tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22520245410415792772024-03-13T19:08:08.573-07:00Thankful HeartI can't have a pity party when I have a thankful heart!JHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11099992054271546628noreply@blogger.comBlogger141125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2252024541041579277.post-10015082609151313632017-10-26T22:02:00.000-07:002018-04-09T22:13:25.485-07:00Growing Deeper. Reaching Wider.<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.8px;">
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17.41pt;">I know that a Bible was opened and verses were read aloud at my baptism, my confirmation and my wedding. Surely a Bible was used all those years I was in Sunday School and then in preparation for confirmation. In high school and in college I occasionally opened my Bible for reassurance of God’s love for me written in what have become my favorite books- the Letters to Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17.41pt;">But it wasn’t until my husband and I joined a small fellowship group that I really opened my Bible for spiritual growth. Our first study guide focused on friendship and the first section of “Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.” (Proverbs 27:17 KJV) became the coined verse frequently quoted by each one of us with a smile. “Iron sharpeneth iron!”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17.41pt;">Our next study forced us to jump into the book of John. Opening our Bibles and reading the words gave us a glimpse of the real Jesus, the one who loves, forgives and gives us infinite second chances to come close to God. When we come close to God and God comes close to us, we are touched with God’s love, assured of our purpose in life and inspired to reach out and help others with what we’ve been given.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17.41pt;">God gave us the words in the Bible so that we could know God better. The more I read my Bible, the better I come to know God. What a wonderful blessing!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17.41pt;">It doesn’t matter when you first opened your Bible, but it does matter that you open it today.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17.41pt;">Holy God, I want to know you personally: to have a special relationship with you. Help me open my Bible daily so I can come close to you. Amen.</span></div>
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JHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11099992054271546628noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2252024541041579277.post-33627875069155969522017-10-12T21:30:00.000-07:002018-04-09T22:15:59.008-07:00Growing Deeper. Reaching Wider.<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 17.4px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17.41pt;">Many years ago, when we were new to Abiding Love, we signed up as offering tellers. This time we were dutifully counting the offerings from end of year worship services. As we counted, all offering amounts were forgotten except one generous gift designated for Lutheran World Relief.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17.41pt;">The contributors of this generous gift were friends who had talked a little about making faithful giving a priority, but this gift was above and beyond any amount I had ever dreamed of giving to my church or any charity in one chunk. As time passed, my family and others were recipients of this couple’s acts of generosity and love. Generosity for them started out as intentional, but became matter of fact, heartfelt and a way of life.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17.41pt;">Observing this act of generosity greatly influenced our little family’s response to God’s love. We worked harder to be good stewards and intentionally gave back to God off the top of our earnings a percentage we were comfortable with. Later, we even gave gifts to Abiding Love that required sacrifice.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17.41pt;">Thinking about how our intentions became habits reminds me of something my husband’s grandmother once told me about giving offerings to God. She said, “I’ve never once regretted it. And I’ve always been blessed.” I couldn’t have said it any better.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17.41pt;">Gracious God, help us to develop habits of generosity that glorify you, bless all your people and bring us closer to you in the process. Amen.</span></div>
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JHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11099992054271546628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2252024541041579277.post-4609544508120122162017-10-06T21:23:00.000-07:002018-04-09T22:17:06.966-07:00Growing Deeper. Reaching Wider.In October 2017, I wrote three devotions for the “Growing Deeper. Reaching Wider.” stewardship appeal at Abiding Love Lutheran Church. We posted daily devotions Monday through Friday for four weeks. Most of the devotions were written by our early morning Tuesday Bible study group, Women Alive! I was very grateful for their participation.<br />
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17.41pt;">Generosity is represented in many Bible passages using not only time, talents and money as gifts, but also abundant love and forgiveness mirroring God’s generous grace.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17.41pt;">The story of the widow’s two mites is most impressive to me because she gave away her life’s savings, her next meals, her everything to God.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17.41pt;">“…but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had.” (Luke 21:4 NIV)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17.41pt;">The widow held nothing back for herself. She was not worried about tomorrow. All that mattered was today. Her only thought was what she could give to her Lord today. She trusted God with her tomorrows.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17.41pt;">What would it take for my gift to match the widow’s gift? For me to trust God with all my tomorrows?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17.41pt;">Can I imagine wiping out my entire savings account to give to God? My checking account, too?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17.41pt;">Giving away all those IRAs put away for future years?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17.41pt;">Emptying the cash in my pocketbook? Or the stash under the mattress, waiting for a dream to come true?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17.41pt;">Can I please keep the twenty-dollar bills in the decorative tin - in case of an emergency? And the quarters for parking meters in my car’s glove box?</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17.41pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17.41pt;">The widow didn’t have all these resources, but out of her great love for God, I’m pretty sure she would have given most of them away to help others.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17.41pt;">I may not be able to let go of everything like the widow did, but I can trust God to show me where the need is greatest. Whether my heart hurts for hurricane victims, cancer patients, hungry children or homeless people, whatever I give will be a blessing to someone.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17.41pt;">What time or talents, or money, or love, or forgiveness can I give today that will give glory to God and help others?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17.41pt;">Lord God, you are so generous. Look at all you have given us. Help us to look beyond ourselves, dip into our bank accounts, be generous with our time, and find opportunities to share what we have with others. We pray in the name of the Jesus, the one who gave his life for us, our Jesus, who gave all he had. Amen.</span></div>
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JHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11099992054271546628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2252024541041579277.post-69775431992308074742016-09-20T10:16:00.001-07:002016-10-11T18:27:44.849-07:00Mathilde Turns 90!On February 14, 2015, we celebrated my mother's ninetieth birthday. She was born February 4, 1925. It was fitting that the celebration took place at Trinity Lutheran Fellowship Hall because that's where she and my father attended church for many years, and Mom still does. It was also Valentine's Day, a perfect day to share love with family and friends. The day turned out to be blessed with beautiful weather - a great day for other 80 and 90 year olds to get out and celebrate with Mathilde.<br />
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- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone<br />
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Apparently I wrote this post on my phone, forgot about it and never posted it until I just now discovered it in my drafts.<br />
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<br />JHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11099992054271546628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2252024541041579277.post-41832635388187779662014-02-27T21:39:00.000-08:002017-01-26T19:57:19.875-08:0065 Years Ago<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Remembering my mama and daddy's wedding anniversary...</div>
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February 26, 1949</div>
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Ernst Lindig and Mathilde Clara Rode were married at St. Peter's Lutheran Church in Doss, Texas.</div>
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The reception was held at the home of Seth and Selma Rode, Mathilde's parents. </div>
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The happy couple!</div>
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My mother still has her wedding dress. We used it as part of the décor at Mom and Dad's 45th wedding anniversary party. For the record, I tried it on before my wedding, but it was a little too tattered to wear, a little heavy for a July 24th wedding date, and a little too long for a shortie like me. Thus, I made my own dress out of white eyelet and lace. I copied a dress that I saw in Bride's magazine. It was perfect for my style and for the 101 degree temp on my wedding day.</div>
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These pictures were taken in front of the church.</div>
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Wedding party, left to right:</div>
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Ruth Rode Uesner, Emilie Lindig Hansen, Ida Honig Rode, </div>
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Mathilde and Ernst</div>
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Werner Lindig, Rupert Rode, Herbert Immel<br />
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Mathilde just turned 89 on February 4th. Ernst was a humble man who lived a long and good life until he went to his heavenly home on October 29, 2004. Ernst and Mathilde's faith and trust in God carried their family through many difficult and joyful times. Every evening, Ernst faithfully read scriptures from the Holy Bible to his family and we prayed the Lord's Prayer together. It was a way of life that laid the foundation for a relationship with God and respect for people. Mathilde is a great cook. She has always been interested in tasty recipes and wonderful desserts. She also loves people, genealogy and her family. If you want to know what's going on in the world, just ask Mathilde. I am thankful for my parents, the life they gave me, and the values they taught me. </div>
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JHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11099992054271546628noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2252024541041579277.post-20724609181827891802014-02-16T20:38:00.001-08:002014-02-18T18:00:03.559-08:00Flowering Qince Invincible!A couple of years ago I was ready to cut out the flowering quince bushes growing on the southeast corner of our house. We had planted them shortly after we moved into the house in 1982. I had never seen them bloom more that a handful of blossoms and decided that we should plant something there with a little more beauty. After all, in 2010 we had surrounded the area with a garden fence in hopes of having fresh veggies to eat and flowers to make our yard a little prettier. In early February of 2012, I went out to the garden to check on something and found that our flowering quince had outdone itself. It was absolutely gorgeous, so I blogged about it at <a href="http://joansjoys.blogspot.com/2012/02/flowering-quince-redeemed.html">http://joansjoys.blogspot.com/2012/02/flowering-quince-redeemed.html</a><br />
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Then, last year I was even more impressed because the blossoms were profusely prolific, as noted at <a href="http://joansjoys.blogspot.com/2013/02/prolific-flowering-quince.html">http://joansjoys.blogspot.com/2013/02/prolific-flowering-quince.html</a><br />
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This year we've had numerous nights and days of below freezing weather, so the multitudes of blossoms are a little later than the two previous years, but there are lots of blossoms in spite of the crazy weather. The color seems to be deep pink rather than coral, and some of the petal edges have the look of frost bite. So, once again, I had to document the amazing, prolific and persistent flowering quince! You know they were attractive because bees were buzzing everywhere..<br />
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I think these were early blossoms bitten by frost:<br />
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JHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11099992054271546628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2252024541041579277.post-79522340160348148012013-11-25T20:31:00.000-08:002013-11-25T20:31:49.050-08:00R + P -- Wedding DecorWell, the wedding has come and gone, and our house is still full of wedding aftermath - in a good way. A lot of time and energy was spent figuring out how to embellish and use what we had. And now it's time to figure out how to use what we have embellished. <br />
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But for now, I want to recap how it all turned out at the big event!<br />
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JHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11099992054271546628noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2252024541041579277.post-32710170193594122172013-10-31T19:31:00.000-07:002014-01-19T17:35:27.312-08:00Fall Zinnia UpdateOctober 31, 2013 - 2 months, 1 week after planting the seeds...<br />
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November 12 -- day before the first light freeze</div>
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JHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11099992054271546628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2252024541041579277.post-37009877904538201622013-09-27T18:47:00.002-07:002013-11-25T18:57:06.524-08:00Yellow Belle Beauty<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Last Friday's three inches of rain from heaven put my Yellow Belle over the top!</div>
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Yella Bella Bouqueta!</div>
JHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11099992054271546628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2252024541041579277.post-41445099428078275032013-09-26T16:20:00.000-07:002013-09-26T16:21:15.881-07:00Zinnias<div style="text-align: center;">
August 24, 2013 - Seeds are planted!</div>
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September 26, 2013 - Seedlings (and a few weeds)!</div>
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The promise of harvest</div>
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Buds!</div>
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In just one month - nature is awesome!</div>
JHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11099992054271546628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2252024541041579277.post-46138043878949516562013-09-22T21:31:00.000-07:002013-09-27T18:38:56.131-07:00Aunt Anita's 100th Birthday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Aunt Anita celebrated her 100th birthday today, but she let us know that she won't be 100 until tomorrow, September 23, 2013. So her nephew, Milton said, "Let's celebrate Anita's 99 years and 364 days birthday today!" So that's what we did. But, of course, her cake had 100 on it.</div>
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My sister in law, Ann Marie, children Alyssa and Aaron, and my sister Judy </div>
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admiring the large goblets filled with banana pudding and the 100th birthday cake.</div>
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My family made the effort to help her celebrate. Attending were my mother, Mathilde, whose brother Rupert was married to Anita. So my three brothers and their wives, my sister and I had our own little family reunion while we dined Salisbury steak with carmelized onions and mushrooms, mashed potatoes, cooked carrots, rolls, and iced tea. Dessert was banana pudding.<br />
Front row: Mary Eilers (Johnny's wife), me, Mathilde Lindig, Aunt Anita Rode, Johnny Lindig, and Judy Eilers<br />
Back row: Paul and Jody Lindig, Ann Marie, Aaron, Alyssa (behind Anita) and Michael Lindig</div>
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Anita was quite the quilter, crochet-er, and artifact collector. The hanging dress was her baptismal gown. Uncle Rupert and Aunt Anita grew cotton for as long as I can remember, so the vase holds a cotton boll bouquet. Uncle Rupert was a quite talented woodworker. </div>
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This is a dress that Anita wore when she was three. </div>
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She's wearing it in the picture with her older brother.</div>
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These were two of my favorite quilts that were on display. The one below is the quilt top that Anita and Rupert gave to Tom and me for our wedding in 1977. I put in a layer of batting and a backing on it in the 1980's and my family has used it for many a picnic and every time we went to the Zilker Hillside Theater. It has served us well and is now in need of a little repair.</div>
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JHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11099992054271546628noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2252024541041579277.post-12794173239490567932013-09-07T21:44:00.003-07:002013-09-08T19:53:56.066-07:00American Beautyberry Bush<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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spectacular color!</div>
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JHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11099992054271546628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2252024541041579277.post-57322794383756316022013-08-28T20:01:00.003-07:002013-09-01T15:32:49.950-07:00Black Swallowtail As I pulled in the driveway after work today, a black swallowtail butterfly was sippin' pollen from the Plumbago bushes out front. I didn't have my camera, but I just had to write about it after all the caterpillars I blogged about back in the spring. I hope they lay some more eggs and continue the miraculous life cycle of caterpillars, cocoons, butterflies, etc. What a wondrous thing to observe!<br />
<a href="http://joansjoys.blogspot.com/2013/03/oh-caterpillar.html">http://joansjoys.blogspot.com/2013/03/oh-caterpillar.html</a><br />
<a href="http://joansjoys.blogspot.com/2013/04/chrysalis.html">http://joansjoys.blogspot.com/2013/04/chrysalis.html</a><br />
<a href="http://joansjoys.blogspot.com/2013/04/saturday-sunday.html">http://joansjoys.blogspot.com/2013/04/saturday-sunday.html</a>JHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11099992054271546628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2252024541041579277.post-2359425540816864492013-08-26T19:17:00.001-07:002013-08-26T19:19:35.972-07:00Just because...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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beautiful beginning ~ ending beautifully</div>
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See beginning <a href="http://joansjoys.blogspot.com/2013/07/my-pride-and-joy.html">http://joansjoys.blogspot.com/2013/07/my-pride-and-joy.html</a></div>
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JHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11099992054271546628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2252024541041579277.post-63151416493686799952013-08-24T12:54:00.000-07:002013-08-24T13:14:20.411-07:00Southern Summer Super Veggie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">In the heat of the summer. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">In central Texas. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">OKRA will never let you down! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;">It only takes a few plants </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;">to keep you cooking all summer long.</span><br />
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JHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11099992054271546628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2252024541041579277.post-68797078764602905492013-08-12T20:24:00.000-07:002013-08-13T18:40:44.145-07:00Survival of the Hottest<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One of the last lovely blossoms!<br />
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These beautiful sunflowers have enhanced my summer.</div>
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It's been such a joy to step out into the garden...</div>
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It's clean-up time</div>
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Seeds for the birds</div>
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JHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11099992054271546628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2252024541041579277.post-12574286681393860082013-07-30T21:22:00.000-07:002013-07-30T21:22:06.638-07:00My Pride and Joy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Thank you to my dear friend, Mary Fetter, for sharing your Pride of Barbados seedling with me 2 springs ago. The first blossom popped out 4 days ago and it is now in full bloom, but this first one had been long awaited. Patience is a virtue... says an old saying, not from Proverbs, but true enough.</div>
JHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11099992054271546628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2252024541041579277.post-21144700597983396232013-07-16T17:46:00.004-07:002013-07-16T17:49:09.906-07:00Giant Mammoth Sunflower<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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JHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11099992054271546628noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2252024541041579277.post-53639828133023843672013-07-13T09:03:00.003-07:002013-07-13T09:03:54.629-07:00Bumble Bee<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />JHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11099992054271546628noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2252024541041579277.post-39475599648844325242013-07-13T08:53:00.000-07:002013-07-13T08:53:09.748-07:00{Temporary} Weed-pulling Hiatus<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Last couple of weekends Tom and I made a concentrated effort to dig up most of the weeds in our garden. Tom made several runs to Home Depot for mulch to slow the return of the ever-present nuisance. Weeds. Weeds. Weeds. I'm really satisfied with the results of our sweat and sore muscles! The plants are happy too, although they seem to be a bit weary of the multiple days of over 100 degrees. We keep watering minimally and praying for rain. :-)</span></div>
JHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11099992054271546628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2252024541041579277.post-50539079275423324952013-07-05T19:13:00.005-07:002013-07-05T19:14:53.788-07:00More Sunflowers!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />JHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11099992054271546628noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2252024541041579277.post-10930157075914610522013-06-30T16:13:00.000-07:002013-06-30T16:30:09.930-07:00My First Sunflower<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">April 25th</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Today, June 30th!</span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">All I can say is, this is totally awesome!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">In my book, this fits in the miraculous category.</span></div>
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JHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11099992054271546628noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2252024541041579277.post-28513880264350542372013-06-29T19:19:00.000-07:002013-08-03T15:11:16.629-07:00Paint the Adirondack Chairs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">My sweet Tom said that even though I'm not his mother, he would buy me a Mother's Day gift this year. He wanted to know if I would like to pick out some new chairs for the front yard since our plastic ones were breaking and one got smashed by the tree trimmer's falling limb. I've dreamed about having real Adirondack for years. So long that I had almost forgotten about them. We looked online and decided that these locally made chairs would be the best choice for us. The chair-maker is from Bastrop and has a day job in Austin, so Tom met him at his office parking after work one day. It only took a couple of weeks for him to make them. Father's Day weekend I told Tom that even though he wasn't my father, I would paint the chairs for him for Father's Day. We went to Home Depot to look at paint and decided on Behr's "red pepper" for the chairs. It took most of last Saturday to put the first coat of paint on the chairs, but I'm totally pleased with their new look! Another project transformed with paint!</span>JHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11099992054271546628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2252024541041579277.post-22205005388299251422013-05-09T20:43:00.002-07:002013-05-10T22:17:06.556-07:00How does my garden grow?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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dirt - seeds - water - sunshine</div>
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So much work, so much fun... and so much yum!</div>
JHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11099992054271546628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2252024541041579277.post-76539108071163667322013-04-22T20:28:00.000-07:002013-04-25T19:43:35.678-07:00Saturday ~ Sunday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Saturday morning before I left town:</div>
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Sunday evening when I returned:</div>
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I missed the final stage of metamorphosis. :-(<br />
But, looking forward to those butterflies in our garden ;-)<br />
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JHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11099992054271546628noreply@blogger.com1