Nature

Zucchini Blessings Return

/ Bill Jones / 9 Comments
Zucchini Plant

Zucchini Plant

You hear a lot of stories about how prolific zucchini is – you get more than you can keep up with. (Like the old joke in gardening circles – don’t leave your car window rolled down or someone will leave a bag of zucchini).

Several years ago I gave up on the plant. There wasn’t a problem with too many, it was very few.  I had problems with squash vine borers. I never could figure out how to prevent them from decimating the vines so I just quit.

But this year I tried them again and you can see from this one plant that the Lord has blessed us with a load of zucchini again.  We’re having them sauted and grilled, giving them away and Sharon’s making zucchini bread. It is a great blessing so if you need some let me know. I’m not sure where the squash vine borers are, but I’m thankful they haven’t found their way back yet.

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones. Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.” Proverbs 3:5-10

Thank the Lord for plants full of zucchini!

The Cardinals Hatched!

/ Bill Jones / 2 Comments

The Cardinals Hatched

Here’s a picture of the cardinals that hatched last week. They’ve actually grown enough now and left the nest, so I have put the net down over the blueberries. I think the birds have gotten some but it looks like there are still a lot left for the harvest.

I may have fussed a bit in my previous blog about them building the nest, but I actually thought it pretty neat. God’s creation is amazing.

“As an eagle stirs up its nest, Hovers over its young, Spreading out its wings, taking them up, Carrying them on its wings,” Deuteronomy 32:11 NKJV

The mother eagle stirs up the nest to make it uncomfortable for the young ones to stay. But then she provides  the means and help for them to leave.  Like the mother eagle, God will provide the means for what He is telling us it’s time to do.

Previous Post:  http://iwasthinking.me/2012/05/12/those-crafty-cardinals/

Vidalia Sweet Onions and Grace Abounding

/ Bill Jones / 4 Comments
Vidalia Onions Ready For Harvest

Vidalia Onions Ready for Harvest

This is the field across the road from our house. It was a pasture for 20 or more years until early this year. They plowed it up, installed an irrigation pivot and planted Vidalia Sweet Onions. In this photo, they have been “undercut” to bring them out of the ground, and the roots and tops were cut off by hand. They’re ready to be put in bins, which are loaded by fork lifts onto tractor trailer rigs and shipped out. 

We didn’t count them, but the trucks were moving in and out for 3 or 4 days in order to get all the onions. We definitely could tell there was a field of onions laying there from the smell that came across when the wind blew our way.

Reminds me of the Israelites complaining that they had no onions like they had in Egypt. They were remembering some small things and forgetting their rescue from captivity. We can remember that even a field full of onions doesn’t compare to the freedom that Christ has won for us!  

“We remember the fish we ate in Egypt that cost nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic.” Numbers 11:5 ESV

The Resurrection Fern Was Resurrected!

/ Bill Jones / 5 Comments
Resurrection Fern dried out

Resurrection Fern Dried Out

(Since, this time of year, there is a lot going on in the garden, around the yard and everywhere outside, I thought I’d add another post earlier in the week that will just be a photo or two, and some comments and/or Scripture. My longer posts will continue to be on Fridays. Let me know what you think.)

Thankfully we had some good rain last week. The Lord blessed us, and we were revived. The resurrection fern in the pecan tree out front also showed its appreciation and greened up nicely.

At the top you see the “dead” picture taken in early May. Since we didn’t have much rain to speak of in May, it looked worse than this before the rain last week.

Here’s the fern the morning after soaking up a real rain the night before. We all felt revived because of the rain.

Resurrection Fern after a rain

Reserrection Fern after a rain

“For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.”  Isaiah 57:15 ESV