Early Applesauce

September 1st - Early windfalls from our Red Baron apple tree made some delicious applesauce.

Prairie Drive - July 2017

A couple times this summer, we piled into Dorothy's wheel-chair van and headed onto the nearby prairie for an evening's drive. The goal was to find the field of wild liatris Dad had discovered while doing telephone work years ago.

While we didn't catch the peak of their bloom this year, we enjoyed many other sights.

Spreading Seeds

Summer is officially past, so I had best finish posting my photos from that season!

Ever since being convinced as a young child that these seed pods were not actually green slugs, they have been a fun toy. Squeeze, and... POP!

An earlier post tells how their spontaneous popping ministered to me one day. 

You can re-read that here.

Look not at ... but at...

After some big lab tests this summer, it turns out that Elsa and I have very toxic levels of heavy metals (lead and mercury are highest) stored in our bodies as well as damaging mycotoxins from molds. My mercury is at the top of the “chart” and Elsa’s is three times higher than mine. Our lead levels are higher than people who work in smelting plants. The mycotoxins cause a long list of all-too-familiar symptoms. 

And no, we don’t know where all we picked all this up. (...knew that was your next question!) These are common issues with chronic Lyme and are blocking us from healing from it and many of its side-effects.

We prayed that we would be spared these diagnosis and difficult treatments, but God chose to walk us through them instead. We keep reminding ourselves to be thankful that they were brought to light now so that we can move forward. But it is still a hard addition to our life. Chelation medication for the heavy metals was added to our regime. The treatment schedule is 3 days on/11 days off – probably for three years.

Tonight we start our 4th round of these dreaded blue pills.

112 NOT AT... BUT AT...

The son prayed, Be not far from me, for trouble is near, and his thoughts said, How can one be glad or even peaceful when trouble is near?

His Father said, Before thy Saviour went to Bethany, when trouble was near, He was peaceful; and He said to His disciples, I am glad. For He looked not at the things that are seen, but at the things which are not seen. Canst thou not do likewise?

Look through the approaching trouble, whatever it be, to that which is beyond it. Then thou wilt find that thou canst be peaceful, and even be able to say, "I am glad." For the Lord sitteth above the water-flood and the Lord remaineth a King for ever. The Lord shall give strength unto His people: the Lord shall give His people the blessing of peace.

"His thoughts said... His Father said..." by Amy Carmichael 

We Follow a Conqueror

These days are short on strength and long on pain and other symptoms, but I did get some more roses in to enjoy after a bouquet famine.

And I read this encouragement:

Is it not a thought of exultation, that however crushed and crippled we may be, our Leader is marching to music all the time -- marching to a victory sure as the eternal heavens? We follow a Conqueror. ... It is only our bodies that are bound. Our souls are free.

Rose from Brier by Amy Carmichael

August Harvest 2017

The gardens are producing lots of delicious, brilliant red!
Sweet peppers...

... tomatoes large and small...

... and more juicy strawberries!

Some of those little tomatoes joined our homegrown lettuce, snow-peas, and boiled potatoes for a delicious salad with shredded chicken and homemade dressing.

Non-GMO sweet corn made for tasty meals now and later as Mom froze some.

Summer-squash keeps "coming out of our ears!" 

And this is the first year we have grown our own celeriac (celery root.) Yum!

As Dad learns how to work with his new garden soil,
the carrots are large and most onions are small.

August Bouquets 2017

The following rose bouquet was an amazing one for us.

For one thing, it came from our garden.

For another, all those roses grew from one stem!

And they were all huge!

It seems our Annabelle hydrangeas turned back
from white to green so early this year.

This made for an easy dried bouquet that is still here a month later.

Mom made our most stunning arrangement of the year with some of her new white gladiolas and a mixture of our tea-roses.

A cool, grey day was warmed by this bouquet and a beeswax candle.

Butterfly Garden

Lake Time 2017

While we didn't stay overnight at Mom's family's lake cabin this year, we did enjoy a few day-visits.

July Afternoon

August Sunshine

Knitting for Etsy has a fresh feel by the water.

Hot-dogs roasting on an open fire...

(I feel a song coming on!)

Dad took me for a canoe ride. My first time to be more than just a passenger again in years!  I kept a paddle going very slowly while Dad did most of the work from the back. 

Waiting for Imagination

The only sign of life around our once-busy playhouse is a warm, golden day-lily.

The door that used to lead to a restaurant, houseboat on the river, police station in the wild west, or one of the many other places young imaginations could invent, is now sagging.

While the playhouse between the garden and "woods" got new shingles last summer, it still quietly waits for new paint, screws, floor, curtain, and new children to fill it with fun.