Smoky Days and Soaking Rains

Summer is drawing to a close here in our beautiful North Idaho. I had lows in my garden of 38 degrees in July! We've had many nights in the low 40s in the last couple of weeks.  My plants are doing their best, as I support them and give them everything I can think of to help them - but we all know that Fall and the first frost are close at hand... 

August is always a month full of glorious beauty, an abundance of harvest, and a soaking up of the garden's precious offerings - blooms, fruit, and gorgeous sunsets! 

My sunflowers are showing off! Look at that bright happy face, shining so brightly within the gorgeous sunset skies! 

In the last couple of weeks, we have had gusty winds, and many fires have started in our area. It was a very worrisome period for us.  The smoke in the skies was heavy and at dangerous levels. Thankfully, we had no fires that threatened our home, but hundreds of our Washington neighbors lost their homes that weekend. Churches and communities are mobilizing to assist those who lost so much. I can't imagine the heartbreak and loss these folks experienced! 

We had planned a neighborly get-together the weekend the fires started.  We planned to sit outside and visit. The smoke and fires changed our plans, so we set up the potluck inside our son and his wife's shed which is a work in progress to become a tiny home.  It was wonderful to visit with our neighbors and friends! 

Our daughter Danielle brought her puppy to entertain us, he is a corgi, and just precious!  So very sweet! 

I saw this bee in my garden just sleeping on the dahlia in the midst of all the smoke and wildfire haze- and I thought -  I need to do this too!  Wouldn't it be just wonderful to curl up for a nap in the petals of a flower {smiles}  I realized this as I watched the little bee - I just need to rest in God's provision too, and enjoy His beauty in spite of what is happening in the world around me!

 

Finally, we did get some rain! What a relief it was to walk in the cool weather, with the wind blowing, and rain pelting my face.  The rain slowed the fires down, thankfully, and most evacuations have been lifted. 

A tomato sandwich! The tomatoes are ripening in the garden and making their way into every meal in our home! There is just nothing like the taste of a homegrown tomato! 

The cattle panel trellis has an abundance of green beans growing on it! I've been picking pounds of green beans! It is a good harvesting year! 

Early August morning in the garden - fog hanging low as the cool temps mix with the warm ground -  there is a sense of contentment that fills my soul to see the green lush beauty within my garden. 

Cauliflower is growing in abundance - I will be blanching and freezing :) What would you do with about 15 heads of cauliflower? My family are not big pickle fans, so I think freezing them will be the best way for us to enjoy them through the winter. 

Just a view of a neighbor's home as the sun shines, and another rainstorm approaches.  We are thankful for all the rain we have gotten - how we need it! 

The second August supermoon - also known as the blue moon, as it comes up over my garden. You can see all my solar lights lighting up the garden. 


 

Garden's best - green beans snapped and ready to can!
I canned about 20 pounds of beans this week. 

I use the raw pack or cold pack method for my green beans.  I find it less labor intensive, and also the beans in hot packing seem much more mushy, as they've been cooked twice.  What is your favorite way to can green beans? 

18 pints of canned green beans - feels good to put food
away for our long winter months! 

Here it is - the August Blue Moon! Well, the skies look blue, although 
the moon was just beautiful as I took this picture :) 

You will find me here for the next few weeks - soaking up all the goodness of the garden - enjoying the bountiful harvest,
and always praying for the extension of our growing season. 

Yes, I do spend a lot of time in my garden praying - it's a beautiful place to talk to the Lord and to spend time in His presence. So much to pray about, and the peace I find here helps me to rest in the Lord. There is so much happening in the world around us that can be hard to understand.  

The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan 

with all power and false signs and wonders, 

and with all wicked deception 

for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth 

and so be saved. 

Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, 

so that they may believe what is false, 

in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth 

but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, 

brothers beloved by the Lord, 

because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, 

through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. 

To this he called you through our gospel,

 so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions 

that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter.  

1 Thessalonians 2:9-16

This verse was made brought to my heart this morning and reassured me that we must just keep on trusting the Lord for He has a perfect plan for all things, and we can rest safely in His care.  Just like the little bee resting amongst the beauty of the dahlia as the smoke was thick around us, it was a picture the Lord gave me of how we can rest in His care. He will be with us! 

Here is a short video of me in the garden at sunset the night the colors were so vibrant and rich. It was the night before the fires in our area started, and the sweet beauty the Lord gave us stayed with me and kept us through the long days of smoke!

Sharing this music video I created some time ago - spend some time in prayer today - the presence of the Lord is refreshing, and will give you strength to face what lies before you.  

Blessings to all!