Wordless Wednesday

This moment in time

 is simply breathtaking.  The renewal & beauty of spring makes that long, cold, sunless, gloomy winter worth it.  In fact, it completely fads from memory... MINNESOTA rocks (but let's keep that a secret cause I don't want to ruin my commute).

Wordless Wednesday

Merry Christmas to Grandma Ruth

Last year, my mom gifted me with a Christmas bouquet using a vase that Grandma Ruth had received and saved from Makenzie, Kaleb and Logan in 2002. I decided to honor Grandma Ruth by having the vase filled again here at The Flower Mill in town. It is beautiful and it makes me smile.
Merry Christmas to you, Grandma Ruth!

Iris in October??!!

Here is something I never, ever would have believed if it hadn't happened in my own flower bed. Iris blooming in October... actually on October 19th, to be exact. The only person I really want to show this to is my Grandma Ruth, who loved iris and whose birthday is on October 23rd.

I know she would love it as much as me.
It certainly is a tribute to the particularly mild, warm Fall we have been blessed with this year.

A visit to a flower farm and more

Angelique joined a new Girl Scouts troop this fall because her original troop had disbanded. I volunteered to chaperon at her first event on Monday, August 30. The 9 girls each created All About Me posters and then took turns presenting to the troop as a getting-to-know-you event. Angelique was really nervous about meeting the girls and I noticed how she took extra care in brushing her hair and getting ready to go. Unfortunately, she inherited my introverted nature and it is hard for her to walk into new situations. Knowing this and having the same "fear-of-meeting-new-people" disability, I thought maybe I could help with the transition by being there with her. I brought my camera and took lots of pictures. Want to know something about taking pictures? It actually helps me cope with new situations because I have the camera as a small shield, it makes people smile, and relaxes me a bit. It is a tool in my introvert tool box.
The second reason for chaperoning the GS event was the agenda. We got to tour Forget-Me-Not flower farm about 20 miles outside of Fergus Falls. I do love me some flowers! What a beautiful treasure that I didn't even know existed. One of the features offered by the Kendra, the owner, is 14 weeks of fresh flower bouquets, one delivered each week during the summer with a final delivery of a dried flower arrangement. Can you imagine how uplifting it would be to receive or even better to GIVE one of these master pieces each week? My heart goes pitter-patter just to imagine it.
The girls divided into three groups and not only got to select some flowers, but they got to create a beautiful, one-of-kind bouquet for delivery. A custom signature card was added to the mason jar vase with their troop number and signatures. You can see the pride in their faces.

I thought the first event went very smooth, but as soon as we were walking back to the car, Angelique said, "I didn't think they were very welcoming to me. No one talked to me." I gently told her, "It may help if you approached and said something first." It is difficult to help out a shy girl, but I am hoping with a little more time she will adapt to her new troop. Maybe she will have to become the picture-girl in her troop!

Wordless Wednesday

The beauty in my yard makes me what to break out in song~ except that I would frighten away the birds ~ but my heart sings loudly!
{mostly wordless}

Rescue Mission

I have thee different varieties of daffodils are blooming in my flower beds this week; however, the gale force winds and heavy rains were destroying them. These are a few that I rescued from the elements. I never realized how fragrant daffodils are. We are enjoying both their beauty and scent inside.
Still hoping the rain and wind can spare some of the tulips making their appearance as well. If not, I'll have to plan another rescue mission.

Gold Stars for Steve

My hubby is amazing and definitely goes above and beyond. I will use this post to just point out a couple of examples so the next time one of his habits seems a wee-bit irritating, I can put it in perspective and remember his many outstanding traits.
Steve is very thoughtful. He brought home this gorgeous hydrangea last week. It is so perfect that it looks fake! I love, love, love me some flowers. Especially ones that last and last.

Flowers make my heart sing!

Steve is romantic. About a week before we went on our second honeymoon in Vegas, Steve gave me a customized silver pendent necklace. What a surprise! It says, "Live Laugh Love Lindgren Style" on the outside and "Steve*Abbigail*Angelique" around the inside. It has a mother-of-pearl charm in the center. I added the heart charm that Abby gave me for Christmas to it which says "A mother... holds her child's heart forever." I love it & wear it all the time. It keeps my family close to my heart.

Steve is generous. After 4 days of me prancing around in the robe provided at the Trump hotel in Vegas saying how much I loved it and randomly shouting "Your fired!", Steve ordered me my very own Trump robe.
It is completely floor length on me and irresistibly soft and cozy in the inside. OMGosh - it is the best memento from a vacation I think I have ever gotten. My hubby has been earning some major gold stars! Steve, YOU.ARE.THE.BEST!!! and the earlier comment about irritating habits.... ummm... I was just kidding. ;-)

The signs are everywhere!!

In just a few short weeks, these branches will change from this...

to this.

And these little bulbs will go from this...

to this!

And these tender sprouts will transform from this...

to this!!

And these green shoots will morph from this...

to THIS!!!

From out of the bleak, cold soil, breathtaking beauty is emerging.
I absolutely love my perennials and the rebirth of Spring!

The odd ball

Ever had that feeling of being in the wrong place at the wrong time? Of just not fitting in? Being the odd ball? The third wheel? The odd man out? I am thinking my hibiscus plant, which recently sprouted forth a couple of large, vibrant orange & pink blooms has got to be feeling a bit like that.
The blooms are absolutely gorgeous, but look very out of place in the middle of February, in our snow packed MN environment in the dead of winter.
I wonder what possessed this plant to put forth its luscious, showy flowers, now of all times? Especially given the view it has looking out the patio window of the frozen tundra...

in the backyard and of the patio packed with several feet of snow??

Maybe it can be summed up as HOPE. Hope for Spring, just a few short months away. It sure brightens my day every time I see the beautiful, brilliant color, as odd and out of place as it is. And I thank God for this Blessing... this ray of hope.

Just because

I have received flowers before, but it seems like they have all been for an occasion... anniversaries, birthdays, get well wishes, congratulations... those kind of things. I don't remember any flowers that were just because. At least not in recent memory.
So, that makes these flowers from my mom special. The fragrant evergreen offsets the beautiful white roses so nicely.
And another thing making them special is the container. The glittery reindeer container was from a flower arrangement that my grandma Ruth had received in 2002 from my niece, Makenzie and my nephew, Kaleb. Now, that makes these flowers extra special.

Thank you, mom!

Backyard beauty

My heart leaps with joy as each new flower appears in my yard. I wish I could package the gorgeous fragrance as well. The beauty literally makes my heart go pitter-patter.

I don't have the words to express myself, but luckily Helen Steiner Rice does, so I'll let her supply the words and I'll supply the pictures.

God,
give us eyes to see
the beauty
of the spring
And to behold
Your majesty
in every living thing,
And may we see
in lacy leaves
and every
budding flower
The hand that rules
the universe
with gentleness
and power.