Tag Archives: Lenten Rose

Springing Up Already!

Some of my favorite things in my yard this week! I count all of these as blessings from above.

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Things that are springing up around here are among my favorites for

Friday’s Fave Five hosted by Susanne at Living to Tell the Story.

The Lenten Rose is my favorite plant that ushers in the Lenten Season.

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These primroses appear every year and I didn’t plant them. I’m always happy to see them.

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What fun to see these miniature daffodils springing up, too.

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We managed to prune both our apple tree and pear tree this week and that was a huge accomplishment at this old house.

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My bonus fave is my verse of the week from my abc Scripture Memory Cards…

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The fact that we have been called and redeemed by God is pure love…

Have a wonderful Valentines Day and President’s Day Weekend.

Do you get Monday off? What were some of your favorites this week?

It’s a Wrap for Sunlit Sunday…

…but only a finale in the posting not of our sunshine. Since we are entering seasons that boast more sunshine Karen is setting aside this weekly meme. I’m not a regular by any means but I say adieu to this light filled meme with a post today.

Thank you Karen for hosting Sunlit Sunday.

paska yard 020This little patch of Primroses surprise me every year. I didn’t plant them (they came with the house) but they pop up faithfully every year at this time.

I heard unofficially that the land our house sits on was once a rustic nursery called Primrose Acres. I like that and I’m still thinking that I should get to planting a lot of Primroses in honor of that.

 

This plant gave me more grief than joy so this past week I trimmed it back and pulled it out of the planter. I also weeded this corner that had weeds with the thickest, longest, most stubborn roots. I’ll share the plants I’m replacing this with in the future.

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I’m so excited for the purple peeking through here. My lilac bush promises more blooms this year than last. It’s not hard to exceed last year’s yield as I only had one…just one bloom.

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My Lenten Rose is winding down but is still a nice sight in the front planter.  Our sun breaks have been few and far between the last several days. When it breaks through the clouds we are thankful.

Besides the sun some things that are lighting up my world are the chance to work side by side with my girlfriends in Canada for a good cause, time together with our daughter who is living with us while our son in law is serving in Afghanistan, spending time with our middle son over a weekend in Eastern Washington, time with our oldest son and our dear DIL here on this side of the mountains, and planning trips for Dear and me that are coming up in May and July. This week I’m planning and gathering fun things for a tea table I’m hosting at my church’s annual friendship tea coming up on Saturday. This evening we are having one more celebration for my birthday (March 14) with our kids on this side of the mountains.

What’s lighting up your world these days?

Lenten Hymn

 

Lord, Who Throughout These Forty Days

Lord, who throughout these forty days
For us didst fast and pray,
Teach us with Thee to mourn our sins
And close by Thee to stay.

As Thou with Satan didst contend,
And didst the victory win,
O give us strength in Thee to fight,
In Thee to conquer sin.

As Thou didst hunger bear, and thirst,
So teach us, gracious Lord,
To die to self, and chiefly live
By Thy most holy Word.

And through these days of penitence,
And through Thy passiontide,
Yea, evermore in life and death,
Jesus, with us abide.

Abide with us, that so, this life
Of suffering over past,
An Easter of unending joy
We may attain at last.

Words: Claudia F. Hernaman, Child’s Book of Praise; A Man­u­al of De­vo­tion in Sim­ple Verse, 1873.

H is for Hellebore

We are at the letter H with Denise Nesbitt’s  ABC Wednesday Meme.

How timely since my Helleborus, Lenten Rose is blooming. I’m not sure exactly what variety mine is. It looks similar to a Spring or Angel variety that I’ve seen on line.

I had to get down on my knees to take the photos because this is a humble plant whose blooms bow their heads to the ground for the most part.

hellebore 008This is the first plant to bloom in the middle or late winter at my house. I love that it is blooming during the Lenten season.

Hellebores are perennial and largely evergreen. They are deer resistant for some of you who have asked in previous posts.

Noteworthy characteristics: Year round foliage persists through shade and snow and is fairly deer and rabbit resistant. Flowers in early spring with daffodils and tulips.

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Hope you enjoyed seeing my Hellebore as much as I enjoyed showing it. I’ll be coming around to see your ABC offering for H.

I’m also linking up to Outdoor Wednesday with A Southern Daydreamer.

Our outdoors have been cold and rainy since Saturday. I know a lot of you might still be covered in snow so who am I to complain. Looking forward to this weekend and the opening of MLS Soccer season in the U.S.A. I’ll be at the Seattle Sounders opener against Sporting Kansas on Saturday. What’s new in your neck of the woods?

Outside Again…

It has been ages since I joined in on A Southern Daydreamer’s Outside Wednesday Meme but low and behold I was finally able to spend some time outside yesterday. The sun was shining and the temps got up over 40 degrees. I had a good time walking about the yard and noticing what was budding or blooming.

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The first thing I noticed was that my shrubs next to my Hellebore (Lenten Rose) were growing over it.

buds 004I headed to the garage to get my nifty trimmers and set out to free the top of the Hellebore from the shrub next to it.

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This is always the first sign that Spring is coming in my yard. I love how gentle and humble this pretty plant is.

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buds 013After I freed and enjoyed my Lenten Rose I moved over to the Camelia Bushes to take a photo of the buds on them.

buds 014Hydrangeas are shooting out their buds, too.

I’m really excited about these buds which are only two of many on my lilac bush. Last year I only had one bloom so it looks as if I’ll have more than one bloom this year.

Have you been able to be outside this week or are you still covered in a blanket of snow? I suppose if snow is your general landscape in the winter you know how to go out and about in it and enjoy it to the fullest, too. Looking forward to see if I can catch up with some old bloggy friends that I haven’t visited for a while. What’s new in your outdoors?

Tender Mercies…

icy 010God’s faithfulness is revealed anew every morning.  My Lenten Rose is poking up it’s tender shoots from the earth showing me that once again life will be renewed.

This is one of my favorite flowers and just to see it in all its stages brings me joy.

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The shrubs in the front planter are showing off their red berries. I’ll have to investigate the name of this shrub. It stays green all year round but only shows off the berries part of the year.

2014-01-07 icyMy Christmas card line reminds me of many lives and families that have been a part of our history. I love getting cards and updates in the mail at Christmas time. This is the last part of Christmas that I haven’t put away yet.

I’m also enjoying some new gifts from family and friends.

IMGP1078A nice container to store my salt to use while cooking right next to my stove top.

IMGP1077I’m always drawn to heritage items that remind me where my ancestors came from.

icy 003This new gift to us makes drinking coffee very easy in the morning and we never have a half pot of coffee to dump. Hot water is also easy to dispense for tea.

IMGP1081This drawer of pods for the coffee maker tucks away nicely and is out of sight until you want a cuppa.

icy 005I’ll never tire of the gift of a photograph of our kids. When they come framed it’s twice as nice.

It’s really been amazing to hear and see news about the weather across our nation and in other countries. I hope you all have power and can stay nice and cozy and warm in your home.

I forgot to mention that my arm and shoulder feel great. It must have been a pinch that got un-pinched and for that I am so grateful!

Home Again…

…for a short time.

We had a good drive back and forth to the far North East of our state. We made it over Snoqualmie Pass with no restrictions both ways. We had a very nice visit with our son. I’ll be uploading my photos and sharing more about our trip tomorrow or Friday.  For now I’m sharing the photos I took of my Lenten Rose this past weekend.

We are unpacking and getting ready for our next adventure at this old house. I hope to come around soon and see what you all have been up to soon!

Lord, Who Thoughout These Forty Days ~ Hymn

Lenten Rose

Lord, Who Throughout These Forty Days

Lord, who throughout these forty days
For us didst fast and pray,
Teach us with Thee to mourn our sins
And close by Thee to stay.

As Thou with Satan didst contend,
And didst the victory win,
O give us strength in Thee to fight,
In Thee to conquer sin.

As Thou didst hunger bear, and thirst,
So teach us, gracious Lord,
To die to self, and chiefly live
By Thy most holy Word.

And through these days of penitence,
And through Thy passiontide,
Yea, evermore in life and death,
Jesus, with us abide.

Abide with us, that so, this life
Of suffering over past,
An Easter of unending joy
We may attain at last.

Words: Claudia F. Hernaman, Child’s Book of Praise; A Man­u­al of De­vo­tion in Sim­ple Verse, 1873.

If It’s Tuesday…

…this must be Belgium Chilliwack! Do any of you remember that film from the 60’s? Anyhoo my life seems to be on a whirlwind tour right now so I thought this title appropriate. Today Katie and I are on our way to Chilliwack, B.C. (not Belgium)  to pick up a little gift I ordered for my niece’s upcoming bridal shower from Wink’s .  We are meeting up with some special residents of Chilliwack for lunch while we are there!

These next photos have nothing to do with our trip North across the line. These are random shots, one from the past and new photos from what is springing up around this old house.

It seems I have always wondered what to do with my hands when someone is taking a photo of me. This is a photo from the 50’s in front of our home on Oak Street in Pico Rivera, California.

What a fun surprise to see these on Monday morning. I sort of remember replanting them from containers I had inside last Spring. Are they Narcissus?

My Lenten Rose never ceases to delight! What an appropriate name as it always blooms during Lent!

Such a humble plant with it’s face looking down. I have to get on my knees to take photos…another appropriate stance for this season and always!

More than usual this season of Lent has brought some significant sorrow to the door of friends and to us. We stand with them in hope for better days ahead and ultimately for the Hope we have as believers for what Christ has done for us and what He promises us.

My dear sister-in-law Nina who passed away in 1993 from complications due to Cystic Fibrosis had these verses highlighted in her personal journal.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

Praying for God’s light to shine through his presence in us to the world around us.

Hoping your week is going well and that you have hope for your future…

Signs of Spring…

On Monday when I stepped outside I had a nice surprise in our front planter. My Lenten Rose is showing promise of blooming just in time.

Such a nice day to be out in the yard. I was able to do some long overdue raking of leaves and cleaning out some of the planters. It was wonderful to see little evidences of new growth here and there. After filling our yard waste bin my only regret was that I did the work outside after my shower instead of before. Oh well, at least I looked more presentable as I labored in the yard!

Where man sees but withered leaves,
God sees sweet flowers growing.
~Albert Laighton

Hope your week is starting well. I’m preparing for a trip to see Mr. Taxman tomorrow. Blessings!