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Get With The Program

  Wow! The events of the past few weeks have me looking for a place to rest and gather my thoughts. I am sure that many of you feel the same way. Since my last newsletter school has started for most of our children and grandchildren. Shopping for clothes and supplies and getting up in time to prepare it all and get to school and work on time has left some of us feeling a little flummoxed. I envy (not in a bad way) those who seem to have it all together – their children all neat and orderly, always on time and organized. How do they do it??? I ran into such a friend the other day. Her youngest son and my grandson were attending the same extracurricular activity. We hadn’t seen each other in quite some time, so we had a lot of catching up to do. She has 4 children attending 3 different schools. They are all involved in school sports and various activities outside of school. In addition, her family had taken in one of her older son’s friends from school last year. He asked to stay over

Weeds, wild cucumbers, and my (failed) attempt at a “natural flower garden”…

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  I love all things green! Wildflowers and ivy and frogs and lush grass – they all bring me a smile and make my heart sing a little. That being said, I do not have the proverbial “green thumb”. In fact, my boys used to call me the “plant killer”. I love them, but just have difficulty keeping them around. Now that I have a bit more time on my hands and can spend more time studying their care and needs, I’ve been trying my hand at gardening. I have two small flower gardens in the front of the house and a raised bed vegetable garden in back… but there’s this one lovely spot near a tree in the back that I knew would be just perfect for that “natural” look. So, I cleared the spot and planted a various array of flowers – some lilies of different sizes and colors, some butterfly flowers, and a few clumps of variegated monkey grass. I have thoroughly enjoyed the blooming lilies and purple flowers.  The tree has some gorgeous deep-green ivy wrapped around it. I thought that I would transp

Summer Sunshine!

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After over 40 years behind a desk (most of them spent in a cubicle or enclosed office), I am free to enjoy the beautiful out-of-doors… and the Tennessee summer sun is HOT! I have enjoyed digging flower beds from rocky, dry earth and planting flowers and vegetables in various places around the property. Did I say that it was hot? As I was softening the earth and scraping up the grass to prepare the ground for another flower bed, the sweat was pouring in my eyes (now I know why the good Lord gave us eyebrows… and I long for the full and fearsome eyebrows of my youth!). The sun was brutal, but it was gorgeous. I stood straight to ease my back and a sudden breeze blew softly. The air was immediately cooler. “Thank you, Jesus!” I breathed. It truly was a beautiful day. I began to think of all the blessings that the Lord has poured out on my life. I started to thank Him for them. With each thrust of the shovel, I praised Him. “Thank you for the sun that shines down and warms us. Thank you fo