The Charmed Garden

nature, photography, poetry 1 Minute

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Charmed Garden

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

His pockets were not

lined with gold

A committed man

from youth till old

For gifts he’d fashion

a garden seat

With treasures brought back

from the beach

His lady loved

their garden at home

For in it they would

travel alone

For overseas

was beyond their realm

Yet midst the blooms

was cast a spell

As if in England, Scotland,

or France

The garden’s charms

caused them to dance

As lovers lost

in Paradise

A devoted husband

with his gentle wife.

Wendy ❀ 2013

~

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

~

I wrote this poem and posted it last year.

It was inspired by our own garden

and the lovely gifts my husband has made for me.

~

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

~

We’ve been married for over 30 years.

It was during our first year of marriage  I discovered

that Ian was good with wood (He made a shoe rack for our closet). 

~

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

~

He loves to repurpose wood

 and use whatever would have been wasted otherwise.

I do the same thing with fabrics. (I’m not good with wood.) 

~

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

~

This lovely bird house was made

to replace an old one that I had “repaired”.  

My repair job made my husband smile

and inspired him to make me one I’d love.

~

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

~

I had an ugly old saw-horse sitting here

that was replaced by this sturdy seat

that  Ian made.

~

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

~

This bench was made using driftwood

and a piece of 150 yr old fir 

that was salvaged from a renovation. 

~

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

~

The table was made using an old pottery crate

and leftover lumber.

It’s nicely weathered

 and goes perfectly with a bench I’d bought years ago.

~

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

~

This arbor is made using a gate

that had been at the back of this property.

It’s now the entrance to our woodland garden.

~

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

~

My clever husband does not use patterns. 

I just show him a picture and suggest he make it his own way.

(I do the same thing with my sewing creations.)

I love what he does with wood.

This bench was made using salvaged cedar boards.  

~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Garden Charm Blessings ❀ Wendy

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

May your fountain be blessed,

and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth.

Proverbs 5:18

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here’s an appropriate quote I came across in my morning reading this week.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

desert

Unknown's avatar

Published by Wendy L. Macdonald

Living for Jesus, loving Him, and listening for His voice bring me great joy. I'm an inspirational writer who also loves photographing creation and making handbound journals. ~ My faith is not shallow because I've been rescued from the deep. ~ Blessings ~ Wendy ❀ https://wendylmaccreations.etsy.com

Published

88 thoughts on “The Charmed Garden”

  3. I love that quote, what reading did it come from? This quote is so true. The church is the same way they only want the strong, successful, victorious and unbroken helping to build the church.

    Like

    Reply

    1. The quote came from a book called: Streams in the Desert. It’s a compilation of quotes, poetry, and scripture that Mrs. Chas E. Cowman collected and put together as a daily devotional. It’s been reprinted and can probably still be found found on Amazon. I highly recommend it. ❀

      Like

      Reply

  6. Beautiful Wendy, both words and photos. You have a very talented man! I love new things from old, so much more character to them, and love too. A lot of new things seem devoid of “personality” somehow. I would love to see your woodland gardn, it sounds delightful. X

    Like

    Reply

  7. I like your poem and your husband’s outdoor creations. Thanks, Wendy..!

    [image: James Stanfield on about.me]

    James Stanfield about.me/jstanfield

    Like

    Reply

  11. Both of you complement each other so well in your different creative talents. Your black and white photos enhance the rustic look of wood. I love driftwood too. Lovely poem and meaningful devotional, Wendy. Thank you for sharing. God’s blessings, Iris.

    Like

    Reply

  12. It is a wonderful thing, a long, happy marriage. Perhaps one of God’s most treasured blessings. Nice that you both work together so well and can give to one another as you do! Blessings, Ellen

    Like

    Reply

  15. Wendy, this is beautiful, all of it. Your garden and the things your husband has lovingly made, your poem, and the closing quote. I sighed with pleasure and gratitude for the blessing of it all. Thanks for sharing it with us.

    Like

    Reply

    1. Thank you, Heather. ❀ I really appreciate the private areas of our garden. There are also non-private spots where I’ve chatted over the fence to our elderly neighbors who call our place ‘the jungle’.

      Like

      Reply

  20. Wendy what a wonderful gift your husband has, we love recycled wood and my husband buys old pieces of furniture and restores them to their natural beauty. If something cannot be saved he will take pieces and build something new from the old. My only problem is. I have no more room in the house for them. Maybe I need some outdoor furniture like these.

    Like

    Reply

    1. Kath, it sounds like your husband needs a sales rep for the overflow of creations. My husband has helped me restore a ton of furniture and smaller items. Someone once told me that our home looked like a museum ( a messy but cozy one I might add). ❀

      Like

      Reply

  21. Wendy, what treasures your husband creates for you. There is true love in those works of art as there is in your words and images. Love the use of black and white.

    Like

    Reply

  23. Wendy,

    Your poem is beautiful and I also liked the black and white pics.
    How beautiful to know that each corner of your secret garden keeps memories and beautiful moments alive ❤
    Truly lovely, Best wishes. Aquileana 😛

    Like

    Reply

  25. The words of J. R Miller at the end of your array of words and pictures culminated in a visit I cherish warmly. The essence of love is the ability to live again, amidst the brokenness, the perceived failures and the sadness inherent in this earthly realm. Thanks for sharing this Wendy, God bless you richly.
    Much love and blessings. 🙂

    Like

    Reply

  30. Wendy:
    Beautiful!! Thank you for taking us along this sentimental walk through your wonderful treasures in the garden and reminding us that home IS where memories are made… from the heart. God bless you my friend ~Zoey

    Like

    Reply

  32. What a touchingly beautiful post, Wendy, illustrated with those stunning black and white photos. It’s always a joy to discover another garden and another happy, enduring marriage. Ours is in its 41st year and is our greatest blessing.

    Like

    Reply

    1. Thank you, Mary. Congratulations on over 41 years of marriage. It’s wonderful to hear that it’s your greatest blessing. To spend your life with your favorite person truly is a gift. ❀

      Like

      Reply

  35. Wendy I LOVE the black and white photography in this post. Very effective! LOVE LOVE your poem! You have a very creative and talented husband. Your garden is so sweet. My husband is the same way and has built things for our yard as well. I enjoyed this post very much. Blessings! xoxo

    Like

    Reply

    1. Thank you, Rhonda. ❀ Gardens loved by their owners are the sweetest. Your paintings are all so beautiful… and I just peeked at your latest… which I will now go and pin to Pinterest.

      Like

      Reply

    1. Thank you, Wanda. I’m still self-editing my novel (5th round) and researching Christian agents. I have found several that I would love to query when I’m ready. How’s your writing/publishing journey going? ❀

      Like

      Reply

      1. So far, I’ve stuck to createspace.com (self-publishing). It’s an easy format, gives you a lot of freedom, and it’s free! 🙂 I understand the editing – I suppose I shouldn’t be so gleeful when I find errors in Lucy Montgomery’s publications! I’m waiting on a dear friend who is proofing my next book, and also waiting on copyrighting, but then it will be out there! Best wishes. Can’t wait to read it!

        Like

        Reply

        1. I wish I was as astute at grammar as you are… If none of the traditional publishing doors opens for me, then I’ll finish my sequel and perhaps another novel before I try again. If none of my three novels picks up an agent, then I’ll go it alone (once I can afford some line editing). I love what I’ve read about being part of a publishing team… so I’ll aim for that first. I admire your tenacity. ❀

          Liked by 1 person

          Reply

I enjoy a word in season, so I'd love it if you added an apple to the bowl.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.