I look around for ripe tomatoes.  I also look around to see if there are any leaves that are dying or any other thing that needs to be done.  It’s exciting to be getting all these tomatoes without having done the sowing.

Besides the tomatoes, there are other [...]]]> Every other day, I walk back to our garden…

I look around for ripe tomatoes.  I also look around to see if there are any leaves that are dying or any other thing that needs to be done.  It’s exciting to be getting all these tomatoes without having done the sowing.

Besides the tomatoes, there are other vegetables and herbs planted.  Some are labeled.  There is thyme, basil and rosemary.  I’ve been using them, of course.  And they were labeled.  There is also cabbage.  Too much cabbage.  I’ve made cole slaw, and I have another in the fridge ready to be made into something, but I’m not sure what.

Then, the other day, I discovered that the plant labeled “red bell pepper” finally had a baby pepper growing.

Isn’t it cute?  But it’s not red.  Maybe it will turn red, or maybe it was mislabeled.  It’s already bigger than a couple days ago, when I first took this picture.

Then, the other day, when I was working on the garden again, pruning away some of the bad sunflowers, and picking some tomatoes, I noticed 2 caterpillars.  And they were very colorful…

We kept an eye on them for a couple days.  Even after the big all day stormy saturday, one of them still survived; but somehow yesterday, after eating just about all of the leaves of a mystery herb, it disappeared.

I’ve also discovered daddy long legs, slugs, rolie polie bugs which are fun to show the boys.

But the 2 most exciting discoveries have been the red onion…

which was a surprise, cause all I was expecting was a small scallion root (there were no labels for this), and a small but cute carrot.

Today  I counted the carrot sprigs, and I think there are 11 more.  This time I’ll let it grow for a little longer.

So, as you can see, I’m finding all kinds of goodies in the garden, and making all kinds of wonderful discoveries.

It also makes me ponder about the parallels that this garden stuff has with the gospel.

I didn’t plant any of this.  I didn’t get the seeds.  I didn’t plan for this.  I didn’t do any of the early watering.

Yet here I am, reaping the benefits of Marissa and Justin’s(previous owners) hard work.

So too, I may have reaped the seeds of someone coming to know the Lord on my watch, who I didn’t work hard to help them grow.  Or I may have worked hard to share much about God’s love with someone in my past whom I have no contact with now, but in God’s time, and with someone else by their side, they might be flowering or growing right now.  It’s an exciting process, and I’m glad God allows us to be part of his plan.

I’m also glad that no matter what part I’m in, it’s important to take part.

So I’m gonna keep on watering those plants, working on the compost, tiling the soil, and hope there will be more wonderful surprises in the garden, and in my life.

If you don’t know, I was born and spent all my childhood in Sao Paulo, Brazil– “the most populous in Brazil, in South America and in the southern hemisphere.”

Then my family immigrated to the U.S. and I’ve lived in NYC for most of the rest of my life.  So, I am a city girl.

What [...]]]> yeah, that’s me.  City girl, born and bred.

If you don’t know, I was born and spent all my childhood in Sao Paulo, Brazil– “the most populous in Brazil, in South America and in the southern hemisphere.”

Then my family immigrated to the U.S. and I’ve lived in NYC for most of the rest of my life.  So, I am a city girl.

What you may not know is that I spent a summer in Southeast Oklahoma–completely rural, and then I spent 6 months, living right outside Yosemite National Park living in a double-wide trailer by the Merced River.  I also lived in the Mojave Desert, in a little Marine Corps station town called 29 Palms.  So although a city slicker, I’ve had my share of non-city life.

So, it was with my joy, that I pursued an attempt at getting a riding mower for our lawn.  The new ones at Lowe’s are well over $1000 and the much coveted John Deere models come close to $2000 and some surpass it.  It was with much chagrin that I swallowed Fabio’s words as he’d told me I’d need to sell some artwork if we were to get a riding tractor/mower.

But alas, my heart was not dissuaded, and I found several listed on craigslist for around $300.  Lo and behold, it was worth my efforts, and the guy we purchased it from was so nice, that he drove back to our house with Fabio to help him unload the thing, and he also gave him a gas-powered weed-wacker.  That, my friends, is life in the country.

So, I was  very excited to relive the Oklahoma farm days by mowing immediately, as our grass was more than in need for a trimming.

Let’s just say that after emptying 4 double bags of grass, I still have more than half a yard to go.  But boy am I glad.  And if you feel like you need a little farm-like time, give me a holler, and I just might let you take a ride.

Check me out in all my glory, and get a little glimpse of our yard with the photos below.

The Mircats Inn should be open for visitors in October.  Start your bookings now…  All we ask for are some NYC unique food gifts such as: bagels, assorted International foods, and some real brazilian coffee.