who cares

if i don't get to eat them?

looking at them is more than half the fun.

new flowers

back in the day when i was "working outside the home" i used to think it was sort of cool to buy flowers once a week to indulge yourself. God has blessed me even MORE THAN THAT. now i get to go outside two or three times A DAY and see the new bouquets that are forming.

i leave em on the actual plant, so i can enjoy them longer :)

one more day

so hard to be motivated when you only have one more day til vacation!!!!!

the great escape

Little did i know, last night when i was at bible study, a great escape was being plotted.

a certain someone likes to lay and look out the window in my office. i noticed the other day she was pushing pretty hard against the old screened window, but really didn't think much more of it.

last night i was pretty tired when i got home. the fuzzy one was waiting for me by the door. then, i could not find her at bedtime. since she sometimes goes down to her bed in the basement by herself, i didn't look, just assumed she was in bed and shut the door and went to bed myself.

then, about 5 am this morning i was awakened by a strange noise. it was like an animal was "wrestling" outside my window. i was half asleep, but i figured bunnies were playing under the window. then i heard some scratching noises and assumed siesta was wanting to get up for the day.

until she appeared by the bed, layed down on the floor and started taking a bath.


hmmmmmmmm.


i went to check the basement door, still firmly shut. i went to look at the office window, and sure enough, it was gaping open about 4 inches. i went to check the CAT and sure enough also, she had weeds and grass and stuff all over in her tail!!!!!!

and now, for some funny reason, all she is really wanting to do is take a nap!

when she wakes up, she is going to be grounded for sure!!!!!!!

flower time

speaking of coffee, who needs coffee breaks anyway when you can take flower breaks?




ahhhhhhhh.

meet my new friend Herb

prounounced "erb" by those of us who love him best.

now that my bladder has made me give up coffee, and most teas, and soda, and just about everything else for the time being, i've been seeking out some new drinks that i can enjoy.

one of them is this guy, red bush tea. some kind of african plant, i guess.

the package looks better than it tastes, but still, it makes me happy.

:)

sweet

this was my home away from home for the weekend retreat. at first glance, it was not exactly what i was expecting, but after a couple of days it became pretty comfy. the rest of our group stayed in this big luxury cabin with full kitchen, multiple bathrooms, and a living/dining area, but we didn't get registered with them, so we were on our own.

what made OUR cabin so nice is that it was nestled right in the middle of the woods, and much much cooler than the big place. oh, and the 4 other ladies assigned to stay with us thought it was too small and asked to be relocated. so my friend sher and i had it all to ourselves, a comfy little haven to rest, relax and talk in the midst of the retreat. oh, and we slept a bit too.

i did not feel super great during the trip, but i'm still so glad i went. the Lord definitely lives here! i saw Him in the people especially, who really went above and beyond. sher and i needed that, because of our "special" food needs and a popped tire that happened upon arrival. no need to worry, everything worked out fine!

i did have prayer for healing too. i am believing God has already healed me, now i just need to "walk it out" and not fall prey to doubt and discouragement. really, it's been a fascinating journery, seems God works so much easier in us when we are in hard times, because we finally stop trying to control everything ourselves.

anyway, glad to be catching up on blogs and will be posting some pics soon! my garden just EXPLODED while i was gone, amazing what a few days in 100 degree sun can do!

be blessed everyone :)

restful weekend

i admit i have been struggling this past week. when i feel good, all is well. and when i don't feel so good, i worry. and fret. and imagine all sorts of horrible things happening. and i lose a sense of anything except my trouble, really. i have done this my whole life, if truth be told.

this morning, i could swear i heard God say to me "you have to do it MY way." and i am hoping i am starting to be opened up to His way.

so, this weekend, i will travel to the black hills, and be with other believers, and worship this God who is good, and who watches over me and cares for me when i cannot care for myself, and who has promised to heal me.

have a happy weekend everybody!
oh. and ps. thanks to the Siesta-sitters :)



Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.

from 1 Peter 5

For moms i know. and me.

i saw this "recipe" on another blog today. i don't entirely get it, but someone commented that they just put theirs in a ziploc bag. that i could do.

Homemade Wipes

Baby Wipes
1 roll bounty paper towels
2 tablespoons baby bath soap
1 tablespoon baby oil
2 cups water


After Bath Wipes
1 roll bounty paper towels
3 tablespoons baby oil
2 cups water


Multi-Purpose Wipes
1 roll bounty paper towels
1/4 cup multi-purpose cleaner
2 cups water


Car Cleaner Wipes
1 roll bounty paper towels
1/4 cup armour all cleaner
2 cups water

Making the wipes:

1. Cut the roll of towels in half with a sharp knife.
2. In a plastic container, mix the liquid ingredients very well.
3. Add 1/2 of the paper towels, place lid on container and let sit for 10-15 minutes.
4. Turn container over and let sit for another 10-15 minutes.
5. When all the ingredients have absorbed, pull the brown paper out of the middle and then you can pull the wipes through the center.

hair-woe-ing

why the heck is hair so hard?

after MONTHS of wanting to cut all my hair off, i chickened out because my boyfriend likes long hair.

i did however get a really cute scrunchy, curly "do" yesterday when i went in for a trim, and wanted something different. it is amazingly curly! no, it's not short like i wanted, but i figured it would make that certain someone happy that i didn't "chop chop."

actually, he said it was "different."

followed by "you're not going to keep it like that, are you?"

hmmmm.

this morning, my best buddy calls me after HER haircut, and it seems her hubby doesn't care for short hair either.

that's it. i'm ordering one of these suckers for the men in our lives, and letting us keep our cute hair for everybody else!

cabin fever

no, not that kind.

the opposite kind, where you LONG to spend a weekend in the woods in a cozy retreat-like shelter.

i have that.

luckily, i will get to relieve it in ONE WEEK when i get to go on a church retreat in the beautiful black hills that is COMPLETELY FREE. looks like a cool place from their website.





ah. i can just smell the fresh black hillsy air right now. i hope they also have lots of porta pottys there!

he he.

nooks and crannies

there are so many things that are good about living in an old house. i love squeaky floorboards, and worn woodwork, and chipped off paint. in the yard, the little shabby chic "nooks" at this time a year are almost too beautiful to behold.

here are some of my favorite little mixes of old and new:




the rock garden with it's thyme bed and hen and chicks peeking out




the old ratty front steps that i ripped up the nasty carpet off of a couple of years ago, and now cannot bear to paint because i love the mix of glue and worn paint and cement that was left behind



the stump of the old bush that's on the corner of the porch, and the climbing vine that is overtaking it



the awesome plant i saved from death on clearance at the end of season a couple of years ago that looks so amazing after it rains



and my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE cranny in the whole entire place. this corner of the sunporch was the ugliest rattiest area when i moved in. it was just a glomp of old cement, and a wall. i chipped into some of the cement a couple of years ago and planted a vine there, and the awesome plant, and a rusty sunflower for show. now, i could sit and look at the corner for days. if you ever need a "time out" that is good for your soul, come on over to my little cranny :)

God and cilantro

it's really funny how the Lord consistently uses the garden to teach me about Him. this morning, He gave me an interesting analogy about cilantro, thought i would share it with you.

see, lately He's been working on me concerning my will. even though MANY times i have prayed "YOUR will be done" - i have never really been comfortable with the truth of it. i guess somehow deep inside, i was afraid somehow that HIS will would cause hardship and strife that i couldn't bear, even if it WAS for my ultimate good. plus, i think my own ideas are pretty swell, usually.

thru not feeling well, He is showing me the goodness of His will. He is showing me how it's NOT scary to give up my own idea about what is best in exchange for His plan. He is showing me His will being done in my life feels better than my own plan.

anyway, back to the cilantro. last year i bought a big antique washtub, and decided to use it for an herb garden. it's very pretty. this spring, i planted alot of seeds in there, and a couple of plants that i bought too. they are all in various stages of growth now, and since i wanted cilantro, there is a little tuft of it growing there (upper left corner). this garden is my design, my plan, and it looks pretty nice i think.

early on, not too far away from the washtub, i noticed some little seeds sprouting out of the concrete on my sidewalk. i left them there, mostly because i was lazy, but also because i kind of like haphazard looking things. the strangest thing is that now i see that i have a WHOLE CILANTRO GARDEN growing out of the cracks in the pavement. not only is it healthier and larger than the cilantro in the tub, but it also brings beauty to something that i never thought would be beautiful, my old cement walkway.

Kind of like His will. our own plans might be good enough for us, but HIS will still gives us the desires of our hearts, in unexpected places, bringing beauty to things that we never thought could be beautiful.

ahhhhh. a good lesson to start the day with.
may God give you a surprise cilantro bed in your life also!

lunch

without any photo styling whatsoever, here is what lunch on the new "i will kill it or it will kill me" diet looks like.

i hate to admit it's kind of pretty!

sure, it may not taste like a whopper and fries, but then again, i do think it is actually more aesthetically pleasing. all i need is some orange bell peppers, and it would match karen's coffee tables perfectly.

:)

sequin Sunday

yesterday was a test in perseverance for me.

i actually spent the WHOLE DAY with a ten year old.

and the really funny news is, i did not perish!

he he.

actually, it was quite a blessing. i got to take my "mentee" J for the day, while her mom was at work. j has been plotting for quite some time to work her way deeper into my life, and it looks like her wishes are being granted.

Lord help me.

no, i'm serious. as a 44 year old single woman, i really DO need the Lord's guidance for this matter! what should we DO together? why is it all the good stuff (ie EASY) is related to worldy things?

yesterday we went to church, which was fun. before i knew it, j was raising her hands just like all the other crazies at the church i go to, and singing along. i am pleased that she actually spoke the powerful name of Jesus aloud, i am excited to see Him come into her more and more.

if it had ended there, all would be well.

but unfortunately, after church and lunch together, i TOOK HER TO THE MALL.

see, she wanted to shoe shop. she had $20 of her birthday money in hand, and a real hunger to spend...i'd like to say that i couldn't relate to such a hunger, but alas, you guys all know the truth about THAT.

anyway, the mall. let me tell you, the stuff for preteens out there is downright scarey. spaghetti straps and leopard prints, and tight tight stuff, and $30 tshirts are far too plenty.

in the end, she saved her money on the shoes (i talked her into liking the ones she had on for now) but blew it by buying her a sequined purse. apparently, every fashionable ten year old has one :)

i have to admit, it was kind of shiny and fetching. doh.
like i said, i'm gonna need some help with this.

gardens are for sharing

at least that's what this little guy told me.

:)

bowled over

i decided just to harvest my whole radish crop this morning, and i'm pretty happy with the results. these are part of the organic seeds i ordered in january, and they came out fat and round and red, and none of them got "woody" which i remember my grandma talking about.

the best part of this is, well there are two best parts.

1) thankfully radishes are allowed on the "kill everything in your system" restrictive diet i'm on, and

2) now i have some valuable real estate cleared up to plant something else! i'm thinking more lettuce, and some garlic before it gets too hot.

and PRAISE BE TO HIM i found a recipe on the internet for "radish salad" (see granola girl blog at right) that I CAN ACTUALLY EAT! woo hoo.

sometimes the best things are the little things :)

happy saturday!

love around my neck

right around the time i got sick, i found my sterling cross that was a gift given to me when i was baptized. i put it on, and have not taken it off as i rely on the Lord when i don't feel so hot.

but today, i decided to make it even more personal. so i added my friend kristie's creation of a beautiful bead for the abundant life i am enjoying, and my very own monogrammed B silverware charm. ahhhh. i love it.

i betcha i NEVER take it off, sick or well or whatever :)

rose parade

here's my entry. just opened up overnight. unlike susan though, i only have the one bloom. better savor it while i can!

thursday thoughts

Things are really starting to come alive here on the Back Forty.

the perennials are beginning their blooms (why do all the blue things bloom at once?), the tomatoes are just absolutely going BONKERS, and they seem to be enjoying their new red support posts, and even better,

apparently i have my ducks in a row too. this is how i found them this morning. must be a big duck race coming up that i was unaware of. i'm for the pink one.

:) happy day.

as the weather gets warmer again

it's so hard to get comfortable!

i will not be defeated

so, still struggling with the health probs.

last week, it came to my attention that i may have a MORTAL enemy that i was not even aware of. and yes, i have to admit he's been somebody i thought was my friend.

meet evil mr. yeast.

he gets into your system after you've been sick, or if you've been on antibiotics, and he multiplies. and multiplies. and starts to mess things up.

oh. and he hangs around and gets even MORE unruly when he's accompanied by his two best friends, mr. mold and mr. sugar.

it seems that the three of them have been wreaking havoc with me for too long. so in the words of that famous Christian chuck norris: "Violence is my last option." i guess it's time for me to fight back.

unfortunately, fighting back means letting go. letting go of cheesecake and wine (mold), vanilla bean ice cream and chocolate chips straight from the bag (sugar, duh), and of course my old standbys bread, muffins, bagels, dough of any sort, and all things good.

it's tough to play hardball, but somebody has to do it.

2 peas

sometimes in life, you just have the greatest fortune in unexpected places. it's like that for me with my new friend kristie.

see, i've known her (somewhat) for forever, but there are things i just didn't know. as i find out more about her, i really just feel happy that we are getting to be friends. it's great to have somebody who loves christian music as much as me, and is willing to be my concert buddy, for instance!

when we shop, however, there is some danger involved.

we are like two peas in a pod. saturday we went to hobby lobby, and hysteria ensued. we were going to "look" for an item for a craft idea we have, but once we got a good whiff of crafts wafting in the air, we both started to exhibit strikingly similar symptoms!

case in point, we bought stuff. both of us. remarkably, many of the items we purchased were THE EXACT SAME THING. take this gorgeous yellow and orange platter that we found in the clearance aisle for 66% off!!!!!!! only 2 remaining! aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh! we each got one, with the thought that it would be a good birdbath. i already have 3 birdbaths, but heck, i have a lot of dirty birds, too.

so, here's what i did with it. i found a plant stand yesterday at kmart for $12 bucks, and with a little help from my dad, i think it will work for a base.

i will not be at all surprised if i find out she got the exact same stand and had her dad help her make HER birdbath yesterday :)

i grew this!

organic, orshmanic.

i won't have to pay 3 bucks a bag for lettuce for a while now.
going to order some "heat resistant" lettuce also today, so that i can try to grow it in the summer, although i am still doubting that somewhat.

Lord, this is fun.

who goes there?

you better watch out, i've got extra help guarding the house now.