Sometimes I Feel Like a Childless Mother

Another Milestone In Life


Rich & I are parents of GROWN children. My baby got a car on Thursday & moved her things
to her apartment TODAY.

Mercedes & her room mates.
Oh my gosh, will I survive this. ?? I have been a mom with kids at home for 35 years & now
they are gone. I don't know whether to laugh, cry, celebrate, get a facial or buy a new wardrobe. (laugh out loud)

My baby will be 18 on July 17th, so this car & apartment are her presents!!
I told her I wouldn't call her everyday!! Gosh I'll try hard not too. But (to quote Tony Soprano).......whatta ya gonna do??
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On a NATURE note, doesn't this Butterfly Weed look lovely?? OH the fragrance is divine..try as I might I couldn't get a picture of any butterflies on the plant!!

Hens, Chicks & Porcelain Berry Vine

Oh I was so HAPPY when I found some Hens & Chicks at our Home Depot!! They had two types..the smaller
green ones & these lovely..???purplish ?? ones. They are just so fun & they've already begun to "chick out"

Here's a WONDERFUL plant I have grown for a few years when we were still in the city, Porcelain Vine.
It get's green berries, then ..they turn all different shades of aquamarine, purple, blues, pinks..even whites.
NOW if I can figure out HOW to keep the birds from eating the berries while they are green..I'll have a LOVELY show in the Autumn. Below are MY vines growing along the fence.


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And this is NOT my picture, but it is what they will look like in a couple months. Most delightful!!

God Bless America

Land that I love.
Do you ever comtemplate on how fortunate we are to live in this country? I do. I feel blessed to have been born of parents who call America their home. We could just as easily live where fighting, bombing, death is an EVERY day event, never feeling safe inside or outside your home, or starving somewhere in a desert, watching our children die . America IS the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave, whether we agree with our leaders or not, we should still be proud of our country, fight for her & cherish what our flag symbolizes.

I was in the doctors office one day and some (older than me folks) were discussing our President in such a negative way, I wanted to stand up and ask them if they felt fortunate to live here?? Why would you speak so badly about a man who has led us through 9/11 in such a compassionate way. My passion for my beliefs sometimes has to remain in check, as I know not everyone believes the same as I. That's the beauty of America. In some countries talk like that could mean prison or even death.

I just want to say thank you to all our military who have served, & who serve now, to keep us free & safe. God be with each of you. I am indebted to you for MY freedom.

Enjoy the festivities, be safe & pursue happiness this 4th...Deena





Tis my eagle made from a "Homespun Heart" pattern with some aged paper wings.

Asking for Prayer's for the Joyce Family

An update, prayers are STILL needed, Chris went to our Heavenly Father on Sunday. Please visit the BLOG . The family needs alot of love & support.
With love in Christ, Deena

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A young family needs your prayers..Chris , Mandy & their children have been on my prayer list for quite a while now.
It has been a VERY emotional journey, times of miracles, ups , & downs & sadness and joy. Chris' story has been
a witness of the power of prayer & the love our Lord.


You may visit their BLOG @
http://prayforchris.blogspot.com/
I am requesting you
ask our Lord to guide the family thru the future.

Tammie , Mandy's mom, is my friend...She lost her young husband to cancer after years of battling. This
has been VERY hard on her also.

Remember to show your love & greet each day as a gift.
Fondly, Deena

A BIT Of NATURE

I perfect home for a Downy Woodpecker



The woods are dense.



I found this sweet wild flower & I don't even know what it is..but I love it!! A lovely pink hue to itl



Look at all the fungi on this tree, a work of art in itself.



A white & black moth.



This guy blends in so well, I almost missed him.



Another colorful butterfly landed on the house.

I didn't have to go far to find God's gifts in the Singing Woods, just take time to
look, God's love is all around us.. Fondly, Deena

Wonderful Summer Note Cards

My friend Lana, Honeysuckle Lane, takes the BEST photos. This is my type of Patriotism, mixing the colors with
flowers as the theme. The Bee Balm looks like rockets bursting in air. What could be more lovely than blue
hydrangeas?, with just a touch of white?

Lana has a gift when it comes to vignette arranging & photo taking. The best quality photos on lovely cards. I just had to share.

One of these is going to my daddy in Florida to brighten up his room in the nursing center he now lives in (he has Alzheimer's & Parkinson's disease) . He has always had a love for flowers, guess that's where I got mine, comes
naturallly!!

Check out Lana's website

HoneySuckle Lane or


The Primitive Gathering for these treasures & more.
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Tis hot & humid here, a typical Midwest Summer day! I need a cooler day
to find butterflies & fleurs to share with you. Fondly, your gardening friend, Deena

Some Hollyhocks

They've begun to bloom

In pinks & Reds

Whites are lovely too

Some are singles & some are like roses

Even powder puff looking


Here's my only surviving FoxGlove. Mother Nature played tricks on the others and SHE won.

I love Hollyhocks in a cottage garden. Plant them EVERY year for continual blooms.
Hollhocks are a biennial~You can plant the seeds in Autumn or Spring. The first year you get foliage, the next year, blooms..then they are done.
If anyone wants seeds this Autumn, just email me from my Profile Page & I'll be happy to share. **I'll mail
them to you as they go to seed, with instructions for planting**

My Paper Face Creation~A SweetAnnee Hand Did

Don't you just love the antique look ?

What's *for * Dinner * Tag

My BLOG friend, Dawn of

The Feathered Nest

tagged me .
This may not seem like dinner to all of you, but with
HOT days, this with some refreshing Mint Sweet Tea is just RIGHT. You can add your fave fruits ,even
a bit of nuts for a delightful taste.

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Fresh Fruit PizzaRecipe





1 (17-ounce) package sugar cookie dough
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 teaspoon almond, lemon or orange extract
3 cups fruit, fresh bananas, pineapple chunks, maraschino cherries, fresh oranges cut into rounds and peeled, blueberries, strawberries and peaches
1/2 cup orange marmalade
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Roll out cookie dough large enough to cover a round pizza pan. Bake 8 to 15 minutes or until firm. Cool completely. Mix together cream cheese and extract. Spread cream cheese mixture over cooled cookie dough crust. Arrange fruit in circles (like a bulls eye pattern). Slightly warm marmalade and brush over fruit. Serve immediately.


Mint Sweet Tea

*After bringing your water(2 cups)
to a boil, pour into your glass
pitcher*

*add 1/2 cup of sugar*
stir to dissovle
(boiling water makes the sugar SWEETER)
add your mint *FRESH* of course*

*I use 2 bags of tea (the "makes a gallon "size tea bags)
let it steep*


*I only drink iced tea out of GLASS
so , I pour my steeped tea over
LOTS of ice
and enjoy*

YUM

* Mint Lemonade*

here's fun twist
instead of TEA
make lemonade
the same way with fresh lemons
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I'm tagging
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~*~my dear friend,Lana

Honey Suckle Lane~Simple Joys

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~*~A KINDRED spirit I recently found,Beemoosie

Picture Diary

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~*~A lovely doll artist & friend, Christe'

Pastoral Doll Maker

who grows the BEST mint

enjoy the small things today, they are what make
life sweet,
Deena

Daddy Takes His Turn & Some Bunny Loves Me

Isn't this just sweet?? Daddy Finch is feeding his lil baby. He kept an eye out for me the whole time I was there. He'd grab some seed, look at me, feed his babe & look at me again.
We have so many different birds feeding their babes right now , but they are very wary of humans during "nursery time", I am lucky to get any pictures.
The hollyhocks have begun to bloom, so I'll be posting a few pics of all the colors & strains. I love them, from the singles to the fluffy ones like roses..they are delightful & easy to grow. Every garden needs some hollyhocks.
********************************************************************************************************************Here's one of my hand did creations. If you enjoy folk art~
a visit to

The Primitive Gathering would be most pleasing.

She sings ALL day

Oh Joy, the baby wrens are hatched & mommy isn't NEAR as shy now...She sits in the tree right at the edge of the
house & sings ALL day. The bird box is on the inside of the fence right at the house edge, so the tree lets her see
her babes . My bedroom window is upstairs right where the tree is...so I love hearing her.

Today I went to the box & mama was in there taking care of her chirping babes..she flew out, they kept chirping & moving so much the bird house was moving..OH what pleasure I got..but mama started her lil cry & babes stopped
their sweet chirping. She must have been telling them *that Deena is trying to look in, BE STILL*

I hope to get a pic of the babes peeking out soon, so come back for more.

OH I also found a new butterfly today, he flew into the garage & landed on hubby's riding jacket while I was following him around with the camera..Got a couple GREAT pictures..tis a Mourning Cloak ...and it was so irridescent..and lovely..
Here he is!!!
and oh we did make SURE he got back outside..and flew off


isn't he lovely??
The Singing Woods is delightful, your friend, Deena

Finally, My LiL Wren Friend

I have been trying & trying to get my little wren to pose for pictures, but she's just too shy..Well, I saw her on the hickory tree, got the camera & I actually got a GOOD picture of her. She SINGS all day long~~ I wake up to her singing in the tree at my bedroom window.
They've nested in the silliest bird house we have.It's missing a piece, hangs ON the FENCE, but they seem to love it. Wrens boys build two or three nest starts & the wren girl picks her fave, then Mr. finishes the one she picks.
I've taken a picture of a bit of nest ..only the camera can see!! The top two bird house pictures are of the blue bird house that they nested in. The other little green box , was an alternative that SHE must not have chosen!!

I can't wait for the babes to hatch..She's a little House Wren and those babes will have their heads out when
we pass by ..begging for food.. so tiny and sweet!!

I've been trying to get pictures of the Downy Woodpeckers feeding their babes, but they are WAY too shy with the lil ones around..but I'll keep trying!!
Hope you'll check back, smiles, Deena

I've Been Tagged

By Stacey of The Good Wife of Washington County
&
Lana of Simple Joys, so I have to tell 7 things about me..and tag some friends.

1. I just had Lasik Eye Surgery two months ago, and I can see BETTER than 20/20 now
2. I have SIX grandsons!
3. I am a "retired" banking Vice President
4. I have 3 children , one is 35, one is 24 and one is 17..eeekkkk
5. I love BIRDS!!
6. My God given gifts are * the gift of giving & the gift of discernment
7. My new primitive co-op is www.theprimitivegathering.com

and I am tagging

1. Letter's from The Blissful Home http://www.theblissfulhome.blogspot.com/
2.The Feathered Nest http://the-feathered-nest.blogspot.com/
3. Of Bluebirds & Roses http://bluebirdroses.blogspot.com/


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