Yesterday Mary-Kate graduated from Morrisville State College with honors.  She now has an Associates degree in Agricultural Science.  My first child to graduate from college.  Now Doug and I can retire and hand the running of things over to her.

One month ago today our very dear friend Melissa went into labor and gave birth to one of God's greatest blessings, Layn Austin Michel.

This boy is not only growing and developing but he is thriving in the love of his mother and those who come into the little circle of his life.

No more cares in the world than who is going to hold him when and how many kisses he is going to get each day.

We love you Layn.

Since the Supreme Court made it's infamous decision in the Roe v Wade decision and legalized abortion our little country parish has been sending bus loads of people to Washington DC for the annual March For Life sponsored by the National Right to Life Committee.

My father, accompanied by various of my siblings and I have gone on that march over the years since we were all in high school.  As a matter of fact that is where my husband and I met for the first time.  

Recently a very dear friend of my family's gave me these pictures from the olden days of our trips to the capitol. 

My first thought upon seeing this one was, boy is my father a looker.  Then I couldn't believe that I was so young.  Dad, I thought you would enjoy seeing them too.  Perhaps you will recognize those who are in the picture as well.

Today is one of those beautiful spring days that you just want to go on and on.  The temperature out is 73 and there is a slight breeze blowing.  The leaves are finally out on the trees and all of the flowering trees have finally let their load of pollen go so those of us who have allergies can go outside with a relative degree of comfort.

That is exactly what I was doing a little while ago.  Layn and I were at the picnic table.  He was taking a bit of a snooze and I was working on some research for my paper.  Suddenly I hear Ian slide the doors of the shop closed like they were on racing tracks.  At the same time he is saying to Melissa, kind of sternly I might add, to get into the shop and stay there.  Then he yells to me to take the baby and get into the house.  I grabbed up Layn and took him into the house.  When my son speaks in that tone you don't stand there and question him or discuss it.  He isn't an alarmist nor is he prone to getting excited over nothing. 

I sure did wonder what was goin on though.  I put Layn in his crib and came downstairs to find MK telling me that she was putting the dogs inside.  Ian came over to tell me that there was a swarm of bees in the maple tree beside the shop and to stay inside the house. (I am allergic to bee stings!)

Lets give a bit of perspective.  The little skinny tree that you can see across the driveway is the one with the swarm in it.  The shop is next to it with the doors open now that the bees have calmed down a bit.  I was sitting at the table in the immediate foreground with Layn in his chair on the table.

This is the proximity of the tree to the shop.  When I stood this close to take this picture I could hear the hum of the bees.  I did not use the zoom on the camera I was actually standing behind the truck.

I did use the zoom for this one since I didn't want to get any closer.  This is the mass of bees in the tree.  Unfortunately the camera can't get the cloud of bees that is still around the tree. Doug has called our bee man to come and take care of them for us.  A swarm at this time of year is not unusual but we haven't had one this close to the house in a very long time. 

Outside my window.....it is cold and gloomy.  The thermometer says 30 degrees.  I am so thankful that last week I had Matthew put more wood into the basement even though temps were in the 70's at the time.  Being a native New Yorker I know that it can suddenly get colder, cold enough to need a fire in the furnace.

I am thinking.......about all the work that needs to be done around here.  Also about my lovely Mother's day and the love and generosity of my children.

I am thankful for....the blessings that God has bestowed upon me in such abundance. 

From the schoolroom.....Matthew will finish up his last week of school!!!!!!  Mary-Kate has a few finals this week then she graduates on Saturday!!!!!!  I still have a couple of months of my semester left.  (wish I knew how to put frowning smileys on here)  I am so proud of my scholars.

From the kitchen......I am sure something delicious will be coming forth.  Ian and Melissa had their heads together yesterday and then they took a bunch of packages out of the freezer so I know there will be good stuff to eat.  Melissa is a darn good cook!!!!!

I am wearing......sweats.  What do you expect at this hour of the day and at this time of the year?

I am creating.....a finished First Communion dress, in my spare time. (pictures to follow)

I am going.......to get laundry, sewing, and schoolwork done today.  With a bit of luck my car will sit lonely and unstarted in the driveway today.

I am reading......Norton's Anthology of English Literature.

I am hoping......that all who suffer have relief, all who are lonely have comfort, and all who doubt find counsel.

I am hearing.....Brutus and Isabella pacing upstairs, Doug rattling the newspapers as he reads them, and the silence and contentment of the house as it prepares for a new day.

Around the house.....It is a disaster area!!!!! The weather was too bad for us to spend any time outside this weekend so we were in here and all over.  I don't care, that's what makes this house a home.

One of my favorite things.....is having little people in the house.

A few plans for the rest of the week.....school, laundry, moving MK home for good, attending Mass for the holy day on Thursday, you know the usual.

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

Layn at three weeks.  This kid is really growing fast.  He loves to be in the middle of everything.

Ian and Layn in one of their favorite positions.  How else is a guy supposed to spend a Sunday afternoon?

This is what nice weather looks like around where I live.  Every acre of land is being worked.  It is really quite exciting to see the machinery and the farmers doing their jobs.

I am currently taking an introductory literature course that goes toward my degree.  Each week we have to write a journal entry following certain rubrics about a poetry selection for that week.  since I haven't been posting much lately and I am a bit proud of this journal entry, (I got a perfect score on it) I thought I would post it here.  I hope those who read it enjoy.

Ann Kraeger

Professor Hensarling

LITR211 A001

27 April 2010

When I was a Callow Youth

     It was called The Works of Alfred Lord Tennyson: Complete and Unabridged, the first volume of poetry that I had ever been given.  A gift bestowed upon me by the first love of my youth at the very tender age of twelve.  What young girl doesn’t love poetry?  Perhaps I did more than most.  There we were at the used book sale sponsored by the school library and before us sat that volume of poetry with a sticker proclaiming to the world that for one thin dime it could be purchased and brought home by any lover of Tennyson.   My love stood beside me and without being told that that book was what I really wanted to take home, handed his dime to the librarian, turned to me and bestowed on me the desire of my sixth grade heart.  Fortunately my love for Tennyson has endured as my regard for that young boy hasn’t.  

     The last poem in that precious volume is Tennyson’s Crossing the Bar and I am ashamed to say that is not one of the poems that became a favorite back then when I was a callow youth.  Although I took the book home that very day and read it from cover to cover burying myself in the delights to be found in the verse penned there, that particular poem didn’t impress me at the time.  As a preteen girl I was far more transported by The Lady of Shalott, and Lancelot and Elaine than by the thought of death, and why would a poet as fine as Tennyson write about such a topic anyway. 

     It was only later on upon countless re-readings of that beautiful poem, and a deepening of my faith in God that I came to understand what Tennyson was saying and why indeed he would want to write about such a topic.  Now, as I am older the thought of death no longer causes the same feelings in me as it did in my youth.  No more the horror, fear, and morbid fascination accompany thoughts of death and the afterlife. 

     Tennyson’s comparison between death and a sea voyage is a beautiful one.  It truly captures the possibility of both a peaceful death, which we all pray for, and a more violent death, which we all dread.  Yet even though the sea can be both peaceful and tempestuous, and we all know it, Tennyson speaks only of the peace and calm of it and dwells instead upon the hope of seeing “my Pilot face to face when I have crossed the bar”(line 16).

Works Cited

Tennyson, Alfred, Lord. “Crossing the Bar.” The Norton Anthology English Literature. Ed.

     Stephen Greenblatt. New York/London: W. W. Norton & Company, 2006. 1211-1212. Print.

Outside my window.....it's 70 out already and the birds are singing.  The dogs and I already enjoyed our breakfast along with the sunrise, such as it is, and now we are ready to face the day.  Well, they are, I haven't had my coffee yet.

I am thinking.....about the fact that there is always so much to do each.  Why do we always make so much of it.  It will all be there tomorrow if we don't get it done today.  The important things to get done are the things that involve people.

I am thankful for....my family. We had a nearly perfect day yesterday.  The only thing that could have improved it would be to have had the rest of my sons at home.

From the schoolroom.....Matthew is in his final two weeks of school.  Mary-Kate is in her last week of classes then it is finals and she graduates.  So many changes, but changes for the better.

From the kitchen.....a summer meal I think. Mac. salad, barbecue ribs, potato salad, fresh asparagus.

I am wearing.....jammies.  It's too early for me to be that ready to start the day. 

I am creating.....castles in the air

I am going.......to take the lady I take care of for a mammogram this morning then it is back to my hole for a day of laundry and schoolwork.

I am reading.....nothing that isn't school related.

I am hoping.....hoping to finish things that need finishing, start things that need starting, pray for that which needs praying and to stay on track.

I am hearing.....the birds singing outside my window.

Around the house.....It is a mess! but what a lovely weekend we had, it is worth it.

One of my favorite things....summertime feet.  I have a good case of them going on. 

A few plans for the rest of the week......schoolwork, work, cooking, laundry, cleaning, in other words, status quo.

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

My buddy Andy made his first communion on Saturday.  I am very proud of him. 

The master of all he surveys spending some down time on Sunday.

Layn got a bit of sun on Saturday but he doesn't seem to be bothered by it.  He is definitely an outside boy. 

Here is a lesson in farming for Meghann.  This is the field that Ian plowed the day after he plowed it.  Sorry I don't have any pictures of him plowing but I have been a bit busy with school.

You can see the bits of sod and how the plow turned it over.  They leave it to dry out for a day or so before they disc the field.

This is Doug discing half of the field.  Half of it is going to be planted in oats and the other half will be in corn.  You can see the other side where they haven't disced it yet.  Discing it breaks up the clumps that were created by the plow.

Up close of the disc.  You can see the shiny coulters that Ian replaced last year. 

This is the drag that they use after they disc.  The drag brings up any clumps that may be left from the first discing.  Then they will disc again.  The purpose of all this working of the ground is to have a very smooth field when they are going to put seeding in and make it into a hay field.  If it isn't smooth then it can hurt the disc bine when they mow or the baler when they bale.

Here is Ian planting the oats.  The seeder has boxes of different sizes on it with tubes going down along the coulters that cover up the seeds after they fall into the ground.

A close up of the seeder.  You can see the lids on top where they fill it up with seeds. 

After Ian planted the oats he went over the whole field with a very heavy roller to smooth it out and pack it down so that the moisture that is in the ground will stay there and so that it is nice and smooth for the harvesting equipment later on.

Later, Meghann, you will have a lesson in planting corn.