My Favorite Stories

In addition to recruiting younger family members to dig holes, there are other ways to make gardening tasks easier as we age. I could try to use an auger to dig holes in the ground for my plants. Yet, I admit to being afraid of using power tools and risking the chance of hurting myself.

Another option is to do more gardening in flower pots. I love to watch gardening videos on Youtube. One of my faves is Linda Vater in Oklahoma. She is the queen of the topiary garden. I saw her human sized cut out at Lowes the other day while I was perusing the garden department. She must have a new contract working with them to promote their products. I have begun experimenting with this hobby but it takes months and even years to get the wanted results from cutting and trimming a plant to get the perfect conical or ball shape.

Gardening requires patience and for those of us beginning a new garden at an older age, it is frustrating if we want an instant garden. It is also expensive and backbreaking to purchase fully developed specimens of plants or to hire out a landscaper to create the perfect design at the onset.

I am trying to be patient and let my garden evolve slowly. To save money and my back I have begun to propagate plants myself. I have begun purchasing bulbs at the garden center to start growing them earlier indoors before the next growing season. The only drawback is lack of space for a greenhouse or lack of the right growing conditions to have success. For now, I have set up a potting bench that my husband got me for Christmas inside the garage next to a window. Hopefully my plants will get enough sun and warmth to begin to emerge from their dormant state. It is just a start but will keep you posted on the progress.

And just like that, I am 60. I don’t know how it happened but I am officially “older” than the dirt. My mind still thinks I am 40 but my body wants to slow me down. It is frustrating but I am determined to stay active and continue to do the things I love.

One of my favorite hobbies is gardening. At the first sign of spring, you can find me puttering around in my yard spying emerging bulbs as they poke through the soil. I begin making a stash of plants to set out in a corner of the garage. I take frequent trips to the garden center to find new and unusual varieties of plants with interesting flowers and foliage.

I still envision a beautifully, manicured garden oasis. Slowly,… slower than last year, it is coming along. I used to very ambitiously pick out trees, shrubs and plants in 3 gallon sized pots and haul them home in the back of my SUV then plant them myself. Those days are gone. Now, I seek plants in 1 gallon pots. My selection is becoming more limited. I find flowers and perennials in smaller sizes but it is becoming more difficult to find shrubs or trees in that size container.

I have begun recruiting my thirty-something aged children to do gardening projects for me. If they want to know what Mom wants for her birthday, Christmas or Mother’s Day I usually say I don’t need a thing but sure could use their time to help me when it is time to do some gardening. It would be great if I could ask for a honey-do coupon to save for sometime in the year when I need a hole dug in the yard.

Last weekend, the weather was warm enough for one such project that I have been asking about for quite some time. My daughter was willing to dig two holes since the ground was soft from all the rain we have had this winter.

I found two Black Diamond crepe myrtles for our new yard, last spring. They have been sitting in their nursery pots for almost a year now. The leaves have not come out yet and I am not quite sure they are even still alive. I did the scrape test and found some green inside a twig which is usually a sign of life.

I am proud to say that they have now been planted. I am thrilled and can’t wait to see them come back to life. I am like a proud new mama! I check on my babies often, nurturing them along by watering and feeding them as they grow and develop.

I may be getting older but still feel young as long as I can take part in gardening with all its therapeutic and creative attributes.

Psalm 91:4 He will cover you will his feathers and under his wings you will find refuge. His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

While running errands yesterday, I was at a stop light near my home. The sky was cloudy as some rains had passed through the area earlier in the day. I noticed some unusual cloud formations. I took a photo while sitting there. Usually, on a cell phone the image is too small or dark to be clearly visible. I came home and downloaded it on my computer. Here is the image. It is obvious that it was the shape of wings. I immediately was reminded of the passage in Psalm 91.

I was encouraged by God to keep looking upward, to keep trusting and hoping in Him. In this world, there is so much that makes me sad and disheartened yet there is a place where I find refuge. I experience His peace, love and joy under His wings while resting in His presence. He is there for those who will call upon Him, asking Jesus to be the savior of their life.

Losing weight, eating healthier, exercising more, saving more….these are typical resolutions in an average year as we turn over a new calendar. However, after living through and surviving 2020, making such changes don’t seem quite as pressing. They are things of a physical nature. While we all want to continue to be healthy and keep saving for the future, our concerns should shift to our mental and spiritual state as we continue to battle the pandemic and changes in our country as a result of the presidential election outcomes. I think praying more, reading more of the bible and putting scripture to memory should be at the top of the list.

One of the most treasured gifts I received for Christmas was a jar filled with scripture verses. It is a jar of blessing. I could choose special moments to read the verses, like when I am feeling down or need a bit of encouragement. I decided to end 2020 and start the new year off by reading a verse a day and putting those verses to memory. I began by reading slowly and meditating on a verse each day. You know what is amazing? The first three verses that I removed from the jar were about the steadfast love of God? It is no coincidence as I know that God is speaking to me about remaining unwaivering in my faith no matter what 2021 holds. I hope these verses are an encouragement to you and inspire you to press more into God throughout the next year whatever we face.

Psalm 33:4-5 For the word of the Lord is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness. He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord.

Psalm 52:8-9 But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God. I trust in the steadfast love of God forever and ever. I will thank you forever, because you have done it. I will wait for your name, for it is good, in the presence of the godly.

Psalm 33: 18 Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love.

Sing songs of praise and carols, as worship to our Lord and the newborn Christ, who came to save us and the world from sin. Put up wreaths representing unity and candy canes in the shape of a shepherd’s hook or J with red and white stripes representing the blood of Christ and his purity. Red berries also represent the blood of Jesus and holly represents the crown of thorns in the spiked holly leaves. Light candles and twinkle lights for the advent season and to celebrate Christ, the light of the world. Exchange gifts as you remember the best gift of all that was given by our heavenly father to us through his son.

In an excerpt from a Yahoo search for the meaning of Christian Christmas symbols, the following is a description of why we should put up evergreens.

“…evergreens symbolize perseverance and resiliency to adversity.  They remind us of Jesus’ words, “The ones who persevere to the end shall be saved.” Our faith must remain vibrant in all spiritual, economic, political, and social environments. “

Let the doom and gloom of 2020 melt away. Let this Christmas spark in you renewed hope as you meditate on the great love that your heavenly father has for you by sending his son, Jesus to the world.

I have begun decorating my house for Christmas the earliest ever this year. I always vowed before that I would never bring out Christmas decorations, play carols or watch holiday movies before Thanksgiving. I never want to skip over or rush through Thanksgiving as it is important to set aside time to honor God and contemplate His faithfulness throughout the year.

2020 has been a difficult year, like no other. At times, it has left me feeling very discouraged and hopeless because of the chaos going on in our nation. I want to find relief for my heavy heart so I am giving myself permission to celebrate and do things differently this year. To find a sense of joy in the midst of all the doom and gloom I have begun bringing out seasonal decorations to bring some cheer to my home for our family gathering at Thanksgiving. Our Christmas tree will be filled with some fall and Christmas colors to blend and transition from autumn to winter. The greenery and lights will make things feel more warm, cozy and festive.

I think others share in this same sentiment. I have noticed neighbors bringing outside decorations early to uplift their own as well as others’ spirits during this very dark season in our nation’s history. Perhaps we need a little Christ-mas to help us remember happier days and to remind us to keep staying thankful.

A strange thing has happened at my house this last week. I have noticed two wrens nestled on either side outside the window of my banquette. It has occurred twice just around dark. I first noticed something small, brown and fluffy in the window as I was doing dishes. I can see this window opposite my window above the sink.

When I first spied them, I ran to get a flashlight so that I could make out what it was. With a bright spotlight focused on the ledge, I saw two wrens huddled in each corner of the window. We have had stormy weather this past week from a passing hurricane in Florida but have had unusually warm temperatures for the first of November. The birds can’t be seeking warmth because it isn’t cold outside. Perhaps they are seeking shelter due to a change in the atmosphere with wind and rain from the storm.

My neighbor put up two fake owls outside her house on a window and on the deck railing the last few weeks. I have wondered why and have not had a chance to ask her about it. I figured since she has wooden siding that she is trying to scare away woodpeckers. Only, now I wonder if they are scaring other birds too. Are these wrens reacting to the fake owls that face my kitchen window and are within 100 feet of our house?

In the photo you can see the neighbor’s cat trying to make friends with the owl. Apparently, she is not afraid of the new additions to the house at all.

I wonder if these little creatures are here to stay and will become permanent nighttime visitors. I don’t mind. They are rather cute. I look forward to seeing them each evening. Perhaps there is a lesson for me in their visitation during a very unusual week.

This past week’s tumultuous presidential election has been very unsettling. The future of our country seems even more unpredictable and scary if we have more change with a new administration. The past year has been difficult enough with COVID, racial tensions, rioting and political unrest. All I can do is pray and continue trusting in God to save us, lead us and hold us up in the future.

These birds seem to have found a safe spot to cuddle where they feel secure. If there is an impending storm, predators both real or imagined, or an unwelcome change coming they seem to know just what to do. They hunker down when it is dark and hold fast until the storm passes and the light comes forth again.