I happen to be starting my first blog the weekend after a big storm, so I have especially beautiful photos to post and updates to note.
The past week has been nonstop rainy, windy, thunder and lightening, hailing and stormy. So, on our first day of sun we headed out to survey the damage...beautiful wreckage is more like it!
The patio set after the storm:
Nick using the "antique" wheel barrow given to us by Joe Rea last weekend:
Part one of the creek photos...there are two creeks, this one flows at the base of "the mountain" and down toward the horse stable and out to the street:
Same creek, further up toward the mountain:
Shady Hollow Oak trees and green beauty from all the rain:
Creek on Shady Hollow side...it was more of a river the last few days, but has returned to its creek-like nature:
Now, I'm not sure if this translated well in a photo, but this is the lone blooming rose on one of the rose bushes. If you look closely, you can see the petals have been slashed...no, a critter did not come feast on the flower; no, I did not chop it up with scissors...this is the work of the wind and the plant's own thorns:
Here's the same rose last weekend:
A rose just about to pop open and its friend behind, also waiting to show.
I constantly see metaphors for life during my day, but especially in the garden and around the ranch lately. Below are a couple pictures of an extremely thorny rose bush...one of a few that had toppled in the storm and needed a little reinforcing dirt to help them stand sturdier. You can see the large thorns easily, but the specks on the branches are also thorns and there are thorns on the leaves...making it extremely difficult (read: painful) to help this plant.
How alike God's creations are...here, a rosebush has so many thorns that, even though I try to help it by maneuvering around it to add supporting soil for it's continued growth, it pokes me and stabs me making it almost impossible to actually succeed...eventually leading me to give up and hope that what I did would be enough for the days ahead. In families, friendships and life relationships, we come across those who need help, may even request or demand it, but yet, with each attempt they poke and stab those coming to their aid. How can anyone get close enough to them to help?? Eventually, you may need to walk away and hope that any advice or comfort you've given is enough.
Bottom line: How will anyone ever be able to help, support and repair you if you jab at them each time they reach in?
OK, that's all for now...I leave you with a pic of what I might look like while having my rose-revelation. This is me adding stabilizing dirt to the rosebushes that were toppling over:
Rain boots so I can slosh through all terrain, sweats and sweater because it's still quite crisp out, hat and sunglasses for protection, of course!
May God bless you and show you beauty in your day to day life!
~Katrina~
