A visit trimmed in sweets ...

My friend Donna promised to deliver a Mandarin Orange Cake after our baby was born. She called yesterday to see when we would like to have it. Because she had the afternoon free, I invited her to come over to my home. I enjoyed watching her create her specialty and we both enjoyed the opportunity to chat.

Donna is from Alabama and so has many recipes in her memory and on her cookbook shelf that I have never seen. I intend to swipe her favorite cookbook soon -- the collection of recipes compiled by employees and customers of her former bank, sold in a cookbook to raise funds for Relay for Life.

I think I will try the from-scratch Red Velvet Cake recipe first.

A full pitcher ...

A few days ago, I finally unpacked my blue glassware that had been boxed up since our move two years ago. I chose a rarely-used pitcher for today's project.

I probably won't make that choice again. The pitcher required an enormous amount of lilac branches to appear full. I'll choose smaller vessels in future.

The entire downstairs of our home carries the hint of lilacs and the adjoining kitchen and dining room are filled with the wonderful smell.

A lovely bit of inspiration ...

Lady Lydia has a lovely blog entitled Home Living. I visit daily in the hopes that there is a fresh entry to encourage and inspire me.

Today's post was no exception. She gives simple instructions for turning many household items into flower arrangements. Her samples are lovely!

Tomorrow I hope to cut and arrange some of the purple lilacs that are flourishing next door. Our neighbor has given us permission to do so, of course.

Fighting the Mundane ...

Today I have to reclaim my home. Our baby boy was born just 10 days ago and so things have deteriorated a bit here.

Now the challenge is to perform the tasks that are necessary while not succumbing to the potential drudgery of it all.

I was pleased to look outdoors in the wee hours of the morning and find that the rain and wind that came through last night did not strip all the blossoms from the crabapple tree.

I'm off to do a bit of laundry and give the house a good airing.

Blossoms and bumblebees ...

... and beauty.

This blog is the outworking of something that has been on my heart for some time. Often busy moms spend so much time attending to the practical that they fail to see the simple beauty found in the everyday.

I fail to see that beauty most of the time, and seldom make purposeful attempts to create something lovely, to bless my family and beautify my home.

I have been inspired this week by the beautiful blossoms on the crabapple tree in our front yard. I've been bringing cuttings into our home each day, though I have to fight the bumblebees and honeybees to get them.

I want to continue to bring beautiful things into my home and to add touches of loveliness to our lives. This blog will serve as a place for me to share these inspirations.