Gardening

It is now the second day of summer. Today the days start getting shorter. It always amazes me realize that because we have the hottest time of the year ahead of us and well it seems there is no end to the heat.

I used to really hate the heat of summer. I would claim to be simply miserable and I would probably make everyone around me miserable too. Now though, that all seems to have changed. I don't mind the hot of summer. I much prefer it over the cold of winter.  I love the sun of summer, the clouds of winter? Ehhh not quite so much.

Summer....the time for picnics and gardens. Gardens mean gardening. I can't garden. I am, of course, completely physically able to garden except for a few (or a million) pesky allergies. I have discovered a weird thing about myself.

I'm allergic to corn.  I can eat it just fine. But if any part of the corn stalk touches me I break out in a nasty case of hives.

Being allergic to corn, even corn in that weird way, and living in one of the largest corn producing states makes gardening quite a challenge. (okay, yeah so it was a challenge before too....)  I also have a nasty case of, I-don't-know-if-that-is-a-weed-or-a-plant-itis, so I leave everything alone thinking the plants will make it obvious to me later. Nope. I still can't tell the difference between a weed and a cucumber plant.

This is my garden...right now.  I know it is infested with weeds. I know anything I might have thought of planting is being choked out. But I didn't plant anything. It seems we had too much rain, then too much hail. And quite frankly I ran out of time.

So yeah, it's pretty weedy. I can grow houseplants though. I really can and my front flower garden is growing very well.

The world's largest hosta, I'm sure.

I am very thankful for those who know much more about gardening and growing food than I do. If everyone was like me, no one would eat.

As thankful as I am for men who know how to garden, how to grow things, those who can tell the difference between a weed and a cucumber plant. I am also thankful for those who know the best time and way to transplant plants. Those who know how to graft one plant to another astound me. I don't know how or when to do that.

I am so thankful for a loving God who has not only given people the knowledge to do this but also to graft me into His Vine.

I read the best book on the subject yesterday. "The Gardener and the Vine" is a wonderful book.  Andrew McDonough weaves John 15 and Romans 11 together in a way that is both biblically sound and easy to read and grasp.

Of course the book is for children....young children. But is so good even adults will like it and learn from it. The book is published by ZonderKidz and was released this past January. I can't recommend it high enough!