Back into Running

I have a little garden job helping out a women who had some health issues this past spring.  She is a very kind hearted person and has several rescue dogs, nine plus one she bought.  I call her home the Ten Dog Farm. 

The dog she bought is one crazy dog.  He is some kind of terrier and he has so much energy! 

I actually picked him up today and took him for a run.  I said I wouldn't tire him out.  There was a reassuring moan, "Oh, please tire him out.  He has too much energy."  So Cooper and I took a run together.  He is a natural athlete and he is very protective, he HAD to stay between me and the road.  He kept an eye on every car that went by only veering to the right to see cars approaching from that side. 

I had a great time.  And running with a dog was another little dream come true.

Another Blessing

There was a new honey vendor at the farmer's market.  The vendor told me about the nectar sources for the honey he and his wife sold.  This particular batch, from Northern Michigan, helped to pollinate cherry blossoms and star thistle. 

But, in a box behind his table he had two honeycombs that were produced by bees in Georgia.  The nectar source was pimento blossoms.  The vendor GAVE me one of the combs!  (SO BLESSED!)  I brought it home and put it in my honey comb dish.  I don't think I have ever used the dish before.  I bought the dish at an antique shop in Brooklyn, MI for $8.00.  Notice the bee hive on the base and the bees on the lid.

And yes, the honey is so yummy.  The grandkids tried it and approved of it also.

Firefly

I'm reading The Firefly Letters by Margarita Engle. 

"Cuban fireflies are the most amazing
little creatures I have ever seen.
They flock to me at night,
resting on my fingers
so that, while I am sketching
and writing letters,
I need no other lantern,
just the light
from their movements.
This beautiful passage struck me . . . abundant fireflies curious about people, perhaps
attracted by our infrared radiation, and I'm sure each of us has our own special glow based on what we are thinking and feeling.  

As I like to do every summer's morning . . . I took my cup of coffee outside and sat on the stoop drinking up the sweet and simple joy of cool air and bird song.  The cat greeted me and then I saw a firefly flying low.  It landed on the house.  I thought it must be confused.  Shouldn't he be sleeping?  But, just then it notice me and flew over landing smoothly on my knee.  It crawled a bit and made and sudden take-off, perhaps to find some dark and quiet place to sleep.  I'll bet he had a wild night and hadn't made it to bed yet.

In case you haven't done this before . . .  try to see the fireflies in the country, look over a long stretch of field to marvel at acres and acres of fire light sparks filling the up the atmosphere. 

A Quiet Want is Statisfied

When I was a child my parents had a creche that they had bought in Europe while on one of my father's military tours. 

I loved the creche with is paper mache' figures and wooden stable.  I loved moving the figures around and studying the faces trying to imagine how they felt. 

One year my parents had a flood and all but one figure was destroyed. 

In France the nativity set is the focal point rather than a tree.  I like this idea. 

I have always wanted my own "formal" nativity set (I bought a wooden one for the kids to play with and I added figures I cut with a jigsaw and painted) -an old one like the one I meditated over. 

I have almost bought a new set on several occasions, but I haven't been completely convinced by any I have seen until today.  Returning from the farmers market (happy as bird after rain) I went past a yard sale and on the porch was this sweet Italian set.  The owner asked $8.00.  So I biked home, grabbed the car and some money and bought it. 



 After house cleaning I picked some old packing material out of the moss, brushed off the pieces with a brush and gently took off the thick dirt with a swab and water.

Then I climbed into my closet looking for my angel ornament box in which I have the one salvaged piece from the nativity set of my childhood.  The angel holds a banner that  says "Gloria."

At St. Stephen's we want to have nativity sets as table decorations for the Advent tea we are hosting.    I have a nostalgic one to provide. 

I am so happy about this object.  God provides for my wants, too.

Leave It At the Door

When I come home from the farm I am covered in dirt and sometimes mud.  On this day the mud made crusty cast of my pants.  FYI There is something delightful about getting muddy and working the earth and I feel like God is smiling on me in approval. 

Market Flowers

At the farm I pick crops and flowers.  In the afternoon I help make flower bouquets.  I love thinking that someone will select my bouquet because it is pretty and emits joy.  In my mind I think, "I do not know you but I am wishing you happiness.  I hope that this bouquet helps to ease the uncomfortable rub from any difficulty you may be experiencing, and that if you are feeling joyful may this bundle of color add to your happiness." 

Down Came the Rain and Washed the Spider Out

We have seen some beautifully woven webs in the garden over the years, but the one discovered this morning was particularly lovely.  The anchor threads suspened from a branch to stable sites we could not see.  The web was the size of a vinyl record and was tilted like rings around Saturn.

This spider is a masterful weaver, but its work was no match for the long waited, and too brief, down pour that hydrated the wilting flora. 

Garden Stakes

 This is a close-up of the painting technique.

This is on of my newest and favorite trophies that include a man and woman bowling.  I found it in a junk shop in Toledo.

The poles I use to stake my flowers got a new look this year.  The grandkids spray painted the poles and then Mekayla and I dipped string into paint and dragged it around the poles to create the pattern.  Afterwards I gave them a clear coat to preserve the painting a little longer.

Fairy Garden

A few weeks back my gal pals got together for a dinner party.  The theme was fairy gardens.  I have to say I've been out of the "fairy phase" for ten or more years.  However, I accepted the challenge determined to not buy a thing new and to keep with the idea of "reuse and repurpose.'  I dug around in my materials, went to work with the paint, scrounged up some plants from the garden, added some Lake Michigan sand, a few rocks and shells . . . and there you are.  I really like the grandkids' painted pine cone and my little trophy lady painted white to imitate marble.

Lavender Wands

These are all the lavender wands I wove this year.  I was determined to not buy any new ribbon.  I have one awkward (not pictured) wand that has two different colored ribbons that I will tuck away for myself.  I love the variety of shapes and colors and I love the way they scented up the dinning room - which is where I had them stacked up.

We're Peas in a Pod

So, the grandkids helped me snap the peas . . . shuck the peas???  It was new for us all.  We had a great time seeing how many would be in the pod, if we had discovered the littlest or biggest pea.  There was a dare to eat a "raw" pea.

Fresh from the Farm

 I love that the beets look like hearts.

 I love using grandma's grater.

Beets smell really good when they are cooking.

I have been working at the Goetz farm on Fridays.  I work in the fields mostly.  Before I go they load me up with produce.  I am so grateful because the veggies are so fresh and tasty (the best I've ever had) and it is truly helping me to keep my grocery costs down.

Last week I came home with: beets, peas, chard, broccoli, lettuce, and garlic scape (also two flats of flowers).
I still had green beans left over from the week before so on Monday I made potato, beans, and cavatapi pasta tossed with pesto.  I love how the pasta potatoes and beans cook together.  I use a Knorr pesto mix.  Dinner cost me $2.50.

Today I made borscht.  We will have it cold.  I will serve it two ways to see how we like it best. 1. With grated onion and sour cream.  2. With grated orange peel, fresh orange juice, and sour cream.  We are going to have a salad with the cold soup. 

I also made roasted pea puree for pizza, and broccoli salad as a side for burgers. 

The week before I had baby yellow and zuchinin squash veggie quesadillas.  This is a family favorite.

The King of the Gingerbread Men

I have been wanting this gingerbread man cookie cutter for a long time.  Jacob won him for me on ebay.  He cracks me up because he has x's for eyes. 

"I like it when it's you and me day."

 Arianna came over to spend the day with me.  No one else was home.  "This place is empty," said Arianna.  Then she added, "I like it when it is you and me day."
This was our first big art day.  She came wearing her paint clothes.  We worked on two projects as the paint from one projects dries as we work on the other project.  We didn't finish our little door, but we finished the new hearts for the flower boxes.  A few years back I made some glass mosaic hearts (see Aug 1, 2007) that crumbled after the first year.  These new hearts are made from odd bits of junk and will hopefully hold up better.
She painted with a spray can, roller, and brush.  Went to the basement and carried stuff up, dug around in the garage for materials, and she used a hammer and nails.
I didn't have plan for the hearts so we talked and shared ideas about what would look good.  I asked her later in the day . . .

 "Making art is hard isn't it?"  Without hesitation she agreed.  However, no complaints from Arianna because the activity was rewarding.

In addition to art we made blueberry pancakes, which she loved.  Went for a short walk and saw a dead squirrel (gross and fascinating).  Fetched the cat out of the neighbor's inflatable pool (she was drinking from a puddle of water in the bottom) and then took a long walk to the Frosty Boy for an ice cream.  It was a long day, but I think she wanted to do more (library and park). 

She found a big roly poly bug which she played with for a long time.  She informed, "I like nature."

It looks like she'll be over again soon so I am getting the microscope ready.