“Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;
Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness;
Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes,
And prudent in their own sight!”~ Isaiah 5:20-21
“The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose.
An evil soul producing holy witness
Is like a villain with a smiling cheek,
A goodly apple rotten at the heart.
O, what a goodly outside falsehood hath!”― William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice
Sometimes I am in the exact right place, at the exact right time, with camera in hand. This is the second brood of sparrow nestlings raised in our birdhouse this year. I have enjoyed watching the parents flit back and forth feeding the voracious young ones.
“Any man can be a father. It takes someone special to be a dad.”
— Author Unknown
To My Wonderful Dad: “HAPPY FATHER’S DAY!”
Four Paternal Generations: Clockwise from Top Left – My Father, Grandmother, Great-Grandmother and myself as an infant/My Grandfather and Grandmother/My Great-Grandfather and Great-Grandmother/My Great, Great-Grandfather.
“The greatest form of praise is the sound of consecrated feet seeking out the lost and helpless.” ~ Billy Graham
One Wish & One Prayer to spread the GOOD NEWS = Two Shoes
How long has it been since you dusted off your witnessing shoes?
“Last of all I want to remind you that your strength must come from the Lord’s mighty power within you. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand safe against all strategies and tricks of Satan. For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against persons without bodies—the evil rulers of the unseen world, those mighty satanic beings and great evil princes of darkness who rule this world; and against huge numbers of wicked spirits in the spirit world.
So use every piece of God’s armor to resist the enemy whenever he attacks, and when it is all over, you will still be standing up. But to do this, you will need the strong belt of truth and the breastplate of God’s approval. Wear shoes that are able to speed you on as you preach the Good News of peace with God. In every battle you will need faith as your shield to stop the fiery arrows aimed at you by Satan. And you will need the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit—which is the Word of God. Pray all the time. Ask God for anything in line with the Holy Spirit’s wishes. Plead with him, reminding him of your needs, and keep praying earnestly for all Christians everywhere.” Ephesians 6:10-18
The Nasturtium in my photograph was not only beautiful, but tasted yummy too! Nasturtium flowers and leaves can be used in salads and as edible garnishes. The leaves and flowers have a peppery taste, and blend beautifully with other fresh greens for a spectacular salad. The flowers when newly blossomed and small, can be frozen in ice cube trays. The leaves resemble small lily pads and work as pressed foliage for those who enjoy pressing flowers.
Over the years of blog posting, I’ve written many times of “volunteer” seedlings, small plants that spring up in early summer, self-sown by the previous year’s garden vegetables or flowers.
“Produce from volunteer plants is often bigger and tastier than are intentionally cultivated crops. After all, the plants have sprouted where they want to grow, as opposed to where you want them to. Like wildflowers, unbidden edibles usually appear wherever they’ll have the best chance to survive and reproduce . . . that is, where the soil has the necessary nutrients, the proper pH balance, and just the right amount of drainage to satisfy the needs of the plant in question.”
~ Mother Earth News
The warm temperatures of June have been a blessing, and volunteer seedlings are sprouting. Many are a perfect solution for the empty spaces in my flower beds. Unfortunately, the best sprouts seem to grow between the bricks and walkways, nurtured by the heat generated in the cement. I have found a way to get these small plantlets out and grow them on into full-sized plants. Pulling them, even very gently, never works; the roots will break away. Instead I slip a putty knife (or any type of slim metal) into the soil alongside the plant, keeping the blade pressed firmly against the cement. I do this on each side then carefully pull the plant out of its nesting spot. In most cases this technique works and the sprout can be removed with root and dirt intact.
I immediately place the sprouts in garden beds or holding pots and drench them with water. Over the course of a week or more I will water these new plants every day. Look carefully amongst the weeds in your garden beds before you begin pulling them out. You might have a treasure lurking there that will grow into a beautiful plant before summer’s end..
“We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature – trees, flowers, grass- grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence… We need silence to be able to touch souls.” ~ Mother Teresa
I played “hookey” today and had some fun riding the boards and walking the beach. The photograph was taken on the boardwalk in Ocean City, New Jersey, while riding my bicycle.
Sweet peas are a favorite of mine, an old-fashioned vine with a delicately scented bloom. Sweet peas, much like pansies, will not survive the entire summer growing season. When temperatures start to sizzle, sweetpea vines will dry out and die back.
I find sweet peas tricky to germinate and grow. This year only three seeds sprouted and grew to a good size for me. The three vines are doing a great job climbing up the string I strung alongside a butterfly house.
The Old Farmer’s Almanac has some good tips on how to grow sweet peas. It’s probably too late to grow the vines for blooming this season, but keep them in mind for next year, and if you have a friend with some vines…ask them for some seeds*.
Some terrific tips from the Old Farmer’s Almanac on how to grow Sweet Peas.
Quick Tip for Pressed Flower Hobbyists – Sweet pea flowers have never pressed well for me, but the curly tendrils make a nice addition to pressed flower compositions.
* Sweet Pea seeds can be toxic.
I enjoy taking part in Cee’s Fun Photo Challenge from time to time. Check out her wonderful blog and the entries listed in the comment section. The challenge for this week is the number one.
“We are starting a new series of topics and it’s is all about numbers. This week’s topic is One Item or the Number 1.”
My entry in the challenge is “One Rock With Many Faces,” a perfect example of Pareidolia. How many faces can you find in my one rock.
If you have some old frames on hand you have the makings of a perfect trellis. My cucumbers are growing at a quick rate, and I knew it was time to place some kind of support near them. Years ago I had seen some photographs of old frames strung with string and used as a trellis.
I found two large frames in the basement, knocked the damaged pictures out, nailed in a couple of brads (slender nails), and strung them with string.
They are functional and attractive in the garden beds. I used some dollar store hooks between them as a bit of support. Two frames are not necessary, one alone would also work to support the vines. I wish I knew who had the original idea to give them a little credit, but to track the idea’s origin down is probably near impossible. Happy Gardening.
“What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.”
~ Ecclesiastes 1:9
If you’ve read my blog over the course of a year you will notice that I tend to repeat my best hints. At times, I might tweak them up or down a bit, but basically, a lot of my tried and true activities stay the same year after year. I write blog posts according to where I am in my own life, and when I use a hint that works for me I tend to blog about it again…and again…and maybe even again. So to those who have read this hint in previous posts, my apologies. 🙂 For those of you who have never tried to root cuttings in green glass, you might want to give it a try.
I’m going to carry out my own experiment on what glass color roots a cutting faster after reading the two opposing opinions below. I’ll update in a few weeks. If you have some cuttings to root, why don’t you try the experiment along with me?
An Experiment With Green Glass – Yes it Works!
A “Scientific” No to Green Glass
You will never find Jesus so precious as when the world is one vast howling wilderness. Then he is like a rose blooming in the midst of the desolation, a rock rising above the storm.
~ Robert Murray McCheyne
1813-1843
In response to The Daily Post’s weekly photo challenge: “Vivid.”
“The theme for this week’s photo challenge is “Vivid.” Perhaps it’s your favorite flower in full bloom, a beautiful sunset or the color of your ice cream. Vivid is limited only by your imagination. Have fun with the challenge!”
I took a bike ride after reading the WordPress photo challenge for this week, I was armed with my camera and an eye for color. Vivid subjects for photographing presented themselves at every turn of my wheels and handlebars. When I came upon this beautiful rose bush, ablaze with color, I knew I need not pedal any further. Cascades of pink with yellow centers glowed vividly under the early afternoon sky.
On closer inspection, I heard, then saw, dozens of honeybees clustered on the pollen laden centers. The rose bush was abuzz with their gathering.
I love honeybees, my grandfather had hives, and now my sister is a beekeeper.
The bees, enraptured with the bounty of pollen, were quite the willing subjects for my photographs. I wonder if they might be from my sister’s hives.
Honeybees can gather honey up to six miles from their hives, but usually stay within a two mile radius of their home. I enjoy the WordPress Photo Challenges. If I had not ventured out with my camera, I wouldn’t have experienced those fifteen carefree minutes standing beside a rose bush ablaze in petals of pink and abuzz with gathering bees.
“The beauteous pansies rise
In purple, gold, and blue,
With tints of rainbow hue
Mocking the sunset skies.
~ Thomas John Ouseley (1805-74)
Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Purple
“Every time we pray, our horizon is altered, our attitude to things is altered, not sometimes, but every time, and the amazing thing is that we don’t pray more.” ~ Oswald Chambers
Are you praying? God hears our prayer. My friends, now is the time to pray, as you have never prayed before. Pray for the love of God to encompass and protect you, your loved ones, and all those who love him around the world. Pray diligently every day, and after you pray, begin to spread the Good News of His love and salvation on a daily basis.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
~ John 3:16“Prayer does not fit us for the greater work; prayer is the greater work.”
~ Oswald Chambers
I came across an interesting book at the public library: Windowsill Art by Nancy Ross Hugo. I knew by the title that I would love this book. I feel an instant kinship to anyone who can inspire creativity within me. I immediately fashioned a bit of windowsill art with some sea glass, shells and a sprig of Trumpet Vine. If you have a chance to borrow or buy this inspiring book…please do.
Inside my Spirit of Philadelphia Dinner Cruise stemmed glass I placed some sea glass I’ve collected from ocean and bay beaches I often visit.
I was glad to bring the glass in out of the garage where it is haphazardly stored in plastic bins. One of these day I need to get all my beach combing finds in some type of order. I also added a leaflet plucked off my Trumpet Vine to the arrangement, and a broken whelk shell. I enjoyed putting this bit of windowsill art together.
I believe I’ve posted in the past on one of my favorite books, Pure Sea Glass by Richard LaMotte. If you enjoy beach combing and searching for “treasures,” you will enjoy looking through this visually lovely book.
Below are a few close-ups of some of the sea glass included in my windowsill art. I enjoyed using the green piece with an oyster shell attached. The greens, browns and whites are most commonly found on nearby beaches. The cobalt blue and olive-green pieces are a little more unique. The olive-green glass is also interesting because it has a curved lip on it. Give hunting a little sea glass a try when you next walk on a beach beside an ocean or bay.
My Phaleonopsis Orchid rebloomed yesterday. I’ve been watching the buds develop for weeks. I love Phaleonopsis Orchids and they are readily available in most stores with a plant section. They rebloom easily if you remember one QUICK TIP: Don’t cut the entire stem away from the plant after the blossoms fall off. New stems and buds will grow from this first stem. If part of the stem becomes shriveled and is obviously dead, go ahead and cut that portion, but leave anything that is still firm and alive.
Here is a good video on the proper place to cut a stem for regrowth. I personally have never used a fungicide after cutting, but if I did I would probably use a dusting of cinnamon which is a natural fungicide. Using cinnamon as a fungicide.
“A man will be satisfied with good by the fruit of his words, And the deeds of a man’s hands will return to him.” ~ Proverbs 12:14
According to my computer clock, as I am writing this post, the time is 6:48 a.m. Even as I compose my paragraphs I am reaping the benefits of my “good deeds” toward the birds. The symphony of birdsong coming through my window is bringing me great joy.
I have three birdhouses in my yard at this time, far enough away from each other to prevent the birds from feeling their territory is being invaded by another. One of the houses seems to have been rejected by one and all…why is a mystery to me. One has been a home to sparrows, and the one in the photograph is the nesting spot for a family of wrens. I benefit not only from their lovely songs, but also their bug-catching abilities. I am always on the hunt for new ways to draw birds to my yard.
Quick tip for birdhouses: Place some sort of barrier around the entrance to the house. This will keep rodents (squirrels in my case) from chewing the opening larger and getting inside. Brass thumbtacks are a good choice and easy to push into the wood. I also enjoy the rustic look they give the bird house.
In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “On the Way.”
“In-between moments can be just as memorable as grand finales. This week, share a photo you took on the way to something else.”“The mind of man plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps.”
~ Proverbs 16:9
We celebrated a wedding this weekend, a lovely young lady we’ve known since she was born was wedded to an outstanding young man. We so enjoyed the day. The location they chose to make their vows to one another is one of our favorite destinations. My husband and I both love Ocean City, New Jersey . When our boys were young we vacationed there every summer. There are countless happy memories connected to this lovely beach town.
During the years we vacationed in OC, the way into the town was either the Ninth Street, or Thirty-Fourth Street Bridge. Both were narrow and rickety, but did their job and brought carloads of people onto the island. Today, a new modern bridge has replaced the Ninth Street bridge. The photo above is my first “In Between Moments” photograph, taken through the front windshield of our car as we drove on the new Ninth Street Bridge.
The next photo, is also taken through the front windshield of our moving car, this time on a road that cuts through part of the New Jersey Pine Barrens. At this point we are almost halfway home from our day “down the shore.” We call this stretch of woods “The Enchanted Forest/Woods.” We often stop to photograph the russet and green tones of forest floor, trees and mosses. The ground is low, and dead limbs and stumps become natural works of art as they age. Everything in the forest is dangerously dry now; we are in a bit of a drought here on the east coast, but rain is on the way. Soon everything will become soft and green once more.
Thanks for riding along with me and taking a look at my “in-between” places as I traveled to my destinations this weekend.
