Second Chances

Yesterday morning, just happened to be Sept. 11, I was stalking around the yard looking for photos.  As Socks ambled and stretched along the porch step stair, I thought how thankful I am he still frolics with us.  We almost lost him 12 days ago.  Gabe went out to feed the cats, and Socks was not there, nor came when called.  After a worried search, Gabe found him under the deck, unresponsive in a box.  Gabe drug him out.  Socks was alive, but draped his collapsing body upon Gabe.  He was too weak to move much and cried in pain when we handled him.  We put him in his bed and asked the Lord for wisdom to know how to help him and for healing.   I boiled a piece of long frozen lamb liver in water until there was a strong smelling, yellowish-brown broth and fed the broth to Socks with a small syringe.  I was very relieved to find it activated a good swallowing reflex.  After two feedings, Socks made it through the night and was able to lay with his head up the next day.  He was eating on his own and back on his paws within another day or two.  As I walked around the yard, I realized there is a lot of life around my yard that was nearly lost, but contained enough spark to reignite.  More than a few plants hit drought, dried up, looked to be laid waste.  I have tangible pictures of reviving what was almost lost from error, carelessness, forgetfulness, or absence.  It took some care, a bit of hope, a steady dose of water, some new soil, and above all that invisible spark of life not yet snuffed out.  In the natural order of things, I'm amazed at the propensity for revival, for renewal, for restoration, for the come back.  And then I reflect upon their Creator, the God who speaks life into existence.  He is not only the God of restoration, but of rebirth and resurrection.

This gifted hydrangea so nearly died in its pot last year.  Seeing it bloom this season was a gift all over again to me.

Ahhhh....

Lavender in a new pot is growing!  Makes me happy.

Very special friendship rosemary tree, was dying from the inside out from arid, sandy soil.  I was horrified when I discovered its distress, and am so thankful for its revival.  A longest, bestest friend gifted this to me on my birthday.

Poor blueberries dried up with their first year's fruit on the vine while we were on vacation.  They shed two-thirds, to all, of their summer leaves and had to re-leaf in August!  They are survivors.

Here is new life from wild seeding of calendula and parsley, as well as the kids fall planting.  Last year my parsley and some calendulas overwintered.  I am so pleased to have some young parsley.  The kids planted some cold weather seeds, kale and chard, so these might survive the winter too and give us some tender early spring leaves.

This basil survived the outdoors and slugs long enough to be rescued and put on my window sill.  It gets just enough light, and does not escape my notice when it is a dry stick!  It was literally a dry stick one day.  I could have crumbled it into a spice jar, and now look at it!  It had just enough life to still pull water and revive.