GREEN THUMB

 

GREEN THUMB?

Have you ever seen a gardener’s green thumb?

I haven’t yet. I tend to have a brown one.

A brown thumb will the dry brown earth comb.

No weeds will escape from a brown thumb – none.

A brown thumb plants seeds and seedlings. Vegetation will come.

While this gardener is planting, you might hear me hum.

I’m planning for harvest and thinking yum yum.

I know that blessings from the Lord will soon come.

A brown thumb divides plants to share with someone.

A brown thumb will grow flowering mums.

How would I clean my well-earned brown thumb?

Scrubbing and washing dishes helps some.

I also tend to wear two green and brown knees.

I don’t intend for this to happen to me

but each year another pair of jeans

ends up sporting green and brown stained knees.

It’s so much easier to weed down on my knees.

I can pull out the tall grass and little weeds wee.

I can listen to the bees

and grubs in the soil see.

When I’m done with the weeding, I’ll be pleased.

I take a moment to stand back and look, see -

my hard work paid off and thankful I will be

for being able to get up off my knees.

A brown thumb and green knees are a sure dividend

of a dedicated gardener like me.

Next time you’re at the nursery, make friends

with those who sport brown thumbs and green knees.

* * * * *

You and I are fearfully and wonderfully made

for on the 6^th day of creation plans were laid

to create male and female,

to be born without any ails.

Yet, sin entered in

with aches and pains.

Sin was the original cause of pain,

though it has been said there’s no gain without pain.

Gardener’s know this to be true

for at the end of the day

when they finally sit down to survey

they creak and snap and have a few aches too.

So God created man in his own image,

in the image of God he created him;

male and female he created them.

Genesis 1:27

"Cursed is the ground because of you;

through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.

It will produce thorns and thistles for you,

and you will eat the plants of the field.

By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food

until you return to the ground,

since from it you were taken;

for dust you are and to dust you will return."

Genesis 3:17b-19

Story from Vol IV Life Is a Garden Party

available via Amazon.

THORNS

 

THORNS

Every thorn in life bears a rose.

Beauty from ashes, I suppose.

Verse for many poets’ prose

or so the saying goes.

You need not be old to know,

just smell a rose with your nose.

The thorns will prick and goad.

We forget the lovely rose.

Every lovely rose bears a thorn,

as a rainbow follows a storm.

So next time you’re forlorn,

heartsick, weary, and worn

remember after the storm

one day comes a bright new morn.

The rose with the thorn adorned

reminds us of life – it’s norm.

A lesson from the thorns

perhaps will now be born.

Look beyond the storm

to a bright new morn

where joy adorns

those who are worn.

Beauty from ashes born

out of each of our thorns.

Don’t forget the rose

in front of your nose.

Look beyond the lows.

Don’t dwell on the woes.

A lovely rose knows

one life’s journey goes

from story to prose.

Lovely it grows.

* * * * *

Bad things will happen to good people

for we all go through trials and troubles.

Everyone everywhere bears

heavy heartaches and deep cares.

Everyone everywhere wears

intense sadness mixed with tears.

Sometimes heartaches are not fair.

Ofttimes sadness lasts for years.

Perhaps it’s all we wear.

Sometimes life just isn’t fair.

Life is filled with strife.

Nothing turns out right.

There’s no relief in sight.

Finances are tight.

Perhaps you had a fight.

There’s no longer delight.

You cannot see the light.

When will life be all right?

Problems are temporary.

God's faithfulness is daily.

Focus on what makes you happy.

Don't dwell on whatever adversity.

Do be aware that adversity

is meant for your maturity.

Go to God with your worries.

Your Comforter and Counselor will allay.

If it weren’t for thorns, there would be no roses.

Beauty from ashes. That said, this poem closes.

…to give unto them beauty for ashes,

the oil of joy for mourning,

the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness…

Isaiah 61:3 (KJV)

This is call to mind and therefore I have hope.

Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed,

for his compassions never fail.

They are new every morning;

great is your faithfulness.

I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion;

therefore I will wait for him."

The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him,

to the one who seeks him;

it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.

Lamentations 3:21-26

I will turn their mourning into gladness;

I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow.

Jeremiah 31:13b

You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;

therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions

by anointing you with the oil of joy.

Hebrews 1:9

"Because he loves me," says the Lord, "I will rescue him;

I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.

He will call upon me, and I will answer him;

I will be with him in trouble,

I will deliver him and honor him.

With long life will I satisfy him

and show him my salvation."

Psalm 91:14-16

Last rose of summer August 2021.

Story from Vol IV Life Is a Garden Party

available via Amazon.

Garden Tour 8/15/21

 

Red cherry tomatoes which planted themselves.

Do they ever take up a lot of space!

From orange cherry tomato seeds given to me as a gift fall.

The tallest and widest of all the tomato plants planted.

First dahlia to bloom.  A gift years ago.

First double lily which was a free selection after purchasing from catalog.

It's August.  More sunflowers greet each day.

Missed the bees breakfasting in this shot,

Morning glories shine their light all morning.

Neighborhood cat thinks she lives here.

She's available for adoption.

Lollipop Patch!

Which is your favorite?

Purchased this hibiscus on clearance three Octobers ago.

Second summer of blooms.

For the earth

which drinketh in the rain

that falleth often upon it

and bringeth forth herbs fit for him

by whom it is tilled

receiveth blessings from God.

Hebrews 6:7

BEE-WARE

 

BEE-WARE

Look at the herb garden divided in fifths.

There’s plenty of lavender blossoms blooming in drifts.

There’s chives, sage, bee balm, oregano, thyme – my spirit lifts.

Herb bouquets do smell delightful and also make great gifts.

Stuff herbs in a tea ball to make homemade broth fragrant.

My herb garden was designed like a wagon wheel, adrift.

In the center of the "wheel," a "hub" container filled with a gift,

surrounded by chives which yearly grow into larger drifts,

then pretend wooden "spokes" divide the "wheel" circle into fifths.

These herbs are yearly divided to control their expanding drifts.

As more herbs were coveted or given to me over time, as gifts,

containers now fill in the barren spaces adding more fragrance.

Five recycled containers in total hold the annuals, as lifts:

parsley, rosemary, lemon verbena, pineapple sage, basil - all fragrant.

Each scented herb, a delight to the nose and palate, lifts my spirit.

Now BEE careful when you bend down to take a sniff

for bumbleBEEs and honeyBEEs might have a fit.

Please watch out for BEEs in yellow jackets stiff.

If you’re not careful someone or something will BEE miffed.

Would it BEE the BEEs or you with a stiff upper lip?

Just BEEware next time you take a whiff.

Now you wouldn’t want to cause a rift

for the BEEs can either BEE a gardener’s gift

or cause the gardener to do the BEEbop quick.

Next time you’re in the herbs, take a sniff

but please BEEware of causing a tiff.

So BEEware of what you might sniff

or a BEE you will wear - sniff-sniff!

* * * * *

BEEware of the gossipers and slanderers

for they will do the same to you, remember.

BEEfore you repeat, remember how you were hurt

when about you someone gossiped, when they dished the dirt.

BEEware of envy

and its twin jealousy

for they will rot the bones

and turn the heart to stone.

BEEware of the love of money

for unhealthy greed for currency

can cause deep sorrow and much grief

for illegal gain is like a thief.

BEEware of greed

for its seed

will overtake

and turn to hate.

To always BEE

the best you can BEE,

BEEware of these

transgressions, please:

A gossip betrays a confidence;

so avoid a man who talks too much.

Proverbs 20:19

A gossip separates close friends.

Proverbs 16:28

Do not go about spreading slander.

Leviticus 19:16

He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous,

who speaks the truth from his heart and has no slander on his tongue,

who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellowman.

Psalm 15:2-3

Remind the people to be subject to rules and authorities,

to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good,

to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate,

and show true humility toward all men.

Titus 3:1-2

Envy rots the bones.

Proverbs 14:30b

If you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts,

do not boast about it or deny the truth.

Such wisdom does not come down from heaven

but is earthly, nonspiritual, of the devil.

For where you have envy and selfish ambition,

there you find disorder and every evil practice.

James 3:14-16

Rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit,

hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.

I Peter 2:1

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.

I Timothy 6:10a

Be on your guard against all kinds of greed;

a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.

Luke 12:15

A greedy man brings trouble to his family.

Proverbs 15:27

Life Is a Garden Party

is available via Amazon.

Story from Vol IV.

POTS OF GOLD plus recipes

 

Vegetable Pizza

4 cups shredded zucchini

1/2 tsp salt

Let stand 10 minutes in calendar, squeeze dry.

Oil 9x13 with olive oil. Heat oven to 400.

2 eggs

garlic

1 1/2 cups shredded cheese of choice

Bake 20 minutes.

Cook 1# ground beef/turkey/sausage

Cook diced onions/peppers/mushrooms

Top with sliced tomatoes or tomato sauce

Sprinkle with garlic/basil/oregano/etc.

1 1/2 cups shredded cheese

Bake 20 additional minutes.

-----

Zucchini Bread

1 cup shredded zucchini

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup oil

1 egg

1 1/4 cups flour

1/2 cup w/w flour

1 t baking soda

1/4 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

3/4 t cinnamon

1 1/2 t vanilla

2/3 cup walnuts

Grease pan. Bake 350 for 55 minutes.

-----

Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes

2 cups grated zucchini

3 eggs

2 cups sugar

2 t vanilla

1 cup flour

1 cup w/w flour

1 t baking soda

1 t salt

1/2 t baking powder

3/4 cup oil

or 3/4 cup applesauce and 2 T oil

2/3 cup cocoa

Bake 325.

Making the zucchini pizza plus summer squash casserole w/chicken this morning.

SUNFLOWERS

Look what's blooming this week!

I haven't purchased sunflowers in years as birds plant here and there -

in both strawberry beds, in the compost pile, in the vegetable garden, and more.

SUNFLOWERS

Sunflowers face east in the morning

then turn toward the west by evening

following the sun

providing much fun

to birds and bees

and even me

as blue jays and cardinals,

yellow finches and sparrows

know when the seeds are ready to eat

giving many birds and me a treat

as birds are seen eating upside down.

Every year seeds fall to the ground

where next year bright sunflowers will grow

then continue to put on a show

growing tall up toward the sky

with a happy face that says ‘hi’.

These birds will return again,

but never in the pouring rain,

to entertain those who daily watch

wearing red, yellow or blue thatch.

Those blue ones don’t always share –

though their cawing can be heard tear

from their perch in the nearby tree

calling attention to me.

Hey guys, I’m the one who willingly shares

so be thankful for sunflowers that bear

black seeds that you love to eat

each year when you return to greet

with your family and new friends

to my garden at Rainbow’s End.

Perhaps blue jays cawing

is their way of thanking

God, their Creator,

for free sunflowers?

* * * * *

When you hear blue jays, do you think they are thankful

or do you think they are greedy and ungrateful?

Hebrews 13:15-16 offers tips for daily living:

let your life be continually filled with thanksgiving.

Always be in a thankful mode

which makes a testimony bold?

Do your words come from a thankful heart?

If not, it’s never too late to start.

A sacrifice of praise is giving God glory.

Let this sacrifice be known as your life’s story.

Always make choices that are right and good

in word, in deed, in thought – we always should.

Be careful of the spoken words you choose

because your testimony you could lose.

Let your every deed be kind

to bring others peace of mind.

Control your thoughts

which come from the heart

for out of the abundance of the heart

comes much good and/or every evil thought.

Those who are caring

will end up sharing.

Those who only care for themselves

will not share with someone who needs help.

Be the former

not the latter

for the Lord will bless you abundantly

when you hold your possessions loosely.

This principle of giving

results in God’s blessings.

God’s arithmetic is multiplication.

Let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise –

the fruit of lips that confess his name.

And do not forget to do good and to share with others,

for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

Hebrews 13:15-16

And whatever you do,

whether in word or deed,

do I all in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Colossians 3:17

Out of the heart come evil thoughts.

Matthew 15:19

Just as you excel in everything -

in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness,

and in your love for us -

see that you also excel in the grace of giving.

II Corinthians 8:7

God loves a cheerful giver.

II Corinthians 9:7

God is able to make all grace abound to you,

so that in all things at all times,

having all that you need,

you will bound in every good work.

II Corinthians 9:8

Life Is a Garden Party

is available via Amazon.