Happy May Day!

"....All things seem possible in May." ~Edwin Way Teale

Tis like the birthday of the world,

When earth was born in bloom... ~Thomas Hood

Who can resist the feelings of hope and joy that one gets from participating in nature's rebirth? ~Edward Giobbi

When April steps aside for May,

Like diamonds all the rain-drops glisten;

Fresh violets open every day:

To some new bird each hour we listen.

~Lucy Larcom

For winter's rains and ruins are over,

And all the season of snows and sins;

The days dividing lover and lover,

The light that loses, the night that wins;

And time remembered is grief forgotten,

And frosts are slain and flowers begotten,

And in green underwood and cover

Blossom by blossom the spring begins."

~ Algernon Charles Swinburne (1890)

NOTES: white crysanthemums from my garden, azaela in North Carolina in the spring, yellow blooming palo verde tree (Arizona), robin and baby in holly tree, cactus bloom (Arizona)

photos by me© 2006-2009

Garden Dreams

Kilver Court Gardens, Somerset, England

Love the animals, love the plants, love everything. If you love everything, you will perceive the divine mystery in things. Once you perceive it, you will begin to comprehend it better every day. And you will come at last to love the whole world with an all-embracing love.” ~ Fyodor Dostoyevsky (The Brothers Karamazov)

garden melody

blossoms float on gentle breezes

my heart soars in song

My dream garden would be lovely with greens of various shapes and heights. Blossoms of all variety and color would softly nod their (sometimes) perfumed heads. Bees and insects would buzz their joy as they diligently polinate. Butterflies would float on rainbow wings. Woods would edge this garden with a stream flowing through it. A comfey chair and table would be in place for reading, eating, observing, daydreaming. I realize I am fortunate to have these already. My mind roams free while digging hands into the soil, tending graceful plants. ...aaah...the mysterious divine....


PS: While thinking about this post for the etsy bloggers street team carnival, I was originally going in a different direction, researching gardens. I came up with some links of note I wish to share:
1. first photo above from Water Garden Magazine
2. I recently visited the magnificient Desert Botanical Garden" in Phoenix, Arizona, USA
3. Riga Botanical Garden (Universiy of Latvia)
article from The Baltic Times; 15 hectares with over 400 species of Latvian plants in addition to plants from all over the world
4. Botanic Gardens Conservation International
Check out our work
5. Kew Royal Botanic Gardens in Surrey, England, a World Heritage Site
link to images
6. BANKING ON LIFE a post from the blog Janet Marinelli.
Kew article about the exhibition. Kew's Millenium Seed Bank which collects wild seeds from all over the world, has a goal of collecting seed from 10% of the world's plants. amazing photographs by Rob Kesseler and Madeline Harley
7. Gardens of a Golden Afternoon a wonderful, delightful, inspiring blog with lots of splendid photos

Gardens are a form of autobiography. ~Sydney Eddison (Horticulture magazine, August/September 1993)

This one is for the etsy bloggers street team carnival!

middle 3 photos by me from my garden © 2007-2008

a treasury!

in the pink

Here I am--second row--middle and right! Thanks to Patti of PeacoxCreations. Here are some of her lovely creations.

visit her blog here

3 photos above © peacoxcreations

It's Etsy Day!

futhermore http://etsybloggers.com/

Happy Earth Day!

Ophir Pass, Colorado
photo by me ©2007

Artichoke Tapenade

Artichoke, Tomato, and Pine Nut Tapenade

@ 14 oz can of artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
12 sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, chopped
4 T pine nuts, lighted roasted, and coarsely chopped
3 T fresh parsley, chopped
1-2 T kalamata olives, chopped
1 (or more) clove garlic, pressed
1 t balsamic vinegar
salt to taste

Adjust ingredient amounts to your taste. Mix. Serve with flatbread. I cut Italian herbed flatbread into triangles, brushed with olive oil, and lightly browned on both sides in an iron skillet on top of the stove. (The bread stays flexible and can be rolled around the tapenade.) Enjoy!

photo by me ©2008

Pay It Forward!

Here is a really cool idea I discovered on Candice's blog Sweet Romance. She says that Karen at~Extroverted Introspection started this. If anyone knows for sure, please inform me. This is such a fun idea! I love the concept of sending someone a little piece of happiness.

So far: Mishcat and GloryBe

Here's how it works: If you are one of the first three people to leave a comment on this post (stating that you'd like to participate), sometime in the next few months you will receive, in the mail, something cool that I've hand~ made~Just For You !!! Come join in the fun! The only request is that you include the above logo on your blog. And on it goes! This should be fun! Leave your comment below and start watching the mail!!! Be sure to leave your email so I can contact you to get your mailing address. (needed to ship your gift) .......Let's see how far we can "Pay It Forward".

Now go check out Candice's blog and etsy shop and lollishop!


And in the spirit of sending out little packets of happiness, I love this quote I read on Savon Shoppe'sblog.

It isn't the size of the gift that matters, but the size of the heart that gives it.
~Quoted in The Angels' Little Instruction Book byEileen Elias Freeman, 1994

PS: You absolutely must check out the incredible soaps at Savon Shoppe!