Dogwood Trees

I have noticed driving around lately; whether it be driving my bus route, in the car or truck; that there are numerous Dogwood trees in bloom.  They are so beautiful in bloom, whether they are white, red, pink, etc. they are lovely.

A year or so ago our son James and his wife Amber brought us three Dogwood plants, we planted them, but none have survived.  Sorry James and Amber.  Thank you very much for thinking of us.

Our son Timothy and his wife Sarah Lynn brought us three Dogwood plants to plant in our yard; just yesterday (April 17, 2015).  Madge and I went out this morning before the rain started falling, and planted them.  Hopefully these will make it.

I have noticed many Dogwood trees with a canopy top look; with a top that spreads out almost in a circular flatness.  It looks pretty neat with them in bloom.

I pray all are enjoying Spring.  I know I am. 🙂

From the banks of Flat Creek.

~tim

Getting a Good Rain

We are getting a very good rain today.  Since it began this morning it has been coming down slow, easy, and soaking the ground.  I do not believe there is any run off.  I know that does not help the Flat Creek or the branches which run into the Creek and eventually Table Rock Lake.  It is very good for the ground.

There has been no thunder, lightening, or wind; no storm of any kind.  At least that I have noticed.

To the Good LORD above for the rain let us be thankful.

Thank YOU LORD.

-tim

Flat Creek is Still Rolling

This is a post just to let you know we are still here, and that Flat Creek is still rolling right along.

Many floaters; in canoes, inner tubes, boats, kayaks, etc. have come by.  I have not seen them all, but I have heard many of them as they float by and go over the small rapid behind our house.

With the rain we have gotten this Summer it has been a busy time just keeping up with the lawn mowing.  I have loved every minute of it.  I appreciate every drop of rain.  Thank the Lord for His blessings everyday.

My wife and I spent a couple of days with our son Philip and his wife Sarah and their daughters; Rene’e, Natalie, and Kylie in Booneville, AR. this past week.  It was kind of our family get together time.  However on July fourth we were with most of our kids at the family swimming hole for our annual Fourth of July get together.  It was a wonderful time, both times

Our daughter Monica, husband Sam with their two kids; Addyson and AlexZander were at Philip’s too.  All great kids.

Those Poplar trees we planted back in the Spring of 2011 are about twelve feet high now.  Some not quite there, but most are.  The Rose of Sharon’s we planted are just now blooming.  Some have not yet made any blooms.  Others are about to.

I have also built a Yard Deck, for our charcoal grill to set on.  I really like it away from the house where it will pose no problem with flames, yet not so far away as to be distant.  We have enjoyed the grill on the new deck two or three times this Summer.  Good food.

It is amazing how fast the Summer is rolling along.  School will be starting in just less than a month now.  I am sure no one wanted to be reminded of that.

From the banks of Flat Creek

-tim

First Snow of the Season

On the afternoon of December 5th we started receiving freezing precipitation in the form of freezing rain, sleet and later turning to snow.  At present (5 a.m. CT) it is still snowing; though, it does seem to have slowed a bit.

Looking out the window in the light from the porch light there appears to be approximately 1 foot of snow.  I measured it  around 7:45 p.m yesterday, and it measured 6 inches.

Snow is a beauty.  It covers all the trash on the ground, hangs on the leaves of the trees giving them an essence of cleanliness, and holiness.  My how our Creator reminds us of Himself; and what He desires from us.

Enjoy the snow.  Pray for those who have to work in it.  Those who need to be on our highways, turnpikes, interstates, and freeways; whether just traveling to work, home; but especially those who labor in the cold of winter, snow is a hazard to their health and life.  That includes those who keep our electric power going, our roads cleared off, and God forbid, dealing with home fires, health needs, etc.  Thank the Lord for all of them.

-tim

Rain in July

In the State of Missouri, especially Southwest Missouri we do not normally get much rain; at least in large amounts.  In the past week we have been blessed with the wonderful drops from heaven.

Yesterday alone we got at least 3 inches of rain.  Since last Saturday evening (July 20) we have received 7 inches plus.  That is practically; notice I said practically; unheard of in July.  I am thankful.  Bless the Giver and Sovereign of rain.

It is wonderful to look out the windows of our house and no longer see dry, dying grass; needing to water the trees; but seeing green grass blooming Rose of Sharon shrubs, and other flowers growing.

It is a wonderful blessing to receive rain in July.

Thank YOU LORD.

-tim

Gooseberries

There was a time when I was a child my Dad worked with my Uncle Duane, Dad’s brother, putting up hay for the Winter, and feeding cattle.  My uncle and his sons, Dad, and myself would put up a lot of hay each Summer.  Part of the treat of working at my Uncle’s farm was getting to eat dinner, our midday meal.  Let me explain where I grew up we had breakfast, dinner, and supper; there was no lunch.  Sometimes for dinner one dessert my Aunt Ollie prepared and served was Gooseberry cobbler.  Most of the time these were served at family get togethers.

Aunt Ollie’s gooseberry cobbler was the best I have ever eaten.  If you have never eaten a gooseberry cobbler or pie you have missed a treat.  If you have eaten a Rhubarb pie; that comes pretty close, but it is not gooseberry.  Uncle Duane and Aunt Ollie have gone home to be with the Lord.  We no longer have family get togethers with their children, nor do we do the hay thing.  I miss them, and I miss the Gooseberry cobbler.

I mention this because I am going to experiment with raising some gooseberries.  I thought about a few months ago, but never got around to do it.  This morning I needed to go to town [Cassville], and take care of some business, and pick up some meds at the pharmacy; but I had to stop on the way out our road to trim a tree limb out of the road.  When I started rolling the limb, and its brush over the hill I noticed a clump of Gooseberry bushes.  I decided then and there that when I came back by I would stop, and pull a couple of them, plant them at our house in the fence row, and see what happens.

I did just that.  They are planted, and hopefully will begin producing berries in a year or two.

If they do I will need to make me some fresh Gooseberry pie, or cobbler.

-tim

The Way Things Grow

A year ago this last Spring I planted some trees.  They were  only about two feet tall sprigs, and by the end of last Summer they had grown to about five feet tall.  Already this past Spring and early Summer one of them is about seven feet in height.  The others are getting near to it.

We have been blessed this past Spring with a good portion of rainfall without a lot of flooding.  There has been a few times the Flat Creek has gotten near the top of its banks, but as of yet, has not breached the banks.  We do have an old tree in our access to the Creek at our back door.  That is alright.  We can step on it and go over it without much effort.

I am thankful to the Creator for His bountiful blessings.

-tim

Life Anew

It is amazing how life just seems to repeat itself.  I know, I know this is not a new thing, yet all around, the seasons, plants – flowers, grass, trees, shrubs, etc. – proclaim over and over, “I am alive”

There are so many who laugh at the idea of resurrection, in particular the resurrection of Jesus Christ; yet it has been declared by God’s creation for millenniums of time.

For the picture.  When my wife and I first decided to put our house on our place here there was a Mamosa tree which was hanging so low to the ground, broken over, yet living; and in the way of the new power line coming in; that we cut it down.  Guess what it has life growing from it.  Resurrection.

Last Spring I planted some trees.  Due to our precious pets, dogs, they chewed some of them to the ground.  I nipped them with some shears near a growth spot, along next to the ground; and before last Summer’s end they were nearly shoulder high on me.  Now they are over shoulder high.  Resurrection.

Last Summer I planted Myrtle shrub, and a Redbud tree.  The Redbud was bitten off too.  I pruned it down to the ground.  It is up this Spring over six inches high.  The Myrtle died in the Winter.  I mowed it over a couple of weeks ago, and now it declares, “I am alive”

Every Spring the grass comes back from what others might call dormancy, but it is dead.  Some might say, “Well it is just the cycle of things.”  So be it.

God made man in His image.  He made man to live eternally.  The only answer for evil men, women, boys and girls, was for God to send His Son to die.  Sin, death, and the grave could not hold Him down.  It may just be the cycle of things, but Jesus arose from that grave.  He declares, “I am alive”.

The whole of creation declares the glory of God.  “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth His handiwork.”  (Psalm 19:1)

-Tim

May Third of Twenty Thirteen

I write this morning because it is a rare morning; at least weather wise; and maybe historically.  It is snowing.

There is not much accumulated yet, but it is coming down like it would really pile up if it were colder, the ground was frozen, and conditions were better for snow.  With the grass green, leaves newly on the trees and such this will make a rare picture for Southwest Missouri.

I wrote this just for a note later.

-Tim

Early Fall

It has been a week now that the Autumnal Equinox occurred.  We have received a little rainfall in the past week as well which is a real blessing.  It has, however, been quite some time since there has been any water flowing over the banks of Flat Creek.  It has been at least one and one half years since the Creek flowed over the banks.

With the rain we have received our yard has needed mowing, and  I have mowed some of it, but not all.  I am back to pushing a twenty inch push mower to mow my nearly three acres of grass.  That is hard to keep up with, especially when you have other things needing done.

I am thankful for the green grass.  It was such a drab to look across our yard and only see brown, dead grass lying on the soil.  The trees I planted and the “Rose of Sharon” shrubs, as well are doing well.  At least some of the trees are doing well.  I planted eleven poplar trees, and only six are surviving.  All twelve of the “Rose of Sharon” shrubs survive.  I watered them every morning during the century degree weather; which was nearly every day for a month here in our valley.  I watered them everyday even when it was not in the hundreds of degrees.  The tallest trees are about five feet tall now.  From maybe two feet to five.  Those that are five feet; at least two of them were cut back due to dog damage, yet they have out grown the others.

It will not be long and it will be Thanksgiving.  I try to make each day a day of thanksgiving; and I fear there are days I fail to be thankful.  May there never be another.

-tim

More Trees and Some Rain

For an early Father’s Day gift my son Timothy and his wife Sarah and their children, Naomi, Josiah, Eli, and Lydia got me three new trees to plant.  They brought them down to me on Saturday.  Timothy helped me plant them.  One is a Tulip tree, one is a Red bud, and the other is a Crape Myrtle.

I had watered them this morning; pretty early, a little while before the sun rose over the hill to the East of our house.  After breakfast I went and built some fence to keep cattle from coming in through out back yard.  When I finished that I came to the house and cooled off, sat on the front porch, feeling the coolness of the cloud cover moving in, with some wind.

After I came in the rain came, and it fell rather heavily, and for a period of thirty minutes or more.  It slacked off a bit, but as I write it started pouring again.  Praise the LORD for the rain.

-Tim

Planting Rose Bushes

Now, I do not know if “Rose bushes” is the proper description of what we were planting or not, but that is what my wife and I did on the fifteenth of this month.

I do not believe I have ever seen the soil so dry as it was.  I dug down to nearly a foot deep, and usually in May the soil is a bit sticky with moisture, but it was not on Tuesday.  It was dry, and in much need of rain.  Anyway we got the rose bushes planted; and where my wife wanted them.

We are struggling to keep some of our trees going.  With dogs chewing some of them off; then I come along and cut them off to get a clean cut.  One I have done this with was coming back really well, then I look at it one afternoon and the pup or something had dug it up, practically destroying it.  There was still a sprig of hope in the ground, so I filled the hole in, watered it and it still has a green sprig popping its way upward.

The Rose of Sharon shrubs I panted are doing very well.  Looking forward to when they will begin to flower.  I do not expect they will this Summer, maybe next year though.

It is pretty neat watching something you have planted grow upwards toward their Creator.

-Tim

Maple Trees in The Yard

On April 30, 2010 as I was walking back from taking the lawn mower to my parent’s home I plucked some maple saplings from the side of the road to our house.  When I arrived home I grabbed my shovel and began planting them.

It seems now that at least one of them will not survive.  It was one that I had hoped would make it.  We water them frequently – every day – once a day, unless it rains.

We do want some trees in our yard.  These will probably be fast growing, soft maples and make a fairly good shade.

It seems that I am recovering well from the stent work.  My energy level is growing I do believe.  Though it seems it is slow in coming.  I do recover quicker than I did.

When I arrived home from bus driving this evening I went and did some work on our fence.  It is a different kind of fence; at least for me.  We are nearly finished with the part which extends from the road to the creek.  The, we will need to get started cutting cedars and build along the road around to the corner of the garden.  It will look pretty good I think.

Thank the Lord of creation, the Creator for all He has done.   His name is Jesus.

-Tim A. Blankenship