Spring update

The sweet alyssum has almost completely gone to seed now, and I should probably go ahead and pull it out. But the pansies and the cyclamen are still hanging on!

Our azaleas are nearly gone now. These pictures were taken a week or two ago.
If you look closely, you can see that azaleas of three slightly different shades were accidentally planted next to one another--but I think it was a happy accident.
This bougainvillea might not look like much compared to some you've seen, especially the ones I remember, cascading over tall white adobe walls in southern California. But this one is magnificent to us. The Scientist has alternately coddled and threatened it for years, and this year it has finally burst forth, blooming all over.
Please bear with me when I post all of these pictures; this is only my second spring to have a nice garden!

Tired and happy

Our new pastor preached his first services with us today. I am very happy. We worked hard yesterday and today getting ready for, then cleaning up from, the welcome luncheon for him and his family.

Our fifteen months of prayer and work on the PNC are over. We're having a last-hurrah meeting tomorrow night. I have loved it.

God is good.

If you've ever wondered...

...what I look like on a typical weekday when I head out to do battle with the forces of ignorance and sloth, well, now you know.

"My strength is as the strength of ten, because my heart is pure."
Or something like that.

(Hat tip to PG.)

Moving along

Well, we had such a great weekend with all the Dogblogger crew...arrived on Friday just in time for the Alpha's fabulous barbecued brisket. On Saturday we enjoyed the Tutankhamun exhibit at the Dallas Museum of Art, then met the Vicar for an excellent Indian meal...then on Sunday we went to church and enjoyed hearing Mid-Life Rookie preach! A lot for one weekend, yes? The dogs mostly got along, although Amie did tell that young whippersnapper Tuesday to settle down once or twice. (Tuesday wasn't doing anything wrong; it's just that Amie is OLD.)

"I had a good time, but now I'm ready to go home."

Unbloggables at work are weighing on my mind tonight, so I thought I'd escape to the garden:
When the landscapers planted our caladiums last spring, they supposedly disposed of the previous winter's cyclamen bulbs. But when I started getting this bed ready for fall, I found seven dormant cyclamen that had been overlooked. They don't usually last more than a year, but I replanted them, and lo and behold, here they are. (Amie has nearly stomped the pansies into oblivion.)


The camellias have been wonderful, too.

After I recharge the camera, I'll get some pictures of the azaleas, too.

Friday five: Hasty Pudding Edition

Our regular poster, Sally, having been oppressed by Blogger today, I bring you a hasty Friday Five on the subject of pudding. If you are not a fan of pudding, then you will feel solidarity with Sally, except that you will be oppressed by pudding instead. ;-)

1) First of all, thumbs up? or thumbs down? Do you like pudding?
Yes, I love pudding.

2) Instant or cooked? (Does anyone make pudding from scratch?)
There are two from-scratch recipes in the old More with Less Cookbook, one for vanilla and one for chocolate, that are very easy. When we have pudding at home (very rare), that's what we have.

3) If you had to choose, would you prefer corn pudding or figgy pudding?
Corn pudding--yum. Great side dish. I think the figgy pudding of the song is actually something like a fruit cake. That's OK too.

4) Have you ever finger painted with pudding?
Probably, many decades ago.

5) Finally, what is the matter with Mary Jane?
Her parents don't yet know that she's allergic to rice--the pudding makes her tummy hurt!

Bonus: Share a favorite recipe that includes pudding!
Instead of vanilla wafers, layer vanilla pudding with sliced bananas and your favorite granola. Easy.
Now we're heading out of town!

Guest blogger: Amie

How do you like my new pants? You do? I'm not sure I do. Mama and Daddy say I have to wear them whenever I'm in the house. They said I have to get used to them now, because I'll have to wear them this weekend when we go to Angus and Tuesday's house. Please pray for us when we are riding in the car tomorrow (I'll probably go to sleep until we get there). I will be happy to see Aunt Typist and Uncle Alpha. I think I'll be glad to see Angus and Tuesday too. Mama says I have to be polite, and I will! See you next week!