Back to Nature Mansions Carved Out of the Virgin Wilderness.Give Creation Gardening a Try - And a Lower Budget - By Million$

The Wall Street Journal has a hilarious article about people wanting to get close to the Creation (or nature, as they spell it). They do not want to drive miles and miles to get there. So they are building mansions in the wilderness to enjoy happiness.

Poor me, I open the front door to work on - and enjoy -

• Roses, Caladiums,
• Butterfly plants - Joe Pye, Bee Balm, Clethra, Hosta, 
• Bee and Hummingbird plants - see above,
• Carpets of Wild Strawberries, with tiny rubies glowing in the leaves,
• Lilies,
• Crepe Myrtles for Robins and Cardinals.
• Fragrances from roses and other plants.
• Bunnies, birds, and hawks.

 Future Poke berries are enjoyed by over 60 birds, which plant more Poke for future feasts.

Poke for the insects.

The backyard gardens are becoming host to tall dominant plants:

1. The Poke Weed Creation bird feeder and insect platform,
2. The Joe Pye shade monster and hummer, butterfly, and bee feeder - 9 feet high,
3. Hostas growing big in the shade and the shady far backyard,
4. More Clethras, 
5. More Crepe Myrtles,
6. Far more bunnies - and birds with feeders and baths.
7. Violets, Lambs Ears.
8. Extra roses.
9. Coconut Daisies.

A classic Lincoln Town Car and a classic Crepe Myrtle decorated our front yard.

Hymn - I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say

"I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say"
by Horatius Bonar, 1808-1899

Tune - Vox dilecti - linked here

1. I heard the voice of Jesus say,
"Come unto Me and rest;
Lay down, thou weary one, lay down,
Thy head upon My breast."
I came to Jesus as I was,
Weary and worn and sad;
I found in Him a resting-place,
And He has made me glad.

2. I heard the voice of Jesus say,
"Behold, I freely give
The living water; thirsty one,
Stoop down and drink and live."
I came to Jesus, and I drank
Of that life-giving stream.
My thirst was quenched, my soul revived,
And now I live in Him.

3. I heard the voice of Jesus say,
"I am this dark world's Light.
Look unto Me; thy morn shall rise
And all thy day be bright."
I looked to Jesus, and I found
In Him my Star, my Sun;
And in that Light of Life I'll walk
Till traveling days are done.

The Lutheran Hymnal
Hymn #277
Text: John 6:35
Author: Horatius Bonar, 1846
Composer: John B. Dykes, 1868
Tune: "Vox dilecti"

Horatius Bonar wrote a number of hymns in The Lutheran Hymnal - linked here.

Hymn - From Eternity, O God,

"From Eternity, O God"
by Caspar Neumann
Translated by August Crull, 1845-1923

Tune - Liebster Jesu linked here

1. From eternity, O God,
In Thy Son Thou didst elect me;
Therefore, Father, on life's road
Graciously to heaven direct me;
Send to me Thy Holy Spirit
That His gifts I may inherit.

2. Though alive, I'm dead in sin,
Lost to all good things by nature.
Holy Ghost, change me within,
Make of me a new-born creature;
For the flesh works ruination
And can never gain salvation.

3. Drive away the gloomy night
Of my heart's perverse reflection;
Quench all thoughts that are not right,
Hold my reason in subjection;
Grant that I from Thee, with yearning,
Wisdom always may be learning.

4. Oh, create a heart in me
That in Thee, my God, believeth
And o'er the iniquity
Of my sins most truly grieveth.
When dark hours of woe betide me,
In the wounds of Jesus hide me.

5. As a branch upon a vine
In my blessed Lord implant me;
Ever of my Head divine
To remain a member grant me.
Oh, let Him, my Lord and Savior,
Be my Life and Love forever!

6. Faith and hope and charity
Graciously, O Father, give me;
Be my Guardian constantly
That the devil may not grieve me;
Grant me humbleness and gladness,
Peace and patience in my sadness.

7. Help me speak what's right and good
And keep silence on occasion;
Help me pray, Lord, as I should,
Help me bear my tribulation;
Help me die and let my spirit
Everlasting life inherit.

Hymn #411
The Lutheran Hymnal
Text: Acts 8:15
Author: Caspar Neumann, 1711, ab.
Translated by: August Crull, 1923, alt.
Titled: "Gott, du hast in deinem Sohn"
Composer: Johann R. Ahle, 1664
Tune: "Liebster Jesu"

Hymn -- Brief Life Is Here Our Portion

Tune - Ewing - linked here

Same tune as Jerusalem the Golden

"Brief Life Is Here Our Portion"
by Bernard of Morlas, 12th century
Translated by John M. Neale, 1818-1866

1. Brief life is here our portion;
Brief sorrow, short-lived care.
The life that knows no ending,
The tearless life, is there.
O happy retribution:
Short toil, eternal rest;
For mortals and for sinners
A mansion with the blest!

2. And now we fight the battle,
But then shall wear the crown
Of full and everlasting
And passionless renown;
And now we watch and struggle,
And now we live in hope,
And Zion in her anguish
With Babylon must cope.

3. But He whom now we trust in
Shall then be seen and known;
And they that know and see Him
Shall have Him for their own.
And there is David's fountain
And life in fullest glow;
And there the light is golden,
And milk and honey flow.

4. The morning shall awaken,
And shadows shall decay,
And each true-hearted servant
Shall shine as doth the day.
There God, our King and Portion,
In fulness of His grace
Shall we behold forever
And worship face to face.

5. O sweet and blessed country,
The home of God's elect!
O sweet and blessed country
That eager hearts expect!
Jesus, in mercy bring us
To that dear land of rest,
Who art, with God the Father
And Spirit, ever blest.

Hymn #448
The Lutheran Hymnal
Text: Hebrews 13:14
Author: Bernard of Morlas, c. 1145, cento
Translated by: John M. Neale, 1858

Titled:Hic vivitur breve
Composer: Alexander Ewing, 1853
Tune: "Ewing"

Hymnal - And Wilt Thou Pardon, Lord

Tune - St. Bride - linked here

"And Wilt Thou Pardon, Lord"
by Joseph the Hymnographer, c. 800-883

Translated by John M. Neale, 1818-1866
1. And wilt Thou pardon, Lord,
A sinner such as I,
Although Thy book his crimes record
Of such a crimson dye?

2. So deep are they engraved,
So terrible their fear.
The righteous scarcely shall be saved,
And where shall I appear?

3. O Thou Physician blest,
Make clean my guilty soul
And me, by many a sin opprest,
Restore and keep me whole.

4. I know not how to praise
Thy mercy and Thy love;
But deign my soul from earth to raise
And learn from Thee above.

Hymn #322
The Lutheran Hymnal
Text: Psalm 143:4
Titled: "Tohn hamartiohn mou tehn plehthun"
Author: Joseph the Hymnographer, c. 860, cento
Translated by: John M. Neale, 1862
Composer: Samuel Howard, 1762
Tune: "St. Bride"

 Joseph the Hymnographer

Christina Jackson Memorial and Garden Photos

 Title Page of the Original King James Version of the Bible - facsimile.

 The facsimile edition is on a book stand from Alec Satin, Lutheran Librarian, Lutheran Library Publishing Ministry.

 Butterfly Weed is related to Milkweed, both very attractive to butterflies.

Caladiums make a color splash on the edge of the garden. That is probably a Fragrant Cloud rose.

Ranger Bob created this Christina Jackson Memorial, near the edge of the patio.

 Norma A. Boeckler's garden is breathtaking. Christina and I were very impressed.

 Seeing Norma's garden is like visiting another world. Christina decreed that our front yard would have no grass, only roses. She pulled out a weed once and declared that she had tried gardening and was giving up that hobby.

 This is a photo montage created by Norma.

Hymn - And Wilt Thou Pardon Lord

 Joseph the Hymnographer

Tune - St. Bride - linked here

"And Wilt Thou Pardon, Lord"
by Joseph the Hymnographer, c. 800-883

Translated by John M. Neale, 1818-1866
1. And wilt Thou pardon, Lord,
A sinner such as I,
Although Thy book his crimes record
Of such a crimson dye?

2. So deep are they engraved,
So terrible their fear.
The righteous scarcely shall be saved,
And where shall I appear?

3. O Thou Physician blest,
Make clean my guilty soul
And me, by many a sin opprest,
Restore and keep me whole.

4. I know not how to praise
Thy mercy and Thy love;
But deign my soul from earth to raise
And learn from Thee above.

Hymn #322
The Lutheran Hymnal
Text: Psalm 143:4
Titled: "Tohn hamartiohn mou tehn plehthun"
Author: Joseph the Hymnographer, c. 860, cento
Translated by: John M. Neale, 1862
Composer: Samuel Howard, 1762
Tune: "St. Bride"