~ Priming the Pump ~

Wonderful, clean, fresh-tasting water needed for all of our cooking, cleaning, baths, and gardens came from one of these at the side of our house ... it was the only source of water for us, at home, until I turned 12!

I also remember that my first public school which was a one-room schoolhouse was equipped with one. That was where we got our drinking water and washed up, in the unheated lobby beside the entrance to the Shamrock, Ontario schoolhouse.

A final memory is about priming the pump ... that's what the bucket was for. In order to soften the dry washer, we had to pour some water down the shaft. The pump itself was fine and would work, but not without an essential first step, pouring in water. So it was crucial to remember that when the washer dried out we had to prime the pump.

The pouring in of water to prime the pump allowed the leather or rubber washer to soak it in and soften. After waiting about 10 minutes we then carefully poured in the rest that remained in the bucket trying to be quick without spilling it and then pump the handle rapidly! Using this procedure, we always obtained water, and not once did our well run dry!

As one of God’s children, I regard prayer as an essential 'priming of the pump' in my relationship with God. Through prayer we obtain 'living water' from God’s unlimited reservoir of blessings — this water softens our hearts so that we are able to receive strength, love, mercy, joy, patience, encouragement, peace, and direction for our moment(s) of need.

Have you been faithfully priming your pump, dear friend?

--

Take good care, keep growing, and keep singing! 💞🙏🎶☘🌹

Rose Naomi

"I will sing praise to my God as long as I live." Psalm 104:33

 ~ Father's Day ~

On Father's Day 2022 ...

Friends, I wanted to offer a few words written and then in song in regard to this special day. I pray you are edified by both.

On this 'Father's' Day may we fully realize that over all of our Fathers, Dads, Grandfathers, and every man who has chosen or has been chosen to be someone's Dad, there is God our Father who reigns & loves us supremely! May He be the guide of each man every step in the wonderful walk of 'Fatherhood'!

Dad and me Christmas 2000

Father God, we praise You for the Words in Hebrews 8:12 and we ask for You to help us to live in this mercy and love that You displayed toward us, all the rest of our days as we journey Home.

In Jesus’ precious name, amen.

Keeping you in my prayers, 

Rose Naomi

'I'm My Father's Daughter' ...

https://youtu.be/z_ne55KdEpc

Take good care, keep growing, and keep singing! 💞🙏🎶☘

~ A Voice In His Garden Ministries ~

 Praise People Plants Possibilities

Rose Naomi O'Brey

"I will sing praise to my God as long as I live." Psalm 104:33b

~ Lilacs are Simply, Lovely! ~

The gorgeous & fragrant Sensation Lilac, Syringa vulgaris 'Sensation' is a charmer isn't it?

This darling can grow up to 9 feet tall and just as wide so it makes a great privacy screen!

This French hybrid needs a lot of sun exposure, good air movement and good drainage for healthy growth and bountiful blooms.

Sensation Lilac features showy panicles of fragrant purple flowers with white edges rising above the foliage in mid-spring. The flowers are excellent for cutting. It has bluish-green deciduous foliage. The heart-shaped leaves do not develop any appreciable fall colour.

As you may already know, she needs to be kept watered regularly - weekly, or more often in extreme heat.

Have you ever thought that the buds on Lilacs resemble a bunch of black eggs  (yes, 'flower eggs' )? Look closely again, don't they?

Grab your trowel, fellow gardener and walk with me as we dig a little deeper and try to crack open this plant mystery ( pardon the pun )!

Today's wee bit of botany ...

Did you know the Female parts of flowers are called pistils? 

A pistil is generally shaped like a bowling pin and is nestled down in the centre of the bloom. Within the pistil is a stigma, style, ovary and 'egg cells' ( no, not eggshells, ha, ha ). The egg cells reside in ovules, down inside the ovary. If, the egg cells are fertilized the ovule will develop into seeds to help the flower reproduce!

Once the buds have turned to blossoms and bloomed for about 2 weeks, the flowers fade, and your lilacs will produce clusters of brown, kinda nut-like fruit. Through time they will dry and split open and you will see seed pods within.

So there you go, now that your lilac bush has begun its flowering, and thanks to its 'flower eggs' you can watch, see and know what is happening within the little pistil powerhouse!!!

-------------

Unfortunately, I have not found nor planted any Lilacs in my new location nor have I been able to cut a bouquet to grace my home here this year. I can, however, leave you with these 2 beautiful photos taken from the Lilac grove at my home in 2017! 

May 13, 2017, My Common Lilac, 'Syringa vulgaris' grove

A sweet hidden Garden amidst the Common Lilac, Sumac and Maple forest.

*** This YouTube video was taken in Christina Lake, British Columbia, Canada, featuring a sweet wee Hummingbird sucking sweet nectar from the Common Lilac.  Enjoy!!!***

https://youtu.be/LOrDHb9HxPQ

Gardening grows us all or it should ... I like to think of it as lifelong learning that is good for the soil and the soul! 💞✝️🎶🦋🌹

RoseNaomi

~ A Voice In His Garden Ministries ~

 Praise People Plants Possibilities

"I will sing praise to my God as long as I live." Psalm 104:33b

Pussy Willows - Living With Expectancy 💕

"By the rivers of Babylon, we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion.
On the willows there we hung up our harps."

I have been enamoured by the Pussy Willow as far back as I can remember! 

Growing up, I vividly recall that we had a bit of a wet area in our side yard in Mount St. Patrick and each spring our little Pussy Willow grove flourished and gave us great joy. We remember that in the Old Testament God tells people to bring their “first fruits” to the Temple as a sign that all that we have comes from God. The pussy-willow is one of the plants whose flower buds open fully in early spring.

Now we worry about a piece of bread, about a roof over our heads, about our social conditions. And it seems to us that the meaning of life consists of this. But the Church says, Look at the pussy willows: leaves will sprout and later flowers and fruit. So it is even in a Christian soul.

Permit me, please, to impart a bit of cat-kin knowledge for your enjoyment and edification.  I hope! 

The Pussy Willow tree (Salix discolour) is a native all across Southern Canada right up to the Rocky Mountains. It bears small soft furry-looking silver-grey catkins, but only on the 'male' tree. As they age (within a few weeks), they become larger in size (up to 1" long) and turn yellowish in appearance. 

The 'female' tree bears catkins also, but hers are considerably smaller, and spikey-looking in the beginning, but soon change into what looks like greenish-coloured hairy caterpillars. 🥰

The catkin-bearing plants in Canada include many trees and shrubs such as birch, willow, hickory, sweet chestnut and sweetfern (Comptonia). 

See, I told you I love them! 　 

It doesn't seem right to end this post without a photo so I've included a photo of a bouquet of Iris, Daffodil and of course, Pussy Willow branches that a dear friend brought me not too many springs ago (2017). Aren't they simply beautiful? 

"The Pussy willow is the one that tells the rest of the world and all the other flora, and trees and bushes it's time to wake up."  Anonymous

Take care, keep singing and keep growing!

Rose Naomi

💕🙏🎼🍀🌹

~ Running the Remainder of the Race Well ~

Beautiful, encouraging & inspiring words, my friend! So much does remain for us!!!

There are 3 things that are top-of-mind for me as I inch toward the completion of my 65th year of life on this wonderfully created planet a week from tomorrow!

1. I am Not Alone & I am Loved - Just a very quick look around me affirms this! There will always remain people/friends on my journey - what a blessing that is to fully realize! How enriching it is to embrace this timeless truth ...😁

2. God Is Always Near - Sometimes, for a moment, I forget that through the sacrifice Jesus made for us, those who follow Him have glorious communion with Him. There remains for me/us a wonderful relationship-building tool made available by the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit - God is never more than a whisper away! 💖

3. I Have Purpose - My life, all of it, remains purpose-filled! May I/we live bold, relentlessly and fearlessly even through losses, ill-treatment and sickness. It helps me so much to realize I have value and worth as I journey each day forward. I am also spurred onward as I remember others who have already finished the race ... it is all made worthwhile!!

“Therefore, since we have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also get rid of every weight and entangling sin. Let us run with endurance the race set before us.” - Hebrews 12:1 💖✝🎶

Take good care, keep growing, and keep singing! 
Rose Naomi

~ A Voice In His Garden Ministries ~

 Praise People Plants Possibilities

"I will sing praise to my God as long as I live." Psalm 104:33b