Snippetage

A snippet is defined as a small piece of something, these photos are small pieces from the quilt of our summer here on Buhlaland.

Long shadows and easy to see where our sprinklers reach and don't reach in backyard - brown versus green is demarcation line.

Tadpoles hatching - you can see a tail on one - most are still curled up around egg sac getting their nutrition from built in feed source.

Egyptian lily is all I know to call this exotic bloom - heat and winds so strong even as buds open they are blasted brown on the edges.

Last snippet was a supperet - stopped at the farmers market intending to buy local honey (seen in background of picture) but the fragrance of fully ripened local cantaloupes got to me - impulse buy turned into most of supper! It is good - hot hot hot and dry but in the essentials very good on Buhlaland - maybe my brain will support more than snippets soon.

Honeysuckle and a Hummer

Oh not that huge vehicle - a busy tiny visitor who was making trips to honeysuckle all you can eat buffet Sunday afternoon. We don't put up bird feeders of any kind - plenty in our area for birds to consume in season and troughs for their drinking pleasure. Must be warm weather - honeysuckle, birds, thunderstorms (last night) and I'm wearing shorts! Yep - it is warm on Buhlaland and that is very good.

You may notice - I'm writing shorter blog posts - unless a writing bug bites me - this is probably the only way I'll keep on blogging. I treasure the interaction with y'all who are kind enough to read about life on Buhlaland I simply don't have many words right now. Thankeweberrymuch!

Pumpkins - no frost yet!

We are having a beauty of an autumn season - - local Farmer's Market is overflowing with huge blooming mum plants, every squash and 'punkins sized from teeny little table decor to monstrous huge pumpkinpaloozas!

I am watching my "disposable income" expenses (whoever came up with that term never tried to live within their means) so didn't buy a great number of things - did purchase one of the supersized chrysanthemums and had a moment's hesitation on how to get it home safely. You see the solution - carefully squeezed in passenger's side of the car! It is October - not seeing much of what is traditionally called fall color - but on Buhlaland - we see blue skies, stars at night and lots of deer - that is all good. Hope your autumn is terrific - to everything there is a season.

Light

1 John 1:7
7But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

John 8:12
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

John 12:35
Then Jesus told them, "You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. The man who walks in the dark does not know where he is going.

A little light dispels all darkness - I tried to take a picture of our nightblooming flower using "ambient light" but it wasn't enough to see clearly.

Just the tiny flash on my digital camera and you can see every detail.

Knowing the source of light- the key to seeing clearly. Walk in the light -it is good on Buhlaland and when we don't have light from the sun - we always have the Son. Bless y'all.

Where oh where could she be?

Jungles, far off places with strange sounding names?

Where is the world is Linda Sue of Buhlaland? Hard as it is to believe - I took this photograph today - July 9,2010 right here on our property. We are having a wave of tropical moisture and unlike a normal Texas summer (hot, dry and windy)- we have had foggy mornings and afternoon downpours!Pastures and garden have greened up but tomato plants are producing zero!

Flowers - gaudy beauty of a canna and my beloved constantly covered with blackspot and bugs Peace Rose as well as foliage like our big fern are dazzling with raindrops.

No complaints here - we are enjoying the sound of thunder and fragrance of clean air - courtesy of the Lord -

Acts 14:6In the past, he let all nations go their own way. 17Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy."

Rainy, muddy and oh so blessed - it is good on Buhlaland - even with a few bumps and bruises from our week of intensive remodeling - will be putting up pictures soon of the renovated master bedroom suite.

When Pigs Fly

I believe that event will coincide with the date I get caught up on blogging - both entering and reading! Bought this little metal "art" flying pig recently and it migrates around our garden spot - you never know where Senor Cerdo will land - he just makes me laugh.

Daylilies - ya gotta love'em - multiply like crazy and almost anyone will take a "little clump of lilies I was thinning out"!

Dragonfly - sitting on lavender but next to huge rosemary bush.

Buhlaland is fully in summer mode now - just experienced a brief and delightful summer storm - no measurable rain but it cooled off about ten degrees. Our tin can garden (my term for an all container attempt to raise a few tomatoes and peppers) is finally going well - may already be too hot for the strawberries to prodce much.

Chickens get to wander around our yard from 6 pm until dark - they come running up to me when I go out to get them back in their pen and coop. They are certainly good at tearing up layers of oak leaves piled under trees and finding whatever tasty morsels lie there. I use the rosemary you can see in dragonfly picture - delicious on any kind of chicken or pork barbecue you might be trying - add to a small can of apricot nectar, half a cup apricot-pineapple preserves and juice of one or two limes , minced tablespoon of fresh rosemary- heat it up and put on something you want to taste delicious!

Hope your summer is going well - life is good on Buhlaland.

Some Rain and a song I needed to hear

Philippians 4: 6-7

Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

Leaning on the everlasting arms - really hard leaning here on Buhlaland - some rain and storms but nothing we can't weather with our Father and each other. It is good on Buhlaland - hard sometimes but the goodness is still there.

This week on Buhlaland (sounds dramatic - it isn't)

Found a very nice oleander at the Depot this week - we've been looking for oleanders to plant around a little memorial stone we're going to put up for DH's sweet little mom. Over a year since she passed - embarrassed to admit I haven't sent off all her things to be shared around with her granddaughters and nieces. Just been too much free floating stress around here this year!


White flower is a Maid of Orleans Jasmine - wish I had smellovision for you - intoxicating fragrance!












Dear Hubs on the trusty tractor scraping the -- how to say it delicately? - the goat poo out of their big shelter. We've learned it works best to scrape out into the open area of the pen - when we get rain ( a faith statement 'cause I believe we WILL get rain again) the natural effects of water on dry poo makes for a good pen - lots of lush grass for the goatzees to lounge upon and eat.










Our vegetable/container garden didn't work out very well this summer - but the Brown Turkey fig planted near the Coop Mahal (chicken run) actually is making figs! I'm so excited - the plant smells wonderful and we might get a harvest of 4 or 5 real figs!









The chickens have kicked it into gear at long last - this morning the east nest box (preferred spot for depositing one's cackleberries) had five when I was out with camera.











The chicks still have serious "attitude" - chickatude is not an attractive quality in an animal who tastes good fried or stewed! we'll see how things go. Steadily getting seven eggs a day - who the one slacker is I haven't figured out yet.





DH has his next doctor's appointment next week - he is slightly better. We are leaning heavily on the Lord - not knowing is one of those valleys nobody enjoys -ignorance is NOT bliss it is the lack of information. His timing is perfect so we are remembering to stay in prayer and read the Word.
"Ephesians 3:14-21 (The Message paraphrase)
My response is to get down on my knees before the Father, this magnificent Father who parcels out all heaven and earth. I ask him to strengthen you by his Spirit—not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength—that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite him in. And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you'll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ's love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God. God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us. Glory to God in the church! Glory to God in the Messiah, in Jesus! Glory down all the generations! "
Only rational response is --Amen!
- we find the Word trustworthy and life is good here on Buhlaland. We pray you are finding the same in your part of God's world.

Flutterbye

This morning I'd like some problems we are facing to do what this butterfly did - visit if you must but then flutter away to some other garden! Isn't that selfish - to wish problems would visit somewhere else? My late husband (a wonderful guy who passed away in 1996) was often asked if he was angry a good person like him got something horrible like cancer. He (Ross) would always say "who would I wish this on? " He was a better person than I am -you probably notice I tend to marry above my grade in maturity level.

This morning we go into Fort Worth to the Heart Center for hubby to have a a stress echocardiogram. I'm claiming verses like crazy in my heart -"fear not", "trust in the Lord and lean not on your own understand" "be still and know that I am God" - but I realize the right one for us today is

2 Cor.4: 16Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.

The possibility of serious heart problems or any of the myriad physical afflictions which can drastically change our lives aren't equal to persecution in the faith, but making that correction in my application of what Paul wrote - I still trust our physical being WILL waste away but eternal glory - now that's a trade off worth anything. Y'all remind me of this when I get down in the dumps again OK?

It IS good on Buhlaland this morning - even butterflies have the sense to enjoy what they have when they have it. This morning I have my beloved and he has me, we both have our salvation and loving Father. That's enough isn't it?

Wondering why

Here on Buhlaland - we are aware of our blessings, express our gratitude and try to share with others the abundance over which we've been made steward. For a time now - we've struggled with "why is it so HARD?" - to run a business attempting to reflect God's glory, to have a small ministry which effectively reaches those who come across our path, to relate to people in positive ways, to be healthy so we can serve? It all has seemed hard recently. "If only" people weren't so --insert appropriate negative adjective of your choice -. During our devotional time this morning what I read reminded me we have an Abba Father not a cold God who doesn't see our "wronged" hurts. Even in things/people which seem to hinder what we believe we are supposed to be doing - He is working out His plan. Knowing there is a reason - a plan -behind hard times makes for lighter burdens. Not claiming I won't chafe at times even under the lightest of burdens-- but for now - I can record today's lesson so I'll remember to see the lily and know - while it is good on Buhlaland -- it will be glorious in our eternal home
Luke 12:27-28 (New Living Translation)
27 “Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 28 And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?"


The Way Appointed by Elisabeth Elliot

One aspect of the mystery of God's sovereign will is how the calculated evil of men is not only permitted, but actually becomes a necessary part of the divine plan. We are tempted to think of the wrongs done to us as hindrances, frustrations, interruptions. "What has this got to do with the will of God?" we ask, irritated and, we suppose, justifiably impatient with human interference. But the truth is that both our time and our way are in God's hands--they are "appointed." Surely it is so for all his sons as it was for the Son of Man. When He was on the verge of being "handed over for crucifixion," and betrayed by one of his own disciples, He said, "My appointed time is near....One who has dipped his hand into this bowl with me will betray me. The Son of Man is going the way appointed for him" (Mt 26:18, 24 NEB).
Out of the deepest depths of human evil the good God brought salvation--the very salvation of man whose sinfulness killed the Son He sent.
Nothing can reach us, from any source in earth or hell, no matter how evil, which God cannot turn to his own redemptive purpose. Let us be glad that the way is not a game of chance, a mere roll of dice which determines our fortune or calamity--it is a way appointed, and it is appointed for God's eternal glory and our final good.

Read the Word (s)

Most of us have several bibles (I won't go off on the very disturbing reality we seldom wear out our bibles.) and at least in our household we have 4 or 5 translations and a paraphrase (The Message is not a translation). This morning in our readings I was quite taken by the simple, firm beauty of Micah 6:8 - for those who try to make walking with the Lord complex or legalistic or ritualistic - read the WORDS.

Micah 6:8 (Contemporary English Version)
8The LORD God has told us
what is right
and what he demands:
"See that justice is done,
let mercy be your first concern,
and humbly obey your God."

Micah 6:8 (The Message)
8But he's already made it plain how to live, what to do, what God is looking for in men and women. It's quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor, be compassionate and loyal in your love,And don't take yourself too seriously— take God seriously.


Please don't take yourself too seriously -and remember to be grateful and loving. Tomorrow is Father's Day - I miss my Daddy and hope any of you blessed to still have your father with you will make the day extra special.
It is blooming here on Buhlaland - canna blossoms and faith. That is good - very good.

Blooms and buzzes

The macro setting on our little point and shoot camera always surprises me. Sometimes when the camera is downloaded nifty pictures appear.
The bee is chowing down on a scabiosa bloom.

Our clematis is always a joy - it looks totally dead all winter and suddenly BAM green leaves, fast growing tendrils and dozens of deep red blooms.

Flowers are blooming, bees a' buzzin' and life is very good today on Buhlaland.

Hodge and some podge of Easter

Potted tulips were a decorated with a little cross --one of the handicrafts from dear departed MIL. She loved Easter and I'm sure this year was the BEST Easter ever--she was in the presence of our Savior. Patchwork table runner was another of Ethel's crafts - she loved setting the colorful egg shaped candles down the middle.

Easter being the primary spring holiday and also a good time for flowers - we are blessed with an abundance of floral decorations. (as opposed to the non decoration I usually have on tables in our house).

The fruit platter was decorated with the top of a pineapple and blossoms from our garden - fun and really easy this time since we'd had so much rain there were no bugs on the flowers. It's the little things that make my day. The pitiful rendition of a bunny cake is all my doing - looks like a long eared drug taking cat - but it tasted great!
Iris were a gift out of our neighbor's backyard - planted many years ago by the friends from whom we purchased our land . Tablecloth on our side table was a handmade gift to Ethel when she was a young bride - still quite sturdy and makes a little more dressy background to some of our decor.

It was good here on Buhlaland for Easter - friends, food, flowers and a sense of appreciation for all of the above.

Amaryllis not Amarillo although both are in Texas!

So many bloggers are writing about gloomy weather and grey, cloudy day I wanted to share a burst of color. Playing around with the macro setting I got all Georgia O'Keefe with it. Love the intensity of red - hope it brightens your wintry day for a moment. It was a nice day on Buhlaland.

How do I pronounce clematis?

The correct pronunciation is CLEM-uh-tis.

Of course I live in Texas and have always called these prolific blooming vines clem-AT-is. Pronounciation might be like tomato or toe-mah-toh, depends on your upbringing. No matter how you pronounce the flower's name, they are lovely, easy to grow and this time of the year a blast of color in our garden. Loving my CLEM-uh-tis (or purple blooming viney thangs) here on Buhlaland.

Matthew 6:28-30 (New Living Translation)
28 “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, 29 yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 30 And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?
In these difficult times, with so much pulling at us from the world,if you find yourself a little short of faith - look skyward early in the mornings and see the beauty freely given for all to enjoy. Feeling grateful and a tad cornball around Buhlaland!

Blooming blogging

Update - you know how sometimes an idea seems so perfect, so in tune with what you are doing and you just slip it in there. I felt so "right" about the posting of flowers and tying it into my late Mother In Law's flowers - so doggoned right I'd already done it! :::blushing and about to schedule a mental competency hearing for herself:::: I don't say I haven't gone crazy I do say I don't have to pack for the trip. SORRY!

I was outside this morning taking pictures of the rejuvenated flowering plants around here (mild fall temperatures make for a second season of blooms) Pesky morning glories still invading and overtaking our copper trellis, rose bushes and fence. Crybaby decided to help herself to some tasty tender morsels. Snickers had to be coaxed - it definitely wasn't his favorite taste.

I am trying to decide whether to just cry "uncle" with climbing roses - I have issues about keeping with a routine of pruning and tending my plants. (I have issues about keeping with a routine of tending my BODY let alone my plants). Just about the time I'm set to dig, one of the climbers presents us with a perfect bud deserving a reprieve!

Last two photos are a plant given to my MIL last spring by her other son's family. Before she left she put the houseplant outside (neither MIL nor I wanted another house plant!). I got such a surprise when digging out a clump of hosta. Under some thick foliage her gloxinia was sheltered all budded up and ready to bloom. I began to water it more and we are rewarded with beautiful pink blooms - in the multiple blooms picture I set the pot on our fence for ease of photography not where it actually resides.

Acknowledging botanic explanations I had to learn in science classes about why plants flower - I believe God gives us blossoms to remind us to have joy in our days. Blooms don't last long, are intensely beautiful, nurture hummingbirds and lots of insects - but they have to be enjoyed in the brief time they are available. It is blooming again here on Buhlaland and I'm grateful.

A potpourri of images

pot·pour·ri - a noun - apparently from the French in the mid 1700's- pot pourri - literally meaning rotten pot ( you can honestly say reading my blog is educational ,I don't always set a good example so I'll just have to serve as a horrible lesson.)
1 : a mixture of flowers, herbs, and spices that is usually kept in a jar and used for scent
2 : a miscellaneous collection
We're going the potpourri #2 - collection rather than smellocybervision because it doesn't work - you could sniff your computer screen all day long and not even get a hint of life on Buhlaland (unless your computer screen is quite dusty - very dusty - then you'd have a sniff of most of my house - I'm keeping it real here folks!) Also need to point out - I'm apparently possessed by an parentheses demon because you'll be subjected to many improperly positioned thoughts excused by parenthetical insertion (in other words - my brain isn't functioning on the grammatical syntactical level today- said she parenthetically).

The moon photo was taken with a view of our back porch one early evening last week.I accidentally (translation of accidentally is: didn't look in the viewfinder just clicked some pictures) included the gutter and side of our house. Kind of cool how the camera caught the deep purple hues - which can make you begin to hum Deep Purple if you listened to popular music in the early 1960's (yep - I'm OLD). You can take a moment and listen to the immortal sounds of Nino Tempo and April Stevens if you are so inclined.





Last Tuesday hurricane Gustav had blown inland and these beautiful clouds were scurrying across the North Texas skies. We were blessed with all the cooling effect and beauty without the destruction and fear parts of a hurricane. I roamed the campus of Tarrant County Junior College last Tuesday, camera at the ready. The lake is man made and the campus is along it's eastern side .

Pink flower - sweet surprise reminder from my late great MIL. She got the plant as a gift from her other son and his wife this spring. Ethel and I agreed neither of us wanted to tend another houseplant so she set it outside in our little garden. When I dug up a big clump of hosta last week I found the little plant had survived the summer heat and was about to bud out. So even almost two months after she went to heaven, we are still getting sweet surprises from Ethel.


It is good to be a cat on Buhlaland. Moe cat is a good mouser, loyal friend and usually the ruler of Buhlaporch Kingdom.

Last but definitely not least in this hodge podge pot of photos are the goat citizens of Buhlaland - they come running when we walk up to the fence. Our goats are anticipating something good is about to come their way - usually hoping for a snack but a scratching is acceptable. Makes me feel wanted even if just for my pockets of goat feed or useful scratching tools (fingernails) . Their persistent enthusiasm for us is a good reminder of how we are welcomed by our Heavenly Father





Psalm 146
1 Praise the LORD. Praise the LORD, O my soul.
2 I will praise the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
3 Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save.
4 When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing.
5 Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God,
6 the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them— the LORD, who remains faithful forever.
7 He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets prisoners free,
8 the LORD gives sight to the blind, the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down, the LORD loves the righteous.
9 The LORD watches over the alien and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.
10 The LORD reigns forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations. Praise the LORD.

Yes - it was time to do some praising here on Buhlaland and it is GOOD.