Who done it?

"Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not 
know what a day may bring." -- Proverbs 27:1




When what looked like a tiny tomato plant mysteriously sprouted outside the door to our handyman's office, he put stakes around it and nurtured it.

Soon it grew tall and wide, heavy laden with tomatoes and the little yellow flowers that precede them. It was the lushest, largest tomato plant I have ever seen. Neighbors marveled at the sight of it and looked forward to a bumper crop that promised more than enough for everyone in the complex to share.














And then, suddenly and unexpectedly, a drama unfolded in the still of the night that led to much shock and speculation the morning after. Who done it, became the question of the day.  Was it an act of vandalism, or of a hungry animal looking for something to snack on?

Beautiful to the very end

"The grass withers, the flowers fade, but
the Word of our God shall stand forever."
(Isaiah 40:8)



My granddaughter and her hubby bought me this beautiful bouquet of zinnias from their local farmers market...






























































...and after the flowers started to wither and fade, I was able to salvage a couple of the more hardy ones to enjoy for just a little while longer.

Flags around town

"If my people, who are called by my name, will 
humble themselves and pray and seek my face 
and turn from their wicked ways, then I will 
hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin
 and will heal their land."
(2 Cheonicles 7:14)


This year I missed the parade, but did take a nostalgic walk along Main Street the day after.  

I felt sad as I took these pictures of flags and beautiful homes all bedecked for the occasion, and couldn't help but wonder how much longer we will be able to continue enjoying the freedoms we now take for granted. 

God's abundant harvest--and sense of humor too

"Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, 
pressed down, shaken together, running over, will 
be put into your lap. For with the measure you use
it will be measured back to you."
(Luke 6:38)




This morning, several of us received a surprise call from a friend who had picked up a truckload of perishable items (Trader Joe surplus) that needed a home ASAP.  A lot of it had been claimed by the time I got there, but there was still an abundance of blueberries, bananas,  limes, yellow summer squash, eggplants, artisan breads and rolls, peppers of all colors (green, red, yellow, orange), and while I was loading up my car, his wife brought out some meat and cheese too.

My car was so full, there was more than enough to share with a neighborhood friend, as well as with five very grateful families in my apartment complex who, in turn, shared with me as well.  One neighbor gave me some tomato sauce to add to the squash and eggplant I was going home to cook, and another neighbor gave me some milk, (an ingredient my recipe called for that I didn't have), so I could make some blueberry muffins

Meanwhile, I needed to free up space in my freezer for the peppers I was about to chop, and for part of the huge pot of spaghetti sauce I was about to make, so I posted an offer on Freecycle for a large Costco size box of frozen turkey bacon that I hadn't been able to acquire a taste for.
 























 And that's the part where God's sense of humor comes in.

The young lady who picked up the turkey bacon turned out to be the daughter of the man who had blessed the rest of us with his abundant harvest.

She told me how she had been in the grocery store when she saw my post, and it was like a miracle, because she had wanted to buy some turkey bacon, but discovered she didn't have enough money with her to do so.

Coincidence?  I think not.