Yesterday Precious Husband reminded me to go check our cactus because it was ready to bloom at any time now. The pictures below show you what the cactus looked like yesterday.

Today I got up and grabbed my cup of coffee along with my phone to capture the beauty of the fully bloomed cactus flowers.

Seeing these flowers and knowing that tomorrow the beautiful pink blooms will be limp and hanging down toward their pot and dirt.  Such a short lived beauty they are. 

Such is our life.  So quick and fleeting are our days.  So beautiful but so delicate and fragile in so many ways.

I am reminded by this beautiful fully bloomed cactus that life must be appreciated now, today.  We have no promise of tomorrow.  Truly I remember that I know not what the future holds but I know Who holds my future.  I am so glad I can trust in the love and goodness of God and I will strive to see the beauty of each day He gives me. 

❤  The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: 

BUT the word of our God shall stand for ever. ❤ 

 Isaiah 40:8 

Hugs & Blessings,

Mèmére

Simple pops of color for you to enjoy today:

My African Violet that I purchased in Kentucky has finally decided to put forth its' royal display after several months of what? rest maybe?

The vivid color always amazes me.

Recently I added a Coleus to my windowsill and it seems to be thriving.  I have a few cuttings that are attempting to put out tiny roots.  Yay!

Pooh Bear is feeling chipper after receiving an overdue 

new coat of paint thanks to my friend Nancy.

 

This beauty came as a bonus surprise from the birdseed 

Precious Husband blesses all our birds with daily.

 

In spite of the Arizona heat our Lantana and Asparagus flourish giving us color all year long.

Adding to our color are the koi and gold fish swimming contentedly going deeper in the pond as the heat of the daily sun intensifies.  These guys just would not sit still for a picture

Blessings & Hugs,

🦋❤️🦋Mèmére🦋❤️🦋

Beauty

My geranium is thriving in its Arizona element.

Love and Blessings,

💕Mèmére💕

Morning Walkabout

Anticipation as we watch for the cactus flower to open.  Not to brag, but I was right, it was there to greet me when I came down for my first cup of coffee and my morning walkabout the yard.

I grabbed the camera cause these flowers only last a day and then I snapped all the other various colors that are living out their calling in our yard.

And finally my Butterfly Bench in memory of Aunt Jo.

Tomorrow I plan to have my morning coffee here 

while the 4 TLC's enjoy the morning coolness in the yard.

Bountiful Springtime Beauty

I am so blessed to have a beautiful yard with lots of flowers.  Such an enjoyment to go out first thing in the morning and cut fresh roses for the table and my window sill over the kitchen sink.

Garden Lessons

This morning having breakfast by the pond with Precious Husband I couldn't help but notice the asparagus ferns that hug both sides of the waterfall.  Green, soft, supple, eye catching, healthy.  Not so a few weeks ago.  A few weeks ago they were yellow, dry, over-grown, brittle with lots of dead prickly hurtful branches jetting out everywhere.

What made the difference?  The gardener got very busy with his pruners.  Yes, Precious Husband really cut them back to the bare minimum and they were definitely not pretty to look at after this severe pruning but so worth it now to see the results.

Viewing my asparagus fern I find myself praying, "Lord, prune me.  Clip me back to the roots if You need to because I know I need it and I will flourish as a result."

The Vine and the Branches

John 15

1 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5 "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8 This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. 9 "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit--fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 17 This is my command: Love each other.

Fruitful Pruning

Just had to take some pictures of my roses and share with you.  It is beautiful in Arizona right now.  Getting a little warm too fast for me but still beautiful.  Our roses and our other plants have come out of their long winter sleep and after a hearty pruning they are just gorgeous.  So please let me share the beauty here with you today.

My Chinese Elm (I think this is what it is) just pops at the entrance of spring and it is growing so well and so green and healthy.  Under it I have peppermint planted ready for a wonderful cup of tea.

Yes, it is nice to have cut flowers again from our own garden.  What a wonderful reminder of the Master Gardener at work in our lives pruning and weeding and improving as only He can.

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.                        John 15:1-2