As a woman I have used many pheromone enhancements. Shiseido Zen, Estee Lauder Cinnabar, The Body Shop toilette, White Musk, Chanel colognes and perfumes both No. 5 and Allure have all enticed my husband to my side.
Now at 70 my most overriding fragrances are camphor and menthol. How did that happen? Some enterprising perfumer should develop the fragrance that interacts best with my latest fragrances!
I repeat, growing old is NOT for sissies!
I often read a blog by Suzette Benjamin. Click on the link to read her work.
https://suzetteb.home.blog/2021/04/09/wets-his-whistle-a-haiku/
She amazes me with her mastery of Haiku and other forms of poetry I can barely pronounce. So I was feeling challenged.
Looking out the kitchen one day last winter I saw this and tried to put it into haiku phrasing.
Burritos © Molly Lin Dutina 2021
Burritos in the trees Like large Chipotle made Perched winter mourning doves. Nah - not the right numbering, but similar idea. Maybe I will just stick to my forms. Nope, I will keep trying to learn something new! Good for an old person to do!
Praise Him and highly exalt Him forever!! Enjoy the photos! If you click on each photo you can see more detail!
(The heron was right of the two large trees, showing white amongst the twiggy branches.)
Yes, we had inches of snow yesterday morning! Likely there will be tree leaf damage. No broken trees around us that we have heard or seen. When the leaves are out like this the wet snow can cause so much damage! The sun is out, blue sky shining and the birds seem to be shaking their feathers in disgust. Hopefully this was winter’s last hurrah, though they are saying one more night of freezing temperatures!
Dews and storms of snow, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all for ever.
Ice and cold, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all for ever.
Frost and snow, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all for ever.
Nights and days, bless the Lord; bless and exalt him above all for ever.
Light and darkness, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all for ever.
Lightnings and clouds, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all for ever.
Let the earth bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all for ever.
Mountains and little hills, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all for ever.
All things which grow upon the earth, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all for ever.
- Apocrypha Prayer of Azariah 46-54
Regardless of the weather, I will praise Him and highly exalt Him forever!!
This morning, 21-4-22, we have another 1-1/2 inches of snow. Yesterday it melted before noon.
Not meaning to offend anyone, but if the Spirit and the bride say come, then certainly might we bathe in the free gift of the water of life?
The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.
Revelation 22:17 NIV
Drench me, Lord, come and flow.
Wash, renew, and overflow.
Show me how to soak then splash
Rest and float in Your life-giving bath.
Let anyone who wishes take (REV 22:17)
Let anyone?
– so unlike human ways!
Let anyone who wishes
– even those who just wish
Let anyone?
What are we to make of this holy declaration?
Come one and all, old or small
Drink from the provision of the Manger King.
All heaven says to you,
“Come, freely have this gift,
the water of life from Jesus Christ.”
Why do we so often choose to remain parched?
Choices to be made here! Examples of spiritual truth in nature! What will your decision be?
I was in the living room chair watching the news when the light seemed to change outdoors. I looked out the window and was wowed. I am always fascinated with the creation. God did not have to make it so diverse and He did not have to share it with us. Daily there are things to marvel at. The photos below could not quite capture the intensity of the stormy looking sky.
Golden Lace © Molly Lin Dutina 2021 Golden lace in treetops Against storm cloud sky Evening sun highlighting Tenuousness of life Bear forth wooden boughs Bring us spring delight
By the word of the Lord the heavens were made,
their starry host by the breath of his mouth.
He gathers the waters of the sea into jars;
he puts the deep into storehouses.
Let all the earth fear the Lord;
let all the people of the world revere him.
For he spoke, and it came to be;
he commanded, and it stood firm.
Psalm 33:6-9 NIV
Got an email about meeting with Ryan on May 7 for education about how to run our home equipment. This is getting more and more real.
I told Bob on April 9 that I am now ready to UNPACK. We had a thunderstorm that terrified the Lucky dog. My sister had given me dog sedative drops and treats. Of course, I had packed them instead of thinking to keep them with the dog food, poop bags, dog treats, etc. So next morning I was searching for the box marked kitchen junk drawer. Finally found it and sure enough, there were the dog drugs (all natural mind you).
Closing is still holding at May 7! Here are some photos of doors, woodwork and cabinets. The next day we got electricity, too.
We are still packing. Our son will help me lift some of the perennials and the rose bush this weekend. Whew!
Sometimes my husband asks me if I am writing poetry recently. Well, actually, yes. Here is one!
21-4-6 Hearing Spring © Molly Lin Dutina
Under the bird song Below the raucous calls of mating Rhythm of tree frog Melody of spring peepers Ah breathe in spring Through your ears Hmmmmm they seem to say This is lovely Exhale on their melody Inhale during the chorus Slow your breathing Tempo of April There are pauses In their score Wait for next stanza Focus here now Find your center Cadence does not vary Catch the next bar Tame frantic monkey mind Bring all to peace Lower your shoulders Tiny amphibian power Tames futile mind race 7:27 and song seems to cease I listen and recall I have this power within Enter center down silence Direct me Lord On cusp of next breath I am led
The other day I was thinking of this poem from 2014. Enjoy!
Pot Bound © 2014 Molly Lin Dutina
Spring rains wind thunder fragrant hyacinths hillside purple with flowers demure trout lilies quickly go to seed. Forsythia blooms lilac buds opening pussy willow full blown soon to send out leaves Twisty willow branch from florist rooted in the arrangement and sent out one leaf! hope to nurture it and plant it outside February Primrose is pot bound now ready to live in the garden I’m pot bound in homemaker duties Lord help me enter Your center-down silence and glory in praising You even in activities of the mundane Oh fragrant April morning gusty hyacinth perfume raindrops glisten on garden border fence Symphony of bird song sidewalk littered with night crawlers Insistent bird cries, “Awake! Spring is here. Now." I praise You in the work You have given me in this part of Garden Earth.
Coming soon! To be my new address! Yes, I am getting excited as we count down the weeks instead of months to moving 🙂
Funny, the opening shot is not the entrance to our house!! We requested a brown front door. You have to imagine this with brown spice cabinets, no carpeting in great room, laundry will have washer, dryer, hot water heater and stationary tub. Owner shower will have a short tiled bench, not 5 foot. One guest room will be our shared office. The other guest room will be sewing room and Bob’s space for prayer. My space will likely be in the master bedroom. For the video they took down all the doors 🙂
We are grateful as we wait. Please lift us in prayer. Moving is listed as one of the top 50 stressors in life. Last time we moved and were trying to get settled I called Bob at work one day and said, “If the woman who lives here would tell me where the muffin pans are I would make you some cupcakes!!” Humans do not like change, even good changes like a new house and getting rid of all the stairs!
When I worked as a secretary and encourager at Having the Courage To Change with women recovering from drug and alcohol addiction as well as many released from prison, one of their sayings was about not quitting too soon. “Sunday is coming.”
“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord,
knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” (1Corinthians 15:58)
“If you stop one hour before God is done, you will miss the blessing!”
I love Danny Gokey’s line that “God had the answer before you had the problem.” Reminds me of Isaiah 61:24 “Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear.” Yes, He is more powerful than we are. He is NOT surprised by what occurs in our lives.
Have you been praying and you still have no answers?
Have you been pouring out your heart for so many years?
Have you been hoping that things would have changed by now?
Have you cried all the faith you have through so many tears?
Don’t forget the things that He has done before
And remember He can do it all once more
It’s like the brightest sunrise
Waiting on the other side of the darkest night
Don’t ever lose hope, hold on and believe
Maybe you just haven’t seen it, just haven’t seen it yet
You’re closer than you think you are
Only moments from the break of dawn
All His promises are just up ahead
Maybe you just haven’t seen it, just haven’t seen it yet
Maybe you just haven’t seen it, just haven’t seen it yet
Maybe you just haven’t seen it
He had the solution before you had the problem
He sees the best in you when you feel at your worst
So in the questioning don’t ever doubt His love for you
‘Cause it’s only in His love that you’ll find a breakthrough, oh
It’s like the brightest sunrise
Waiting on the other side of the darkest night
Don’t ever lose hope, hold on and believe
Maybe you just haven’t seen it, just haven’t seen it yet
You’re closer than you think you are
Only moments from the break of dawn
All His promises are just up ahead
Maybe you just haven’t seen it, just haven’t seen it yet
Maybe you just haven’t seen it, just haven’t seen it yet
Maybe you just haven’t seen it
He is moving with a love so deep
Hallelujah for the victory
Good things are coming even when we can’t see
We can’t see it yet, but we believe that
He is moving with a love so deep
Hallelujah for the victory
Good things are coming even when we can’t see
We can’t see it yet, but we believe that
It’s like the brightest sunrise
Waiting on the other side of the darkest night
Don’t ever lose hope, hold on and believe (Don’t ever lose hope)
Maybe you just haven’t seen it, just haven’t seen it yet (Just haven’t seen it yet)
You’re closer than you think you are (Think you are)
Only moments from the break of dawn
All His promises are just up ahead
Maybe you just haven’t seen it, just haven’t seen it yet
Maybe you just haven’t seen it, just haven’t seen it yet
(You gotta hold on, hold on)
Maybe you just haven’t seen it, just haven’t seen it yet (Hold on)
Maybe you just haven’t seen it, just haven’t seen it yet (Just haven’t seen it yet)
Treasures in Plain Sight, A Christian Blog 