Stardust...

This is a photo I took about two nights ago.

These shells came from my niece who spent a whole day diving to the bottom of the lake getting them for me. I have a jar full..They are special to me.

The buttons came from my Mom who gave them to me in a white box. The pearl buttons sitting on faded cotton like a glorious offering..

~nita~

Brenda's Photo Challenge...

{photo collage I put together this morning}


I am so sorry I have not got my post up until now. It has been a stressful few days. Can't go into details but..
I am also sorry I don't have the links up for the other participants yet. You can beat me with a wet noodle if you would feel better. LoL

I will get this done, but please go to Donna's Made in Heaven's site for the links. {You will find her link on my favorites.} There are some amazing women who participate in these challenges and their photos are equally amazing. My ability to link still will not work on my posts! Has this happened to anyone but me? How did you get it fixed?

The theme this week is Patriotism...

I love the colors of our flag and decided to show my love of our country through my colors...I hope you like them..

I read Sharon's post a few minutes ago about her country and was moved by her words.
I love my country very much as well. I thought of the magnificent beauty of America. The rivers and mountains and prairies...The desserts and farmlands. The churches that are works of art in themselves. The freedom we have. I feel blessed to live here.



{White lace curtain at an antique shop I went to with Mom}

Didn't buy anything but I really love to look..





{Flowers at a bakery}

I think the red petunias compliment the verbena very well . The man who owns the bakery said the verbena resowed itself
from last year.

I hope you all have a beautiful weekend. ~Nita~

Tonight's song, Secret Garden by Bruce Springsteen
1st video 1st clip

Inspiration....

{A miniature tin full of glitter}

This antique aspirin tin came from a beloved friend.

The faded patina of green and brown soothes my heart..

The glitter recently put into it makes it full of magic...

We need things in our lives that add magic..Yard sales..New art supplies..New crayons..New material..A leaf in the shape of a heart..

Magazines that give us ideas.

I have notebooks full of ideas and quotes that I collect. Ideas for projects I want to do. Pages torn from magazines with ideas for home improvement.

I collect color samples that I want to use to paint each room and put them into my idea notebooks.

One picture can inspire me to change a whole room.

I look for ideas everywhere...

I look for inspiration in nature and also from people.

There are so many wonderful blogs that inspire me. Everyone who leaves a comment, that has a blog, I visit. And I always find something on every single site that is an inspiration..

Look for your inspiration today..It is out there.

~Nita~

Tonight's song, Chasing Pavement by Adele

1st video, 1st clip

Please listen to this it is beautiful..So is she. Her voice reminds me very much of Amy Winehouse

Pictures of Summer....

{Pictures I took over this past weekend}

Please click on photos for a better view...


{Mimosa in Mom's front yard...}

The fragrance of the Mimosa floats across the yard and down the block. It's fragrance is so wonderful it intoxicates the most hardened of hearts..The flowers were made from fairy dreams...


I saw an old acquaintance today that I thought at one time, was my friend.

She really wasn't..She was a user of the worst sort.

You know the kind. The ones who use you to get ahead. The ones who act like your friend to your face, then you find out that they have been talking about you behind your back.

I was pretty sad after seeing her. I thought why? Why do people have to be users? People who you have given your friendship to, and your heart. People you have shared secrets with, and Just when you let your guard down they turned on you.
My idea of a true friend is someone who does not let others talk about you to them.

{Glorious Mimosa}
They say that is my friend, I really don't want to hear what you have to say about her.
That is a friend..

People who are there for you in your darkest hour. That is a friend.

I have made more friends through my blog then I could have ever hoped for. You all have been there to help me through losing John. You have been there to encourage my creativity without false pretenses! You have prayed for me...
I feel blessed to have found this world of women who are so wonderful in every way.
I want to be there for you to my friends. You who visit me and leave me comments.

The last few months it has been hard to be there..But I am trying.


You don't know how much you make a difference in my life. How you have helped me through my darkest days..

{Purple Cone flower}

I went for a walk with my friend Annie tonight and told her about seeing the old acquaintance and the sadness I felt about it. She told me some words of wisdom she has learned through the years.
She said that we live and we learn. And that when it comes down to the end of our life it is really between us and God.

We can love people but we can't make them love us.
We can't make someone feel something they don't posses.

{ Queen Anne's lace on country road}


Some people are so barren of love all they can do is use others. They live for themselves. {They} are {their}
priority.

To me that is no way to live.
If you put yourself first all the time, it is a truly selfish way to live. At the end of your life when {you} are all {you} have left..That is truly alone.

{front of green barn}


I can remember many times being there for this person when she needed me.

But thinking back...I really can't remember her being there for me.
When my brother died..
When John died..


But I am making friends more all the time. True friends..I have made friends at church that have really been there.

I agree with Annie's advice, We learn from our mistakes.



{little green barn}



I hope you like the photos. I took them over the weekend, and just enjoyed being outside.



Elizabeth and I had a pretty good weekend. The sadness is always there..But we are trying hard to find happiness in each day. It was my first 4Th of July without John. I was really sad on that day..
But, John would have wanted us to try to be happy.. I miss him though. So much..
{yellow day lily...}



This is a quote I am leaving you with:

True friends are like diamonds
precious but rare

False friends
are like
autumn leaves
found everywhere.

~Nita~

Tonight's song, The Story of a Girl By 3 Doors Down
1st video, 3rd clip