I'm still stressing over that green pumpkin, sitting out among all of my orange ones.....
It is quite beautiful, however, why is it green?? What did I do wrong????
I planted the best quality seeds......it came from the same package as the orange ones....And as I was outside, pondering on this.....it hit me that raising this pumpkin is so much like raising children.....at least for me and something I experienced a little while back with one of my children. My children all came from the best quality seeds, and I prepared their foundation and growing space with the utmost care. Watching over every little aspect of their growing cycles.......and then, one of them turned......different......
turning so different than the others, that it broke my heart and made me cry out to God......why????.. I did my best.... I planted all the seeds from the same package...ORANGE ...not green.....I don't understand Lord.....why???
Of course, as we all know, the good Lord works in ways that we can't possibly understand until a bit of time has passed.....
And He says......"wait......I am not finished with this one yet.".....and as I turned the pumpkin over....I discovered that it is turning orange.....in it's own time....for whatever reason.....and so I will watch over this different pumpkin and care for it just like the orange ones..... I won't cut it off or toss it out of my garden........in it's own way....it is unique....
And just like in raising children....I don't know what the whole outcome will be......I do know I tried to do my best in raising them......but God has His finger prints on them and His plan all laid out for them.....even if it isn't the way I planned it. And as for my one that turned, God has worked miracles and I say "now I see!...it was their destiny and God's plan!" And that difference.....made all of the difference in the world and for what they are now doing. 
Just when my hope died, God turned it around.....in His timing....in His way. If you find yourself struggling.....with a green pumpkin....just know that the good Lord knows it's green and He knows the reason... and in His way....He will turn it around for the good.
sits a collection of vintage bottles.....
A reminder of times gone by. 
You have stormed across my life
I have enjoyed your fields of flowers, filled with buzzing bees, and I have felt your welcoming warmth upon my face.
You have given me much inspiration.
You have introduced me to some of the sweetest creatures......
as well as some of the most curious...
You have helped give me the Earth's sweet bounty....
As I close the door to your visit, I will look back on the warm memories you have given through your short stay. I know it won't be long until I look out the window and see you waiting outside with a bouquet of flowers. Summer, I will miss you! .........
pumpkins coming to harvest and fall colors in flowers, 
the everyday "busyness" of the hen house....
a nest full of eggs, 
the colorful blooms in the pea patch, 
the contentment a cool porch brings in the late afternoon. 
the days are in the invigorating 60's. Every day has been a perfect day for a long walk in solitude and peace.
So......put on your shoes.....Sophie is ready....come walk with me! Even though fall is quietly hanging around in the outside grounds......
and where the butterflies dart in and around the blossoms. 
You will get to see the ranch lands, so full of welcoming flowers, 
that you will want to climb over that barbed wire fence just to gather a handful!
You can see the many different ground covers
The alluring cactus will catch your eye as it clings to the barbed wire fence post....but we wont get too close...
Sophie always knows when it's time to head home...once we get there, you can come sit in the kitchen a spell..... we can share stories over a slice of cake and cup of coffee! 
my morning glory greenhouse fence
With the daylight going so much earlier, I have been spending my late afternoons sitting out and enjoying the colorful autumn sky as I listen to the mixture of calls from the coyote and cattle that surround me. 
Even the critters are matching the fall coloring scheme. 
The barnyard gang is dropping their feathers and getting their new fall plumage ready.
The young chicks in the group are practicing their egg laying skills......these little eggs look like jelly beans laying in the hen house nests.......just a little more time......
All of the flowers are showing off their fall colors as well. 
even it boasts it's fall colored blossoms. 
I planted the best quality seeds......it came from the same package as the orange ones....And as I was outside, pondering on this.....it hit me that raising this pumpkin is so much like raising children.....at least for me and something I experienced a little while back with one of my children. My children all came from the best quality seeds, and I prepared their foundation and growing space with the utmost care. Watching over every little aspect of their growing cycles.......and then, one of them turned......
Of course, as we all know, the good Lord works in ways that we can't possibly understand until a bit of time has passed.....
And He says......"wait......I am not finished with this one yet.".....
And just like in raising children....I don't know what the whole outcome will be......I do know I tried to do my best in raising them......but God has His finger prints on them and His plan all laid out for them.....even if it isn't the way I planned it. And as for my one that turned, God has worked miracles and I say "now I see!...it was their destiny and God's plan!" And that difference.....made all of the difference in the world and for what they are now doing. 
