Right in My World
In my current state of mind, I can think of a multitude of reasons to feel sad/annoyed/angry/hopeless . . . (add your own adjective)--partly for reasons that would not resonate with others, and certainly wouldn't brighten anyone's day. And no, I won't list them here. What I will do instead is tell you in excruciating detail some of what is right in my world.
A good composition class--
I read their "writing stories" yesterday and am delighted with their eagerness to learn and their ability to identify what has been helpful in their past writing efforts. Will S. should have heard the kind words they told me about him and how much he helped them learn to write. I think we're going to have a good time together this semester. Nothing excruciating here.
Plants I bought and potted up yesterday--
When I hurried over to Glenns to buy coffee for the caffeinated crowd at school, and then realized that I should have actually waited at least 20 minutes till it was opening time, I decided to go to Stutzmans instead. I've been wanting some plants for my school room--a plant for a hanging basket, and another plant with a nice bushy shape for the top of the little metal cabinet below the window. I couldn't believe my good luck at what I found.
I told the person who offered to help me that I wanted a small plant for a hanging basket--a Plectranthus perhaps. She showed me a variegated one, different from any I had even seen, and I wasn't quite sure it was right for my purposes. Then she said, "Swedish Ivy is in the same family and I have some of those for half price because they're in pots that are too small and I haven't had time to transplant them into a hanging basket." They were perfect--exactly what I thought I was asking for when I said "Plectranthus." I had forgotten that most of the world calls this plant Swedish Ivy.
Then, because that was only $1.90 and I was paying by check, I said I thought I might buy something else to go with it. "I know what I want," I said, with sudden inspiration. "A Jade Plant. I saw one over here," I said, walking back to where I had looked earlier. The employee helped me look, and I spotted it before she did.
"I think that's the only Jade Plant we have," she said. That plant was so top-heavy and the pot so small that it feel over at least three times before I got it safely home.
Then, while I made supper, I headed to the shop and dragged my bag of potting soil to the patio, and scrubbed the hanging basket and the flower pot I found out there in which to plant my new beautiful plants. The strings of the hanging basket were filthy till I scrubbed them, and I knew the pot should be hung up so the strings could dry before I dirtied them with potting soil. I felt very smug and resourceful with my redneck way of getting it hung--on the bird feeder pipe-post, with a dandelion weeder stuck into a horizontal pipe, and threaded through the ring of the plant hanger.
Encouraging words--
My friend Rosa N. told me after church last Wed. eve. how she was promptly and thoroughly healed from her miserable year-round allergies after she requested and received anointing. Shots and medications had not helped. Rosa is not a preachy person, but this simple recounting of her experience warmed my heart.
I also heard from a friend what a Christian I don't know said to Marian, who has cancer. Among other things, she said, "Listen to what God is saying." She had already acknowledged what doctors are saying, and her belief that God may be saying something different. That "word" has been a blessing to me as it has to Marian.
Cool nights--
Days are warm, but every morning is invigorating.
Beautiful Fabulous Tomato plants--
These were planted very late, and they have not produced ripe fruit, but every plant looks beautiful and is full of big green fruit. The other tomato varieties which we also planted late, but a little earlier than the Fabulous, have suffered from blight, and they have produced very little so far.
My pickles--
Less than a week ago I threw into a clean five-gallon bucket a large, freshly-picked batch of okra and all the cucumber spears I had from produce given to me from three different gardens. Then I brined them and submerged them under a weight. They fermented most agreeably for several days, and then I changed the brine for fresh stuff and added dill from the garden, mustard seed, peppercorns, and one bulb of garlic, and let it burble again. On Monday evening I tasted a spear, and then two, and three, and one okra. Perfect. Every one.
Hiromi helped me put them into gallon jars in the refrigerator. I feel very accomplished.
Sweet Autumn Clematis (and Honeysuckle)--
This rambunctious Clematis has clambered over a dead Tallhedge (Alder Buckthorn) plant and sprawled over everything nearby, biding its time till now. It grows near our front door, and is loaded with dainty white flowers in great clusters, giving off a sweet fragrance besides. Only a bit of Honeysuckle that covers our cave cellar is blooming, but it's a surprise because this is not its usual blooming time.
The book of Mark--
I just finished my fifth consecutive read-through, and every day's reading is a revelation and a blessing. I read as long as I can in the morning, and the next day just take up where I left off. Partly because of all we've been talking about in comp class at school (6 + 1 Writing Traits), I'm noticing recently how Mark's voice comes through (very direct, action-oriented, pared to the bare essentials), how the book is organized, and what big ideas the stories convey. From what I've learned, Mark may have been a "rich kid" who tagged after Peter, and got his stories from hearing Peter preach. Later, Mark didn't fare so well with Paul, after he absconded on one of Paul's missionary journeys. At the end of Paul's life, however, the two had become reconciled, and Mark must have been a comfort to Paul. I like how this story ends.
********************
Now that I've exorcised those other thoughts by these positive ones, I think I'd better get started with my day. Maybe it was worth waking before 3:00 after all.
A good composition class--
I read their "writing stories" yesterday and am delighted with their eagerness to learn and their ability to identify what has been helpful in their past writing efforts. Will S. should have heard the kind words they told me about him and how much he helped them learn to write. I think we're going to have a good time together this semester. Nothing excruciating here.
Plants I bought and potted up yesterday--
When I hurried over to Glenns to buy coffee for the caffeinated crowd at school, and then realized that I should have actually waited at least 20 minutes till it was opening time, I decided to go to Stutzmans instead. I've been wanting some plants for my school room--a plant for a hanging basket, and another plant with a nice bushy shape for the top of the little metal cabinet below the window. I couldn't believe my good luck at what I found.
I told the person who offered to help me that I wanted a small plant for a hanging basket--a Plectranthus perhaps. She showed me a variegated one, different from any I had even seen, and I wasn't quite sure it was right for my purposes. Then she said, "Swedish Ivy is in the same family and I have some of those for half price because they're in pots that are too small and I haven't had time to transplant them into a hanging basket." They were perfect--exactly what I thought I was asking for when I said "Plectranthus." I had forgotten that most of the world calls this plant Swedish Ivy.
Then, because that was only $1.90 and I was paying by check, I said I thought I might buy something else to go with it. "I know what I want," I said, with sudden inspiration. "A Jade Plant. I saw one over here," I said, walking back to where I had looked earlier. The employee helped me look, and I spotted it before she did.
"I think that's the only Jade Plant we have," she said. That plant was so top-heavy and the pot so small that it feel over at least three times before I got it safely home.
Then, while I made supper, I headed to the shop and dragged my bag of potting soil to the patio, and scrubbed the hanging basket and the flower pot I found out there in which to plant my new beautiful plants. The strings of the hanging basket were filthy till I scrubbed them, and I knew the pot should be hung up so the strings could dry before I dirtied them with potting soil. I felt very smug and resourceful with my redneck way of getting it hung--on the bird feeder pipe-post, with a dandelion weeder stuck into a horizontal pipe, and threaded through the ring of the plant hanger.
Encouraging words--
My friend Rosa N. told me after church last Wed. eve. how she was promptly and thoroughly healed from her miserable year-round allergies after she requested and received anointing. Shots and medications had not helped. Rosa is not a preachy person, but this simple recounting of her experience warmed my heart.
I also heard from a friend what a Christian I don't know said to Marian, who has cancer. Among other things, she said, "Listen to what God is saying." She had already acknowledged what doctors are saying, and her belief that God may be saying something different. That "word" has been a blessing to me as it has to Marian.
Cool nights--
Days are warm, but every morning is invigorating.
Beautiful Fabulous Tomato plants--
These were planted very late, and they have not produced ripe fruit, but every plant looks beautiful and is full of big green fruit. The other tomato varieties which we also planted late, but a little earlier than the Fabulous, have suffered from blight, and they have produced very little so far.
My pickles--
Less than a week ago I threw into a clean five-gallon bucket a large, freshly-picked batch of okra and all the cucumber spears I had from produce given to me from three different gardens. Then I brined them and submerged them under a weight. They fermented most agreeably for several days, and then I changed the brine for fresh stuff and added dill from the garden, mustard seed, peppercorns, and one bulb of garlic, and let it burble again. On Monday evening I tasted a spear, and then two, and three, and one okra. Perfect. Every one.
Hiromi helped me put them into gallon jars in the refrigerator. I feel very accomplished.
Sweet Autumn Clematis (and Honeysuckle)--
This rambunctious Clematis has clambered over a dead Tallhedge (Alder Buckthorn) plant and sprawled over everything nearby, biding its time till now. It grows near our front door, and is loaded with dainty white flowers in great clusters, giving off a sweet fragrance besides. Only a bit of Honeysuckle that covers our cave cellar is blooming, but it's a surprise because this is not its usual blooming time.
The book of Mark--
I just finished my fifth consecutive read-through, and every day's reading is a revelation and a blessing. I read as long as I can in the morning, and the next day just take up where I left off. Partly because of all we've been talking about in comp class at school (6 + 1 Writing Traits), I'm noticing recently how Mark's voice comes through (very direct, action-oriented, pared to the bare essentials), how the book is organized, and what big ideas the stories convey. From what I've learned, Mark may have been a "rich kid" who tagged after Peter, and got his stories from hearing Peter preach. Later, Mark didn't fare so well with Paul, after he absconded on one of Paul's missionary journeys. At the end of Paul's life, however, the two had become reconciled, and Mark must have been a comfort to Paul. I like how this story ends.
********************
Now that I've exorcised those other thoughts by these positive ones, I think I'd better get started with my day. Maybe it was worth waking before 3:00 after all.
posted by Mrs. I (Miriam Iwashige) at
5:56 AM
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