I Feel Amish

I feel Amish.

We are having a wedding/garden reception for Annie and Adam next weekend.  The project list has been exhausting.  Partially, the weather has created so many gardening challenges.  For example, last week all my roses were in bloom.  Then, came the heat and thunder showers and washed them away.  Red petals speckled the freshly laid mulch.  This was just not the look I was anticipating.

Each morning I awaken and run outside to check my flowers and hanging baskets.  Because of the unexpected heat wave, they look exhausted.  I deadhead, fertilize, and pray over all my gardens telling them that next weekend is their debut.  I do have a wonderful garden guest named Jacob.  He is a black , warty toad that lives in my water feature.  I hand dig him worms and feed him.  I have taught my granddaughters to do the same.  They think he is a delight.  Jacob hops along beside me as I pull weeds and transplant flowers.  He and I are gardening pals for the summer.  

I have a snake visitor in my shade garden.  He hides in the shadows and slinks about my coral bells, hosta, and violets.  I only hope he never comes to Jacob’s garden mound.   Since Denny found Slinky Sam in our backyard, I worry about sweet Jacob.

Today I cleaned all the drawers and under bathroom cabinets.  I do hope guest peek in my tidy drawers.  I have tried to put needed guest items in the baths for my visiting family members.  That is why I feel Amish.  I am cleaning and readying for sister from New York, Annie and Adam from Seattle, and Christine and John and girls from Fort Wayne.  I have made casseroles and desserts ahead and have them in the freezer.  Today I washed linens and quilts to freshen the beds.  Here I am in suburbia Muncie doing the same thing the ladies are doing on the farm in Napanee.  

Women have such commonalities.  We are the ones who worry about folding the towels, so they look decorative.  We put flowers in vases to share God’s creation. We clean windows, bookshelves, and wash the crystal preparing for guest.  It is important to me that my guests feel welcome, so I work hard at making everything appealing, clean, and comfortable.  I guess it is just a women’s nature to reach out to others by tidying her nest.  

Because of getting ready for my family and friends , I have been busy and again neglected my blog.  I know that after this week of “to do” lists and the finale of the wedding party, I will be eager to write and share more of what makes our lives worth living.  Until then, I will just share my stories with Jacob and Slinky Sam and prepare them for the relatives and seventy visitors next  Saturday.