Hey friends, well we have survived another month (I am assuming that you did survive, especially if you are reading this, I have this thing about ghosts), and 2017 is marching merrily along. My roses are setting flower buds (some are already open) and Cyndi and I were elated to find some new shoots coming up on our pink hibiscus. (I know they are supposed to be hardy but I never really believe it until I see the proof. In Florida, where I grew up, they grow wild and are very beautiful but the weather is very different there so you see why I am somewhat suspicious of those claims of hardiness; I am glad to be proven wrong.)
Hooray and hallelujah, grandpap Abraham (black walnut) has finally begun to put on his ‘summer clothes’ (leaves) and has even convinced his nephew curmudgeon Mortimer (black walnut) to put on his ‘summer clothes’ so all fear of a freeze/hard frost should be over. (I was beginning to think I would have to cut those stubborn trees down and use them for firewood; they were depressing me, (ok, so patience is another virtue I don’t have!)
The clematis are blooming along with the peony buds ready to open; I know in Vevay these blooms are already out, but out here on my cold windy hill, we are about two weeks behind Vevay. According to Wilma’s grandfather, when the locust trees bloom, it is time to plant corn (and other warm season crops) and the locusts are blooming now. Personally I prefer the ‘barefoot’ test – when the ground is warm to ‘bare feet’, that is the time to plant warm season crops; actually the only thing I could plant now would be rice, something that actually grows in a swamp. Warm season crop seeds will rot in cold, wet ground, which we have now, or at least, I do.
In general, spring blooming trees and flowers are receding and making way for their warmer cousins: roses, hibiscus, lilies, etc. Boy does that ever please me; soon we will be out in the garden planting. Over this past weekend, we have had over five inches of rain so it may be a while before I can get out and play in my very ‘clay’ ground. Work ‘clay’ ground while it is wet and you will pay for it all through the growing season; so don’t! That is hard-learned personal experience advice that I can testify too.
Remember I told you in my last column that I was trying out a couple of new recipes – well one was very well received but the other, not so much (some folks do not care as much as I do for black olives.) So here is the recipe that everyone seemed to like and it is really simple.
Apple Dump Cake
1 can (21oz.) apple pie filling
1 package (9 oz.) yellow cake mix (actually you can use a regular full size cake mix, just don’t use it all – reserve one and a half cups to mix in a streusel or make cupcakes with)
¼ cup (one-half stick) butter, cut into thin slices
¼ tsp. cinnamon
one-eight tsp. ginger
one-half cup chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans)
Preheat oven to 350-degrees and spray a 9-inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Spread apple pie filling in bottom of prepared pan. Top with cake mix, spreading evenly. Top with butter in single layer, covering cake mix as much as possible. Sprinkle with cinnamon, ginger, and nuts.
Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Cool at lease 15 minutes before serving – really good with vanilla ice cream. This cake tastes really good and travels well.
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We had a nice crowd at church for Easter and Howard sang a beautiful song called “Look For Me” during the service; the week after was pretty thin, several were out sick and others were traveling. Easter service was beautiful; the rain stopped just long enough for us to have Sunrise Service outside, which really adds to the service in a wonderful and special way; the guys prepared a lovely breakfast after the Sunrise Service (with a little help from their wives) and we had a good crowd for both these events. We didn’t have Sunday school but our regular time for Worship service was held at 10:45 a.m., at which time the Lord’s Supper (Communion) was served, followed by an Easter egg hunt outside.
It seemed like the Lord was smiling on us even though the rain came down later in the afternoon; and you know the old saying, “If it rains on Easter, it will also rain the next seven weekends.” And so far, that saying seems to be holding true (it may be July before I get in the garden.)
Our ‘Prayer Concern’ list was pretty full this week: Joy Hazeldean (Howard’s mom) and Fern Barrett (Cyndi’s mom) have both been in the hospital, (actually I learned this morning that Joy will be transferred to Swiss Villa this Monday for rehab), Roger Garvey (continued healing), Nancy Ledbetter (had oral surgery this past week), the many victims and their families of those terrible storms in the deep South, Wilma Turner (this damp weather is killing her arthritis), Paulette Barnes and Emmett Church (healing), our many travelers, Frank and Donna Miller, unsaved family and friends, Kent Garrett and Baker Harcrow (military), our church, and Gospel seeds planted, along with several praises to the Lord for His wonderful provision for us.
The Tuesday morning Bible study on the book of Ruth was concluded last Monday. Such a short book with so much wisdom in it; it was very interesting to explore the different parts of it. Melissa Park always leads a great study and gives us many ways of applying said wisdom.
Last Thursday, we girls (Ana Slover, Carolyn Green, Pat Miller, ok, so I used the ‘girl’ term loosely) met at Debbie Turner’s home for an afternoon game of Bridge (last time we got together for Bridge was January 26th) and after we finally figured out (remembered) how to play we had a good time.
Some birthdays in May are: Bobby Brundige (1st), Lucinda Mangold (3rd), Jan Rayles (8th), Brittany Bragg (12th) Joshua Carr and his finance Christine (both on the 15th), Frank Miller (17th), Jessica Ledbetter (19th), and Mindy Otter on April 28th (I left her off last month’s list – sorry Mindy.) We wish each of you a year filled with God’s sweetest blessings of love, good health, and peace.
Wow, let me tell you that 8 a.m. Water Aerobics class at the ‘Y’ is getting very popular; we had 15 in class this past Friday. There is a second class that begins at 10 a.m. normally but there was a bunch of school kids coming in at 9 a.m., so some of the regular 10 a.m. people came in to the earlier class. Amy and Molly teamed up on us Friday morning and we had quite a workout.
Bobby (MBC Pastor) has outdone himself in his sermons lately; they are always interesting but especially so lately (I call them five-minute sermons because they are so interesting it seems like they pass really fast.) Today’s was on “Christian Responsibility” taken from Genesis 2:15, “Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to tend and keep it.” Bobby’s point was that all Christians were created to work, we are not to sit back and leave it to other people to spread God’s word where ever we happen to be and in whatever circumstances we find ourselves.
We were/are created in God’s image and He worked for six days and then He rested; an example we are supposed to emulate.
My sister Jo (in St. Petersburg, Florida) sent me a little joke; “I know God loves everybody, but honestly, He never met my sister!” At least, I think it was a joke.
Well not so much news this month (oh yeah, watch out for ticks – I’ve already picked three off me just from walking around the yard and the little weeding I have done so far) so will close until we meet again. Until then, may God bless you and keep you safe and have His face to shine on you and give you heart-peace, amen.