Memorial Day

They fell, but o'er their glorious grave,

Floats free the banner of the cause

they died to save.

                               ~Frances Marion Crawford~

Thank you to the brave men and women of our military, and also to their families.

Sweet Sue

Photograph used with permission from Trudy Horne/Collars, Etc. Pattern Co.

This darling dress was slated to grace the pages of the much loved magazine, Creative Needle.

Unfortunately, the magazine ceased publication prior to the article being printed.

Trudy Horne is now graciously sharing this sweet adaptation of her pattern, Mary Jane Jumpers and Blouses, through her website.

Photograph used with permission from Trudy Horne/Collars, Etc. Pattern Co.

Please click here, to visit Trudy's website.

There you will find a link to the article that includes instructions to create your own

Sweet Sue!

Thank you to Trudy for sharing and inspiring!

Happy Stitching!

**Please note that Trudy stitched this sweet dress.  I am simply sharing!**

Blessings

 I am beginning to learn that it is the sweet, simple things of life

which are the real ones after all.

                                                                                   ~Laura Ingalls Wilder~

Patience is a Virtue, or Hurray for Hydrangea Blooms!

Remember a previous post when I was anticipating my hydrangea blooms?

The wait is over!

The bushes are now a riot of pink and blue blooms!

The soil in my area is naturally alkaline.  In order for the blooms to be more blue than pink, I have to amend the soil with aluminum sulfate.

My hydrangea bushes are located near the corner of our house where a downspout is also located. 

With recent rains, it seems that much of the aluminum sulfate was washed away.  Hence, I have pink and blue blooms on one bush, and even a few blooms that are half pink and half blue. 

That's perfectly fine with me. 

I have never met a hydrangea bloom that I did not love!

If pressed to declare one particular color my favorite,

it would be the deep periwinkle blue.

Coming in a very, very close second

are the pink blooms when they still have a hint of that bright green.

The colors evolve over time, and I never tire of watching them.

It amazes, and also amuses, me how each bloom is composed of many individual blossoms.

Maybe a lesson we should all take to heart --  many coming together, even when not of the same color, to work together and create something beautiful, magical and memorable.

One drawback to my hydrangea bushes is the blooms never seem to last long enough.  

That may all be about to change!

The bloom in the photograph above is my newest hydrangea, and one that supposedly will

continue blooming through the summer.

Its blooms are a little different from my beloved mop heads, but lovely still.

In the meantime, I will savor the days of these blooms!

Soul Soothing Shakes and Sewing!

Yesterday, I really did not want to be where I was or doing what needed to be done.

Thank goodness for a super sweet friend who dropped by with one of these:

A delicious peach milkshake from Chick Fil A!

Yum!

It is sunshine and happiness in a cup, from the cherry on top to the very last drop!

I was finally able to gather supplies and head toward the sewing machine.

Nothing like beautiful embroideries and ribbon to make spirits lighter.

Nothing like stitching to make my world a little more right-side-up!

Be back soon -- I hope -- with a finished project!

In the meantime, go enjoy a peach shake!

They are only available for a limited time!

 

Blessings

You will show me the way of life;

granting me the joy of your presence

and the pleasures of living with you forever.

                                                Psalm 16:11

 

Dallas Blooms!

The Dallas Arboretum is located on the grounds of the DeGolyer and Camp Estates.

The gardens first opened to the public in 1984.

It is located only a few miles from our previous home, and quickly became a favorite spot of mine.

Overlooking White Rock Lake, the gardens now cover approximately 66 acres.

Dallas Blooms, held each year by the Arboretum, marks the beginning of spring for many of us!

Over 500,000 spring-blooming bulbs burst forth in glorious color.

In addition, there are pansies, azaleas, cherry blossoms and an assortment of other flowering plants and trees.

This year's theme was Fiesta de las Flores.

It featured brighter and warmer colors of blooms, instead of pastel hues.

Ferdinand the Bull, a topiary towering twelve feet tall,

was a highlight of the festival!

But the main focus is still on the massive plantings of tulips!

Yet, some of my most favorite parts of the gardens do not involve flowers at all.

There are many spaces . . .

perfect for resting,

meditating,

and reflecting.

There is also the background which has become a favorite . . .

for many a bridal or other formal photograph.

Could there be a more lovely frame?

By now, these blooms have all faded away. 

I am a little late in sharing them with you.

 I hope they brightened your day as much now, as they did mine on the day I strolled through the gardens of the Dallas Arboretum!

 

Heart Health Update

Thank you so much for the many prayers, kind thoughts and messages regarding my husband's recent hospitalization.  They were most definitely felt and appreciated, and played a part in easing 

both our hearts.

After five days of monitoring and medication, his heart finally reverted to normal sinus rhthym. 

The rate is still slightly elevated, but so much better!

He remains on medication and is undergoing additional tests on an outpatient basis.

We were stunned when he was also diagnosed with

adult onset Type 2 Diabetes.

Needless to say, we are making many changes to our schedules, diets and lifestyle.

It seemed only fitting that his birthday was the day after his discharge.

We gratefully celebrated another year of life, and look forward to many, many more!

Thank you again from the bottom of my own heart.

Hope to be back soon with regular posting about more fun subject matter!

Mother's Day Blessings

"Maternal Admiration"

William-Adolphe Bouguereau

"When you look into your mother's eyes,
you know that is the purest love you can find on this earth."
                                                              ~Mitch Albom~

We gratefully remember those mothers gone away.
We honor those mothers still by our side.
We celebrate the joys of being a mother.
Happy Mother's Day!

 

Hope for a Healthy Heart

I am taking a short blogging break while my husband is hospitalized due to heart problems.

There will be many moments of sitting and waiting for me.  Stitching has always been my therapy during stressful times.  Hopefully, I will be back soon with a good report on his condition and newly completed projects to share with you.

For the Love of Cake

                                                 via Martha Stewart

Is it any surprise that our favorite flavor of cake is chocolate? 

                                                             via Martha Stewart

Our next favorite flavor is coconut!

                                                                 via Southern Living Magazine

And coming in third is carrot cake!

And who did the Random Generator select to receive this little piece of cake?

That would be Comment #9

Penny in Alabama!

Congratulations!

Penny, please email your address to

bessiemaryblog at gmail dot com.

Thank you so much for all the birthday wishes, the kind comments,

and many delightful moments reading about -- and drooling over -- your favorite types of cake!

Blessings

Be joyful in hope,

patient in affliction,

faithful in prayer.

                                                  Romans 12:12