Sabbath Keeping

~ Katie and Daddy, her new FIL ~

"And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: 

and they shall be one flesh."

~ Genesis 2:23-24 ~ 

"The Supreme Court of the United States has ruled today that same-sex marriage is legal in all 50 states. With all dues respect to the court, it did not define marriage, and therefore is not entitled to re-define it.
Long before our government came into existence, marriage was created by the One who created man and woman - Almighty God - and His decisions are not subject to review or revision by any manmade court. God is clear about the definition of marriage in His Holy Word: "Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh" (Genesis 2:24).
I pray God will spare America from His judgment, though, by our actions as a nation, we give Him less and less reason to do so."   ~ Franklin Graham ~
"No woman wants to be in submission to a man who isn't in submission to God."  ~ T. D. Jakes ~

"If I get married,

I want to be very married."

~ Aubrey Hepburn ~ 

"The older I get, the less time I want to spend with the part of the human race that didn't marry me." ~ Robert Brault ~

"The best time to love with your whole heart is always now, in this moment, because no breath beyond the current is promised." ~ Fawn Weaver ~

"The first to apologize is the bravest.

The first to forgive is the strongest.

The first to forget is the happiest."

~ unknown ~ 

"A happy marriage is the union of two good forgivers."
~ Ruth Bell Graham ~
"Once we figured out that we could not change each other,
we became free to celebrate ourselves as we are."
~ H. Dean Rutherford in a letter to his wife on their 59th wedding anniversary ~
"Coming together is a beginning;
keeping together is progress;
working together is success."
~ Henry Ford ~
"Love is an ideal thing; marriage a real thing."
~ Goethe ~
"Marriage doesn't make you happy -
you make your marriage happy.
~ Drs. Les and Leslie Parrott
"There is no greater happiness for a man than approaching a door at the end of a day knowing someone on the other side of that door is waiting for the sound of his footsteps."
~ Ronald Reagan ~
"There is no greater risk than matrimony.
But there is nothing happier than a happy marriage."
~ Benjamin Disraeli ~

"Your priorities aren't what you SAY they are.

They are revealed by how you live.

What does your life say 

about the value of your family and marriage?"

~ Marriage Today ~

"And He answered and said unto them, "Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning 'made them male and female,' and said, "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh"? 

So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. 

Therefore what God has joined together, 

let not man separate."

~ Matthew 19:4-6 ~ 

Prayer Keeping ~ the five misguided Supreme Court justices who dared spit in God's face; God will not be mocked ~ marriage ~ man and woman ~ husband and wife ~ Bible ~

NOTE to Self...Life IS a Dress Rehearsal...

Life most certainly IS a dress rehearsal so keep preparing for a heavenly eternity. Be kind, choose words wisely, especially be careful what you say to yourself. Eat nutritious food, drink lots of water, be moderate in your intake of excellent whisky and dark chocolate. Write letters, send cards and notes, tell family and friends you love them...and mean it. Every day read your love letter (Bible), pray to God and take a long walk with the dogs as company. Work hard, play harder, go barefoot, hug and kiss the dogs, cats, horses and please remember...always be good to you. One day, this will be the last day of earthly life...always be ready to GO.  xoxo

Blessings ~ wisdom ~ dogs, cats, horses ~ dark chocolate ~ Lagavulin whisky ~ bare feet ~ KJV ~ time ~

Siochain agus Farisinge with the Three Graces

~ The Three Graces - Vicki, Sandra, Marsha ~

Peace and Plenty, or as the Irish say "Siochain agus Farisinge", abounded recently on Thistle Cove Farm. This photo, appropriately named (because it's my blog) The Three Graces are a sweet reminder of a visit and friendship (as well as Vicki's abilities with her I-phone). Do you know the "other Three Graces"? They were Greek Goddesses of Joy, Charm and Beauty, daughters all of the Greek god Zeus and Oceanid Eurynome. Although I'm not much into gods or goddesses, save the King of Kings, I'll make an exception in this case...lol.

This photo is courtesy of Vicki because I was too busy taking delight in the visit. I spend the vast majority of my time alone, by choice and necessity, and when beloveds visit (too seldom), I tend to gaze upon their beautiful faces as if in a daze. I've learned, the hard way, to store up for the frosty times, when solitude wants to overwhelm. Rather, I , mostly, allow the memories to persevere. Vicki put up lots of photos on her FB page and all are wonderful reminders of our short time together.

~ Vicki's beautiful nest ~

 Some of you know Vicki hosts the annual Grow Your Blog Party and has "put together" wonderful i-friendships that, sometimes, turn into face to face friendships. The GYBP is over for 2015 but you're still able to visit those who participated and leave comments. She also has an ETSY shop that showcases some of her fabulous knitting, especially her Nests but those go very quickly mostly to those who have put their names on her list! The above is one of Vicki's beautiful nests and will have a place of honor in my studio, when re-established. There are so many blessings, tangible blessings, in my life and each one always brings tears to my eyes. The work of someone's hands and heart is a precious gift and one never, ever to be taken for granted.

During this year's GYBParty Heather, of Heather's Sewing Room, pulled my name and made this lovely, functional and very useful sewing box.

 It has a cutting board

 she included a lovely note (Gypsy Rose Lee approves)

and this is the inside, complete with pin cushion and covered place to put sewing gadgets. How fabulous! Heather is an New Zealander expat, now living in Singapore; please visit her blog for links to her ETSY shop and Craftsy patterns. I'm sorry I can't give a link for her ETSY shop; blogger is tired. Thank you, Heather, the sewing box finally arrived all the way from Singapore and is now a treasure in my sewing room. When I've re-established my studio, it'll be a treasure in my studio and beloved by all.

Remember this giveaway plaque? I'm well over the deadline but the name randomly chosen is Blue Cotton Memory. I'll send a note on her blog and give her 24 hours to respond; if she doesn't, another name will be chosen around noon tomorrow.

~ Thistle Cove Farm ~

That's all for now; this post has taken the better part of three hours and I'm knackered and still have all my other work in front of me. Why oh why are computers and photo galleries so tiresome?

Blessings ~ friendship ~ a beautiful sky ~ blogging friends ~ nests ~ the other two graces ~

Sabbath Keeping

"...His banner over me is love."

~ Song of Solomon 2:4 ~

"I stand fearlessly for small dogs, 

the American flag, motherhood and the Bible. 

That's why people love me." ~ Art Linkletter ~

"Martin Luther King, Jr. didn't carry just a piece of cloth to symbolize his belief in racial equality; he carried the American flag." ~ Adrian Cronauer ~ 

"The American flag is the most recognized symbol of freedom and democracy in the world." 
~ Virginia Foxx ~

"In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an American and nothing but an American. ...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any many who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag...We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language...and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people." 
~ President Theodore Roosevelt ~ 

"The American flag is the symbol of our freedom, national pride and history." ~ Mike Fitzpatrick ~ 
"We identify the flag with almost everything we hold dear on earth, peace, security, liberty, our family, our friends, our home. ... But when we look at our flag and behold it emblazoned with all our rights we must remember that it is equally a symbol of our duties. Every glory we associate with it is the result of duty done." ~ President Calvin Coolidge ~ 

National Flag day here

"Sure I wave the American flag. Do you know a better flag to wave? Sure I love my country with all her faults. I'm not ashamed of that, never have been, never will be." ~ John Wayne ~ 

"...give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar,

and give to God what belongs to God."

~ Matthew 22:21 ~ 

Prayer Keeping ~ baby John ~ Noreen ~ Donna ~ Mildred ~ 
Sandra ~ 

Welcome to Thistle Cove Farm; Thanks for Stopping By...

~ Welcome! ~

Some folks go to the florist or grocery store; I drive down the road, Mason jar and scissors in hand and pick a bouquet for the gate.

As Susan Branch says, here's a little musica to set the mood. This week has been grand; lots of sunshine, lots of warm weather, 

~ do you see the sheet of rain in the middle? ~ 

some rain to help things grow,

~ double rainbows, ending in my pasture! ~

animals (domestic and wild) and friends FRIENDS!

~ deer and two red wing blackbirds ~

Early in the week, a deer was spotted in the side pasture. Apparently, s/he was a little too close to someone's nest because they started dive bombing. First one, then the other, would swoop in about the ears and, eventually, the deer scampered.

~ so graceful ~

~ Do you know these women? ~

One of the best gifts I've ever received was a visit this week from Vicki of 2 Bags Full. Vicki and I have known each other for years and it was at her Florida property Dave and I had a respite just days before he unexpectedly died. This week, Vicki and I met for the first time and, truly, it was like being, again, with a friend of decades whom I'd not seen in a long while. Vicki is everything one could ask for in a house guest; she loves cats, loves the dogs, loves the horses, loves me, smile

AND SHE AND MARSHA WEEDED THE VEG GARDEN!!!! No one was threatened or harmed, it was an act of LOVE and words fail me at saying how greatly appreciated. Now I can get in a few more tomato plants, herbs and maybe a squash or three. In true Vicki fashion, "no big deal" but, yes, it was, and is, a Big Deal. It would have taken me all day if not two and they did it in a couple of hours. THANK YOU!

They left, all too soon, and missed the black bear heading home this morning.

They also missed learning how to drive the tractor; several times a week, early morning after dew is off the ground, I mow thistles in an attempt to keep them under control. I dislike using chemicals and weed control is by tractor and old fashioned swing blade.

Walking on sunshine...another beautiful day on Thistle Cove Farm and tomorrow is sure to be perfect.

Mercy! My cup overflows!

Blessings ~ Vicki ~ Marsha ~ wildlife ~ beautiful weather ~ Thistle Cove Farm where I've spent the BEST one-third of my entire life! ~

Sabbath Keeping

~ Atlantic Ocean ~

"Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand,

or with the breadth of His hand marked off the heavens?

Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket,

or weighed the mountains on the scales

and the hills in a balance?

Who can fathom the Spirit of the Lord,

or instruct the Lord as his counselor?

Whom did the Lord consult to enlighten Him,

and who taught Him the right way?

Who was it that taught Him knowledge,

or showed Him the path of understanding?

Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket;

they are regarded as dust on the scales;

He weighs the islands as though they were fine dust."

~ Isaiah 40:12-15 ~ 

"God used beautiful mathematics in creating the world."
~ Paul Dirac ~
"If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probably explanation is that we were made for another world."  ~ C. S. Lewis ~
"God has given us two hands, one to receive with, the other to give." ~ Billy Graham ~

"When the solution is simple, 

God is answering." 

~ Albert Einstein ~ 

"God will not permit any troubles to come upon us, unless he has a specific plan by which great blessing can come out of difficulty." ~ Peter Marshall ~
"The world will never starve for want of wonders."
~ G. K. Chesterton ~
"Only God can fully satisfy the hungry heart of man."
~ Hugh Black ~
"Beauty is God's handwriting." ~ Charles Kingsley ~
"I can see how it might be possible for a man to look down upon the earth and be an atheist, but I cannot conceive how he could look up into the heavens and say there is no God."
~ Abraham Lincoln ~
"The universe is centered on neither the earth nor the sun.
It is centered on God."
~ Alfred Noyes ~
"We shall steer safely through every storm, so long as our heart is right, our intention fervent, our courage steadfast, and our trust fixed on God." ~ St. Francis De Sales ~
"God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say thank you?" ~ William Arthur Ward ~
"Is your place a small place? Tend it with care; He set you there. Is your place a large place? Guard it with care! He set you there. Whate'er your place, it is not yours alone, but His who set you there." ~ John Oxenham ~
"Our God is at home with the rolling spheres,
And at home with broken hearts."~ M. P. Ferguson ~
"I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station, through which God speaks to us ever hour, if we will only tune in." ~ George Washington Carver ~

"Without the Way there is no going;

without the Truth there is no knnowing;

without the Life there is no living."

~ Thomas A. Kempis ~ 

"You can't analyze God. He is too awesome, too big, too mysterious. I know now, Lord, why you utter no answer. You Yourself are the answer." ~ C. S. Lewis ~

"To fall in love with God is the greatest of all romances; 

to seek him, the greatest adventure;

to find him, the greatest human achievement."

~ Raphael Simon ~ 

In [Christ] are hidden all the treasurers of wisdom and knowledge....Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen" 

~ 1 Timothy 1:17 ~ 

Prayer Keeping ~ Donna ~ Gretchen ~ Mildred ~ Jim ~ Sandra ~