Glorious and Enjoyable

         

       Longer, warmer days

       Bright, warm, first caressing, then burning—we are blessed with Spring-time sun.  It’s been with us now the last week, along with burgeoning leaves, exploding blossoms, greening grass, and flowering bushes.  We are now seeing folk attired in sleeveless shirts, shorts, and sandaled feet.  The temperatures have been around 20°C/68°F, with soft breezes.  Laundry waves from newly strung-up lines—eliminating the need to have drying stands in bedrooms and lounges.

      

Sowing Seeds?       

        I’d wanted to start planting seeds for my balcony garden last month.  In truth I didn’t do it as I was feeling ambivalent about the situation; I was trying to decide if I would have enough energy for tending it this summer.  About the time I decided to forget about it this year, I saw an advert on the television for a free packet of carrot seeds and a gardening booklet that was in today’s paper.  Encouraged by the presenter, Monty Don, that there is still plenty of time for seed planting, I tackled the job of cleaning up the balcony in order to prepare this years “Garden in Boxes.”  For those who saw it last year, you will know just how blessed I was with my little endeavour. 

Balcony before the clean-up

      

  This year, there will be no broccoli, no cabbages.  I do hope for cucumbers and yellow squashes—which I didn’t plant last year.  The repeat vegetables for this year are going to be beet root, carrots, dwarf beans, spinach and maybe lettuce. 

 By the time I’d done the clearing and cleaning, I was too tired to day any planting.  So, the plan is to do the planting tomorrow morning. 

Balcony after the clean

 New Duties 

This past week has been pretty busy with other things as well.  Wednesday and Friday I went to Langley Parish Office in St. Mary's Hall to begin my duties as the Parish Administrator.  I edited the weekly newsletter and then copied them for the three churches.  I made a few phone calls; to two couples getting married in the coming months to confirm if they want the bells rung and to someone else who needs a copy of her baptismal certificate.  I was shown the books to record baptisms, brides, and burials.  It was wonderful to feel productive in a professional capacity again. 

New Gadget!

I had never heard of being able to do “Free-motion” embroidery on a standard sewing machine until I was reading a book on Sewing machine techniques.  (Encyclopedia of Sewing Machine Techniques by Nancy Bednar and JoAnn Pugh-Gannon:  publisher Sterling Publishing Co., Inc., New York).  

 Although my Singer has several feet—zipper foot, button-hole foot, Blind-stitch hem foot—I didn’t have a free-motion embroidery foot.  Onto the internet I went and found one at:  http://www.singermachines.co.uk/singer-embroidery-darning-foot.htm.  The foot arrived on Friday.  To learn how to put it on properly, I had to research on the internet, finding help on www.youtube.com.  I’ve been experimenting to learn how to use it and what I can do with it.  One demonstration on www.youtube.com shows how to use the embroidery foot without an embroidery hoop—but requires three layers of fabric.  A couple of other videos show the use of a hoop.  Let me tell you, figuring out how to get the hoop under the presser foot takes a bit of logic and ingenuity.  I’ll post photos once I start doing some projects.  Please don’t hold your breath or be too expectant, because I have a feeling that many hours of practice are going to be required before I reach any level of proficiency.  Yet, I promise to have fun whilst I’m learning.  

Summing up...

 So, I’ve been trying to rise to the new challenges in my life.  I still find low energy levels frustrating, discouraging and inhibiting in terms of how much I get accomplished.  Yet, I know the Lord helps me every day.  I do believe that there is an answer to the problem and that I will get my energy back.  But, it is the challenges that create the contrast more evident—and conquering the challenges even more enjoyable. 

Prayer for the Day

from the Church of England Prayer book

"Most Merciful God, 

Who by the death and resurrection

of your Son Jesus Christ 

delivered and saved the world; 

grant that by faith in Him Who suffered on the cross

we may triumph in the power of His victory; 

through Jesus Christ , Your Son, Our Lord, 

Who is a live and reigns with You

Amen"

Serving Jesus, Author of our faith,

“Lady Helene”