Duranta Dabble...


When it comes to my flowering plants...
one of the hardest things to do is pruning them...
especially when they are blooming


this duranta plant continues blooming and it had become a mess of unruly long branches

it had to be pruned


it's a warm weather perenial of the verbena plant family

sometimes, the blooms look a bit like orchids with their sprays
sometimes, the blooms clump together


this particular duranta plant in front of Pilgrim's Cottage...
is home and food to many creatures

the doves practically live under it and if I'm not mistaken...
seem to be eating the berries that fall from it



the tiny maribone wasps drink the dew and rain drops from it...
and the nectar from the flowers



the hummingbirds feed from these tiny flowers...
and they are often seen from my verandah



the butterflies come for their share of the sweet nectar from the duranta


and look like flowers themselves, blown by the breeze...
as they wing their way around the blooms



they light on the plant just long enough to drink but...
not long enough to for my camera to "catch" them clearly



looking at the sprays of berries...
one can understand their other name, "Golden Dewdrops"



of course, there are the very tiny creatures that use the duranta as home...
I have no idea what this tiny white creature is...
but, it's pretty



when I snipped the flower stems and took them over to the outside sink...
out popped a tiny white spider, no bigger than my fingernail



I never throw away the blooms that get pruned off a plant...
no, no!


too pretty to throw them out...
and they look just fine in a pail on the sink for an extra ooomph near the water faucet



and watching over a few sprigs...
my lion sleeps tonight


and the elect church of Christ says of the Lion of Judah...

His cheeks are as a bed of spices,
as sweet as flowers:
His lips like lilies,
dropping sweet smelling myrrh.

His mouth is most sweet:
yea, He is altogether lovely.
This is my Beloved, and this is my Friend,
O daughters of Jerusalem.
Solomon's Song 5:13,16

May your day or night be altogether lovely by God's grace.

A Delectable Barter...

Sometimes, it just works to make a good barter...
and leave the paper monies aside

and that's what we did when someone asked for a 25 oz. bottle...
of our Pilgrim's Farm home-grown raw honey


in return, we got 4 pounds of freshly butchered, grass-fed, beef...
cut into 6, 1/2 inch thick steaks

while we are not big meat eaters...
we do love a good steak once in a while as long as it's pastured and grass fed...
and no chemicals pumped into the cow

we do not buy imported meat to the island which is wrought with hormones, antibiotics...
fed food that is un-natural to it's digestive system
(this kind of meat doesn't even taste natural) 
and more often than not, comes from animal factories where they often suffer...
before they are butchered
literally, I cannot stomach this un-Godly way of raising animals for food
it goes against the un-natural order of the Lord's creation


I seasoned the steaks with sea salt, pepper, worcestershire sauce...
oiled the very hot, smoking grill with some coconut oil...
and cooked each side for about 7 to 8 minutes


and while the steaks cooked...
a large onion was sliced and sauteed in some butter
then, some sliced dates were thrown in and cooked together for a minute or two


just a little sea salt and a tablespoon of good dijon mustard...
and stirred together till it's all combined


we had some home grown mashed pumpkin with the medium rare steaks


a simple meal topped off with a banana/walnut/coconut cake...
and it was all good, a blessing from our God


May your day or night be delectable in God's grace.

The Day Glows...


While my morning glass of fresh milk glows right along with Foxie...
(she got her share, too and glows with the satisfaction)


the morning is still glowing after last night's moon shine


and after some rain...
the sun shone it's glow here, there and everywhere through the trees


and Shadow boy is sittin' nice and glowing with calmness...
"keeping guard" by the gate


the hibiscus has opened and is glowing it's pretty face toward the mountains


while my husband glows digging up the small yams for today's dinner


and my hens are always glowing to me when they nicely share a nest box...
to lay us more eggs


they gave me a tiny present of a tiny feather left on an egg
honest, I didn't put it there...
but, how glowing!


the egrets that keep company with our cow and her calf...
glow ever so beautifully with their bright yellow eyes and beaks


and my favorite glow of today...
is the milk our Ms. Ruthie Moo Moo gave this morning

all 18 cups of her raw milk are glowing quite wonderfully in the fridge

butter and cheese making in the future, I am hoping


Ho, every one that thirsteth,
come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money;
come ye, buy, and eat;
yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread?
and your labour for that which satisfieth not?
hearken diligently unto me,
and eat ye that which is good,
and let your soul delight itself in fatness.
Isaiah 55:1,2

May your day or night be filled with the milk and fatness of the Lord's grace.

What About the 144,000...?


Don Fortner explains with scripture who the 144,000 are in Revelation 7



click here to go to sermon

May the Lord give you ears and eyes by His grace.

Saturday Island Postcard


Where we love to visit for dining, a little history, and the best of the world's chocolate

click photo to enlarge

May your day or night be sweet in the Lord's grace.

Friday's Morning Photos...


Chickies waiting for the morning unlatching of the coop door



passionfruit and peas growing on the coop roof



mourning doves bringing morning blessings with their coos



green beans, wing beans, eggplant and thyme picked for eats today


May your day or night be blessed in God's grace.

Boat's Title...


Perhaps, the boat owner wanted to remind himself whenever he caught some fish

I can always use this reminder...
giving thanks unto the Lord

click on to enlarge

May your day or night be filled with thanksgiving to the Lord.

For the Love of Goats...


We are goat lovers here on Pilgrim's Farm


and our milk doe, Farina, is close to giving us more kids

my husband is pampering her and she knows it 



and she always take full advantage of the situation



as for Curly, our burly ram...
he took full advantage of the situation when we weren't looking



and we now have two, possibly 3 does, with kids



yeah, you! Burly Curly...
you're the guilty one

but that's okay, it's what we've got you for



so we'll give you a little pampering, too


we know you like those scratches, Curly

what a good ram


May your day or night be blessed in the grace of God.

Saturday Island Postcard...


Where we watched God water the mountains with misty rain, this morning

click photo to enlarge

May your day or night be showered with God's grace.

To Plan, To Purpose...

When my husband put this kitchen garden in for me...


he planned it with a purpose...
and I planned the planting with a purpose


the plan was drawn up...
the purpose put on course


our purpose has been done...
the goal of our purpose is to keep eating from our own gardens

the lettuce and cowpeas are growing



the tomatoes are doing quite well


some have gotten as big as my fist and still growing...
not ready to pick, as yet



the cucumbers are already giving and we have eaten a few



the green bean plants are in bloom


and today, we will have some beans for dinner



the celery seems to be fine, so far



the peppers, cabbages, cauliflowers, eggplants, and scallions are showing promise



and, across from those, we sowed two boxes with beet and carrot seeds



the basil planted at the end of the beet box is doing better than expected
the mint, lemon balm, stevia are looking delicious in their pots at the end of the walkways

a lot of food for a small kitchen garden


the dictionary tells us that the word "plan", is a formulation of a program of action
plans are not necessarily put into action or are easily changed for another program

the word "purpose" is something set up as an end to be attained...
or action in course of execution
this necessitates the achievement of a program

does God plan, or does He purpose?
His word tells us that He purposed from eternity all that He will do...
and all that He will do will come to pass

in our finite being...
humans are not able to always achieve a purpose...
yet, God in His mighty sovereignty and power cannot do anything...
except to achieve all His purpose...
or else, He is not God

His will/purpose cannot be prayed away...
nor, can He be frustrated by human will, because the Lord says...

The Lord of hosts hath sworn, saying...
Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass;
and as I have purposed, so shall it stand:...

For the Lord of hosts hath purposed,
and who shall disannul it?
and His hand is stretched out,
and who shall turn it back?
Isaiah 14:24,27

The Lord of hosts hath purposed it,
to stain the pride of all glory,
and to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth.
Isaiah 23:9



May your day or night be purposed in His grace.