June Flowers 2017

Lilies in several vibrant colors

Purple Bachelor Buttons and pungent Cilantro self-seeded from last year

 A row of pink Simplicity Roses in the background

The last yellow Rose on our earliest blooming bush

Double Impatiens that remind us of roses

Flower-shaped Succulents

Still Good?

The following quote is attributed to Alexis de Tocqueville, a statesman, historian, and social philosopher from the 1800's. Since an online search turns up slight variations in the quote, I have included two versions. It is worth reading twice anyway!

“I sought for the greatness and genius of America in her commodious harbors and her ample rivers – and it was not there . . . in her fertile fields and boundless forests and it was not there . . . in her rich mines and her vast world commerce – and it was not there . . . in her democratic Congress and her matchless Constitution – and it was not there.

Not until I went into the churches of America and heard her pulpits aflame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power. 
America is great because she is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, she will cease to be great.”

"I sought for the key to the greatness and genius of America in her harbors...; in her fertile fields and boundless forests; in her rich mines and vast world commerce; in her public school system and institutions of learning. I sought for it in her democratic Congress and in her matchless Constitution.

Not until I went into the churches of America and heard her pulpits flame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power.

America is great because America is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great."

Even while we celebrate our country's freedom today, we mourn over the ways America has ceased to be good by turning away from God.

Some Birthdays

We have celebrated several birthdays already this year. And while I don't have pictures from them all, here are some.

Grandpa turned 101! It's not easy living in that old of a body, but he still has some very clear days where he can visit and enjoy music and learning new things.

On the same day, Dorothy turned 58! She slept through most of the day but enjoyed her ice-cream and balloon.

I turned 34. Thirty-three was such a nice sounding number that I was a bit sad to leave it behind. But when Mom reminded me how for a whole year I proudly signed my name "Hannah 4," that makes this number fun as well! 

We had two parties; one on my birthday with just those of us at home.

I had the joy of making a cake with egg again, since I have been able to reintroduce that to my diet in small amounts!

The second party was when Maren and Jason could join us. May is not a good month for them to leave the greenhouses alone, nor do they have energy to spare. It was special to have them here!

This cake I made for Elsa. Without the eggs, chocolate, or GF grains of mine.

As a party activity we enjoyed pouring over maps sent us by a friend who had traveled to the Maritime provinces of Canada. It's hard to remember just where we explored on our own camping trip there in 1996.

Recently Dad turned 66! All the more special to celebrate because it so nearly was-not.

Elsa and I ate cake left over from my birthday. Dad requested a lemon filled cake.

What could Maren and Jason have wrapped in those long and flat packages??!

Kites! Dad tried one out a couple days later.

Fragrance

I don't know which is more fragrant...

The rose?

Or the peaches?

"For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God's word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.

2 Corinthians 2:15-17 (ESV)

Today's Joy, June 30th 2017

Clothes on the line in the sunshine!!

They will smell so good!

Lyme Learning and Luopads

Though I am online a lot this week, it is not leaving me time to get ahead on blog posts. Instead, I spend at least a couple hours each day listening online to the "Chronic Lyme Disease Summit 2."

Elsa and I are thankful for the chance to learn some of the latest in Lyme research and treatment... for free! (If you want to join in on the last half of the summit, which has much information applicable to chronic disease, fatigue, and pain in general, follow this link.) 

Besides giving us new ideas and things to discuss with our doctor, these interviews are also encouraging as they affirm many of our present and upcoming treatments and testing. Plus we hear over and over again that there is hope! People do recover from this mix of chronic illnesses. But yes, it does take years...

So, while I listen, I am doing some knitting and sewing (or resting!) Since the Global Aid Network June work project is under way with thousands of volunteers serving at the logistics center in Lancaster, Pennsylvania this week, I am also spending more time on the Luopad project.

Five made yesterday, five more in progress today.

Food at the Proper Time

One morning Mom called in from the front steps that she had found a tiny hummingbird unable to fly.

Not that this hummingbird was smaller than normal, this is just the minute size of this marvelous piece of creation! Though sad the hummer wasn't feeling well, I was glad for the chance to see one so closely and snap a few pictures of it. Such glowing emerald on each of the tiny head and back feathers!

After the photo-op, I brought it over to the feeder where they usually take turns with the orioles, but I couldn't get it to take more than one little lick. After five minutes I gave up and brought the bird to show Dad and his hired hand who were cutting rebar for raised gardens.

Dad suggested I try a little more feeding, and sure enough... it took another sip. Then I could feel its heart beat faster. (The heart rate of a hummingbird is over 1,000 beats per minute!) Or maybe I was feeling it return to the average of 250 breaths per minute as it revived?

Regardless, with a couple more licks - less than three drops of nectar in total - this hearty little bird sat up straight for the first time, started looking around, and soon whizzed up into the air and flew many yards off to rest high in a pine tree! We hoped it would fly back to the food source before running too short on energy again.

The following day I was amazed to learn more about this unique creature while watching the amazing documentary "Flight" loaned us by a friend. I highly recommend it! (Watch a trailer here.)

"How many are Your works, O LORD!

In wisdom You made them all;

The earth is full of Your creatures...

These all look to You to give them their food at the proper time.

When You give it to them, they gather it up;

when You open Your hand, they are satisfied with good things."

Psalm 104:24, 27-28