Body Talk

Dear Back,

Look -- I know we worked hard together last weekend! I thought we made a good team; I thought we were buddies. So then, why did you wait until yesterday to tell me that Saturday was too much. That was really dum of you, you know. 'Cause I'd have rested on Sunday if I'd thought you really wanted to; all you had to do was just tell me. But nooooo!

And don't go saying that I should have known better. You know very well that I'm very forgetful about things like not being able to do what I used to do. So, don't go blaming me! All you had to do was speak up earlier, we'd be feeling just fine now! Oh! You're so stuborn!!

AND -----

Dear Wrists,

Perhaps you've forgotten. But the last time you brought your little friend, Carpal Tunnel, to visit, I believe I made it perfectly clear that he wasn't welcome. Not only does he do nothing but ache all day, he has the nerve to make me wear those silly looking arm bands at night. It's just the epitome of rudeness. Leave, and leave now!!!

AND WHILE I'M AT IT -------

Dear Bum:

Did you have to get so big. You used to be so nice and petite and round; and you always knew your place. But now -- well, you're just ALL OUT THERE and you're kind-of HANGING DOWN THERE. And to be perfectly frank, NO, I don't find those dimples cute at all!






Oh my! Is it any good to talk to you guys?

Pass the chocolates please!

Garden - Phase 1

LET THE WORK BEGIN!

This past Saturday saw the start of Phase 1 of my "Garden of Earthly Delights". Here's what the side garden looked like at 9 am. The properly is a kind-of diamond shape at this side of the house, the fir trees on the left in Pic #1 (behind the little shed) being the left hand side of the property line, going up to a point slightly past where you see the furthest fir tree, extending across yon babbling brook in Pic #2 by another 10-12 ft and running down the other side (and going past where you can see in the pic, down the side of my driveway).

We began work at 9:30 am with our trusty chainsaws. His was a manly gas-powered model with a deep throaty voice which threatened all towering birch and oak and fir that dared to intrude upon the inner sanctum of said "Eden-to-Be" with a ferocous "Haroom-Haroom-Haroom"; they didn't stand a chance!! Mine was a wee electric model which eagerly brought up the rear with a slightly maniacial sounding "Bering-bering-bering", always eager to delimb the fallen or cut off at the knees any of the more inferior bushes or shrubs. It conjured up images of a sort-of urban lumberjack version of an old Looney Tunes cartoon -- the one about Spike the bulldog and Chester the terrier -- Spike determinedly plodding forward and Chester bounding & bouncing along after him saying "Whatta we gonna do now, Spike, huh, huh? Whatta we gonna do now?"

We worked until about 2:30 that afternoon (with a break for lunch). And we worked hard! But what a lot of work we got accomplished! The property is larger than I had imagined; what a grand garden it's going to be! And though I've contented myself with my various little shade gardens, I'm feeling that I may even be able to achieve a little bed of full sun! Oh joy, oh bliss!

Here's what the property looks like now. (Note the stacks of logs waiting for Brady's winter fire, my piles of tree limbs yet to be broken down, & the covering of last fall's leaves over the whole area. A long term project indeed!)

Later that afternoon, I could be found reclining

in one of these -- pillow under my weary head,

sipping on a tall iced glass of limeade,

listening to the bird-song, occasional traffic noise,

and basking in the warmth of the sun and the

sweet breeze.






That evening, I could be found supporting the local

high school basketball team by cracking open and

savoring one of these wonderful creatures.

It's a dirty job but someone has to do it!!!




An extremely productive, very satisfying, almost perfect day!

(Can you hear my sign of contentment?)

Wacky Wednesday

I work at the local foodbank every other Friday. We have this one very colorful fellow who comes in, and he talks at you the whole time you're filling out the form for him. He has very strong opinions on every subject, but one of his favorite topics is the government and the money they spend. Here's one of his latest gems for consideration.


"If the government would just put a bidet in everyone's home, we'd have no need of toilet paper! and just think of the money this country would save!"



Should we take a vote? I'm a definate YES!

God is a Gardener just like Me!

After a winter of relative inactivity (well, other than pushing my luck and the occasional exercise class), here's what I did for 3 hours on Saturday:

Such a wonderful feeling of satisfaction! Fresh air, physical exercise, allowing yourself a creative outlet while you create beauty. Ahhh ..... gardening!



Here's what I felt like Sunday morning:

Yeah! Did we forget that we're not as young and agile as we used to be? Did we remind ourselves to begin slowly with perhaps an hour at a time? Did we anticipate the possibility of a few aches and pains and have an epsom salts bath and a couple of ibprophen later? Nooooo!


Still, part of my ongoing search for wisdom in aging is NOT to allow myself to become inactive. I must remember the old guy from Monty Python's Holy Grail when they come to collect the plague victims who cries out "But I'm not dead yet!" Use it or lose it!



Every time I look at my garden, ideas blossom and I see possibility! I've this lovely little patch of wilderness at the side of my house with a little brook that runs through. Right now, it's a mess of fallen leaves & tree limbs & even refuse. The trees need to be thinned, top soil needs to be brought in, paths need to be laid. It's a life-times work. But this little patch of earth begs to be, if not tamed, then attended to! Attended to in a tender, loving, gentle, nuturing, patient, long-suffering sort-of way. Why, there's 3 of the fruits of the Spirit right there! I know that gardening is close to God's heart!

James 1: 4a says "But let patience have her perfect work".



Have you read "The Shack". There's a wonderful illustration of how God through the Holy Spirit feels about the garden inside of each of us. He doesn't want to tame us, but simply to draw out the beauty in each of us. And He does so tenderly, lovingly, patiently, nurturing the seeds that He's planted. That's what I want to do with my garden. And just like God with me, I've a long way to go yet!!


Here's what I hope to achieve someday:

Here's what God wants to achieve in me:

Pay It Forward

I'm continuing a theme that I've found on several blogs. So, here's the deal.

The first 5 people to leave a comment on this post will receive a gift from me during this year.... which means that you'll have to trust me with your real name and address. But hey! I'm trustworthy! Really I am! I'm a good, Christian "golden rule" sort-of gal. Just look at my face; does that look like the face of someone who would do you wrong? No way, Jose!

So, anyway -- regarding the gift from me. The when and what will be a surprise! It could be something pretty or something funny or something informative or something yummy! (Note the poet in me coming out ...... I promise, it will not be a book of my poetry.)

There's a catch though.. Post this same thing on your blog and then come back and leave a comment telling me you're in. Remember, only the first 5 comments receive the gift. *Don't forget to post this on your blog first, then come back and leave a comment on this post!*

Please, Please, Don't eat My Tulips!!!

I thought about singing Doris' song and appealing to the better nature of those pesky varmints munching in my front yard. But then I realized my neighbours might not appreciate it! So instead, I went to the hardware store yesterday after work, and bought this product. I'll see if this will keep the guilty party(ies) away from my tulip bulbs.

I sprayed it on the remaining leaves and buds last night. Now we wait to see if I get any blooms soon. And for those of you who are worried about God's little creatures being violated by one of God's larger creatures, here's the scoop on Skoot:

Skoot Rabbit Repellant
Product Description
Skoot® is a taste repellant that is effective against rodents, rabbits and deer.
This product is not toxic to the offending animal.
The animal will taste the Skoot® and not take another bite.
The taste of the product is very offensive.
Skoot® is effective for up to 6 months.
Available in 1 L.
Guarantee
Thiram 120 g/L

Oh dear, oh deer, oh dear!

So, there'll be no Mother's Day gift this year for Mother Nature. Uh uh -- not from me! I'm angry! She can be one mean lady with a dark sense of humor. Mommy dearest indeed!



You know, you plant and nurture and watch and wait; and you think "That hard work is really going to pay off, because this spring I'm going to so much enjoy all those tulips that have come up". Then in the dead of night, wee beasties come and lop off most of their heads! What's a gardener to do? Here's what I'd like to do ....


Alas, the laws will not allow me to do that. (And I don't own a gun ..... and I don't know how to shoot one!) But really! I mean, we don't need all these deer running around anyway. It'd be fine if they'd just stay where they belong in the forest! But they refuse to do that! Like - who the H-E-double hockey sticks do they think they are anyway? They've become just like "other people's children". (Not mine! No, no, no -- never mine!)

They start out all little and cute, and we look at them and go "Ahhhh! Look how sweet they are". And then, before we have time to blink, they've turned into juvenile delinquents! Like ungrateful teenagers who feel that they can do as they please because the world owes them! They saunter onto your property and insist in stomping through your garden in senseless acts of defiance! They take what you've paid good money to enjoy and just help themselves, leaving the larder bare, declaring after they've chomped into your last piece of Brie or scoop of Ben & Jerry's Chunky Monkey that they didn't like that anyway! They leave their droppings all around and when you try to talk to them, they just stop and stare like ........................... well, like deer caught in the headlights!

Get out of that cookie jar, Libby!!! Sorry what was I talking about? Yeah, deer ......

People -- they're out of control! They're radical, I tell you! We need an intervention! If God had intended deer to eat tulip buds, He'd either have planted tulips in the woods or He would have magically transported all of the deer population to Holland.

Hey! Yeah! Let's send all the deer to Holland! That's a brilliant idea! And it could become another way for Holland to show their gratitude to us Canadians for the war!

Quickly! Someone get Steven Harper on the phone!

Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles Season 2

Mammogram

I don't normally blog this often (what's getting into me?). Anyway, on my way through the blogs I like to read, I came across this one that everyone HAS to read -- at least, all you female bloggy friends. It's a totally hilarious view on a very non-hilarious ritual. Enjoy!

http://lifejustkeepsgettingweirder.blogspot.com/2009/04/wham-bam-mammogram.html

Happy Easter

Happy Easter everyone! What a joyous day!!


My blog-friend The Pink Owl... shared some beautiful thoughts with me the other day. Here's my take on it.

Today, I look around me,
& I'm overwhelmed by the blessings that have been bestowed on me.
As undeserving as I am,
He blesses me .... beyond measure.
Despite myself, my faults, my shortcomings, my inadequacies.
Today, I am immensely thankful.
For nothing in particular. Yet, for everything.
Today, is a great day. For no particular reason. Yet, for every reason.
When I doubt, which, of course, I will in the future,
May I be reminded of today.
A beautiful day. For no particular reason. Yet, for every reason.

Crosses and Bunnies

Easter is coming up this weekend. I love this holiday. I love it because it embodies the greatest sacrifice ever made and the greatest celebration one can be a part of. Imagine! All your sins forgiven and the gift of everlasting life because you believe in Jesus Christ. Imagine! A life full of love and promise and hope and joy; all because you surrender yourself to the work of the Holy Spirit. Imagine! Someone who loves you so much that He accepts you just as you are -- with all your foibles and hangups and mistakes -- and that same someone, a wonderful Father, who lovingly gives you the ability to each day become more like that perfect being that He sees when He looks at you.

Spring and Easter go hand in hand. And my feelings about Spring and the life and hope and freshness and sense of anticipation that go along with it are all emcompassed in this one weekend and what it means to me as a Christian. (The hot cross buns and chocolate eggs and family gathering are an extra added bonus to the weekend!)

REJOICE FOR HE IS RISEN!