We have a winner!!

"But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance." Romans 8:25

Our winner is allotment lady! Congratulations!! Please give me your mailing information so I can get it mailed. It's all boxed and ready to go. Here is your showcase...
Purchased at Cracker Barrel -
a bottle of 100% pure maple syrup
a package of Glee gum [the way gum used to be - with rainforest chicle]
Bluegrass Highway CD [how could I not include something bluegrass?]

Purchased from my sister in Arkansas -
A Little Bit o' Luck sample set from Lucky You Personal Spa Collection [moisturizing hand/body soap, exfoliating hand/body soap, tranquil bath tea (3 bags), perfect moisture hydrating lotion, creamy soy body butter, sugar mousse body polish, soothing bath salts]

Thank you for being so patient with me. I do appreciate all the comments even though you had no idea what the prize was. And please forgive me for waiting so long to post the winner. Never again will I post a give-away and then go on vacation. We got home and the next day it was a week later. :-(

Confusing Week

"Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another's speech." Genesis 11:7
Have you ever had one of those weeks? A week that flew by at rocket speed? A week that made you wonder if you accomplished anything? A week full of confusion? Last week was one of those weeks for me. And it wasn't the goats' fault. Who knows what it was, but - whew! what a week!!

Today a gal at work asked if I was at that stage in life, yet, where it was hard to remember common, everyday words. My answer was, "NO!! Certainly not!!" And then I laughed and asked, "What do you mean 'yet'? Is it a for-sure thing?" She assured me it was coming, had something to do with menopause, and would not linger long.

Joy. There may be more posts like today's!!

Thanks to all my blogger friends for waiting on me so patiently!! Maybe a few of you can relate - and coach me through this. When the time comes, of course!!

Fish and tomatoes???

"We remember the fish which we used to eat free in Egypt, the cucumbers and the melons and the leeks and the onions and the garlic." Numbers 11:5
But what about tomatoes and fish?

After such an incredibly relaxing weekend, we come home to fish in our garden!! Fish? Yes, fish. Strung all through our tomatoes!

This trout line has become a gag gift in our neighborhood. If you read Petunia's Garden, you'll notice that she's posted about these little critters for several days in a row!! The joke started last Christmas when they were away for the evening. How do we welcome them home? We can "decorate" the tree outside their front door (see here)!! The lights were taken off their tree and fish went into hiding. Until now, that is!

Petunia's Gardener thinks the fish need to travel the neighborhood, but I'm not sure others would appreciate them as much as we have. Who knows? They may love them!!
(PS - There has been no scientific data which suggests illumination by fish is beneficial for growing tomatoes!)

Sweet Surprise

"...and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue." Proverbs 31:26
This was my surprise this morning before Eric left for work. However, it was not from Eric. It was from my sweet neighbor, Petunia's Gardener and her DH. She brought it over yesterday before I got home and Eric was ever so kind as to hide it until today. (Today's my birthday.) What fun to open this goody bag!

- recipe book for making smoothies of every concoction
- lovely printed napkins
- two envelopes of traditional European bath therapy
- candle with the most amazing scent
- gentle green candle plate
- card with a sunflower recalling memories of our KS roots

Petunia's Gardener and her DH have been incredibly hospitable since the day we moved in. God certainly knew what He was doing when He allowed us to find this house. The two of them both graduated from Wichita State University - we had just moved from our farm 30 miles south of Wichita, KS! Coincidence? Hardly not (no such thing). Unmistakably the hand of God. It has been such a comfort to talk of familiar things with our new neighbors. They even put up with me during my 6-month funk! She introduced me to the fabulous world of blogging, they share veggies from their garden, and she likes to check out thrift stores!!

Thank you, Petunia's Gardener and DH, for such a lovely surprise this morning!