Seeds and Blessings! :)

Anyone who knows me wouldn't be at all surprised to learn that, on occasion, this time of year, my table could be covered in seed packets!

Any gardener can tell you that one of the most integral parts of gardenig is the planning! In a vegetable garden, crops need to be rotated yearly, so one must decide where to plant veggies this year, and still meet the plants sun and shade requirements! :)

I've discovered that it's beneficial to the vegetable plants to have plenty of colorful flowers growing, to invite the pollinators! :)

I'm so passionate about gardening that there are times my blog is more about my yard and garden than anything else, and I'm fearful the few blog followers I have may be too bored to stay with me.

However, my blog is about Enjoying The Journey, and this blog Is My Journey, after all! :) So I share the joys and loves in life that I'm passionate about, in hopes that there may be a few of you out there who share my joys and may be uplifted by my journey! :)
After all, the best way I know to enjoy this life journey is to make a point of doing those things one most enjoys! For me, that's living the gospel; spending cherished time with family; spending as much time working in my yard and garden, as my busy life allows; giving service; enjoying pets and nature; and counting my many blessings! :)

Here's hoping that you find some enjoyment in it, too! :)

Dog Days Of Summer! :)

Lately I've been missing the dog days of summer. I miss the warm weather and the opportunity it brings to be out working in the yard and garden!

And I miss my good friend, Buddyman, and the way he always wanted to be wherever I was!

He knew the art of laying back and enjoying those peaceful summer days, and just looking at him would make me feel relaxed too! :)
As we begin the long process of training a new companion, I'm pleased to see the shadowing behavior in Coal, that we so enjoyed in our other dogs! He, too, wants to be where we are, and I trust when summer comes, he will be out there with me, enjoying the dog days of summer! :)

Celebrating In Levi 501's! :)

Even though I'm still 4 lbs. away from my weight goal, I've decided to go ahead and do this post in response to requests from friends who haven't see me since I've lost the bulk of my weight! Truth is, it takes around 10 lbs. to show on my near 5'9" frame, anyway, so I just as well do this post now, as I doubt those last 4 lbs. are really going to show enough to make it worth waiting! :)

In my thin days I used to love wearing Levi 501 Button-Up Jeans! I stopped wearing them when I put on weight as, in my oppinion, they are made for a lean body! When I started counting calories, and realized it works, I knew I would one day celebrate by buying them again, when I lost my excess weight! After losing 49 lbs. so far, I'm thrilled the day has come to be able to wear them again! :)

So to those of you who have been watching and sharing this weight loss journey with me, Thank You for your support! I'm thrilled to say I'm celebrating my leaner body in Levi 501 Button Up Jeans, and lovin' it!! :)

Spring's Sweet Reassurance! :)

Spring's Sweet Reassurance! :)

Spring has peeked her head in on this January day! :)

It's such a thrill to see her cheery, warm, sunshiney ray!

She only is just passing through, then she'll hide her face,

For she's polite to Winter, who also has her place!

Honey bees are stirring, they ask her to please stay!

She smiles back reassuring, "I will, and then we'll play!" :)

It was a kind reminder that she will come again,

And oh what joy we will enjoy for she'll stay longer, then! :) - BJ. Barnes

Here's hoping you're enjoying a little Spring where you are, this January day, and if not, - here's hoping you enjoy a little of the early Spring, with me, that I happen to be enjoying here! :)

Meet Coal ! :)

Meet Coal, the newest member of our family!! :)

So far he has proven himself to be the most well adjusted, best socialized pup we have ever met!

It took us awhile to decide on his name, but he came by his name by way of his coal-black coat, as you can see! :)

Not only does he have a pretty face, and nice lines, but he is true to his lab instincts! Here he is pointing, at the edge of our field! :)

He's already won our hearts, we seem to have won his, and we're looking forward to many fantastic years ahead, with him by our side! :)

Now please excuse us as there's much playing; munching; water lapping; training; sleeping; and endless exploring to do! :)

Magical Frost! :)

There's something magical about frost! It takes ordinary things and makes them extraordinary!

If you click on these photos to enlarge them, you will better see what I'm saying! :) Frost makes things sparkel, and gives them a brilliance they'd otherwise lack! :)

Even the whiteness of it adds to it's appeal, and I love it's crystal abilities! :)

When it's freezing, the sky has a unique color and feel to it! :)

If you look in the background you will see how it's frosted every surface of the mesh wire, of the garden fence, leaving nothing untouched from it's magical brushes! :)

It even had power to draw me outside, this morning, with camera in hand, in hopes of capturing it's beauty with my lens! I hope I was successful as magic like this is meant to be shared! :)

Life In The Dead Of Winter! :)

Garderners are forever optimists! :) We are forever enjoying the present while looking forward to the future! Gardens are ever changing, with the seasons, and a well thought out yard has something exciting about to emerge, at every turn! :)
Even though we're in the dead of winter, I knew my lens would find signs of life! :)
Now that the days are starting to lengthen, the buds are beginning to swell in anticipation of Spring! :)
Bulbs are stretching up through the soil! :)

The elephant garlic I planted, in the garden, last Fall is pushing up! :)

(Yes those are tree needles from our Christmas tree! They must have blown off the tree when Rud was carrying it past the garden to the burn pile!) :)

New flower buds can be seen on the Witch Hazel! :) I eagerly await her earthy, citrus aroma, when she blooms! :)

I love how there are signs of life even in the dead of winter! :)