Saturday

A great sleep last night with a bit of help but I can brag about a 10-hour rest.  Whoopee!  Up and at'em this morning.  This was another Soup Kitchen morning having traded with another team.  So off to church at 8:30.  

Some of our regular workers didn't come but we had some extras fill the void.  It was a great morning of preparing bread, desserts, vegetables, and pulled pork.  We prepared 45 carry-out meals and 27 meals were available for folks who wanted to eat their meal in the community room.  And the best part was that we had enough food for all who came with nothing but a few vegetables left over.  Now that must be a God count for sure.  

To the left is the last visitor of the day who lingered while Brenda and Heidi finished washing the last table and then putting the chairs up for floor washing.  

Back home and the afternoon was filled with a nap and then some garden fertilizing and watering.  The weather continues to be unseasonably warm and the plants are making big changes.  There is something new waiting to be spotted every day. I spotted Jack in the Pulpit but renamed Jill in the Pulpit by Liz B.

The dogwood tree is strutting its stuff.  This tree in bloom every year reminds me of the two Atlanta confirmation trips taken in early April a few years back when we saw huge old Atlanta dogwood in bloom.  There is just nothing to compare to the beauty of those blooming dogwood huge in size and great in impression lining the streets of old Atlanta. 

Fifty years ago when we moved to Hillsdale Dr. we brought a spring of Lilac bush with us.  It has seen better days but Doug keeps working at keeping the bush alive.  So far he has succeeded and the new growth is now supporting more flowers each year.  Most of the tree is over the hill but what we have is great.  I wish I could send you the smell of Lilac with this picture.  

This picture is not very impressive but it is the most exciting to me today.  It shows that the swamp.   milkweed is on its way back.  All three plants are showing new growth.  I've lost a few other years. Their importance is that they are the host plants for the Monarch butterfly babies.  The females lay their eggs on the leaves and when the eggs hatch the babies have something to eat.  Also in this garden, I'll plant many nectar flowers one being zinnias that will draw adults to this space.  With any luck, I'll see Monarchs this summer.  Last summer saw a real decline in hatching numbers, unlike the best summer a few years ago when I released about 60 Monarchs. In a few weeks, I hope to see some Common Milkweed emerge from the ground in this same patch.   

It was another day of making a difference in the lives of our church neighbors who eat with us by visiting, singing happy birthday, and listening to a health issue that demanded surgery.  We also heard about the death of Veronica, who ate with us for many years.  Her death occurred a few weeks ago from an overdose of narcotics that had pledged her for the entire time we knew her.  Currently, there is a young gentleman who we see often exhibiting that same addiction. Remember him in your prayers.  Sharing all experiences is a part of community building. That's one of our goals.