I have not spent a lot of time posting on this blog recently and for those of you who are regular readers, I will apologize about that.  There are several reasons, the main one being that I am in a sorting-out stage with all my internet “doings.”  Which, as of late, have become many… along with my artwork.  I have been trying to figure out how to maximize my time spent on the net.  So a few weeks back I decided to try Blogger, to just see if it is easier to manage, update, configure, etc. than WordPress.  And for me, for my current needs, it definitely is.

THE COTTAGE:  My Blogger blog is called Charm & Grace Cottage.  It is updated daily and has regular features including Encouraging Mondays, Along the Garden Path, Fruitful Fridays, and even Saturday videos entitled “Stop, Look, and Listen.” 

I will still be posting here on the Charm & Grace blog, but I wanted you to know it would be much more infrequently and possibly will be phasing it out at some point.  So for now, please come visit me at the Cottage: 

And check back here every now and then, as I may have some more definitive news about this blog.  I am thankful for all of you who do come here and always love it so much when you leave a comment.

Blessings!

For me, sketching this picture was very special because it is a very recognizable landmark from the campus of the university from which I graduated.  This campus is the place where I first came to know the Lord, where I made some of the most special friends I have ever had, and where I met my husband.  It holds some wonderful memories and also is a place I still visit frequently.  The campus itself has changed quite a bit since I graduated 22 years ago (giving a little too much information, there.)  But, this one spot hasn’t changed at all.  It is still beautiful and still plays beautifully on the hour, quarter-hour, and half-hour.  And, to me, there is such a regal quality about the way it towers over the trees lining the beautiful quadrangle in the middle of the campus.

Architecture is one of those things that can evoke emotions because it holds a memory.  This is certainly true for me with Denny Chimes.

Kari & Kijsa are hosting a Fabulous Flag-Flying Fourth this weekend, and even before I had read their post I had posted this … so I am participating and using the same words they did.  Happy Independence Day to all!! 

You’re a grand old flag,
You’re a high flying flag
And forever in peace may you wave.

You’re the emblem of
The land I love.
The home of the free and the brave.

Ev’ry heart beats true
‘neath the Red, White and Blue,
Where there’s never a boast or brag.

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
Keep your eye on the grand old flag.

This is my latest sketch…

Thank you, Cielo, of The House In Roses, for hosting this wonderful garden party extravaganza! 

Welcome to my home!  Please come in…

I have put the kettle on so that we can have tea as we wander through the garden.

…and decorated my kitchen counter with some of the garden’s bounty.

…and put this lovely little bouquet of things from my garden on my kitchen table… the beautiful Tropicana orange/coral rose is front and center, along with yellow coreopsis wildflowers and Gypsy roses.

This is one of the first things to bloom in my yard in spring, along with my white irises… it’s a Lady Banks rose.

Not too long after Lady Banks blooms, the lovely climbing Peace rose (yellow tinged with pink) is soon to follow.

And then there were the fabulous Oak Leaf hydrangeas that simply outdid themselves this year!

The glads are just delightful in peaches and pinks with their ruffled skirts!

Then there’s my rose garden … from front to back there’s Tropicana (coral/orange), Tiffany (pink w/ yellow center), and Gypsy (ruffled red).

White asters…

And is there a more generous plant than a daylily?  They require so little and give so much!

And lastly we have the first gardenia bloom of the season.  These, of course, cannot be left on the bush, but must be brought indoors in order to enjoy the wonderful aroma.

 And one last bouquet from the goodness of my garden…

Thank you so much for touring my garden.  Please come again soon!

I have just discovered a beautiful new blog, My House in Roses, by way of another beautiful blog friend and kindred spirit, A Woman Who Is…  If you haven’t visited either of these, you must do that!  Anyway, Cielo at My House In Roses is hosting a “Show Me Your Garden” party on Saturday, June 21st.  So, I will be participating in that.  Aren’t gardens the most joyful of places?  Click the button below to view all the lovely gardens participating, and be sure to check back here on Saturday for my garden party photos! 

Blessings!

I’ve been doodling again… see if you recognize this spot in EPCOT’s World Showcase.

Stay tuned….

EPCOT’s Norway Pavilion… complete with Stave Church, Viking, and Restaurant Akershus, among other things.

This is a wonderful spot in EPCOT where you will find some very interesting and unique architecture.  The beautiful Stave Church is the centerpiece of the attraction, drawing you in with its height and rich wood design.  You can experience Norwegian cuisine at Restaurant Akershus or get some wonderful pastries from Kringla Bakeri og Cafe.  Its other attractions include the Maelstrom, a water ride where you can experience the sights and sounds of Norway (be sure to watch for trolls!); …

…music from the group SPELMANNS GLEDJE™ dressed in traditional Scandinavian costume playing accordion, recorder-flute, guitar, bass, and fiddle; and the Puffin’s Roost shops through which you can stroll and browse.  (Be sure to notice the beautiful flowers and grass on the rooftop behind the musicians!) 

Blessings!

I just don’t have much red in my home, but here’s a little from my dining room.

I love the red apples and placemats surrounded by gold and crystal.  The mirrored tray and another mirror in the room add sparkle.

Proverbs 25:11 “A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.