Category: Nature

Posted on in Aging, Amazing Creations, Book quotes, Challenge, Faith, Just do it, Listen, Look, Music, Nature, Obedience, Surrender, Yield

Autumn

The first definitive rain and cold front moved through here the other day. Up at the flower shop the wind even threw on its side a potted tree. The many oak leaves that had littered the yard are gone – poof! – taken off to other places. The maples are starting to change, but have not yet blessed us with yellow showers. That will begin momentarily.

Writing about October author Joyce Rupp in her book “May I Have This Dance” says, “Although autumn might seem to be a harsh reminder of death, we can also be encouraged to enter into the mystery of eternal life. We see autumn standing in surrender as the winds sweep her trees naked. The frost browns her meadows and deadens her plants. But a deeper truth is beneath the appearance of death.

“A movement toward life takes place in autumn. Dead leaves that seem to have no value are transformed by winter snows and spring rains to rich humus for new growth… No new growth will come unless autumn agrees to let go of what has been. The same is true of our lives.”

Is that woman a great author or what?!? Are we willing to let go of what has been? Bob and I celebrate our birthdays about three weeks apart. He is two years older than I am. This aging thing brings both of us face to face with the changes that have occurred in our bodies over the many years we have been married. We are no longer strong and as frivolous like in our youth. We both want to approach aging with calmness, peace and an acceptance of what is. That is easier to write than to do. So much easier.

Turn the page

I do know from reading and re-reading the book Radical Acceptance that I only increase my suffering by refusing to accept what is. So here I am turning the corner on 75 and he just turned 77. My older friends in their 80s and 90s tell me I am still young. Whew! I do not feel young!!

The Holy Spirit assures me that God is not finished with me yet. As I learn what I am to lay aside and where to proceed I remember the trees and the changes autumn brings.

Molly, can you stand in surrender and be encouraged to enter into the mystery of eternal life? Dallas Willard taught that eternal life begins now for those of us who love and follow closely after God. There truly are times in my encounters with the Holy One that I can forget the challenges by body presents and breath deeply of the life God offers me in the here and now.

The following piece of music helps me do just that if I will stop, breathe deeply and listen closely. I hope it helps you draw close to God in the present moment and blesses you. I hope you will take the time to listen to all of this piece. For me, it is like a musical prayer. Three minutes, 53 seconds of bliss. Just stop and listen.

Posted on in Aging, Faith, Just do it, Nature, Praise

Seasons Changing

Here is the last rose of the year from our gardens.

This bush grows in the front flower bed. I bought it for under $5 at Walmart and kept it in the garage until it got warm enough to plant. I shielded it from the chomping deer with berry netting. It did not have a great year with insects even though I sprayed it. If it comes back next year it will get treated with the wonderful Bayer rose treatments that Betty Cooksey introduced me to. (Bayer says not to treat them the first year of planting, though I was tempted!!) I just wish I could send you the heavenly fragrance.

I quit growing Knock Out roses for a couple of reasons. They grow tremendously LARGE thorns. They have NO fragrance. I know that almost every rose from the flower shops have no fragrance but I love the sweet smell of a rose. So if I am going to go the trouble of growing them, I want them to be fragrant.

Bob was working in the backyard to clear the nasty grass that grows into our lot from the neighbors. We had our garden bed built up in the back as a mound to try to keep the weeds and grasses out. He was working to rid us of the jewelweed. It has been trying to take over everything back there. Because of the hot drought weather this summer it was not even pretty. The hummingbirds did not seem interested. Perhaps if we removed it before the seeds exploded all over the place we will have less to deal with next year?

Ripe seed pods burst open when touched

The good news is he got 1/3 done the first day. The bad news is he fell down and I was not home. The good news is the fall detector on our new Apple Watches works!! The bad news is he bruised his hip and arm. The good news is he did not fall on his new knee replacement!!! Drum roll!! The other good news is he was able to get up by himself and has decided not to work in the garden again unless I am home.

He got the second third done out there another day. The yard is certainly looking as if autumn will fall upon us any minute. Weather man says leaves will fall in another couple of weeks. Then I will put the roses to bed under a pile of soil and pray for lots and lots of flowers next year!

AND … I guess I should have pruned these branches out back on that other rose! It way outgrew the berry netting. Bob teased that soon it will be touching the house. I was hoping it would bloom from those. Alas, it did not. Considering the deer ate it to the ground more than once last year, this is one amazing little shrub (oh, not so little before pruning).

Berry netting is at top of black hooks
She reaches …
towards the house!

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Faith, Journal, Listen, Look, Nature, Praise, Prayer, Spiritual growth, Surrender, Yield

Finally Rain!!

My journal entry 25/10/07

I am waiting to hear it. Supposed to rain all day long! I am eager to listen to it. Hoping Lori can work from home with the window open. I told her when I walk the dog I will be tempted to just stand in the rain without a raincoat! 

In the center down silence
At the altar within my heart
I come to adore You and listen for Your voice

As the rains come down from heaven
and water the earth
And do not return empty
So is my word which goes forth

For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
    and do not return there until they have watered the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
    giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
    it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose
    and succeed in the thing for which I sent it. Isa 55:10-11 NRSVUE

And I listen …it is here…Drip, splatter, patter, drop, wash. Prayers answered. Leaves dip as they are washed, grass bends as ground absorbs. Blue jay continues to sing from some place as Cardinal calls. Rain continues, individual drops that in the gutter form a rush of water.

Individual drops that form a cloud, pour out and fill the dry place to make a puddle. Individual drops that converge on one place and transform that place into something new.

Individuals that are transfigured into something new. Leaves in the garden seem to wave at me. Then the rush of rain changes to a torrent from the sky. How do the birds navigate through that while being pelted on the head? 

Come Lord, rain upon me and change me too.
Fern frond twitches
Not a rabbit, rain.
Lily pads at the pond ...

My poem from long ago rings true today in my heart.

The rain gauge tells me 2-1/4 inches have fallen so far. I will gladly walk the dog in this rain we have needed so very desperately. We have a neighbor who calls with some regularity to find out how much rain our gauge has collected. I considered buying him a rain gauge, but then we might never hear from him!!

Lord, this rain is wonderful to us. My friend just texted it is heavenly. I so agree.

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Faith, Just do it, Look, Nature, Poetry, Praise, Prayer, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Thanks, Writing Life, Yield

Poetic Phrases

Walking Lucky around the pond one early morning these words filled my head as I saw the glistening surface of the water.

The pond seems to be sparkling,
Just tadpoles kissing the surface.
Father make me sparkle as I reach to kiss You, I pray.


Watching the autumn leaves out the window during prayer time I wrote:
The gentle breeze here is loosening the leaves. 
They drift to the ground. 
Reminds me to release burdens and 
move into a new season. 
We breathe in the new day, exhale the old burdens.


Have you turned random moments into prayer? I believe each of us can! What would this image have you pray?

The Burr Oak tree out our front window has delighted me this autumn. During the summer the leaves were so thick we could not see the little birdhouse hanging there. Then the tree began to drop leaves. The mowers have cleaned up fallen leaves from under it at least twice. Today it is green, though the leaves are more sparse than in the summer.

It is almost as if she declares, “Steady as she goes!” Let’s not have too much autumn too soon! Besides it is still running in the high 80s here. They promise us a change in temperatures this week. Once again, I am not holding my breath on that!

We can see the bird house clearly now. I do not think any birds were housed there this year. Seems I would have noticed with all the feeders and activity that occurs at times. As the Burr Oak continues to lose her leaves I will once again be reminded of the Brother Lawrence revelation about a tree in winter. Until then I am delighted by the lingering green.

Nothing gold can stay, Frost taught me
so the mighty sycamore tree
in form of tiny leaf
shows me how to change
from green to gold to brown
and be refreshed with drops of golden rain
as I rest upon the ground
be still my soul   ~Molly Lin Dutina 
(For photo above)

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Faith, Humor, Nature

Night visitor

Recently another cooler night forecast was into the 50s. I made certain our bedroom window was open. We were not in bed for 20 minutes before Pepe Le Pew was outside! Remember how he courted Sylvester?

Stinky le pew!!

The odor was so bad I had to close the window. Actually gags me, it is that strong! Amazing the fumes do not kill the flowers out there!

By morning the stench was gone. I am not silly enough to think it will not occur again. Gross. One of those times I wonder, “What were You thinking, Lord?” Gotta love Looney Tunes!

Posted on in Aging, Amazing Creations, Faith, Illness and Health, Marriage and Memories, Memories, Nature, Praise, Thanks

Celebrations During September

Welcome to our pumpkin patch!!

Pat has her birthday celebration today! Greetings my friend (albeit a few days late) then is our wedding anniversary 55!! 55!! 55!! then Grandgirl Lizzie has a birthday the same day as anniversary and a couple days later our son-in-law Dave’s birthday. Lots to rejoice over in September.

I can barely comprehend that this year has flown past so quickly. Bob is definitely on the mend from his knee replacement surgery. He is allowed to drive and drove himself to meet his friend for coffee at Micky D’s this morning.

We had 1/4 inch of rain yesterday. Hoping for much much more this week. The leaves are raining all over the deck and back yard. Neighbor houses coming into view as they fall.

This is a month of rejoicing and celebrating the change of seasons. Few of us in Cincinnati are sad to see the upper 80s depart. I used to say if it was 70 degrees before 9AM we were in for a scorcher. We have been fortunate to go below 70 at night the last X# of weeks. Grateful for a little bit lower temperatures.

The aphids ate my nasturtiums and the spray to be rid of them killed the plants. Oh my. Need a better plan next year. Last year I had flowers right into late October. Sad about this year.

I injured my right pinky last week. Wearing a splint that catches on the signal arms in the car. Waiting for radiologist to read the x-ray to determine if I broke it or not. Still purple and painful four days later. It is always SOMETHING with this body.

Becky at our crochet group brought us the idea of the crocheted pumpkins. First thing in a while I have been excited to create. One online pattern showed how to crochet a stem. One suggested using a stick fro a stem. I kind of like both ways!

When I injured my pinky I could not crochet at all that first day. Then was able to do a little bit the next day. Of course, I had ordered yarn and purchased yarn in various pumpkin shades. As it arrived I was a bit distressed wondering how many pumpkins I could even make. I want some to share with friends as well as decorate our home. I think I can do a bit more today.

I hope to write more this week than in the last two. Bob sees knee surgeon this week and will hopefully get to be rid of the compression socks. Getting them over his heel with only 9 fingers has been as interesting twist. He can pull them up after the heel challenge.

Ha! medical report just arrived. No acute fracture of my finger. “Degenerative change is seen in the interphalangeal joints with fusion across the fifth DIP joint,” There you have it. I have my mother’s old arthritic fingers and this one is now in living color!

Out of focus bruised pinky

Hope your autumn is unfolding in glorious colors and with joy.

Posted on in Faith, Family, Nature, Prayer, Thanks

Yikes

This is the week that writing has lapsed. Too many doctor appointments and physical therapy, etc.

So I will just chat. The last week of August I noticed that the clump river birch and the spice bush were both starting to turn yellow. They are now spangles of bright yellow and green.

This town went nuts recently with Bengals clothing. So far we have seen Joe Burrow not off to a good start, or Bob says it might be the defense that is ailing? Arch enemy Cleveland Browns are the opponents and the yelling is loud! Fireworks outside. Bengals WIN!!!?!

Speaking of orange, teh aphids have destroyed the front nasturtiums shown in opening photo. I sprayed with a suggested mixture of water, soap, etc. Just tortured those plants. Ugh. Last year we enjoyed those flowers well into late October.

My mother said she never had to make another pie crust since Pillsbury did such a good job. I have tried, but my results are not worth the work. Betty and my neighbor Ginny both make good crust. Do you know what happens when you take the last 2 frozen Pillsbury crusts out of the deep freezer and accidentally drop them on the garage floor? They break!! Had to get frozen mixed vegetables at the store anyway, so I bought more crusts. This afternoon I made a chicken pot pie with the leftover rotisserie chicken from Sam’s. Now I am baking the cracked pie crusts into large apple tarts. I will share one with a neighbor.

Things regarding Bob’s recovery were going slower than he would like. The swelling has been awful. He discovered the more he elevates and rests the less it swells. He is doing his stretches and hoping to have improvement in his range of motion numbers on Tuesday. He sees both the surgeon and the PT folks then.

He only uses the walker at night to get to the bathroom safely. He is walking on his own around the house. We made it back to church today and he used his cane.

We had the blessing of a whole inch of rain in one night this past week. So grateful for that! Most of the yard is still crunchy. Night time low last night was 49! Forecast to be 48 tonight! Highs still going into low 80s.

I am debating whether I will compile another book of devotions or not. Pray for me to have wisdom. I am applying myself to writing poetry again. Dana and I will work on getting the poetry ready to publish through Amazon.

So as I fill this week with the usual care of Bob, driving, grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning and laundry I will be praying for you, my readers.

May you be blessed with an increased awareness of the hesed of God. You are so loved and held. Listen for the singing over you! Rejoice that it is so!

God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. Romans 5:5b NRSVUE

The Lord, your God, is in your midst,
    a warrior who gives victory;
he will rejoice over you with gladness;
    he will renew you in his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing. Zephaniah 3:17 NRSVUE

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Challenge, Faith, Music, Nature, Praise, Prayer, Spiritual discipline, Yield

Like Water

I have always liked flowing water. In Hinds’ Feet on High Places Hannah Hurnard wrote “The Water Song.”

Come, oh come! let us away - 
Lower, lower every day, 
Oh, what joy it is to race
Down to find the lowest place.
This the dearest law we know - 
"It is happy to go low."
Sweetest urge and sweetest will,
"Let us go down lower still."
Hear the summons night and day
Calling us to come away.
From the heights we leap and flow
To the alleys down below.
Always answering the call,
To the lowest place of all.
Sweetest urge and sweetest pain, 
To go low and rise again.

Later in the book she wrote. 
"From the heights we leap and go
to the valleys down below,
Always answering the call,
to the lowest place of all.

Why am I quoting this now? I have been following a few lessons from a musician on the app Insight Timer. She recently did a sabbatical with her cello and studied the qualities of water. She leads a meditation and then has about 15 minutes of water and cello music blended together. Hearing the first lesson I immediately thought of Hind’s Feet. The lesson about going low is throughout the book. The Shepherd calls us to humility. The way of water is the path of least resistance.

Towards the end of the book Hurnard writes, “(They) saw that the great waterfall quite close at hand was leaping down to the Valley too, with the tumultuous, joyful noise of many waters, singing as they poured themselves down over the rock lip:

For the heights we leap and flow
To the valleys down below.
Sweetest urge and sweetest will,
To go lower, lower still.

Such a wonderful image for the call upon our lives. If we are to serve well we must desire the humility of our Risen Lord. The Almighty calls us to go lower still, just as Jesus did when he came to earth for us.

Listening to the meditations on water with the cello presented by “The Wong Janice” is helping me as I serve Bob during his recovery. When I am tired I remind myself to go low, take the path of least resistance, be like water.

We have a dearth of water in Ohio right now. Some counties have been declared drought areas. The farmer’s tomatoes have tough skins. The garden soil in my back yard is cracked. This is unusual as a natural spring flows on the back edge of our property. Anyone trying to grow anything around here is needing to drag the hose around and provide water to the plants. Yards are brittle and dry. I am surprised there are not more fires along the roadways. While trying to be like water I am praying for water, pleading with the Lord to let it rain here. We occasionally have a one to two minute sprinkle, not nearly enough to saturate the ground. I realize some areas of the country are flooded. There is nothing here but sunny days and dry air for the last six weeks of so.

We choose to go lower, lower still.

 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

6 Who, being in very nature God,
    did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
    by taking the very nature of a servant,
    being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
    he humbled himself
    by becoming obedient to death—
        even death on a cross! Philippians 2:5-8 NIV

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Faith, Listen, Nature, Prayer, Thanks

My Prayer Chair

Almost every morning I use a chair in our bedroom for my prayer and meditation time. Lately there has been a racket outside!

Remember when we recently went to the dirt track?

The cars zoomed around, not in lanes as much as trying to be first, not crash and get the prize.

Things began just after dawn. Seated for prayer I suddenly had a ruby throated hummingbird just the other side of the screen looking me in the eye! It might have flown in had there not been a screen! Are you familiar with the twitter of the hummingbirds?

Soon the fun began as they raced past the window, twittering their territory song? warrior song? fighting over the feeder about 36 inches from my window. I wanted the flags the guy at the race track had! The more I thought of the similarities the funnier it became!

Love those extended feet! “Incoming! Incoming!!”
Bob caught some great images!!
Fighting is thirsty work!
Hey! Whatchu lookin at?

They will migrate in a week or two. I will truly miss them until they return next April.

ZOOM! Watch for those treasures in plain sight!!

The heavens declare the glory of God;
    the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
2 Day after day they pour forth speech;
    night after night they reveal knowledge.
3 They have no speech, they use no words;
    no sound is heard from them.
4 Yet their voice[b] goes out into all the earth,
    their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun.
5     It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
    like a champion rejoicing to run his course.
6 It rises at one end of the heavens
    and makes its circuit to the other;
    nothing is deprived of its warmth. Psalm 19:1-6 NIV

Posted on in Faith, Humor, Nature, Traveling

What?

We often take a Sunday drive to a small village called Bethel. there are many fast food establishments going up in Bethel, but there a few unique places, too. The Feed Store and a coffee shop, a breakfast place and of course, our favorite, The Legendairy creamy whip.

Last weekend when we drove out there a sign caught my eye. This was an item I have never in my life seen spelled out. Certainly has never made my shopping list!

DEER ATTRACTANT

Our friend who goes deer hunting likely has a shelf just full of the various products. I had just never seen it on a sign! Somehow, it seems like cheating to me!

No thanks!

What is on your shopping list?