A flourishing, fulfilling life is possible—no perfection required! Too many of us think we have to have it all together in order to live a meaningful life. Instead of feeling put together, we end up feeling inadequate, overwhelmed, and exhausted as we try to figure out how to do it all. Author, business owner, and mom to three Lara Casey has been there, too. In Cultivate, she offers this grace-filled advice: we can't do it all and do it well, but we can choose to cultivate what matters Written as part encouragement anthem and part practical guide, Cultivate offers wisdom from God's Word alongside lessons Lara has learned in her own life--and in her garden--giving you the tools you need to: Discern what matters most to you Embrace the season of life that you're in Find the joy and freedom that comes with cultivating what matters Let Lara be your guide as you learn to cultivate what matters, little by little, with the help of God's transforming grace. Praise for Cultivate: "Cultivate is rich soil for the soul! Whether you are a new sprout, just beginning to brave life in the light; a tender shoot fighting for space among rocks and weeds; or a mature plant in need of nurture and pruning, this book will help you thrive. With her characteristic honesty, humility, and patience, Lara Casey uses her spiritual 'green thumb' to gently nudge us toward an intentional life of godliness and growth. If you are ready for a new season of spiritual growth, dig into Cultivate and get ready to bloom!" --Elizabeth Laing Thompson, author of When God Says "Wait"

"Gardening is the most basic of languages, the labor from which we're all born and nourished. . . ." In these pages, we travel the country with Debra Landwehr Engle as she visits 20 gardens and gardeners from California to Maine and Minnesota to Arkansas, showing us that grassroots campaigns actually can and do involve roots--and seeds and garden trowels. That any person with a steadfast resolve and an open patch of dirt can help bridge the gap between multinational refugees. That lush vegetation and running water and cool stones can help spark the fading memories of our elderly. And that our children can learn about where food comes from, labyrinths, wetlands systems, and healing from grief and loss just by digging in the earth with a caring adult hand to guide them. As the stories in this remarkable collection demonstrate, the simplest act of gardening can produce significant changes in the lives of people we might never even meet. Consider the man who sends seedlings and greenhouses halfway around the world to feed hospital patients, or the immigrant woman who began selling her own flowers as a way to raise money for overseas charities, or the couple who offers their land as a midday retreat for the residents of nearby nursing homes. These acts and others are not heroic--or even unusual--as Ms. Engle tells us. We see ourselves in these uplifting tales from the garden, as they inspire us to transform our own little parts of the world into places of greater peace, repose, play, and healing. For gardeners, community activists, and those who understand the spiritual value of putting a spade in the soil, these stories capture the promise renewed each time we plant a seed and give us fresh ideas for changing the world, one garden at a time.

From the interactive clockwork world of geology, tides, Northwest weather, and snow, to the hidden roles of dirt, stream life, and mosses and lichens, Pulitzer Prize winning writer William Dietrich explores the natural splendors of the Pacific Northwest. His topics include alder and cedar; jellyfish, geoducks, crabs, and killer whales; mosquitoes and spiders; gulls, crows, and bald eagles; and sea otters, coyotes, raccoons, possums, deer, and cougars. This informative and engaging selection of natural history essays is adapted from articles published in the Seattle Times magazine, Pacific Northwest. A native Washingtonian, Dietrich has watched the Northwest double in population during his lifetime. Our rapidly changing view of nature is an underlying theme throughout his wide-ranging essays, as is the timely and essential question of how best to share and conserve the natural world that drew us to the region in the first place. Not a field guide nor an environmental policy book, Natural Grace is intended as a primer for people who are curious about the environment they live in and the pressures upon it. "We only care about what we know," says the author. "I’ve concluded that enthusiasm and commitment begin from learning just how marvelous this region is: Passion has to precede purpose." And there is much to marvel over. Dietrich has unearthed fascinating and unexpected facts about his subjects, and he has a gift for expressing complex information in clear and vivid language. He asks intriguing questions and makes good use of interviews with Northwest scientists and experts to convey current and historic attitudes and economic realities, and to consider where we go from here. For more information about the author go to: http://www.williamdietrich.com/

The second in the classic trilogy about the Eliots of Damerosehay. War has left David Eliot a changed man. Returning to the family home, he slowly begins to put the pieces of his life together. Tormented by the failure of her love affair with David five years earlier, Nadine has misgivings about bringing her family to live in the enchanting old inn close to the Damerosehay estate. But as the tranquil Hampshire countryside casts its spell, both families come to discover a measure of peace and contentment.

You don't need a flower field in the countryside to grow cut flowers, arrange beautiful floral displays or connect with nature. A simple patch of earth is plenty. In Grow and Gather, you'll follow the annual cycle of growing cut flowers, from sowing in spring to seed-collecting in autumn. Simple projects show you how to plant and nurture various flowers, as well as demonstrating the importance of texture, colour and shape when arranging them. Together with these practical projects, tips and hints, flower field gardener and clinical psychologist Grace Alexander guides you in the art of meaningful, engaged and intentional gardening - through mindful growing, you can transform your wellbeing and find a greater connection to your garden and yourself.

A complicated topic is made easier with this title introducing roots and explaining their anatomy and how they help plants and soil. Labeled diagrams and photographs and a glossary will make learning about roots even simpler!

A beautifully illustrated and researched exploration of herbs and spices: their history, cultivation and uses, both familiar and forgotten. The comprehensive modern herbal lists nearly 300 plants and is complemented by delicate botanical watercolours. Instructions on growing and harvesting herbs, whether in a garden or a window box, are supplemented with practical applications: herbs in cooking, natural cosmetics, herbal remedies and other household uses - dyes, soaps, potpourris and pomanders. The book is illustrated throughout with more than 300 specially commissioned color photographs and step-by-step diagrams. Sarah Garland's original approach and familiarity with the plants she describes make this a book to be used, enjoyed and treasured.

Young readers will be amazed to learn about soil and why it is so important for life on Earth. This title is informative yet simple. Big text and simple sentences combined with vibrant photographs will entertain readers and strengthen their reading skills. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Abdo Kids is a division of ABDO.

The garden provides the perfect image for the work of grace in our lives. In fact, Scripture often uses plant-based metaphors to describe the life of the believer. From the planting of the gospel seed to growing into oaks of righteousness, Kenneth Wingate explores these different aspects to show how we can flourish in Christ and bear fruit for him Contents: Author's Preface Chapter 1: The Vineyard Chapter 2: The Soil Chapter 3: The Seed Chapter 4: The Growth Chapter 5: The Weeds Chapter 6: The Pruning Chapter 7: The Fruit Chapter 8: The Harvest Chapter 9: The Feast Afterword