My Mother's Garden Archives

The warmth of winter and all its wonders

January 10, 2020 Joann Claypoole Blog, Culture, Devotions, Faith, Family, Featured, Fire Starters, Greatfulness, hope, Hope for tomorrow, Inspiration, inspire a fire, Joann Claypoole, Love, parenting, Relationships, Rest, Thankfulness

Stories by the fireside… We didn’t have a fireplace in our New York City apartment, although my dad continued his fireside storytelling tradition throughout the winter months—minus the crackling fire of course. I remember many

The Most Glorious Christmas Day

December 13, 2019 Joann Claypoole Blog, Christmas, Culture, Devotions, Faith, Family, Featured, Fire Starters, God's Glory, Greatfulness, Holiday, hope, Inspiration, inspire a fire, Joann Claypoole, Prayer, Relationships, Worship

December 2019 ~ Central Florida. Most northerners know winter takes on a whole new meaning in Florida. There’s no snow. No sleet. No winter coats and hats—and sometimes no temps below hot. That means we

Where He Leads Me

October 11, 2019 Joann Claypoole Blog, Culture, Devotions, Faith, Featured, Fire Starters, God's Glory, Greatfulness, hope, Hope for tomorrow, Inspiration, inspire a fire, Joann Claypoole, Leadership, Love, Prayer, Relationships, Thankfulness

Consider the called… With blind trust, goosebumps, and heart-stopping moments, a motley crew faced obstacles and their worst fears along the way to lifelong friendships and brotherhood. Jesus had called them onward to feed multitudes

My Mother’s Garden

May 10, 2019 Joann Claypoole Blog, Culture, Devotions, Faith, Family, Featured, Fire Starters, Greatfulness, Holiday, hope, Hope for tomorrow, Inspiration, inspire a fire, Joann Claypoole, Love, Mom, parenting, Poetry, Prayer, Relationships, Relationships, Thankfulness

A redhead with two green thumbs? Born and raised in New York City, a feisty redhead sprung into action the day after tulips and daffodils poked their heads up after a long winter’s slumber. Small

The Mystery of Nature’s Peaceful Song

April 12, 2019 Joann Claypoole Blog, Culture, Devotions, Faith, Featured, Fire Starters, Greatfulness, Hope for tomorrow, Inspiration, inspire a fire, Joann Claypoole, Quote, Rest, Worship

Nature’s call A screech owl’s trills, calls, and hoots might calm the weary traveler, like the lone Whitetail who forages in the forest near my cabin. I press my face against the glass slider to

Ghosts of White Winters Past

January 11, 2019 Joann Claypoole Blog, Culture, Devotions, Family, Featured, Fire Starters, Inspiration, inspire a fire, Prayer, Thankfulness

Winter, 1969. New York City A blizzard’s eerie silence overshadowed the distant honking and revving engines from the usual Saturday night car races. I remember my dad‘s contagious laugh echoing through our apartment hallway after