The Heymann Family Journal

My Mom is coming this week. I've got to clean my house!

Nicole and I would like Mom to see two of the gardens seen in this video. The first is The Villa Castello just outside of Florence. We have seen it once before but it is worth seeing again. The 2nd garden will be new to us. It is called La Foce. It is about one hour South of where we will be staying. We leave for Italy in just one week. I had the kids out working in our garden today, and we will continue the work (God willing) tomorrow. My back is 70% better now. I'm being careful, but it's important that I move. Juergen called and said his Dad is very tired, but not nearly as bad as he had feared. He will visit with him all day tomorrow too. We have a great deal going on. Juergen's birthday is Sunday. There are a few friends joining us for lunch. And we plan to give tomato plants away at church. Sarah has a soccer game. And all the time cleaning up the house and garden. Packing and getting ready for our vacation. We have a house sitter (a couple). I

Today is Father's Day in Germany.   Juergen is a great Dad!   He is on the way up to the North of Germany to visit his own dad Richard.   Richard is in the hospital.   At first they thought he was dehydrated, but now they know it was a stroke.   He is almost 86years old.   It will not be an easy day for Juergen.   But I love him for being such a good father. It is a blessing that cannot be measured.  

Use the stocking part of pantyhose or a regular nylon stocking to cover cabbage heads as soon as they start to form. The nylon stretches as the cabbage grows, allowing air, sun, and moisture in but keeping the cabbage butterfly out.

We need help giving away 600 to 1000 Heirloom tomato plants.   Are you a teacher?   You can take some to your students.   You could just take a dozen to work, and put up a sign saying free plants.   Walk over to your neighbors and give them a plant.   Give one to your grandmother.   Use your imagination.   They are free.   We are collecting money for summer camp scholarships, but you really don’t need to give.   We just want to get the plants out of our green house.   Call it Tomato evangelism.   Please take 1 or 20 tomatoes.   Use them as seed to plant friendship.   We are giving away tomatoes at the FEG Heidelberg on Sunday Morning.   If you want tomatoes for your church, school or your friends you can also pick them up at our house.   Contact me and I’ll give you the address.   Big Rainbow Box Car Willie Tigerella small yellow Peach

We  have so many tomatoes we don't know what to do!  God willing we can manage to give them all away!  But I'm keeping at least 40 plants for us.  I need to replenish my stock of tomato sauce.  At least that is my goal (500 jars of tomato sauce).  And we love tomato salad and tomato salsa.  Last year the plants did not have enough space to thrive. And the plants I left uncovered got tomato blight because of the rain and cold.  It was a very cold and wet summer.    So now we will give them what they need, and I hope we will have a much better season.  Juergen and Nicole and Sarah put up the new tomato house this weekend.  It is 6 meters x 3 meters (that is about 20 feet x 10 feet).  It is wonderful!  Now I can have one greenhouse for the tomatoes, and the other for peppers, egg plants, and melon.  We also have some really wonderful roses right now.  My back is still hurting, but it is slowly better.  I'm taking it slow.  There is so much I would like to get done before we go

Juergen’s dad Richard (he is almost 86 years old)is in the hospital.  It looks like he had a small stroke.   It was not big we think.   Juergen had already planned to go up to see him this weekend.   He had hoped to take him out to lunch.   But now he will spend his time in the hospital.   At least this is what we think will happen.   We are waiting to hear more from the Dr.   Thank you for your prayers. Update:  Richard did not have a stroke, thank God.  He was dehydrated.  They have already released him from the hospital.  We are still waiting to see if it's ok for Juergen to visit him.  He may need to rest.  Juergen could go in a few days too.  So we will see.  But thank you for the prayers.