Gardening, even urban gardening, is a big hit. Grow your own. Sometimes we use compost material, other  times we use loam. These elements pain the picture of life from death. Jesus notes in John 12 that unless a grain falls into the ground and dies it cannot give life. He was speaking of wha his death woud mean – life. Here are some thoughts on two of the Lectionary texts for this week inspired as it were from time with friends Mike and Barry, among many others.