• Blog
    • About ContessasHome (Revised – 8/15/21) to
  • Contact Us

ContessasHome formerly ContessasGarden and Gift, LLC

~ Vintage fine and decorative art, lamps, mirrors, chandeliers, small occasional furniture pieces, classic "hard cover"books, vintage "smalls", and handmade decorative art craft

ContessasHome formerly ContessasGarden and Gift, LLC

Monthly Archives: May 2021

Priorities

31 Monday May 2021

Posted by ContessasHome in Faith, Today's Update

≈ Comments Off on Priorities


Seek the Lord and His strength,

seek His face evermore

Psalm 105:4

Good Morning Lord, I ask today that you help me set my priorities according to your will. If I can set my priorities, I can make decisions about what gets done and what does not. I seek your face and your will as I have many possibilities ahead of me, but I want your guidance and promises to forever guide me. I cannot do everything. Others express opinions, and I can please only you. I desire to do your will, so that I can be calm and at peace in knowing that when I am following your will, the more I will grow into the masterpiece you created me to be.

“Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light for my path.”

Psalm 119: 105

Image

Memorial Day

30 Sunday May 2021

Posted by ContessasHome | Filed under Today's Update

≈ Comments Off on Memorial Day

To follow Christ

30 Sunday May 2021

Posted by ContessasHome in Faith, Today's Update

≈ Comments Off on To follow Christ


We in America worship freely. But not for many around our world. There are many isolated believers who have no Christian fellowship or formal worship. They are isolated. Some of them have to worship Christ in secret, in silence, and they are unable to meet with other Christians, those in prisons and held captive for practicing their faith, and those without resources during COVID because they do not have access to the digital world, because they are too poor. We humbly ask for your loving eternal presence for them, that they might feel you inside them right at this very moment. In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, we pray, Oh God, hear our prayer. Amen 

A Tribute

29 Saturday May 2021

Posted by ContessasHome in Special Events, Today's Update

≈ Comments Off on A Tribute

 

As Memorial Day approaches, now is the time to pause and honor the men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation.

                        Thanks Be To God!!

Oh Hear My Prayer Lord….

29 Saturday May 2021

Posted by ContessasHome in Faith, Today's Update

≈ Comments Off on Oh Hear My Prayer Lord….

LOBELIA  BLUE/SUMMER ANNUAL
                 (A favorite)

Hear me….. my dearest Lord,

I place my heart and my trust in your precious hands. I trust that you are caring for my dearest love.  Please wrap your loving arms around him and fill him to overflowing  – with your loving spirit. Bring him to safety, give him generous rest and eternal contentment.  Fill his sweet souL with your everlasting “Peace and Quiet.”  Breath your love into his being. I praise you. Hear my humble prayer.  Oh hear me Lord. Thank you for always listening.  I know you hear me. I am grateful for your presence and for your mercy   Amen

Psalm 143: 7-8

Answer me quickly, O LORD!
My spirit fails!
Hide not your face from me,
lest I be like those who go down to the pit.
Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love,
for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go,
for to you I lift up my soul.

Friday Morning Prayer

28 Friday May 2021

Posted by ContessasHome in Faith, Today's Update

≈ Comments Off on Friday Morning Prayer


My Father God, a breezy and cooler morning is with us. Thank you for this little break in heat. We await rain. Such a blessing. Our plants and grass, and trees will drink and thrive. Protect us today as storms will swing  through our area. Keep us safe.  We are so dependent on rain, sun, and wind to do its thing in bringing beauty to our world. How great is your provision for us. Let us take care of your world and each other as we finally, after a year and a half, are slightly more free to move about and to have communion with our neighbors, friends and family. We are grateful. Oh so grateful for our lives on your earth planet. Thank you Father….our great and generous God. Amen

Garden URNS / planting can be super fun (Revised)

27 Thursday May 2021

Posted by ContessasHome in Gardening, Planting 101, Professional Services, Today's Update

≈ Comments Off on Garden URNS / planting can be super fun (Revised)

Garden Urns come in many varieties. They are super fun to plant. Generally they have a drainage hole in the bottom. If this is not the case a layer of pebbles about one inch thick will suffice. If the receptacle is narrow and deep we recommend you line the vessel. You can purchase a coir liner at the nursery. You decide how you wish to cut and shape it. So pull it apart and create your own form. It helps to keep the soil from escaping into the base of your urn. And further, we recommend you use a plastic grocery store bag to line it with. Poke holes in the plastic. You can cut the bags to work for your size urn. No need to bunch it together. Just toss what you will not need. Adding this plastic bag is so important fir water retention. Then add some soil to about half way. We recommend you discard a good bit of the root system of each plant. Start  filling your urn with the plants you have chosen. You can get more plants in the urn if you pull away some of the root ball. Don’t worry, your plants will grow better if the root systems are not too crowded. And frankly crowding them a little once the root ball has been thinned out, will present a beautiful full urn display. Place one dominant plant in the center working around it with smaller plants and around the perimeter of your urn opening is the best spot for trailers  (Ivy; green and verigated, Creeping Jenny, Alyssum, phlox, etc). Insert pockets of fresh soil as you place and turn your urn. If the soil spills over it’s ok.  Once you first water the urn with a light spray,  the plants and the dirt will settle.

If you are lucky enough to have Urns In you planter selection save enough money to really do them up nicely. They will present beautifully and will show so well in their appointed spot. Have fun with the project of planting your Urns  They will thrill you with their beauty.

“Contessa”

**********************************************************

Good Afternoon…. We have completed the Urns project. A few days needed for the plants to settle. Pics will follow. Our homeowner is a fairly new resident of one year. Coincidentally she was a former customer of our store in Delray. Small world once we realized we actually know each other. She has asked us to continue into next week and recreate her garden beds. A new Holly tree was planted at the corner of her property by PFX last year in early fall. During this planting project considerable damage to the Ivy bed that surrounds this tree took place. It just never grew back very well after the crew planted the new tree. Frankly the Holly needs a cleared area in which to grow. It’s being choked. So we are going to clear the entire bed and the Ivy is coming out. We will do some transplanting, trimming of existing bushes, edging/defining the beds and adding some new perennial blooming  plants for the cleaned up beds. We estimate about six to eight hours for this new project. We will begin next week. Happy to help this lovely end unit, in this strip of homes to look so much nicer. We love new projects. Hazzah!

“Contessa”

 

I Can’t See Jesus……..

27 Thursday May 2021

Posted by ContessasHome in Faith, Today's Update

≈ Comments Off on I Can’t See Jesus……..

DEVOTIONAL

“I can’t see Jesus”

May 27, 2021

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

– HEBREWS 12:1-2
A small country church had a portrait of Jesus behind its pulpit. One Sunday the church had a guest speaker who was considerably taller than the pastor. While he was speaking, a little girl on the front row looked at her mother and whispered, “Where’s the man who usually talks? This one is too big. I can’t see Jesus.” What keeps us from seeing Jesus?

Our scripture states that the burdens of life and the sins that trip us up can become so overwhelming they can hide Jesus. So what can we do? Exactly what our scripture urges us to do. We must keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. His love demonstrated on the Cross and His power revealed in the resurrection and ascension tower above everything and everyone we encounter in this world. With such an attitude of faith, nothing can hide Jesus from our sight.

New Client / Planting Urns

26 Wednesday May 2021

Posted by ContessasHome in Art, Gardening, Professional Services, Today's Update

≈ Comments Off on New Client / Planting Urns

Site visit early tomorrow on Beverley Drive near Valley.  View size and depth of two new stone Urns and check out sun/shade location for healthy growth. Client wishes for sturdy plants that can survive up to the first fall frost. We actually recommend this. Possibly miniature evergreens that can be illuminated for the holidays. Surrounded by small summer perennial flowers that can be changed out with fall/winter bloomers. We’ll see. We have prepared many urns so we’ve several thoughts. Meeting with the client at 8:30 am; coincidentally we are going to Merrifield Garden Center following this site visit, as we need to select plants for three other customers. Perhaps we can “kill two birds with one stone at Merrifield. An added note/our clients enjoy a nice discount when we make plant purchases.

Happy for all new work. Fun…..

(pics to follow)

”Contessa”

 

Project on Wellington/back common area/bordering three properties

26 Wednesday May 2021

Posted by ContessasHome in Gardening, Professional Services, Today's Update

≈ Comments Off on Project on Wellington/back common area/bordering three properties

This “back area project” began last summer. It involves the “common ground area” behind three properties.  PFX is going to trim back a couple trees; one a hugely overgrown Crepe Myrtle that has encroached its limbs onto all three properties and limbs bending very low preventing walking a path back there. This “Myrtle” tree is actually right dab in the center of a fairly large circle common area, but it’s growing and spreading out into the properties on either side of it. It’s currently like a jungle back there. The homeowner where the Myrtle is planted, is not presently ln residence on the property, but permissions have been secured to cut this  and a few other small trees back. The Myrtle is crowding rather nice foliage pathways and it’s limbs are so large and stretching outwards, it has invaded a beautiful small but rather tall Maple tree. So…..something has got to give. We had the PFX team come and survey the situation last summer. Now all three homeowners collaboratively wish to retain us to clean up this area /once the trees in question are trimmed. We will begin some undergrowth clean up tomorrow. This will likely mean we will be doing some work there every day for  at least a couple weeks  A little each day in between new business that comes. We are delighted to help, and we already have a vision of what can be done to give all three residents more light, less creeping vines and a clear pathway back there for some pleasant esthetics. It’s needed to be done for a long time. We have been given resident and PFX permissions to proceed. Kind of exciting really, as we love challenging projects. It’s going to be a lot of work but some nice shade spreads through this area. There will be many trips to the leaf mulch pile at the yard to deposit leaf branches, crawling  vines and limb debris. it will be refreshing to see this area more “open” and less infested with unwanted Virginia “native” weeds and vines growth.  

Praising my “heavenly creator” for good work. Amen! 

(more pics to follow)  

← Older posts

Subscribe

  • Entries (RSS)
  • Comments (RSS)

Archives

  • May 2023
  • April 2023
  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • February 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • January 2012
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011
  • July 2011
  • May 2011
  • April 2011
  • March 2011
  • February 2011
  • January 2011
  • December 2010
  • November 2010
  • October 2010
  • September 2010
  • August 2010
  • July 2010
  • June 2010

Categories

  • "Classic" Hard Cover Books
  • Advent Prayer
  • Advent Study
  • Afternoon Prayer
  • Amy Butler
  • Art
  • Before • During • After
    • Before • During • In Progress
  • Birds
  • Blooms
  • Books
  • Classic Art volumes
  • Community Affairs
  • Compliments
  • Cookery
  • Del Ray UMC
  • Downton Abbey Tour
  • eBay
  • ETSY
  • Evening Prayer
  • Faith
  • Family
  • Friday Morning Devotional
  • Garden Tips
  • Gardening
  • Gardening Maintenance
  • Gardening Maintenance /Summer
  • Gratitude
  • Handmade
  • Helpful Tips
  • HOPE
  • Houseplants
  • Indoor/Outdoor Plants
  • Lent
  • Lenten Devotion
  • Lighting
  • Literary
  • LOVE
  • Morning Prayer
  • Morning Prayet
  • Mornings Light
  • Museum News
  • My Friday Devotional
  • Native Wildflowers
  • New Products
  • Nighttime Prayer
  • Pinterest
  • Planting
  • Planting 101
  • Professional Services
  • Re-potting 101
  • Reflections
  • Sale Items
  • Scripture
  • Sharing
  • Sold Today
  • Speakers
  • Special Events
  • Special Intention Prayer
  • The Sabbath
  • Today's Update
  • Tonight’s Thought
  • Uncategorized
  • United Methodist Women – UMW
  • Vintage Acquisitions
  • Vintage Ephemora/Treasures
  • Vintage Garden
  • Vintage Smalls
  • Weather
  • WELCOME!
  • Writing
  • Wrought Iron
  • Yoga (Hatha)

Meta

  • Register
  • Log in

Blog at WordPress.com.

  • Follow Following
    • ContessasHome formerly ContessasGarden and Gift, LLC
    • Join 126 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • ContessasHome formerly ContessasGarden and Gift, LLC
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...