Happy Wednesday Everyone! I hope your day has been extra special for you! I know mine has...and here's one of the reasons why:
This smiling group of people you may recognize, at least some of them...yes, we are blogging friends and we brought along some of our favorite subjects for our blogs...hubbies!
Left to right there is Mari Bruins, a.k.a. My Little Corner of the World and her hubby Bob, who traveled all the way from western Michigan to visit Your Friend From Florida, Terri D'Orsaneo, and she instigated this little get together with your's truly and my hubby John on the back row, and we met up at the Cracker Barrel in Ocala with Barbara Mims and her hubby Gary, a.k.a. Journal Memories. We had such a great visit! One thing I have discovered since joining this "blogging family", is that bloggers are a wonderful group of people to know! It sure would be fun to meet ALL of you someday too!! Thank you. Terri, for being the one with the true gift of hospitality to help bring us all together! What a blessing!! Oh, and speaking of blessings... Mari brought us each a jar of these wonderful "Cherry Berry" Jam preserves, straight from her part of western Michigan, where the best kind of tart cherries are grown...the kind that make the best cherry pies. I can't wait to try this on a fresh hot biscuit! Thank you, Mari!!!
Today is another special day, because it is also the birthday of our "baby" son, Scott! However, because he is working and living a couple of hours away, we will not be celebrating together until Sunday afternoon. Still, we called and sang Happy Birthday to him this morning before he went to work. I just can't believe my "baby" is 49 years old already!!!
Speaking of "babies"...our current "baby" Blackie was helping me in my office/Room with a View" early this morning...He likes to check out the waste basket to see if I threw anything important away...
Speaking of "children", here's my "Big Baby Boy"...the oldest, a.k.a Ben & Rose's Country Woodshop...
and these are two of the planters he has made for me to grow my new vegetable garden. I will use these for the zucchini and yellow (summer) squash plants. He's still making one for my tomato plants.
Meanwhile, I have all these things growing in my kitchen that need to get planted before they get too big!
Meanwhile, I took these pictures Sunday morning next to our church parking lot. The purple wisteria vine is growing profusely and blooming beautifully, although I think it might even do better if it had been pruned a bit before it started blooming. Still, it is quite lovely, and I will close this post with these thoughts tonight from John's Gospel:
John 15:1-10
15 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.
2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.
4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.
7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.
8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.
Love and Joy Perfected
9 “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love.
10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.
Good Night my friends! I hope you have a blessed and glorious rest of your week.
It's great you spent time together and I'm glad Blackie is helping around the house. That should lighten the load for you a lot! Cats are big helpers. I like those planters. He is a talented guy for sure.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Annie! Yes, Blackie is a BIG help! LOL. He dusts the dust bunnies out from under the bed and tables quite often. Some days he looks more like a gray cat than a black one! LOL. And yes, I like the planters too. Now if I can just get things to grow in them, it will be really nice! Yes, he is talented and very sweet.
DeleteOh, Pamela, what a joy it must have been to meet up with so many precious blogging friends! I so wish we could travel to Florida to spend time with so many of you, but because of Danny's health issues, that's not possible. Life's reality set in, doesn't it? Have fun with and give my love to these wonderful folks!
ReplyDeleteIt really was wonderful, Martha, and someday it would be so wonderful to meet you in person. It may still happen...but if not, someday I was just saying maybe there will be a special "mansion" in heaven for the bloggers to gather! Wouldn't that be amazing? We'll know each other face to face then for sure. Until then, we all do what we have to do in this life,and sometimes it isn't easy...but we are thankful for the Lord to give us the strength to keep on keeping on. He never leaves us! (((HUGS)))
DeleteCats do like to check everything out. Always curious. Happy birthday to Scott. My boys are ages 46 and 41 and Michael would be 49. Boy our little boys sure grew up fast! Where did that time go?
ReplyDeleteLooks like a nice time with your blogging friends. Those cherry preserved are probably delicious and on a nice homemade, flaky biscuit...makes my mouth water just that in my about it. Have a nice week, Pamela.
Yes, our children do grow up way too fast, and it's kind of sad that so many sweet little memories fade over time that you think, at the time, you will never forget. But time has a way of compacting all of our memories into different categories and compartments, and sometimes it takes a key to unlock it again. That's why I'm glad I have a lot of pictures of when they were small, but still not as many as I wish I had. And yes, I am thinking about baking some biscuits this weekend so we can try out that jam. yes, we had a great time with our friends. I wish we could ALL be together! Someday in heaven there will be a special "mansion" for the bloggers to gather! LOL. What a day that will be!
DeleteBlackie is sure a typical CAT... and you are now very much typical Cat Parents. still smiling. love your planters and those plants do look ready to be planted. LOVE the lamp. Happy Birthday to Scott, my baby just turned 59, Dan the owner of 9 cats and a Mastiff.
ReplyDeleteI am jealous and would have loved to be in Ocala with you for lunch... the only bloggers of your group that I know, are you and Mari....
Yes, Blackie is very typical, from what I am learning about cats little by little. He is really a character, that's for sure. Thank you for the kind words regarding the planters, the lamp, and Scott! Our babies do have a way of growing up and making us feel so much older! LOL. And yes, I would've loved for you to come to visit with us too. I know it's a long hike from where you are,and of course you are a bit "busy" now anyway, but perhaps someday we will be able to figure out a way to meet in person. For now, I am thankful and happy to be your friend right here! You are a blessing!
DeleteHappy Birthday Scott!!!! And, oh I am so sad I couldn't meet up with you all. Thanks for the smiles, Pam.
ReplyDeleteWe missed you. I hope Dave is doing okay today. I hope YOU are too!!! (((HUGS)))
DeleteI am a bit jealous of that lunch gathering, would have loved to be there too, but it made me smile big to see all of you blogging friends together! What fun! Blackie is helping you all right! My cats do the same thing, and they like to swirl around my feet when I'm trying to walk. The planters are gorgeous, and happy birthday to your son, I love the beach pic, where does the time go?
ReplyDeleteIt would be lovely to have you show up for a visit! Just let us know when so we can try to gather as many as possible! Regarding Blackie, yes, he loves to swirl around my feet too when I'm walking or even standing trying to cook. Sadly, his tail has gotten under my foot more than once. I now try to double check before I take any steps. Thank you for visiting. I came over and had a little visit with you today too. (((HUGS)))
DeleteWhat a happy post---I saw that my wisteria is starting to bloom, too! Love to see it survived the winter's cold!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Cindy. I was thinking about you and wishing I had reached out to you to see if you would be interested in going along. We still need to find a time to meet since we really are just across the river from each other! I'm just not a good "instigator" of activities anymore...but I hope we can make it happen. This "winter" weather kind of keeps making me wonder if spring is really here yet! I guess we should enjoy it while it lasts, because we both know what summer will be like. Have a blessed and beautiful day.
DeleteThe wisteria at you church is so pretty! It is such a southern thing! Pam, our lunch gathering in Ocala was so very special and so wonderful. When blogging friends become in-person friends, too, we get double the fun and double the love. I'm so happy we could make it happen!! Mari and Bob left this morning and texted that the landed safely. I miss them already! Sending a hug!!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Terri, for making it all happen for us. We really are a blessed group to be able to enjoy each other's company in person as well as here in blogland. You truly have the gift of hospitality, and I really appreciate that about you! I'm still hoping that one of these days we will make it down to Lakeland. There is so much beauty to see there! But best of all would be to just visit in your home! Someday! Blessings to you dear friend.
DeleteIt was such a highlight of the trip to be with you all in person!
ReplyDeleteWe got back home about an hour ago, are unpacked and the laundry is started. We returned to a temp of 31 and said we need to go back to Florida! :)
The beautiful Easter decor that Benton made came home safely and I'll soon be rearranging my mantle to put it there. It will be treasured!
Happy Birthday to Scott - love the photo. Our oldest turned 43 this year and I'm just not sure how that happened!
So glad to hear you made it home safely, but sorry it's only 31 degrees there! It's all the way up to 70 here, but with a very cool breeze it feels like 63! I guess you'd call that a nice summer day! LOL. Glad the "empty tomb" made it home safely. Yes, it's time for me to get mine out of the Easter storage tub and start getting things ready for Easter here as well. Thank you for taking this trip to Florida and making the extra effort to get together with us blogging friends! It's so wonderful to finally meet you face to face, and tell Bob I enjoyed talking "shop" with him. My dad was also a woodworker, and that's where our son Benton gets his talent...he also inherited a few of his tools...so woodworking is in my blood...I just don't quite have the talent, but I do have the appreciation for it. May God bless you all and have a wonderful rest of your week as you settle back in and try to warm up! LOL.
DeleteIt's wonderful that you were able to meet some blogging friends in person! I have only ever met one blogger IRL, and I was nervous beforehand but there was no need as of course we already "knew" each other really! It sounds as if you all had a great time, with some flying miles! Wow.
ReplyDeleteThe planters look great. It must be a blessing to know people or have family members who are good at making things. I wish you lots of fun and an abundant harvest! (With the number of zucchini plants you have bought, you might need to open a greengrocer's!)
Wisteria is a beautiful plant. We have it here as a garden plant and it doesn't tend to grow too madly. I read that it had naturalised in the southern States, and in some places has become a problem. I have a Japonica in my garden, and in my hometown in Japan there was a famous one which had blooms of over a metre long!
Good Afternoon Lady Ella! Yes, it was a wonderful gathering of like minded friends. We said that sometimes our blogging friends know more about us than our own families! LOL. Oh, and I hope you are right about the "abundant harvest" of my squash plants. I will happily share them with anyone who wants some if they truly do ever make it that far. I tend to have a "brown thumb" instead of a green thumb, so we shall see how it goes! I have to get them planted first! LOL. And yes, the wisteria vine can be seen blooming on many fencerows throughout the south, but it truly is lovely while blooming. I look forward to seeing it every spring! You are originally from Japan? How very interesting! I am looking forward to getting better acquainted with you!! Thank you for writing.
DeleteWhat a lovely day you had with fellow bloggers. Its always so much fun to be able to talk face to face. I have met and been places with two wonderful bloggers that have become life long friends. They are treasured women.
ReplyDeleteThat Kitty of yours certainly has made himself at home ... I am happy for all of you.
Hope you get those plants in the ground so you can have some yummies to eat and share. I really have a "brown " thumb too.
We're in the 80'sF today and I finally took the blanket off our bed. More pleasant to sleep with the sheet and spread now.
hugs to you
Sue
Thank you, Sue. We did have a great time. Such a blessing to make so many wonderful friends this way. I just wish we could ALL get together! Someday...perhaps in heaven, but it would be fun to do it now! Yes, Blackie is quite at home. Hubby is still not quite ready to let him have full reign and run of the house all day, but Blackie is still trying really hard to change that. We will see who wins. And yes, I am hoping to plant the veggies tomorrow or this weekend. It turned really cold and windy here this week, so it's not a great time to plant, but hopefully it will now warm up and stay that way. We still have our flannel sheets on the bed, which I am glad for since it went back down almost in the 30's again this week. Hopefully this is the last cold spell for the season. Tomorrow is the first day of spring!
DeleteHugs to you too! (((HUGS)))
I love your planters. They should work great. Jeff has had all kinds of things happening over here in little pots ready to go out as well. He is trying for the first time some climbing cucumbers and squash. He ordered the seeds and is going from seed to planting. We will see how it goes.
ReplyDeleteI do hope my veggies will grow and prosper. I still need to get them planted...it's been so cold and windy this week...maybe tomorrow!!! I can't wait to see how your garden grows too!!
DeleteHi Pam! I love the planters! I need some like those for the yard of my new home! I think it is so great that you were able to meet up with Mari and other bloggers. When I retire, my husband and I are thinking of making a "bloggers meet-up" trip and Florida is on our list! I hope your week is going well! ~ Deb Jones @ Days of My Life
ReplyDeleteOh, that would be so wonderful to meet you in person! By all means, let us know when you are heading in this direction, and we will see what we can do to get together! I hope your week is going well too. I know your countdown is getting lower every day! Happy Days ahead!!
DeleteOkay, I'm more than a little envious of your Friends Luncheon ... everyone's smiles say it all! I'm loving this picture of baby Scott and his pretty young mother. Where did these years go, anyway? Good to know those purple blooms are wisteria and not what I thought -- lilac. They're everywhere around here, and remind me so much of those which grew in my hometown in northern New Mexico. Would you believe, we children used to pull those blooms, pour honey over them and eat them as a snack. I wouldn't recommend it now!
ReplyDeleteHow I wish we could ALL be together in person some day. I guess we will be in heaven, but it would be fun to do it now too. Your poured honey over lilacs or wisteria and ate them? Very interesting...and you lived to tell about it, so they must not have been poisonous! LOL. Fun memories.
DeleteDear Pamela, what a great experience to get together with these lovely people. You all look amazing.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Linda! It was wonderful. We are thankful to be able to do that!!
DeleteOh, there is Mari!!!! I love this so much. I love the blog community! How wonderful!!!! That jam is going to be wonderful I am so sure. I love those planters your son made. I want one!!!! LOL!!!!! Happy Birthday to your Scott.
ReplyDeleteThat looks like such a fun get together with the ladies and Hubby's too. Blogging friends are wonderful and I still miss seeing the ladies that live in the Portland, OR area that I used to visit a couple of times a year.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday to "baby" Scott. I know you'll have a wonderful meal and time as a family on Sunday, making new memories together.
Loving those planters that Benton made for you. Such a wonderful gift, (And dirt too)!
We're still having a lovely time in Texas and I'm neglecting getting online very much so I'm behind in reading blogs.
Blessings and love,
Betsy
How wonderful to meet up with blog friends. Have a nice celebration with Scott. Happy Birthday to him! That is so cute with Blackie. Those planters are really nice. Hope you have a great weekend.
ReplyDeleteThat is such a great picture of all the blogging friends! It's so nice that you were able to come together and have a good time. I really like the planters that Ben made for you, anxious to see them full of growing plants. By looking at your kitchen garden, you've got a good start. :) Happy Birthday to Scott, my baby just turned 54! Yikes. You are blessed to have just fine boys.
ReplyDeleteThat was wonderful seeing all you awesome bloggers and friends.
ReplyDeleteDear Pamela, I also saw the post and photos on Terri's blog. You all look amazing.
ReplyDeleteI don't get to meet my fellow bloggers face to face, but I did share a few of my personal photos on my Thursday blog post, yesterday. Hope you get a moment to see this post.
Thank you so much for sharing, dear friend.
cats are fun. Keep you on your toes Our church motto is if you see something that needs doing, do it. Maybe you two could ask first then prune the wisteria
ReplyDelete