Faith Family Friends

Celebrating the Joy of Living & Home Making ~

Baking, Cooking, Decorating, Tea Time, and taking Inspiration from those I love and the world around me...

A sharing of my heart and my home from a Christian perspective

...with a wee bit of whimsy added.

Thursday 8 March 2012

Dreaming...Outdoor Wednesday

Hello everyone~ We have a snow storm on the way and so I'm deaming of warm breezes and warm sunny days when I can get out and do some of my favourite things....

Like take a long walk along one of our lovely beaches....


....or a quiet path through the woods where the only sound you hear is the chatter of squirrels and the leaves overhead. The sound of snowplows and snowblowers are just a distant memory.


Dappled sunlight through the trees...

Spring is just around the corner and so I thought I would repost this from a couple of years ago. Want to come along with me? Grab a cup of coffee or tea and join me, won't you?


My hubby and I took a walk through what used to be Rainbow Valley, an amusement park for children and their families. It is just down the road from Green Gables in Cavendish.

Since then, the children have all grown up and the National Park has converted the grounds over into nature trails. It is really beautiful! 



This is the entrance to the grounds, where now only the elves and fairies and other wee creatures live. A lion guards the post.

I love how the old trees bend their branches down to the earth, making it a green canopy for dreaming under. One can still spread out a picnic if you so desired.




There are benches here and there to sit and reflect upon the beauty which surrounds you. Meanwhile, the elves and the fairies dance and flit among the trees and flowers. The breath of Summer is warm on your face and you remember.... 


I think I can still hear the faint sounds of children laughing. There used to be barns filled with little animals for the children to pet, water slides, boats to float in, and many other fun things for families to do together. The barns are still there but they stand empty now.
Now, all is quiet...!

Throughout the grounds there are flora and fauna. I don't know what you call this bush, but it was so pretty, I had to take a picture.







There is an abundance of Queen Anne's Lace.




A closeup; so pretty in a bouquet!

A lonely gazebo stands amidst the trees. 


This looks like an abandoned cottage, all boarded up. Wouldn't you love to take a peek inside?



There are lots of open spaces too. 


Off in the distance you can just get a glimpse of a little church in the Avonlea Village across the highway. We had to zoom in to even get this shot.


I took this shot afterwards.



Are you ready to take a walk through the woods with me? Can you smell the fresh air?



You can hear the chattering of the squirrels and chipmunks. Maybe even a bunny rabbit hopping through the brush.

One almost feels like Little Red Riding Hood walking through here.



Oops! I got someone's head! Could it be an elf?



Certainly not the big bad wolf!



I love to look up and see the sky peeking through the branches and I love the sound of the leaves rustling in the soft breeze! If you listen closely, you may hear the sound of children's laughter from long ago.

This is my favourite elf!


He is adorable, adventurous, mischievous, and just plain fun to be with! Some might think he's not long out of the trees! Regardless, I think I'll keep him!




Thanks for indulging me today. Pretty soon, I will be able to do just this! Hope it's sunny where you are. Have a delightful day everyone!

I'm linking this with Susan and her Outdoor Wednesday.



Sharing from my heart~ Sandi

Topiaries for My Spring Mantel

Hello bloggie friends. 
Last week I showed you some materials I was working with to create something for my mantel. Well, I'm finished and here they are...

Two topiaries for my Spring mantel....




I used two styrofoam balls, lots of faux hydrangeas in three different colours, two ceramic pots, butterflies, and sheer ribbon.  I cut the stem from the flowers to stand the topiaries up in their pots. 



There was a lot of gluing! I used florist's foam inside the pots to anchor the topiaries and then I covered it over with Spanish moss. 



I am not finished decorating my mantel yet but you get the idea. Just a hint of pink for Spring.



I am thinking very seriously of making a matching wreath to hang from the mirror. I will share it with you if I do.
Thank you for visiting today and enjoy your weekend.

I am linking this with-
Sherry's Home Sweet Home
Courtney's Feathered Nest Friday
Kathy's Home and Garden Thursday
Cindy's Show and Tell
Beverly's Pink Saturday

Sharing from my heart~ Sandi