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| This is the spare garden, which will be filled in next year. |
The other backyard garden is where we feed and bathe the birds, water and feed the squirrels (whether we like it or not). I built up bushes for the birds to use when waiting for their turn at the bird-feeder. The same bushes provide shade from the merciless setting sun. The bushes mean the animals cast shadows on the wall behind the computer monitor, so I can observe them without turning around.
The garden pictured above began with a layer of cardboard covered with a lot of pine needles from our neighbor. The kids were happy earn money hauling needles for the top layer, which has remained almost weed-free since. The exceptions were a splendid specimen of Poison Hemlock (removed) and an equally large Pokeweed (felled by wind and rain).
This spare garden is where I stored all the Hostas given to me by Mr. Gardener. Most of the Hostas are now in the rose garden, growing to provide spikey flowers for Hummingbirds.
I joined the Carbon Cowboys Club, dedicated to having as many living roots in the soil as possible. That is a basic Creation principle I overlooked. Living roots provide 75% of the fertility in the soil, so the CCC is going to mulch plenty but also let the roots develop the soil even more.
Before, I thought of rain and soil creatures doing my gardening work for me, thanks to the intricacies of God's Creation. But now I think of the growing roots as partners in this work.
Rainy days like today always make me feel like I am working really hard. I think, "Where will I put all this rainwater when it's done?" I need not splash it around during the rain, and I can wait a day or so before using the stored rain.
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| Crepe Myrtle - Picotee. |
The backyard Crepe Myrtles get the first buckets of stored rain. The growth is exponential, since the roots reach down and feed more soil life, which prompts more growth above the ground. The white myrtles all bloomed this year, and so did the white/red picotee myrtles, now in their second bloom.
Past experience tells me that the doting this year will really pay off next year. Thus all the Creation parables and examples show us the same thing. God accomplishes His will only through the Holy Spirit in the Word.
If we broadcast the Word with reckless abandon, never stopping to "test the soil" as the obnoxious Fulleroids do, we will see His will accomplished.
What I have seen accomplished is far beyond what anyone would imagine in such a small and UOJ-scorned congregation:
- Biblical graphics used all over the world;
- Great Lutheran classics published in various versions;
- A seminary student approaching the completion of a degree.
I relish the attempted beat-downs by the LutherQuashers. Tis much like being stoned to death by popcorn. They only proclaim their fears, insecurities, anxieties, and incompetencies.
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| Bride's Dream was a bargain offering for $5 each. Now new ones have been added, where they bloom and glow. |
