Ben is halfway through his MTC training. Funny how it seems like just yesterday that we dropped him off, but it also feels like he's been gone a long time.
The title of his e-mail last week was 'Proper Etiquette around Apostles'. The mission president training has begun and so the First Presidency and all the Apostles come in to teach parts of the training. I've been praying for Ben to have lots of spirit-enlarging experiences while he's in the MTC. Casually meeting Elder Nelson was apparently one of those this week. Ben has never been easily impressed by 'famous' people, but he has certainly been touched by his meetings with General Authorities over the last several weeks. New Caledonia is a long way from Salt Lake City, so I'm hoping that these opportunities to spend time with the Lord's anointed will help carry Ben through the hard days.
Ben also talked about the opportunity that he had to clean the Provo temple during its annual closing. Fortunately, hard work is something that Ben understands, so cleaning in the temple for a change rather than his usual participating in ordinances is still a good experience!
Monday, June 28, 2010
Saturday, June 26, 2010
In The Garden - June 26
AKA Tomato Watch 2010. LOL! Every year, I'm absolutely starving for tomatoes by June. Every year, I don't get my first fresh, home-grown tomato until July. Can you see why June is generally not my favorite month??? This year, I planted four varieties of tomatoes: Early Girl, Italian Paste, Sweet 100 and our new favorite, Sungold, a cherry-sized yellow tomato. All the plants are growing well. All the plants are blooming. *sighs* None of the plants has an edible tomato yet.
These are the infant paste tomatoes...
...they're about the diameter of my little finger, which is admittedly, not very big.
In other news, the possibly radioactive pea plants are filled with pea pods. Just waiting for the pods to swell a bit more beforepouncing harvesting them.
Do you know what this flower is?
While it bears more than a passing resemblance to Deadly Nightshade, this is not one of my freaky herbs. It's my potato patch. Flowers blooming is a sign that the potatoes underground are about the size of a golf ball. We usually wait until Pioneer Day to start harvesting so that we get a little more potato for our labors, but I'm craving fresh roasted potatoes. Don't know how long I can hold out.
For the next week or so, the main yard task (excepting watering, which will be an ongoing battle until September) will be deadheading the spring blooms. So far, I've deadheaded the lilacs, daffodils and nicotiana. Got a long list still to do. One truth about being a gardener...the job security is rock solid. There's always more to do in the garden.
Have to give a shout out to Carin and Nathan who just celebrated their seventh anniversary! Congratulations you two! So glad to have you and your family as part of my life.
These are the infant paste tomatoes...
...they're about the diameter of my little finger, which is admittedly, not very big.
In other news, the possibly radioactive pea plants are filled with pea pods. Just waiting for the pods to swell a bit more before
Do you know what this flower is?
While it bears more than a passing resemblance to Deadly Nightshade, this is not one of my freaky herbs. It's my potato patch. Flowers blooming is a sign that the potatoes underground are about the size of a golf ball. We usually wait until Pioneer Day to start harvesting so that we get a little more potato for our labors, but I'm craving fresh roasted potatoes. Don't know how long I can hold out.
For the next week or so, the main yard task (excepting watering, which will be an ongoing battle until September) will be deadheading the spring blooms. So far, I've deadheaded the lilacs, daffodils and nicotiana. Got a long list still to do. One truth about being a gardener...the job security is rock solid. There's always more to do in the garden.
Have to give a shout out to Carin and Nathan who just celebrated their seventh anniversary! Congratulations you two! So glad to have you and your family as part of my life.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Missionary Monday - June 21
Ben's letter this week was so amazing that I didn't know whether to jump for joy or faint from surprise. LOL! He's able to teach the missionary lessons in French already. With great enthusiasm, he announced that he's gone on an English fast...no more speaking English. This from the guy who wouldn't even put down that he spoke any French on his missionary application! Go, Ben! I mean, 'Allez, Elder Coffey'!
Now that the weather has warmed up - a lot - I had to take pictures of the roses before they go on their summer hiatus...
Now that the weather has warmed up - a lot - I had to take pictures of the roses before they go on their summer hiatus...
'Betty Boop'
'Angel Face'
'Double Delight'
Friday, June 18, 2010
In The Garden - June 18
I had a 'peachy' day in the garden today...
Sorry for the pun, but I really did have a good day working in the garden. As you can see, the peach crop is doing very well. We sprayed the trees with an organic fungicide in the early spring to see if we could avoid the fungus that we've had the past few years. It doesn't affect the eating quality of the peaches, only their appearance, but it was yucky all the same. So far, the peaches and apricots are looking pretty good.
The new flower bed in front of the hope-it's-soon-to-be-done deck is all planted! I'd forgotten how much fun it is to get to lay out and plant a brand new bed! I planted a couple of shrubs, several perennial flowers and filled in with some annual flowers. I know it looks a little sparse at the moment, but all the rest of the flower beds looked like this when they were new, too. Won't be long before they're all struggling for space. LOL!
Remember my little pea patch? Yes, this giant crowd of plants is how the pea patch looks today. The fence posts are about 2 1/2 feet tall and the peas are a bit taller in most spots. Fortunately, their upward growth is probably about over as they have begun to bloom. It's hard to see well in this picture, but there are dozens of big white pea blossoms. I'm kind of enjoying this change of style with the new variety. If the peas are big and tasty, I may have found a new standby.
Rejoice kohlrabi lovers (you know who you are!) These delicious little fellas are about two inches in diameter, about half way to the perfect size for eating. I've got eight of these this year. Enough to share. I think. LOL!
Sorry for the pun, but I really did have a good day working in the garden. As you can see, the peach crop is doing very well. We sprayed the trees with an organic fungicide in the early spring to see if we could avoid the fungus that we've had the past few years. It doesn't affect the eating quality of the peaches, only their appearance, but it was yucky all the same. So far, the peaches and apricots are looking pretty good.
The new flower bed in front of the hope-it's-soon-to-be-done deck is all planted! I'd forgotten how much fun it is to get to lay out and plant a brand new bed! I planted a couple of shrubs, several perennial flowers and filled in with some annual flowers. I know it looks a little sparse at the moment, but all the rest of the flower beds looked like this when they were new, too. Won't be long before they're all struggling for space. LOL!
Remember my little pea patch? Yes, this giant crowd of plants is how the pea patch looks today. The fence posts are about 2 1/2 feet tall and the peas are a bit taller in most spots. Fortunately, their upward growth is probably about over as they have begun to bloom. It's hard to see well in this picture, but there are dozens of big white pea blossoms. I'm kind of enjoying this change of style with the new variety. If the peas are big and tasty, I may have found a new standby.
Rejoice kohlrabi lovers (you know who you are!) These delicious little fellas are about two inches in diameter, about half way to the perfect size for eating. I've got eight of these this year. Enough to share. I think. LOL!
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
You know what they say...
...when the cat is away, the mouse will play! Bwahahaha!
Actually, it'll just be exciting stuff like sewing and painting and weeding, but at least I'll be able to do it whenever I want. Mike likes a regular schedule. Me, I like to fly by the seat of my pants. LOL! Yay for scout camps!
In other news,
Monday, June 14, 2010
Missionary Monday - June 14
Soooo, just when I relaxed a bit, thinking that Ben is safely in Provo for several more weeks, we find out this week that he has been made district leader over his district. The district where everyone has been at the MTC for a month already. What?!? He's also keeping up with them in classes, learning the discussions in both English and French at the same time. Sounds like he's being fast-tracked, doesn't it? He's loving it. I'm worrying that he'll head for the south seas sooner than we thought. My way of dealing with it all? Praying all the time, just like I always do when I have a son on a mission. *sighs* Isn't the third time supposed to be the charm? I'm feeling a little overwhelmed by all this. Proud of my son, worried what is going to happen next.
On a much lighter note, Mike and I have noticed an interesting phenomenon. Last week, our recycling bin was barely half full. We laughed about the possibility that it was probably due to the lack of Mountain Dew cans. This week, Mike will be at The Big Event (a Boy Scout camp for older boys). When I asked about how he usually handles the trash as I would need to do it this week, he said that I really didn't have to bother. We have less than half a bag to put out anyway. *hmmmmm* What was Ben putting in the trash that increased its volume so stupendously?!? LOL!
On a much lighter note, Mike and I have noticed an interesting phenomenon. Last week, our recycling bin was barely half full. We laughed about the possibility that it was probably due to the lack of Mountain Dew cans. This week, Mike will be at The Big Event (a Boy Scout camp for older boys). When I asked about how he usually handles the trash as I would need to do it this week, he said that I really didn't have to bother. We have less than half a bag to put out anyway. *hmmmmm* What was Ben putting in the trash that increased its volume so stupendously?!? LOL!
Friday, June 11, 2010
In The Garden - June 11
An eternal truth - weed seeds will germinate and grow faster than the seeds of any desirable plant. Guaranteed. *sighs* I have spent a lot of time this week removing the undesirable elements so that the yummy and beautiful ones have room to grow. Doesn't usually bother me as much later in the season when the zucchini plants are six feet across, but now, when they're only two inches tall, those weeds just irritate the heck out of me. It is somewhat satisfying to rip them out by their little roots and compost them. Great way to vent my frustrations!
Grow, little guy, grow! I have big plans for you. Bwahahaha! Actually, my plans for you are the same as the plans that I've had for every first tomato every year since I've had a garden of my own. I will eat you as I stand in the garden. Nothing tastes as good as that first tomato every year.
This is a sight of great joy. These poppies are the progeny of poppy seed that Grandpa Clow gave me when we first moved into the house only a few months before he died. The seeds were originally gathered by him and his family from wild colonies of poppies growing in the Arizona desert.
When I moved the herb garden last year, I tried to plant the herbs in between the patches of poppies, hoping that the poppies would seed as usual and come up in the same spot this year. The poppy plants seemed to resent the intrusion and showed their disapproval and looking very sad for the rest of the growing season. I wasn't sure whether they had set any seed or not. They did! I have a small, but thriving patch of poppies keeping my herbs company.
My pink peonies. I just love the color and fragrance! These were given to me by Carol Brown, starts that someone had given her. Took a few years for them to become established, but they are well worth the wait.
This is one of my gardening assistants. LOL! She took a break to swing for a bit. She calls the swing "weeee". When I took out my camera, she said 'cheese'. The whole time she was swinging, she repeated "weeee" "cheese", "weeee" "cheese", over and over. When I put the camera back in my pocket, she yelled "cheese, Granny, cheese!" So I had to take this one last picture.
When I moved the herb garden last year, I tried to plant the herbs in between the patches of poppies, hoping that the poppies would seed as usual and come up in the same spot this year. The poppy plants seemed to resent the intrusion and showed their disapproval and looking very sad for the rest of the growing season. I wasn't sure whether they had set any seed or not. They did! I have a small, but thriving patch of poppies keeping my herbs company.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Missionary Monday - June 7
First, an homage to the blessing that is e-mail...
Receiving messages from my missionary in very nearly real time is truly a joy. Being able to easily type out replies on days that my fingers are not cooperative enough to put pen to paper is a relief. Knowing that the Lord's work is able to roll with ease in this electronic age is a great blessing.
Ben's e-letter this week was full of excitement and testimony. I've always known that he had a great testimony. It's wonderful to see it out on show! This week he referenced a favorite story of mine about Joseph Millett . Elder Foster of the 2nd Quorum of the Seventy came to speak with the missionaries and shared the Joseph Millett story with them.
I'm thankful for a Heavenly Father who made sure that my son knows that he's more than just another missionary in the throng of young stripling warriors at the MTC. And I'm thankful that He knows me, too.
Random flower picture taken last week...
Receiving messages from my missionary in very nearly real time is truly a joy. Being able to easily type out replies on days that my fingers are not cooperative enough to put pen to paper is a relief. Knowing that the Lord's work is able to roll with ease in this electronic age is a great blessing.
Ben's e-letter this week was full of excitement and testimony. I've always known that he had a great testimony. It's wonderful to see it out on show! This week he referenced a favorite story of mine about Joseph Millett . Elder Foster of the 2nd Quorum of the Seventy came to speak with the missionaries and shared the Joseph Millett story with them.
I'm thankful for a Heavenly Father who made sure that my son knows that he's more than just another missionary in the throng of young stripling warriors at the MTC. And I'm thankful that He knows me, too.
Random flower picture taken last week...
Friday, June 4, 2010
In The Garden - June 4
It's 83 degrees this afternoon. Not atypical for early June, but kind of a shock after we had a near miss with a late frost just last week. *insert eyeroll here* Can't say I'm surprised, but I'll never get used to such variability in the weather.
A pictorial tour of the garden this week...
Trying out a new variety of shelling peas this year. They're much taller than the usual variety. They seem to like the 'shrine' that we built them...they've grown over six inches since we put it up.
It's a baby pumpkin plant! Granny is trying very hard to grow some pumpkins this year! Don't worry, we'll still go to the big pumpkin patch, too, in the fall. That was too much fun to pass up.
Apricot season is nearly upon us. The hail storm a couple of weeks ago thinned them for me. The survivors are getting really big, really fast. Woo hoo!
Bought new pots for the patio and got them filled with baby flowers.
I love these Christophii alliums. They look like little constellations in my flower bed.
Yes, that's ornamental tobacco. No, I'm not trying to get myself excommunicated. I just love the sweet fragrance of these flowers. I promise not to smoke any part thereof. LOL!
A pictorial tour of the garden this week...
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