‘I come to the Garden alone, while the dew is still on the roses; and the Voice I hear falling on my ear, the Son of God discloses.’
‘He speaks and the sound of His Voice is so sweet the birds hush their singing; and the melody that He gave to me within my heart is ringing.’
‘And He walks with me, and He talks with me, and He tells me I am His own, and the joy we share as we tarry there, none other… has ever…known.’
This wonderful hymn was written by C. Austin Miles, at the request of Dr. Adam Geibil in 1912. It was commissioned to be a tender sympathetic song which would ‘ bring hope to the hopeless, rest for the weary and downy pillows to dying beds’.
Even though it was written over one hundred years ago- this Great Hymn of the Faith- called, ‘In the Garden’ – remains a restful comfort and source of sweet communion in the stillness of a quiet garden. I know I felt His Presence in the garden here at Camellia’s Cottage, as I headed out to do a bit of early fall cleanup one morning. 
The simple beauty of a Garden Bench, the sweet birdsong and the morning stillness was of a great comfort…‘when the dew was still on the roses…’
Have a Blessed Lord’s Day!
Love y’all, Camellia
*All photographs are obviously mine.
‘…when evening had come, He said to them, ‘Let us go to the other side of the sea.’ And leaving the throng, they took Him with them, just as He was, in the boat- and other boats were with Him. And a furious storm of wind ( of hurricane proportions) arose, the waves kept beating into the boat, so that it was already becoming filled. But He was in the stern of the boat asleep on a leather cushion; and they awoke Him and said to Him, ‘Master, do You not care that we are perishing?’ And He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Hush now! Be still!’ and the wind ceased, (that is, sank to rest as if exhausted by its beating) and there was immediately a great calm- a perfect peacefulness…’ Mark 4:35-41 KJV Amplified Version
I read with interest several articles concerning the commemoration of Princess Diana’s passing twenty years ago. Along with that, I never get quite used to it, but here at Camellia’s Cottage, unexpected things happen. A beautiful vase of White Roses was delivered here by a prince of a young man along with a cake iced with White Cream Cheese Frosting made by his beautiful mother. It was a sweet bereavement gift. Why, I felt like royalty!
I’m not sure what kind of cake the People’s Princess preferred (though I bet she would have loved this one!) yet I do know that a White Garden was planted at Kensington Palace to honor Diana and included White Roses, which were purported to be her favorite flower. Can I just say here, that while we live in an humble cottage not a palace, when the heavy fragrance of white gardenias, lemony sweet magnolias and the distinct scent of honeysuckle hangs in the air, I admit I too, love white flowers! White flower gardens are beautifully mysterious. White bridal bouquets, white orchids, white cotton boll wreaths, white spring bulbs and yes, white roses- all conjure up precious memories.
For the People’s Princess, millions of flowers were laid at the gates of this same palace after Diana’s tragic death, it has been reported that the fresh flowers were donated to hospitals and nursing homes, the wilted flowers were collected and saved in a special compost pile. Now, 20 years later, the compost has been used to mulch the beautifully restored sunken garden at Kensington Palace, now planted with…
Camellia's Cottage 