This has been a banner year for garden flowers in our neck of the woods. I have no Zinnias, but I have friends who do! Here are Don’s:
…and here are Carla’s:
I mean, Wow.
And here’s a poem by Mona Van Duyn, who taught at my flyover university for many years
Also, don’t forget that August is the Summer Under the Stars month on TCM when 31 stars are featured over 31 days. Today is Diane Keaton, followed by Basil Rathbone tomorrow and Steve McQueen on Saturday!
I was worried that the hibiscus would bloom while I was in Michigan, so I was happy to see them hanging on for me…
Huzzah!
And here’s a poem for our hot flyover July…thank goodness for water lilies!
Some flowers are withered and some joys have died; The garden reeks with an East Indian scent From beds where gillyflowers stand weak and spent; The white heat pales the skies from side to side; But in still lakes and rivers, cool, content, Like starry blooms on a new firmament, White lilies float and regally abide. In vain the cruel skies their hot rays shed; The lily does not feel their brazen glare. In vain the pallid clouds refuse to share Their dews, the lily feels no thirst, no dread. Unharmed she lifts her queenly face and head; She drinks of living waters and keeps fair.
The Tiger Lilies are in full bloom on the prairie, as they are in my flyover home town where I am headed this morning. I had a great time hanging out with the prairie girls and their adorable brother.
I mean really
Hopefully all will go smoothly with my drive home in the speedwagon and it won’t rain!
I’ll keep the path open, the path in my mind I’ll see to it that there’s no love left behind I’ll play Beethoven’s sonatas, and Chopin’s preludes I contain multitudes
I had to go to the doctor’s for an annual ‘well’ visit yesterday morning so I treated myself to a daytime John Wayne birthday screening of The Horse Soldiers (1959) in the afternoon. It was great, of course, a true tonic for what ails ya. At least for me. It is important to know what your tonic is. (Hopefully not drugs or alcohol.)
On the evening of Memorial Day, after my family had gone home, I watched Twelve O’Clock High (1949), which is Gregory Peck’s greatest film (except for To Kill aMockingbird). He should have won the Academy Award for his portrayal of Brig. General Frank Savage.
As I have said before, it is incredible to me how the pilots and crews of those B-17s managed to do what they did over and over again. It is no wonder that many succumbed to battle fatigue, which is what this movie addresses. The film made use of actual combat footage during the battle scenes and the results are impressive. If you haven’t viewed it recently, treat yourself.
I also cleaned my closet and threw away/gave away a ton of old shoes that I will never wear again. That feels good.
And here’s another good one from Kevin DeYoung about What We Need Most. “Our main problem is not lack of time or resources or the annoying people in our lives. Your main problem and my main problem is that we do not see enough the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”
(Prairie Peony)
And remember this:
“Only if your god can outrage and challenge you will you know that you worship the real God and not a figment of your imagination…If your god never disagrees with you, you might just be worshipping an idealized version of yourself.”
That’s a photo of an Allium (Allium giganteum) in Don’s yard. Isn’t it impressive? I’ve always wanted one in my yard. As he says, “Who doesn’t love a ball of purple stars?”
Well, I have been crossing items off my to-do list this week. And patting myself on the back as I go.
I also did my small group homework, reading Matthew 13…
“Hear then the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. 20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. 22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 23 As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”
Those darn thorns, right? He who has ears, let him hear.
Did you hear that the Department of Education is investigating my alma mater Smith College, one of the “Seven Sisters” all-female colleges, for violations of Title IX regarding discrimination on the basis of sex? “An all-women’s college loses all meaning if it is admitting biological males,” Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Kimberly Richey, said in a statement. Smith College changed its policy in 2015 to consider any applicant who self-identifies as a woman.
I am LOL-ing so hard.
And the Babylon Bee hits the nail on the head once again:
How was your weekend? Our weather was perfect! The Iris continued to wow…
And even the Japanese Iris (my favorite) is blooming!
Praise the Lord!
I met with two old friends for a Diet Coke date at McD’s on Friday afternoon–until it was overrun with Middle Schoolers after school–some things never change. As daughter #2 commented, “That was such a part of my life back in the day!” Mr. Smith came over a little later and daughter #1 played Bluetooth DJ…
We had Chik-fil-a for dinner–perfect!
On Saturday I went to a gathering celebrating the Saint Louis Watercolor Society’s 30th anniversary. My friend Mirka had a painting there and we had fun catching up. Then we went to the Annex in Webster Groves to hear our friend Gary play with his Bluegrass band.
Always a good time! Live music! Wine on the patio!
On Sunday I went to church by myself and heard a good sermon on Joshua 12:1, 6-7, 24; 13:1-7. Later I was able to go to the bud’s lacrosse game in the afternoon and catch up with the boy on the sidelines.
It was a busy weekend, indeed, with more social activities than usual! Now onward to the week ahead.
Thank God for his faithfulness! Thank God the President of the U.S. is unharmed. (As Anne wrote: “I am not inclined to think of the violent deaths of public figures as some sort of mere cultural spectacle, sometimes justifiable if enough people are angry about “social” justice. As rosy fingered—more like cloudy and gray—dawn is creeping up over the horizon, it seems the first post lamenting the fact that the gunman did not succeed has already appeared.”) So put down your phone and go outside. Pull some weeds. Talk to your neighbor. Pet a nice dog. Watch an old movie all the way through. Read a book! Better yet, open your Bible!
One of my old administrative assistants gave me these Iris bulbs for my birthday one year because I always admired hers so much. The OM and I planted them and they have been bringing me joy ever since.
There are still an amazing bounty of flowers still blooming in our flyover town. It must be all that rain we had in the spring. Long after the Daylilies in my yard are gone, Don’s garden is still pretty lush…
Meanwhile the twins started third grade and Katie started kindergarten. Sunrise, sunset. And I guess that means the summer is over…
This picture of the prairie girls reminds me of the conversation I had with Lottie about her recent trip to Oklahoma. I said, oh yes, they have great clouds in Oklahoma–big sky, big clouds. And she said (with a bit of a tone) well, their clouds are no better than our clouds here in Missouri! I stand corrected.
Here’s a wonderful reminder from John Piper about God’s provision for us.
We won’t endure on our own. God brings brothers and sisters in Christ into our lives to help us along the path to heaven. That’s actually one of the great themes in Bunyan’s famous allegory Pilgrim’s Progress. Faithful and Hopeful are the friends Christian needs, his fellowship, along his path to the gates of the Celestial City.
And I really like the new Zach Williams song, don’t you?
*Oliver in Only Murders in the Building
Mabel Mora – “I’m a stranger that lied to you a bunch. And you’re two randos that dragged me into a podcast.”
Oliver Putnam – “‘Rando’ is a slang term for a person of no significance.”
Charles-Haden Savage – “I used context clues, but thank you.”
Hard to believe it is October 10th already and we are well on our way to Halloween (or, if you prefer, Reformation Day) and the slide to the end of the year!
Don’s chrysanthemums
Yesterday I had lunch with my friend Ben at his fancy retirement community. We were joined by three other friends who live there which made it almost a party. It was quite enjoyable and a reminder that old friends are best. We talked about poetry and old times and avoided politics.
Speaking of celebrating, today we toast the great Yul Brynner on the anniversary of his death in 1985. Yul was without peer and we will enjoy watching one of his movies.
Shall it be The King and I (1956) or The Magnificent Seven (1960) or The Ten Commandments (1956)?
We are experiencing absolutely beautiful weather here in flyover country and I feel almost guilty considering what those south and east of us are enduring. There but for the grace of God…Here’s an inspiring article about God’s Grace working through the church in the wake of Hurricane Helene.
Daughter #2 sent this picture and it made me chuckle:
Preschool on the prairie
And finally, this made me laugh–100 raccoons! ‘Somehow the word got out in raccoon land and they all showed up to her house expecting a meal,’ Kevin McCarty, a spokesperson for the Kitsap County Sheriff, said.
Time continues to march on and we are nearly halfway into the year.
It is hot here, and the hostas are looking pretty droopy and sad. The lawn, despite copious watering, is burning up. But the day lilies are amazing as usual–they love the heat! They scoff at the lack of rain. They just keep going.
(Photos taken from my car!)
This old plant is native to Asia and arrived on our shores early during the colonial period from Europe. It was so popular, and “passed along” from so many gardeners to their neighbors, it now grows happily from coast to coast, often along roadsides. When wagon trains went west, the old orange day lilies rode along with many a frontier gardener. I think that’s great.
Everyone should have some day lilies in their yard!
Today we remember my mother who died on this day in 1988. I can’t believe I have lived over half my life without her. Here she is with her baby sister Donna circa 1934.
Weep not, weep not, She is not dead; She’s resting in the bosom of Jesus. Heart-broken husband–weep no more; Grief-stricken son–weep no more; Left-lonesome daughter –weep no more; She only just gone home.
— from “Go Down, Death” by James Weldon Johnson (who also died on this day in 1938)
dual personalities 