The Birds of the Air

Always looking for more color in my life--including in my garden, the last several years I’ve prayed for goldfinches to come to my home. Their bright yellow bodies make them some of the most colorful birds in our area but less common than red cardinals, and blue jays. Once, I told an elderly lady who loved birds of my prayer. She retorted, “Well, if you’re going to pray for them to come you’d better have something for them to eat!” They did come. Every year. And they had plenty to eat among the seeded grasses in the back of our apartments.

I recently prayed for goldfinches to come to our new home though they usually come in autumn. But then I remembered the admonition to provide food. Oops, no tall, seeded grasses here.  “Oh well, Lord I’ll leave that to you.” This week, they came! They perched atop my bamboo stakes but I couldn’t grab my camera fast enough without startling them. Today however, I prayed, “Please let me get some pictures before they dart away.” Prayer answered. I did. Not only did I get pictures but I found who’s been eating my zinnia petals. I had unknowingly helped the Lord provide food for the goldfinches when I planted several varieties of zinnias.  I’d been leaving the older flowers in place for their color though deadheading them might have made a few more flowers. Now I know. Go for it goldfinches I have plenty—be my guests.

Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Matthew 6:26

Background Work

At the end of October I dug and dug my vegetable garden plot with the only tools I had—an old army shovel, a plastic trowel and a hand cultivator and my oh so sore back.  We had long since given up our lawn tools as we moved from house to apartment and I was reluctant to replace them since we will move again.  Besides, the owners of the house had had a vegetable garden on that very spot so there weren’t a lot of weeds.  How hard could it be?  Yellow clay hard.

I finally gave in and bought a full-sized shovel.  It was still hard work but not as back-breaking.  I happily sowed my cool-weather crop seeds: kale, spinach and Swiss chard.  I was excited as sprouts broke the surface of the soil.  But wait, what do such seedlings look like?  Hmm…the ones in my online image search kind of looked like what was emerging from my garden…Alas, after a few weeks, I realized that my seedlings would have been much taller than these sprawling specimens and weed seeds must have come in the bags of “good top soil” and blanketed my hard won garden.

Later, I read that I could plant a little earlier if I warmed my soil by covering it with black plastic—my soil and the weeds, which would perhaps be weakened and easier to remove.  Apparently, late October was too late for my seeds to germinate this extra cold winter.

Wonderfully warm and inspiring weather last week provided opportunity to dig again, to start fresh.  The good news was that my labor last autumn was not in vain, because of my hard work, the soil now turns easily.  I added some black and brown “gold” (compost and sphagnum) to amend the soil, turned it under and added a brick path to keep from compressing the soil. 

                                      

It’s ready to plant at last.  But now it’s too late to plant cool weather crops again.  No problem, I have an heirloom tomato plant and some lettuce plants that can go in when the rain, rain goes away.

Basil My Way

When I couldn’t readily find organic basil plants, I planted my own organic seeds (that I happily came across at a big box store); now they’re up and growing well! I suppose I can move the “garden sculptures” back into their places throughout the garden since the seeds are now no longer potential bird food. I’m not yet seeing any bursts of growth from last week’s fertilizer application. Gardening requires—and builds patience. My computer is acting up so if you don’t see any posts—pray for it to work again. Don’t give up on me, Lord willing, I’ll be back soon.

A Change of Stripes?

The good news is that not all the rudbeckia flowers are half rust-colored but more of the yellow-orange that I prefer! But did the plant change its stripes? Hmm… I poked around a bit and saw two different shapes of leaves. Two plants for the price of one—two different plants? A little further investigation uncovered the tag that said, “Rudbeckia Becky mix”; ah, a seed mixture was sown and two were potted together. I get what I want plus another kind. From disappointment to bonus.

One Way or Another

My search through the local garden centers for an organic basil plant was fruitless and we haven’t had time to make the trek to the distant multi-vendor farmers’ market so I bought a packet of organic basil seed. Though I’m getting a late start and the packet instructions say that it will be seventy days until harvest, I’ve decided that it’s better to grow organic (though I confess I gave in on the golden oregano and hope for the best). Perhaps with judicious fertilizing (too much and the flavor disappears), the seedlings will grow quickly. To keep the birds from breakfasting on the seed, I’ve temporarily clustered my mini garden sculptures (aka silly straws) to crowd them out. But then again, they may just use them as handy perches; if so, I’ll pull out my seed packet and plant again.

Popping Up

Nasturtium seeds have often been slow to germinate in my garden but this year they’re popping up right away. I tucked them here and there among my herbs with plans to add the flowers to not only my flower arrangements but to my salads!

My new clematis stopped blooming almost as soon as I brought it home but here it is sporting a new bud. I hope the forecast storms this afternoon don’t trouble it. I’m being brief this week since I’m holding my own personal art camp to try new things and push old ones further. Today is a Red Hibiscus Day.

Outdated?

More years ago than I can remember, I decided to plant my old, outdated packet of wildflower seeds in an available pot. Maybe they’d come up—maybe not; I had nothing to lose. Surprise! This ferny-leaved white yarrow sprouted and grew. It’s fern-like leaves often stay green right through the winter; it has bloomed a couple of times every spring and summer for probably five or six years. Just when we thought that the cold weather was over, last night’s temperatures were forecast for the 40’s! It was so chilly this morning I had to bundle up in my afghan when I sat in the garden. Another beautiful day is ahead, Lord willing.

Quick Response

The lettuce seeds I planted a short time ago have already sprouted! They obviously like the warm weather too; the warmth seems to be bringing everything out early. I really didn’t plant them that close together; apparently my watering and God’s rain washed them together but that’s okay.

Though the mixed lettuce seed packets always show purple leaves, for some reason none ever emerge in my garden. I would really like to have purple leaves.

We enjoy salads for their nutrition, lightness and no-cook preparation yet it’s amazing how labor-intensive salad-making is in washing so many leaves. It’s worth it though to get really fresh and colorful food and for keeping heat out of the kitchen.

To Flourish

The prayer plant is blooming again. This is the kind of little white flower that I told you about that made the seed pod that dropped the tiny seeds that grew the new baby prayer plant. The flower lasts only about a day so the process is very quick—no wonder I missed it last time. Both plants are blooming; they must be happy.

That reminds me of the old saying that I’ve come to dread, “Bloom where you’re planted.” It’s plain that a gardener didn’t come up with it since plants grow well and bloom in good soil, light and water conditions. While they can overcome difficult circumstances, they typically don’t flourish unless they have what they need. God didn’t come up with it either. Jesus made plain in his “Parable of the Sower” that plants flourish in good soil, using plants as a metaphor for people who flourish spiritually when they understand the “message about the kingdom” and aren’t distracted by “the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of riches” (Matthew 13:1-23 NIV).

Good conditions grow good plants—and people. However, God has a different definition of good than most people and includes persecution for Jesus’ name but it does not include sickness or tragedy since, “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work” (1 John 3:8 NIV).

Salad Days

The record-breaking temperatures in the high 80’s have me thinking about salad since the kitchen is too hot for much cooking. The lettuce seeds I planted a while back are coming along nicely and should be big enough to eat soon. Since there is still room in the other half of the pot, I planted more seeds.

It’s actually cool outside—cooler than the 78 degrees in here; for some reason the breeze just doesn’t blow through the windows today—but pollen does. But birds are singing and the sun is shining. And it’s Friday. What a great combination! Now if my computer would behave properly…

What’s This?

While tending the garden today I spotted this seedling coming up in a spider plant pot! It’s not unusual to find stray “weed” seedlings in outdoor pots, those brought by wind or wing but I potted the spider plantlets indoors with potting soil straight out of the bag. What is it? I looked more closely before I automatically plucked it out (I’m really pretty patient about letting things grow until I can see what they are). It’s a bell pepper seedling but I didn’t plant it! There are no birds or winds in here. We eat a lot of bell peppers for their fresh flavor, vitamins and color and the seeds do turn up in strange places but this is far from the kitchen. Who knows? However it got there, it seems I have a head start on spring planting!

We’re so thankful that not only is the sun back but the “rough weather” including tornadoes forecast for last night never developed because of a rain system to the south. Praise the Lord! Rain without trouble—a good thing.

Times 2

Finally! My prayer plant has needed a taller pot to hold its trailing branches a little higher--out of harm’s way, so at last today is the day for it to move to its new pot. “But didn’t you already do that?” Yes and no. Yes, I already potted the other prayer plant in a coordinating pot, the other plant that bloomed, produced seed and grew a baby plant. Hmmm…I guess that means it’s been happy in the new pot. Hopefully, this one will be happy in its new pot too.

I’m rearranging my art studio (again) to function better, so I have to keep it short today. See you Monday—“Lord willing.”

More New Growth

The baby prayer plant is growing and now has four leaves! I’d like to say that it’s the first prayer plant I’ve grown from seed but the fact is that the seed planted itself—as it was created to do and I only watered it and gave it sunlight.


The bougainvillea has adjusted so well to its indoor spot that not only is it growing lots of new leaves (to replace the ones it dropped) but it’s growing new branches too! According to the Bougainvillea Growers International, they bloom on new growth!

I’m looking forward to today’s much warmer weather but not yet another day of water outage for pipe repairs. So far the water is still on.

New Sprouts

My husband’s herb seeds are sprouting already, beginning new life in the new year!

My newly planted indoor pots are also sprouting—this is the third one. I didn’t mark what I planted in each because I thought I would remember; I do know that the seedlings are either lettuce or parsley though.☺

Mud Pies

Though my husband is a non-gardener he tells me that he really enjoys reading this blog each day, “It’s refreshing.” He does say that he grew things like “giant” corn stalks when he was young.

Today he reenters the gardening world with a creative gift from family, a tiny greenhouse of miniature flower pots to be planted with “fragrant herb” seeds.


Much like the set-up for Oskar’s growth, this kit has soil “pellets” that spring to life with the addition of lukewarm water. The little “soil muffins” grow and grow to be twice the size of the pots! There’s even soil left over. Mud pies. My husband declares it, “messy fun.”


Next come the nearly microscopic seeds, mint, marjoram and the tiniest ones yet—chamomile pressed into the fork—fluffed soil.


And finally, the clear plastic greenhouse gets closed up to hold in the moisture that helps seeds germinate; then it greets the world from a sunny window sill. The sun is burning off the frost outdoors and warms us indoors—inside and out.

Surprise!

This is what I love about gardening, the surprise of finding new growth—especially when it’s ahead of schedule. The seed packets say that the seeds will germinate in 14-21 days! But I only planted them at the end of last week and here they are sprouting all over the place and reaching for the sun!


Oskar’s bud has been beautifully unfolding over the weekend.
Saturday—the color begins to develop and two flowers are visible.



Sunday morning—the buds break free of their enclosure and surprise, there are four flowers!



Early this morning, the flowers take their final positions and begin opening!
Will they open in time for Christmas? Lord willing, yes! And into the second day of Christmas and more. The box said that Oskar would bloom in 8-10 weeks from planting. Oskar did have a head start in that it already had a bud but from that small beginning to now has only been 3 weeks!

Life in its beginnings--and endings can happen faster than you think. Be ready. Most of the time this kind of admonition causes people to think of death and it is very important to make sure you’re following Jesus before that time comes but I also mean for it to apply to answers to prayer. Popular sentiment says, “God does things in his time, not ours…” in effect we shouldn’t truly expect God to answer our prayers anytime before, maybe 20 or 40 years from now. King David, a “man after God’s own heart”, didn’t pray that way; he prayed for God to answer him “quickly!” (Psalm 70:1; Psalm 71:12; Psalm 141:1 and more)

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6 KJV)

If you pray casually, not expecting an answer any time soon, don’t be surprised at a delay but if you pray diligently (in agreement with Jesus’ teachings) there’s a strong possibility that God will answer you quickly (if not, keep on praying as did Jesus’ example of the widow bugging the unrighteous judge (Luke 18:1-8)! In this parable, Jesus promised quick action.

True Purpose

It feels so good outdoors today, I didn’t want to come back in. I made the most of the occasion by sweeping up the balcony a bit—any excuse to be out there will do since I’m getting cabin fever with all the Christmas preparations; this is always an exacting task since the “floorboards” have space between and I don’t want to send any potting soil below. The pineapple sage and leftover basil stalks are still fragrant as I brush against them.

Inspired by Gayla Trail’s Grow Great Grub Organic Food from Small Spaces, in which she insists that “grub” (food) can be grown in the smallest of spaces—even a windowsill, I eyed my set of flower-decorated garden pots. I’ve lovingly carried these pots around since I was given them as a parting gift by my co-workers at my first “real” job; I was moving on to greater things. The pots however, have become a place to collect odd things that need recycling but I don’t know where to put them back into the cycle (light bulbs?).


I read a lot about “re-purposing” these days and I enjoy giving things additional purposes (often to keep them out of the landfill) but there’s nothing like getting back to an object’s (or a person’s!) original and true purpose. So I read the list of food plants that will grow in a “slightly shady” window, matching it with my supply of lettuce (two kinds), parsley and chives seeds. I emptied the pots, washed them thoroughly and added a thin layer of gravel for drainage, added soil then seeds, watered them and set them on the window sill. I’ll have to remember to water and drain them in the sink since the hole plugs are long gone and the holder doesn’t allow for saucers (I could put the whole thing in a saucer but it wouldn’t look as good). The “rooster plant” that reigns in this window has to move over; I’ll have to move them all out of the window at night to make way for the blinds. The seeds take about two weeks to sprout; I’ll keep you posted.

The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. Colossians 1:15,16 NIV

Stars & Prayers

The deep pink penta is still, amazingly, in full bloom. The penta’s neighboring prayer plant* has an offspring—a baby prayer plant (incidentally, the Latin word fetus means “offspring”--not blob of tissue).


Surprisingly, the prayer plant bloomed too—it must be happy! The small white flowers turned into seed pods, which produced tiny black seeds. The seed specks fell onto the soil and voila—a plant emerged! I didn’t do a thing except provide sunlight and water. I love spontaneous gifts like that.

He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head." Mark 4:26-28 NIV

*As it turns out, I have two pentas and two prayer plants and have arranged them symmetrically with the two Angelonias in between.

Saving Seeds

The hyacinth bean vine and the four o’clocks have produced mature seeds for the harvesting. They can be planted next year for a new crop; until then, they, and the remaining ones can be saved for several years in a cool, dry place. Glassine envelopes are often recommended but I’ve noticed that many seed companies are packaging their seeds in resealable foil packs so I’m saving foil-lined tea bag packages. I once met the guy who invented foil-lined packaging—thanks Mr. B!

Saving seeds of old varieties has become an important endeavor as hybrids are quickly replacing them. Hybrids can only be grown from patented seeds that you buy from the grower. While hybrids will often produce seeds in your home garden and even grow, the plant will revert to one of its parents rather than the beautiful hybrid that you bought. Sometimes that’s good but it’s not usually what you’re looking for. When we lived in New England, we learned what a problem this is for farmers. They can no longer save seed from their harvest to plant for next year’s crop—they have to spend a lot of money to buy more seed.

I enjoy hybrid flowers but many hybrid flowers and vegetables are “designed” for a particular market such as tough-skinned tomatoes that can withstand long-distance trucking and a long shelf-life in stores, but are fairly tasteless—that’s why home-grown tomatoes taste so much better. While roses aren’t generally grown from seed, they’re an illustration of contrast between the old varieties and those grown “for the market”. The voluptuous old-fashioned “cabbage roses” with their full-blown petals and heady fragrance are unmatched in their style of beauty but they could never stand up to the rigors of the floral industry. The closely-wrapped petals and long, sturdy stems of the American Beauty–type rose are better suited to last for their trip from the greenhouse to the wholesaler to the florist to your home but lack much fragrance (you can make them last longer still by changing their water every day and recutting the stems at an angle). It’s a trade-off but our planet would suffer loss if the only plants cultivated were those of market convenience.

Besides, it’s fun to share seed with other gardeners. My friend R. gave me hyacinth bean vine seeds from her garden.

Morning Sun

I love seeing the morning sun shine in; I even made a sitting area by the windows so I could drink it in and naturally, the plants came to join me there.

I’m hunting through thrift shops for small ceramic pots for my really small indoor plants since the terra cotta ones dry out much too quickly when they’re that small. If I don’t find any, I’ll go back to the blue and yellow box store—or maybe the orange one. I need good quality, color (the “right” colors of course) and a low price.

The afternoon temperature is forecast to be 70 degrees—I need to arrange my time and activities to sit in the garden to soak up the warm sun there while I still can. The stores and radio stations are already leading up to Christmas, “its right around the corner.”