we must strive against the temptations of Satan

It is 12:55 PM Monday afternoon. It is 79 degrees and mostly sunny. Carol and Cora Leigh left to go pick up Emily and Josie to go pick blueberries.

I am tired as usual. I live each day on a very low energy level. In the afternoon hours I usually doze. I got up this morning around 7:30 AM. When I came upstairs Carol had left to go grocery shopping.

I spent the morning writing in my paper diary and reading from a book titled, ‘Theoretical-Practical Theology-Redemption in Christ’ Volume 4 by Petrus Van Mastricht. Carol got home around 9:15 AM from her grocery shopping.

I left this morning to fill my car with gas and returned a package to Amazon from our local UPS Store. While out running around town I stopped at Staples Office Supply Store and got me a 2024 calendar and folders. I also visited while out a Goodwill thrift store and a Salvation Army thrift store so as to look at their used books. I found three used books this morning at these thrift stores-

‘The First Casualty From the Crimea to Vietnam: The War Correspondent as Hero, Propagandist, and Myth Maker’ by Philip Knightley

‘My First 79 Years’ Memoir Isaac Stern written with Chaim Potok

‘Bolshoi Confidential: Secrets Of The Russian Ballet From The Rule Of The Tsars To Today’ by Simon Morrison

When I got home Carol was reading to Cora Leigh. I ate lunch and wrote in my paper diary. So has gone by the day. Yesterday I finished reading a novel by Philip Roth titled, ‘The Ghost Writer’. Today I reading another novel by Roth titled, Zuckerman Bound’.

I will close since I am falling asleep as I type.

rest not in general faith

It is 1:54 PM Sunday afternoon here in Western Michigan. I suppose someday I will die in Western Michigan. I can’t see Carol and I moving to another place in the world. Outside this afternoon it is 79 degrees and sunny. It is nice quiet afternoon on our block. Now I have to acknowledge the street in front of our home is always busy. We see cars and trucks driving up and down our street all day. I do not why our street is so busy. Odd to see the constant traffic on our street. Where are all these people going?

I got up this morning around 7:15 AM. When I came upstairs I found Carol gone for her morning walk. When she got home she wanted me to cook her an egg for breakfast. So we had breakfast and then we had devotions. Carol left for church around 8:30 AM. I spent the morning writing in my paper diary and reading from a book titled, ‘The Wells Of Salvation Opened’ by William Spurstowe. I also filmed a video this morning for my Youtube channel/preparing my August 2023 Paper Diary and what I have been reading in the mornings.

Last night we went down the street to have dinner with our oldest son and his family. We were home around 6:30 PM. I read till I went to bed, ‘Zuckerman Bound A Trilogy And Epilogue’ four complete novels in one volume by Philip Roth.

I do not know what I will read this afternoon. I will close to drift. Carol is taking a nap.

Tomorrow will be the last day of July 2023. We will be in the month of August 2023 this week.

baptism is the ordinary sacrament of introduction into the covenant of grace

It is 1:33 PM Saturday afternoon HERE. It is another hot humid day. I got UP this morning around 6:15 AM. I got up because I was tired of dreaming. In this dream I did not know what to do. I was suppose to be working, but I did not know what to do so as to look Like I was working. I tried to look like I was working, but I did not know what my job was in this factory full of broken machines/oil pools/men all around me. It was all too stressful so I got up to face another DAY. I know when I wake up that the day before me was created by God. So if this DAY is a creation of God it must be important. There must be something the Lord wants me to do today since He gave me this day to LIVE. So I got up came upstairs to find Carol getting up also/coffee was not made so I warmed up coffee made yesterday/Carol made a fresh pot of coffee.

I drank my day old coffee, wrote in my paper diary and ate a bowl of cereal for breakfast. Carol left this morning to have breakfast with a friend.

I read this morning from a BOOK titled, ‘Theoretical-Practical Theology-Redemption In Christ’ Volume FOUR by Petrus Van Mastricht.

Carol got HOME around 10 o’clock AM. When she got home I was reading Van Mastricht and writing in my paper diary.

This afternoon I have been drifting and reading, ‘Anywhere But Here’ A Novel by Mona Simpson. Carol is about to LEAVE to do some errands.

Last night I read and went to bed around 11 o’clock PM. The days and nights come and go quickly. I will close to feel like I have an upset stomach. I am always waiting to experience the signs of my approaching DEATH. All our days are numbered.

flying around the sun at remarkable speed

It is 1:44 PM Friday afternoon HERE. It is 84 degrees and humid. It rained during the night here. We need the rain in these days of world-wide drought.

I got up this morning around 7 o’clock AM. When I got up Carol was getting ready to face another day. It was too humid for Carol to go for a walk this morning. I made a pot of oatmeal for breakfast this morning. After breakfast Carol and I had devotions.

Carol left this morning around 8:55 AM to help fold church bulletins/Josie went with her. While Carol was gone I wrote in my paper diary, read from a book titled, ‘The Wells Of Salvation Opened’ by William Spurstowe. I also this morning filmed a video for my Youtube channel.

Carol and Josie got home around 12:30 PM this afternoon. I have done nothing this afternoon. Carol will soon leave to attend a funeral. I am tired so I might just sit this afternoon. I am not sure what I will read this afternoon. I should read some of this book this afternoon, ‘The Reformation As Renewal: Retrieving The One, Holy, Catholic And Apostolic Church: An Intellectual and Theological History’ by Matthew Barrett.

Last night I read lastly from a novel titled, ‘Anywhere But Here’ by Mona Simpson. I also read last night, ‘Zuckerman Bound: A Trilogy And Epilogue’ four complete works in one volume by Philip Roth.

I suppose I will close to wait it out. Today is the last Friday of July 2023. Next Friday we will be in the month of August 2023.

anywhere but here

It is 1:55 PM Thursday afternoon HERE and not there. It is 86 degrees and sunny/humid. Yesterday I saw a kid running down our street dressed in sweats and a hoodie over his head. It looked to me he was seeking to build up a sweat. I see people all over place running. Where are they running to? No one can escape the Second Coming of Christ Jesus.

I can’t recall exactly what TIME I got up this morning. I think it was around 6:15 AM, but not absolutely sure. When I came upstairs I think Carol was getting ready to go for a morning walk, but I am not sure. My memory is poor these days.

I do remember us reading a Psalm from the Old Testament, also reading ‘The Valley of Vision’ and then we prayed. I wrote in my paper diary and read this morning, ‘The Wells Of Salvation Opened’ by William Spurstowe.

This morning I did leave around 11 o’clock AM to pick-up a prescription and to visit nearby thrift stores to look at their used books. I found these used books today at Goodwill thrift store-

‘Zuckerman Bound: A Trilogy And Epilogue’ a novel by Philip Roth

‘Angels at the Ritz’ Short Stories by William Trevor

‘Memento Mori’ a novel by Muriel Spark

‘Grant Moves South 1861-1863′ Part One Of The Classic Civil War Study Of General Ulysses S. Grant’ biography by Brice Catton

‘Grant Takes Command 1863-1865′ Part Two Of The Classic Civil War Study Of General Ulysses S. Grant’ biography by Brice Catton

This afternoon I have been writing in my paper diary and reading from a used novel I bought yesterday at Bluestocking titled, ‘Anywhere But Here’ a novel by Mona Simpson.

In the mail this afternoon I received a used book I had ordered titled, ‘Prejudices: First, Second, and Third Series’ by H. L. Mencken [Library of America].

Since I am falling asleep I will close to drift.

emulators of the Collyridians

It is 3:26 PM Wednesday afternoon HERE. It is 82 degrees and it has been raining heavily this afternoon. We NEED the rain, so let it pour!

I got up this morning around 6:15 AM. I woke up because I was having a dream wherein I was very upset at what a lousy job a dentist did on my TEETH. The dentist only spent five minutes cleaning my teeth and not thirty minutes! So I woke myself up and came upstairs to find my wife dozing in her living room chair/morning darkness.

Carol left around 7 o’clock AM to meet a friend for breakfast. While she was gone I wrote in my paper diary and READ from a book titled, ‘Theoretical-Practical Theology-Redemption in Christ’ Volume 4 by Petrus Van Mastricht. “he was not in Adam at least not federally, when God contracted the covenant of works with him” pg. 319

Carol got home around 9:32 AM and soon left for a Woman’s Bible Study at her church. I spent the morning writing in my paper diary and reading Dutch Puritan Reformed Theology. I also messed with my CD Collection, searching for all my Wolf Eye CD’s.

This afternoon around 1:45 PM Carol and I drove over to Bluestocking Book Shopppe to unload several boxes of used books. While at Bluestocking I looked around and bought TWO used books for two dollars and fifty cents-

‘Anywhere But Here’ A Novel by Mona Simpson [Vintage Contemporaries]

‘Conversations with Saul Bellow’ Edited by Gloria L. Cronin & Ben Siegel

So TIME goes by. Last night I read till I went to bed, ‘Midnight In The Century’ by Victor Serge.

I will close to feel wasted.

Time Line

0 1952 born August 14 Oakland Calif.
1 year old 1953
2 1954
3 1955
4 1956
5 1957
6 1958
7 1959
8 1960
9 1961
10 1962
11 1963
12 1964
13 1965
14 1966
15 1967
16 1968 December 21 mother killed in a car wreck
17 1969 lived in Richmond California from 1968 till 1978
18 1970 Graduated from High School/the Lord Jesus saved me/beginning of my Christian discipleship
19 1971 attended Contra Costa Jr. College San Pablo Calif.
20 1972 attended Mackinac Island Liberal Arts College Mackinac Island Michigan
21 years old 1973 living in different Christian communes Northern California. and joined the Staff of the Richmond Rescue Mission Richmond CA
22 1974
23 1975
24 1976 left the Richmond Rescue Mission
25 1977
26 1978 left Richmond California to finish college in Grand Rapids Mich. at Reformed Bible College
27 1979 Carol and I got married May 19 27 years old
28 1980
29 1981 Graduated from Reformed Bible College
30 1982
31 1983 we moved to Jackson Miss. to attend Reformed Theological Seminary
32 1984
33 1985
34 1986 Graduated from Reformed Theological Seminary and we moved to Houston Texas
35 1987
36 1988
37 1989
38 1990
39 1991 left Houston TX and moved to Holland Michigan
40 years old 1992
41 1993 got a job unloading egg trucks
42 1994
43 1995
44 1996
45 1997
46 1998
47 1999
48 2000
49 2001 starting writing in LiveJournal March
50 2002
51 2003
52 2004
53 2005
54 2006 stopped going to a visible church
55 years old 2007 stopped working as a farm laborer June 21
56 2008
57 2009
58 2010
59 2011
60 years old 2012
61 2013
62 2014
63 2015
64 2016
65 2017
66 2018
67 2019
68 2020
69 2021
70 2022
71 2023 Today is July 26, 2023
72 2024
73 2025
74 2026
75 2027
I am a nonconformist
I need to be in order the Time Line I pasted into my journal last night. I have a couple new readers and wanted them to know more about me so I dug up this entry of February 14, 2008 for them to read. But since I find myself always looking over my Past hoping to find the place in time it all went wrong. So here it goes (the time is 9:01 AM Tuesday morning)—
I was born in Oakland, Calif. August 14, 1952 never knew my father my mother was either 17 years old or 18 years old when I came screaming into the world
1953
1954
1955
1956
1957
1958
1959
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968 my mother killed in a car wreck
When I lived in California I would rather buy a book than buy food. I have never been into food. (Dec. 1968 till 1978 lived in Richmond, Calif. for 10 years before moving to Grand Rapids, Mich. to attend Reformed Bible College)
1969
1970 graduated from John F. Kennedy High Richmond Calif. (the Lord saved me or began the process of saving me the Summer of 1970)
1971 attended Contra Costa Jr. College San Pablo Calif.
1972 attended Mackinac Island Liberal Arts College Mackinac Island Mich.
1973 I think around this Time I was living in different Christian communes in Northern Calif. Around this Time I met Tykie and fell in love for the first time. I think it was towards the end of 1973 I joined the staff of the Richmond Rescue Mission and became a Calvinist (?)
1974
1975
1976 I think it was around this Time I left the Richmond Rescue Mission and was having a love affair with Sandy
1977
1978 I left Richmond Calif. to attend college [have diaries from 1978 till October 15, 2010 in my cell]
I think I left Richmond Calif. to attend Reformed Bible College in the summer of 1978? I believe Carol and I got married the Spring of 1979. I wish I could remember Time.
Earlier I was mentioning books that have had impact on me over the years. I mentioned the writings of the american spiritual master Jonathan Edwards. I remember many years ago being homeless and getting a job caring for a retired fellow who had lost his wife and decided to drink himself to death. My job was to move in with this drunk and clean his house and cook his meals. What happened was that the fellow would get drunk and talk to me all the time. The fellow did not want me to clean or cook just listen to him talk. But the fellow did not want me to talk back to him meaning disagree with him. I was a young Christian and felt it was my responsibility to tell him that it was sinful for him to live a life of a drunk. I told the fellow he needed to repent of sins and give his life to the Lord. Well the old drunk got tired of me telling him what the Bible said so one day he threw me out. But before he threw me out he gave me money for my services-I used that money to buy a two volume set of “The Works of Jonathan Edwards” which I had till I sold them to a student at Reformed Bible College and bought myself a new two volume set that was not dirty or had old drippings of candle wax on the covers-that was back in the 1980’s when I was newly married to Carol. (Reformed Bible College from Dec. 1978 till May 1981 graduated and Reformed Theological Seminary Jan. 1983 and graduated in May of 1986. We were in Houston Texas from Nov. 1986 to July 1991-so we have lived Here from July 1991 till February 2008 Now Now is October 5, 2022.)
Also in my last entry I mentioned a book by the old Puritan divine William Bates. Years ago when I lived in California and worked at Richmond Rescue Mission on my days off I would take a bus to Berkeley and visited seminary libraries. In these seminaries I found the writings of the old 17th cent. English Puritans like John Flavel, Richard Baxter, Thomas Goodwin and William Bates. One of these seminaries let me loan out the books and I would carry with me back to the Rescue Mission arm loads of old 17th cent. Puritan works. One such book was William Bates treatise “The Harmony Of The Divine Attributes”-many years ago someone published that treatise by William Bates in a book which I have always treasured. And then back in 1990 the same published called Sprinkle Publications published “The Whole Works Of The Rev. W. Bates, D. D. ” four volumes-in the first volume of this set is the treatise “The Harmony Of The Divine Attributes In The Contrivance And Accomplishment Of Man’s Redemption By The Lord Jesus Christ.” I have read these four volumes in the past and recommend them for all serious lovers of God. (I think I was living and working at the Richmond Rescue Mission in Richmond Calif. back in the early 70’s maybe 1973 till 1976?)
1979 Carol and I got married Spring of 1979 we met at Reformed Bible College-before we got married I was on staff at the Mel Trotter Mission Grand Rapids Mich.
1980
1981 graduated from Reformed Bible College in May 1981
(Caleb Jon born January 1981 in Grand Rapids Mich. Graduated from Holland High 1999 and is now working on his Ph. D. at Boston College. Before going to Boston College for five years Caleb attended Michigan State in East Lansing, Mich.)
1982
(Josiah Benjamin born August 3, 1982 in Grand Rapids Mich. Graduated from Holland High 2001. After graduating from High School he attended Calvin College in Grand Rapids and graduated in 2005. )
1983 in Jan. 1983 we moved to Jackson Miss. to attend Reformed Theological Seminary located in Jackson Miss.
1984 [in 1984 I started a separate note book titled “The Memoir of A Puritan Bum” where I wrote down all my memories up to the birth of our first child Caleb Jon. The last page of this notebook memoir is dated 8/31/87. I urge everyone to write down all their memories before they forget who they are and where they came from.]
(Bethany Taylor born June 27, 1984 in Jackson Miss. Graduated from Holland High School 2003 and attended Calvin College in Grand Rapids and graduated in 2007.)
1985 [during the year I started writing a novel titled “Gradual Awakening” which I finished writing in rough draft 1/24/91]
1986 graduated from Reformed Theological Seminary Jackson Miss.-we moved to Houston Texas Fall of 1986
(My minister internship at Covenant PCA Houston, Texas with Dr. Joey Pipa Jr. 1986-1988. Joey left for Calif. and I looked for a call and never received one. I remembered the Lord using these two books to keep me from cracking up. The books were these two “Waking From The American Dream: Growing Through Your Disappointments” by Donald W. McCullough and “God’s Waiting Room: Hope In The Midst Of Uncertainty” by Rick Yohn. )
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991 we left Texas and moved here to Holland July 1991-we have lived in this house from July 1991 till June 29, 2012 Now it is October 5, 2022
1992
(I attended over the last 38 years of being a professing Christians several churches. The last church I was a member of was Messiah Independent Reformed Church from Sept. 1992 when we left early 2003 (Carol joined Covenant PCA in 2004). I taught Adult Sunday School at Messiah from 1992 to I think 2002 (?).)
1993
(I worked at the egg pit from 1993 to June 21, 2007)
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001 [starting writing in LiveJournal 2001-03-10 17:16:41]
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
It is now 9:34 AM Tuesday morning in the flow of my life. Carol has gone to bed for the day. I am not sure what I will do today to make it all worth while? It is all a mystery to me our life?
Yesterday morning when Carol came back to bed she talked about the empty nest syndrome. Our kids are gone and we have an empty nest (but I wonder if our kids will not come back to the nest when our economy crashes?). Carol mentioned me being out of work going on 10 months. She wanted to know if I like doing nothing? I told her I really enjoy doing nothing. All I ever wanted to Be was a gospel minister. When I was in High School up to the Time the Lord started saving me I lived for nothing but the moment. I never wanted to be anything when I was in High School. I had my young man dreams for sure but nothing solid. I was a dreamer when I was a young man. When the Lord saved me I finally knew what I wanted to do, which is tell people about the Lord Jesus. I wanted to be a Soul Winner.
When all those dreams of serving the Bride of Christ came to end 1988 there was nothing but seeking to pick of the pieces of my american nightmare. I always thought I could support Carol and the kids being a soul doctor. Now there I was at 40 years old with no idea what to do the rest of my earthly existence?
We moved to Holland to settle down and raise our kids. For two years I stayed home, but finally I was pressured to get a job. I got a part-time job at the Hamilton Farm Bureau-Egg Division. I worked part-time for two years and then worked full time for 13 years. Our kids grew up and became wonderful adults. Our kids went to college (our oldest is working on his Ph. D. at Boston College). Life went by quickly. The only reason I never got fired at the egg pit is because my boss was a fine Christian man. When my boss was fired due to a radical changes at the egg pit I knew my days were numbered. Finally the beast fired me June 21, 2007. I never was happy working for the Beast, but the Lord gave me grace to keep going in spite of being constantly depressed and dead exhausted-it was constant battle working at the bottom of the egg pit. I lived to make money to buy stuff and help with household expensives.
With the new management at the egg pit demanding we work 50 to 60 hours a week I kept complaining telling them my life was more than work. I had my life of the mind and working such long hours etc was soul destroying. Finally the Beast got sick of me demanding time for a spiritual life threw me out of the egg pit.
So now these days I wait. I rather be here in the hermit hut then out there in the dead American world serving the Beast with my blood and sweat. I never wanted to be anything but be a Teaching Elder. Now I am 55 years old and I am tired and no longer have the hopes of a young Soul Winner. I have been around the block too many times.
Well, that is a summary of Time for now. I need to rest my mind.

the alienation of the artist

It is 2:05 PM Monday afternoon HERE where flocks of crows gather for a time of cawing. It is 86 degrees today and it predicted to get hotter as we drift towards the end.

I got up this morning around 6:15 AM. I was up early because I was having a head pounding DREAM where I could not get to where I wanted to go. I have these intense dreams where I know where I want to go but can’t find a way to get there. In these dreams I wind-up going in circles and never getting to where I want to go. There is something always preventing me from arriving at the place I want to be. So I got up and found Carol up and getting ready to go for a walk before it got hot.

When I get up in the morning it takes me awhile to wake-up. I like to wake-up slowly, no noise, no rushing to arrive at the next road block. When Carol got back from her walk we had devotions. After devotions I wrote in my paper diary and then read till Noontime from a book titled, ‘The Wells of Salvation’ by William Spurstowe.

Carol was gone this morning doing errands. She is now waiting to go pick up Josie from basketball game. I have been reading/getting back into reading a book I was reading awhile back titled, ‘Danube’ travel writing by Claudio Magris Translated from the Italian by Patrick Creagh. Last night I read from a used book I got in the mail YESTERDAY titled, ‘Serpent In Eden: H. L. Mencken and the South’ a literary study/biography by Fred Hobson. I recently found used at a local Goodwill Thrift Store Fred Hobson’s biography on Mencken titled, ‘Mencken: A Life’.

Yesterday afternoon a friend of mine stopped by for a short visit. It was nice to see my friend Tim.

I suppose I will close to drift.

the promises of the Gospel

It is 2:08 PM Monday afternoon HERE in Western Michigan. It has been a normal day in this fallen world. I got up this morning around 8 o’clock AM. When I got up Carol was eating eggs and getting ready to do errands. Before she left we read the Bible, ‘The Valley of Vision’ and then closed in a season of prayer. It is sad to KNOW people all around me I have no hunger for God. They know nothing of the sweetness of drawing nigh unto the Lord Jesus in prayer.

While Carol was gone I wrote in my paper diary and read till 1 o’clock from a book titled, ‘The Wells of Salvation Opened: A Treatise Discovering the Nature, Preciousness, Usefulness of Gospel Promises, and Rules for the Right Application of Them’ by William Spurstowe.

Carol came home and she plans to leave in a few minutes to visit a cousin on her mother’s side. I plan to read and write. Last night I mainly read ‘The Wells of Salvation’ and watched Youtube videos of old Tony Bennett concerts.

In the mail this afternoon I received an old used paperback I ordered titled, ‘Serpent In Eden: H. L. Mencken and the South’ literary study/biography by Fred Hobson.

I will close to wait on the Lord Jesus.

1112 L.M. Isaac Watts
Blessed are the poor in spirit. Matt. 5. 3-6

1 Blest are the humble souls that see
Their emptiness and poverty;
Treasures of grace to them are given,
And crowns of joy laid up in heaven.

2 Blest are the men of broken heart,
Who mourn for sin with inward smart;
The blood of Christ divinely flows,
A healing balm for all their woes.

3 Blest are the souls that thirst for grace,
Hunger and long for righteousness;
They shall be well supplied, and fed
With living streams and living bread.

“[46] And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
[47] Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:
[48] He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.
[49] But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.” Luke 6:46-49

take heed of resting in general faith of assent

It is 3:29 PM Sunday afternoon on a cloudy HOT day. We are suppose to be in the 90’s this week. I am hopefully Lake Michigan won’t day up. It is amazing to realize Lake Michigan is one of the largest fresh water lakes in the world. I purposely would not swim, drink, or fish in Lake Michigan. All the chemical run off from Michigan farms goes into Lake Michigan.

I got up this morning around 6:15 AM. I came upstairs to find my wife reading the Bible. I wrote in my paper diary and read, ‘Wells of Salvation Opened: A Treatise Discovering the Nature, Preciousness, Usefulness of Gospel Promises, and Rules for the Right Application of Them’ by William Spurstowe.

Carol and I read this morning, ‘The Valley of Vison’ and prayed before she left for church around 8:55 AM. While Carol was gone I once again messed with my CD’s Music Collection-separating CD’s to keep out in the opened to listen to and what to store down in our storage room. I am slowly coming to the END of what to keep, what to listen to, and what to give to the Poor.

Carol got home from church around 12:30 PM. Carol ate lunch and now she is soaking her feet. I am writing in my online diaries and feeling wasted. Last night I mainly read late into the night, ‘Midnight In The Century’ a novel by Victor Serge.

There is not much else to REPORT this afternoon. I am still seeking to read, ‘Wells of Salvation Opened’ by William Spurstowe this evening. Soon Carol will go back to church, she helps greet people as they enter the house of God for evening worship. Carol told me her church can’t get anyone to greet people at the church door, so she volunteered. I am surprised that none of the Ruling Elders or Deacons greet people coming into the church. It seems there are only a handful of people at Carol’s church that want to serve their brethren or express Christian love. We are in the Last Days and the visible church is dead for the most part.

I will close to drift. I need to go in our backyard and water our Plant Kingdom.