Tuesday, December 3, 2019

Where O Where have I Been!


Tulips...my most favorite flower of all.
And the color of these which is an orange/red makes them so very pretty!
These tulips were what I would consider perfect,
 both in their color and in the length of time they graced my bedroom dresser.
Tulips...as we all know...do not last very long, but these were amazing!
I usually cut the stems as they continue to grow and begin to droop,
but not this time, instead I left them to themselves with plenty of space 
and each day they were more stunning than the day before.



I was in awe each day with their beauty.
As the stems grew longer and they drooped downwards 
it caused the flower to point directly at me as I stopped to enjoy their beauty;
oh I could see right into the center of the flower...gorgeous!
Maybe that's how we are to enjoy a tulip?
If you think about it, the center of a tulip is like a Kaleidoscope.
A tulip is short lived and fades quickly, sadly they are temporal.
But, the Word of God and His promises are Eternal.
"The grass withers, the flower fades,
But the Word of God stands forever.
~ Isaiah 40:8 ~
What matters in our lives is that we are following the leading of God's Word,
that we're on the right path, always eager to move forward,
willing to be transformed into the image of God,
day by day, moment by moment, by His Word.


It seems like Thanksgiving came and went so quickly. 
My husband and I were able to enjoy Thanksgiving 
and a few days with mom in Arizona.
Going away involves so much, but its always worth the effort.
We took both of our pets with us on this trip, Donatella and Binx our rabbit
and they were awesome travelers!
I made some mini mincemeat tarts for mom, her favorite.
They freeze well which makes them easy for traveling.


Before going away to Arizona we were blessed to have 
our three oldest grandsons with us for a few day's.
They all have birthdays a month apart this time of year,
so it has become a tradition to celebrate their birthdays together
during their Thanksgiving school break.
When it comes to entertaining and throwing a party, that's my niche,
so of course I went all out making it special and memorable for them.
Our boys are turning 12 ~ 14 ~ 16 and that's a BIG WOW!
They were just babies not too long ago...where did those years go?!
Sometimes its hard to believe that our 4 grandsons are in the double digits now.
I can remember when our first grandson was born,
I said to my daughter, 'what am I supposed to do with that?!
I grew up with 3 sisters and each of us had girls, so boys 
were all new to me.😉
Well...those grandsons have warmed their way right into my heart.



While we were in Arizona we took a drive through the
Saguaro National Park and this time through it was gorgeous!
This cactus looks so soft doesn't it, but don't be fooled, a cactus is a cactus.


 With a touch of snow on the high mountain tops, along with the rain they had
 we were able to see the river flowing as well as some water falls.
That was a first for me and I thoroughly enjoyed the beauty God afforded us.




Just a slow leisurely drive the day after Thanksgiving
added a beautiful touch to our time together.


 These are water droplets on a bush in the National Park
and it appears that the plant was meant to collect the water like this.
God's creation really is intricate, isn't it?



We had good traveling weather both directions missing snow storms 
both before going and returning home
allowing for some beautiful landscapes for our 14 hour drive each way.
The distant mountains in Utah were covered with fresh snow
on our way back home.
The red rock formation in front of the snow covered mountain
makes the white stand out even more so.
Just plain gorgeous!




These rock formations look like a painting, almost unreal.
Makes me think that they could be from another planet.

~ ~ ☆ ☆ ☆ ~ ~

This was a long overdue post, so thank you for taking the time
for a long visit.
I trust your days are beautiful as you make your way into December?
I hope to enjoy decorating our home this week
and preparing for Christmas in celebration of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
I'll be around to visit with you and see what 
beauty you have to share.
God bless you!

Joy! 
Debbie


21 comments:

Evelyn Bray said...

That waterfall is absolutely stunning!! I'm glad you had a good trip! We had snow at my parents' in Washington (strange, the dessert got snow but our home in the mountains didn't.) But it was still a good time getting to work with the animals and see extended family.

Blessings!

Rose L said...

So glad you got to spend time with your mother. It sounds like it was enjoyable and filled with wonderful vistas. Have a Merry Christmas!

happyone said...

The tulips sure are pretty.
Your mini tarts look perfect!
Sounds like your Thanksgiving was very special.

Ruth Hiebert said...

You were treated some some gorgeous displays of God's creative work. Yes, those cactus look soft, but I guess they are still cactus, despite the look.

FlowerLady Lorraine said...

I loved this post. It was so good to read all of your news and to see the beauty of God's wonderful creation that you shared. Glad you had good weather for your drive to and from your Mom's and so glad that she is doing well.

Have a lovely Christmas season ~ FlowerLady

Joyful said...

Beautiful! The tulips, the mince tarts, the visit from grandsons, the scenery. That tree with all the droplets of water is amazing. I laughed out loud when you said to your daughter "what do I do with this" after your first grandson was born. Now you are an expert because you've had a lot of practice with boys ;-) It's so lovely that you got to spend Thanksgiving with your dear mom. I'm sure she enjoyed your visit too. Hugs and blessings. xx

kitty@ Kitty's Kozy Kitchen said...

Im so happy that you got so much enjoyment from those pretty tulips, Debbie!! It’s also wonderful that you could spend some time with your mother. I know she loved those yummy tarts. Your grandsons are growing!! How time flies by, doesn’t it?? Yes, I’ve decorated and started making treats to share. Blessings to you, sweet friend.

Granny Marigold said...

How precious that you could go to spend some time with your Mom. That must be her in the back of the car. I believe I can see a definite resemblance. How fortunate you are to still have her here on earth. Have a blessed Advent.

doodles n daydreams said...

What a beautiful trip through such lovely country. God's creation is so astounding, isn't it? Enjoy the Advent season :)
Diana

Chris Lally said...

So that's where you've been!
Thank you for sharing these lovely, personal moments with us, Debbie. It was an absolute pleasure to leisurely bask in every word and photograph!
God bless you!

Creations By Cindy said...

What sweet and wonderful pictures dear lady. Oh I know you enjoyed those grandsons. I too had three daughters and have five granddaughters and one grandson. Needless to say....he surely has a huge piece of my heart and I tell him all the time that he is my favorite grandson. LOL! So glad you to spend time having fun on your trip. You are so right thought. So much work just to prepare to go anywhere. And it doesn't matter to me if it's just overnight! Hugs and blessings to you. Cindy

Becki said...

I think I will look at tulips with new eyes now! Your various pictures are just gorgeous, Debbie. The picture of the water droplets on the bush is stunning. And I so appreciated what you wrote. Thank you for another lovely post.

Betty said...

What a beautiful trip and to be with family. I love this time of the year. The grandkids do grow up too fast. Our Granddaughter is in College now and our Grandson is serving in the Army.

Sandra said...

Your mom is beautiful and how wonderful you got to spend time with her. Such amazing photos too...both the scenery and the grandchildren. ;) Mincemeat tarts are my dad's favourite as well so I need to think about making some for Christmas. The tulips are so pretty and they're a favourite of mine too...well, most flowers are a favourites to be honest. Enjoy your week!

hobbyloes said...

Oh Debbie, the pictures are beautiful, nice that you share them with us. I love mincemeat and make them every year. Arizona is incredibly beautiful.
I wish you a very nice time with your mother.
Blessings. ♥

Roosterhead Designs said...

Dear Debbie, this post was such a blessing! I was glad to hear all your news and about your trip south to AZ; and such gorgeous pics of Gods beautiful creations! (the water droplets were amazing! : )
How fast the grandkids grow! Thank you for sharing these encouraging words~ Hugs, karen o

Alessandra said...

Thanks for sharing with us these sweet and joyful moments of your trip
Hugs

Debbie Nolan said...

Debbie such a delight to see your photos of the trip to Arizona. The countryside looks so completely different from ours. Loved seeing you with your Mom too. Great idea to take a wonderful drive after Thanksgiving.

Also your tulips were so gorgeous. I had never thought about the centers being like a Kaleidoscope. Great observation. Their colors are awesome too.

Isn't it amazing how the dear Lord paints each petal with lovely colors. Often have thought He could have just left us with black and white but no He knew we would delight in nature's wonderful array of color.

Take care and have a blessed weekend. Hugs!

Pamela M. Steiner said...

What a wonderful trip you had! Such gorgeous pictures of everything! Thank you for sharing them with us. God's creative beauty is something to behold no matter where we are. Love that you had a good visit with your mother, and also with your grandsons! What a treat that was for all of you! Now, yes, we must get ready for Christmas! A little at a time. God bless you and yours during this busy happy season.

Tanza Erlambang said...

beautiful decorations...
love all photos

Debby Ray said...

Well, as they say...better late than never! Oh Debbie, your Thanksgiving sounds like it was wonderful! I certainly know what you mean about the grandchildren and where the time went. Our oldest, Dacey, turned 21 on Nov. 24! Ours here in TN are already in double digits...Olivia will be 11 next Monday and Parker will be 13 in February! Oh how I wish I knew how to make time slow down a bit! And your sweet mother is just a beautiful lady...the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, my friend! Thank you for sharing your gorgeous photos as well...the scenery is stunning! Hugs and much love!

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