Monday Morning Motivation

Sometimes when we feel alone and unloved we need to remember what God says....

"I have loved you with an everlasting love" John 31:3
Happy Monday Everyone...
Enjoy your world!

Friday Foliage and Flowers..."Forsythia"

I love spring in the south.  There is a short window of time, before the summer heat and humidity, when the spring flowers bloom in all their glory.  It may not last long but while it is here it is beautiful.  We are in that season now and one of my favorite flowering plants is Forsythia.  I was reading on Wikipedia that Forsythia is actually in the olive family and there are 11 species, mostly native to Asia.  I was also informed that it is a deciduous shrub.  (I am learning so much:-)
Here is a picture of ours last spring...full and beautiful....

This year ours look weak and thin.  I find I am asking my self "Why?"....
Here are some facts I found in my research...
Forsythia grows and flowers best in full or partial sun.  ("Ours is pretty much in full sun.  Thats good.")


The forsythia plant really benefits from pruning. A regular schedule of pruning keeps the plants within bounds and creates a bushier growth habit. Pruning also encourages better flowering. Pruning after flowering promotes better branching and creates the potential for more flowers in future years.  ("You mean you have to take care of the plant?  That could be our problem":-)

Here are some helpful hints from the internet...

How to Grow Forsythia:

Fast growing Forsythia are easy to grow.  Established plants require little, or no care. 

Grow Forsythia plants in full sun to partial shade. 

They will grow well in most soils. Soil should be well drained.

Water plants during extended dry periods as needed. 

Fertilize plants once a year in early spring.  Use a high phosphorous fertilizer to promote bright blooms.

Pruning Forsythia:

Flowers form on prior year's growth, not new growth. So, it's important to prune them immediately after the flowers have bloomed. You can cut back old growth to about four inches from the ground.

Don't hesitate to be aggressive in pruning these fast growing plants. They will grow back at a fast rate.

 Insects and Diseases Affecting Forsythia:

Insect and disease problems are infrequent. Treat with insecticides or fungicides only as needed.

This blog post is really for my husband Joe.  He is always asking me to research these things.  So here you go Joe....time to start pruning:-)

Here are some online photo find incentives...

The beautiful flowering Forsythia.
A joy to behold!
Enjoy Your World Everyone:-)

Restaurant Review...."The Wake Zone Espresso" in Apex NC

I love coffee and I love the islands.  So how could I not love The Wake Zone Espresso in Apex.  A new meet up group was gathering at this coffee shop and I could not wait to join them.

Nice photo from their website, neat building.

A logo from their site....

I love the island colors.
Bright, cheerful and inviting...

Yummy things to eat....

Island style fans to set the mood....

My Mocha was delicious!

You will find quotes throughout
the cafe....fun:-)

Comfy seats....

Our meetup group.
Nice folks:-)

I like this quote:-)
See the papers at the bottom of the photo?  More sayings and quotes.
They are everywhere.

As I was leaving I found some cute items for sale.

A few more things....














I really enjoyed the Wake Zone.  I would love to return and enjoy some coffee and a pastry or two.  The folks working there were extremely friendly and helpful.  You felt like they wanted you to be there and they wanted to make it a good experience.
Get out and try something new.  I suggest if you want some really good coffee and you are in the Apex area that you try The Wake Zone Espresso Coffee House.  You won't be sorry!
Happy Eating and Coffee Drinking:-)
Enjoy Your World Everyone.

Monday Morning Motivation

"If you look at the world, you'll be distressed. If you look within, you'll be depressed. If you look at God you'll be at rest." - Corrie Ten Boom

 Very true words.  We need to keep our eyes on God.
Happy Monday Everyone!
Enjoy Your World:-)

Lo Tide 5K, Carolina Beach NC

It is that time again.  Time to run the Lo Tide 5K at Carolina Beach.  It is an annual race to raise money for folks battling cancer.
Last year when we ran this race we realized we were sadly underdressed.  It seemed everyone, excluding us, was dressed for St. Patricks Day.  This year we were ready.  We took a trip to Target a few weeks ago to find our outfits....

This year we were in style....

Joe and Erica warming up....

Me, standing near someone that has   warmed
up:-)

At the starting line and ready to go...

 I left Erica and Joe at the starting line.  I headed to the back of the pack.  Taking pictures of interesting outfits along the way.  I find it more psychologically pleasing to start at the back of the pack because you are not constantly being passed.When I start at the back I actually end up passing people, even though most of the folks I pass are walking.  I know I am in denial:-)

 Even the dogs were dressed up and were ready to run....

Best dressed:-)

I liked the beer mug hat...

 Crowds ahead of me...

She's walking I think I can pass her....:-)

I carry a small camera on my runs.  I snap pictures while I am running so they are not always on center....
We ran around a nice lake...

If you look close you can see many runners ahead of me on the other side of the lake....

This guy is actually jogging, can I get past him?
Yes!  (I think he re-passed me a few seconds later:-)

Three narrow bridges along the route.
Everyone had to nearly stop so folks could squeeze onto the bridge.  I did not mind a brief rest...

 Green supporters along the way...

 Pelicans overhead...

1 mile to go...

 Headed up to the beach.  This is the worse part of the race.  Running in loose sand is really hard.  Someone said it was a 200 yard stretch.  Ugg...


When I saw the clock was at 37.??minutes.  I knew I had to beat the 38 minute mark.  I tried my best in that awful sand..so hard...but I did it...Under 38 minutes.It was 2 minutes plus off of last years time.  Slow but sure:-)

Folks recovering on the beach...

Joe ran with Erica this year.  They were way ahead of me but were cheering me on at the end....

It's over:-)

Great job Erica!

Family
shot:-)

 Sand from the beach run...

After race music...

 A nice cool drink...

Banana Lady, she was so nice:-)

Joe and Erica with our extra large t-shirts, that is the only size they had left.

The beautiful beach....
peaceful after the race.

Another great race at Carolina Beach.  All for a good cause, helping those with cancer.  An awful diagnosis that has touched nearly all families.  Cancer took my father.  I know advances have been made in research and treatment but there are still many deaths.  I pray that someday there will be a cure for all cancers.  In the meantime it is good that events like The Lo Tide Race can raise money for folks that need help today.
Enjoy your world everyone:-)