yawn

If you passed my house yesterday, you may have seen a strange sight. I was out in the front yard planting my dwarf crepe myrtles. The place where I set them out was in the sun and it was close to noon so I was getting a bit warm. After I finished I wasn't ready to come inside. There's just something calming and wonderful about being outdoors. I decided to sit under the tree in the shade and work on my flower bed. There was a nice breeze and it felt good after working in the sun. I moved my ice water and got all the things I thought I'd need for my little project.

Of course once I sat down Arnold came and got in my lap. He's one of Hannah's cats. Actually he's my cat. He and I have a bond; he loves and trusts me and I love him. He came to us when he was young and we ended up keeping him. We already had Jupiter so we decided two wouldn't be any more trouble than one. He has had quite a life already. He got his leg broken when he was hit by a car, tore a gaping hole in his neck somehow (we never figured that one out but Donald took care of him and we didn't have to go to the vet), disappeared for two weeks and came home thin and filthy, and just recently hurt his back paw. We had a three legged cat for a while. There was nothing obvious that could be seen so we waited it out and he's fine now. So that is the history of his short life.

Back to my story. If I am working in the yard you can usually find the cats there with me. Especially Arnold. He follows me around, rubs against my legs, and gets in my lap the moment I sit down. Yesterday was no exception. So here I am, hot and sweaty, sitting on the ground with the cat in my lap. Now he's shedding terribly and no amount of brushing has seemed to help. If you saw a very hairy object covered in white fur sitting in our yard around noon, then yes, it was me!

Quote from George Eliot, English novelist (1819-1880)

Animals are such agreeable friends - they ask no questions, they pass no criticisms.

immense in mercy

1 It wasn't so long ago that you were mired in that old stagnant life of sin.

2 You let the world, which doesn't know the first thing about living, tell you how to live. You filled your lungs with polluted unbelief, and then exhaled disobedience. 3 We all did it, all of us doing what we felt like doing, when we felt like doing it, all of us in the same boat. It's a wonder God didn't lose his temper and do away with the whole lot of us.
4 Instead, immense in mercy and with an incredible love, 5 he embraced us. He took our sin-dead lives and made us alive in Christ. He did all this on his own, with no help from us! 6 Then he picked us up and set us down in highest heaven in company with Jesus, our Messiah. 7 Now God has us where he wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:1-6 (The Message)

These verses are really neat. I read verses 4-6 last night in Life Group. Verse 4 starts with the word "instead" so I wanted to find out instead what?? It reminded me of struggling with trying to live a Godly life. It wasn't a Christ-filled life so it didn't materialize into what I was searching for. It all begins and ends with Him!

I was out in the front yard this morning and had a neat conversation with one of our neighbors. He is a retired doctor and he and his wife are really sweet people. We were talking about God being in control of our lives. He, as well as myself, believe that God is in control of everything. He was recounting a conversation with another person who does not believe this. I imagine this person's life is full of concern and worry with trying to figure out things. I'm glad I can rest knowing that God is in complete control of everything!

correct weigh

This picture is not turned the wrong way! Did you know this is the correct way to weigh yourself?? My friend, Connie, shared this with me.

red riding hood

I haven't been on the computer as much since I've started working in the yard. For a while I even worked there in my dreams. No kidding....I dreamed yard work. I was exhausted when I went to bed and exhausted when I got up.

I found some purple grass called "Red Riding Hood." It looks similar to Purple Fountain Grass. Probably because it is. I found out today it is a Dwarf Purple Fountain Grass. I went to the nursery and bought a pot of the regular grass a while ago. I went by Subway to get a Veggie Delite sandwich and decided to sit at the computer and eat. Now I'm enjoying a cup of "Candy Jar" Blue Bell ice cream. It's a new variety and really good. I especially like the the little crunchy stuff that reminds me of the butter brickle I ate as a child. I'm not sure if no one else knows it's there or they just ate the Homemade Vanilla. I think I've eaten almost the whole half gallon myself; a cup at a time, not the whole half gallon at once! That's the thing about Blue Bell. I haven't found one yet that was horrible. I did the price match for $3.99. That's about the only time I buy it.

I've got to go set out my grass before it gets too hot. Ciao.

green green grass of home

I actually have some grass! It is a small beginning, but you have to start somewhere.

Looking down on my flower bed in front of our bedroom window.
One way to cover a tree root! There is a small berm with Asian Jasmine planted on it. It is by the side of our house. I hope to have a walkway beside the house in time.
My berm in front of the house, complete with cat. When I am out working the cats are usually there with me.
Front corner. Some kind of small monkey grass, tall monkey grass, english ivy, and Mexican Heather. Won't it be pretty when it all spreads together?? My sod in the corner is even looking better. I had about four pieces that didn't look all that great; all the rest was wonderful!
Another picture of the same.

Grass again: yes, it's the same picture but I'm REALLY proud of it!
A type of grass I just HAD to have. The purple one on the ground beside it is not part of it.
Asian Jasmine that was here when we bought the house. It's amazing what a lot of water will do!
pretty pink impatients
Another picture of my berm. Eventually the plants will cover the sides of it. I can't remember what they are called, but I got them for $5.00 a flat; a flat covered each side almost.

I have been looking for brick for my sidewalk. I saw an ad in the little paper that comes weekly that someone in Antlers had free brick they wanted moved. Donald, Daniel, and I went Thursday night and I got about 250 bricks for free!

God is so amazing~! He has given me free soil, free plants, free help, and free bricks!

Psalm 20:4

He will give you your heart's desire and carry out all your plans. (God's Word)

Matthew 6:33

Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. (The Message)

celebrate the little things

Pastor Ron's son, Philip, was our speaker for Jubilee Sunday. Every month that has five Sundays we eat together after the service. It is always a good time with our church family. Pastor Philip's message was really thought provoking for me. He mentioned reinventing ourselves to accurately portray the nature of God. I've been wondering what God would have me do to do this. He spoke about how he was working on being kind to people, looking them in the eye and speaking, and offering to help them when he could. I thought about this yesterday as I was very much into my own business as I hurried to my van to come home. I looked up and smiled at this older lady who looked kind of tired and sad. She almost smiled back at me. It didn't hurt a bit or cost anything to give her an encouraging smile. How many opportunities do I miss because I am busy with "my" own doings??

He also said that we want people to believe and behave like us, then we will accept them and they can belong. That is being a Pharisee. Believing and behaving shouldn't be such a big issue.

Church - it is what it is. There are little things we can do to change for the better. He also mentioned "professional Christians" being the only ones Jesus got upset with. Man, I sure don't want to be one of those. I'm sure I am at times, but I thank God for delivering me from a lot of things that really aren't important in my relationship with Him.

It was a wonderful Sunday~!

looking good

I just woke up from a nap, a three hour nap actually. I well deserved it too!

I know my blog has been all about the changes our front yard is undergoing. Well, this one is more of the same so if you're not interested you may want to find something more interesting. I won't be offended at all. Shucks, I won't even know unless you tell me!

I have been so blessed and so amazed at what my heavenly Father has done for us. Our yard has been a really pitiful sight for a long time. Pam and Rick blessed us with the soil, Barb's friend gave me LOTS of plants, Ben bought me some stones for a walkway, and Connie has plants for me when I get to the other part of the yard! Pam told me this morning at church that they will be taking some up more soil in the future and we can have it also! I am so grateful to God and all our friends who have helped.

Friday I spent about 12 hours setting out plants. Friday night I HURT SO BAD! I didn't sleep well at all. I decided about 5:30 to get up and take some ibuprofen. I checked email which I had neglected and planned to go back to bed and sleep a while longer. By then I was even wider awake and it was cool outside so I thought I'd just go out and set out the rest of my plants. I worked for about 4 hours and had gotten them all in the ground except for the flat of Mexican Heather I had bought. I had NO IDEA where to put it and wasn't even satisfied with some of the places I had put stuff. I was just finishing picking up things when Barb drove up. She said she had 2 hours to give me!!! I really think it ended up being longer, but I'm not complaining. I showed her what I didn't particularly like and she made some suggestions and it is perfect! She is so good at gardening! I dug up some of the stuff I already had and we set it out with the heather. She has a natural ability at knowing where to put things so they will look good.

I will definitely have Hannah take pictures soon and hopefully I'll have something new to talk about. Now I have to go buy cat food as the poor cats will have to eat dog food for breakfast the way things stand. I have totally neglected things around here! But oh, our yard is looking good!