Pruning

We had a stretch of warm beautiful weather and things suddenly started blooming and putting on leaves! The next thing you know, we had 7 inches of snow in one day. So, this morning I was standing in snow pruning the clematis that had begun to leaf out. O.K. That's a first! I started thinking about pruning as I was working and how many people say they are afraid to prune because they might hurt the plant and wouldn't it just be better to let it grow naturally? I used to hesitate myself. But, it really does help. I once had a clematis that grew in a big pot and year after year it just struggled along barely getting any blooms. I knew the potential of this type of plant, so I did various things to help it along; except for pruning. I was afraid to. Then one day I decided to go for it, after learning more about it. The plant grew very well, filled out, and had lots of beautiful blooms.

I think we, as people, are afraid of the pruning that comes to us sometimes. I know I am. We try to avoid the inevitable, not realizing the good that it will bring about in the long-run (or maybe even in the short-run!). We, unfortunately, do not grow very well without it. Yes, it hurts. And, yes, it's scary. But, hopefully, we are stronger and more beautiful afterwards.

Lean into the pruning. Don't be afraid. Let the Master Gardener do His work. You won't be disappointed.

Nancy

Just A Note

Just to let you know that the book "Safely Home" is on sale at Vision Forum this week for $3.50. Nancy

Safely Home

I finished the book, "Safely Home", by Tom Eldredge and it is the best thing that I have read in many years. What an amazing little book. Even though it is small, it takes a while to read, because you keep going back over every part to read it again!
Hope you check it out. You'll be blessed.
Nancy

The Deeper Things of Life

I'm pondering the deeper things of life like: Why is it that when there is a spoon in the sink the water from the faucet always hits it?
So true.
But, o.k., how about this? "If people let the government decide what foods they eat and what medicines they take, their bodies will soon be in as sorry a state as the souls who live under tyranny." Thomas Jefferson `1778 I'm always amazed at the insight that the Founding Fathers had.
Or, how about this: "Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds: For riches are not for ever: and doth the crown endure to every generation?
The hay appeareth, and the tender grass showeth itself, and herbs of the mountains are gathered.
The lambs are for thy clothing, and the goats are the price of the field.
And thou shalt have goats' milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household, and for the maintenance for thy maidens." Proverbs 27:23-27 This has always been true, and maybe knowing this has even been taken for granted at times. But, do you see a need to take note of this today?
Nancy

A Wonderful Surprise

What a wonderful surprise this morning to look out and see our wonderful new neighbors come up the drive to help with chores! Can you imagine?! They want to have animals, and a garden and such, so they are eager to pitch in and learn first-hand. What a blessing for both sides!

We have been able to do a lot to get the garden area ready when we have had breaks in the weather. Today it is cold and rainy with some sleet. I see signs that spring is right around the corner, though!

I am getting ready to start seeds in pots and hope to use the new greenhouse.

What are you doing to get ready for spring?

Nancy

Draft Horse Sale

We went to the big draft horse sale last week and while in the area we decided to go fill our kerosene containers at the general store. Things looked very still and the door was locked so we decided we had made the trip for nothing and left. Ahead in the road we noticed what looked like a truck and a buggy off of the road. We feared the worst and drove up to find that the horse had shied because of the ice on the road and gone into the snow-filled ditch. The man in the truck had stopped to offer help and soon sped off. We pulled up and got out to help the young woman that had been driving the buggy. She was fine and was trying to unhitch the horse whose legs had sunk in the snow with its rear end resting on the bank. Fortunately, it was unhurt and was led up out of the ditch and onto the road. Meanwhile, the truck that had stopped came pulling up with an Amish man to help. He asked what had happened and she told him the horse had shied and he and I together said,"Thank goodness that's all that happened." Everyone got the buggy out of the ditch and onto the road and the men got back into the truck and left. She had the horse hitched to the buggy again before you knew what had happened! We told her what a good job she had done and that she sure had a good horse because it was ready to go again without any problem and that we hoped the rest of her day went well. Off she went with the horse at a brisk trot.
I was very impressed with how this young woman handled the situation and I was struck by the big smiles on the men's faces when they pulled up to help. But two things really stood out about this whole thing for me that day. Number one: They could go to the first Amish farm for help. And number two: Someone was home. You can't take those two things for granted any more.
Nancy

Flabbergasted

The place next to ours has been empty and for sale ever since we moved here. They finally have a contract on it (for less than half of what they were asking) and asked Jack to help them get it ready. (No, we're not to the flabbergasted part yet.) The wife asked him to help with something today. He told her that he would be able to after he got done milking. She said, "Milking?! What do you do with the milk?" "We drink it." And to that she replied, "I just go to the store and buy the REAL stuff." (Yep, emphasis mine. And, .... now we're flabbergasted.)
I guess we've had it all wrong. :-0
Nancy