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Sue writes:
Christine,
This isn't a Garden Shrine but it is the most blessed place in my home. All my family, even my five and ten year old grandchildren, (and of course my guests), are welcome to use my little Shrine in my bedroom.
I was fortunate to locate an old kneeling bench that was being disposed of, and I just love. On the top of the kneeling bench I keep my dearly departed Mother-in-Laws rosary, so it is always at hand for me to use.
As one kneels to pray they can light the red votive candle. I light the five candles for my beloved family that God has taken home. The shelves behind the kneeling bench are filled with Catholic relics and some newer Catholic items. Many of which I have bought from you.
For the young to the older Catholic, I have quite an extensive variety of Catholic reading material. The hanging Crucifix on the left wall is one that I hand painted for my parents about forty years ago.
I hope you can see why this is so very special to me. Not that it is really needed to talk with God, you can do that anywhere anytime (which I do), but it is my little corner trying to save some of the fine older Catholic items that you don't see very much in today's world. Of course, I have many all through-out my home and it would be difficult to send all of them.
May God bless, Sue
Thank you, Sue. It is a beautiful Catholic corner that I'm sure the many generations of your family will treasure forever!
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Maryann has a talent for combiming textures and colors in these two beautiful Mary dish gardens below.
The succulents and blooming cacti are a perfect combination for a garden in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe and echo the natural surroundings of Tepeyec.We couldn't help but notice that the two tiniest blossoms have turned their faces toward Our Lady!
In Maryann's outdoor dish garden, a tender portrayal of Our Lady and her Little Son in white are offset by colorful annuals. We can almost pick up the sweet scent of the alyssum that forms a soft snowy carpet at their feet. This particular Mary Garden provides a wonderful meditation piece -- Our Lady seems to look at her Son with complete delight in His Childhood -- although we can be quite certain that she was aware of His Divinity. He, in turn, seems to gave with childish wonder at the brightly colored blossoms beyond His Mother's smiling face -- the Creator taking delight in His Creation. Thank you, Maryann!
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Gerard writes:
"This time of the year is very important for the souls of the dead who left there bodies in the earth to await the new spring time to come around when Our Heavenly Father say so.
I was at a celebration last year when the youngest in the family lit a candle to represent the light of The Risen Lord to shine out and guide the souls of our nearest and dearest and the souls who have no one to pray for them. At the same time praying for the souls who have departed and not crossed into Heaven. Especially praying for the souls who can not leave this earth behind. These are the souls who can not move forward one prayer can do a great deal for them.
As Saint Padre Pio said People do not realize there are millions of souls who need one prayer or a mass said for them so they can enter Heaven.
People do not realize the souls of people our friends near and dear to us and the ones we do not know. Many spend over a 100 years in purgatory.
When people realize this they would not celebrate a feast for our friends who have left this life behind them. As a feast for demons and the devil and all the fallen angels who became the angels of darkness.
No door should be closed to the souls on this night. By leaving the door unlocked and a meal left for them. They know they are not alone.
How to Cope with Demons at Your Door
Bless all around the house with holy water.
Give those who call to the house some gift of food and a Holy medal they do not realize they are letting demons into their souls. By dressing up as demons.
Why cant they dress up as Good Angels of God and carry the cross of Jesus Christ for now and for ever.
Maureen writes:
hello, if a family properly instructs children all year round, those children will already be advised re 'Hallowed-Eve' . this will be reinforced the following day: All Saints Day.
So long as the children do not dress in evil postures, which IS wrong, they should have a contemporary childhood.
my God-Son is 2, has Downs Syndrome, and is going out as the 'wise old owl.' he can say "ooh-----hoooo- hoooo." Some features of children's upbringing are left to God, even if the parents secularize the feast of All Souls.
love, maureen
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 Dawn shared with us a link to The Grotto, which is the National Sanctuary of Our Sorrowful Mother near Portland, Oregon.
"If you ever are in Portland, you should visit it- it has spectacular views of Mount St. Helens and the Cascade Range. At Christmas time, they cover it in thousands of lights - its a pretty special place!"
We agree, Dawn! Maybe we'll see you next year.
The website for The Grotto is pretty special, too with a calligraphy collection of The Our Father in over 400 languages! Enjoy exploring while you listen to the inspiring score of Pachelbel's Canon in D - one of our favorites.
Thank you, Dawn!
Robyn, a longtime friend from Australia, invites you to visit her Sustainable Gardening site. She is one of the most knowledgable people we know on the subjects of permaculture and no dig gardens -- a boon to anyone who has suffered a back injury. It's chock full of ideas and resources -- so why wait? Go there now! Everyone knows the best gardening is done in the dead of winter -- from your armchair!
Visit Robyn's blog, too. She has kept us entertained for years with stories of kangaroos in the front yard and wallabies in the bread bin.
 One more "Don't Miss This" -- Robyn has created the most magnificent Monet - inspired garden embroidery art pieces. When on earth she has time, we can't imagine ... but take a peek and get inspired.
She also has links to publications by our mutual friend, Miles Stair, who is a world class beekeeper ... among many other of his talents.
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Our good Cajun friend Belinda
shares this thought with us:
Cell Phone vs. Bible
I wonder what would happen if we treated our Bible
like we treat our cell phones.
What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets.
What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it.
What if we flipped through it several times a day.
What if we used it to receive messages from the text.
What if we treated it like we couldn't live without it.
What if we gave it to kids as gifts.
What if we used it as we traveled.
What if we used it in case of an emergency.
~ Anonymous
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Repairing Outdoor Statuary
Our reader Ken has acquired some old outdoor religious statues that have aged badly with missing paint and porous cement. Like most of us, he find that the new heavy statues are quite costly and plans to slowly restore the ones he has now "using lime mortar (not cement) and work it into the cleaned cracks and voids. Lime putty can be purchased at cement plants and mixed with 4 parts sand. The nice thing about lime mortea is that if a crack appears, the lime can refuse itself together. I am unsure about using Penitrol thinned sign painters' paint followed by the final coat of sign painters paint. I am going to talk to an old timer because I do know that cement or lime mortar can not be sealed until the statue dries for three to four months. I am able to restore many things, but I want to make sure the materials are compatible."
Ken promises to share what he learns with us. If you have tips on outdoor statuary repair, let us know.
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