tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19598264444118045162024-03-15T21:09:38.647-04:00simple thingscelebrating home and garden through the seasonsLyndahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13213182072929718035noreply@blogger.comBlogger204125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1959826444411804516.post-84342384372080627282015-03-20T15:05:00.000-04:002015-03-20T15:05:01.123-04:00Overcoming<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Daydreaming of my roses!</td></tr>
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Hello dear friends! Remember me? Yes, it has been awhile!<br />
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Those <a href="http://lynda-naranjo.blogspot.ca/2014/11/autumn-snow.html" target="_blank">health problems</a> I was experiencing back in the Fall turned out to be the cancer rearing its ugly head again. I've been on chemo since mid-December and I figured I'd be up and around in no time. No such luck. This chemo packs a punch and leaves me feeling very tired. It also works slowly but after three months, my blood work last week showed that it's finally working! <br />
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I never wanted this blog to turn into a cancer journal. I'd much rather share what's going on around my home and garden! So I kept waiting until I felt better to post. Unfortunately, the longer I stayed away, the harder it was to get back to blogging! Now that Spring is here and I'm able to get up and around a little more, I'm going to slowly ease my way back to posting again.<br />
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I've truly missed you all! I'm dreaming of my garden and what I'd like to do this year ... but I'll save that for another post.<br />
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Happy Spring!<br />
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Lyndahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13213182072929718035noreply@blogger.com67tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1959826444411804516.post-67015124406556481582014-11-20T14:40:00.000-05:002014-11-20T14:40:29.488-05:00Autumn snow<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hello friends! It's been awhile since I've posted! Early October was busy with our Thanksgiving preparations (it seems so long ago now!) which kept me away. And then I came down with some sort of respiratory thing that they're still trying to figure out. Apparently, I only have about 74% of my lung function and an xray yesterday revealed some fluid in my right lung and some "fullness" that they want a CT scan of. I see my oncologist in just a few weeks so he'll take care of that. In the meantime, I'm feeling a little better so I'm optimistic that this was maybe just a virus and is on it's way out!<br />
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We've had snow! Quite a lot of it for this time of year - I don't remember ever having this much snow this early. It did make for some pretty photos though and maybe I did get a little carried away. :)<br />
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I can't believe that next week is American Thanksgiving and the beginning of Advent after that! I confess that I've put away my Autumn decor (it looked a little out of place with all the snow outside!) and have brought out a few wintery things, pine cones and such. I like to wait until Advent to begin decorating for Christmas and will add things gradually over the coming weeks.<br />
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How about you? Have you started putting up your Christmas decor?<br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54492/258/FC7FF85ABCF82E346BD636FA7DF268AA.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Lyndahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13213182072929718035noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1959826444411804516.post-77014983457713587322014-09-29T15:46:00.001-04:002014-09-29T15:46:24.731-04:00Simple Autumn Centrepiece<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In my last post, I mentioned that I bought what I thought might be a mini dough bowl that I was planning to use for my Autumn decor. I gathered some leaves from the yard, placed three baby boos in it, scattered some faux acorns and voila! A simple Autumn centrepiece for my dining room table!</div>
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It's so perfect that I can see this little dough bowl being used every season. I usually find the best things when I'm not looking for them.</div>
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I have to say that I'm smitten! It isn't often that something catches my eye and I just know it's meant to come home with me. The vendor I bought it from was downsizing and I assured her that it would have a good home. :)</div>
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What have you found that you just knew was meant for you?</div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54492/258/FC7FF85ABCF82E346BD636FA7DF268AA.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Lyndahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13213182072929718035noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1959826444411804516.post-48945824204402293812014-09-22T15:58:00.000-04:002014-09-22T15:58:45.183-04:00Happy Autumn!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My favourite time of year officially arrives tonight but I've already started added Autumn touches to my home. I'm trying to keep things soft and natural. I did add a few touches of orange but somehow they seemed overdone so I removed them. They might return as the season progresses - especially if I manage to find some bittersweet!</div>
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I covered old books with Kraft paper to give them a uniform look. I bought several baby boo pumpkins from the grocery store and scattered them about. An ironstone soap dish is filled with faux acorns (the squirrels beat me to the real ones!) and I added dried hydrangeas from my garden to a wooden box.</div>
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Later in the week I'll share my latest find. It looks like a small version of a baguette dough bowl - perfect for baby boos and maybe a candle or two!</div>
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<i>Autumn - the year's last, loveliest smile.</i></div>
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<i>- William Cullen Bryant</i></div>
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54492/258/FC7FF85ABCF82E346BD636FA7DF268AA.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Lyndahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13213182072929718035noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1959826444411804516.post-24848736348217006362014-09-04T15:50:00.000-04:002014-09-04T15:50:54.096-04:00Home work<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>Happy September!</b></i> Just when I was about to welcome the cooler temperatures and get ready for an early Fall, Summer decided to appear! It's been hot and humid here this week, making me not feel at all like decorating for Autumn. I know it will be short lived and by next week, we'll be back to normal <i>(cooler)</i> temperatures. The leaves are already changing and falling! This is the earliest I ever remember that happening.</div>
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September always feels like the month of new beginnings. I'm more inspired to make changes in September than I am in January! On my list of things to do is to freshen up my home. I love my home but ... it's been awhile since I've shown it some love. </div>
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It's easy to get sidetracked by all the lovely rooms I see on blogs and <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/LyndaNaranjo/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a>. And I'll admit that there are days when I feel totally frustrated because I'll never have the budget or the energy to accomplish the wonderful ideas that I pin. What I <b><i>can</i></b> do is make my home more functional. I can make it feel, well, like <b><i>home</i></b>. My home. I might not be able to build those bookshelves I want but I can paint and I can sew. I can also rearrange the furniture and accessories seasonally to keep things fresh. </div>
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I created and printed a collage of photos I've pinned on my <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/LyndaNaranjo/" target="_blank">Pinterest boards</a> that best represent how I want my home to look. I like the look of wood, natural or painted a dark colour. I like neutral colours on my walls and furniture so I can add pops of colour seasonally. I like lots of light coming in through the windows. I like things clean and uncluttered. I also came up with three words to indicate how I want my home to feel - cosy, simple, classic. These little reminders will help keep me on track when I'm choosing new paint colours or purchasing something to add to my decor. I've started a mood board on the bulletin board by my computer and I'll be adding to it and editing it as I begin to make changes in my home. I haven't done this since design school and I've got to admit, it's kind of fun! </div>
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<i>Home is where we feel at ease, where we belong, where we can create surroundings that reflect our tastes and pleasures. - Terence Conran</i></div>
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Lyndahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13213182072929718035noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1959826444411804516.post-91782355521396395052014-08-27T16:12:00.002-04:002014-08-27T16:12:32.726-04:00Late Summer garden<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Oh my goodness! Where has August gone? We're getting my father settled back into his home this week so I should be back to blogging regularly again starting next week. I've always felt September was the month of fresh beginnings and as much as I love Summer, a part of me is anxious to start decorating for Fall.</div>
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I thought I'd show you a few photos of my late Summer garden. Of course, it would probably have been better to photograph it when everything was blooming but I didn't. Maybe next year. </div>
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This is the front of our home. I love my little birdbath and it is used constantly. I have to fill it daily (sometimes twice a day!). The grape hyacinths are beginning to come up here and there around the base of the birdbath.</div>
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The Autumn Joy sedum are just beginning to turn pink. These add really lovely colour to the garden in late Summer and Fall and are one of those plants that thrive no matter what. </div>
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The purple coneflowers are new this year and are planted on the street side of the fence. We're still working on this part of the garden and I'm hoping that by next year, it will look much more finished (and all those stones will be gone!). </div>
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We added the flagstone path last year leading from our porch to our front gate. I love our path. I'm still working on the porch trying to make it a little more inviting and have a few ideas that I'll be trying out in the next couple of weeks. Of course, the big green plastic watering can doesn't do much! <span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Note to self - remove ugly plastic things before taking photos.</i></span></div>
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Outside of our kitchen is our courtyard. It's tiny and quaint but it's my favourite spot for sitting and enjoying a cup of coffee or a cold drink. </div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BVpRIk_M3aw/U_40okqFoJI/AAAAAAAADe8/IxR7YVNI5CQ/s1600/IMG_4917-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BVpRIk_M3aw/U_40okqFoJI/AAAAAAAADe8/IxR7YVNI5CQ/s640/IMG_4917-Edit.jpg" /></a></div>
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Looking back towards the kitchen window - a hydrangea, fern, clematis and lace cap hydrangea.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J0rpdvFYFH0/U_40nMlqI-I/AAAAAAAADfE/Tfr8-o8NJDE/s1600/IMG_4899-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J0rpdvFYFH0/U_40nMlqI-I/AAAAAAAADfE/Tfr8-o8NJDE/s1600/IMG_4899-Edit.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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Caught in the act! This little rabbit is responsible for all the damage in my garden! I caught it nibbling on my sweet peas - again.</div>
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So that's a little peek into my garden! We've made a lot of changes over the past two years and it's finally starting to come together the way I envisioned. Of course, a garden is never finished but I feel we're at least making progress.</div>
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I hope you enjoy this last bit of Summer ... see you next week!</div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54492/258/FC7FF85ABCF82E346BD636FA7DF268AA.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Lyndahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13213182072929718035noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1959826444411804516.post-9254126056336256262014-07-30T11:05:00.001-04:002014-07-30T11:05:39.389-04:00Summer blues<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-46KcAnRU_tQ/U8wANNef1FI/AAAAAAAADWc/bI35igjTx34/s1600/IMG_4856-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-46KcAnRU_tQ/U8wANNef1FI/AAAAAAAADWc/bI35igjTx34/s1600/IMG_4856-Edit.jpg" height="640" width="456" /></a></div>
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Blue is my all time favourite colour and I love blue hydrangeas! Paired with blue and white transfer ware, they make the perfect Summer display.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L1VKRlNnTBo/U8wANBHchYI/AAAAAAAADWY/K_uA3WTC-2o/s1600/IMG_4848-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L1VKRlNnTBo/U8wANBHchYI/AAAAAAAADWY/K_uA3WTC-2o/s1600/IMG_4848-Edit.jpg" height="640" width="456" /></a></div>
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In the past, my cut hydrangeas always wilted which made me hesitant to cut them to bring inside. I'd pinned a tip about preventing cut hydrangeas from wilting by dipping the stems in boiling water for 30 seconds before arranging them so I decided to try it. Guess what? It worked! My hydrangeas stayed fresh and wilt free for over a week.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-An1UvBRy5d8/U8wANI89uOI/AAAAAAAADWo/7aoswsmu9GI/s1600/IMG_4854-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-An1UvBRy5d8/U8wANI89uOI/AAAAAAAADWo/7aoswsmu9GI/s1600/IMG_4854-Edit.jpg" height="640" width="456" /></a></div>
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We've been dealing with leaks this week. I discovered a leak in the basement from a broken pipe that needed to be repaired immediately. Thankfully, I have a very talented brother who fixed it and saved us a fortune by not having to hire a plumber! While he was here, he replaced my kitchen faucet. I've learned that plumbing repairs never go as planned. We're dealing with builder's grade materials that are aging and wearing out so we also ended up replacing both drains in the sink because one was rusted through and broke as soon as it was touched. A few trips to Home Depot and about two days of work had everything running smoothly again and I have a lovely new kitchen faucet. In the middle of this, our fridge was leaking from a clogged drain that is also now thankfully fixed. And a shower faucet that hasn't worked in almost two years has finally been replaced. Our home is nice and dry again and everything is working as it should. A good feeling!</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SUF6_f2TYB4/U8wAN2elmCI/AAAAAAAADWs/TEIPBQSNxXE/s1600/IMG_4877-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SUF6_f2TYB4/U8wAN2elmCI/AAAAAAAADWs/TEIPBQSNxXE/s1600/IMG_4877-Edit.jpg" height="640" width="456" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54492/123/DE894427EC702756D58BACB6F13AD4A8.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Lyndahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13213182072929718035noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1959826444411804516.post-74514710130990160622014-07-22T16:07:00.000-04:002014-07-22T16:07:29.468-04:00More peonies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3QtZf9cW7Aw/U8v_fCK1gyI/AAAAAAAADV8/OVMoGJIN6BQ/s1600/IMG_4838-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3QtZf9cW7Aw/U8v_fCK1gyI/AAAAAAAADV8/OVMoGJIN6BQ/s1600/IMG_4838-Edit.jpg" height="640" width="456" /></a></div>
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I couldn't resist having just one more bouquet of peonies! Mine finished blooming weeks ago but a vendor at the farmer's market last Saturday was still selling them from her garden. She said this would be the last week so I decided to indulge.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hVNwI9rJXAg/U8v_ckoseZI/AAAAAAAADVs/441YhkN43-A/s1600/IMG_4832-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hVNwI9rJXAg/U8v_ckoseZI/AAAAAAAADVs/441YhkN43-A/s1600/IMG_4832-Edit.jpg" height="640" width="456" /></a></div>
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I chose this barely there colour - not quite white but not quite pink - and tucked them into my favourite vintage ironstone pitcher.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yVyhXGMlnXA/U8v_fFaEFnI/AAAAAAAADWA/nxnKr3Re-D0/s1600/IMG_4839-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yVyhXGMlnXA/U8v_fFaEFnI/AAAAAAAADWA/nxnKr3Re-D0/s1600/IMG_4839-Edit.jpg" height="640" width="456" /></a></div>
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I rarely buy flowers in the summer months as I can usually find something from the garden to bring inside. </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wPJt1aZZbHs/U8v_fNclqWI/AAAAAAAADV4/iYDLa6HTjBk/s1600/IMG_4834-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wPJt1aZZbHs/U8v_fNclqWI/AAAAAAAADV4/iYDLa6HTjBk/s1600/IMG_4834-Edit.jpg" height="640" width="456" /></a></div>
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My father is still staying with us after having a couple of falls while we have some modifications made to his home. We expect to have the renovations finished around mid-August. Things have been a bit busier than usual trying to organize everything he'll need in a short amount of time but it's all gradually coming together.</div>
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Have a lovely week!</div>
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54492/123/DE894427EC702756D58BACB6F13AD4A8.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Lyndahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13213182072929718035noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1959826444411804516.post-65632314753773507732014-07-08T14:46:00.000-04:002014-07-08T14:46:04.678-04:00Lavender blues ... and a health update!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vcZzq4rSgWM/U7q9c2CFxwI/AAAAAAAADVA/tPuGHCPetK8/s1600/hydrangea1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vcZzq4rSgWM/U7q9c2CFxwI/AAAAAAAADVA/tPuGHCPetK8/s1600/hydrangea1.jpg" height="384" width="640" /></a></div>
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Summer keeps blessing us with beauty on a daily basis! Every time I go out to my garden, there's something new blooming or preparing to bloom. The Winter was very hard on my hydrangeas. Four of them bounced back not too badly but my pink one is struggling and I'm not sure it's going to make it. It's funny how the soil affects the colour of the hydrangeas. On one bush I can have blue, pink or lavender! I'm rather partial to the lavender blue colour you see in the photo above. </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-43gipOkzKV8/U7q9c67kMvI/AAAAAAAADU8/byiI1K67sD0/s1600/IMG_4814-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-43gipOkzKV8/U7q9c67kMvI/AAAAAAAADU8/byiI1K67sD0/s1600/IMG_4814-Edit.jpg" height="640" width="456" /></a></div>
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And of course the lavender is blooming too! I removed my oldest and largest lavender plant this spring because it had become so overgrown and woody and replaced it with a new one. It will be another year before the new one flowers. This plant has been in the garden for a couple of years and bloomed quite well this year. As I have a lot of dried lavender in the house, I decided to leave the flowers for the bees. Speaking of bees, I seem to have quite a few of them burrowing in the garden around this lavender plant! I never knew <a href="http://www.about-bees.com/ground-bees.html" target="_blank">ground bees</a> even existed but they do. They don't bother me so I'm leaving them to do what bees do best. </div>
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I saw my oncologist last Friday to see how I'm tolerating the tamoxifen. My ca125 hit an all time high of 6707 at the end of April, then dropped to 6083 on June 11 and was 1645 on Friday! So it looks like the tamoxifen is working. Unless something changes, I don't need to go back until the beginning of September so I'm pretty happy about the results.</div>
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The not so good news is that my 84 year old father fell down the stairs last Thursday night. The ambulance took him to ER where, praise God, nothing was broken. Then he fell again Saturday morning. Other than scrapes and bruises, thankfully he's okay. He's been staying with us since Saturday and we're in the process of making his home more liveable for him. That will involve things like having stair lifts installed, arranging for more care at home and having an occupational therapist assess his home to make it more accessible. Lots to do before he can go back home.</div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54492/123/DE894427EC702756D58BACB6F13AD4A8.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Lyndahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13213182072929718035noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1959826444411804516.post-41993659579269316672014-07-03T16:41:00.000-04:002014-07-03T16:41:15.406-04:00Notes from the garden - pretty in pink<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ac617MV8Ess/U7W3xqtkwXI/AAAAAAAADUY/zRdvlvV4ayM/s1600/IMG_4817-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ac617MV8Ess/U7W3xqtkwXI/AAAAAAAADUY/zRdvlvV4ayM/s1600/IMG_4817-Edit.jpg" height="640" width="456" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">David Austin - Mary Rose</td></tr>
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More garden photos! My house has been turned upside down from the garage sale last weekend. We were really happy with the results and sold the big pieces that we were hoping to. I sold my wicker set (yay!) - not for as much as I'd hoped, but I got a decent price. Some of the smaller stuff didn't sell so we packed it up and dropped it off at the Salvation Army. I broke my rule that whatever didn't sell wasn't coming back into the house. A set of blue and white transfer ware that I put out didn't sell and I decided to keep it. Oh well ... everything else went!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-I1mYojIbSCQ/U7W3xpW-0rI/AAAAAAAADUU/ywC8lveADok/s1600/IMG_4818-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-I1mYojIbSCQ/U7W3xpW-0rI/AAAAAAAADUU/ywC8lveADok/s1600/IMG_4818-Edit.jpg" height="640" width="456" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New Dawn</td></tr>
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The day of the garage sale was hot and humid. We started setting up at 6:30 in the morning and people started to arrive before 7:00 even though we advertised the start time as 8:00. I'm glad we started setting up early otherwise we might have missed a sale or two. It was definitely worth advertising in our local paper. I think we got a lot more traffic especially since our street is a little off the beaten path.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HxOVOzlMEuk/U7W3xjc7RhI/AAAAAAAADUg/3mQnnmhg27E/s1600/morning_glory.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HxOVOzlMEuk/U7W3xjc7RhI/AAAAAAAADUg/3mQnnmhg27E/s1600/morning_glory.jpg" height="448" width="640" /></a></div>
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I decided to have a Canada Day BBQ on Tuesday so it's been a busy week! I'm still recovering and my energy level is a little lower than usual. I think the heat and humidity drained me more than I realized. It's much cooler today and I'm actually enjoying it! </div>
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Back to the garden ... while the rabbits completely destroyed my Heavenly Blue morning glories, these red ones have managed to survive. My brother-in-law brought me the seeds last year from their garden in Germany and they've thrived in spite of the rabbits. I'm not normally partial to red morning glories but these are really pretty and at this stage, any morning glory is better than none.</div>
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I had wanted to share a couple more photos of my roses but when I went to photograph them, there were spiders on them! Big ones. <span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>{shudder}</i></span><i> </i>I know spiders are supposed to be good for the garden but I don't like them. At all. So just two roses got photographed this time. </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-R4nXN2hqZ94/U7W5mNVQzVI/AAAAAAAADUo/OPGTBfd8mcc/s1600/IMG_4819-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-R4nXN2hqZ94/U7W5mNVQzVI/AAAAAAAADUo/OPGTBfd8mcc/s1600/IMG_4819-Edit.jpg" height="640" width="512" /></a></div>
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Now that it's July (what happened to June?) I'm planning to cut back and just enjoy the Summer. It flies by so quickly. A stack of books and the porch is calling! Have a lovely weekend and Happy 4th to my American friends! </div>
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See you soon ...</div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54492/123/DE894427EC702756D58BACB6F13AD4A8.png" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border: 0px none ! important;" /></a>Lyndahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13213182072929718035noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1959826444411804516.post-31262667956180259392014-06-24T11:54:00.000-04:002014-06-24T11:54:40.160-04:00Red, white and blue<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sjANTyREc9E/U6BeIMwiVtI/AAAAAAAADR0/Bvx46UwYvyY/s1600/IMG_4701-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sjANTyREc9E/U6BeIMwiVtI/AAAAAAAADR0/Bvx46UwYvyY/s1600/IMG_4701-Edit.jpg" height="640" width="456" /></a></div>
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Nothing says Summer like peonies and fresh strawberries! I've been indulging in our locally grown strawberries for the past week and just can't get enough. We're fortunate to not only have a large Farmer's Market every Saturday but also several farms nearby where I can buy fresh berries during the week. Right now, I'm enjoying them on my cereal for breakfast, with yoghurt at lunch and a dish with cream at dinner - and the occasional indulgence of strawberry shortcake!</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NeBA9lDtMJg/U6BeJCZsdII/AAAAAAAADSU/DJCXbfv0nS8/s1600/red_white_blue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NeBA9lDtMJg/U6BeJCZsdII/AAAAAAAADSU/DJCXbfv0nS8/s1600/red_white_blue.jpg" height="448" width="640" /></a></div>
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My white peonies are just about finished. There's just a few more flowers left but they've been oh so beautiful this year! I placed them in a vintage blue and white Mason pitcher and paired them with some of my blue and white transfer ware. Red, white and blue is such a fresh combination for Summer!</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iit5xKh-kl8/U6BeICg76VI/AAAAAAAADSY/VZSvpdBOP0E/s1600/IMG_4700-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iit5xKh-kl8/U6BeICg76VI/AAAAAAAADSY/VZSvpdBOP0E/s1600/IMG_4700-Edit.jpg" height="640" width="456" /></a></div>
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The pitcher has a small chip on the bottom which I think only adds to it's charm!</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iQeGlh0Ydk0/U6BeI5Bo40I/AAAAAAAADSc/uEfnGE6-_Jo/s1600/blue_white.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iQeGlh0Ydk0/U6BeI5Bo40I/AAAAAAAADSc/uEfnGE6-_Jo/s1600/blue_white.jpg" height="384" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6Yr05GQtl5I/U6BeI85hngI/AAAAAAAADSI/xMF-MVZvtOA/s1600/IMG_4760-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6Yr05GQtl5I/U6BeI85hngI/AAAAAAAADSI/xMF-MVZvtOA/s1600/IMG_4760-Edit.jpg" height="640" width="456" /></a></div>
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Were having a garage sale this Saturday. This falls into the "what was I thinking?" category but at the time, it seemed like a good idea. Hopefully, the weather will cooperate and we'll be able to re-home some of the "stuff" that we no longer want or need. In the meantime, there's a lot of work to be done!</div>
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Enjoy this lovely first week of Summer!</div>
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54492/123/DE894427EC702756D58BACB6F13AD4A8.png" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border: 0px none ! important;" /></a>Lyndahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13213182072929718035noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1959826444411804516.post-85086856483579207112014-06-20T16:19:00.000-04:002014-06-20T16:19:32.411-04:00Notes from the garden<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YM4mJMkisGc/U5Yd7WZrvdI/AAAAAAAADPU/znsKvupSZmU/s1600/IMG_4580-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YM4mJMkisGc/U5Yd7WZrvdI/AAAAAAAADPU/znsKvupSZmU/s1600/IMG_4580-Edit.jpg" height="640" width="456" /></a></div>
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I've been taking a lot of photos of the garden this year. It's something I haven't done much of for awhile. I thought I'd share some of these photos on my blog from time to time as a record of my garden's progress.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jio6BoNdDME/U5tYgu_ZVzI/AAAAAAAADQ8/m2ibZ554eYs/s1600/jacobs_ladder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jio6BoNdDME/U5tYgu_ZVzI/AAAAAAAADQ8/m2ibZ554eYs/s1600/jacobs_ladder.jpg" height="384" width="640" /></a></div>
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I have two Jacob's Ladders - one purple, one white. They have such pretty, delicate flowers and are prolific bloomers. Once they've finished flowering, I'll cut the stocks off and usually get rewarded with a second blooming later in the summer. </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oh5JrpDUnEQ/U5tYggXud6I/AAAAAAAADRQ/0BVzQ2thSiI/s1600/IMG_4614-Edit-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oh5JrpDUnEQ/U5tYggXud6I/AAAAAAAADRQ/0BVzQ2thSiI/s1600/IMG_4614-Edit-2.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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Golden mock orange has beautiful light green foliage and small white flowers that smell absolutely wonderful! </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iXb2pRl3F1E/U5tYgwJDbwI/AAAAAAAADRM/B8B4nB-UUZs/s1600/IMG_4631-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iXb2pRl3F1E/U5tYgwJDbwI/AAAAAAAADRM/B8B4nB-UUZs/s1600/IMG_4631-Edit.jpg" height="640" width="456" /> </a></div>
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Chive blossoms ... a garden staple! The bees like them too.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jyMo4sWtPsE/U6BYHOoJejI/AAAAAAAADRg/mw-Ow3Stgp4/s1600/IMG_4763-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jyMo4sWtPsE/U6BYHOoJejI/AAAAAAAADRg/mw-Ow3Stgp4/s1600/IMG_4763-Edit.jpg" height="640" width="456" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XD66Bi9hNa0/U6BYHNDgxDI/AAAAAAAADRc/Psq45vIvq24/s1600/IMG_4772-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XD66Bi9hNa0/U6BYHNDgxDI/AAAAAAAADRc/Psq45vIvq24/s1600/IMG_4772-Edit.jpg" height="640" width="456" /></a></div>
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My white peonies ... they bloom almost a week later than the pink ones which extends the peony season in the garden for me. The bottom peony is another that I transplanted from my Mom's garden - a gift to her from my brother. I have a few more peony photos to share next week. <br />
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Happy Summer!<br />
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Lyndahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13213182072929718035noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1959826444411804516.post-12128043702187876082014-06-17T09:42:00.000-04:002014-06-17T09:42:21.994-04:00Pink Peonies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7-enYoC5_EU/U5tVqL9JpuI/AAAAAAAADQE/Xl-QB5RPsTM/s1600/peonies1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7-enYoC5_EU/U5tVqL9JpuI/AAAAAAAADQE/Xl-QB5RPsTM/s1600/peonies1.jpg" height="448" width="640" /></a></div>
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I was blessed with an abundance of peonies this year. It's not often that I can cut enough flowers to enjoy several bouquets so I've really been enjoying them. And they're still blooming!</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AH-S_w6vLRM/U5tWXLuau6I/AAAAAAAADQg/B8sUHZmv-sA/s1600/IMG_4681-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AH-S_w6vLRM/U5tWXLuau6I/AAAAAAAADQg/B8sUHZmv-sA/s1600/IMG_4681-Edit.jpg" height="640" width="456" /></a></div>
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Peonies are delicate and just one heavy rain away from total destruction so I don't feel the least bit guilty cutting them to bring inside.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6cOUXPTN3cU/U5tVqCDL59I/AAAAAAAADQY/aKbipmudxf4/s1600/peonies2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6cOUXPTN3cU/U5tVqCDL59I/AAAAAAAADQY/aKbipmudxf4/s1600/peonies2.jpg" height="384" width="640" /></a></div>
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This peony was divided from one in my Mom's garden that she had for years. The original plant is gone now but mine is thriving and I'm so grateful to have it.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Hhnq1jqu-o4/U5tVp_65IBI/AAAAAAAADQI/lBGOEWq7Ufs/s1600/IMG_4664-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Hhnq1jqu-o4/U5tVp_65IBI/AAAAAAAADQI/lBGOEWq7Ufs/s1600/IMG_4664-Edit.jpg" height="640" width="456" /></a></div>
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This is my favourite ironstone pitcher and I use it for almost all my flowers. It's the perfect height and shape. Vintage white ironstone isn't something I find too often although it has been awhile since I've hit the flea/antique markets! <span style="font-size: x-small;">(I think I need to get out there again!)</span> </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nhlYc91anbM/U5tVq1EQfWI/AAAAAAAADQU/DOKac-y0n_4/s1600/peonies3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nhlYc91anbM/U5tVq1EQfWI/AAAAAAAADQU/DOKac-y0n_4/s1600/peonies3.jpg" height="448" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JdnYKNFWrrQ/U5tWXa1FY2I/AAAAAAAADQw/5dMKRpzzBUY/s1600/IMG_4670-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JdnYKNFWrrQ/U5tWXa1FY2I/AAAAAAAADQw/5dMKRpzzBUY/s1600/IMG_4670-Edit.jpg" height="640" width="456" /></a></div>
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I'm hoping to cut the last few this morning before the rain comes later today. It's devastating to see all the petals on the ground afterwards!</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0qI_MTA7iYk/U5tWXQgml6I/AAAAAAAADQ0/gWBh8THhS10/s1600/IMG_4678-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0qI_MTA7iYk/U5tWXQgml6I/AAAAAAAADQ0/gWBh8THhS10/s1600/IMG_4678-Edit.jpg" height="640" width="512" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54492/123/DE894427EC702756D58BACB6F13AD4A8.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Lyndahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13213182072929718035noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1959826444411804516.post-20840854206298608652014-06-13T14:45:00.003-04:002014-06-13T14:45:44.832-04:00Last of the lilacs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bSfCtSZdbfw/U5YdL8OLYyI/AAAAAAAADPE/OP-jHdNEbLQ/s1600/IMG_4609-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bSfCtSZdbfw/U5YdL8OLYyI/AAAAAAAADPE/OP-jHdNEbLQ/s1600/IMG_4609-Edit.jpg" height="640" width="456" /></a></div>
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My neighbour's mother surprised me with these lovely white lilacs a week ago! She lives further north and east of us so her lilacs were still blooming beautifully. My white lilacs had just a few blooms this year so I didn't cut any. Which made these all the more special! </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yMJyrsNLqpg/U5YdL5OP1VI/AAAAAAAADPA/S7vn3lwoQxg/s1600/IMG_4606-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yMJyrsNLqpg/U5YdL5OP1VI/AAAAAAAADPA/S7vn3lwoQxg/s1600/IMG_4606-Edit.jpg" height="640" width="456" /></a></div>
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I'm so grateful that she extended the lilac season for me for another week! </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LLMDeXxUWac/U5YdLhf2ehI/AAAAAAAADO8/SAqm8l2E5UQ/s1600/IMG_4605-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LLMDeXxUWac/U5YdLhf2ehI/AAAAAAAADO8/SAqm8l2E5UQ/s1600/IMG_4605-Edit.jpg" height="640" width="456" /></a></div>
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I saw my oncologist a couple of days ago to get the results of my last CT scan. Unfortunately, the tumours are still growing. He said because of the location of the tumours, it could take awhile before I start to feel any symptoms. If I start chemo now, I'm going to feel sick but to just sit back and let the tumours grow is hard to do. So we decided to try <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamoxifen" target="_blank">tamoxifen</a>. It has few side effects and has a 10-15% success rate in treating ovarian tumours. If it works, I can stay on it for a long time (years). Our goal is to stabilize the tumours and ultimately, start shrinking them. I'll see my oncologist again in a month's time to see how I'm tolerating the tamoxifen then will probably have another scan a month or two later to determine if it's working.</div>
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One last thing ... the peonies are blooming!! :)<br />
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Have a lovely weekend!</div>
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<br /></div>
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54492/123/DE894427EC702756D58BACB6F13AD4A8.png" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border: 0px none ! important;" /></a>Lyndahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13213182072929718035noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1959826444411804516.post-69592469259890954712014-06-11T10:40:00.002-04:002014-06-11T10:40:58.193-04:00Notes from the garden - lily of the valley<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BjXSmJB0f68/U5YcOqr6-MI/AAAAAAAADOk/aM3MK84Htx0/s1600/lilyofthevalley_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BjXSmJB0f68/U5YcOqr6-MI/AAAAAAAADOk/aM3MK84Htx0/s1600/lilyofthevalley_2.jpg" height="448" width="640" /></a></div>
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Another favourite Spring flower - lily of the valley! Everything bloomed 3-4 weeks late this year because of the cool weather and seemed to stick around just a little bit longer than usual. A few years ago, I moved my lily of the valley from one side of the house to the other so that they'd have more room to spread. And spread they are! I'm imagining a carpet of them in a few more years. I can't wait!</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zE5_g-VhJZ4/U5YcO_dL5tI/AAAAAAAADOw/z07J48wRC1w/s1600/lilyofthevalley_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zE5_g-VhJZ4/U5YcO_dL5tI/AAAAAAAADOw/z07J48wRC1w/s1600/lilyofthevalley_1.jpg" height="640" width="533" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54492/123/DE894427EC702756D58BACB6F13AD4A8.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Lyndahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13213182072929718035noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1959826444411804516.post-78304645777027912102014-06-06T15:23:00.000-04:002014-06-09T16:53:11.264-04:00Lilac time<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ngLEm8dPLuo/U5IL3iAwkZI/AAAAAAAADKI/buUzxkkk_nU/s1600/IMG_4477-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ngLEm8dPLuo/U5IL3iAwkZI/AAAAAAAADKI/buUzxkkk_nU/s1600/IMG_4477-Edit.jpg" height="456" width="640" /></a></div>
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I say this every year, but I love lilac time! I have six lilac trees; three in the front and three in the back. The lilacs at the front were gorgeous. The ones at the back had just a few blooms each. The ones at the back of the house are more protected so it can't be because of the weather that there weren't many blooms.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xM6y_U1Ww_U/U5IL6hN5ugI/AAAAAAAADK8/MEXtbeOTBZs/s1600/IMG_4564-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xM6y_U1Ww_U/U5IL6hN5ugI/AAAAAAAADK8/MEXtbeOTBZs/s1600/IMG_4564-Edit.jpg" height="640" width="456" /></a></div>
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This is one of my favourite shots. I love how the lilacs look against the picket fence. </div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9IlBxiOMXYE/U5IL3sBoigI/AAAAAAAADLE/4XJIzDbmGog/s1600/IMG_4471-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9IlBxiOMXYE/U5IL3sBoigI/AAAAAAAADLE/4XJIzDbmGog/s1600/IMG_4471-Edit.jpg" height="640" width="456" /></a></div>
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The marmalade jar is a recent find. I was thrilled to find it at a craft/vintage show last month and I know it will show up again in photos around my home. I tucked some cutlery into it for now but it will get filled with flowers (and probably other things) too.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Yjijv4bd_NY/U5IL48t38SI/AAAAAAAADKg/1Y0ZUEr4NeM/s1600/IMG_4492-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Yjijv4bd_NY/U5IL48t38SI/AAAAAAAADKg/1Y0ZUEr4NeM/s1600/IMG_4492-Edit.jpg" height="640" width="456" /></a></div>
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Lilacs don't last long - either inside or out! The blooms are pretty
much faded now but I enjoyed cutting them to bring inside while I could.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pPlfD9I4g6Y/U5IL6gVTFBI/AAAAAAAADLA/orcqMkAdcOY/s1600/IMG_4565-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pPlfD9I4g6Y/U5IL6gVTFBI/AAAAAAAADLA/orcqMkAdcOY/s1600/IMG_4565-Edit.jpg" height="640" width="456" /></a></div>
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I told you they were covered! </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-12qXQk8lVxk/U5IL5IbOh_I/AAAAAAAADKc/cRQqXCcR1kQ/s1600/IMG_4496-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-12qXQk8lVxk/U5IL5IbOh_I/AAAAAAAADKc/cRQqXCcR1kQ/s1600/IMG_4496-Edit.jpg" height="640" width="456" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9n1pwzvxkWo/U5IL6KJZ39I/AAAAAAAADKs/p_KfowL_01c/s1600/IMG_4563-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9n1pwzvxkWo/U5IL6KJZ39I/AAAAAAAADKs/p_KfowL_01c/s1600/IMG_4563-Edit.jpg" height="640" width="456" /></a></div>
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I love the detail on the handle of this vintage ironstone pitcher. </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GXuvdS9Xr1s/U5IL597o6aI/AAAAAAAADK4/IVrON1bKniM/s1600/IMG_4514-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GXuvdS9Xr1s/U5IL597o6aI/AAAAAAAADK4/IVrON1bKniM/s1600/IMG_4514-Edit.jpg" height="640" width="456" /></a></div>
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I'll never get my fill of lilacs! I don't think there's any such thing as having too many. Sadly, it will be another year until I can enjoy them again.</div>
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Just a quick health update ... I had another CT scan yesterday. While I was being scanned I kept praying for it to be good. I see my oncologist Wednesday for the results. </div>
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Have a lovely weekend!</div>
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54492/123/DE894427EC702756D58BACB6F13AD4A8.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Lyndahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13213182072929718035noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1959826444411804516.post-8864624729918699382014-06-03T14:55:00.000-04:002014-06-03T14:55:04.906-04:00Notes from the garden - redbud and lilacs<div align="center">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qurBKeC6nB4/U44Uk1GSM4I/AAAAAAAADJo/92gU_jBaaVY/s1600/IMG_4423-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qurBKeC6nB4/U44Uk1GSM4I/AAAAAAAADJo/92gU_jBaaVY/s1600/IMG_4423-Edit.jpg" height="640" width="456" /></a></div>
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We were delighted that our redbud bloomed this Spring! After the damage it received during <a href="http://lynda-naranjo.blogspot.ca/2013/12/a-garden-ice-palace.html" target="_blank">last Winter's ice storm</a>, we were sure we'd lost it. Although scarred, it seems to have recovered. I love the tiny pink flowers and would really miss this tree. It's funny how attached you can get to a tree!<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-85bntaXNSng/U44XbfgkcII/AAAAAAAADJ0/BRwfBO5_2c4/s1600/IMG_4585-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-85bntaXNSng/U44XbfgkcII/AAAAAAAADJ0/BRwfBO5_2c4/s1600/IMG_4585-Edit.jpg" height="640" width="456" /></a></div>
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Here's a little sneak peek of my lilacs! Although they were bent right in half from the weight of the ice, there was no damage done to them at all and they've bloomed beautifully. More photos to come!<br />
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I've been busy getting the garden weeded and planted. Yesterday morning, I went out to water some new plantings only to discover that the rabbits had visited during the night. They destroyed most of my morning glories (I think two have survived), all of my perennial sweet peas, about half of the annual sweet peas and had a nice feast on one of my hydrangeas. Needless to say, I'm not very happy with rabbits right now. I sprinkled blood meal in the garden and hopefully that will keep them away. I just have to remember to reapply it after it rains or when I water! So frustrating! <br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54492/123/DE894427EC702756D58BACB6F13AD4A8.png" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border: 0px none ! important;" /></a>Lyndahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13213182072929718035noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1959826444411804516.post-80335810752612699382014-05-29T13:25:00.000-04:002014-06-09T16:54:15.881-04:00Grape hyacinths<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JBDa-YdP28g/U4dVGtxjgwI/AAAAAAAADJY/d4vbJyT9nqY/s1600/IMG_4361-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JBDa-YdP28g/U4dVGtxjgwI/AAAAAAAADJY/d4vbJyT9nqY/s1600/IMG_4361-Edit.jpg" height="640" width="456" /></a></div>
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I'm just popping in to share my grape hyacinths! They've pretty much faded from the garden and the lilacs and lily of the valley are now blooming (I'll be sharing those with you soon). Things are about 3-4 weeks late this year. <br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-60RgdXfnc9o/U4dVGmsF4VI/AAAAAAAADJI/75vaYEw8iIw/s1600/IMG_4395-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-60RgdXfnc9o/U4dVGmsF4VI/AAAAAAAADJI/75vaYEw8iIw/s1600/IMG_4395-Edit.jpg" height="640" width="456" /></a></div>
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Grape hyacinths have always been one of my favourite early Spring flowers. They make great cut flowers and have a soft, subtle fragrance. I tucked these into a tea tin. It seemed like the perfect container.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uN4JN6LzCp0/U4dVGiMmmoI/AAAAAAAADJM/1nZAEHUBKYo/s1600/IMG_4414-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uN4JN6LzCp0/U4dVGiMmmoI/AAAAAAAADJM/1nZAEHUBKYo/s1600/IMG_4414-Edit.jpg" height="640" width="456" /></a></div>
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From the few bulbs I scattered throughout the garden about ten years ago, they've spread and filled in nicely. I love seeing a sea of lavender blue flowers when I look outside.<br />
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I'm making really good progress with the garden and am very happy with how it's looking. This afternoon I'll finish planting the pots (at least that's the plan). Digging is still really uncomfortable for me so I get my husband to dig the holes and I plant! Works out perfectly.<br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54492/123/DE894427EC702756D58BACB6F13AD4A8.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Lyndahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13213182072929718035noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1959826444411804516.post-49424174244521004572014-05-20T16:40:00.001-04:002014-06-09T16:54:41.600-04:00Last of the scilla<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S_mczbg2_q8/U3ZrxCmS9VI/AAAAAAAADH8/eXf91QwAs-E/s1600/IMG_4339-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S_mczbg2_q8/U3ZrxCmS9VI/AAAAAAAADH8/eXf91QwAs-E/s1600/IMG_4339-Edit.jpg" height="640" width="456" /></a></div>
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Hello dear friends! I didn't plan on taking a blogging break but one day turned into another and before I knew it, two weeks had passed! I've been trying to get a little spring cleaning done and spending more time out in the garden. Isn't it nice to finally enjoy warm weather? I find myself looking for things to do outside because I don't want to come in!<br />
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Spring flowers fade away so quickly. The scilla have finished flowering and are quickly being replaced by grape hyacinths - definitely one of my favourites! <br />
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We've had a lot of rain this week and the garden has loved it. Unfortunately, so have the weeds. I spent the weekend pulling out some pretty big ones that weren't there a week ago. I'm hoping for a trip to the garden centre this week. I'm keeping the garden simple this year and just buying plants that are hardy and that the rabbits don't like (if that's at all possible). Every summer I fight a losing battle with the rabbits.<br />
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And the spring cleaning? It's been put on hold. I'd rather be in the garden! :)<br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54492/123/DE894427EC702756D58BACB6F13AD4A8.png" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border: 0px none ! important;" /></a>
Lyndahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13213182072929718035noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1959826444411804516.post-14761934111934524382014-05-05T12:04:00.000-04:002014-06-11T11:10:29.285-04:00Choosing joy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_g69SSQ8lHE/U2Z8JKj1YZI/AAAAAAAADE8/9h2f8tmo-YI/s1600/purple_crocus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_g69SSQ8lHE/U2Z8JKj1YZI/AAAAAAAADE8/9h2f8tmo-YI/s1600/purple_crocus.jpg" height="640" width="533" /> </a></div>
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Happy May, dear friends! I'm sorry I haven't been around much lately. I still haven't replied to your comments from my last post but I promise I'll get there soon! </div>
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April and May have brought back memories of our last days with <a href="http://lynda-naranjo.blogspot.ca/2013/05/picking-up-pieces.html" target="_blank">my Mom</a>. It will be a year tomorrow that she left this earth to go to her forever home in Heaven. Since Easter, I've struggled with a lot of sadness and grief. I wondered how I was going to get through this first anniversary. Then I realized, why would I miss her anymore on the 365th day than I do on the 364th or 366th? Every day I continue to learn how to live without her. I will always miss her, whether it's been one year or ten. Anniversaries will continue to come - some happy and some sad.</div>
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So I've decided to choose joy instead of sadness. I'm choosing to celebrate all the blessings in my life. Like these purple crocus in my garden. <span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>(I thought I'd better photograph them before the rabbits finished them off. Every morning I go out to find a few more blooms missing and the leaves nibbled to the ground. The rabbits are very hungry after such a long winter and I guess anything fresh and green is delicious right about now!) </i>Mom loved the colour purple and she enjoyed seeing these crocus bloom in my garden every Spring. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">We have a choice as to how we live our days. We can be sad or we can choose joy. I'm choosing to remember Mom with joy.</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54492/123/DE894427EC702756D58BACB6F13AD4A8.png" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border: 0px none ! important;" /></a>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">I'm closing comments until I can get caught up with you all!</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"> xo</span></i></div>
Lyndahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13213182072929718035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1959826444411804516.post-49248259707528841482014-04-23T11:48:00.001-04:002014-06-09T17:06:42.612-04:00Hydrangeas, iPads and pies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-c5cYuUtdoqE/U1fYk2p4w-I/AAAAAAAADEU/16O-tmKEHK4/s1600/hydrangeas_spring2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-c5cYuUtdoqE/U1fYk2p4w-I/AAAAAAAADEU/16O-tmKEHK4/s1600/hydrangeas_spring2.jpg" height="448" width="640" /></a></div>
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Did you have a nice Easter? I was feeling a little under the weather last week with what I think was just allergies. But I was all stuffed up and headache-y so I took it easy for a few days and caught up on some reading. I've really taken to reading books and magazines on my iPad although nothing can ever replace the feel of holding a real book in my hands.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-evcteIwvtqA/U1fYkWuOLQI/AAAAAAAADEI/Du39LQmMgak/s1600/hydrangeas_spring1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-evcteIwvtqA/U1fYkWuOLQI/AAAAAAAADEI/Du39LQmMgak/s1600/hydrangeas_spring1.jpg" height="448" width="640" /></a></div>
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This wasn't my Easter table setting but just something I was playing around with. I had baked a lemon meringue pie and indulged in a pot of hydrangeas the same day. They looked so pretty sitting on the table that I grabbed some plates and glasses and took a few photos. The hydrangeas have faded now but I'm going to plant them in a pot outside just as soon as our temperatures are consistently above freezing at night. We had a gorgeous Spring day on Monday - 22° celsius! As tempted as I was to get out there and pull off the garden's winter coverings, I realized that it would be short lived and we'd be back to cold temperatures the next day. <br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ux04I3Bk9ks/U1fYkqhxGzI/AAAAAAAADEY/BTK7-s2iEv8/s1600/hydrangeas_spring3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ux04I3Bk9ks/U1fYkqhxGzI/AAAAAAAADEY/BTK7-s2iEv8/s1600/hydrangeas_spring3.jpg" height="384" width="640" /></a></div>
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I'm wondering if any other iPad users have a problem leaving comments on Blogger. I use my iPad to read blogs but whenever I try to comment, it freezes up. So frustrating! I've tried using Chrome instead of Safari but it still happens. It only seems to be Blogger blogs that are affected. So I end up commenting all at once when I turn on my desktop (which is becoming less and less often). I'd really like to know if anyone else has experienced this and if so, if it can be fixed. I miss commenting!</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iaEFkKWRI1Q/U1fYlt_mHgI/AAAAAAAADEk/cgoUe2VQhUQ/s1600/hydrangeas_spring4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iaEFkKWRI1Q/U1fYlt_mHgI/AAAAAAAADEk/cgoUe2VQhUQ/s1600/hydrangeas_spring4.jpg" height="640" width="533" /></a></div>
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I'm enjoying reading and seeing photos of what's blooming on your blogs. By the time Spring reaches us in earnest, some of you will already be into Summer! Hopefully, I'll get things fixed up and back to commenting regularly very soon.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>"That is one good thing about this world ... there are always sure to be more Springs." </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>- Lucy Maud Montgomery</i></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54492/123/DE894427EC702756D58BACB6F13AD4A8.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Lyndahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13213182072929718035noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1959826444411804516.post-77144872612023272142014-04-15T14:13:00.000-04:002014-06-09T16:55:16.014-04:00What a difference a day makes!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NdIO1__95KM/U010HP4l8YI/AAAAAAAADDk/MYlWP5uxKY0/s1600/IMG_4322-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NdIO1__95KM/U010HP4l8YI/AAAAAAAADDk/MYlWP5uxKY0/s1600/IMG_4322-Edit.jpg" height="640" width="456" /></a></div>
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This morning we awoke to a Winter wonderland ... in the middle of April! </div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8P5upoT8R9E/U010HcQUqzI/AAAAAAAADDw/pdC_xuOYkno/s1600/IMG_4323-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8P5upoT8R9E/U010HcQUqzI/AAAAAAAADDw/pdC_xuOYkno/s1600/IMG_4323-Edit.jpg" height="640" width="456" /></a></div>
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The snow fell in big, heavy flakes but it won't last long. In fact, it's already melting. This was just Winter's way of saying good-bye ... and don't forget me. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kB5mBS06aYg/U010HRQYVNI/AAAAAAAADDo/8wAVjetMyZY/s1600/scilla_snow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kB5mBS06aYg/U010HRQYVNI/AAAAAAAADDo/8wAVjetMyZY/s1600/scilla_snow.jpg" height="448" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yesterday ... and today!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Remember those scilla from yesterday? Well, this is what they looked like this morning! I think this is it for the snow and cold. Warmer days are coming!</div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54492/123/DE894427EC702756D58BACB6F13AD4A8.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Lyndahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13213182072929718035noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1959826444411804516.post-14876246519658998492014-04-14T14:49:00.001-04:002014-04-14T14:49:07.001-04:00Hints of Spring<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SofvClUCuIc/U0wqfKN0d7I/AAAAAAAADDQ/Gtkueju40C4/s1600/IMG_4319-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SofvClUCuIc/U0wqfKN0d7I/AAAAAAAADDQ/Gtkueju40C4/s1600/IMG_4319-Edit.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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This morning I took a walk in the garden and was pleasantly surprised to find these scilla blooming! Surprised because I didn't plant them there ... but I like this kind of surprise.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aqBXXM_rpYw/U0wqfeH5XbI/AAAAAAAADDM/uA0a-GzcEb0/s1600/IMG_4320-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aqBXXM_rpYw/U0wqfeH5XbI/AAAAAAAADDM/uA0a-GzcEb0/s1600/IMG_4320-Edit.jpg" height="640" width="512" /></a></div>
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The lilacs are starting to bud. A few warm days and a little rain does wonders! The snow has finally melted from our yard and we've gradually started to clean up. It feels so good to be outdoors again!<br />
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Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your comments and emails on my last <a href="http://lynda-naranjo.blogspot.ca/2014/04/april-showers-pussy-willows-and-health.html" target="_blank">post</a>. I'm so thankful for friends like <i>*you*</i>.<br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54492/123/DE894427EC702756D58BACB6F13AD4A8.png" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border: 0px none ! important;" /></a>Lyndahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13213182072929718035noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1959826444411804516.post-39680827227450998942014-04-04T15:58:00.000-04:002014-06-11T11:08:20.910-04:00April showers, pussy willows and a health update<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gqb3Dx_P1dQ/UzsYFaMOdHI/AAAAAAAADCA/Sg98SUuZcvg/s1600/IMG_4209-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gqb3Dx_P1dQ/UzsYFaMOdHI/AAAAAAAADCA/Sg98SUuZcvg/s1600/IMG_4209-Edit.jpg" height="640" width="456" /></a></div>
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It's raining. There's something so very welcoming about a Spring rain. Not only does it wash away the last remnants of snow but it also washes away the dirt and grime Winter has left behind. The grass becomes greener and life begins to stir in the garden. <i>April showers bring May flowers ...</i><br />
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Pussy willows have always been a favourite Spring addition to my
decor. I love their soft catkins and usually keep them around well into
Summer. I can't seem to let them go.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s_YOu7_ynj4/UzsYFchtZmI/AAAAAAAADCI/aam9gRB91uU/s1600/IMG_4175-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s_YOu7_ynj4/UzsYFchtZmI/AAAAAAAADCI/aam9gRB91uU/s1600/IMG_4175-Edit.jpg" height="640" width="456" /></a></div>
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I had another CT scan last week and got the results a couple of days ago. The tumours are larger than they were in December. In fact, they've pretty much tripled in size since last October. Not the news I was hoping for. <i><b>But</b></i> there is a bright spot. My <a href="http://www.cancer.ca/en/cancer-information/diagnosis-and-treatment/tests-and-procedures/cancer-antigen-125-ca-125/?region=on" target="_blank">CA125</a> dropped from 5700 at the beginning of March to 4400. That's significant. And hopeful.<br />
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After a lot of discussion with my oncologist, nurse and my husband, we're going to delay restarting treatment for a few more weeks. I'll have another CA125 at the end of this month and another scan next month. <span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>(I swear I'm going to start glowing in the dark!) </i><span style="font-size: small;">I'm feeling</span></span> well and still not having any symptoms, which is good. I'm not sure if I've ever mentioned this before, but I began adding curcumin (turmeric) to my diet last Fall. One of my neighbours gave me a bottle of it along with the book <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/Anticancer-New-Way-Of-Life/dp/1554682223" target="_blank">Anti-Cancer by </a><a href="http://www.amazon.ca/Anticancer-New-Way-Of-Life/dp/1554682223" target="_blank">David Servan-Schreiber</a>. Among other things, he highly recommends adding curcumin to help destroy tumours. I added it faithfully to my salad and in cooking on a daily basis and I think it helped a little. After the 5700 CA125 reading, I decided to switch to capsules to increase my consumption. My CA125 went down. It could be a coincidence but my oncologist has other patients taking curcumin that have had good results. So he told me to double the dose I've been taking and see if it goes down again. Now I'll take curcumin capsules over chemo any day! Especially since he told me that second line chemo has a 1 in 5 chance of working. Yeah. How's that for sobering? Thankfully he's a little more optimistic - he says we just need to find the right drug and gave me info for 8 different chemo drugs we could try. The remaining cancer is referred to as "platinum resistant" which is why the chemo didn't get it all the first time and why they won't use the same chemo again. <i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://lynda-naranjo.blogspot.ca/2013/07/the-fight-isnt-over-yet.html" target="_blank">(R</a><a href="https://draft.blogger.com/null" target="_blank">emember when I posted about those red, white and green jelly beans?)</a></span></i><br />
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I've made a lot of lifestyle changes since my diagnosis. I've increased my intake of fruits and veggies. I've cut back on refined sugars and flours with the goal to eliminate as many of them as possible. I pray. I meditate. I try to exercise regularly but still need to work on that. I think the warmer weather will help.<br />
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It took me a few hours to digest this latest news but I'm more determined than ever to fight and win. I know that God has this under control. He sees the big picture and knows what the next step is. After all, it was expected that I would resume treatment last August and I still haven't needed it. He's put healing into my path and all I have to do is trust Him and let go. That's easier said than done but I'm working on that too. Every so often I get scared. And worried. I have to remind myself to surrender it all to Him.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qGZuz8JckBk/UzsYHHN4N8I/AAAAAAAADCU/rt4ZVeNrynQ/s1600/pussy_willows_blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qGZuz8JckBk/UzsYHHN4N8I/AAAAAAAADCU/rt4ZVeNrynQ/s1600/pussy_willows_blog.jpg" height="640" width="532" /> </a></div>
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I hesitated whether to share this with you or not. I haven't gone into much detail about the cancer or treatments, mainly because I want to focus on everything that's beautiful around me. And believe me, I have a <i><b>lot</b></i> to be thankful for! Having a life threatening illness really makes you appreciate the little things in life. But every so often I need to share what I'm going through. Thanks for being there when I need to.<br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54492/123/DE894427EC702756D58BACB6F13AD4A8.png" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border: 0px none ! important;" /></a>Lyndahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13213182072929718035noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1959826444411804516.post-78001325534923450902014-03-31T13:46:00.001-04:002014-06-09T17:07:17.301-04:00Ranunculus and tea cups<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-a-80OzE1NAk/UzXK8KVrolI/AAAAAAAADBc/adpdwpqZJFk/s1600/ranunculas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-a-80OzE1NAk/UzXK8KVrolI/AAAAAAAADBc/adpdwpqZJFk/s1600/ranunculas.jpg" height="384" width="640" /></a></div>
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Do you think Winter is finally winding down? It's a beautiful Spring day here today. I've got the windows open just a little to enjoy the fresh (although still cool) air. The mounds of snow are getting smaller every day and yesterday, for the first time in ages, I was able to get out for a walk in the garden. I even noticed a few green shoots coming up! Unfortunately, the rabbits have already gotten to most of them <i><span style="font-size: x-small;">(darn rabbits!).</span></i> </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zlZB16RPhLM/UzXK6xl0nMI/AAAAAAAADBM/Ya2QqWyj9fU/s1600/IMG_4127-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zlZB16RPhLM/UzXK6xl0nMI/AAAAAAAADBM/Ya2QqWyj9fU/s1600/IMG_4127-Edit.jpg" height="640" width="456" /></a></div>
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I've always thought that ranunculus were beautiful. I've never seen them as cut flowers where I live but they are sold in pots in the Spring. I nabbed this one last week. It had one little flower but it also had a couple of buds so I bought it, hoping that it will keep blooming for a couple of weeks.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xhDBLXcneNo/UzXK8vWW8gI/AAAAAAAADBw/VPuzVBv8CmQ/s1600/ranunculas_tea_cup2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xhDBLXcneNo/UzXK8vWW8gI/AAAAAAAADBw/VPuzVBv8CmQ/s1600/ranunculas_tea_cup2.jpg" height="448" width="640" /></a></div>
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The buds are getting larger and I think will probably open up later this week. I've enjoyed a steady stream of potted plants this year without spending a lot of money. A local garden centre gave away small pots of primulas as a promotion every weekend in March and this pot of ranunculus was only $3.99. Pots of flowers last so much longer than cut flowers which means I get to enjoy them longer. </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BvZmy87Y3Os/UzXK7MjK99I/AAAAAAAADBU/04H-f99CJaY/s1600/IMG_4131-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BvZmy87Y3Os/UzXK7MjK99I/AAAAAAAADBU/04H-f99CJaY/s1600/IMG_4131-Edit.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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This tea cup belonged to my Mom. We've started going through her things. I know some of you have had to deal with this so you know how difficult and emotional it is. I'm trying to keep only the things that I will use or want to display. Of course, there will be a few sentimental things that will be tucked away but I don't want to stash everything in boxes and shove them in the basement, never to look at them again. Mom wouldn't want that. She enjoyed her things and I believe that they should continue to be enjoyed.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DLDMYghgLlA/UzXK8Gp-HJI/AAAAAAAADBs/GGLA_4qavkg/s1600/ranunculas_tea_cup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DLDMYghgLlA/UzXK8Gp-HJI/AAAAAAAADBs/GGLA_4qavkg/s1600/ranunculas_tea_cup.jpg" height="384" width="640" /></a></div>
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I kept her tea cups. I plan to display them and change them seasonally - and enjoy a cup of tea in them every so often! They always sat on a special shelf, some of them given to her when she was married 60 years ago. As I washed them up, I thought how often we stop noticing the beauty of the things in our homes. I made a decision to try to enjoy my pretty things and actually use them for more than just photo props. Do you use a pretty cup when you have a cup of tea? Or, like me, do you grab the closest mug?</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JeiW2_o0c-A/UzXK7JQ8Y_I/AAAAAAAADBY/dTK5fRma4vU/s1600/IMG_4153-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JeiW2_o0c-A/UzXK7JQ8Y_I/AAAAAAAADBY/dTK5fRma4vU/s1600/IMG_4153-Edit.jpg" height="456" width="640" /></a></div>
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My grandmother always thought tea tasted better in a pretty tea cup. I think she was right.</div>
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xo,</div>
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Lynda</div>
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<br />Lyndahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13213182072929718035noreply@blogger.com6