Almost Touching

I couldn’t ignore her flapping against the screen, seeing the land where she belonged but unable to get past the wires mesh.

At first I thought another bird was in our screened in porch! Where were they coming in? I stepped outside to prop the door open.

But it wasn’t a little wren or sparrow. It was a beautiful butterfly beating its wings against the screen. Majestic would be a better word for the tiger striped swallowtail.

Butterflies live such a short time. Would she damage her fragile wings against the unyielding enclosure? I searched for a way to help her escape.

Taking a broom to wave above my head I tried to make a barrier so she would fly away from me and toward freedom. After moving toward the door a few feet, she retreated, flew around me back to the corner of her prison.

I laid the broom close waiting until she climbed onto the bristles. Carefully I carried her away from the screen. Again, she spooked.

“Okay, baby. I’ll let you figure it out.” I went back inside.

A little while later I checked on her. There she was, beautiful, so close to the life that should be hers but still in her familiar corner.

How could I help her? Again I laid the broom close to her but slightly tilted allowing her to climb onto the bristles from the underside. I could barely see her. I held my breath as if that would keep my delicate friend attached. 

It worked.

She held on until I was out the door. I gently swung the broom upright and she flew away to the life intended for her.

How many times in our life are we so close to our dreams? We can see them, feel them, and smell them. Yet, we can’t reach them. The door may be open, but we can’t find it.  The very help God brings frightens us; it doesn’t make sense; it isn’t what we expected. We’re trapped in the corner of our almost-touching-life place.

Finally, we take the risk and cling to our salvation.

When we cling to our Savior, the real life He designed for us begins.

This is a great metaphor for the door God has opened for me. I am helping people find a way to do what they most want.  I help you find the way to the life you are meant to live.

http://www.sheilaspeakshope.com/coaching.php

Nothing Ordinary About This Year

I decided to go a little bonkers with my garden this year.

Instead of ordinary rows, I have triangle beds and will even have some circles eventually.

 It's fun even though I'm already behind. Who could have guessed spring would come so early?

 First you need a plan. Then you need some help.

http://www.organic-gardening-seed-to-harvest.com./garden-layout.html

 This is just the beginning.

Although preparing beds is a little more complicated, especially in the form I chose, I think it will be well worth the effort.

1. I needed the size of each bed to be approximately the same square footage even if the shape varied so that as I maintain them from year to year the crops can be rotated. The measuring seemed a little daunting.
2. I first measured the space I had in the garden, of course, and numbered that on the graft paper. Each square equals two feet in this garden layout drawing. I subtracted four feet for the center aisle. I knew I wanted the rectangle beds to be four feet across. That answered how many square feet I needed to create the triangles.
3. Since math has never been my strong point, I ended up drawing what I thought I wanted and just counting the little squares on the graft paper until they were equal. The triangles equal the rectangles in this garden lay-out.
4. In the garden I measured to the center of my space, and then two feet on each side of center creating my walking path. I plant it with rye as you can see in the top picture to give me a pathway that is lovely and will choke out many of the weeds.
5. Enlisting my daughter and grandkids, I marked the path with sticks. If you have wonderful garden stakes, of course, that would be more appealing to the eye, but they are not going to remain after you plant. We have plenty of sticks that were free so we used them instead.
6. Next, measure where the cross rows will be and mark those. For this design I made the rows two feet wide except between beds three and four. I wanted a strong cross look and a path for wheel barrels so I made that row four feet wide like the center row.
7. Mark the rows by tying string to the sticks in each corner.
Now you have the basic design.
8. Measuring the triangles become much easier because each of the points line up evenly with the rows crossing the width of the garden.
   • To divide the square into triangles, start with you corner stake at position "A".
   • Move two feet over inside the square even with the already laid out row and put another stake.
   • Move diagonally across the square to the "D" corner.
   • Move two feet inside the square along that row and put another stake.
   • Attach the string from the corner to the inside stake on the diagonal corner.

I've created a five-year rotation plan for my garden, so I want to number my beds consistently year after year. But I wanted unique markers.
Again, I enlisted my grandchildren. First we had fun gathering the rocks from the creek bed. Then it was great fun to paint numbers on the rocks. We were doubly-blessed that day.
Every time I look at the rocks in the corner of my beds I remember the fun time we had preparing the garden layout and I am many times blessed.

Time to plant

It is almost time to plant potatoes in Central Texas and across all of zone 8.

We usually plant around the middle of the month. So this week is a good time to loosen your soil, and make it easy to just drop those potato chunks into their spot.

In preparation, I am brewing some more compost tea using worm castings. It is cool outside where most of us would do such an activity so it will take longer for it to reproduce a lot of beneficial and protective bacteria and fungi.

The morning before I plant, I will soak my cut seeds in the tea. If the seeds happen to carry any hidden fungus or disease, soaking them will help to either completely rid them of the problem, or give them a head start in fighting it. 

If you could make enough tea to drench the beds sometime this week, it would begin the process of growing beneficial bacteria in the soil also aiding healthy plant growth.

Do you plant root plants in the dark of the moon cycle? Then you have ten to twelve days to make preparations.   

The darkest night this year is February 21^st., the night of the new moon.  Nothing is supposed to be planted on either the new moon or the full moon.

Weeds

Winter is garden preparation time. Normally we have a month or so before too many weeds come up covering our future vegetable beds.

This year winter is acting like spring. Birds are building their nests. I’m feeling an urgency to get my plot in order.

I have a plan. My beds are laid out with string and ribbon. In the space between each bed I thickly plant rye or clover for my walking paths.
If I plant cover crops, they crowd out the unwanted nuisances. It’s a great theory. It worked in the past to some extent.
Some weeds are tenacious. Should I say all weeds are tenacious? That’s their definition, noxious plants that out-perform more tame and desirable ones. Cover crops make them work really hard to find an opening to stick their head through.
We use the same theory with our children. We provide activities we want them to do and keep them so busy in those areas that there won’t be time for getting into mischief. It works to some extent also.
Even the thick mat of rye or clover doesn’t have a chance if I leave the deep rooted invaders in the ground because they are established. They have a head-start.
It is the same with our children. If we don’t give them more than constant involvement without fighting the rank plants of selfishness and any other evidence of our fallen nature, we simply become victims of an over-crowded schedule complicated by bad behavior we hoped to avoid.
It is the same in our Christian walk. We sometimes fill our time with activities of service or Bible study as a cover crop. We hope busyness will crowd-out bad habits, thoughts, or idols in our life. If the soil of our heart is not prepared, if the roots of our sin are not removed, they will still rear their ugly head in the very middle of our busyness.
Father, have Your way in the soil of my heart. Fertilize me with Your love. Feed me with Your grace. Let me grow a clean crop of Your choosing unhindered by tares that steal my energy. Amen

---

Disrupted Organisms

Digging in the dirt on hands and knees trying to remove every hint of nut grass from my garden beds, I review what I’m learning about soil organisms and the life beyond our sight 

I am studying the intricate interactions between protozoa, fungi, nematodes, bacteria and many other forms of life.

I read just enough to know that a whole community of 20,000 to 30,000 different species of bacteria live in every teaspoon of healthy soil. There are ten times that many other microscopic organisms sharing that same space.
They form a soil web with some feeding others and the waste from some providing nitrogen and nutrients for others and all working together to feed and protect the plant roots.
It’s an microrganism-eat-microorganism-world down there on the microscopic level!
It thrives and benefits the plants best when left undisturbed.
Here I am greatly disturbing their home. There is no other way that I can think of to prepare a weed-free, root-free habitat for my seeds or transplants.
I began thinking about disruptions in my own life—wondering if those unwanted times of upheaval had to occur. Was it God’s hands sifting through all that was good and thriving to rid my life of deep-rooted weeds (sins, idols, blind spots) with runners that grew new weeds and multiplied, choking out the good fruit bearing plants He wants to grow?
I sit back and look at the bucket full of weed roots. Some have a half a dozen attached runners, each with a nut in-between sustaining life if something cuts it off from the others.
It’s deeply satisfying to know a least these won’t be growing more problems. I know I will fortify the soil with additional communities of microbes from my compost to help re-establish all I messed up with my digging.
I smile. In every major upheaval in my life God faithfully re-established rich relationships, a broader reach, and deeper roots in His love.
Thank You, Father, Son, Holy Spirit.

---

Chicken Training Ground

Red Hens

I have had so much fun with my backyard chickens and my rabbit. The pure joy they bring me constantly makes me think of God’s reaction to us.

My red hens softly clucking and scratching are a comforting background noise when I'm in the garden.
I was planting my onions, when I heard a rather excited clucking. I looked up to see one of the chickens walking up and down the fence of their pen—on the outside!
She was looking for a way to get back into her captivity. I marveled.

Not Again!

I walked out to my garden a few days later to find two of my four red hens outside their cage. I heard the soft clucking sounds before I saw them. They were happily scratching around the compost pile.
I could see their path--a scratched indention on the ground here, then a few feet away another and then another.

As if they could talk, I asked, “What do you think you’re doing over here? How did you get out, anyway?”
Their clucking got louder. They started scratching harder and flapping their wings all excited. As I was wondering how to get them back into the pen they started coming to me. If I could have understood them, would I have heard, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry” Or would they have said, “She flew the coop first?”

I don’t know, but I simply opened the way and they went in without any more help from me like they were so glad to get back home.
I stood watching and thinking, “Yeah, we all need boundaries.” They had fun in unknown lands, but given a little encouragement, their own coop was best.

Do we do that with God? We know His boundaries are best. We know we belong in His keeping where He feeds and shelters us. We can also know that our loving Provider will usher us back to safety when we go astray.

I never thought I’d like to be like a chicken, but, Lord God, make me always willing to come back into Your loving care. Amen.

Preparing for Harvest -- time of Advent

This is advent, a time of waiting, a time of preparing.  It’s been over 2000 years since the birth of our savior yet we still set aside time to contemplate the coming of holiness born into our world—no longer something other, but a baby that demanded touch and care.

I am in awe of the invitation to ‘handle God in the body of a child.’ I am in awe of the invitation to eat with the child grown into the man. I am in awe at the patience of God. Year after year He re-invites us to all the humanness of Jesus, our savior.

Christmas is a yearly reminder of the greatest gift of all, of the unexpected ways of God, and the hope of just as unlikely a rescue in our own circumstances. Christmas is the beginning of the story of God’s love lived within humanity. 

I’m praying you have moments of overwhelming wonder at so great a love.

How does this relate to Garden Revelations?

I began thinking about winter as a time of waiting—a time of preparing the earth for the coming seed-sowing and harvest. The parallels seemed so right, but gardening seems of such small importance next to the birth of Jesus. 

Join me as we follow the thought through. 

In winter we prepare our soil and we wait. 

Winter garden -- waiting

            We prepare our hearts to re-receive the gift of Jesus.

           

In the winter we plan for the seeds and plants for our garden

            We wait and hope for the seeds of understanding from the Holy Spirit.

Same garden--Summer arrival --squash, corn & tomatoes

In the winter we dream of the harvest, forgetting time and energy limitations.

We dream of perfection, forgetting the tough love needed in the weeding process.

           

But as we prepare, we know so much depends on the weather. God alone controls the weather. Will adequate rain come? Will late freezes destroy? Will winds and hail wreak havoc? Will life circumstances allow us the time to care for what we plant? Only God knows the answers.

            In the joy and hope and love we anticipate the garden to come, accepting the peace and security that we and everything we attempt is in God’s hands.

Vegetable Planting Chart

The following chart is a combinations of charts borrowed from the TX Extention agency and a variety of other information added. 

The amount of seeds or plants suggested seems to be much larger than you would need if the seeds are the standard germination. It could be that they are allowing for over planting by at least twice or three times what you need so that you can later thin the plants and not waste time re-planting where there are gaps.

Also, I plant my rows in the minimum distance. Use the larger distance if you till to control weeds. I mulch to control weeds. I also plant double rows like beds.

This is a good start.

Vegetable	seeds or plants per 100 feet	Distance between rows (in.)	Distance between plants (in.)	Height of crop (feet)	Spring planting relative to frost-free date	Fall planting weeks before first freeze date	Days to Harvest	Length of Harvest -days	Yield per 100 feet	Optimum Soil tempera-ture  for planting	Family
Asparagus	1oz seed --66 plants	36-48	18	5	before 4-6 weeks	not recom-mentded	730 days - (2nd year)	60	30 lb	65-80°	Lily
Beans, Lima pole	1/4 lb seed	36-48	12-18	6	after 1-4 weeks	14-16 weeks	75-85	40	50 lb shelled	65-85°	Leguminosae
Beans, Lima-bush	1/2 lb seed	30-36	3-4	1.5	after 1-4 weeks	8-10 weeks	65-80	14	25 lb shelled	65-85°	Leguminosae
Beans, Shelling	1/2 lb seeds	30-36	4-6	2	after 1-4 weeks	not recom-mentded	90-120	N/A	100 lb	65-85°	Leguminosae
Beans, snap-bush	1/2 lb seed	30-36	3-4	1.5	after 1-4 weeks	8-10 weeks	45-60	14	120 lb	60-85°	Leguminosae
Beans, snap--pole	1/2 lb seed	36-48	4-6	6	after 1-4 weeks	14-16 weeks	60-70	30	150 lb	65-85°	Leguminosae
Beets	1 oz seed	14-25	2	1.5	before 4-6 weeks	8-10 weeks	50-60	30	150 lb	50-75°	Goosefoot
Broccoli	1/4 oz seed	24-36	14-24	3	before 4-6 weeks	10-16 weeks	60-80	40	100 lb	55-75°	Brasica
brussels Sprouts	1-4 oz seed	21-36	14-24	2	before 4-6 weeks	10-14 weeks	90-100	21	75 lb	55-75°	Brasica
Cabbaage	1/4 oz seed	24-36	14-24	1.5	before 4-6 weeks	10-16 weeks	60-90	40	150 lb	55-75°	Brasica
Cabbage-chinese	1/4 oz seed	18-30	7-12	1.5	before 4-6 weeks	12-14 weeks	65-70	21	80 heads	55-75°	Brasica
Carrot	1/2 oz seed	14-24	2	1	before 4-6 weeks	12-14 weeks	70-80	21	100 lb	55-80°	Umbelliferae
Cauliflower	1/4 oz seed	24-36	14-24	3	not recom-mended	10-16 weeks	70-90	14	100 lb	55-75°	Brasica
Chard, Swiss	2 oz seed	18-30	6	1.5	before 2-6 weeks	12-16 weeks	45-55	40	75 lb	50-75°	Goose-foot
Collard	1/4 oz seed	18--36	6-12-	2	before 2-6 weeks	8-12 weeks	50-80	60	100 lb	55-75°	Brasica
Corn--sweet	3-4 oz seeds	24-36	9-12	6	after 1-6 weeks	12-14 weeks	70-90	10	10 doz	60-85°	Umbelliferae
Cucumber	1/2 oz seed	48-72	8-12	1	after 1-6 weeks	10-12 weeks	50-70	30	120 lb	65-90°	Cucurbita
Eggplant	1/2 oz seed	30-26	18-24	3	after 2-6 weeks	12-16 weeks	80-90	90	100 lb	75-90°	nightshade
Garlic	1 lb	14-26	2-4	1	not recom-mended	4-6 weeks	140-150	N/A	40 lb	N/A Fall  planting	Lily
Kale	1/8 oz	18-36	4-6	1	before 4-6 weeks	4-6 weeks	50-80	60	100 lb	55-75°	Brasica
Kohlrabi	1/4 oz seed	14-24	4-6	1.5	before 2-6 weeks	12-16 weeks	55-75	14	75 lb	55-75°	Brasica
Lettuce	1/4-oz seed	18-24	2-3	1	before 6 weeks after -2 wk	8-10 weeks	30-80	21	50 lb	40-70°	Compositae
Muskmelon/ Cantaloupe	1/2 oz seed	60-96	24-36 or 3 to a hill	1	after 1-6 weeks	14-16 weeks	85-100	30	100 melons	70-85°	Cucurbita
Mustard	1/4 oz seed	14-24	6-12	1 1/2	after 1-6 weeks	10-16 weeks	30-40	30	100 lb	40-75°	Brasica
Okra	2 oz seed	36-42	12-24	6	after 2-6 weeks	12-16 weeks	55-65	90	100 lb	70-90°	Malva
Onion  (seed)	1 oz seed	14-24	2-3	1 1/2	before 6-8 weeks	8-10 weeks	90-120	N/A	100 lb	55-75°	Lily
Onion (plants)	400-600 plants	14-24	2-3	1 1/2	before 4-10 weeks	not recom-mentded	80-120	N/A	100 lb	N/A	Lily
Parsley	1/4 oz seed	14-24	2-4	1/2	before 1-6 weeks	6-16 weeks	70-90	90-365	30 lb	50-75°	Umbelliferae
Peas - Southern	1/2 lb seed	24-36	4-6	2 1/2	after 2-10 weeks	10-12 weeks	60-70	30	40 lb	40-75°	Leguminosae
Peas--English	1 lb seed	18-36	1	2	before 2-8 weeks	2-12 weeks	55-90	7	20 lb	40-75°	Leguminosae
Pepper	1/8 oz seed	30-36	18-24	3	after 1-8 weeks	12-16 weeks	60-90	90	60 lb	70-90°	Nightshade
Potato - Irish	6-10 lb seed potatoes	30-36	10-15	2	before 4-6 weeks	14-16 weeks	75-100	N/A	100 lb	N/A	nightshade
Potato - sweet	75-100 plants	36-48	12-16	1	after 2-8 weeks	not recom-mentded	100-130	N/A	100 lb	55-70°	Convolvul
Pumpkin	1/2 oz seed	60-96	36-48	1	after 1-4 weeks	12-14 weeks	75-100	N/A	100 lb	65-80°	Cucurbita
Radish	1 oz seed	14-24	1	1/2	before- 6 weeks after 4 weeks	1-8 weeks	25-40	N/A	100 bunches	45-80°	Brasica
Spinach	1 oz seed	14-24	3-4	1	before 1-8 weeks	2-16 weeks	40-60	40	3 bushels	45-70°	Goosefoot
Squash - summer	1 oz seed	36-60	18-36	3	after 1-4 weeks	12-15 weeks	50-60	40	150 lb	65-85°	Cucurbita
Squash - winter	1/2 oz seed	60-96	24-48	1	after 1-4 weeks	12-14 weeks	85-100	N/A	100 lb	65-85°	Cucurbita
Tomato, determinate	1-/8 oz seed or 25-30 plants	36-48	36-48	3-5	after 1-8 weeks	12-14 weeks	70-90	40	100 lb	70-90°	nightshade
Tomato, in-determinate	1/8 oz seed or 12-16 plants	36-72	6-8	4-6	after 1-8 weeks	12-14 weeks	60-90	60	150-200 lb	70-90°	nightshade
Turnip - greens	1/2 oz seed	14-24	2-3	1 1/2	before 2-6 weeks	2-12 weeks	30	40	50-100 lb	55-75°	Brasica
Turnip - roots	1/2 oz seed	14-24	2-3	1 1/2	before 2-6 weeks	2-12 weeks	30-60	30	50-100 lb	55-75°	Brasica
Watermelon	1 oz seed	72-96	36-72	1	after 1-6 weeks	14-16 weeks	80-100	30	40 melons	70-85°	Cucurbita

How Long?

Each day, with the heat so early stealing the joy of being in the garden, my mind has turned to plans for the next season.  I’m reading and re-reading gardening books like a woman needy and alone might read novels of romance and rescue.

When the rains return, I will plant my garden in a new design; I will plant with the idea of beauty as well as produce; I will try new seed varieties. I daydream.

When the rains return…

            And I yearn for the beauty and bounty of the past.

I would grow squash just for their beauty.

An overview of years past

Raised bed last year

sweet potatoes mingle with the squash and basil goes to seed

How long, Lord? How long until the rain comes, until Your promises of Joel 2 is our reality.

I wondered who and why people in the scripture asked, “How long?” It’s a common question found in 25 books. God asks the question of us, and we ask of Him. 

But surprisingly to me, God asks us, “How long?” as often as we ask Him.

How long will you refuse to humble yourself, to believe in Me in spite of the miracles I perform, to keep My commands? How long will you treat Me with contempt, will you waver between two opinions, will you turn My glory into shame? How long will you love delusions and seek false gods?

Jesus asks, “Unbelieving generation, how long will I stay with you?”

When Jeremiah asked God how long will the land lie parched, and the grass in every field be withered? …”

God answered, “If you have run with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses?”  Jer. 12:4-6

In other words, “If you can’t trust me now, what are you going to do when things get worse?”

I don’t know if our weather, our economy, or our political chaos will worsen.  

What I do know is that I must plant my heart deep in the response, “I trust You beyond my understanding, my Savior, my Redeemer, and my Provider.”

And I return to my books and my daydreams of taking care of my little plot of land better with more beauty and more produce.

One of my favorite books is “The Resilient Gardener: Food Production and Self-Reliance in Uncertain Times by Carol Deppe. She describes every detail of gardening with an obvious love for the earth and the plants and a respect for both nature and the gardener.
                                       

She begins by elaborating on our uncertain times, from climate change or economic necessity, to health or time restraints. Then she moves quickly into the 33 Golden Rules of Gardening. These include support, experiment, and notice everything, giving us such inviting detail that every rule becomes a means to a satisfying experience.

The chapter, Labor and Exercise is about designing and organizing our gardening to encourage healthful exercise while at the same time minimizing total work, meaning unnecessary, inefficient, ‘unfun’ work, and the probability of injury.

Soil and Fertility offers not only the usual discussion about using legumes to fix
 nitrogen in the soil, but times when that doesn’t make sense. She offers many alternatives and lists ways to avoid wasting fertility. One subtitle is On Not Buying, with help on evaluating exactly what you need.

When reading her descriptions of the right potato or squash or bean, you’re mouth is watering for those tastes. Did you know there are pop-beans not only popcorn?

This book gives beginning gardeners a strong foundation and seasoned gardeners will relish it for all the extras they will glean.

Breed Your Own Vegetable Varieties: The Gardener's & Farmer's Guide to Plant Breeding & Seed Saving is another book I'm anxious to read by Carol Deppe.  

When God Gives You Rinds, Make Pickles!

My volunteer watermelon vines produced wonderful fruit with a variety of different sizes. One was 29.8 lbs.  I just call it a “30 pounder.”

  Even this heat-loving plant didn’t produce as many melons as I would have expected. Since they volunteered from last year’s volunteers, I have no idea what kind they are. When I opened them I was disappointed at how thick the white rind was.

It would have been perfect if I wanted to make “Watermelon Rind Pickles.” I didn’t consider it with the first harvest. Now I might.: 

Pickled Watermelon Rind

 

1 6-lb watermelon

6 c water

2 Tbs sea salt, divided

1 tsp pickling spice

3 1/3-inch slices fresh ginger

2 whole clove

2 whole allspice

1 3-inch cinnamon stick

1 1/4 c sugar

1 c white vinegar

 

Peel outer green layer from watermelon rind.

Cut rind into 1/2-inch pieces. Bring water and 5 tsp. salt to boil in large saucepan.

Add rind. Reduce heat and simmer 15 min. or until crisp-tender.

Drain rind and place in large bowl.

 

Tie up spices in cheesecloth and place in a saucepan.

Add 1 tsp salt, sugar and vinegar; bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves.

Pour hot vinegar mixture over rinds. Cool to room temp. Cover and chill 12 hours.

 

Strain liquid from rind mixture and bring to a boil.

Return rind pieces and spice bag to room-temp bowl and pour boiled liquid over them

Chill at least 8 hours before serving.

 

Refrigerate up to 2 weeks.----from Joanne Cheshier

I’m chagrined to realize how I’ve evaluated this gift from God.

I did nothing to make them grow except identify the vine and not pull it up. I’ve gotten five watermelons staggered so that we can eat and share before the next one must be harvested. And I’m bemoaning the size of the rind?!

I think I need to re-read my Bible, especially the part about learning to be content in all circumstances. (Philippians 4:11) 

Cowpen Daisy

9780891230779

a bouquet to enjoy

Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot." NIV

My sense of beauty is wilder than most. If something flowers, I want it to live. Only if it rudely pushes in, taking over space already promised to something else do I sorrowfully admit it might be a weed.

When water is in abundance, I often allow a bit of intrusion. The usurper’s beauty gives it privileges mere grasses never obtain.  

It’s a luxury I’ve taken for granted, like the rain.

With nine months of drought and stage five water conservation, I carefully measure where and what I water. Under my fruit trees where I laid the soaker hose, a beautiful patch of Golden Crownbeard, also known as ‘Cowpen Daisy,’ sprang up.

Golden Crownbeard

With such few wildflowers, I wondered, “Do I leave them? A mass of yellow daisies dancing in the breeze makes me smile. Maybe they are shading the ground and conserving water. Crownbeards only need water about once a month to survive. Does that mean they don’t drink it if it is there?

Vibrant green Crownbeard

 Probably not. Their normal color is a gray-green. Where I watered they are bright green. Reluctantly, I admit I remember more about these shaggy daisies. They shade out native vegetation and produce chemicals toxic to most other plants.  

Instead of feeling joy and satisfaction as I look at this growing mass of green, I feel guilt. With resigned heart I pull the flora. It is still a ground cover except where it stood, it now lays.

The deed is half done—mulch instead of life—I don’t know if I can do the rest.

Mulched Golden Crownbeard

But it is mulch adding and giving life, conserving instead of using water and nutrients. With that thought, I can finish the task tomorrow or the maybe the next day.

The consolation: Each plant self-pollinates and makes about 350 seeds waiting for a chance to sprout at a better time and place.

For instance, if these weeds were isolated to a neglected spot where there was a need to block out other vegetation and yet offer a great show of yellow blossoms, it would be perfect. But they are destructive left to grow under my fruit trees.

In times of need, sacrificing some pleasures sustains life.

Lord, give us wisdom and discernment in the way we use Your gifts. 

Beautifully illustrated with
sections for each Texas region

A Field Guide to Southwestern and Texas Wildflowers (Peterson Field Guide)

Easy to use field guide with
some colored illustrations as well
as line drawings. Categorized
 by color of blossom.

A Field Guide to Southwestern and Texas Wildflowers (Peterson Field Guide)