Little Moments that Matter Most

 Although I had planned to do absolutely nothing today, I did manage to enjoy a morning brunch.

My daughter (Trista)...granddaughter (tori)...granddaughter-in-law (Emily)...and our great grandson (William) gathered at La Madeleine for a very nice brunch.  While it might not be my favorite brunch spot, I found myself smiling over a yogurt parfait and soaking in something far more nourishing than food....GREAT COMPANY AND WONDERFUL CONVERSATION..

As you can see...I also enjoyed a nice glass of Southern Sweet Tea.  

William kept us on our toes as we sat out on the patio.  He was wanting to explore everything that there was to explore.  The birds, the stones and even the world outside of the gate....these things were sure keeping him busy. 

Truthfully, I had not even intended to go anywhere today.  I had planned a quiet day at home.  But life has a fun way of placing unexpected gifts right in the middle of ordinary moments.  If I had stayed home, I would have missed the sweetness of the morning. 

Not every meaningful moment arrives with a fanfare.  My day began simple.....A breakfast outing, A baby's smile, and a family gathered around coffee cups and conversation. You just can't beat this kind of goodness.

The rest of my day was beautifully ordinary.  Laundry hummed in the background while I worked in the backyard, tending to things growing beneath the sunshine.  I love the healing favor from God in the little things that I do each day.  Caring for my flowers and tending to our home. 

This memorial day weekend, I have found myself thinking about how quickly seasons change.  How important it is to say yes to time together with family, even when we did not plan it.  One day, the brunches, the backyard chores, the tiny hands reaching across the table, will become the memories that soften our hearts the most. 

As far as tomorrows plans go? 

Online Church....and maybe a trip to the garden center.   I am needing some ornamental grass and perhaps a few more flowering plants.  

Wherever this weekend finds you, I hope you find many pockets of happiness...

Hugs to ALL

Shug.. 

A Quiet Memorial Weekend.

Memorial weekend always seems to arrive with a little shift in the air.  The days stretch a bit longer, the smell of barbecue drifts through the neighborhoods, swimming pools begin to sparkle under the patio lights, and calendars often fill with cookouts, lake trips and family gatherings.  For many, it quietly marks the unofficial beginning of summer....a season of sunshine, FLIP FLOPS, watermelon slices, and staying outside a little longer.

This year...our plans are a very light.  In fact, we really have no plans at all.  And honestly...This sounds pretty wonderful to me.  I believe that sometimes the sweetest weekends are the ones without a packed schedule.  Around here it will most likely be slow mornings and simple meals. This is our schedule...if you want to call it a schedule. I plan to just enjoy the gift of an unhurried weekend.  

Still, Memorial weekend carries a much deeper meaning beyond the food and the festivities.  While many people celebrate the arrival of summer, others spend these days remembering loved ones who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.  Behind every flag placed at a cemetery, every folded banner, and every moment of silence is a story of courage and one of sacrifice. 

FREEDOM HAS NEVER BEEN FREE!!

Whether your weekend includes traveling, grilling burgers, gathering with your families or simply resting at home (like we plan to do)...may we all pause long enough to remember the brave men and women who made freedoms possible.  Their sacrifice deserves more than a passing thought.  It deserves gratitude carried in our hearts long after the holiday weekend ends.  

"Our flag does not fly because the wind moves it.  It flies with the last breath of every soldier who dies protecting it."   unknown 

Here are a few food ideas!!

* Backyard Burger Sliders 🍔

* Loaded Ranch Potato Salad 🥔

* Sweet and Smoky Baked Beans 🫘

* Watermelon Feta Salad 🍉

* BBQ Chicken Kabobs 🍗

* Strawberry Pretzel Salad 🍓

* Patriotic Berry Board 🍒

* Peach Tea Punch 🍑

Good food, grateful hearts!

Prayers for everyone's safety!!

Shug....(((Big Hugs)))

A Mix of Good Things...

 This has been a full week of doctor's appointments. I am so far behind on my blogging....but my heart knows you all understand.  

The warm evenings that we have been having slowed my evenings down.  We have been enjoying the quieter moments more than ever.  

I ordered the cutest little lights from Amazon and I have placed them all around the pool..  I even added clear balls that float on the water.  The soft sparkle of the lights and the sound of the water bubbling creates a "Stillness" and definitely some relaxing moments. Don't you think that nighttime always feels a tad bit softer? 

And then....My Mimosa Trees!!  Absolutely Stunning!! Every year they bloom, but this year they are really showing out.  The fluffy pink/red blooms are for sure calling in many of the hummingbirds.  I have been enjoying watching the blooms sway in the evening breeze and what makes this even more magnificent is the sunset behind them.  A beautiful masterpiece right here in my yard.  

Switching gears.....I wanted to share one of my favorite things....  Crème Brûlée   This dessert has my heart!  That crisp caramelized sugar on the top with the creamy custard underneath, and fruit on top.....WOW!!

No matter how full I am...if a restaurant has Crème Brûlée  on their menu....I'm ordering it.  The truth is, I had rather have (2 TWO) of this dessert as to have a meal and only one of this delicious sweet treat.  

In my mind, I see a pretty good recipe for life with the three things I have talked about here.   

🌸 The sweet smell of Mimosa blooms

💡The glowing lights that keep on reflecting off of the pool water

🍮The BEST dessert around...Crème Brûlée 

 I think God gives us these little reminders every single day....moments that whisper for us to breath deeper.  This is the real secret to joy.  Leaning to hold tightly to the good while it is here.  To sit outside...to order the dessert..to admire what God has created....To cherish the people around us and... to enjoy the sweetest ordinary moments that we almost didn't notice at all...  HOPE finds a way to show up in the smallest things.  ❤️

Shug...🌸🌴

My weekly Porch Story!!

Another Porch Story:

When folks talk about "the good old days," I sometimes wonder if they have ever sat on a creaky front porch in the middle of July, sweating through their clothes, cranking an old ice cream machine like their very life depended on it?

Let me tell you, as a kid, that job felt like a punishment disguised as a treat. Dad would bring out the ice cream maker on special occasions such as birthdays, 4th of July... or sometimes just on a particularly hot day when he felt like spoiling us.

 It was one of those old-fashioned wooden bucket machines with the metal crank on the side (much like the one shown above) ...This machine was never in a hurry... slow and easy is the only level it knew.   You didn't just plug it in and wait, no sir!  You had to earn that sweetness.

We would haul the ice cream maker out to the front porch along with the box of rock salt and blocks of ice.  First came Dad's special recipe that he guarded like it was the nation's gold reserve. Cream, sugar, vanilla, eggs, milk and the SECRET ingredients that he never would tell us about, but we all knew it was love that made it magic. Then would come the ice and the salt and it had to be layered in a certain way.  Adding the ice and the salt was our favorite part, but dad always made sure we didn't get any of the salt too close to lid.  

Next was the dreaded part, the cranking!

"Oh, it's easy," Dad would say, flashing a grin that made you suspicious. "Just keep it turning till it gets stiff."  Stiff?  Ha! It started out like a casual arm workout and ended up like a full-body military drill. One by one, we'd take our turns: me, my sister and my two brothers, all of us groaning, trading off like a team of sweaty, short tempered kids.  One would turn the crank while another one of us would sit on the towel...on top of the machine.  I guess the extra weight added to the churning and it sure added extra work for the one doing the cranking... Our Mom enjoyed having a break from the kitchen, so she would sit and just enjoy the evening...and of course, the jokes that dad was always playing on us....

"I think it's ready," one of us would plead after only five minutes. "Nope," Dad would say, poking at the top and quickly announcing that it was still soupy.  He knew all along that the ice cream wasn't ready after five minutes of churning...He just enjoyed playing around with us....Kinda like getting our hopes up a little early.   Soupy was the one word that seemed to crush our dreams.  We were ready for that silver can full of goodness to get firm...... ICE CREAM. 🍨

We would all sit back down in a criss cross apple-sauce style, trying to ignore that it would soon be our time to take over the cranking. Then, finally, finally, Dad would nod and say the magic words: "She's ready."

And just like that, all the pain, sweat and drama would disappear.  We would crowd around like little greedy puppies, watching as he opened the lid and cold fog swirling out like a cloud from heaven. No other ice cream in the world has ever tasted better than his. It was cold and creamy, with a small hint of magic that was mixed with some vanilla dreams.

We each would get one bowl. After we all got a big bowl, there were NO seconds available.  BUT... Here was the deal, the dasher in the middle of the tub went to the person who did the most cranking. Dad would be the one to announce who would get the honors of licking that thing clean.  I think he always kept up with it and knew before the ice cream making even begun, who had the pleasure last time and the time before.  He knew exactly who was next in line to enjoy the last bites of the yumminess.   

That ice cream disappeared faster than you could say "brain freeze." Hours to make (it seemed like) and minutes to devour, but that was the beauty of it. The waiting made it sweeter. The cranking made it memorable, and Dad's love made it unforgettable.

Yes, the old front porch was the perfect place for making ice cream and creating memories. This is just one of the reasons I have great memories of not only my grandmother's porch, but my family's gray painted porch as well....

I do love my "Porch" stories....They are sweet memories in my heart.  

Shug....🍦