I Didn't Get All The Weeds

I did not have a very productive weekend.  After a crazy, hectic week I was looking forward to spending a few days around the farm not having anyone else's schedule to keep or look after - no place I had to be but home and no one to look after but Bill and me (well and the livestock).  Kids are all safely home from long-distance travels (thank you, God!); the weather was predicted to be cool but sunny and oh my, did I have plans for the work I was going to get done!  But that all quickly crumbled (as it often does in "my" life) and folks, I'm here to tell 'ya that I was soon reminded that the old sinful nature is still hanging around, no matter how long you've been a Christian - sometimes buried deep, but its there!

You know, sin isn't always the thing we know to be mindful of - I didn't steal or lie or murder or any of that.  But I was selfish, bitter, ungrateful and unkind.  To tell you the truth I had a major, 
feeling- sorry-for-myself meltdown!  UGH!!!  And then I cried and was miserable the rest of the day for how contrary I had been ;(  Oh sure, there were legitimate worldly reasons for my behavior - but our Lord expects better than that, it should be behind me by now, but I found out it isn't.  And I can say I'm sorry to those affected by my outbursts, but the sting of the words and actions are still there.

I snapped the photo above with an entirely different thought in my head...you see one of my smallest flower beds in the process of being weeded.  I'm behind in the work and the weeds are getting away from me.  You see the piles of weeds in the photo but you might also see that I'm only about a third of the way done...this picture came to mind while I was having some prayer and coffee time this morning.  What does it make you think of?  It reminds me that it takes daily, constant vigil and time with God to keep the weeds from taking over and choking the life out of us.  Sometimes you get large blocks of time when you can be down on your knees with hands, feet and all in the mud working to take care of things.  Sometimes you only have a passing moment when you see something ugly starting to sprout but you can still reach in and snip it off before it takes hold.  The only requirement is the willingness to do the spiritual work with your eyes and heart on God.

I've still got work to do....

Lead Me

Lest I forget Gethsemane,
Lest I forget Thine agony;
Lest I forget Thy love for me,
Lead me to Calvary.

Today I was teaching my grandson about the Last Supper, the betrayal of Jesus and His time in prayer at Gethsemane.  I have a copy of the famous portrait by Hofmann (its always stirred such strong feelings for me).  I think this one was from a Sunday School classroom.  It was leaning against the wall at a thrift store, in pristine condition, and it was free - somehow I find that so sad.  Anyway, I had propped the picture against the stone of the fireplace and this evening as the sun was setting and shining through our big living room window, oh just look at how it illuminated the portrayal of our Lord!  And all I could think of was the song quoted above....

I Took Some Time Today

In the busy-ness of sickness, farm care, people care and more its easy for me to find myself just plain tired.  And then resentment starts to creep in.  Resentment and nearly as bad, apathy.  When I just go through the motions, doing the minimum of what I need to do without joy or appreciation.  And with all of the beauty and grace that surrounds me - with all that I've been blessed with - that kind of attitude is just wrong!  Forgive me Lord!

So I took some time.  I took the time when I got Bill up for the day and made his breakfast, to sit down and enjoy that breakfast together instead of rushing through it and on to his shower or getting dressed or me heading back out the door to finish chores.  We took that time together, and enjoyed it.



My lamb-watch seat in the hay mow

 
I took the time, after chores were finished and Bill was settled with a good book that he's reading, to pour myself a cup of coffee and go back to the barn to sit and watch a ewe we're still waiting on to lamb.  I watched the already born lambs romp and race and play, stretching their legs in the sunshine and green grass.  And instead of grumbling to myself about how many things I would like to change in my barn routine, I took the time to think about the good changes we've already made that make chores easier and even allow Bill, in his wheelchair, to come to the barn and do some things with me.  I took the time to be thankful that I still have hay in the barn to feed while we wait for the pasture to fully be ready to feed the sheep.

It was a good thing, to take that time, and the power of it remained with me through the day.  I thought a lot, and prayed a lot, about Palm Sunday and the upcoming Resurrection Sunday and the meaning of that, and how to make this time real for my grandsons.  I thought about my responsibilities and God's help and hand on my life.

I really needed that time today, that pause.  Gives me the strength to continue...

By the way, we're still waiting on those last two ewes to lamb!

We Are The Shepherds...

So here is the stable and there is the manger, 
The new Saviour sleeps on his first earthly night
The wise men brought riches, but we brought a candle
It's all that we have but it gives a good light


We are the shepherds, we walked cross the mountains
We left our flocks when the new star appeared
Oh the beautiful singin' of heavenly choir
We had to come see him, we had to come here!


We beg you forgive us for such a small offering
But our sheep are all out there with wolves in the night
We bring you this candle - it's all we have with us
But with it the new Saviour has his first light.


We are the shepherds...
We thank Thee kind Joseph for bidding us enter
Please take our gift for the new babe of thine
'Tis only one candle, but it is our symbol
Of how we believe that his great life will shine


We are the shepherds...

Merry Christmas! 

You know, I don't think there is a farmer across this whole country (and probably the world) that doesn't say the same thing on Christmas Eve if they have livestock to care for..."I fed the animals a little more and spent a few extra minutes in the barn (stable) with them tonight."  I did.

I love the song I opened this post with (by Johnny Cash) - I have listened to it over and over for the past week or so.  I wish I had a beautiful picture of my own flock laying peacefully out in their pasture, but I don't so you will just have to imagine it ;)

I hope it has been a peaceful Christmas for you and your family and if you know Jesus, then it should have been.  If you don't know Him, if you chose to ignore Him and pretend that He isn't the reason there is a Christmas then I hope you did not have peace - I pray that you had a yearning so strong for something, for Him, that you need to seek until you find Him!  Give God a chance in your life, why not?

I hear a lot of religious people shouting today about how the world is changing and trying to take God out of our day to day lives.  I was thinking, though, when I was in the barn on Christmas Eve -  how is that different from the night Jesus was born?  Who paid attention?  People on that night were running around, going from place to place to follow the dictates of their laws at the time and probably complaining or celebrating, depending on their circumstances.  Joseph and Mary were probably looked down on, as they searched for a place to spend the night.  Maybe someone in line behind Joseph at the hotel/inn thought "foolish man should have planned for his trip better and made reservations".  An evil ruler wanted to destroy even the possibility of a threat to his power, the baby born that night.  Did that bright light in the sky (the star) shine only to the shepherds or is it just that out there in the country, living close to the land, they were the only ones who took the time to look?  And the Wise Men who traveled so far to bring gifts - do they represent the few level heads we might have still have in high places of this world, who sought peace in the most unlikely of places?

I don't know - I'm rambling, I guess ;)  But its what I was thinking about on Christmas.  It rushed by so fast, we hardly noticed it.

Is that what it was like on the night Jesus was born?

It's Always Something

First I wanted to say hello and Welcome to all of you who are new visitors to the farm (well, to the blog anyway!) who found us through Maple Valley Farms - it's great to have you here and I hope you can stay for a cup of coffee or tea and a visit with the sheep and the family ;) But I don't want to forget old friends and followers, too. Grab your mug out of the cupboard and let's catch up on farm news!  You're going to have to follow me around the kitchen and to the barn, though.  Life has been incredibly busy the past few weeks and shows no signs of slowing down.  In my dreams, I write incredibly lovely and poetic and informative blog posts about sheep and spinning and knitting and cooking here at Serenity Farms.  I share some of my daily visits with God and how He leads me through the day.  Yes, in my dreams....

Well, while its true I have my daily visits and He leads me - more often than not He is the parent and I am the toddler who continually veers off path, grabbing at every bright and shiny penny that comes along to distract me ;(  Sigh...does God ever tire of saying "No, no Cary, don't touch that - it's hot...It will burn you.... Don't run, you're going to fall down and hurt yourself...Come back over here and sit down for a minute"

Does that sound familiar to anyone else?  I'm sure it does.  And just when I think I have my days all planned out nice and neat, someone else's schedule changes and I'm at the mercy of it.  I think I have things settled in the house and something happens that alters the course of the day.  This morning I am feeling like that ship going up and down, and up and down, and up and down on the waves.

Dear God, I need that cup of coffee with You this morning...

Encouragement and endurance

The sunlight streaming across our yard as I prepared to leave for my friends farm

God says, in His Word (Hebrews 12:1-3 NLV) "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.  Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart"

I heard these words at church last week and it was like hearing them for the first time - they replayed in my head over and over again.  And one of the things that I kept thinking of is that sometimes we need encouragement and confirmation from others when we are trying to "run the race".  It has particularly been on my heart recently for other farm wives, mothers, grandmothers, daughters who sometimes face discouragement and opposition - especially those of us with small farms or farmsteads.  I've been praying about it a lot!

Yesterday, I was able to spend some wonderful fellowship time with just such a farm woman.  And even though we are fairly new friends, it seems like we have known each other forever in the things that we believe and love and care about.  I came away so refreshed and encouraged, I will treasure this memory for many days to come and hope we will have many more!

Thank you, my friend, for the joy of good food; gracious and energetic children; special farm animals and just the gift of our time spent together!  Yes, definitely you have to come this way next time ;)  Oh and tell the girls that next time I am your way, I am bringing my pitchfork (lol...I have my own personal pitchfork, a long ago engagement present from my dear husband!)

A recently finished shawl, handspun from our Corriedale wool, warm as a friends hug!

Gradual Change

Gradually we change, just like the autumn leaves

Thank you, everyone, who sent us your kindness and prayers either via the internet, phone or in person as we let go of one piece of our lives.  We can never, ever tell you how much it meant to us!  The sale is behind us now (and let me tell you, that was a very surreal experience - at least it was for me) and while we wait on paper work and transfers, etc. we gradually adjust and move on.  Move forward, I hope!

The sheep, their pasture, third cutting hay and beyond that a beautiful red maple tree and blue October sky!

As we sat on the back porch, looking out at this lovely view that we still enjoy, I said to my husband "Why don't we just imagine that we are a newly married, newly retired, newly somthing couple just coming to this farm and the acreaage we have left and make plans for it according to how we are farming now?  What would suit our program best?"  Its rather an exciting thought! 

When he moved here fresh from college many years ago, starting his career and raising horses and a family, he needed it to be one way.  Nearly twenty years ago when he married me, retired from his business and began farming and driving horses full time, he needed it to be another way.  Then when he became disabled, we sold all of the horses, I started staying home full time and we began raising sheep full time - well, now we need things to be changed again!  We have been functioning basically as a horse farm that had sheep on it (before the horses, this barn had been a dairy...then a sheep....then a horse barn again! Some things go full circle, don't they?)  Now we need to consolidate, rejuvinate and relocate things to make it more practical and more functional for what we are doing today.   Smaller, but (hopefully) more efficient ;)

Sheep following me to pasture

Won't you follow along and see how we do?  We'd love for you to join us!

Today is the day ~

The day when our farm is reduced in size by half. When corn fields, and bean fields and hay field are no longer ours. A day as a farmer you know might one day come. But you don’t really acknowledge it in your heart of hearts until it’s there staring you in the face.

We’ve known of this for a month or better now, been planning for it, but I couldn’t find the words to speak about it. Or when I thought I did, emotion got the better of me and I couldn’t. In some ways we’re lucky – more so than many. We aren’t losing the land to foreclosure or fire, flood or drought, hurricane or tornado. It’s our own decision and one we are so grateful to God for being able to make. We are giving in to old(er) age and health. And a need to be debt free and a bit more secure than we are right now. We’re lucky that at least for the time being we will still have the Burnham Barn and Round House and Woods and some acres around our daughters house. We’ll only be selling farm ground. Only farm ground?!?

Only what we see when we stand in our daughters yard and look north, what the sale bill calls “Parcel One” ~

Or when you stand in the yard and look south, at “Parcel Two” ~

When you come out of the woods looking to the east and the Burnham Barn and you see all of this ~

From the Burnham Barn looking west and then north again, with daughter Patty's piece at the far end of the lower photo beyond the hay field ~

Only farm ground. I think not. It feels more like a death, it’s that profound of a loss. You feel like you have failed the land somehow, like you haven’t been able to keep it safe and part of the family. You grieve. You really and truly grieve.

Other farmers especially know how you feel. Its been evidenced by the phone calls and visits we've been receiving especially over the past few days as the sale looms closer. “Just wanted to see how you are doing” “Is there anything I can do to help?” “Do you need anything, just let me know. I can be there if you need me to” “How ‘ya doing, Doc?” “Do you need me to drop off a pie?” (Yes, as farmers we always associate food with comfort and rightly so!) You can tell by the hugs and the handshakes you get in the grocery store, coffee house and barber shop.  Farm friends, and farm family. If  you have ever had an attachment to five acres or fifty or five hundred, you understand it.

It has fed our livestock and it has fed us, both physically and spiritually for a long time. Now its time that it do so in a bigger way. And we’re thankful for the opportunity.

Like all grief and loss, time will help ease the painful sting. We’ll keep our eyes focused on God and the direction He continues to lead us in. We’ll work harder and hopefully smarter and more efficiently with what we have left to farm…our wee house and barn and pastures on the west side of the Burnham property. We’ll still enjoy the Round House and Woods and our children and grandchildren and beyond, God willing!

But for today – at least for today, if you are reading this, will you remember us in prayer as we say goodbye to this dear friend? Especially for my husband, who knows every single square inch of that dirt, where every stone in the stone pile came from. Especially for him.

And if you're reading this and have a similar story to tell, I would love to hear it if you would like to share.  Just drop us an email or leave a comment.  I'm not sharing this because I want anyone to feel sorry for us, not at all.  We are able to make this choice with a lot of thought, and planning and prayer.  And though it may not have been our first choice, if we had been able to do it otherwise, it is still the right one for us at this time of our lives.  So no, I don't share looking for sympathy but only to help ease the sadness and help us to look forward from here.

God Bless ~

Last Weeks Work

It was busy, it was frantic, it was fun and it was productive!  I can't say enough about our wonderful family and friends who joined in to help Bill and me with some fall farm projects...we really, really are blessed beyond measure.  We got to visit, we got to eat and we got to work and see some pretty great results (I get excited about a clean barn.  Wish I could say the same about a clean house!)

So, I'll just share some random photos from those lovely days.  They probably won't mean much to anyone but me, but it is another look at what happens around the small farm - at least around our farm ;)





A lot of thought went into making these old box stall areas more functional for sheep.  I couldn't be happier with the changes and I think it will be a lot easier to work with



The ducks were quite unsettled by all the activity and kept watch from a safe distance

Small trains, small tractors and small boys were everywhere!  Our fourth (and future) generation of farmers ;)



Emptied compost piles....

New manure piles (with grandsons shown for scale)....

All add up to a fresh clean barn for winter!

Of course all good work begins with planning and strategies, right?  And we had plenty of that going on...

Actually, I think this may have been football talk ;)

The "compost committee" (hmmm, might have been football talk as well! Go Steelers!)

My Dad and my Husband, working on making my barn work a lot easier!

Our thanks and love to everyone who helped out again....Dad, Michael, Devin, Mark, Nakia, Mason, Elliot, Eric, Wayne, Bryce, Austin, Laurie, Dakota and Jim.  Alex is usually here to be part of the "fun" but he is busy with college life now.  Also thanks to Randy for the use once more of the skid steer and Mary for the great barbecue meatballs that added to our lunch!  We just couldn't do it without you guys!!!

Sunday afternoon found us finishing up the weekend in a special way that served as another reminder of all we have to be thankful for.  Daughter Patty had asked Bill to be part of her 4-H group meeting, being held outdoors at the Burnham Farm near the Round House.  They will be doing a special project this year about "barns" and Bill was going to talk about the history of those two special buildings...

Grandson Dylan and several neighborhood children are part of this 4-H group!

The great orator sharing history and memories

It was beautiful and somewhat poignant to sit in the shadow of a great oak tree, the silhouette of the Round House and the shelter of the giant but tired old Burnham barn.  Our own farm days are changing and there is that sense of time rushing by, probably much faster than we want it to.  But at the same time as that change there are moments like these and many others we were able to share over the weekend that remind of how much in life is unchangeable - at least in our hearts and memories.

The Gate, the Door, the Year

~ THE GATE OF THE YEAR ~
by Minnie Louise Harkins

I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year
'Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.'

And he replied,
'Go into the darkness and put your hand into the hand of God
That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way!'

So I went forth and finding the Hand of God
Trod gladly into the night
He led me towards the hills
And the breaking of day in the lone east.


So heart be still!
What need our human life to know
If God hath comprehension?

In all the dizzy strife of things
Both high and low,
God hideth his intention."


With reflections of the year past and faith for the year forward....welcome 2011!

Lamplight

Brrrr...it really is cold outside today! Almost like the "brain-freeze" you get when eating ice cream, the wind hits you in the face when you step out the door no matter how bundled in layers of wool and carhartt's and boots you might be.



I am thankful that we didn't lose power in this storm. I suppose we still could, the wind is gusting. I have water drawn in the house and hot coffee in the thermos and laundry and dishes are all done up. The other thing I have is plenty of oil in the oil lamps and extra candles on hand if we should need them. A few weeks ago we lost power unexpectedly right before dark fell. Luckily I had finished chores and supper, so Bill and I settled in for a time of him reading and me knitting. Reading only requires light from the oil lamp and spinning and knitting don't really require light at all. It was peaceful and refreshing and quiet.

Since then, I have been reminded of how much less we really need to exist than what we have (and those of you who know us, know we live pretty simply!) I have even been enjoying some evenings with oil lamp light just because of the mood it puts me in. I have spent several lovely evenings reading or spinning or knitting or even doing some housework by this light. I was dusting the mantel a few nights ago and the soft light on these old books (some of our favorites) seemed beautiful to me:


(Okay, my family and friends who know me can stop laughing now and pick yourselves up off the floor at the thought of me doing any kind of housework, let alone dusting!)

When the electric bill comes in the mail or the propane truck delivers fuel for the furnace and hot water heater and leaves a bill that takes nearly one-quarter of our current monthly income, I get even more serious about wondering how much more we can live without!!! Now of course, we need heat and water...but what do we need beyond the basics we already have?

I am grateful for all that we have...all of the needs that God supplies. But I have been spending considerable time in thought and prayer about how we could live more frugally and self-sufficiently. Even in our already simple life here at Serenity Farms, we are wasteful. And that could change. It will change, in both big and small ways, over the coming year. Maybe you would like to follow along here at our blog to watch our changes, struggles and joys?

I have been inspired by a new friend and her family for most of this past year. If you have never visited the Maple Valley Farm blog, you really should! You don't have to aspire to be a farmer, or to live more simply, or go off grid as this family has to enjoy their love of God, family and farm. In our time, Bill and I have come across lots of folks striving to change their lives in a similar way. Sadly, sometimes it is as much a marketing plan as it is a life plan. Matt and Angie are not that way at all. They are honest, hard-working, humble, gracious and real in what they are doing! Most likely their successes are due to their love and faith in God and belief in their family. I am so blessed to have been able to spend some time with them and if you are ever able to, please do so. You won't be disappointed I'm sure! Stop by their blog or facebook and say hello. Angie had a funny post about losing power that actually inspired me to write this post.

Jesus said "I am the Light of the world"...John 8:12

Now we aren't planning to go as far off grid as the Maple Valley Farm family has, lol! But I really would like a working windmill (the old fashioned ones, not those airplane propeller looking modern ones!) to supply water. That part is probably a dream, but it does seem like this old farm could supply a lot of wood for a wood burning fireplace, and maybe even make use of the wood cook stove at the Round House? What about utilizing the gravity fed cistern and connected water lines at the barn? Hmmm...lots of ideas! Do you and your family have any ways you are changing or hoping to change to be more self-sufficient? I'd love to hear them!

Faith

"Though the rain may fall and the wind be blowing,
And old and chill is the wintry blast;
Though the cloudy sky is still cloudier growing,
And the dead leaves tell that the summer has passed;

My face I hold to the stormy heaven,
My heart is as calm as the summer sea,
Glad to receive what my God has given,
Whate'er it be.

When I feel the cold, I can say, 'He sends it,'
And His winds blow blessing, I surely know;
For I've never a want but that He attends it;
And my heart beats warm, though the winds may blow"...Author Unknown

God and I

(A quiet place in my room, with early morning sunlight..)

Getting ready to face a busy day and busy weekend...all in a good way, though, with family and friends gathering for a work day here at Serenity Farms. Good food and fun will be consumed and enjoyed. There is a welcome relief of cool fall air in the bright morning sunlight and as I gather myself for the day, I feel the call of God to my heart for some quiet time over a cup of coffee. Then a reminder from my morning devotional...

"Has thou ever pictured thyself the one remaining creature in the earth, the one remaining creature in all the starry worlds?....In such a universe thine every thought would be "God and I! God and I!" And yet He is as near to thee as that--as near as if in the boundless spaces there throbbed no heart but His and thine. Practice that solitude, O my soul.....Practice the stillness of thine own heart! Practice the solemn refrain "God and I! God and I!" Let none interpose between thee and thy wrestling angel! Thou shalt be both condemned and pardoned when thou shalt meet Jesus alone!" --George Matheson

And so my soul takes time to fill and refresh with God this morning and I am ready for the day. How about you?

I read this devotional online here - a wonderful resource!


(Green pastures at the farm, quiet woods and waiting cornfields....)

In Honor ~ Memorial Day

With thoughts and prayers and thanksgiving to all who have served and are serving our country, and to their families this Memorial Day and every day.










Do any of you remember this recitation? When I was a girl growing up it played on the country music stations. It still gives me goosebumps when I hear it. I thought of all the people who may not have heard it, and thought I would share the words here. I understand it has been recorded in more recent times as well.

DECK OF CARDS (SPOKEN):

During the North African Campaign, a bunch of soldier boys had been on a long hike.
They arrived in a little town called Casino and the next morning being Sunday, several of the boys went to church. A sergeant commanded the boys in church.

After the Chaplain read the prayer, the text was taken up next. Those of the boys that had a prayer book took them out. One boy had only a deck of cards, and he spread them out. The sergeant saw the cards and said, "Soldier, put away those cards." After the service was over, the soldier was taken prisoner and brought before the Provost Marshall.

The Marshall said, "Sergeant, why have you brought this man here?" "For playing cards in church, Sir," was the response. The Marshall asked the soldier, "And what have you to say for yourself, son?" "Much, Sir," replied the soldier.
The Marshall stated, "I hope so, for if not I will punish you more than any man was ever punished."

The soldier said, "Sir, I have been on the march for about six months. I have neither bible nor a prayer book, but I hope to satisfy you, sir, with the purity of my intentions." And with that, the boy started his story ...

"You see, sir, when I look at the Ace, it reminds me that there is but one God.

And the deuce reminds me that the bible is divided into two parts: the Old and the New Testaments.

When I see the trey, I think of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

And when I see the four, I think of the four evangelists who preached the Gospel: there was Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

And when I see the five, it reminds me of the five wise virgins who trimmed their lamps; there were ten of them: five were wise and were saved, five were foolish and were shut out.

When I see the six, it reminds me that in six days God made this heaven and earth.

And when I see the seven, it reminds me that on the seventh day, God rested from his great work.

When I see the eight, I think of the eight righteous persons that
God saved when he destroyed the earth: there was Noah, his wife, their sons and their wives.

And when I see the nine, I think of the lepers our saviour cleansed, and that nine of the ten didn't even thank him.

When I see the ten, I think of the ten commandments that God handed down to Moses on a tablet of stone.

When I see the King, it reminds me that there is but one King of Heaven, God Almighty.

And when I see the Queen, I think of the blessed Virgin Mary who is the Queen of Heaven.

And the Jack or Knave is the Devil.

When I count the number of spots in a deck of cards, I find 365, the number of days in a year. There are 52 cards, the number of weeks in a year. There are four suits, the number of weeks in a month. There are twelve picture cards, the number of months in a year. There are thirteen tricks, the number of weeks in a quarter.

So you see, Sir, my deck of cards serves me as a bible, an almanac and a prayer book."

Time To Wake Up!

From what feels like a long winters nap, or at least a slow awakening to spring!


I came out of the barn the other day and looked up the hill to see the rooster (with our neighbors flag behind him), still crowing at ten in the morning! I happened to have the camera with me (taking pictures of lambs) and couldn't resist this shot. It seemed like it was a nudge to me to shake off winter and wake myself up!

"Cause me to hear Your loving-kindness in the morning, for on You do I lean and in You do I trust. Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk, for I lift up my inner self to You..." Psalms 143:8 (Amplified Bible)

Flowers and grass are growing, trees are budding ~


We are done lambing, finishing with thirty five live lambs. Some glamorous whites and wild colors:


We lost two, one at the beginning and one at the end of lambing season. I only had to assist with one birth (with timely help from friend Mary). We have one bottle lamb this year, an endearing little fellow (now wethered) named Gordon that you will see here one of these days. Two sets of triplets, the first set triplet boys from Amanda and the second set, three little ewes from Ava, sired by Autry! The plan is to keep all three of them. Didn't have to help with either of those births!

Yes, it is time to wake up, there is lots to do....always lots to do. But maybe it would be okay to have just one more snooze in the sunshine before getting started...


(Ava's triplets, sleeping in the sun...one is a grey badgerface, one a solid black and one white! Way to go Ava!!!)

Welcome Twenty~Ten!

I'm a few days late in wishing everyone a wonderful start to the new year. I'm excited...I'm looking forward to learning each day what God has planned for me in all my days going forward, as many more as He allows. I hear people say all the time what awful times we live in, and yes there is much about the world that is bad. But my God knows what lies ahead. And we know, through His precious Word, that no matter what happens to us and to this world, that He is with us and that we will one day be reuinted with Him. As the old song says "Everyday with Jesus, is sweeter than the day before!"

I don't have much else to say, so I thought I would share just a few photos of the year gone by, starting with the snows of January '09 and and continuing on, more or less, through the seasons ~













(These photos are, beginning at the top - January snow, one year ago; bags of feed for "Doc" Smith - no matter how long Bill has been retired, he is still Doc Smith to the community! We're thankful for abundance, our own corn and oats in the grain bank at the local feedmill. Next, bountiful spring grass and a good crop of lambs; the Round House in summer; friends and family - brother Michael and friend Mary at my folks place; zinnias in our garden; Papa Bill & Elliot, special buddies. I'm not sure what they were looking at!. All three boys digging thistles - Mason said the next day "I hate to tell you this, Grandma, but there are hundreds more baby thistles"! A favorite heirloom squash this fall and new favorite apple; an old rope & pulley hanging in the Burnham barn; the Burnham Barn looking cold in the snow and finally the two little brothers at the Nativity. Elliot held the porcelin baby Jesus in his hand and said "Grandma, Baby Jesus has no blanket!" Oh, how profound that innocent little statement was)

Thank you to everyone who visits my blog or our website or our farm. God Bless each of you this coming year. Please be sure to visit often and drop a note when you can...we treasure every one!