In the Wind

I’m not gonna lie, I’ve enjoyed having a like-minded friend on the property these past few seasons. I especially enjoyed our good-natured teasing back and forth. I’d ridicule her for wearing pink kitchen gloves under her garden gloves. She’d mock the way I bent in half over the garden rows instead of stooping.

Sad that my friend wasn’t there, as I gathered the last of the tomatoes I reasoned, “There must be something more important going on.”

But I’d been at it all morning. I’m not only very ready to be done with this years’ garden, but with the wind whistling past my ears I hear strange things. When I look around there’s nothing there.

Disappointed the sunflowers didn’t produce any seeds, I left the last row to have been planted last spring, the wildflowers, for mother nature to enjoy as they dry up. We both love them so I can’t bear to pull them up.

Finally done filling my bucket, I pushed the business end of the water hose back under the fence, gathered my tools and gloves, lifted the bucket and headed toward the house for the last time until spring.

Why couldn’t she and her pink gloves be here to finish the job?

I thought I heard someone again. I’m sure it’s the wind carrying sounds from the neighboring homes through the trees that are rapidly losing their leaves. I shrugged it off again and closed the gate without turning back. Certain nothing would come up from the rows till spring, I assumed it’s just my heart missing my friend and walked on.

Whatever it is, it will keep till spring.

 

“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me [Jesus].” John 14:1 (NLT)

Dear Readers, this is as horrific as I get. ❤ Roo

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Red Faced

For the first time in way too long I took a vacation.

I don’t mean a road trip on the way to my next home, a wedding or a funeral. For two years I saved for this leave. Even with the kids’ help my carefully planned time away from home included lots of air travel departing during inconvenient hours. Most important, it provided down-time with my darling offspring.

Since I would not be available to help gather the tomatoes, they had to be harvested before I left.

Seasoned travelers and most smart girls know to get together with friends the week before a vacation. Together you shop, update your wardrobe, enjoy a meal or two, and they share the little details that enhanced their recent journeys.

Instead, Izzy and I spent that time spreading tarps beneath tomato vines. Then we shook and cut the vines, loosing tomatoes. This also scattered THE DUST that collected since the sprinklers stopped rinsing everything clean daily. And then we drug and lifted the loaded tarps into wheelbarrows, stirring up the dirt that had been drying for a week.

Yeah. We know how to have a good time!

“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.” Philippians 4:12 (NIV)

Despite masks and goggles, the dust set me to sneezing, with my sinuses filling and then draining profusely. My skin also itched terribly – especially the tip of my nose. The following day, my apex nasi* became tender and by the next day it was incredibly sore. *I looked it up. It’s a thing.

And did I mention RED? Not a flattering shade either.

The day before I was to depart on the next length of my travel, despite all known precautions and remedies, the redness became deep purplish-red. Yes, a painful heat radiated from above my columella. (*It’s the flesh that separates the nostrils.)

Makeup barely concealed the colors resembling orangutans backsides. What’s more, it needed touch-ups every couple of hours…

As I boarded my first flight I felt like Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer guiding the last remaining passengers onto our plane. Still, I actually appreciated people quickly averting their eyes from my bleak beak.

During the flights I imagined AlmostSixYearOld taking one look at my face and bursting into tears in fear of this unfamiliar, scary-looking person. I could well imagine EightYearOld staring in wonder or stifling giggles.

Unfair as it was, I was determined to enjoy time with my gang – and to shop around the airports between flights for a miraculous concealer, mask or perhaps a stylish niqab. As anticipation rose, I imagined the heat and pressure on my face did also.

“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1 (NIV)

To be continued…