Tag: flowers

God’s Goodness

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Saturday I witnessed a health care worker in action. I was both amazed at her quick decisions and her patience in turn. The fact that she is my niece and “watch” caring for my mother makes it only more blessed in my mind. While everyone is feeling the loss of the changing of seasons in my mother’s life, I am going to focus on the blessings. I want to taste God’s goodness during this season. One time nearly 24 years ago, I wrote a poem that I turned to song about these seasons.

The Spring of the year does not seem quite like the right time to begin seeing the autumn of one’s parents. But along with the fall comes the harvest. And Harvest is everyone’s favorite of gathering up all the goodies that God has blessed us with. So while my parents (all four of them in fact) are going into their season of fall in life, I want to focus on the bounty that God’s goodness has given them all these years.

Railings are such good help when we use them and when they are there. Our back porch and front deck went without such things for the first ten years or more while we lived here. The railing on the front deck was put up first. And we adjusted the steps to make them wider and more functional. The back porch “basket” was done a little later. My eyesight was failing in peripheral enough to make the railings necessary. No more running down or up the steps for me. So getting the railing down the basement steps in my mother’s house was a necessary item that we felt should not be delayed. My husband installed it on Saturday

Keeping aging parents in their home as long as possible can be somewhat of a hardship on the children balancing the watch care. Life becomes something of a juggling act as each one takes turns. There is no sense that life is on hold as the days come rushing by and things need to be done faster that one can think to schedule each day into the calendar. No one is particularly just waitng for the “big fall” rather we are all trying not to miss the balls as they fly through the air to us.

Knowing that my eyesight plays a pivotal role in me even catching one of those flying objects, I hope the others will be nice and roll the ball to me and let me know when it’s my turn to catch something. So here I go trying to schedule my greenhouse care and my doggie duties around traveling. And I’m not a very good traveler. I have already begun preferring to stay home.

I found this verse in my reading time the other day. Psalm 138:8 “The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me: Your steadfast love, O Lord endures forever, Do not forsake the work of your hands.” There are verses about us being the “workmanship” of the Almighty. This verse really brought me peace when I was thinking of the days that God has ordained for each of us to live.

My hubby found a little saying that was a gardener’s “ excuse me.” Many times in life for some no apparent reason something in the greenhouse or in the house, plants just dies. The saying was another persons take on the situation. “You are a really good gardener, that plant should have tried a little harder.” But plant’s aren’t like people. And while some plants tell you that something is wrong, most of the time the disease happens way too quickly for me to respond in appropriate care. Having bad eyesight in the gardening field can cost me a whole crop. Preventive maintenance has to be part of my routine. So this winter and early spring I found a dish soap insecticidal spray and cinnamon are doing their job well to keep away some pest issues in the greenhouse.

Of neglected plants… Here below the first picture on the left is a Kalanchoe that my mother in law was “not” nurturing well. The little thing bloomed it’s head off for over three months. Finally after not receiving water on a weekly basis it decided to start dyring up. Then there is all the tulips at our place that came up the first two weeks of March only to get froze off not just once but three or four times. The first plant to show stress of my mother’s lack of “time” concept was her holiday cactus. She did get it moved out of the house last summer to finish it’s slow death outside. Plants in distress can make such a mess in the house.

Leaving the elderly alone for the holidays is also a “slow” death process. I blame the pandemic for the “keeping everyone safe” mentality that left far too many people alone for too long. I think I’m going to adopt my daughter’s mindset that says life is for living not for trying to stay safe all the time. Most of the elderly I know would rather just see their family than NOT see their family.

This week is the Easter Season, or the Holy Week. I have not been able to focus on the Scripture study that I normally do this time of year. So I’m glad that our Pastor chose a familiar text for his sermons around the special holiday. The 23rd Psalm has been one of my focus studies many times. It seems doubly important during this season of our lives.

I use to ask people around me what “season” of Psalm 23 did they find themselves in?… And right now I find myself longing for the Shepherd’s tender leading as I try to find the right paths to take each every day. The words “lead me” occur twice in the passage, so that’s what I’ll focus on asking Him. Lead me softly, Lord, Lead me gently. Just Lead me!

Side note: Kona got his first professional haircut yesterday. He won the cutest dog of the day award. What an enjoyable little bit of goodness in this season of changing goodness!

“Lord help me to taste Your goodness through each and every day. Even if there are some bitter herbs, lead me through the entire path that You have for me Don’t let me miss anything You have for me to taste!”

Comic relief

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The heat is on- in the house that is, so far the greenhouse has not needed it. But I think next weekend is a different story.

Fall changes going in and out of the house. Finding the hats to go with that jacket is a good thing. Being cold is no fun at 45 degrees to take the garbage to the dumpster, now requires a jacket and a hat. The mittens will come later. And this morning my phone decided to revert to blind lady mode. And the speaking person is so annoying. What makes them decide to use such an awful AI voice for all of that data repetition. So frustrating for this technically challenged person. Changing the command applications on my phone overnight essentially means that I can no longer use my phone the way that I normally do. There went all my plans for making jelly et cetera for the morning.

Pear Tabasco Sauce Recipe 2023. 25 oz or so of chopped Tabasco peppers and 3 red jalapenos and 2 red pablano peppers in the food processor. ADD 1 1/2 teaspoons of canning salt, 1 1/2 cups white wine vinegar *one bottle, 1 1/2 cups pear juice concentrate to the sauce pan and bring to a boil. RETURN to the food processor and blend until smooth. Bring to a boil in sauce pan again. Put the entire contents through in a screen sieve to drip out for two hours. I covered with a saran wrap. Add 1 1/2 cups filtered water to the pepper juice concentrate. Finally, I used my empty vinegar bottle for Pear Tabasco Sauce. And YES it is very hot. I tested with a toothpick and it took my breath away. I am letting the cooked peppers drip awhile longer to get the rest of the juice.

What in the world am I making this stuff ror? The son-in-laws for sure, and a drop or two in my mac’n’cheese was pretty good. My brothers might like a little vile of the hot sauce, maybe.

Comic relief Thursday was the cat hanging on to the little dogs leash. Zucchi really likes Kona. They are usually not far from each other when outside. Or maybe it’s me that they both are so attached to. I thought it was pretty funny to see the cat chase the dogs leash. Zucchi is bigger than Kona. That’s also very funny.

Kona’s first visit to the vet was Thursday afternoon. I found out he was only 6.6 pounds. That would be about 6 lbs 9 oz. He won’t be much over eight pounds when full grown. Our first Shih Tzu Furbie was only suppose to be about 12 pounds and he ended up being 22 pounds of love when he grew up. We are learning with our history it is better to wait until closer to a year for the neutering so that size is smaller and more natural to genetics.

More comic relief is me trying to clean out the closets and redo our storage centers. In the moving of all those items, I found Honey’s first service harness. So we put it on for the day and ran through the “guide helps” again. She is so amazing on the harness. Off of it, she is a wild beast. Like jumping right into my hands to knock the phone, the leash, and the frisbee all to the ground. At least she did not break my nose this time, but it was a dropped call nevertheless!

So I though it was super funny to get a picture of the guide girl helping me take the little laptop out for a potty break. Honey finally made “Dog of the Week” at doggy daycare that she goes to on Tuesday. Funny thing how they don’t kow My Dog! She is so well behaved at day care. A model of good behavior.

I also tried to pick pears yesterday. And after an hour, I had 1 1/2 five gallon pails of pears. I as sorting them as I picked. There are still so many more on the tree. This really is not the job for blind person. I have to find them by feel a lot. Or I back away from the branch to bet a better view. Then when I come back in to pick a pear, the branch usually pokes me in the eye! Ugh. But they are so GOOD!

I am also trying to finish up my geranium cuttings for the next spring plant selling. There are still a few more varieties to trim back. And I really have not even touched the pelargoniums that have such jagged leaves. And their flowers are smaller with mostly two toned visuals. I might have outgrown the greenhouse last spring. BUT this fall I have definitely outgrown it. Some of the plants that do not like less than 50 degrees have already been brought to the house. But there are some succulents that still need a new home. Cutting the larger geraniums back is my only option for more space.

And just when I think the greenhouse is full someone calls with another plant donation! There were five more large plants to take in and an Hibiscus Bush / Tree. It was not quite the right season for propegating the hibiscus, but the cuttings had to be done for it to fit in the growbed. Center of the middle bed is its new home.

Meanwhile the closet rearrangement went pretty well. Decided to store the extra canned goods in our closet that has no heat source. It is always about 10 degrees cooler than the rest of the house. The seven years of taxes are moved, the long dresses that I never wear are moved and the shelving in the closet is so much more accessible than stacking all the boxes directly on top of each other. Next project is clean up the house for an overnighter with the grandees.

Harvest Happenin’s

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Harvest, canning, too many pickles, and zucchini gone wild. This week the canner came down from it’s lofty perch on the laundry cupboard. In some ways, I love this season and in other’s I struggle. But more about the happenin’s as we go along.

The sweet corn lasted about five days. We managed to freeze seven bags. The weather turned rainy and was not comfortable for blanching the ears et cetera. I know it’s always a disappointment to the folks when everyone doesn’t take more. But this “work-a-day” world is not the friendliest for drop and do corn days like we did in the past. And the large family hubbub does not do them any good at their half past an hour age. So there went the corn. My allergies were so angry during the tasseling that eating it seemed against the rules.

The zucchini is going hog wild this year. Of course we planted too many, but I just love the pepper relish. I wish the other things like zuch noodles were more appetizing. But the zucchini chocolate cake was good! Oops. One row is a piece, right?

This is the year of the cucumber apparently. I’ll be doing another batch of refrigerator pickles as soon as hubby brings me another bag of sugar. They are so delicious. And this year I made them zesty with some ground hot pepper and pickling spice. OOOH!

We have been enjoying the zinnia colors this year. Took them into the house several times. And shared bouquets at church a few times. My attempt at the Market on Wednesday was a fail. Only three of the ten sold. The other seven went to the local nursing home for enjoyment. Oh, well. Will change it up next week and see how they sell. (Note also that picnic tables at that shelter are larger that I expected. The twin xl sheet did not fit, now I have to buy another cloth!)

We are still watering Cocoa’s tree as the skidster is in repair mode. The gas tank was not pumping the gas into the engine and it kept stalling while in use. Very annoying. So the Maintenance Man in the marriage took it all to pieces and is trying to find a pump for the tank now. And since his day job keeps him busy during the week, the repairs will wait until next Saturday.

The kittens are growing up and still finding plenty to amuse themselves with. Zucchi found a frog the other evening while I grilled the steaks. It was so funny to watch him jump just inches from the little frog. Pepper snook into the house the other day before morning rounds. She was in the house for nearly an hour by herself. The only damage I found was a little canister of marbles she had fun playing with. Of course they were on a window sill that she tried to be on watching us outside. Charlie is still quite the barkiest dog ever. He has taken to barking at EVERY vehicle that goes by. Uff day. Take a rest, boy!

My book reading took a time-lapse. But I am trying to find another. I listened to one that was such a “worldly” metaphorical mystery, that I thought it was time to get back to my spiritual foundations. I tried an R. C. Sproul and sped it up. I found a John Piper and nearly fell asleep. So no I am trying one of Jodie Berndt’s “praying the scriptures.” It is also much predictable, but so far all good remixers.

Still crocheting the backpack bags though I keep thinking of other things I could do. Making a list to refer to later. Maybe my interest in the same old thing will wain and it will be time for a new pattern in my brain.

The eyesight loss continues to be irritating. Recipes are now mostly google reads. Trying to remember more than two ingredients at a time is a chore. The spices are indecipherable. The lid labels are way too tiny and finding the right one has gotten me neither canned from the kitchen duties. Ground Cinnamon and Ground Cumin might have a similar labels but are not the same at all! I have not broken any jars yet this season. Hitting my elbow on the canner as I aim for the microwave above has left me a permanent bruise mark on the right arm. And I still can’t find those veggie hidden in all that dark foliage.

Nothing like a bunch of addendums to the writing. However, the allergy quotient is full up and am now on the steroids to make it through the fall season. So there’s that. And once again the discussion of how the acreage is getting to be too much for us to take care of. Doesn’t help that hubby works so many hours and then the entire weekend is spent on acreage clean up. (The ragweed and other weeds are in their full potential and causing much air pollution.). Well, enough is enough and on to the next topic.

Summer Heat

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The weeding has kept me out of my library this summer. Maybe I care more about my flowers this year, or maybe my priorities changed. Writing has not been at the top of the list.

I was not even making a to do list for each week as it seemed the list was monotonous. Weed, water, weed, dead-head geraniums, start over. I also was trying to pay more attention to the pet bonding and make sure someone was not being picked on. Unfortunately, Charlie has decided that because Crush runs, Crush should be chased. Poor old Tom cat. Actually, I don’t feel sorry for him. Only enough to tell Charlie to “leave it!”

We lost three pets this year, Autumn, Eva and Cocoa. That is nothing in comparison to my cousin loosing her mother. I think I wrote a blog once about my Aunties. And my Aunt MaryLou and I had so very much in common. We just seemed to “get” each other even though some in the family did not get her. We could talk so easily about just any thing. We both had her mother’s eyesight disease. We both had two daughters. We both had intensely funny husbands. We both loved reading. We both loved ALL kinds of music. We both loved to talk about the little people in our lives. I just can’t imagine how her close family will live without her. But they were blessed to watch her grace and poise during her last years of painful living. Knowing that she is no longer in pain helps some.

My allergies have been somewhat more in the “controlled” state. Another reaction to bread that was “tainted” with barley has kept me away from the slices. So far the wraps that we buy have been okay for me. I had a close call the other night choosing gluten free wrap only to find out that most of the time they use potato in the dough. Real close!

Today is the hottest day of the year, maybe… I think they said the head index has it over 100 degrees. The breeze is generous and feels lovely. Though I am not working in the heat, I still am trying to get outside and soak up the warm. The bitter winter wind will be extra harsh this winter when I look back and think about today. It’s crazy how the flowers, the tomatoes, and the zuchini love the heat. What a lovely surprise to walk into the greenhouse and see one of the Amaryllis in full bloom.

The west Fig tree in the greenhouse is doing well. I have made fig preserve three times already. It is worse than candy. So addicting. We eat it with graham crackers. I have not made bars yet. There just never seems to be any left after I fill a couple of jars. OOPS!

One baby blanket this summer is completed. Probably won’t start another until fall weather. I am still enjoying making the back pack bags. A few dishcloths found their way off the hook. I have yarn for a few other projects, but all is too hot for this time of year.

Meanwhile, the back walkway past the propane was getting to be a tripping hazard, so I picked it all up and laid out some brick edgers to contain the wood cookies. Yes, I know not the best idea to have such a “flammable” path next to the propane tank. But I am using what works for me, what is cheap (except for hubby’s labor) and what I have. Several how to vid’s showed mixing up crete or mortar and pouring in when the chips are are down. Will see how permanent that would be, so probably just doing the chips again.

We have a few other projects of clean up nature and just putt-zing around the acreage. This will be kind of a forever thing. Kind of like how owning a house is always some maintenance project or another. Right now it’s the overgrown cucumber patch that is keeping me overwhelmed. So here I go to cut up some more veggies.

So, About Yesterday…

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Honey came home sporting a kerchief. She is the Chief sporting, recreation, toy, and herding dog on the place now. Her sport is frisbee. Her recreation is napping sandwiched between the coffee table and sofa. Her toy nature is to greet everyone exuberantly when she is pleased with the situation (like saying goodbye to everyone at the grooming salon). And her favorite herding function is getting the cats up fro morning kibbles. Now lets see how long I can keep her clean.

The Royal Regal Pelagorium is showing it’s beauty these days. I was so happy to get a few of the cuttings to take root. They are a tricky little lot. I think doing them in the humidity dome in the house would work better. Maybe next fall. Nevertheless there are enough for sharing!

Well, I know I promised not to USE my family in my blog, but this event was so special to me. On the occasion of my 55th birthday, my daughter happened to be playing in the symphony. So about that yesterday… I insisted that it would be a great time to introduce the grandchildren to the symphony! And it was a Disney film “Aladdin” on top of it all. So we ALL went to the live symphony film production. The cutest was when said cellist asked little Isaac if he was ready for the move. His reply was “NO! I’m going to the symphony.” Then after the concert, all he could do was talk about the MOVIE! Out of the mouths of babes…. It was just darling. Thanks be to cellist’s hubby for paying for all the treats. He insisted and we would have no wrestling matches or fights on my birthday. So, yeah. What fun!

I finished the Salsa ‘n’ Chips gingham afghan that I started in less that ten days. It is very adorable actually. Even though I don’t really care for the color combination. Lots of other folks like it. All done.

So, about yesterday… usually means some sort of confession is about to take place. And perhaps one is in order. But other than telling you I through a whole lot geranium cuttings away during the last month of cleanup and tidy in the greenhouse, there is not much to say. I already said how old I am which is something no woman ever does. I admitted that someone else paid for my celebration. I am not real sorry for using a picture of my family, so there’s that. Ummm… Maybe I should just quit before the real truth gets told!

Oma-BOO!

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In the mind’s eye, a memoir on the road to blind spots. This is an entry in the going blind journal. If hopelessness ails you, join me in learning to laugh at yourself. “Looking in the mirror never had such a good view until I was blind.” —quote from my father after RP took his eyesight. Sometimes the mind’s eye gives a better vision.

Eyesight loss brings with it a new sort of anxiety. Fears of poking the baby in the eye, accidentally hitting a moving toddler, stepping on the preschoolers toes, colliding on the stairwell with a toddler, running into a half open door…. All these things have a sense of the “boogie” man in them. And a week or two ago it seemed every thing should happen all in the same week. Thank goodness everything passed with apologies and not much damage was done to any one person or any one thing. But surprises have never been a favorite thing in my life. It seems around every corner is a little tiny fairy-demon ready to shout “Oma-BOO!”

Electrical fence sensation syndrome is something that I never thought I would be experiencing. Some people with PTSD experience this quite frequently. A couple of years ago, my daughter and I both had to get through the unexpected shocks after our car accident. She and I both had the unexpected tremors for nearly six months. I had it more so than she, simply because my eyesight did not let me see all the upcoming traffic possibilities. But eventually, riding in the car did not produce such anxiety.

Then one day when my husband was home for the weekend, it happened again. I came around hte corner in the kitchen and his sudden presence sent the shock wave through my body. I became aware that my body was playing tricks on me. The ability to move freely about the house in the presence of another person was changing. And one day while at my daughter’s house my anxiety reached a peak that while putting my coffee cup under the Keurig spout, the sudden presence of her hand prepping the coffee receptacle made me jump. And the accompanying electrical shock that ran through my nervous system told me it was just time to sit down for a spell.

Things that go boo in the dark use to be a fun game that children played. Now, not so much. However, it’s the middle of the day half open doorway that provides the most excitement. Thank goodness the closet pantry door at my daughter’s house found my left wrist instead of my face!

The coral Kalanchoe in the library has surprised me with a hefty dose of blooms this winter. I was happy to see the flowers agains the snow outside. Though the snow is melting a little bit each day, the winter is still hanging on to the cold. I am thankful that I live where we are supposed to have winter weather. Those poor people in California with foot upon foot of snow do not know what to do with it all.

When the darkness closes in on me, still I will say “Blessed Be the Name of My Lord.” And it’s odd how the darkness is more of a foggy visual that should have more it the view finder that what I can actually see. The mind wants to fill in the blank places, but after awhile I realize the blanks are simply empty. Though I know there are people off to the right or the left, the void is still there. It makes one feel very ALONE in the crowd. Greeting time at church is one of those moments that makes me feel like a really old birch tree with sagging bark. I feel so rooted and decadent. While everyone else seems to move freely about laughing and sharing morning greetings, I am firmly planted. Another verse phrase that goes through my head is “I shall not be moved… though my eyesight fails me and the visions around me fade away… I shall not be moved.”

I finished my hat and mitten set from the lumpy homespun wool that I have had around for a few years. I kept trying different projects with it and finally decided to do a mosaic set. I am quite happy with the paring of acrylic yarn and wool also with the color pair. And it does fit and feel ever so warm. I really ought to stick to this idea.

Welders burn is not something I have ever had. And though I know nothing about welded the description of it’s effect suits me perfectly. Light sensitivity on some days requires me to wear sunglasses. The blurry vision hampers my hopes for a good day. The feeling that my eyes are dry or there is something in there making them itchy is both annoying and distracting.

I have been trying to make my good girl do more for me. But getting her to sit with me when I am cold is not one of her “loves.” Honey is much of what I wanted in a dog. She does well on the guide harness and will lead me in the dark even with just a collar grab. Honey also knows my asthma cues and will nudge me to the inhaler or rouse me when sleeping to get the oxygen flow back to normal with a puff on the rescue tube. Honey also is easily exercised with frisbee or a good game of “hide and seek.” She is content to eat in her own space and sleep on her own bed. The one thing she will not do is CUDDLE.

Day after day we head to the sofa for my morning coffee and devotional time. She almost always puts her back to me. Rarely she will put her head im my lap. And even the day care says that Honey will not take a good picture so she has never been the day care star!. We say that the phone, or the box is something she thinks that will “steal her soul>”. Now yes, I know an animal does not have a soul. But her spirit, maybe? Even when we go outside, she does not go out to be WITH us. Her first pick up is the frisbee. Out side to her means frisbee. Any thing else is just a disappointment.

In conclusion, I am not changing my call sign. the little three letter word is simply to easy to say for the grandees. I”ll try to keep a more steady actitvity rate and not run into things this week. And I also decided to switch up the shoes and get back to the healthier cross walk. I am simpy tired of winter, tired of snow, tired of cold, and am going to push the spring along a little bit by changing up the shoe choice. I’ll probably get cold. Oh, well.

Beautiful dreamer (Chapter One in Good Grief series)

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Sometimes we make plans, but the Lord directs our steps another way. Like for instance, today I very much intended ot sit on the bench in the greenhouse and enjoy the atmosphere for awhile. One minute after setting out my work zone, the “little messes” began to call my name. Soon I was spending an hour of time tidying up the house. I prefer to clean in the greenhouse than in the regular house. The sound of the pond fountain, the plants, and the fig snacks just keep me coming back. Most of the plants are in thier summer homes and so all of the transplanting material needed to be removed. Also, I had done some clean up last week and the garbage was due to be removed. My daughter gave me a phone call break. And becuase the sun was heating up the geodesic dome, I took my water outside to another bench for the chat.

The first time that my positive pregnancy test ended up in loss was in March of 1999. It was a bit shell shocked to have a positive result tun into such failure by my body. Just forty five days into the gestation. Though we already had two beautiful daughters, I hoped maybe a third would make our nest full. Many arrows make the quiver ready, right?

Looking back on those days, brings a rush of emotions welling up. What am I to do with this still small sadness that creeps unexpected? Back then it was something like how the weed night shade entered our garden during these awful drought years. The dust and wind so hot and dry yet powerful enough to bring grass seed, weed seeds, and the invasive night shade. My knowledge of the plant or my allergic reaction to it was unbeknownst to me during those years of failed pregnancies

How could my body decide to fight itself? It began in my early twenties as I was first diagnosed with ITP. The low platelet disorder took me to the hospital twice in the year nineteen ninety. Auto immune disorders come in so many shapes and sizes. Viral infections usually start the process. And the results are little discoveries of physical weakness and limitations that are sometimes not overcomed by any of man’s innovations or medicines.

Nora was one of the names I had in the “nesting” bank for future use. I think the only person other than my husband that even knew that it was a possible choice was my mother. She told me about all six of her miscarriages and how some had to be cleaned out due to mid-term loss. I was thankful that it was early enough no one knew that it had happened.

While I wished for more little ones, God was not to grant this want of mine. Psalm 23 begins with “the Lord is Shepherd, I shall not want…”. Those words were so hard to except. What were my wants? And what if my hopes and dreams never came to be. What was God trying to tell me in this newfound barrenness?

Learning to live without was a new thought process for me. Meanwhile my spleen was on it’s last leg of use for my body. My platelet count continued to drop into the danger zone. The ITP that I was diagnosed with at age 22 was plaguing my system.

Each day I walk by this cemetery cement ring full of flowers. When my father-in-law offered it to me, I knew exactly where it would go. If find it ironic that we have dreams that morph and change through our life and sometimes one dream is whisked away like clouds in the blue sky. Then another day the clouds take on a new shape and we have new dreams. In the last few of years of living with a spleen and suffering early term miscarriages, I would have thought it cruel to use this cement ring as a flower bed that I pass daily. Now? It is just another reminder that God replaces many lost hopes with His flowers of kindness. His mercies are new every morning. And His grace through the mourning process is ever gentle and new each time we need His comfort.

Seven Spring Memories

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The first of seven memories goes to all those years of Good News Club lessons. Seven years is the time frame that Jacob waited for Rachel. His father in law tricked him and gave him Leah instead. “Leah was eyes were delicate, but Rachel was beautiful of form and appearance. (ESV)”. Jacob could not live without his love, so he worked another seven years for Rachel. Then the battles began. The story is found in the book of Genesis chapter 29. Why on earth would I think of this story from Genesis first with the though of the number seven? Could not I first have though of the seven days of the week, from the Creation account? Could not I though of the seven years of famine? Could I not have thought of any other story of seven? Bother. Must i even now be reminded of my delicate eyes? Let’s move on, shall we…?

The second spring milestone has to do with this blog. Seven years ago I decided to write an online journal. Typing comes fairly easy for me. And much of my written blog is actually begun as spoken. Since this blog began, both of my daughters graduated college and are now married. My pets are still two dogs, a dozen outdoor cats, and an unstable pony. We now have three wonderful grand children by the same set of parents. And my hubby now drives to the city and into traffic for his job. We put up a geodesic dome greenhouse, and I am still currently occupied keeping up with the chores of home and garden.

The third memory is from late spring and the busy-ness of the season. My daughter’s 10-year class reunion occurs this summer. Somehow I missed my first daughters’ tenth year out. Home school means a quiet family reunion of some sort should be planned. The graduation event ten years prior was not quiet. We filled the acreage with vehicles, family, friends, relatives, neighbors, music acquaintances, and the like came to celebrate. Of course for me the event was overshadowed with the loss of my driving license. My eyesight had deteriorated to the point of full peripheral blindness. Declaring legal blindness was not a public announcement likeour daughters choice of universities.

Yoland, Lennea and Furbie at Christmas

The fourth spring memory is both sad and glad. The first day of Spring always reminds me of our beloved family pet Furbie. It was on that date that we let him go the way of the earth. Though that might be hard thoughts and once upon a time I though I would never stop crying. Today we remember him with much fondness. He had such a large personality for such a little 22 pound body!

The fifth memory is a collection of thoughts. The revolving pet door has continued. We had a bad experience along the way that is that “unmentionable” name. And I made an error in personal judgement giving up my self-trained guide dog. Nevertheless the dogs and cats continue to coexist and Coca has outlived them all. Someone suggested that I get a “guide” horse. But really choosing one of the animals that I am most allergic to seems unrealistic. Just to have his hooves trimmed by the farrier requires every allergy medicine that I can take to avoid a disaster health wise. To me there is nothing fairy like about a farrier!

Left Eva and Tabitha “Sharing” Middle Tabitha Snoozing on the ledge Right Triple Pink Petunia starts divided up out of the cool whip tub

The sixth memory is one that we are making right now! Today my work in the greenhouse had some companion time. The two of them did share the bed for a bit. Tabitha was determined to bother Eva’s poor pig ear. I imagine that it should be removed or at least looked at once again. But at 13 years, I loathe to spend more money on her. I filled up the growing spaces with more plants. So the healing feline was well behaved. She has not even attempted to escape the dome. I think she rather prefers being “indoors.”

And finally the seventh memory. Brings me back to this writing thing. The site wants me to focus on the quantity of followers. But for me it is more about the journal itself. Looking back keeps the mind alert. Looking forward fills the heart with hope. Looking at each day gives one perspective and purpose. So seven years came and went pretty fast. My fourth year was the best in readership so far. I have not really focused on an exact memoire yet. And this week, it took me four days of 2-4 hours each day just to clean up and feed the gallon plus size geraniums in the greenhouse. They use to make me sneeze something awful. Especially when we used to stay at my mother’s house and she had then on every window sill and basement window-well in the house! Times have changedk, have they not?

Winter garden

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This little snow lady is my most recent “snowman” in my collection. Usually the the little snowball people go on my piano top. This year I only put out my favorite ones. The Less seemed best in these days of living big in my small hallway house! I have been living in a “small” house for two decades. It makes one choosey about our collections.

After painting the living room and hallway a white color and discovering the ceiling also needed a fresh coat of paint, my love for the “white” in my life is showing up everywhere. I finally unpacked my white milk glass collection and put it back on top of the kitchen cabinets. As mauch as I like the little snowman, I am not the first to go out and build a cold icy wet one when the opportunity arrives. The cold air is just not so fun anymore.

So… This little “garden” loving figure was the perfect gift from my daughter for the holidays. (Even though technically it came after the holidays were over.). I am really going to enjoy the little figure with it’s air plant this year.

Winter gardening for the most part involves house plants, seed planning, and dreaming about spring and summer. Rooting our geraniums in the greenhouse and constantly monitoring the temperature is also on the daily to do!

Meanwhile, we studied up the best option for a physically fit piece of exercise equipment for out small house. Both of us managed about five minutes on the rowing machine the first day! I was up to ten minutes on the second day with a well rested body. We shall see how many videos on YouTube actually keep me fit this year. I’ll probably have my favorite “house plant tour” video memorized soon. Haha.

Monday, Wednesday and Friday are going to be my official work days in the Greenhouse. If I can just keep my focus and my lists and the plans going, there should be plenty to “share” with family and friends of the growing dome. Today, I managed to get three hours in before my asthma got the better of me. Yesterday, I had to apologize to my asthma control specialist. Honey was so sticky and annoying Sunday morning while I was trying to get ready for the day. I actually got angry with her at one point. Then, the true nausea and shortness of breath kicked in and my Honey doodle would not give up the nudging. She was right. She actually nudged my hand three or four times even while I did the inhaler. “Thanks, good girl. You are the best!”

The oregano received a new home. There are three little four inch pots to “share.” And the beds all received a bit of clean up as I prepare for new planting and the seed starting trays. The Baby Sun Rose is looking about ready for it’s haircut. This lovely spiller works great in the planter displays.

And of course what is a trip to the greenhouse in the winter time without a little time to “enjoy the roses?” These pink geraniums are the joy of my work day. The soft pink seed geranium that I picked up on clearance are looking awesome. I think there are ten total. The Blush pink is the mother plant to a dozen new cloned babies. And the Bright Coral plant is a mother also. I can’t remember how many babies I have from that one. I am so grateful to my mother plant donors for the joy of working with these lovely flowers.

And finally, I am trying to finish up a new stitch shawl. The Bavarian Box Stitch is my latest know-how. And it has been rather fun to learn something new. Of course every stitch is done with prayer and someday I will finally get to start that club. “Stitches with prayer” is a dream of mine. One day…