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The Lady Recommends... The Katbird Shop NWF Backyard Habitat The Visit Scotia site D.R.C.C. Pyramid Life Center Still Point Kent Nerburn.com B:>compatible Aunt Katies Attic My Friend's Pages... Jill Batchelor.com John Elliott Photography From the Heart Southern Somedays Blog Glassy Beads.com        Cast of Characters (GardenLady's Plants) Email Me: Gardenlady at gardenlady.us |
You have found the homepage of the Garden Lady! News pages will fill you in on what's wrong in the world, my aim is to share what is right with the world through my camera. It's a BEAUTIFUL world out there. Life...a blessing, gift and a 'Magical Mystery Tour'.... Come on out and play! February 6, 2012 Back from Still Point I got back home Friday early afternoon after spending a few days at Still Point. The weather was good - no snow although we did have bouts of rain and some cold dampness on Wednesday or Thursday. I was the only person in any of the cabins so it was very peaceful. Even when there are other people around it is quiet though. I did some reading, wrote in my journal and basked in the silence. Since I came home it's 'business as usual.' The weather continues dry for February...the sun is out today and aside from a couple of small patches we have no snow. As much as I love how snow looks I am not complaining. We have a few weeks yet where we could catch up. It has to be better for the areas that had such flooding at the end of summer and are still recovering. With any luck, the lack of snow will cut down on spring flooding. I was reminded that I didn't put up pictures from Magic Wings, and I have a few from my Still Point retreat. So, I guess I better get busy! January 28, 2012 Home and out again  Last weekends' retreat went really well despite the snowfall...not that there was that much but when I got up a little before 6AM it was snowing like mad. But - everyone with the exception of one person showed up. It was a wonderful retreat day, and quite a busy weekend for me as on Sunday I prepped for a class I would be teaching on Monday evening. Small group but the students really got into the material (Power Point) and I think we will have a very good class. One thing though, I am putting together some things and planning a small retreat for myself. In the woods, of course...to me a retreat is living for a couple of days in complete silence. I have a book or two in mind and naturally, I bring the camera and my laptiop for journaling. Our weather has been pretty quiet for a northeast winter and it seems like the pattern should hold for about another 6 days. I am looking forward to the break! By the way, the photo above is the door at the windmill - the sun was shining in through the peephole. A lucky catch! January 18, 2012 Almost time!  Only a couple more days until my retreat...and you can tell from the photo what the title is. I will be heading into work at the Retreat House office Friday, and staying in the Windmill until Monday morning. Hubby and cat holding down the fort - they do a pretty darned good job. He's fine with it, long as I dont ask HIM to stay in, as he calls it, the Silo. It's a snug place, looks down on the Retreat House and the office. It's also supposed to snow, which is par for the course. By the way, Pat and I had a great day at Magic Wings last week. Weather wise, you couldn't really ask for better weather in January. I do have to get a page done but for now, it will have to wait. Or not. We'll see. :) January 8, 2012 Heading out  Road Trip! My friend Pat and I are heading off to Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory tomorrow. It's been almost 2 years since we went (sure doesn't seem like it) and the weather has been very good for travel so off we go. I also am trying to schedule in a real retreat for myself...I was on a 3 day one in July of last year and the time away is usually good for getting new ideas and spending time in uninterrupted contemplation. Not sure just when that will happen...the retreat is coming up and also there may be a class to teach. We'll see. But tomorrow will be good food for the soul - that's for sure! P.S. the photo above is a close up of the body and wing of a Cairns Birdwing butterfly - one of my favorites. January 3, 2012 Happy New Year! I hope you all had a great New Year! The weather was good here - roads were dry and it wasn't cold. Unlike today. We went to the Evening of Reflection at the Retreat House, and stayed overnight...getting back home around 9:30 New Years Day. I noticed all last week the Christmas tres hitting the curbs. Our decorations stay up until Epiphany. Not that I have so many, So the new year begins and with it we have a fresh slate. No one knows what lies ahead so you just plan on making it the best it can be, work on personal improvement and take each day as the gift that it is. Right now I'm getting the next day of retreat ready - coming up in a couple of weeks. It's also a good time for reorganizing (but then again, it's ALWAYS a good time for that, for me) and just plain enjoying my little life. Happy New Year! December 28, 2011 (part 2) Christmas Lights!  Got my selections ready, and now you can check out some of the Christmas Lights. Enjoy! Click here for Christmas Light photos. December 28, 2011 Post Christmas  I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, and many blessings in the upcoming year! We went up to my sisters home on Christmas Eve where we celebrated our Christmas, then home to Mass at 9PM. Christmas Day itself was lovely with a quiet day at home... a nap in the afternoon and after a holiday dinner we had some cheesecake (a gift) and watched 'Going My Way'. All in all, it was a great holiday and watching the kids open the gifts is always a lot of fun. My friend Pat and I have gone out here and there to get pictures of the Christmas lights and she heard about a fabulous display in Guilderland. So we went out last night...in the rain... and took quite a few. The photo above is one of the homes.It's odd when we don't have snow but the rain made some beautiful reflections and the lights are even more of a contrast against the dark background. I hope to get a page up of some of the lights. Stay tuned! December 21, 2011 Countdown to Christmas  It's a cloudy day with some drizzle right now. Looks like we may have a green Christmas which is good for the driving I'll be doing but it does seems strange when we don't have snow. I've been getting out and taking pictures of the Christmas lights...I hope to get a page either here or maybe a link to my photos at Fotki. I really enjoy seeing what people have done. Some are a little overdone but it is still fun to see. Inside, all of the gifts are wrapped and ready...Christmas Eve will be spent with my sister and the family and Christmas Day we will have a nice quiet day at home. Tonight is Carol Night at the Retreat House and that is a wonderful way to bring in the season. Wishing you and yours blessings of good health and happiness! Today is the Solstice - the days will start getting longer from here. Enjoy. December 18, 2011 The most wonderful time of the year Been busy? It sure has been around here. Between getting ready for Christmas here at home, I also got over to a 6th Anniversary Party for the Katbird Shop (see sidebar for link), finally got pictures sized and uploaded to Fotki for Relay for Life and the Wrap up Party that was held about 10 days ago. Then today, I went back over to Aunt Katies Attic to get a few pictures. Add to this - driving around a little bit at night to get pictures of the Christmas lights. I can't believe it's only a week away, can you? Anyway, for now here are some pictures for you to enjoy. The Katbird pictures are here on Gardenlady and the Relay link will take you to my pages at Fotki. Enjoy! Click here for Katbird photos Click here for Relay Wrap Up photos December 11, 2011 It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...  It was a pretty productive weekend. I got a little more decorating done, most of it is pretty simple but I decided to put lights around the atrium door to make the kitchen even more festive. The ceramic tree is out, and so is the manger. Some garland, silk flowers, electric candles... The weather is getting colder, my Christmas cards have been mailed and I have to get a few more gifts. One thing I love also is seeing other peoples' lights. They really brighten up the night and I wish they would stay up and lit through February! Tomorrow, shopping, anioce dinner of turkey from Thanksgiving (have to thaw out the packet). I love this time of year! December 7, 2011 Golden Moments  Well, close to 'golden'... The past couple of days have been on the dark side, rainy...and tonight it is still raining and due to turn to snow overnight. We may get 3-6 inches of the stuff. As always, we wil see what really happens. But, with the warmer than usual weather we are seeing some unusual things as well. Like this forsythia that was blooming outside the kitchen window. Life is filled with unexpected surprises. Another sort of surprise, we got a new car this week. After years of owning Saturns [they don't make them anymore] we got a Honda Fit. It's a beauty - the color is new for 2012 and is called Raspberry Blue Metallic. I will just say that until a few more show up, it's easy to find my car in the parking lot. It is a compact, really, but doesn't seem like one. Very roomy inside and handles like a dream. We figured we would trade in while we could still get something for the old car. Off to sleep now, and we will see if we wake to a white world tomorrow... December 3, 2011 New Toy    As a lot of you know, stores are offering all sorts of deals, and when I opened my email I got one from eBay with their 'deal of the day'. Now, normally, I don't pay a lot of attention to these things but I saw a deal on a multimedia e-reader. So, I ordered it and it showed up yesterday. After duly charging it, I set out to figure how to use it. I still have to get WiFi working but if it doesn't it won't bother me too much. I put in one of my SD cards for extra storage and on the card I have folders with mp3's, photos, and some of my favorite saved writings and documents. The whole thing is just over 5x7. I commissioned an old padded binder (small) to be a case for now. The weather is turning colder now after a stretch of relatively mild weather. We are keeping busy...and it is hard to believe that Christmas is only 3 weeks away. Where DOES the time go? November 26, 2011 Black Friday excursion  The Holiday Season is officially here! After a great Thanksgiving here at home with family, I decided to avoid the crowds at the malls and go out to Aunt Katie's Attic and browse through some vintage Christmas decorations and ornaments and also get some new pictures. The weather has been very mild and beautiful for the end of November and all around it was a great day to spend some unhurried and unharried time. Come on along with me: Click here photos at Aunt Katies Attic! Past Entries - The Archives. |