The Secret

[sammy]

Our landlord will like that..me gathering parsley from the middle of the drive...

Oh what a great image that is!

am trying to figure out if I am brave enough to make it using splenda instead of sugar which of course is not good for us.

Ug...I use splenda in my coffee...trying to save a few calories...Is it better for us than sugar?????

Well, that's all I have right now.

LOVE Y'ALL!!!!
Sammy

[Seeker13]

Dear Sandy,
Funny you should mention your herb garden! As an attempt to keep our basement from flooding this year we put in a berm(sp?). The main reason I’m not on -line much in the summer is because I’m out working in my gardens. For me it’s a meditative experience. Although I have lots of flowers we stopped trying to have a vegetable garden about eight years ago because the deer ate everything!

I can't tell you how much happiness that little plot has given me. I'd happened upon a herb book at a book swap last spring and read it from cover to cover. Aleah is a tomato freak, Dave wanted to make salsa, beside greens and herbs like oregano, thyme, rosemary, parsley, cilantro, chives and basil, I was excited to grow plants for teas. I dutifully plucked chamomile and borage blossoms, and am happy to report the lemon balm is taking over it's end of the garden. I'm like a kid in a candy shop, so happy to have reconnected with my bucolic roots! I swear I can feel my Grandma Kingscott looking over my shoulder giving advice.

Although the deer have eaten many of the leaves from a flower garden only twenty feet away, they have not touched the berm plants! I may have gone a little overboard with the basil,… will be freezing pesto from now until the temperature drops. Think I know what my relatives will be getting for Christmas! Oh, and this fall I’m definitely planting garlic.

Hope all is well!
Love,
Kim

[Sandy]

Oh Kim I'm glad you brought up garlic in your wonder post that has me chopping at the bit to plant every herb I can get my hands on. I need to get some garlic in the ground.
I picked up my dusty landscaping book earlier today and browsed through the photos of gardens to die for. Oh to have gardening tools in hand and a yard where I was free to let my creative intentions run wild! Well for now, maybe I will simply live vicariously through the description of your own gardening wonders... so beautiful they seem in my minds eye!

Hey Sammy, George too is using splenda in his coffee. He didn't like it at first but it is better for him with his type 2 then sugar. Wild River Rose recommends Stevia, which I believe is derived from the leaves of a particular plant. George has used it in his coffee before and it is good. But I had forgotten about it until she mentioned it to me not long ago. I’m a cream or milk in my coffee girl, myself. Well almost anything white in a pinch...ice cream, cool whip...NOT MAYONNAISE! bleah!

Our neighbor’s kitty came by to sit in the sun while I was outside earlier. Actually I think she had an ulterior motive as she likes to hunt lizards in that area. The owners have a collar with a bell on it to protect the birds but the lizards are not quite onto the bell sound as danger. And I suspect she has caught a fair few of them. Poor little things. but interestingly, a few weeks ago I was treated to a display of lizard courage and know-how. From my vantage point I was watching a large Blue Tongue Lizard slowly dragging its big ole body down the back drive with its tiny too small legs. From out of nowhere, here comes the kitty and she cautiously approaches this hard working lizard from behind. The lizard with his/her lizard senses wasn’t fooled and instantly turned around opening it’s HUGE blue mouth wide while hissing at the same time. I thought I was going to die laughing at the surprised look on the cat’s face. She backed off a few feet and just looked at it while it continued to display it’s impressive blue mouth. She laid down and then rolled half way over on her back in a gesture of fake friendship which still didn’t phase this street wise adult lizard. After a few minutes she gave it a wide berth and walked away. It's nice sometimes to be being in the right place at the right time to witness interactions among our fellow earth critters..especially when it ends without bloodshed... as in this instance. Of course unlike Sir David Attenborough I would have intervened if things got ugly...but honestly not sure who would have been on the loosing end of that one.

Hope everyone is having a good day.
Love,
Sandy

[theunim]

Hi All!

I'm here briefly but I thought I'd pipe in seconding Stevia as a suggestion. I have some dried and haven't used it yet, but I know that in the form that it is (leaves, dried or fresh - though I'm not sure which one is better), it is recommended as a natural sweetener. Once I try it, I'll try to remember to post things up about it. Not sure if the opinions of stevia-based products are good or bad, though.

Gardening is a great experience! Even if it's just with pots on my end~ I feel so much more different with plants.

Love,
Theunim

[Seeker13]

Hi, All!
I believe Splenda is derived from the stevia plant. I had one in a pot on the porch last year, no special requirements, grew like a weed, would simply snip off a few leaves and add them to other mints and such for sun tea. Don't know why this sugar substitute hasn't surfaced years ago. Do remember something mentioned back then about not being healthy for teen aged girls for some reason or another, so didn't pursue further, probably should do a little more research.

Sandy, I didn't realize how easy garlic was to grow! The kids planted some with our cook at work last fall, we used the scapes in pesto which was DELICIOUS, and now have more than enough garlic to last until next years harvest. Think next week Dave and I will make a super-de-duper batch of salsa...that is if Aleah will leave us any tomatoes!

Our son Dan has been working with a urban renewal program and is especially interested in landscaping and urban gardening using a spiral system that simulates different eco systems in a small space. We're like a twittering flock of birds when we get together, so excited to exchange experiences and new ideas.

Gardening doesn't have to take a lot of time, space, or a horticultural degree. Anyone can do it anywhere if they take the time to know their plants, the benefits are very emotionally and physically satisfying.

Loved the lizard story, would have liked to see the expression on the kitty's face! I'm happy you see the value of appreciating living in a moment. The kids I work with take me to that place everyday. I'm so grateful to them for bringing me with them when time stands still long enough for us to simply watch in wonder.

Love to all!
Kim

[theunim]

There is nothing worse (well, maybe a few things...) than when you are typing a LONG post and everything goes kapooey! Somewhere along the line I've turned into an old lady and very much dislike learning new technology...luckily the internet came along before I turned into a fuddy duddy. My husband had been pestering me a bit to get a new cell phone. (Mine was about 5 years old, which I guess in the phone world is ancient.) I finally relented and we got me a "droid" (? is that the right term??? ) UG that thing causes me MORE stress! For instance the time we were headed back home from my in-laws house (about a 2 hour drive), we decided to pick up Domino's pizza on the way, so I got on my phone and did a google search for the nearest domino's...tried calling by touching the phone number but my phone kept disconnecting...so I tried to order on line and kept hitting the wrong buttons...we arrived at Domino's before I could place the order using the dang phone! Anyway, I was going to say that when we went camping a couple weeks ago I wanted to send messages to the board via my "droid" (phone) and kept losing everything I typed. (Wow, I sure can make a short story long!)

Hi Sammy! I forgot to reply to this earlier!

I have a Droid X so I sympathize with you! My calls get disconnected for no reason whatsoever, or they don't even connect at all! Then, at times, besides the browser being all the way it is, I'll have no 3G connection (the internet part) and have to restart at the most inopportune times! I'm not sure what it is about my phone but I think the most recent updates started to cause mine and Bert's phones to get wonky. We have the same one, so we'll often complain about the same things, but I tend to want to throw mine around more than he does.

For phones that are so high-tech, they don't do well what they are designed to do, which is to make calls...

Love,
Theunim

[theunim]

Hi Kim and everyone!

I know they have stevia products sold in boxes that are portioned out in sugar packets, so that's what I was thinking about that might have been not as recommended as the natural form.

Wikipedia saves the day! Here's information about splenda and stevia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Splenda
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stevia

It seems like Stevia is used more throughout the world than it is in the United States, so it doesn't seem like a lot of people know about Stevia here.

How could garlic be stored for that long? Does it need to be stored like potatoes? I would love to try to grow it next year.

What your son Dan is working out sounds amazing! I did a 7th grade experiment with "multilevel farming," where I used these serving tray frames used for catering, to set up three levels of plants and alternated the rows so the light would hit all levels and rows. I would love to see what he develops in the spiral plan! Is he planning to put the information and experiences online?

On a side note, I am wondering if I should repeat what I did in 7th grade, whenever I get to set up a greenhouse, since it did work but it needed some refinement and better supplies. The levels I had were made of glass panes my dad helped me get from his work place, but on a larger scale, that's probably not going to work as well and will be dangerous to work with if it should be dropped or something. A greenhouse would probably be the best here in the desert, since there's so much sun but too much to the point where everything quickly dries up and becomes withered.

Love,
Theunim

[Sandy]

Hi Everyone,

I am enjoying all this garden talk! T , I do hope you get to have a greenhouse some day. I have never had one...it is one of those things on my lifetime wish list...along with a little chicken coop with of course pet egg laying chickens and the older and ever growing group of feathered retirees..... Well...some day...(LOL I am hearing the song..."Dream... dream, dream dream..." Forget who sang this oldie but goodie...Too lazy to look it up right now. )

I am ashamed to say, Kim, that I still haven't planted that garlic! but I will! And I need to get out there and get the beds ready for other things as well. Your post reminded me too of a garden we saw from a wooded path near Geoff's place in Corlette. The entire garden was made up of old syrofoam crates. The plants looked strong and healthy and the owner had all different kinds of veggies planted. I think you are right and with a little ingenuity and knowledge gardens can be cultivated almost anywhere and out of just about anything.
Hope everyone is having or had a good day!

Love,
Sandy

[theunim]

HALLO! I'm posting before I leave for the weekend from my house. To be specific, I'll be out of town for an overnight trip with a friend and her son, but I'll be back home on Sunday evening. Bert should have returned by then from his business trip, too, so then I'll be having some time with him and catching up. I'll be coming back round on Monday!

Sandy, if you can't have a greenhouse, I do hope you get your chickens very soon. I love reading about your goal to have chickens. It's actually made me ask Bert several times if he would let me have chickens, especially if the yard'll be good for them. He's said, "We'll see," with an amused look on his face, which usually means then that the answer is "Perhaps." But then, he brought up a point recently that since we're military, then come moving time, we'll have to eat the chicken(s) or cow (I also asked if we could get a cow)! I was actually a little horrified at this revelation. I mean, this would be the case especially if we were sent overseas! Can you imagine the government quarantining chickens and cows for months? Those poor animals would be so affected by the sudden change... No, I will not have chickens or cows until we decide to settle down, whether that's a few years or a couple of decades from now.

I also heard the song when I read your line. I don't remember the group or singer, but I can mentally hear it and smiled when I saw it.

I hope everyone's up for having a great weekend! I myself will try, since I'm recovering from a bit of, uhm, sports-related "injuries." On Wednesday, I went mountain biking for the first time and had four crashes on the trail, with two making me land hard in the dirt, and the last one being the worst out of the two dirt-y ones. I finished with the group (there were four of us altogether) but let's just say that right now, I've got a lot of bruises still turning colors and a giant scrape on my left leg! I'm okay, I'm okay. Thank goodness for great helmets. What I did find funny was my left leg was affected the most again...*sigh*. My poor left side of my body! Gets all the sprains and aches of the past and then now some of the worst scrapes and abrasions ever! But, next Wednesday I'm scheduled to go riding again, so I will concentrate on getting my skin to heal a lot more by then - I clean and dress the area twice a day so it should be helping. (As a gross side note, if anyone wants to see how bad the affected leg was on the night it happened, I uploaded it to one of my online albums and I can let you know the link?... )

Love,
Theunim

[Seeker13]

Dear Theunim,
Your seventh grade project sounds really interesting! I encourage anyone to get their hands dirty any way they can. Maybe I'm just a gardening freak, but it seems more and more people I talk to lately are drawn to growing something, many for the first time. In the back of my brain I'm wondering if this might have some connection to the Correcting Time in an attempt to bring us closer to our living planet? ... Guess that could be a whole other tangent to go off on huh?

Garlic probably has different growing properties where you are, could maybe grow all year round? Here we plant it in the fall and somehow survives under several inches of snow, then harvest in the early summer. My work is a vegetarian site and use a lot of garlic in our meals. It does last quite awhile if stored correctly. We keep the long stems attached and braid them together and hang on a hook in a cool location, easy shmeezy!

Dan will be over Sunday so I can really pick his brain about the spiral gardening. As I understand it the plants at the top require less water, and you place them around the spiral according to how much sunlight they need. The plants on the bottom are the ones that use the most water, which they get naturally because of gravity. Pretty sure he will post his group's progress next year. GELT just wrapped up this year's season. Dan is very techy oriented(unlike his mother! I'm right there with you Sammy). His wife created a blog. They are always posting something on Utube, couple of weeks ago he made a video of their projects this past summer for the GELT organization. Maybe tomorrow I can get Aleah to post the web site here,... because lets face it, if I try you will NEVER see it!

Sandy we can only do what we can do. You and George are the busiest people I know! If something doesn't get done, everyone knows it isn't because you're not working hard enough. It's taken me a long time to not feel guilty, and simply be alright with letting myself be still, be silent,... be in the moment.

I would love a greenhouse! You should see the gigantic hoop house Dan's group built! I'm going to ask if I can go down for a week in the early spring to help get the starter plants going. Honestly, if I didn't love kids so much I could easily spend my days as a hermit for a couple of years just growing stuff. You're right, materials are everywhere if you want a garden. I would be concerned using styrofoam though, for fear of chemicals leaching into the soil.

I do have some amazing news! Aleah performed in an open mike session on Thursday, been trying to overcome her anxiety about this for months. Even though she had a panic attack just before we were ready to leave, she pulled herself through it. Turned out being the only female amongst a dozen seasoned male performers. You could tell she was nervous at first(I almost had a nervous breakdown)was able to relax to do two cover songs and two of her own songs. Her last one was so crazy beautiful there wasn't a sound in the room until she finished. Whew! The open mike night is recorded for the college radio station, the MC said we can go to a website to listen to the recordings.

Whoa, it's getting late!

Love to all,
Kim

[Sandy]

Hello everybody,

T, how was your trip with your friend? Hoping you had a good time and a nice get away from home and pressures. Sometimes even a few hours out of your regular routine helps doesn't it? When stress mounts here we generally take off for the beach, spending a few hours inspecting the tidal pools and life along the ocean's edge. It's amazing how this underwater world, so different from our own, can help us make sense of our own, but somehow it magically happens and we come away refreshed and renewed.

I think we all have something that releases tension and helps us feel more secure in our life situations...sometimes its physical activity that lights our inner fire or is it more like that soothes our inner fire. It sounds like Kim finds peace in her gardens...creating and adjusting and nurturing. You know, Kim, you are such a nurturing Lady....your own children, the kids at work, and us "little green thumb wannabies" on the board... and with that thought...well the gardening part of it I have a little garden story to tell you that happened yesterday.
I decided I had put off the yard work as long as a should so I shut off my computer and got out the mower and "tripsed" outside in the sunshine. The flat is a fairly large yard to push mow and I must admit I am at my fulll winter weight.sigh.. So I huffed and puffed my way along as usual refusing to break until it was finished. But the weird thing was, I got a second wind towards the end and so decided to trim a few tropical bushes here and there, and clean, weed and prepare our two little raised garden beds for planting. That was when the fun really began. Let me explain. For months now when ever I mow I have had a little bird called a Willy Wagtail following me much like those birds who follow cows in a pasture snapping up bugs stirred up by their movements. As I sat deep in thought on the edge of the garden I noticed "Little Willy" was sitting just a few feet away watching my movements. So for the next hour we shared the job. I cleaned and unearthed the food and he ate. How one little bird can eat so much I will never know! But it was such a joy for me to interact with one of our nature's kin in this manner for a little while.

T, I hope your bruises and aches and pains are healing and becoming less painful. Thank goodness you were wearing your helmet! Well, I know this week end I will be saying a little prayer for you asking that God's angels keep his steadying hand on the back end of your bike just like a human dad/mom protecting a young one who is learning to ride.

Have a fabulous Day/ evening.
Much love,
Sandy

[theunim]

Hallo, Cafe! I bring chrysanthemum tea, sweetened with sugar in the form of crystals the size of small marbles~ Tasty stuff. I made some this past weekend. I had some hot and the rest I chilled in one of the Italian-made glass bottles from Ikea that have an air-tight stopper. I like those bottles, but I will still be on the look out for pitchers when we have our house.

The house hunting didn't stop while Bert was away on business last week, I saw three houses then. Yesterday, I saw two of those three again, but this time with Bert there, and we were also shown two more that had not been on the market until two days ago. We have a top three again, and because of the lessons we learned in the past several weeks about this whole house buying dilemma, we are mentally ready to make an offer tomorrow, after our second viewings are done. Good thoughts! ♫

Sandy, you're so lovely for thinking of me. I am going riding again today, so I will think of how you will be praying for me and visualizing that I will have an angelic companion near me this evening. My bruises are fading little by little, but the scraped up skin was my biggest concern and the affected areas have been healing wonderfully fast. I am thankful for my body to be able to do this and for God for giving my body the ability to do this.

Sadly, over the weekend, in the morning on Saturday as I was getting ready for the day trip, I noticed that my left leg, the one more injured, was swollen and I had a decision to make: miss out on the trip and possibly go to the ER because of the swelling, or go on the trip and risk having to be brought to the ER if it got worse? I didn't want to be a burden so I decided to cancel with my friend, just in case things did get worse. I called up another friend living down the road, just to let her know that I might have to go to the hospital, and I called Bert, who told me to keep him up-to-date. As per procedures usually done by the base folks, I called up the nurse hotline just to let them know the situation and ask about it. The nurse told me to keep my leg elevated, day and night, and in open air, all covered with Neosporin. I did that and as a result, the swelling went down more and more until it was back to normal on Monday morning. The scrapes were healing faster than I thought, and in a way, I was kind of miffed that I covered my leg up often on Thursday and Friday just so I could go out and not get the affected area dirty, but I did reason with myself and that no one wants to see all the crud on my leg. Friends got a preview yesterday while we were at their house, because my wrap was all loose, and I think it's good I keep it covered when I'm outside then...no one has to see that.

Sandy, reading your beach trip description made me have a tinge of regret for not going this past Saturday, though. However, the friend who went got back to me about the evening, and said that they walked around a lot and went dancing after the party. If I went, I'm sure my leg would have been more aggravated and it tends to ache for now when I'm walking or standing around for too long. I think being around the energy of the ocean is such a cleansing and flowing experience, I feel that the fresh and renewed feeling would be due to the very nature of the setting. The desert has its own flowing energy, but it's a very grounded type. Nothing like being around water, definitely.

Sandy,the Willy Wagtail time you had sounds like it was a wonderful time to be had~ I loved reading the snippet about it. What a visual to have where a bird is helping you clear the garden of bugs by eating as you cleaned the yard!

Kim, I don't think it's because you're a gardening freak. I think more and more people are becoming in tuned with the nurturing aspect of themselves in these times, especially since there seems to be movements everywhere to be more aware of what you consume, food and materials-wise. I wouldn't think it's far off to connect it as being part of the Correcting Time, but that is my opinion on that matter, too. Thank you for thinking my old school project sounded interesting. But, your Dan's Spiral Gardening sounds like it's worth emulating on small scales, too. Please keep us posted if and when you can!

I wish everyone a happy and wonderful day or evening, whenever you read this.

Love,
Theunim

[Sandy]

Hows your leg looking now T? I must admit I am a little concerned. You really must have done a bang up job on it, sweetie. Is the swelling completely gone? No sign of infection right? I'm sorry you missed your day trip. But it doesn't sound like you would have been up to it and did the right thing to stay home.

That chrysanthemum tea sounds delicious...something new I've never tried before. And when you have the time I would love for you to explain how you made those sugar crystals. I never knew anybody who has made their own. T, you are a young woman of many talents!

I am crossing everything I can think of in the hopes that your offer if it is the best thing for you comes through. How exciting! Your first home of your own! Doesn't make you want to just nail a bunch of pictures up on the wall.
Well keep us informed how that leg's feeling, okay?... and please be careful with it, giving that tender new skin plenty of time to heal. I had to laugh when I thought of you mountain biking and thinking ..."How can we protect you from further harm?" I immediately thought of the old Charmin commercials, most likely before your young time...but in the one I'm thinking of a little girl was learning to skate and falling all over the place. Then she got smart and stuffed rolls of charmin bathroom tissue around her oversided clothes as a protection from the bruises and bumps! Hmmm could be a new look for you T!
Love,
Sandy

[sammy]

Good Morning My Lovelies!

My goodness...gardening, new homes and Little Willy (what a great story) !

I miss my gardening. I've been avoiding this topic a bit...I used to LOVE to "play" in my flower gardens. Frankly I was spending WAY too much time on them, to the point of ignoring my family - unfortunately, or maybe fortunatley (for my family) my fibro doesn't let me play out there much anymore. No better way for me to start flaring than bending over to weed or dead head flowers! No sympathy though please...I'm over feeling sorry for myself, but I do miss playing out there from time to time.

Well. we have a (lessening) threat of a hurricane headed our way. Yesterday it looked like we'd take a direct hit, today it looks like it will be more inland. (We live in Massachusetts, about an hour's drive from the Cape). Crazy as it sounds, I was hoping to be center of the storm. I LOVE storms And we are LONG overdue for a hurricane. Now I wouldn't want to be in an catagory 4 or 5, but by the time they make it up here, over the cooler water, they are much downgraded...so although they make a mess, they typically aren't too dangerous...just exciting!

So, time to batten down the hatches (just in case it does effect us)...must plan the hurricane party! AND SO....I found a wonderful new thing.....

My husband and I went to this new place in town to pick up some take out for dinner last weekend. They specialize in pulled pork and the like. We sat at the bar waiting for out food and I noticed on the chalk board a list of "drinks"..... Jello shots..."I've never had one". The bartender heard me and said "would you like to try one?" ... "I think I must!" I replied.

The bartender handed me a tiny plastic container with red jello and a toothpick. He told me to give it a stir. So I started to stir the jello and mash it up. My husband said "WHAT are you doing??? You're supposed to "rim" it and swallow it whole." (Silly me needed directions to do a shot ). I finished my jello and then I noticed on the chalk board CHOCOLATE PUDDING shot REALLY???!!! I said to my husband "LOOK! They have CHOCOLATE PUDDING shots!" The bartender again heard me and said "do you want to try one?" again I replied "I think I must."

YUM!!!!! DELIGHTFUL!!!! AND he gave me the recipe! SO, now I must have a party (because the recipe is LARGE...and it's SO good that if I don't have help eating this pudding I'm likely to eat it all myself!).

Wow, between my wine, vodka/lemonade and now this...I must be sounding like a real lush!

So, Today I am off to the store to get all the important items one must have before a hurricane....batteries, water, non-perishable food (chips and cheeze-it's ), and of course....CHOCOLATE PUDDING! (Now I hear my son doing his Bill Cosby impression!)

T! You'll have to post some pics of your new home! SO exciting!!!!

LOVE!!!!
Sammy

[KizzleKat]

*laughing* Watch those jello shots, Sammy! I've seen many a grown man -- and woman -- get skunked on 'em!

BTW, I heard another great saying I'd never heard before" God Shot. (Do NOT hold me responsible for free association!) Long story short, I found a book I'd been looking for after turning to my TA, and found it behind the computer stand and behind books on the shelves underneath. I would NEVER have thought to pull things apart at the floor level! When I told my partner about it, he said, "That was a God Shot if ever there was one!"

~ Sharon

[sammy]

I Like that! "God Shot"! I'm gonna have to remember that one!

LOVE!!!!
Sammy

[lilly]

Good Morning All

My attempts at gardening with herbs was rather short lived.....only parsley thrives without being eaten overnight. The basil, thyme, coriander and oregano all disappeared quite suddenly...to my dismay!! Snails and whatever else got to them.....haha I'm proud of the parsley though....
I'm taking my Mum to the eye specialist this morning for a follow up after cataract surgery earlier on. See you all later

Love lilly

[lilly]

Hope your leg is fully healed now, Theunim

[sammy]

Hi Lilly!

I hope all went well with your mom!

LOVE!!!!
Sammy

[lilly]

Hi Sammy
All is well with Mum....just keeping up the drops in her right eye for glaucoma. The rest is healed and all good!! She's very happy about that.
Thank you for the concern.....Love lilly xox

[Sandy]

Hey everybody,

Lilly, my Mom was just diagnosed with the beginnings of glaucoma. She's taking drops and seems just fine with it... but my heart aches for her. She's had so many serious health problems. But I don't think anything phases that brave woman. She is a staunch Lutheran and has always put all her faith and trust in God and practices many of Christ's Love teachings into her life as she visits the sick, feeds the poor, and sits all night if necessary with friends whose emotional well being and life is in danger. I guess one reason I always cringe when I hear people grouping all religious people together. It seems from my simple thinking that religion just like spirituality is still very much an individual business. What grows the heart and soul is not really a group effort, but emerges from inside.

I am having trouble with my parsley I planted... I can't figure out what I am doing wrong. It isn't growing and has been in the ground for at least four months...
The snails I just noticed are back again. Those dern snails can eat you out of house and home in no time!...but you have to admit they are kind of cute.

I have never heard of jello or chocolate pudding shots, Sammy. I can't imagine what they must taste like? Hows the storm going? Is it settling in with just enough excitement to make for an interesting weekend? You stay safe now! Stay away from those leaning trees.

Love,
Sandy

[lilly]

Sandy, it's fortunate that your Mum is being treated like mine.....thank goodness they have good doctors as well!!
I'm pleased today that I could get my disaster of a hair colour and cut fixed. Never let an apprentice touch curly hair. I shouldn't say that.....but what a mess it was..... All is well now!! It's been a lovely day and I'm about to throw some lentils in a pot with vegeatables and whatever I can find....for dinner....usually turns out delicious. Very thankful for the smile on my face.

Love lilly

[sammy]

I just felt like sharing they lyrics from my favorite hymn (I just got back from church and the sang this song today...it always fills my heart with joy and brings tears to my eyes)

You shall cross the barren desert,
but you shall not die of thirst.
You shall wander far in safety,
though you do not know the way.

You shall speak your words in foreign lands,
and all will understand,
You shall see the face of God and live.

Be not afraid,
I go before you always,
Come follow Me,
and I shall give you rest.

If you pass through raging waters
in the sea, you shall not drown.
If you walk amidst the burning flames,
you shall not be harmed.

If you stand before the pow’r of hell
and death is at your side,
know that I am with you, through it all

Be not afraid,
I go before you always,
Come follow Me,
and I shall give you rest.

Blessed are your poor,
for the Kingdom shall be theirs.
Blest are you that weep and mourn,
for one day you shall laugh.

And if wicked men insult and hate you, all because of Me,
blessed, blessed are you!

Be not afraid,
I go before you always,
Come follow Me,
and I shall give you rest.

LOVE!!!!
Sammy

[lilly]

How beautiful, Sammy!! Thank you for posting this hymn......lifted my spirits!! xox

[sammy]

A LONG time ago, two years maybe, I kept seeing this toad every night. At the same time Petra had a nightingale visiting her everyday.

I was just out in my driveway and a toad hopped by making me think of Pet and her nightingale. I went back inside debating whether to post about it or not and decided it wasn't that important. I got into the kitchen and Jake came running toward me and said "Look what was in the house!!!" A baby toad

Well, it made me think I need to send Pet an image of a nightingale...anybody care to join me?

LOVE!!!!
Sammy