Pictures

This is something I'm going to miss this year:

Walking through the orchard on my way to the library from campus.
I'm going back in spring to dance under the blossoms.
Libraries have always been an escape.
At D.A., I could look out into the trees and forget that 26,000 students
roamed beneath me on a city campus.
At W.V., the walk to the library itself was an escape.
At the next stop on the college map, the campus is a city one smack in the heart of a sprawling city but there is a library. One so big you can get lost in it.
And so in some small way that may compensate for the cityness of it all.
But it can't replace the walk though the old orchard.

Year in Review...

I don't like to consider New Years a holiday although I appreciate the days off. Something about it doesn't make sense to me. I appreciate it as a time to reflect on the year and make plans for the new. The partying, ball dropping and general hoopla just doesn't appeal to me.

So that said, here are 12 things (one for each month but not necessarily corresponding) that stood out for me.

1. Being a Jr. High Leader was a blessing and a challenge. The kids are amazing yet they deal with so much.
   
2. 4-H is a lesson in politics and bureaucracy and how they closely resemble a girl with a curl in the middle of her forehead.
3. God can work all things (including embarrassing things) for good.
   
4. One person can make things harder for everyone else.
   
5. Friendships have seasons and it's hard to watch them change.
6. Sometimes something seemingly small has a huge impact.
7. Fellowship isn't within a peer group. It can be anyone, anywhere, anytime.
8. County Fair, even though it wasn't "fair", was fresh family fun.
9. Noah's Nook: Not just a floating zoo, they learn about God too!
10. Midweek Director + learning curve + fabulous gracious staff = wonderful first 1/2 of the year.
    
11. God given talent and inspiration makes outstanding results.
    
12. Even though you may not know where you're going, stay on the path that God has given you.
    

Bunnies!

We now have the two most adorable Jersey Wooly rabbits. Names? Benjamin and Peter What else do you name rabbits? We thought about naming them Benjamin and Malachi but then it's a little weird trying to explain why you have Jewish bunnies.

All our rabbits have had odd names though: Niko, Ajax, Tootsie Roll and Hershey (Dutch Chocolates), Blackberry (thorny rabbit), Doc and Matthias. Tootsie Roll was the funniest name. At 8 years old, Liz would take her to the retirement home and introduce her as Tootsie. The little old ladies eyebrows would shoot up and a comment like "Really Dear?" would follow. Mom or Dad would jump in with "Tootsie Roll, you know, like the candy?". The older gentlemen would just chuckle.

Our bunnies are sweet though. Peter is a gray (lilac) and Benjamin is white with gray markings. Peter is sort of friendly but Benjamin has some learning to do. Most of our rabbits have been good at giving signals if they need to use the facilities but Benji hasn't learned that yet!

More Plants!

Ok, I love plants and most of the pictures I take involve plants.
This tree was too cool to pass up... It was the end of September and the tree was in full bloom!
Sometimes these trees has spikes coming off the trunk too! The Latin name is Chorisia speciosa.

My garden was looking a little sparse. ;) Here are some plants to liven things up a little.
This gorgeous cactus isn't in my garden. I'm not particularly fond of cacti but I enjoy looking at them and taking pictures of them. There is an order, symmetry and mathematical quality that I enjoy though.

Fall

I love fall. I love all the seasons while they are here. I love the anticipation of a new season. Each season has it's own merits for being loved. Fall is a passionate season, full of flame, bright color and high contrasts. But it's also a season of thankfulness and harvest.

On Monday, I was quite grumpy. You see, I had to drive to work in traffic and I knew it would take me an hour to go 20 miles. Never mind the fact it takes me an hour to drive to work even with my carpool buddy! I was consciously trying to change my attitude as I headed for the metering light. Thinking of things to be thankful for, like my car, the trees, the overcast morning when I saw a golden, orange and red flame! It was the first tree I had noticed with it's fall color! All the other trees were still green but here was this Chinese Pistashe in it's varying colors.
Such a joyful tree as it glowed against the gray sky. It was a light that somewhere deep inside changed my outlook on the day. What little things does God put in your path to make you smile?

Today was a bit odd, I was shopping for shoes (and if I was lucky a new blouse) for a wedding. I didn't find either item but I found a pair of slacks! And some old friends... It was wonderful to see them as they've been gone a year but it was awkward. It is so disappointing to see friends and to see that in some way one or both of you have changed. It seems to be happening more and more often now. Sometimes you grow apart, grow up or circumstances change.

As I grow older, things change. Friends make new friends. Friends meet that special someone. Friends get married. Friends have the most beautiful babies. :) As interests change, it takes more work to keep a friendship. Sometimes it works, but it takes both friends to make it work.
Honestly, I'm not the always the best person at keeping regular contact. I get busy and friendships start to slide. But it hurts to discover a good friend is no longer a friend. Sometimes, you try hard to keep a friendship but you can't and that hurts worse.

I've found when I realize my circle of friends has shrunk, that I have someone who is always with me and is the greatest Friend of all. And because of Him, I know that I will see some of my friends in heaven. But I pray that I'll see them all.

Gardens

Green ones, pink ones, orange ones, striped ones and of course red ones, Tomatoes are one of my favorite summer vegetables. We go a bit wild with tomatoes sometimes. Case in point, the year my mom let my brother start 80 cherry tomatoes. We gave away cherry seedlings for weeks!

This year we potted them all (too busy to get them into the ground) and are going to try to get them to overwinter in our patio! The miracle of California weather. We think it's freezing if it drops below 40! We have had the same lipstick pepper plant for 3 years now. Yes, they can be perennials!

1.

This is my first post with blogger. I still have my xanga but it will be a reflection of the Garden of My Heart blog.

I found a laugh in my e-mail this morning. I had purchased a book online through a company and they thought that they would pass along some new titles. I'm not recommending these books in any way. I just found the titles amusing.

To Pleasure a Lady - Courtship Wars Book 1.
Only a Duke Will Do - The School for Heiresses Book 2.
The Beautiful Stranger - The Rouges of Regent Street Book 3.

My Dad called not long after I checked my e-mail and he had a good chuckle over them especially the first!