lessons learned: the hawk and the crows
Yesterday, I took advantage of an unseasonably warm day and headed over to the park with the dog. While I do love wintertime, I also …
winter
Advent meditation: Love
After retiring to its new underground home, the seed adjusts to life in the Darkness. It takes some time, but after a while, it resigns …
Advent meditation: Hope
A self-sowing seed begins in the light. It holds on for as long as it can, but then weather changes, time passes, and nutrients fade. …
recipes: quick and easy chicken broth
Recipe for quick and easy chicken broth using rotisserie chicken carcass and vegetables
coming out of the dark
Most days, if you take the time to just be, creation reminds us of the simple truths in life–love, hope, forgiveness, etc. This morning, I …
wintering
from Growing Grace: A Book of Psalms Celebrating Creation I’ve put the gardens to bed and shored up the chicken coop. I’ve stored the tools …
lessons learned: paperwhites and epiphany
Today is Epiphany in the Christian church calendar. It marks the journey of the Magi to the Christ child and celebrates God being revealed to …
wintering
I’ve put the gardens to bed and shored up the chicken coop. I’ve stored the tools and stacked the pots behind the shed. I’ve left …
Joyce Rupp’s Changing the Landscape
As part of my own Lenten study time this season, I have been reading My Soul Feels Lean: Poems of Loss and Restoration by Joyce …
lessons learned: what birds can teach us about community
Yesterday, we had a brilliant snow here–I have been waiting and praying for it for some time. On snow days, one of my favorite activities …
for the birds: growing grace farm’s bird suet
Since it’s taken this long to get our first real snow around here, I celebrated by opening a batch of our canned mulled apple cider …
starting your seeds
It’s that time! Every winter I pull up this post with the hopes of inspiring some new yard gardeners or suburban farmers. Always glad to …
recipes: turmeric chicken and root veggie stew
With all this lovely cold rainy January weather, I’m back to my old favorites for lunch so thought I’d repost a few. I created this …
John Birch’s prayer for winter
There is a winter in all of our lives, a chill and darkness that makes us yearn for days that have gone or put our …
Mary Oliver’s Wild Geese
This morning as I traveled into work, I passed by a pond where Canadian geese often stop for a layover or take up residency for …
holding a little piece of creation in your hands
This weekend, I will begin some indoor starts for spring and summer veggies and herbs. It is quite possibly one of my favorite activities on …
one more sleep til Christmas
One More Sleep Til Christmas (words by Paul Williams, from The Muppet Christmas Carol) There magic in the air this evening Magic in the air …
the Spirit of the season
A couple of years ago in December, my daughter and I stood in a line 20 people deep at Target on a Friday night. We …
lessons learned: the mosaic of brokenness and wholeness
This coming Sunday, a dear friend and I will be co-leading a “Longest Night” service. Designed for healing and peace, this worship opportunity is often …
recipes: growing grace farm’s sunshine bread
I’m sitting here in the sun this morning and giving thanks for awakening to such a beautiful day. My kitchen is now in working order …
invitation for silence
Some days we just need a gentle reminder to invite in the silence and see what unfolds. May you take a moment to breathe, pray, …
the gentle whispers of hope
For many people of faith, the time between November and January includes many different spiritual traditions and holidays. While I am Christian, my approach during …
remedy for grey autumn and winter days–forcing bulbs
Tonight, I have the joy of a few quiet minutes on the couch before heading to bed. As I look around me, I see bowls, …
lessons learned: craving winter
For the past two weeks, I have been working in Wisconsin, in the middle of 2 snow storms and frigid temperatures, and I have loved …
prayer on a snowy morning
Even on an official snow day, the dogs woke me up early this morning. I have been sitting at my kitchen table watching God begin …
Tess Gallagher’s Choices
Choices ~ Tess Gallagher I go to the mountain side of the house to cut saplings, and clear a view to snow on the mountain. …
lessons learned: weathered spirits
Every trial endured and weathered in the right spirit makes a soul nobler and stronger than it was before. ~William Butler Yeats This cloudy morning, …
silent snow
I am reposting this one because we are on our third year of cold, wet winters, and I am longing for snow. Today may be …
growing grace farm’s creamy chicken and wild rice soup (gluten free)
My daughter is not a fan of soup much anymore. I attribute that to her fourth grade year when I believe she took soup to …
Mary Oliver’s The Winter Wood Arrives
I think I could have built a little house to live in with the single cord— half seasoned, half not— trucked into the driveway and …
winter storms, upcycled Christmas trees–protecting birds in winter
Yesterday, my daughter packed away all of our ornaments, the creche and our Santa collection. Our poor tree looked so pitiful standing there alone when …
recipes: growing grace farm’s winter morning breakfast frittata
Being a bit limited by my grain-free diet, I have spent a lot of time experimenting with breakfast recipes. I mourn the loss of my …
reflection on a snowy morning
I love snow. It’s as simple as that. Whether it’s a powdered sugar dusting or an up-to-my-knees accumulation, there is something about snow that puts …