Friday, March 26, 2010

Five displays of Spring garden yellow to cheer you.

Facing the morning sun
Narcissus along the split rail fence in the meadow. I gather them twice a week to send to friends that need cheering

Bursting into bud
My husband planted a row of Norway maple along the entry road. Yellow pollen fills the air.

The daffodils in the potager
 Cheering and crowding a spring bare spot under the frost crumbled bird bath

Mounds of mosses
The Dicranum (I think) on the cobblestone raised bed tweaks my interest because I am reading
Gathering Moss : A natural and Cultural History of Mosses, by Robin Wall Kimmer.

Windmill palm ready for Palm Sunday frond cut
It looks stressed in the hot border. I'll give it more water and fertilizer this week.

I hope this week will not be a stressed one for you. May you enjoy the beauty around you and be fed by the living water.
"If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." Jesus  in John 7:37-38

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Three questions when considering time and effort

Rock wall built this week using found field stone, old pump and older stone trough

How many times must I replant the peas? Every day for the last few weeks, as I checked out the garden in the morning I found the peas uprooted, what was left of the pea seed eaten and leaves cut off. So I replant the remains...every day.

 

 
Last year it was the mink, the sightings and the footprint size betrayed it. This year with a closed cage made out of wire fencing curved to fit across the row there are no footprints. The peas are still dug up and cut off. I shout, in frustration, “Peas Please!"*

 

  
While I seemingly waste my time, my husband has planned and hired Dave, Stonebridge Masonry, to build another garden rock wall. He finished it last week, adding beauty and structure to the garden. It will last long after we are gone not like the peas that don’t even last a day’s growth .

 
Consider these questions regarding time and effort in your life as well:

  1. Does what I do have any lasting value?
  2. What can I give up so that my time will be spent for something more lasting?
  3. Are frustrations because I am doing the wrong thing or because I am doing the thing wrong?

  
Give me your thoughts. I will post another blog this week on one of these questions.

 

 
*John 16:33 “These things I have spoken to you that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” NKJ

 

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Happy St Patrick's Day

We're off island this week to a St Patrick's Day party with my former music group, Homespun.
Enjoy the one day that we all become a little Irish. I'm taking a wee break.

A new blog design will be uploaded tonight. Tell me what you think.
Thanks for stopping by.

Sunday, March 7, 2010

Taking control of our borders

Bare for a season with ninebark cut back


The long border is out of control. The bindweed has broken the barriers, taken over, and settled itself in. We were too busy to watch and deal with it. Now it’s hiding around every plant to emerge with strength and force when the conditions are right. We know its plans with its binding tendrils to take away unique identity and force all other plants to bow to its methods.


We have dropped other jobs and consorted to take a concentrated effort to remove all but the garden’s bare bones.

1. We cut back more than half the red and yellow twigged dogwood and physocarpus (ninebark) so we can see bare ground.

2. We cleared the way, putting in pots artichoke, lilies, alliums and other plants to freely watch and wait for the emerging green bindweed shoots.

3. We keep watch, painting or spraying bindweed shoots at their appearance with roundup. Be gone bindweed.


We, as people of this nation, have let our borders go. We’ve lost the original vision of man’s loving dominance over the earth. The plants have taken control over man. Trees can’t be cut, pesticides can’t be used - man’s hands tied behind his back. I have loosened the ties, the reigns to fully charge ahead to take back the borders… in more ways than one.

How about your life?

What in your life do you need to get control over? What are you willing to sacrifice (time, money, energy) to do so?

“Keep a sharp eye out for weeds of bitter discontent. A thistle or two gone to seed (or bindweed ignored) can ruin a whole garden in no time.” The Message Hebrews 12:15

“Jesus, show me what to cut back and clear away in my life in order to change. Show me and set me free from the past that binds, old hurts that take away identify and keep me stuck and ruin my life. I ask forgiveness for holding onto any resentment or unforgiveness. I bring this to your cross for healing and freedom."

“God, make a fresh start in me, shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life.” Psalm 41:10 The Message