We Traded!

I could provide a service she needed. She had an item I could use!
So we just traded! Have you ever done that?
Now I'm cracking myself up...how did I get all these pictures in here that are just alike?

As soon as Mr. Romantic set it down in the foyer, little Miss Princess claimed it. "Mommy can I have it? I need this. I want it painted pink!" Ah, a child after my own heart.

But I love all of its imperfections. The wood underneath looks old, very very old and boy is it ever heavy. Its size defies its weight. I can see scrubby old green paint peeking through the white.

People are like that...treasures in spite of imperfections...

*sighing*

Have you ever traded for a treasure?

Have a great Saturday.

Love, Rachel

OK So What Did I Mean...

...when I said I'd be back? Well I didn't mean I was leaving or going away; I meant I was just letting you know I wasn't gone! Or something like that. Oh I'm so confused!

Anyway, one of the things I've been doing when I have a few spare minutes is shown in the photo above. I'll tell you all about it next Saturday, maybe...or a few days after that.

And I took this photo with my phone. Yes I did. My heart's in a flutter because it turned out this good. Mr. Romantic's phone takes great pics. I laugh and say it's a camera with a phone inside.

Hey, have a great day.

Love, Rachel

I Promise...

...I will be back. I guess I am not getting up early enough!

I can't get everything done.

Maybe I should fill myself with a lot of hot air!

Love, Rachel

Does This Surprise You?

Would it surprise you if I told you I've never been to Australia? Probably not! I haven't been able to get my mind off of the fires and floods the Australian people have endured recently. Water and fire are two of life's essentials, but oh how devastating they can be when out of control. I see my Australian blogger friends living though this and I am sad. I do not like to see anyone endure hardship.
It is so amazing to "cyber meet" people from all over the world. For several months now a new friend named Sue and I have been emailing each other. (Hi Sue!) She has never actually commented on my blog, but she sent me an email and told me she thought she might know me. How neat it was that somehow she'd run across my blog. What a small world. Her nephew and I were classmates in Mountainburg, Arkansas USA...all. twelve. years! Yes, first through twelfth grade we were in the same class.

So from Australia to Arkansas or anywhere in between I want to say you're in my thoughts today. Does this surprise you?

Love, Rachel

Catchin' Up On A Few Things!

Several days ago sweet Claudia from Mockingbird Hill Cottage, gave me this award. You've got to check her blog and see how she is managing her life and job as she lives far away from her husband and pet doggies. You will enjoy reading about her adventures. She is celebrating her one year blogiversary, so drop by and tell her I said hi! Claudia, thank you for sending this darling award my way!

One of my comments recently asked about the boutique mentioned on my side bar. I have several ideas swirling around in my head. Obviously, right now, I have nothing listed there. I will let you know soon.

And I have tried to adjust the color of my font for those of you who've let me know you are struggling to read it. I'm sorry! I don't want my blog to be a nuisance. I love having you here and reading the comments you leave for me. I take each one seriously. Please let me know if it is still hard to read.

My time is very limited but I try to visit back as often as I can. I see a lot of people deleting their blogs because it is taking too much of their time. I do not intend to delete my blog. When I can be here for a tiny bit, I am, and when I can't, I'm not! I'm always striving for balance in my life...It is truly an honor that you would follow along the ramblings here at A Romantic Porch.

Have a wonderful day sweet friends. Thank you for stopping by!

Love, Rachel

A Breath of Fresh Spring Air!

The other day my sister said that her computer and her camera weren't speaking to each other. That struck me as such a funny thing to say, and so I'm going to say it here, since I don't have a new picture to put up today. Actually I can't find the camera...how in the world does that happen? AND I NEED IT...to show you something *important*!

I thought you might enjoy this different "pose" of the bleeding heart plant though. It has been gray and overcast for several days, but yesterday the sun sliced from behind the clouds and in my front flower beds I saw that the tulips had gotten enough courage to send up the top edges of their crisp green blades into the sunshine above the soil. It was just a little peek I think to see if Spring is on the way! Yay! See my happy dance!

Love, Rachel

Another Love Thought

I received an unexpected Valentine card from a friend that I haven't seen in 4 years. Years ago she lived near me, and then moved to another state.

In her card she wrote this and I've taken a lot out to just give you the thought,

"Even though there was ten years difference in our ages (she was older) it never seemed like it. You taught me so many things...and one of them was that days like Valentine's Day are not just for lovers, but are an opportunity for expressing love to the special people in our lives..."

Funny thing, I don't remember "teaching" her anything! I wasn't trying to "teach" her. We were just friends. But isn't that what love is anyway? Just treating the other person the way you would want them to treat you!

I want to do so much more for the people I love, but sometimes circumstances prevent elaborate gifts or other thoughtful remembrances. However, I can choose to be kind and forgiving. I can choose to try to see the other person through the circumstances in which they are living.

The Old Testament Psalm chapter 107 verses 15 and 16 says this, "Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men, for he breaks down gates of bronze and cuts through bars of iron."

That's WAY more than a kiss and a bouquet of roses! Though I do not minimize in anyway the thrill those expressions of love may bring. However I will have to admit that I've not broken down bronze gates or cut through iron for anyone, though it might be fun to try!

I will never have enough love or kindness or caring, but I want too!

It is never too late!

Love, Rachel

Happy Valentine's Day!

May you, all of my sweet readers and blog friends, have a wonderful Valentine's Day!

Love, Rachel

Trusting and Loving

It was 19 degrees that morning last week; cold and snowy. In the dark and quiet stillness of the predawn morning, we heard a woman's loud cries, "Help me, oh please someone help me!" Mr. and I rushed out the door, bare footed and sock footed. Dodging snow and slushy mud puddles we rushed to her, not knowing what we would find in the morning darkness. As we dialed 911 we called to her that we were coming. She was a new neighbor who had just moved in across the street.

She was lying on her sidewalk moaning in agony. Her husband had warned her that morning to be careful, but she'd slipped and she heard her leg snap.

Her baby was in her car along with her cell phone. While we waited for the ambulance to arrive, we arranged for the baby to come to our house. At this point she began to cry, because you're just not supposed to trust strangers you know. How sad that she'd just moved in across the street and we were strangers. We changed that!

But the baby, oh my, he had me at the first coo! We never took him from his seat until his auntie came to get him in a few minutes, but he looked around bright eyed and happy.

What's this got to do with love you say? Well, think about it! If you can totally trust someone, you can truly love them too.

I want to always be trust worthy.

Love, Rachel

Pruning Love?

This week I've been looking at the apple tree. Last year, I wanted the strong men around here to cut it down. It wouldn't produce fruit. However, this past Fall, it was loaded with apples! I wonder if it "heard" our threat to do away with it? The teenage princes couldn't bear for it to be cut down!

Now in the cold of winter, its' branches are bare. I'm sure the time to prune it is rapidly approaching. The stray growth needs to be cut back, so the nutrients and sap can strengthen the main parts of the tree...or something like that! We want a lot of healthy and crisp apples.

It reminds me of love. In every relationship, romantic or not, there can be times of...shall I say...dormancy. But if we continue to prune back to the basics and look for ways to be strong emotionally, socially and spiritually, we will reap a huge harvest of love.

I'm off to "prune" some more.

Love, Rachel

A Week of Love

Hey these cookies look pretty good to be a year old. Don't they!? I found the picture from last year, and it reminded me that I want to try a new recipe this year...I need to pull that out and make it...just to see if we like it as much as this recipe!
A few days ago little princess asked me if I was going to make the bread and meat shaped like a heart. "What?" I thought. She said, "You know you do that every year!" Oh, do I? Well, I guess I do now.

smile sigh

the things we do for our kids

I LOVE Valentine's Day. It's probably my favorite holiday. I really haven't figured out why. Hhmmm...maybe I should figure that out this year.

I know there is so much emphasis on having the love of someone special in your life, but I try to emphasize the little things that show love to others whether it is romantic love or not. I know I must be healthy emotionally, socially, spiritually to love others the way they deserve to be loved.

Each day is a new day to start fresh and love others.

Gotta go bake cookies! See ya!
Love, Rachel

Hymn Chimes

This beautiful old church is across the street and 1/2 a block down. Three times each day, hymns and carols chime across the sounds waves and reach me as I listen and enjoy. I find the sounds comforting and uplifting. Most usually I know the words to the tune that is being played, and I sing along, at least in my mind if not out loud.

I've thought that I should go to the church office and ask them if I could play the bells...I think that would be so fun. I can tell when different people are playing because the bells sound different.

Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.

Old Testament Psalm chapter 95 verse 2

Have a musical restful day.

Love, Rachel

Katherine's Cheery Porch!

For those of us in the frosty coldness of winter, I thought maybe a view of beautiful sunny Florida would be just what the Doctor ordered for the Featured Porch for the month of February. You will also enjoy meeting Katherine the gracious lady who graces this lovely central Florida home and writes the blog, Yellow Rose Arbor.
This is what Katherine says about her beautiful porch.


"We live in central FL on the east coast, near the ocean.

We don't actually have a front porch, but have a courtyard right next to our front door.

This courtyard has an arbor above it and the bougainvillea grows on the arbor.

These pictures are of the courtyard.
We have a back porch that we enjoy in pleasant weather, it overlooks a man made lake."



Take a minute of your day today and visit Katherine. Get a breath of fresh Florida sunshine, and tell her you saw her beautiful porch here!

Love, Rachel

Just A Week?

Last week our kids were out of school from Wednesday through Saturday because of bad weather and snow. On Tuesday morning that week when we dropped one of them off at school in the morning, it was dark...pitch black! This week on Monday morning when we went for the drop off, I was amazed and thrilled it was light...as in daylight! Yay! Morning sunshine!

Amazing that just a week makes that much difference!
Can you tell it is staying light longer each day where you live?

We'll have a cold snowy frosty sunshiny day here, but it's light!
Love, Rachel

Just A Ferret! No Ground Hogs Here!

" Hey Ivory. Are you awake?
What is your take on Punxsutawney Phil's prediction for the arrival of Spring?"
"BBBBBrrrrrrrrr, it's cold out here. I think Spring will be here in about 6 weeks no matter what Punxsutawney Phil says! Now will you please leave me alone, and let me sleep?"

Happy Ground Hog Day y'all!
Love, Rachel

F.R.O.G.

F.R.O.G.

Fully Rely On God!

I said to the Lord, "You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing."

Old Testament Psalm chapter 16 verse 2 NIV

Have a restful day today.

Love, Rachel