Wordless Wednesday

Maine Coon Now thats just so funny
Originally uploaded by Andreas-photography

I found this photo on Flickr.com

Me so happy, me won!

Hi friends,
I am so happy to learn that I won a spectacular array of gifts, by leaving a comment at http://tenderhearteddaisy.blogspot.com/
Liane offered a mystery prize and I won, yes, little ol me.
Be sure to follow the link above and see the photo of all the goodies. This is a very amazing collection of gifts, even involving Godiva dark chocolate and a loaf pan with a fall harvest theme. Too many to mention, I suggest you look at the photo on Liane's blog.
I found Liane's blog when I visited her sister, Diane's Bittersweet Punkin blog.

Plant Crocus in Fall

Croci
Originally uploaded by stevegarfield
Hi Gardening friends,
Now is the time to plant crocus, for late winter and early spring blooming.
Most crocus bloom in spring, except for Saffron Crocus which bloom in fall and are planted in spring.
In autumn you may see bags of crocus bulbs (which are actually corms, which grow from a bulb like stem), in your local garden stores. Sometimes bags of mixed crocus can be found for 25 corms for under $10.
Online sources like Dutchbulbs.com have wonderful selections and bargains too.
Crocus will grow in sun, partial sun and shade, need well drained soil, and I recommend that you add compost and bulb food to the soil.
What is more joyful than seeing a colorful crocus blooming in the snow?
As is written in Isaiah 35:1-2 "The desert shall rejoice and blossom; like the crocus it shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice with joy and singing."

Your Favorite Book This Week

What is your favorite book this week?
Please leave a comment and tell us so we share ideas here for books to read.
I got the idea for Favorite Thursdays books from a fun blog http://j-kaye-book-blog.blogspot.com/
Do you ever read a book that is so beautiful that you want to celebrate? Yes, sing and dance and cry grateful tears?
This week I had that thrill when I read "Peace Like a River" by Leif Enger.
Yes, this book has many fans and I am so glad that I finally read it. It is my favorite novel that I have read thus far in 2009.
The prose is lyrical, the story compelling, with an underlying outlaw theme, set in rural Minnesota and the wild Badlands of North Dakota, and the narrator is an 11 year old boy. The father, Jeremiah Land, sometimes works miracles, the older brother Davy risks all to defend his family, there is a federal agent in pursuit, and horses play key roles in the drama.
Yes, "Peace Like a River" is brilliant and will whisk you away to the Badlands, miracles, danger and family love.

Cute baby bat photos and my article

To read my article on the good points of bats visit San Diego Family Magazine for October 2009
http://trendmag2.trendoffset.com/publication/?i=23206
It is on pages 30-32 and click on zoom to make the text larger. I included 2 cute baby bat photos provided by Cindy Myers of the San Diego Wildlife Project Bat Team.
For the photo of the adorable red baby bat, click on the above link.
Bats can be very welcome additions to our gardens, parks and cities. They are important plant pollinators and eat huge amounts of insects, including mosquitoes and insects that damage crops and our gardens.
As experts I interviewed point out, do not pick up injured bats, but please do call wildlife animal rescue in your area.

Mystical Cats

cat's eyes
Originally uploaded by strollerdos
I was visiting flickr.com and looking for a cat photo. Isn't this a beauty?
I just wanted to post a photo of a cat here after watching my cats play. Well, ok, nap!

And the winner of When God Turned Off the Lights is ...

And, drum roll please, the winner of When God Turned Off the Lights, by Cecil Murphey, is
JEN.
So Jen please contact me by Monday with your snail mail address. Contact me at thekilns at excite dot com
If I don't hear from you by Monday I will select another winner.
Thanks to all who entered and stay tuned for more book give aways here, including some Christian vampire themed books a publisher has offered to send us. I didn't know such a genre exists.
Actually I am a big fan of the Jim Butcher books which have an engaging wizard as the main character, and he does battle evil things like vampires. That's not a Christian series, though.
Happy reading all.

When God Turned Off the Lights book give away

Cecil Murphey has written many books and I am pleased to offer a free copy of his newest book to one of you, my dear readers.
The book "When God Turned Off the Lights" is about helping us face dark despair, doubting that God could love us because we fall short as Christians, and being disappointed with God for not fixing things as we want.
The author describes three times in his own life, when he was suffering and in deep despair, while pretending to be a cheerful Christian, and teaching Sunday school, writing Christian books and advising others.
Most of us have probably kept up a happy facade at times, so that when suffering and someone asks how we are we smile and say "Fine, fine."
He shares here his insights from his new perspective of happiness, and tips for changing so that God will turn on the lights. One thing he began to do was to thank God for 10 things before getting out of bed in the morning. This set a better tone for his day.
I began doing this and find it is enjoyable to find ten good things in my life, before starting my day, and each day I find a few new things that make me smile to add to my list.
Midway through his journey and this book, the author writes "God's provision is based on unconditional love - not on my faithfulness. I was getting closer to the light." He explains that God knows us and our faults, and loves us anyway. He loves us even when we are flawed, which is a great relief, and accepting this is part of the journey out of the darkness and into the light.

For a chance to win a free copy, leave a comment here. If you become a follower or are already one, you will have two chances to win. I use random.org to select the winner.
http://www.amazon.com/When-God-Turned-Off-Lights/dp/0830751556/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1254346707&sr=1-1

Grow Your Very Own Rosemary Christmas Tree

IMG_2077.JPG
Originally uploaded by ceejayoz

Grow a Rosemary Christmas Tree

Do you like rosemary "trees" as part of your Christmas decorations? You can save money by buying a plant and shaping it into your very own Christmas tabletop tree.


Trimmed to a triangular Christmas tree shape, or a round shape, and decorated, rosemary plants look festive on a table or on your front porch. If your porch has room, one plant on each side of the door looks cheery and welcoming.


Now is a good time to visit your plant store and buy a small rosemary plant that has the potential for you to trim it to a pretty shape. You can do the shaping over a period of weeks if appropriate. This can be a family project to find a rosemary plant that you will use as holiday decor each year. When you buy a rosemary plant in October or November, ask your store expert if you can keep the plant outside until you display it or if it will do best indoors, with plenty of sunlight. Their recommendations will vary with the climate in your area.

Once your rosemary "tree" is selected and gently trimmed to the shape you want, look around for things to trim it with. Bows, strings of beads, and tiny ornaments will add color to your tree and room or porch. You can cover the pot with gold or red foil for even more holiday glow.