Sunday, November 29, 2009

Summers bounty

You rummage under their leaves and are rewarded as you uncover their juicy prolific fruit.



The takings from our strawberry patch about an hour or two ago.

Saturday, November 28, 2009

Soil

I've had a busy week so I haven't read much from my book and today I caught up, reclined on my favourite chair with several cups of hot tea.

"The wet winter promised a glorious spring, and here and there, pushing through the sodden leaf mold, were furtive shoots of green that gladdened his heart. He loved the smell of the woods, and the damp alluvial soil that covered these mountains like a blanket...
'Well if it ain't the clergy!. Come in, come in, make yourself at home!'
The rector and his dog discovered a roaring fire in the old stove, a soup pot simmering on top, and a book open on the little table where an oil lamp burned against the fading afternoon light. In the corner stood the neatly made cot, with two worn quilts folded at the foot."
from At home in Mitford



This passage reminded me of my stays (most weekends as a student) at my friend's farm in Stellenbosch. We would often go walking in the wooded areas surrounding their property and I remember telling her that I loved the smell of the ground and she would look at me like I was a nutter! I would close my eyes and breath in deeply 'Can't you smell the soil?' - it had such a rich earthy fragrance. She was raised there so I guess it smelled normal to her.

Enjoy your piece of earth!

Friday, November 27, 2009

Cherries

Behold the beauty... these are so fat and sweet... had to grab a quick picture before they all disappeared. In about 2 weeks time our family will go cherry picking and we will eat and pick to our hearts content. When we are wholly full, the leftovers will go into jam and pies. Naturally one or two desserts of the fabulous Cherries Jubilee are made each summer, originally created for Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee in 1887 due to her affection for this summer fruit.


Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Entering the day with singing

Rebecca has a guitar. A real guitar for children - it was a gift and I don't even want to know what it cost. Well this morning, she hops in the car with her guitar and we sang songs all the way to school. Normally singing so early in the day would be near to impossible for me (it just don't sound right... I'm not musical at the best of times) but it was such a beautiful morning and I wanted to join the birds in celebrating the dawning of a new bright shiny day! So we did!

Sunday, November 22, 2009

The Sacred Crown

Spread across her blanket
Dimly lit
Modest surrounds
With closed lids
She wears a wistful crown

Dancing on the grass
Noon day
Bright hues
With mouth laughing
She wears a dazzling crown

Running through the field
Clouds gathering
Hair streaming
Fingers of sunshine follow
She wears a natural crown

Jumping into his arms
Night approaching
Bathed in love
Yielded
She wears a priceless crown

Friday, November 20, 2009

Rest

We were away for a few days earlier this week... far, far away.
Wonderful, relaxing - just time together.



Wednesday, November 18, 2009

How Great!

Everyone has moments like this... where you have a "suddenly", suddenly you take a corner and there is a mountain before you - intimidating, fearsome, formidable. You hold your breath.

What now? Hold on to Jesus. Other things might seem to help for a bit but nothing can sustain you like this Person. You lay yourself on the altar and implore & entrust.

He reminded me that "He can do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think ACCORDING to (get this) His power that is at work in us". Its His Power not my pitiful efforts. Another scripture that I mumbled all day long was in Isaiah 41 "Fear not for I am with you, do not be dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you and I will uphold you with my righteous right hand".

You pinch yourself when you get to the top of the mountain - am I really here? The view is so sweet. How Great is He! Confess His Word. It's living and active. His Grace IS sufficient!

Thursday, November 12, 2009

G what?

Rebecca practiced all week for her music concert (it was this morning). On Tuesday evening while practicing (I was holding her book up for her) she says to me, "Is this a G?" and then answers her own question, "Yes it is." I look at the notes, so very thankful that she figured it out because I didn't know what I was looking it. All those lines, dots and other oddities could have been the music to Bach's Flute Sonata in G major or Three blind mice, for all I know.

We got to school a little earlier (I usually arrive late for these events, but not today). I sat in the front row! All her efforts were worth it - she did so well.

On another note (ha ha)... this is why I love American food at the moment. Its easy and they use a good 'ol can of mushroom soup is every other recipe - honestly, what's not to love.

Baked Pork Chops

6 Pork chops
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Salt and Pepper to taste (+-1/4 teaspoon each)
1 onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms (smallish pieces)
1 can cream of mushroom soup

Set oven to 190 deg C. Season chops on both sides with garlic, salt and pepper (herbs can also be added now) and place in a baking dish. Spread onion and mushrooms over it and then soup. Cover with foil and bake for about 35-40 minutes (depending on thickness of chops). Uncover and bake for another 15-20 minutes. Nice with mashed potato and green beans.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Rebecca's weekend

I'm enjoying a cup of tea with Rebecca. My beloved is on my lap and we are sharing my slippers - my feet are feeling the chill as she presses her cold bare feet into my warm slippers but I don't mind as I get to drink in her fragrance and her sticky fingers hold my face whenever she wants to share something with me.

It was a chilly weekend, complete with blankets, movies, hot chocolate, card games, Vida coffees and some work on the quilt (finally the sewing machine is working).

We also went to a delightful party for Ruby's friend... a bear party. They had to stuff, stitch up and dress the little bear. Meet the newest member to her room, named 'Baby-bear'.
She is now a part of our family and gets tucked in at night with Rebecca.



More fun, Joe's 2nd birthday celebrated. All the cute kids with Granny, enjoying their treats.

Saturday, November 7, 2009

Lewis speaks

"My argument against God was that the universe seemed so cruel and unjust. But how had I got this idea of just and unjust? A man does not call a line crooked unless he has some idea of a straight line. What was I comparing this universe with, when I called it unjust? If the whole show was bad and senseless from A to Z, so to speak, why did I, who was supposed to be part of the show, find myself in such violent reaction to it? A man feels wet when he falls in water, because man is not a water animal: a fish would not feel wet. Of course I could have given up my idea of justice by saying it was nothing but a private idea of my own. But if I did that then my argument against God collapsed too - for the argument depended on saying the world was really unjust, not simply that it did not happen to please my fancies. Thus in the very act of trying to prove God did not exist - in other words that the whole of reality was senseless - I found I was forced to assume that one part of reality - namely my idea of justice - was full of sense. Consequently atheism turns out to be too simple. If the whole universe has no meaning, we should never have found out that it has no meaning: just as, if there is no light in the universe and therefore no creatures with eyes, we should never know it was dark. Dark would be a word without meaning."

Mere Christianity ~ C S Lewis
Born in Ireland in 1898, Professor of Medieval and Renaissance Literature at Cambridge

Practice

Much practice is going on for a music performance on Thursday.

Friday, November 6, 2009

Tea anyone?

My favourite kitchen assistant...



using her cookbook...



and then we sit down to proper tea, crumpets and cup cakes...