Delivering a Rose Bush to a Neighbor

The squirrels and birds let me eat a few of these beauties
every so often. Triple Crown Blackberries.

I had a Veterans Honor rose that we kept stepping on, because it was small and in the wrong place in the rose garden.

I moved it to the Blackberry patch, which was largely neglected. However, Blackberries are aggressive spreaders through the root system, stoloniferous. They wanted to crowd out the rose completely - and any rose wants lots of elbow room.

Veterans Honor is the best pure red rose,
lasting a long time when cut and generous with fragrance.

Our neighbor, at the end of the street, loves roses, and her daughter always wanted to grow them, so I offered my orphan rose.

Today was a good day to transplant. I prepared the rose by soaking it with rainwater yesterday and this morning.

One spot was eliminated because the bulbs were spreading so fast. I cautioned, "Roses want room on each side, no competition." In fact, I have seen roses hurt by grass encroaching their space, so I plan on extra mulched areas around each plant, at least two feet on each side.

The Veterans Honor rose came up from the Blackberry patch with one scoop from my shovel. Being soaked twice in 24 hours helped, and it was not as deeply rooted as one with a long history in the same spot.

I wheel-barrowed it over - two houses away - with a shovel, rose shears, and cow manure. We looked for a new spot and found one away from trees, getting morning sun, but not likely to be roasted in the afternoon.

The soil was dried clay, which got tougher and harder quickly. I did some of the digging and soon the area was ready. The rose, roots, and soil went in together. I pointed out the green branch coming from the main part and snipped some dead wood off the rose. We filled in with potting soil, though the composted cow manure would have worked too.

I suggested a deep, slow drip afterwards and daily watered for a time, including the upper part. Newspaper or cardboard plus pine needles from their pine trees will make a good mulch. Roses favor acid a bit, so fireplace ashes (base, just the opposite) are not a good choice on roses.

Basic Planting Instructions

• When possible soak all bare root and potted plants in rainwater or stored water  - at least a few hours. This gives the plant a good supply of moisture for growing root hairs and getting rooted.
• Roses want to be pruned, so a little snipping of roots and canes will encourage fast rooting and leafing out, New leaves are the sign of success.
• Daily watering of new roses is also a good idea, with attention paid to the canes, which are sponge-like, easily giving up moisture but also responding well to watering.
• Mulching with paper or cardboard - plus leaves or needles or wood mulch - will hold in moisture and build the soil. 
• Do not add chemical fertilizer, but red wiggler earthworms should be dropped on top of the area.
• Autumn leaves are a great way to protect roses for the winter and build up the soil. In New Ulm I bought chicken wire and created a bin holding the leaves around all the roses. They were well protected from drying and freezing wind, and the soil was improved all winter and into the spring.
• The best way to revive roses and help them bloom is to use rainwater. Roses respond in a day or two. If it rains afterwards as well - so much the better.

John 1:3 All things were made by Him;
and without Him was not any thing made that was made.

Coreopsis Jungle at Almost Eden. "Be Still and Know That I AM God."

This Coreopsis meadow photo was taken by someone else.
I am going to take my camera on the next walk to Almost Eden.

Yesterday, Sassy and I took our evening walk toward Almost Eden. The rain clouds were threatening and a cool breeze was making the walk easy. We usually see the Almost Eden Nursery owner with his dog, Opie, in the mornings.

We came upon Almost Eden's Coreopsis garden in full bloom. The area is at least 12 feet long and 4 feet wide.



Coreopsis species coreopsis, tickseed, calliopsis FAMILY Asteraceae (aster) 
• perennial, USDA zones 3–8; some species variation • North American natives • blooms midsummer to fall • 1–6 feet (0.3–1.8 m) high, 1–3 feet (0.3–1 m) wide Called tickseed for their buggy-looking seeds, these North American natives may already have a home in your garden. Several dozen species of coreopsis exist, and quite a few of them are common garden perennials. They have become so popular because of their ease of growth, long flowering period, drought tolerance, deer resistance, and all-around good looks. Nearly all coreopsis are attractive to good bugs of all sorts, including minute pirate bugs, parasitic wasps, soldier beetles, syrphid flies, lacewings, and spiders. I’d like to share with you a handful of my favorite species.


Walliser, Jessica. Attracting Beneficial Bugs to Your Garden: A Natural Approach to Pest Control (Kindle Locations 2067-2079). Timber Press. Kindle Edition. 

Sassy's interest's were at nose level. She loves the ability to pursue olfactory research around the berm and gardens. I walked up eye level to the tall plants and began looking through the forest of blooms for beneficial insects. Everywhere I looked, various types of bees were working the flowers. Tachinid flies were looking for pollen. Some tiny creatures darted around the stems.

I doubt whether any movie or animation could match the calm, industrious parade of creatures enjoying the yellow and orange flowers. Soon enough the flowers will turn into tickseed, and birds would harvest and spread them. Everyone writes about the superstar sunflower seeds, but Sharon Lovejoy points out that all the flowers produce seed that the birds love to harvest in the late summer.
Rosehips (rose seed pods) are harvested by birds before they become Rosehip Tea or Vitamin C tablets.

Psalm 46:10King James Version (KJV)

10 Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

One of the most calming and inspiring sights is a garden full of flowers and free of toxins, on a still and sunny day, gathering the insects with nectar, pollen, and fruits.

Instead of visiting famous gardens, which we appreciate, we tour our own ever-changing parade of plants and creatures. Rain-barrels have trapped four squirrels, who either fall in or climb in for water (which is everywhere else in the back and front yard). I came in and took off my Tilley hat, placing it over my chest, out of respect.

"What's wrong?"

I said, "We lost Chestnut."

Mrs. Ichabod asked, "How many squirrels have died now?"

I said, "Four:

1. Filbert
2. Walnut
3. Peanut, and now...
4. Chestnut."

One would never know that I buried four squirrels. There is a enviable supply of rabbits and squirrels in the yard, matching the abundance of food, shelter, and fresh water. To make sure Sassy and others have fresh, clean water, I leave a garbage can lid, upside-down, near the outside faucet. When I water, the spray from the leaky connections fills and cleans the shallow containers nearby. Shallow clay dishes are there to hydrate toads and other small creatures

My plants are nowhere near this size -
Chaste Tree is another beneficial insect host.

Rain was threatening this morning, after our walk, so I began to empty the rain-barrels. I was pleased to find the transplanted Chaste Tree (a small bush at the moment) was leafed out. The Chaste Tree needed more sun and less water. Checking the Net, I saw the plant also enjoys pruning and does well when pruned. I cut all the drooping branches back and all are greened up. I could smell its medicinal aroma from a few feet away.

The roses got most of the rainwater - liquid, gentle fertilizer - and Hostas got the rest. Several are in bloom already, and I wanted them doing well for the hummingbirds.

Rosehips are fruits full of seed.

Landmark Megachurch Shrinks 90% in Membership - Overbuilt and Under-Attended. Like Many Lutheran Churches Today. Plum Church Now a Prune, Due to Adultery and Lavish Spending. Charisma Magazine Founded There

Calvary Assembly of God, Orlando, looks ready to jump into action.
In an auditorium built for 5,000 or more, 500 worship.

Declining Florida Megachurch Planning to Sell Part of Church Campus to Reflect Shifting Ministry Focus

A historic Florida megachurch that has seen a large decline in membership over the past few years is considering selling off a portion of its property.

Calvary Assembly of Orlando was founded in the 1950s. Considered one of the first megachurches of the United States, at its peak it had around 7,000 members.

However, steep declines in membership have led Calvary Assembly to consider an offer to sell part of the church's property to a developer.

Ed Garvin, lead pastor of Calvary Assembly, told The Christian Post that since he accepted his position in January 2014, the congregation of about 650 is working on a "revitalization process."

"Part of the revitalization process has been to thoroughly evaluate all of our resources, including our facilities. Our worship center was built in 1987 and seats over 5,500," explained Garvin.

"With the trend among megachurches shifting to smaller auditoriums and multiple services and campuses, one of the options we considered was selling our campus and building a new facility that better reflects our ministry focus."

Read more at http://www.christianpost.com/news/declining-florida-megachurch-planning-sell-part-church-campus-reflect-shifting-ministry-focus-167441/#sZ8rISUh4825WGs1.99

---

http://www.charismanews.com/opinion/41019-despite-rumors-calvary-assembly-megachurch-is-not-for-sale

Charisma spun off from Calvary in 1981 as a separate organization, shortly before the late Roy Harthern, then the pastor, stepped down due to moral indiscretions. The history below recounts some of the ups and downs. The church experienced a sort of renaissance under the ministry of both Dr. Mark Rutland and Clark Whitten. But over the years many people left—including me and my wife—and Calvary has struggled to stop that trend.

[GJ - Harthern's daughter married the adulterous Benny Hinn.]

---

http://www.christianitytoday.com/gleanings/2013/may/three-megachurch-pastors-resign-over-adultery-in-orlando.html

Home > Archives > 2013 > May

PEOPLE; THEOLOGY

Three Megachurch Pastors Resign over Adultery in Orlando

(UPDATED) Discovery Church elders believe David Loveless 'can be restored to ... productive Christian service,' but not as their pastor.

Melissa Steffan

[ POSTED 5/16/2013 03:49PM ]

Flickr / Jared

Update (June 7): Experts say disgraced pastors face a long road back to the pulpit even after they repent, according to the Orlando Sentinel. But the main problem is not lust, but pride.

CT reported when concerns over pride prompted leaves of absence by two high-profile pastors.

––-

http://www.christianitytoday.com/gleanings/2013/may/three-megachurch-pastors-resign-over-adultery-in-orlando.html

The head pastor of one of America's "10 healthiest churches" has resigned after confessing that he committed adultery three years ago.

David Loveless, head pastor of Discovery Church, relinquished his pastoral duties at the Orlando megachurch this month, according to the Orlando Sentinel.

But Loveless is not the only Orlando-area pastor to confess an adulterous relationship lately. In the past six months, two other pastors, Summit Church's Isaac Hunter and The Gathering Place's Sam Hinn, also resigned.

According to a statement released by Discovery Church's elders, Loveless's affair ended approximately three years ago. However, he only made it known to church leaders within the past few weeks. 

*** 

WELS-ELS-ELCA-LCMS Chase  an Illusion

 A quick trip to a Pentecostal Church will reveal what the Lutherans covet and copy. They think the Pentecostals have all the answers and they want those shiny castles more than David wanted Delilah.

What I saw a few years ago had more to do with commercialism than religion at a Pentecostal church:

A coffee bar.

An ATM for giving outside the entertainment area.

An auditorium rather than a church.

A stage rather than a chancel.

Secular music.

Parking valet "ministry." 

This mega-church in Orlando built too large a building, a cathedral that matched the ego or insecurity of one pastor. Then Benny Hinn's father-in-law came along and got the enormous mortgage paid off while having an affair with a church member.

As 29A has said to me, "I work with a lot of pagans who do everything you can imagine, but they have no use for clergy who are unfaithful."

Huge buildings are supposed to be magnets that draw the masses, as Robert Schuller claimed before his own castle went bankrupt. The carillon dedicated to his wife no longer worked, because the Schuller staff lacked or mis-spent the money for repairs.

Church leaders of all denominations are so materialistic and greedy that they imagine everything "works" except teaching the doctrine of the Bible. That doctrine is an adiaphoron when popcorn, soda, and entertainment are clearly what the masses seem to desire for the moment.

As WELS has shown, adulterous and abusive ministers leave a trail of destruction, hidden only for a short time by their glamorous and deceptive PR. The officials do not care. As Mrs. Ichabod observed, "They must be adulterers too."

Just don't question them. Then you will discover the meaning of "The Wrath of God."

Correcting the Correction E-Mailed to Me. I Quoted the New Edition, Which Armin Panning Edited

Hi Greg,

Just an FYI about the J.P. Meyer Ministers of Christ quote.

You might already be aware of this, but I thought I would pass it along just in case. WELS identified Meyer's statement as unacceptable, and NPH removed it (relegated it to a footnote) in later editions of Ministers of Christ. In my edition, which bears a 1963 copyright, the statement occurs on pp 103-4.

Of course, if your point was to prove that JP Meyer held this position, his quote supplies the proof. If your point was to prove that the WELS accepts this statement, the corrected edition proves otherwise.

I am not trying to enter this UOJ debate at any level; I am just making sure you have accurate information about the citation.

***

GJ - I responded in a calm and reassuring way, keeping the author's identity secret here, lest there be reprisals against him for violating the shun order.

The writer is quoting from earlier editions. I bought the 2011 edition, cited the year and page in the graphics, and gave the volume away to a bookish guy who enjoys having a huge library.

Panning was the New Testament professor at Mequon and previously presided over the appeal of the Kokomo families who questioned the UOJ claims of JP Meyer. Three of the four statements are directly from Meyer and the fourth is from an earlier Swedish-Norwegian debate about the same topic. The Swedish Augustana Lutherans were on the side of Paul, Luther, and the Confessio Augustana. 

WELS makes fun of the Book of Concord and refuses to teach it in any significant way.

I also responded to X by saying that Buchholz' statements in his essay are even worse than JP Meyer's. However, appealing to the authority of one WELS leader or another is rather ironic. They turned against Gausewitz' Biblical catechism and adopted the Kuske catechism, a real farce, instead.

This is preposterous.

' ----

Has anyone in WELS read the Book of Concord?
Bueller? Bueller? Anyone? Anyone?

The write responded:

Hi Greg,

You are correct - Ministers of Christ was reprinted in 2011. 

I misspoke myself when I said the statement had been moved to a footnote. The editors left the bogey in place (presumably since the author is dead and can't give permission to change it), but then added an explanatory footnote:

"It has been correctly observed that when the New Testament uses the term hagioi, generally translated as "saints," it regularly restricts itself to speaking of believers. It is therefore critical to realize the adjusted meaning that Prof. Meyer here gives the term "saint" when he incorporates it into the phrase "the status of a saint." He is not saying that every person who has the status of saint is a saint, or a believer, or that he will necessarily be saved. That would be universalism. Rather, he is saying that in view of Christ's substitutionary death and merit, God now declares the sinner righteous. God can look at the sinner as holy because in Christ his status, his standing before God, has changed."

I know you still disagree with the content of the footnote. But aside from that, the footnote does demonstrate that even those who defend UOJ agree that the "Saints in Hell" phraseology that Meyer used is unacceptable because it is inconsistent with the biblical usage of the word hagioi (i.e. an "adjusted meaning") and confusing enough to require an explanation / disclaimer. In other words, if they agreed with what Meyer said, and how he said it, they would have left it alone.

I even remember being warned by Seminary professor to watch out for this flaw in an otherwise excellent commentary -- (probably in PT or Dog, 84-88).

It's been good to talk with you. Have a good weekend.

***

GJ - WELS, the Misouri Synod, and the fading ELS would have to repudiate UOJ for them to be considered Lutheran or even Christian.

This is closely related to the issue of authority. For WELS, the ultimate authority is a select group of dimwits and those who agree with them. If someone agrees with those dimwits, they are counted as praiseworthy and defended all the way to state prison. If some question the dimwits, they are expelled or hated out.

Murders Most Foul - WELS Cover-Ups Even Worse. JP Meyer's Saints in the Wisconsin Synod

An Internet Sleuth Found More Information on the Wives Murdered in the Homes of
Two WELS Church Workers - Tabor and Just.

Mrs. Janice Tabor was murdered  October 8, 1976, at the parsonage of Salem Lutheran Church, 2400 N. Cramer, Milwaukee. Pastor William D. Tabor never spent a day in prison - Oscar Naumann, WELS Synod President, 1953-1979.

Naumann Hagiography

Tabor's mistress, Janet Goodall, was found guilty of the murder, but Tabor skated. Janet was not a good witness against him, because she protected him at first, then told various stories. She also had a record of deception at work.

The basic story is the Janice Tabor caught her husband, Pastor William Tabor, in bed with Janet Goodall. She threatened to expose him, though everyone already knew he was an adulterer, and a fight followed. Janice was shot in the back and twice in the head with a 45.

The mistress changed her story when the police told her that Tabor was cheating on her and his wife with a third woman. The prosecutor was not able to gather enough credible evidence to charge Tabor, who refused to answer any questions. According to WELS, he was already forgiven for everything past, present, future.

Tabor's real history is not told in the newspaper accounts and WELS was certain stingy with the truth. He was trained at Concordia Seminary, LCMS, in Springfield (now at Ft. Wayne). Tabor joined the Lutheran Churches of the Reformation at some point and served an LCR congregation (now ELS) in Cape Girardeau in Missouri, Scriptural Lutheran, Jay Webber's first call. We were there and ended up knowing a lot more because of that and some LCR connections, such as Pastor William Bischoff, an Otten friend, Trinity, Bridgeton, LCMS.

What I know at this point -

• Concordia Seminary, LCMS.
• Scriptural Lutheran, LCR. Tabor was known for adultery in Cape and suddenly discovered WELS was the True Church. WELS Pastor Roger Zehms was the circuit pastor, and he knew all about Tabor's adultery. When Scriptural members protested that Tabor could not be a pastor, Zehms told them, "Write a letter." Zehms said he baptized a woman's baby who was "the spitting image of Tabor." When Miscke pal and NWL editor Jeb Schaefer had lunch with us in Milwaukee, he said the police came to synod headquarters and "Tabor's file was completely empty." So - where did those LCR letters go, WELS?
• Pastor Bischoff also told me about Tabor's adultery being well known.
• Tabor still began a WELS mission with a bunch of people he took out of Scriptural. Perhaps this is where Zehms baptized the Tabor look-alike. The mission faded away.
• WELS gave Tabor a call to Salem in Milwaukee. After all, Zehms said "Tabor was a great preacher." Tabor had at least two mistresses in Milwaukee, and he was undoubtedly present with his mistress when his wife was murdered.
• WELS gave Tabor a new call to Escanaba, Michigan, but that ended with another mistress. The WELS excuse is that he already had a call when he murdered his wife, so he was not given a call just to get him out of the state. But with two mistresses, that is the normal WELS method - move the man to another state and claim no knowledge of the scandal. The same is true of clergy and leaders with DUIs.

Tabor seems to be in Texas now.

Here is one newspaper account of the Tabor murder. By Googling the names involved, more stories will show up.

Here is a second account of the Tabor murder.



Sharon Ruth Just was murdered - July, 21,1980 - Arizona Lutheran Academy, Phoenix, Arizona.

Teacher Al Just was convicted but only spent a few years in prison. He married his children's babysitter, but she divorced him, supposedly when she saw a glimpse of the real Al Just. Carl Mischke, WELS Synod President, 1979-1993.

Carl Mischke - Hagiogrraphy

Although WELS organized a big white-wash for Al Just. Loyalists came from New Ulm to support him - even the president of Dr. Martin Luther College - who testified for Just at the trial.

His son, a Fuller alumnus, is now First VP of WELS.
Sonny boy had no trouble with an adulterer serving as an
"evangelism consultant" in Columbus.

I can get a number of links about William Tabor - see above - but only this one about Al Just. 



Legal Description of Al Just Appeal for Murdering His Wife 


Appellant [WELS Teacher Al Just] and his wife dozed off, and appellant later woke up and went to the kitchen.

Appellant told Klettlinger that while he was in the kitchen he heard his wife screaming, and he ran into the bedroom. He stated that he observed her lying on the floor next to the bed, and that he attempted to lift her body. As he did so, he dropped her and discovered the knife, and removed it. He told Klettlinger that she was struggling with him, that he reached in her mouth to keep her from swallowing her tongue, and that when he did so, she bit his thumb. He took pillows and sheets and pressed them between himself and Sharon in an effort to stop the bleeding. He also stated that he put his hands over her mouth so that her screams would not wake the children. He told Klettlinger that when Jana entered the bedroom and turned the light on, he told her to turn off the light and go back to bed.

There is more, but it is sickening. The jury did not buy his pathetic lies and sentenced him, but somehow that became a very light sentence.

Pastor Steve Spencer, WELS, ordered me to never mention the case again, because the Phoenix WELS clergy were very touchy about it.

A relative of Al Just wrote me that Just was completely innocent. He must not have heard that Just confessed his crime to another relative.

One of my friends saw Al Just with a WELS youth group after leaving prison. The excuse was, "He served his time."

How does someone measure the damage done to congregations and family members by these concerted efforts to deny church workers engaged in adultery and then murder to cover up their infidelities?

I cannot imagine being a child having a father who murdered my mother or even worse - who denies the obvious while church leaders do everything possible to hide, confuse, or obscure the truth.

WELS accepted Tabor so they could have a bonus congregation from the Scriptural Lutheran Church split. The bonus congregation no longer exists.

WELS's Meditations, March-May 2014, for Monday, March 17, 2014.  

"No matter what you did yesterday -- or failed to do -- and no matter what you will do tomorrow, God has forgiven you."

Adultery and alcoholism among the WELS/ELS church workers is justified - so to speak - by their false dogma of UOJ. How ironic that Jay Webber saw the damage first-hand at Scriptural, then took funds from the adulterous Marvin Schwan to go to the Ukraine and play the role of a big shot. He completed his destructive work by ignorantly and deceptively installing UOJ in Luther's Works at the Emmaus Conference.

Luther himself refuted Jay Webber's ridiculous claims.

Clergy adultery is no sin in WELS or the ELS,
if the fringe benefit of money is offered in abundance.

For Beginning Rose Growers - Bet on Creation

One of my classmates added a word to my vocabulary - complexification. He was admonishing another classmate for the crime of complexification, but I am not sure why. That word fits the world of garden publishing. They have made a delightful hobby so difficult to understand and so arduous in labor that many would rather push a reel mower through tall weeds.

Our neighbor is going to begin rose gardening with her daughter, so I was thinking of some basic tips.

Feed the Soil Creatures and Leave Them Alone - They Will Pay a Bonus
Man-made fertilizers do not feed the soil creatures, because Creation is not engineered for the products of factories. The soil microbes deliver nutrition to the delicate root hairs, and that relationship alone should be enough to discourage rototilling, double-digging, and other follies. Long-term relationships are the best, so let the fungi deliver to the root hairs, the bacteria and protozoa and nematodes doing their jobs.

Feed the soil creatures with

1. newspapers, 
2. cardboard, 
3. leaves, 
4. grass, 
5. bark, and 
6. logs. 

The top layer is always going to be plants, weeds, or mulch. The mulches discourage weeds, hold water in the soil, reduce wind erosion, and rot downward to feed everything below. Besides, soils creatures work best in dark and moist conditions, so mulch feeds provides that and feeds them as well. The effect of organic material on soil will attract insects that spiders, birds, and toads enjoy, another benefit.

AARP is recruiting at younger ages all the time.

Good, Better, and Best Water
Less water is used when mulching the garden, but dry spells demand some help for plants and creatures. Tapwater is good for watering, if we have nothing better.

For better results, water stored a day or more is doing to be relatively free of chlorine. That was my mother's secret for beautiful plants in her overheated, dry classroom. No teacher could match the results. During dry spells I store water when I am going to soak new rose bushes or plants that come in the mail, which are always dry and need a long soaking.

The best results come from rainwater, either from the heavens above or barrels below. Commercial rainbarrels are expensive, unless we buy large plastic garbage cans on sale.

Rainwater is:

• Liquid fertilizer, enriched with nitrogen fixed by lightning, courtesy of the Creator.
• Medicine, designed to heal stressed plants while helping their staff - the microbes, earthworms, and other staff that serve and benefit the flowers, vegetables, and fruits.
• Chlorine-free. Chlorine is great for killing bacteria, but bacteria are foundational for the food pyramid, engineered to 

Only then do the tiny, microscopic organisms— bacteria, fungi, protozoa, nematodes— appear, and in numbers that are nothing less than staggering. A mere teaspoon of good garden soil, as measured by microbial geneticists, contains a billion invisible bacteria, several yards of equally invisible fungal hyphae, several thousand protozoa, and a few dozen nematodes. The common denominator of all soil life is that every organism needs energy to survive. While a few bacteria, known as chemosynthesizers, derive energy from sulfur, nitrogen, or even iron compounds, the rest have to eat something containing carbon in order to get the energy they need to sustain life. Carbon may come from organic material supplied by plants, waste products produced by other organisms, or the bodies of other organisms. The first order of business of all soil life is obtaining carbon to fuel metabolism— it is an eat-and-be-eaten world, in and on top of the soil.

Lewis, Wayne; Lowenfels, Jeff. Teaming with Microbes: The Organic Gardener's Guide to the Soil Food Web, Revised Edition (Kindle Locations 162-169). Timber Press. Kindle Edition. 

Leaves and wood are full of carbon. Bacterial and fungi crave carbon, so I find it amusing that the heavy gardening books of the past dismissed leaves, newspapers, and wood as being mostly carbon. That is like a football team turning down steaks, because they are mostly meat.

Man-made fertilizers have no long-term benefit. Organic materials build up the soil population, which holds onto all the beneficial compounds and circulates them among them as the food eating bacterium and fungus becomes the food. Slugs shred organic matter and serve as food. Earthworms concentrate beneficial compounds, grind soil finer, and move bacterial around.

If the soil population is doubled, the moisture and compounds held by the creatures will also increase as much. These interactions are Creation, engineering, and management at their best.

De-Complexification - My Method
I laughed when Amazon offered to sell me a book - Compost Tea. People have elaborate schemes for piling up, turning, and distributing compost. Adding to that - they have recipes for making compost tea, adding water and performing various magic formulae before pouring it on plants.

I make compost by covering the lawn with cardboard, holding it down with leaves, logs, and mulch. Simply shutting down the sunlight turns the lawn into perfect compost, using the soil creatures without tossing them around like debris in a tornado. Material on top of the cardboard keeps it in place until watering, rain, and additional weight keeps it in place.

I turned one area from shaded grass to a Shaded Garden, where shade-loving plants can grow in rich, soil that was fed over the winter by the lawn rotting under the cardboard and leaves. Some airborne weeds have grown, but they are easy to pull from the area. The plants we put there are ones that enjoy shade, thrive in shade, and multiply (naturalize) on their own.

I make manure tea by adding manure to rainwater. That delivers an extra dose of organic matter to the root area. Bags of manure or mushroom compost are inexpensive and easy to move around - unlike a ton of compost.

Butterfly Weed is very attractive to Monarchs
and to us.

Fun Sharing Rose Blooms and Rose Bushes

Barbra Streisand Rose

I wrote before about giving Barbra Streisand to a friend to grow, because she loves lavender roses. No, I do not blame the rose for the name - I thought it was a good match. We should always give what we would like to have ourselves. Like great books, great roses can be enjoyed over and over again by various people.

I had a routine exam at the doctor's office, so I brought roses for the reception staff. They paid no attention to them when I signed in. Then I said, "These are for your staff. You do all the work around here." One receptionist said, "Hola, roses. The goat ate all my roses. Not my goat. His goat." It was clearly her husband's hungry goat. I said, "They taste good. They are herbs."

Our neighbor and her daughter loved the Mother's Day roses I left on their porch, so I decided to give them a rose bush or two to practice on. They are both excited because it has been a topic of discussion between them. They will get a Veterans Honor and probably a Peace Rose.

Veterans Honor Rose

Sassy found their dog under a bush when he ran away, and they were happy about the little fence-climber coming home, only two houses away.

They also love our front yard, especially the Calladiums showing off their red, green, and white colors in the middle of the roses.

I gave a few tips, such as not using man-made fertilizer but following the principles of Creation. A believer, she smiled and said, "God's ideas are probably a lot better than ours."

Mr. Lincoln never disappoints.

If I had to name one rose to start with, it would be Mr. Lincoln, because no rose grows with the vigor and strength of Mr. Lincoln. The canes repeat bloom, time after time. The buds open up slowly with the richest fragrance and slowly turn an attractive shade of purple.

Peace changes color slowly,
starting out a light yellow and adding
the pink edging.

Chipmunks, Hosta, and Toxic Remedies. Hosta La Vista? Weed and Pest Control

Hosta - Blue Hawaii

Mrs. Ichabod loves Hosta plants, which are a decorative weed. Just kidding folks. There are 8,000 varieties of Hosta and one can join a Hosta society and become part of their community.

The American Hosta Society.

Free Hosta Journal

This article proves that Hosta fanatics are a bit different.

Hostas are the most famous shade plant, and they have the advantage of spreading on their own and attracting hummingbirds. Some gardeners leave the base of their trees bare or covered with wood mulch. Others would rather use the area for Hostas and other shade plants.

Mr. Gardener gave me some of his Hosta, and I purchased a few more from Direct Gardening, which means very small ones for a very small price. However, the tiny sprouts grew quickly and began to catch up with the big plants from my neighbor.

The Michigander told me chipmunks were eating his Hosta, killing them, so I looked up the topic. Internet Forums are interesting, because everyone has a theory and a cure.

Hosta - Great Expectations

Toxic Avengers
The forums blamed chipmunks on Hosta problems, but some named other culprits. The defense tactics made me cringe and laugh.

Slugs
One person hates slugs, which comes from slugs rasping away leaves and really damaging young plants. Like earthworms, they are considered shredders, an important part of decomposition. In addition, 2/3rds of them are never seen - so good luck  with ammonia water, suggested by one person who loves to see them writhe and die. You know what they say about people who enjoy hurting animals. I would watch that one.

Animals go to where they are fed. Slugs love moisture, darkness, and garden products. Watering at night is a great way to gather slugs in the garden. Anything strong enough to kill one creature will kill others, though ammonia has the advantage of being a nitrogen product and not true poison.

So poison slug bait is going to kill some slugs and plenty of other critters. That could poison dogs and cats, too. But slugs will never go away. Go out at night and view the garden with a strong flashlight. That will be enlightening.

Detergent and Other Mixes
Some people pass this around as a cure for weeds - Epsom Salts (why?), a huge dose of Dawn detergent, and vinegar. Epsom Salts will not kill weeds or improve most soils, but it is fun to see it melt into the soil when it rains.  Those who make the product say it is ideal for every single desirable plant. Martha Stewart scratches Epsom Salts into the top layer, showing as much soil knowledge as the Gabor sisters.

Dawn detergent is a great degreasing product that will kill everything it touches: soil creatures, weeds, plants, flowers, bushes, and soil microbes. The soap will also imbalance the soil chemistry while adding toxic chemicals to the water table.

Vinegar is a mild acid. I doubt whether that by itself would have a long-term effect on weeds. Doubtless the combination of all three will make a smelly, awful mix.

Hosta - Liberty.

Easy Weed Control
When Jessica Walliser wrote on the topic, I offered my answer - Washing DC Cover-Up approach. I cover up the weeds with cardboard and mulch and say, "What weeds? I don't see any."

When I have a large patch of tall weeds, we mow them down first, then cover them with cardboard or newspapers, then add leaves or mulch.

Weeds popping out of the edges can be pulled, which is quite effective after a long rain.

We leave dandelions (true herbs) alone, because they are not weeds and are not invasive. Besides, they will always be around. Learn to love them and eat the nutritious greens.

Purslane is another eternal edible that some see as obnoxious. Nothing tastes better while gardening.

Our constant pest is Bermuda or wire grass. We do some pulling and cover large patches.

Crabgrass, a grain imported from Europe, is mowed rather than soaked with RoundUp, which only leaves bare spots in the lawn and messes up all the plants and critters.

Crabgrass in the cracks of the driveway and sidewalk can be treated with rock or pool salt. The salt will dry up the plant and go away.

Milkweed is highly desirable for Monarch Butterflies.

Critters
Rabbits and squirrels most of my food plants, one way or another, so I no longer try to grow much food.

I let God sort out the creatures. Each one is food for another, so they balance out overall. My neighbor has a caged garden fenced in and covered on top.

Morning Glory will grow like a weed.
Our mutual fence is covered with them now,
because Mr. Gardener put his green trash along the fence.
They planted themselves and we have a big display of them.

Scapegoat Studio Blog: Return to Wittenberg 2016. How Many Will Mark Schroeder Kick Out of WELS?

Scapegoat Studio Blog: Return to Wittenberg 2016:



"This past week I was privileged to be a part of the first Return to Wittenberg (R2W) conference, entitled “What Does This Mean?” The event was held at Wisconsin Lutheran College in Milwaukee, on July 26-29. Since this was the event’s debut, I’ll spend a little time explaining what R2W is before reviewing my experience.

Last fall I was invited by several WELS pastors and laymen to consider presenting at the conference and help with the planning. Much of the groundwork had already been laid, so I can’t claim to have contributed much more than a graphic identity. In the early planning stages, the conference was conceived of as an alternative to WELS youth rallies that would be recognizably Confessional and Lutheran. While that may be the easiest way to explain it, it would be an oversimplification to say that R2W is just a WELS knockoff of Higher Things. What it became was a conference focused on the catechism, aimed at teens through 30-somethings, with the intent that all ages would be welcome."



'via Blog this'

In Production - Catholic, Lutheran, Protestant: A Doctrinal Comparison of Three Christian Confessions

Norma A. Boeckler designed the cover
and provided the artwork inside the book.

NSA Intercept - Making a Yuuuge Deal

Do not anger the Big Kahuna.

One of my sources downloaded this from NSAintercepts.com, but the URL has changed since then. Those spooks are so careful with their information.

Kudu: OK, boss. We will give Ski a big recommendation, that he is 100% for a call anywhere.

Big Kahuna: This will make Insurance-ho happy. He protects his alumni.

Tiny Tim: That's right, Big. We will call Ski as soon as we get the OK. No one wants to accept a call for that position. Hahahahahahahaha.

Kudu: But boss, my parish needs to take over his members and territory, OK? That way we can go multi-campus and make a big splash in the area. Round Rock is loaded with high-end potential members.

Insurance-ho: I am sure that some generous grants will come from this blessed plan. The board wants to do more with our institutions and congregations.

Big Kahuna: Kudu, we have to have a study about the situation, maybe call in an outsider on this, like Will Cell 4 Call. He will make sure we have good results

Kudu: He is a fine man. I am sure he would like to hunt lions in Africa with me.

Tiny Tim: He's a vegan.

Kudu: He can hunt deer with me. They only eat grass and leaves.

Big Kahuna: Great. We are all on the same page. Now let's make sure this does not get out.

Kudu: Boss, it's already a speculation post on you know what.

Big Kahuna: Conversation over. This never happened and nobody was here.

Tiny Tim: GA promise - better than a pinky promise.

The Mark and Avoid Jeske Crowd Embraces Scott Barefoot. From 2015

The Odd Couple - Richard Starr and Scott Barefoot
Their book will be turned into a Broadway musical -
"Once Upon a Mattress."
No wait, that title has already been taken.

WELS's Meditations, March-May 2014, for Monday, 17 March 2014.  The howler is in the second column which reads:  "No matter what you did yesterday -- or failed to do -- and no matter what you will do tomorrow, God has forgiven you."

Scott Barefoot and a delighted Jonathan Stern

Pastor Jon Stern (friend and classmate of my friend and book co-author Pastor Richard D. Starr) came to hear my presentation today. Enjoyed meeting him also!

Kudu Don Patterson, Scott Barefoot, and Dan Laitenen

Pastor Don Patterson (President of WELS' South Central District) and Pastor Dan Laitinen both of Holy Word, Austin TX with me prior to my talk there this afternoon. Enjoyed meeting everyone there today! They also had a great potluck meal while I was there.— at Holy Word Lutheran Church.

Ski, Scott Barefoot, and Ski's wife Janinne.

Pastor James "Ski" and Janinne Skorzewski with me at Christ the Rock (WELS) Round Rock, TX. They were kind enough to provide my transportation and lodging this weekend. It was great to see Ski again and meet the rest of the family! — at Christ the Rock.