The Well Worn Path

Always...my quest...to sing a new song and to move up and out of the well worn path.

Again today.  

This particular moment held me in the path of doubt and second guessing.

Give this some thought.  What "song" do you sing over and over and over?  What negative thoughts? What twists of truth?  What self absorbed worries?  (to name just a few annoying "songs" we allow to play or sing in our minds) That type of song creates a well worn path that  leads us nowhere or keeps us in a way of thinking and being that is not fruitful.

Is God inviting you to sing a new song?  He gave us that phrase in scripture so many times and there is so much hope in it!  So much encouragement!! 

Thanksgiving, love, gratitude, and trust are all really good songs. I'm pretty sure if you ask Him, if you turn to Him, and ask "What do you want my song to be?" In time, the tune will reveal itself and will resonate with you.

 There is truth and beauty that resonate with me when I keep a song of praise and gratitude in my heart. That then gives me the courage to get out of the rut; to step up and out of the well worn path.

Canning Season

Last week a friend suggested to me to use a rack from a canner filled with jars to hold flowers.

The very next day I found an old one at a garage sale that was covered quite nicely in rust and hard water deposits.  I had to scrounge a bit to find enough vintage green jars.  That surprised me!  But, I've sold or given so many of them away.

A few sunflowers were the perfect choice for flowers!

I really like the light shining through the jars.  It's currently on our dining room table so catches the morning light.

I plan to turn the enamel blue canner this rack came out of into a planter. :) 

Life is Just a Bowl...

...of cherry tomatoes.  :)

I'm not sure what variety I planted.  Hopefully, I can find the tag down in the dirt once the plant is gone because these have been delicious!  They are dark like  some heirloom tomatoes are.  And they are big too.

I planted three plants of a different regular red variety and I actually pulled up the plants and tossed them even though they were full of little red tomatoes.  They had absolutely no flavor at all.  And the skin was tough and chewy. I need to find the tag for those too so I don't accidentally buy them again!  These dark ones have a fairly thick skin, but they are super sweet.  I like them best right out of the garden and not refrigerated.

The tomatoes are already slowing down.  They lost a lot of bottom leaves as our tomatoes usually do this time of year.  I've had a lot, but not as many as I thought I would by judging how big the plants grew.  I plan to make green tomato relish with the end of the season ones.  The recipe is from my Mom and I just love it. 

From Just Little Seeds

This arrangement just sort of "happened".  I had gathered a few less flowers thinking I would just do a couple simple vases and get on with something else. 

I don't recall what the something else was now.

But, there the cockscomb were so very gracefully cascading out of the pitcher I had gathered them in and I thought, I think I need to do something more with them.

I pulled out this pedastal vase so there would be room to drape.

There was a phrase in my head that came from a podcast of Kim Klassen's that went something like this "you already have what you need".  When I thought I needed just a couple more wine colored cockscombs and didn't want to take the time to run back out to the garden, I glanced over at a bouquet that was beginning to fade and there was just what I needed all still very fresh. Hmmm, yes, I already had what I needed. 

Cockscomb, Teddy Bear Zinnia, a variegated Cosmos, and Hyacinth Bean Vine.

All grown from little seeds.  

As I sat in gratitude of what God grows and gives us, I thought maybe I'd want to photograph this bouquet.