Apple Blossom.

My apple trees are now into their second Spring and are covered in blossom! I am still not expecting apples though as it takes three years for the trees to mature enough. Worryingly there are very few bees about. I haven't seen many at all! I don't know if it is the odd weather that has caused this but it is quite concerning. It certainly makes me wonder about the health of the environment. The number of butterflies and garden birds seem to be falling too. 

Do you have many bees where you are? 

Blessings,

Jenny

My New Raised Beds.

So excited! They are finally built and in place and ready for plants. I have filled them up with manure as the base layer and then compost on top. I was dreading opening and digging in the manure but it really wasn't as bad as I expected. It smelt like cow but it wasn't utterly dreadful! 

I am going to put bricks between the beds so that it doesn't get muddy and I need to figure out a way to protect the seedlings that I plant out. Something to keep the sparrows off! Although Doris keeps walking on them too .... I have some plastic cloches and some fine fleece material so hopefully that will do. Plus I am hoping that the birds lose interest once the seedlings are a decent size. 

It is finally warming up outside so the seedlings that have been happily growing in my indoor propagators are being put out for a few hours at a time to get them used to the outside world! They will be planted out this week, weather permitting, as they are getting pretty big now. I also have some seeds that I want to sow directly into the ground. I will be watching the weather forecast closely! 

Blessings,

Jenny

Lacy Ribbon Scarf.

I spotted this wool at the local market and was so taken with it! It is light and flowery and altogether feminine. I actually bought 2 different colours as I couldn't decide between this one and one with deep pink lace and blue ribbon. Once I get on with that one I will post pictures. Oh and photographs when they are actually finished! 

I haven't got very far yet! I was planning on doing a little gardening but the weather is far too wet. So time for knitting after all! 

It looks so pretty close up! Pale pink lace and pretty pink flowers on a cream ribbon base! 

I can't wait until it is finished! I am so looking forward to wearing a cascade of girlish ruffles!

Blessings,

Jenny

Sparrows Sitting Still.

Please! I would really appreciate it if you would just pause in your hopping, bobbing, and feather fluffing for long enough for me to take a photograph. A chance to capture the cuteness is all I ask! 

I can hear the sparrows chirping right now through the open window. It has been a bright and sunny day but the wind has a chill to it! Somehow, whenever I look out of the window or am outside gardening, there seem to be sparrows everywhere - in the hedge, in the trees, on the grass, and on the bird feeders - but as soon as I pick up my camera they vanish! 

I stood very still and managed to get these few .... 

 

All fluffed up! 

I don't know how wildlife photographers keep their patience! At least flowers don't fly away when I want to photograph them! 

Blessings,

Jenny

An Encouraging Word Magazine.

I saw this magazine mentioned as one that is similar to Keepers At Home magazine in both target audience and content. I looked it up and it is really expensive to subscribe to it from England! I headed over to eBay to look for back issues and luckily there was one set of oldish copies. So exciting! Luckily it was a Buy It Now so there wasn't the nail biting drama of an auction! 

How sweet they look! Each issue has a theme and all the articles in the magazine relate back to this theme. Some of the themes of the magazines that I bought are Clean Hands and a Pure Heart, Stumbling Blocks, a Fruitful and Productive Life, Training Our Daughters, and a Meek and Quiet Spirit. So inspiring! I really like that each issue covers just one theme as there are deeper articles that really make me think as well as a few shorter ones. Lots to learn in these! 

I am keeping my eyes open for any other lots of these being sold to add to my collection! I really love reading and have a Keepers At Home collection. Anything is better than the trashy celebrity based magazines! 

Blessings,

Jenny

Random Baking.

Some of my recent baking attempts have gone well and others ...... not so well! The brownies were in the oven a lot longer than the recipe stated and were still undercooked and the cookies spread out so much and had to be carved back into cookie sized pieces. And they fell apart! I think it may be an egg issue. We buy our eggs from a local farm and I recently realised that they are a fair bit bigger than the eggs sold in the supermarket. So now I know the problem ( I think!) I just have to figure out how to fix it! 

Blessings,

Jenny

Hope.

Spring is such a time of hope and new beginnings. Anything seems possible in Spring! New life is born of the seemingly dead ground. God's power is on display all around us at all times but, perhaps, it is more noticeable in Spring after the long, dark Winter. 

Jesus died and rose again in Spring. He died for us. Suffered for us. Lets not glide over this truth or view it through rose tinted glasses. He was tortured and beaten but He endured it for us. We had sinned and He died so that we would be forgiven. He loved us that much! 

I find it hard to comprehend such love. There are times when I get irritated with my family when they haven't done anything wrong and yet here was Jesus who was innocent of all crimes and yet was willing to suffer and sacrifice His life for all of us so that our sins would be forgiven. 

Such generous, unfailing, consistent, awe inspiring, and faithful love. A love that didn't just exist in the good times when things were easy and unchallenging. It was a love that was willing to suffer for the sins of others. 

He does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve. 

For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth.

He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.

Psalm 103 : 10 - 12

We must never forget this great act of love. This gift that we were given. It is easy to get distracted by the world and not to think of Jesus first. We all know what we should be doing. We should be living for Jesus! He died so that you could live. Does your life reflect that? Do your daily choices, actions, and words honour Him? A few things that I have been thinking on lately especially while reading In His Steps. 

Happy Easter to you and your families. 

Blessings,

Jenny

Winter Returns!

I should have known that I was being far too hopeful when I posted those photographs of Spring flowers! 

Today I awoke to .....

Winter has returned with snow and freezing temperatures and strong, bitter winds. It feels like I will never get my garden started! I have the ideas and the seeds and the motivation but the weather isn't playing fair .... I miss the sunshine! 

Blessings,

Jenny