Blooming, budding, and muddling through

Does anyone else feel like time is floating by? Without the anchors of live meetings, the days seem to blend together. [My apologies if you get multiples. As I hit "publish," the new and improved Blogger spits back a message that "this did not all upload." Sorry if they're just creating chaos on your end and mine.]

• I'm not sure who took this photo, but it kinda describes the past week. I alternate between feeling like I'm swinging from someone else's tail and having someone else hang on to me for dear life. It made me laugh. (If you know the source, I'll gladly attribute it.)

This past week:

• We enjoy our regular Saturday pizza night on our porch, this time with friends Josie and Pauline. We're social distanced and wear masks unless we're eating or there's a stiff breeze. Waldemar has mastered pizza crust - and the pizzas are delicious. The main benefit for me, besides good company, is happiness because I don't have to cook on Saturday nights. (stock pic)

• Dear friends have Covid so we are praying and trying to stay in touch. Who in your circles has the virus? Are you there to help and encourage?

• I've cut the theme (orange blocks) for the next quilt - mostly batik. Here are the 3 main fabrics: there are oranges, golds, greens, blues, and a few reds.

When I lay out the blocks, I notice how boring it is. What needs to be added? There's too much orange and blue - it needs more variety. I cut the borders from the green and blue batiks to frame the quilt top. The middle of those fabrics will be pieced for the quilt back.

These fabrics will be cut as strips to add texture and color. Going to be fun. And I'm deciding between machine-quilting or Japanese sashiko (long stitches). Maybe I'll do both. Planning is the fun part.

• I'm editing 1300 pages of memories from living in  Cambridge UK 14 years ago. I'm about about halfway through the roughest part. Wow - so many emails, letters, comments collected from 6 months of life abroad. Perhaps there is a book in it.

• I write the talk for next week's BIC Online - on being "Imperfect and Forgiven," the dual identity of followers of Jesus. W and I alternate writing sermons. He wrote most of September to see if he could make it shorter. Um. Sometimes.

• Oh, how I relish the Mastermind on Thursday. These female leaders offer good advice and broaden my horizons every month. We've taken a summer break and missed each other.

• The trees are bursting with life in the sunshine. Tall palms stretch up toward the sky: this particular one has 20-25' (7-8 m.) fronds. On our walk, W and the dogs stand in front of it for photo perspective.

• One kind of tall palm is blooming, or shall we say fruiting? The green globes are changing to red on the 2' clusters.

The figs near our neighbor's house are getting closer and closer to ripeness. This is an odd fig type which bears its fruit is near the ground.

• I'm running low on some of my favorite teas, including this lychee rose flavor from Malaysia. With reduced travel, we get to replace less of what's empty. Our friend offers to have some sent in the package from her children in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia). What kindness!

• The dogs are always happy to have company come over. They bark like they're going to kill someone standing at the gate. As soon as we say it's ok, they begin to settle down.

Then they are total petting-hounds. Poor Cocoa - what a bad hair day when she's been running through the rain and the grass. She needs a good comb-out.

• Life goes on despite government strictures. Two men play badminton. In their flip-flops. In a narrow parking lot. Between concrete planters. Around cars. On uneven concrete blocks. They play a vigorous game, despite all the "what-on-earth" restrictions we notice as we pass them.

• Someone is getting married in the courtyard nearby. The floral wedding boards are stunning. Flower shops personalize 4'tall X6'wide foamcore backgrounds. They add huge bouquets all around the edges.

The human-height boards are delivered, complete with their stands, by motorcycle. (Some cyclists are skilled enough to strap a board on each side of them! as they deliver.) These "congratulations" are placed at the entrance of various special events (wedding, funeral, shop opening, birthday, etc.) Depending on how famous the person is, there can be one, ten, or dozens of boards lined up.

• We live in an amazing planet filled with creative creatures and humans. Hoping your week is full of new and wonderful discoveries, God's goodness, health, and joy ... 

Read more:

*Honor your father and your mother. Exodus 20:12

*I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, ‘Do not fear, I will help you.’ Isaiah 41:13

*But when Peter noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him. Matthew 14:30-31

*Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. Romans 15:7

Moravian Prayer: Savior, we long to live in a right relationship with you and with our brothers and sisters. Help us share your love every day and in every place we go. Like Peter, Master, we fear and falter. Yet also like Peter, you reach out to each of us. Precious Lord, may we take your hand. Amen.