Nematodes and a new Life Scout

I want to plant garlic seeds before November but not with all those nasty grubs in the soil.  So Kathleen bought 40,000,000 nematodes and I treated two of the raised beds.  She said she is going to buy more so I can treat all our other growing areas.  Hopefully the nematodes do their job and we will have lots and lots of garlic in the spring.

Anselm (AKA the little boy) had his board of review for Life Scout tonight.  He passed.  Next step is Eagle Scout.  I can hardly believe he is almost there.

Pumpkins

There are only three pumpkins left on the vines.  I ate a couple.  I gave one to some neighborhood kids who like to play in the garden but never hurt the plants.  They were pretty excited.  It took two of them to carry it home.  I hope their mom cooked it for them.

In addition to the Pumpkin Stuffed with Everything Good I have roasted pumpkin then cooked beef stew in it.  It was pretty good.  I think I'll make it again.  But sometime this week I want to make pumpkin soup.  It is something I've never made but I want to try out a couple of recipes before Thanksgiving.  If I like any of them I might make it for that great day.

Oh, about the powdery mildew.  It killed most of the pumpkin vines, but what it didn't kill is very healthy.  It is even flowering again this morning.  Amazing.

Cherubic Hymn

A couple of Sundays ago son #4 heard me explaining to someone what the Cherubic Hymn (It is part of the Divine Liturgy) is all about. He became unusually excited and said, "How come I'm just now hearing this?" At that time I thought, "What is he talking about? It's all I've talked about with him for thirteen years?" But later, I began thinking about it and it dawned on me that if one doesn't know everything that that is going on during that part of the service, the Cherubic Hymn really is the most boring and pointless part of the liturgy.  I think it really helps one to stay engaged if it is remembered that the liturgy of the catechumens has just ended, that the liturgy of the faithful has just begun, and that the faithful are mystically present in God's throne room and are offering worship in the place of the cherubim. Additionally, while the faithful are singing the cherubic hymn, the priest is at the altar quietly praying this prayer:

"None is worthy among them that are bound with carnal lusts and pleasures, to approach or to draw nigh, or to minister unto Thee, O King of glory, for to serve Thee is a great and fearful thing even unto the heavenly hosts themselves. Yet because of Thine ineffable and immeasurable love for mankind, without change or alteration Thou didst become man, and didst become our High Priest, and didst deliver unto us the ministry of this liturgical and bloodless sacrifice, for Thou art the Master of all. Thou alone, O Lord our God, dost rule over those in heaven and those on earth, art borne upon the throne of the Cherubim, art Lord of the Seraphim and King of Israel, Thou alone art holy and restest in the saints. I implore Thee, therefore, Who alone art good and inclined to listen: Look upon me, Thy sinful and unprofitable servant, and purge my soul and heart of a wicked conscience, and, by the power of Thy Holy Spirit, enable me, who am clothed with the grace of the priesthood, to stand before this Thy Holy Table, and to perform the sacred Mystery of Thy holy and immaculate Body and precious Blood. For unto Thee do I draw nigh, bowing my neck, and I pray Thee: Turn not Thy countenance away from me, neither cast me out from among Thy children, but vouchsafe that these gifts be offered unto Thee by me, Thy sinful and unworthy servant: For Thou art He that offereth and is offered, that accepteth and is distributed, O Christ our God, and unto Thee do we send up glory, together with Thine unoriginate Father, and Thy Most holy and good and life-creating Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages."

Two Jobs, the Boys, and a Diploma

I have two jobs now.  My main job is as a hunting outfitter at Bass Pro Shops in San Jose.  I advise people on scopes, binoculars, guns, ammo, knives, decoys, and stuff like that.  It's fun.  Not much money but fun.  My other job is for Golden State Property Management.  In that job I drive around and show vacant apartments and houses to prospective tenants.  Its more money per hour but unpredictable.  For example, last Thursday I had six showings but today I have none.

Basil (Son #4) is spending two nights a week with me now.  That is because on Mondays and Wednesdays he is going to class at Evergreen Valley College.  That is where Kathleen works, and she drives him to school.  Right now he is only taking one class but that class meets the UC and CSU degree requirements.  My hope is that next semester he will take three, and by the time he gets a high school diploma already have the first two years of college knocked out.  He is the most academically inclined of all my children.  But my real joy is lighting the candle and incense, and singing the morning and  evening prayers with him when he is here.

Anselm (Son #3) is a qualified welder but isn't old enough to work as a welder.  No one will hire him until he is 18.  Until then he is working at Starbucks, which pays good money.  He is also taking advanced TIG classes.  Last week he survived the Ordeal and achieved the Brotherhood rank in the Order of the Arrow.  He is progressing toward Eagle Scout. He says that as soon as he turns 18 he is going to move to Alaska or Texas to find work as a welder, I'm hoping for Alaska; there's a higher percentage of Orthodox there.  Oh, how fast these years have flown by!

Perhaps, if you've read this blog for a long time, you remember that I began working on a masters degree in ancient and classical history about 11 years ago.  Well, I finally finished all the work and paid my bill but I took longer than allowed so I don't get the M.A. (One only gets 7 years from start to finish to earn a M.A. degree in the U.S.)  Instead they are mailing me a "Graduate Diploma".  So, that's something, I guess.  It's not an M.A. but it's something.