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

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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.
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Dr. George Grant posts some quotes themed on wisdom and discernment.
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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?
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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.