An Eternal Summer

There shall be eternal summer in the grateful heart.  - Celia Thaxter

All I can say is Texans must have cornered the market on grateful hearts this year!  September 23^rd ushered in “Fall” here in Texas along with more 100 plus degree temperatures in the Central Texas area.  Plans to put on a sweater and go to that fun, fall pumpkin patch with Elizabeth, our very first grandchild, didn’t get cancelled, but we abandoned the sweaters for shorts, sunscreen, and hats!  It was sizzling!  Nonetheless, we had a lot of fun. 

We painted pumpkins, stuffed scarecrows, painted our faces, and just about had a heat stroke before retreating back home. 

Harvest festivals are traditionally held on or near the Sunday of the Harvest Moon.  This is the full Moon that occurs closest to the autumn equinox (about Sept. 23).  In two years out of three, the Harvest Moon comes in September, but in some years it occurs in October.  This year it came September 12.      

I thought it might be fun to look up some harvest superstitions.  Here are a few I found:

• Anything a pregnant woman plants will grow well as she is full of life. 
• Fertilizer put on fields by moonlight will not decompose and is useless, however it will sink into the ground.
• A turtle dove's coo on New Year's day indicates a good crop to come.
• If you thank someone who gives you seeds, they won't grow. You should instead thank the seeds.
• Rusty nails or other types of iron placed around a plant will make it grow better.
• Plowing on Sunday will leave you stuck to the plow until Monday.
• If it rains on the day you begin to plow your fields, you will have a good harvest.
• Plowing up a black snake or a turtle shell equates to a good harvest.
• A red moon indicates a storm to come and is bad luck for crops.

Well, the first one is OUT for me, so guess I will take note of the others and maybe, just maybe, my garden will flourish next spring…but with the drought, I won’t be holding my breath.

God promises restoration to what has been taken away from us.  We had very little rain this year and it has resulted in a hot, dry, dangerous environment.  Wild fires burn all around us and have taken many, many homes and even some lives.  But hopefully soon the rains will return, as they always seem to do, and restore what was ravaged and bring healing to the land.  The land will once again grow green grass, trees, and water will be restored to the lakes and rivers.

The same happens with a spiritual drought.  There are times when we feel disconnected from God, from His love, and from His blessings.  We may feel that God has abandoned us and our lives seem "dry" and fruitless.  Our vulnerability during these times open the door for Satan's deception.  He moves in and makes us question all of it.  As a result, our actions during these times can be downright dangerous to the progress of our relationship with Christ and other people.  But God never abandons us.  What Satan uses for harm, God uses for good.  His promise is that he is always with us, no matter the environment, and if we will stand in faith and believe that His purposes for our lives will be revealed in His time, not ours, then will the blessings pour back in and restore what has been taken.

I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, my great army, which I sent among you.  -Joel 2:25

A Southern Fall

A Southern Fall

By Lisa White - 2004

Fall blows in on southern winds,

Where are the falling leaves of colored blend?

A theory at most, as no evidence will host

Any event that would confirm its arrival.

A forced bulb, the season it senses,

Then opens up under false pretenses.

And as its petals bloom, summer’s ghost still looms

To threaten its very survival.

Shorter days, fallen gardens, and pumpkin jewelry

Convicting evidence that lead all to agree

The charade is over, the season now bolder

Prepares the earth’s spirit for revival.

"Autumn, the year's last, loveliest smile." -William Cullen Bryant

Pumpkin Love

"Oh how we love pumpkin season. You did know this gourd-ish squash has its own season, right? Winter, Spring, Summer, Pumpkin.... We anxiously anticipate it every year."  ~Trader Joe's Fearless Flyer

Pumpkins just make me happy. Every fall when they make their first appearance, my soul is filled with delight.  I simply can’t get enough of them!   I love all colors, shapes, and sizes, and I feel excitement when I see them in patches and on porch steps.   They speak to me of the coming of a cool, crisp change in weather, of the upcoming holiday season, of falling leaves, spiced cider, and gathering with friends and family to feast on the warm, sweet senses of the season.

Pumpkins, whether they be holiday adornment or vital nourishment to our bodies, have all the elements of good health.  Their bright, beautiful colors are telling of the nutritional value they provide for our bodies and can be used in all kinds of skin treatments as well!  I found some really exciting information on Care2 that presents 11 ways to use a pumpkin!  Check it out!

There's an old saying:  To be a successful gardener, grow pumpkins.  With this truth, you only need one thing to produce pumpkins: seeds!  According to Wilkipedia, pumpkins are grown all around the world for a variety of reasons ranging from agricultural purposes (such as animal feed) to commercial and ornamental sales.  Of the seven continents, only Antarctica is unable to produce pumpkins.

Some interesting facts about pumpkins:

• Pumpkins are a member of the Cucurbita family which includes squash and cucumbers.
• Pumpkin flowers are edible.
• The largest pumpkin pie ever made was over five feet in diameter and weighed over 350 pounds. It used 80 pounds of cooked pumpkin, 36 pounds of sugar, 12 dozen eggs and took six hours to bake.
• In early colonial times, pumpkins were used as an ingredient for the crust of pies, not the filling.
• Pumpkins were once recommended for removing freckles and curing snake bites.
• The largest pumpkin ever grown weighed 1,140 pounds.
• The Connecticut field variety is the traditional American pumpkin.
• Pumpkins are 90 percent water.
• Eighty percent of the pumpkin supply in the United States is available in October.
• Native Americans flattened strips of pumpkins, dried them and made mats.
• Native Americans called pumpkins "isqoutm squash."
• Native Americans used pumpkin seeds for food and medicine.

Go figure, there go the Native Americans being resourceful again!  Amazing people!

Pumpkins really shine on Halloween!  Literally!  Children (as well as those who are young at heart) poke and prod at them carving scary, fun, and even thought provoking faces and messages.

People have been making jack o lanterns at Halloween for centuries. The practice originated from an Irish myth about a man nicknamed "Stingy Jack." According to the story, Stingy Jack invited the Devil to have a drink with him. True to his name, Stingy Jack didn't want to pay for his drink, so he convinced the Devil to turn himself into a coin that Jack could use to buy their drinks. Once the Devil did so, Jack decided to keep the money and put it into his pocket next to a silver cross, which prevented the Devil from changing back into his original form. Jack eventually freed the Devil, under the condition that he would not bother Jack for one year and that, should Jack die, he would not claim his soul. The next year, Jack again tricked the Devil into climbing into a tree to pick a piece of fruit. While he was up in the tree, Jack carved a sign of the cross into the tree's bark so that the Devil could not come down until the Devil promised Jack not to bother him for ten more years.

Soon after, Jack died. As the legend goes, God would not allow such an unsavory figure into heaven. The Devil, upset by the trick Jack had played on him and keeping his word not to claim his soul, would not allow Jack into hell. He sent Jack off into the dark night with only a burning coal to light his way. Jack put the coal into a carved out turnip and has been roaming the Earth with it ever since. The Irish began to refer to this ghostly figure as "Jack of the Lantern," and then, simply "Jack O'Lantern."

In Ireland and Scotland, people began to make their own versions of Jack’s lanterns by carving scary faces into turnips or potatoes and placing them into windows or near doors to frighten away Stingy Jack and other wandering evil spirits. In England, large beets are used. Immigrants from these countries brought the jack o lantern tradition with them when they came to the United States. They soon found that pumpkins, a fruit native to America, make perfect jack o lanterns.

Source of the history of Jack O Lanterns: The History Channel - http://www.historychannel.com/exhibits/halloween/pumpkin.html

The legend of the jack o lantern says that God wouldn't let such an unsavory figure such as Jack into Heaven.  It's a legend, it is fiction, but it brings to my mind God's promise that if you have accepted Christ to lead and transform your life, then nothing, not anything can keep you from the love of God.  He accepts us just as we are; unsavory, broken and downtrodden, addicted, full of sin, and transforms the broken pieces of our lives into a beautiful reflection of Him.  When the light of God's love shines through our broken pieces, it creates a beautiful masterpiece.

Don't you know God must feel about his children as I feel about pumpkins?  When He looks down and lays eyes on us, His soul fills with delight.  He loves us so much; all colors, shapes, and sizes, and feels excitement when we gather to worship.   Our faith in Him reminds Him that soon there will be a new season, a season of fellowship and love for eternity; no more sorrow, pain, or tears, only unending love and communion with friends and family where we will forever feast on the warm, sweet senses of Heaven.

"No power in the sky above or in the earth below--indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord."  Romans 8:39

A Day To Remember

Today was the tenth anniversary of 9/11 and as I sat and watched the services at Ground Zero this morning on television, I found myself tearing up at the ceremony, the stories, the pictures, the recollection from those who survived, those who risked their lives to help others out the burning, crashing buildings, and those who lost loved ones on the day that forever changed the course of everyday life in America.  I was particularly touched when George W. Bush read a letter that Abraham Lincoln wrote to a mother in 1864 who lost five sons in war.  In part, Lincoln said, "I feel how weak and fruitless must be any words of mine which should attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming. But I cannot refrain from tendering to you the consolation that may be found in the thanks of the Republic they died to save." 

I marveled at how much the words ring true in a completely different century, a completely different world, a completely different kind of war.  But I realize that even though there were all these differences, there was one thing that never changes...the heart, the sacrifice, and the love that Americans have for their families and for their freedom.

This morning in church, with friends and family at our side, my husband and I participated in a baby dedication and made a commitment to tell our granddaughter, Kaylee, of the sacrifice God made for her over 2,000 years ago.  He sent his only son, Jesus Christ, to die for her and to save her a place in Heaven.  I soaked in the love and pride I felt for my family and I felt so lucky, so blessed, to live in a country where I can worship freely, and where I can openly proclaim my beliefs and live out my values.

It is only because of the sacrifices made by those who gave all; whether they died on the battlefield, in a plane that crashed into a tower, or in a field in Pennsylvania, that I can safely sit in a church with my children and grandchildren.  It is only because of the sacrifices of God that I can be certain that when this life is over, I will sit at the right hand of God and claim the inheritance promised and provided because of His sacrifice.

God bless America.  We will never forget.

What Is That Smell?

"You know you are a real gardener when you think compost is a fascinating subject." - Unknown

Composting, it is a dirty job, but somebody’s got to do it.  I have been layering my piles of brown and green materials to my “test” compost pile and decided I better go ahead and start doing some major research on what techniques to use to be most successful at it.  I don’t know about you, but for something that is “easier than following a simple recipe” (as stated by one site I visited), I sure feel overwhelmed!

As a result of my research today, I am going to give you my top 10 hot topics in the world of composting:

10.  Is it really worth starting your own compost pile?

9.  Is composting really rocket science?

8.  Do I need a compost bin, or can I just chunk it in a pile in the yard?

7.  What I think is a beautiful pile of garbage in my yard may not be so attractive to the    neighbors.

6.  Does my compost bin need a lid?

5.  What are browns and greens?

4.  Exactly HOW much moisture does my heap need?

3.  To turn, or not to turn the layers, that is the question!

2.  Poop, or no poop?

And the number 1 topic of composting is: 

1.  What is that smell?

My head is swimming.  Think I’ll just stick with my lasagna gardening plan (as mentioned in a previous post) and see how that works.  We have two barrels that were given to us to collect rainwater, and since rain doesn’t seem to be in the cards for us, I am going to start putting leaves and other “brown” materials in one barrel for layering my lasagna and maybe try traditional composting in the other one instead of a piling it on the ground.  The talk of “critters” getting into it my heap makes me a little nervous.  One way or the other, I’ll get this thing figured out.  I like a challenge!

During this season of my life, (I like to call it “late summer”) I have “brown” days and I have “green” days.  On brown days I feel spent, done, and oh so tired.  Green days are more productive, I feel more motivated, energetic , and a bit younger.  But in the end, when the brown is mixed in with the green, layered with Christ’s love, and the pure, organic fruits of the spirit are infused, my garden comes together in a bed of vitality that is fertile for growing and harvesting a life of purpose.  That purpose is to make a difference, to be the light and salt of this world, and to cultivate love.

“You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. “ 

-Matthew 5:14

God is Our Father, But the Earth is our Mother

The Great Spirit is in all things, he is in the air we breathe. The Great Spirit is our Father, but the Earth is our Mother.  She nourishes us, that which we put into the ground she returns to us.... - Big Thunder (Bedagi) Wabanaki Algonquin

I must have been a farmer in a former life, if you believe in such things.  Corn and hay fields surround the college where I work, and when I drive by and see them I feel as if I have just come home.  Right now they are just plowed fields, but the fresh black earth is truly beautiful in my eyes.  I live in the suburbs but often drive out to the country and look around.  I love the way fields look in the fall, they have been harvested and turned over to rest in preparation for the coming winter. 

Corn is a domesticated crop of the Americas adopted from maize agriculture from Native Americans.  Of course they used corn, and every component of it, not only for nourishment, but for practical items as well, such as mats, baskets, and even moccasins, all made of corn husks.  What wise and incredibly purposeful the Native Americans were, in every way.

My mother loved all things Native American and southwest.  It was evident in every area of her life; the way she decorated her home, her clothes, her jewelry, and the food she prepared.  I never really appreciated her love for such things until she passed away and I inherited so much of what she had.  I couldn’t bring myself to get rid of the pottery, books, dolls, and miscellaneous items that she loved.  Now I find myself drawn to this “style” more and more!

She truly gave me, however, her love of gardening.  She had the kind of garden that people would stop to gawk at when driving by.  There were no fences hiding her garden, its beauty extended out for all the neighbors and those who passed by to see.  She grew just about every vegetable found in a produce department, including corn!  I also remember rose bushes bordering the house by the garden and pear trees hovering close by.  The quote “In search of my mother’s garden, I found my own” surely rings true in my life.  I could only hope to have half the garden it seems she so effortlessly grew.  At dinnertime she would send us out to pick fresh lettuce and vegetables for a salad and she canned all summer so we would have fresh, home-grown foods for the winter.  I suspect Mom must have had a little Native American blood in her... she was wise, prudent, and very purposeful in all her endeavors.

"The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it."  -Genesis 2:15

Rosemary for Remembrance

Rosemary for Remembrance
by Lisa White 2009

I run my fingers slowly along the rosemary stem
Feel the soft, knotty leaves, and I think of Him.
Pure and strong, I remember my gracious Host
For in my garden is where I feel Him the most.

He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: the LORD is gracious and full of compassion. -Psalm 111:4

Gardening Is An Affair of the Heart

-The kiss of the sun for pardon, the song of the birds for mirth, one is nearer God's heart in a garden than anywhere else on earth.
~Dorothy Frances Gurney, "Garden Thoughts"

I finally got off my duff and started cleaning in the yard today.  And boy, what a difference just a few hours of work makes.  The extreme heat and drought we have had here in the Austin, Texas area is a bit of a downer when it comes to gardening.  I watered and kept it alive (barely), but there was not much growth and no vegtables or such this year.  There is hope as the forecast shows temperatures cooling down to the 90s in the next week!  Downright chilly!  I also started working toward one of my goals to save money by starting a compost in the corner of my yard to place over my garden beds this winter.  I am going to try what is called Lasagne gardening.

Lasagna gardening is a no-dig, no-till organic gardening method that requires little work from the gardener. The name of this type of gardening refers to the method of building the garden, which is done by adding layers of organic materials that will “cook down” over time, resulting in rich, fluffy soil that will help your plants thrive. It is also known as “sheet composting.” It is great for the environment, because you're using your yard and kitchen waste and composting it in place to make a new garden.  I started out today with a layer of grass clippings and covered with some fruit and vegetable scraps and coffee grounds, just to get some practice and a little compost started.  Closer to fall and cooler weather, when I get all the brush cleared away, I will incorporate the true Lasagna gardening and cover the area with 3 or 4 layers of newspaper and then add alternating layers of brown (leaves, shredded newspaper, hay, etc.) and green (grass clippings, fruit, vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, etc.).  We already forgot to save the clippings from mowing today, so getting into the green mode is not always easy!  Going green means overcoming a lifetime of bad habits.  According to eHow,

"An average household produces 600 pounds of compostable yard waste yearly. Compostable material makes up 20 percent of a community's residential waste."  We go pay good money for compost to put in our gardens and on our yard, when we have most of what we need that is going in the garbage!  I am determined to learn this art of composting, not only for the good of my own yard, but for the good of the environment and community.

As I work in my garden, I think of how my heart is God's garden.  He took a dark, hard, dry, and barren space and planted love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  He tends the garden taking time to weed, dig, rearrange, and fertilize.  He watches over it and encourages me to guard it.  My garden will never die.  No matter what kind of drought, neglect, hurt, or suffering it endures, in the end, it will live and flourish..because it is rooted in eternity.

"Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God's work from beginning to end."  -Ecclesiastes 3:11

She Remembered Love

Today would have been my mother-in-law's 81st birthday.  She was truly an angel on earth.  This is the memorial I wrote for her funeral.  Thought I would share it.  We miss you Momma White.

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There are a lot of things that people remember about Doris White, but the resounding memory of her that stands out in our minds is the love that she had for every person that crossed her path.  The Bible says that the two most important commandments are to love God and to love your neighbor as yourself.  We know and witnessed her love for God and we dare to say that she loved her neighbor MORE than herself.  Whether you were a family member, neighbor, coworker, friend, a plumber or just someone who was in the right place at the right time, you were always met with a sincere desire to reach out and love you.  That love, like God’s love, was completely irresistible.

The many ways she loved are probably too numerous to count, but we got together as a family this week and talked, laughed, and cried about the memories we share.  We decided that the most obvious way she loved others was through feeding them.  She loved to cook and was always on a mission to feed someone.  For the family, her sons say it started early each morning.  She would get up at unimaginable hours and cook for anyone to make sure they had breakfast before they left.  About two minutes after breakfast was eaten, she wanted to know what they wanted for dinner.  She cooked and fed everyone that she cared about and much of her ministry of love was shared through the nourishment of others.  Thoughtfulness and compassion were poured into the preparation of the food.  She made sure that everything was prepared according to everyone’s preference, often making several main dishes at family gatherings to make sure the kids and grandkids favorites were represented.  She went way beyond the call of duty to make sure whatever she did for you was perfect.  These words from her grandson’s wife, Brittany White, sums it up perfectly:  “A few things I remember from Grandma White is she knew that Jonathon didn't like bananas so she would make a separate dish of her banana pudding just for him.  Even when we were living in North Carolina, when we would come home for a visit she would have it waiting at his parents just in case we didn't make it to Bartlett.  It was half & half because I loved the bananas.  She welcomed me to the family, the first time I met her, with open arms.  She was so happy when she found out Jon & I were getting married.  She always told me she loved me & kissed me on the cheek.“

Doris White’s famous banana pudding has touched a lot of lives!  It is an all-time favorite in the family and has been shared with many, many people in reaching out in love to others.  It is such a beautiful representation of the ripple effects that her love had on the lives of others.  With every bite we take, we can still taste her, loving us.

Just the other day, we met a dear friend outside the post office on our way to the flower shop here in Bartlett.  Our friend told us that she and another were just talking about how our mom never had anything bad to say about anybody.  When Doris worked at the Bluebonnet Nursing Home in Granger, she handled all the recreational activities and of course, food for the events.  She told us once that “all those old people need is for you to wrap your arms around them and tell them you love them.”  We remember that all the kindness, compassion and thoughtfulness that she held in her heart trickled into every part of life with her.  Her love was unconditional, real, complete, boundless and irresistible.

She loved her family.  Billy White, her husband, fell ill to Parkinson’s disease and she would work in the mornings and drive to Temple, every day, to spend time with him. She also cared for her parents as they grew old and her sister Isabel when she succumbed to Alzheimer’s.  Family was not the only recipients of her caring nature.  She cared for Mattie Jones of Bartlett for a very long time while she lived next to her.

She was a loving mother to her three sons.  She raised them to be strong, kind, and loving, just like her.  They were her world and she watched after them and their families and worried that she didn’t do enough.

Favorite memories from the grandkids are how she always had canned Dr. Pepper available, always had a dollar to offer them (they in turn would go to the store to buy candy), picking up pecans in the yard, and tons of buttons in the garage.  How the buttons got in the garage is still a mystery to the family.  The porch swing on the porch of her house holds many memories for them.  She always gave them her undivided attention and love.
She never wanted anything for herself.  The sacrifices she made for family were undeniable.  She always had a big, bright smile on her face.  One of her favorite songs was “You Are My Sunshine”.  She had the song on tape and the sentiment on a magnet on her refrigerator.  Even in the last few years of her life, when memories departed and recognition of those she loved faded, we could walk in the nursing home and the minute she laid eyes on us, here came that big, beautiful smile.  She was our sunshine.

In the last six years or so of her life, Doris White lost her memory to Lewy Bodies Dementia.  Her memory faded away but the one thing we noticed was that even at the very end, her sweet, precious spirit never waned.  Even in her confusion, visits were met with that big beautiful smile and a wink.  And she always remembered to say “I love you”.   She lost her memory and her ability to communicate.  She forgot birthdays, names, and sometimes even faces.  She didn’t remember a lot in those last few years, but praise God, she always remembered love.

“Three things will last forever--faith, hope, and love--and the greatest of these is love.”  1 Corinthians 13:13

A Time to Pluck and A Time To Plant

“Don't die, I'll get you water. Stay there. Don't move, I'll get you water.”  Tuco from The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

 I wanted to show you a picture of my garden and partial yard and share some research I did on what I can do now  to improve it for next summer.

 I am truly such a “wanna be” when it comes to gardening!  I have visions dancing in my head of English and cottage gardens, statues, fountains and gazebos.  But the bottom line is, I live in Texas, not the best climate for such, visions such as this are very expensive and, I am on a budget!  So, my goal is to make my yard look beautiful WITHOUT getting a second job!  You can stay tuned for any successful ways I have discovered to make this happen.  And please, comment with suggestions you may have.  I feel that I do an “average” job, in my opinion, but I am determined to be a Garden Diva before I take my last breath!  God willing and my back holds out…

Some research on things I can do now to improve my yard for next year:

Remove tree stumps – This can be done in various ways:

You can dig it out by hand.  This works best for small, shallow-rooted trees.

• Use a stump grinder.  This machine literally chews up stumps 6 to 12 inches below ground level.
• Use a backhoe or skidsteer to pull it out.
• Use chemicals.  There are several chemicals available at garden centers that will hasten the rotting of a tree stump.
• Burn it out.

Kill Weeds

• The best way is to pull them out by hand.
• Weed and Feed fertilizes and kills weeds at the same time, but the weeding and feeding needs for your lawn doesn’t always coincide.
• You can use chemical sprays, but they are bad for the environment, people, and pets and should be used as a last resort.

 Aerate

• You can use a power aerator or a manual (foot-pressed) aerator. Aerators can be rented from many lawn companies and services in your area.
• You can even use lawn aerating shoes.  (Now that should be fun!)
• Aeration can be done by by spiking the lawn with a garden fork driven into the surface to a depth of 3-4 inches.  (Really?  Whoever suggested this must have a VERY small yard)

Overseed with Rye Grass for the Winter

• Rye grass overseeded onto warm season grasses that go dormant in the fall/winter can provide a winter green lawn.  It acts an an erosion barrier while your permanent law develops and provides a nice green coverage.  Clippings mown and left on the lawn as it grows adds extra nutrients as the ryegrass decomposes.
• Apply a top dressing and cover the rye grass seed with a VERY thin (1/4 an inch or less) layer of compost, and water according to recommendations.

I am exhausted already.  If I didn’t love gardening so much I’d just get a barrel of Round Up, throw some rocks out there and be done with it.  But…I just can’t.  There is just something about a bare spot that tugs at my heart.  It needs life, it needs love, and it needs some attention, just like me.

A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; - Ecclesiastes 3:2