Last year we planted a lilac bush, a peony, and a Dogwood. We enjoyed one branch that bloomed this year on the lilac. The dogwood did bloom some pretty bright pink blooms. We are still waiting for the peony to bloom again this year. In the meantime I bought a bunch of peonies at Costco to enjoy.
Here are my 5 favorites from this past week.
1. My lilacs and the wonderful scent we enjoyed for a few days.
2. Seeing my dogwood blooms out my kitchen window.
3. Knowing we have finally found a church home and it’s only 3 miles away from our home. The closest we’ve ever been to our home church. It’s taken us a full year to find the right spot for us. We will go to a membership class in September.
4. I’m reading my third book in the last couple weeks. I read Shades of Earl Grey by Laura Childs. I read the first book in The Penderwicks series by Jeanne Birdsall. Both of these books were very enjoyable. Now I’m reading the latest In the Company of Others by Jan Karon. I really enjoy Jan Karon’s writing…
5. I sent our new cookbook, Mennonite Girls Can Cook, to 3 of Dear’s aunts and to a dear old friend of mine that befriended me in college through a Baptist scholarship that I received from her church. What a dear she’s been to me over the years. She wrote to me and sent care packages while I was away from home in college. We’ve kept track of each other over these last 40 years. She is in her 80’s now, widowed and still a Sunday School teacher at her church. She called me this week after receiving the cookbook to thank me and to chat. Sweet times.
I got notes from Dear’s aunts also thanking me for their books and letting me know what recipes they would be trying first. His aunts are in their 70’s and 80’s.
This weekend I get to go on a walk with a dear friend and we are going to celebrate Father’s day this Sunday instead of next.
Thank you Susanne for hosting Friday’s Fave Five, a time to reflect on good things in our lives.
Photobucket replaced all my photos with blurred out versions and they are holding my photos hostage until I pay them lots of money. I’m slowly going through all my posts and trying to clean them up and replacing some photos. Such a bother.
The Happy Wonderer ~ ellen b. 
Such exquisite blossoms! How I would love to stick my nose into the lilacs and breathe deeply! Thanks for sharing the lovely photos!
This post is just so full of happy things – lovely to read at the end of the day. We are still looking for a church home – I hate it that distance becomes an issue…..but then if it is, that’s not really the issue, I guess.
After a very hard day at work, your photos are like a breath of fresh air..Thank you!
Ooh, some of my favorite flowers. These are lovely, Ellen. And great fives — congrats on finding a church home.
Beautiful flowers. And YAY for finding a church home….it is a good feeling to feel planted by God. Hope your weekend is glorious!
Your collage of the lilacs is so pretty on the lilac backdrop. I like the white frames making them pop out. It sounds like you had an exceptionally pleasant week!
Great FFF! So good to heard you’ve found a church home. The blooms are wonderful! I’m glad you’re enjoying them.
What a beautiful lilac collage!!!
Your lilacs are beautiful — such soft, sweet colors. My peonies are late this year too. They haven’t got past the bud stage yet. Lovely post — thank you for sharing.
Loved reading about how you sent the cookbooks to those dear ladies in your life.
Have a lovely weekend, Ellen.
Filled with happy things…your post is! I love the blooms of spring…the exquisite peonies, irises, lilacs and dogwood.
So happy for you…that you found a church to call home!
Lovely flowers! So happy you have found a church home. I know from experience how difficult that can be. We were in the same church for 25 years. When it was time to make a change, it was heart wrenching. If you are just looking for a church to attend, it might be easier. But if you are looking for a “home”, it takes some time. I pray you will be blessed there and I know YOU will be a blessing! 🙂
I tried growing peonies once but they all died. I hope you have better luck with yours ;-).
It looks like you’ve had another lovely week, Ellen B, with lots of blessings.
Just a thought…does Willow know there’s a crochet and sea exhibit in Pasadena next week? One of my friends posted about it on Facebook and I immediately thought of Willow.
xoxo cori g.
I’ll let Willow know Cori!
I love dogwoods!! And Jan Karon, too. Your pictures are just lovely.
Have a great week ahead!
Love your flowers!! sooo pretty !!
And sooo happy you have found a church home ! and close to home! perfect! May you be blessed there and bless others!!
Love the flowers and I also love hearing what others are reading. I’m always looking for a good book, so I am adding them to my booklist to look up when next at the library or bookstore.
Gorgeous blooms Ellen!! Our lilacs are out now and I love the perfume. I really enjoyed the Penderwicks series – haven’t read the Childs book – I’ll check to see if our library has it.
Enjoy your early Father’s day celebration!
What beautiful flowers, I feel like I can almost smell them here!
Finding a good church home is one of the most comforting things in the world, I am so happy for you!
Glad you finally found a church home. Those flowers are lovely and I’m seeing quite a lot of them too… since I’m in Vancouver now. 🙂 Will try to visit the Japanese Garden in UBC tomorrow if it doesn’t rain. You have a great weekend too Ellen!
Three of my very favorite flowers. I haven’t seen boquets of peonies here for sale. It is such a short season for us. Mine usually only bloom for one week but our cool May gave me three weeks to enjoy then for a change. You have been in Wa for so long…it is time for a good church home! It must be such a pleasure to give your cookbook as gifts!
BLISS! Oh, what floral bliss, Ellen! I miss Dogwoods so much… we don’t have them over here. So they remind of spring back home. I love peonies and lilacs so much… *swoon*… Your pink & cream peonies are gorgeous! Ours are magenta that softer into a paler pink the longer they’re in bloom–fun to see the daily changes in the color. I dream of a pair of all-white peonies–maybe this summer at last. Oh, you were wondering about that orange machine from that coffee shop post I did yesterday. It’s actually a metal surround, and behind it is three fancy coffee machines for all the coffees they make. I’d not seen on like it before–very modern! LOL… Hope you’re having a great weekend there! :o) ((HUGS))
Those lilacs are just gorgeous! Our dogwoods have all gone from blooms to just leaves here. I wish they could keep their blooms longer.
That’s so neat about the cookbook!
It can take a long time to find a good church home, and it feels kind of unsettled not to have one – I am glad you found one and that it is so close.
The flowers look beautiful. Don’t you wish they could stay all year?
Are you a contributor to the cookbook? How exciting! I have several mennonite blog friends, and when they post about their cooking, (especially when they all get together and cook for a group) my stomach growls and my mouth waters just looking at the photos.
Thank you notes are a gift, too. Aren’t they? I always send them, and insist my boys do, too.
I’m glad you found a church home. I can see our parish through the trees in my backyard. I can’t believe my luck! I hear the bells ringing throughout the day – it always makes me happy.