One is never closer to God than in a garden

Thank you everyone for visiting my spring-filled place a little while ago and taking the time to leave such lovely comments. You always leave a smile in my heart.

The Lilacs have finished their flush of beautiful flowers, ever so gently making way for the other blossoms.

Spring is ever so slowly (nothing ever happens quickly here in Tassie) continuing the procession of floralicious delight, with each flower profusely blooming for a little while, then when finished, handing over the blossom baton to the next beautiful display. Cultivar after cultivar each showcasing their unique exquisiteness. Although the calendar reveals to me it is now the Summer month of December, Tassie hasn't looked at it's calendar of late. But that's okay, I am revelling in gorgeous bloom after gorgeous bloom. The most wonderful thing about a slow and deliberate warming up of the seasons here in Tassie, is we experience long and extended flowering seasons.

The beautiful Dutch Irises never fail to delight. The extravagance of that deep, purpley-blue colour is always a vision splendid.

Such a pretty outlook from the family room.

Azaleas abound!

The Clematis joyfully scrambling  over a rusty arch.

Aquilegias abound in our garden. Each year they drop seed whereupon the next year there always seems to be an explosion of these pretty granny bonnets.

Aah......the pretty Foxgloves. In my mind's eye I catch glimpses of tiny fairies peeking from within the tubular, little bells. I am quite certain Miss Maisie sees them!

The Rhododendrums, the Ixias.......

But.........then there are the Roses!! Now is the time for the Roses. The fragrance in the garden as each rose petal gently unfurls from it's bud is enchanting. The delicious scents of each different rose is truly exhilarative.

I cannot tell you how divine the heady scents of these roses are. They are truly intoxicating!! Each rose jostling to reveal the most ambrosial, scent-infused bouquet.

I have spent much time strolling in the garden these last weeks....and always my feet have led me to the pond. I have sat in my swing seat for many moments, contemplating the fragility of life. You see, a very dear friend of my husband and mine passed away suddenly a couple of weeks ago. It was a shock. He kissed his wife goodbye and set off with his teenage son to chop wood, experiencing a massive heart attack, never to return home to his lovely family again.

Our friend was a funny, loyal, honourable, honest and most marvellous man. There are not enough pages in a book to pen my thoughts on the eminent character of our friend. He was a much loved and respected member of this small community; whom will be sadly missed. His dependability, his keen intellect and clever mind, his organisational skills, his naughty sense of humour.............the attributes flow on and on.........will be irreplaceable. He adored his family and they adored him. Indeed, he was their world, and they his.

The pond is a place of refuge, a place which refreshes my soul. It is a paradise where the fish glide in the murmuring water surrounded by the blessings of nature. It is a place where I talk to my Heavenly Father. It is a place where He gently bends down to hear the whispers of my heart and comforts me. It is a place to..........just be. So, so many times, there is no other place I would rather be.

It is a place where I remember our dear friend. It is a place where I think upon the happy, memorable and fun times both my husband and I spent in the company of him. It is a place where my friend is never more than a thought away. It is a place where I pray for my friend's wife, who is also a very dear and much loved friend, and his four children and grandson. Their walk upon this new path will be a difficult one, filled with much heartache, without their wonderful husband, dad and grandad walking alongside them; missing him, wishing he was there with them. It will be a path filled with many moments of sadness, but maybe in time, there will again be happy strolls as they keep their precious  memories of their loved one ever so close to their hearts.

Indeed I find I am never closer to God than sitting in my swing seat, overlooking the pond, where every flower, every creature has been painted with the majestic brushstrokes of my Heavenly Father's paintbrush. If one looks closely, the intricate detail of each flower......of each creature......is wondrously complex. Some say there is no God.......incredible!!

Thank you for strolling along my garden path with me and resting awhile by the pond. If you think of it, please spare a thought, and if you are so inclined, a prayer for our friend's family over these coming days, months............indeed, they will need many a caring thought and hug during this unimaginable time of loss in their lives.

Until the next time..........

Oh, the Sweet, Sweet Lilacs!

Now that the lilacs are in bloom,

she has a bowl of lilacs in her room.  

                                                                                       T.S. Eliot

It is the season for the sweet, sweet Lilacs! Those beautifully hued, intoxicating Lilacs. On sunny Spring mornings, their sweet fragrance hangs in the air, bewitching me, inducing me to cut a bunch or two, to fill many a pretty vase.

These enchanting beauties are blooming ever so prettily in our garden of the prettiest hues; a soft lilac and a deeper purple.

Isn't this canvas pretty?? I found this gorgeous 'painting' in a cheap shop, The Reject Shop, for $5!!!!! Had to, had to take it home with me as this impressionistic-like painting of overspilling Lilacs and Snowbells is so, so very me. Of course this pretty felt at home immediately, in our humble abode. =)

These panicles of much-branched inflorescence are giddily, heavenly.

Our garden at the moment, is truly a vision in purples!

Pretty embroideries always beautify everything.....even, dare I say it, a pretty Lilac or two.

Swirls and swirls of lilac hued, pretty ribbons; so very salavatingly luscious!

Aah yes, the sweet, sweet scent of Lilacs captivates me. Vases of these beauties permeate the rooms in our humble abode, both in form and scent,  evoking a sense of calm, a sense of restfulness.

Have the most splendid of weekends, lovely ladies. Take time to stop and drink in the flowers, perhaps pick a few and pop them in a pretty vase and think upon blissful things.

Until the next time....................

A chair and a li'l cross stitch

Remember a little while ago I asked you to "watch this space", to pop by my place in a little while to have a bo peep at how I might transform this sweet little chair?? If you cast your mind back just a little, you will remember my good husband's beady little eyes espied this cute little chair in our new favourite bric-a-brac shop.

It took a little longer than I thought to begin the transformation of this little chair, but this week I bit the bullet and decided to transcend this little chair from it's cute but rather plebian, dark wood condition to a state of winsomeness, giving it a feeling of other world loveliness.

First things first, I sanded the chair and gave it a lick or two of white chalk paint. Having never used chalk paint before I was interested in seeing how my little chair would turn out. Let me tell you, I am the newest convert to chalk paint. I LURVE how evenly and easily it painted on and I love the smooth finish.

With this sweet, little chair smiling with a lovely coat of white paint.....now for the really fun part. I decided I wanted to stitch a little cross stitch using some pretty threads, with the cane as the canvas. I happened upon a few on Pinterest and thought they were really cool. But what design to stitch??

I definitely wanted a floral design. As the size of the cane canvas would only allow  for a small flower, I decided on a single pansy design on the back and an arrangement of pansies on the seat. I decided on a pansy design as I wanted to stitch in different shades of blue, purples and pinks. The sweet, smiling faces of pansies always make my heart sing.........as do a pretty pair of 'stepping out'  boots! =)

With the design decided upon I dived into one of my many suitcases rummaging for some DMC tapestry wool that I bought a long time ago for just such a special occasion, and began to stitch, doubling the wool as I stitched.

A pansy.......a vision in purples with a sprinkling of yellow.

Add some leaves...and voila....the back is finished.

Now for the seat. I thought an assortment of pansies in different shades would give my little chair a touch of beauty.

What thinketh thee?? =)

Of course my pretty little chair maketh my home......home.......(it will eventually live in my boudoir) but it also sings a pretty song under the shade of the Wisteria.

A sprinkling of a posy of sweet, pretty pansies.....perfect!

 My pretty, pansy teapot somehow found itself sitting on my sweet little chair.

Every pansy teapot requires a pretty pansy, tea cosy to keep it warm, don't you think??

Oodles and oodles of pansy prettiness!

Cross stitching this chair was such a fun project. It was rather easy to do and surprisingly, it stitched up quickly. The main concern was to keep the doubled wool flat with each stitch, but really this was not difficult at all.

Who would've dreamt the sweet but rather plain, little chair my husband's beady little eyes espied could have been so delightfully transformed. I wouldn't mind beautifying another cane chair with a little chalk paint and a li'l cross stitch........perhaps roses or maybe a basket of overspilling blossoms, next time??Who knows, perhaps my intuitive husband will find another treasure for me to tart up. He does seem to have a talent for spotting treasures in dark hidey holes. Have I intimated before that I really, really LURVE this sweet li'l chair.....just so you know! =)

Hoping all you lovely ladies are enjoying a pleasant weekend. May you enjoy moments of doing something you love.....oh....and make sure you take time out to enjoy a cup of tea or two, in a pretty tea cup!

Until the next time.......

Linking up this week to:

The Charm of Home - Home Sweet Home
Amaze me Monday

Jann's Share your cup

Sweet Inspiration Link Party

Tea is a hug in a pretty tea cup

Tea is a hug in a cup, is it not?? I have just received this past week, the warmest of hugs all the way from Spain. Eva, who lives in the city of Elche sent me many lovely gifts as part of a tea cup exchange, which the lovely Stephanie graciously hosts twice a year. You must, must visit Stephanie's beautiful blog, "The Enchanted Rose" to see what pretties each lady gifted, but a little note of caution here, you just might need to be in close proximity of the oxygen tank, on the off chance you need to be revived at the sight of all the gorgeous tea cups and mugs.....and all the other pretties showcased!! The sight of all those fine china pretties can make a gal swoon!! =)

It was such a delight to open the box laden with so many gifts. The box truly was bursting at the seams!

There were pretty, rose patterned napkins, a lovely hand written postcard showcasing Elche, a tea infuser attached to the tiniest tea cup on a chain, a gorgeous, boxed cake of Jasmine fragrance soap, the prettiest tin filled with some aromatic tea, a lovely hand towel, a Stroopwafel (a first for me), some delicious brown sugar candy on a stick (another first), fridge magnets, little flower blackboard pegs, some  tea lights, a little package of  'Fiesta' tea.........mmm.....perhaps a sip of this ambrosial tea might induce me to drift off to the restful 'land of siestas', a pretty thimble and the prettiest, cross stitch magnet. I wonder, Eva, did you stitch this pretty.....it is gorgeous!  So, so many generous gifts!!

Yes indeedy, Eva, I lurve the fragrance of Jasmine.

I have saved the best gift for last. Eva gifted me the loveliest of tea cups. It is a pretty taupe colour with the daintiest of flower patterns, with a sweet, feathered friend sitting on a branch. Isn't it pretty??

The red and white checked pattern with a pretty gold lace trim borders the cup and saucer perfectly.

So many hugs are sent all over the globe in the form of the lovely Stephanie's tea cup exchanges. Thank you, Stephanie for all your selfless, hard work and love you show to each of us ladies.....you are a treasure. Truly, we are all blessed by your graciousness. I cannot begin to imagine the logistical effort involved in hosting this fun exchange.

AND...thank you, Eva, for my lovely gifts. I am speechless at your generosity of spirit in all the pretties you gifted me. Indeed, your warm embrace of a hug in a pretty tea cup, has put a smile in my heart.

Now......it is time for an ambrosial cup of tea......oh.....and a little brown sugar treat!

May all you lovely ladies find some moments in your day to enjoy a hug in a pretty tea cup.