my boy and my boy only

Posted on June 13, 2016 by Shanda

Let’s just stare at this one for a few minutes. Can you even???????

I took this one through the window at the school. The graduates were waiting in the cafeteria and all the guests were waiting in line for the doors to open to the gym.

Rich and I sat on the left hand side on bleachers with Caleb, Seth, Sarah, David, Tessa, Emily, Grace, and Jacob. We were thankful to have enough tickets for the whole family to watch Ethan graduate but I doubt the little kids were thankful because it was a long and pretty boring night for them.

Zach is Ethan’s red headed best friend. They were even in the same Kindergarten class.

Caleb is also one of Ethan’s best friends. They were friends for years before he and Grace started dating. He looks pretty serious in picture but then we yelled his name and he smiled.

The young men wore blue robes and the ladies wore white.

*Zach receiving his diploma. (He is attending college this fall).

The graduation began at 7pm and went on for approximately two hours while we were sitting squeezed together on the bleachers. It was kinda funny. Rich was uncomfortable the entire time…too hot and the bleachers were too hard and his hip was hurting and then Sarah got on his lap and the face he made as she explained she had to sit there because she was “too squished” was so funny…….

David and Caleb coped by reading books. Aren’t they so handsome???

13394138_10154090235911343_7932378057272770347_n

We sat right behind the family of the Valedictorian which was exciting (to me). His speech was very well done.

Caleb receiving his diploma (he is going into the Coast Guard this summer).

Ethan waiting for his turn to get his diploma and my heart was bursting. He wore cowboy boots and decorated his cap with the American Flag. (one of the girls did the very same thing, boots and flag). Very fun.

I stood up with my camera to take pictures while Rich and the kids all cheered as loudly as they could for our E.

This is one of my favorites of the night…Ethan clearly in the middle of the photo leaving the room with a classmate on his arm. The kids were all so happy.

I managed to get through the crowd in my very high horrible heels and found Ethan drinking chocolate milk at the reception.

We got a phone call from the school this morning saying they had Ethan’s class ring in the office (he didn’t even know he had lost it).

13418897_10154090236496343_5610060089552395970_n

Ethan and Mitch

My daughter Grace with her boyfriend, Caleb.

Ethan with his girlfriend, Tessa.

Jacob and Ethan

Ethan and his Dad

Ethan and his Mom.

13434751_10154083786976343_267470811367358655_n

Ethan and all of us.

(Incidentally, earlier that evening while we were still home, Grace got Sarah ready while I was getting ready and we ended up all three matching. The next day the same thing happened, we all three ended up wearing yellow shirts without even planning it.)

Ethan and his little sister, Sarah Joy. Sarah is wearing a dress that used to be Grace’s.

All in all it was a very exciting night. We left as soon as we could. My feet were killing me and Ethan went to a party that the school arranged through “Safe Grad”. He stayed up all night and slept until 11 in the morning the next day.

I didn’t cry or even feel like crying. But I had a headache and was buzzing with emotion regardless. My mind could only hold the essentials; “Ethan” and “Graduation” and “taking photos”. I was so embarrassed because I met a man and his wife in line before the graduation…we introduced each other and everything….by the end of the night I introduced myself to them AGAIN. And the lady said, “Whatever you are drinking, I’ll have some, too.” Which was rather rude but it just goes to show that I was in tune to my boy and my boy only.

****

Today is the first day of summer vacation. It is sunny but oddly windy. Caleb and Seth were invited to a friend’s house for a morning of play. I drove them there and then took the girls with me to the thrift shop where we spent three dollars on an aquarium (for nature studies at home) and a bag of books (for summer reading). Also today: David made homemade funnel cakes fried in oil (Aunt Colleen’s recipe), I made a double batch of blueberry muffins, Jacob and Emily took Sarah for a canoe ride on the pond and they threw bread to the fish. I saw a pair of cardinals and ate three wild strawberries. David had stomach ache by this afternoon so he is taking his second bath (he thinks maybe he ate too many funnel cakes but refused Pepto Bismal). Ethan is at his girlfriend’s house, Grace is at Caleb’s house, Jacob is at work, Emily is also at work, and the three youngest are now watching Zootopia after begging me all day.

Oh my word, I am in my room typing this and I could hear the dog whining at the door to the house but I didn’t think anything of it and guess who just came in, and it’s only 4pm!!!

My husband!!! so happy!

Gotta go. Bye!

blessed

Posted on June 10, 2016 by Shanda

You’re never going to believe this!!

I saw a pileated woodpecker like 9 years ago down by the stream and I’ve been wanting to see another ever since.

This morning I saw three!

They were hopping around and perched in the big tall dead tree in the far front of our property. I heard one of them make a call and observed one grooming it’s feathers. I snuck down the hill with my binoculars and the camera, quickly changing the settings to 24MP so I could make a nice print if I was blessed enough to get a good picture. I say blessed because I was praying the entire time.

so happy!

“Wonderful riches, more than tongue can tell –
He is my Father so they’re mine as well”

praiseworthy

Posted on June 9, 2016 by Shanda

“Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others
cannot keep it from themselves.”

Baccalaureate was yesterday at 4:00. Ethan almost didn’t go….

It was one of those “we almost didn’t bother” but we did and it was amazing. God likes to do that now and then. Totally unexpected SOUL FOOD.

The 2016 class, the faculty, the volunteers from the community, teachers, friends, parents, and ministers all came together for a heart-felt, spiritual service. I sat in the pew with Seth, Sarah, David, and Caleb and soaked it all up.

If you’re reading this and you had a part—THANK YOU.

pride, joy, smiles, tears, song, words. so good.

Hunter reading Scripture.

Glad there was a program so I could study it and learn names.

High School choir in beautiful harmony.

Caleb (Grace’s boyfriend) reading Scripture.

I learned a new hymn and I loved it!

Rachel and Sarah singing with their Dad playing guitar. Making us cry.

Rachel spoke to her class some encouraging words.

They were given candles as “Go Light Your World” played.

Whoever put this service together was thoughtful and gave the kids so much to remember.

They will go far.

The Pastor of the church was kind and down to earth.

I held it together until Grace became emotional and then realization flooded over me again that this is a season of changes, not just for me as a mom; but for my children as close brothers and sisters.

The love they share will never change.

z108068314

friends

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things.

blues (a little)

Posted on June 7, 2016 by Shanda

I don’t want to write, because the stuff in my heart will come out through my eyes.

oh, feelings!

My darling, my joy, my pride, my second born, my son, is graduating from high school in four days.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m super proud of him, I’m not sad in the least. He is ready, he’s 18 years old and ready to move on to the next chapter in his life.

What I’m grieving is the little boy I used to know. The one who used to pick me flowers and hug me around the waist. The one who was a happy sidekick to his brother Jacob. The one who was busy catching turtles, boiling up the random cray fish, writing funny stories, reading The Series of Unfortunate Events and other books, making rafts, being 100% nature-boy. Dirty bare feet, happy cookie eater, pancake maker, mama’s boy.

Ethan has changed!!!! He is a man, the strong, silent type. When he does speak, I can’t hardly make out what he’s saying because his voice is low and quiet. I say, “What?” and then get it. He’s in love!!!! And his extra attention goes to his girl. I never know what he’s doing unless I outright ask! Sometimes when I think he’s texting his girlfriend, he’s really playing Tiny Tower and that makes me smile, because he recently discovered it again after playing it a lot when he was like, 11. flashbacks!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

He’s 18, of course this is the way it’s supposed to be!! I’m happy for him. He’s a man now and does not need his mama. Rich says, it’s enough for E just to know I am here and proud.

But I miss him.

I have three more younger boys! Who are very similar to how Ethan used to be at that age.

But I miss my E, the way he was as a youngster…..pure goodness, pure sweetness. It went by so fast, I enjoyed every moment, but it went by too fast.

I know he has a lot on his mind, changes ahead that he will be experiencing on his own. He is internalizing a lot these days. But I hope he realizes that he will always be, just a little bit, my own little boy, always. And I vow I’ll be here with the cookies and the pancakes, ’til death do us part.

Ethan took Tessa to his Senior Banquet on Friday and I was able to have some quiet time with them (and the camera). Standing in front of the pond he grew up in.

The natural progression of time……it’s a beautiful thing. Just makes a mama’s heart ache now and then. You know.

He’s so happy with Tessa!

And she’s such a sweet, fun girl. I couldn’t be happier for them both. They make such a good twosome.

*****

With his sister……(Grace went to the banquet with her boyfriend)

Well, once again blogging has surprised me. Writing has surprised me. I’ve got it all sorted out at the moment (my heart, that is).

You’ve got to give a little, take a little,
and let your poor heart break a little.
That’s the story of, that’s the glory of love.

You’ve got to laugh a little, cry a little,
until the clouds roll by a little.
That’s the story of, that’s the glory of love.

As long as there’s the two of us,
we’ve got the world and all it’s charms.
And when the world is through with us,
we’ve got each other’s arms.

You’ve got to win a little, lose a little,
yes, and always have the blues a little.
That’s the story of, that’s the glory of love.
That’s the story of, that’s the glory of love.

what excellent parents we are

Posted on June 3, 2016 by Shanda

Last night while Rich was in bed next to me falling asleep, he burst out laughing. What’s so funny?” I demanded, as I tried to read my book. “I was just thinking about Caleb….”and he shook the bed with laughter. Then we argued about who’s fault it was.

Seth had a baseball game that afternoon. Our family has been going back and forth to the little league park so many times over the years that, at this time of year, it almost feels like home away from home. I pull into the parking lot at the field and everyone runs off to their perspective places. There are three games going on at once and lots of parents and kids having fun. There is a food shack with grilled foods and snacks and drinks.

Yesterday, I got there first with Caleb, Seth, and Sarah. Rich came about 45 minutes later and we leaned against the fence talking and laughing as we watched Seth and his team play. At one point, we talked to Caleb because he had come over to us to ask for money. I gave him a five and he came back with a lollipop for Sarah. Meanwhile, I told my husband every detail about my day and he in turn told me all the latest with work. We cheered for our Seth as he batted, played shortstop, and did some pitching. Seth was having a great game. In fact, he ended up getting his third game ball of the season.

Sarah and I had already played with a caterpillar, sticks, stones, and leaves. We had “made a castle” for the caterpillar. I had forced her to drink a water bottle and played with her on my lap in the chair Rich had brought. She did math on a piece of paper and kept asked me questions. I informed her whenever she got a math problem wrong and she would say, “How do YOU know?” like she didn’t believe I had ever gone to school. (she’s never seen me there.) ‘Round about 7:45 we started getting bored and when she said she was getting cold I jumped right on it and said immediately to my husband, “I’m going home with Sarah, she’s cold.” And I left.

Sarah had a snack and then I tucked her into bed. The lawnmower man came to the door to be paid and I wrote him a check. Grace called and needed to be picked up so I passed the message on to Rich so he could get her on the way home. Forty five minutes after I got home they arrived and Grace came through the door full of energy and song and conversation. Seth came in with his game ball and a treat from McDonalds. Jacob and Emily were home, too, and soon the five of us, Rich, Grace, myself, Emily, and Jacob were warming up dinner, talking, teasing, and catching up with each other’s stories. It was 9:00pm and there were about 3 conversations going on all at the same time and lots of action as we all used the fridge and microwave. I made strawberry/banana/pineapple milkshakes for Rich and myself and we drank them out of tall mugs. Grace sat cross legged on the kitchen island and talked about how she wished we could always live together, all of us in one big house. I sent Seth off to go take a shower.

And then……..BOOM…… Caleb burst into the house. “YOU GUYS DITCHED ME!” he exclaimed. All conversation stopped and we all looked at him as tears began forming in his eyes. I started screaming as I realized what had happened. Come to find out, his Dad left him at the park because “I didn’t tell him that I was leaving without Caleb when I took Sarah home.”

After the games were over, people were leaving and Caleb left his friends and wandered all over the place looking for us until he found Noah, who is Seth’s best friend and the son of Seth’s baseball coach. So Noah took Caleb to his Dad, who tried calling and texting us. But we were busy partying in our kitchen and never got the messages. Coach brought Caleb home.

Grace and I ran to our poor poor boy and gave him a long and comforting hug. After all, it was a two hug problem. He started saying, “It’s okay, I’m okay, I’m NOT CRYING!” Emily told him not to feel bad, one time her aunt got left behind in Canada.

Rich was laughing later on that night instead of sleeping because he was wondering how long it would have taken us to notice that Caleb wasn’t home. He had truly believed that I had brought him home with me and I had truly believed that Rich had brought him home with him. I had assumed that Caleb was playing outside instead of coming in the side door with the others. Looking back, I remembered that smart Seth had asked, “Where’s Caleb?” but I had truthfully replied, “I don’t know” because, like I said, I thought he was somewhere around the house, I just hadn’t seen him yet.

I went on and on as much as I could to make Rich feel guilty about forgetting his own son but it didn’t work. After laughing about it in bed, he confessed, “I did tell him I was sorry when I tucked him into bed.” I reached over to rub his back and told him he was a good Dad. “He told me it was okay”, he continued, “he knew it was your fault.” Then the back rub turned into a smack as I told him he was a jerk, “Caleb would never say that!”

And thus ended another day.

glad tidings

Posted on June 1, 2016 by Shanda

“There is nothing like family,” Mom leaned over and whispered in my ear as we watched little Weston struggle to move a heavy chair, one handed, with his paper plate full of food in the other hand. He wanted to sit by Uncle Isaac. No one was noticing him but Mom and I, from across the way……

*****

Good morning, my friends! It is Wednesday and in my neighborhood, it is sunny with a nice cool wind. There are freshly washed linen sheets waving in the sweet outdoors, pinned up on a porch clothesline. I just washed my hands and dug dirt out from under my fingernails after weeding and tending our baby plants in the gardens. The chickens have been let out. ‘Tis the season for trips into the woods for sticks, in order to stake up the peas. Everything is growing out there, it’s green and full and lush. The cats visited me in the gardens and chewed on plants and rolled in the good clean dirt.

I listened to the birds while bending over the garden.

(This morning I became a member of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology!)

On Sunday, we hosted a pig roast/baptism/Bible study. I know, the pig is rather disturbing. In fact, our 7 year old Seth refused to eat any of it after witnessing such a sight on the grill. However, it was delicious.

Rejoice with me! My son Caleb has been baptized. He is 10 years old, soon to be 11 and loves Jesus and people so very much. He has a tender and loving heart that has been a source of abundant joy to me and his Dad since the day he was born. His hugs knock me off balance every time (multiple times a day). He told me this morning that it is “Step up Day” at school. He is visiting the Middle school with his class. He hung his head down against me and confessed, “I don’t ever want to grow up.” I could very well nurture this attitude because, frankly, I feel the same way. But I have to make his see that it is better to grow according to God’s general plan for humanity, even if it does hurt at times. So I say, not “I don’t want you to grow up either!!!!!!!!!!!”, “Caleb, of course you do! It’s going to be fun!”

And our dear Emily, Jacob’s girlfriend, was also baptized.

Wally had the honor of baptizing his son Jimmy, on his very own 72nd birthday. He told me it was the best day of his life. So you see, you just never know what Father God will bring to you in the future. The best is yet to come!

Rich and I set up tables in the garage for the food. Everyone was so generous in bringing side dishes. The only thing we had to do was prepare the house and yard, hire someone to do the pig roast, and supply coffee and water bottles.

I cut fragrant lilacs, which conveniently bloomed a few days before the picnic, and filled mason jars and vases.

People brought their own chairs and several people took pictures throughout the day. It’s been fun to getting the emails.

Jacob had the camera for a little while and took this photo from the porch during Bible study.

I sat by Larissa, and Emily during the Bible study. It was a hot and humid day (in the opinion of New Englanders, but I’m sure Larissa was cold, as she is from Texas).

13305220_10154056676541343_3181760848854600738_o

From my seat, I took a panorama. It’s always exciting to try to keep the arrow on the line.

After the Bible study, pretty much every one left. But it was nice to have a few people stay longer, including my parents and brother Isaac, and sister in law Cassandra. Sarah had a great time playing catch with her Aunt Cassandra. They counted all the way to 200 catches! (standing in the shade)

Mom and I went for a walk and counted 10 lady’s slippers. They are Mom’s favorite wild flower and it was a thrill to have her discover some in a new spot, too.

13329887_10154055332616343_1739874536_n

We heard a woodpecker up in the trees.

We were also looking for as many wild flowers as we could. We pointed everything out to each other. (I think God was smiling)

Don’t you just hate it when you have to do your growing in a dry, uncomfortable spot. Do you know what I think when I see this sort of thing happening in nature? “What a determined and adorable plant.”

Mom.

Several of our guests on Sunday stated that Mom and I “could pass as sisters” and it is true. As I am her firstborn, she was very young and newly married when she had me. I am forty now, and she is fifty eight. I am grateful for every day of my life with her and she is one of my best friends. She has taught me more by actions than words what is important in life; Christ, marriage, family, and the sweet simple gifts in life like birds and flowers, gardens and work.

My little children, let’s not love in word only, neither with the tongue only, but in deed and truth.
1 John 3:18

Who is wise and understanding among you? By her good conduct let her show her works in the meekness of wisdom. James 3:13

(We all make mistakes and have bad days, but moments don’t prove what a life is, and my mom’s life has been a quiet, unpretentious life of love and work. We come from simple, earthy, country stock……….)

She, as well, grew up with a Mother of gardens, sunshine, home cooked meals, walks in the woods, trees, and flowers.

The influence of mothers (and fathers) goes on and on.

^^Do you see the toad?^^

Dear dad blew bubbles with the kids, played drums and guitar with E, football with Caleb, and probably other things that I missed while running around hosting the picnic. We sat on the porch and visited and talked.

13316826_10154061278196343_3921600499101482917_o

Dad loves me. I can tell by his face.

Or maybe it’s mom, since she is the one taking the photo.

Both.

13319872_10154056677991343_5969057627013224285_n

When mom and dad had to leave, it was 8 at night. The sun was down and Caleb walked his Grandma to the car.

“O Zion haste, thy mission high fulfilling,
to tell to all the world that God is light.
That He who made all nations is not willing
one soul should perish, lost in shades of night.
Publish glad tidings, tidings of peace;
tidings of Jesus, redemption and release.”

~Mary A. Thompson

(I sang the chorus as I published this blog post and David said, “I never know when you are going to burst into song.”)

happy birthday.

Posted on May 30, 2016 by Shanda

I was focused on the church picnic we were hosting. Rich had hired someone to come and do a pig roast. We had a lot to do to prepare and my parents came, too. In all the preparations and busyness, Sarah’s birthday became of a far lesser importance. So much so that I procrastinated in purchasing her gifts. For the first time in all these years, Rich and I shopped for a birthday the actual day of the birthday. But Sarah understood, she didn’t mind at all.

13320862_10154056678846343_7440996999517379434_o

She even wrote me a helpful list.

We drove through the rain to buy our little girl some presents. I found myself sitting and thinking about how much she has changed this year. From someone who was quite shy and very attached to mama, to someone who goes to school everyday cheerfully and confidently. From someone who couldn’t read or write, to someone who is giving me helpful lists.

She is my youngest child. One of the little things I miss the most is carrying someone on my hip. Sarah is much to heavy & big to pick up and hold any longer than a minute.

Sometimes I let her sleep with me when Rich is away. The last time she asked I said, “I just don’t want to be kicked all night long, so no.” But she started to get tears in her eyes and I saw how much it meant to her so I quickly said, “Okay, you can.”

As soon as she opened her eyes the next morning she sleepily said, “Did I kick you, mama?” My heart swelled. “All night long I tried to stay away.”

(Please don’t stay away. Come close. Kick me all you want.)

I taught her to eat violets.

Her grandma taught her how to water a garden.

She makes cookies with me.

She no longer cries when I get too far away.

She can sing and write, and color, and make friends and do things by herself.

How I love my little girl.

*****

Now We Are Six

When I was one,
I had just begun.
When I was two,
I was nearly new.
When I was three,
I was hardly me.
When I was four,
I was not much more.
When I was five,
I was just alive.
But now I am six,
I’m as clever as clever.
So I think I’ll be six
now and forever.

A.A.Milne

13308671_10154057660396343_6108080777612790832_o

May 30, 2016

“I don’t remember who said this, but there really are places in the heart you don’t even know exist until you love a child.” Anne Lamott

birds of the air

Posted on May 27, 2016 by Shanda

The other morning, I was looking for my computer cord and I ended up outside birdwatching. We all know how these things happen.

It’s exciting to see birds at my bird feeder but even more exciting to find them out in nature living their little feathered lives.

I know every bird of the mountains,
And everything that moves in the field is Mine.
Psalm 50:11

They all look at me with such suspicion!

There is a lot of stuff in the air this week, it lands on the top of the stream and gathers in front of logs across the water….that white stuff is all little fuzzies and bits….the ponds are the same way, covered with a film of allergens.

I see a football, too.

In the very bright sunshine, Jacob and Emily helped me dig up a little Pinxter bush from the side of the road! I was very excited, truth be told, Jacob did ALL the work. But he had a captive audience and Emily had a tiny speaker clipped to her belt buckle so we listened to tunes, too.

13268052_10154049514491343_4675616222461848855_o

We planted it right by the bench that Ethan put together for me. I’ll never forget this day that we planted it together, me, my son, and his girlfriend. It was fun and I look forward to seeing it grow and grow through the years.

While I was birdwatching, I found this perfectly good board on the side of the road. I brought it home and washed it and asked Jacob to paint it. We are going to hang it up by the pond where we have many frogs and the occasional toad.

thoughts about brother ass

Posted on May 26, 2016 by Shanda

We are composite creatures, akin on one side to the angels, on the other to tom-cats.

It is a bad thing not to be able to take a joke. Worse, not to be able to take a divine joke; made, I grant you, at our expense, but also (who doubts it?) for our endless benefit.

Man has held three views of his body. First there is that of those ascetic Pagans who called it the prison or the “tomb” of the soul, and of the Christians like Fisher to whom it was “a sack of dung,” food for worms, filthy, shameful, a source of nothing but temptations to bad men and humiliation to good ones. Then there are the Neo-Pagans (they seldom know Greek), the nudists and the sufferers from Dark Gods, to whom the body is glorious. But thirdly we have the view which St. Francis expressed by calling his body “Brother Ass”. All three may be–I am not sure–defensible; but give me St. Francis for my money.

Ass is exquisitely right because no one is his senses can either revere or hate a donkey. It is a useful, sturdy, lazy, obstinate, patient, lovable and infuriating beast; deserving now the stick and now a carrot; both pathetically and absurdly beautiful.

So the body.

There is no living with it till we recognize that one of its functions in our lives is to play the part of the buffoon.

The fact that we have bodies is the oldest joke there is.

CS Lewis, in The Four Loves

Isn’t it a relief to have a proper view of oneself? And to laugh at oneself? It is akin to the times when the children and I are sitting around the living room, watching TV, and little Seth says, “Wait for it, wait for it….” and before I am properly aware of what’s happening so I can stop it, out comes a giant toot from Seth’s bottom and loud laughter from his siblings. I try to pretend to be affronted, but I too am laughing and have to admit that the laughter is good.

We have inner treasure (our souls) in an outer jar of clay (our body). Our outward self is dying (our bodies), but our inward self (our soul) is being renewed day by day. We are like both angels (our soul) and tom-cats (our body).

I have spent lots of time over-valuing my body; my appearance, my health. These griefs are “common to man” and will never go away completely. But reading Lewis’ thoughts released me from some of the pressure, pressure that I put on myself as an at times, vain woman.

With Lewis’s wisdom in mind, I have a choice; I can sometimes laugh.

(St. Francis himself took a much harsher view. Although he referred to his body as Brother Ass, he treated it (his body) cruelly in an attempt to punish and/or “tame the beast”, so to speak. He grieved the “ass”, and had a hard time tending his body with compassion, much less with actual laughter.)

WHO CARES about appearances and perfection? Well, we all do to a certain extent. But if we “go further up and further in”, we realize that yes indeed it is true; beauty is in the soul, and not in the body. It may be that our body is beautiful for a time, but not if you hang around it for very long. It will most certainly “toot”, produce strange smells, do strange things, & drive you crazy.

Doesn’t it feel good to laugh about it?

From now on I want to teasingly say to myself when I get caught in a depressing reminder that thing are going downhill bodily speaking despite my best feeding and nurturing, “Oh brother Ass, you donkey, you” and put it on a lower level of seriousness and higher level of comedic relief.

If I hear a loud sound coming from one of my children, I would like to say, “Brother Ass is in the room, I see.” But alas, I am not comfortable saying “ass” as it is mainly used as a curse word these days. I tried it with my oldest son Jacob the other day and he turned around and said in confusion, “What?” Frankly, I don’t need little Seth running around saying “brother ass” at school …… so I guess I will use the other word, which is Donkey.

Take good care of your Donkey self today, with a healthy dose of laughter, and remember your soul, which is everlasting and renewed day by day by the grace of Jesus.

That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. 2 Corinthians 4:16

We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. 2 Corinthians 4:7

encouraged

Posted on May 24, 2016 by Shanda

By the pond there is a Pinxter bush about to bloom. I remember my Grandparents had one of these wild shrubs on their beautiful country farmhouse lawn. Two years ago I noticed a nice one growing on our own property by the pond. It took me over five years to notice it because it was hidden behind a boulder and snuggled into a pine tree. Of course whenever it blooms I think of family, and Grandma. The comments in the National Audubon Society Field guide say they can be transplanted into wild shrub gardens. As there is also a large healthy one growing down the road a bit, the next time I go outside I will take a shovel and see if I can find a smaller one growing near it to move into my garden.

One of my favorite birds is the Catbird. Why, you ask? Admittedly, it is a very common gray bird but I don’t care as much about it’s simple looks, what I enjoy the most about the humble catbird is its beautiful songs. Almost every time I go outdoors the song of catbirds stops me in my tracks.

I was tickled pink to see that one was making a very nice nest in a tree by the pond. The nest is on a branch low enough for me to look at easily, too. It is constructed of dry straw and wet mud, which is probably why the wise bird chose to make one near the pond. The stream is nearby as well. I bent the branch down carefully to look inside. The mud was still wet but the nest was lined carefully with dry grass, and the cavity was deeper than I expected. I looked into it once and am now determined to keep my distance and wait to see if a family is raised.

The children were all busy cleaning the house on Saturday and while I was taking some pictures, Seth came all the way down the lawn to find me and ask if this cleaner could be used on windows.

chicken house

hummingbirds are frequent visitors to the porch

I went to check the development of the Lady’s Slippers on the dam trail. This one was opening but still green.

This one was up and fully open. It was interesting to me that the two I saw on the left side of the trail were still closed, but the three on the right hand side were open. It must be sunnier on that side.

Another name for them is “Pink Moccasin flower”

Comments: “One of the largest native orchids, this species is found both in low sandy woods and in higher, rocky, mountain woods. Several hundred of these striking flowers can sometimes be counted within a small area. Nevertheless, like other woodland wildflowers, it should not be picked. Nor should it be dug up for transplanting, as lady’s slippers reproduce poorly and are very difficult to grow in wildflower gardens.”

Lady’s slippers are a family favorite.

These wild Lily of the Valley grow in a large patch close to the ground in the woods. (Thank you to Johanna for helping me identify them!)

Then I visited the spot where the wild columbine grows and sure enough, it was up and in bloom. We called these “honeysuckle” when we were children, and we nibbled the honey-filled ends.

They grew on the side of the road but the ones I visit now grow on an old rock wall in the woods. And I haven’t nibbled on them in many many years.

“This beautiful woodland wildflower has showy, drooping, bell-like flowers bearing distinctly backward-pointing, tubular spurs, similar to those of garden columbines. These spurs contain nectar that attracts hummingbirds and long-tongued insects…….”

wild geranium, growing on the side of the road

an interesting fuzzy flowered bush that grows by our stream

unfurling ferns

interesting patch of tall grass by stream

A little bouquet of common wildflowers.

in an Ivory fiesta tumbler

I like it when David comes to visit me while I am reading on the porch. David is currently: reading The Outsiders, trying to grow his hair long, drawing, wearing & caring for a leather coat that he bought at a second hand store, making facial masks using youtube videos, and doing a lot of jumping/flipping/twisting on the trampoline.

bros

*********

And now for a short story: As much of you are aware, Sarah needs surgery to repair an obstructed kidney (it doesn’t drain correctly, which is why she developed infection and stones). After these particular test results came back, she had a specially-made appointment scheduled ASAP for surgery consultation— for May 24th (today). When I checked my calendar later that day, I cried because it was the day of her very first field trip, which she was very excited about. I felt so terrible for her, “She’s been through so much this year she shouldn’t have to miss any of her fun day for such a dreadful thing like surgery consultation.” (the only reason why she has to attend the visit is so that they can be billed—as they should be) So I called to ask for advise and to see if I could make the appointment a different day….but no, the doc’s schedule is very full and they had to work it to get Sarah in so quickly and in their opinion, Sarah would have other field trips and this appointment needs to be prioritized, so on and so forth. So I agreed but didn’t tell Sarah because I didn’t have the heart.

Well………………….this came home yesterday in her folder: