Do you have peonies? Have they bloomed yet? I have one little peony plant that managed to hang on to life despite my black thumbs, and I’ve enjoyed their huge snowball blooms this past week. The only sad thing about peonies is how short-lived their blooms are. At least at my house, they seem to be a tight bud forever, bloom, and then die within days. Still, I’m always grateful for whatever time I get with their vivacious pink in my life.
It seems odd to think of being at the half-way point in May already! Tonight is our final club night for Awana at our church. In many ways, I’m looking forward to the break, but in other ways, I’m not quite ready for the club-year to end. We do still have our award ceremony yet (first Sunday in June), so I have a good bit of work awaiting me between the end of club tonight and that. The beginning and end of the club year are always my busiest times.
We’re also celebrating our children’s minister tonight after club. This year is her 10th anniversary at our church. She’s a peach and I love working with her, so it’ll be lovely to get together with everyone and sing her praises. Plus, I hear there’s going to be cake. Cake is always a good thing. All in all, I’m looking at a busy Sunday ahead. What about you?
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Last Week on Inspy Romance
On Monday, Brenda S. Anderson talked about romantic road tripping.
On Tuesday, Valerie Comer celebrated the release of Harvest of Love.
On Wednesday, Carol Moncado talked about royal weddings.
On Thursday, Narelle Atkins introduced us to Sienna Rossi from A Tuscan Legacy.
On Friday, Deb Kastner gave us an excerpt from Redemption.
On Saturday, Staci Stallings brought us an excerpt from Mirror Mirror.
Next Week on Inspy Romance
Monday: Elizabeth Maddrey
Tuesday: Liwen Ho
Wednesday: Jackie Castle
Thursday: Melanie Snitker
Friday: Heather Gray
Saturday: Marion Ueckermann
New Releases
May 2018
Harvest of Love (Garden Grown Romance 3) (Arcadia Valley Romance 17) by Valerie Comer
Rapsodia (A Tuscan Legacy 3) by Alexa Verde
Ti Amo: I Love You (A Tuscan Legacy 4) by Marion Ueckermann
Bella Notte: Beautiful Night (A Tuscan Legacy 6) by Heather Gray
Solo Tu: Only You (A Tuscan Legacy Book 7) by Narelle Atkins
June 2018
Dolce Vita: Sweet Life (A Tuscan Legacy 8) by Autumn Macarthur
La Risposta: The Answer (A Tuscan Legacy 9) by Autumn Macarthur
Starting Anew (Life Unexpected 3) by Melanie D Snitker
Elizabeth Maddrey is a semi-reformed computer geek and homeschooling mother of two who lives in the suburbs of Washington D.C. When she isn’t writing, Elizabeth is a voracious consumer of books. She loves to write about Christians who struggle through their lives, dealing with sin and receiving God’s grace on their way to their own romantic happily ever after.
Hi Elizabeth, we are in Term 2 of the school year, and for us it is a long one- 11 weeks! I find it hard to believe we are about to start week 6 already! My year 12’s (last year at school) are really starting to feel the pressure of work heat up.
Having a great children’s minister is a wonderful blessings- our’s moved at the beginning of this year and he is VERY much missed! I hope the celebration goes well and there is lots of yummy cake:)
Blessings:)
Hi Elizabeth! Enjoy your peonies and day. Peonies have a special meaning for me. In German they are called “Pentecost Roses.” Today is Pentecost Sunday. Even though today is not my birthday, I was born on Pentecost Sunday and my father gave my mother a bouquet of Pentecost Roses from his mother’s garden. I would love to have bush in my garden. Best wishes!
I too have black thumbs! I love peonies, and gardenias and lilacs! Wish I could have them around me but I cannot grow anything!
Half way through the long term! I feel for your year 12s, I remember the stress of senior year.
Our children’s minister is a gem :)
I love this Renate! I didn’t realize they were called Pentacost roses (or that today is Pentacost – I miss having a church that did a bit more with the Church calendar.)
I have a lilac that manages to put out one little clump of amazing smelling blooms each year. If I had all the money in the world, I would hire a gardener :)
Me too! Lol
Elizabeth. I agree with you about following the Church calendar in Protestant churches. In Germany where the north is Lutheran and the south Catholic, many communities celebrate Pentecost in church on Sunday and businesses are closed Pentecost Monday.
We have a few peony bushes and I love the short-lived blooms, too! I remember my grandparents’ having peony bushes and, while they bloomed only a short while, the bushes stood about three feet tall and stayed a lush green all summer. Ours droop over after they are done blooming and we have to cut them off.
I hope you enjoy your Sunday plans!
My mom’s bushes are lush all summer like that. So pretty. Mine is basically done as soon as the blooms are gone.
Joining in on your love of peonies. Their perfume is so heady that it fills the room.
Our peonies haven’t bloomed yet, or maybe they started to bloom before they refroze. But our lilacs were abundant – no thanks to my black thumb!
They really do smell lovely.
Ooh. So jealous of your lilacs – they’re my absolute favorite.
I love spring and also flowers. I have some out in my front yard area, beneath my front room window and love to watch them each day.
I also water them at least once a day. They are sure pretty and I love to smell them.
Regular watering is something I struggle with. :)
No peonies in my yard. We had them as a kid. Mother got plants from my Aunt in Pennsylvania and we brought them to Illinois. We just have pots on the porch. We have begonias, pansies and petunias. And my friend gave me a dahlia, but it hasn’t bloomed yet. Enjoy those flowers which you can!
I am not familiar Maithili the names of Flowers so not sure if they are in the yard. Been a busy Sunday and I hope yours will be fun.
Oh, I love all of those that you mention, particularly dahlias!
Thanks! It was a good Sunday, but I am glad that all my obligations are over now :)
Peonies are one of my favorite flowers. We have two big clumps of them in our backyard and unfortunately we had lots of heavy rain and it beat them almost to death. But while they lasted they looked and smelled wonderful.
Oh my! Those are so beautiful! I’m not super familiar with peonies as they don’t grow well where I grew up but they sure are pretty.