Feeling the seasonal change

Thursday, March 5, 2026

I do a loop with the dogs. Before we head out the gate, they are calm and obedient. If not, that dog gets unclipped from the leash and doesn't get to walk. Later, they can walk with PakG. Anton got left behind 2 days in a row.

Today he runs to the potty area, then sits down and obeys the "wait" until I'm out the gate. Then he trots along on a loose leash without pulling. Is this the same creature that yanked W all the way around the block 2 months ago? 

It's a day of editing. I need to whittle off another 200 words, though new information is still coming in from around the globe. I can't decide what else to jetison - so I'll leave it until the next day.

The dogs are easily bored and their digging is hard on the yard. Yesterday, I froze water containing a few pieces of kibble and sweet potatoes. Today I cut off the bags and the dogs work their way through the "popsicles" - it drains off a lot of energy. I find a plastic basket with a lot of holes and tie long scraps of fabric through the holes. Tomorrow I'll toss in some food in for a snuffle mat.

Madelyn drops by for a chat, taking one of my books with her.

There are many DVDs in a box, left over from our daughter's visit years ago. I advertise them in the Yard Sale group.

The wind picks up and there's a crash. A 4m/12' limb has fallen off a tree at the back of the yard. Luckily it didn't hit anything.

Which reminds me: a tall tree is leaning toward the house, with two long branches stretching over the roof without balancing weights on the other side. When that falls, it will crush part of the roof. I send a note to the owner.

Friday
After an uneventful walk, IbuS comes to give me a massage. "You are sore today," she notes. True. I've been sitting for hours between walks and hard physical work.

I'm finishing off leftovers from the week - some eggs in 1/4 of a takeaway rösti from Ethnic is breakfast. Lunch is the rest of a pizza that's been sitting in the fridge. Eva comes by to deliver a stuffed duck from Robbie. It's 3X the size expected, so it becomes a seat for kids studying English at the Project, instead of a dog toy as expected.

W has been presenting his new book along with other work in the USA and Canada.

He hands out advance copies provided by the publisher.

He texts just after midnight. His flight from Seattle is delayed. He'll have a long layover in Singapore Airport before boarding the final flight for Jakarta. That's not the worst place for a layover: they have good rest areas and he has a lounge pass. Good thing he enjoys traveling: 13 flights in 3 weeks is not my idea of a good time. He arrives home in the early morning hours.

Saturday
It's a quiet morning. W lets the dogs out at 4AM when he gets back. He sleeps for 2 hours before a hearty breakfast on the Porch. I get to sleep in for 20 minutes until my body says, ok, you're done.

Off to one side, mushrooms sprout from a tree stump. We keep stripping off the young shoots that emerge from the trunk. It's too close to the house to let it branch out again. But in Indonesia, everything wants to grow.

W has brought a suitcase full of treats and an old-but-good cover for our Beddinge sofa. I must have 20 covers for the thing. It's how we mark seasons: from Christmas and Valentine's reds...

To the gentler colors of fall (southern hemisphere) and spring (northern hemisphere).

The kids arrive in force, despite the rain. The first arrivals show up 1 1/2 hours early, at 12:30. The dogs let us know they are at the gate. The kids are terrified of the dogs. We ask the volunteers to remind the kids, "We tie up the dogs at 1:30. That's a half-hour before it starts."

The dogs don't mind the yard: they get a bone to keep them busy under the trees. They snooze between the hard job of chewing. It's wet and rainy so they look like dirt-toys after frolicking and digging in the back. Juno offers her happy face - she loves the mud.

With W back home, supper is back. I'm rarely hungry in the evenings but I eat to accompany him. His choice is Homeground and spicy food.

Someone planted sticks of "crown of thorns" a while ago to keep people from parking in front of their house. It's worked. Now the sharp-thorned stems are adorned with blooms.

Sunday
The weeks at IES Bandung are counting down. This is our fourth-last Sunday as team leaders. We don't have a replacement pastor yet . We're asking our friends to pray with us about who should come.

We talk about loving the way God loves - by praying for others, but noticing their needs, and helping out.

Oh, look - they've repaired a huge pothole in the asphalt with cement, except that it wasn't properly roped off and set before several vehicles put their permanent imprints on it.

The orchids continue their months-long splendor. They're just starting to lose some blossoms.

Read more:
* The righteous know the rights of the poor. Proverbs 29:7

* When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “There is still one thing lacking. Sell all that you own and distribute the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” Luke 18:22

Moravian Prayer: God of abundance, all we have is yours. Help us to rid ourselves of the excesses that lead us away from you and from your call to serve. Help us relinquish that which separates us from seeing others’ needs and rejoice in all you have given us. Amen.

A week of sauces and sweetness

Sunday, March 1, 2026
The flowers are a marvel. #TitikBadudu -has made two bouquets today. She recently moved to a new place. So she plucks these from her old garden, one last time.

The second arrangement is surprising - I love the geometry of leaves as well as flowers.

The screens cut out at the beginning of the Gathering. Even when they click back on, many people keep following the words on their personal devices. Today we talk about how God sends his children into the world as his ambassadors.

Since it's the first Sunday of the month, we pray over those with birthdays in March.

Several of us have lunch across the street from KHouse, enjoying the pasta at #NannyPavillon. The guys tour the place, admiring the art on loan from #BandungArtGallery.

When we get home, I have a closer look at the flowers.

It starts to rain in late afternoon. The dogs rest outside the open window where I read and write. There's some kind of creature under one of the terraces and another in a corner of the garden. Juno and Anton are determined to ferret it out = not the best thing for the burrowing critter or the plantings.

Monday
A few morning meetings start after the dog walk. I work for a few hours, but fall fast asleep before noon. When I wake, it's back to studies and writing.

I'm in the mood to eat ... ? I rarely cook since eating out is cheap. Weekdays, a helper makes lunches for eveyone at the place: white rice, a vegetable, and meat. (By "meat," I mean one chicken breast or 300gm/1 lb ground beef stretched for 4-6 people. We're not talking a quarter-pounder hamburger each.) We often have leftovers.

I scroll the food delivery app and see Vietnamese pho. aha. That's the taste I'm craving? Ok - the dehydrated onions and "better than broth" beef boullion from Costco (yeah, it expired some years ago, but hey, it's been in the fridge) simmer for a few hours with cardamom, cloves (from our tree), anise, fennel, and coriander seeds. Smells and tastes good, packed with noodles from the fresh pasta section at Toto Setiabudi.

"Ada paket besar, Bu." Apparently there's a big package at the front door? Wow that is big!

We take videos to make sure it's in good condition, whatever it is. Papan tulis putih. Whiteboards = two-sided with stands, for the kids'program? Hurrah hurrah!

Alice ordered those and their stands from Jakarta; they arrived in good condition. It's typical to video the unpacking to make sure nothing has been damaged in transit. They get carried to the conference room so W can assemble them for use next weekend. Thank you, dear partners, who make such things possible! Together, we care about opening doors for kids and their futures.

With the smell of the pho broth wafting across the house, it's back to work for me! PAOC (a Canadian organization) sends stats and data for the article. Thank you, archivists Nancy and Hailey.

Diving into the rabbit trails of AI "Scholarly Data Only," the links make me wish I had months rather than weeks to complete the research. Between, I refresh my brain by writing a few book reviews.

Tuesday

I miss the walk for a meeting at 7AM. The newsletter drops. And the head of the neighborhood comes by to collect 125.000 ($8?) for monthly garbage pickup. He explains the new neighborhood RT needs to be paid 150.000 ($9?) in addition to the garbage fee. Whatever. W can sort it out later; he's working when the guy comes to the gate. 

I hand over the money and say I don't understand, but it will work out. PakG explains the amount he needs to obtain an updated address change with the neighborhood council.

The orchid drips 7 spent flowers and has 25 left. This is the most heroic bloomer I've ever had.

There's always paperwork. The Indonesian government keeps close track of expats. We have documents to print out. The reliable printer is not working. I do what I can, parking my computer on the printer and plugging in, without success.

The team comes over. Daniel and Della grab some books so they can choose a study for their young adults group.

Wednesday

After a good walk and meetings, it's time to start editing. Things are coming together. I feel like I'm in a park when I look out the window.

PakG gets information from the neighborhood chiefs on which documents to bring along for the change of address. "New rules," he says. Of course.

W does a presentation based on his new book, which is well-received.  In late morning, Hendy drops by with a coffee table that's been left with him and is not needed.

Chacha and I meet for lunch across the street at Nanny's. Her new business venture is as the point person for a Chinese sauce company. She leaves samples for W and me to try.

The pesto sauce is tasty. We wait for the downpour to subside before we leave the restaurant.

Read more:

* Be very careful, therefore, to love the LORD your God. Joshua 23:11

* I know that the LORD maintains the cause of the needy and executes justice for the poor. Psalm 140:12

* You turn things upside down! Shall the potter be regarded as the clay? Shall the thing made say of its maker, “He did not make me,” or the thing formed say of the one who formed it, “He has no understanding?” Isaiah 29:16

* Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you. Isaiah 54:10

* For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. John 3:16

* For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we may walk in them. Ephesians 2:10

* If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food and one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,” and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? James 2:15-16

* For the love of God is this, that we obey his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. 1 John 5:3

Moravian Prayer: Loving God, you ask us to turn our hearts to you. Why is it so difficult to follow your statutes? Accept us in our strength and weakness as we seek to fulfill your call: love God, love neighbor, love self. In your name, we pray. 

Loving Holy Spirit, like a mother tending to the various needs of her spiritual family, restore and heal us, so that we may lead others with courage and fortitude to move and change the landscape of our neighborhoods. Amen.

Growing in all directions

Thursday, February 26, 2026

Veronica and I walk along the river. Can you believe this is 15 minutes from our house? It's a relaxing and energizing stream that flows between our hill and the next.

Streams and rivers drain the slopes of our mountain city. Downtown and the south end of the city act as a drainage basin. That means frequent flooding. Sometimes water flashes up to a meter or more deep. Motorcycles and cars must pull over immediately for safety during a great downpour, whether that happens in the mountains or in the city itself.

Fix&Fogg nut butter holds me through 10,000+ steps. Slathered on homemade bread, it's an easy and relatively healthy breakfast. (Thanks to Lisa, who brought F&F treats from New Zealand.)

I love all the stages of plants, whether they're weeds or intentionally planted. This one starts with green buds that open into white flowers. Can you see the red berries tucked behind the central leaves?

As we start down the trail, some knots catch my eye.

They connect bamboo stalks to make a beautiful fence.

Even the ends are nicely wrapped. Notice the trail of ants climbing up to get to a nearby tree?

Across the river is a squatter village. There's no way to move the dwellers at this point, though they have erected homes on university land. To cheer the eyesore, an artist has come up with a whole-hillside mural painted on the sides of houses. Someone has claimed a new corner and is building their own house (lower right, not yet colored in).

The walkway was well-constructed. The paving has lasted. However, the wires between fenceposts began to rust and so were claimed by those living nearby. A single strand marks the edge of the drop-off to the river. The sidewalk has begun to slope in some areas where the soil is being undercut by runoff.

There's a plethora of wildflowers, including these daisy-like stems.

I've never worn these trainers without ankle socks. Turns out they rub. I stuff leaves against the irritating spots to ward off blisters. Other than having to replace the leaves occasionally, it works well.

We walk around ITB, a premier university with global accreditation. "You can transfer your credits straight across to Australian unis," exclaims Veronica. Her sister-in-law did just that, earning an Australian degree after completing her junior year in Indonesia.

Plants are abundant, hanging between architecturally interesting buildings. Several academic structures have 3-to-1 drainpipes mounted under the roof. Three stems drain the roof gutter into a single pipe, one storey lower. It creates a visual rhythm.

Many buildings have an extra storey below that's been dug out of the ground. In some places, the lower terraces are used for storage. Others hide utilities and garbage cans out of view.

Student paintings and posters liven the campus.

ITB has a good art department, including some budding sculptors.

Covered walkways protect students walking between classrooms during tropical downpours.

Flowers catch my eye, as always. Look at the 50cm /18" red strands dripping from this shrub.

The campus is well-maintained.

A pedestrian underpass lets students bypass the busy road overhead. On the other side of campus are sports courts and a running track. First, you descend a few flights of stairs. The slope is steep enough that you emerge at ground level.

Nooooo! They're erecting a(nother) padel center on one of their tennis courts. Let's hope padel ball is not a short-lived fad. Padel courts are being erected everywhere. Nearby is the school's Olympic-sized swimming facility.

The place we usually eat offers a takeaway-only buffet. The dining area is closed. During Ramadan, many eateries curtain off their windows so they don't tempt those who are fasting.

We call PakG, who drives us up the hill. After we drop off V, we head for the grocer. The cupboards are almost bare and I'm craving vegetables and noodles.

Dr. Gati and I meet at #NaraPark for lunch and conversation. Later, Anton loses the first tennis ball in the hedge during our game of fetch. He spends a half hour searching high and low - until he finds it.

The internet clicks in and out all afternoon.

The sun shines briefly on the yard, highlighting the ornamental grasses that are seeding after their vigorous replanting 2 months ago.

I pluck a dozen heads and pop them into a tall vase.

After locking up, it's easy to settle into the comfy chair in the library.

Friday
Another walk. Another morning of research and sorting data. This old (1980s?) fountain pen glides smoothly, making note-taking easy. I like it because it clicks open and shut like a ballpoint pen.

I accomplish my research goal in the morning and throw in some book reviews for good measure. Lunch is heated-up barley soup. We're trying to use up what we have in the freezer. The soup is one of the healthier and tastier options. Even the sweet potato /chocolate frozen mousse is healthy (ish). It takes a while to thaw.

We're mailing the weekly letter to grandkids.

And setting up for tomorrow's kid time. The 'lost' carpets have been found and will be unrolled oveer the concrete of the carport.

The whiteboard is moved into place. The plan is to have Moms learn English on one side while kids learn on the other. We put a fan in the smaller room so the kids don't bake like they did last week.

W is a good shopper and finds the spices I was looking for.

Some new books have arrived, too. We'll use some in classes and recommend others to colleagues and students.

The internet continues to flicker. I hand over the photos and text of our end-of-month newsletter to W. He can figure out how to insert it into MailerLite for us. That website and I hate each other.

Saturday
The flame vine is blazing on a nearby wall. Yes, the blooms really are that bright!

On a tree trunk, a 4' /130cm fern is thriving.

After the walk, words start to hit the screen. The paragraphs emerge from the research done over the past weeks. I hear back from admins in Canada, Brazil, and other countries. Hopefully, all the data I need will arrive before the mid-March deadline.

I break for breakfast. What am I hungry for? First, I squish a baked sweet potato into an oiled pan.

I raid the fridge for ingredients.

Then I cut and fry vegetables to spread over the base.

Into the oven it goes, topped with a beaten egg and locally-made ricotta cheese.

I eat about half and put the rest away for another day. It's tasty and filling.

In the afternoon, we host "Saturday English" at the Project. We unroll carpets and pile pillows in 5 learning zones. Then we welcome 74 kids and over a dozen moms. 

I don't teach but I'm tired anyway by the time the gates creak shut behind the last person at 5PM.

I let the dogs off from where they're tied up. They love to explore the smells left behind. After one more review of tomorrow's talk, we give the dogs some treats, lock up the Project, and call it a day.

Read more:
* I am the LORD; I have called you in righteousness; I have taken you by the hand. Isaiah 42:6

* A voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!” Matthew 17:5

Moravian Prayer: Leading Shepherd, let us hear your clear voice, calling us out of our occasional spiritual complacency and into a more active love, which tears down walls and transforms them into bridges for our neighbors to cross. Amen.