Visitors

Matthew 25:35 NIV
35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in.

Here on Buhlaland we always have something to eat or drink and most strangers are welcome.

Some of our visitors aren't all that strange - but they are usually interesting at least to us!

Here is a particularly lively and charming visitor. Hollis is a handsome fellow and finds his own reflection amusing beyond all imagination! Perfect dinner guest - the people who came with him were pretty nifty too.

Then we find this critter on a huge fall Peace rose. We have lots of mantis around this year and they are welcomed visitors because of their huge appetite for all the pesky insects!

Next visitor decided she didn't want her picture taken so here she is leaping the back fence - two does come into the backyard and eat acorns. You will probably need to click on the other picture to find the deer - she is to the right a bit and barely visible but definitely there!

We love company here on Buhlaland! You never know when we get to feed an angel in disguise (somehow I don't think the mantis was one - but surely could have been an angel hiding in that little boy!)

Wish we could have visitors from Bangladesh - our boys Elius and Bipul write to us and their requests are so very small. I know most visitors to this blog are more than aware of the needs of children in poverty all around the world and our personal commitment to Compassion International. If you haven't sponsored a child yet or feel moved to spread some of the blessings you have in your life around to someone who is grateful for shoes and rice and letters from a friend in a foreign country - please click here for a child who needs YOU right now . I know times are tight financially, but what for us means not ordering a pizza this week - can for them be the literal difference between having anything to eat each day or not. We live in almost the only country where people worry about what they want to eat rather than if they will have anything to eat. What is the purpose of life? To glorify God - taking care of one of the least of these gives you far more than the $32/month in money it costs. Here on Buhlaland - that's a fact, Jack!

Tin can gardening?

IT was a cruddy year for gardening in Parker County - the reality of farming or gardening in Texas includes the occasional poor return year. The other problem would have to be our vegetable garden spot. We located the large, heavily tilled and fertilized 25 ft. by 25 ft. garden patch behind the workshop, completely out of sight from the house. You've probably heard "out of sight out of mind".

Having my garden spot so completely out of my sight - definitely contributed to being out of my mind (both forgetting to tend the garden and feeling a couple of bricks short of a full load!) DH and I (mostly DH) removed the elaborate sprinkler system he'd installed in the garden and burned off the knee high weeds. He used the weed eater to neaten things up (and eliminated about half my herb garden but how can I complain about it when he did all the work??) THEN we planted a genetic dwarf Bonanza Peach tree and a nice sized Brown Turkey Fig. DH next installed a NEW sprinkler system making sure everything was spaced so a riding lawnmower could be maneuvered easily in previously weed infested garden area.

Now we move to our new idea - we are experimenting with using a galvanized container with drainage holes drilled in it. The big tin can is placed not ten feet from the breakfast room windows and back door. Theory is - if I see the "garden" constantly there is higher probability I'll take good care of it. Right now we have 3 tomato plants, bok choy, red leaf lettuce (which is NOT doing well at all) and two kinds of summer squash. It does seem very late in the growing season to be trying all this but we normally have mild winters and shouldn't have a killing frost for at least 45 days. So we'll see - I think it is fun and if it works - we'll add more containers for a decent veggie garden.

I'm blessed with a clever and resourceful Mr. Buhl here on Buhlaland and that is very good.

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.

Bowl'o'beans ala Buhl

A bowl of beans - no fancy accoutrements, condiments or even breath mints. Sometimes it is a good thing to go plain,nothing complex except the carbohydrates. I hesitate to call this a recipe posting but what the hey, you have to call it something!

I used about 2 pounds of dry pinto beans(no reason to do all this unless you make enough for a couple of good meals and to freeze or make into frijoles refritos), washed and sorted (picked out any little rocks) put into a large cooking pot. Add water to cover by a couple of inches. Put the pot on a burner, bring the water to a boil - then turn it off heat, cover the pot and wait one hour. VOILA!! you have perfectly "soaked" beans (without waiting overnight). Drain off the soakng water. Put beans, a very meaty hambone, a large onion -can cut it up a little if you want, a tablespoon or so of black peppercorns and two tablespoons minced roasted garlic- then cover with water. About the garlic - I don't roast and mince garlic - really I don't. I buy roasted minced delicious garlic at Wally World or your personal favorite grocery store. Adds good flavor, no big mess to use and whooeee I don't have extra nasty finger smells. OK now comes a tricky part - we go from the beans in my nice black cooking pot - to what is this? a red crockpot I see! Got this far and realized I didn't want to keep a propane burner going on low for several hours to cook the beans. Transferred the whole thing over to crockpot set on high to wisely not use as much energy for cooking. I don't add salt to the beans until they are already softened and tender - salt seems to toughen beans. When the time comes don't be skimpy with the salt - I use natural sea salt and tasted the liquid first to make sure the ham hadn't been enough salt. The beans smell great when they are done (we are talking 4 hours in a crockpot IF you don't lift the lid to mess with the beans). If you'll wait and refrigerate the cooked beans overnight (oops - there is an "overnight" instruction after I made the big deal about avoiding "overnight" in beans sorry). Taste will be greatly enhanced and when reheated liquid will thicken.

Hope you make a pot of beans, enjoy them with someone you love.

We had bowl'o'beans tonight for supper - it is good on Buhlaland!