Defeating the green-eyed monster

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I promised in last week’s post to talk with you about jealousy today. But first, would you mind a quick update? Both twigs of the baby elm tree have already sprouted new leaves, and I’m hopeful the wire cage and the Irish Spring soap, along with the beginnings of some lovely fall weather, will all keep that little tree thriving.

Let’s take a look at where that little tree is growing:

^ The little tree is growing right there …
in the shadow of its much larger parent tree.

You really can’t even see the little tree, can you? It’s so small and easy to miss. If you get down to the tree’s level, here’s what you’ll see:  Continue reading →

Time for Irish Spring

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No … Ireland hasn’t relocated to the southern hemisphere. It’s just entering autumn at this time of year. But this week, I realized it was time …

What do you remember most about this soap’s commercials?

Now, before you get really worried, I do shower regularly, and I use a less pungent soap than Irish Spring. But do you know where Irish Spring can be quite useful? In the garden.  Continue reading →

Follow-up photos for a friend

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Hello, friends – don’t worry! I’ll be posting as usual tomorrow, but in the meantime, I wanted to post two pictures for a friend who has asked for follow-up photos from two posts. Ask and ye shall receive!

In Worries on the road less traveled, I mentioned my dog sporting her pack:

My pack dog, part chocolate lab, part Tasmanian devil

And in last week’s the blazing in of autumn, I shared a photo of a gorgeous fall tree. My friend wanted to see the less-than-ideal photo from the day before, and so here it is:  Continue reading →

The blazing in of autumn

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For those of you who have followed me through the change of seasons, you may remember that I don’t totally love summer, despite its gardening wonders, bountiful fruit and golden lining. But autumn? Quite simply … I love it.

Here’s just one of the reasons why:

A favorite tree at one of my favorite spots in the whole world.
Do you know where this is?

All of summer’s lovely flowers can’t come close to the stirring of my soul when I look on this tree in fall. It’s as if I’ve held my breath to survive the heat and humidity and mosquitoes of summer and, when I see the promise of this tree, I can finally let the breath go.  Continue reading →

When the acorn rolls away from the tree

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I was at an appointment this morning with a doctor who is always conversational and tries to keep the visits light and fun. Today’s conversation veered in the direction of faith and religion, after I told her I’d been busy working on a book about trees in the Bible.

She spoke first of her son, a pre-teen who has announced he doesn’t believe in “all this God business.” Maybe he’s just going through a rebellious stage and trying to hit his parents where it will hurt most, but she’s worried that he may end up like two of her brothers who grew up going to church but now, as adults, don’t have faith.

She went on then to speak of her daughter, away at college, and her struggle with how hard to push her daughter about finding a church at college. She decided that she’d mention it once and then try hard not to nag or ask again, wanting her daughter to make her own choice about finding a faith community as an adult.  Continue reading →