A Precious Part of Christmas!

I believe that "Jesus Is The Reason For The Season" and His love shines through our lives in infinite ways! As I carefully packed away the delightful ornaments this year, I experienced a wave of love as I wrapped the handmade Christmas tree in tissue paper to be stored until Christmas 2012. My sister's girls, Joanna and Jeana, assisted their mom with wrapping fabric pieces around batting and pinning the pieces onto styrofoam, thus creating a lovely Christmas tree which has been displayed for many, many years. If you look closely, you will see the little ribbon of fabric (made by the girls with no assistance) which we lovingly place on our Christmas tree each year. THANK YOU, GIRLS, FOR THIS SPECIAL GIFT OF LOVE!!!

Thank You, Veteran! Thank You To All Who Have Served And To Those Who Gave The Supreme Sacrifice ...

Thank You, Veteran! Thank You To All Who Have Served And To Those Who Gave The Supreme Sacrifice ..., a photo by iwork4toby on Flickr.

Thank you, also, to HyVee Food store who served breakfast to a large group of veteran's on this Veteran's Day, November 11, 2011.

Midwest Living

Midwest Living, a photo by iwork4toby on Flickr.

Traveling through the beautiful Midwest during the crisp Autumn month of September is amazing ... even in the rain! The golden fields of corn and soybeans are ready for harvest. Special thanks to the farmers who provide our daily bread ... and thank you Almighty Creator for Your bountiful gifts!

Last Lazy Days Of Summer

Last Lazy Days Of Summer, a photo by iwork4toby on Flickr.

Although Summer began with some rain storms which flooded the back yard followed by scant rainfall and arid climate, Labor Day was a winner! Clear blue sky and temperatures in the 70s made sitting on the back porch a heavenly experience! As I am writing on the day after Labor Day, I hear the children on the playground of the nearby elementary school. Leaves are falling in the breeze and squirrels are gathering nuts! I LOVE the four seasons in the Midwest!
Until next time ... on The Back Porch!

Iowa Municipal Band Festival

Iowa Municipal Band Festival, a photo by iwork4toby on Flickr.

Pencil in the annual Iowa Municipal Band Festival on your calendar on the second Saturday in July!

2011 marked the 20th Annual Festival and, my, what a performance the bands provided! We enjoyed the Ballard Community Band, Sax n' Brass, Iowa Military Veterans Band, Bunny Band, Greater Des Moines Community Band, Karl L. King Municipal Band, Ames Municipal Band, and Boone Municipal Band.

Five bands were included in the first Iowa Municipal Band Festival in July 1992. They were Ames, Hampton, Newton, Marshalltown and Boone. Seven bands performed the following year. Since then, a full slate of eight or more bands have entertained the audience. The festival has truly become a state wide festival with 31 communities participating since 1991. The festival has welcomed a band from Zumbrota, Minnesota as well as the Blaskapelle Muhlhausen group from Germany over the last few years, as well.

Herman Park Pavilion in Boone, Iowa is the ideal setting for the festival. The Pavilion was donated to the city of Boone by the Herman family in 1917. Frank Piersol was commissioned to write the “Pavilion March” and conducted the premiere performance at the 1994 festival.

Join us for a day of music in the park!

http://iowamunicipalbandfestival.com/aboutus.aspx

Happy Father's Day, Dad!

A Happy Couple, a photo by iwork4toby on Flickr.

A search through my Flickr photostream revealed only one photo of Dad as the sole subject and a myriad of photos of Dad surrounded by family. That is representative of how Dad has lived!

God Bless You, Dad!

Father’s Day Prayer

Lord, please bless our fathers,
these men who mean so much to us,
who are greatly responsible
for who we are and who we are becoming.
Bless them for having the courage
to do what’s necessary to keep us out of trouble,
for making us do the right thing,
for helping us build our character,
even when it makes us angry;
and bless them for pushing us to do our best,
even when they just want to love us.
Bless our fathers for being our protectors,
for leading us through stormy times to safety,
for making us believe that everything will be all right
and for making it so.
Bless our fathers for quietly making a living
to provide for those they love most,
for giving us food, clothing, shelter
and other necessary and not so necessary material things,
for unselfishly investing time and money in us
that they could have spent on themselves.
Bless our fathers, Lord,
for saving some energy for fun,
for leading us on adventures
to explore the outer reaches of ourselves,
for making us laugh,
for being our playmates and our friends.
Bless them for being our secure foundation, our rock,
for holding on tight to us...until it’s time to let us go.
Lord, bless these men we look up to,
our role models, our heroes,
our fathers.
In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

By Joanna Fuchs

Terrific Garage Sale Find!

This is a vintage 1.5 quart Pyrex Flameware Double Boiler.
It immediately invoked memories of mom melting chocolate during Christmas holiday!



Janet and I enjoyed the afternoon searching through housewares, collectibles, furniture, dishes, lamps, children's clothing, sporting equipment, toys, books and an incredible array of miscellaneous items. The bake sale included cakes, cookies, bars, pies, breads, and pastries prepared by members of the Living History Farm's Guild or donated by local businesses.

More information ~

Big as a Barn Garage Sale

Date Jun 2, 2011 - Jun 3, 2011
Time 9:00 AM ~ 6:00 PM
Location Wallace Exhibit Center - Living History Farms

The 20th Annual Living History Farms Guild's "Big as a Barn" Garage and Bake Sale will be at the Murray Conference Center Thursday, June 2 and Friday, June 3, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday, June 4, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. At this eclectic sale, there are always a number of treasures to buy.

You can help too!
Donations for the sale will be accepted Monday, May 30 and Tuesday, May 31, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the Murray Conference Center. The Murray Conference Center is located west of Interstate 35/80 off Douglas Avenue/Parkway (I-80/35, Exit # 126). The entrance is marked "Gate 4". Call 515-278-5286 for more information. Donations can be made by appointment May 23-27 by calling Lola Zimmerman at 515-225-7441.

All proceeds from the sale go to the Living History Farms Guild to fund preservation and education projects at the museum.

Evening On The Back Porch

Evening On The Back Porch, a photo by iwork4toby on Flickr.

Martin Luther wrote two short prayers for individuals and families to use in the morning after waking and in the evening before retiring. These lovely prayers, taken from Dr. Luther's Small Catechism, can help you begin and end each day with the Lord.

LUTHER'S MORNING PRAYER

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

I thank you, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray that You would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. For into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.

LUTHER'S EVENING PRAYER

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

I thank you, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have graciously kept me this day; and I pray that You would forgive me all my sins where I have done wrong, and graciously keep me this night. For into Your hands, I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.

Mom

Mom, a photo by iwork4toby on Flickr.

To One Who Bears the Sweetest Name,
and Adds a Luster to the Same,
Long Life to Her
for There's No Other
Who Takes the Place of
My Dear Mother ...

I Love You, Mom!

Celebrating Mom!

Celebrating Mom!, a photo by iwork4toby on Flickr.

My Mother kept a garden,
a garden of the heart,
She planted all the good things
that gave my life it's start.
She turned me to the sunshine
and encouraged me to dream,
Fostering and nurturing
the seeds of self-esteem...
And when the winds and rain came,
she protected me enough-
But not too much because she knew
I'd need to stand up strong and tough.
Her constant good example
always taught me right from wrong-
Markers for my pathway
that will last a lifetime long.
I am my Mother's garden.
I am her legacy-
And I hope today she feels the love
reflected back from me

Author Unknown

Primula Orchid Primrose In A Field Of Color

Primula Orchid Primrose In A Field Of Color, a photo by iwork4toby on Flickr.

The weather forecast for the last two days called for temperatures in the upper 60s and low 70s ~ enough to give a person Spring Fever and the desire to get out in the garden. However, as "Midwesterners," we know that Mother Nature routinely plays April Fool pranks on us!




I enjoyed shopping at this wonderful nursery on Saturday afternoon ~ Piney Ridge Greenhouse in Johnston, Iowa.
Although I did not purchase anything, I will definitely return for more shopping. The plants were healthy and the nursery was immaculately clean!




I will admit ... I bought four pots of Forget~Me~Nots from another retailer earlier in the day on Saturday. They will require loving care and a warm environment before planting in May as the last average frost date for Iowa is May 10th to May 15th.

ID Action Day~Team Jennifer

The Team, a photo by iwork4toby on Flickr.

March 30, 2011


Jennifer's Birthday! Happy Birthday, Jennifer!



"ID Action Day" or "Advocating Change Day" is a free event featuring advocacy training, opportunities to interact with state legislators, and a rally. The keynote Speaker was Governor Terry Branstad and we were able to meet with our State Legislators. In a nutshell, we discussed our advocacy for the disabled in order for the legislators to really see and feel the need for improvements in how we, as a society, care for our own who need us most. Unfortunately, much of what is discussed revolves solely around budget ...

Virtual Tulips in Droidland

Virtual Tulips in Droidland a photo by iwork4toby on Flickr.

I have been enjoying my Droid2 for about a month now. The number of free apps is amazing! The pretty tulip wallpaper was uploaded from Zedge and I complete my morning devotions by reading daily Bible verses through "Daily Proverbs" and "Psalms and Proverbs." I find the most useful app to be "Check Please," a tip calculator which provides information regarding splitting the bill among multiple individuals, rounding tips, and handling coupons/discounts.




This brings me to another subject. Eating out is taking a toll on my body! Yes, it it time to do more than think seriously about weight loss. I must begin now! So ... I uploaded a new app, "My Fitness Pal," a free online calorie counter and diet plan which will help me lose weight by tracking caloric intake quickly and easily through my mobile phone or laptop! My Fitness Pal contains nutrition facts for over 450,000 foods and I can log my exercise endeavors into a journal.




As Ash Wednesday is the first day of the Lenten season ... the season of preparation for the resurrection of Jesus Christ on Easter Sunday ... it seems appropriate to fast at this time.
Watch my progress on the counter below!

Many Thanks!

Praise to the Lord,
the Almighty,
the King of creation!
O my soul, praise Him,
for He is Thy Health and Salvation!
Join the full throng:
Wake, harp and psalter and song;
Sound forth in glad adoration!

Praise to the Lord,
who doth prosper thy work and defend thee,
Who from the heavens
the streams of His mercy doth send thee.
Ponder anew
What the Almighty can do,
Who with His love doth befriend thee.

Praise to the Lord!
Oh, let all that is in me adore Him!
All that hath life and breath,
come now with praises before Him!
Let the Amen
Sound from His people again;
Gladly for aye we adore Him.



What a beautiful hymn we sang in church on February 6, 2011! It has special meaning this week, as Mom is recovering after her angiogram on Wednesday, February 23, 2011.
"He is Thy Health and Salvation" ... such strong words filled with HOPE.

Mom, we wish you a very Happy Birthday coming up on Tuesday!

God Bless You!

In Loving Memory Of Laura

I remember strolling around the yard
with Laura and family, taking in the
wonderful sights and aroma of the garden.



God looked around his garden
And found an empty place,
He then looked down upon the earth
And saw your tired face.
He put his arms around you
And lifted you to rest.
God’s garden must be beautiful
He always takes the best.
He knew that you were suffering
He knew you were in pain.
He knew that you would never
Get well on earth again.
He saw the road was getting rough
And the hills were hard to climb.
So he closed your weary eyelids
And whispered, "Peace be thine."
It broke our hearts to lose you
But you didn’t go alone,
For part of us went with you
The day God called you home.