The Butterfly House...

Haley came to visit a few weeks ago, my sister and I wanted to do something different so we decided to take a trip to the Butterfly House at the Rutgers University Earth Center.

It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon, although it was quite hot there was a beautiful breeze. It made the heat quite tolerable.

The Monarchs were floating from flower to flower...If you looked closely you could find butterflies in various stages of life...cocoons were hanging from the leaves of plants, some were empty, while others awaited the emerging beauties.

 

 

Coneflowers, Sunflowers, Butterfly Bushes, and many other served as places for the butterflies to sun themselves, rest, and enjoy the sweet nectar the beautiful blooms had to offer.

 



Sunflowers

 

 

Clematis

 

 

Taking a sip from the Butterfly Bush

 

 

We also spent a little time visiting the Children's Garden...There were several areas for children to explore and play amongst the various plants.  Haley loved the Teepee made of Sunflowers and the tunnel covered with squash vines.  She was so excited to see the tiny squash, because it was so early in the growing season most were only about 2 inches long!

 

 

The grounds of the Earth Center is also home to the Master Gardeners program as well as an ecology center.  It's beautiful place for a picnic, a hike amongst the nature trails or just a quiet place to spend an afternoon.  We can't wait to visit again!





It's Been a Rough Couple of Weeks

Things have been very crazy at my house for the last few weeks...

My beautiful niece Theresa had to have hip replacement surgery a few weeks ago.  She's a very happy smiling girl on most days...

But not long after returning home from surgery she became fussy and was experiencing a great deal of pain...She returned to the hospital for follow-up care. It was soon discovered that she had pancreatitis, her doctors are working very hard to find the cause of her problem...she is receving nutrition through a special IV line, her newly replaced hip has also dislocated several times...The doctors have placed her in a special cast to keep the hip in place...My sister is a strong, caring Mother, but sometimes it's so very difficult.  She loves her little angel more than anything else in the world...It breaks my heart that I can't be with them...

Love you so very much my little angel...

Sending good thoughts and prayers your way...

God has you in his care, all will be well



The Scent of Spring...

Here in NJ we experienced a very mild winter and quite a few above average temperatures this spring.  Today is the exception, we are exactly where we should be temperature wise. 

I turned on the coffeemaker first thing as I usually do, the smell of freshly brewing coffee began to fill the house.  I opened the back door to let the suns rays warm the kitchen when I was overcome by the smell of lilacs drifting on the morning breeze.  I couldn't help but take a deep breath...spring has finally come to my backyard!

I have been blessed with a beautiful lilac bush courtesy of my neighbors.  I've never planted one, for many years their bush hung over my fence and I clipped bouquets to my hearts content.  Several years ago some branches made there way under the fence and they have spread and grown stonger, as a result I now have a beautiful lilac bush to call my own...Time to cut a bouquet for the kitchen table...

A Few More Projects...

Here's a quick look at my March projects for

the Scrappers Cove  drawing.

The card was made using paper from My Minds Eye's Lost and Found Collection,

I love the vintage look of this paper.

For the layout we were given paper from Authentique and

Bo Bunny. I normally don't use a lot of purple when I scrap, but Idecided to play off the purple trim instead of the blue floral print.





It's Been a While!!!

It's been quite a while since my last post...Honestly sometimes I feel at a loss for words.  I follow some very inspiring people, they have such a gift for words.  For me, it's not so easy.

Things are about the same on the MG front, no worse no better. For that I am truly thankful.  So today I'll share some of my recent scrapbooking and card making projects.

The Myasthenia Gravis group I belong to exchanged Christmas cards this year, MG is also called the snowflake disease because like snowflakes, MG affects everyone differently so I used one on the card...The snowflake was removable so it could be used for another purpose.

Our local scrapbook store holds a monthly drawing for a gift certificate.  Here's my January entry. This layout features my niece Theresa, she just LOVES the snow.  Although she can't play in the snow like others she enjoys when you toss snow at her, she laughs and smiles so much!

I also submitted this card for another drawing.  I LOVE this sentiment...I try to find something to be thankful for everyday, so why not celebrate!

My submission for February is about Love & Friendship.

The pictures are of my sisters, my nieces and myself.  The sentiment "A Friend Loves at All Times" is from proverbs. It was a free download from Dee's Bugaboo Boutique , she is creates beautiful scripture word art to download every Tuesday.

I'm not very big on Valentine's, but here is what else I entered into the drawing.  I didn't win this month, but my sister Gae did!

As always, thank you all for dropping by now and then.