Cheers!!!!!

Two days ago my husband got a call from a local Mennonite farmer needing someone to milk for him while his family goes to a wedding.  Not being one to turn down a job, he's been unemployed for nine months now, Doug said yes.  Yesterday afternoon a very rare thing happened, I actually had a vehicle available to me with no one else in line to use it.  I packed up my books and computer and decided to go to Deansboro and visit with Doug while he milked and get a little writing done in relative peace and quiet.

Imagine my surprise when I walked into the barn and saw my husband's bloody face.  He had gotten kicked in the nose by a cow.  No pictures please!!! He finished milking and we went home, cleaned up, (the nurses in the ER can thank me later) then off to our local hospital to see if it was broken.  An hour and a half later and three x-rays and we find that he does indeed have a broken nose, thankfully it is in line, and the dr. confirmed the poison ivy on his arms.  We now have a script for steroids and a referral to an ENT for the nose and promises to the ER doc that he will go see the specialist.

Each morning that it isn't raining I take my coffee outside and stroll around the property drinking in the scenery and the peace and quiet while I wake up and prepare myself mentally to start the day.  This morning I was greeted by my daughter's smiling face hanging over the pig pen and the announcement that there are piglets.  Pearl has begun to have her litter this morning. 

There were nine at last count.  Mother and offspring are doing well.  The last time I went over there to check I managed to catch number nine coming out.

Last night Ian brought home two new calves.  They came with names he informed me, can't remember what they are but I like to call them Porterhouse and NY Strip.

That dog pen Matthew and I built is getting quite a bit of use.  Those two look like they are making themselves right at home.  I hate to tell them what is in their future.

Edit: Make that 11 piglets.

Second Edit: Pearl came in with an even dozen babies.  That leaves Ruby to do her job instead of moping around wishing that those babies were hers.

This is Matthew sitting and being contemplative.

This is Brutus sitting and staying.  He just learned how to stay.

Everyone is gone somewhere except Layn, the dogs, and I.  That is a noteworthy thing in this place.  Folks used to comment when they saw me out without children when they were all little as if that was something big.  Actually all I had to say was, "Doug, I need to go somewhere" and Doug would hand me the car keys and off I would go.  Now it is a different thing.  There are more drivers in the house than there are vehicles. 

So this afternoon Doug has his car at a job, MK and Matthew have my car running errands and karate class, Ian and Melissa went to get a part for the dodge truck and the dodge truck doesn't have brake lights so it isn't legal.  That leaves me home alone with Layn and the dogs.

It won't last long I know since Melissa will have to come home and nurse the baby but while it lasts it is kind of pleasant.  I can hear the sound of the neighbor girls playing together across the valley.  Over the hill behind us another neighbor is working ground and I can hear his tractor get closer and further away as he goes around the field.  Out back of where our barn used to be I can hear turkeys calling to each other.  I imagine they are laughing about the fact that another day of hunting season has passed and they have managed to elude the hunters once again..  The baby robbins in the nest above me are chirping away calling to their mother that they are hungry once again.  And the father robin is in my garden trying to score another worm for his family.

Too soon this interlude is all over.  Ian and Melissa are home and right on cue Layn is beginning to signal that his indicator is on E and he needs another fill-up.  Time to watch the clock and wonder when MK and Matthew will be home, they have to be getting hungry soon, and when the lord and master will be done with work.

Every once in awhile I like to take a walk around the place and just check on things.  Since I have been so busy with my courses I haven't been able to get out into the gardens which means that everyone is doing the work for me, not that I mind but I miss the therapeutic aspect of being in the garden. 

Yesterday's walk around left me with the assurance that all is as it should be.  Makes me sound like a control freak doesn't it.  It's not a need for control that makes me need this assurance but rather a certain contentment in my soul that all is following the course set forth from the dawn of time.  (sounds profound doesn't it)  This all translates out to a need to know that all is right with my world.  So I found my husband cutting wood and stacking it up for next winter so that we can keep the cold that we know is coming at bay.

I found the little lilac that MK rescued after the fire actually thriving.  In another year perhaps it will even have some flowers on it.  This little tree was right in the path of the firemen and fire hoses and was quite the worse for wear after they left.  MK transplanted it here and has nurtured it until there is more live tree than dead.

Thanks to Mary-Kate's attention in my stead the hops have been tied up and they are quite a bit taller than I am.  I love to see my hops growing and the scent of them in the fall when they flower is a heady thing.

The big climatis is about to burst into bloom.  This vine started out as a grocery store reject that was nearly dead when I planted it.  Now it is thriving and blooms with ferver every summer all summer long.

This little bloom is growing and thriving also.  He tolerates being taken outside but he trusts that we know what we are doing.

The blue climatis is already offering up its show of hand-size blossoms.  It doesn't bloom quite as profusely as the purple one does but the blooms are just as beautiful.

I think best of all, Matthew assembled the fountain and filled it last night.  He even poured a big jug of bubbles into it.  The soothing sound of the water falling from one level to the other is a big part of what makes working in the garden such a therapeutic thing for me. 

One more week and I will be done with three courses then I will have more time to be out in the garden.  Just hang on until then.

The daughter of a very dear friend is making her First Communion this weekend.   This friend teaches me everyday by her example how a good wife and mother should be.  She is patient and unfailing in her love and devotion to her family.  She is not only willing to give her all, including her life, for her husband and her children, but she has nearly had to on more than one occasion.  Thanks be to God that she is still here to give them all the love and support that they need. 

When the date for First Communion was announced at church I asked her if she would let me have the honor of making Miss Grace's dress.  This is a very important occasion in the life a little girl.  For the first time in her life Miss Grace will receive the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Our Lord Jesus into her body and carry him right under her heart.  For this occasion this has to be the most beautiful dress that I have ever made and every stitch has to carry with it a prayer that Miss Grace remain as close to Jesus as she will be each time she receives him Holy Communion.

I got out my box of patterns and looked them over and decided that Grace needed to have something very unique, something that no other little girl would have. 

Traditionally the dress is all white, which this one is but I decided to add a bit of yellow to brighten it up and also because when the Holy Spirit is represented in church art he is often depicted in a yellow color.  I wanted to remember the Holy Spirit who came to dwell in Miss Grace's soul on the day that she was baptized and who is there with her everyday helping her to prepare and be worthy to receive Jesus in Holy Communion on this special day.

You cannot see them but there is a double row of seed pearls smocked into the top and bottom of the design on the front of the dress.  The yellow rose is the embroidery detail that is on the ends of both sashes.

EDIT:  I was able to get a fairly good picture of the detail on the smocking on the front of the dress. Sometimes I am not so great with the close-up shots.

Come Lord Jesus, come into the heart of Miss Grace and fill her with your love and blessings.  Keep her close to you and never let her stray away.  Amen.

Instead of working on my research, which is what I should be doing, I am wandering around taking pictures, taking pride in all the work that has been done around here, and just generally avoiding intellectual pursuits for a little while.  To those of you who may be concerned for my education, fear not duty will prevail.

The pool is empty and Ian is scooping out the leaves and scrubbing down the liner.  Believe it or not it is a job that he really enjoys. 

Matthew, home from a four-day weekend in the Adirondacks feels the need to reconnect with Layn.  It sure is good to have him home again.

Taking an inordinate amount of pride in the look of my garden.  The cold frames have lettuce in them, not a great crop but still it's mine.  It truly means a lot to me to sit outside in the mornings, drink my coffee and remember the contributions of each of my children to the progress that has been made around here.

I just discovered that Mary-Kate's climatis vine has flowered well ahead of all the rest.  What a bit of joy to see those lovely blooms when you walk around that side of the deck.  To those who asked me why we planted on the back side of the deck, and you know who you are, this is the reason.  It is such a pleasant surprise to come upon something like this when you are walking around the yard, totally unexpected indeed.

Today has been an absolutely glorious day.  The sun has shone all day and there has been a slight breeze.  The temperature currently is 73 and everyone that could be home is.  Doug had work today for which we thank the good Lord and it looks like he may have work all week long.

One of the best things about my life and the thing that I thank God for most fervently is the fact that everyone gets along so well and isn't afraid to show their love for each other in various ways each day.  Today Ian decided to work on getting the pool taken care of for the season.  Last fall we discovered a hole in the bottom and the decision was made not to bother covering it since we would be pumping it dry this spring in order to take care of the hole.

The water turned a lovely shade of green and smells like an uncovered cess pool and it seems like every leaf for miles around settled into the bottom.  So Ian borrowed a high volume pump and is currently emptying the water and the leaves out of the pool.

That's quite a stream of water going over the hill there.  After the water is gone he will scrub the sides, repair the hole then we will refill the pool and add the chemical to keep the water clean.

In the meantime MK and Melissa are tending to the laundry, Layn is napping in his stroller up on the deck and I am enjoying my family.

Outside my window.......the sun is valiantly trying to warm the world up.  It is only 39 out there but the weather man (my husband) says it is supposed to get up into the 60's today.  That is code for hang the laundry on the clothesline please and save money on the electric bill.  We are such kindred spirits that I can tell exactly what he means when he says things like that.

I am thinking....Layn and I need to have a talk about the difference between night and day.  It looks like his mom and he had another night of it.

I am thankful for.....countless things.  For family and immediate friends.  For online friends who bless you out of the blue (God must have been whispering in his ear so he knew I needed that one this morning), for children who are growing up into admirable adults, for days full of sunshine and warm breezes, and for little babies who remind me that there is more to life than what I have planned--so much more!!!

From the schoolroom.....I am the lone student now.  Matthew is done for the year and MK has graduated (in case anyone missed the announcements of the proud mother).  It is up to me to continue carrying the educational torch for the summer.

From the kitchen.....there are loads of leftovers from the revelry this past weekend which is good because there are loads of laundry, loads of floors to clean, loads of messes to clean up and loads of schoolwork to do.

I am wearing......jammies and that will be the norm all day since I don't have to go anywhere and don't plan on it either.  I have five, count them, papers due this week.

I am creating.....endless proofs of my scholarly prowess. (That translates out to mean I am writing a bunch of papers this week)

I am going.....to eat, sleep, and live schoolwork this whole week.

I am reading.....research, research, and more research.

I am hoping.....that I get good grades on my history and art papers so that I get better than B's in those two courses.

I am hearing......MK bustling around doing housework and laundry, Layn squirming in his chair beside me, and the birds chirping outside.

Around the house....it looks like we partied all weekend.  What we did was spend time together as a family and celebrate the accomplishments of our graduate.

One of my favorite things.....is sitting here as I am right now, with the sounds of home all around me soaking in the normalcy of it all.

A few plans for the rest of the week.....bet no one can guess.  Writing and more writing.

Here is a picture thought that I am sharing with you....

The peas are up in the garden.....so are the weeds.  This week the beans will get planted along with the corn and the cucerbits. (translation: squash, pumpkins, and cucumbers.)

Temporary interruption to burp a baby.  Everything is finally green around here.  Those pesky flowering trees have finished their work of making the world uncomfortable with their pollen and the whole world in just beautiful out there.

Last week the tree trimming guys came from the power company to make the power lines safe from the trees that home owners have the audacity to plant on their property.  Actually the trees being trimmed in this picture were planted before there was electricity at this end of the road.  When my father-in-law bought the home farm the power came from the other end of the road and stopped at the corner of our other driveway.  That power pole and many others were put in long after he bought the farm.

Matthew took the morning off to watch the men trim the trees.  Doug gave them permission to cut down a dead tree in our front lawn and a tree in the side lawn that is always losing branches during storms.  I begged their loads of chipped up material to use for mulch and they were happy to dump both trucks here at the farm. 

It is nerve wracking and fascinating at the same time to watch the man in the bucket work around those power lines.