I think I hurt myself, really, but you do what you think is right at the time. No point regretting sliding doors moments. However-menopausal women are at the heart of ministry and it's great that you've celebrated that. I'm thinking about the 'uncontrolling God' at the moment. My garden is way beyond control. Left to God is would be even more wild and free. We cannot contain God's love, we just have to work with it. In another garden on Thursday night and again on Sunday morning, we see that love in action. My thought for the day! Every blessing and prayer that you find Christ's presence and love in your garden. X
Our relatively (4 years ago) retirement move to the White Cliffs on the Kent coast meant we had to future proof both gardens - access was an issue. For me it has literally been a lifesaver. The vision is a ‘scrumping hedge’ - technically inaccurate for our tiered beds but the best I could come up with. In the context of hurt from a new church where I longed to belong, it’s literally the thing that’s rooted me in my new community - and a tangible demonstration of God’s generosity and abundance.
For a bit of glorious blousy showiness with practically zero effort scatter opium poppy seeds. They seem to thrive even in the shade and are gloriously unpredictable colour wise. Happy to share seeds - I have loads despite giving them away.
This is so lovely! I just did a couple of hours in our garden on Saturday but even that has improved it significantly (my husband's days of cutting back and mowing the previous week did more, I have to admit). Be careful with your hosta and get the best advice you possibly can about protecting it from slugs! I love them but have found them very hard to maintain because slugs love them so much.
This is my first hosta in twenty years. My mum bought me one and I quickly grew to despise because of the slugs! This one is planted somewhere that the slugs never appear…but we’ll see. Otherwise, I’m declaring slug war. 🔫💪
Spot on Jayne! I'm recovering from significant church ministry and life trauma. The garden is my place of solace, prayer and peace. My garden is totally unmanageable but there's something about creating small sections of order amidst the chaos, losing hours without anxious doom scrolling, and the beauty of seeing resurrection in natures that keeps me going and affirms that above all birth, death and resurrection is what it's all about. It's a good way to spend Holy Week.
Have you read the poem ''Good Friday and the magnolia tree' by David Scott?
Good Friday has blown stark away
With the last of the spirit's puff
And the final.hmn over and done.
Heavy with death, I come out of church
Smack into the full shopping sun.
Inside,so much talk of dark;
Outside, the first ice cream of spring
Is being licked under the magnolia tree
By two lover's tongues simultaneously.
Not that I would have it any other way,
For Christ's tree also blossomed as he hung.
Oh 😢
This is wonderful.
Isn't it? It makes me well up every time I read it
I think I hurt myself, really, but you do what you think is right at the time. No point regretting sliding doors moments. However-menopausal women are at the heart of ministry and it's great that you've celebrated that. I'm thinking about the 'uncontrolling God' at the moment. My garden is way beyond control. Left to God is would be even more wild and free. We cannot contain God's love, we just have to work with it. In another garden on Thursday night and again on Sunday morning, we see that love in action. My thought for the day! Every blessing and prayer that you find Christ's presence and love in your garden. X
Our relatively (4 years ago) retirement move to the White Cliffs on the Kent coast meant we had to future proof both gardens - access was an issue. For me it has literally been a lifesaver. The vision is a ‘scrumping hedge’ - technically inaccurate for our tiered beds but the best I could come up with. In the context of hurt from a new church where I longed to belong, it’s literally the thing that’s rooted me in my new community - and a tangible demonstration of God’s generosity and abundance.
For a bit of glorious blousy showiness with practically zero effort scatter opium poppy seeds. They seem to thrive even in the shade and are gloriously unpredictable colour wise. Happy to share seeds - I have loads despite giving them away.
Becky, this all sounds wonderful - other than the all too common story of church hurt. I’m sorry. I would be delighted with some poppy seeds!
beckyclifford@me.com is my email in case Substack doesn’t give you access to that info. Or you can have my mobile in case WhatsApp is preferable.
Send me your details and I’ll pop some in the post - with great pleasure!
This is so lovely! I just did a couple of hours in our garden on Saturday but even that has improved it significantly (my husband's days of cutting back and mowing the previous week did more, I have to admit). Be careful with your hosta and get the best advice you possibly can about protecting it from slugs! I love them but have found them very hard to maintain because slugs love them so much.
This is my first hosta in twenty years. My mum bought me one and I quickly grew to despise because of the slugs! This one is planted somewhere that the slugs never appear…but we’ll see. Otherwise, I’m declaring slug war. 🔫💪
Our next door neighbours did quite well with them for a while, but I don’t know what their secret was.
Spot on Jayne! I'm recovering from significant church ministry and life trauma. The garden is my place of solace, prayer and peace. My garden is totally unmanageable but there's something about creating small sections of order amidst the chaos, losing hours without anxious doom scrolling, and the beauty of seeing resurrection in natures that keeps me going and affirms that above all birth, death and resurrection is what it's all about. It's a good way to spend Holy Week.
What a fabulous comment, though obviously I’m sad that the church has hurt you too Clare. There’s so many of us.