Friends

This was a fun photo I snagged from a copyright free sight. Just  reminded me of being out with the girls!

Finally getting over a week long cold. I think this fickle Southern California weather was the cause. NOT complaining ~ just saying! Life went on even if I couldn't participate much. Both my husband and I turned a year older. Too bad you can't put age on hold like everything else when you're sick!

Last night Bill & Laureen took us out for sushi to celebrate our birthdays. Today a couple of my girlfriends are taking me to breakfast to celebrate my birthday. Friends are so precious and dear. I treasure the friendships I have so much. Worldly riches come and go, but true friends are with you forever. True friendship, in my book, is valued far above diamonds and gold. My friends are priceless. 

I have so many great examples of true friends. They help me be a better friend. It's the simple little things friends do like calling to check on you, bringing by a bowl of chicken soup when you're sick, offering to run your errands, etc. that make such a difference in your life. Little random acts of kindness that really aren't "little" at all ~ every offering is treasured. 

Success

By Edgar A Guest

I hold no dream of fortune vast,

Nor seek undying fame.

I do not ask when life is past

That many know my name.

I may not own the skill to rise

To Glory’s topmost height,

Nor win a place among the wise,

But I can keep the right.

And I can live my life on earth

Contented to the end,

If but a few shall know my worth

And proudly call me friend.

Thinking

When An Old Man Gets to Thinking

Edgar A. Guest

When an old man gets to thinking of the years he's traveled through,

He hears again the laughter of the little ones he knew.

He isn't counting money, and he isn't planning schemes;

He's at home with friendly people in the shadow of his dreams...

Dad's 92nd Birthday

This past Saturday was my Dad's 92nd birthday! We had a family party to celebrate this extraordinary occasion! Mom has been gone a year and a half now. She is greatly missed but it was nice to get together at Dad's home to visit and eat cake together! 

My dad loves chocolate - there is no other flavor of sweets in his book! I made my Chocolate Pound Cake and decorated it with Chocolate Buttercream frosting.  You can get my recipe here. The tissue paper flower on top was a fun little project which brought back memories of making them for dance decorations in the 70's!  

Happy Birthday Dad! I love you always.

"...This precious work of liberty..."

I love Old Glory

From "The Boy and the Flag" by Edgar A. Guest:

I want my boy to know the best,

I want him to be great;

I want him in Life's distant West,

Prepared for any fate.

I want him to be simple, too,

Though clever, ne'er to brag,

But, Oh! I want him, through and through,

To love his country's flag.

I want to give my thanks today for brave young men and women who are sacrificing a comfortable lifestyle to fight to protect our freedom here in this great land of America. I have two children serving in the Armed Forces at this time. They make me proud. 

I pray each day for the physical and emotional safety of each of our brave men and women who are defending this land and the freedoms we enjoy. 

God Bless the USA.

Happy May Day!

I have fond childhood memories of making May Day cones out of paper doilies with my mom. We would fill them with flowers from our yard and sneak around the neighborhood, hanging them on doorknobs and trying not to get caught. We don't celebrate May Day in the United States so much. I'm glad my mom had that lovely tradition in our home.

You can read more about May Day here.

"... in Humbleness Rejoice to Do My Bit O' Service Here"

a few dresses I made for Little Dresses For Africa

Edgar A. Guest wrote a poem called, "Service". Here is just a portion of that poem:

You never hear the robins brag about the sweetness

of their song...

Lord, as the robins, let me serve!

To make this world a better place, an' happier

for my fellow man.

If gift o' mine can cheer his soul an' hearten him

along his way

Let me not keep that talent hid; I would make 

use of it to-day.

An' since the robins ask no praise, or pay for all their songs o' cheer,

Let me in humbleness rejoice to do my bit o' service here."

Now my mother would argue that sewing is not one of my talents and she would be correct! However, I really enjoyed this humanitarian project we did at Church. We ended up making over 100 dresses at our little activity.  A nurse from our group traveled to Kenya with Operation Smile and was able to deliver the dresses personally.
My mom and her sister Verona were always sewing or crocheting items to give away. They are no longer on this earth and I sure miss them. But their legacy of service lives on and has been such a great example to me. Funny thing about service. It really is true that the more love you give away the more love you have to give. It is just one of the ways we can express our love for the Lord.
"...Inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of these....ye have done it unto me." Matthew 25:40.

On Butterflies and Birds

photo taken in Butterfly Jungle by Annie R 

Creation

By Edgar A. Guest

I never see a butterfly

Or hear a singing bird,

But what in some strange manner I

Am very deeply stirred.

Who first conceived the tender wings

On which it seeks the rose?

Has human thought such lovely things

To fashion and disclose?

O singing bird upon a tree!

Has ever human mind

Contrived to solve the mystery

Of how you were designed?

Man writes his loftiest thoughts in words,

And builds with brick and stone.

But dreams of butterflies and birds

Belong to God alone.

Photo of Lorikeet taken by Annie R

Just recently I had the opportunity to go to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park in Escondido, California with my dad and some of our family members. Visit their website at  http://www.sdzsafaripark.org . At this time of year the Butterfly Jungle is alive with thousands of brightly colored butterflies from all over the world. Some of them are so intricate. There are so many beautiful creations on this earth. Take the time today to go outside and see what you can find! 

The Simple Things

The Simple things

By Edgar A. Guest

I would not be too wise – so very wise

That I must sneer at simple songs and creeds,

And let the glare of wisdom blind my eyes

To humble people and their humble needs.

I would not care to climb so high that I

Could never hear the children at their play,

Could only see the people passing by,

And never hear the cheering words they say.

I would not know too much – too much to smile

At trivial errors of the heart and  hand,

Nor be too proud to play the friend the while,

Nor cease to help and know and understand.

I would not care to sit upon a throne,

Or build my house upon a mountain – top,

Where I must dwell in glory all alone

And never friend come in or poor man stop.

God grant that I may live upon this earth

And face the tasks which every morning brings

And never lose the glory and the worth

Of humble service and the simple things.

I have a very old book titled, Collected Verse of Edgar A. Guest which is the inspiration for this blog of mine.  Mr. Guest has said,  "I take simple everyday things that happen to me and I figure it happens to a lot of other people and I make simple rhymes out of them."
You may read about him if you visit http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/731.
I truly enjoy the simple pleasures of making a house a home, no matter what size it may be. This blog will be a place where I can note some of the joys of my everyday life. May those who stumble upon these entries enjoy their visit here. I would request that you not use my photos without permission. Thank you for stopping by!