Green Thumb Generosity Generates Blessings

The earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof...(Psalm 24:1a)

Every morning as I sit and look out at God's garden---given first by Him & now shared by others with me, I am grateful that this "brown thumb" gal is so tangibly loved by others. Others with a horticultural "green thumb."

The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. 

And God saw that it was good. (Genesis 1:12)

As my mother and grandmother before me, I have been blessed with friends who share slips, dividing and cuttings of flowers, and trees and bushes with other terms of propagation, I don't even know. (in water, in dirt, in perlite, "buried") Others have "gifted" me---son Josh with my Mother's Day cherry tree 30 years ago and Daddy's white dogwood tree, given by dear, dear, friends in 2011.

But.....sharing from their own gardens---their green thumb should shine in heaven.

• Mother--"pinks" and baby's breath
• Mama Davenport--snowball bush originally from Hampton Station, KY & growing in 2 more spots before winding up in my yard
• Mommar's day lilies--mother-in-law
• Beth and JoLynn's hostas--from Tuscany Way
• Mrs. Neely's 4 o'clocks--former "elderly" neighbor
• Wynellen's phlox and butterfly bush--former neighbor
• Mimi's Lenten Roses & Solomon's Seal--GAC swim buddy and "round the block" neighbor
• Jerrie's big green and yellow unknown variety, 365 friend & more
• Winslow's Louisville KY goose neck--high school chum & college roomie
• Lynda's assorted perennials and ferns--master gardener and next-door neighbor, along with lots of "much needed" advice.

Even FL friend, Julie provided (when she moved to DC) a variety of patio pots and a "weathered bird" art which I love.

....the world and they that dwell there in. (Psalm 24:1b) 

All of those who dwell in God's world and have crossed my garden path, or lack there of, have generously blessed me with their " great" green thumbs! 

It's great to have a green thumb but it's even greater to share that skill with others!!

Palette of Plen-TEA -ful Beauty

The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit with seed in them, after their kind; and God saw that it was good. (Genesis 1:12, NASB)

Dropping temps once again prompted our "favorite season" discussion at water aerobics. Most tended toward the temperate months tho there were a few "hot-weather" die-hards. 

A last vestige of summer against a brilliant fall sky.

Among the temperate climate lovers, autumn seemed to be the winner. Color being the reason.

Certainly there is much beauty to behold this time of year, especially if you, as friend Jerrie, are a fan of orange. 

This past week in the mountains, I once again had my eyes wide open to God's offering of "fantastic foliage n the foothills." It seems in the fall that even if you're just squinting, there is color everywhere, even in flat Memphis, where pumpkin orange is prolific! Pumpkins on parade. 

A true palette of plen-TEA-ful color served in a cuppa beauty. 

All by God's design. God saw that it was good and I do as well.

"Creativi-TEA"

Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. (Luke 12:27, NIV)

Today is May 1. 

Growing up in Kentucky, the first week of May had most folks looking forward to Derby parties because those thoroughbreds ran at Churchill Downs (and still do run) that first weekend. I, on the other hand, was looking "under" the leaves of my Mayapple plants to see if those little white flowers were there yet. 

Along with a few Jack-in-the Pulpit, Dutchman's breeches, red columbine, trillium and a Johnny Jump-up, I had scads of mayapple. All my wildflowers grew among the roots of the big tree in our back yard, that bordered the Madduxes' side, at 2211 South Virginia Street 

At age 10, I had a wildflower garden and I loved it. I guess that's why, to this day, I can remember those strange names ---nothing botanically correct, just what Mother and Mama Davenport called them. 

Those memories always seem to come flooding back this time of year......tho I have to travel to the Dixon Gardens to "look" for my little white flowers under those umbrella plants---and later the little green apples tucked in under those leaves. There's nothing like a garden to allow one to marvel at the handiwork of a creative God. 

Nowadays, I realize that the "mul-TEA-plying" of my "scads" of mayapples was His doing. A creative "doing" that allowed underground runners to produce plants for a very young gardener's joy----His creativi-TEA, not my horticulture prowess. 

"God saw that it was good" (Genesis 1:12) and I did too!!!