Goats!

Brother #4 went out one morning last week with my camera, and came back in with fifty plus pictures. Even after I deleted the ones that didn't turn out so well, I still had lots of his pictures, so I thought I'd share some... these are three he took of our new goats. Jenni (brown, on the left) and Meg are does due to kid in the spring. They are very sweet and friendly, and we've really enjoyed having them around!

Snow, Snow, Snow!

Beautiful snow! Perfect for sledding, too... :-)

Snow!

There isn't much... but there is definitely snow outside! Brother #4 informed me with great delight that he was the first one to throw a snowball. And Brother #5 says he made a snow angel, "just like in the books."

I promise pictures later, but at the moment, a hot cup of tea is taking precedence, so I will leave you with a few quotes I've found lately.

"When we sip tea, we are on our way to serenity." - Alexandra Stoddart

"There is nothing like staying at home for real comfort." - Jane Austen

"Storms make oaks take deeper root." - George Herbert

"Where Christ is, cheerfulness will keep breaking in." - Dorothy Sayers

Happy Thanksgiving!

I will praise the name of God with a song,

And will magnify Him with thanksgiving.
This also shall please the LORD better than an ox or bull,

Which has horns and hooves.
The humble shall see this and be glad;

And you who seek God, your hearts shall live.
For the LORD hears the poor,

And does not despise His prisoners.
Let heaven and earth praise Him,

The seas and everything that moves in them.
For God will save Zion And build the cities of Judah,

That they may dwell there and possess it.
Also, the descendants of His servants shall inherit it,

And those who love His name shall dwell in it.
Psalm 69:30-36

Bessie

I went out a few weeks ago to snap pictures of fall colors, and Bessie, our five month old calf, came over to investigate. First, she tried to eat my camera strap...

Failing that, and disgusted by my failure to pet her or feed her, she paused for a moment in thought...
... and apparently decided to begin training for a racing career.

Fall Pictures

Well, I took a walk today down to check a stock tank, and grabbed the camera as an afterthought on my way out the door. Here are some of the results...

...it was a misty, moisty morning (er, afternoon), and cloudy was the weather...

Cato may be photogenic, but he's hard to photograph... he won't stop moving!

The flowers are brown, but still photo worthy, I think... can you see anything in that photo on the left besides plants? I didn't notice anything else while taking the picture, but when I looked at the big version I was surprised to see the winged visitor on the plant. Not all the flowers are giving up, though... some, encouraged by the recent rain, are still bravely blooming! I think that this one with the red berries is my favorite, though. Enjoy! :-)

Marcy and Lizzy

A nice fall day... you can see the beginnings of our fall colors behind the girls.

Sourdough bread!

Yesterday at church a friend gave me a jar of sourdough starter, and today I made my first loaf of sourdough bread. I served it at dinner, and had to ration it carefully (next time I'll double the recipe!) so I guess they were telling the truth when they said they liked it. I do want to experiment and get a more distinctive sourdough flavor- this batch was fairly mild.

Does anyone have any good recipes (for bread, or anything sourdough!) to point me to, or advice on how to keep my starter alive? This is all pretty new and exciting for me... as I told my mom, this is like science in school, only much more interesting, and tasty too! :-)

There is no mundane

"The whole world is remarkable. Said with appropriate qualifications, the universe is a miracle. This is not because the universe is a violation of natural law (how could that be?) but rather because the whole universe is nothing but sheer, unadulterated gift or grace. God overflows, and He overflows infinitely into the created order. There is no such thing as the mundane."
-Pastor Douglas Wilson, here.

A shower fell in the night...

"A shower fell in the night and now dark clouds drift across the sky, occasionally sprinkling a fine film of rain. I stand under an apple tree in blossom and I breathe..."

~from Freedom to Breathe, by Aleksandre Solzhenitsyn

It isn't spring, so the apple trees aren't in blossom... but the rain is lovely anyway! We had some close thunder this morning, and clouds all day. :-)

Cato

Serious... and playful! :-)

Wires Crossed

One of my younger siblings (identity concealed to prevent this post from embarrassing him at some later date, such as his early teens in about six years) was talking about a cow this week, and made the emphatic statement,

"She was standing pot still."

This bewildered me for a moment. Then I got it... she was standing stock still. Not toooooo far off... pot, stock pot, stock... something like that. ;-)

Was is das?

Junk Drawer

You know how some posts are like the junk drawer, with rubber bands and paper clips and metal doohickeys and picture hanging gizmos and drill bits and sticky notes? This one is like that. (You've been warned.)
---------------------------
Last weekend I went to Iowa for a birthday dance. That was fun, especially meeting Hannah and seeing Sarah again (links on sidebar). It was also nice to take a road trip, particularly with such good companions!. The fields and fields and fields and fields and fields of corn were a bit odd, though. Late at night, after Oreos, the conversation turned (okay, so maybe I brought it up) to the possibility of genetically modified corn attacking the car. I thought with the addition of, oh, moose genes, f'r instance, they would charge, but someone had to dash my theories by saying they probably had fish genes instead. Which is, of course, still bad, like all GMOs, but not as intimidating sounding- or as funny- when driving through the 21,000th corn field late at night.
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I got a new dog. His name is Cato. He comes, sits, and generally tries to please. His paws are huge and he eats all the food he can get. Pictures are forthcoming.
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Dad blogged about Custer and Crazyhorse. The Eddie Arnold CD he mentions in his post has been a lot of fun to listen to. Fortunately, Marcy doesn't appear bothered by listening to songs about red-eyed cows and ghost riders in the sky.
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I'm painting our bathroom. The soundtrack includes Gillian Welch, Norah Jones, and The Call.
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I've been on a Hank the Cowdog reading spree. Laughing until your sides hurt at the Head of Ranch Security is good for you.
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"Twinings has been blending my family tea for years. Today, I am proud to continue this tradition with the tea celebrated throughout the world known as Twinings Earl Grey. Legend has it, that my ancestor, the second Earl Grey, was presented with this exquisite recipe by an envoy on his return from China.
(signed) The sixth Earl Grey"
(from the back of my tea bag wrapper.)

Here we have proof not only that Twinings makes great teas, but also that even Earls are not immune to excessive comma usage. To my mind, that should read "Legend has it that my ancestor, the second Earl Grey, was presented...."- however, either way, I am really enjoying the tea.
-----------------------------
That's all, folks.

Cheese!

Yesterday my mother and I made cheese for the first time. We made Mozzarella, and the first batch turned out so well that we made two more right then! Mom made pizza for dinner with our mozzarella last night, and we had grilled cheese sandwiches with it today for lunch. It tasted delicious! I think we're hooked. :-)

Luther Quote

"I have held many things in my hands, and I have lost them all; but whatever I have placed in God’s hands, that I still possess."
- Martin Luther

HT: A Cognizant Discourse, here

...a toad

This Week

We've had quite the exciting week! Not only was a friend moving, and other friends butchering chickens, but we had seven chicks hatched. (Some of you may have read my dad's post, "God's Hatchery", inspired by the chick's entrances to the world.)

As exciting as the little peeps are, I still think that kittens are much cuter. Someone apparently dumped these two little ones on us. It wasn't easy catching them, but they're getting used to us. We named them Penny and Nickel.

But even two adorable kittens aren't the big news this week. The big news is that Sunday evening when we got home from church our cow had calved! A pretty little heifer that Dad named Bessie.

She is doing well and is a lot of fun to feed, play with and watch.

Quotable

"If we let ourselves, we shall always be waiting for some distraction or other to end before we can really get down to our work. The only people who achieve much are those who want knowledge so badly that they seek it while the conditions are still unfavourable. Favourable conditions never come."

- C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory

"Come on, people now, smile on your brother..."

'It is never enough to tell people simply to "be nice." They have no reason to, and they don't want to. Men and women are sinners and they need salvation, not lessons in etiquette.'
- Douglas Wilson, Black & Tan: Essays and Excursions on Slavery, Culture War, and Scripture in America

Why I'm Not Blogging...

...oh wait, I am. Never mind.

Wednesday- helped friends butcher chickens. A good time was had by all.
Thursday- picked up my beehive. I am now a (slightly overwhelmed) beekeeper. The bees appear to have settled in well and be happy.
Friday- I'm in the middle of baking for the Farmer's Market tomorrow.

So zat is all for now.

In Bloom

I took this picture of our catalpa tree this afternoon.

Sssssssssso.....

The boys caught two ring neck snakes today. According to tradition, we named them with names beginning with W. Winchester made good his escape, but we released this pretty little one (who was about 6 inches long.) These are the only type of snakes that I enjoy holding. They tend to like to wind gently around and through your fingers, and don't seem to mind being held, either.

Home Again, Home Again...

Well, I'm home, and I'm caught back up with laundry and email and snail mail and having my ankles attacked by my cat. (I am not yet caught up on weeding my garden, but on the other hand, will I ever be? Unlikely.) We had a good trip, despite road construction, and it was a wonderful priviledge to see two of my friends marry two very good men. Yes, it was a double. The sisters had two consecutive ceremonies. I was in the first, and watched the second. Both, though different, were a beautiful testament to the commitments that were made. I especially liked the use of Ruth's words, "thy people shall be my people", in both brides' vows.

I did not have the hiccups, neither did I drop my bouquet, even when picking up the hymn book and turning to the paperclipped page during the ceremony. I didn't cry during the ceremony, either, but I did tear up during one of the rehearsals. The bride and I have been friends for the last eight years, and very close for the last five, so this is quite a change.

For the first time ever, I sang "O Come, All Ye Faithful" during a wedding service. Also for the first time, there were hymn requests taken, and a blond joke from the father of the groom at the request of the bride. See, when the poor minister, doing his first double wedding in twenty some years, mislays the second set of vows you do what you can. My favorite part of the glitch was the bride and groom telling their engagement story. Neither one of them was fazed a bit by the delay, and they even enjoyed the unplanned aspects of their ceremony! The bridesmaids soldiered on through the suddenly longer ceremony in what seemed like 80 degree heat, although they ditched their shawls around the time the vows were discovered missing.

Anyway, it was a great wedding, we made it home safely, and it is good to be back.

This and That

Well, the dress is done except for needing hemmed. The sandwiches are made. The last load of laundry is in the dryer. My bags are in the Suburban. Now, the only question is...what have I forgotten to pack? Hmm.

...........................................................................................................

What makes a book a classic? Why are some old books classics and some not? Is it the merit of the story, the quality of the writing, the fame of the author? The reason I ask is that someone mentioned Wuthering Heights the other day, and I began to wonder why its considered a classic. Because when I read it several years ago, I recall that I didn't like the story at all and considered it depressing and boring in the extreme. I realize that my disliking it isn't a strong enough reason for it not to be a classic... but why are some books classics and how is that determined?

..............................................................................................................

I will be in a wedding next Saturday. I already had someone volunteer to pray specifically that I will not have hiccups during the ceremony (thank you!) but if y'all could pray generally for our safety while traveling cross country and also for a smooth event next Saturday I'd appreciate it.

................................................................................................................

Since we'll be away from home for about a week, there is a good chance I'll be silent for that time.

What I'm Doing

On May 20th, 2006, one of my closest friends will get married. To my delight, she did me the honor of asking me to be a bridesmaid! Hopefully I won't cry or faint or have the hiccups during the ceremony. But before the ceremony I need to make the dress, and that is what I've been working on today.


I'm making an empire waisted, tea length dress with short, slightly puffed sleeves.
The picture above makes the fabric look bluer, the picture to the right makes it look more purpleish. It depends on the light. It is a lovely fabric, but rather unforgiving (seams you remove will show, and steam will ruin it!), so I was a bit nervous, but so far I haven't committed any unfixable mistakes. :-)

After the Rain

I took a Sunday morning walk and it seemed like all the world was in bloom.

The Button Box

What's On Your Desk Right Now?

Well, Mosey tagged me way back in February, and I really think it's time to reward her patience! Today was a good day to do it, too... I spilled a glass of water earlier, causing me to remove stacks of paper, books, etc, so the list is half as long as it would have been.

- computer monitor, keyboard, speaker
- box of pens/pencils/markers
- glass jar with paintbrushes and colored pencils
- a glass
- place mat made from birthday cards from my 12th birthday
-The Hound of Heaven and Other Poems, Francis Thompson
- small glass jar
- paperweight with dogwood blossom in it
- golf ball center
- computer CD's
- cell phone headset
- wine bottle with a plant growing in it
- scotch tape
- sea shell, bobby pin, thumbtack
- queen cage
- alarm clock
- 3" x 5" card box
- picture frame with ship stamp
- pink fabric rose
- and the envelope I'm writing this on the back of...

If you would like to do this, you may consider yourself tagged.

Blue Face Paint Remover

"The Celts were probably responsible for introducing soap to Britain, where it began to appear in the literature, under various spellings, around A.D. 1000."
- Soap: Making It, Enjoying It by Anne Bramson

Out the Window

I took this when we all went on a drive two days ago through the spring countryside. Pictures taken out the window are sometimes fine and sometimes blurry or taken when you're five seconds past what you wanted to take the picture of, but I was happy that this horse turned out pretty well.

Done is a Battle on the Dragon Black

Done is a battle on the dragon black,
Our campion Christ confoundit has his force;
The yettis of hell are broken with a crack,
The sign triumphal raisit is of the cross,
The devillis trymmillis with hiddous voce,
The saulis are borrowit and to the bliss can go,
Christ with his blood our ransonis dois indoce:
Surrexit Dominus de sepulchro.

The first of five (stanzas?) parts to a poem by William Dunbar (c. 1460-c.1530). It is a lot harder to read a poem like this, with so many unfamiliar words and spellings, but (I think) worth the effort.
Here are definitions given in the book (A Sacrifice of Praise: An Anthology of Christian Poetry in English from Caedmon to the Mid-Twentieth Century, edited by James H. Trott) for some unfamiliar words:
trymmillis- tremble
our ransonis- ransom
indoce- endorse
Surrexit Dominus de sepulchro- "The Lord has risen from the grave"

And the answer is...

Thanks for guessing, everyone. Yes, it is something to do with insects, Deborah Anne, and it is even a cage, but it isn't a spider cage!

The object pictured in the last post is a Queen Cage, and it is used when introducing a new queen into a hive of bees. It protects her and allows the hive to free her, while creating a delay so that they get used to her and accept her as their queen.

This particular queen cage (with two dead queen attendants inside) was a souvenier given to Eph1:6Beloved and me by the man who is selling us our bees. He gave it to us when we went to drop off our Kenya hives (mine built by my wonderful father, hers built by JFC). We will pick them up in a few weeks after the bees are all settled in and happy. While we were there, he invited us to visit his apiary, so we donned protective gear and went out with him. He showed us how he used his smoker (ours is pictured), and then after using it to calm the bees down, he showed us inside the hives.

After he opened up a hive, he showed us the queen, queen cells, drones, drone cells, worker cells, pollen, and capped honey. After he demonstrated how to take out frames, he had us reach in barehanded and pull out frames and hold them and look at them ourselves. The bees practically ignored us, buzzing back and forth and continuing their work on the frames. It was a very exciting and interesting experience, and I'm glad that we had the opportunity to interact with the bees with an experienced beekeeper on hand!

Guess

What is it?

Happy Easter

Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen.
And they said among themselves, "Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?"
But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away; for it was very large.
And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.
But he said to them, "Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. But go, tell His disciples; and Peter; that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you."
-Mark 16:2-7

He is Risen!

Lines in Prison

I was flipping through my recently begun attempt at a Commonplace Book and saw the first stanza of this poem by Anne Askew, who was martyred in 1546 at the age of 25.
It caught my eye because I had just come across the entire poem for the first time in A Sacrifice of Praise: An Anthology of Christian Poetry in England from Caedmon to the Mid-Twentieth Century, edited by James H. Trott. So then I read the section about her in Trial and Triumph: Stories from Church History by Richard M. Hannula and learned that she wrote this poem in her prison cell, after being declared a heretic and sentenced to death by burning. On July 16 1546, after having been tortured at the Tower of London (in a failed attempt to extract evidence from her against other ladies of the court) she was taken to be burned at the stake. She was offered a king's pardon if she would recant, but she refused.

"Anne Askew's bravery in the face of death still shines as a beautiful example of the faithfulness of God to uphold His children in the midst of great trial."
- Trial and Triumph: Stories from Church History
by Richard M. Hannula

Lines in Prison

Like as the armed knight,
Appointed to the field,
With this world will I fight,
And faith shall be my shield.

Faith is that weapon strong,
Which will not fail at need;
My foes therefore among
Therewith will I proceed.

As it is had in strength
And force of Christ his way,
It will prevail at length
Though all the devils say nay.

Faith in the Father’s old
Obtained righteousness
Which maketh me so bold
To fear no world’s distress.

I now rejoice in heart,
And hope bids me do so,
For Christ will take my part
And ease me of my woe.

Thou say’st Lord, whoso knock
To them wilt thou attend;
Undo therefore the lock,
And thy strong power down send.

More enemies I have
Than hairs to crown my head,
Let them not me deprave,
But fight thou in my stead.

On thee my care I cast,
For all their cruel spite;
I set not by their haste,
For thou art my delight.

I am not she that list
My anchor to let fall
For every drizzling mist,
My ship’s substantial.

Not oft use I to write
In prose, nor yet in rime;
Yet will I show one sight
That I saw in my time.

I saw a royal throne
Where justice should have sit,
But in her stead was one
Of moody cruel wit.

Absorbed was righteousness
As by a raging flood;
Satan in fierce excess
Sucked up the guiltless blood.

Then thought I--Jesu, Lord!
When thou shalt judge us all,
Hard is it to record
On these men what will fall.

Yet Lord, I thee desire,
For what they do to me
Let them not taste the hire
Of their iniquity.

When I Went Down to the Creek to Play...

Tulips and Apple Blossoms

Currently...

Writing a treasure hunt!

On this day in 1856...

Booker T. Washington was born in Franklin County, Virginia. Dr. George Grant posted about his life here.

As of Today...

... I've decided to travel Siberia on the back of Clydesdales.

Books!

I took a box of books to trade in at the used bookstore yesterday. They took only two, which partly explains why they're such a good bookstore- they're selective. Also, they're making sure not to have a million copies of something that won't sell. Anyway, they gave me $4 in credit, which more than covered the cost of The Hound of Heaven and Other Poems by Francis Thompson.

It was a very nice bookstore, and a wonderful treat, especially after going to another bookstore a few days ago, which was a great example of wasted potential. Down brick steps to a basement, right on the small town square and under little shops, is a bookstore. Anticipation grows as you negotiate the stairs down, but when you open the door, you see nature posters thumbtacked onto the walls, three large shelves of romance novels, two of paperback mysteries, and one scrawny, knee high shelf of classics. A tragedy!

The Automatic Signature on the Silly Forward Reads...

NOTICE: This e-mail message, including any attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential or proprietary information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited.

So if unauthorized distribution is prohibited, why did it zigzag all over the web and show up in my inbox?

Spring Is Here

Spring is here. The weather is rather gray today, but the green mist of growing grass on the fields, and the new leaves and flowers on the trees remind me that it is indeed spring.

Rain, Rain...

It is rainy and windy and drizzly- all in all, a perfect day to stay inside as much as possible, enjoying the weather through the window, and doing laundry. I also plan on trying out a new bread recipe and listening to Brother #5 read to me.

And maybe curling up with a book and cup of tea, if I get the chance. What books are you reading?

Psalm 117:1-2

O Praise the LORD, all ye nations:
praise him, all ye people.
For his merciful kindness is great toward us:
and the truth of the LORD endureth for ever.
Praise ye the LORD.

Interesting

"A recent poll by the respected Zogby International found that 72% of respondent U.S. troops serving in Iraq believed the U.S military should withdraw from that country within a year."
~ Pumpkinhead, here

St. Patrick

‘For forty years Patrick labored among the Irish. They came to Christ by the thousands. Many Irishmen followed Patrick’s example and went into the ministry, bringing Christianity to the farthest corners of Ireland and beyond. Near the end of his life, when asked if all the hadships had been worth it, Patrick answered, "The greatest gift in my life has been to know and love God; to serve Him is my highest joy."’ - Trial and Triumph: Stories from Church History, by Richard M. Hannula

"What we know for certain about Patrick can be briefly summarized: Patrick was born to a Roman official, a nominal Christian, somewhere in the west country of Britain, around the turn of the fifth century. Kidnapped from his well-to-do home by Irish raiders at the age of sixteen, he was taken to Ireland and made to serve as a shepherd for six years. During his period of enslavement he rediscovered his faith in God and, at the prompting of a dream or a vision he believed to have come from God, he escaped, ultimately returning to his home across the Irish Sea. Upon receiving there a vision of the people among whom he had slaved, calling him to come and walk among them once more, he returned to Ireland and prepared for the Gospel ministry..." - Introduction to Celtic Flame: The Burden of Patrick, by T.M. Moore

Christ be with me, Christ within me,

Christ behind me, Christ before me,

Christ beside me, Christ to win me,

Christ to comfort and restore me.

Christ beneath me, Christ above me,

Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,

Christ in hearts of all that love me,

Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

I bind unto myself the Name,

The strong Name of the Trinity,

By invocation of the same,

The Three in One and One in Three.

By Whom all nature hath creation,

Eternal Father, Spirit, Word:

Praise to the Lord of my salvation,

Salvation is of Christ the Lord.
-part of The Lorica or Saint Patrick’s Breastplate

Shortage of Victims

My brothers were unusually noisy this morning, and unusually persistent in their demand that I wake up and come out of my room. I was enjoying my sleep, my comfortable pillow, and my cozy grey pj's, and therefore ignored their demands for a while, but after at least ten minutes of certain un-named siblings performing an impromptu serenade of howling and yowling at my door, I heard the tea kettle whistling cheerily in the distance, and, therefore, proceeded to get out of bed. I climbed down from my upper bunk and prepared to sally forth in search of a nice hot cup of strong black tea with, possibly, a bit of honey in it. Smiling at that thought, I opened my door and beheld four of my siblings, two of whom, to my surprise, pinched me before I managed to get the door shut again. I regret to say that the first one who pinched me received back a light smack, which, however, only increased his mirth. Baffled at their strange behavior, I shut the door, despite their best efforts, and stood for a moment in thought, centering on the question "Why? Why are they pestering me?".
As my still groggy brain worked on processing these deep questions, much giggling could be heard from the other side of the door, as well as the illuminating question "Didn't you look at your calendar?"

Now, I ask you! Look at my calendar? I hadn't even had a cup of tea!
Now, I have to admit to you that I'm proud of them for all their persistence. After an interval, during which I consulted my calendar, I emerged again, having added to my attire not one but two green shirts, as well as some lime green socks (best to be on the safe side).

I am invincible now! And they are out of victims again, since Dad decreed that the animals are immune. People should come visit us and not wear green. You'd make many children happy.


Happy St. Patrick's Day, ya'll!

Spring!

The bees really love the flowers on the peach tree...

I took these pictures yesterday, between the cheerful gusts of fresh spring breezes. The peach tree is in bloom, the daffodils are lovely, and the fields are turning green. Spring is obviously here!

Before the Rain (2)

Before the Rain

This and That

---------------
I made bagels last night. One more 'first thing' that I've done this year! We had them for breakfast with delicious creamed honey from the beekeeping conference.
---------------
Dr. George Grant posts some quotes themed on wisdom and discernment.
----------------
A. Victoria kindly shares a cool new word with us- mulligrubs. If you haven't seen it, feel free to leave your guesses as to the meaning in my comments before heading over there. :-)
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It is raining here. I love rain. I love rainy days. I love clouds. (Can you tell I grew up in Arizona?) Does anyone know of any poems celebrating rainy days?
---------------

On the Grasshopper and Cricket

John Keats

The poetry of earth is never dead:
When all the birds are faint with the hot sun,
And hide in cooling trees, a voice will run
From hedge to hedge about the new-mown mead.
That is the grasshopper's- he takes the lead
In summer luxury, - he has never done
With his delights, for when tired out with fun,
He rests at ease beneath some pleasant weed.
The poetry of earth is ceasing never:
On a lone winter evening, when the frost
Has wrought a silence, from the stove there shrills
The cricket's song, in warmth increasing ever,
And seems to one, in drowsiness half-lost,
The grasshopper's among some grassy hills.

Last night brother #4's cricket escaped. After an eventful chase, it was recovered, to my relief. Now all five boys are preparing to go out and hunt for more crickets. Life is never dull with boys around! :-)

Back Home...

... after two days away at a beekeeping conference. Among other things, I listened to lectures on Russian Queens, Beeswax, Installing Packaged Bees, Soapmaking, and Behavior of the Hive. It was all very interesting and I enjoyed the lectures and workshops a lot. Now all I have to do is remember, understand, and apply what I heard.

"Solitude"

by Alexander Pope

Happy the man, whose wish and care
A few paternal acres bound,
Content to breathe his native air
In his own ground.

Whose herds with milk, whose fields with bread,
Whose flocks supply him with attire;
Whose trees in summer yield him shade,
In winter fire.

Blest who can unconcernedly find
Hours, days, and years, slide soft away
In health of body, peace of mind;
Quiet by day.

Sound sleep by night; study and ease
Together mixed, sweet recreation,
And innocence, which most does please
With meditation.

Thus let me live, unseen, unknown;
Thus unlamented let me die;
Steal from the world, and not a stone
Tell where I lie.

Thoughts?

Poetry

I've never been big into poetry, but the day after the ball I went to we all sat around in rocking chairs in the kitchen reading poetry aloud and drinking tea. Listening to a variety of styles and topics in the poems people chose made me realize that in neglecting reading poetry, especially older poetry, I was missing out.

So I mentioned to my parents that I needed to enlarge my horizons in the direction of poetry, and they went off together yesterday on another errand and returned with The Book of Living Verse, edited by Louis Untermeyer (which has, among others, some John Donne, George Herbert, Francis Thompson, and G.K. Chesterton), and Selected Poems, by Tennyson.

Very exciting! Thanks, mom and dad!

Marcy

Mooooo Part Twooooo

It isn't the best of pictures (I was a little preoccupied with listening to the "how to milk" instructions going on), but this is Marcy.

Mooooo....

We got our first cow today. Her name is Marcy. She has beautiful brown eyes. Pictures will most likely be posted in a few days.

I will never drink milk the same way again. I have a whole new appreciation of what goes into making that delicious frothy white stuff!

SCOTUS to Rule on the 2003 Partial-Birth Abortion Ban

"The US Supreme Court says it will rule on whether to uphold the first federal ban on an abortion procedure since terminations were made legal in 1973. It will be the first time an abortion case has come before the court since President George W Bush appointed a new conservative judge to the bench. The case concerns a law passed in 2003 that banned a form of late abortion. The law was never enacted because an appeals court said it made no exception to protect a pregnant mother's health... A number of states have already introduced their own bans on the partial-birth procedure, but the federal legislation would outlaw it across America."

Hat tip: Pumpkinhead, here

Tea time

I just bought a teakettle. Now I'm just waiting for it to whistle, and then I'll have some Lady Grey Tea!

What is your favorite kind of tea?

Home Again

I'm back at home!

*achoo*

I have a cold.

Twizzlers...

make great straws, but don't try them on tea. That is just gross. Sparkling cider is much better.

I'd think of some other important information to impart to y'all, but the clean dishes await me to put them away, so that is all for now.

Update

The ball was last night. It was wonderful! (Thank you, "Junior" for your help with the dress! :-) Right now we're sitting around reading poetry aloud and drinking tea and eating chocolate with our feet up, recovering. :-)

Pairing Socks and Making Chocolate Snowflakes

On the Road

Scattered Thoughts

...from on the road.
Subdivisions look like mazes from the sky. I miss family and all at home, but am having a good time. Seeing people you haven't seen for a while is wonderful. Babies that were tiny now walk and run. Comfortable shoes are a must. Airplane food... no comment. More later if I have a chance, but for now that is all.

Announcement

For about the next two weeks because of traveling. :-)