Keep Smiling

Keep Smiling

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Summer Beauty



Summer beauty reaching for the sky.


It amazes me how tall they grow.








Some of the produce taken from
our garden this week.





Do you remember our produce stand?




Well, I found this card on the stand
the other morning.  


Isn't that sweet;
it warmed my heart :)

She even baked a pie!


It feels good to have a place to put 
the extra produce that we don't use
and have others enjoy it.

We even had a friend from church come by the 
other day and ask if he could put his
extra tomatoes out there :)

And one of my girlfriends got back from
a weekend get-away to find her zucchini
plant over full . . . so she bagged them
up and put them on our stand. 
 

Speaking of pies, I made this one this week.
It's a combination of blackberries & apples.


Look who feels good enough to help
mow the yard.
Thanks to all the many prayers.

Monday starts another chemo session . . .
please continue to pray.
There has been a huge change in the way 
he feels the last few weeks.
He has gone from being sick 
3 out of every 4 days, to only having 
around one sick day a week.

We appreciate your prayers . . .
and want you to know that we feel
blessed by each and everyone of you.

Thank you!

Your blogging sister,
Connie :)

64 comments:

  1. What wonderful news, that Steve is feeling somewhat better and even felt up to mowing the lawn. I'm so happy for both of you!!
    Your Blackberry/apple pie looks great and I'll bet it tasted great too. Your garden has been supplying you with so much produce and your little stand is a blessing to your friends and neighbours. ( love that cute note that was left).

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    1. I was so surprised by the card. I don't know who Deanna is and the last few times that i've been outside and a woman has stopped, I've asked if her name is Deanna . . . not yet . . . but hopefully one day we'll meet :) I'm usually not around that part of the yard when cars stop.

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  2. God's continued blessings on you both! So good to hear Steve's sick days have diminished. Prayers continue!

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    1. It is wonderful having him feel better and not having so many sick days. Seventy pounds is a lot of weight to loose, but thankfully he had that extra weight. There are times like these that being over weight is a blessing. If he had not had the extra pounds, loosing 70 pounds could have put him in a dangerous place.

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  3. Hi Connie- That is great news about Steve- my thoughts are with you guys. Your produce is fantastic - the Card makes it all so appreciated by local folk- very nice. Your Sunflower is a beaut...and good to see Steve on his Tractor-Mower. Best Wishes. KEV.

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    1. It was great having him feel good enough to get outside and do a chore. I mowed the edges and hard to get into with the tractor areas and I emptied the mowing bags, but he drove the mower and had the stamina to stay out there and finish the job. That is a huge improvement in physical strength and I know it made him feel good to be out there in the fresh air helping out again.

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  4. Continuing to support you both in prayer. We have a mighty Father.

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  5. I enjoyed your gorgeous pictures!Great and happy news!Blessings!

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  6. I am so glad to see He is doing better and I will keep Him in my prayers. We give our extra garden stuff to our neighbors and it is fun to give. I need to buy some sunflower seeds. I would love to grow them. They just put a smile on your face when you see them.

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    1. They're so much fun to grow . . . kind of like pumpkin and squash vines. They grow so fast that you can almost sit and watch them grow :)

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  7. Those sunflowers are amazing and what beautiful produce from your garden. So generous and neighbourly to share it! I wish I lived closer! Blackberries and apples is a marvellous mixture! So glad that your man is feeling well enough to cut the grass on his magnificent machine!

    All my thoughts coming your way!

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    1. He loves that machine! He was giving me lessons on it this spring while my eyes filled with tears. I want him to feel good enough to use it himself, we didn't buy it for me. It just makes me sad, because it's his new toy :)

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  8. That sunflower is gorgeous and it's so nice of you to share your extra produce with the neighbors. How fun to find such a nice thank you card. There is definitely goodness in this world if we choose to look for it. I did enjoy seeing the photos of your gardens bounty.
    And best of all, seeing Steve feeling well enough to mow! We are continuing in prayer for him every day and for you too my friend.
    Blessings,
    Betsy

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  9. Connie I have never in my life seen a sunflower grow that big and tall. Never! It is so beautiful. And all your garden produce looks amazing! I love your idea of sharing what you can't use. That is so nice. Oh, and how good it is to Steve out mowing. Glad he is having less sick days. Hope he continues to feel better. Love, Henny

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    1. It is wonderful having him feel this good. It give us so much hope and reason to rejoice and be glad. Prayer is a powerful thing :)

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  10. Gorgeous sunflower. They sure do grow tall.
    Your garden sure has produced some wonderful things. How kind you are to share!!
    Glad to see Steve out there mowing.
    Prayers continue.....

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    1. We are so grateful for all the prayers and we know that prayer is the reason for Steve's newly gained energy. We are so happy to be having time together where he feels good enough to get outside and enjoy some of what is left of summer and to do some of his normal good weather routine :)

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  11. Great looking sunflowers and veggies. I have two started in buckets right now in hopes they will bloom before it gets too late here in southern NJ. I battle the chipmunks to start them. Even if I succeed in disguising them with chili powder or Irish Spring grated as a repellent, as soon as the sprouts grow free of the repellent some backyard critter will bite off the top. I do love bunnies and the squirrels though, but the chipmunks and ground hogs are my nemesis.

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    1. I'm so sorry that you are having trouble growing sunflowers. I am sure they taste very good to those little critters and that they are grateful for your generous offering, LOL Sorry, laughing wasn't nice, but I love those little Chip & Dale cartoons :)

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  12. The sunflowers in my garden are mostly dried now, and the goldfinches are all over them pecking away at the seeds. That surely is some happy news about your dear hubby. Take care and best wishes!

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    1. I enjoy putting my sunflowers out for the birds too. Last year I gathered up all the dried ones and put them by the fence near the front porch. This year I have free will sunflowers growing there and last year we watched the birds feed on the seeds.

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  13. Connie, You know you and Steve will be in my prayers. Thankful to God that he is feeling well enough to help with the lawn. Your produce sure is nice looking . Hope Steve got to eat some of that pie, it looks so tasting. What a sunflower...That is the tallest I have seen. Blessings to you both, stay strong. xoxo,love, Susie

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    1. Thank you Susie, your good wishes and prayers mean so much to me. I know that you know exactly what we're going through.

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  14. Just look at your beloved Steve out there on the mower. That is wonderful news he is enjoying more days when he is not feeling sick. Such a beautiful idea to share your lovely produce with your neighbours and what a blessing to have received that sweet card and pie to thank you for your kindness. LOVE that bright and happy sunflower. One cannot help but smile when one gazes upon a sunflower with its face shining in the sun. Thinking and praying for you both as chemo begins again ♥

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    1. He absolutely loves feeling good enough to help out and his smile warms my heart.

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  15. Those are some huge sunflowers - and so beautiful!
    I love the thank you card you got, and I love that you share.
    I've been praying for you and Steve and will continue.

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    1. Mari we appreciate your prayers and support, thank you so much :)

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  16. Wonderful news that Steve is feeling better. I will pray that he continues this way even through the next round of chemo. I love your idea of sharing the extra produce. If I could get a garden to grow around here, I think I would like to do that. And what a sweet gesture by the Deanna! It's nice to know that your generosity is appreciated.

    Grace & Peace,
    Pam

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    1. Her leaving that card truly touched our hearts . . . We consider it a blessing to be able to share, but it's wonderful to know it's appreciated.

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  17. I haven't had good luck growing sunflowers, something always gets the seeds before they sprout. This year we had one lone sunflower under our front feeder and the birds have eaten all the seeds from it! I love that you share your extra produce with others, what a kind and generous thing to do. It's wonderful to see Steve feeling so much better... the power of prayer! Hope you have a great week ((hugs))

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    1. You are so right . . . The power of prayer is an enormous forse. Hallelujah!

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  18. Hi Connie, So happy to see your blog and to see Steve out there on the tractor! Praise the Lord. How wonderful that you and others are sharing their extra produce. I would not have thought to put apple and blackberry together in a pie. That is sure some mammoth sunflower! Continuing to pray. Hugs, Nancy

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    1. Hello Sweet Nancy . . . Life is good even when times are hard . . . We never have to walk through our days alone. Praise God!

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  19. So good to see him feeling like doing this....I do continue to pray.

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    1. Thank you for your prayers . . . We need all prayers that sweet friends like you have to give. God bless you.

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  20. Wonderful news. Love that sunflower!

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  21. Beautiful sunflowers! My best wishes for your husband as he goes through chemo...prayers are winging your way:)

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    1. We count you amongst our many blessings . . . Thank you for praying for my Steve. We know that prayers are the answer.
      God bless you.

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  22. Hi Connie! So glad to read Steve is feeling a bit better. Your pie looks delicious. I'm amazed by all the vegetables your garden produces.

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    1. Thank you Brandi, it is so refreshing seeing him outside enjoying summer.

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  23. Oh wow, that sunflower is awesome. That card is really sweet and so are you for making the stand and sharing the produce from your garden. Nice that it's catching on and others are contributing to it as well.
    So glad to hear about your husband. Prayers continue

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    1. Ann, you have been such a sweet blogging sister, thank you for your friendship and your prayers.

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  24. Oh Connie it is so good to hear that our prayers are being answered in the way that we had hoped, continued prayers going your way!! Wow that sunflower is so cool, our local farm this year had a sunflower maze :) How wonderful to be sharing all your goodies with your neighbors and I am sure they are very thankful to have fresh food and so close to home, that is so neat that others have added their extra's too for others to share, so wonderful that the kindness of one can go on and inspire others to be kind also.
    Wishing you a fabulous week ahead!

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    1. It is wonderful seeing Steve feeling this well, in does my heart good and I am so very grateful for each and every prayer. God is Good!!! That sunflower maze sounds like so much fun. I have never walked through one of those mazes, corn or sunflower. One year my brother was here visiting and he and I went for a drive in the country to find one that I had hear of. We searched and searched but never found it. We did have a nice country drive and along the way we stopped and picked up enough potatoes and onions to fill a bag. They where ones that fell off of trucks harvesting the fields and were laying in the shoulder along the roads. When we got home we made a big pot of potato soup, LOL.

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  25. So good to hear from you Connie and see that Steve can (and wants to) get outside and his favorite toy. Continued prayers are sent to you each day by me.... that Steve will continue having more good days and heal and recover from this fight that he is fighting. I am so happy for you that you two can share more good days together. My mouth is watering for that pie.. I miss having blackberries to pick.. and you are so sweet to share your garden's bounties. How neat that friends and neighbors are starting to contribute to your free garden stand! Shows how truly wonderful and helpful most people can be. Hugs to you and Steve.... Marilyn

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    1. I find so much joy in the days that he feels good and it is all due to prayers, Thank you so much. We have an awesome Lord and he is watching over us.

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  26. I am so happy to have "met" you and found your blogs. It is so sweet of you to put your excess veggies out for people for free! May the Lord bless you and heal your husband.

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    1. Hello Cheryl, welcome to my little humble blog. There is nothing too fancy here but hopefully a warm and friendly place to visit and become friends. Thank you for your well wishes for my husband's health, we appreciate all the prayers that have been coming from our blogging community. I also noticed that you are following my blog, thank you for that too. I am looking forward to a sweet blogging friendship.

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  27. Your garden goodness made me smile, Connie. There's nothing like home grown vegetables, is there? Your blackberry/apple pie looks delicious. It would be nice with my cup of coffee right now. I will continue saying a prayer for your husband. I'm glad he felt like mowing the lawn. Summer is coming to an end, and I feel Autumn on the way. My favorite season.

    ~Sheri

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    1. Hi Sherri, thank you so much for your prayers. It is marvelous having Steve feeling so good that he wants to get outside and help. His energy level is very low and I don't want him to over doing because he wears out so easily, but he says helping about the farm makes him feel like a man. He wants so much to be the provider and the strong protective man that he has always been, protector of this family, this terrible ill can rob you of so much. Thank you for your prayers, they are so very much appreciated.

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  28. I am sending continuing prayers to the both of you lovely people! Your harvest looks so nice Connie and that PIE! Oh that pie!!! :)

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  29. I grew sunflowers this year and am quite proud of them, but they aren't quite as tall as yours. Maybe next year I'll grow some veggies.

    Hope you and Steve are both doing better.

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  30. So good to hear your news and what a garden you have!! I love the sunflowers but this morning I saw a squirrel going down my street with one of mine. I am too old to run him down but would like to. Love it that things are better for you all.

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    1. Oh I can just picture that little squirrel in my mind . . . I'm sure you made his day. He will be feeding on that all winter :)

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  31. Sandra we are so touched my all the prayers on our behave, thank you, thank you, and thank you . . . as you can see he's feeling better and for that we are so grateful. It's all because of prayer.

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  32. I am not surprised to see that you have a produce stand where you leave your extra produce ~ you are such a kind, generous person! I'm sure people are thrilled and delighted when they come upon your stand and see fresh produce there. But the best photo of all is the one of Steve on the lawn tractor! How amazing is it that he feels well enough to be doing that?! I'm so sorry he has to go through another round of chemo again, but I know he's got this. I'll be thinking of both of you and keeping you in my prayers.

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  33. So nice to see all of your photographs, especially the one of Steve on the cutter/tractor.
    Continued healing thoughts and prayers.

    All the best Jan

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  34. You are in our prayers. Hoping he does well and recovers soon.

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