CELEBRATION!

Celebrating Ann Martin's 1st birthday in heaven! 

A time to remember our true friend who would have been 94 today!

She loved breakfast at Perkins so we met there to pray and remember.

Trips together. Meals together. Swimming together. Singing old hymns together. Laughs together. 

• Awakening to Shirley's buttery biscuits at Blackberry, riding in the golf cart w/ her doggie Abbey, treated to Judy's crepes w/ fresh fruit & real whipped cream, rocking in the chairs with Farmer John at the Barn, campfire s'mores, 4th of July lunching on the grounds & listening to Luke Bryan's Spring Break live concert from our lawn chairs. 
• Her top level cooking from Etheline's coconut cake, her Brad's, birthday pumpkin roll and her roasted red pepper soup. Who takes time to roast peppers anymore? Lunching with her sweet Marika when she was in town.....from Napa Cafe to good ole Elmo's.
• Swimming together at the Q for years, sometimes at the office and once even breaking in to Rawl and Julie's for a dip.....by scaling the gate!
• When she had trouble speaking we could hum a familiar old hymn and she would start singing.. In the Garden, Old Rugged Cross, Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus and Jesus Love Me.
• Many laughs included Mike & Larry being her boyfriends. Others are censored (per request by friends) but often dealt with food and weight and back to food....while interspersed with bodily function jokes.

Ann was a friend who gave wise counsel; Her life as a friend is clearly reflected in these verses.

A true friend sticks by you like family. (Proverbs 18:24)

Sweet friendships refresh the soul and awaken our hearts with joy! (Proverbs 27:9)

Thanks for the memories, sweet, Ann; You certainly refreshed my heart with joy even during my darkest of days!

More Peas, Please

As friend Doris reminded me, no one knows peas, especially field peas, like Blackberry Farm's John Coykendall. John and his colleagues plant about a dozen varieties row upon row row at the Farmstead. The Blackberry Farm garden's manicured rows are just outside the Garden Shed and around the corner from the Red Barn where many "pea" varieties appear on the "farm to table" menu.

Heirloom peas, which John collects from everywhere, openly pollinate. This just means that when a plant survives, its seeds can be saved and planted the next year. Not like those we buy at a garden center which have been treated (think genetically engineered by Monsanto) to produce for only 1 season.

For me, the shed itself is a great place to sit and observe the activity. For Doris it's a perfect setting for her to participate and ask questions as she pores over ---she even likes his washtub basin and had me take a picture for her to recreate in her own garden "shed" near her kitchen garden at Full Circle Ranch.
Drying beans and pea pods hang from the ceilings. Old-time tools are everywhere. A comfortable hodgepodge of a place that is really like a working laboratory.
Spread across the workbench are bowls of peas of unusual names like Turkey Craw and Siddlin' (a pea that grows well in the foothills of Tennessee, according to John's friend, Weavie Stevie, who has since died)

Doris spent much time at the shed and left with an envelope of Calico Crowder seeds (buff-colored peas w/ splashes of vibrant maroon) & other heritage samples as well. Directions included were written in John’s distinctive script. That alone made them a treasure for her.

Having both seen and tasted some of the freshness of the peas which John and his staff have coaxed to fruition, I appreciate all the effort that is taken for preserving the ""pea."

I appreciate Doris' enthusiasm for "pea" preservation as well.
Doris returned home inspired---often doning her straw hat, rolling up her pants legs when necessary, slipping on her croc gardening shoes---ready to spend an entire day with her "peas."
She, who takes her stand for the Lord every Sunday morning at Berlin United Methodist Church as she worships with faithful folks from her small community, can be found taking a "stand in her garden" on weekdays.

Her diligence reminds me somewhat of Shammah, one of King David's mighty men. Shammah "stood." He resolved in his heart that he would fight for a pea patch....and he won a great victory. (2 Samuel 23:11-12)

As it was for Shammah, sometimes there is a time to "take a stand"----to fight for what is right, even if it's just pea pollination. The resolve of folks like John Coykendall and friend Doris benefit all of us---enabling us to continue to  have "real" peas in our lifetime and for our future generations to be able to say, "More peas, please" .

Clari-TEA of Hearing

And He was saying, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear. (Mark 4:9, NASB)

Scripture teaches much about the Lord, our creator. From Genesis 1 to Romans 1:19-20. Words of truth can jump off the pages. Often the wonder of creation jumps out at me the minute I open my eyes in the morning.......if I "have ears to hear and eyes to see."

This week those truths have been exemplified visually and aurally as I have walked through the fields and in "The Garden" at Blackberry Farm. From pigs and birds to rustling wind and babbling brooks. What awesome reminders!

"This is my Father's world and to my listening ears, all nature sings and round me rings, the music of the spheres..."
from memory----also found in hymn 144 of the Cokesbury Hymnal.

May the Lord grant clarit-TEA in my cuppa as I walk among the sights and sounds of His creation, wherever I may be.

This is my Father's world----oh let me ne're forget! 

SABBATH SNAPSHOTS: GOD, Creator & Gardener....

4/21/13....so evident thoroughout Blackberry Farm in Walland, TN this past week. From blooming dogwoods, abundant wildflowers and roaring creeks to wild turkeys, domesticated horses and truffle dogs, God's hand was clearly seen.

The heavens are declaring the glory of God, and their expanse shows the work of his hands. (Psalm 19:1)

Truffle Dogs--15 Lagotto Romagnolo puppies awaiting their owners 

Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. (Genesis 9:3a) 

A godly man...."is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, " (Psalm 1:3)

He makes grass grow for the cattle,
    and plants for people to cultivate—
    bringing forth food from the earth: (Psalm 104:14)

He makes springs pour water into the ravines;
    it flows between the mountains. (Psalm 104:10)

And as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything. (Genesis 9:3)

How many are your works, Lord!
    In wisdom you made them all;
    the earth is full of your creatures. (Psalm 104:24)

I will sing to the Lord all my life;
    I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.

May my meditation be pleasing to him,
    as I rejoice in the Lord. (Psalm 104:33-34)

Blackberry Bye-Bye

4/20/13 So grateful we stayed an extra day! I do so love a rainy day---when you don't have to travel.

Final breakfast treat---"pastry chef" Judy's cream crepes with strawberry, raspberry and "blackberry" sauce , of course. YUMMY!

Night light off

Bye-Bye Blackberry Farm---I'm sure gonna miss you!

ENDING MY DAY....

4/18/13 ....the BLACKBERRY way---with a Luke Bryan concert on the lawn just across the fence. Great temps. Great seats. Great music. Great fun. Great ending to the day.

Luke Bryan concert was good and I loved the drums the drummer used. (far right)

STARTING MY DAY.....

4/18/13......the BLACKBERRY way----with Chef Rick's homemade rhubarb and strawberry pie and a BIG dollop of REAL whipped cream. Add to that a cuppa, a screened porch and a cacophony of singing birds.

 

Easing into and Enjoying a Day..........

4/17/13  ....the "Blackberry" way.

Starting the day with yummy, healthy breakfast, good conversation and an abundance of laughter.

Celebrating Blackberry Farm's Master Gardner,  John Coykendall's, 70th birthday .

Ah-h-h-h those rocking chairs and that view!

BF luncheon appetizer with the BEST bleu cheese ever

Wine cellar tour at The Barn----and Doris got a box.

Farmer John and "his" visiting ladies

MOUNTAIN MAJESTY

4/16/13 A picture is worth a 1,000 words as the old adage goes.

This plaque says it all.........

....except I would swap the word lucky for blessed and add....especially if one is with 3 great friends at Blackberry Farm!