Feast Day of Saint Mother Xavier Cabrini

Mass this AM. Sharing a feast day and quote from this special saint...

"Stretch every fiber of my being, dear Lord, that I may more easily fly towards you. May your Spirit which once breathed over the chaos of the earth give life to all the powers of my soul."

Special feast day, special place, special person(s)...

Stay healthy, safe, warm, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Some summer left to enjoy...

Ajuga and sedum growing in the holy rocks of flower garden.

 



One week of 100 degrees and the next down in the lower 40's---this is Kansas. I luv the changes in the seasons and the surprise in changes of the weather. Seeing daily changes in the flower garden. Planning on trimming and cleaning out some spent plants this week and pruning some low tree branches. Learned my lesson last year to pace myself with overhead work---both shoulders have recovered and will pamper them.

Celebrated a family wedding this month and enjoyed the company of out of town family. Really too quiet here. Too quiet except for those barking "boys."

Other than yard work, w plan to attend daily Mass, volunteer at rectory, attend a retirement gathering on Friday, read, and chill the rest of the week.

Stay safe, keep healthy and in touch.

Love, Mom

and again...

More butterflies and the blooming of the sweet autumn clematis.  Worked out in the yard most of yesterday. The temperature was in the upper 80's. Just beautiful outside...

Sixty-five degrees this AM. Opened up all the wIndows. Busy weekend, Mass, birthday party, and yard work. Looking forward to next week---family time!!!

Stay safe, healthy and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Butterflies, Moles, Digs...

Surprise!!! Another butterfly---this one is a real beauty. Stayed around to let me get several pics. Must have heard I ordered some butterfly favorite plants. Received 4 plants (milkweed for the Monarchs) from FL today. The lantanas are such a hit w/these little creatures. Hope they continue to hang around. Will acclimate the plants before setting them out in the 100+ weather.

Finished my school volunteering today. All of the enrollment items have been completed. Will continue to volunteer at the rectory.

Had my "mole guy" out this week. He set traps and caught the little stinker that was tearing up my front yard. This is the 3rd one this summer. I sure miss Buster and Rowdy---they were my mole patrol. Spencer and Hans do not have a clue. I would have to catch one, put it on the grill, and feed it to them to get them interested in moles.

Stay safe, healthy, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

"Holy" rock and more butterflies...

Seems these little creatures keep returning to my garden this week. This one lingered near the Lantana and "Holy" rock most of the morning.  Thinking it may have a connection with the "Holy" rock----even after 20 years.

Stay safe, healthy, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Yesterday's Visitor

This is the reason I plant Lantanas. The swallowtails luv them. This one came in the early morning and flitted from plant to plant w/me and my trusty camera trailing after him. (Recommend a double click).

Today is a sad/glad day. Have to thank Pop for stepping up 54 years ago and making our family complete. This month is one of sadness and joy. Kinda like an emotional roller coaster ride. Maybe the swallowtail was a messenger---Hmmm...

Stay safe, healthy and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Just Suppose

 Just Suppose...

 

Mass being said for the Special Intentions of our family this evening at 5:00pm at St. Patrick's Church.

Stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Ma's Week

Expecting out of town family company sometime today/tonight/or early tomorrow AM..
Looking forward to the visit.

Recovering from wasp sting and possibly poison ivy--both on the same arm. Kind of resembled Popeye over the weekend. Swelling and itching was torture. Went to MD yesterday and got the "demon" shot (steroid). Cleaned house for several hours yesterday and had very restless sleep but  swelling, redness, itching minimal today. Anyone out there need their house cleaned?

Having a Mass said for the "Special Intentions of the Ashpole Family" tomorrow at St. Patrick Church at 8:00am. Have a Mass said for each of you on your birthdays. Special 50th tomorrow.

Enjoyed the cool weather last week--warming up to July standards this week. Took a butterfly pic last Sunday(see below)--that's one of the blessing of the warm weather.

Take care, stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.
Love, Mom

Flowers/Plants/Fun

First time I have ever had skull caps and straw flowers. They are fascinating--the straw flowers draw up into tight buds during a rain and then unfold to full bloom when dry. Really fun to watch. Luv the colors and hoping they will draw in more birds and butterflies into the yard. Bonus---they also luv the heat/sun!

Above pic was taken early in the month of May. Looks totally different now--mulch in place, more plants in bloom, blah, blah, blah...

Mass for the intentions of our family was offered at St. Patrick Church this AM. Volunteering at the rectory this week/school. Working in the yard/flower beds in between and try and get motivated to do some house work.

Stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.
Love, Mom

The Boys say Hi

 

Love, Mom

 

What's Up?!

Sharing pics of 2014 Spring Crocuses. Just wish the colors were more realistic. They have such a beautiful purple hue to them. Checked the flower beds today and seeing all kinds of activity popping out of the ground. I was in such a toot to get all of the beds  cleaned out and am now idle until it warms up enough to start the Spring planting/mulching. Should have the sprinklers cleaned out and running in a couple of weeks. The "boys" are luving being out of doors and running around the yard.

Had the best week. A dear friend from FL was in town for a couple of days. Amazing how distance/years make no difference in a great friendship. Very sad and a little tearful to see her leave today.

Going to Stations of the Cross tonight and then out to eat. Plan on a quiet weekend. Stay healthy, safe and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Sharing

Sharing:
Today is the Solemnity of St.  Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The daily reflection in the prayer book I read before Mass every morning was especially touching today. The author referred to a song: The "Cherry Tree Carol." Had never heard it before but was touched by the lesson given for anger, obedience, and mercy. So little is recorded about St. Josephs' life. Great lesson for me---just wanted to share.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZp5rkPpqlQ

 

 Plan to work in the yard most of the day---lots to do, lots of sunshine, lots of help from the "boys."

 

 Stay healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

 

Love, Mom

 

Bring it on

Swallowtail on Ma's Lantana in 2009

Temps are up. Snow is gone. Spending time each day in the flower beds. Cleaning out winter mulch. Pruning/sawing back clematis, shrubs,  and anything that needs a trim. The "bird blind", AKA mulch pile, AKA open compost storage pile in the back field gets bigger and bigger, taller and taller.   

Making a list of  annual flowers/herbs---especially ones that attract butterflies and bees . Focusing a lot on potted plants. Also, will look for heritage plants---zinnias, snapdragons, lantana, coleus...

Mass this AM. Running some errands and then back home to get outdoors and in the dirt.

Stay safe, healthy, and keep in touch.
Love, Ma

Sharing...

 

 

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Play+Wind+Beneath+My+Wings&Form=VQFRVP#view=detail&mid=1BE06E56A4FB303B06FB1BE06E56A4FB303B06FB

 

The nicest place to be is in someone's thoughts, the safest place to be is in someone's prayers,
and the very best place to be is in the hands of God.

 

 ...

Snowy Days

So anyone have enough snow this winter?

Worked out in the yard all last week getting the ornamental (low maintenance?!) cut back. Has to be done before it begins to green up to prevent cutting off the emerging plume heads. Kind of puts you on a time clock. Knew more snow was on its way so had no choice but to do it in 20-30 degree weather. WOW---how invigorating! But it is done, carted the cut grass off to my "bird blind" and stacked it up in the back field. It will all amend into the soil and has a nice appearance as I look out the window through the snowfall today. Taylor came by to help w/leaf mulching  and grass carting.
It was 24 degrees in the sleeting/wet weather but it is done. We had a great team going. Thanks T.

There are a couple of the "family" members who are not at all  touched by the cold/wet weather. How nice?

Went to Mass and attended a wine tasting event  last night . Plan to get the fireplace going, read, play W/F, and watch some recorder shows today.

Stay warm, healthy, safe, and keep in touch.

Love, Mom

Just for today...

A thought today. 
Kind of in an abstract mood. 
Letting you in to my abstract world for just today...

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_HXUhShhmY&eurl

 

Love, Mom