Calathora Gardens Tour

Hello Everyone!!

I hope y'all are all well! We are doing great here, except some sickness lately...but we're pretty much over it, praise God!!

We finally have pictures!! Ta~Da!!!

Alright, here goes! {put on a man's English or Austrailian accent for desired effect} "So, without furthur ado or ramblings, I shall take you on the grand tour of Calathora Gardens!! Ladies and Gentlemen, this way, if you please!" "First, as you come in from the gate, to your left, we have several rows of {alternating, to trick the bugs, as this is all 100 % organic} different varieties of the following: squash, peppers, eggplant, and tomatoes. {Watch there, sir~} Um, folks, watch for your feet~we have a horrendous thistle that grows here that's quite painful and thrives here, unfortunately...Alright, people, now for a closer look at some of the varieties!! Just line up, yes, that's the way~don't crowd." "This lovely speciman is called a merliton, or Patty Pan, if you like. They're snow white, just beautiful, and actually, they are native to the Americas. The Indians grew them, and~well, who knows, as this is from an hairloom seed??? Maybe Chief Squatting Sprout passed it down....OK, maybe not..anyway, this is not a scripted part of our tour, so ah~hem!! Let us move on to our next plants...this way, no, this way, ladies and gentlemen!"

"Next is our common yellow crook neck squash~the flower, of course, the wilted thing on the end there, falls off, and the squash get huge, if you let them~most folks like 'em small to medium sized, so we normally cut them a bit bigger then this" {Line of tourists start to look bored, tour guide clears his throut and moves on}

"All right then, we'll move onward~OK, here we are at Eggplant~See that purple blackish color? Well, we also have growing a white variety and a green variety to your left there, if you care to see..Uh, yes, ma'mn they all taste the same. They're quite tasty fried, eaten as a side, or put into Eggplant Parmesan or Melanzane alla Parmigiana, a spectaculer Italian dish which originated in Sicily. Yes, I've been there~beautiul place, jolly folks, great food, 'a course. Um, well. If you cut into this vegetable, it is light in color, with a slightly foamy feel~very interesting texture, with a mild flavor...Ah, no, Sir, we let them get bigger 'afore we cut 'em." "Alright, here we are to my personal favorite tomatoe variety, actually not sure what it's called, but, pretty none the less." "To your right, you'll see another type, nice and big, perfect for the family's salted red tomatoe slices, or for fried green tomatoes, a great favorite here in the old South. " "Ah, yes, those grand red ones right ahead are your Roma tomatoes, great on salads, or just plain if you're a real tomatoe lover. Yah, here, you want to taste? Here, pass these around~great flavor, huh?... Ahem.. please restain yourself to just one, folks. We shant eat 'em out a' house and home. OK, folks, this way. Just follow me." "Here we have two rows of okra, one of God's most delicious creations ever, specially if you batter and fry 'em the way people do around here!! Ah, man, they're just~wow. Anyway, they're better small 'n tender, and they've got a slightly fuzzy outside, slimy inside~Um, yes, sir, most of the slimy feel cooks out, ahuh. They're unbelievable producers, and they seem to grown an inch every few 'ours. They can get just, like, massive! " {here tour guide removes cap, mops brow with huge hankie, places hat back on head after vehemently sneezing~the late spring American allergies are really getting to him~Oh~don't forget your accent, kind reader~think Gieco's Ginkgo} "Here, look~yah, come close~See there? That pear shaped thing is an undeveloped okra~Cute, eh?"

"Ok, we're done with this side of the garden, wish I could show you the peppers, but, our thin runs time~I mean, our time runs thin~What'evea. Anyway, I will now draw your attention over yonder, across that plowed section, to the corn and phase two of the gran' tour of Calathora Gardens!!" {here tour guide sweeps off hat and bows, much to the amusment of the onlookers}

"So saying, just follow me, yes,~that's right, this way."

"Well, this, obviously, is dirt. Of course you know that. Haha! {tour guide laughs heartily over own joke} Down here in south Georgia, the soil is rather sandy, as Calathora Farm is in the coastal regions of the south~we're a mere 1 1/2, 2 hours from the beach~Howevea', Mr. Michael has done a superlative job of adding the appropriate amounts of manure and compost to the soil, so that now it is a nice mixture~the advantage of having relatively sandy soil, is that's it's a breeze to work with, nice 'n soft, no rocks or pepples to get in your way, the way they do in England. Quite fun for the youngsters to play in, I might add. Soft as a pillow. That is, if your Mum doesn't mind the dirt, 'a course."

"OK, let's move on to the corn patch, now. Yes, this way."

"Quite a pretty sight, eh? ""Here's a nice view of the corn tassle~Oh!! Wow!! Look at that sunset, friends!!! Spectacular!!!" {Isn't God's handi work beautiful!!?} "Ah, look here close, folks~a nice plump ear 'a corn, with blackend silk, showing that it's ready 'a harvest. Um, watch the stalks, please! Don't want it to be aw' trampled up when we leave, now, do we, fellows? Please, watch your step. Aw' this meant kindly, dears~no 'arm done, really. Just don't want to lose me job, eh?"

"Now, ladies, gentlemen, ova' here! To your left you've got the beautiful purple cabbages, all in a nice row, waiting to brighten up a salad or a bowl of cole slaw. It's great steamed, too. With a pinch 'a salt, of course. And maybe a little peppa'. I've got like a spectacular sense of taste in regard to, you know, preparing veggies and all. Used to work in a high end resturant. But, OK, on with the tour."" A closer look, if you like~Each leaf is coated in a natural purple coating, that glimmers, really~but, as it comes off as soon as you touch it with your finger, it's special, untouched beauty can really only be enjoyed if you grow it youself. Quite a sight, I should say. One to be enjoyed."

"Alright, now it's over there to your sunflowers, the last specimans on our tour~yes, straight ahead~that's right." "Well, here we are at our sunflowers. The Mum of the house planted these beauties, I think up to about 7 or 8 varieties, several of which I'll be showing you today. ""If any of you young ones want to get down 'ere to get this interesting view of the sunflower stalk, just~that's right~down in the dirt with you. There. Pretty cool, isn't it?""These here to your left, are I think either 'Procut' or 'Ebony Gold', I'm not really sure. You'll have to ask the Mrs. when the tour's over. The petals from these flowers, and the next varities I'll show you, make a lovely addition to a salad, and an unusual flavor that's quite nice, really. "Now these are more to my liking. These, behind that bush. Mexican sunflower, I think they call these. they're about 2 to 3 inches across~ small, but they make a statement of uniqness. ""OK, farther down the row, you have the many petalled Orange Sun, nice and big, a little furry looking too~not many seed, 'owevea'. ""And now, we conclude our tour of the gardens with a close look at the 'Ebony Gold'~lovely, isn't it? Ladies, you can each pluck one, if you like, and Gentleman, you can each have one to grace your lapel~well, I see most of you 'ave tee shirts on~But, 'ere, take one anyway, as a little souvenier. I very much enjoyed showing you around, and hope you come back a take the tour of Calathora Gardens again when we put in another season! Please put all of your trash in the can outside the gate, stay on the path, and have a fantastic evening!!

{ The tour guide waves off his tourists, picks a sunflower, slips it in his lapel, sits down on a sturdy bench, wipes his brow and begins to read "Authentic Italian Cooking" as the sun goes down and the moon comes up.}Goodnight!

In Which we Show off Grandbabies

Hey Y'all!!
Yesterday we had all 4 babies in the same house, so pictures were the order of the day!!! Aren't they each just~Adorable!? We stuffed the chubby darlings into all sorts of uncomfortable little clothes, amid cries of pitiful protest, and had them sit still {haha} for 30 minutes while we snapped and laughed away!! So saying here are the results of a hilariously delightful half hour.

Drop us a comment and tell us which is your favorite and why! We would love all the tips we can get, as I'm sure another "torture session" for the poor dears will ensue as soon as M&K's 2'nd arrives in July...

Enjoy!
#1~Gentlemen in Black and White

#2~In Which each Ponders the Situation

#3~ The Pleasure of Roses

# 4~Gentlemen in Color

The Baby!!!!!!!

Ladies and Gentlemen, it is with great joy and ecstatic excitement that we announce the early but safe arrival of Joseph Wesley Morton Jr.!!!! Wesley, Rachel and Joseph are doing great, and are so happy to be able to be together and for Wesley and Rachel to hold their little sweetie in their arms... Mr. Joseph Wesley Morton Jr. {they're calling him Joseph}
"Hey, cuz'!! " Michael B. Morton III greets his little buddy. Joseph with his great~grandparents, Nana and Grand Daddy...
Look at that face!!! And those fingers...

With his great~Grand Daddy...

It all started Monday night...we were about to sit down to Martha's spaghetti with Granddaddy and Nana, when we got word from next door that Rachel started having contractions again~this was not a good thing, as she was on bedrest, trying to keep him in there for as long as possible. So Mother dear and Nana rushed over to her house, two doors down, to see her, coming back in a little while saying that her contractions were 4 minutes apart, but that they were giving her some prescibed things to stop the labor, as Rachel was only 35 weeks along, and everyone wanted her to hold out as long as possible... and they wanted to have a quiet home birth.....

~~~~~~~~~
I am sitting here in W&R's living room...it is dark out side, and I have just come back from our house with an armload of supplies...the lamplight is filling the room with a dim light, and the air is still and warm, almost as still as everybody in this room~there is that feeling in the air of quiet, prayerful excitement, tense musles and that unexplainable, unmistakable feeling of when a new life is being labored into the world by a loving mother, and by the prayers of a strong father.

~~~~~~

I can hear Rachel in their bedroom, and Daddy is explaining some things to Wesley ....At this point, Wesley is planning on just staying here, even though the plans were certainly not for a premature birth ..... There is some concern about the baby's lungs, at 35 weeks , so Wesley is praying for the Lord's direction ... Oh, I need to run back to the house for some things for the birth...just a minute....

~~~~~~

Running back to the house, out of breath and shaking with excitement and nervousness, and concern for our little baby...as I run down the dusty lane, I look up at the evening sky, eyes filled with stinging tears, at a blurry half moon shining down, making everything a dusky blue hue... the clear sky, with yellow stars scattered over it, each with its own place in the sky scape....I see those three stars, one right after the other, always there, always shining, never leaving its place behind the other... I think to myself, God can make his little lungs whole right now, as simply as He has kept those stars where they've been since He created them....He will help W&R in every aspect of this birth, and in all of life, when we put our trust in Him. And give us strength, or wisdom in times of uncertainty. He is always faithful...If you think of yourself, not even as a visible speck on the world, and then go up, past the clouds, stars, into the vastness and blackness of space, then look back behind you where you've flown from, back at the world, a ball of blue, held up by the mighty power of the Creator, you wonder at your own sinful vain self for not explicitly, unquestioningly and immediately trusting the One Who has the power to hold up the stars and turn the earth on its course. You are suddenly put into perspective at your own sinfull smallness, and of His loving vastness....

The earth from space, in the beam of sunlight.

~~~~~~

I am back at their house....she is about 7 cm, and is having some back labor. Nana and I just prayed together for her, and Little Man....Kressant, Mama and Dorothy are in the bed room helping her, and Daddy is giving Wesley a crashcourse on how to deliver a baby, if he still plans to stay home....I smile to myself...Daddy is so cool and calm. But of cource he always is. He is so great! Wesley is following his footsteps wonderfully. I've called the Smiths, they are on their way!!

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It is 9:30, and we are in the car, (Daddy, Mama, Martha, the little boys and I} following Wesley and Rachel to the hospital~Wesley felt the direction of the Lord to drive to the hospital so they could either stop the labor or help deliver the baby and give him any medical help he might need afterwards.....We are so proud of Wesley, hearing the Lord's direction and being wise and prudent.....Dorothy is with them, and the rest of us are scattered in a contingent of cars and other four-wheeled contraptions to get there! We're about 15 min behind them....I'm soo excited!!!!!!!!!

~~~~~~

We are running down the hall~Look!!!! There is the glass wall of the nursey!! I see a lady doing something to a little bundle that I can't quite see...Cleveland comes around the corner, with a bag of cookies, grinning about somthing..."There he is, y'all!!!" We stop in our tracks~ Yes, there he is!!! That's HIM!!! and he is screaming, Praise God!!!!!! ( Rachel had Joseph within about 20 minutes of getting to the hospital!!)

~~~~~~~~~

I rush to crane my neck to look over the trim~yes, there he is...his tiny head, with a swathing of black hair, long slender arms with perfect piano fingers, for a life filled with happy music...long legs with big, relaxed feet for his own little children to rub one day after a long days work... a perfect chiseled chin and pert nose, and fine, thick lips to smile at his Mama with, and to laugh with his Daddy...His eyes are blinking open!!!! Look, they flutter, shut, and then peep out for the first time at the world in an uncertain curiosity.... ha, hey, Little Man... welcome to the world....I praise God you're here, and that you can scream like that, and kick and open your blue eyes and see us all laughing, crying and smiling over you...you have a lot of life to live, Joseph...live it as unto The One who gave it to you....

I'm so glad you're here with us.

I love you.

Aunt Adeline

P.S. Grandmama here. :) God is so faithful. When Wesley called the OB, he was at the hospital and was so helpful and supportive. We thank The Lord for this gentleman. Our favorite pediatrician was also at the hospital - it was like God had them there, waiting for us ! The new little family came home the next morning and all is well. I was so grateful for Wesley's leadership in the situation, and while the hospital's safety net was not used to any great extent, after all, I thought Wesley made a wise and prudent decision to err on the side of carefulness with an early, and first, birth.

Congratulations Mr and Mrs. Turley!!

A few weekends ago we had the great joy of witnessing the wedding vows of Justin Turley and Melissa Keen, in Birmingham, Alabama!

What a blessing the day was~we enjoyed the wonderful hospitality of the Tim S. family that morning, Saturday night and Sunday morning~What a precious family they are!! {Oh, and thanks to Abbi S. for the beautiful picture!} We also got to renew some acquaintances, and see and visit with old friends at the beautiful reception...The ceremony was exquisite, and Mr. Keen's touching analogy of a woman's protection under her father, and now her husband, as a coat, fitted perfectly by the Tailor just for her, and how she had delighted and rejoiced in it, instead of trying to stretch it out when the world told her it was too tight. He shared how that, now, he was giving her to another man, and she would wear another coat, that was made just for her by the Tailor, as well. The analogy of the taking off of the first coat, and the putting on of another was a precious, and heart touching moment...the vows were solemn, joyful...what an amazing honor, joy and privilege to see two people vow before God and man the following...

"I, Justin David Turley, do covenant before God and man to thee, Melissa Lauren Keen, to be thy faithful and loyal husband, loving thee and giving myself for thee even as Christ loves His bride the Church and gave Himself for her.[1] I vow to nourish thee and cherish thee[2], to defend thy honor, to fight for thee and our household and protect thee[3], and to dwell with thee according to knowledge, giving honor unto thee as unto the weaker vessel, and as coheir of the grace of life.[4] I vow to thee patience and kindness, gentleness[5] and tenderness, and all my love and affection. delighting only in thee, the wife of my youth, mindful that it is thou who hast authority over my body, and not I.[6] Should the Lord so choose to bless us[7], I will be the happy father to our children, bringing them up, with thee as my helpmeet[8], in the nurture and admonition of the Lord[9]. I vow to cleanse thee with the washing of water by the Word[10], and to tenderly lead thee as thy earthly head[11]. I shall be faithfully thine whether we be abounding or abased[12], laughing or mourning, in good health or poor, and nothing but death shall part me from thee."

Bride’s Vows

"I, Melissa Lauren Keen, do covenant before God and Man, to thee, Justin David Turley, to be thy faithful and loyal wife, loving thee and serving thee as a helpmeet suitable for thee[13], for the man was not created for the woman, but the woman for the man[14]. I vow to honor and obey thee, placing myself in submission and subjection unto thee in all things, with respect and reverence, as befits the honour due thee as my earthly lord and head[15,16]. I shall be thy discreet, chaste keeper at home, obedient unto thee, that the Word of God be not blasphemed[17]. I vow to diligently, industriously, and faithfully care for the affairs of thine household so that thy heart may always safely trust in me[18]. I vow to thee patience and kindness, gentleness[19], and tenderness, and all my love and affection, delighting only in thee, my beloved husband, mindful that it is thou who hast authority over my body and not I[20]. Should the Lord so choose to bless us[21], it will be my delight to be thy fruitful vine[22], raising our children with thee, as thy helpmeet, in the nurture and admonition of the Lord[23]. I shall be faithfully thine whether we be abounding or abased,[24], laughing or mourning, in good health or in poor, and nothing but death shall part me from thee."

{[1] Ephesians 5:25[2] Ephesians 5:29[3] Nehemiah 4:14[4] I Peter 3:7[5] Galatians 5:22-23[6]I Corinthians 7:4[7] Psalm 127:3-5, Deuteronomy 28:4[8] Genesis 2:18[9] Ephesians 6:4[10] Ephesians 5:26[11] Ephesians 5:23[12] Philippians 4:12[13] Genesis 2:18, 21-24[14] I Corinthians 11:7-9[15] Ephesians 5:22-24, 33[16] I Peter 3:1-6[17] Titus 2:4,5 [18] Proverbs 31:11, 13-27[19] Galatians 5:22-23[20] I Corinthians 7:4[21] Psalm 127:3-5, Deuteronomy 28:4[22] Psalm 128:3[23] Ephesians 6:4[24] Philippians 4:12}

Wow, what a day...blessed be the name of the Lord!

Expressions....

The other day we three girls were having a ball out in the field together, and Dorothy was so kind to sit still and let me get a few shoots of her...Martha was my assistant, acting as comic relief and 'natural posing' expert 101, hence that sweet one of Dorothy's true laughing smile, and the one of her telling a joke!!! I love it!! ;) I thought she looked so [as always] cute, witty and gorgeous that I would post a few.
Enjoy!!
~Adeline

A quick note from Mom

My heart is full of thanksgiving to the Lord . I wanted to jot a quick note in between Adelines's wonderful posts......

Two weeks ago the fellowship here is South Georgia/North Florida hosted a weekend retreat from Thursday - Sunday. It was a weekend of fellowship and full hearts. The men were focusing on vision and practical aspects of that topic. Oh, to hear these men of God share their perspectives and hopes and thoughts and to see their families joyfully supporting the
unique vision of each father was an experience to hear and see. One man was reading a Scripture and he said " I am standing before you reading this , but I feel like I should be on my knees." The Lord has done a marvelous work in these families and what a privilege the Morton clan has, to be in fellowship with them.

So, I am praising God for the wonderful weekend we had here at Calathora, with a full house and RV's everywhere - we really take a deep delight in having these events here - we are so edified - and yes, tired ! - when it is all over, but we can't wait until the next time!!

Then, this weekend, we went to the wedding of Melissa Keen and Justin Turley. Now, we love weddings. The music was beautiful - harps and then this great , swelling organ - magnificent!! All was lovely and it was a delight to attend. ( We especially liked the precious flower girls, coming down the aisle, ringing small bells). We saw old friends and met some new ones. The bride was lovely and the groom's eyes were all aglow. ( The chowder at the reception was surely someone's secret recipe - worth bribing someone over!!)
( Paul, my 4 year-old, wanted to speak to the bride, so I took him up to their table during the reception and she very graciously spoke with him - and I do believe , made his day!! )

So, a wedding has filled our hearts with joy.

Then , Sunday morning, we attended church with the Tim S. family in Auburn. The sermon was refreshing for its Biblical accuracy and the gentleman who delivered it was refreshing in his humility. What a feast for the heart. What a challenging sermon - that we are not slaves to sin.

Our hearts are filled from being with the Body of Christ.

When we got home, we rested and then watched a movie together, which is a favorite Mortonclan thing to do. Not too many movies are worth watching,though, so it's a treat when it all comes together.

Time with family is dear and precious.

And then this morning, a dear friend called to check on me. What a joy and comfort to know that Michael and I have brethren to walk shoulder to shoulder with. Brethren to hold us accountable and to lift us up .

Praise the Lord!

I am encouraged. I hope you will be encouraged today. Like I tell my children some mornings when I wake them up - This is the day that the Lord has made! Let us rejoice and be glad in it!!

Our little Mama!!

See how the baby's growing!!!?? We are so excited over here! We are all eagerly looking forward to June...May God bless this little darling, and Wesley and Rachel!!

An Afternoon Out...

Today we {Mama, Katie, Dorothy, Martha and I} had the great joy of all going out to lunch and spending the afternoon together!!! What precious memories were made, and have been made, in the past, on trips like this one....God is so good to give one such a dear mother and sweet sisters to spend the days with!!First we stopped by a little nursery here in town to pick up a few flowers and herbs for D's garden before heading to lunch~we stayed there forever looking at fountians and pots, and frightening the staff by taking pictures of the strangest little things...LOL, poor folks... Using the readily available flowers as photo backdrops...Here's to Martha and geraniums!!A cunning little fountain... Mother dearest...Some lovely hanging stuff...Some more flowers...Oh. These were so precious. Tiny little pot, there. Goodness knows what you would plant in the thing, though. A pea, maybe. Yours truly...Lush perfection...The Lord's creations are such a delight to look at!! The colors, textures, shapes~wow. Each a masterwork. The mouth taping didn't work, honey. This one's still at large. What a beautiful Flower...the lady, that is... Aren't these fruit things cool? I thought so.

Fountain detail...

Marigolds, any one?

I'm so proud of Dorothy~She has this really spectacular garden growing, and works it with such diligence and skill~today she got a flat or two of delightful plants, the fruit of which we are all looking forward to in the coming months! Three cheers, dearest!!"Wow. Man. It's Dude Crush." {Little movie line~Also, notice the helpless rabbits behind their scoffing dictator}

Inside the delightful establishment, we found two entire shelves dedicated to pest control~take your pick, friend.Our loot. Looks like we've wreaked enough havoc on the place for one day. Not to mention, the next time we go there, it's probable they may have a "WARNING: NO PHOTOGRAPH SESSIONS" sign up. Just for us. Because we are special.

"Now it's off to the museum!!" Err, restaurant, actually. Little movie line there. On the way in...thanks, Katie , for taking the pic

And on the way out... {many thanks to the waitress who took this picture}

And the delights within...

This picture has a very dear meaning to me and my dear Mama and sisters~LOL, it may sound sort of silly, but used to, when we were all still at home, before anybody was blessed in marriage, on every saturday, Daddy would have all eight of his sons with him on the job, having a daddy 'spend time' and all we girls would go out for the day. We always went to the same restaurant and always ordered four teas and a sprite! :) So now it's sort of an endeared term amongst us... :)

We sat around our little table for hours, Mama speaking into our lives, mentoring us in her loving way. She told us stories, gave us instructions about things to do in the future when/if certain things happen...we talked a lot about our dear late Grandmama, remembering things, laughing a lot, and occasionally tearing up over a memory....it was one of those times when you look around and think "Wow. Thank You, Lord, for what you have given me in my family..." One of those huge moments in life that are so huge beacause they are so small, and precious. Those 'everyday' times together are and will be some of my dearest memories... Now it's to Durhams!! {a jolly old feed 'n seed store that's as quaint and down home as this town is small...love it...} D. needed a few other ditties for her garden, so off we go! Yours truly pocketing the plant stakes for artistic uses back home.... ;) No, I'm kidding~here, I am smelling lavender. Really. A classic pair we saw picking out tomatoes...We thought they looked so rustic...I'm sure they would appreciate that.

"What do you think about this?"

Martha's feet....

Finished with plants!!

Lady Cream Pea seeds inside...

"The method of determination"...Cute old scale, that.

After we left Durhams, we all went over to the cemetary where GrandMama dearest is buried.

We just stayed there a while... Talking about her, laughing over stuff...What a peace there is when you know you will spend eternity with her and the Lord in heaven, by the grace of God. It was neat, all sitting by her stone, wondering if she and the 'cloud of witnesses' could hear us laughing and talking, and if she was laughing, too...

It's amazing how short life is...To us, the day she died, it was sad, we cried, we had a funeral, tended to the details, but life still goes on ...there are many thing we have to do~but for her, she died. She finished up, closed her book. She will never be on this earth again, will never be able to live here, speak to people, walk around, be with her children when they are still alive, or tell others about the Lord. Whatever you want to do, you'd better have done it already, because, when you die, you die. If eternity is a thousand miles, you have 1/4 inch to determine how the other thousand miles will be.
We all need to number our days, and turn our hearts toward wisdom, because all you've got is a little '--' between two dates.

And I'm so grateful I got to spend this day with my mama and the girls, and for days in the past that we've spent with Grandmama, too...I am so grateful for the life and legacy that she left us to carry on, by the grace of God!