Our Azorean Garden

The picture above is of our garden. Everything you see through that little metal gate in the front is part of what we are renting. It stops, right in front of the houses in the back of the picture. To the right, just out of view, is our pool, surrounded by a huge (locked!) gate. 

JB has been a little behind on his blog. (Not that he hasn't had other things to be doing or anything.) But I am so excited that he finally did a post on our Azorean garden! You can read it by clicking here. Even for those of you (like me) who find his blog a bit over your heads, you'll enjoy this post.

This past week, Hita's cousin, Senor Carlos, came by and put a fence up along the wall at the far left. This was very important because there was a section of wall that Scrubs had discovered he could jump over. Now that the fence is up, we can leave the gate open and Scrubs can come and go as he pleases. Honestly, I would hesitate to say we even have an indoor dog anymore. He loves to be in the garden, and he loves to sit on the second floor, wrap-around balcony and just watch the whole town. He loves all our visitors (but we are still trying to pretend he is an attack dog for security purposes) and simply seems like he has finally found the place he belongs.

You can see the section of the garden that Carlos and his men already started cleaning up. It's in the back left -- the upper garden. It's looking much better than the two front sections, which they haven't gotten to yet. JB thinks that it's been many years since the garden has been given any TLC. Carlos should only have to do this major overhaul maybe once a year -- otherwise, he will keep mowing (we don't have a lawn mower anymore) and JB will do the basic tending after that.

John can tell you more about his plans for the garden if you read his blog, but I will tell you that he plans to make the front left (the lower garden) a vegetable garden! This will JB a piece of the permaculture he so needs.

I must tell you that every time I walk into this garden, I feel the Lord's presence. It's as if the Holy Spirit is hovering right above it. I loved Turkey -- for the community and the friendships. But there was a heaviness there that I didn't realize was present until I came out from under it. I think it was the fact that we were in a very unsafe place -- both for the job the Base did and the location of the Base. I think it was that we were sort of "locked in" on the Base. I think it was the fact that 99.9% of the country is Muslim. Here, I hear church bells every day -- frequently. It has replaced the call to prayer, and I think my heart needs to hear that again.

Here, when I walk in my garden, I feel truly unworthy of this beautiful home and the opportunity to live in it, if only for a short time. I cannot help but praise and thank the Lord for his mercies and goodness. My spirit needed this so very much. It is so freeing here. I watched yesterday, from a top window, as the boys played in the garden. While I don't leave them completely unattended, our property is completely secured, and they can play in the garden by themselves (with my watchful eye from the house). I heard them pretending -- imaginging -- playing -- hiding -- laughing ... and I said another prayer to my Heavenly Father for bringing us here.

John is a new man here. I knew Turkey was hard on him -- not just for the location but for incredible work frustrations. I didn't talk about them while we lived there on my Daily Blog. But let me tell you, that place had some major issues, and JB felt them -- despite the great work hours and wonderful patients he saw. I can tell that my husband has had a weight come off his shoulders. As he takes the boys for walks to the beach (which you can see from the picture -- right past the big houses), and goes on adventures with them in the garden, I can tell he has found a resting place -- much neededrespite.

And boy did he need it. Jump on over to his blog to read for yourself! (You can read it by clicking here.)