Monday, April 21, 2014

Tying Love Around My Heart


The weather men say warm temps are finally on the way.
We smile at the prediction.
And God blesses us with a warm, sunny Easter weekend
filled with friends, family, and flowers.

A trip to the city to celebrate my mother's 81st birthday ~
unaware....or aware...it was a special day for her.
My dad wanted us to gather as a family,
and we did.
Seven of us ~ husband, wife, brother, sister, nephew, and niece ~
embracing love in the room. 

Bittersweet smiles.
Quiet laughter.
Warm hugs.
Kisses land on soft, wrinkled cheeks.


 







I tie that love in a bow around my heart during the next day
as I travel to the garden center.
Reveling in the warm springtime air blowing my hair in my face.
"When peace like a river...." weaving softly out of the radio.

 Closing my eyes in the midst of the sweet, earthy fragrance of watered soil
and blooming flowers...
I stand in the middle of the greenhouse.
Inhaling deeply.
Smiling.
Joy.




Sinking hands deep into the warm soil.
Dark chocolate cake between my fingers.
Petals soft in my hands.
Warm breeze cooling a sweating brow.










As my hands cup young flowers,
my mind wanders to the mature gardens of last summer.
My heart waits.
Anxious.
Ready to clip and carry armfuls of peonies and roses inside once again...


June 2013


Ready to settle a tired, happy, body on the front porch swing.


Our front porch featured this month in the premier issue of Flea Market Outdoor magazine.

Photo credit: Mark Lohman


Maintaining my grateful gaze on God.
Tying more love around my heart,
and thanking him for sweet spring weather. 



~  Eucharisteo  ~


Linking to the linky parties on the lower right of my sidebar.




35 comments:

  1. Beautiful post Laurie. Your words ... Tying love around my heart ... Dark chocolate cake... Poetic beauty. I always enjoy a new post from you.
    XO,
    Vera

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  2. beautiful so glad you got to spend family time and then spend the next day creating and daydreaming! have a great week!!

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  3. Lovely post--I too am looking forward to mature gardens! My burgandy peonies are going to bloom anyday--but I just can't wait for the pink ones :) I haven't been able to find the Outdoor Flea market magazine--but I am anxious to find it. I am happy your family was together for your Mom's birthday! Enjoy the warmer temps :)

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  4. Absolutely poetry and heart touching beauty...

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  5. Such beautiful soulful thoughts Sweet friend! Happy Belated to Mama <3

    I am so ready for more warmer weather, beautiful green tress and flowering flowers !

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  6. Happy Birthday to your sweet mama! Your garden is so beautiful and how wonderful that its in another magazine!!! I'll have to look around for it:)

    Hope you're having a lovely week Laurie and that sunny weather is headed your way!

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  7. Such love in this post, Laurie. We just came back from visiting my Dad. He's 89 now, full of wonderful, fun stories to tell and always that quiet, steady love. What could be more wonderful than these families of ours?

    Enjoy your beautiful weather ~ it is still cold here, but the hummingbirds have returned. Yay! :)
    Big Hugs,
    Lin

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  8. Dear Laurie, So nice to see your post in my inbox this morning. With so many blog troubles, I am not always receiving posts. Anyway, I can so relate to the trip to the garden center and tying love around my heart seeing the beautiful blooms and carrying them home to my garden to live.
    My heart and love go out to your sweet mother. So glad you celebrated her 81st birthday together as a family. Your pictures are filled with love. I have been in your place and I know too well this journey. God will see your through.
    Best wishes for a joyful week.
    Sending hugs!!

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  9. Laurie - these are beautiful words. emotions here are close to the surface. the man I love is slowly losing his dad - another stroke last night - quality of life diminishes every day. What Ann Voskamp would called ugly-beautiful. I tied the love around my heart this morning as I awaited the light of the sunrise. The brightness that chases darkness away. Happy birthday to your precious mama. And I may just have to steal the fabric strips in the swing chain idea . Eucharisteo - always always before the miracle.

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  10. Hello sweetie... a most precious day spent with your beautiful mama on her birthday, surrounded in love of family... your daddy looks so very kind and caring... just the kind of man I knew his dear daughter would have... it must have been a very emotional day for all of you... so happy you were able to spend this time together... your new plants and flowers all look gorgeous... hope you had a fun day at your favorite garden center with your friend... nothing better than sinking our hands right into the sweet moist soil that only Spring can create... I never wear garden gloves... I buy them because they are so darn cute all flowered and all... but I never ever wear them... just like that warm, most soil nourishes our plants, it nourishes my soul as well... love your Sweet Alyssum and Million Bells... and your teensie little ladybug is precious... they bring good luck to a home... so proud of you being featured in Flea Market Outdoor magazine... you know I ran right out and got mine!... your porch is sooo dreamy... what a lovely sanctuary for you to sit out in... wishing you a blissful week dear friend... sending oodles of love, xoxo Julie Marie

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  11. Glad you and your family were together. Who are those young gentlemen? I think. a trip to a garden center is good for the soul! xo

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  12. Wishing your sweet Mom a Happy Birthday Laurie!
    I saw your porch in the magazine, it looks lovely!
    I envy you avid gardeners, I so need help!

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  13. Beautiful Laurie, and of course you would tie love around your heart, your heart is love :)
    Happy Birthday to your Mom, who I am sure with Gods sweet love felt the presence of your heart.

    Your gardens are wonderful and as for a porch feature I will be wanting for that magazine adding it to the garden one you were featured in. Your beauty surrounds not only your heart but the heart of your home and gardens.

    Thank you for this share, I am blessed to have you as a blogging friend, more then a blog friend, a friend indeed.

    Xoxo
    Dore

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  14. Awwww...
    Your dad looks so sweet reading the card to your mom too... I love your description of the flowers and gardening. You are such a poet...

    Cindy

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  15. Such a heart warming post, Laurie and CONGRATS on the cover...it looks amazing!
    JP

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  16. Hi Laurie,
    You write the sweetest posts! I saw the beautiful spread your garden got in the magazine too ~ congratulations,I loved it!
    The garden centers aren't open here yet but soon.
    Praying for all the families affected by DMD and for a better treatment/cure soon.
    Take care,
    Carolyn

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  17. Laurie,
    Tying love around your neck and depositing all those precious memories within your heart
    will help you as you face difficult days ahead, dear friend!!!
    "Mr. Ed" and I only have one living parent still with us.
    Three and a half hour drive one way, about that many hours or a bit more for a visit,
    then turn around and make the long drive back home each month.
    I am grateful that we can make those trips. Long and tiring trips, yet each time
    I come away feeling so very loved. . .tying love around my neck for every moment that I can.
    "Mr. Ed" has worked in nearly every flower bed On Crooked Creektt's Gardens.
    I am ready, as is the weather, to put some annuals in planters. . .my only contribution!
    Be blessed, dear one!!!
    Fondly,
    Pat

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  18. Precious moments!
    A day so well spent! :)
    Greetings to all of you!

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  19. sweet family pics, laurie:) no garden fun here yet--it's 34 right now:( and how exciting to be in the magazine! big congrats, sweetie:)

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  20. Hi sweet Laurie,

    I love all your posts,every time in your posts I feel love and that is what I very much loved in your blog!!!.You still the same and please do not change - you is amazing person !!!!
    I love your porch - big congratulations to photos and even bigger congratulations to your mother!!!
    I wish you a beautiful and sunny days,xoxo
    Vicky

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  21. Your posts always calm my spirit. Beautifully spoken. Happy birthday to your precious mama and congratulations on the magazine feature! Thank you for sharing at What We Accomplished Wednesdays. Have a great week!

    Blessings,
    Deborah

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  22. Laurie, your post just squeezed my heart. I have an adult son with Cerebral Palsy and the photo of those two handsome young men reminded me of him so much. What a treasured day for you all to remember....Mimi...xxx

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  23. Hi Laurie, I saw this post on the Thursday blog hop - it is beautiful in every way! God bless!

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  24. This post has melted my heart this morning. Beautiful and sweet pictures. Visiting from Kathy's this morning. Hugs and blessings, Cindy

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  25. So sweet...touching...inspirational...reminding all of us what is most important. Thanks for sharing on the Thursday blog hop.

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  26. WOW!!! So Glad I found your little world on Blogland.. And Heavens Walk.. the name fits.. It's like heaven on Earth..pure dreamy.. I too love gardens.. and love all of "Heaven's Walk"..

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  27. So thankful you where able to share with your family the part that we need to remember is the time spent!
    What joy that must have brought your parents!
    Love the pictures of your front porch...can't wait for my copy!

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  28. What a beautiful post Laurie - and I could just wrap myself in your photos - that ladybug melts my heart !
    Happy weekend!
    XOXO

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  29. Oh what a touching post Laurie. I can just feel the love!

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  30. Such a sweet post Laurie. You always say it so sweetly. Gardening is good for the soul isn't it?
    Sherry

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  31. Laurie, no one has a way with words like you do! Happy that you got to spend time with family. Your gardens will soon be gorgeous again. Congrats on the feature of your wonderful porch! thanks for sharing with SYC.
    hugs,
    Jann

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  32. Your post is absolutely beautiful, Laurie - so much love and so many blessings - I am delighted that you shared with Home and Garden Thursday,
    Kathy

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  33. Laurie, What a wonderful celebration with your mother. She's beautiful! I love gardening too, it makes me happy. Congratulations on your feature in Flea Market Outdoor, your porch is so pretty! I'll be featuring you this week at Simple & Sweet Fridays for this inspirational post!! Happy May Day!!
    Hugs,
    Jody

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  34. Happy belated Birthday for your Mom and hope your Dad is doing well. I know it's hard to be a care giver to someone , I did it several years for my husband

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