Baby Toads

There are baby toads all over the backyard. They are in the gardens, along the paths. They get out of the way and are fairly easy to spot. These little creatures will assist in my organic yard to keep pests down. It is wonderful to see them and welcome these uninvited but much appreciated guests.

A Sabbath

I have been going like crazy, non stop the past few weeks. Sound familiar? 

My body, soul and spirit were crying out for rest. I ignored them. It was all good stuff I was involved with. Two weeks into this insane marathon a close friend asked me, "Have you taken a Sabbath this week?" I said , "No, not for the past two weeks." He didn't say anything else. His silence was enough. But I kept going and going, until yesterday.

Yesterday I did nothing. I didn't even leave my yard. I think the thing that tipped the scales were the two folks who told me Friday, "You look tired." The LORD spoke through them. That was enough.

Yesterday I observed a Sabbath day of Rest. I journaled in my Gardening Journal, read a little in Thomas Aquinas' book, The Imitation of Christ. At risk of offending people I resisted the temptation to make phone calls and attend events. I was shot. I had sinned, missed the mark and was paying for it.

I should have known better. How many times have I read the account in Genesis of God resting on the 7th day? I memorized the Ten Commandments when I was 7 years old, I have spoken about this need to many. Yet foolishly I pushed myself beyond the limit. Then I accepted God's gift. 

Jesus said that the Sabbath was created for man. I took Him at His Word yesterday. For the first time in weeks I stopped and rested, even resisting the temptation to go shopping. Some might call it legalistic. I call it wisdom.

Also for the first time in weeks I woke up feeling rested. We not only need rest each night, God has wired us to rest one day in seven. He did it. We need to as well. It has been a lesson well learned. I am very thankful today for the refreshing He gives.

That Close!

As I sit here in my yard, sipping coffee, after my morning bike ride, it is amazing how close the birds are coming to my table. A mourning dove just landed on a chair next to me, looked at me and sat. The male cardinal comes within 6 feet of me as well as a number of other birds. I guess the plaque the kids gave me says it well, "This Place is for the Birds!"

White Mulberry Tree

I have a White Mulberry Tree in my backyard It is full of fruit! It was planted here by some birds who also love it as we do.

It has an interesting history. It was brought here from China  by the colonists to begin the silk worm industry in America.

Interested? Want to read more?

http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/pubs/midatlantic/moal.htm

Watering

When you have gardens you even enjoy walking around with a hose and watering them. It is a task its a labor of love. It is a an opportunity to observe their growth, to add to it and to inspect for any weeds to be pulled.

I read yesterday that the best fertilizer for Daylilies is water. My friend Eric Buehler has a great idea. He gives a catalog of prepaid gifts (including the shipping) for Christmas. A few years ago I got a sprayer with 8 settings. It can work wonders.

Of course I am reminded as I water planted seeds of this verse: 1 Corinthians 3:6 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. 

A Day in the Backyard

I was able to take today off for the most part and work some from home. The majority of the day I was outback. The various chores were truly a labor of love. 

Daylilies have scapes and some have buds. The Peruvian Buttercups have begun to open. The rain did a great job of watering the earth. The male cardinal waited for me several times to put food out for him. While I was getting some leaf mulch I saw a baby cardinal in the hedge.

Tomorrow more than 20 preschoolers will come for a visit. I have done this for close to 20 years now. It is always fun. 

Feed The Birds

Come feed the little birds,
Show them you care
And you'll be glad if you do...

So goes a verse of the song Mary Poppins sang to Michael and Jane.

So goes what I have been doing in my backyard for 30 years,

Something my family has been doing for generations.

Nana fed them crumbs from her apartment in Queens,

Uncle Ike made bird feeders for the family,

My Dad and Mom had quite a conglomerate of feeders along with Uncle Ike's.

Today there are more than 10 feeders in my backyard. I keep them in food all year long. Suet in the winter along with black oil sunflower seed all the time.

They bring delight to the eyes and ears. They help organic gardeners like me (another post here goes into tthe details of this).

There is one aspect that is so enjoyable. They get to know their caretakers. This morning a cardinal and a few weaver finches awaited my arrival. They stood ready when I came out with my coffee. I then went back in for their breakfast. They immediately went to eating.

That cardinal will come and land at a feeder withn 5 feet of where I sit drinking my coffee. The catbird has landed on the top of picnic table while I sat typing. The chickadees even closer while the sparrows have perched on another portion of the shepherd's staff while I poured seed into a homemade feeder.

They are my pets. Very little care is required and they are free as birds!

The Rain Revisited

As a cloud cover begins to come to our area and reports of rain several hundred miles to the west of us come in over Facebook, we are prepared for a soaking. The weatherman said it could be heavy in places.

Gardeners welcome rain any time of the year but especially after everything is planted. Seed and seedlings are in. Almost each seed has sprouted. The steady rain aerates the ground. It soaks the earth unlike any manmade instrument.

Personally Iike the song, "I Love A Rainy Night" by Eddie Rabbit, I enjoy the sound of the rain hitting the roof and the street. It is a beautiful sound to me. I even enjoy the thunderstorms at night and lightening flashing in the sky.

So let the rain come, it is good, it will water the earth and make things beautiful.

Growing

With the temperature in the 80's today things will be growing like crazy in the gardens. Sunshine, warm days, watering regularly make things grow into beauty.