Hats Required

(Brooke Slezak, by Holly H. Goff)

Snip some mint, adjust your chapeau and review Stephen Foster's 1853 lyrics!

Here's to a fabulous festive weekend!

Show Me Something Beautiful

Aren't these peonies absolutely beautiful?

I did not have my camera with me to capture the actual ones I saw today, but it was this same variety as shown above.

Did you know that a peony plant has a very long life?

I can hardly stay out of the garden. It has kept me away from the blog and I have missed you all!

Have you found something beautiful lately? Open your eyes. It's all around you.

If, by chance, you have your camera handy, take a picture of it and email it to me. I'd like to see it and possibly share it with everyone. Tell me all about it.

Who can deal with more beauty in their life? Where do you find it?

Easter Blessings

51Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed..."Death has been swallowed up in victory."

55"Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" 56The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

1 Corinthians 15:51-57

Happy Easter!

Anyone Hungry?

Don't you just love the thoughts of sitting down to a delicious meal? I sure do.

How many people can't do that these days? More than you think. I was very surprised that at a local church food bank. There were church members taking advantage of the services. They used to be the ones stocking the shelves and the freezer.

I think the blogging world is pretty amazing. Want to see what a community of internet folks can do to feed America?

Everyday, the television is filled with dire reports about the current economic climate and many use the blogging community to take a break from the constant bad news. However, we can not ignore the fact that friends, and even some blogger friends, have lost their jobs because of the recession.

People who never had a worry in the world now have to think about where their next meal is coming from. People who never would have dreamt that they would need help are now showing up at the local food banks. There is not enough food being donated to meet the rise in demand. There is not enough money to buy the food for the food banks.

Former advertising executive, Chris Cox, the editor of Easy & Elegant Life, and fundraising professional, Meg Fairfax Fielding, editor of Pigtown*Design, teamed up to create a blogger action day on April 1, 2009, which is being called April Food Day – Bloggers Fighting Hunger.

We are going to do it again this year!

Please consider making a contribution to Feeding America (formerly Second Harvest), a national food bank with 200 member banks across the country. Every dollar contributed provides seven meals or 10 pounds of food. A gift of $25 provides 75 meals.

To DONATE NOW, CLICK HERE.

Don't want to do cash, but have a stocked pantry? Donate food to a local food bank of your choice. Find one near you by CLICKING HERE.

Happy April FOOD Day Everyone!

Garden Must Haves

Spring fever has gotten the best of me.

I've been busy planning and dreaming of the garden.

Just this morning I made a list of the absolute "must haves" in my garden:

1. camellias

2. gardenias

3. roses

4. jasmine

5. hydrangea

6. dogwood

7. crepe myrtle

8. boxwood

9. azaelia

10. magnolia

(all photos Southern Living)

(unknown first photo)

These are my top 1o, in no particular order.

What are your top 10?

*UPDATE*

Yes, I too am a tremendous fan of the peony.

As a matter of fact, my list was "top 11", but that just didn't have the same ring.

Guess what I did today?

I bought 10 glorious peony plants!

(TwistedWick)

A Real Southern Beauty

This Friday, February 25th please join

Southern Beauty Magazine

as they feature beloved blogger

Pearls and Grace

Live broadcast at 10 AM

After the show, a recording is available for your listening pleasure

on demand anytime online!

Pearls and Grace is a TRULY AMAZING lady. I've had the pleasure of hugging her neck, chatting and giggling until the wee small hours of the morning, and am blessed to call her a real life friend!

If you've read her post I AM HIS PEARL, you know how special she is.

Tune in to the broadcast--learn a beauty trick or two--among other things-- by a pearl of a girl!

Yeah for Thorns!

I heard these words recited today and thought they were inspiring.

The author is unknown.

"I woke up early today, excited over all I get to do before the clock strikes midnight. I have responsibilities to fulfill today. I am important. My job is to choose what kind of day I am going to have.

Today I can complain because the weather is rainy or I can be thankful that the grass is getting watered for free.

Today I can feel sad that I don't have more money or I can be glad that my finances encourage me to plan my purchases wisely and guide me away from waste.

Today I can grumble about my health or I can rejoice that I am alive.

Today I can lament over all that my parents didn't give me when I was growing up or I can feel grateful that they allowed me to be born.

Today I can cry because roses have thorns or I can celebrate that thorns have roses.

Today I can mourn my lack of friends or I can excitedly embark upon a quest to discover new relationships.

Today I can whine because I have to go to work or I can shout for joy because I have a job to do.

Today I can complain because I have to go to school or eagerly open my mind and fill it with rich new tidbits of knowledge.

Today I can murmur dejectedly because I have to do housework or I can feel honored because the Lord has provided shelter for my mind, body and soul.

Today stretches ahead of me, waiting to be shaped. And here I am, the sculptor who gets to do the shaping.

What today will be like is up to me. I get to choose what kind of day I will have!"

Have a GREAT DAY,

my dear bloggy friends!