we needed it...

Anyone else love the smell of the air when it's rained?  Or for that matter anyone else thankful to wake up to smell of rain? It's been so dry here, I was starting to be wonder if I should even bother with a garden. The leaves dripping wet and the puddles everywhere, filled my spirit! I'm not going to say that I feel overly confident yet, but it was a wonderful way to wake up.  

That was until I looked at what had happened overnight.  I'm praying for all the lives lost and harmed in Baltimore.  I'd had a restless night and literally woke up a the same time they are saying the bridge was struck.  That made it all feel a bit more disconcerting as I read about it. 

This world of ours is definitely going through some kind of birthing pains.  It feels like everywhere you turn is more insanity, people are so wound up and aggressive. It feels like a powder keg. Sad. Probably why I have decided to step back and witness it from afar.  I am struggling to feel any desire to engage.  I don't want to look for the person holding the match.  I don't want to see anymore hatred. 

I was dumbstruck when I saw the video on X of the two young ladies fighting (well, if you can call what that was a fight) just outside of the Hazelwood school.  That is localish for me, same metro area, I'm well aware of where it is.  Seeing a young person having their head smashed into the ground until they began having seizures, I wasn't expecting it and definitely blocked the video after the first time.  I was sickened to see so many watching, recording and cheering it on.  To hear that they were 15 and 16 years old.  I almost threw up. That is younger than my precious mini-me grand, I can't fathom that kind of anger and hatred in ones so young. The damage done to our kids and our communities is outrageous. Two young people had their lives changed forever that day.  I'd hazard a guess that a lot of those witnesses did as well.  How can you go back to your everyday normal after witnessing something so evil?

Hubs called me to chat while driving this morning, it sounded so stressful.  People honking, his anger at almost being hit a few times.  Him relaying to me about the woman that almost struck a light post (I think that is what she almost hit) he was a bit rattled as he was witnessing it first hand.  She rapidly swerved back into traffic as she over corrected to avoid it.  I simply do not understand what kind of energy is overwhelming people. Whatever it is, it is 100% powerful. 

I don't find myself stressed too often anymore. I'm unbelievably thankful for that. It probably has more to do with the fact that I don't engage in the chaos surrounding me.  Whatever the reason, I am thankful.

I was supposed to help a friend with a few projects this morning, but one of her babies is sick.  So I found myself with a bit of extra time.  Needless to say, I am finding lots of things to fill that time.  I'm getting ready to bake Hubs a batch of cookies and then it's time to work on the needlework project I am trying to finish.  I never made it to the sewing room yesterday.  I picked it up, for a few moments - at least that is what I told myself, put on a few of the vlogs I wanted to listen to and before long... it was time for the Hubs to head home.  Unbelievable how quickly time can move forward.

Well cookies need baked (peanut butter), I'll make myself a quick lunch, then I want to work on my project.  I finished my daily tasks and Hubs has a working lunch, which means hours stretch before me.  

If you haven't already, please find a moment to pray for this world (in whatever manner you pray).  For the folks in Baltimore and for all of those that are struggling or hurting.  Life is too short to miss any opportunities to love one another in every way possible. 

love and prayers... b

 

becoming...

Good morning! As I edge back into writing, I am trying to find the "perfect time" to write.  The changes in who I have become, have led to many changes in the order of my day.  

Before I ever leave bed I find myself deeply engrossed in some Bible study or another, since Hubs starts working as soon as he wakes up (he cherishes his peaceful work hours also) I usually don't worry about coming downstairs until around 530 or so. Being an early riser for at least three decades, maybe longer, it gives me ample time to lose myself in something or another.  Today was a fairly deep study of the book of Revelations and the actual meanings found in some translations.  

Pretty intense stuff when you've given up coffee. Coffee wasn't given up for any religious or spiritual reason.  It was given up for my actual health.  The first week was a touch rough, talk about some serious headaches.  It's been almost two months now and even the smell of it (still one of my absolute favorite scents) doesn't beckon me to pour a cup. Three months ago, I couldn't have fathomed my life without coffee.  A pot or so was normal... strange how things change. 

I think I will have to dig back into this mornings study, it was seriously intense and my brain is still digesting the bits and pieces of it all.  In fact, I'm pretty sure it will involve taking the whole thing in small bites for all of it to make sense. 

I have definitely embraced the role of a traditional wife.  Which means that after my morning reading, spending time with Hubs while he has his coffee, visiting and planning out our day, it's time to start the day.  Apron on and breakfast cooking for Hubs and the Pups are pretty much the first steps.  

It flows so beautifully.  Belle will usually sit at my side, eagerly hoping for a morsel or two, depending on how hungry she is.  She has become such a patient  baby when she wants to be. Beau will hang out upstairs with dad while he gets ready for the day. 

waiting for our friends to call out

Unless one of the other dogs in the neighborhood decides to shout out a greeting, then its a mad dash for the backyard to return the call of their people. Sadly, they are both big mouths and I am fairly sure the only "call" the entire neighborhood hears is them.  I spend a lot of time in the morning calling them in.  I know they are just saying hello, but they seriously need to learn to whisper. 

As I move into my planned projects for the day, I usually end up forgetting other things, like blogging.  So who knows what the rhythm and flow will become.  

Today, I finished up the 5 batches of soaps that I made yesterday.  I'd gotten a bit behind on making soap. I made a couple of batches back in February for the first time in at least six months or so, I ran out of lye and simply kept forgetting to order more. Finally remembered and then life got busy with birthdays and the like.  Sometimes I wonder how I ever managed to accomplish anything back in the time before. 

The house smells like a heavenly mixture of all the scents, the laundry room (where the drying rack is) is a bit overwhelmed by it all.  Taking the pictures, I longed for the ability to translate scents through the camera.  Kentish rain, lilac, ylang ylang, eucalyptus and cotton, and a mixture called spellbound woods.  The combination would make a candle shop blush. 

Not all of them are pretty, I got distracted a few times yesterday and got to trace way too quickly.  Doesn't matter they will still clean.  I don't really sell my soaps any longer, a few here and there.  Mostly they are for personal use, to trade or to gift.  It just doesn't matter if they are beautiful and colorful.  Pretty much the only reason I added mica to them for coloration is to help me remember the scents.  

spellbound woods = hot mess

eucalyptus and cotton

ylang ylang

Lilac

Kentish Rain

As the wind is whipping and the rains are threatening, I am skipping time in the garden this morning.  Even if it is time to get the cool weather garden going.  I'm not a fan of strong winds, that deck is fairly high and my confidence is fairly low.  

Instead I will head up to the sewing studio.  I have several projects that need attention.  I am learning to make a leather wallet for Hubs, to replace one that I bought him about 20 years ago.  And I have several quilts that waiting for me to finish them.  A bit of time and attention is needed.  

She's got to be able to look out everywhere

Hubs won't be home mid-day for lunch so that means I will be able to focus without interruption.  I don't know about you, but I struggle with refocusing after I have stopped working on something for whatever reason.  I often just move on to a totally different project and forget where I was. 

much love and prayers everyone... b

hello old friends...

I've been on an incredible journey.  I stopped worrying about a lot of the stuff I thought was important and started to slow things down, move them in a different direction.  I was backing up my blog today, something I have wanted to do forever, and realized it's been over six months since I sat down to write. 

I don't think it's ever been that long since I've dumped my thoughts and ideas.  Since I've shared or rambled.  I've been busy.  Busy living, busy learning, exploring things that have popped up and enjoying my family and close friends.  Mostly, I have been very introverted as I have walked along this path of discovery. 

Since I've been quiet I've discovered that I really enjoy participating in small craft fairs, something that will never make me wealthy, but will keep my hands and heart busy. I've been creating and learning new skills.  Seems I move through seasons with crafting the same way that I move through seasons with everything else. 

Since August I have found myself fully engrossed in a lot of "slow" work.  Embroidery, crocheting, and applique have been the primary projects.  I have been working on finally wrapping up a few dozen projects, nope... not wrapping up, but moving them towards completion.  

There have been hours spent learning to use my new longarm and we are becoming best friends and I adore the time spent quilting. 

Somewhere along the way, I became engrossed in working on our family trees and was finally able to make a very treasured connection for my sweet Hubs.  Now I am a touch obsessed and find myself wanting to visit graveyards far more frequently than is probably normal.

I put my garden to bed sometime in November and here it is time to start planting the cool weather seeds before the heat of summer sneaks in.  The red buds have already bloomed and I need to take some time to go an gather blossoms this week.  So many folks love the red bud jelly that I need to make sure I have an ample stash. Where does time seem to dash off to?

Hubs and I were chatting about time moving quickly, reminiscing about my 50th birthday party and how proud he was to bring so many of my dearest friends and family together for it.  I stumbled for a moment to remember how old I will be this year.  Hardly seems like it, but I will be 59 this year.  Not even remotely sure how that happened.  Wasn't I just in my 30's?  Hmmmm.... guess not. 

I've been engrossed in my journey with the Lord. Everyday I learn more, I travel down a road that I have walked passed many times in my life, never managing to glance much less explore.  Each road brings me greater clarity and appreciation.  It also brings me some regret.  So much I wish I had learned so long ago.  I often wonder what choices I would have made differently in my life, what paths would I have turned away from.  Many choices would have been different.  The beauty is that grace and redemption are there.  God never expected us to be perfect, he figured out real quick that we never would be.  But like any loving parent, he provided us the guidance to always come home. 

We spent the day chasing his roots,
seems the town is now under the lake.

Hubs and I are on the journey together and each step feels stronger than the one before. I truly am blessed.  All of this has been such a gift, it has taken away the angst and anxiety daily life was bringing.  It has given me the ability to live in a strange peacefulness that I have always felt was missing. 

throw the flying disk dad...

After we take the pups to the park (krap when speaking of it in their presence), we will fix dinner and tidy up for another night. I will curl up with my Bible, a cup of hot chocolate and read the book of Esther, it is Purim and we are all here for such a time as this. I love the story and I am looking forward to the peace before I head up to bed. 

I'm still wrapped up in a million things, with another million more swimming around in my brain that I am longing to share and have conversations about.  I don't know what the future holds for my sweet little blog.  Some days I feel overwhelmingly drawn to write, and then my daily tasks step into place and the day is gone and so is the urge to write.  

I'm not really sure what drew me to write today.  I've started probably five or six blog posts that ended up in the delete draft pile. Something made me long to reconnect.  I finished up the six batches of soap that I made this morning and early afternoon and brought my computer back down to my desk.  My old Chromebook that I have written most of these entries on has finally breathed it's last, I do believe. So I borrowed my own laptop for the lye calculators I needed. I might steal Hubs' Chromebook, he rarely ever uses it, who knows.  Plugging it back in my heart was pulled here. 

There has been so much going on in the world.  I have had many family and friends suffering from what seems like continual tragedy and chaos.  I think that is what caused me to step back, I want to help everyone and I know that I simply can't.  Then I get stuck in this bubble of not being able to do anything because I feel helpless.  It's a vicious circle. 

Just checking in

Me too!

I feel that is why I had to step away from so much.  I needed to find my center. I feel like I've found it, I feel ready to be part of the world again.  

never mind, it's nap time

Hopefully, I will be back.  Not sure how frequently, but hopefully it won't be six months. 

much love and many prayers... b

as planned...

Don't you love it when a plan goes kerplunk kerplewy? That is how I was feeling a few moments ago.  Pups woke me up super early so I've had plenty of time to get the inside chores completed.  My brilliant self decided that I should get busy and get the outside chores done so that I could dig back into the business of the day.  I have a lot to work on after all. 

A few minutes into things, I realized that simply wasn't going to happen.  The grass was so crazy wet that my feet are literally soaking wet and for a change I am actually wearing shoes and socks.  Since I have to wait I decided to wrap up the great potato experiment of 20203.  I still had two bags to harvest. I learned a lot, definitely didn't harvest a ton of potatoes, basically two meals worth.  I think I got lazy and put far too many starts in each grow bag.  Shame on me.  I also learned that I am not so sure I want to grow potatoes, although I now know that if things get crazy, I can. 

judgy much?

I'm almost finished sifting through the dirt and will add in some coffee grounds, egg shells and epsom salt and plant the beets that I am trying this year. Fall planting is definitely underway.  The rain in July and the first few weeks of this month have stressed the tomatoes and most of the original plants are starting to finish up.  This weekend I hope to get the garlic bulbs that I am going to plant for the spring harvest.  So many new experiments in gardening.

As I was out there pruning and praying, I found myself thanking God for the blessing of the squirrels.  I can't believe I even just said that, but it's true.  I have about 6 new tomato plants that are growing like crazy, they are already starting to flower and will soon put out tomatoes.  I have no idea what kind they are, so it will be a surprise, but we will be blessed with more fresh from the garden tomatoes to grace our meals this year. 

As I was praising the blessing, I was pondering how many times God steps in and meets our needs. We don't see him working, we don't necessarily even know we have that need, and yet he steps in.  I definitely do not have the ability to feed a family out of my little garden. Shoot I will never even can from it, except for a few jars of jalapeno's or jalapeno jelly.  But all together the veggies have contributed to months of fresh, healthy food that we know what was used in it's production.  We know when it was harvested and how it meets our needs. Before I started dehydrating our tomatoes we were even sharing those with friends. 

God might not give us everything we want.  But the needs... are bountiful. Just yesterday I was telling Hubs to be a bit careful in the budget, my trip had dipped into our funds and we didn't want to make ourselves short.  Especially given that almost every utility had increased in the past month or so. God heard our concerns because when we checked the mail yesterday a refund check we had forgotten about showed up.  

sunbathing pup

How many times do we get wrapped up in the unnecessary and feel overwhelmed?  How often do we worry about needs, feeling humbled and lacking?  It isn't even always with finances.  Although I know many that are struggling. Sometimes it's in relationships or health.  It might be a feeling of being less than or struggling with depression, feeling overwhelmed with work, home, school, oh the list could be endless.  There are simply so many times that we have to make a choice between letting satan steal our joy, taking the blessings that are abundant and twisting it into a sense of lack. Mark 4:15 describes that so clearly.

Our words are powerful.  So is our self-talk.  I find in the silence I am finding wonders that I never knew were there. 

If the grass hadn't been wet, I wouldn't have had time to sit for a few and type, I wouldn't have harvested the potatoes today because I was weary. The changing of plans allowed me to space things a bit more, so that my body wasn't sore from the tasks at hand.  The day promises to be pleasant, so holding out for a bit isn't going to be horrible or cause heat exhaustion.  I am working on finding the blessings in everything. 

I find Hubs and I are both shifting into something bigger than us, we are both finding peace and joy in this transition.  By surrendering, we are finding something that has truly been just out of reach. We are spending more time stepping out of the secular world. More time in the Bible, in his word. As we lean harder into God and his word, we are both leaving so much man made doctrine, drama and destruction behind.  The feelings are indescribable. 

Well... I am getting cozy in this chair and could waste away the day, but the grass is needing mowed, there are a few random weeds in the flower beds and time is precious.  One more sip of hot coffee and I am back to work. 

love and prayers, b

coming home...

It is wonderful to travel, to be part of family events and enjoy your loved ones, even if it is a quick trip that only lasts a couple of nights. As I slid into my own comfy bed and pulled my weighted blanket up, just where I like it, I couldn't help but feel peace. Our trip to Arkansas was a fast one.  My baby sister is a care giver and needed to be able to get back and take care of her people.  It's all good.  At least we were able to celebrate with family for a moment. 

Sadly, families are often separated by great distances, time together is fleeting and often rare.  Each of us busy in our own bubbles, living our lives to the best of our abilities. For a moment as I was pondering where that thought would lead, I started to stay unlike in times past.  But truthfully, when you really think about it, families have always separated.  If they hadn't countries wouldn't have been discovered, migration would never have happened, shoot go back to the Bible, or further, folks have always been moving and changing.  It's simply life.

As I jumped back into the doings yesterday, it occurred to me that I have one month from tomorrow before my craft event.  I needed to stop being frozen by fear and really start working.  I dug around in the garage and pulled out the old fan blades, I still have a few that I need to strip the hardware off of so that I can clean, sand and paint them.  I have seven of them in progress at this moment.  Need to wrap those up first.  I simply ran out of counter space.  This morning I need to pull out the saw and do a bit of cutting, I am using up some old scraps of wood to make stems and hat brims.  

work in progress...

work in progress...

Waste not, want not.  

I also found myself stitching for a bit while watching a bit of television with my sweet hubs as we wrapped up the day.  Almost have another hat finished and ready to tag.  

It made me smile yesterday and today when my sweet hubs woke me with a cup of amazing coffee and asked if I was going to be working today.  He was being so supportive and sweet.  He knows that I work hard taking care of him, the pups and our suburban homestead.  It was his way of acknowledging my creative side, of supporting my dreams.  

Beau definitely disapproved of mom being gone

While I was in Arkansas, instead of relaxing and taking in a couple of movies and a few hours at the cigar lounge like he had planned, he spent his time making things easier for me. He cleaned up the cantry and added another set of shelves.  He rearranged the man cave and my work space to give me better access in a way that didn't cause me pain.  He cleaned up the entire house so I didn't have to worry about it when I got home. 

work room improvements

there is a middle shelf now

He started to put a light that he had gotten me into my sewing studio, as I had voiced a concern with how dark it was on the one side of the room. One step into the mayhem in there and he walked right back out, terrified of moving something, knowing that while it looks like a chaotic mess at the moment I know where everything I am working on is.  To be fair, I walked in yesterday morning because he was hoping to finish his honey do list and put it where it needed to go and even I turned around and said not today.  Sometimes, you have to honor your limits.  We both respected that. 

After all of that, he even got 11 clocks made for the event.  I am fairly positive he didn't get much rest in, I am equally positive that I appreciated all of that effort more than he could even imagine.  

I was catching up on the garden a bit yesterday and today, harvesting, cleaning, getting ready to plant a fall garden.  I think I am finally going to jump in and plant garlic.  It's been on the list forever, just never felt confident enough to try it.  Tomorrow I think I will harvest what is left of the potatoes, today was the green beans.  They are pretty much spent. All the rain of the past two weeks has definitely stressed some of the garden to the point that harvest season is just about over.  

We all know how sad it makes me to see the garden fading away each year.  Today I will slice up a few more of the masses of tomatoes and get them in the dehydrator.  We've discovered they are amazing as a veggie chip and that way there is no waste. I am also going to use the last of the green beans and add them to a mixture of veggies and make up a huge pot of veggie soup.  I'll can most of it, so that in the cold of winter we can remember the flavors of summer.  

I also harvested a fairly large amount of jalapeno's.  Not enough for cowboy candy, but definitely enough to make up a batch of jalapeno jelly.  And I am starting to run low on that.  The colors and flavors will pop, it will taste great and look so pretty.   

do you see him?

I don't know if you can see my little friend from the garden, this year has been full of surprises, including the baby copperhead snake I almost ran over while mowing last week.  This had to have been the biggest dragonfly I have ever encountered.  Easily the size of my palm. The green bean hanging beside him is over 5 inches long.  He was resting in my green beans as I reached in to harvest.  I'm not sure which of us was more startled. 

Belle deciding sitting on the humans
is okay...

Well, as much as I am enjoying sitting here being lazy, I am also deeply enjoying being back in my space working on all of my projects, taking care of our home and garden.  I love to travel, to visit, to savor the moments.  I equally love to come home again...

listening to the rain...

Anyone else struggling to sleep?  Or rather stay asleep?  These super early mornings are making me a touch weary.  I feel like I should celebrate not waking until almost 3:45 am, for me lately that has become sleeping in.  I guess my head is swirling.  So many things going on, so much that I am wanting to be a part of or have committed to doing.  I admit that I definitely do not know how I functioned before leaving the "real" world behind. 

This morning the rolling thunder woke up Belle, she might pretend to be a tough pup, but she frightens just as easily as her marshmallow brother. The bangs and booms were definitely not to her liking at all.  It's all good, I sat and enjoyed the thunder and lightening and even went for a super early ride with the Hub to look at the lot at one of his buildings.  The storm was beautiful through the windshield. 

I guess I am becoming one of "those old folks", as more than once as the rain fell heavy I caught myself saying to Hubs... well it's a good thing, we have definitely needed it. The pups on the other hand simply weren't feeling it.  They wanted to have their faces in the wind as we drove.  Silly babies, love swimming in the river, you can barely get them out of the water, but heaven forbid rain, showers, water sprinklers think they are touching them.  

 Belle, are you making up for lost sleep?

Waking up so early definitely gives me a few more hours in the day for a broad assortment of things.  Mostly for spending a bit more time in prayer. Who knows maybe that is the reason that sleep is hard to find lately. Maybe I am being led to spend more time reading the Bible and studying?  It sure feels like it. 

This morning I couldn't spend time in the garden, far too soggy.  So I finished up my Christmas/Cinnamon Pickles.  For the record, they are fantastic and definitely addictive.  Hubs tasted one late yesterday and immediately smiled and said his gramma used to make them. The memory popped into his head so quickly at the flavor.  The look on his face when I handed him a bright red pickle to taste was priceless and if I hadn't been busy at the time I would have snapped a picture.  You would have thought I was handing him a live lobster to taste. Geez! Where is the trust?

14 pints of Christmas Pickles

My calendar is clear until Bible study tonight.  I will heading to the crafting areas and to get busy, can't work outside, focus on inside.  I have a few sewing projects I am working on and I have a few crafting projects to work on.  Pretty sure I won't be bored at all today, even if I am not going to be playing in the garden. I find when I keep busy, I don't get so tired from the odd hours I've been sleeping.  

I should can up the potatoes, but... I am not really excited about peeling all of them today, so fairly certain that isn't going to happen.  Besides, I am going to make a beef stew and I'm not so sure how many of them I will use for that.  I have so much I have harvested from the garden that I don't want to waste and I love having it on the shelf to grab on those nights I simply don't want to cook.  We are rapidly moving back into soup and stew weather, the time to prepare is now.  

It's even lovely in the rain...

This balancing act I have stuck myself in the middle of is a bit precarious.  I just keep reminding myself, that these are all conscious choices that I made.  And frankly, I am in a bubble of pure joy, so please don't think it is complaining at all.  I cherish being a home maker and all that it entails. 

In my circle of friends there are many struggling with things right now.  From health, to careers, to relationships, to finances and fears.  Some are dealing with issues that feel far greater than they can deal with alone.  I've been there.  Pretty sure we all have.  Life is not easy, sometimes the struggle can be overwhelming.

Might I suggest Psalms 46. None of us are ever alone, unless we choose to be. We always have God with us. I am finding so much calm and peace in many different verses, in my faith that in putting on the armor of God, I am safe, secure and protected.  It doesn't mean bad things won't happen.  It means that I have the weapons to weather the storms they may bring.  

I also find much peace in knowing that I am surrounded by an army of family and friends, many of whom I know I can lean into at a moments notice.  And I will know that they are praying for me and supporting me.  I try to always be that person for others. If you ever need me to pray for you, know that you simply need to ask.  

Well speaking of storms... it's time for me to get busy that craft show is rapidly sneaking up on me. And I need to address some paperwork for damage to the roof and my chimney cap before it is time to let my creative side loose in the playrooms...  

love and prayers...

time in the garden...

I guess I could complain like everyone seems to be doing about the heat.  I am definitely not a fan of hot weather. Instead I am choosing to be grateful.  I am thankful for the air conditioning and the fans that keep our house nice and cool.  I am sure that it definitely does help my gratefulness.  If I were hot non-stop, I think I might struggle with gratitude.  

Instead, I can wander out into my treetop garden and celebrate the fact that the heat is creating the need to harvest several times a day. I am able to keep my dehydrator filled and running almost non-stop right now.  The cayenne peppers are bountiful this year and each time I walk outside it seems like more of them are vibrant red.  This is the first year that I have had more than five or six to last throughout the year.

I'm trying out something new with the abundance of cherry tomatoes.  I've sliced them at a quarter inch and sprinkled them with the garlic salt, made from the scapes. They are in the dehydrator now, if all goes well, they will dry and become a slightly chewy chip. Fingers crossed. And if they aren't something we like as a snack, they are definitely something I can toss into various recipes, just like the powder I made from the dehydrated tomato skins. 

I'm did most of my Monday chores yesterday, I have a lot going on this week.  I was given a couple of bags cucumbers and decided to make cinnamon pickles.  Sometimes known as Christmas pickles. I've never tried them, but when you have an entire sink full of slightly larger cucumbers you need to come up with some use for them. 

I didn't realize they took 5 days before coming to an actual canning stage.  Day two was the most labor intensive if you don't count peeling a sink full of cucumbers.  We won't be able to taste them until day 4 at the soonest.  Hopefully, I am not wasting an incredible amount of time and they are as delicious as everyone says they are.  After all, we were pretty darn happy with the pickled brussel sprouts, and they sure didn't sound all that good. 

Waste not, want not.  

when a squirrel does the planting 
they know nothing about spacing...

All of these blistery hot days are definitely paying off.  It looks like one of the squirrels decided to plant a few tomato plants for me.  I'm debating on what I am going to do with the little volunteer plants that have popped up. I definitely don't have enough bed space to let them all grow, although I absolutely despise pulling them and letting them die. I have no idea which ones are growing, although I am pretty sure that we have enough warm weather ahead for at least another harvest before this season ends. Based on where they are located I am guessing either a cherry tomato or a chocolate cherry tomato.  Both have produced wonderfully. 

cherry tomatoes

Hungarian sweet peppers

gypsy peppers

mini peppers

jalapenos... soon to be jelly

Hubs and I spent the late afternoon in the garden.  Cleaning it up, weeding, tying up tomatoes (did I mention that the tomatoes are going crazy this year?) pruning here and there all the little things that help it continue to produce so well.  I think I am going to fertilize today and plant a few more cow peas.  That should wrap it up.  

I have two more bags of potatoes to check on, they might even be ready to harvest.  Then it's time to decide what I am planting for fall in those bags.  Part of me wants more potatoes, but then I start to consider some beets.  I'm also getting ready to plant the fall lettuces again.  As the season starts to change there are more shaded areas where they will grow well.  Maybe some onions?  And I am waiting slightly impatiently to plant my garlic for next spring. 

The garden definitely consumed the greater part of yesterday.  It's all good, if it hadn't that would mean it isn't thriving. 

not sure why Belle thinks she's a fern...
or why she is in the planter...

Thankfully the weather has cooled a bit today, so it will not be so miserable when I head out to mow the grass.  After I finish the morning chores I will head up to the sewing room for a bit.  I didn't get much made this weekend and need to refocus myself. We headed to a few antique shops and found a few more feed sacks and vintage embroidery work.  My goal is to have 20 of the beautiful pin cushions made by Wednesday.  Shouldn't be hard.  Then I am going to mix it up a bit, I want to create thread catchers/pin cushions with them.  

I bought a very plain one at a quilt show not long ago and I am in LOVE.  I take it with me everywhere that I will be crafting.  It has completely changed my frustration level when doing hand work. I will make a small assortment of those before moving on to the next project.  I can't believe we are already moving into August. 

Tomorrow is the eldest daughter's birthday.  Mine will follow a few days later and then my beautiful grand daughter is two days later.   She and I will do something together to celebrate this year.  I am so thankful for that.  She growing up so fast that before long my sweet girl will be off living her own life and that day between birthday celebration will become the stuff memories are made of. 

I haven't forgotten about 2 Timothy 4:3-4, I'm simply still processing it.  It ties in so soundly with the message that pastor shared yesterday on John 9.  So many thoughts are swirling in my head and I need time to process, maybe ask a few questions.  I am finding the more I think I understand, the more I need to question, the more connections and truths I am finding.  Talk about sliding down rabbit holes. 

Well the sun is starting to rise, soon it will be time to take care of outside chores, so I'd better get busy and finish the inside one. Time is wasting... And I don't wish to waste the blessings from the father...

love and prayers... b