Morning Tea with a Rainbow

My morning starts with me at the sink getting water for tea for breakfast. I looked out to the west and saw this partial rainbow about 6:20! The cows at the dairy next door have yard lights and that is what is "in front of" the rainbow. Not an alien invading my yard! It's so amazing to see one in the west in the morning.
I could have titled this plain or fancy because I like my tea in one of my favorite mugs below~one from England or one from Japan.
The one above was made in England! It has sugar beets and it came from Beta Seed Co. Wally was a farmer and grew beets, corn, hay, and even tried onions and pickles. Tate and Lyle (United Kingdom) invested in sugar production when producers started up after several years of no one growing beets.
My other favorite is Mikasa made in Japan and I use it all year long as I love Christmas. Hot tea in the morning gives me a wee boost to start my day.

I'm joining Sandi this week for tea. Please visit her to see more wonderful tea time posts. Sandi always has thoughtful readings for me that help me reflect and ponder.
Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance. Jude 1:2

As I visit others in the Land of Blog, I am thankful for those that are helping me to grow in faith and open my heart to new possibilities during Plan B of my life.

The drawing for my goodies will end tomorrow night. If you'd like a win, you need to leave a comment on my give away post. (Look on the side for a link). ♥♫

My Two Roses

Once again it's time for Today's Flowers!!
August roses, Barbra Streisand, are just as pretty as the ones in June. They made it through our hot summer!! Colorado's average for days above 90 degrees is 33 days. This year we've had 41 and September can be quite hot, also. I'm ready for cooler days!!
This little rose bud is growing and growing, too. She is "my" baby~my great niece. She is such a cutie and I couldn't resist including her today.
Many thanks to the team~Santilli, Denise, Pupo, and Sandy~at Today's Flowers!

My giveaway ends on August 31. To enter please click on the link on the side. I love your comments and read each one and really try to visit you in return. ♥♫

Old to New

I'm still painting walls, but as I go I'm turning some brass things into white that looks so good with my Tea Light walls.
These bows hang just above some of my rose pictures by Glynda Turley. I've taken some edges off with sandpaper to make them look better. Someday if I want them to be brass again I think I can just soak them in ammonia. I've soaked paint off of something in the past, but now I can't remember what it was!
I also painted some of my smaller wooden shelves. In this picture below you see my new wall color with an old corner shelf. When I open the white paint again I'll cover the nail head. ;D
There are more shelves to paint before I will put my pretties back. Time to check and see if the hall walls are dry and ready for more paint.

If you haven't entered my drawing, please look on the side and click on the picture and leave a comment. There will be a box of goodies going out in the mail next week. ♥♫

Today's Flowers

It's Sunday and time to visit Today's Flowers!

Until the autumn plants begin to bloom, there's not much going on in my garden.
The Autumn Joy sedum are looking fine because the grasshoppers don't seem to bother them. They'll be opening soon with lots of bees and butterflies hovering around.
These moss rose are in pots in the back and seed themselves so they are no work at all. Just water and pull a few weeds now and then.
The kittens like to sleep in the pots and flatten them from time to time. As they are the wild ones (cats), I can't take a picture because they run off as soon as I go out the door.
Be sure to visit Today's Flowers and see more plants and flowers. There are some I've never seen before because we visit a variety of locations around the world. Thanks to the team for making it happen! ♥♫

Tea Time

It's been such a long while since I've been able to join the fun with everyone! Teachers went back to school today, so perhaps I'll be on a regular schedule/routine. Summer break goes quickly when there are classes to take and work to catch up on in the house and garden. Painting still isn't finished, but I am loving my Tea Light.
The garden is where I most often "worship" God in the magnificent creation He has provided for me. So today I'm celebrating God's love for me with my lidless teapot and miniature roses. My life would be incomplete (like the teapot), so this Plan B of my life that I'm living is made easier by God. I'm hoping this all makes sense because I'm not a gifted writer.

"We know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him." I John 4:16
This is also a good reminder for me at the beginning of the new school year.
Please join Sandi for Tea Time. She is our wonderful hostess! ♥♫

Best of Both Worlds

Today's Flowers and Summer Sundays!
Weekends are going to be shorter now that I'm going back to school. At least in my mind! This unofficial "last" summer weekend meant fun with my daughter, moving some heavy furniture for more painting, cleaning some carpet, watering, visiting, and shopping. And a surprise--someone came and mowed the lawn for me. I'll be finding out tomorrow who my "hero" is!
Each weekend when I go to my mom's and take groceries I enjoy stopping in at my brother's to see his latest garden success. Working from the ground up his yard and garden gets better each summer. This week his dinner plate hibiscus is blooming. He measured one at 10 1/2 inches!
His pretty moss rose or portulaca.
My newest phlox, a volunteer.
The petunias are still needing a trim so they'll bloom during September and October. I like this pink with the sweet potato vine.
If you'd like to enter my give away, look on the side and click to that post.

Again, thanks to The Tablescaper and the team for Today's Flowers. I really appreciate your dedication so that we get to share with our friends.

♥♫ Give Away ♥♫

I've been gathering things for awhile to have an assortment for a give away. Chances are you are thinking "I don't win anything." All you need to do is leave a comment on this post and you'll be entered to be sent this package. I can say I've had the pleasure of being notified that I was the name drawn and it is so much fun to win! ♥♫

Included will be:
Two thrifted mugs stamped Fine Bone China, CROWN TRENT, Staffordshire, England
Window Messages ~ Practice Kindness
Brooch Notepad
Four boxes of "A cup of Colorado" Tea
Two Wildflowers of Colorado postcard seed packets
Pair of Mary Engelbreit Socks
BELIEVE magnet
pink pot scraper
Earrings and Bracelet Set ~ hematite, silver, and Swarovski siam (deep red) crystals,
made by me for you!

I'll be packing this up so all I have to do is put your name and address on the box. You don't have to have a blog to win, but I'll need to be able to contact you via email to ask for your mailing address. If you cannot leave a comment for some reason, just send me email (Sally-for you!).

Another give away is at Prairie Flower Farm, you can click on the side to get there to enter! It looks like a great combination~it could be mine! ;D

Two Parties on Sunday

Sundays mean flowers from all over the world and seeing what other people are doing this summer. When I wake up with the start of a migraine, the day is not going to turn out like I planned. So my day today was one of resting at home.
My sweet girl gave up a trip to Estes Park yesterday to help me paint because the sweet Hummel children told me they were feeling left out when the doors were getting new coats (of paint). The drab white walls are going to be Tea Light by Benjamin Moore while the little friends are boxed up so they won't crash into each other while their shelf and wall are being spruced up.
Sarah and I saw this at a tea shop in Arvada and I knew it would be the color for me. We were able to get lots of prep work accomplished, but not a lot of wall space was transformed. This is what I will spend my week doing!
My other party involves the garden.
Summer phlox, David.
Wally's roses are beginning to bloom again. They vacation during July, so I'm glad to see them again.
My one hollyhock that's been chomped on by gigantic grasshoppers. I do like pink flowers of all sorts.
All the petunias need to be trimmed back. Will work on that this week between painting and am hoping the headache doesn't turn into a two or three day ordeal.

I'm planning on a giveaway in my next post, so I hope many of you will visit again later this week.

Many thanks to the hard working friends that host Summer Sundays and Today's Flowers. You may click either on the logo or the underlined link to return to the host blogs. ♥♫

Prime Procrastination

One of the things I'm really good at is procrastination. So with one week before school starts, I am sanding, priming, and going to paint the front door. It was in bad shape! The prairie weather takes its toll on all kinds of things. If it's not the rain, sun, wind, or a blizzard, it will be something else.
Two coats of primer and ready for a paint job. I had a color in mind but I am REALLY liking this white.
It looked nice and I had paint on the roller, so I thought I'd make the closet door match.
Then the outside made the inside scream, "Paint me, too!" So I started on the inside of the door. (I live in a magical kingdom where everything speaks its mind~as I'm losing mine).
Next, the divider wanted some attention. And I have to climb on the ladder and prime the trim at the top. Because I'm short, I couldn't see it when looking up, thinking "no one else will see it".
WRONG. Walk out four feet and there it is--mocking me! Paint me! Paint me!

Next, I think I hear the walls saying, "Don't forget us!" Am I crazy?! Then it will be the woodwork. ♥♫

Did you know it is difficult to paint with bifocals? I need upside down glasses for some of these nooks and crannies.

Farmer's Market

Join the Summer Sundays fun at The Tablescaper!
It's time for #9 !
When Sarah and I got moving this morning we went over to The Tattered Cover~my favorite book store in Colorado~and walked across Colfax to a Farmer's Market.
The parking garage gave me a perfect bird's eye view of the fountain and vendors.
Most with produce grown in Colorado.
Colorful displays.
Good stuff.
Tall statues.
Women.
Men.
Must find out what and why they are there.
Nice grilled lunch with Rocky Ford watermelon fresh from the field! Being gone for two days playing and painting at Sarah's means I came home to dry flowers. Watered and refreshed both them and me. Called for my mom's grocery list for tomorrow and then will take her to her dentist appointment in the afternoon.

Be sure to visit all the participants by going back to our hostess! Thanks for stopping by!