Baby lemons

I know I seem obsessed with my little back patio. I go out daily to look for my little babies. I check on my transplanted rose. I obsess over my lemon tree. It is a small enough space that I can go out and putter for a few minutes and really see a difference.

Here are some pictures of my tiny lemons.

This bundle of lemons growing from the spent blossoms. I imagine that the six will somehow naturally select down to two. I am wondering where the pestle will end up. Will it fall off, or be absorbed into the fruit and turn into the center where the sections all join? I haven't been this observant of flowers and fruit since high school science assignments.

Here are some blossoms getting ready to bloom with a flower already spent and growing fruit.

Currently I have six well formed green lemons growing on my tree. I had one little sad lemon fall off. It was small and a bit misshapen. Hopefully soon I'll have more to count and fuss over. 

I go out and smell the delicous air. That is part of my obsession also. The Southern California flowers and foliage perfum the air and it is intoxicating. 

At least three

I have at least three praying mantis in my back patio. I found the first two and told Boaz. He came out and I showed him the green one. 

He is beautiful and curvy. His back curves. His sits up more. 

I showed him the brown one. 

He is more like a stick. He is straight and more flat. 

Then Boaz saw the big one. 

He is a brown one also. But he is almost twice as long as the other brown one. 

I am hoping they are finding lots of aphids to devour. 

It's a happy thing, having praying mantis in the garden. 

Scripture

The patience and love of God. His ability to endure our rebellion and still call for us to return. 

The highlighted phrase is repeated three times in this chapter. 

With reckless abandon they hurtle toward destruction. They see the danger surround them and still refuse to take the proffered hand that offers rescue and safety. 

So for me - I want to be able to see the hand extended. I want to see the safe harbor. I want to be opposite of the people in this chapter. Not only see, but reach for and accept His power to save. 

New normal for Sunday's

Last Sunday I watched from the stand as Boaz passed the sacrament for the first time. (I was the fill in chorister.) I saw him go out the door for the foyer people and stay out for what seemed like forever. I was worried that he might of got lost.

Josh later joked that he wandered halls looking for any stay person he could serve the bread to.

Apparently there were just a lot of people in the foyer that day.

Yesterday, I sat in the pew with Craig. Josh was manning the doors. Boaz passed his second time.

Craig and I sat alone.

For the first time ever, we sat alone in Church.

It was so weird, a little bit sad. My kids are growing up.

Growth

My poor damaged rose that we transplanted is growing. At a reduced rate to be sure, but the leaves are unfurling and reaching for the sun. 

Two of the three spots of new growth in particular are determined to live. That is a happy. 

Also I check previous locations of praying mantis spottings. Today he was caught out in the open. He has doubled his length. He has managed to not be eaten by the birds. That is a happy too. 

I am hoping he has found a good spot of aphids to feast on. Good garden news. 

Scripture

I cannot read the stories of David and Soloman without sadness for the future ahead of them. 

Soloman who asked for wisdom became a slave to the whims of his silly and wicked wives. 

This verse is sad to me. Did he write it with the full knowledge that it referred to him? Or was he thinking of Saul?

I hate being admonished, but I think I must always be open to it lest I turn into what I hate. 

I wish for wisdom. I pray for it. I hope for it. I hope I can find it and hold onto it. Uz

Sometimes I think I have it. It is then I must be careful. It must be a bit like humility. Once you are sure you have it, it is lost. 

A life long goal then - search for wisdom and understanding. Always remember how dependent we are on the grace of Jesus. 

Transplanted rose.

Craig went and bought a new shovel. He dug it out. It was trapped by tree roots and its own deep tap root. I am hoping that we didn't kill it. 

I have trimmed it back a bit, but really it didn't have much new growth living in the shadows of the confining tree. 

I hope it makes it. 

On a more positive note - the beautiful bud of last week has bloomed into a spectacular full rose. 

I love the variegated color. Gorgeous.