Beyond the Garden Gate

  I was gifted with this necklace my 1st year at @mops_international. All I can do is stare in amazement, the Holy Spirit is constantly talking to us, guiding us, but are we listening? Are we open to receiving His guidance? Are we too bussy with nonimportant and wordly things? Do we know and feel the pull to do something but are too comfortable? Are we willing to set aside the “easy” and do the thing we know we should be doing? What we are called and made for? Are we willing to put on the armor even though it requires sacrifice, being uncomfortable, doing the hard thing, going against the world, being attacked for and criticized? Remember we are not of this world… What is He calling you to? What is He asking of you? How can you be the hands and feet of Jesus in this broken world? We all got a key with the word “fire” and different pendants… how amazing mine says “be the light” Ephesians 6:10-18 New International Version The Armor of God 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his ...

  One of our favorite summer activities is going blueberry picking at a little U-pick parm we found in our town. Normally by this time the weather is crazy hot or smoky with fires but it has been a really pleasant summer so far, so pleasant that we didn’t have to go at the crack of dawn but last minute thought of it and were still able to pick buckets before it warmed up. The Oregon shade to sun 10° difference helps ofcourse, but when we saw our little one hiding under a bush munching on fist fulls of berries we knew it was time to pack up and go. She’s hiding under the bush I love blueberry picking even though it’s really challenging for me with slight color blindness (tints and shades) I can’t quite tell when they are actually ripe lol. I always thought blueberries were purple but turns out they are actually blue, that explains why I didn’t get why they called them BLUEberries before, so I guess it was me all along not being able to distinguish the color lol. I Found that out whe...

  The secret to life is creating joy where you are right now and even though it is a matter of mindset (inner world) there are things you can do in your outside world to help create those thoughts and feelings. Getting flowers for your home is one of those things. People often think “why spend $ and time in something that is going to die?” Even though flowers seem impractical and senseless they are not, those simple pleasures & non-essentials are what makes life worth living. They create joy and with that a wave of actions. Think for a moment your desk full of papers and clutter how do you feel and what thoughts run thought your head? Stressed? Overwhelm? Now take all stuff away and put a vase of flowers now how do you feel? Joy? Inspiration? Beauty? Same with a dinning room table empty with nothing on it vs with a vase or small jar of flowers, it instantly transforms the energy and atmosphere of the space. You don’t need a lot of $, it’s about awareness, staying mindful how yo...

  I don’t know why I tend to save my pretty things and not use them! I actually don’t think I’m the only one that does this… do you? I have been making an effort and forcing myself to actually use those things in random every day life, even if I have no where to go or people over, I keep repeating myself “I’m not wasting that dress using it for being at home or my fancy tea cups/china for eatting breakfast…” Last year I learned with my sister’s sudden departure from this life we don’t know when our last day will be so what are we saving our nice stuff for? When I went to help with her belongings it hit me like a ton of bricks if WE don’t enjoy our beautiful things or use them someone else will or they will be discarded or sent to a donation shop… so what is the point of leaving things in a cubert or a box or the closet if we really like them? Yes, the dress will get used up and the china will get chipped but it also got loved and enjoyed! This is why even though it makes me twitch ...

  Some details in life may look insignificant but appear to be vital leitmotifs in a person’s life. They may have the value of “Rosebuds” of Citizen Kane or “Madeleine cookies” of Marcel Proust or “Strawberry fields” of the Beatles. People regularly walk down the memory lane of their early youth. The paper boats of their childhood are recurrently floating on the waves of their mind and bring back the mood and the spirit of the early days. They enable us to retreat from the trivial, daily worries and can generate delightful bliss and true joy in a sometimes frantic and chaotic life. (“Paper boats forever” ) Erik Pevernagie One of our favorite memories, paper boat, from this summer will be picking and munching on berries gifted by the fairies that live in the fairy house we bult in our little strawberry patch. I am comstantlt reminding myself to focus on the good, on the beauty, on the love… no matter what or how hard it might seem, there is always something to be thankful for and bl...

  If you follow me on Instagram (@americanflavorlatinspice you know from my stories how I have a strong love/ hate relationship with sourdough. I like simple recipes, ones that are delicious and take 0 to minimal prep, time, or mental space. I pride myself in being able to alter recipes to fit this criteria. And well sourdough is everything BUT that. My friend called it a delicious boring pet. Well I do agree it can be delicious but man does it require time and babying! You have to feed it, measure it by grams, count the days, watch the temperature, hop three times, wear blue on tuesdays, and clap twice before entering or leaving the house… all joking aside it does require A LOT of energy and mental space. For that reason I gave up making sourdough bread, heck it takes 2 if not 3 days (hello feeding) and timers to flip and stretch every 30 mins and 60 mins for multiple hours in one day… what? Heck no  But here comes the rub with sourdough, the love part. The waffles are undisc...

  The glory of gardening: hands in the dirt, head in the sun, heart with nature. To nurture a garden is to feed not just the body, but the soul. — Alfred Austin It was a planting potatoes kind of day at  “The Country Cottage” so much knowledge from so many generations. What a gift to be able to witness that and get to live it by being one more link in the chain… Being a city girl myself now I understand why so many people I’ve talked to that came from cities once they have a taste of the slow country living they never want to go back. The fresh air, living by the seasons, the sun, hands in the dirt, seing the garden grow, picking the fruits of your labor, the excitement of the first blooms, tasting the mind-blowing flavors of the garden… I have never tasted a tomato as good as the one picked right off the vine warm from the sun. It all somehow brings your soul to life. Luz If you are interested in  gardening books  for kids head on over to my  Usborne book shop ...