Habakkuk 1:5

"Look at the nations and watch--and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.

Still spinning...what, its August?

Still spinning...what, its August?

The month of July was fun and full of weddings!  I had the honor and pleasure to help out with five different weddings!  I've been to Pheasant Run B&B, The Wind In The Willow Graybill barn, The Percell Barn in Hershey and had two lovely wedding receptions in the newly renovated lobby at the Evangelical Free Church of Hershey.   All of them so unique...that is why I never get bored with weddings!  So fun!  Pictures can be found on my facebook, I'm just too busy these days to take the time to load them on here.  Someday perhaps!

So...yes, it August!  Hello August!  I have some pretty special weddings coming up...in fact the whole weekend of August 13th is pretty special.  My oldest son is graduating from Marine boot camp on the 12th and then he is in his buddies wedding on the 13th.  I am doing the flowers for that wedding.  I also have another special wedding that day, the son of one of my pastors.   This wedding is taking place on the brides family property, its going to be beautiful!   Ball jars, candles, petal aisle runner, silver julep cups, hydrangea.....lovely!    I can't wait!

Lord knows that is going to be a busy week, but I am leaning on Him.  I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.  

For now, I'm off to pick up over 200 stems of Sunflower!   Yay for sunflower weddings...so sweet!

Where did June go?

Summer is just flying by.  I'm entering the stage of my life when my kids, at lease most of them are never home...the pool hardly get's used anymore, there are more chores for me to do, and well,, I just don't like not having them around.  I miss hearing them all out in the yard, on the trampoline, or in the pool playing Marco Polo.  When the Lord said that our lives are but a blink of an eye...he sure meant it.   I was just a new mommy a few months ago, at least that's what it feels like.   How can I be almost 47 years old?  Like, when did that happen?  When I look at the back of my hubby's head in the bed, it's more gray then dirty blond.   I'm glad he has hair, but when did the gray start?   I'm trying to enjoy the next stage of life, but I wasn't necessarily ready....I guess I don't really get a choice.   Lord, thanks for the abundance of life I've already experienced, please know that I appreciate it, I just wish this stage didn't have to go so fast.   My baby is going to be 10 in July....we worked on her invitations yesterday.   I'm holding on tight~

It's a beautiful day for a June wedding~

Today I will be coordinating a wedding that I designed the bridal flowers for.  The bride and her mom worked so hard on the reception place, which happens to be a really cool barn venue, called Wind in the Willows.   They did a fabulous job!  Ball jars for drinking glasses, and jars of all shapes, colors and sizes fill the center of the tables with silk flowers along with raffia, tea lights and star graffiti. Their theme is Starry Nights, and the colors are silver and navy blue. It looks great!  I love weddings !  I love that they are so individual... no two alike!   I love my job!

She sells sea shells in the emergency room?

What a week!  Headed to Myrtle Beach last week to visit some dear old friends, The Johnson's, who now live in Florida. It was a great half way point, and their relatives own a cottage, and allowed us to stay for free, so minus the gas to get there, it was a cheap vacation!  We brought food and ate in, and just vegged out for four days, on the beach and around the cottage.  The kids had all sorts of adventures especially when we went back to the beach at night with flashlights, they searched for sharks teeth, sea shells, and hermit crabs.  Here and there they would come across a bonus find, like a squid, and a baby shark.  We had a lot of fun!  My youngest came back with a tub of sea shells.   We arrived home after our looong trip (around Washington) around 6 pm on Monday the 6th.  We were not home an hour and we got the call that a dear aunt died, one whom I was planning on visiting next week.  I headed to bed mourning the loss and regretting not getting up there sooner to visit.  I was exhausted from not getting any sleep the night before we left Myrtle Beach.   Little did I know I was in for a very long 72 hours ahead.  At around 3:30 am on the 7th, my youngest started with severe right flank back pain.  I sent her back to bed with some Tylenol and suggested it was due to all the stooping down hunting for sea shells, or perhaps the waves from the ocean.  Unfortunately, the pain did not go away, and before I knew it I was calling the doctors office to try to get her an appointment.  By this time it was already 8 am and the appointment was not until 10:30, it only took a few minutes after I hung up with them, to realize that she was not going to make it that long.  I called back and suggested that I go to the ER and they asked me to bring her right in.  That was were I made my first mistake, we headed over and waited, soon we were in the room and she was being examined, it did not take them long either to realize this was some serious pain.  They sent us right over to the ER....duh, I should have just taken her straight there.   It turned into a long morning and until they were able to get a CAT scan they were not sure if it was appendicitis or a kidney stone.  A KIDNEY STONE!  WHAT?!  She is only nine years old! What are you thinking?  Plus, her dad was just here a little over two weeks ago with a kidney stone, that would be too weird.   Much to our surprise, within the next hour after them suggesting that, it was confirmed.  My nine year old daughter had a kidney stone.  Crazy!!  They decided to admit her and try to pump lots of fluids in her to see if they could flush it out, however, that did not work.  They took another CAT scan the next day and discovered that it was lodged in a very difficult spot and did not feel that it would pass on its own.  They suggested that we consider having it removed.  What in the world!  We were just at the beach!  Is this really happening?   It was, and we were faced with a big decision.  Let it alone and hope it never bothers her again, or have it removed, which meant that she go under.  It was so hard to know what to do.  Our final decision came down to the fact that if we left it, and she in fact started with pain again, we would have to start this whole process over again.  Meaning the ER visit, the IV port, the CAT scan, the explaining it over and over....that seemed equally scary.   So we decided to  trust the Lord with this and allow them to take the stone out, and hope for no major complications.   Again, it was all too hard to believe that just a couple of days ago she was shelling for sea shells.   She came through well, however, they had to put a stint in to keep the tube running from the kidney to the bladder open, as there was a lot of swelling from the irritation of the stone. That stint will need to come out in a week, but in order to prevent her from being put under they attached a string to it and will literately just use that to pull out the stint.  Amazing!  She was a good sport and even though she found it hard to deal with the pain, and the fact that this string is taped up onto her belly, she understood it was the best thing for her.  This was her first hospital stay besides at birth, and she rather liked the whole idea of having a room to herself.  She said it was like her own apartment and we both joked that the nurses and doctors were like her servants.  She got lots of attention. So she felt a bit sad as she was wheeled down to the lobby in her chariot,  she would miss her servants, they were so kind to her and took time to ask her about her recent trip to Myrtle Beach and how she got so many stick-on tattoos (story for another time) and they learned all about her adventures on the beach and of the great many sea shells she found.  I'm thinking she could have sold them some...they loved on her that much!

Busy Season~

My busy season is in full swing...and I've been so blessed.  I just made it through an extremely busy weekend with two weddings, one on Saturday the other on Sunday. Both different, and so much fun!

Saturday's Bride loved the soft colors lavender and light blue, so I used lavender roses, scabiosa, hydrangea and white spray roses which I sprayed with a light periwinkle color.  The combination was fabulous and complimented the bridal party in a fun way!  Everyone LOVED them!  Wedding was in Mt. Joy and reception was at the Susquahanna at E-Town College.  Very nice.



Sunday's wedding was a "classy modern" look.  The Bride requested a monochromatic look.  The colors were black and white with a deep dark "Purple Blue" look.   It wasn't easy finding just the right color and flowers that blended well in a bouquet, so I had to come up with a unique style.   I used Delphinium -Volken Blue, Agapanthus, Hydrangea, a dark blue/purple Veronica, with a dash of lavender spikes, and Clematis!  So fun!   Everyone loved them and complemented on how different they were!  That's what she wanted!  Wedding took place in Hershey and reception was at the Folklore in Elizabethtown.


*Will add pictures later~

Standing in this strange chasm in time~

Life is passing by so quickly, and my children are disappearing before my eyes...they're turning into adults.  In one way, I wish I could freeze them right where they are, in another I wish I could take them back to an earlier age.  I am enjoying their growth and who they are becoming, I'm just not liking the change that is coming so quickly.   My oldest is 21, I was married by her age. I'm glad she is not.  Having her home from college is wonderful...at times.  I rarely see her, but I love it when I do...its just that there is always some sort of conflict over how I run the house and how she thinks it could work better.  I hope I get to see the day, she runs into the same issues with her children.  The next oldest is in Marine boot camp right now,  I received his first letter home this week!  I miss him. He's not a man of many words, so reading his letter was like getting a shot of him for a year, all at once, I liked that.   Then there is my 17 year old, whom I love, but can grate on my nerves with his attitude most days.  He is now employed and working 30 hours a week, this is good for all of us.  My 13 year old and 9 year old are the last of my babies...that's hard for me to believe.  I was pregnant for what felt like forever, and now I'm here looking back. I'm not sure I like it here.  I've worked hard to get them to the edge of the nest, so I can nudge them out, and watch them soar.  Two are flying.....the other is just ready to jump.  How did I get here?   When did I get here?  Its all so hard to believe, yet I've been preparing for this a long time.   I have few regrets and even those have, I've given over to the Lord.   I am a proud momma, who is standing in this strange chasm in time.

Creative people inspire me~

Last weekend I helped with a wedding at the Donegal Pres. Church and Cameron Estates near Mt. Joy...it was so fun!  The mother of the bride is such a talented lady.  She made beautiful center pieces and decorated the reception hall with candles and material draped on the wall.  She is just one of those kinds of people who does it right and with class... I always come away from people like that... inspired and ready to do something big.    The bouquets for that wedding were fun to make, they looked beautiful against the girls sari's, pictures coming soon.

On a side note the Donegal Pres. Church has it's own reception facility and its beautiful!  On site catering is limited, as its not a fully equipped kitchen.   Perfect place for a dessert reception though.  Grounds are stunning, with beautiful landscaping and a reflecting pond.   

One week down and eleven to go~

It's been a week (just about) since Jeffrey left, he not only didn't call me, but I never got "the postcard" I was told I would get with his address.  I know he is being bombarded and I know he is tired, but it would sure help to see something from him this week.    I did end up getting his address, from his recruiter, so I sent him my letters from last week on Saturday morning.   Hopefully he'll get that on Tuesday.  I really miss him.  

The Few, The Proud,The Marines

The last 48 hours have been rather tough, in fact tougher than I thought.  I have not cried much, as it seems rather surreal. I think it will be in the weeks to come that I will have moments where I will miss his voice.  I keep reminding myself of what if felt like the day I came home from my sister's burial (twenty eight years ago), I will never forget that feeling.  This is not the same, and I am very grateful for that. For now I have the peace and hope that I will see him in thirteen weeks.  I am looking forward to corresponding with him via hand written letters.  Love that, and can't wait to get my first from him.   I already wrote a letter to him today and will continue to do so everyday till he gets home.

" The Crucible "...is going to change my son forever, I pray that his foundations are strong and that his roots are deep.  Lord may he look to you for everything!

http://www.marines.com/main/index/making_marines/recruit_training/training_matrix/the_crucible

Twenty-six years ago ~

Tomorrow is our 26th Wedding Anniversary!   I am blessed to be married to a wonderful man.  I love him with all my heart!   I don't know what I would do without him.  Mind you I enjoy when he has to be away a few days now and then, but It would be very hard to live without him.  He will be away tomorrow, actually this whole week.  We have never been apart in 26 years on our anniversary, so this will be weird.  Today, we enjoyed an early morning breakfast together and he gave me a very special card with a very fun gift inside.  Tickets to see a musical at a dinner theater in Lancaster!    Caity our oldest gave us tickets a couple of years ago to see a show and I absolutely loved it!   I honestly never thought I would get to go again, unless my children gave it to us as a gift.  So, this coming from Jeff is very thoughtful and extra special. 

The movie, The Unsinkable Molly Brown, starring Debbie Reynolds and Harve Presnell opened in 1964, the year I was born.  The first time I saw it was probably when I was about eight years old, over the next few years I watched it whenever it played on reruns on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon, sometimes late night too...I loved it.   The thing I loved most about it was that it was a true story....a bit Hollywood, but it was the early days of Hollywood, so it was very close.


.....gotta go, gonna blog more later.

Heavy Heart~

Gem of Courtesy~

Shopping with my hubby today in Lancaster, and visited my favorite antique store, however, I can't remember its name. If you are interested let me know...I'll try to figure that out. Anyway, I found a small treasure.
A book by the title of Gem of Courtesy.

It was written in 1872. Quite a charming book, really. I hope to share it over time.

Apparently its part of a series for girls, I have the first book.

I Gem of Courtesy
II Gem of Courage
III Gem of Faithfulness
IV Gem of Neatness
V Gem of Truthfulness
VI Gem of Earnestness

It also appears that there is a series for boys

I Gem of Uprightness
II Gem of Self-Denial
III Gem of Perseverance
IV Gem of Temperance
V Gem of Self Control
VI Gem of Generosity

Anyway, here it goes..

Dedication

My Dear Little Harry,

I have dedicated these small volumes to you, praying that the gems of which they treat, may adorn your crown in the coronation day of Christ's beloved.
Your affectionate grandmother,

The Author

"Be pitiful, be courteous." I Peter 3:8

Singing in the rain

Queen Elizabeth's Drop Scones!

 

Posted by Elise on Apr 27, 2011

Filed under Breakfast and Brunch

Yes it is royal wedding time, once again (at least for those of us old enough to remember Charles and Di, and Andrew and Fergie). In honor of this festive occasion, we present to you a recipe for drop scones, otherwise known as "Scotch pancakes", that Queen Elizabeth made for President Dwight Eisenhower on the occasion of his visit to Balmoral castle in 1959. According to the National Archives, the Queen prepared drop scones for the President, using a family recipe. Later she sent the President a letter and enclosed the recipe, with annotations and a suggestion to use treacle in place of the caster sugar.

When I first started testing this recipe, I couldn't understand why the dough was more of a pancake batter, and not "scone-like" as I had imagined. Here in the states we think of drop scones like drop biscuits, instead of cutting out triangular shape scones for baking, we drop the dough from a spoon onto the baking pan. But "drop scones" in the UK, and especially Scotland, where Balmoral castle is situated, are more like American pancakes than typical scones. Drop scones are thicker than American pancakes, and a little smaller.

If you read the Queen's recipe in the image above, note the use of "teacups" as measurements for flour and milk. Before Fanny Farmer we used teacups for measures as well. To figure out how much a typical teacup holds, I tested two teacups, an English made one, and a French limoge. Oddly, when I filled each (completely different shape) tea cup with flour and weighed them, the result for each was exactly 100 grams. By volume, the teacups were each 3/4 of an American standard cup. So "4 teacups" would be 3 American cups, and "2 teacups" would be 1 1/2 cups.

President Eisenhower visiting Queen Elizabeth II, at Balmoral in 1959.***
European butter has a much higher fat content than standard American butter, so if you have European butter, you may want to use it, to more closely replicate what the Queen was making. Most recipes for drop scones I found add a little salt. I don't know if the Queen used salted butter or not. Her recipe doesn't call for it, but since I use unsalted butter, I added a little salt to the batter.
A note on the cream of tartar. We happen to have some in our pantry, but many people don't. Cream of tartar is a dry acid. It combines with the alkaline baking soda to create the leavening in the scones. Baking powder is just the combination of baking soda and cream of tartar with some corn starch thrown in, so if you don't have cream of tartar, you can substitute both the baking soda and the cream of tartar with baking powder.
Congrats William and Kate!

Queen Elizabeth's Drop Scones Recipe

• Prep time: 10 minutes
• Cook time: 15 minutes

I've changed the method just a little from the Queen's original, by adding the wet ingredients to the dry, instead of the dry to the wet. This should make it easier to create a batter without lumps.

Ingredients

• 3 cups (400 g) all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda*
• 3 teaspoons cream of tartar*
• 1/4 teaspoon salt**
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup of superfine sugar, or a heaping 1/4 cup white, granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 cup (350 ml) of whole milk (and maybe a little more if needed)
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted

*If you don't have cream of tartar, substitute the 2 teaspoons of baking soda and the 3 teaspoons of cream of tartar with 5 teaspoons of baking powder (make sure your baking powder is less than 6 months old or it may be flat and unable to provide leavening).
**If using salted butter, skip the added salt.

Method

1 Whisk together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt in a large bowl.
2 In a separate medium sized bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar. Then whisk in most of the milk.
3 Make a well in the middle of the flour and pour in the milk egg mixture. Whisk until smooth, adding more milk until you get the right consistency - thin enough to spread on the pan, but not so thin as to run. Fold in the melted butter.
4 Heat a griddle or large cast iron pan on medium to medium low heat. Coat the pan with a little butter, spreading it with a folded over paper towel. Drop large spoonfuls of batter on the griddle to form pancakes. When bubbles start to appear on the surface (after 2 to 3 minutes), use a metal spatula to flip the pancakes over. Cook for another minute, until lightly browned. Remove to a plate and cover with a clean tea towel to keep warm while you cook the rest of the drop scones.
Serve with butter, jam, or golden syrup (Americans sub maple syrup).
Yield: Makes about 16 American-sized pancakes.

How do you like them cookies~

Found these on a website called Pinterest!  Way fun!  I am still trying to figure out how they did that!

My yard is blooming!

 

^ Had to add these yellow polka dots...^

You're not alone~

It is written Christ would suffer and on the third day rise from the dead!

Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.  Romans 6: 3 -4

There is beauty in the cross!

To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood......Revelation 1:5

Easter Greetings~

 

He is Risen!

I do love a pretty Easter Bonnet~

Unique Unity Candle Holder!

This was lots of fun to use!   You place a pillar candle on top and then flowers on the lower...they had two very pretty crystal candle sticks on either side.   Loved it!

A Golden Cake....who would have thought?!

Got this off Pinterest!

Holy Matrimony

For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother
and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh,
So then, they are no longer two but one flesh.
Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate."(Matt 19: 5,6)

I do wish people would remember and believe in their sacred vowels.  

Marriage is not so much about our happiness as it is about our holiness!  

Louisa May Alcott's short story: Queen Aster

Title:     Queen Aster
Author: Louisa May Alcott


For many seasons the Golden-rods had reigned over the meadow, and no one thought of choosing a king from any other family, for they were strong and handsome, and loved to rule.
But one autumn something happened which caused great excitement among the flowers. It was proposed to have a queen, and such a thing had never been heard of before. It began among the Asters; for some of them grew outside the wall beside the road, and saw and heard what went on in the great world. These sturdy plants told the news to their relations inside; and so the Asters were unusually wise and energetic flowers, from the little white stars in the grass to the tall sprays tossing their purple plumes above the mossy wall.
"Things are moving in the great world, and it is time we made a change in our little one," said one of the roadside Asters, after a long talk with a wandering wind. "Matters are not going well in the meadow; for the Golden-rods rule, and they care only for money and power, as their name shows. Now, we are descended from the stars, and are both wise and good, and our tribe is even larger than the Golden-rod tribe; so it is but fair that we should take our turn at governing. It will soon be time to choose, and I propose our stately cousin, Violet Aster, for queen this year. Whoever agrees with me, say Aye."
Quite a shout went up from all the Asters; and the late Clovers and Buttercups joined in it, for they were honest, sensible flowers, and liked fair play. To their great delight the Pitcher-plant, or Forefathers' Cup, said "Aye" most decidedly, and that impressed all the other plants; for this fine family came over in the "Mayflower," and was much honored everywhere.
But the proud Cardinals by the brook blushed with shame at the idea of a queen; the Fringed Gentians shut their blue eyes that they might not see the bold Asters; and Clematis fainted away in the grass, she was so shocked. The Golden-rods laughed scornfully, and were much amused at the suggestion to put them off the throne where they had ruled so long.
"Let those discontented Asters try it," they said. "No one will vote for that foolish Violet, and things will go on as they always have done; so, dear friends, don't be troubled, but help us elect our handsome cousin who was born in the palace this year."
In the middle of the meadow stood a beautiful maple, and at its foot lay a large rock overgrown by a wild grape-vine. All kinds of flowers sprung up here; and this autumn a tall spray of Golden-rod and a lovely violet Aster grew almost side by side, with only a screen of ferns between them. This was called the palace; and seeing their cousin there made the Asters feel that their turn had come, and many of the other flowers agreed with them that a change of rulers ought to be made for the good of the kingdom.
So when the day came to choose, there was great excitement as the wind went about collecting the votes. The Golden-rods, Cardinals, Gentians, Clematis, and Bitter-sweet voted for the Prince, as they called the handsome fellow by the rock. All the Asters, Buttercups, Clovers, and Pitcher-plants voted for Violet; and to the surprise of the meadow the Maple dropped a leaf, and the Rock gave a bit of lichen for her also. They seldom took part in the affairs of the flower people,--the tree living so high above them, busy with its own music, and the rock being so old that it seemed lost in meditation most of the time; but they liked the idea of a queen (for one was a poet, the other a philosopher), and both believed in gentle Violet.
Their votes won the day, and with loud rejoicing by her friends she was proclaimed queen of the meadow and welcomed to her throne.
"We will never go to Court or notice her in any way," cried the haughty Cardinals, red with anger.
"Nor we! Dreadful, unfeminine creature! Let us turn our backs and be grateful that the brook flows between us," added the Gentians, shaking their fringes as if the mere idea soiled them.
Clematis hid her face among the vine leaves, feeling that the palace was no longer a fit home for a delicate, high-born flower like herself. All the Golden-rods raged at this dreadful disappointment, and said many untrue and disrespectful things of Violet. The Prince tossed his yellow head behind the screen, and laughed as if he did not mind, saying carelessly,--
"Let her try; she never can do it, and will soon be glad to give up and let me take my proper place."
So the meadow was divided: one half turned its back on the new queen; the other half loved, admired, and believed in her; and all waited to see how the experiment would succeed. The wise Asters helped her with advice; the Pitcher-plant refreshed her with the history of the brave Puritans who loved liberty and justice and suffered to win them; the honest Clovers sweetened life with their sincere friendship, and the cheerful Buttercups brightened her days with kindly words and deeds. But her best help came from the rock and the tree,--for when she needed strength she leaned her delicate head against the rough breast of the rock, and courage seemed to come to her from the wise old stone that had borne the storms of a hundred years; when her heart was heavy with care or wounded by unkindness, she looked up to the beautiful tree, always full of soft music, always pointing heavenward, and was comforted by these glimpses of a world above her.
The first thing she did was to banish the evil snakes from her kingdom; for they lured the innocent birds to death, and filled many a happy nest with grief. Then she stopped the bees from getting tipsy on the wild grapes and going about stupid, lazy, and cross, a disgrace to their family and a terror to the flowers. She ordered the field-mice to nibble all the stems of the clusters before they were ripe; so they fell and withered, and did no harm. The vine was very angry, and the bees and wasps scolded and stung; but the Queen was not afraid, and all her good subjects thanked her. The Pitcher-plant offered pure water from its green and russet cups to the busy workers, and the wise bees were heartily glad to see the Grape-vine saloon shut up.
The next task was to stop the red and black ants from constantly fighting; for they were always at war, to the great dismay of more peaceful insects. She bade each tribe keep in its own country, and if any dispute came up, to bring it to her, and she would decide it fairly. This was a hard task; for the ants loved to fight, and would go on struggling after their bodies were separated from their heads, so fierce were they. But she made them friends at last, and every one was glad.
Another reform was to purify the news that came to the meadow. The wind was telegraph-messenger; but the birds were reporters, and some of them very bad ones. The larks brought tidings from the clouds, and were always welcome; the thrushes from the wood, and all loved to hear their pretty romances; the robins had domestic news, and the lively wrens bits of gossip and witty jokes to relate. But the magpies made much mischief with their ill-natured tattle and evil tales, and the crows criticised and condemned every one who did not believe and do just as they did; so the magpies were forbidden to go gossiping about the meadow, and the gloomy black crows were ordered off the fence where they liked to sit cawing dismally for hours at a time.
Every one felt safe and comfortable when this was done, except the Cardinals, who liked to hear their splendid dresses and fine feasts talked about, and the Golden-rods, who were so used to living in public that they missed the excitement, as well as the scandal of the magpies and the political and religious arguments and quarrels of the crows.
A hospital for sick and homeless creatures was opened under the big burdock leaves; and there several belated butterflies were tucked up in their silken hammocks to sleep till spring, a sad lady-bug who had lost all her children found comfort in her loneliness, and many crippled ants sat talking over their battles, like old soldiers, in the sunshine.
It took a long time to do all this, and it was a hard task, for the rich and powerful flowers gave no help. But the Asters worked bravely, so did the Clovers and Buttercups; and the Pitcher-plant kept open house with the old-fashioned hospitality one so seldom sees now-a-days. Everything seemed to prosper, and the meadow grew more beautiful day by day. Safe from their enemies the snakes, birds came to build in all the trees and bushes, singing their gratitude so sweetly that there was always music in the air. Sunshine and shower seemed to love to freshen the thirsty flowers and keep the grass green, till every plant grew strong and fair, and passers-by stopped to look, saying with a smile,--
"What a pretty little spot this is!"
The wind carried tidings of these things to other colonies, and brought back messages of praise and good-will from other rulers, glad to know that the experiment worked so well.
This made a deep impression on the Golden-rods and their friends, for they could not deny that Violet had succeeded better than any one dared to hope; and the proud flowers began to see that they would have to give in, own they were wrong, and become loyal subjects of this wise and gentle queen.
"We shall have to go to Court if ambassadors keep coming with such gifts and honors to her Majesty; for they wonder not to see us there, and will tell that we are sulking at home instead of shining as we only can," said the Cardinals, longing to display their red velvet robes at the feasts which Violet was obliged to give in the palace when kings came to visit her.
"Our time will soon be over, and I'm afraid we must humble ourselves or lose all the gayety of the season. It is hard to see the good old ways changed; but if they must be, we can only gracefully submit," answered the Gentians, smoothing their delicate blue fringes, eager to be again the belles of the ball.
Clematis astonished every one by suddenly beginning to climb the maple-tree and shake her silvery tassels like a canopy over the Queen's head.
"I cannot live so near her and not begin to grow. Since I must cling to something, I choose the noblest I can find, and look up, not down, forevermore," she said; for like many weak and timid creatures, she was easily guided, and it was well for her that Violet's example had been a brave one.
Prince Golden-rod had found it impossible to turn his back entirely upon her Majesty, for he was a gentleman with a really noble heart under his yellow cloak; so he was among the first to see, admire, and love the modest faithful flower who grew so near him. He could not help hearing her words of comfort or reproof to those who came to her for advice. He saw the daily acts of charity which no one else discovered; he knew how many trials came to her, and how bravely she bore them; how humbly she asked help, and how sweetly she confessed her shortcomings to the wise rock and the stately tree.
"She has done more than ever we did to make the kingdom beautiful and safe and happy, and I'll be the first to own it, to thank her and offer my allegiance," he said to himself, and waited for a chance.
One night when the September moon was shining over the meadow, and the air was balmy with the last breath of summer, the Prince ventured to serenade the Queen on his wind-harp. He knew she was awake; for he had peeped through the ferns and seen her looking at the stars with her violet eyes full of dew, as if something troubled her. So he sung his sweetest song, and her Majesty leaned nearer to hear it; for she much longed to be friends with the gallant Prince, and only waited for him to speak to own how dear he was to her, because both were born in the palace and grew up together very happily till coronation time came.
As he ended she sighed, wondering how long it would be before he told her what she knew was in his heart.
Golden-rod heard the soft sigh, and being in a tender mood, forgot his pride, pushed away the screen, and whispered, while his face shone and his voice showed how much he felt,--
"What troubles you, sweet neighbor? Forget and forgive my unkindness, and let me help you if I can,--I dare not say as Prince Consort, though I love you dearly; but as a friend and faithful subject, for I confess that you are fitter to rule than I."
As he spoke the leaves that hid Violet's golden heart opened wide and let him see how glad she was, as she bent her stately head and answered softly,--
"There is room upon the throne for two: share it with me as King, and let us rule together; for it is lonely without love, and each needs the other."
What the Prince answered only the moon knows; but when morning came all the meadow was surprised and rejoiced to see the gold and purple flowers standing side by side, while the maple showered its rosy leaves over them, and the old rock waved his crown of vine-leaves as he said,--
"This is as it should be; love and strength going hand in hand, and justice making the earth glad."

[The end]