A Rough Day for Little Guy...

Yesterday was a rough day for our little guy.  First, he had an encounter with a very hard part of the tractor.  He's got quite a knot on his little head.  Then...after he was calmed down and that episode passed, he managed to sit down in a fire ant mound.  Now, he has ant bites all over his hand and legs.  He was a sad boy.

My Herb Garden...

Here are some pix of my "herb garden".  I'm a bit disappointed in the Rosemary, but the Basil, Thyme, and Oregano are doing well.  I'm hopeful these will be useful in my kitchen very soon!

The Floria Garden Adventure Continues...4-22-10

Many that know me, know me to be a "princess".  I have been called "high maintenance", "girlie", "in-doorsy", among other things...I love to get my nails done.  It's one of my favorite things to do for "me time".  The past few weeks have wreaked havoc on them.  It's not that I haven't wanted to get them done, it's just that my nails have looked mostly like the picture below since the garden went in.

Pulling weeds and digging in the garden has quickly become one of my favorite past-times.  The sense of accomplishment is exhilarating.  When we see the plants push up through the soil and began to spread out, it's pure joy!  Stay tuned for more garden pix.

The Floria Garden Adventure Continues...somethings up!

Here are some pix from the garden this morning.  It's so exciting to see the progress God is making.  ;-)

      

    
                                                           

                                              

Quote for the day...

Happiness is the sauce of experience in pleasant circumstances. Joy is a recipe for all deep happiness and contentment that works with any ingredients. ~ Bram Floria

(btw...I "stole" this from my husband.  He made this comment on a friends Facebook status when they asked this question: "How do you define "joy" and "happiness"? Do you see these two as being interchangable or distinctly different? Can you have one but not the other or is one dependant upon the other? I have my ideas, lets hear yours.")

The Floria Garden Adventure...Planting Time

our little seedlings

The Floria Garden Adventure Continues...

Prepping the Raised Garden Spot
     We did a boxed off, raised area for the more tender plants in our garden.  Things like Strawberries, Artichokes, Tomatoes, Bell Peppers, Okra, Lettuces and Cabbages.

This is where the corn, potatoes, onions, carrots, squash, zucchini, watermelon, cantaloupe and beets are planted.  Our corn is already 3-4 inches tall and the potatoes are sprouting like crazy, too.

 

squaring up the garden

 being helpful

Done for the day!

The Floria Garden Adventure...

We've decided to plant a garden this year.  Not just any garden, but a real, step out of the box, adventurous garden.  We've never done it before.  So...after living on 31 acres for the past 10+ years, we decided to give it a whirl.  We started with some small planter flats on March 24th.  Stay tuned for more pix and what came next.....

I Am Stone ~ Bram Floria

The Voice summoned me from the depths before there was time
I settled where the newly-formed sun could warm me
I witnessed the seasons of an eon or more before
The others were summoned to me

These small, scurrying, fleeting whispers climbed on my shoulder
In voices of their own they cried out to the One
Who had called forth us all; their lives but a flash and blast of music
Mine the long drumming notes of millennia

Over me the blood began to flow
Innocence expended to cover souls
A smattering, to blot out sins of generations
And I would humbly harbor such sacrifices

Their generations of hurried, fevered labors
covered me with a presence of their own
Cut stones and carpets, cisterns and fires
To take my place in greeting the sun

Then the crash of cymbals became impatient, harsh
The cries of priests desperate, quavering, unnerving me
Until the Voice would answer - the murmurs of its music
Muffled, muted, descending to my heart, and I would rest

And when the voices were silenced, I entered into restless sleep
And in its place Hell's haunting came
The blanket above began to fray, stones cracking
With heaving desolation, my arm was bared once more

When finally the whispers and scurries returned
New voices, new tongues, the rhythm of many nations
The blood of innocence shed to many gods and thrones
My back bore the shame of murder and disgrace

And on my bare arm the blood of guilt began to spill
Sacrificed to men's perverted justice, soaking me with sorrow
From hope I had become the scourge of nations
My crown a corpse, my arm a skull

Until the day when innocence returned and bled itself on me
I felt its truth like cleansing acid upon my skin
I groaned and writhed as purity's medicine disinfected me
The shame awakened into fury - I split in anguished cry

And then the Voice called down to me "The debt is paid" - I shuddered
Though I was settled I could not stop the cracks that continued rending me
On my arm the Voice was silent, the blood, now fading, dying
I could not hold it up - I slumped exhausted, stunned and spent

And from my cracks the fury of fires poured out with fumes
Sulphurous, choking off the little voices - Hell's laughing gas unleashed
And all was silent, the sky above dared not to speak
The weight of sorrow's clouds pressed on my chest - I dared not a breath

The innocence, the life, the blood and flood now pooled within my chest
I cradled it as it was hardened - like me - to stone become
The only voices heard were muffled wailings on my skin - I had none to speak
The clouds brought tears I could not cry so we together wept

A sabbath of sorrow has passed over me, the sun refused to shine
Darkness of a second span now covers me - no promise of another day
My fibers rent, a thousand shards each stiff and full of pain
Now holding both the blood and frame of innocence now lost

Yet creeping at horizon's edge a glimmer of light I see
On this the third day of my sorrow how could hope yet survive?
I hear a blast - the Voice - The Song is singing with the sun!
My heart now empty, is alive! The Life now lives - I'm free!