A Remnant

I pass this way every day.

And yet, I've never really noticed it before.

I'm always trying to get somewhere, having to hand someone a snack, trying to make all of the appropriate animal sounds while listening to "Old McDonald".

But that day, I turned my head to the left and saw it.

A Remnant...the last bit of Autumn color.

The grapes are long gone.

And soon the leaves that are still clinging to the vines, will join the rest of their friends on the lush green carpet.

But on this day, I got to see it in all of it's glory.

And, all of this time, it was there.

I'm so glad I turned my head to the left before I missed it!

"Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No one branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from m you can do nothing."

John 15:4-5

Blessings to you this Wednesday from

A Southern Girl at Heart,

Vanessa

Linking to Outdoor Wednesday

Simple Pleasures

Southern Take on a Northwest Yard

Technically speaking, I should subsribe to this...

(sorry the image is a bit blurry)

See where it says "Living in the West"? Well, that's me. The Northwest acutally! But, still, this wonderful magazine tells me all about what is happening on this side of the country, what to grow in my garden, where to go on vacation in my area, etc. And yet, my heart belongs to another...

You can't help who you love, right?

I will probably never go to most of the vacation spots, restaurants, historical locations or any of the many other wonderful places I read about in its pages each month. And yet, my heart thrills when it arrives in my mailbox!

And I even grow many things in my own yard that they suggest you grow in your true Southern yards.

Like this...

This is my snowball tree...well its technically a bush that has now grown-up into a beautiful tree. It didn't produce any blooms this year due to a pruning that took place in the fall that we now refer to in our house as "THE INCIDENT!" We speak about it in hushed voices due to the trauma it caused this gal upon the discovery of it. We have hope for next year!

This is my Lacecap Hydrangea and I love it! It is one of the very few things that we didn't rip out when we overhauled the yard.

And here is my most recent Hydrangea addition

And while I LOVE these Southern touches in my Northwest landscaping, I have discovered that I am also drawn

 towards the sentimental.

We planted this Jasmine to remind us of the one we had at our very first home (condo, actually) in Southern California. Whenever we smell it wafting in through the windows it takes us back to those very sweet and special first months as Newlyweds!

Adding the Daphne ensures that the breeze will always carry a subtle sweet scent which often reminds us of our first home here in Oregon. We added this wonderful plant to our landscaping there and they really flourish in this climate.

What I have discovered in the process of creating a Landscape that I love, is that it really is the mix of all of these things that is the most pleasing to me. The hints from my past have blended together seamlessly with the look we are trying to create in our current home...like this Agapanthus for example.

Every time I see them, I am reminded of the house I lived in while in High School in SoCal. My parents planted them under the front bay window and they are forever emblazaned on my mind and I always think of my family when I look at them.

In Landscaping, as in Decorating, surrounding yourself with those things that conjure up precious memories, will truly allow you to achieve a look that will please your eye and your heart for years to come!

*I'm joining the Outdoor Wednesday Party over at

 A Southern Daydreamer*