Author: Timelesslady

Married with children and grandchildren. Reader, writer, painter - maybe a bit of an artist. Gardener... Led by the Spirit.

Photograph – A Walk in Ceres Woods

On By TimelessladyIn Photo Challenge at Wordpress, photograph, Place3 Comments

“May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”
II Corinthians 13:14

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I’ve heard some say they have a hard time believing in the Trinity. I believe. How could I not? There are three trees behind me in my shadow photograph. I can’t see them, but I know they are there. Why? Because of the evidence of their presence. The evidence of the presence of God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit surrounds me every day. I only have to take pause from the unending busyness of life to dwell with them in my spirit.

“And Spring arose on the garden fair,
Like the Spirit of Love felt everywhere;
And each flower and herb on Earth’s dark breast
rose from the dreams of its wintry rest.”
—Percy Bysshe Shelley

Spring was evident everywhere yesterday. The calendar says “winter,” but the budding woods proclaims, “Spring.”

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State of Mind
“This week, let your inner world and the outside one converge in a photo.”
“Photos show us the surface of things, but they often tell much deeper stories about the objects they depict — and about the people who take them.” WordPress Photo Challenge

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One of my greatest pleasures is walking in nature in every season. These photos were taken in Ceres Park a beautiful woods covering fifty-two acres a few miles from my home.

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The signs of Spring were all around us: wet, soggy ground, the budding of undergrowth, the touch of sunlight setting even the bark of the trees aglow. The mosses seem to be awakening first, sending up stalks that will soon bud into capsules filled with spores.

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Ceres parked is dotted with marl lakes. The mineral turns the water a magical green. I will have to go back to capture the true iridescence of the water another day. The heavy rains of last week muddied them a bit, but if you look closely, you can see swathes of green within the waters.

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Phun – Mystery Solved/Mullica Hill Soldier

On By TimelessladyIn QuirkinessLeave a comment

A few weeks ago I published a post on Optical Illusions. The illusion in question was whether what appeared to be a nail in a soldier’s mouth was actually there, or an object far behind him, so perfectly aligned it appeared to be in his mouth.

soldier no cigar

I thought I had solved the mystery by the lack of the nail cigar/cigarette in the cast shadow and proclaimed in my post there was no nail. This morning my husband and I were once again driving through Mullica Hill, and luckily I had my camera. I asked him to stop so I could discover exactly what had lined up so perfectly in the photograph. I was surprised to find, that although I thought the shadow proved there was no nail, hmmm…sure looked like a nail to me.

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Mystery solved, it was a nail after all. New mystery, why didn’t the nail cast a shadow. Any ideas???

Photograph – Skywatch Friday in February

On By TimelessladyIn photograph10 Comments

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If you’ve read my blog with any regularity you might recognize these beautiful pines silhouetted against the sunrise. This is the view from the room where I begin most of my mornings. The sun is rising earlier each day…Hallelujah! Spring is definitely around the corner.

“Then God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years.” ~ Genesis 1:14

I hadn’t taken part in Skywatch Friday for quite awhile, and thought perhaps this sunrise was a good starting point for my day and blog posting. Check out the site: Skywatch Friday and take part in the challenge too.

Phun – Throwback Thursday/Marbles

On By TimelessladyIn Phun12 Comments

marbles 1

My grandsons had a sleepover date with us last weekend. The oldest is nine, the middle grandson seven, and the littlest is three and a half. I enjoy planning special activities and crafts when we have time together, and decided the uninviting weather outdoors was the perfect opportunity to introduce them to the classic game of marbles.

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Marbles can be played indoors or out. When I was in elementary school we played the game on the playground in a circle drawn in dirt. For our indoor play, we created a circle with a piece of embroidery floss. The classic rules of marbles are abundant in web searches, but we played by our own rules: one shot, no need to shoot with your thumb, a good hard roll with the shooter marble  was all the skill that was needed.

What is a shooter marble? It’s the largest of all the marbles, a bit like the cue ball in a game of pool. The shooter is used for knocking other marbles out of the circle. When you knock a marble out…it is yours to keep. We were shocked at how well the three year old played. He came close to winning most of the marbles, but came in second place to his dad.

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Marbles come in many colors and designs. In a canister you might find cat’s-eye marbles, clear, with a swirl of color in them. Fancier opaque varieties that  resemble planets in the solar system are also in the canister, but in lesser quantities. These mango-tango cat’s eye, a perfect choice for today’s Color Your World – 120 Days of Crayola challenge, were purchased in a local craft store. I bought our big canister for under three dollars with a 40% off coupon.

Photographs – Take a Walk/February

On By TimelessladyIn Photo Challenge at Wordpress, Photographs11 Comments

Seasons-“Share an image evocative of the weather or represent the current “season of your life” in metaphor.

– WordPress Photo Challenge

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In February, my area of the world becomes a landscape of grey and brown. The absence of foliage creates in me  a renewed appreciation for the form of tree limbs against the winter sky.

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Vines, hidden by leaves in warmer months, fascinate me as they twist and turn around the tree branches that support their winding attempt to reach the sun.

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The sweet-smelling blossoms of the Autumn Clematis, growing along the banks of the creek, have disappeared, leaving behind mahogany (Color Your World – 120 Days of Crayola) seeds in a cloud of snowy fluff.

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Shallow puddles and ponds form an ephemeral mosaic.

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Daylight is once again lengthening, bringing the slumbering wildlife out of their burrows for water and food.

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The emerging leaves of celandine is a sure sign that Spring is on the way.

Planting – Avocado Pits – Again???

On By TimelessladyIn Planting25 Comments

A few years ago I grew an avocado tree from a pit I saved. The pit sprouted, grew, seemed to thrive, and then abruptly succumbed to an unknown ailment. The Crash and Burn of My Avocado Pit Project

Recently, while talking with a blogging friend, Susie, of the SusieShy45 Blog, we both agreed  to attempt growing  an avocado pit at the same time. We will be comparing notes on our progress through the comment section of this post. Please do join in if you eat avocados and want to give growing it a try. Add your thoughts and progress to the post in the comment section.

I have two pits saved, so I’m going to try growing them in two ways. For the first, I suspended the flat end (the rooting area) in water, and kept the pointed end (the sprouting area) above the water line. I placed my pit in a vase with a perfectly-sized opening to hold the pit. Another way is to suspend the pit with toothpicks inserted a quarter inch or so into the sides, and the bottom placed in a glass or jar of water.

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I planted my second pit in a pot with dirt, pointed end up. It will be a race to see which one sprouts first. Anyone else out there with an avocado pit, or a ripe avocado on hand??? Join in and let us know how your avocado grows.

Quote & Perspective – Staying Focused

On By TimelessladyIn Perspective, Quote9 Comments

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Don’t let scattered dreams and goals be torn apart by circumstance…tape them back together again and persevere…persevere…persevere! A masterpiece is inside you, waiting to be born.

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Planting – Moonflower Seeds

On By TimelessladyIn Planting16 Comments

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Last summer, I published a post on my Moonflower Vines. These night-blooming flowers glow in the soft light of the moon, all the while exuding a captivating fragrance.  I buy Moonflower seeds  off  the racks of big-box stores, but I deviated from my norm this year and bought a packet at Longwood Gardens.

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Renee’s Garden is a trusted brand of seeds.

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I appreciate the fact that each packet states the seeds are, “Not treated or genetically engineered.” Renee’s Garden also offers advice on their blog: Renee’s Blog

I soaked the seeds overnight as per directions on packet, and planted them in recycled yogurt containers. (Some gardeners also nick the outer shell of the large seed.) I filled each cup with organic potting soil in bottom half,  seed starter mix as top layer. I placed these in an empty plastic container, set it beside my heating vent, and in less than a week…

SPROUTS!!!

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Oh the JOY of gardening from seed! I started these Moonflower vines much earlier than recommended. This is due to my experience with them; they are very slow-growing  for a few weeks. I’m hoping to enjoy my Moonflowers blossoms by  late May. Happy Gardening!

How to Grow A Moonflower Vine Indoors.

Plants & Place – Longwood Gardens & Anthuriums

On By TimelessladyIn Place, Plants22 Comments

anthirrium hanging basket

Winter Joy is standing beneath this enormous display of anthuriums. The basket of tropical blooms is hanging from the ceiling of the Longwood Gardens Conservatory in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. In the midst of winter, what a blessing it is to have this lovely garden within an hour’s drive of my home.

An extra dose of winter joy awaited me as I browsed in the visitor center gift shop. The same anthuriums, probably grown in overabundance for the display, were on sale for a fantastic price…$6.50 for an 18 inch plant covered in bloom. JOY!

anthirrium windowsill

Quotes – LOVE

On By TimelessladyIn Quotes2 Comments

Valentine's Day Camellia

THE GREATEST LOVE OF ALL – “For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish, but have Everlasting Life.” ~ John 3:16

Plant & Quote – Fortitude

On By TimelessladyIn Plants, Quote4 Comments

“Patience and fortitude conquer all things”
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Color Your World - 120 Days of Crayola
Color Your World – 120 Days of Crayola

Wild Garden Cress is a very hardy plant…or as some would say…a weed. This beautiful specimen, regardless of the frigid temperatures, is growing between the rocks bordering my front gardens. Garden Cress is a plant with fortitude. No matter what the conditions I can usually find sprigs of it in my yard.

Wild Garden Cress is an edible weed. A terrific article with good information can be found at The Potager Page.

A synonym of fortitude is courage. I think this amazing little plant has plenty of courage.

People – Throwback Thursday/Sisters

On By TimelessladyIn People18 Comments

My sister and I, October 30th, 1977. I am the bride, just barely twenty years old. She is my Maid of Honor, aged seventeen.

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On February 4th I blogged about packaging seeds for my sister in tea packets . This is the sweet email I received in return:

‘Hi Kathy,

Thank you so much for the seeds. When I first saw them hanging on the back door I thought you were sharing tea with me. I even turned on the tea kettle went to the bag and then saw the writing, ha, ha. Thank you so much, I may start some of them today. Talk soon!

Love, Sue’

My sister is so talented and versatile. She wears many hats: nurse, beekeeper, gardener, skipper of a boat, hockey coach, friend, wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, aunt and SISTER. I am blessed to be her big sister.

Phlowers & Poetry – Daffodils

On By TimelessladyIn Phlowers, Poetry7 Comments

Today’s Color Your World – 120 Days of Crayola color is Goldenrod. I don’t have any goldenrod flowers on hand, but I do have the promise of daffodils growing in my garden. Yesterday, I walked around the yard and found the promise of Spring in the midst of a nice clump of daffodil leaves.

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“I wandered lonely as a cloud

That floats on high o’er vales and hills,

When all at once I saw a crowd,

A host, of golden daffodils;

Beside the lake, beneath the trees,

Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.”

~ William Wordsworth

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And then my heart with pleasure fills,

And dances with the daffodils.”

~ William Wordsworth

The entire poem by William Wordsworth can be found here: I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud by William Wordsworth

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Daffodil Photographs were taken at Longwood Gardens Conservatory, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania.

Photo Challenge – Timeless Stone

On By TimelessladyIn Photo Challenge at Wordpress5 Comments

“This week, think about Time and portray it photographically.” Haddonfield, New Jersey

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These beautiful churches, created with stone, fascinate me. I love to look upwards and imagine myself in another century, amid the many souls who have walked beneath the steeples, crosses and outer walls of these amazing houses of worship. I hope when I am gone on to a better world these churches will still stand, a testament to the eternal nature of God’s love.

“Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.” ~ Psalm 90:2


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The exterior molding surrounding the stained glass window is a soft gold.

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Beautiful churches can be found in many towns all around the world.

Place – Sweet Shop

On By TimelessladyIn Place, Quirkiness10 Comments

Color Your World – 120 Days of Crayola – Fuchsia

Sweet Shop

Today we drove to Haddonfield, New Jersey and strolled around town doing a bit of window-shopping. We stopped in the Posh Pop Bakeshop and tried their coffee and rose macaroons. Delicious! Fuchsia letters labeled each jar: Tiffany, Vanilla, Rose, Neapolitan, Chocolate and Nutella. I sampled the rose and it was fabulous! One day I would love to make macaroons.

Phun – Solving Mysteries/The Scent of Violets

On By TimelessladyIn Phun4 Comments

Library

I come from a long-line of women who love to read. The china hutch was my grandmothers. Granny was an avid reader; I think she would understand why I am using her hutch as a library, rather than keeping my mismatched china pieces inside.

When I read the blogs of other readers, I am interested by what they loved as children. Although I still read daily, I’ve never quite found the magic in books that I did as a child.

Recently, while reading the blog of Joeyfully Stated, I came across a mystery:

“My grandmother must have bought them used, because they were well-worn paperbacks. I have absolutely no idea what they were, or who wrote them. Yes, I have Googled, thank you. My memory describes them to me as Southern turn of the century historical fiction. Each book focused on a young woman in a specific family whose surname I do not recall. Each book included a mystery and clean romance in the plot lines. The ghost matriarch of this family (Augusta? Agatha?) haunted each girl with the smell of violets. You can read the entire post and comments at: Joeyfully Stated’s Blog Post – A Ghost So Old I Can’t Remember Her Name.

If anyone has a twinge of memory as to what these books might be titled, and where they can be found, please comment here or on the Joeyfully Stated Blog. Thanks!