Saturday Morning Prayer

My Father God, as I reflect on my week and all the many projects and tasks I’m working on…..I cannot forget what your closeness to me and your saving Grace does for my soul. I am humbled to even be living, breathing ,working, sharing and connecting with you on this beautiful spring morning. Please guide me in my projects today and remind me to always be centered in your saving Grace. Thank you for your many wonderful blessings on me, and those that I deeply love. All I wish for today is to bring honor and adoration to you.

My all loving God, I ask that you bless my coming and going today. Be before me, behind me, and beside me – protect me and move me toward that which will bring you and me always closer and in communion together. I adore thee my Lord and Savior God. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, AMEN

Planting Seeds and Preserving Bulbs

Today we are planting seeds for/with a client. And we are finalizing the work in her beds, yard and patio. She has selected some seeds herself and we have a couple so we’ll do a planting in 6-pack containers with drainage that we saved. It will be fun. Her space is very  much shade except for an area near her front door. It’s a sloped area with some vines growing but she also has some planters and we thought we could use them for the seedlings once they sprout. This will add some color. She has been away so this  is the first opportunity we have had to connect with her and to accomplish the seed planting.

Also this morning we had retrieved some bulbs complete with the dirt that surrounded them from a client we just finished some work for.  She was thinning out her garden bed and offered them to us. So this morning we separated them away from the soil, washed them and cut away the bulk of the green dying plant. Now they will dry out in the sun. We’ve laid them out to dry this morning. Next we will store them in a dry place until our fall season and plant them in late October, before the first fall freeze. This is a photograph of what they look like now…..and what they will become. Reuse and bring back beautiful plants. This is an amazing miracle and so gratifying. Our Joy!!

Perennial Virginia Blue Bells

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YOGA – Beginners – for Men and Women

 

Our “BEGINNERS” OUTDOOR HATHA YOGA CLASS ……FOR MEN and WOMEN  will commence on Saturday, May 21 at 8 am. We will meet every Saturday for ten (10) weeks. Please come to the grassy area, at the “triangle” on Preston and Valley Drive. Bring your Yoga Mat, a towel or small blanket you can roll up, and water for hydration. We are very excited to see all of you. Each class will be 50 minutes. Our first two (2) classes will be FREE. Please call us and sign up in advance, if you wish to take advantage of this FREE, 2-class offering. Our eight (8) remaining classes will be $15 each/$120. Checks or cash accepted. If you wish to pay each time you come, just let us know in advance. We encourage you to arrive ten minutes early to sign in and pay before our class begins promptly at 8 am. If you prefer, you can pay for all eight remaining classes at a reduced fee of $100. Feel free to contact: Penny, at txt, 703-548-1882. We welcome your weekly attendance, and look forward to meeting all of you. Please do phone us if you have any questions. We are Licensed and Insured. See you Saturday, May 21 at 8 am.

NAMASTE!

Jesus…..just as I am

…..O lamb of God, I come, I come.

I come to you this morning. You have bidst me to come to thee. May we share quiet prayer time today as we go together to my gardening assignment. My real truth wants to enter this lovely little “garden house” and be alone with you. My vision is to be there all day with you. Thank you for being with me no matter where I am. I am grateful for all our times together, no matter where we are. I am so grateful and thank you for the work to which you have called me. I give you all the honor and glory for allowing me to create beautiful spaces in your world.

Oh Lamb of God, I come, I come.

• AMEN•

The Second SUNDAY of Easter

 

LISTEN TO YOUR HEART

It’s there (deep in my heart) that Jesus speaks to me. When I listen quietly, He speaks intimately with me. His voice is a gentle whisper. His voice is gentle LOVE. My special time of prayer…..I share with no other. I listen often because Jesus’ voice can be drowned by the activity and noise of my world.

John 7:37-39

On the day of the festival, the great day, while Jesus was standing there, he cried out, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture has said, ‘Out of the believer’s heart shal flow rivers of living water.’ “

Prayer

My glorious God…..I am always thirsty for you, my God. The many vast water bodies of your world remind me of the goodness of your love and your grace. As I listen for You my God, and listen to my own thoughts, my unkind or angry thoughts can challenge me to overcome, so that I can keep my mind focused on your voice and your Love for me. I pray that you will help me with my practice of “attentive listening.”

Powerful Consistency

April 24

Philippians 1:27

“Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ; so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.”

▶︎ LISTEN TO THE DEVOTIONAL

The Apostle Paul longed to hear how these early Christians were conducting themselves. He wanted to hear that they were standing firm. That is a picture of consistency, isn’t it? It means you are not “up” one day and “down” the next. When someone comes to Christ and invites Him to be on the center stage of their lives, they begin to invest all they are in things that matter, things that last forever. There begins to be a consistency in their walk. Their language is different, and they have a different outlook. Their lives are not chronicles of wasted time. Begin each day with Him. And end each day with Him. Do this, and soon people will hear of you – and see in you – the beauty of a consistent daily walk.

Sharing – The Garden Museum

Spring Plant Fair Tomorrow! Time to freshen up your garden for summer? Our annual Spring Plant Fair has got you covered with specialist nurseries from all over the country selling everything from plants for pollinators and rare grasses and perennials, to shade-lovers and edible plants. Talks and activities also included in your ticket: 🌿11am – Tips and tricks for making your own compost 🌿11.30am – Planted too many seeds this season? Bring your extras to our seed and sprout swap! Hosted by Herboo 🌿12pm – Susanna Grant of Hello There Linda on planting in the shade 🌿1.30pm – Growing for bees workshop 🌿2pm – Errol Reuben Fernandes, Head of Horticulture at the Horniman Museum, on planting sustainably in a changing climate Sunday 24 April, 10am – 5pm £10 Standard, £5 Friends Book tickets Opening this week! Dana Westring | Tirthas: Thin Places This new exhibition is the first opportunity to see the remarkable watercolours and drawings of American artist Dana Westring in the UK. Tirthas: Thin Places will show a group of landscapes which are the result of Dana’s extensive annual travel in Southeast Asia, and of his artistic practice and research among the sacred architecture of Hindu temples and other Indian structures. Thin Places is a translation of the Hindu word tirthas, which means a place of pilgrimage, and the cultivation of truth, knowledge and spirituality – literally a thin place, a higher plain. 27 April – 5 May 2022 Find out more Dana Westring Book Extract Ahead of Dana Westring’s new exhibition Tirthas: Thin Places opening on 27 April, we share the following extract from his accompanying book: “When I was a boy, there was a gentle old lady in the little town on the plains where I grew up. She had never married and had inherited a chunk of rich farmland when her father died. She had been his cook, housekeeper, and companion, and when he was gone, in her middle age she decided she would see the world. She discovered an intrepid traveler within herself and began planning journeys to far-off exotic places…” Keep reading Roses Cooking Masterclass: Middle Eastern Pastries Inspired by the exhibition ‘Wild & Cultivated: Fashioning the Rose’ this sweet masterclass with chef and food writer Melek Erdal will explore the use of flavouring desserts with rose and rose water in Middle Eastern cuisine. Learn how to make phyllo pastry recipes such as rose water infused syrup baklavas with almonds, walnuts or pistachio shaped a variety of ways, kataifi with rose water and sour cherry, plus Rose petal jam which is synonymous with Istanbul. At the end of the class you’ll sample or take home everything you’ve made. Tues 8 May, 10.45am – 2pm £90, includes all ingredients Book tickets Object of the Week: Nicole Groult Evening Dress, c.1920 Modernist and romantic – these were the two routes fashion took after the First World War. Pictured centre, this early 1920s silk taffeta evening dress by Nicole Groult is something of a hybrid, with embroidered roses clearly expressing a romantic style. The dress is an example of a robe de style, which were popular in the 1920s and characterised by a full skirt. With extensive use of scalloping and flower ornamentation – notably rounded Art Deco style rose – it also references 18th century designs. Virginia Woolf was a client of this leading Parisian haute couturière. #FashioningTheRose is open until 19 June Supported by David Austin Roses Book your visit Images: Plant Fair 2019 by Graham Lacdao; Garden Museum courtyard by Ollie Tomlinson; Tirthas paintings courtesy of Dana Westring; Baklava courtesy of Melek Erdal; Nicole Groult dress in Fashioning the Rose by Graham Lacdao Garden Museum 5 Lambeth Palace Road, London SE1 7LB gardenmuseum.org.uk

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Morning Nourishment

Half of a Grapefruit with Honey…..and stewed Prunes (4).

A healthy dose of Vitamin C and Potassium. I’m now good to go until lunch/dinner at about 3:30/4:00 pm. 

Try it… so good for you and you might like it. 

“CONTESSA”

…….thank you God

Yesterday I turned the soil in “the Generals” garden.  Weeding it and bringing new rich black soil to the surface. As I turned to begin packing up my car, I heard lovely chirps.  When I turned back to look, two Robins were forcing their beaks into the soil and pulling up nourishment…the spring worms, their favorite. I even talked to them a little. Inquiring if they had come to visit me or the worms. They stayed. Regardless…..it was a “moment.”

…..and soon I was happily on my way.  God is so Good.

• AMEN •

Three Appointments Today – REVISION – FINAL – Tues – 4/26 – 6:44 pm

Today we start with one of our thirty minute FREE gardening consultations. Our potential client lives on Gunston Rd near Greenway Place. Our appointed time is 10:30 am.

REVISION #3 – MONDAY – 4/25 – 4:00 pm 

Our FREE consultation last week realized some advice and gardening information for our potential new client. He will be in touch with the PFX office to learn about Buildium and proceed with placing a ticket to have eight healthy bushes removed from his two beds on either side of his entrance steps. We must say it’s an odd arrangement. They are Laurel. Healthy but need a relocation so he can have a spot in which to plant some perennials. We advised him to use the community Buildium tool to report the issue. It should not be an issue finding a good home for these nice bushes. Once the removal is completed we will consult with him to select some new plants and create pretty garden beds outside his front door. It’s all good…. and a new neighbor who wants to learn about planting. We are happy to teach. Yes!!
•••••••••••••••••••••••

Following our 10:30 consult we proceeded to our Preston Rd appointment. Our repeat client asked us to purchase three (3) new perennials, come to tidy and see if we can revive her mini Evergreens. She admitted her own neglect during March to keep them watered. We’ll see if we can cut back dead growth and fertilize to stimulate some new possibility. While there, we’ll make sure everything else in the beds is looking healthy and secured in the soil. This area has tons of frisky squirrels and they seem to really thrash about in her beds in particular. We’ll spread a good coating of “blood meal” to help prevent them from disturbing her plants. We’ll plant the new items, add a few seasonal annuals. More on Monday. This  project was billed at three (3) hours inclusive of the mulch application. Plus the cost of three bags of mulch/$15, and 3 perennials at $50.

REVISION FINAL  – Tuesday – 4/26 – 6:44 pm 

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At 2 pm we arrived to the 1000 block of Beverley Drive to complete a routine maintenance and tidy. It’s been since February that we were there. We will fill her new larger metal hanging basket with a Coir Liner. We will then use Geraniums and some trailing vines to fill it. And we will place three (3) new Begonias in planters for her Etegere. A fantastic client who gives us the freedom to do the work as we see appropriate. A good two to three hours work here. Five (5) new bushes planted last spring here, doing fantastic. Three (3) Scarlet Red Azaleas and two (2) Cherry Red Knock-Out Rose Bushes. We will fertilize. Redefine the edging on the beds and tidy the Pansies planted last fall.  Very soon they will give themselves up to the hot summer temps and we will replace them with summer annuals.

REVISION #2 – Sat – 4/23 – 4:34 pm

Today we really weeded, saturated every bush with the hose laying near each one as the hot sun was really drying the blossoms. They were very thirsty. We trimmed the Holly Tree  and used the hose to clean the porch under the Portico. So much yellow pollen covering everything. Secured all the plantings and deadheaded spent blossoms. We have been  nurturing a Geranium all winter for this client.  It was huge but very green. We have cut it back to stalks and planted it in a white planter situated in the sun in her garden bed. Once it starts sprouting we will transplant it to her new metal hanging basket, which we found. We have used this technique before to recycle a plant back into a new bloomer. Frankly, it usually blooms even more the second year. We will see how it produces this year. Today was a productive three (3)hours. Monday we will return  to weed and tidy the side bed along the whole length of thus corner property. It’s a “tons if weeds” project. At least another (1) hour.

Stay tuned Monday for our FINAL  progress videos as we are not at completion just yet.

REVISION #3 – MONDAY – 4/25 – 4:00 pm 

All finished at Beverley Drive until time to purchase annuals for planting once thePansies “give it up.”

Most likely Impatiens or Periwinkle will be the replacement. We will be doing the install. Photos to follow once complete, along with pics of the planters on her Etegere and her hanging basket.

•••••••••••••••••

An absolutely perfect day for gardening.
Many shared blessings will be enjoyed, and my heart is filled with gratitude for my gifts and the labor which i love.

MY Lord and Savior God, you are generous with your always timely provisions. Thank you!

Spring came to us in its own time this year….. even so, we are exceedingly grateful.

“CONTESSA”