Time began in a garden (April 5 , 6 & 7)

Linda loves her garden. She is a hands-on gardener - not too much into horticultural clubs and that sort of thing – She just wants to get her hands in the dirt and see things grow. I have often been blessed with the privilege of helping with her garden projects.

My nephew Ken made the mistake a few years ago of accepting a fixed sum “contract” to remove the sod and work up a portion of our back yard to allow Linda to start a new part of her garden. I say it was a mistake because our house is built on a gravel knoll and the yard is also full of trees – between rocks and roots Ken earned his money – but to his credit he stuck with it. The picture taken June 2004 shows how it turned out.

One of her friends gave her a wall hanging that says “Time began in a garden” and it is displayed on the inside of our bedroom door –to be seen each morning as she faces a new day.

Being in the south and seeing the flowers blooming has kindled her desire to get her “hands in the dirt” so you can understand why she was excited to visit the “Wildseed Farms” -- which features Texas wildflowers -- just outside Fredericksburg. Turned out that the flowers were nice but the biggest attraction was the butterfly house. As I watched a video of a caterpillar morphing into a butterfly I was reminded of the song we often sing with the kids at church and which we have taught to all our grandchildren

“Fuzzy Little caterpillar climbing up a tree – he wiggled and he wiggled and he wiggled right onto me. Put him in a box – don’t go way I said – opened up the box – a butterfly instead. Now I can’ t make a butterfly not even if I try – only God in heaven can make a butterfly”.

We had visited the pioneer village in Fredericksburg in the morning and hit the Wildflower Farm on our way to Johnson City where we went to the Pedernales Falls State Park for the night. I was tempted to use the title a “River runs through it” to describe this park – However, Texas is having a drought and it is difficult to call this little trickle of water a river. When we were painting the house in Pascagoula John Kelly had told us we needed to go to this park when he found out we were heading for Austin. He said it was a really neat place with places to slide down the rocks – a natural water slide. This is no longer the case – first because they have closed off the falls area to swimming due to the danger of flash floods but even if they hadn’t the water levels were so low that sliding would be difficult and dangerous).

We did enjoy hiking around the park and experiencing the wild life. We saw 2 deer grazing near our campsite and signs of many more along the river where they came to drink and I'd also considered a title "Living (with) the wildlife ...). Roger & Ricky – you’ll have to look elsewhere for yours – hunting isn’t allowed in the park. Spending time in these natural settings always affirms to us that only God could have created this universe -- it is too rich and powerful to have been a result of chance -- We also are reminded that with beautyand power there can also be danger and desstruction -- keep praying for and, where you can give tangible help to, those caught by natural disasters such as Katrina. God works good even when the forces of natture override man's efforts to tame them.

We stayed there until this (Thursday) afternoon and have now moved on to Austin – Oh boy a WALMART – my favorite place.

God bless
Charlie & Linda