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Wednesday, October 25, 2017

Book Review: Debbie Macomber's A Girl's Guide to Moving On

Moving On after a Divorce is Never Easy

Debbie Macomber's new novel, A Girl's Guide to Moving On, follows the emotional journey of two women after they divorce their husbands. Nichole had watched her mother-in-law Leanne look the other way for decades while her husband Sean had serial affairs. When she found her own husband Jake was cheating on her, she filed for divorce quickly, not wanting to suffer the humiliation Leanne had lived with for thirty-five years.

pink lipstick kiss on a mans white collar

Image Courtesy of Pixabay

After Nichole filed for divorce, Leanne almost immediately followed her lead and divorced Sean. He had been a good provider and had tried to be mostly discrete, but Leanne's friends at the Country Club they belonged to always let her know what a tomcat Sean was. Though he was always polite about the small things, like opening doors and helping with chairs as etiquette dictated, he had no problem with betraying Leanne where it mattered most. Though he showed Leanne affection in public, he had not privately shown any for ten years in or out of the bedroom.

Nichole had seen enough watching Leanne to know that financial security wasn't worth paying the emotional price of ignoring Jake's infidelity. She knew if she did, it would become a pattern with Jake as it had with his father. Even though she knew living separately would be hard on them all, especially their three-year-old son Owen, she refused to let Jake shred her self-esteem by treating her as his father had treated Leanne.

Leanne and Nichole were both concerned that Owen might follow in the steps of his father and grandfather if there appeared to be no consequences. Nichole's filing to divorce Jake gave Leanne the courage to finally divorce Sean. Both women faced fear and insecurity in making this change from the comfortable life they had been used to.

The Country Club was no longer a comfortable place. Edited from Morgue File image.

More than financial security was at stake. Both women were emotionally shaken and had moved from the homes they had shared with their spouses when married. Both women also needed new friends, since the old ones they'd made at the Country Club seemed only interested in keeping them up-do-date on their ex-husbands' latest exploits. Debbie Macomber shows the steps they took to get on with their lives.

The Guide to Moving On is Born

After Nichole and Leanne had filed for divorce they moved into apartments across from each other and became even closer friends than they had been before. They had common hurts and common problems. They wanted to support each other emotionally as they faced their journey into new experiences. They made a list of what they needed to do to get on with their lives and heal. They called it A Guide to Moving On. This guide contained only three items (quoted from novel):

Don't allow yourself to wallow in your pain. Reach out. Volunteer. Do something you love or something to help others.
Cultivate new friendships
Let go in order to receive

Image created on paid version of Stencil

Both Women Form New Relationships

Nichole and Leanne follow the steps they created for moving on well. Each found a volunteer job she loved. For each the job paved the way for a new and very different man to enter her life. Nichole met Rocco, a tow truck driver with some very uncouth friends, when he hauled her out of a ditch she had backed into.

He asked her to return the favor by helping his teen-age daughter, the result of a one-night stand, learn to dress appropriately enough to stay out of trouble. He endeared himself to Nichole's son Owen by giving him a tow truck driver uniform and letting him "drive" a real tow truck. It's obvious to the reader a relationship is developing. But Rocco had a criminal record. After becoming responsible for his daughter, he had turned his life around to the extent that Nichole trusted him.

Photo Credit: Don Hankins, Creative Commons 2.0

His tattoos and rough manner would not have made him welcome at the country club, but Nichole could see that under his rough exterior he had a good heart. He still occasionally hung out with his biker pals at bars, but he now owned the tow truck company he used to work for and he hired some other ex-cons who needed a second chance to become good citizens. None of them disappointed him.

Meanwhile, Leanne, who had a master's in education, took a volunteer job in night school teaching English as a foreign language. One of her students, Nikolai Janchenko from the Ukraine, was about her age. He adored her and began to bake her bread as a sign of love.

Bread image from Pixabay

He was a widower whose wife had died of cancer years ago. Gradually they began to date. Leanne began to return his affection.

Both Relationships Reach a Crisis Point

Just as the reader is getting ready for a happy ending for Leanne and Nichole, relationship disasters strike both of them. Leanne had promised Nikolai she would never again do things for Sean like clean his house or help him. Then Sean got terminal cancer, his other women ran from him, and Leanne felt she needed to step in. She could not simply desert him in his time of trouble after so many years of loving him. Nikolai stopped seeing her and even dropped the English class. Leanne was broken hearted.

Image Courtesy of Pixabay

About the same time Jake threatened Nichole that if she did not stop seeing Rocco, he would file to take custody of Owen from her. He had discovered Rocco's criminal record and insisted he was a bad influence on Owen. Nichole could not risk losing Owen. Without revealing the reason why, she told Rocco she could not see him anymore. He indicated he was walking out of her life forever, since he believed Nichole thought he wasn't good enough for her after all. Owen can't understand why his pal Rocco isn't visiting him anymore.

My Review of A Girl's Guide to Moving On

A Girl's Guide to Moving On: A Novel

I picked this up at the library in the new book section when the ebook I was reading couldn't keep me awake. I had fled the noise of workman at my house and wanted to read something that would interest me enough to keep me from falling asleep before I could go home. Debbie Macomber got me interested in Leanne and Nichole from the first page.

Although both Leanne and Nichole divorced their husbands, they felt they had no other choice because of the infidelity. Neither believed it would stop. But the divorces still hurt them and left them grieving the loss of their marriages. Neither was really looking for a new relationship when Rocco and Nikolai walked into their lives. Both women were courageous and supported each other emotionally as they faced an uncertain future and the problems in dealing with the changing relationships.

Macomber's portrayal of their struggles and their triumphs is emotionally realistic. Although the book is heavy, some of the minor characters added humor to lighten it up. Owen is a precious little boy who reminded me of my own when he was the same age.

I liked that neither woman took divorce lightly and neither violated her moral standards or set a bad example to her children, even though they did face temptations. I appreciated that. I was also impressed by each woman's desire to do the right thing, even when it hurt.

I think women going through the aftermath of a divorce will appreciate and probably identify with Leanne and Nichole as they attempt to get on with their lives. Those of us who are happily married will learn more about what those whose marriages failed go through so we can be understanding and supportive.

If you are a Debbie Macomber fan already, you will find this book a bit different than her usual romances, but you won't be disappointed. I won't spoil it by revealing the ending, but I found it satisfactory. I did not cry after reading it. I don't think you will, either. I wish there were a sequel. These are some of the other Debbie Macomber books I have enjoyed.

A Girl's Guide to Moving On: A NovelCheck Price The Inn at Rose Harbor: A Rose Harbor NovelCheck Price Love Letters: A Rose Harbor NovelCheck Price Morning Comes SoftlyCheck Price

Here are the reviews I have written about these Debbie Macomber books.

The Rose Harbor Inn Novels

See the book reviews from our other contributors at Review This Reviews! here.

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Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Tuesday, October 24, 2017

Hidden Figures Movie Reviewed

Historically Based Movie Worth Watching

Astronaut John Glenn image from Public Domain

My husband and I enjoy watching movies together, I thought that I would review Hidden Figures for you today because we really enjoyed it.

The movie appealed to me on so many levels. I have mentioned before that I am a bit of a history nerd. What was exciting about this movie based on the early space race between the US and Russia was that my husband and I actually lived during this era of history. I was ten when John Glenn orbited the earth for the first time. I remember how nervous and excited we all were. We were glued to the television or radio awaiting the news of the event.

If you are old enough to remember the late 1950s and early 1960s, you will recall that we of the female gender were looked at very differently. Girls weren't supposed to be good in the sciences. Math was not something that we should even try to excel in. Girls should learn to cook, clean and look attractive. Not many would encourage a girl to aspire to a career in any field. Our job was to be a good wife and mother, sad but accurate.

So, to have a movie based on a true story about the women who secretly worked at NASA was thrilling to watch. To find out that there were women, smart women working on getting the US into space was uplifting to me. For those ladies to not only be female but to also be African-American well it was incredible.

Hidden Figures

The movie, Hidden Figures, did an excellent job of showing what life was like in the US during that time. Without taking away from what was happening at NASA, it also touched on the civil rights movement that was growing across the nation. It shows how difficult it was for a person of color to work in an environment that was segregated. As I watched the movie, I remember being appalled at what poor Katherine (a most brilliant mathematician) had to endure just to go to the bathroom. There was not a restroom in her building that was to be used by "Coloreds" so she had to run something like a mile to the nearest one. Appalling, disgusting and shameful; unfortunately it is also accurate in its portrayal. Thank goodness our country is no longer like that.

I truly loved this movie and think that if you have not already seen it, you will too. After watching it, I called both of my daughters and recommended that they watch it. It is moving and inspirational and I think important for women, especially, to watch. I think that it is important for women who are too young to have lived during this time in history to see where we have been so that they can appreciate where we have come and most importantly that there are still miles to go before we are where we should be as women.

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Monday, October 23, 2017

Reviewing the Many Flavors of M&M's

Chocolate is my guilty pleasure. M&M's are my favorite chocolate candy. I love that I can keep a large bag of the little chocolate treats around and sometimes just one or two pieces are enough to satisfy my craving. Other times, I sit down with an entire bag. As Mars began adding different flavors to the M&M's line, I was fearful that they would ruin the original thing. We can all think of examples of when the "new and improved" isn't as good as the original. But that is not the case with M&M's. The original plain and peanut M&M's are as good as always. And the newer flavors are amazing. Are you familiar with all of the flavors?

What are M&M's?

I can't imagine that there is a single person reading this review that doesn't know what M&M's are. But as a responsible reviewer, I will explain - just in case.

M&M's are delicious, roundish bits of chocolate covered in colorful candy shells.

M&M's were first manufactured by Mr. Mars in the 1940s. It is thought that the idea for M&M's began in the 1930s when soldiers covered chocolate in a sugary coating to prevent it from melting. Mr. Mars created the shell coating over his small bits of chocolate for a similar reason - to be able to sell chocolate in even the warmer seasons. Thank you Mr. Mars!

Plain M&Ms and Peanut M&M's

Plain milk chocolate covered by the candy coating and peanuts covered by chocolate covered by the candy coating were the original M&M's. At least in my memory. I grew up eating them. They were my favorite thing to find in my bag at Halloween. I loved to find them baked in cookies.

Peanut Butter M&M's

It is an entire bag of M&Ms day

More recently, Peanut Butter M&M's have been my favorite (as shown in the photo). These little treats are made with real peanut butter and I believe that is why they taste so good to me. I do not enjoy artificial peanut butter flavored candies.

Caramel M&M's

Oh yes, caramel M&M's! I was so excited to find these on the store shelves. I love caramel treats: caramel squares, Rolos, and caramel apples - just to name a few. Even though I have been an M&M's fan over the years, I wasn't optimistic when I tried this flavor. I half expected the "soft center" to be a yucky, runny, caramel-flavored ooze. That is not at all what Caramel M&M's are like. They are delicious!

The Many Flavors of M&M's

I guess rather than highlight each flavor, I'll just list them here. And leave it with my thought that there's not a new flavor of M&M that I haven't loved.

M&M's Crispy
M&M's Pretzel
M&M's Dark Chocolate
M&M's Almond
M&M's Dark Mint
M&M's Dark Chocolate Peanut

Mars also offers seasonal flavors and limited editions. Some examples of those are:

M&M's Candy Corn Chocolate
M&M's Pecan Pie
M&M's Pumpkin Pie
M&M's Coffee Nut
M&M's Strawberry Nut

Intro photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Sunday, October 22, 2017

3 Ways to Increase Sleeping Space when You Have Company

Full Over Full Bunk Beds to Maximize Space

With the holiday season approaching, making room for company can sometimes be a challenge.

If you're looking for practical ways to either increase sleeping space or provide privacy in open areas, here are three product reviews to solve that problem.

Double Bed Bunk Beds

That's right, there is such a thing as full sized beds as bunk beds. Full sized bunk beds provide double the space for kids. They're great for couples with kids, or just as a place for all the children to bunk together.

Two double beds stacked on top of each solve major space issues. With limited space you can provide sleeping arrangements for four people. Again, if you have a young family visiting, sleeping is solved with approximately six feet by seven feet of floor area for the bed itself.

Join Two Single Beds Together to Make a King Sized Bed

Use a Twin Bed Connector to Convert to a King

If all you have are twin beds in a spare room, there's a way to turn two twin beds into a king size bed.

Pushing the twin beds together is not enough: The dip in the middle makes two mattresses abutted against each other difficult to sleep in. That's where a twin-bed-connector comes into play.

With a connector you can remove that dip in the middle as well as secure the mattresses so they don't slip. You can read more about how to do this here.

Find Canopy Tents Here

Put a Canopy Tent Over a Single Bed in an Open Area

If you have an open area in the home with several twin beds (like a dorm room) you can add a Canopy Tent over each of them to give people their own private area without the need for dividers or walls.

They're easy to put up and of course just as easy to remove.

They're also ideal for kids who share a room. It provides privacy without having to go to the expense of redecorating or giving each child their separate room.

Of course, these items work all year around. Plan ahead, and you'll be all set for the holidays.

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Saturday, October 21, 2017

How to Create Pinterest Images with Photoshop

Today I'm going to review how to create Pinterest images with my favorite photo editing software - Photoshop! I create most of my Pinterest images with Photoshop, I have tried a few other places, but I always come back to Photoshop.

I've been asked quite a few times how I create my images for Pinterest which is why I thought I'd just show you. Now I can't promise you that your images will take off in popularity on this social media platform, but I can promise you that the steps will be easy to understand.

I have been using Photoshop for a few years now, but the way I create the majority of my images are easy for beginners and experts alike to follow.

The first thing you have to do is open up your Photoshop and select a new file, I simply press Ctrl N to do this, but you could use the file menu and open it that way.

You will be greeted with a pop up box where you have to select your image details, it looks like this -

I only change two things on the default and that is the width and height as you can see on the image. I have changed the image height a few times, but the majority of the time I just use the standard 738 x 1105.

The next step means finding the image you want to use for your pin so I've decided that I want to do a pin for my welcome to Lou16.com post (I can't believe I was missing a Pinterest image on that post until I wrote this!)

I'm going to use the image I have in my introduction as the main image for my Pinterest image as well so let's have a look at what we're going to do....

add image to draft for Pinterest with Photoshop,

So the first thing I do is create a new file, then I open up the photo I want to use and drag it onto the new file.

1. Here you can see that this image has a border that I created previously. I'm going to use this color for the background so to do this I need to use the eyedropper tool to select the exact color.
2. This is the eyedropper tool. To use this you click on the tool and then click on the color that you want to select.
3. After selecting the color I make sure to select the correct layer (in this case the blank one as I'm using this for background.
4. The paint bucket tool will cover the layer with the selected color.

After doing all of these steps you'll be left with the next image.

add background color to Pinterest images with Photoshop,

3. I'm going to do things backwards here and get you to look at number 3! When I did the background color the teal was on top and the white was underneath, as I'm thinking of doing the text in white I switched them around. Sometimes when you're using two colors you can just change between these two to save having to use the eyedropper tool again.

Back to our image..

Now I want to add some text to the image so I have to select the text box.

1. This is the Text box and you have to click on this before adding any text.
2. This is the text tool bar, you can change the color from here (it will default to the top square at number 3 unless you change it), you can also alter the font, the font size and whether you want to use a bold or italic or both.

add text on Pinterest images with Photoshop,

As you can see I dragged the image down a little so that I could add text above and below it. Above I just used regular and underneath I selected italics. You can also highlight just one or two words and change their color or size in order to make an impact.

1. There are different things you can select on the side including a border which I always use for my Pinterest images. You select the border (or arrow as I have done on these images for you) and click apply - the color on top of the color box is what color the object will appear as.

I didn't want to use white as a border because the website background is white so I used the eyedropper tool to select another color from the photograph.

I always try to pull either the border, background or text (sometimes all of them) from the actual photo as you know it's going to go.

I always keep Photoshop open until I see the final image uploaded to the website. In this case I uploaded the border from a light green in the foliage that really made it pop on Photoshop, but looked strange on the white background of the website.

I then changed the border to the blue of my t-shirt, but again on the white background of this site it just didn't look quite right. The third and final one is what is pictured above and I've use the brown of my hair!

Now you don't always have to use a photo, sometimes I'll use a graphic from a site like Pixabay and use that.

This is a very basic way to create a Pinterest image using Photoshop, as you get used to using it you can get more and more creative with using several images merged together like this one from another post I created -

In this image I used an image of traffic which I reduced and played with to get it to fit onto the laptop screen. The background is taken from the laptop color and you can see I changed the color and font size of the 21 in the image.

Start off simple and as you get used to using these tools you'll find yourself creating all kinds of images, try not to become too addicted to Photoshop as once you start down this rabbit hole you can lose all sense of time!

You might be interested in my other Photoshop tutorial (and there will probably be more to come!) -

How to Remove Blemishes From Photos Using Photoshop
Let's review how easy it is to use Photoshop to remove blemishes from photos, trust me it's really simple and well worth the time spent to restore old family photos.

Our contributors here on Review This also use other platforms to create their images for Pinterest so be sure to check out our tips for writers including -

... and let's not forget our Pinterest tips -

Before leaving I'd like to tell you one of the things that really helped me with getting traffic from Pinterest (obviously the images help!) and that was using Tailwind, I highly recommend this scheduling tool for anyone who wants to harness the power of this visual social media platform.

If you've found this article helpful please share on your favorite social media platform.

A Step by Step Guide to Creating PInterest Images with Photoshop

Image by Lou of Lou's Designs

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Friday, October 20, 2017

Ghoulish Goodies Halloween Cookbook Review

Halloween is the perfect time to great really creative in the kitchen.

One of my favorite Halloween cookbooks is Ghoulish Goodies because it is chock full of fabulously frightful Halloween recipes and decorating ideas. From spooky yet cute, to ghoulishly grotesque, there is something for every Halloween party or gathering featured in the cookbook.

The front cover of the cookbook gives a very accurate description of what you can expect to find within the book. However, there is so much more than just what you see there. The back cover gives you a bit more insight, but honestly, until you look inside the book, you will not appreciate how truly fantastic this cookbook really is for Halloween.

Let me show you some of my favorite recipes in the book. Keep in mind, there are a lot more in the book though. The features in the collage below just happen to be my personal choices.

This Collage was Created with Scanned Images from the Actual Cookbook

Ghoulish Goodies Cookbook

Ghoulish Goodies Cookbook
Paperback or Kindle Version Available!Check PriceThis really is a fantastic Halloween cookbook and one that every Halloween hostess should own. Each recipe gives the exact ingredients required, along with easy to follow instructions for creating these Halloween fun food masterpieces.

It also includes lots of decorating tips alongside the individual recipes. For instance, it tells you exactly how to make the "super grass" used on the Ghost Graveyard cake (upper right corner of the collage above).

There are extra recipes included for dipping sauces, plus tips for decorative tray presentation. The presentation suggestions could easily be incorporated with other Halloween food.

Believe it or not, the author didn't stop there. She has also included a section for Halloween supper. Some of dinner recipes feature Candy Corn Pizza, Orange Rice, or Ghost Mashed Potatoes. This would be a really fun supper to serve. Although I must admit, the meatloaf with an unblinking eyeball might me just a little too grotesque for even this Halloween Hostess.

Do I sound excited to review this book? You bet I am! But, I am more excited about getting into the kitchen and making my own Ghoulish Goodies from this cookbook.

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Read More Cookbook Reviews at ReviewThisReviews.com ~ Cookbooks

Ghoulish Goodies Halloween Cookbook Review Written by:

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Thursday, October 19, 2017

The Bright Hour: A Memoir of Living and Dying

Some books are so achingly beautiful they cry out to be read. This is one of them. To not read The Bright Hour would be to deny yourself one breathtaking moment after another. This is a memoir that reveals how to savor every day—even the days, especially the days, we would not typically love.

When Nina Riggs was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 37, it was one small spot that seemed fixable. “No one dies from one small spot,” she reassured herself. Within a year, though, Riggs was dealing with a terminal diagnosis. Lest you think the book turns grim at this point, let me assure you that this is not a dark accounting of impending death—far from it.

The question at the heart of The Bright Hour is this: What makes for a meaningful life when your time is limited? It is an extraordinary individual who can see and illuminate for us the radiance and joy to be found in the seemingly mundane moments that fill our lives with meaning. Nina Riggs’ poetic eye, and soul, gifts us over and over again with word pictures that not only dazzle, but that enrich our spirits.

What if, like Nina Riggs, we were to live the answer to that question every day? Isn't that the key to loving our days and living with fullness of life?

The Bright Hour is the most important book I have read this year. Having recently lost a good friend to cancer, I found this memoir to be a poignant way to reflect on how Susan also lived her life with great meaning and purpose. It can be healing in many ways to read a book that celebrates a life force that is not diminished by death. I highly recommend this book.

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Wednesday, October 18, 2017

Halloween Garden Cleanup and Planting Time Too! Let's Review How to Get This Done

Summer's Heat has given way to Autumn cooler temperatures, let's review ways to get your garden ready for the oncoming cold that is sure to happen.

Autumn is that wonderful time of year when the weather gets a little cooler and the days start to have a little bite in them. Leaves are turning those beautiful shades of yellow, gold, orange, and red. Everywhere the eye goes, it's a myriad of beautiful colors to keep us all in Awe! What a wonderful mystical, beautiful time of year. The Maker's paintbrush is never still and our picture changes daily.

Everyday, I look out over my balcony and the trees are changing colors from one day to the next. Yesterday the leaves were all green and today it seems that they are turning shades of gold, red, browns and oranges. One day makes such a difference.

It's also time to get cracking on the Autumn garden chores!

If you are not sure what to do with all those leaves, give that link(Autumn garden chores) a quick review, your garden will love you for it. It doesn't hurt to organize our chores for the best outcomes in our gardens.

Cooler Days and changing colors are a shock to the system after all of summer's warm days. Time moves on and these changes are a gardener's Alarm Clock, because the next thing is garden cleanup before the winds of winter come.

Don't fret! Garden cleanup is easier than you think. You just need the right tools and the right attitude and your job will be done lickety split!

Because Autumn is also the time for Halloween, we can do two things at once! By using our leaves in funky Halloween decorator bags, we now have our glorious pumpkin display all done. Or if you prefer you can also make crazy spiders and pumpkins to give all the kids a good chuckle. Packing those bags will be child's play after raking them all together and then using our monster hands to stuff the bags. Now after all the festivities are over, don't throw all those beautiful leaves away. Use a chipper/grinder to make the world's easiest and best mulch for your garden beds. The extras can go into the composter along with the worms and everyone will be happy! You won't believe the work that those worms will do in the composter. Even in the winter months, those worms are working away. The beauty of a compost heap is that it will remain warm all winter long. The worms will be happy and so will you when you see what they accomplish while you are inside staying toasty warm.

Autumn is also a great time to buy yourself a new pair of gloves, because I'm sure the ones you started out with in the spring have seen better days, and they just might be on sale at this time of year. You know you will always use them.

Once the gardens are all cleaned-up, it will be easy to see where to plant all the tulips and daffodils, crocus and snowbells, grape hyacinths and some irises too! The time to do that is now! Fall Bulbs are available in just about every garden store around. If you want that gorgeous Spring Garden you do have to plant those bulbs in the fall. Spring will be just bursting forth sooner than you think and those bulbs will be so happy to grow in your well mulched beds. It's a little bit of heaven in just a few short months and something to pin your hopes on while the cold winds blow. The Leaves you have mulched added under the bulbs will give those bulbs an extra boost of good compost right under their roots, so they will grow big and strong! You won't be disappointed. Good gardeners and great gardens all give so much credit to the mulch that is brought right down into the soil. Best of all, it's free fertilizer and no chemicals! All natural, Mother Nature will thank you and so will all your family when they are enjoying the fruits of your labor. Such a pretty sight, a well tended garden can bring a smile to you and everyone else too!

I hope you take the time to enjoy the changing of the seasons and preparing your gardens for the Spring of 2018! In planting for the spring, you give everyone a reason to hope for the future and the brightness of your fabulous garden to come.

All pictures are courtesy of Pixabay.

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