Aw, what a nice set of posts!
Hi Ariel,
What are you planning on doing in your garden this year? We really need some rain here as the soil is very dry already. The greenhouse is beginning to look quite colourful now tho'.Blessings 
Leytonstones, how wonderful that you have a greenhouse! That's awesome!
In the city I live in in West Texas, we ironically don't have very large back yards (you could see that in the pond pictures I posted). Instead, we have an alley behind our homes, and a place where a large trash bin is stationed every 160 feet or so. So, given the fact that our yards are shortened so that the big old trash trucks can lumber through the back alley, a lot of us have taken to gardening in the five foot wide strip of land that extends from our back fence to the alley, and runs the length of our property. My husband and I call this space "the north 400"--400 feet, that is.
We grow tomatoes, peppers (hot on one side, sweet on the other), eggplant, green beans, and several kinds of summer and winter squash. Those crops have been the most successful to date.
The list of UNsuccessful crops is much longer. We have very alkaline soil, and I admit this is the only way I miss the east coast, which did not have such soapy soil!
I thought about you several times yesterday Ariel, what a treat for you to hear your boys play! How fun!
The story you shared about your boys getting into playing the violin caused me to think about my son's desire to sing while in school. I wasn't as encouraging as you were and tried to discourage him from doing this. I felt it was a 'waste of time' and his time should be spent trying to improve his academics. I knew he would need scholarships to go to college. Well, he did some research into the matter, consulted with the music dept. at his school and then presented it all to me. After praying, I relented and agreed to let him try it for one year. Well, that was just the beginning. He sang all through high school, received many scholarships to college in music and academics, sang all through college and sings with a semi-professional group currently. Every time I hear him sing, I think about what I almost stopped....and thank the Lord for His intervention. So thanks for sharing your story!
Wow. The Lord guided you! But look at what you did: you prayed. What an awesome testimony!
Isn't it amazing how you might have a baby, and don't have any idea what you have until that little one begins blooming. And then you think, where did this come from? My two oldest sons are chemical engineers. Where did that come from? Chemistry was my worst subject in college, the only one I made C's in--and my husband is a business professor. Go figure.
I am so glad that the Lord guided you. Here you have the fruit--a talented son doing just what God wants him to do. Awesome!
One of my sons took the violin brielfy just after my youngest was born. Parents had to bee super involved attending lessons (with baby in the bucket car seat) and practising 20 minutes a day with the child. WE each had our own violin and I was into it but he was not so my husband suggested we both quit. Nagging was bad for my mental health. The thing was he did fine at the recitals. It was the suzuki method so was very repetitious. He ended up excelling in singing and sang with a local boys choir fo a few years. One summer he even got to go to Holland and sing in some very lovely old churches and cathedrals. All of my kids are musical in one form or anothe, even my son who is disabled. It is great. Jan
Oh Jan, I know about those Suzuki lessons. One of my older kids started Suzuki and then dropped out. I didn't even try with the younger two. I am so happy for you and your son that he had the opportunity to sing. How wonderful that he was able to even travel and use his talent!
I played clarinet, saxophone and organ, but I am limited to the occasional stab at a keyboard now. Music is great for so many reasons. When I was frustrated in ministry, I used to go to the church, open up all stops and play full blast at 3 in the morning.
In one church we had a plug-in connection to the house of a former founder of the church. She was an invalid and it was a way to provide services for her. I didn't check to see if the switch was on. She was very polite, but the church phone startd to ring, and she asked if I would mind closing a few stops...She wasn't up to singing that morning..........Why do people blush even when no one is looking?
Cheers,
Jim
Lol, Jim, that's funny that a shut in wouldn't want anyone to hear her sing!
Jim, it sounds like your musical talent was also a solace to you. Testimonies like yours are the reason that I hope my sons continue with their instruments. I hope that some day they will be able to find the emotional outlet and healing of playing music.
All stops out at 3 AM? Jim, it must have been something to hear you play!
Hi all,
Well I to haven't felt much like posting here lately(everything gets hijacked) but feel I want to say Hello to you all. I used to play the clarinet in school and loved it. Music was the way I kept from getting into trouble. My parents never had to tell me to practice, sometimes they had to tell me "time to do homework, or time to go outside and play", but never to practice. Always wanted to do something with the clarinet but in those days there wasn't much out there for women and a instrument. So it is here now and the Grandson tried it for a while, but gave up , but might go back to it next year. I must say it did give me a love of good music which I appreciate to this day.
Nice seeing all of you here and posting. I am here quite a bit just quietly reading, not posting been quite discouraged in that department.
Bless you all
Bonnie
Hey Bonnie, it's so nice to see your post. I've been missing you!
Yes, I
heard of people like you who loved their instrument so much that their parents had to tell them to stop. My husband was like you, too. He said he loved the French horn, and practiced up to six hours a day in high school. Alas, that my sons could be more like you! They still need the mama-reminder, they are so tired at the end of their day.
Yes, I believe as you do that taking an instrument helps appreciation of music. And who knows? Maybe you could take it up again, or like Jim go to keyboard.
Hi Bonnie,
Good to hear from you. I'm sorry you have been staying away from posting but glad you are reading. I think I know what you are talking about and that can certainly be discouraging.
Any possibility you may take up the clarinet again too? I played the violin and guitar for years but stopped when my babies started coming. My 'babies' are now 30 & 26! Someday I think about taking up the guitar again. Maybe I will.
Hope to hear more from you!
Cindy aka MommySue
Alright, y'all. Here's a challenge for us all! Take up our instruments again! Yes!
Well, why not?
to rep 
while giving them
bullies whether 
Jan 
