red bud

One of the first things we planted at our old house was a red bud tree. That was when we first caught the gardening bug. Actually, Mike caught it first and I got to enjoy all his hard work. I'll have to drive by and see if it's still there. Strange how a tree can bring back happy memories of our first house and our young children playing on a spring day. It went by too fast.

Grace and Peace,
Jane

foamflower

We think this top picture is a foamflower.

The bottom picture is not a real flower, but a garden ornament that I purchased a few years ago. I loved it and was very excited about putting it in our garden. Later that day, one of my kids saw it and actually thought some sort of fungus was growing. So now we affectionately call it our fungus. I still like it!

Grace and Peace,

Jane

Perennial pots

We finally got all our perennial pots out of the garage. Here are a few of them. What's great is we just pull them out and they start all over again. Hostas seem to do the best, but we have hydrangeas, daisies and various mystery plants.

Susan played the hymn Come Ye Disconsolate for the prelude this morning. I just love the words and the tune.

Come, ye disconsolate, where'er ye languish,

come to the mercy seat, fervently kneel;

here bring your wounded hearts, here tell your anguish;

earth has not sorrows that heav'n cannot heal.

Wonderful thoughts to meditate on at the beginning of worship.

Grace and Peace,

Jane

magnolia2

Our name has been on a waiting list for a community garden. Yesterday we found out we get a half plot this summer. This will be a new venture for us. Growing vegetables! I feel like we just got a cottage!

Grace and peace,
Jane

hosta

I had a doctor appointment yesterday. She told me I should cut down and eventually give up diet coke. (There's no way that's happening). My Dr. is very sweet and with her strong polish accent she said, "as we get older we have few and fewer pleasures." It has made me smile all day.


Her comment made me think about a verse we talked about in our small group Sunday night.

"So I commend the enjoyment of life, because nothing is better for a man under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad. Then joy will accompany him in his work all the days of the life God has given him under the sun." Eccl 8:15

I think we are blessed if we can enjoy the little things in life. We may never understand why certain "big" things happen, but we can trust the God who does know. So, enjoy the little pleasures God blesses us with, even if you have to do it without diet coke.

Grace and Peace,
Jane

magnolia

Last spring we had freezing rain and our magnolia tree never bloomed. The buds are so pretty now. It won't be long before they finally bloom again.

Thanks to my energetic "boomerang" bookclub, I'm reading Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray. After reading 170 pages I had to go back and make a family tree of the characters so that I could keep them all straight. The book is making more sense now. Only 555 pages to go. I figure this is keeping my mind young. I hope.

Grace and peace,

Jane

blue squill

I've been trying to get a picture of these blue squill in our backyard for a couple days. They are so pretty but so small that I have a hard time getting on the ground and focusing. This morning I went for a walk and am amazed that there is already green on some trees. I have to admit that my favorite artist on my ipod to walk to is Mary J. Blige. She just puts me in a strong good mood.

I hope you have a good strong Saturday. There are a lot of things for me to do around the house today and I also will be enjoying my soccer mom role as Josh begins his outdoor season.

Grace and Peace,
Jane

cactus

The soundtrack from the movie Juno has a cute song on it - Tree Hugger. I think these lyrics are fun:

In the sea there is a fish

a fish that has a secret wish

a wish to be a big cactus with a pink flower on it

and the flower would be it's offering of love to the desert

and the deserts so dry and lonely

that the creatures all appreciate the effort.

It just makes me smile.

Grace and Peace,

Jane

palm tree

This was the coolest palm tree trunk I saw in Florida.

"The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God." Psalm 92:12-13

This is the kind of palm tree I want to be.
I hope you have a good week.
Love, Jane

florida

Florida was warm and mostly sunny. I spent a lot of time reading and sitting in the sun. One of the best books I read was The Glass Castle by Jeannette Wells. I couldn't put it down.

A couple months ago I picked up the book The Divine Hours by Phillis Tickle. This is the prayer I read and prayed every morning:

Lord God, almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to the beginning of this day: Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all I do, direct me to the fulfilling of your purposes; through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen

It's good to be home and see signs of spring in our garden. It will be here before we know it.

Grace and Peace,

Jane

spring break

Happy Birthday Jamie!

I'm heading south for spring break, so I'll see you in a week.

Grace and Peace,

Jane

changes

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven." Ecclesiastes 4:8

The great job I've had for 3 years is ending. It's been a really fun run (thanks Linda & Scott). I have gotten to know some quality people and have made some forever friends. Sometimes change can be both sad and exciting. This is one of those times.

Grace and Peace,

Jane

song for the day: Changes by David Bowie