Thursday, October 20, 2011

Fall Planting

I can't wait to get back into the yard. I have fibromyalgia and I can't work outside in the intense summer heat, but in spring and fall, it is hard to keep me inside. I love to feel the weather changing and watch the leaves change color.

I am planning on revamping some of the bedding areas in the yard. I planted perennial flowers this past spring, but they did not withstand the Florida heat so I've purchased perennials that I know will do well and are also drought resistant such as liriope, day lilies and fountain grass. Yes, fountain grass will come back each year. I don't care what the plant stores tell you. If you plant it near the house and/or keep it protected, it will come back and stronger than the year before. I love purple fountain grass, it is beautiful planted with blue liriope. In the shadier parts of the yard, variegated liriope will do well too.

The Gerbera daisies in the front planter box have had a rough time of it this summer too. They need light but do not like our intense heat. I have babied them, fought off slugs and grasshoppers and now they are starting to perk up. Finally had a blossom on one of them and the darn squirrels plucked it right off. They tore all the petals off and left them on the front porch wall as if thumbing there nose at me. It must have been pay back for the cats terrorizing them at the window and on the back porch.

Today, I planted pots of herbs for the kitchen and breakfast room windows. I have seeds down for cutting celery, basil, chives, parsley, two pots of cilantro and two pots of Romaine lettuce. I love the smell of fresh herbs and the way they liven up my recipes.

We have a large raised garden bed outside the kitchen, next to the patio. The perennial herbs will go dormant in the cold weather so I potted up some mint and oregano and brought them inside. We love Italian and Mexican food. A fresh supply of oregano and basil are important for both cuisines and one can't make a good Mojito without some fresh mint!

The other morning a squirrel jumped on the back porch screen and was very surprised when two kitties jumped in his face. He hightailed it for the nearest tree and now spends his mornings barking and fussing at the  kitties that can't really reach him, but they sure can scare him. They enjoy their power!

We have a lot of activities planned for the near future. It is our 30th anniversary! We are going to a Bed and Breakfast thanks to our wonderful daughters and son-in-law who spoil us way too much. My birthday and my dad's are one day apart in November and that will roll us right into Thanksgiving. My favorite time of year. I hope everyone is as excited as I am about this time of year-enjoying life, love and family.

Blessings and Peace to all of you. Until next time....


Thursday, October 6, 2011

Fall

The past few days have been a little cooler, even turned off the AC for a day! Any break in the electric meter running is a blessing. Now, we need some rain, please.

I'm putting out the pumpkins and Halloween stuff. I love this time of year. Can't wait to smell pumpkin pie baking, turkey roasting and hear family laughing having a great time just being together.

The cats love the cooler weather, windows open, breeze blowing. It makes them feel so good that they roll around on the floor in a tussle and chase each other through the house. Kids may be grown, but the cats can make almost as much noise and get into almost as much mischief! Oh thank heaven for noise and happiness.

Happy Fall Everyone!
Tammie


Monday, October 3, 2011

A Meandering Path

I've started to re-read the Gospels of Mary, from the Gnostic Gospels. It is a very interesting read and opens up many questions and avenues of study. I feel that studying the Bible is like diving into deep water, one is never sure what will turn up. I can read a passage one day and then go back to that same passage after some time has passed and find something entirely new and enlightening that I never noticed the last time I read it. A question that came up while reading the Gospels of Mary was about the son of Man which led me to study Adam which in turn led me to Genesis 5:1-2. I've read this passage numerous times in my life, but I never realized that in verse 2, the Bible says, "He created them male and female, and blessed them, and called their name Adam in the day when they were created."

The Bible says, "and called their name Adam". What does this mean? I've always been taught there was one Adam, one Eve, but this verse implies there was more than one Adam. Going back to Hebrew, Adam is usually translated as man, but Ha-Adam refers to all men and Adam refers to one man named Adam. So does this verse mean there was more than one man named Adam or is it referring to Adam and Eve as "man" collectively? Reading the whole second verse in context, it seems to me that male and female were both plural. Of course this would make more sense scientifically, since one man and one woman could not possibly sire the entire human race.

Realizing this could be what the Bible is saying does not make me doubt the teaching I grew up with it gives me more faith in what has been passed down through the centuries as a guidebook for this life and the next.

As a matter of fact, I started reading Genesis from the beginning and found something else that seemed enlightening. In Chapter 1, verse 26 it says, "And God said, Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over all the creepers creeping on the earth. 27 And God created the man in His own image, in the image of God He created him. He created them male and female. 28 And God blessed them; and God said to them, Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it,..." To me this implies that he created man and woman plural before he created Adam and Eve. These men and women were to "fill the earth".

Adam was not created until Chapter 2, verse 7, then Eden was created and Adam was moved there. Eve was created in verse 21 from Adam's rib. Why are there two separate creations of man? Why is God plural, who is with God, is God one being or a collection of beings? In Revelation 3:1, the Bible says, "...These things says the One having the seven spirits of God, and the seven stars..." What or Who are the seven spirits of God and the seven stars? The "One" is of course referring to Christ.

I read a book once called, Tiger's Fang. It is a book from the spiritual study called Eckankar. This book made a lot of sense to me and relates somewhat to Revelation in that man can leave his physical body and travel with enlightened spirits or guides on the spiritual plane to learn. In this book, the traveler met many faces of God whose personality, if you will was related to the level or plane. This is my understanding anyway and I did read it many years ago so please forgive any misrepresentations of this spiritual path. I definitely do not mean any disrespect to its followers. The point that I am trying to make is this: could the seven fold spirit of God be something like that? Do we see the face of God that we need to see for our level of spiritual development?

I believe the Adam singled out for the garden of Eden story was the first incarnation of a soul that was to become the Christ. (I have been studying for a long time and many, many things and experiences have lead me to believe in reincarnation-not a big leap for some, but huge or impossible for others) On that note, I will leave this post for you to ponder...:-)

Peace be with you,
Tammie