been reading it for days!

A book review? I don't usually give them, but I will say that this book is a delightful, easy read. You will appreciate the details of the journey that Susan shared bits of on her blog over a year ago now. You'll find yourself grinning as you imagine trying to learn how to drive on the opposite side of the road while a passenger wishes to test your powers of concentration. Cracked me up! Then I would read and be grateful that I have recently watched so much television from the BBC because I understood whatever was being discussed a little better.

Take for instance hedgerows. Because I've watched Tales from the Green Valley and Edwardian Farm (Episode 3, minute 47) where the process of making hedgerows was shown, I could appreciate the discussion and the photos. I had so enjoyed watching the pulling brush over and piling it high with bracken and pinning it in and the creating of this incredible organism where wild flowers, berries, and small animals live.

I asked John, "Why don't we make hedgerows in this country?" He said, "Because we use barbed wire." Isn't that charming? Not. Yet, I discovered that we do have some hedgerows in the U.S. *here,* just in case you're interested in making one. And here's *another great UK site*  about creating hedgerows where I learned that not all hedgerows are created in the same ways. It depends on its location.

But back to the book where there's everything one could possibly hope to enjoy about time spent in England — tea, recipes, friends, flowers, Beatrix Potter, poetry, shops, ships... and all written in that lovely print that is Susan's signature style. You'll leap merrily through going from hedgerows on one page to magnetic soap on the next. Go ahead, order one, if you haven't already. Put it on your daughter's card.

☺


P.S. Just popping in two Susan Branch book signing sightings:
1. Karen at A Scrapbook of Inspiration
2. Relevant Tea Leaf

Such fun to see!

A Cool Maine Morning or What's for Breakfast?

This was the breakfast table this morning...coffee, bill paying, and package wrapping. (It's on its way, Cheryl!)

I found it all too ho-hum for the first chilly morning of the season. We needed an oven going and to try something new. Blessed me! I remembered *Judy's Pannukakku.* That's Finnish pancake for the rest of us.

Don't you love something that looks marvelous in the oven? It's all very exciting!

Even John was interested, though when I was telling him about Pannakuakku, I mentioned that Judy said that it tasted more like a popover than a pancake. He said, "Ohhhhh, that's not good." I gave him a questioning look. Seems he thought that I had said pot holder. No, that would not be good.

~half the recipe~

No potholder there. It was delicious! Light with a bit of crunch on the edges. I served it with butter and maple syrup. Oh yum. I also make a Dutch Baby that we have enjoyed; however, this was even more pleasing because it is lighter on the tummy. So this is a two thumbs up recipe and we're retiring the Dutch Baby. We retired the Swedish pancakes long ago.

And now, just because the oven was going anyway and I can, I am baking a *Peach Dump Cake.* It's going to be a great day!

Post Clog

Now that's the greatest title ever!

Does your post line-up go on into the future for days and days? Sometimes mine does. I'm deleting a whole bunch of them momentarily, but this is what I once thought would make interesting posts. Prepare to be amazed bored out of your trolley...

I was going to chat about a quilt fundraiser...long gone now...though, it was cool walking into the barn to find this quilt high up on the barn wall with the posterboard photos flanking it on either side.

The beauty of a caterpillar eaten leaf might have been discussed...

When I didn't discuss my new Paula Deen pan, I felt ugly. Not at all lovely like the pretty blue on the bottom of this big old pan. Wish that I could have afforded an entire set of pans. Wish that I could have taken out an ad in the Wall Street Journal saying, "You were done wrong!"

I was going to show you my new dishcloths that Judy made while traveling across the country. WHICH REMINDS ME! I have a cookbook to give away. Hold that thought!

Perhaps I wished to share this first bit of color...pale melon leaves in with their green brothers.

Chatting about broccoli was somewhere on the list...and the fact that if you just take the head, you'll get two smaller heads next time IF you have enough of a growing season. Fascinating, say what? 

Okay, enough small talk, I have the names ready and all that remains is for John to arrive home and pluck one from the bowl. I'll pop in that information just as soon as it becomes available. Hope you win!

P.S. Congrats to Cheryl at Thinking About Home who has won a copy of Celebrations ~ Mennonite Girls Can Cook!

Labor Day

Hope that you've enjoyed a break from all your labors today as we end the last holiday weekend of summer. Nothing like going out with a bang. In our case, it was with a splash.

We have been having a pretty quiet holiday weekend. I have been most blessed all the same. John was taking notes during the sermon Sunday and pointed one of them out to me. It said, "Lunch?" So after church, we zipped off in my car leaving John's truck in the parking lot. This is only a problem when we forget to pick it back up on our way by. We have forgotten more than a few times.

So it was a lunch, three flea markets, and an ice cream Sunday afternoon. We had been out for ice cream Saturday evening as well. That's when John announced that he'd be having a banana split. He couldn't remember the last time he'd had one, which makes it altogether too long ago. So he had his split and I had a small hot fudge sundae. Yummo!

This morning started with coffee, Bible study on tv, and breakfast at our local haunt. The parking lot was packed with cars from all over. I feel sorry for those poor people who must return to Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, and Connecticut. It means that summertime in Vacationland is over.

~look at those drips!~

Labor Day 2013 is one that many, including my grands, had counted on to be sunny, yet has been rainy and miserable. We needed a canoe to get to the door both at the restaurant and at our own home.

We have just returned from visiting the disappointed grands. I had some Smarties to deliver and some pillowcases I had made, and some fun little workbooks, and a cake pan shaped like a baseball glove, and some cupcakes and cookies. I hope that it helps with the sorrow of missing out on a beach day and a BBQ.

~my favorite candy from Canada~

Oh and we made a lovely trade...they got Smarties from Canada and we got toffee. ☺

Enjoy the remainder of your day!

...Sufficient Unto the Day

is the trouble (evil) therein. ~Matthew 6:34b KJV

Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes. ~Matthew 6:34 The Message

So do not worry or be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will have worries and anxieties of its own. Sufficient for each day is its own trouble. ~Matthew 6:34 Amplified

So don’t be anxious about tomorrow. God will take care of your tomorrow too. Live one day at a time. ~Matthew 6:34 Living Bible

However one slices it, the people of God are not supposed to get anxious about tomorrow's issues. I began feeling nervous in July about the coming winter and how the oil bills would be paid. It seems rather silly of me today. Perhaps it is why I have had an AAB (arbitrary autumn ban) on the blog until today. Anyway, I'll be ordering the first tank of oil Tuesday morning and it will be paid in full. Thank you, Lord!

I also note that this verse does not say not to plan for tomorrow; It says not to worry about tomorrow. A difference I think. I must remember not to allow the planning to become a stew.

Happy September to you! Happy kicking off of an autumn season, though I'll cling to summer through to the end. Still, there is a blush on the trees, the garden has slowed, and there is a nip in the morning that can not be denied. Let us savor each day.