Like A Sand Burr- Sticktight!

 I have been introduced . . . To the family of . . . Cenchrus . . . The sand spurs and the sandbur . . . And the one commonly called, Sticktight.

 "Cenchrus is a widespread genus of plants in the grass family. Its species are native to many countries in Asia, Africa, Australia, the Americas, and various oceanic islands. Common names include buffelgrasses, sandburs, and sand spur. Wikipedia"

They cling tenaciously!

Makes me question . . . Do I have that same fervor for staying close to the Lord?

"That you may love the LORD your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.” - Deuteronomy 30:20

How do you hold on tight?

Where Am I Planted?

I could have typed this Scripture verse (or in my case, swiped this out), but I really, really like seeing God's Word in is own setting on the printed page of the Bible.

Psalm one, verse three.

I was struck this morning in reading the blog, Devotions by Jan, when she said, "Water is never an issue because of where he is planted." 

Think about that . . . Having enough water in not the issue here . . . So maybe the question should be, 'Is something clogging my roots to bring that water up into my trunk and leaves? . . . Or am I planting my feet firmly into the stream of His love and strength?

Jan says, ”Water is never an issue because of where he is planted.  Rather than being planted in the soil of this world’s ideas of right and wrong, this person enjoys God’s blessing because of his love and obedience to God’s objective truth.  He is planted in the right place and can enjoy growth, fruit, and significance!"

Where am I planted? . . . Today as thirst comes as it does in this life . . . I will ask myself . . . "Am I drinking?" The water is there. That is no question.

Towel Aprons

I made two new towel aprons today.  They are the best kind in my opinion.  They are so practical.  I can wipe my hands dry on them without having to search for the hand towel that disappeared from the kitchen when I turned my back. 🙂

I first started experimenting with a few old towels a couple of years ago, to try it.  I whacked them in half and sewed in a couple pleats and a belt from a wide ribbon I had on hand.  I loved them and usef them all the time . . . but with starting out used and old already, they look quite sad-looking and dowdy by now.

So last week I purchased two brand new towels to make into aprons and I am well pleased!!! I like the kind that you don't have to tie . . . I like them higher then my waist to keep my Sunday dresses clean in the kitchen . . . So I made them loose and sewed in the ties so I can just flip them over my head and I'm good to go.

What is your favorite apron style?

Here is style I made today.

It's as simple as can be . . . 

Here is the front.

and this is what the back looks like . . .

Handlotion

A couple years ago, when I was in Utah with Japheth on a business trip, I came upon this stuff.  This is my absolute favorite - BEST hand lotion ever, in my opinion.  Not sure what makes it better, but I love it.  

Not wanting to sit in classes, I wandered the downtown streets and gardens since I was at leisure, taking pictures of flowers, buying salad greens at the grocery store, and window shopping.

I did find a beautiful basket for out oldest daughter who was babysitting, cooking and running the house for us while we were gone and I found this lotion.

Now exactly sure what makes it exceptional, except that it is ultra cream and the scent in day phenomenal!  I struggle with dry hands year round so I appreciate good hand cream.  Since then, my dear husband has gifted me two more of these for my birthday this year and I was thrilled!!! Such a great gift!

Mostly About Tea

Mid afternoon yesterday . . . I guess we had a few things going . . . Or something 🤪 . . . 

Found this new-to-me tea at the store yesterday and now it's my favorite for now!  I go in spurts.  Last week or so its been Bengal Spice.  Before that, this Chai tea in the nicest nylon baggies - the best boughten Chai that I have found ( and I don't it at the bent and dent) . . . Oh, and a lovely black tea ( most any kind or your favorite brand, I am using all kinds of brands that I bought home from the bent and dent when I didn't really like black tea 🤪) with a drop of lavender and a bit of creamer . . . 

What is your kind is tea these days . . .  or nights . . . I almost always brew a cup at bedtime.

Abundance

It all starts coming in at once it seems and piles up on top of each other . . .  and I have only tiny flowerbed gardens with a bit of fresh veggies!  . . . .Maybe God wants us to experience abundance full and overflowing so that we are reminded of His spiritual blessings that He promises in abundance!!!!

Tomatoes, celery, yellow summer squash, zucchini, basil, parsley, green beans, peaches, apples, sunflowers, strawflowers . . . Harvesting and harvesting and putting up food, canning, drying, freezing and sharing with friends and neighbors.  What an abundance!  What goodness of God! What joy!  What flavors and textures and FRESHNESS!  What gifts!!!

Compost

What do you do with your food/garbage?  What does your compost pile/bin look like? 

I don't remember having a garbage pile or compost bin when I was growing up . . .   I asked mom today and she said that she just dumped her foodscraps/garbage into the garden and it got tilled into the dirt.

I have not always had a garden, as much as I like to grow things.  This year trying to garden on sand, I have come to recognize the urgent need for a large compost bin.

I rounded up some old pallets and had the boys screw them together . . . Though they weren't there more careful about the looks of things so they look at bit shipshod, but it works.  Most of the summer I have gathered grass clippings from a neighbor/ friend ( our grass clippings don't hardly amount to a "hill of beans"), some leaves from last fall from another neighbor who puts his junk wood things to burn in our burn pile ( with our consent), and some straw/ hay (with a bit of horse and donkey manure in it) and a little bit of garbage from our kitchen.  Most of our kitchen scraps go directly to the chickens.  

Since most of the year, things are frozen, I'm not sure how long the garbage will take to break down.  I have never done this before.  The first bin I didn't add water and that was a mistake.  

Yesterday, I started turning it with a pitch fork for the first time.  And by late afternoon, I brought the water hose to help moisten things a bit.  I was so grateful that it is close enough to the outside water spigot that with three garden hoses I could reach where I needed to.

This last (first) bin needed water the most, so I had a helper nearby to run the sprayer for me so it didn't take so much time stopping every few minutes.

Can't wait to use this stuff next year.  

What is your experience with composting?