Epiphany Sanctuary

2008-09-30T11:07:00.001-07:00

New look for the double-seater
(both blogs)

This will look great at Christmastime.
And in the snowy weather.

I love Crimson!

2008-09-25T09:31:00.000-07:00

My garden is still hanging in there....
...sort of!

Things are a bit scraggly, after that high wind came through~ seemed to shock them at their roots!

But the moonflowers are still happy!

Tricked 'em
I grew them where they would get morning sun and be in the shade by afternoon~ so they bloom early, in the late afternoon. They think it's getting towards evening by that time, because the sun is off them!

Hydrangeas, he said
My boss gave me two "probably dead's".
He said they were hydrangeas.
One had dead hydrangeas hanging off it~ the other was a pitiful stub of green.
Well, so far, they're both pulling through!~
I took them home, doctored them up, watered them, and waited...

The dead hydrangea has a nice, new, healthy shoot going on out of the dirt ~ that was a pleasant surprise, I really did think it was deader than a doornail!

And here is what the other, ahem, hydrangea has done:

Well, it's gorgeous, whatever you want to call it!

2008-09-24T10:49:00.000-07:00

Presents~
(both blogs)
A little before the wind storm came and took up all our brain cells, Bloggers' Mermaid in Residence, Carmen, sent me some lovely gifts:
Two cool blank journals (oh, you've got my number!), a wonderful tag, and a beautiful notecard filled with sweet kindness!

Don't you just love getting real mail? Like, nice mail? It's so cool!

I really loved the handmade ("mer-made") booktag, too~ at least, that's what I'm using it as~ a bookmark (can't have too many bookmarks, you know).

Mr. Cardinal is helping me show the mirrors on the purple journal...

I give it a thumbs up!
Thank you so much, Carmen! They were much appreciated!

2008-09-15T09:27:00.001-07:00

High winds came through
(both blogs)

These photos were all taken just in my neighborhood! (We were taking my daughter's boyfriend home, and just snapped photos along the way to his house and back.)
There's much more damage throughout the Cincinnati ~ Northern Kentucky area, etc.

(I have more photos on my flickr pages ~ click on one of the photos to go there).

Shop till you suddenly can't see anything
We were at the Florence Mall when the lights went out~ I pretty much grew up going to the Florence Mall, and that's the first time I've seen that happen.
They shut all the stores down, and we navigated our way home~ the roads were all full of green debris from trees and shrubs, etc.

Grateful
When we got home, we thankfully found that the mature trees surrounding our house were still standing proud~ and we even had electricity and phone service, though I don't know HOW, because there were two different lines pulled down with fallen trees, on our road alone!
90% of the Cincinnati area is without power. I'm amazed that we had it!

At work this morning, there was no electricity in areas of the building that were not hooked to the generator~ that includes my space, so I've been working in the day's grey light, coming through the windows! They hooked up my computer, but the phones only worked briefly.

What an odd day!~ I'm so glad we're all ok!

Today's walk will be interesting
I can only imagine how the trail will look ~ it's prone to losing trees on windy days or during rainstorms.
I walked it yesterday morning, when the wind was merely "playful"~ I walked down the trail keeping an ear tuned for the warning sound of cracking tree, near me~ when I came back up, one tree had fallen across the trail~ a foretaste of how the day would be.

First visit to Delhi Gardens

2008-09-08T10:27:00.001-07:00

First visit to Delhi Gardens
Originally uploaded by christine_el

I'll be posting more about this, soon. ~
Until then, I thought you'd like to share the garden with me!~

Have a seat, the weather is glorious!

2008-09-05T09:34:00.001-07:00

It's Friday~~

Relax and enjoy your weekend!

2008-09-03T09:08:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday: Fog

2008-08-20T11:17:00.003-07:00

Recipe for a lovely day
(both blogs)

Lime
Lemon
Orange
ice
water
book
porch
sunlight
quiet

~ Throw in a few cats in the shady areas.~

Take a walk in the most enchanting woods you know of....

...Back to the porch with a teacup and your book...

Click on the delightful details along the way...

Relish the magic of it all~

Let pets in, let pets out...

...Repeat frequently!

...say a sweet good~night to the roses....

...Relax and enjoy it all!

2008-08-20T11:17:00.001-07:00

Recipe for a lovely day
(both blogs)

Lime
Lemon
Orange
ice
water
book
porch
sunlight
quiet

~ Throw in a few cats in the shady areas.~

Take a walk in the most enchanting woods you know of....

Click on the delightful details along the way...

Relish the magic of it all~

Let pets in, let pets out...

...Repeat frequently!

...say a sweet good~night to the roses....

...Relax and enjoy it all!

2008-08-12T10:40:00.000-07:00

Friday
(both blogs)
The woods have been so incredibly beautiful!
I was 3/4 the way down the trail, the sun was behind some clouds, giving the place an ethereal charm...

Suddenly, the sun came out full-strength into the woods, sparkling so much, I simply had to go back and get my camera, and take the trail, again...!

Everything looked like it was made with diamonds, glass, crystal...

Saturday~
I love days off!
Especially when the weather is THIS good!
It's been perfect here, with temperatures in the 80F range, sunny, blue-blue skies, fluffy white clouds, everything gleaming with happy sunlight!

The neighborhood was feeling lazy, so I got plenty of quiet time on my porch...

Seedless green organic grapes, ice water with lime juice in it, my journals, a book...and plenty of garden flourishing around me!
After writing a lot and then reading a bit, I took my trusty camera in hand and went looking for beauty shots....

(Aster got in every one he could squeeze into!)

(That might be Mackers in the background on this one...but Aster will soon make his presence known!)

...Followed me out into the yard...

Rugosus spied me wandering around...

Made himself at home with my water glass' condensation
(at least he didn't get into my water!)...

And took the cozy spot I'd made!

...It's just been beautiful...

There are more photos at my flickr (you know the magic handshake: click on one of the photos to get there), plus some of the Living Room interior decor. ~
I'll try to get around to posting about my interior rooms, soon!

2008-08-08T07:55:00.001-07:00

Welcome to the garden these days!
(both blogs)

(Cute story about the wreath~ I made it by hot-gluing silk hydrangeas, leaves and flowers onto the grapevine wreath base, right? And since I'm female, I was muti-tasking, talking on the phone with a friend at the same time~ speakerphone is an important part of a multi-tasker's life!
Friend goes, "you ever burn yourself on glue gun?"
I go, "dunno. guess so. Yeah, think I did once."
And then, I proceeded to burn myself not one but THREE times with that dang glue gun!)
But the wreath got done, and I love it!

Time doesn't stop~ so don't even try the begging ploy
A few days ago, I went out and looked around at the dawning day, and realized I smelled "Autumn-Coming"~ already here! (Already here?? How is that possible??)
And on the way to work that day, I saw two major "V" formations of geese, honkin their way south. I haven't seen them do the big V's since the Spring days.

But all in all, there is still plenty of Summer left to savor...~

And I totally ♥ the produce stands!

2008-08-06T05:41:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday

2008-08-05T13:25:00.000-07:00

One more glimpse of fairyland~

2008-08-05T11:40:00.001-07:00

Inspirations everywhere
(both blogs)
Everytime I walk on the trail, I end up thinking how like a fairytale it can seem~ there is something so ethereal about it.
I decided to try to capture on film some of those magic moments...

The woods did not disappoint...

Can't you just picture fairytale creatures frolicking down this path?
And then, there are those profound flashes of something sacred, shining through...

If you look closely at the photo below, you can see golden light bits, way down the path, where the sunlight is still slanting in...

And once off the trail, the otherworldly beauty continued....

Sweet touch
Some daturas have seeded in the prayer labyrinth~ those are meaningful to me, because one time I had a dream where I went to Heaven for a visit, and was given my own flower~ it was white, a big trumpet flower that was scented like ~ well, it was just heavenly-smelling, of course! Heh heh.

After that dream, I went looking for something that would be similar, in real life; and found the moonflower, which was close to what I dreamed about~ I've grown the moonflower, ever since.

But when I saw the datura, a handful of years later, it was even closer to my dream's flower!

And it smells even better than the moonflower, because it's stronger, and wafts alllll ovvver the plaaace on the breezes....~

So, it's really nice to have it in the prayer labyrinth~ it's like a little God-smile, right there at my feet, as I pray through the maze.

This is one of the plants (the big trumpet bloom is closed up, since it wasn't night when I took the shot).

But I left the grounds before night fell....

Good night~

2008-07-29T07:58:00.000-07:00

Savoring my weekend
(ok, both blogs~ sure!, why not?)
We had a rainshower on Saturday...

God gave one of those gratifying rainbows...

BONUS!: Over my house, some beautiful sunray action...

Sunday~
Got in some quality porch time with God

(Add a pillow)

Priceless time ~

This kind of quiet time always leads me to feel very peaceful and centered on the steady, unlimited God.
With this contemplative time, I became very tranquil and very, very happy, content~ yet, at the same time, felt clear and inspired over the direction I need to go in next, to continue growing.
~ A great combination of peace and stimulation!

I harvested my first 2 tomatoes a few days ago (the big one in the photo below this one ~ I gave the other one to my nice neighbors), and let it ripen. My currant tomatoes are revving up, as well...

I'm so happy that these are organic!~ No pesticides were needed (yet)!

With my lemon basil, I'm thinking 'very cool breschetta'...!

This will be a few "firsts"~ (exciting!)
first tomato I've ever grown,
first tomato of mine I will eat,
first time I've grown lemon basil,
first time I will taste it!

Summertime is full of good things!~

2008-07-22T09:55:00.000-07:00

Tomato Update:
Pleased to report that they are doing well.~
(still organic, at the moment)

(Cat, however, needs some attention!)

One of my tuberous begonias has a bud.~
(woohoo!)

We're getting a nice mix of rain and sun.~

The plants love it!

2008-07-16T10:06:00.000-07:00

Glimpses in my garden
(starting with my favorite 'beauty shot')

This is my first time growing tomatoes, and they're coming along pretty good, so far.~ I hope the cats keep the birds away from them! Then, all I'd have to worry about is the bugs...

2008-07-11T05:32:00.001-07:00

Lazy Summer morning in the garden
(both blogs)
I took a half day off, last week, spending most of the morning on my porch, enjoying the garden for an hour or two. Just doin nuthin special, enjoying the perfect weather....
A morning well-spent, if you ask me...~

One of my moonflower vines (here in the photo below, it's sharing a pot with the tuberous begonias) got big pretty fast~ I've been able to transplant it to its home under my bedroom window, by now....

It grew faster than the one I had planted in the front of my house...interesting, considering it only got morning light, and the one in front of the porch got light from morning till around the noon hour.
(But the morning light reached this potted one about half an hour earlier, so maybe that was the difference?)

Sunlight and rain
The rest of my garden spots are doing pretty well~ here is part of the Artist's Garden, along with Aster (those cats allllways sneak into the frame when they see my about to take a photo~ hamming it up!)

SEe? Rugosus snuck in on this one!

(I got that phlox from my aunt~ it's been doing quite well, considering it lives by the sweltering concrete driveway, and we had that terrible drought, last year.)

When the rain comes
Later on in the week, the rains came in~ we've been getting a nice, soaking rain about once every two days, sometimes every day.

There are more photos at my flickr pages~ if you want to visit, just click on one of the photos, and it will take you there.

2008-06-30T09:43:00.000-07:00

Sunday,
Early Summer,
Approaching twilight
(very tranquil)
(both blogs)

It is rainy and overcast, here today~ and downright chilly, right now! ~ I plan to take photos of my newest blooms in the garden, as soon as the weather remembers itself and gets back to sunny-ness!

2008-06-27T11:28:00.001-07:00

I love a good, soft Summer rain....
(both blogs)

"Perfick!"
As this was coming to my house, I was watching a scene in "Darling Buds of May" where it started raining and Pop Larkin says it's 'soft as cobwebs'.

2008-06-17T09:25:00.000-07:00

In God's garden

One of the few true blue wildflowers in the world~ the Dayflower.
They bloom in the day~ by late afternoon, they close up.
Hence, the name, "Dayflower".~
Natch.

It isn't Summer till I've squeezed a few wild impatiens' pods (aka, Jewelweed, "Touch-Me-Nots")!
Their wriggly-zinging when you pop them is highly addictive fun~ it sends those seeds flying!

Elmshoff Preserve~ the perfect spot to dream and think and read, etc.!

Dream on~ the Summer is still young, here in the Ohio Valley!

2008-06-11T07:32:00.001-07:00

A note while I'm gone (both blogs)
I set up some "vacation" music on Ye Olde Playlist for you, till I get back!
(new music!! are you excited?!)

I put "Let 'Em In", "Silly Love Songs" and "Afternoon Delight" on there because when I was a kid, we were traveling by car to the beach one year (1976?), and we heard these songs on the radio again and again. So, by association, they are "vacation music", to me!

(Rumor had it that "Afternoon Delight" was actually about soap opera sex, but what did a little kid know about that? I didn't care. It was nothing but Goin-to-the-Beach Music to me!)

"When You Wish Upon A Star" by Jiminy Cricket always ends the WEBN fireworks display, at their bash in late Summer, so it's "summer" music to me~ and a lovely way to end the night, don't you think?

May you have a magically-sweet Summer ~

2008-06-11T07:11:00.001-07:00

How I spent my Tuesday evening
(both blogs)

A walk on the trail...

...Ran into a veritable horde of butterflies~ there were so many of them, and they whirled around me so quick! I could hear their wings making little clicking noises, they were so fast!

(Video available on my flickr pages~ just click on one of the photos to go there)

...Up to the prayer labyrinth

...This cemetery nearby made me think of the old St. Joseph cemetery, where I always see the most beautiful sunsets, in Winter, as I'm coming home...

So, I went there during the sunset....

This is the first photo I took there.
I'll share more, later. ~

I'll be taking a little vacation, so enjoy yourself and your life till I get back on Monday!

2008-06-05T06:44:00.001-07:00

Rose season!

My New Dawn is going along swimmingly~
(cameo appearances by Mackers and Rugosus)

Rose Envy

...and this is a rose I wish I owned!
I suspect it's an Abraham Darby.
Whatever it is, it is luscious!

2008-06-04T08:14:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday: A little brotherly dispute
(both blogs)