PARTY TIME

 

PARTY TIME

The forecast promised a sunny Saturday

so let's plan a garden party for that day.

Let's decide on a color scheme.

How about sunshine yellow and green?

Who all should we invite?

Butterflies always bring delight.

The birds will provide music for free,

while buzzing bees hum along with glee.

Every sunny day these guests

delight me, I confess,

as they unerringly navigate

on their way to quietly pollinate.

The sun puts on its happy face.

The yellow decorations are in place.

The garden guests can't wait to party.

Here they come. They're not tardy.

What should we serve our guests?

Something cool to sip is best

and something sweet

is always a treat.

Flavored herbal teas taste just right

as they sip to their heart's delight.

This afternoon new decorations arrive -

white bouquets in bunches of four or five.

Those yellow decorations are now white blooms.

They look like miniature bouquets of balloons.

In fact there's way too many to count.

More white than yellow decorations mount.

Those sunshine yellow decorations have gone to seed

filling the landscape with countless balloons that feed

more party guests that arrive this afternoon

filling up on dandelion seed in June.

Who is it that invited themselves?

The yellow finches flock in to help

make this garden party a joyous occasion

with butterflies, birds, and bees at this celebration.

Come on in.

We're glad you came.

There's plenty to eat.

Enjoy the treats.

(In case you didn’t guess, the yellow decorations turning into white balloons were dandelions, providing a treat for the bees then for the birds.)

* * * * *

Looking for the positive

in what appears negative

will not only change our outlook

but will change our countenance – look!

We'll have fewer health problems, for instance,

when we learn to look at our circumstance

with a positive mental attitude

and we’ll be in a much happier mood.

The heavy weight of depression will lift

when we possess a positive spirit.

Peace will invade our soul,

seen in a contented glow.

Each day will be filled with blessings,

instead of mindless stressing.

So stop dwelling on what's wrong

and fill your heart with song.

Your attitude will have a positive affect on others.

In fact, contagious as it's passed on to one another.

Today, be a godly example in word and deed

and start sowing positive, life-giving seeds.

A merry heart

makes a cheerful countenance.

Proverbs 15:13 (KJV)

A happy heart

makes the face cheerful.

Proverbs 15:13 (NIV)

Do good, be rich in good deeds,

be generous and willing to share

I Timothy 6:18

Whatever you do,

whether in word or deed,

do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus,

giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Colossians 3:17

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father,

who loved us and by his grace gave us

eternal encouragement and good hope,

encourage your hearts

and strengthen you in every good deed and word.

II Thessalonians 2:16-17

Life Is a Garden Party

is available via Amazon.

 

Chorus

What’s this I hear?

Pleasant to my ears.

One instrument starts,

though it’s not a harp,

than another joins in -

soon it sounds like singing.

Another member joins

this joyful chorus line.

A new composition

is being written.

It’s an original opus

which seems to greatly please us.

One member of the choir, late

joins this original debate

richly enhancing the song

with his a Capella long.

Confident, he’s not at all shy

as his voice floats through the sky.

Another member who felt sick

now feels better for the music

lifted his woebegone spirit

and he soon feels better for it.

He now joins in with song

while tapping his toes along.

This chorus sings without instruments

for their voices are their instruments.

Finely tuned they sing,

morning and evening,

songs of thanksgiving -

a heartfelt offering.

You’re met these chorus members before.

They were welcomed outside your door

when the first robin of spring

and other joyfully singing

songbirds

are heard.

Take a minute to lend an ear.

Which bird sound did you hear?

Or maybe it was a cricket you heard,

even though they never say a word.

Nature creates a beautiful synchronized harmony

as all God’s creation comes together in unity.

* * * * *

Music can lift our spirit

whenever we hear it.

Not just from constructed musical instruments,

but also from nature and all it represents.

The buzz of bees is sweet to hear

when to flower blossoms they veer.

The singing of birds

is joyous music heard.

The lapping of the ocean’s foam,

the rushing of the river’s drone,

the wind that blows,

the cattle’s low.

The bleating of sheep,

a chick’s peep-peep-peep,

the rooster’s er-er-er-er-errr,

the drip of a passing rain shower.

And quacks and clucks and gobbles and honks

all add to the music that talks...

in fact, shouts for joy to the Lord

for nature is never bored.

It celebrates with music.

Don’t be shy, join in it.

Make any joyful noise.

Your spirit will be buoyed.

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth,

burst into jubilant song with music;

make music to the Lord with the harp,

with the harp and the sound of singing,

with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn –

shout for joy before the Lord, the King.

Let the sea resound, and everything in it,

the world, and all who live in it.

Let the rivers clap their hands,

let the mountains sing together with joy;

let them sing before the Lord.

Psalm 98:4-9

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.

Worship the Lord with gladness;

come before him with joyful songs.

Know that the Lord is God.

It is he who made us, and we are his;

we are his people,

the sheep of his pasture.

Psalm 100:1-3

A neighbor raises hens. They too have organized their own opus. It seems one starts with a verse and the others join in with a refrain, like a chorus. I look forward to their harmony. Being serenaded makes tedious chores enjoyable.

Life Is a Garden Party

is available via Amazon.

SUNSHINES

Saw the first one yesterday, despite it still being April.  Was reminded of this story.

Published in Life Is a Garden Party, Vol IV.

When I wrote it a teacher suggested it be a children's book.  How cute!  Maybe someday.

SUNSHINES

Sunday I saw the very first one.

I thought to myself, “how fun!”

It reminded me of being young.

Monday I did not see a one

as we had an all-day rain storm.

We needed the rain more than sun.

Tuesday I saw a few. I could count one plus one.

They looked like little smiley faces – little suns.

I told someone about them when I talked on the phone.

Wednesday I wasn’t at home.

Didn’t pay any attention.

I had spent the day on the run.

Thursday I thought, “where did they all come from?”

They were seen in the grass, the beds, the garden.

I needed to start removing one by one.

Friday more yellow than green did abound.

How come one was fun, but more was wrong?

It looks like they’ll add up to a ton.

Saturday they were finally mowed to the ground.

Green grass appeared for a few minutes when done

before they popped up again, these little yellow suns.

Little yellow sunshines in the grass are dandelions.

Irregardless of what you might think, they can be fun.

Please remember, honey bees nectar on dandelions.

Please reconsider before yearly buying

chemicals to eradicate dandelions,

for dandelions provide nectar for honey bees.

Honey bees are beloved to me and a delight to see.

* * * * *

Perhaps we should view dandelions as our blessings.

We can never have too many of God’s good blessings.

For each dandelion write down a blessing

to put in a jar you’ve labeled “blessings.”

It will be a reminder when life is confusing

and you are prone to give in to stressing from testings.

The reminder jar will keep you from stressing

during the times you’re experiencing testings.

Instead of living in much strife and guessing,

you can review your blessings and be resting

in God’s promises – His many blessings,

as everyday we receive more blessings.

The blessing of the Lord brings wealth,

and he adds no trouble to it.

Proverbs 10:22

You will eat the fruit of your labor;

blessings and prosperity will be yours.

Psalm 128:2

There is much to learn about dandelions:  take time to check out the nutritional value like Vit K and iron, they are bees first food of the season, entertainment for children to make a wish, representation of sun, moon, and stars, and a free exercise plan when weeding out of flower gardens.

Life Is a Garden Party

is available via Amazon.

My intent was to move compost today but sprinkles kept me inside, when I'd rather be outside.  In a couple of days this story will repeat itself.

Enough

Time to dispense last year's compost.

A bevy of good things it does host

from long-decayed leaves and greens

and from what garden cleanup gleans.

It looks like there’ll be enough.

Soon my back shouts “enough!”

Time to dispense last year’s compost.

An abundance of earthworms it hosts.

The biggest earthworms I’ve ever seen

making this gardener feel like a queen.

Of earthworms there are never enough.

A backache makes this chore rough.

Time to dispense last year’s compost.

Of earthworms, the biggest and most.

Robins find a free meal to glean

though earthworms think we’re both mean.

Robins are thankful there’s enough.

I’m ready to sit on my duff.

Time to dispense last year’s compost

ensuring the vegetable garden will boast

pots of gold blossoms and foliage green.

With compost, you’re on the winning team.

With each load the chore seems tough

as my backache shouts “enough!”

Time to dispense last year’s compost.

In the hot sun I sweat and roast.

I wish this chore would make me lean.

It tends to give me a backache mean.

This year will there be enough?

My backache shouts “enough!”

Time to dispense last year’s compost.

Today I finished moving compost.

A perfect day under the sun’s beams

with birds serenading in between.

Yes, half an hour ago my backache shouted “enough,”

but each year I find of compost there’s never enough.

* * * * *

Everyday there is something that’s too much

and the same something that’s never enough.

It has to do with our speech

for who knows where our words will reach?

Everyday there’s too much slander going on –

with gossip, criticism, angry words spoken,

judgmental attitudes,

tangled with foul moods.

There’s never enough encouragement,

words that build up in our statements,

uplifting words, words of hope and cheer.

Words that everyone needs to hear.

Tearing down vs. building up. Which team are you on?

Remember, your words will last a lifetime when spoken.

If you need to apologize, don’t delay,

the Lord will give you healing words to say.

The Bible contrasts blessings vs. cursings

when it speaks about words our mouths are speaking.

Train yourself to bless one another

for words greatly influence others.

Be known as an encourager.

Everyone will be happier.

Mostly yourself as you’ll find happiness

comes from within. You’ll be doubly blessed!

Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing.

My brethren, these things ought not so to be.

James 3:10 (KJV)

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth,

but that which is good to the use of edifying,

that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

Ephesians 4:29 (KJV)

You must rid yourselves of all such things as these:

anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.

Colossians 3:8

Encourage one another and build each other up.

I Thessalonians 5:11

Encourage one another daily.

Hebrews 3:13

There are 3 pallet bins.  The one to be emptied this spring is 2 years old.  

They are too large to manually turn, as recommended.

Compost Activator from Gardens Alive speeds up the process.

Life Is a Garden Party

is available via Amazon.