Filed under: Family time, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Herbs, Landscaping & Gardening, Love, Outdoor Lifestyles, Sunday Reflections, Sunrises, Sunsets, Waterfalls | Tags: Believe, Dogwood, Easter, Easter Sunday, Easter Sunrise, Easter Weekend, God, God Bless, God Bless America, I Love My Family, Jerusalem, Jerusalem Donkey, Jesus, Lamb of God, legend of the dogwood, Love, Love and Meaning, Love Thy Neighbor, Love Thy Neighbor As Thyself, Peace, Peace on Earth, Pray, Prayer Garden, Prayer in the Garden, Prayers, reflection, The Presence of God
I was thinking of the stories of the bible we learn from childhood and how they meld into real time in our lives… Itās Easter weekend and I wanted to share these two stories that I have always loved that tie into Easter.
āAll purebred donkeys are born with a cross on their back. A legend says it is the gift our Lord gave to the humble donkey that carried Him into Jerusalem. According to the legend, the little donkey so loved his Master that he followed Him to Calvary. Grief-stricken at the sight, he turned away but remained at his station at the foot of the cross. The shadow of the Cross fell upon him and from that day all purebred donkeys wear the Masterās Cross on their backs.ā
Jesus rode in on a donkey… Then he walked and prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane during the last days of his life. He knew what was about to happen to him and I think he chose a Garden to spend his last days in to give him the Peace, Clarity & Strength that he needed leading up to his arrest and Crucifixion (on Good Friday).
The blooming plants and feeling of Spring in the Garden bring Peace & Calm to the mind & Spirit, and in turn aid in ones thoughts and reflection…
There is going to be a LOT of Reflection for me during this weekend, and I hope to do much of it in my garden. I truly find peace and a clear mind outside within the garden. I hope you do too.
Have a Blessed Easter Weekend,
Peace šš»
Mark Carter
Filed under: Family time, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Lake and Pond, Love, Outdoor Lifestyles, Sunday Reflections, Sunrises, Sunsets, Waterfalls | Tags: At the still point, I ā¤ļø Sunrise, Moment of Zen, Pray, Prayer Garden, Prayer in the Garden, Quiet Morning, Quiet Time, Relax, Relaxing, Stillness, Sunday, Sunday Breakfast, Sunday Brunch, Sunday Gardening, Sunday in the Garden, Sunday Inspiration, Sunday Morning Coming Down, Sunday Mornings, Sunday Naps, Sunday on the River, Sunday Poem, Sunday Quote, Sunday Reflections, Sunday Sunrises, Sunday with Family, Sundays, Sunrises, Sunsets, Waterfalls, Zen, Zen Feeling, Zen state of mind
In this fast moving world, we are all looking for that stillness… I sometimes refer to it as a Moment of Zen. Many times I find it in waterfalls or the setting sun. Or on a quiet Sunday morning of solitude.
āAt the still point of the turning world. Neither flesh nor fleshness; Neither from nor towards; at the still point, There the dance is, But neither arrest nor movement. And do not call it fixity, Where past and future are gathered. Neither movement from nor towards, Neither ascent nor decline. Except for the point, the still point, There would be no dance, and there is only the dance.ā
Ā Ā ~T.S. EliotĀ
Have a great Day!
Mark C.
Filed under: Family time, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Love, Sunrises, Sunsets, Waterfalls | Tags: Death, Family, George, George Brinkley, Good Times, I ā¤ļø my Family, I Love My Family, Life, Optimism, Optimist, Positive Energy, Pray, Prayer Garden, Prayer in the Garden, Prayers, Prayers for the family, Rest In Peace, Smile, Uncle, Uncle Doug, Uncles
Losing a loved one, someone who is truly close to you is tough. The loss and sadness are a hard reality… I just recently lost my Uncle. We were very close. I have had a lot of emotion over his sickness and his passing… But knowing him the way I do, he wouldnāt want us to be sad or down about his death. He was a very spiritual person. And a very positive person. He always had a smile on his face and something nice to say, maybe something to make you laugh or smile š An āEternal Optimistā! And that is what I am going to focus on and remember the most about Uncle Doug!
Do not stand at my grave and weep,
I am not there, I do not sleep.
I am in a thousand winds that blow,
I am the softly falling snow.
I am the gentle showers of rain,
I am the fields of ripening grain.
I am in the morning hush,
I am in the graceful rush
Of beautiful birds in circling flight,
I am the starshine of the night.
I am in the flowers that bloom,
I am in a quiet room.
I am in the birds that sing,
I am in each lovely thing.
Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there. I do not die.
~ Mary Elizabeth Frye
Rest In Peace!
Mark C.
Filed under: Family time, God Bless America, Koi, Love, Sunrises, Sunsets | Tags: George, George Brinkley, Pray, Prayer Garden, Prayer in the Garden, Prayers, Prayers for the family
Iām not one to take things right to Facebook or the internet… Especially family things. But, if you are a praying person, I ask you to say a prayer for a man that has been very special to me my entire life. His name is George Brinkley. Many of you know him from coming to our Nursery over the years. He was our āKoi Whispererā… If you bought fish from us, you probably met and dealt with George. But to me, he has always been my Uncle Doug.
George is definitely a āRenaissance manā. He has traveled the country and many different places in the world. He was in Nuclear Power in the US Navy and later was a high level computer programmer and Electronic Engineer. A VERY smart man to say the least. A great photographer. An environmentalist. An experimental gardener and Yes, a Koi Whisperer… He gave all the high tech up to come work at my nursery. He always says heās most at peace in our gardens.
George is fighting for his life against Covid. He is on a respirator and things donāt look well. He needs a miracle from God to pull through this thing. If you have a moment, please say a prayer for Georgeās Healing, his full Recovery and Gods Peace šš»
If your not one to pray, pass this on by. But if you are, please do. I truly believe in the power of prayer šš»
God Bless
Mark C.
Filed under: Family time, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Love, Sunday Reflections, Sunrises, Sunsets | Tags: Easter Weekend, Good Friday, Jesus, Love, Pray, Prayer Garden, Prayer in the Garden, Prayers, Sacrifice, The Ultimate Sacrifice
He said āIt is finishedā, we didnāt understand that It had just begun. Be thankful for His sacrifice on this, Good Friday.
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. – 1 Peter 2:24
Our Lord has written the promise of the resurrection, not in books alone but in every leaf in springtime. Ā ~ Martin Luther
Peace & Love,Ā
Mark Carter
Filed under: Family time, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Koi Ponds, Landscaping & Gardening, Love, Nursery, Outdoor Lifestyles, Sunday Reflections, water garden, Waterfalls | Tags: Design Ideas, Designer, God, Healing Garden, Inspiration, Landscape Design, Prayer Garden, Prayer in the Garden, Sunday in the Garden, Sunday Inspiration, Sunday Mornings, Sunday Poem, Sunday Reflections, Sunday with Family, The Presence of God, Water Garden Design, Watershaper
All these dark, wet days really limit what we can do outside. Add in the the fact that the days are steadily getting shorter and shorter & it kinda gets … depressing.
The Winter Solstice (December 21st) marks the shortest day of the year. Good News is – the day after, the days start getting LONGER again! THIS Friday is the Day! YES!
BUT, this morning was so beautiful! Beautiful sunrise & decent temps makes for a nice Sunday morning! I walked around the garden a bit and suddenly had so many ideas flowing through my mind! Changes & new things get me excited! These ideas and plans help get me through to Spring šĀ Now Iām sitting on the swing typing out this mornings BLOG post.
Take it from me – Beat the Winter blues! Get outside every chance you get… Itās the best medicine š
āFrom December to March, there are for many of us three gardens – Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā The garden outdoors, Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā The garden of pots and bowls in the house, Ā Ā And the garden of the mindās eye.ā
~ Katherine S. White
Happy Holidays & Merry Christmas! š š»
~ Mark C.
Carter's Water Garden 