The Tomatoes

I do not know what has happened to my tomato plants, but they have fizzled out.  Some one told me that they may have gotten too much water with all the rain we received earlier in July.

The plants have died, or are dying.  There is one lone living plant out of ten planted; with one lone, small green tomato coming along.

The first tomatoes I picked were large and firm, and they were really good eating.  Great on sandwiches, and just to eat along with chicken, mashed potatoes and such.

Well, we did get to enjoy a few.  Thank the Lord of all Creation for that wonderful blessing.  Thank you Lord Jesus.

The First Day

It is the first day of Spring, and it is raining.  It is supposed to rain inches and  inches, getting rivers and streams over their banks.

Those who have planted their gardens will receive much needed water for them to grow wonderful veggies, potatoes, and it will be quite necessary for the farmers as well.

Have a great first day of Spring.  Enjoy the rain, be thankful for it.  Be thankful to our Creator for giving it.

From the banks of Flat Creek.

-Tim

Putting in a Garden

In the past few years we have attempted to do some gardening, but without much success.  This year our son Timothy and wife Sarah have done much work on getting the garden spot ready for planting.  They spent all day this past Saturday [March 10] harrowing, plowing, tilling, and other things too.  I spent part of that time burning a brush pile; and part of the afternoon doing a little bit to help.

I was worn out.  I am fairly certain that Timothy and Sarah were worn out physically too.

It is amazing the temperatures we are having now.  Trees are budding.  The Bradford Pears are in blossom and leaves have come out too.  It seems so early.  There is an old weather proverb that says, “Thunder in February; there will be frost in May.”   Well, there was thunder in February.  We will see if there is frost in May.  Frost will be a death knell for many plants unless they are protected.

It will be interesting watching how the Lord will bless our crops this year.

On the banks of Flat Creek.

-Tim

It’s Raining Outside

I am glad it’s not raining inside.  Now that would be a fluke.  It is raining outside to water the grass, the gardens that are needing the rain, and the fields of so many farmers who are growing corn, and other foods.

The rain I am seeing is a slow, steady rain; which means it will soak in and have less run-off.

At a time when people in North Dakota are experiencing flooding and people in Eastern Missouri and all along the Mississippi; it just seems odd to be needing rain; but that is the blunt of it.

Thank YOU Almighty GOD for the rain.

-Tim

It’s Spring Now Two thousand eleven

This Spring is wracking up the numbers.  Numbers of mysterious events in our lives. My family and I that  is.  We enjoy Spring.  I know I do.

It is amazing how you can plan to do things, get things done around the house, yard, garden and such, and there are inconveniences and mysterious events taking place which work at odds to prevent it – what you have planned that is.

I have plowed and worked a bit of a garden.  I have an acre and a half of yard to mow, and now things have been slowed for now.

Last Fall my wife had heart surgery, and we moved into a new home by the end of October.  We have been slowly laboring to improve things around the house and such. Build a fence around it so cattle don’t get near the house and tear things up, as well as mess up the yard, spread ticks and such.  Moving dirt has been a chore we were doing as well.

Now I have had to go into the hospital for an angiogram, and it was discovered that I had a lot of blockage in the vessels of my heart.  They put in 3-4 stints; one of them doubled to make it long enough for one blockage; and on Monday I will return to the hospital for more stints, I think a couple more.  I am off of work for at least two weeks, and who really knows.

I don’t mean to sound as if I am complaining, but rather I laugh as I think of what I have written.  I laugh because our plans often fall far short of what God has planned for our lives.  His plan always out weighs our own; and is the one plan that is far better than our own.

I don’t know what the Creator has in His plan, but I can trust and know that it is for my good, your good and for His own glory.

I still love Spring.  I will always love Spring.  The grass returns to greening, the leaves bud and sprout on the trees, flowers bloom, gardens grow; and so much more.  It is a time for growing; and that’s how I looking at what is happening in life right now.

-Tim A. Blankenship