Work Day at The Acres October 13, 2018

yesterday was a work day at The Acres. It was chilly but no rain. And more importantly, not too many mosquitoes. Got in a couple of nice walks as well--one early morning and one after the "work" was done. Still lots of blooms scattered here and there--despite the cool week. Finished a flower bed, moved and planted a host of things. Set up the bird feeding station under the Ancient One along the driveway. It has not yet turned into its brilliant fall red maple self. Not much has turned actually. The burning bushes should be in full color soon. There is one completely new beauty this week. I don't know why it took so long to join the party--it's a blue morning glory; showing off at several locations. I'll give you a peak.

The Sea

The Wild Area has just about reached its ultimate glory. You can tell by the noise. The bees are everywhere. You can hear the buzz as you approach. Walking the paths can be a little iffy, though, usually, they just fly on to the next flower as you interrupt their feast. Imagine a sea of yellow, much of it over your head. As you get into the Wild Area, you disappear. A little bit of the yellow is sneezeweed, but the vast majority are different "flavors" of goldenrod. In the midst of the yellow sea are hundreds of little purple islands of gorgeous asters--and I do mean hundreds. Most of them, too, are taller than you are. Surrounding this sea of gold and purple is a border of white heath asters. Everywhere. Some outliers are still showing off as well--pink flowered thistles--often with a cap of gold and black goldfinch. Several islands of phlox--various pinks, whites, stripes. Even some Queen Anne's lace is hanging around, and a touch of lilac bee balm. It's quite a walk if you don't mind the "noise." Or if you do, you can always just sit on the top of the hill and watch the wind waft the sea of gold and purple. Much more than enough to weave a king's robe.

Bird Song August 10, 2018

It's early. Perhaps when the routine of school sets in, I'll settle into a somewhat normal sleep pattern. Perhaps.
I've been sitting in the chair by the front doorwindow looking into the darkness of the morningnight. Unfortunately, my mind became distracted by my Uh-ohs.
Uh-oh. Three days until teacher meetings, and I still have four flower beds I need to re-do. And it's supposed to rain every day until the middle of next week. I hate the uh-ohs of unfulfilled goals.
Uh-oh. Three days until teacher meetings, and when I look at the piles of books I had hoped to read this summer in the pursuit of the next "soul book," there are least twenty I didn't get to. (Maybe if I had quit ordering more . . . Three are in the mail now.) I hate the uh-ohs of missed opportunities.
Uh-oh. Three days until teacher meetings begin, and I just found out yesterday afternoon that the number of students I have in AP English has risen from 23 to 31. You would think after all these years I would know to wait to order copies from Wes (WCS will have to shut down if we ever lose Wes) until all the schedule changes were in. But did I? Nope. Hey, I've only been at this now for about fifty years. But now, I'll need to go in to school and run off more copies. (Actually, I shouldn't complain. That's kinda a partial answer to my prayers. Shhhh. Don't tell anyone, but I was praying all summer that they wouldn't be able to find a teacher for the College Credit Plus class. I confess, I am a jealous egotist. I don't like the idea of any seniors graduating without my having a chance to touch their lives with my favorite soul books and a deeper understanding of the Lover of their Souls. Jealousy! Spiritual Pride! Guilty as charged.) Anyway, now I have to run off some more copies. I hate the frustration of messing up my own plans.

Uh-oh. Uh-oh. Uh-oh. The frustration of goals unreached, opportunities missed, plans gone awry. Such noise in my brain though I sit in the dark stillness of a morningnight.

But wait. Sitting in the darkness, one of my favorite poems by Wendell Berry slipped in among the Uh-ohs.

"Best of any song
is bird song
in the quiet, but first
you must have the quiet."

I have the quiet! I am sitting in the hush of the morningnight this very moment. Ah, stillness. Any minute now the Morrow County Tabernacle Choir will begin its oratorio. Meditating on that wonder easily dispels the noise of all the Uh-ohs in my brain. And I think I can imagine how it will begin. The "sweet, sweet, sweet" of the cardinals nestled into the quiet background cooing of the mourning doves. Shhh. Any moment it will begin--in the quiet. Bird song.

If you're up in time, I hope you're listening. I hope you don't let your Uh-ohs--goals not reached, opportunities missed, plans gone awry--mess up the soul-quieting joy of the concert. It will be magnificent. Listen. (No wonder His eye is on each sparrow--beautiful members of His early morning choir.)

Sh. Listen.

Sorry. You're frustration with your Uh-ohs is ruining the quiet. I'm going to leave you. Bye. It's symphony time.

Sweet, sweet--cooooooo. Sweet-cooooo-sweet. Coo-sweet-ooo.

Macho Man July 27, 2018

A Day at The Acres:
The thunder and rain of last night--beautiful--seems to have cooled things down just a little. I took my walks of course. Everything is green and lush including the weeds and brambles, but by this time of the year I've resigned myself to enjoying the curse. Check in Saturday for a flower update--Lord willing. My Gardening Angels have had a splendid year.
This morning I planted a few things. I try to add something every year--the anticipation keeps me hanging around. I always add a few iris--just because they are my favorites. And I always re-do a bed or two and add a bed or two. I invest my retirement in beauty that will long outlive me. The newest things this time of year are the wild bee balm, the yellow coneflowers, and the hibiscus. Soon, the wild area will steal the show with waves of goldenrod and islands of purple and heath asters and thistles--all punctuated by butterflies and honey bees. Won't be long.
This afternoon I mowed the back--meadow and wild area paths. They were quite overgrown. A tree had fallen over my one path to the back area, and I had to set aside my cowardice and buy a chain saw. Having now used the beast successfully without loss of limb, I expect to receive my Macho Man certificate in the mail sometime soon. (I still can't fix anything that breaks, but I can now proudly wear a tag that says, "I defeated a fallen tree with my own chainsaw and lived to tell about it.") My feathered friends rewarded me today. I must have been surrounded by a dozen barn swallows as I mowed. For those of you who have never experienced such a magnificent sight, you have my deep sympathy. What beautiful creatures they are! What aerial acrobats--and fearless! Spectacular feeling to be their caterer for an afternoon. Yes, I mean "spectacular"!
Tonight, I will read and work on lesson plans for next year. It is almost upon us. I'm re-reading the kids summer reading assignments. Gilead. Home. (Both by Robinson) Peace Like a River by Eger. If you haven't, you really must read those books. Well, I'm going to fix some supper. It was another one of those days the Lord has made. And I did rejoice in it.

Macho Man

Hodgepodge Time July 20, 2018

It's approaching hodgepodge time at The Acres. Lots of different things blooming and starting to bloom at the same time. (I'll put up pictures tomorrow, per usual. Still lots of lilies, but they are starting to slow down--a couple though have buds but haven't even started yet. The phlox is starting to bloom "big time"--and fill The Acres with their marvelous scent. The annuals are really starting to mature and spread as well. And the hibiscus and their cousins, the Rose of Sharon are blooming. Water lilies all over the pond. Delphinium, stoke's aster, cardinal flowers, crocosmia, glads, sunflowers, a rose or two, balloon flowers--and verain, wild senna, mallow, bee balm, and lobelia in the wild area--just tons of variety this time of year. Takes me a long time to walk The Acres. Hey, it takes me a long time just to creep down the driveway when I've been out awhile. It's as if my Gardening Angels just started splashing colors everywhere. The Abstract Acres?
I will be back at school before long though. I mulch a little just about every day. And I have three beds yet to re-do; two of them pretty good size. If I just do a little each day, I should make it. If not, no homework the first couple weeks, kids!! (And if you believe that . . .) Been chipping away at the book pile, too. Making progress? Well, I would be if I didn't keep adding books to the pile. Old dogs can't learn . . .
There is just one "problem" at The Acres. The hornets are building a nest under one of my eaves. Calls for a night time attack I think. They get irritated very, very easily. =) But they have to sleep, right? I'll shoot them through the screen just in case they are light sleepers.
Time flies when you're having fun. And speaking of fun, it's time to mow the wild area. Hope your day is lovely--mine is. =)

Backroads Perspective July 17,2018

Today, I took a journey down one of those country roads that I have traveled dozens of times before. Dozens. But always I had traveled it in the same direction--from school toward home. Today, I traveled it in the opposite direction. It was amazing. It was as if I was on a totally different road in a new world. I saw so many beautiful things I had never seen before--homes, fields, old barns, serene ponds . . . it was mind-boggling, spirit rousing to see my journey from another perspective. I don't think I'll ever forget the feelings I experienced as I traveled that "familiar" road. And the Spirit reminded me--one day when I get Home, He will greet me and show me my journey from His perspective--how His loving heart and wisdom saw my road Home. And I will be amazed at the beauty I had failed to see from my limited perspective. And He will take me in His embrace and say, "See, didn't I tell you I would make all things beautiful in My time." Then, He will wipe the tears from my eyes and whisper, "Enter into My presence with a heart of joy and thanksgiving."

And I will--forever.

Musing July 5, 2018

Musings:
I confess--though I have tons of work to do at The Acres, when it's this hot and humid--nothing gets done. My oldness can't handle it. I do take an early morning walk and a late evening stroll, but nothing that even comes close to resembling work. Lots of reading going on if that counts--brain work?
The lilies are still blooming like "crazy," and will continue to do so for quite some time. The phlox are just starting to think about blooming. The annuals are in full grow mode--especially the snapdragons. And the coneflowers just started to chime in--several in the wild area during this morning's stroll. And all three water lilies are blooming--pink, white, yellow. I think it's supposed to rain and cool down in the next day or two so I can get back to something that looks like manual labor.
Backroads? The corn is over my head--forget the knee high mantra. All that rain and sun--the fields are gorgeous. Most of the wheat has been harvested as well. And many a field is polka-dotted with hay bales. As you know, I love those scenes. The roadways are orange (lilies), white (Queen Anne's Lace), and yellow (black-eyed Susans), blues (chicory). And it appears that Morrow County is trying to pave some of its gravel roads. Don't know what I think about that, but it will take them a long, long time to get that accomplished. By then the neglected paved roads will look like gravel. =)
Anyway--not much work being done by me. The flowers are doing great! The backroads are as beautiful as ever. The road crews are progressively regressing. "Ain't "progress" wonderful--and vastly overrated.