who will feed the hummingbirds?

 ...while I am away. 

 The days are extremely hot and dry, being outside proves to be a test of perseverance in levels for heat tolerance. I can only wonder how my ancestors lived through such brutally hot summer days. And there surely were days as unbearably hot as what we are experiencing now. I do not feel ashamed when coming in from the outside and saying, "Boy, is it miserable to be out there!"  The immediate words flowing out of my mouth next state how overwhelmingly thankful I am for the blessing of air conditioning.

I  clearly remember as a child the day my family put in a window air conditioning unit in our living room. It was amazing to us children. I remember equally as well the time the family pooled their resources to purchase my grandparents a window AC unit. Then the uncles and aunts became upset with them when they did not turn it on! My grandparents were of a hardy stock, they knew how to cope with whatever came their way. 

 While I am away all outside things must be fed and properly supplied with water. Even the hummingbirds who have delighted all summer will be expecting to be fed their fresh sugar water. They wait for it and  are not shy in informing me if the water runs out.

My son is back with us again after living in Thailand. He is the designated one to feed the cats and chickens and to stocking the bird feeders...not so much the hummingbird feeders. 

My husband and I will be away for two weeks, traveling to a place I have dreamed about going for literally years. Back in 2002, I first began planning a trip for June of 2003 to celebrate our twenty-fifth wedding anniversary  But in late May of 2003 we welcomed instead a baby daughter just five days short of that anniversary! I would take her above any type of trip any time. But now, it is the right season in life for us to visit this place I have dreamt about visiting for over twenty- four years.

Overall, I am a homebody,  perfectly content to be home sleeping in my own bed. But sometimes the dream begins to grow and it is even deeper and wider because you understand you have less years to live those dreams. So off you go to planning another trip and before you know it the day before you are to leave arrives.

So why am I sitting here typing instead of finishing packing? (I always seem do this before leaving home...distract myself from the reality of leaving)

                                          “You mustn’t wish for another life. 

You mustn’t want to be somebody else. 

What you must do is this:

“Rejoice evermore. 

Pray without ceasing.

In everything give thanks.” 

I am not all the way capable of so much, but those are the right instructions.” 

― Wendell Berry, Hannah Coulter

bountiful

Bountiful as is the hand of Providence, its gifts are not so bestowed as to seduce us into indolence, but to rouse us to exertion.   ~William Wilberforce

 We earnestly and faithfully pray for His provision of rain and when the Lord graciously sends it we are sincerely thankful, we then respond with appropriate praise and thanksgiving.

No more daily watering which at its best only keeps the plants alive, but not necessarily flourishing. 

Because of this weather system of rain and clouds of late in our area, we do not have to presently water. But boy! We must diligently weed and cut back! We joyfully remain thankful.

I had to cut back this tall sunflower plant that volunteered in my garden with loppers due to the stalk's strength. You can see it was hanging over my prosperous cucumber plant. It immediately bounced straight back up like a spring.

And look at the height of this sunflowers plant.

My gardening buddies, Myrtle and Louie.

 Just let me grab my harvesting basket, open the garden gate and these two companiable  felines are right behind me.

And there is always reading and knitting continuing on in the summer months. When the afternoons are too hot or the rains are too strong, I have an opportunity to read and knit.

The daylight hours are becoming noticeably shorter. Do you see it right before your eyes as I do? The Fourth of July seems to bring it home to me every year, watch for the shortening of daylight hours goes my brain. But I still indulge in the capturing of the sunrise in the old green andiron back chair, that is in sad need of a proper paint job I might add. This morning I was reading over a Bible study I'd been doing with my daughter and her friend on Friday afternoons. These young mothers with their busy schedules can inhibit time for Bible study. That is why I've discovered these 40 minute studies by Kay Arthur can actually work for some and it does encourage and teach the consistent going to the Scripture...what does the Word say?  

The hymn, He Will Hold Me Fast, was first published on a broadsheet in 1907. Here is a bit of fascinating information about the history of this hymn.  I found the words in an old hymnal and I have been singing it throughout my gardening and home tending pursuits.

winter home economics

This is "me" still attempting to maintain some sort of walking schedule on the slippery snowy ice! One gingerly placed foot at a time and plenty of warm clothes.

Arising... with shining being a bonus.

This morning I got out of bed earlier than my usual 6:15 or so. I read once if you are rested and awake why not just get up. Though it was still dark outside, in the early morning sky I observe twinkly stars and the planet Venus, a tiny spot residing beside the waning moon. The snow on the ground gives off that faint magical glow. 

I am perking my coffee these mornings in a *Presto percolator. The main reason I purchased this percolator is because I like hot coffee; percolators seem to do a much better job of not only brewing it hotter, but keeping the coffee hot until it is unplugged. But then I am by no means a coffee connoisseur. I simply enjoy my morning coffee hot and strong.

I stir the hot coals in the wood stove and carefully lay on a small log to get the fire aroused. I light a few candles until it is time to switch on the table side light in order to read the Word. Then I begin to stretch, those "old-fashioned" stretches that can't be beat for waking up the joints and muscles.

Home tending...I make a home and I tend it too.

Laundry is always on the Monday list, more than likely because I  happen to do less laundering over the weekends.

I decided it was time to go through both freezers that are in the house and get a perfect inventory of what foods are in the freezers and what foods need to be eaten sooner than later, or even thrown out if they have reached that point of no return. This did not take as long as I anticipated,  probably due to the cold frozen food on my hands and the annoying alarm on the freezer. But my frozen foods are now organized and my menu planning for this week and even into the weeks ahead are tentatively planned.

Cooking and Preparing...getting a start on some food prep for the week and managing my ferments.

*1/2 chicken boiled,  for chicken and dumplings along with the chicken bone broth that was in the freezer

*Sausage browned, for pizza and I also found frozen homemade  pizza dough that was pulled out to thaw in refrigerator.

*Dried lima beans to soak. I like to keep beans or a dish containing beans in the refrigerator every week. 

*Cabbage made into sauerkraut.

*A batch of water kefir was made.

And now a poem from Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, 

                                     Songs of A Housewife.

                       

                                                  Winter Sun.

There's not much of it- that may be

Why it is welcome, since it's rare;

And why it seems a bar of gold, 

Lying across the table there.

Over my kitchen pots and pans

It trails its shiny finger-tips.

Spills over in the living-room,

And in my hands, like honey, drips.

A Winter sun, like memory,

Brings back the thought of Summer haze.

Remembrance of the birds and flowers,

The ecstasy of August days.

A handful of such sun would seem

All that the Heavens can afford,

In Winter-time. Consider me

Most grateful for small favors, Lord!

                                                                        January 5, 1925

If the name Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings rings a bell, she is the authoress of 

 The Yearling and Cross Creek, both well-known novels.

A footnote: At least two blogs I enjoy reading are no longer available, as in removed. Some of the wording suggests it might not come from the blogger? This makes me sad. If you are one of those bloggers, please know I will miss you greatly.

a return of sorts

 What a smorgasbord of things are on my mind this January day when the cold of winter doth blow and we are bundling up once again with woolies.

 It is not as if I have been around much lately, but as you my blogger friends know we do tend to create posts either in our busy minds or drafted to the computer though certain posts will never see the open page or be read by anyone.

I truly am not that complicated nor is my life one that others would entitle exceptional, but as Thoreau once said,

• “It’s not enough to be busy, so are the ants. The question is, what are we busy about?” 
• The truth of the matter, my particular busy was people,  wonderful people visiting, people celebrating and then when the holidays arrived people coming and going. And with all the people came cooking, washing up, decorating, visiting, sitting around the table, worshipping. A beautiful and wonderful life to live.
•                                    But blogging...nil.
• But that does not mean I didn't miss creating posts or that I did not miss all of you.       
• Enough said about that.
• 
  
   Claire baked this most beautiful and delicious German Chocolate cake for me back in December for my birthday. She could open a bakery and sell cakes if she wasn't doing the most worthy thing in the world, providing a home for her family and raising my grandchildren full-time.

I worked on this post on and off for awhile thinking I would do one large catch-up post. Not the best idea I ever had, so here it is just as it was written earlier in time and I hope to be posting more regularly soon, that is my plan anyway. 

 

a daybook entry

 I keep journals. I keep daybooks. Somewhere in betwixt it all there is a blending with piecing my days much like a beautiful, quotidian quilt... one that is much loved and much used.

Since I have enjoyed reading some of your similar posts regarding your days and since I have included a label saying"daybook" on my sidebar, I believe it is proper on this lovely Monday in October to do a daybook entry. 

Outside:

The weather is still pleasant and calming to one's soul, "specially ordered" I am thinking. The luminous full moon shines in the evening's sky alongside the pinky-colored glow of the setting sun. I look forward to beholding it again later today. 

Gardening:

Finally, I planted the little pansy plants into the long planter. I bought these plants several weeks ago, I have watched them grow while watering them, but not until today did I successfully plant them in the intended place. Certainly, they are ready to be cut back at this stage. Also, I am cleaning up the cutting garden, gleaning a few peppers, okra, and herbs. The blackberry bushes are awaiting my pruning , hopefully later this week.

I removed the leaves from the dried oregano stems that were cut back in June.

In the Kitchen:

Canning pears. I declare I believe pears are one of my most favorite fruits, pommes for sure. I ordered 20 pounds from Azure this past month and I have them on my October order too. We eat pears daily and I preserve the rest. 

Menu Planning:

An easy week of meal planning overall. My husband is out of town tonight, then on Wednesday we eat at church. That only leaves three nights with two meals of leftovers already covered in the refrigerator, chicken pie and spaghetti.

Reading:

 Reading biographies are a favorite genre of mine especially those that have the addition of material depicting a particular historical time frame.  I read The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson about two months ago. It is about Winston Churchill and England during the beginning of WWII. I found it quite interesting and informative. From there I decided to read a book about his wife, Clementine (pronounced "Clementeen").  

I am also reading His Word in My Heart By Janet Pope and Spiritual Warfare, The Battle for God's Glory by Jerry Rankin. The later is one my Sunday school class decided to read.

Handiwork:

Continuing on with the embroidery project I have shown in the past, but I am now back to knitting a carry- along project, a simple sock using # 2 double points and Patons Kroy FX yarn. Today, I brought down from my third floor sewing room the quilt I promised my husband last winter. It is ready to be pinned together for the forthcoming hand quilting to begin. I am looking forward to the cooler evenings and the engagement of that peaceful endeavor.

Venturing:

I walked the ridge, but that is not actually getting into the car and driving anywhere, though I will be taking Ivy to Swimming practice around 5:30 today.

Planning:

My high School 50th Reunion is this weekend. The only reason I agreed to go is because my dear childhood friend ask me to go with her so she would not have to go alone. Though it will be nice to walk those halls of my high school memories after so many years.

Bible and Memorization:

We are studying the book of Daniel in Precepts this year. I am continuing with my James study and hope to have it completed by early November. My daily devotional includes Acts and John at the present. I am currently memorizing James 1:1-14.

Around the House:

  An itch I get ever so often...rearranging furniture in certain rooms of my house. 

Quote:

"In the rush and n rise of life, as you have intervals, be still. Wait  upon God and feel His presence; this will carry you evenly through your day's business."     -William Penn

the heart in life

One of the greatest and most priceless truths about aging is the wisdom gained throughout the span of years. Wisdom that has been tested over the days and years of your life. I have yet to meet a person who does not have some regrets, but for those seeking a life of wisdom in continuity, thankfulness arises in spite of the many and various trials we must go through during our lifetimes. One day you wake up to the discovery that wisdom has, indeed, at the least bloomed. 

I believe the true source of wisdom comes from the Word of God. James 1:4 tells us to ask for wisdom. James 3 says wisdom that is not from God is earthly, sensual, and demonic. 

 I perceive that the heart of everyday life is also God given. The little things I enjoy in my ubiquitous, ordinary life are His gifts and I would be wise to recognize them as such, and likewise foolish not to thank Him for each and every one of them.

Water Kefir

Oh, I am happy to give you Part 2, and how I do love Part 2 of things... usually.

The second brewing time gave a huge increase of natural carbonation. This time I used grape juice. It was super delicious, and an added plus, my husband loves it too. I am planning to use this juice I purchased at Aldi today for my third batch.

The little "chef's", brewing cap came with the kit I bought from Yemoos. She sits on a shelf in my kitchen with my cookbooks. Every two days she gives me good kefir water.

Figs

And speaking of figs, Andrea has spoken about her abundance of figs this year. Figs are not a fruit, but flowers actually, an inflorescence- "a cluster of many flowers and seeds contained inside a bulbous stem."

Two summers ago, and I can not believe it has been two summers, I baked a batch of fig newtons.The intensity of time and effort it took to prepare these tasty treats have kept me from doing them again. I was on the search for an easier version and I think I found it.

This cookie bar includes oatmeal and the top is an oatmeal crumble pressed down after the other  two layers have cooled. You still must make the fig filling, like a jam, but that is the most time consuming part of this recipe. My husband had put them into the refrigerator before going to bed last night. That is where I found them this morning, before I had cut them into bars. Cutting them chilled was a bit of a crumbly mess, I was attempting to eat up the crumbs on the plate before the photo...but I did not succeed, but I enjoyed trying to nonetheless.

 Monarchs and Nature Study

Monarchs have been visiting my garden for the past several weeks, shy at first, flittering away before I could make sure they were in fact monarchs and not viceroys. But just yesterday they came closer to me while I was cutting zinnias in the garden and JOY!, they opened they wings wide to verify they were in fact monarchs.

And this praying mantis was observing me in the cutting garden as I stood in the sunshine.

Family Visits

My son and his wife celebrated their fifteenth wedding anniversary recently by going away two nights. They have five children, the children are divvied out to family members, and seven-year old Gordon came to stay with us. 

A Quote

"Have regular hours for work and play, make each day both useful and pleasant, and prove that you understand the worth of time by employing it well. Then youth will be delightful, old age will bring few regrets, and life will become a beautiful success."

~Louisa May Alcott, Little Women

an ordinary place

                                                                        

This is a day

when the road neither

comes nor goes, and the way 

is not a way but a place.

                                              -Wendell Berry

I love the ordinary. I love place, the place I call home, my home with all its carrying-ons, duties, and daily substance. And the many days when I do stay at home this place grounds me, matures me, and provides hours of ordinary flourishing in so many ways.

 I personally stress the making of lists and the hand-written recordings of diurnal events and happenings scribbled within the pages of my daily journal entries. Therefore, when I come to the end of a busy day at home, my place, I know without a shadow of turning the deep soul satisfaction fostered from the achievements of this place and consequently of the upmost importance it holds.

                                                               

                                                           

                                       

                                      

visits, burgers, and limelights

Charlotte and Issac are in that season of life that invites changes and sometimes those opportunities and changes can happen quickly. But then we have been praying for the Lord to lead and guide, and for His will  to be done in their lives. In the middle of some major changes they were able to visit for a few days.

I found the most remarkable burger recipe and if you like burgers, and I mean big burgers, then you might want to try this recipe. My husband purchased a
gas grill this summer so he has enjoyed grilling despite the heat and threats of thunder storms. This burger will be memorable and especially popular with the men, young and old! Women  like it too but might only be able to eat one-half of this whopper burger. I actually made my buns too.

The recipe is on Youtube, not her blog. You can go and watch all the little details regarding the recipe, but I will give an ingredient list and the simple process to see if you might like to go and listen to the video.

Hamburger meat, salted, peppered with dash of Worcestershire Sauce

Flatten 1/3 cup of raw meat between parchment paper and fill one patty side with onions and cheese, or whatever you might like. We had some that wanted onions and cheese and some only wanted cheese.

Gently scoop up the other patty and place on top of the filled part, pinch to close.

Take the burger and put on top of two pieces of criss-crossed bacon, tooth picking the bacon together.

Grill until done. 

And today I wanted to say a few words about my Limelight Hydrangeas. First of all I must declare I do love hydrangeas, any variety. Yet limelights are unequivocally my all time favorite at the present.  These bushes around my patio are three years old. I prune them late winter using the 1/3 or 2/3 cutting back ratio, I pruned mine 2/3 this past year. One produces more blooms, yet smaller, the other encourage larger blooms but less of them. I hit the jack pot and had the best of both on my bushes. A bounteous display of large blooms.

 I  am able to adorn my dining room table with these flowers  for weeks. Their fragrance has become even sweeter with the humid heat.

It is a gardener's joy to have flowers to cut and bring inside all summer long. 

sophistication in simplicity

 The cilantro in my garden seeded itself and has become ostentatious in its pursuit to come up everywhere in the garden. I have already dried a jars worth and I decided I must cut the plants back to prevent them from going to seed with the hopes of retaining fresh cilantro in my garden for most of the summer. The smell was intoxicating, and I found sophisticated simplicity in placing them in a jar of water to set on the porch table.

There is a corner bookstore located in Louisville in an area called Crescent Hill, walking distance from Charlotte and Isaac's apartment. I have always made a point of going to this bookstore when I am in Louisville, mainly because they have the best selection of Wendell Berry books. They carry such a good selection since he is a Kentuckian author.

These little notecards came from this store, Charlotte gifted them to me so I have been writing notes this afternoon.The Tufted Titmouse is one of my favorite backyard birds and we are fortunate to have quite a few of them at our feeders. When they decide to sing...it is as a choir has booked a special flight to come and delight.

  

Years ago, I remember brewing a delicious summer tea using rosemary. Today after pruning my rosemary bushes I took a handful of the crushed rosemary branches (approximately 1-2 cups) brought them to a boil and simmered this brew for about 10 minutes. I added the strained rosemary tea to an equal portion of sweet tea also adding the juice of one-half lemon. Very refreshing, and the taste of rosemary was keen yet subtle.I realize that sounds like an oxymoron, but to me it describes the taste well.

Another way would be to make a rosemary syrup which basically means adding dissolved sugar to the simmering rosemary tea and pouring it into unsweetened tea, and even yet another way to make a good rosemary drink is to simply add the brewed rosemary tea into lemonade.

“The hill is like an old woman, all her human obligations met, who sits at work day after day, in a kind of rapt leisure, at an intricate embroidery. She has time for all things. Because she does not expect ever to be finished, she is endlessly patient with details. She perfects flower and leaf, feather and song, adorning the briefest life in great beauty as though it were meant to last forever.” 
― Wendell Berry, The Art of the Commonplace: The Agrarian Essays

How has sophisticated simplicity shaped your May thus far?

canon rebel revisited

We live in a culture where everything is demanding our attention and where restful attention to any one thing is counter-cultural and out of sync with most of our habits.   ~unknown

On my closet shelf rested my Canon EOS Rebel, and I was ready to pick it up for photos once again in place of my smartphone.

 This was last week.  Nothing like living in the past😊... but last week was full and last week was so lovely.

Two springs ago I was fortunate enough to be in Louisville when the local Iris Society was having an iris bulb sale. I was able to get some bulbs of this beauty.

Nigella damascena, or love-in-a-mist as I prefer to call it, is bursting forth everywhere throughout my gardening areas. I love the effect it creates, especially by the back step. This one is white, but I also have periwinkle blue.

On Friday of last week the Precepts study of Matthew was completed, thus the ladies came for lunch as is the habit we have established. Since eggs are in abundance right now I made two quiches and served this with a seven-layer salad alongside a cucumber/onion salad. Dessert  was baked bananas served warm over vanilla ice cream with a crisp butter cookie on the side. Here is the recipe. Truly, if you like bananas it is the most easy, yet elegant dessert, to serve at any time or season.

And this is this week, thus far...

Light purple irises at Good Drop Ridge...

Immediately after my walk last evening I came up the ridge and the sun was in the west shining though the delicate petals creating  magical shadows all their own.

And I also observed the sunlight scattering through the colored- glass of the hummingbird feeder.

The white peonies are just opening and the pink ones are on the verge.  If you grow peonies you have certainly seen ants crawling on the flowers. These flowers provide food for the ants and in turn the ants protect the blossoms from other insects that would feed on the flowers.

Myrtle whose green eyes I was trying so hard to capture, simultaneous brightness and warmth are the green eyes of a feline. She was afraid of the camera so I was unable to get a good photo.

Our garlic bed through the wire fence. Without fencing around our vegetable gardens we would be compromised terribly by the wildlife, and the chickens as I do let them out to free-range for several hours in the later part of the day. As it is some critter got into our potato bed and ate half the planted  potatoes...it was fenced, we suspect a raccoon as the culprit.