Stay Faithful. Leave the Results to God.
Right now, we’re cultivating. We’re preparing the soil for all our seeds and young plants. This involves pulling weeds, turning over the soil, adding in our compost, securing the garden plots from predators, strengthening stakes and trellises, planting, and watering. It’s a lot of work, but my husband loves to do this along with my […]
In About Ten Days
The Northern Cardinals did return after all. The nest is far away from the house, right up next to the fence. By watching the birds, I knew they were paying a lot of attention to one tree in the yard. Instead of choosing the Winterberry Bush, the birds choose the Lilac. I can see why. […]
This Free App Will Change Your Life
I learn from my Bible Study leader about an amazing little app for your phone called the Blue Letter Bible App. (If you don’t have a smartphone, you can just access the website http://www.blueletterbible.org.) This free app allows you to look up the Hebrew and Greek words as you read your Bible. So awesome!!! It […]
Aware of Her Surroundings
This morning, I tell my daughter that her big “growth area” this year is to learn to be aware of her surroundings. For example, we stand in her bedroom, and I ask her, “What do you see here? Take a minute to really look.” She quickly scurries to pick up tissues, old water bottles, scattered school […]
My Scary Baking Attempt: Low-Sugar Lemon Rhubarb Cake
My neighbor tells me the advice she gives to her daughter to “try one thing each day that scares you.” We’re standing over her rhubarb patch where she’s harvesting rhubarb for me to use. “Using rhubarb scares me,” I say. “That will be my scary thing today.” I take the rhubarb home and search for […]
Standing Behind, Over the Shoulder
A wise mentor recently taught me a leadership principle called “over-the-shoulder” leadership. Imagine you’re leading by facing in the same direction and encouraging others in what they alone can do. In over-the-shoulder leadership, nobody’s facing you and looking to you for all the answers. You stand behind others and point them onward and upward toward […]
Succulents
Today I make my first ever terrarium. Some friends gather to create these darling little gardens encased in various glass containers. My friend Bec teaches me all about succulents. I assume she means some fancy dessert, but no. Succulents are a special kind of plant that retains water in order to survive unfavorable seasons of […]
The Cowbird and the Finch: Cruel, Cruel Nature!
My neighbor has a beautiful nest of finch eggs in the hanging plant on her porch. I’m so excited! Just knowing they sit there makes me happy. We take photos today, but we learn something awful; the brown-headed cowbird (a type of blackbird) has snuck an egg into the finch’s nest. This parasitic bird searches […]
Terrible Things. Don’t Be Afraid.
We have a skunk family living under our back deck. The big mama skunk came out from hiding when I was hosing down the back deck after planting some wildflowers two days ago. My daughter and I screamed our heads off and ran into the house. I called the Pennsylvania Wildlife people, and they reacted […]
Tied in Place
When you’re growing climbing roses on your trellis, you tie the vines in place so they don’t go where they’re not supposed to go. You also invite a particular type of growth: My husband ties the main runner vines to encourage them into horizontal growth. With horizontal growth, the main vine sends out many stems […]