“In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: It Goes On.”
Robert Frost

Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Summer Days Dwindling Down

You're thinking.... "Wow, she finally posted something!". Yes, I know, I've been neglecting my blog and all of you far too long! It's been over a month since my last post and I do apologize for disappearing from blog-land without even a mention.  It seems that life gets in the way sometimes.... house guests, mini-vacations, etc...

I left in the heat of summer and now am returning to almost fall like temperatures outside today. Before I turn the page on summer I have a few things I want to share with you today.

First of all I have some Happy Mail that I received over the summer.

This first image is of a wonderfl collection of crystals that my dear blog friend Stacy sent me... she has a lovely blog called Magic Love Crow. Thank you Stacy, I really love these!


The large crystal in back is "Clear" quartz, it is used to clear the air. Next is an upturned white heart which is Selenite, it is said it holds no negativity.  In front is a Heart shaped Rose quartz crystal which is for love and peace.  More rose quartz and then the ones that almost look like purple jelly beans are Amethyst, they are for all over good healing.

I know all of those things to be true, for when I hold them in my hands, I love how they feel. Rolling them through my fingers and looking at them really do give me a sense of calm, perhaps similar to holding prayer beads... but maybe more.... below are some fascinating things that quartz is used for....

Here are some other amazing things quartz is used for...

Quartz (silica) source

As a crystal, quartz is used as a semiprecious gem stone. Crystalline varieties include amethyst, citrine, rose quartz, smoky quartz, etc. Cryptocrystalline forms include agate, jasper, onyx, etc. Because of its piezoelectric properties quartz is used for pressure gauges, oscillators, resonators and wave stabilizes; because of its ability to rotate the plane of polarization of light and its transparency in ultraviolet rays, it is used in heat-ray lamps, prism and spectrographic lenses. Also used in manufacturing glass, paints, abrasives, refractory materials and precision instruments. Silica is also used in manufacture of computer chips, glass and refractory materials.


Next I want to share a few photos of my late summer garden, taken a couple of weeks ago.  If you look closely, you will see a pretty Black Swallow-tail Butterfly in the phlox.  This butterfly was almost constantly fluttering its wings and I must have taken about 20 bad images before I even got this just OK one!


 Below are just a couple of photos of the phlox and day lilies.









And then there was more Happy Mail....

Another blog friend over in the UK recently closed down her brick and mortar store and is now selling only online.  I ordered a few books and cards from her and this is one that I simply adore! The book is titled Hand in Hand to Fairyland and the image is by Rene Cloke. Thank you Barbara, I loved every thing so much! You must visit her shop and blog March of Time Books.






And even More Happy Mail...

And now summer is dwindling down to just a few more days but another blog friend has jump started my Fall decorating by informing me that I had won her blog contest and she sent me these fantastic new and vintage decor and crafting items! Wow! I was thrilled! Thank you Pam!  Make sure to visit her at Virginia Retro blog. And yes Pam, I saw your post and I do know I am one of those lazy bloggers! Hahaha!

But look at this, Pam made that adorable card for me and look how it perfectly matches my old tablecloth! Darling!




Here are all the goodies I won from Pam's blog contest! 
Cute, Cute, Cute!






To finish off my post today, I want to share a little page from the 1960's book, Music Through the Year, art by Robert J. Lee, poem by Rose Flyeman.






Happy Fall to All!
I promise I will visit every one of your blogs and I WILL be back soon!
~~ Diane ~~ 




Monday, August 3, 2015

A Few Favorite Things

Here are just a few of my favorite things! 
And they all are from my own back yard and home....

Baby Ducks... Wood Ducks... taken late June...






A few shots of our flowers around the back gate and in the inside the yard. I'm happy to report that we now have two kinds of bumble bees in our yard and a few more butterflies have been visiting. Still no sign of any frogs though.















 A berry trifle for our house guests!



 Going into the back yard from the lakeside. The flowers love to grow here and hang in front of the gate.  We've had a super abundance of bunnies this year and they apparently love those tall blue flowers, sorry, I can't remember the name, but they reseed easily and end up in unexpected places....


 Guests for dinner? Well yes, these bunnies decided to dine with us, 
alfresco of course!




 We dined on grilled baby squash, potatoes and chicken....



 And the bunnies had their own feast!




 The next day Dot oversees the back yard, 
.....see her paw, there's a dot at the tip....



 Some daylilies, bee balm and a few weeds next to the lake shore....



 Guy is a very well behaved boy on his leash.



 Guy hanging out with Dot!


Guy finds something in the grass and stands on the leash...
 Dot says...... Hey, Hey, get offa my Leash!!




 My view from a back yard bench... this is why I find it hard to leave.




 A view of our little lake over the flowers...



 When I took this the phlox were just starting to bloom... I'm behind on my photos more will be coming soon!




 There are a few patches of swamp milkweed next to the lake-shore, I've seen a few pairs of Monarch butterflies doing a mating 'dance' mid-air!






These cheerful Yellow day-lilies always brighten my day, as I hope they've brightened yours!


Thank you for joining me and taking a look at some of my favorite things...
Diane 
~ Peace ~ 
~ Love for All ~