Tov Me'od

Good. This is the word--"tov" in Hebrew--that God uses to describe his creation in the Genesis 1 narrative. Peculiarly, he does not tell us that he thinks anything is good at the end of day two. But on day six, before he makes man, after he makes every other living creature, he says, "it was good."

But then, after his magnum opus--the creation of man--at the finale of that sixth day, he uses a superlative:

"And God saw every thing that he had made,

and, behold, it was very good."

Tov me'od. Very good.

As a writer, I try my best to pay attention to detail. I'm not trained as a photographer, but I have recently used the excellent technology at my fingertips to gaze more deeply at the world. Here is a photographic retrospective of my Summer 2019, all the best of the good and very good all around:

Baby grapes at Oceana Winery and Vineyard in New Era, Michigan

Butterflies at Benona Township Park ~ Shelby, Michigan

Wine tasting and basking with butterflies ~ Catherine & Shawn enjoy West Michigan's finest

Bumblebee in Paris, Michigan

"and wine to gladden the heart of man..." Psalm 104:15a

Toad at Ludington State Park

Toad jumping out of Lake Michigan

"The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever." ~ Isaiah 40:8

Amish farm in Stanwood, Michigan

Organic strawberries picked by Amish children ~ Stanwood, Michigan

Sweat bee rest stop ~ Waterford, Michigan

Sweethearts on the Clinton River ~ Waterford, Michigan

Scott & Curtis battle it out for title of "Domino King"

So I didn't take this photo, but want to include since a favorite summer memory is my adorable son surprising me by showing up for my birthday. Yes, I cried. Dinner at The Root ~ White Lake, MI

View of Lake Huron from New Presque Isle Lighthouse ~ Presque Isle, Michigan

"When you have eaten and are satisfied, you shall bless the LORD your God..." Deuteronomy 8:10a ~ Amazing smoked trout ala John & Deborah

John & Scott fish ~ Lake Huron, Michigan

A lily at Presque Isle State Harbor nature trail

Joy! Children playing at a beach on Lake Huron ~ Michigan

Nothing says summer like ice cream after baseball ~ Waterford, Michigan

Sprys consider a field ~ Paris, Michigan

Missing our Maui girl

Hollyhocks at home ~ Waterford, Michigan

Monarchs on the trail

Monarchs in the sun

A field of milkweed, Monarch caterpillar sustenance and Monarch butterfly egg nursery ~ Paris, Michigan

Iridescent jewel beetle

Black-eyed Susans in the Huron-Manistee National Forest

A walk in the woods with my wonderful husband

Blackberries-in-waiting

Arachnid

Some kind of cool, fat, fuzzy caterpillar on a tree

This place is worth driving out of the way for, never had a bad meal here

A wonderfully delicious 28th wedding anniversary locavore dinner! I, the walleye, he, the duck ~ Big Rapids, Michigan

Isabella with the Symphony Orchestra at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, in the cello section

playing bacchanales in Camille Saint-Saëns's Samson and Delilah. (That would be me with the loud momma "woot-woot" at the end.)

A sister nuzzle ~ Whitefish, Montana

Bella flanked by her handsome brothers, all dressed up for a mid-summer wedding

"Yes? May we help you?"

Looking for gnomes

Chrysalis on the siding of our up north garage

Bella regards a fancy caterpillar

"A merry heart doeth good like a medicine..." Proverbs 17:22a ~ Bella & Grandma share a laugh ~ Auburn Hills, MI

Fat cat, happy cat ~ Tikvah and I enjoy some lap therapy

Sunset on the deck with Mr. Spry ~ Waterford, Michigan

Bumblebee on sedum

Tikvah and I recline on the deck near sunset as deer waltz through the backyard ~ Waterford, Michigan

Sisters! Grandma's newest additions...kittens bring me joy!

Strange fungi appear in our Waterford, Michigan yard

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Chag Sameach! ~ Happy Festival!

Sundown on Sunday, September 29, begins the first day of Tishrei, the seventh month on the Jewish Biblical calendar, and the appointed time Yom Teruah/Day of Shofar Blasts. It is also known as Rosh Hashanah or Head of the Year. It is the beginning of a very special month of observance and celebration. Learn more about Yom Teruah here. If you live near, I invite you to join me in celebrating these beautiful memorials that draw us closer to our Creator who is VERY VERY tov m'eod.

"And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other." ~ Yeshua/Jesus in Matthew 24:31