Three things

Three things in life that, once gone, never come back -
1. Time
2. Words
3. Opportunity

Three things in life that can destroy a person –
1. Anger
2. Pride
3. Unforgiveness

Three things in life that you should never lose-
1. Hope
2. Peace
3. Honesty

Three things in life that are most valuable -
1. Love
2. Family &Friends
3. Kindness

Three things in life that are never certain –
1. Fortune
2. Success
3. Dreams

Three things that make a person –
1. Commitment
2. Sincerity
3. Hard work

Three things that are truly constant –
1. Father
2. Son
3. Holy Spirit

Writing advice from tomorrow's interviewee: Teresa Slack --
What makes writing easy?

"Let the characters tell the story!"

Ya'll want to know what next week's contest is about? Sorry! Gotta wait till Tuesday! But it's a good one. You won't want to miss it. Prize? Hmmm. How about a $10 gift certificate to Bob Evans? Sound good? Someone's going to win it; it might as well be you! If more than one person ends up with the correct. . . er . . . solution, then we'll move on to the second round . . . and so on and so on, till we've got us ONE winner!

Did you guess the answer to yesterday's trivia question? You didn't?

Here . . . you . . . go:
What is their similarity?
None of them are really rubies!
For your information:
The ruby is the birthstone for July, however, many stones that are not rubies are nevertheless called rubies. For example:

• The balas ruby is a type of spinel (crystalized mineral);
  
• the Bohemian ruby is rose quartz;
  
• the Siberian ruby is red or pink tourmaline;
  
• the American ruby, Cape ruby, Montana ruby, and Rocky Mountain
  ruby are varieties of garnet.

Interesting. I think I'll be able to use that information in the third book
of my Hickory and Tara Layne series.

Quote:
There are some people who live in a dream world;
And there are some who face reality;
And then there are those who turn one into the other. -- Douglas Everett


Blessings.

Life Began in a Garden

That depends.

I like the saying. It's a beautiful thought and all of us who love gardens like it.

I suppose somewhere between the hateful time of picking green beans and growing up, I learned to love creating a garden. I like designing it: colors, styles, the challenges.

I'm changing some things this year. I have one huge garden that takes in my garden pond. It's laid out in sections and for several years I've gone with the "wild" look, but this year I'm craving a more uniform look--in parts of it. I'm pleased with the results so far.

What are gardens good for?

• Forgetting your troubles: "You can bury a lot troubles digging in the dirt." -- Author Unknown

• Finding cures for what ails you. "The garden is the poor man's apothecary." --German Proverb

• To write about yourself. "Gardens are a form of autobiography." --Sydney Eddison

• Keeps you smiling. "There can be no other occupation like gardening in which, if you were to creep up behind someone at their work, you would find them smiling." --Mirabel Osler

• You can find God in a garden. "The best place to seek God is in a garden." --George Bernard Shaw

• Exercise! "Half the interest of a garden is the constant exercise of the imagination." --Mrs. C.W. Earle

• Humbles you! "There is no gardening without humility. Nature is constantly sending even its oldest scholars to the bottom of the class for some egregious blunder." --Alfred Austin

What do you think about the following looks?

Do you toy with the idea of a simple Japanese style?

Or would you prefer a
more formal one?

Are you fun-loving and like unique things?

Are you busy and don't have time for a lot of planning?
Rather toss the seeds and see what happens?


God met Adam in a garden.
Many poets and writers get their inspiration while in a garden.
Proposals of marriage and business have taken place in gardens.
Jesus prayed in a garden.
Peter savagely came to his Master's rescue in a garden.
Famous painters used gardens for their themes.
Children have had (in stories & real life) many adventures in gardens.
Gardens provide nurture to the spirit.

Brave enough for a garden? Just remember: it's addictive!
"Gardening is a kind of disease. It infects you, you cannot escape it. When you go visiting, your eyes rove about the garden; you interrupt the seriousness of your life because of an irresistable impulse to get up and pull a weed." --Lewis Gannit

And . . .
"It is utterly forbidden to be half-hearted about gardening. You have got to love your garden whether you like it or not." --W.C. Sellar & R.J. Yeatman

May I (innocently, with a sly smile) encourage you to begin gardening today?




A Tuesday trivia question: What do the balas ruby, the Bohemian ruby, the Siberian ruby, the American ruby, Cape ruby, Montana ruby, and Rocky Mountain have in common?




I walked through an "overabundance" store yesterday. I can't resist these stores, cause many times (not always) you can find bargains on nice things that would normally cost you lots more. There was tons of wall paper, which made me think of what to do with ONE roll of wallpaper. Maybe you wonder about that, too? If you do, here's some ideas:

• Make bookmarks and place mats: cut to size, cover front and back with clear contact paper allowing 1/4 inch margins on all sides.

• Cover notebooks, scrapbooks and boxes.

• Make note cards.

• Cover light switches and electrical sockets.

Maybe . . . more tomorrow. Smile.



ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Trivia fact about Teresa Slack (her interview's Friday, June 8!):

Her first full length story was a horror one called
"Summer of the Dead"
when she was in the seventh grade.
She killed off the heroine on the last page!


Don't forget to check this blog next week!
A contest in honor of Father's!

Quote:
God made rainy days so gardeners could get the housework done. --Author unknown


Blessings.

Five Minutes

What can I do in five minutes?

• Make a list (Yeah, well, I had to start with something . . .).
• Give each of my pets a pat on the head (important!).
• Walk down my driveway and back (long and hilly).

• Create a delicious sandwich (providing the ingredients are in the frig).
• Talk on the phone (that's about as long as my interest lasts. Sorry, I'm no phone-body).
• Read the directions for something technical (if I don't get it by then, I run screaming for help. Directions has to be the most boring material in the universe!)

• Warm the car in winter (Sometimes it takes longer, but we won't go there.)
• Read an email, letter, or something else nice ('cause I read it over and over to get the depth of it . . . you know?)
• Write two thank you notes (how many does that make this week? Sigh.)

• Get dressed when in a hurry! (I mean, when we're running into town for a quick bite).
• Open car door, collect gear, walk to office, open office door, walk to office, turn on light, turn on computer . . . (It's gotta be done!)
• Clean toilet (dump in cleaning solvent, grab brush, swirl water with a little pressure, flush toilet, grab rag, apply cleaning solution, wipe down outside. (NOT my favorite job, but not as bad as some things).

• Open Bible, choose verse, meditate (if I let it, it will influence my whole day!).
• Quick prayer to make a choice, find an answer, strength (works).
• Call two people and wish them a good day. (Anyone on the phone calling me? Smile.)

Wacky hints you'd never think of:

1. Outdoor eating? Place a chewed piece of mint flavored gum on your paper plate to discourage flies.
2. Soothe insect bites with Alka-Seltzer.
3. Shave with Reddi-wip.
4. Style hair with Jell-O.
5. Clean toilet bowls with Coca-Cola.
6. Remove dead skin with Miracle Whip.

Another interesting tidbit about upcoming Interviewee Teresa Slack
(next week, Friday, June 8):
She's never started a book that she's not finished!
Wow!

Quote:
When we recall the past, we usually find that it is the simplest things--not the great occasions--that in retrospect give off the greatest glow of happiness. -- Bob Hope


Blessings.