Beauty Abounds

Adele likes to practice guitar or violin on the new steps in the yard. She can put her sheet music on higher steps and stand and play from the lower ones. 

Images like this make me thankful for the beauty that fills our lives; 

There is the natural beauty that surrounds our home on all sides, 

and there is the beauty of music that the girls have the opportunity to learn to play, and the music shapes their souls after its beauty. 

Beauty within; 

Beauty without. 

Beauty abounds! 

The Flower Letters

 Dwayne's mom (AKA Grandma) gifted us a series of letters that tell a story. We read the first one after dinner the other day. A new letter is supposed to come every two weeks for a year. The girls are pretty interested and excited to see where the story leads. 

Ignite a Passion Art Show

 I am submitting a piece to our church's art show.

The theme is "Ignite a Passion for Jesus."

I illustrated/ illuminated a poem I wrote several years ago that fit the theme. 

Simpson and Vail

We visited the Simpson and Veil store in Brookfield, CT with our good friends. I smelled almost every tea they have in stock. 

We came away with a few sample sizes of their new Olympus teas, made for each of the Greek gods. We got sample-sizes for Apollo, Persephone, and Athena. Adele says Persephone is her favorite tea now. I haven't tried it yet. But I tried Apollo, and it was awesome. 

We got a bag of this tea, Handsome James. It's delicious! I normally favor blends made with a black tea base; I don't normally favor Rooibos, but this one is blended with several fruits and other ingredients, so it's really good! 

Plant Love

I have two good friends who love plants, and they've got the greenest thumbs. 

They've finally rrubbed off on me. 

I'm starting to love my plants, too. 

And I'm collecting more and more.

This beautiful plant (that I do not remember the name of yet) was purchased on our way back from our camping trip to Spruce Lake this year.