Summer Fun

Hello, my friends, and happy weekend!

My, how the summer days are flying by. . .do you feel the same way?

Today is the last day of July and I'm still wondering how that happened

What happened to May and June???

You may have noticed that it has been somewhat quiet here at The Enchanting Rose

and I have not been by to visit several of you because of busy days.

Just last night someone mentioned that she has not seen me 

around the blogging community and I am very sorry about that, dear friends.

I have missed each and every one of you 

and hopefully things will slow down here in the mountains in the next couple of weeks.

I truly hope you have been enjoying the summer.

Though the days have been busy they have also been filled with family fun.

My sweet husband, son, and I enjoyed a Rockies baseball game a week ago

and I thought I would share it with you.

The Rockies were up against the Texas Rangers that day 

and the Rangers won 10 - 8.

It was a great game with plenty of home runs and excitement.

As always they began the game with the National Anthem.

I hope they never stop doing that.

And our Veterans held the flags.

I love baseball and I think that love was first cultivated by my dear Grandpa Don.

He used to take me to games when I was a young girl

and several times I had the joy of watching the Rockies train in Arizona.

{ Jorge De La Rosa - Pitcher}

{ Nick Hundley - Catcher }

My son has also fallen in love with baseball

and the night before my Grandpa Don went into surgery he told me on the phone

that he wanted to take my son to a game. . .

Sadly, Grandpa Don was not able to do that since he passed away

so in honor of him my husband and I took our little one to a Rockies game.

It was a bittersweet time. . .

Being there in the stadium brought back so many memories 

of the times I went with Grandpa.

The smells, the sounds, the sights, the atmosphere was of Grandpa. . .

I felt and saw him all around {if that makes sense}.

It's amazing how emotions can be triggered.

{ DJ LeMahieu - 2nd baseman. . .and my favorite player :) }

{ DJ LeMahieu }

{ Troy Tulowitzki - shortstop. . .he is now playing for the Toronto Blue Jays.

We were sad to see him traded }

{ Troy Tulowitzki }

When my Grandpa Don took me to games it was back in the 90's

and at the time Eric Young was playing for the Rockies.

E.Y. was my favorite player back then 

and he is now the first base coach for the Rockies.

I have a baseball with Eric Young's signature on it 

along with many of the other players from the 90's.

My Grandpa had taken my sister and me to one of their spring training games 

and afterwards we got to meet the players and get their autographs.

{ Eric Young }

My son really likes Nolan Arenado and he is the Rockies third baseman.

He also loves DJ LeMahieu, Carlos Gonzalez, Nick Hundley, and Charlie Blackmon.

It was an incredibly special day

and I am thankful for the memories I made with me Grandpa in the past

and for the memories my husband, son, and I are making right now.

And speaking of memories. . .

at one game when I was a young girl my Grandpa gave me some money 

and told me to go buy myself a Rockies baseball hat.

I chose a hat with Dinger on it which is the Rockies Mascot.

{ Dinger }

And to end the day the Lord gave us a beautiful gift. . .

this incredible sunset.

Look closely and you will see the gorgeous rocky mountains in the background.

I hope all is well with you, sweet friends.

Forgive me for being a little absent from blogging -

I think of you often and look forward to when the days slow down 

so that I can catch up with each one of you :)

Thank you for your faithfulness in visiting. . .

you bless my heart!

Have a beautiful weekend.

Much love!

Blessing - Book Review

How can I convince thee I cannot afford to love thee?

An impetuous love swept Blessing Brightman away from the Quaker community

and into the highest ranks of Cincinnati society.

But behind the glitter of ballroom and parlor,

an increasingly dangerous marriage eroded her spirit.

Widowed young, Blessing reclaimed her faith and vowed to use her influence

to fight for women's rights and abolition, determined never to lose her independence again.

But a chance encounter with Gerard Ramsay, 

scion of a wealthy Boston family, threatens that resolve.

He arrives in Cincinnati with a plan to gain freedom from his father's clutches,

one that might determine all Blessing has worked for.

Yet she can't help but admire his character,

and never before has Gerard found a woman so enchanting.

Though united by a common foe and drawn together by an attraction neither can deny,

their ambitions couldn't be more different.

In a city ablaze with tensions tearing the country asunder,

can two people worlds apart possibly find love?

My Thoughts

Blessing is the second book in the Quaker Bride series

and let me say that it is oh-so-rich and extremely compelling.

This wonderful story will win your heart from the very first chapter.

The characters are well-portrayed and within minutes of opening the book

they will begin to weave themselves into your life and heart

making you wish you could jump into their world and fight alongside them

as they face dramatic events that will change the world they live in. . .

Blessing is quite the inspirational woman. . .

she is a woman who has faced many struggles and heartaches,

but those trials have only made her stronger.

Because of her past she wants to change the future for women and slaves

and as she fights for what she believes in 

she will face even more difficulties and several dangerous situations,

but through it all she clings to her faith and trusts God above 

to move and work in all that is taking place.

Once again Lyn Cote does a wonderful job of intertwining fiction with fact

and if you are a historical fiction lover than this book/series is for you.

As you turn the pages you will be blessed with romance, suspense, action, and history.

As I said, Blessing is the second book in the Quaker Bride series,

but you could read it as a stand-alone book.

I highly recommend Blessing and the Quaker Bride series.

Happy reading, my friends!

** I was given a free copy of this book from Tyndale Publishers for an honest review.

All thoughts are my own. No other compensation was received. **

About the Author

Lyn Cote is the award-winning, critically acclaimed author

of more than thirty-five novels.

Her books have been RITA Award finalists and Holt Medallion and Carol Award winners.

Lyn and her husband have two grown children 

and live on a small, beautiful lake in northern Wisconsin.

Visit her online at www.lyncote.com 

Roses Of Inspiration #30

Hi friends!
I hope each and every one of you had a lovely weekend.
Can you believe this is the last week in July?!
I'm not sure where the time went, but it certainly went somewhere fast!

I want to warmly welcome you to Roses of Inspiration
and may I say "Thank you" for joining the fun this week.
As always, I am very thankful for the time you take to link up
and it brings great joy to my heart to see your wonderful posts.

Let's start with some beautiful features.

Roses of Inspiration Features. . .

If you were featured than please feel free to take the "I was featured" button.

Simply copy the HTML code and paste it onto your blog.

<div align="center">
<a href="http://theenchantingrose.blogspot.com" title="The Enchanting Rose"><img src="http://i1056.photobucket.com/albums/t377/peaches525/6d8b180b-b3b8-4065-9986-dcccb5a9f70e_zpsc65070e5.jpg" alt="The Enchanting Rose" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Please do not pin from my site!

Go to the original source and pin from there IF it is okay with the blog owner!

. . . { Sweet Tooth Inspiration } . . .

There were so many yummy recipes from last week

that I couldn't pick just one :)

Anne's Attic Design

shared this beautiful cake made with homemade butter cream frosting.

Joshua's Girl

shared a tasty recipe for old fashioned blueberry crisp.

Bakewell Junction

shared a tempting gooey butter cake recipe with us.

Kitty's Kozy Kitchen

shared this decadent caramel drizzle pie.

Wonderfully Made

shared a lovely recipe for peach pie scones - what a delicious treat during the summer.

. . . { Creative Inspiration } . . .

Shoregirl's Creations

showed us how she has transformed thrifted frames into works of beauty.

. . . { Simple Beauty Inspiration } . . .

It's All About Purple

showed us how simple beauty can be the loveliest.

If you are new to our party than here are the basics. . .

{ 1 }

You can link up anything that your heart desires. . .
{please keep it family friendly}

crafting - recipes - encouragement

Scripture - devotionals - photography

healthy living - gardening - home living

sewing - crochet/knitting - fashion

beauty - tea time - home decor - etc

{ 2 }

You can link up as many posts as you want

and they can be posts you have written today, last week, last month, or last year.

{ 3 }
There will be fun giveaways throughout the year.

I will simply add up the amount of people who participated in one of the link ups,
write the numbers down on paper and draw the number of the winner.
So if you link-up more than one post you will have a greater chance of winning.
These giveaways will be random
so you never know which link up I will choose for a giveaway.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Below is a button available for your sidebar
to let others know about Roses of Inspiration.

<div align="center">
<a href="http://theenchantingrose.blogspot.com" title="The Enchanting Rose"><img src="http://i1056.photobucket.com/albums/t377/peaches525/eca034cc-886a-4d9a-8e02-3a4f5bc60e74_zps45b994ad.jpg" alt="The Enchanting Rose" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Please take a few minutes to visit at least two blogs. . .
everyone loves a visit and comments.
I look forward to seeing what you share and I will be around to visit throughout the week.
Have fun, sweet friends, and enjoy your day!

God Understands

Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

the Father of all mercies, and the God of all comfort;

who comforteth us in all our tribulation,

that we may be able to comfort them which are in trouble,

by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted by God.

- 2 Corinthians 1:3, 4 -

God understands your sorrow, He sees the falling tear,

And whispers, "I am with thee," Then falter not, nor fear.

God understands your heartache, He knows the bitter pain;

O, trust Him in the darkness, You cannot trust in vain.

God understands your weakness, He knows the tempter's pow'r;

And He will walk beside you however dark the hour.

Refrain

He understands your longing, 

your deepest grief He shares;

Then let Him bear your burden,

He understands, and cares.

- Oswald J. Smith -

Extraordinary afflictions are not always the punishment of extraordinary sins,

but sometimes the trial of extraordinary graces.

Sanctified afflictions are often spiritual promotions.

- Matthew Henry -

Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake

To guide the future as He has the past.

Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;

All now mysterious shall be bright at last.

Be still my soul: the waves and winds still know

His voice who ruled them while He dwelt below.

- Katharina Von Schlegel -

Have a blessed Lord's Day, dear ones!

Tell Your Story In A Special Journal

Preserve your memories,

keep them well,

what you forget

you can never retell.

- Louisa May Alcott -

Do you keep a journal, my friends?

Do you write down your thoughts, your joys, and your sorrows?

Do you share your adventures and mishaps on paper?

Don't forget - no one else sees the world the way you do,

so no one else can tell the stories that you have to tell.

- Charles de Lint -

I have taken a simple journal that I found at Michael's

and transformed it into a pretty piece of writing material-

the pages are empty and ready for a story. . .

Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart.

- William Wordsworth -

Here is what I did, sweet friends. . .

I picked out the lace, stickers, and embellishments that would adorn the journal;

I went with soft colors.

I applied hot glue to the inside of the front cover of the journal

and attached the end of the lace.

Then, I applied hot glue on the outer part of the journal 

and pressed the lace onto it for a secure hold

and wrapped around to the back.

There was an ugly sticker on the back of the journal

so I picked it off the best that I could,

but there was still sticker residue left and it didn't look too pretty!

So I applied fabric tags and a sticker to cover the ugliness.

It looks much better, don't you think?

Some delicate paper doilies were tucked in between the pages.

Write until it becomes as natural as breathing.

On the front of the journal I added some sweet pearls

and a dainty butterfly.

My aim is to put down on paper

what I see and what I feel

in the best and simplest way.

- Ernest Hemingway -

Happy journaling, dear friends :)

Love and hugs to you!

* * * * * * * * * *

Use the coupon code

JULY15

at my Etsy shop for 15% off your entire order.

Rose Petal Blessings

Good until the end of July.

Linking up with ;

Cooking and Crafting With J & J

Five Star Frugal

Roses Of Inspiration Linkup #29

It's a brand new week, sweet friends,
and it's time for another Roses of Inspiration party.
Oh, how I LOVE seeing your beautiful posts
and I am always so thankful for the time you take to come by and link up.
Before we get started I have a little announcement. . .

Last Wednesday I announced my Etsy shop
Rose Petal Blessings
reopened after being closed for a year.
I am very grateful for the love and support that I received from you, dear friends.
Starting today I am having a Christmas in July SALE and
  you can receive 15% off your entire order 
by simply entering JULY15 when you check out.
I offer FREE SHIPPING to all USA orders :)
This coupon code is good for all items listed in my shop
and I have just added some fun and shabby Christmas items
such as ornaments and stockings.
Come by and take a peek.
Rose Petal Blessings.

Now let's be inspired!

Let's start with some beautiful features.

Roses of Inspiration Features. . .

If you were featured than please feel free to take the "I was featured" button.

Simply copy the HTML code and paste it onto your blog.

<div align="center">
<a href="http://theenchantingrose.blogspot.com" title="The Enchanting Rose"><img src="http://i1056.photobucket.com/albums/t377/peaches525/6d8b180b-b3b8-4065-9986-dcccb5a9f70e_zpsc65070e5.jpg" alt="The Enchanting Rose" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Please do not pin from my site!

Go to the original source and pin from there IF it is okay with the blog owner!

. . . { Lovely Inspiration } . . .

Knitting the Wind

shared a beautiful post about supporting loveliness in the world.

. . . { Recipe Inspiration } . . .

Health & Home & Heritage

shared a sweet recipe for raspberry tarts.

. . . { Quilting Inspiration } . . .

She's Lady of the Manor

shared her lovely quilt with us.

. . . { Encouraging Inspiration } . . .

Selah Christian Musings

shared a powerful post about the housewife and how God views her.

. . . { Canning Inspiration } . . .

Radical Femininity

shared a tasty canning recipe for squash butter

. . . { Sweet Treats Inspiration } . . .

Southern Lady Goods

shared her beautiful chocolate roses.

I love roses and if they're chocolate than that makes them even better! :)

If you are new to our party than here are the basics. . .

{ 1 }

You can link up anything that your heart desires. . .
{please keep it family friendly}

crafting - recipes - encouragement

Scripture - devotionals - photography

healthy living - gardening - home living

sewing - crochet/knitting - fashion

beauty - tea time - home decor - etc

{ 2 }

You can link up as many posts as you want

and they can be posts you have written today, last week, last month, or last year.

{ 3 }
There will be fun giveaways throughout the year.

I will simply add up the amount of people who participated in one of the link ups,
write the numbers down on paper and draw the number of the winner.
So if you link-up more than one post you will have a greater chance of winning.
These giveaways will be random
so you never know which link up I will choose for a giveaway.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Below is a button available for your sidebar
to let others know about Roses of Inspiration.

<div align="center">
<a href="http://theenchantingrose.blogspot.com" title="The Enchanting Rose"><img src="http://i1056.photobucket.com/albums/t377/peaches525/eca034cc-886a-4d9a-8e02-3a4f5bc60e74_zps45b994ad.jpg" alt="The Enchanting Rose" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Please take a few minutes to visit at least two blogs. . .
everyone loves a visit and comments.
I look forward to seeing what you share and I will be around to visit throughout the week.
Have fun, sweet friends, and enjoy your day!