February Bird Blog

It seems life, marriage and ministry became rather crazy over the holidays. Not in bad ways, just like one moment blended into the next and it was keep-moving-and-don't-fall-any-further-behind survival as opposed to ahead-of-the-power-curve-look-back-and-laugh thrival. Maybe you experienced something similar in your own homes and families and work places. 

White Throated Sparrow

Suddenly (in my mind) it's not August 2022 anymore. For whatever reason, that's the month my brain defaults to as the calendar indicates we're living in February 2023. August 2022. At least it was warm and dry then. But planning ahead when one is mentally operating seven months behind does present some challenges. Keeping up is enough of an effort. Catching up is another thing.

Carolina Wren

So that's why I figured it was time for another Bird Blog. Simple, right? Step away from the computer and commitments for a few moments, put out bird food, birds show up, take pictures of our local feathered friends as they make themselves fat and happy and for me take that time to relax for a few minutes. Sit out back, enjoy being outdoors, praise the Lord for this crazy set of bird-loaded woods he planted behind the house he provided for us in North Carolina. 

Northern Cardinal

Of course, if you heard me taking these photos...or not taking the photos I wanted to catch...it might not have seemed simple or relaxing. I can make a lot of noise when I miss a shot, or the camera won't focus, or the bird moves, or a Mocking Bird arrives to chase the other birds off or a mocking squirrel pokes their head up along our fence with a nose and hunger for BIRD FOOD. 

Purple Finch

Karen says I mumble out loud thinking no one else can hear me. I'm not sure, but my perfectionistic tendency is to blame (evidently out loud) the birds, the camera, the sun, the wind, my eyes, the season, the temperature, my chair, my arms, moving too quickly, not being ready, for everything that keeps my photographs from being PERFECT. EVERY SHOT. I think I'm that good. So obviously it can't be MY FAULT. Maybe that's the problem--everyone and everything else IS the problem. Anyway the bird photos might be much more relaxing looking at them than overhearing the photographer as he takes them.

Eastern Bluebird

Perfectionism is a scary thing (I've learned/am continuing to learn). A dangerous thing. A destructive way of life on multiple levels. And a perfectionist can't suffer from perfectionism because it's one of the spiritual gifts inferred in Galatians 5:22, right? At least it seems that way to the one inside the prison of victimhood created by the deep-seated knowledge that everyone else is wrong; everyone and everything else is the problem; and if everyone else would just think, act, live, respond, vote, and serve Christ like I do God's will would be done on earth as it is in heaven. To others, a perfectionist's "grace, love, compassion, empathy, and care," looks and feels a lot like judgement, punishment, persecution, condemnation, and death. 

Yellow-Rumped Warbler

I see where I used to be on this journey. Many of you know who I was, how I behaved, how wrong and blind I was in my lashing out to personally make this world a better place. MY place with all costs placed on and charged to others. Ultimately, I had to be broken and put back together. Thankfully, God's transformation and restorative powers are perfect, unlike "all the King's men" in the Humpty Dumpty scenario. Thank you for allowing God to do his work in my life. 

Red-Bellied Woodpecker

Gratitude, peace, fun, laughter, and joy are in short supply in the Valley of Perpetual Victimhood. As the Holy Spirt continues to teach me silence and satisfaction taking pictures of birds, please pray for me every time you see one of my bird photos. Just a quick prayer like, "Jesus, please help Keith simply enjoy the birds and be thankful." I am sure that prayer will be heard and may even transition to other parts of my heart, spirit, and soul.

Downy Woodpecker

God created us to do good works and he's promised to finish the work that he's started within us. I trust him with that work. Thank you for the grace, love, and encouragement you have shown and shared as he completes his work within me.

Keith & Karen's Fall Newsletter

Photos for the Fun of It!

Part of Karen's and my recent 20th wedding anniversary celebration included watching the Charlotte Knights baseball team play against the Durham Bulls, taking a tour of an artisanal glass blowing hot-shop, a trip to the NASCAR Hall of Fame (Karen's FAVORITE 😖), and a stop at the North Carolina Transportation Museum. It was our second visit to the transportation museum. Exciting, eh? 

It was fun to reconnect with our baseball friend, Xavier, whom we met here as a Burlington Royals (Burlington, NC) rookie in 2015. He worked his way up to AAA with Kansas City and now plays AAA with the Charlotte Knights (affiliated with the Chicago White Sox). It's been fun watching him "grow up" in life and baseball.

Xavier is a catcher/1st baseman who's played professional baseball for ten years.

I did find a couple things to take photos of at the transportation museum. Enjoy. They're just for fun!

DC-3 components and wing sections

DC-3 fuselage

DC-3 wing spar mid-section assembly

School bus grill

Restored railroad car for sorting mail between cities.

Ford Pickup Truck grill

Thanks for your friendship, love, prayers, gifts, and encouragement that sustain us in life, marriage, and ministry!

The 2022 Salsa Season Starts!

 Karen's Side-Street Salsa Kitchen is NOW OPEN!

Karen in super salsa form down on our seasonal salsa farm!

Recent Salsa History                                                                                                                      The last couple years have been rough as far as salsa. Life and ministry were so crazy in 2019 that we didn't have a salsa garden (tomatoes or related peppers). And then in '20 and '21 we lost a large portion of our tomato crop to "bottom rot" which is caused by irregular watering and/or a calcium deficiency. We had a very hot/dry season in '20 and a very wet/warm season in '21. 

Current Salsa Situation                                                                                                                  So THIS year we were ready with an improved water management plan and a calcium control regimen. Those elements helped as the tomato garden took off like crazy this spring.

Pepper Problems                                                                                                                         Of course, that means our pepper garden (jalapeno, bell, and banana peppers) nearly failed. Karen planted seeds three times in quest of germination. The third seeding grew-out uneven with 1 1/2 jalapeno plants, 7 bell pepper plants, and 1 banana pepper plant. Normally we have 6 plants each. While jalapeno and bell peppers are found retail down here, banana peppers are rather rare in our local produce reality. And if someone tells you that "Hungarian Hots" are the same thing (because they look nearly identical to banana peppers) don't believe them. So we're hoping our single banana pepper plant has a banner banana year. 

Our thin pepper patch. 

Forging Ahead, Full Speed Ahead                                                                                                That being said, WE JUST HARVESTED, PROCESSED AND CANNED our first batch of Salsa for 2022. It was a great harvest with only one tomato having bottom rot. The rest were ripe, red, and ready to be picked. This first pick produced 11 lovely quarts of Karen's Side Street Salsa.

Chopping, slicing, and dicing.

Salsa pot simmer in the North Carolina summer.

Poetry in motion.

Karen's Side-Street Salsa 2022, Batch #1

We look forward to at least two more tomato harvests this year.

Future Salsa Batches #2 and #3?

While we don't ship salsa, we do share it if you're ever in town.