The Unveiling.....

It's finished and in service.

I now have one very cute house color coordinated potting shed.



Behind the pear tree, and on the right side of the shed, will be white day lilies, white iris and white daffodils this spring and summer. The bulbs are already safely in the ground.



We have a couple of long shelves that need to go up on this side of the building; For my future seedling..... in about five months.



I already started to propagate some boxwood. If all goes as planned, I'll nurture my stock for a few years and then pass them around to interested boxwood fans.



Too bad winter is already setting in up here in the north country. I've had to have a tiny bit of heat on and off the last week.

Under Siege

I have never seen so many policemen in my life.

I didn't think there were that many policemen in the world!

For that matter, I have never seen so many secret service people, foreign and domestic. And outside, on the streets, the white and blue police cars, vans, trucks, motorcycles, and tow trucks in the city, too numerous to count,; black suburbans and black town cars were the car of choice this week.

I had been in New York City a couple of years ago when then President Bush addressed the General Assembly. I had unfortunately not tuned into the fact that the UN was in session and foolishly driven into the city. It took me over two hours just to drive across town!

The security was tight then but nothing compared to the security this year.

I had to be in the city for some scans, blood work and doctors appointments at the beginning of the week. This time I chose to stay in Westchester and take the train down each day. Smart choice!

Our apartment is one block down from the Waldorf Astoria and Intercontinental Hotels, where the President and other foreign dignitares stay. And we were under siege.

Sunday began the unannounced removal of all cars, legally parked on 49th. And the concrete barriers and steel barriers were installed all around 49th and 50th on Lexington and Park. No one was allowed through. Five policemen on every corner. And men in ill fitting dark suits, all with ear pieces and shirt sleeve two way radios. All lurking, watching, walking, observing, assessing potential danger. All on high alert.



Surveillance for this event, is set up just outside our apartment. One white van which can not be looked into. But something very special on the inside. The K9 unit did its patrolling of the blocks around the area. And one day a U Haul van showed up for the whole day which surprised me. The doorman said that really wasn't a functional U Haul, but a decoy. Our street was lined with police cars and black suburbans carrying stern looking men with bulges on their sides. Police motorcycles were stationed around the corner.





The Waldorf and Intercontinental were completely cordoned off. And one could not walk down 49th street. Armies of black police tow trucks were lined up in case something had to be dragged off the street quickly. Police were even guarding newspapers stands and restaurants.



A couple hundred Tibetans were loudly protesting for their right to be free. They set up under great police scrutiny down the block on Park, where all dignitaries would be driven on their way to the UN.





I left on Tuesday via Grand Central Station. That historic and beautiful structure was guarded by yet another security force. The Army. Yes, it was the Army's job to secure and protect this grand old lady and her guests. Guarding every entrance to every street and every avenue. They had their pistols strapped to their legs and flack jackets protecting their chests. No automatic weapons though. I guess they didn't want to really scare all the commuters and visitors that were passing through that magnificent building each day.

Those three days were filled with sights and sounds. I heard so many different languages, nothing new in New York City but there seemed to be so many more different dialects. Yes, the Chinese, Spanish, French and German were present but I heard some language that seemed to have no vowels at all. And others that seemed to be so sweet and mellow with beautiful intonations. At the grocery store, Monday night, I heard some Scandinavian language has I perused the aisles.



But the real event, for me, was the drive down and back through the Adirondacks. They are beginning to dress themselves for their most spectacular event of the year, Fall. Their jewels are being attached now; the reds, golds, yellows, burnt umber, crimsons and oranges sparkled against the lovely shades of greens they were all wearing. At their feet, the crystal clear blue waters of their lakes. I don't think there is a more glorious sight in the world then the Adirondacks in the fall.



And at home, the last of my pink zinnias!

Eyelashes and Potting Shed

I know it's not that most critical issue in the world but I'm loosing my eyelashes again and some of my hair.

Sigh!

On the other hand, the greenhouse/potting shed came out so cute. I would post a picture but have lost my cord to the computer. When I either find it or get a new one I will post some pictures of the shed the the huge amount of butternut squash that grew in the garden this year. No tomatoes, victims of the blight, but plenty of cucumbers and butternut squash.

Psalm 144

We had a discussion about Psalm 144 a few years ago.

He and I.

He had used this Psalm in a devotional that he gave his men.

I had just had a revelation about verse 12.

And I read it again today during my quiet time with the Lord and in my systematic reading through the Psalms. I'm wondering if he had some insight into the verse, "Man is like to vanity; his days are as a shadow that passes away."  He lived life to the fullest and enjoyed his work and free time.  And they maximized their brief time together.  But his shadow passed away more quickly than ours.

Verse 12 says, "That our sons may be a plants grown up in their youth; that our daughters may be as corner stones, polished after the similitude of a palace."

Our sons.  Those big strong guys who will do anything, go anywhere and are not afraid of anyone or anything. They are courageous.  And yet, the Lord says that they may be as plants grown up in their youth.  Like a plant they still need to be nurtured by the Son and watered by the Spirit.  They have to learn to be tender to their wives and sisters, honest and full of integrity in their jobs, filled with wisdom and compassion in their communities and churches.

Our daughters.  The Word says that they may be as corner stones.  The only other reference to corner stone is Jesus in the scriptures.  Ephesians 2:20 tells us that Jesus himself is the chief corner stone of our faith.  What is a corner stone? The dictionary tells us that it is the basic part of something on which everything depends.  I understand that Jesus as the corner stone- we are totally dependent on His faith, sacrifice, resurrection and intercession for us.  He is the corner stone, our foundation, our rock on which we depend on.

How are our daugthers like corner stones?  By daughters, families are united and connected.  Strengths are brought to the union.  Children of the two families unite and strengthen the two families.  They need strength to manage the home and children while their husband is away at work.  They instill integrity, honestly, love for one another and the church, discipline, respect, and love of work into their children.  They are outreaches to the neighborhood and community, providing a bridge to people, to reach those around us.

The last part of the verse tells us that daughters will be polished, or the more correct translation is cut. I don't particularly like that. They will be polished after the similitude of a nice structure. A beautiful structure. The polishing of marble produces a beautiful product. But the original piece has to be strong to withstand the polishing. It has to have foundational qualities which allow it to be polished.

Was this an insight for me of things to come?

I don't know.

But I know that God is good and my daughter is as a cornerstone.