Peace in His Garden

The entire earth is the Lord's,

so our garden is His too,

and I love to stroll its many parts and sit in the shade of one of its trees.

There, in the garden, is one of the places I feel most at peace-

serenaded by the calls of birds,

fanned by gentle breezes

and under July's clear blue sky.

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May you find peace in His gardens too.
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"...the earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof."
I Corinthians 10:26 KJV
Blessings,

Aimee

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Photos:

lupine - after flowering

coreopsis - early sunrise

wildflower--shasta daisy

hardy waterlily - tucked in for the night

wallflower - pastel patchwork

The Word on Wednesday: Life's Storms

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God,

to them who are the called according to HIS purpose."

Romans 8:28 KJV

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"Now we see only a dim likeness of things. It is as if we were seeing them in a mirror. But someday we will see clearly. We will see face to face. What I know now is not complete. But someday I will know completely, just as God knows me completely."

I Corinthians 13: 12 NIrV®

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'We see things from the bottom up,

but God sees things from the top down.'

The Heart of Texas

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It is part of the human existence to know pain, suffering and what seem to be

insurmountable challenges

(painful events/circumstances/losses in our lives).

These times test our faith to the core and we, like Job in the Old Testament,

may scream out 'Why'?

Sometimes the answer to this age old question may come---

at a later date;

often an answer never comes.

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-It is human to want to know the 'why';

it is faith to trust even when we may never know the answer to that question or when we do have an answer--but it is not one we'd like it to be.

I understand--been there.

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What it comes down to for me is:

Do I really believe God's Word and His unfailing love for me?

Do I genuinely believe He WILL take ANY circumstance in my life

--tragic, unfair and difficult

though it may seem from my very limited human perspective--

and

use it for my good?

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Sometimes I just have to say--
"Lord, I believe; help Thou mine unbelief"

and trust that His grace is sufficient for even me.

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May you see God in the midst of your storms and may you see from the 'top down',

Blessings, Aimee

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Notes:

1) The Heart of Texas, 2008 documentary, Plaidshirt Productions. Wikipedia article here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Heart_of_Texas (links at bottom to movie site) Above may be a quote or paraphrase--can't find the original note I made. True story about a family who loses their young daughter in a hit and run accident. It is a story of faith and forgiveness when faced with a tragedy. It is a story of grace and love. I heartily recommend it.

2) NIrV® Verses
Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL READER’S VERSION® . Copyright © 1996, 1998 Biblica. All rights reserves throughout the world. Used by permission of Biblica.
NEW INTERNATIONAL READER’S VERSION® and NIrV® are registered trademarks of Biblica. Use of either trademark for the offering of goods or services requires the prior written consent of Biblica

3) "…My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness. ..” II Corinthians 12:9 KJV (part of)

4) "Lord, I believe; help Thou mine unbelief." Mark 9:24b KJV

Photo: historic PNW church built 1858

Recent Travels

Recently my dad gave me a PNW tour book and it didn't take me long to mark all the places I wanted to see this year. Of course, my list included lots of small towns, rural areas, historical places, parks, refuges and unusual sites like the Mima Mounds:)

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Not too long after this, a friend and I made a trip to one of the places on my list--this one in Oregon--and here is some of what we saw

(BTW--It is always fun to see a new area and meet new people!)
 

 

A historic courthouse
 

 

an old building in the downtown district--look at that amazing detail!!


 

this reminds me of a movie theater--but I am not sure what it really is.
 

 

a healthy and very tasty snack for the road from a farm in the area.

SO good!

More, more:)
 

 

a rural scene we passed;

I never get tired of seeing farms!
 

 

Can you see the occupant?
 

 

A hillside vineyard (taken through the side window);

this area was SO beautiful!
 

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And peaceful--I am really into peaceful!

How about you?

Do you like country or city?

Rural or urban?

Blessings,

Aimee

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Photos:
Dallas, Oregon
and various rural settings western Oregon.

Of Berry Farms, Small Towns and Scones

Recently, my best friend and I were back in an area

we had visited last year during our farm tour.

We had a plan in mind that day-

as usual it involved pictures of the region

like this view

and this one of a town mural--
of the soon to happen rodeo!
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Our plan also involved food, specifically fresh baked food;

like this soft raspberry scone just out of the oven

actually it involved 4 of them,

but some were for people that we would see later that day.

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BTW--we bought these at French Prairie Gardens.

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The other part of our plan involved fresh berries and the Koch Family Farm.

They have raspberries there-

rows and rows of them.
And good views of mountains-

a feast for the eyes

and

the stomach.

So much to see there-

shadows cast by raspberry bushes,

and beautiful raspberry leaves.

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What I can't show you are some of the other things we saw -- and heard -- there:
boys and girls with buckets
and their parents,

the farm owner,

birds singing unwritten melodies and
colorful little row flags fluttering in the breeze

(actually I could show you some of these things but I NEED a little sleep).

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And then there are the raspberries ...

I can report they were heavenly-

from personal experience of course.

There were other things too

like BIG and little trees,

clover

and these pretty flowers.

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Somewhere close were horses too;

I could hear them but never found them.

And then there were the strawberries...

rows and rows of red, juicy berries

under a warm, but not too warm, PNW sun.

all waiting to be picked.

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Summer is SO nice.

Brings back memories of a simpler time.

Blessings from the NW,

Aimee

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Thanks again to both French Prairie Gardens and Koch Family Farms for allowing me to post these photos. If you follow the links above you can see some of the photos I took at these farms in 2009 and contact information:)

PNW Lavender Festivals

Love lavender as much as I do and live in (or are visiting) the Pacific NW?

Well then I heartily recommend some quality time at a lavender farm:)

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See here for the Lavender Festival soon to happen in Sequim, Washington

(Olympic Peninsula)

and

here for one taking place this weekend in Washington's southern neighbor, Oregon

(Gorge and western Oregon).

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BTW---many farms offer open hours outside the festival dates;

check the sites above for further details (and more info on lavender).

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If anyone is aware of a lavender festival in the PNW or outside this region, please feel free to leave the information in the comments area:)

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Meanwhile at my little lavender 'farm', my plants are happily blooming and I am thinking tomorrow, when it is a bit cooler, might be a good day to harvest them. I am also considering planting new ones in the second raised bed (the first one is a wildflower-style garden).

Blessings this eve,

Aimee

Lunch -- After the Lavender

Last year, around this time, my best friend and I visited several lavender farms in Oregon--two in the foothills and mountains southwest of Portland, known as Wine Country (the one in the foothills still to be posted) and the third one in the Columbia River Gorge.

Since lavender festivals will soon begin, in both Washington and Oregon, I thought this would be a great time to include a post on the wonderful café we found not too far from Mountainside Lavender---just in case you're going that way :)

South Store Café is located in the little town of Scholls, in a wonderfully historic building that used to be a store at one time. The interior and exterior reminds me of many of the small general stores I have been in --- in Colorado and the PNW.

Being a country girl at heart, I LOVED it:)

This photo was taken from Smith Berry Barn, a great farm across the street from South Store Café (I will be doing a post on our visit there in 2009 soon too -- as time permits).

Fresh flowers at the table are always a welcome addition to ANY dining experience.
The staff was great--very helpful to us as we were choosing what to eat!
We also were privileged to meet the cafe's owner who was as delightful as the place was:) When I am in places like this, I feel like I've taken a step back into a simpler time--a time when the General Store was often the town's gathering place.

South Store Cafe has both a regular menu and daily specials.
We ordered this INCREDIBLY yummy salad off their daily special menu--it was a heavenly mixture of nuts, cheese, fresh greens, and dressing!!!

Then we had the Reuben sandwich, also off the daily special menu. I can truthfully say that it was the BEST Reuben I have ever had! Wish this cafe was a lot closer to home, but maybe someday I can take Farmer Boy --who loves, loves, loves Reuben sandwiches--there:)

On warm days there is nothing better then a cold, icy drink -- this was a fruit granita and it was awesome! And then the pièce de résistance (for this time of the year)---strawberry shortcake!! And again, the BEST one I have ever had--fresh, just perfect berries. A sweet, deliciously yummy, shortcake to go with them and whipped cream. Just looking at this photo, which isn't even a very good one, reminds me of it and makes me hungry for more:)
Well thats it for now...
I hope you enjoyed our visit to South Store Café---I can heartily recommend it as a great place to go when you are visiting the area's berry and lavender farms!
For more information follow this link to their site--see the above links for my posts on Mountainside Lavender and Lavender Valley (you'll find further links in both of those posts to the farms). I will try to post a link to the Lavender Festivals soon:)
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Blessings,
Aimee
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Photos: all taken in 2009.
Posted by the kind permission of the owner of South Store Café.

The Word on Wednesday: For My Mother

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in Him will I trust. Surely He shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with His feathers, and under His wings shalt thou trust: His truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but is shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.

Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For He shall give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.

Because He hath set His love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known My name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him My salvation.
Psalms 91 KJV

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Our lives often mirror the seasons of the year.

Childhood being the spring of our lives;

Summer - our youth and early adulthood.

The middle years usher in the autumn

and the senior years, the winter.

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Right now my mother is in the winter of her life--a time that is not always easy.

Just as in the real winter, storms may strike unexpectedly-without warning.

Paths may become more challenging; sometimes seemingly more then we can bear-

on our own.

Days may become grayer; the sunlight may even disappear behind dark clouds of pain and other physical challenges.

And yet--in this darkness --and even in the midst of the storm--God promises to be with us.

Always.

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This Psalm is my mom's favorite--I post it today in her honor, and in honor of God who has, indeed, shown her His salvation.

Love you mom.

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Blessings this day,

Aimee

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Photos: taken at a botanical garden, NW Oregon, during a recent trip.

A Walk in His Gardens: Walking With the Ones I Love

This time of the year means I get to spend more time with the one I love...

time in our gardens,

time at home,

time on the road

and

time in gardens we find along our paths--

the gardens of God.

All very, very precious times.

This is one of His gardens we found along our path the other day...

Douglas Fir trees reaching toward heaven

and the Creator who sustains them

(and us too).

Peaceful, calm, tranquil waters reflect the creation which surround it

and glow from the sunlight above.

Waters of turbulence; chaotic, restless, dangerous.

Nothing reflects here.

Peace above the chaos;

safe despite the perilous currents so close-by.

Bent but not broken;

a triumph over difficult circumstances.

Pointing out some important message to passerbys who will listen to his silent message-

I think perhaps he is saying we need to keep grounded in what we know to be true-

things like love for God and the people around us.

A carpet of flowers,

handcrafted by God.

Created by Him for the children He loves so very much.

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Blessings,

Aimee

Yummy Sandwich

Recently my best friend and I made another trip to find more historic homes and walk through an arboretum. On the way there, we stopped at a Starbucks and ordered sandwiches. The turkey sandwich was good but nothing unusual; the tarragon chicken one was amazing. In fact it was so amazing, I am either going to have to find a recipe for it, conduct an experiment or move :)

Well, I guess there is another option, since moving is definitely out of the question and life has been too crazy lately to do any experimenting in the kitchen or search for a recipe.I will have to see if our closest Starbucks makes it too:)
Do you ever try to recreate food that you get at restaurants?
Blessings,
Aimee
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No I am not associated with Starbucks in any way (hate coffee; love, love, love tea)...but occasionally I grab a tea or snack there:)

Little Granddaughter & the Leaf

The other day I received this e-mail from my dear DIL--

I thought it was SO sweet I wanted to share it with you all:)

“(Baby) and I are outside enjoying what will be a very hot day. So we are taking advantage of the warm air and plenty of shade now. She found a leaf that had fallen and when I told her where it came from she kept trying to put it on the tall tree. Upon realizing that she couldn't reach she settled for placing the leaf on a small tree.

And so it sits,

a fallen leaf on a new growth, and a very happy baby who feels that she has done good.”

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Grandma Aimee agrees:)

Blessings Little One!

Grandma Aimee

(and blessings to my sweet DIL too!)

Photo courtesy of my DIL--thanks!

The Answer to a Prayer

I did something today which may sound silly,

but I didn't think it was.

I asked God if there was anything in particular

He wanted me to take a photo of

to put on the blog today...

and then this happened.

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I feel blessed.

Was there anything today that you were blessed by?

Blessings,

Aimee

The Word on Wednesday: For my Parents

The LORD is my shepherd;

I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:

He leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul:

He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His Name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me;

Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:

Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:

and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Psalms 23 KJV

Blessings, Aimee

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Photo: wildflowers at a PNW wildlife refuge.

The Word on Wednesday

“Hast thou not known? Hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? There is no searching of His understanding.
He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might He increaseth strength.
Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:
But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.“
Isaiah 40: 28-31 KJV

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Blessings this Wednesday morn,

Aimee

And I'd be Remiss if....

on Father's Day I didn't include a post for my DH:)

In addition to being my blue-eyed, dimpled, strong, hard working,

totally talented and...

totally unpredictable

(but totally lovable)

Farmer Boy,

my DH also happens to be the father of our three awesome kids-

grandfather to our five most wonderful grandchildren

(and they are indeed quite wonderful)

and Alpha-Doggie Daddy to our three pesky, but also mostly great canine critters.

Yea, my DH is a pretty special guy...

~

So,

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

Farmer Boy

and a BIG thanks for all you do for us:)

Love always,

Aimee