The vineyard

[Gary O']

It looks like my best option at the moment will be driven posts and chicken wire,

I've been told, our black tails can jump a six foot fence.....if they want to
I've also been told if they can't see thru the fence, see to the other side, they won't jump it

Not proven by me


My grampa believed in bone meal in little mesh sacks staked in strategic places
I think he believed more in his .30-06

 

[horseless carriage]

In another thread Tommy, I posted a shirt that my wife made for me. Had I seen this thread first I would have put it up here.
Heck, who needs an excuse? Am I a lucky fellow, or what?

Gary O' said:
I've been told, our black tails can jump a six foot fence.....if they want to
I've also been told if they can't see thru the fence, see to the other side, they won't jump it

Where we live in The New Forest there's some rather narrow lanes, often you will come across a small herd of deer, they just leap, almost from a standing start, straight over high bushes, no problem at all.

 

[Gary O']

Where we live in The New Forest there's some rather narrow lanes, often you will come across a small herd of deer, they just leap, almost from a standing start, straight over high bushes, no problem at all.

Yeah, seems deer have springs for legs.

The muleys up at the cabin, migrate.
They head to Christmas Valley in late fall
Come spring, they're back......and thick

The novelty wears off after a summer of them

 

[Tommy]

I've been told, our black tails can jump a six foot fence.....if they want to
I've also been told if they can't see thru the fence, see to the other side, they won't jump it

Not proven by me


My grampa believed in bone meal in little mesh sacks staked in strategic places
I think he believed more in his .30-06

I read about a way of creating an optical illusion using just a few wires that's supposed to keep them out. Something having to do with the way their eyes work. I'm skeptical.

My wife felt that dog hair might make a good deer repellent. She tried it on her new holly plants. The deer weren't amused and ate the hollies anyway.

Your grandpa was right about .30-06 IF you can catch them in the act. My choice would be #4 buck, but at this stage I suspect all I'd find would be hoof prints and no vines.

 

[Tommy]

In another thread Tommy, I posted a shirt that my wife made for me. Had I seen this thread first I would have put it up here.
Heck, who needs an excuse? Am I a lucky fellow, or what?
View attachment 202383View attachment 202382


Where we live in The New Forest there's some rather narrow lanes, often you will come across a small herd of deer, they just leap, almost from a standing start, straight over high bushes, no problem at all.

A lucky fellow indeed! Great shirt and an interesting selection of wines. I trust you've made a point of sampling each of them at least once.

 

[Gary O']

Your grandpa was right about .30-06 IF you can catch them in the act. My choice would be #4 buck, but at this stage I suspect all I'd find would be hoof prints and no vines.

Yeah, I'd fire off a 12 gauge into the air, just to watch 'em all scatter.
Thing is, they got used to it.
They'd still scatter, but only a few yards.
Then graze/munch their way back to our garden

 

[Tommy]

The Fence

In years past, I volunteered as a docent at a local environmental research reserve. As an environmental scientist it was a natural fit for me and I enjoyed being able to share this beautiful and interesting location with our visitors.

One of the many research projects being conducted at that time was a long-term study involving Japanese barberry . . . an invasive plant that can destroy native forests by crowding out the understory flora.

The researcher maintained a number of study plots for different experiments. Around each plot he had erected an eight-foot high fence to keep deer from interfering with the plant growth within. After a very short time, however, he had to add another four feet if wire to the top of the fence because deer were jumping over the original eight-foot high barrier!

Compared to those study plots, our vineyard is tiny. The fenced area will measure only 20 feet by nine feet. Because of the small size and the trellis within, I’m fairly confident that a six-foot fence will keep the deer out. Fairly … confident …

I’m planning to use seven steel t-posts and galvanized chicken wire to build the fence. Because of buried rocks, I have little hope that the fenced area will be exactly rectangular or the posts perfectly straight, but I’m hopeful that it will serve the purpose until I can come up with a better solution.

On my first attempt each post hits rock, but after trying a few nearby locations they all go in far enough to completely bury the anchor plate … all but one. That one is on a corner and it must be directly over a VERY BIG rock. It will need a guy wire to support it.

The chicken wire goes up, er, well . . . the way chicken wire goes up but it’s not too bad. I’m using zip ties to attach the wire to the posts. I’ve come to love zip ties – they’re almost as useful as duct tape.

After a couple of days’ work the posts are all standing at their various angles, the wire is wavy, but at least the fence is up. I’ll consider that to be a small victory.

Some wisdom from the vineyard.

Until now I had never heard of a “post pounder”. This is an 18 pound steel tube that’s sealed at the top and has handles along each side. To use it, you slide the tube over the top of the post, grasp both handles, raise the tube about a foot, and then “vigorously” slam it down onto the top of the post. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat . . .



Using this tool, I was able to accomplish something that would otherwise have been extremely difficult for me to do. Yes, if I hit a rock, it’s still a rock and I have to reposition the post. It still takes the same amount of kinetic force to move the stake through the soil but the post pounder greatly improves both the efficiency and the ergonomics of the task. So the post pounder doesn’t change what IS, but it does make what IS much easier to master.

Faith can have a similar effect but on a much grander scale. Faith does not alter God’s plan; what WAS and IS and IS TO BE. Rather, through it He enables us to fulfill our roles in that plan.

Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

 

[IFortuna]

View attachment 182612

Yum! I can feel my blood sugar sky rocketing.

 

[Tommy]

Attack!

The Invasion of the Voracious Leaf-Eating Beetles from New Jersey.

******** Suspense ********** Chills ********** Terror **********

Hehe! No, it probably wouldn’t make much of a horror movie, would it?

Early August 2021. It was inevitable that insects would eventually become an issue in the vineyard, but frankly I didn’t see this one coming. I’ve been more concerned about our many hornets eventually damaging the ripe fruit.

I admit that Japanese beetles are attractive little monsters (as much as a beetle can be attractive) . About a half-inch long, they have a dark, metallic green body with shiny, bronze colored wing covers. The internet says they were first identified in the US in 1916 in Riverton, NJ where they were most likely imported in the soil of nursery plants. Today they are well established in all states east of the Mississippi River except Florida and Louisiana.



The adult beetles eat the leaves of plants, leaving only a skeleton of leaf veins. The larvae (grubs) eat the roots, mostly of grass. At the moment I’m not seeing them in large numbers but if they become well established in the yard they could become a serious problem.



What to do?

I’m reluctant to use a chemical insecticide that might harm other, beneficial insects. It seems that a common approach is to just pick the adults off the leaves by hand and drown them.

After putting a little soapy water into an empty plastic food container, I approach my prey . . .

As I reach for the first one, it flies away. Um, okay. That’s not what happened in the YouTube video .

I try again. This time it’s a group of four beetles blithely enjoying an afternoon snack. I sneak up on them holding the tub of soapy water under the leaf. I swat down on the leaf and one goes into the water while the others fly off.

After a little more research I learn that the time to “pick” beetles in is the early morning when they’re sluggish. I’m not a late sleeper, but this doesn’t strike me as a really great way to start my day.

Eventually, I find that by grabbing them quickly I can get about half and the ones that get away don’t seem to return very quickly. Their season lasts for six to eight weeks and I think I’ll be able to keep the damage to the leaves to an acceptable level.

This works well enough for now, but as the vines get larger it could get pretty labor intensive. I’ll spend some time this winter looking for better control methods.



Some wisdom from the vineyard.

In days long past, growing crops was, for many, an essential part of life. A poor harvest meant a hungry winter for the family. Insects could be literally life threatening. For most people in the developed world today, home gardening is merely a satisfying diversion, a self-imposed challenge.

Yes, I’m thoroughly enjoying our little foray into the world of viticulture (grape growing) and look forward to many rewarding grape harvests, but how high does it actually rank on my list of “important stuff”? Well, to be honest, not high at all.

That list centers around my service to the Lord, the well-being of my family, my friends, my neighbors, my fellow man.

At any time, the vineyard project could meet with an unfortunate end but the experience, this small interaction with God’s creation, will endure.

Matthew 6:19-21 Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also

 

[Tommy]

Gate

A fence without a gate isn’t much of a fence. At the moment there’s plenty of good browse for the deer, but winter’s on its way so it’s time for me to complete the job.

An initial thought:

For about eight months of the year having a plain, full-sized gate would be just fine, but in the winter, when the snow piles up and ice is common, opening a full-sized gate could be a challenge.

To help with this problem I’ve decided to make a one-foot high insert to put into the bottom of the gate opening. This is made of painted 1 x 3 pine and stainless steel hardware mesh and is attached to the posts using my new best friends - zip ties. The insert will keep the bottom of the actual gate a foot off the ground to make winter access easier but it can be easily removed when necessary by cutting the zip ties.



The gate itself poses a couple of problems. First, there are the crooked gate posts. I tried … really tried … to keep them straight when ponding them into the ground but the buried rocks still deflected all of them somewhat.

The second issue is the posts themselves. Steel t-posts are fine for attaching fence to but the “T” shape of the post doesn’t work well for other things. Things like . . . hinges.

For each hinge, I’m using a heavy U-bolt with wooden spacers and an eye-bolt. They seem to work alright and the eye bolts are somewhat adjustable . “Adjustable” is a good thing in this case.



“Never bolt your door with a boiled carrot”.

That is said to be an Irish proverb. I read that on the internet so it MUST be true.

My gate latch is just a length of steel chain that loops around the edge of the gate and attaches to a hook on the fence.

It seems to work.

Better than a boiled carrot at any rate.

Some wisdom from the vineyard.

Although it might not look like much, I did put a fair bit of thought and effort into creating the vineyard gate using the time, energy, and resources available. While working on it, however, I am constantly reminded that there are many things far more important than building a gate.

I pray that the Holy Spirit will give me the wisdom and strength to always do my best in leading a Christian life.

2 Timothy 2:15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.

 

[Ruth n Jersey]

@Tommy I love gardening and all your posts about your grapes made my day. It also brought back memories of a grape arbor my dad built for me when we first had our house built.
The photo was taken about a year or two after planting the grapes. We had several varieties on the arbor and it didn't take long for them to cover the whole top. We picked from the inside as well as the outside. He put patio blocks on the inside and we had the kiddie pool in there until the grapes grew over the top.
I made homemade jelly for years from those plants.

 

[Tommy]

Wow, Ruth n Jersey!!! That is so very, very great! It's a beautiful arbor - your dad was really creative and had a good eye for design.

I love the kiddie pool. Thanks for sharing this.

 

[Tommy]

Hornworms

Hawk moths first came onto my radar about 25 years ago when I stumbled upon one beside a coastal trail in Maine. It was an impressive little beast about four inches long with attractive black, brown, and white markings like the one pictured below, known as a laurel sphinx.



I had been aware of hornworms long before that encounter because of the tomato worms that would attack our tomato plants every year, but I’d never made the connection. Hornworms are the larvae of many types of hawk moths, including the five-spotted hawk moth (tomato worm) and the laurel sphinx which prefers our lilacs and ash trees. Unfortunately, they also seem to have a taste for grapevines.



The good news:

* At each stage of their life cycle hawk moths have a lot of natural predators . . . birds, reptiles, other insects, and parasites.

* I’ve only seen a few of these green eating machines on our vines to date, and when found they’re easy to deal with. My preferred approach is to just cut them in half with garden shears.

The not-so-good news:

* Hornworms can do a whole lot of damage to plants in just a short time.

* They can be hard to spot. They hide under leaves or on stems and can blend amazingly well with the plant.

What I learned: The internet is loaded with suggestions for getting rid of hornworms. Unfortunately, almost all of these pertain specifically to tomato worms. There seem to be three general approaches:

- remove them by hand
- engage in chemical warfare
- encourage natural predators

I tend to shy away from using chemical pesticides. My first job after college graduation was a two year stint as a research chemist developing herbicides and I have some appreciation for both the benefits and the risks of using such products. That pesky Law of Unintended Consequences, y’know.

A related biological approach involves the use of a bacterium called bacillus thuringiensis, Bt for short, but its safety and effectiveness in this particular situation appear to be rather doubtful.

Natural predators sound like a good bet … we already have many of them and I might try to increase the numbers of ladybugs and praying mantis to shore up the defenses. Attracting more of our insect-eating birds to the vineyard is also worth a try.

But it looks like physically removing them will still be my first line of defense. Some of the recommendations from the internet are downright silly. “Shake the plant” and “Wash them off with a hose” … they’re kidding, right? These little guys have a firm grip!

Because they feed mostly at night, one person pointed out that they glow under the beam of a black light flashlight. Somehow I just can’t picture myself in the middle of the night snipping hornworms by black light.

For finding them, one thing does work well . . . looking for hornworm droppings. Yeah, I know. GROSS! But because they eat a lot, they also poop a lot. The distinctive black barrel-shaped feces on a leaf are a sure indication that there’s a hornworm nearby.

If I have to be in the vineyard every day picking Japanese beetles anyway, I guess I can just add hornworms to the list of targets.

In the first post in this thread I wrote “Heck, grapes are easy to grow and low maintenance.”

Those words are now starting to haunt me.

Some wisdom from the vineyard.

I don’t hate hawk moths. They’re not only attractive and interesting insects, they’re also a significant part of the food chain in our little local ecosystem. What I do hate is what the larvae do to our grapevines. Those that are caught in the vineyard will get absolutely no mercy from me.

As Christians, the Bible tells us that the way we respond to the wrongs of our fellow man must be completely different. It can be difficult, sometimes nearly impossible, to forgive someone when they have done something hurtful to us, but that is exactly what the Lord wants us to do. Just … as … He ... has … forgiven … us ….

Romans 12:21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

 

[RadishRose]

Attack!

The Invasion of the Voracious Leaf-Eating Beetles from New Jersey.

******** Suspense ********** Chills ********** Terror **********

Hehe! No, it probably wouldn’t make much of a horror movie, would it?

Early August 2021. It was inevitable that insects would eventually become an issue in the vineyard, but frankly I didn’t see this one coming. I’ve been more concerned about our many hornets eventually damaging the ripe fruit.

I admit that Japanese beetles are attractive little monsters (as much as a beetle can be attractive) . About a half-inch long, they have a dark, metallic green body with shiny, bronze colored wing covers. The internet says they were first identified in the US in 1916 in Riverton, NJ where they were most likely imported in the soil of nursery plants. Today they are well established in all states east of the Mississippi River except Florida and Louisiana.

View attachment 204532

The adult beetles eat the leaves of plants, leaving only a skeleton of leaf veins. The larvae (grubs) eat the roots, mostly of grass. At the moment I’m not seeing them in large numbers but if they become well established in the yard they could become a serious problem.

View attachment 204533

What to do?

I’m reluctant to use a chemical insecticide that might harm other, beneficial insects. It seems that a common approach is to just pick the adults off the leaves by hand and drown them.

After putting a little soapy water into an empty plastic food container, I approach my prey . . .

As I reach for the first one, it flies away. Um, okay. That’s not what happened in the YouTube video .

I try again. This time it’s a group of four beetles blithely enjoying an afternoon snack. I sneak up on them holding the tub of soapy water under the leaf. I swat down on the leaf and one goes into the water while the others fly off.

After a little more research I learn that the time to “pick” beetles in is the early morning when they’re sluggish. I’m not a late sleeper, but this doesn’t strike me as a really great way to start my day.

Eventually, I find that by grabbing them quickly I can get about half and the ones that get away don’t seem to return very quickly. Their season lasts for six to eight weeks and I think I’ll be able to keep the damage to the leaves to an acceptable level.

This works well enough for now, but as the vines get larger it could get pretty labor intensive. I’ll spend some time this winter looking for better control methods.

View attachment 204534

Some wisdom from the vineyard.

In days long past, growing crops was, for many, an essential part of life. A poor harvest meant a hungry winter for the family. Insects could be literally life threatening. For most people in the developed world today, home gardening is merely a satisfying diversion, a self-imposed challenge.

Yes, I’m thoroughly enjoying our little foray into the world of viticulture (grape growing) and look forward to many rewarding grape harvests, but how high does it actually rank on my list of “important stuff”? Well, to be honest, not high at all.

That list centers around my service to the Lord, the well-being of my family, my friends, my neighbors, my fellow man.

At any time, the vineyard project could meet with an unfortunate end but the experience, this small interaction with God’s creation, will endure.

Matthew 6:19-21 Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also

My father used to pay me and a friend money for each Japanese beetle we drowned in kerosene. I don't recall how much, whether pennies or nickles.

He armed us with those short, Skippy peanut butter jars with the metal screw tops and a small amount of kerosene in them.

We'd hold the open jar under a leaf and scrape them in with the lid.

 

[Ruth n Jersey]

@RadishRose my dad did exactly the same thing and I think I used a Skippy jar as well.
Being a nurseryman his whole life he had what he called, rose fever, which meant he had to have every new variety that Jackson and Perkins rose company ever put out. That was a big rose grower back in the 50s.
Actually I got pretty exited when he would bring home a new one.
I'd help him plant and water it. After awhile I knew the names of all the roses.
The climbing rose in this 1952 photo, with me is a shoot he started from a bush type rose. It wasn't suppose to be a climber. Many people suggested that he get a patent on it but he just enjoyed growing them.

 

[Tommy]

My father used to pay me and a friend money for each Japanese beetle we drowned in kerosene. I don't recall how much, whether pennies or nickles.

He armed us with those short, Skippy peanut butter jars with the metal screw tops and a small amount of kerosene in them.

We'd hold the open jar under a leaf and scrape them in with the lid.

Nice story, Rose. I love it!! Makes me wish our grandchildren lived closer to us.

If you're in the area sometime during beetle season, you're welcome to stop by . . . y'know, if you want to relive some old memories . . .

 

[Tommy]

What a nice picture, Ruth. Is that a stuffed bunny you're holding?

My maternal grandfather also loved roses. Mostly tea roses, as I recall. I still remember the smell of "rose powder" in their garage. It was a pleasant smell. One that I always associate with their home.

 

[Jackie23]

I've fought horn worms for years, my method is to throw the fat buggers on the ground and smash'em to bits....they are a pest.
Ruth, I used to order roses from Jackson and Perkins, I wonder if they are still around.....I still have 2 roses living that I planted from them back in the 60s.

 

[RadishRose]

@RadishRose my dad did exactly the same thing and I think I used a Skippy jar as well.
Being a nurseryman his whole life he had what he called, rose fever, which meant he had to have every new variety that Jackson and Perkins rose company ever put out. That was a big rose grower back in the 50s.
Actually I got pretty exited when he would bring home a new one.
I'd help him plant and water it. After awhile I knew the names of all the roses.
The climbing rose in this 1952 photo, with me is a shoot he started from a bush type rose. It wasn't suppose to be a climber. Many people suggested that he get a patent on it but he just enjoyed growing them. View attachment 206797

@Ruth n Jersey I love that pic of you with the roses! How funny that you hunted beetles too. With a Skippy jar!.

How nice you father was such a gardener. Now, you carry it on.

My mom loved those Skippy jars. They were glass, with measurements on the side and held small leftovers well. With holes punched through the lid, they made a nice home for a few fireflies... a bit of grass in there too. The jar and fireflies were gone from my bureau in the morning, though.

I must say, that rose bush in your pic is magnificent!

 

[RadishRose]

Nice story, Rose. I love it!! Makes me wish our grandchildren lived closer to us.

If you're in the area sometime during beetle season, you're welcome to stop by . . . y'know, if you want to relive some old memories . . .

@Tommy, yes you and Ruth are taking me back!
If I ever get up to NH, I'll be happy to drown a few beetles for you

 

[Ruth n Jersey]

@Jackie23 I gave a quick look and Jackson and Perkins is still selling roses. Boy! are they expensive now. My dad preferred Floribunda roses over the hybrid tees. They had more flowers but the hybrids made such beautiful arrangements and had nice long stems.

@Tommy I think it is a stuffed bunny I really don't remember having it though.

@RadishRose we could have a beetle drowning contest but only if we use a Skippy jar, I had my moms Skippy jar when she moved in with us. Finally the top gave out a few years ago.
After picking beetles for quite a few years my dad came home with a long carboard tube that attached to, I think, a jar. It held some sort of powder which I'm sure was highly poisonous. He would go down the row of roses and when you pushed the tube in a big puff of the power would kill the beetles on contact.
No telling what it was doing to our lungs but people didn't think about that back then.

 

[Tommy]

Setback

Late August 2021. Looking back to late April when we were just planting our new vines, in post #30 I wrote:

“’What is a “growing tube?’ you may well ask. Well, it’s a translucent blue plastic tube that, according to AA Vineyards, protects the young vines, provides an ideal microclimate, and promotes rapid growth by amplifying the beneficial blue light hitting the plant. Hmmm . . . time will tell”.

The vendor’s instructions say “Shelters should be removed before winter” but from what I can see the plants seem to be doing well and I just have to take a peek at what’s inside those tubes.



Ack!!! Double Ack!!!!



Time has indeed “told”, and the tale isn’t pretty. Weeds and insects seem to have found the tubes to “provide an ideal microclimate” for them too and have left the trunks stripped bare.

At the start, peering down into the tubes I could see lush leaf growth and I do believe at that time they were working as advertised. But, in retrospect, I should probably have removed them a month ago.

The parts of the plants above the tubes appear quite healthy. I’m hopeful they’re healthy enough to prepare the plants to survive the coming winter.

Some wisdom from the vineyard.

People in the field of advertising can serve a useful purpose in society. In theory, their task is to increase sales by educating the public about the “Features, Advantages, and Benefits” of the product or service they represent.

Although honest advertisers make a point of not specifically misrepresenting their product, it’s contrary to their interests to point out the negative. It’s up to consumers to do their own evaluation.

I’ve pondered the question, “Do Christians buy into the promises of the Bible without critically evaluating its claims?”

No. It isn’t even a relevant question. The Bible is many things but it is not an advertisement. I’ve known people who have come to give their lives to the Lord via may different paths, but never one who has been “sold” faith solely on the basis of reading the Bible.

The fact is that our own spirit convicts us, God accepts us, and from that point forward the Holy spirit works within us and we can follow with the utmost confidence that He will never let us down.

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

 

[Gary O']

I did put a fair bit of thought and effort into creating the vineyard gate using the time, energy, and resources available.

And it shows

Nicely done

 

[Tommy]

Foundations

A few decades ago (oh how time flies!), my wife and I were shopping for a new home. There was this one that appeared to have everything we wanted and more. A great location, a beautiful large lot, about 3000 square feet, great layout, plus … a gorgeous year round sun room and a balcony off the third floor master bedroom. And we could probably afford it . . . maybe . . .

On further inspection, however, we found worrying cracks in the foundation. It turns out that the cement used in creating the foundation was defective. The cost to remedy that problem would have been totally prohibitive for us. Needless to say, we were disappointed.

The roots and trunk of a grapevine are the plant’s foundation. If they are strong and healthy, the plant can endure serious challenges and still survive. But if they are weak or damaged, the vine won’t produce much and even relatively minor stresses can spell the end of the plant.

I’m told that for this reason, during the early life of a grapevine, the health of these parts of the plant has to be the highest priority. Even if that means slowing the growth of the vine by cutting away more of it than seems reasonable, the strong trunk that results will be well worth the sacrifice.

When, with luck, a grower is able to grow TWO healthy trunks for a single vine the benefit is even greater. Should damage to one side of the plant result in the loss of a season’s grapes, the other side may still be productive.



When I removed the growing tube from our primary Canadice plant, I discovered that it has two trunks! Yay! They are each thinner than those of the more robust Mars vines but when it comes time to prune I’ll try to force myself to do what is necessary to ensure that next summer they’ll both become strong and healthy. In the long run, it should pay off.

Some wisdom from the vineyard.

Of course, our vineyard is no more than an interesting hobby, but in “real life” the wise person also invests extra time and effort in building “strong foundations”.

When we’re young, putting our best efforts into our academic studies can result in a more satisfying career. The great (and sometimes painful) effort that we put into raising our children is more than repaid if they grow to become respectable adults. Even the care we put into managing our finances can go a long way to ensuring our ongoing lifestyle.

In the scope of eternity, our faith and our obedience to the Lord, although sometimes difficult, are the means by which we build our eternal foundation.

Matthew 7:24-27 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

 

[Gary O']

Man. Tommy, these are great reads
Puts me in the mind of some daily devotional books I've read