Garden gone crazy

Friday, November 16, 2024

We've had a full week with a family birthday ("Love you, Rebekah!"), grandkids visiting Grandma, and a mountain hike. There's been meaningful work, of course. Can't get better than that, right?

A friend has recommended a gardener to replace the yardman who quit. He comes by for an interview and tours the yard. He says it will take him and an assistant almost a week to clean out the mess. Plants grow quickly here. Gardens that are not weeded, hedges that aren't cut, and trees that aren't pruned are prime territory for snakes and other wildlife. The flowerbed grew knee-high weeds in the month we were away.

I make my fastest-ever (focused) run to the grocer before Jakarta weekend traffic arrives on the hill. I can choose - wait for lunch to be over and get stuck in traffic? Or make a run that will overlap few minutes into lunchtime.

I decide, "Go now." (My default mode: "Do it now, don't put it off.") PakG drives me there and back in a half hour - I know just what I need for my vegan weekend menu.

Eating mostly a plant-based menu means getting creative with cooking. Veronica got a recipe for "ham" sausage from a friend. She's a vegetarian and said it was delicious. She has some ingredients and I have the rest. We'll try making it together. 

The big accomplishment this week is getting our 5-year visa papers. We're one year in, so there are 4 years left on the documents. That's ok; it's something less to think about next year.

W and I finalize the weekend talk. One of my jobs is to get Advent moving. It starts in 2 weeks! so I delegate some parts, research others, and am content with the process. (2 weeks! For a 'plan ahead' person, we're down to the wire, eh?) 

Tiny ants run across my screen. I squish them instead of letting them go into the keyboard or ports to build their little communities.

Saturday

After a walk, I go into the garden to update Sunday's arrangement. We go from this (by Titik, last Sunday):

to this. I discard drooping sunflowers and wilted roses and tuck in additions from the garden and weeds from the street.

As always, Titik's beautiful sculpture turns into a wild thing. Red roses can last most of the week, unlike white and yellow ones that fade within days. There's all kinds of stuff in there. I like the back almost as much as the front.

I spend the morning writing weekly posts for our New Normal photo and paragraph. I ran out of posts in September ... now we're good through May 2025.

I still take photos of weird and wonderful things around us. These elicit not even a blink from locals but still seem strange to our former selves. For example, look at this moth - in her party dress?

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W heads down the hill for his $1 haircut. There are leftovers for lunch.

Sunday

Unusually for us, we're up early enough to walk a loop, eat breakfast, shower, and talk to our moms before 7:00. Then it's off to the hall for prayer and a wonderful morning with IES Bandung.

After a board meeting, we have lunch at Ethnic. Supper is at a new-to-us hole-in-the-wall Chinese place that's been going for decades. Our friends are foodies, so we always eat well when they choose an eatery.

Monday

It's rained and the flowers are dripping.

A huge stump will disappear in a few months, rotted by rain and eaten by ants and termites.

Overhead, the trumpet vines look fragile but they're toxic to pets.

The yard cleaners come to erase a month of unrestricted tropical growth in the garden. Whew. With movie night ahead, it's time to straighten up. The buzz of the weed-whacker is matched by the smell of mown grass and the swish of the broom that removes clippings from the lawn. The mosquitoes are so bad that they smoke the yard to get rid of them.

Read more:

*Heaven and the heaven of heavens belong to the Lord your God, the earth with all that is in it. Deuteronomy 10:14

[At the birth of Jesus, the angels said:] Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors! Luke 2:14

*John, [the disciple of Jesus writes] to the seven churches in the province of Asia: Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.

“Look, he is coming with the clouds,” and “every eye will see him, even those who pierced him”; and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.” So shall it be! Amen.

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” Revelation 1:4-8

Moravian Prayer: Creator God, we praise you for your awesome creation; the heavens and the earth all belong to you. You have given us life and our lives belong to you. You have given us your peace and we pray for your peace upon this earth. All glory be to you, God. Amen.

Seeds aren't just for gardens

Saturday, November 9, 2024

It's another thundery day but W's hungry for pizza at lunch so we head up the street to Miss Bee. He brings his umbrella and I bring my decade-old IKEA rain cape. We stay dry when it sprinkles on the way home.

I bake a "White Fruitcake" for breakfast tomorrow and next week. I sample it as it comes out of the oven. Yum. I wanted a quick and easy dish so I created a recipe with basic ingredients (fresh fruit, oatmeal, nuts). It can be easily customized with whatever's in the kitchen.

Today's cake tastes very good! but of course, I'm going to try a different version next time.

Again, FB and IG won't let me post a link to the recipe - it's "forbidden" for whatever reason. I send off a "whatcha thinking?" report to FB staff, to which I don't expect a response.

Sunday

We're back at IES Bandung for the first time in weeks. It's really true that you "carry people in your heart," and these are people we love and care about. We're glad to be home.

I end up playing keyboard for worship though I haven't played for a month and rarely before then. The ease of thinking into the black-and-whites is mostly gone ... unless I'm not focusing deeply. Then the reflex of decades of playing takes over. Lila has worked well on the musicians; their progress and enthusiasm is apparent.

We have a team meeting after the Gathering. It's so good! to see these dear coworkers. We plan Advent and choose topics for the first three months of 2025. Team is best. We take those not otherwise committed for lunch at Maxi's.

There are movie cameras, actors, and support staff at this empty house, filming a romantic drama.

The rain starts up, as it does most afternoons. You can hear hissing in the trees as the rain approaches. Then you see spitting on the ground. A downpour follows.

Monday

Sun's up and we're out the door by 5:30. I'm fascinated by the plant life and fruits that fall from the trees. When I open this 4" ball, swarms of ants stream out.

Flowers spring up, street-side.

The breadfruit at the neighbor's house is growing, too.

Each morning, the winged "ants" have dropped their wings and crawled off. The lightweight wings blow inside.

Anything that dies is swarmed by ants who process it and drag it off to their nests.

W and I empty and refill the aquarium bowls on the Porch. I'm putting off Christmas until we have movie night. These fluffy red bulbs are blooming beside the fence but I haven't plucked them this year.

I don't mind shopping for groceries. While W is in a study, I get that out of the way. It's so dark outside, almost like Seattle (November through April). At least it's warm-ish. I wear long sleeves most of the time in this gloom, though it's 75-80F/22-25C.

The heavens open and the streets overflow. The drainage canals can't handle the downpour so the motorcycles and cars must be careful. Water splashes halfway up the tires. It's the first time we've been out this wet season. We run a visa errand and eat a late lunch at a new bagel cafe. W loves his beef toppings. There's only an "everything" seed bagel for me.

Tuesday

Kirsten's at Grandma's, also visiting with my brother. I talk to them a few times - they have a wonderful time together. 

On our walks, I just can't enough of this tree, which flowers for months.

Across the street, we spot this "hedge" of bulbs.

Up close, the flowers are even stranger.

This vine drapes from a fence. If it's still blooming Saturday, I'll use it for the Sunday arrangement.

Inside the house, Titiks roses have opened up. Gorgeous.

Wednesday

After a double-loop walk, I try the banana bread IbuA baked yesterday. It's baked without added sugar. It's made with whole wheat flour, old bananas, homemade applesauce, and homemade date syrup. Pretty healthy breakfast! It's chewy and naturally sweet.

My morning chore is editing an academic paper on the contextualization of religion in Java. The topic is right up my alley. I learn something, adjust it for publication, and ask W to find anything I missed. Then it goes back to the editor of the press.

Another to-do is finding a replacement gardener for the guy who quit. That takes a few back-and-forth messages before we schedule an interview.

In the afternoon, I get a notice from two publishers: I'm pre-approved to review upcoming books by favorite authors. I download the books and write a bunch of reviews while I'm at it.

Supper with Don at Nara means a good time and good food.

There are a few new restaurants in Nara kitchens that were vacated recently. (End of contract?) They're worth a try. The guys have a monstrous burger while I have some pizza.

Thursday

YAY YAY YAY. I get to hike for the first time in almost 2 months. We're not sure what the trek will be like; it might be too slippery. So the dogs stay home. It's a foggy morning with layers and layers of mountains below.

We climb to the top of the fault line: Gunung Batu. There's a steep cliff plunging to valleys on either side of the monument. Whew, it's quite dry compared to some hikes. When it rains, the clay soil feels almost icy in slickness.

We pass some ladies hauling 30 kg (about 66 lbs) of livestock grass from the mountain slopes.

This developer took the money for the Mountain City and left homeowners high and dry. They're trying to finish their own homes on the steep slopes. Doesn't look safe to us.

There's a casualty on the street: we're not sure if it was a lizard or snake but it no longer bites.

We walk uphill to lunch, which is ok - a vegetable sate for me.

Between texting and coaching, I sample the fresh bread IbuS baked this afternoon. So good.

Read more:

*I love you, Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I have been saved from my enemies. Psalm 18:1-3

*Happy are those who live in your house, ever singing your praise. Psalm 84:4

*Bless the Lord, all his works, in all places of his dominion. Bless the Lord, O my soul. Psalm 103:;22

*Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with groanings too deep for words. Romans 8:26

*He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. Ephesians 1:5-6

Moravian Prayer: Spirit of God, how happy we are that you dwell within us, and that we belong to you. We give you praise that you always hear our prayers; help us in all our weaknesses, teach us how to pray as we should, and intercede on our behalf.

We praise you, O Lord, for all the great things you have done. Through your grace, and through your son, Jesus Christ, we become your children. We give you glory, Lord, for all the great things that you have done in our lives. Help us to be children who are pleasing to you and bring glory to your name. Amen.

"No refills" on water and good company

Tuesday, November 5, 2024

Dawn arrives shortly after 5:00 a.m. I'm finally well enough to get out the door for a walk. I find some delicate flowers in the garden, which go into a brass vase from Mom.

I can feel the creativity coming back after a break. I post the first food blogs in ages. FB and IG block the posts but no one can figure out why. Someone suggests it's because it's about dates and syrup in the same post. (= DIY date syrup) Maybe?

We're jet lagged but have the blessing of household help. They cook lunch and wash dishes, change our bedding and do laundry.

In previous generations, the household manager was the wife, whether one or both spouses had careers. The household chores and errands belonged to her. Now the chore-masters and managers may be either man or woman ... or both. In our case, W and I have multiple careers: teaching, leading, writing, and speaking. Our helpers free us to do that work. What a blessing they are!

The day is full of calls and meetings. It's a delight to see our team online. Between, I sort old family pictures. Mom and I were young once upon a time.

Our parents traveled to Africa and South America to do charitable work in their 40s.

 

I loved my little cousins. I send them the pictures Dad took 30-50 years ago of happy times as a big family. Here they're on an auntie's porch, probably at a family dinner.

This cousin was a special favorite, with a birthday 2 days after mine.

I was bridesmaid for my older brother way back when. I thank God for good memories as I flush old emails and photos.

After a final evening call, we relax and read. It's a good night of sleep: 7 hours. (Mind you, the hours are 7:00 p.m.-2:00 a.m.)

Wednesday

Another walk, another day. My energy is back, though my lung aren't clear yet. There are fresh blooms in the dirt along the road.

This tiny yellow fruit hides under its vine.

I'm in the mood to cook. I bake a potato/oatmeal/vege something-something for breakfast. Not bad with sweet soy and spicy sauces. I make a pot of soup with the white beans I find in the freezer. I'm using up stored foods since we're back to movie night and other events that need freezer/fridge space.

A friend posts wise advice about not worrying about the future. What a good reminder for me. I've never been a worrier but I've also never liked waiting for the next season. Small steps of obedience, and we'll get there.

In the late afternoon we watch the incoming American election results. Since we don't live there, we felt we didn't have the right to vote. However, as we did for Indonesia's election last year, we've been praying over the people and the government.

W and I read through Sunday's talk and enjoy the mild weather on the Porch. Coming home to 64o/18o nights and 80o/27o days? Wonderful. I'm in long sleeves and trousers because the mornings are too cool. The sun doesn't break through for long so it stays mild and pleasant all day long.

At night, rainstorms sweep the mountains, clear the air, and wash the garden. The rain and sunshine make plants like this one (4'/1.3m tall) glow. I love the bright yellow of the recent leaves at the top with the black ones near the bottom, don't you?

Thursday

W and the dogs hike in the mountains without me. Melvi makes 5 table arrangements from Titik's big Sunday flowers.

There's enough for a bigger "messy" bouquet as well.

For supper, I add some coconut cream to yesterday's soup and call it good.

It's planned as a quiet day of catching up and resting. It's not quite as relaxing as we hoped but we appreciate the prayers and both sleep well. 

Friday

Ibu Siti rubs out the kinks from last week's homecoming, a marathon of travel. Then Judy and I have coffee. She's a treasure: we can be open, honest, and outspoken or watchful and prayerful together.

An odd thing happens at #karnivor.2. I order tea. I want black tea but they have only have fancy teas so I choose the least flavored option. The tea steeping gadget is cool and holds tea leaves and a cup of water. That quickly disappears and I'm ready for more. 

"No refills," says the server. Can I buy hot water for a second infusion? He reluctantly agrees and charges me $2 for a bottle of "mineral" water (plain water) that someone apparently heats up. The bar has a hot tap! and made tea that way the first time. Why not refill from that? 

But, "cannot do." There's no thinking outside the box of instructions that servers are given. We experience that over and over, not just today.

At noon, W and I head for Ethnic. I choose rice oncom while W has pepper steak - for about the same price as the mid-morning pastry and 1 portion of sushi earlier.

We enjoy time together. We're still feeling comatose by late afternoon and wide awake some nights. Another week and we'll be completely adjusted to our time zone.

Saturday

We walk 2 miles and remark on the 4-storey apartment that's being erected in our neighborhood. Before, this was a small one-storey house. 

WhatsApp's AI produces thumbs up and other emojis from gestures. We call the grandkids and they learn how to set off fireworks in their background. They're so much fun.

Later, Maddie drops by for a visit on the Porch.

Read more:

*David praised the Lord in the presence of the whole assembly, saying, “Praise be to you, Lord, the God of our father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours.

Yours, Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name. 1 Chronicles 29:10-13

*Jesus said to Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” John 11:25-26

*There are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. 1 Corinthians 12:6

Moravian Prayer: Great “I Am”, as humans, we too often bicker and debate over how to worship you. Our experiences and preferences can get in the way of our focus on you. Rid us of these distractions and focus our attention on your mission every moment of the day.

Lord Protector, you bring life from death. With wounds healed and tears dried, our faith in you endures. Thank you. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.