Golden Garlic was blooming this morning so my morning tour included the herb garden, plus.
Everyone have their 2026 vegetable garden planted?
What is your best advice to grow the most fruitful vegetables?
Liam (6) told me last week we need water and soil and sunshine to make plants grow.
Amended soil is paramount.
Instructions
Much of what one knows about gardening
has been passed down through generations
of gardeners before
to those who come after.
These “oldies but goodies” know the best dirt -
not gossip, but the best secrets about earth:
how to enrich the soil,
how to reduce toil.
How to make compost
so your garden will boast.
Recycled leaves make the best organic matter
if manure is not available from your farming neighbors.
Egg shells add calcium to the garden's soil
which also cut grubs and slugs that sometimes toil.
Potassium in banana peels grow roses healthier.
Organic fresh cut grass adds nitrogen, a free fertilizer.
How to read the signs of the moon
in order for your plants to zoom.
What to plant side-by-side
and which should never reside.
When to prune
and how to prune.
How to deter deer
who are not dear.
Their advice
free, without price,
is not via the best chemicals to buy
but the best organic remedies to try.
For instance, Epsom salts grows better tomatoes.
They know the reason to hill up the row of potatoes.
Have you learned the reason?
It’s to prevent sunburn.
Yes, reading labels does teach,
as do catalogs sent to reach
perspective buyers who desire
to plant more, if they never tire.
Magazines and books
are other places to look
for needed advice
to make ones garden look nice.
But the best advice, by far,
is from old timers who were
taught by family instructions (wise tales) passed down,
and through trial and error, ups and downs.
* * * * *
Many of our practices and sayings
are based on Biblical teachings.
For instance, our saying:
“Red sky in the morning,
sailors take warning.
Red sky at night,
sailors delight”
is a Biblical teaching.
The Bible has a lot to say about farmers,
or the smaller version of the same – gardeners.
Basically caring for the land
which provides for all of us humans.
That land is a gift from the Lord
upon which His blessings pour.
After reading the below scripture from Isaiah
take a moment to appreciate – be in awe...
that God still speaks to us today:
through the Bible always,
through His wonderful creation,
through previous generations,
through our spirit
when we listen to it.
When a farmer plows for planting, does he plow continually?
Does he keep on breaking up and harrowing the soil?
When he has leveled the surface,
does he not sow caraway and scatter cumin?
Does he not plant wheat in its place,
barley in its plot, and spelt in its field?
His God instructs him and teaches him the right way.
Caraway is not threshed with a sledge,
nor is a cartwheel rolled over cumin;
caraway is beaten out with a rod,
and cumin with a stick.
Grain must be ground to make bread;
so one does not go on threshing it forever.
Though he drives the wheels of his threshing cart over it,
his horses do not grind it.
All this also comes from the Lord Almighty,
wonderful in counsel and magnificent in wisdom.
Isaiah 28:24-29
When evening comes, you say,
'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,'
and in the morning,
'Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.'
Matthew 16:2
Since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities -
his eternal power and divine nature -
have been clearly seen,
being understood from what has been made,
so that men are without excuse.
Romans 1:20
Teach them to your children,
talking about them when you sit at home
and when you walk along the road,
when you lie down and when you get up.
Deuteronomy 11:19
He who works the land
will have abundant food.
Proverbs 12:11
See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop
and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains.
James 5:7
Life Is a Garden Party
is available via Amazon.
Day is Done
As day fades into twilight
the afterglow of the sun's light
is sprinkled like gold reflecting dust
illuminating all it does touch
when day composes its last refrains
reflected in ripening grain,
mirrored in far away oceans and seas,
lakes and rivers as far as one can see.
This gilded afterglow
casts a radiant glow
on everything below
as it ebbs and flows
casting a golden hue
making creation look new
for a minute in time
then quickly lost in time.
This fading glow of gold
is a sight to behold
as the sky reflects
a masterpiece perfect
in waves of golden rosy pinks
although quickly gone in a blink
as day is done, gone
when twilight comes.
This golden shimmer
highlights and glimmers
always fascinates,
always captivates.
It's illusive, except for a moment,
when your eyes behold this heavenly event -
definitely sacred, always awesome -
with each replay always welcome.
Yet each replay is always different,
never copied, always unique, distinct
from the sunset the day before
as this golden glimmer pours
over the firmament
when the close of the day is met -
a benediction
in the making.
This gold,
not sold,
is often attempted
to be recreated
by artists
and poets
although a far cry from achieving perfect.
Nevertheless, sunsets are always perfect.
* * * * *
Do take time to watch the sunset cast its spell
in the sky above, then over hill and dell.
You'll be awed by the Creator's inspirational masterpiece
and will experience a reverent contentment, a perfect peace,
as day turns into night
with a sigh of delight.
Another gift from the Master's paintbrush
because He loves us so very much.
P.S. I see sunrises and sunsets as God’s glory touching earth.
God called the light “day,”
and the darkness he called “night.”
Genesis 1:5
The Lord blesses his people with peace.
Psalm 29:11
May God himself, the God of peace,
sanctify you through and through.
May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless
at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.
I Thessalonians 5:23-24
May the God of peace...
equip you with everything good
for doing his will,
and may he work in us
what is pleasing to him,
through Jesus Christ,
to whom be glory for ever and ever.
Hebrews 13:20
For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
the Lord bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold
from those whose walk is blameless.
O Lord Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in you.
Psalm 84:11-12
This is the day the Lord has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 118:24
The righteous will shine like the sun
in the kingdom of their Father.
Matthew 13:43
Life Is a Garden Party
is available via Amazon.
Empty Nest
Someone's growing up too fast.
Ready to leave home at last.
Their heads peek out the door.
They can't wait to explore.
Their parents are busy this morn
feeding their big babies worms.
And how they talk up a storm!
Their babies have lots to learn.
Are these parents saying "stay"
or encouraging "go play"?
Will today
be the day?
One leans too far out.
Suddenly he's out.
Or was he pushed
for two more heads push...
out the door
to explore
the great outdoors
where fun allures.
The first one
air born
spreads his wings
in the wind.
He's free! He's free!
There's much to see.
He calls "follow me"
to his siblings with glee.
There they go
down low
then up high as the breeze
blows in the trees leaves.
Spreading their wings
they glide on the wind.
Free!
Free!
Are their parents happy or sad?
Are the fledglings glad?
Their parents did their best.
All too soon there's an empty nest.
* * * * *
Do you feel empty, void, useless?
Do you feel you've lost your purpose?
A job ended unexpectedly.
Maybe illness came suddenly.
Perhaps the loss of your beloved spouse
leading to foreclosure on your house.
Life the way you know it has changed.
Your time is now rearranged.
Sometimes this rearranging
is God's way of arranging -
opening the door for a new opportunity,
turning a dream into a possibility.
Instead of dwelling on the past
get busy and have a blast.
Turn your negatives
into positives.
An adventure awaits.
You won't want to be late.
From the day of your birth
God assigned a purpose on earth
for you
to do
that will assist in God’s plan
designed from creation.
All the ups and down of life
shape your character in spite
of your good attempts
as life contains bumps.
Those bumps may lead you to your optimum occupation.
You may learn empathy is part of your disposition.
So many avenues to discover
as you mature and recover.
Throughout life there will be many opportunities posed.
Some you may have never imagined or supposed.
Consider, life is an adventure
just waiting to be discovered.
Many, O Lord my God,
are the wonders you have done.
The things you planned for us no one can recount to you,
were I to speak and tell of them,
they would be too many to declare.
Psalm 40:5
How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand.
Psalm 139:17-18
How great is the love the Father has lavished on us,
that we should be called children of God!
And that is what we are!
I John 3:1
Life Is a Garden Party
is available via Amazon.
They're Here!
"They're here!"
we cheer.
Each year
we peer
for these dears
far and near.
Their chirps cheer
as spring draws near.
Loud and clear
across frontiers
these pioneers
reappear.
To our ears
their song cheers
year after year
so sincere.
We're always cheered
by these dears.
Who are these dears
that persevere
year after year?
Who sings songs that cheer?
Who is now here?
It's the robins - they're here!
* * * * *
Although robins are not known to sing at night,
the Bible talks about songs in the night.
Praise songs give comfort in distress.
For certain, praise songs will bless.
Heartfelt songs of prayer and praise
to the Creator of all our days.
Have you experienced “songs in the night,”
seeking God through difficult times, needing light?
Consider finding comfort by singing psalms
as psalms means praise; praise might be via a hymn.
Or do your “songs in the night” express your daily confidence in the Lord.
Confidence grows through abiding trust. Trust becomes your eternal reward.
By day (and night) the Lord directs his love,
at night his song is with me -
a prayer (and praise) to the God of my life.
Psalm 42:8
(Italics from an NIV note.)
I remembered my songs in the night...
I will remember the deeds of the Lord;
yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.
I will meditate on all your works
and consider all your mighty deeds.
Psalm 77:6, 11-12
(If distress interrupts your sleep, recall God’s past faithfulness -
remember, meditate, consider.)
I lie down and sleep;
I wake again, because the Lord sustains me.
Psalm 3:5
I will lie down and sleep in peace,
for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.
Psalm 4:8
He grants sleep to those he loves. Psalm 127:2
Where is God my Maker,
who gives songs in the night,
who teaches more to us than to the beasts of the earth
and makes us wiser than the birds of the air?
Job 35:10-11
is available via Amazon.
This accidental photo caught my attention when I posted it on the Life Is a Garden Party facebook page earlier.
I took the photo as Ladies Mantel collects raindrops. Reminded me of the Scripture that God collects our tears in a bottle.
When I posted the photo I noticed the tiny forget-me-nots. How apropo - as we are not forgotten by God.
How great is the love the Father has lavished on us,
that we should be called children of God!
And that is what we are!
I John 3:1
Empty Nest
Someone's growing up too fast.
Ready to leave home at last.
Their heads peek out the door.
They can't wait to explore.
Their parents are busy this morn
feeding their big babies worms.
And how they talk up a storm!
Their babies have lots to learn.
Are these parents saying "stay"
or encouraging "go play"?
Will today
be the day?
One leans too far out.
Suddenly he's out.
Or was he pushed
for two more heads push...
out the door
to explore
the great outdoors
where fun allures.
The first one
air born
spreads his wings
in the wind.
He's free! He's free!
There's much to see.
He calls "follow me"
to his siblings with glee.
There they go
down low
then up high as the breeze
blows in the trees leaves.
Spreading their wings
they glide on the wind.
Free!
Free!
Are their parents happy or sad?
Are the fledglings glad?
Their parents did their best.
All too soon there's an empty nest.
* * * * *
Do you feel empty, void, useless?
Do you feel you've lost your purpose?
A job ended unexpectedly.
Maybe illness came suddenly.
Perhaps the loss of your beloved spouse
leading to foreclosure on your house.
Life the way you know it has changed.
Your time is now rearranged.
Sometimes this rearranging
is God's way of arranging -
opening the door for a new opportunity,
turning a dream into a possibility.
Instead of dwelling on the past
get busy and have a blast.
Turn your negatives
into positives.
An adventure awaits.
You won't want to be late.
From the day of your birth
God assigned a purpose on earth
for you
to do
that will assist in God’s plan
designed from creation.
All the ups and down of life
shape your character in spite
of your good attempts
as life contains bumps.
Those bumps may lead you to your optimum occupation.
You may learn empathy is part of your disposition.
So many avenues to discover
as you mature and recover.
Throughout life there will be many opportunities posed.
Some you may have never imagined or supposed.
Consider, life is an adventure
just waiting to be discovered.
Many, O Lord my God,
are the wonders you have done.
The things you planned for us no one can recount to you,
were I to speak and tell of them,
they would be too many to declare.
Psalm 40:5
How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand.
Psalm 139:17-18
How great is the love the Father has lavished on us,
that we should be called children of God!
And that is what we are!
I John 3:1
Life Is a Garden Party
is available via Amazon.
