Garden created in honor of my dad

I share with you this photo I took on my visit in August to Wisconsin.
The photo shows a gorgeous garden on a golf course, created in memory of my dad.
Notice that the bluebird house has a perch which is part of a golf club. I love that touch, since my dad enjoyed golf, birdwatching and gardening.
I am sure my dad is smiling down from heaven as he sees the pleasure people receive from experiencing the flowers and bluebirds.

English Cucumbers

Cucumbers
Originally uploaded by La Grande Farmers' Market

I harvested our first two English Cucumbers from the garden today. I grew them on a tomato cage so that the cucumbers hang down and grow not touching the ground.

The one I planted is English Telegraph Cucumber, and these cucumbers are long and thin and they are delicious. We like them sliced with celery salt or lemon pepper, or sliced thin in plain yogurt with dill, salt and pepper.

Do you grow a favorite type of cucumber or have a recipe to share here? We would love to hear it.

Bookblogs.ning.com

Blogging Tips, signed by Lorelle VanFossen
Originally uploaded by liewcf

I haven't read the book "Blogging Tips" by Lorelle VanFossen, but it is a neat photo to accompany this post.
I joined a useful online group a few days ago
bookblogs.ning.com
This group is for readers, people who blog about books, and for writers and there are lots of small focused groups in it.
It is likely you fit in one or more of those categories, like I do.

Buzz Aldrin Apollo 11, Communion on the moon

Aldrin
Originally uploaded by jeditrilobite

I recently learned that American astronaut Buzz Aldrin celebrated communion on the moon during Apollo 11, on July 20, 1969.

Maybe I am the only one who didn't know that (smile).

Well, Aldrin's celebrating communion on the moon was not disclosed for 20 years, in reaction to a lawsuit about Apollo 8 astronauts reading the beginning of Genesis out loud on Christmas, 1968.
The pastor of the church Buzz Aldrin attended, Webster Presbyterian in Houston, prepared a communion kit for Aldrin.
I understand that the church has the original kit and uses it for communion each year, on the Sunday closest to July 20.
I love the image of this American hero, on the moon and rejoicing.

The Friends We Keep review and Bible study series

I highly recommend "The Friends We Keep" for insight into friendships we have over the years, new and old, some supportive and nurturing, and some that come to an end.

During a particularly painful time in her life, Sarah Zacharias Davis learned how delightful–and wounding–women can be in friendship. She saw how some friendships end badly, others die slow deaths, and how a chance acquaintance can become that enduring friend you need.

The Friends We Keep is Sarah’s thoughtful account of her own story and the stories of other women about navigating friendship. Her revealing discoveries tackle the questions every woman asks:

• Why do we long so for women friends?
• Do we need friends like we need air or food or water?
• What causes cattiness, competition, and co-dependency in too many friendships?
• Why do some friendships last forever and others only a season?
• How do I foster friendship?
• When is it time to let a friend go, and how do I do so?

With heartfelt, intelligent writing, Sarah explores these questions and more with personal stories, cultural references and history, faith, and grace. In the process, she delivers wisdom for navigating the challenges, mysteries, and delights of friendship: why we need friendships with other women, what it means to be safe in relationship, and how to embrace what a friend has to offer, whether meager or generous.

Summary for 40 Minute Bible Studies

The 40 Minute Bible Study series from beloved Bible teacher Kay Arthur and the teaching staff of Precept Ministries tackles important issues in brief, easy-to-grasp lessons you can use personally or for small-group discussion. Each book in the series includes six 40-minute studies designed to draw you into God’s Word through basic inductive Bible study. There are 16 titles in the series, with topics ranging from fasting and forgiveness to prayer and worship. With no homework required, everyone in the group can work through the lesson together at the same time. Let these respected Bible teachers lead you in a study that will transform your thinking—and your life.

Titles Include:

•The Essentials of Effective Prayer •Being a Disciple: Counting the Cost

•Building a Marriage That Really Works •Discovering What the Future Holds

•Forgiveness: Breaking the Power of the Past •Having a Real Relationship with God

•How Do You Walk the Walk and Talk the Talk? •Living a Life of Real Worship

•How to Make Choices You Won’t Regret •Living Victoriously in Difficult Times

•Money & Possessions: The Quest for Contentment •Rising to the Call of Leadership

•How Do You Know God’s Your Father? •Key Principles of Biblical Fasting

•A Man’s Strategy for Conquering Temptation •What Does the Bible Say About Sex?

The publisher is kindly offering one of the Bible studies free to one person who leaves a comment here. The title is "What does the Bible say about sex?'

Central Park and Frederick Law Olmsted

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wallyg/2842147226/ photo originally uploaded by Wallyg
I read recently about Central Park, and am sorry to say that I have not seen it in person. I am certain that this is the kind of park that I would rave about if I visited it, like parks I've enjoyed in Paris and in Istanbul.

Central Park seems like it is America's Park.
In 1800 there were only 60,000 people living in New York City, and immigration drove the numbers up to 400,000 by 1844, when it became America's largest city.
Central Park was designed in 1856 by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, and was the first landscaped park in the United States. Their genius was to plan it as "a single work of art", with 843 acres transformed into a pageant of open meadows, bubbling brooks, waterfalls, walkways, lakes and forest paths. The park has many fine bronze statues, Belvedere Castle, and is home to music events and many other public activities.
All these years later I want to thank the men who planned Central Park. The Park keeps changing and yet holding firm to be a place where people can encounter a touch of nature.

Garden strawberries and blackberries

This photo shows scrumptious blackberries from our huge wild blackberry patch, and Chandler strawberries from our twelve sturdy plants.
My husband took this photo of the bowl of blackberries and strawberries I picked this morning.
We don't water or feed the seven foot tall and ten foot wide blackberry brambles, and can only pick from the edges of it, due to extreme danger from the thorns. Smile.
This leaves most of the berries for the birds and wild critters that visit our city garden. We have a pretty skunk and a light grey possum among our visitors, and they may actually live in the thorny berry patch, which is fine by us.
So these berries are all organic and sweet as sweet can be.