Elderberries for a Healthy Fall

The elderberry bushes in my yard have been harvested. I have canned elderberry juice for the winter, and I have berries in the freezer. Elderberry bushes have a long history of use. The flower heads in early summer are beautiful. The flowers can be used to make a cordial that has nutritional value. Click here… Continue reading Elderberries for a Healthy Fall

Family Time by Lake Superior

Last week we were in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan with our married children and the grandchildren. It was a delight to watch the grandkids enjoy being out in nature, spending precious time with their cousins.  I watched the older cousins flock around the youngest. We enjoyed picnics along the coast of Lake Superior. The… Continue reading Family Time by Lake Superior

Fruit of the Garden

After I retired from clinical nursing, my work has changed. My work revolves around home and church. Gardening is a pleasant task at home. I enjoy planting and nourishing the garden. It is fulfilling to pick the produce and share it with family and friends. It is interesting that the word, work, appears in the… Continue reading Fruit of the Garden

Praise and Thanksgiving

This morning in church we sang the hymn All Creatures of Our God and King. The words, originally by Francis of Assisi, were paraphrased by Thomas Ken (1637 – 1711) and translated by William H. Draper (1855 -1 933). Here are verses 1 & 3. All creatures of our God and King, lift your voices and… Continue reading Praise and Thanksgiving

Beautiful U.P. and Wild Thimbleberries

The Upper Peninsula of Michigan is a place of refreshment for me. I have lots of family memories. When I was a child, my family made a trip to the U.P. every summer, to visit my grandparents, aunt, uncle, and cousins.  During a couple of these vacation trips, my Dad took my brother and I… Continue reading Beautiful U.P. and Wild Thimbleberries

Sunshine and Sunset

Recently my husband and I drove through the rolling hills of western Illinois. The sunshine fell softly on the farms and the cattle grazing on the green hills. It was a beautiful day, and we were on our way to a retreat with our church family. We had two and one-half days to study God’s… Continue reading Sunshine and Sunset

Joy and Thanksgiving in June

The crocuses and tulips and lilacs have bloomed. Now the irises, lily of the valley and peonies are blooming in my yard. The roses have buds. Springtime and summer teem with new plant life and  flowers, created by God. I have brought some inside to enjoy.  Wednesday evening, I listened to a young adult on the… Continue reading Joy and Thanksgiving in June

Gardens and Families

The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:12 The hyacinths are blooming and I notice their scent when I walk outside. The hyacinths, tulips and daffodils usher… Continue reading Gardens and Families