Dear Vigilant Watchman: ...I write the html code myself...and I am so glad that that is the way that I learned to do it! It gives me freedom, quickness, and flexibility in a variety of situations. The code is simple, but our message is text based, no fanfare is necessary. The power is in the message. I was around when personal computers first came out and DOS was the only way to work them. I remember when the GUI's came out like mac which I never cared for, maybe because it was foreign to me. It was the same thing with MS Word. I remember dbase III and I remember my mother doing keypunch cards at work which predated my computer experience. I showed my daughter how DOS runs behind MS Word and she enjoyed putting in various commands that I remembered. It is so important to remember what was and what things are based on. As things get cut up more and more, there is a divorcing from basic things so people cannot know foundations. Our map and atlas work comes to mind. Should God give you children, don't give them mapquest or gps, give them a map. Going on a long trip? Let them plan the route. Stay old, drag your feet on the new. Walk to the store consume those calories that are eaten build up bone density. Take in fresh air. Learn to be silent. Lamentations 3:26 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD. Lamentations 3:27 It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth. Lamentations 3:28 He sitteth alone and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it upon him. Lamentations 3:29 He putteth his mouth in the dust; if so be there may be hope. It is time to be quiet and learn. Death comes soon the Bible teaches. It seems like it is taking a long time to me. When I was 30 I felt I had lived a long time but yet in looking at the ages and eternity, 70 years is less than a drop in the bucket. We don't have too much time down here. We need to study and do our business and be ready for that day of summons when we will stand before God almighty himself. That's a frightful thing, saved or not saved. It will be a day when every idle word will be accounted for. A day when our wood, hay, and stubble will be burned up. We will be saved, but so as by fire. God, Jesus, and the angels will be there. All will not be smiles. Now is the time to be calm in our spirit and carefully live out each day. At this season, we have space and open doors. The Bible tells us what to do. 1 Thessalonians 4:11 And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; It says not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some is but to exhort one another daily while it is called today. We are to provoke one another to love and good works. Yesterday I came across the third book of Basilikon Doron, "Of a Kings Behaviour in Indifferent Things," and I thought about you. In this book, King James is giving advice to his son, prince Henry. This is a father to his son book. A king to a prince book. As I understand it, Prince Henry was four years old when this book was written to him. King James VI took the time to go through the annals of his mind and experience in order to write this book to his son that would one day be king of Scotland. King James came from a line of kings and unlike many of them, he left no bastard children behind and warned his son against polluting his body. He told his son how to lead about a wife--lovingly but not allowing her to rule him. King James was jealous for the gospel of Jesus Christ and his advices are given in light of all this experience. You are a prince I decided as I walked across the lawn yesterday. In light of what you now know might there be any advices for you in that book? Maybe you have no mind to read it now, but perhaps one day you will. The Bible teaches that our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ has made us kings and priests unto God. Might the words of a saved king have some practical advices for us, even me, a maidchildl? Revelation 1:6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. Revelation 5:10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. M *** Dear Vigilant Watchman: >> I want to focus on farming weeds and collecting them regularly >> for processing and storage for the winter, gallons of green flour and >> maybe even acorn flour. > > How do you make your green flour? I just throughly dry the leaves (I place them in sun--stainless steel bowl on a towel, a tub so they won't blow away, etc. or on a rack. Linda Runyon says a car window works best) and when I am ready to make the flour I crush up the leaves and run them through a hand crank mill that I have. I also have a hand crank mill for corn and beans that cracks them up. Once they are cracked up I can run them through the flour mill to make meal. These are not electric. They say green flour doesn't last that long so I try to make it fresh though I just recently used up the last of last year's green flour and it was fine (I had transferred to the refrigerator after learning it spoils faster than if you left the leaves uncrushed). In my green flour was comfrey, plantain, and I don't know what else. Whatever green things I had. It makes a delightful pancake, not as in syrup, as in some water to make a batter and pour it in a greased pan. Thin and light, but tasty. >> I've found that anerobic composting works so much faster and easier for >> me. > > Is it faster because you do not have to tend to it? To me, it just breaks down slimy fast with no tending. I didn't put in any dry carbon stuff either which is probably why it broke down so fast. With regular composting, it has to sit there for some time to break down. I do not do all the turning they say is required to get fast compost so mine takes a while. >> maggots in it. It turns out they are the maggot of a beneficial fly >> that >> like to swim in that kind of medium... > > Did you still use it, bugs included? I guess so but I don't know how long they lasted because they have to swim in that water which was gone once I poured it out on the ground. I try not to indiscriminately kill bugs lest they be useful. > I actually am beginning to appreciate > that smell. That is how I feel about farm dung. I see how people just pick it up with bare hands and use it. M *** Dear Vigilant Watchman >> Are you well? > > > The Lord has been merciful to stir up my Spirit and meet with me. Yes, I > am doing well (or exceedingly better than I have been if I am not well > yet) by the Word. Your message the other day about being silent was a > wonderful rebuke to me. Is there a special reason you ask? I knew from one of your previous emails that you had some things on your mind and then when you called, you had a direct question and that was it. That is good and that was fine, I needed my space too, but I just wanted to see how you were doing today. Have you ever had somebody drop you off somewhere and when your business was done you were ready for them to come get you ASAP? That's how I felt today. I asked the Lord to come get me. I've been away for too long. "Come get me, Jesus" is what I said. I want to be picked up and I don't want to jump out of the car again. As I mentioned before, dealing with your edits and suggestions has infused new life and zeal into me to tighten up the Overview Page. God will bless you for your work. > How are you and your precious daughter? We are doing well, thank you for asking. The more I get tightened up and in order, the better we both will be. We are like two halves, I sometimes say. Then when we accomplish something I'll say "Two halves make a whole," and we'll chuckle because it is true. We are each half, but together we make a whole. I'd like us both to be whole. God would have it that way. We are out back about to plant some shallots. I've gotten online to see what they like in terms of sun. > Psalm 33:18: Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon > them that hope in his mercy; Amen. Let him watch over us. We have no other hope but in his mercy and clemency. Let us wait on him and see what he does, praise him. He knows how to deal a blow and he can use us. Let's see what he does. Mephibosheth