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)