Stop and Smell the Flowers

"Don't hurry, don't worry.  You're only here for a short visit.  So be sure to stop and smell the flowers."  ~  Walter C. Hagen

Linking to Madge's Weekly Top Shot and Mona's Floral Love

Until next time....

Letters On Friday

Dear Week, you have been busy, busy.  Began the patio project this week and it is almost complete...should be done by the end of the day today.  I LOVE IT!!  I found me a great guy for helping me with this project and he is sticking around to help me clean up and do some re-arranging in the back yard.  It's always a good thing when you find someone that is good and reasonable, trustworthy and shows up on time.

Dear Ladies Luncheon, you were so much fun and tasty. Since the theme of the event was teapots, I decorated a table with all of my Mary Englebreight teapots.  The food was yummy and the after lunch program was presented by an official laughologist, yep you read that correctly, a laugh - ologist...someone who specializes in laughter and it's benefits. She had us performing all sorts of laughing exercises.  Apparently laughing really improves your health.  Maybe that is why I have remained healthy most of my life...I usually laugh everyday, mostly at myself.

Dear Morton Arboretum...you give me such pleasure, especially at this time of the year with your acres of gorgeous trees and blooming spring flowers.

Dear Broken Pipe....I hope you don't cost too much to repair.  It's my own fault, I left the hose hooked up to the outside water faucet over winter which we are told each year to unhook your hoses and put away for the winter, but did I listen to those wise instructions....no.... and apparently it froze and has now decided to burst and cause water to start pouring down my basement walls.  Guess I won't forget that lesson next year.

Dear Dandelions....I love taking your picture, but I don't love you growing in my yard.  Would you please find somewhere else to grow, pretty please.  I promise I will continue to take your picture even if you are not growing in my yard.

Linking to

"In the long run, we shape our lives and we shape ourselves.  The process never ends until we die.  And the choices we make are ultimately our responsibility."  ~  Eleanor Roosevelt

Have a great weekend everyone....

Until next time.....

Letters on Friday & Happy Birthday Blog

Dear Blog....Happy Birthday or is it Happy Anniversary??  Two years ago I hit that "publish" button and I was off and running or I should say posting...!!  It has been a wonderful two years.  Because of you dear blog, I have made so many new friends, even met and enjoyed the company of a few of you, which I highly recommend if ever presented the chance.  Your comments, your encouragement, means the world to me...you have lightened my darkest days, brought me tears and laughter, inspired me, gladdened my heart, and opened up worlds to me.  Never in my wildest did I ever imagine the joy that blogging has brought to me.  Thank you dear blog, I love you. PS...today is the last day to enter my giveaway in celebration and thanks for 2 years.  See details here.  I will publish the winners tomorrow.  

Dear Crab Apple Tree....Goodbye, on Wednesday afternoon you were carted away by tree removers after giving me almost 30 years of spring beauty.  Unfortunately, you suffered from the dreaded diseases of apple scab and fire blight which eventually took your branches away one by one until there was only one left.  I managed to save a few of your branches to enjoy for a few more days.  I loved you

The tree removers....

Dear Spring, this has to be one of the most beautiful springs we have had in many a year.  With the cool weather lasting so long, holding off the blooming, and then the warm-up last week...our world has burst into one fine feast for the eyes...the crab apples are all in bloom, whites, pinks, reds.  The tulips, bleeding hearts, phlox, apple blossoms, red buds and lilacs are creating a chorus of spring that is shouting for joy.  This is the first year in memory that the crab apple blossoms will still be in bloom for Mother's Day.  Usually they have dropped by now.  Thank you Spring, I love you.

Dear Yard Work....ugh.  Spring clean-up is always hard laborious work, raking out the dead, trimming, edging, weed pulling.  The time it takes me to complete all this continues to lengthen with each passing year.  It may be time to hire someone to help with this chore, since my sweetie is no longer here to assist.  I don't love you, yard work.

Dear Bailey, congratulations on your college graduation. I am so proud of you and know that your future will be bright and full of adventure,  just like you. I Love You, Nana

Until next time.....

Letters on Friday - May 3, 2013

Dear God, thank you for bringing me and Toby home safely from our trip to Dayton, OH, 6 hours down and  6 hours back.  

Dear Dog Car Harness, maybe Toby wasn't that crazy about you, but I think you are a life-saver in more ways than one. You kept Toby safely strapped in the front seat while I was able to drive without him sitting on my lap perhaps causing an accident.  

Dear Spring, thank you for arriving (finally) and boy are you purty!!  With your pinks....

Your purples....

Your yellows....

Your whites.....

Your reds....

Your fresh greens....

Dear "The Following", OMG what a way to end this season, do you really think Joe Carroll is dead??

Dear Over-Head Fans, thank you for sending soft breezes overhead making it possible to be comfortable sleeping as the weather begins to warm.  I think I remember reading that over-head fans are "out" when it comes to decorating....huh??   The decorator trend setters obviously have not slept with a post menopausal woman who still gets too warm in the nights.  

Dear Warm Weather, thanks for returning, it has brightened up our world.  

Please follow me over to my collaborative blog....Focusing On Life where I am musing on "like".

Linking to Nancy's Random Five On Friday and Mona's Floral Love 

Until next time.....

Letters on Friday - April 19, 2013

Dear Week, I am really glad you are almost over....this has not been a good week, in fact it has been an extremely tragic week. Beginning with the bombings at the Boston Marathon, continuing with the explosion in Texas, and now the flooding around me, I would just as soon wipe this week off of the map.  So much heartbreak, so much devastation.  We re-bound, we re-adjust, we mend and overcome, but the memories and hurts remain.

The water has receded a little, but we have a long way to go to get back to normal....the "pond" across the street is actually an empty basin for water retention and is probably 30 feet deep.  So you can see how much water our storms brought.

Dear Mother Nature, what's up??  Yesterday you pelted us with rain....today it is snow, and by the way, the calendar says it's Spring.  So where is it already??

Dear Cleaning Lady, thank you.  You come, you make my house sparkle, you put clean sheets on my bed and you return every two weeks just like clockwork.  You are an indulgence I refuse to give up.

Dear Trader Joe's, you seem to be in my letters rather frequently, but you continue to delight me with your flowers for sale, your frozen foods that are such a convenience for me, and your dog-food for Toby.  The only dry dog food that he has actually liked.

Dear Sump Pump, thank you, thank you, thank you....if it wasn't for your continuing work pumping out all that water, my basement would be a huge mess.  And along with the sump pump, thank you electricity for continuing to stay on during the rainstorms....the combination of you two saved me from disaster.

Here's praying next week will be a better week for all.....

"If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we would grab ours back. "  ~  Regina Brett

Until next time.....

Letters on a Friday...ooops sorry, Saturday

Dear Arizona, After spending 10 days in your beauty it sure was difficult coming home.  I left blue skies and temps in the 80's to come home to cloudy, grey skies and temps in the 40's.  I thought surely by now, Spring would have arrived, but no, not yet.  I see that the grass has some green and the early spring bulbs are beginning to emerge, but Spring is definitely dragging it's feet this year.  Unlike Arizona that is in full bloom right now from it's beautiful blooming Palo Verde Trees....

And it's Mesquite trees

And ofcourse the palm trees....quite a few of these beauties got nipped by the extreme cold this winter leaving many with dead fronds.

And the cactus that is in it's peak right now....blooming high in the sky

or lower to the ground...

Dear Birds and Animals in Arizona, oh what a delight.  It was a nice change to see the herons and shore birds since all I usually see around my home is Canada Geese....let's face it, you can only take so many photos of Canada Geese.

And ofcourse the hummingbirds.  Two visited everyday, one female the other male and they definitely did not live harmoniously.  NEVER sharing the feeder at the same time.

We could all take lessons from this turtle, sunning himself on a log, watching the rest of the world float by.

Dear Beautiful Places to Visit, one great site after another.  From the beauty of the sunsets from Camel Back Mountain....

To the historical Mission San Xavier del Bac in Tucson...

Your wonders were everywhere I looked.

Dear Shopping Centers, yes, you were there ready to take my money and pack my suitcase to Over-Limit.  A brand-new outlet mall opened just as I arrived and we couldn't pass the opportunity to check out the bargains.  I managed to add 4 more pairs of shoes to my ever-expanding collection of summer sandels.  After leaving a bottle of hair gel and hair spray at the airport, I managed to slide in just under the 50 lb weight limit preventing a $90 extra charge.  I figured I could easily replace the hair gel and hair spray for less than $90.

Dear Home, I'm back, ready for Spring, ready to open the windows and welcome fresh breezes, ready to work in the garden, ready to sit on the back porch.  Yep, ready for Spring.

Linking to:

PS....I have a ton more pictures from my trip to share.

Until next time.....