going to extremes

yeah! today is the day i am going to phoenix for the conference that i have been waiting 3 whole months for!! i guess i have mentioned how much i love the "extreme prophetic" ministry, and i am ready to go see patricia king and friends again. the move of God is often astounding at these events, both of my traveling companions have experienced great and marvelous things in the past! the feeling that God is rising up an army is growing stronger and stronger in me! wow! me, little ole me, chosen by the Most High!

anyway, i just plan to rest in Him for all 5 days. i have told some, but not everybody about the crazy story of registering for the conference. once i made the decision to go (about 2 months ago) i got everything lined up - plane/hotel/conf. registration - except, i didn't. about 10 days ago i realized i did NOT SIGN UP for the conference! which was full! drats! after several phone calls/emails with the great people at XP, i finally got my friend sher and i registered for an "overflow" room in the hotel...not quite as good, but nevertheless we are "in."

what is funny about this, is that the title of the conference is "Upgraded: Living in the Blessing Zone." my FULL expectation is that the Lord plans to show us how He blesses us, by "upgrading" what appears to be a second-rate situation at best, due to my lapse of thinking. whatya think? think i'll have good stories to tell?

:) here is the rest of the conference description. i will possibly blog during the week, otherwise, have a great one and i will talk at you next week!

You were not re-created in Christ to live in economy class. You have been upgraded by the finished work of the cross to live in Kingdom Class! Join Patricia King and a mighty gathering of prophets and worshippers to learn how to step into the Kingdom upgrade Jesus paid for … for you!

Every spiritual blessing is yours! Everything pertaining to life and godliness has been given to you. You have been upgraded … and it is about time you start living in the Blessing Zone!

peace and purple

lots of purple in the world today. i like purple.

:)

mighty mouse

after sitting in a box for about 2 months, my new mighty mouse decided to break out yesterday. i had hesitated to use it at first, because it kind of "squeaked." seriously. however, it seems fine now.

the greatest feature is the little button on top, which allows you to scroll up and down with your index finger instead of your wrist. now, i really CAN do my work without so much as using a calorie. really. how much better can life get?

happy friday ya'll.

whether

so, the a/c guy came today to see what is up with my central air. after 3 days in the mid-90s, i've kind of adjusted to the heat, in fact, i enjoyed yesterday alot.

he walked up to the yard and said "i bet that one is dead. i replaced 2 just like it this week, it's ollllllllllllllllllllld. i make no guarantees for anything on this one." (ps. wouldn't a "hello" have been nice to start things off?!)

anyway, i left it in his capable hands, and he sheepishly came back from the basement holding a filter that looked like a few cats might have been sucked of all their fur and stored in it, and said "it seems like it's working, i just replaced THIS."

wheeeee! i somehow knew it would be okay, because i don't really have the cash for a new a/c right now.

the funniest thing is, immediately after he finished his service call and left, i turned the FURNACE on, because siesta was rolled up in a comforter, and i had to put a long sleeved shirt and sweater on today. seriously. you cannot make this stuff up :)

happy day.

nature intended

if i ever doubted the perfection of God's design of things, here's another case for Him. yesterday, this little tomato was straight as an arrow, reaching up for the sun that makes him happy. less than 24 hours later, he is shaped like a U, and cursing the freaking topsy turvy planter!! apparently, the confusion will subside at some point because their marketing materials show no such awkwardness.

sucker!

you knew i was going to fall for this, didn't you? yep, it's the topsy turvy tomato planter, straight from an infomercial to my yard. actually, this one was only $6 at gordman's yesterday. thusly, i have to give it a try. if you look closely, you'll see one of my heirloom brandywine tomatoes at the bottom going "what the?"


peace to you from the back forty, my friends.

perfectness

boy, this is the day in all my dreams. the kind of day that you wait for, perfect temps, no wind, sunny bright beauty everywhere.

this kind of day was made for the back forty. lots going on here. mabel looks pretty, and ready for summer.


this little guy stopped to pose for the camera. he and his buddies go round and round this big tree in the front yard, and drive siesta crazy.


lilacs in bloom. yum, they smell so great.


a mama wren has chosen "the gourd" for her home again. this is a hot spot for wrens, about every year it hosts a nest. she's cute, very busy adding those sticks in there right now. she joins chickadees, a cardinal couple, a blue jay, and some goldfinches along with all the regular robins and sparrows. fun!


cute little flower, not sure what it is, the flower is only about an 1" wide...


this is where the magic happens, the "ranch" site :)


and every day, about 3pm or so, this is where you'll find me. i hope you can stop over and have some iced tea with me!

happy monday y'all.

sad awareness

i've been listening, as many of you girls are preparing for a 20-year reunion this summer. the thought brings me back to my own, already nine years ago. i remember how crazy it was, to see everyone, and see how much that they had aged. but i also remember how great it was to see how everyone had aged. i liked the 38 year old "us's" better than the 18 year old "us's" in my class of 1980.

this past week, there was another reunion of sorts in brookings for me. those are all my classmates from bhs circa 1980. sadly, one of the most loved guys in our class passed away a little over a week ago. it seems so strange to see those men, to think of them as the boys i remembered from so long ago. where has the time gone?

thinking of doug's passing has brought back alot of high school times. well, this event, and facebook, which has brought me back in touch with quite a few folks. this year, i don't have to stress about my hair and my weight and my wrinkles, i can save that for next summer. but in the end, i see that time equals us all out on the outside, and our insides actually show through more. i know you guys will be discovering that in just a short time, too! and i'm pretty sure you'll be glad you went.

ps. doug brown was an outstanding man, he must have started young because i never remember him being anything but great. i can say this from experience, because he was one of the "popular boys" and even though i was barely visible in high school, we talked and he was extremely funny and kind and smart. he went on to be the same kind of grown up, and i'm sure our world will miss him.

a moment of weakness

that's all it took, one second for me to purchase this from the front page of etsy.

tell me you don't love it too, i dare you! i would forego eating anything but rice and noodles for a week in order to haaaaaaave this. dang, i'm a weak-willed woman.

my redeemer lives

lately, my worship group on monday night has been very interesting. we have two new members in the last couple of months, bringing our group to about 6 or 7. we are all pretty "tight" and seem to be on the same page with worshipping God. what is so cool is that the last 2 or 3 weeks, God seems to be giving us "connected" visions - we only find that out later when we discuss what was going on when we were worshipping.

last night's worship was very heavy for me. by heavy, i mean i was so peaceful, at one point i felt like i was going to just fall asleep. when i'm in that state, it's easy to think about the presence of the Lord, and usually some imagery pops into my head. last night, i started to see a dance, as if the Lord was asking me to dance, and then he made some sort of move, which covered me with His robe (which was white) and suddenly, i was somewhere else, it felt like a womb (?) or somewhere very warm, the sound of water swishing all around me.

when we were done praying, it turns out that 3 of us had "dance" visions. my friend kathy and i had very similar visions concerning the Lord surrounding us with something (His Spirit?). it kind of consumed me, so i was still kind of thinking about it this morning when i woke up.

then, when i went to the Bible for a little morning read, it turned out that i was in the part of the bible about Naomi. i have always felt a deep connection with Naomi, i think her story and mine are similar in some ways. as i was reading the part about Naomi's daughter-in-law Ruth (who ended up "saving" the family by marrying Boaz)...i thought it kind of neat the language used to describe the custom of "reedeming" her for marriage...what that actually means according to the customs of the time, is that he was buying back the land that Naomi's husband had owned before he died, and also assuming responsibility for the women of the family, who came along with the land.

"Who are you?" he (Boaz) asked. "I am your servant Ruth," she said. "Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a kinsman-redeemer."

Do you see the connection? perhaps my "vision" of last night, was of the Lord "redeeming" me in the actual customs of Israel!! i have always loved the vision of my Reedemer, but now, i can also reflect on a literal representation!

i also think of "joshua judges ruth" when i think of this story. however, that is a lyle lovett song, and probably not from God :)

sorely in need

i guess you know you've had a good spring weekend when you can hardly get out of bed on monday morning.

so, the weekend WAS good, albeit a bit chilly. i noticed it especially when i was attempting to be a plumber and fix the outdoor spiggot, but failing miserably. i ended up looking like i had gone to the water park fully clothed. it was silly.

anyway, it's neat because i have a new hero. her name is sandy, and she is kristie's step grandma who lives in lincoln. last year when we were there, we toured her amazing back yard garden, which is really a patchwork mosaic created out of many years of longing for more, more, more pretties. it looks like this:


words cannot describe how happy this space makes me feel. i guess because it's the "un" version of landscaping. not perfect in configuration, or technique (nothing matches!!) or even proportion, probably, but absolutely STUNNING in the organic nature of it, and the way it looks like a process begun but not ended. this is the way i see myself as a gardener. God forbid the day i see my garden completed! i would hate that!

anyway, looking at her pics inspired me to start a backyard mosaic of my own. who KNOWS when i will get it done - if ever. but now, i am set with a project and a labor of love that will only grow in beauty. you cannot go out and buy something like that. at least not all at once :)

sigh. welcome monday, i like your friend sunday alot!

friday flora

another grey day on the western front. actually, it's been kind of nice this week. the grey skies force me indoors to do my computer duty in the morning, then the sun breaks out around noon just in time for me to go play. i can live with this arrangement.




the trees are kind of going insane around here. you've got your plums, and your cherries, and your lilacs, and your "some other tree i cannot remember." they are quite lovely. i am kind of wondering why all my trees have white blossoms. normally, i would go for a little more shebang!! the white is nice against the bright green though. i will have to drive around the neighborhood to see flaming pink trees, i guess.

both of my azaleas look dead, victims of the northern exposure and the shock of living in south dakota. i guess i will have to wait for karen to post pics of azaleas!

happy friday all.

stylin' green

.65 inches of rain, beautiful rain last night. should be PERFECT combined with a couple of 70 degree days, for the little seedlings percolating in back.

unfortunately, the lone tree in the front yard decided to poop everywhere! little tree droppings! sidewalk, grass, street, and yeah, so glad i forgot to put the car in the garage last night...

however, is that the most ROCKING shade of green you've ever seen?!! grass is a cool invention :)

farmer me

whew. got allotta plantin' done today. just in time for the rain that is supposed to come tonite. sometimes, things work out.

here's what i got planted:

Herbs
Lemon Basil
Cilantro
Lettuce Leaf Basil
Oregano

Veggies
Flat Leaf Spinach
Broccoli
Radishes
Carrots (2 varieties)
Onions (yellow/white)
Potatoes
Lettuce
Mesculan Mix Greens
Yellow Squash

Flowers
Cosmos
Nasturtiums



And what in need to wait a week or so for:

Tomotoes
Peppers
Canteloupe
Cucumbers
Edamame Beans
Bush Beans

WOW. i guess i'll be eating IN alot later in the summer, eh? i would like to plant BUNCHES more stuff, i even bought some corn seed, but cannot figure out where i would plant corn. i still need to get some sunflowers, too. for the birds. and so the neighbors don't stare at me :) otherwise, i feel pretty good about things....i keep thinking that someday, i'll be one of those cool/weird urbanites who digs up their front yard with gardens too.

the lawnmower.

Siesta longs for what is just out of her reach...

i was about 75% done writing about week 2, no billable jobs on the horizon. when all of a sudden, God told me to write about the lawnmower. so here goes.




i have a lawnmower. it's about 6 years old, my mom and dad gave it to me for a housewarming gift. this is actually a pic i took from the web, pretty much it looks like this. i have NEVER liked the thing. very difficult to start. i began to realize WHY this spring, when kristie's dad gave it a tuneup, and told me all the things wrong - i had not maintained it, i guess i just expected it to run.

anyway, on saturday, i NEEDED to mow the grass. after a week of procrastination, the lawn looked pretty shaggy. only, dagnabit, could NOT get the dang thing started! arrrrgggh. i went and grabbed my strong-looking neighbor, and after about 15 HARD pulls on the pull thingey, he got it going. it was not too long into the "ride" when i noticed it would lose power, almost quitting a few times. then, it did quit.

it occurred to me to pray. so pray i did. "c'mon Lord. look at this grass. you know i need to mow today, and i don't know how to fix this. i already asked for help, now i need YOU." pull. lawnmower starts. sputters. i began to mow tentatively, praying constantly. "Lord, i pray you will help me get this lawn mowed. Lord, please work the lawnmower. Lord, i am tired and i don't want to deal with this." etc....

all at once, the mower just took off. no hesitation, nothing. i am THANKING God, and praising him and smiling as i mow! my lawn is about the size of a postage stamp, it takes about 10-12 minutes to mow. and as i am nearing the end, about 90% done, it starts to sputter. and slow, and speed, and slow. "dear Lord, please help me finish this lawn!!

just as i came around the last curb, that last strip of unmown grass, i feel the power going. as i finish up, the mower is nowhere near working right. i see liquid (gas?) coming out the side...doh. looks like a trip to the lawn mower doctor (whoever THAT is) is in order for sure.

however, i am wondering why for 10 minutes, it mowed PERFECTLY. you see, it is broken. not sure what the problem is, but it's broken. and yet, with the power of PRAYER, it ran perfectly just long enough for me to accomplish the task. not forever, but for what needed to be done. manna for the yard. for the moment. all that i needed.

seems like there might be a God lesson in there, ya think?

:) happy Monday!

the beginning of the beginning

this weekend, i finally got to relax and enjoy the outdoors. the stress of all the "must do's" gave way to actually getting some things done, and the work in progress is making me happy.


the guy came to rototill the garden this afternoon, and i asked him "is it really weird that this makes me SO happy?" he said no, but i wonder if he meant it. truly, fresh tilled dirt is about the most beautiful thing in the world to me. it's so SOFT. feels really good to squish your toes in. i made a chart of the garden, because i am using a "companion planting" principal this year. trying to sit friends together, we'll see if that yields any better results. i always think i have SO MUCH room, til i start to think about what i want. i never have quite enough space. but certainly, enough to inspire ;)


the front of the house is looking pretty outstanding. the lawn is mowed, christmas lights are down (um, yeah) and even the tulips are looking good. i was really sad when the bunny that had inhabited the front yard died earlier this year, but i guess the upside is that the tulips finally got to bloom, instead of being eaten in bunny salad. they kind of look sporadic and casual, not planted in a row, which is what i was going for but is NOT as easy as it looks!


i love the colors, yellow and red and purple. they bloom fast and furious, are already starting to fade...but for once, i'm just going to enjoy them, and not worry about what tomorrow might bring.

happy sunday :)

great story

so, carey and i have been "researching" social media for our clients. here's a great example from a sioux falls ad guy. let's hear it for the boob fund!

dumpster day!

what a crazy week. yesterday, i actually ate nothing but nutty bars and potato chips, while laying in bed and on the couch, fretting over life. yikes! thank goodness, i am meeting carey for lunch, so i cannot do it again today.

all of my devos have been about faith. pretty sure God is trying (once again) to toughen me up a bit, and let me know He knows. and that He will take care of things. ahhh. must live by faith.

anyway, a great thing happened! as i was trolling down an alley in my neighborhood, because sometimes i like back yards better than front yards, look what i spotted. treasures that need my love!


this first one is a real gem. it actually had really weird gummy pink vinyl all over it. it also looks like it might have had a drawer at one time, but i think i can knock that wood support out, and make a larger bottom storage area. this will be awesome...somewhere. small stands are amazingly good for corners that just need something. or maybe this could be decoupaged with cute birds, and set in a baby's room! oh the possibles.


then, i got this great stand for outside. i need something to match the adirondacks from a couple of summers ago that i painted "sundance" style. the bottom is metal, and one foot is rusted, but it's still quite solid. i'll spraypaint the bottom a faux-rust anyway, and paint the slats to match the chairs. score!

i keep dreaming of a store. oh, how i would love to have a space for these kind of beauties to live and have someone adopt them...!

happiest of days, y'all.