GOLD BLANKET

 

GOLD BLANKET

Yesterday's surprise snow storm

covered the ground like a white blanket.

This morning under the maple tree's crown

spread out all around is a gold blanket

for the snow-weighted leaves piece-by-piece drifted down

as if quilting a gold blanket on the ground.

One-by-one the gold leaves float

like stitch-by-stitch quilters poke

a quilt to one day comfort someone

taking many days as stitching is done,

piecing together the seams,

ensuring corners are reamed.

An autumn breeze might rearrange,

like a quilter who rips out seams,

but in the end the quilt will please

as the leaves are teased by the breeze.

This breeze also makes the quilt of leaves fluffier,

almost as soft as a downy comforter.

Soon the maple tree will be bare.

The grass covered with angled squares.

The tree's limbs stretching upward toward the dark sky

where the full moon will play peek-a-boo by and by.

Quilts also are known to play peek-a-boo

as they shelter one from the winter blues.

On a perfect autumn day

this gold blanket will be stowed away

when leaf rakes are busily employed

raking a pile to be enjoyed

for someone to jump in

this pile of bedding.

Then it's time for the quilter's quilt to be employed,

perhaps with a bowl of popcorn to enjoy.

Piece-by-piece one feeds themselves

as piece-by-piece the quilt was stitched

with a bit of love in every stitch

as the quilter quilted this gift.

* * * * *

Rather an afghan, a quilt, or a comforter,

we know these coverings provide comfort.

We also know that kind words provide needed comfort.

It costs nothing to be an encourager, to relieve someone's hurt.

Everyone is facing battles unimaginable.

You can encourage them even if you don't know their troubles.

Make it your habit to find something positive in everyone you meet.

Compliment them on their attire or simply smile when you greet.

Perhaps send a note in the mail "just because"

to someone needing encouragement - it does.

A basket of fresh garden vegetables shared

will show someone you know that you care.

Be there as a comforter

or an encourager

through life's many ups and downs.

Turn someone's frown upside down.

Above all, go to God for comfort

when life has caused you troubles and hurt.

If there is a purpose in our troubles,

II Corinthians 1:3-5 (below) contains the solution, for God is able.

You have given me comfort and have spoken kindly...

Ruth 2:13

...a kind word cheers him up. Proverbs 12:25b

...how good is a timely word! Proverbs 15:23b

Their father...mourned for them many days,

and his relatives came to comfort him.

I Chronicles 7:22

...heard about all the troubles that had come upon him,

they set out from their homes and met together by agreement

to go and sympathize with him and comfort him.

Job 2:11b

As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you.

Isaiah 66:13a

Praise be to the God and Father

of our Lord Jesus Christ,

the Father of compassion

and the God of all comfort,

who comforts us in all our troubles,

so that we can comfort those in any trouble

with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

II Corinthians 1:3-5

...live in harmony with one another;

be sympathetic, love as brothers,

be compassionate and humble...

be a blessing, because to this you were called.

I Peter 3:8-9

Life Is a Garden Party

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FOUND

 

FOUND

What is found this first day in November?

A black and brown woolly bear caterpillar

awoke from its slumber

forecasting winter.

A flock of Canadian geese heard,

then seen overhead, heading southward.

What is found this first day in November?

A day when the temperatures feel quite brrrr.

Squirrels hickory and walnuts gathering

to last the long winter and into spring.

Orange pumpkins shining brightly.

Crows often heard cawing loudly.

What is found this first day in November?

Leaves falling down, down, down from rainy weather.

Other afternoons spent raking

then lugging and dispersing.

Compost in the making.

Nature's recycling.

What is found this first day of November?

It’s the eleventh month on the calendar.

When garden cleanup makes one weary,

a dandelion looking cheery

for dandelions say "hello there"

from early spring through November.

* * * * *

Lost but found.

We were found

by the Lord,

it’s now known,

though once weighed down

and then bound

by mounds

and pounds

for where sin is found

bondage abounds.

But praise be to the Lord

we are no longer bound

for we have now been found

by Jesus Christ the Lord

who laid the ground-

work on the mound

at the cruel cross in that town

called Calvary, then laid down

His life, where new life is now found

for you and me – we’re heaven bound.

The Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.

Luke 19:10

If you seek him, he will be found by you.

I Chronicles 28:9b

They sought God eagerly,

and he was found by them.

II Chronicles 15:15b

Life Is a Garden Party

is available via Amazon.

 

1. Oktoberfest

Rainy weather or fair

fall is in the air.

Daily, leaves falling

as if trees undressing.

Never in a hurry, though,

for the process is rather slow

as one by one leaves float

sometimes laden with rain, soaked.

Quiet, except for the song

of plopping leaves on the lawn.

Something calming about this sound

as leaves pile up in a mound.

Other trees showcase their autumnal bounty

with red, yellow, or green apples pretty -

Cortland, Empire, Macintosh, Northern Spy,

Yellow Delicious, Granny Smith...my oh my!

When autumn rains cease,

Jack Frost shows his face

causing the leaves to fall faster

even as dusk arrives earlier.

Before Jack Frost comes to visit, though,

the garden is cleared of what still grows.

A cornucopia awaits

to one night fill your dinner plate.

Potatoes, winter squash, cabbage, carrots, and beets,

colorful nutrition grew under the summer heat

soaking in the goodness of summer.

Flavors to be savored this winter.

A bountiful harvest

of the garden’s finest

produce

for our use.

Oktoberfest, filled with activity,

though not from busy pollinating bees

for cooler temperatures

mean bees no longer tour.

Dates await one day soon

on sunny afternoons

when with rake in hand

dried leaves are banned.

The quiet activity of drifting leaves

is replaced with raking up these decaying leaves.

The end of another season

has come too soon again, we reason.

It’s Indian Summer

according to old timers

when temperatures daily rise

thanks to the bright sun in the sky.

All too soon trees are bare

showing off their underwear.

Skeleton limbs against the sky

outlined when the moon shines by and by.

Other skeletons seen late October

just before the advent of November.

Maybe a goblin or two

or a witch stirring ghoulish brew.

That means it’s already Halloween.

October 31st. Someone screams

“trick or treat,” “trick or treat.”

Oktoberfest, it’s a treat!

* * * * *

Despite physical or emotional anguish

everyday is meant as a celebration, a fest,

as God’s gift of creation

is bestowed on us humans.

Creation which gave us sunlight

to provide warmth and to give us light;

nighttime for needed respite

when stars twinkle as the moon rotates.

The refreshing rain that waters the earth

and brings forth the miracle of new birth

from seeds and plants which miraculously grow

for God intended that we reap what we sow.

The harvest of what we sow

carefully tended to grow.

A good return on our investment,

with a thank you prayer heaven sent.

Yes, we find, creation

is a celebration

of God’s many blessings

warranting thanksgiving.

You’ll find when you are thankful,

instead of being fearful,

that those doubts and worries will disappear

as a grateful heart will appear.

Note: Worry is fear. Doubting that God is able.

In the beginning

God created

the heavens and the earth.

Genesis 1:1

...he who created the heavens and stretched them out,

who spread out the earth and all that comes out of it,

who gives breath to its people,

and life to those who walk on it...

Isaiah 42:5

Everyone who is called by my name,

whom I created for my glory,

whom I formed and made.

Isaiah 43:7

A man reaps what he sows...

Let us not become weary in doing good,

for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Galatians 6:7b,9

Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly,

and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.

II Corinthians 9:6

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;

his love endures forever.

Psalm 107:1

Give thanks in all circumstances,

for this is God’s will for you

in Christ Jesus.

I Thessalonians 5:18

Life Is a Garden Party

is available via Amazon.

AFTER

 

AFTER

After Jack Frost came

leaves fall down like rain.

The grass is now stained

with multicolored leaves lain.

When you look out the windowpane,

you'll hear raking calling your name.

After Jack Frost came

expect to feel some pain

for raking causes strain

and a blister you'll gain.

You might lean on the rake as a cane.

You'll take a break if you have half a brain.

After Jack Frost came

you'll need to deadhead canes

for flowers will look wane

and foliage looks drained

for Jack Frost is not vain.

He causes autumn bane.

After Jack Frost came

there might be some rain

on the worn weather vane

then running down the drain

where drains into the rain

barrel filling up with rain.

After Jack Frost came

shorter days now reign.

Trees, now leafless and plain

outlined against the gray sky stained.

Snow flurries mixed with rain

come after Jack Frost came.

After Jack Frost came

snow falls down like rain

outside the windowpane.

I'm under an afghan, lain.

Seed catalogs call my name.

Dreaming of spring I feign.

* * * * *

What comes after life?

There's everlasting life

for those who believe in Christ.

It's too late after you die

to believe then decide

for death is a final goodbye.

Bye to your loved ones

when your life is done,

then deciding is gone.

Bye to eternal life

free from damning strife

which pierces like a knife.

Please, make the right decision today

before death comes to call you away.

“I believe in Christ” is all you need say.

If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Christ,”

and believe in your heart*

that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Romans 10:9

Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord

will be saved.

Romans 10:13

* NIV note: The heart is not merely emotions and affections, but also the intellect and will. (Copied)

Believing is a personal choice to believe and confess. There’s a simple ABC formula: Acknowledge, Believe, Confess. An act of the intellect, will, emotions and affections.

Life Is a Garden Party

is available via Amazon.

Life a Garden Party recent review

 Recent review of Life Is a Garden Party:

"Judy, Life Is a Garden Party: Gardening Observations with Spiritual Applications in Rhyme caught my attention with its delightful blend of nature, poetry, and spiritual reflection. I appreciate how you use the familiar beauty of a garden to invite readers to slow down and notice the wonders that often go overlooked in everyday life. The songs of birds, the work of pollinators, the fragrance of herbs, and the colors of blooming flowers all provide lovely reminders of the beauty and abundance surrounding us.

What I find especially appealing is your creative approach of pairing gardening observations with biblical lessons expressed in rhyme. This combination sounds both enjoyable and meaningful, offering readers an accessible way to connect the natural world with Scripture. I like the idea that a garden tour can become more than a pleasant experience; it can also encourage reflection on gratitude, health, patience, and the many blessings found in ordinary moments. Your whimsical and personal style promises to make these lessons inviting for readers of different ages.

Your reminder to stop, listen, and appreciate the music of the garden is particularly meaningful. Life can become so busy that we forget to pause and enjoy the simple gifts around us. I appreciate how your writing encourages readers to recognize God’s hand in creation and to consider how the lessons of nature can speak to their own spiritual journeys. The use of rhyme adds a memorable quality to these reflections, while the inclusion of Scripture gives readers something to contemplate beyond the beauty of the garden itself.

Overall, Judy, Life Is a Garden Party sounds like a warm and uplifting collection that celebrates both the wonders of nature and the richness of faith. I appreciate your effort to create a book that can be enjoyed as a family read while also serving as a source of inspiration and reflection over time. Your work invites readers to approach each day with greater awareness, cultivate gratitude, and find spiritual encouragement in the world around them. It is a lovely reminder that even a simple garden can offer opportunities to appreciate creation and give thanks for life’s many blessings."

The collection of Life Is a Garden Party is available at Palmetto Publishing in SC and Amazon.

 

Confused

I’m confused!

Will you be confused?

It’s not April.

It’s still fall.

In fact, the month of October

according to the calendar.

Yet here and there are

spring-time flowers.

Bright yellow among decaying brown leaves.

Not certain if these flowers confuse or please.

Seen here at my place,

they seem out-of-place.

Which flowers bloom in October?

I think you’ll be bewildered.

Their saw-tooth leaves are a giveaway.

Their bloom is bright yellow always.

Their blooms provide nectar for honeybees to sip

with their feeding tube tongue (proboscis)**, not their lips.

To see the first one in spring is a treat.

To see one in October: trick-or-treat!

Should you pick a bouquet

their beauty will fade away.

Did you guess dandelions?

I’m telling you, I’m not lying,

though it’s October my yard is in bloom

from these weed seeds that came in the month of June.

Are these dandelions confused?

Or perhaps they seek to amuse?

Some say dandelions are good news.*

They leave me rather bemused.

*I’ve heard it said to leave dandelions be as they are bees first food (as in refrain from pesticiding your yard). I recommend planting crocus’ as they are honeybees first food here at Rainbow’s End. Purchase and plant crocus bulbs in the fall.

** Butterflies also sip from their proboscis (feeding tube).

* * * * *

What confuses you?

What amuses you?

When life seems upside down

instead of wearing a frown,

think of something pleasing

then a smile you’ll be choosing.

When we choose to smile it lifts our countenance;

our spirits are happy despite our circumstance.

We feel better inside and out

when we wear a smile about.

So put on your happy face;

troubles will be erased.

You’ll even find a smile is contagious

as others will return a smile to us.

Pay attention to your countenance.

It does display your heart’s contents.

It also sets the mood

for others attitudes.

Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick?

This is nothing else but sorrow of heart.

Nehemiah 2:2 (KJV)

A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance:

but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.

Proverbs 15:13 (KJV)

Thou hast made known to me the ways of life;

thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.

Acts 2:28 (KJV)

The Lord bless thee and keep thee;

the Lord make His face shine upon thee,

and be gracious unto thee:

The Lord lift up His countenance upon thee,

and give thee peace.

Numbers 6:24-26 (KJV)

Dandelions contain many health benefits, especially Vitamin A, C, and K.

Their greens (before blossoms develop) can be eaten raw or cooked.

These blooms might be deep fried as fritters. You could collect these yellow blooms to make dandelion blossom jelly or even wine.

It will be worth your time to google the health benefits of dandelions – there are many – all mighty, like a lion, as its foliage is said to resemble lion’s teeth in which its name came from. The French phrase “dent de lion” means tooth of the lion.

Regarding the health benefits of dandelions: Popeye's famous spinach has competition. Also, dandelion’s deep roots aerate the soil as well as adding calcium.

Folk lure claims the yellow blossom is the sun, the white seed head is the moon, with the dispersed seeds as the stars. Factoids or trivia to share with your children/grandchildren. Take a tour of your yard come spring to discover these free delights.

Honeybees forage dandelion blossoms as one of their first foods each spring; Beware: pesticided yards will murder bees, as well as insects, in turn killing birds.

Autumn blooming dandelion.

Life Is a Garden Party

is available via Amazon.