Garden pictures- lovable carrots & fresh salad

Our garden produced some interesting shaped carrots. No matter, we still enjoy their freshness. Lesson learned from these delightful orange veges; it doesn't matter what a person looks like on the outside, we all have the essence of beauty inside of us. If we could overlook the obvious flaws in each other, only then can we enjoy another person's sweet flavour.

These carrots were all chopped and bagged in ziploc bags and put in the freezer for the winter.

Tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, onions and apples.

Put them all together - and voila - fresh homegrown garden salad.

Just absolutely delicious. No, I didn't make this. My husband was at his finest once again. Welcome to Chef Lee's kitchen!

Sharing pictures of our garden fun - Garden visitors

Grasshopper hidden among the rose bush leaves.

Bee sucking nectar from the zinnia.

California poppies - they love lots of sunshine and their petals open wide when the days are hot.

Four o'clock flowers don't care for too much heat. They love to stay nice and cool.

More Four o'clock flowers.

Zinnia's are such beautiful flowers. They're not soft to the touch but very attract to look at.




















Butterfly posing on the zinnia.

Invitation to go towards the light

Tending the garden of the heart - Day 70

As we turned over the soil in parts of the garden, we noticed some seeds which never germinated in the darkness of the soil and some that began the germination process but never penetrated the soil's surface. We left them in the soil to become compost for the surviving plants which will continue to grow to bear fruit and fulfill their purpose.

There are 4 different types of people in the darkness:

1) The ones who stay in the darkness because they've become comfortable there and they're so absorbed in their lives that even if light comes they don't notice it.

2) The ones who stay in the darkness because they've become comfortable there, see the light, but choose to ignore it and remain in the darkness.

3) The ones who see the light and begin to go towards it but are convinced by the ones who chose to remain that the light is scary or should not be trusted.

4) The ones who see the light, ignore the skeptics and the critics in the darkness, follow the light and find the path out into pure light gaining more and more light as they go closer to the light source.

Like our plants that will reach their full maturity at the fruit bearing stage, so will the people who turn towards the light and allow the natural growth process to unfold, bringing them to full maturity to bear fruit thereby fulfilling their life's purpose.

Of the four types, which one are you? I invite you to go towards the light of the Spirit and keep reaching for the light that you may 'bear fruit' and complete your purpose on earth.

Weeding your life's garden - Part 1

Tending the garden of the heart - Day 61

We've spent the time over the weekend pulling out weeds that had overtaken our flower garden. Our four o'clock and poppy are growing nicely but they were being overrun by the fast pace growth of rosehip and rosebush. We knew that we needed to weed the flower garden but was so busy weeding and transplanting in the fruit and vegetable garden that the flower garden was neglected for a while.

We didn't realize how much extra weed growth there was until we began the tedious but necessary task of weeding. Actually, it didn't look like much at first. But if we want to enjoy our flower garden, we had no choice but to clear out all the unwanted growth.

Last year, we had mostly rosehip and rose bush in the garden and that was okay then. But this year, we decided to do something different; adding four o'clock and poppy and leaving a smaller and more defined area for the rosehip and rosebush, at least on that part of the flower garden.

If you're the kind of person, like anybody else with aspirations, anything goes is not your status quo. You're not going to allow any and everything to enter and inhabit your life, especially if you're trying to accomplish some worthwhile goals. Keeping watch over and constantly weeding your life's garden is definitely the step to take to keep down and eradicate unwanted growth in your life.

Once you've defined your life, like we've defined what type of flowers we desired to have in our flower garden, then making the decision to how much of the other stuff you'd like to keep becomes easier.

Now that we've cleared all the weeds, shaped out the garden, defining the area for the rosehip, the rosebush, the four o'clocks and the poppies, the flower garden gives a sense of freedom.

Take a good look at your life for signs of overgrowth and begin the tedious but necessary steps of defining and weeding your life.

Defining who you are

Tending the garden of your heart - Day 42

You are the gardener in the garden of your life. It is you who are steering your ship in the direction you desire for it to go. The deciding factor is not your external circumstances for your external circumstances are results of your decision, whether consciously or unconsciously.

We've been taught to respond to our lives according to what the external issues present to us. But in order to master your life, you need to adopt a new mindset.

1) Declaration - I am the master of my life.
2) I create and recreate my life because it is in my power to do so with the guidance of the Spirit.
3) I choose to live my life in the grandest way that represents who I choose to be.
4) I feel the feelings of my inner being.
5) I am honest about my true feelings regarding who I am.
6) I decide to design my life in the truth that represents me.
7) I allow my thoughts to focus only on those things that come in alignment with the person I declare that I am.

Use these tips as guidelines to create and recreate your life, define who you are and truly design the garden of your life.

Bloom and let others enjoy your fragrance

Tending the garden of the heart - Day 31

Every flower in the garden has its own fragrance and each fragrance gives off its own unique distinctive aroma. The smell of roses is very different from the relaxing scent of lavender. It is said that the scent of lavender protects insects from eating the leaves of roses. But both flowers add their richness to the garden and bring joy to the gardener.

Similarly, when you let your talents grow and come into full bloom, you allow others in the garden of life to benefit from your rich fragrance; whether bringing them protection or joy.

You never know whose live you my change, transform or save. For this time and era you have been placed to make a difference. You only need to decide that you would allow your innate gifts the opportunity to evolve from seed to maturity. You not only satisfy your needs when you do this, but contribute to the needs of society as a whole unit.

Bloom and let others enjoy your fragrance.

Stay connected to the Source of life - Part 4

Tending the garden of the heart - Day 26

Roots that go deeper into the soil sustain the tree when the storms hit. Staying connecting to the Source is like building your house on the rock.

Whatever storms you face, no matter how hard the wind blows, you will stand secure knowing who you are. And because you are connected to the Source of life, and this life flows in and through you, you can overcome every obstacle.

Nature shows that after every storm the sun comes out again. In order to remain stable, secure and unshaken, you must settle your roots deep into the soil of Life.

He, who builds his house on the rock, when the winds and storms of life come, will stand, for you are focused on the final result. You will give your attention to the end result.

Indoors and Outdoors

Tending the garden of the heart - Day 22

Certain seeds are sown indoors early spring in order for them to begin to germinate and be ready to be transplanted outdoors in the garden once the weather warms up. Other seeds are sown directly into the outdoor soil in warmer temperatures.

Similarly, when you're tending the garden of your heart, some issues are worked out privately (indoors) where the interference and harshness of adverse conditions i.e. negative criticism, is less likely to endanger your growth process. Once you are stronger, you can now be 'transplanted into the outer garden'; your growth is now publicly evident.

For example, if you're dealing with personal heart issues, this may be something that you want to work on privately until you've come to a certain level of growth and you are now in a position to share this sensitive area with others for their benefit. This is where your growth has become evident to others.

Other areas may not be of a private nature. It may be a business project you're working on or promoting. The growth of your plans is seen publicly as you grow your business.

Whatever it is you're working on, whether privately or publicly, ensure that you nurture and protect your garden for continued growth to the point of bearing fruit.

Protecting the garden of the heart - Part 3

Tending the garden of the heart - Day 21

Eradicating weeds

In order for a garden to thrive, eradicating weeds is necessary to ensure proper plant growth.

What damage can weeds do to your garden?

Weeds strangle your plants and also compete with them for the nutrients in the soil.

Weeds of the heart

In the same way weeds are detrimental to your garden, internal weeds are detrimental to your heart.

How do you identify the weeds of the heart?

Identify those internal and external issues that are draining your energy and sucking the life from you. What about those things that are making you depressed? Consider past hurts; are you rehashing them?

Take each issue and dig deep down to find the root cause of it. Ask as many questions necessary to find the answer. Once you've identified the root, how could you eradicate it completely?

1) Make a decision that you would remove it from your life; whether it's an internal (heart issue) or external issue (environment or other people related issue).

2) If this issue could physically be removed or changed, then do so.

3) If it's an internal issue (i.e. a hurt, negative emotion), make a conscious shifting of your thought pattern. Stop feeding it with your dwelling on it. Begin to engage in more positive thoughts, finding the good out of bad situations or finding some other positive aspect of your life to focus on.

Regular inspection of the garden of your heart will keep weeds from overtaking it and allow you to grow to your fullest potential to enjoy life.

Protecting the garden of the heart - Part 2

Tending the garden of the heart - Day 20

How to protect your heart

When you've started a garden, if precautionary measures are not taken, pests and bugs can attack and destroy it. When you have young plants in your garden, they need to be protected from the frost.

It is also essential to protect your heart from the elements, from pests and bugs, as well. Consider the following:

1) Bring tender plants indoors to protect them from freezing temperatures.
When you're faced with an unfavourable encounter, if possible, remove yourself from the situation in order to protect your heart from further hurt or insult.

2) Plants need to be watered to keep them from drying out, whether they're indoors or outdoors.
Continued watering of your heart with positive affirmations and connection with God keeps your heart tender and compassionate towards others.

3) Protect plants from being trampled on by pests by planting other plants to repel them.
Avoid engaging in negative conversations and disconnect yourself from negative associations. Negative influences destroy positive thinking and deprive you of healthy inner growth.

4) If blossoms of plants have been destroyed they may recover.
Assess the hurt that you may have suffered. Look for the positive outcome of that situation instead of focusing on the hurt or look for the lessons learned or perhaps use your situation to help someone who may be going through the same thing.

5) Practicing preventative measures to ensure your garden is protected would limit or eliminate destruction to ensure you have a good harvest.

Apart from avoiding negative events, pay attention to the thoughts you're focused on or even those that may casually pass across your mind. Replace them with a positive thought or outcome.

Keeping your heart protected from negative invaders allows the flow of good to continue to enter and enrich your life.