In Bloom

Wisteria sinensis (Chinese Wisteria)

In Bloom

Abundant Camellia japonica spilling rosy petals over an old wall.

In Bloom

Slate branches with plum colored buds

unfurling into alabaster petals with just a hint of blush

against a dappled, silvery sky.

How great are his signs! and how mighty are his wonders!

His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,

and his dominion is from generation to generation.

(Daniel 4:3)

In Bloom

Studies of cut branches of Cornus florida (Flowering Dogwood)...

In Bloom

Stunning Tulipa fosteriana, more commonly known as Red Emperor.

Impressions of Windy Gap

The deep hues of family, laughter, rain, courage, silliness, tears, music, and Love...

reflected in nature and...the zip line.








Young Life Family Camp in Weaverville, NC

Home

In the midst of all our moves, I began to have a deep longing to "go home". The home I grew up in had long since been disbanded and shuffled to various spots about the South in the wake of my parents' divorce some 17 years ago. The yearning deepened with each move, and I, at times, would awaken in the night frightened, floating free--with no anchor, wondering where I was.

Late one night, as a perfect orb of moon hung in the summer sky, I dreamed the most vivid dream I have ever dreamed. I was traveling through a sea of high green grass waving gently to and fro. In the distance I could see my home. It was twilight, and as the sun disappeared, the warm glow of lamplight spilled out a golden welcome. I felt the anticipation of loving arms, interested faces, savory smells, and soft pillows.

Home.

I awoke to the owl hooting outside my window, and the moon low in the sky. I knew instinctively it was a vision--the home in the dream represented my real home in Jesus Christ, where I am eternally loved, accepted and secure.

Make two homes for thyself, my daughter. One actual home…and another spiritual home, which thou art to carry with thee always . . .
— Catherine of Siena

The Best Carrot Cake

Last weekend a storm blew down the creek leaving us with some very cold weather and the threat of snow. It was a great opportunity to finish off some winter vegetables.

Warm creamy risotto accompanied by a wilted cabbage salad from Frank Stitt's Southern Table were delicious and comforting as the leftover fall leaves flew round and round the house.



But the highlight was The Best carrot cake served for dessert.

This is an old Southern Living recipe:

Best Carrot Cake
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 large eggs
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups grated carrot
1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
1 (3 1/2-ounce) can flaked coconut
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (I don't use nuts)

Line 3 (9-inch) round cakepans with wax paper;

lightly grease and flour wax paper. Set pans aside.
Stir together first 4 ingredients.
Beat eggs and next 4 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add flour mixture, beating at low speed until blended. Fold in carrot and next 3 ingredients.

Pour batter into prepared cakepans.
Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 15 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks. Spread Cream Cheese Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake.

Cream Cheese Frosting
3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
3 cups sifted powdered sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add powdered sugar and vanilla; beat until smooth.

And yes, it is as moist as it looks!

Children

Children are a blessing.

One aspect of this blessing is how my children's interests have opened my heart and mind to new things in many areas. Two obvious, specific areas are my younger child's serious interest in golf and my older child's serious interest in birding.

I have just finished a pair of paintings commissioned by the older child for his room. The first was an Acadian Flycatcher, this one is an Eastern Meadowlark. After painting these birds I feel as if I am intimately acquainted with them and can't wait to see them happily adorning his room!

In Bloom

Drifts of pink...

Flowering Crabapple...I believe.

Eating Seasonally

OK---sprouts are always in season, always fresh, and always easy, easy... because they can be nurtured in 3 to 4 days on your very own windowsill. Here's how:

Purchase your choice of sprouts (I did alfalfa) at your local health food store. You do not need a sprouting jar---a mason jar with a small square of panty hose works great.

Measure 1 tablespoon of seed and place in jar. Attach ring with panty hose over the opening of your jar. This enables your seeds to get air and lets you rinse the seeds daily.

The first day you will cover the seeds with about a half inch of water. The following days you just rinse the seeds and empty the water.

And in several days...voila! Perfect for sandwiches, salads, and wraps.

In Bloom

Isn't this captivating? Running along one of the busier streets on the "Hill" in Augusta is an old wall complete with an alluring gate. If, during a few choice springtime weeks, you happen to glance over as you are speeding by to the next "thing" (grocery, children, or appointments) you will struck by...

a soft emerald green mossy path..



bordered by millions of diminutive delicate blossoms,



and tiny gossamer petals blushed with the palest lavender you can imagine...





And... an exquisite deep violet brush stoke up the center of the back of each petal.



I love the point that Gene Edward Veith makes in State of the Arts: "good art rewards close attention". How much more so the art of the Creator "rewards close attention"!

In Bloom

The South---encapsulated in a flower.

Camellia japonica.

In Bloom

I remember holding his hand...

his pinky was crooked and wouldn't quite fit with mine.

We strolled slowly...

he had been sick and couldn't quite get around as well as he used to.

I picked the choicest golden trumpets...
he fashioned them into a crown.

For me, Daffodils are Love...
embodied by my grandfather, Dar.

Eating Seasonally

We've been immersed in winter vegetables the past several weeks as I have been learning to prepare things like arugula, Brussels sprouts, kale and other greens. Expanding our repertoire of seasonal vegetables has been enjoyable for some (my husband and myself) and not quite so enjoyable for others (my children), but they'll learn. I adapted a spinach recipe we love to some rainbow chard, it was delicious with marinated chicken and brown rice.

Simple Spinach

large bunch of spinach, cleaned

2 to 3 tblsps real butter

2 to 3 tblsps chopped Vidialia onion

1/4 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp salt

Melt butter in heavy skillet, saute onion until translucent.

Add spinach, sugar, and salt, cook 3 to 5 minutes until wilted.

Simple Chard

large bunch of chard, cleaned and chopped
2 to 3 tblspns real butter
2 to 3 tblspns chopped Vidialia onion
1/4 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt

splash of red wine vinegar

Melt butter in heavy skillet, saute onion until translucent.

Add kale, sugar, and salt, cook 3 to 5 minutes until wilted.

Add splash of red wine vinegar.

In Bloom

One of the Oriental Magnolia's--Yulan, I think. Don Hastings in his Gardening in the South calls these Southern favorites "a blessing and a trial" because of their tendency to bloom early thus sometimes resulting in a tree of brown petals because of a late season freeze.

"A blessing and a trial"---There are many areas of my life that I considered a trial but through God's infinite grace became to be unimagined blessings. Here are some:

• our infertility for 3 years
• financial hardships since 2000
• having to move 4 times in 3 years in 2 different cities
• our small house (1700 square feet)
• my creativity
• homeschooling
  

In Bloom

Early morning hath gold in its mouth. (Benjamin Franklin)

Mesmerizing, arching, living, sunshine---Forsythia.

Georgia-February-What's in season?

Ideally eating seasonally means eating locally---from your own garden plot, if not, then local farms, but the supermarket works if the other two are not available. As a whole, our culture over focuses on food and eating, so I don't want to get too hung up on organics, local, etc---just try to do my best providing a variety of healthy fresh food with what's available and cutting out (as much as possible) processed foods.

Where to start? We are planning a spring garden, but for today---what is in season this time of year in Georgia? Georgia Organics has a Local Food Guide with a chart showing what is being produced on Georgia farms during the year long growing season. Here's the list I took to the grocery:

Arugula
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Carrots
Collards
Kale and other greens
Lettuce
Mushrooms
English peas
Sweet potatoes
Radish
Spinach
Turnips

Impressions of Epcot

Love

We love because He first loved us. (1 John 4:19)



Happy Valentine's Day!

In Bloom

Daphne Winter Jasmine

A quick glimpse of two delightful blooming shrubs before we depart for Florida. I fear Augusta will be in full bloom when we return. Adieu!

Eating Seasonally

This past June when fresh picked, local fruit began to appear at our fruit stand I started canning. Since this was my first attempt at water bath canning I felt total immersion was the best way to learn—literally. As quick as the strawberries, blueberries, and peaches could reach the fruit stand from the farm I was toting them home—gallons and gallons and gallons. It was work... messy, bothersome, and time consuming. But this is our sweet reward...

64 pint jars of divine strawberry jam,45 pint jars of piquant blueberry jam, and 45 pint jars of melt in your mouth peach jam arranged row by beautiful row in my pantry. And the taste is a......spoonful of summer.

Forced Branches

"---a Christian, above all people, should live artistically, aesthetically, and creatively. We are supposed to be representing the Creator who is there, and whom we acknowledge to be there. If we have been created in the image of an Artist, then we should look for expressions of artistry, and be sensitive to beauty, responsive to what has been created for our appreciation".(The Hidden Art of Homemaking, Edith Schaeffer)

Be inspired to live a beautiful life...in spite of your circumstances or because of your circumstances...wherever you are placed.

Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. (Psalm 16:5-6)