little league days and nights

Posted on June 11, 2018 by Shanda

We’ve been doing little league with the boys ever since David was about 5 (he’s now 15). Jacob and Ethan got a late start in baseball and we’ll probably always have some regret about that. However, David started very young and played every year but one, and Caleb and Seth also started as soon as they could (although we did skip t-ball). It’s not always fun for me to drive to the fields almost every night of the week, and sometimes in not the greatest weather. In fact, we still have cold evenings and we shiver as we watch the boys play. But then, we’ll have evenings so hot people are holding up umbrellas for shade.

Rich especially LOVES to watch the boys play. He mourns having to leave on business trips and missing the games. This is when it’s so nice to have the phone. I can easily take short videos of the boys at bat and send them along to Rich.

On game nights, we eat an early dinner and drive the boys to the field early to warm up and then I walk and walk and walk (with my headphones in my ears, listening to podcasts) until the games start.

Here are some photos:

Seth (9 years old, 3rd grade) started out as pitcher on Friday night. It was very hot after several cooler game nights and the boys were rather wilting toward the end.

Seth had an “off night” as pitcher and was visibly relieved when the coach put someone else in.

He’s a very good all around player. And he will play every position if possible.

One time they were warming up and he was at shortstop and he and his teammate called “Got it!” at the same time and Seth ran into the kid to catch the ball. “Seth’s a show off!” I heard. He’s not necessarily a show off, but if he yells “got it” he’s going to get it, even if his teammate said it at the same time.

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Seth’s face looked so worried as he ran to first base after getting a hit but knowing he won’t make it to the base in time. When Rich saw it, he got right up to go get him a cold Gatorade from the food booth. Usually does magic. 🙂 It’s so much better than mom’s warm water bottle.

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He got a nice hit this time…..I heard someone in our crowd say “beautiful!” as we watched it go…..

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This season, Seth had to break the habit of watching what the other team was doing with the ball as he ran the bases. Seeing him run to base with his neck twisting this way and that was silly. “Watch the base!” we would yell.

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******my heart*******.

Now for Caleb., who is almost 13 and in 7th grade.

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Everyone loves Caleb. He’s a team player, he is quite vocal about encouraging the team and telling them when they’ve had too many errors. He’s also a lot of fun and can be too goofy at times. I heard his coach get on his case once when he struck out at bat and then went to the dug out and started goofing around. Sometimes Caleb will dance after getting a good hit and making it to first base. Caleb is well-known for his realistic chicken noices and as a result, his nickname is “Chicken”. Even his coaches call him Chicken. Not because he’s scared and timid like a chicken, but because he SOUNDS LIKE ONE. Rich groans and groans.

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He’s such a calm player and rarely makes mistakes. He DOES make them now and then, but as his mom I’m always very surprised. (every mom thinks their kid is practically perfect). He looks great in all three of his positions that he plays; first base, pitcher, and catcher.

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No home runs yet this year….oh how we are waiting!! Last night he got walked three times. He was SO annoyed. He and one other boy on his team have red cleats so I’m always squinting down at the field and saying, “Is THAT Caleb?” Caleb is number 11 and his cleats used to be Ethan’s. I took these photos with my long zoom lens. He looked so very handsome with that game face.

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Here he is jogging to first after getting walked……Caleb wants a home run so bad!!!!!

The white pants have been fun to wash all season.

Pitching

As I’m writing this I’m thinking I should ask my brother Isaac to do a pitching clinic with Seth and Caleb. He was an excellent pitcher when he played years ago.

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Caleb as catcher.

Here is a video from last night. He was warming up the pitcher and looked so cool and confident. I LOVE THIS VIDEO and so does Caleb. He said, “Send that to Dad.”

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Jacob dropped off Seth and Sarah at the game yesterday after church. I had stayed home to get Caleb to his game on time and he helpfully took the other kids to church (Rich had to leave for a trip). So Sarah looked like a princess in her church dress. She had a hamburger for lunch from the food booth, and took off her shoes as soon as possible.

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I went to a tag sale before the game and bought a bag of old linens and she found this piece of lace and her princess attire was complete.

Happy golden days. Lots of times chaotic, but all the time worth it.

one little patch of beauty

Posted on May 10, 2018 by Shanda

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The ministry of kindness is unceasing. It fills all the days and all the nights. In the true home, it begins in pleasant greetings with the first waking moments, and all day goes on in sweet courtesies, in thoughtful attentions, in patience, in quiet self-denials, in obligingness and helpfulness.

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Out in the world kindness goes everywhere with . . .
its good cheer,
its gladness of heart,
its uplift for those who are discouraged,
its strengthening words for those who are weary,
its sympathy with sorrow,
its interest in lives that are burdened and lonely.

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Some of us, if we were to try to sum up the total of our usefulness, would name a few great things we have done:
a gift of money to some benevolent object,
the starting of some good work which has grown into strength,
the writing of a book which has done good to many lives,
the winning of honor in some service to our community or to our country.

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But in every worthy life, that which has left really the greatest measure of good, has been its ministry of kindness. No record of it has ever been kept. People have not talked about it. It never has been mentioned in the newspapers. We do not even remember it ourselves. But wherever we have gone, day after day, if we have simply been kind to everyone, we have left blessings in the world which in the aggregate mean far more than the few large things we set down as the measure of our usefulness among men!

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Our Lord’s wonderful picture of the Judgment reveals another phase of the splendor of kindness. He tells us that the little things we do — feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, showing hospitality to the stranger, visiting the sick, and the other nameless ministries of love of which we take no account — if done in the right spirit, are accepted as though they had been actually done to Christ himself! He tells us that the godly will be surprised to know that in their kindly acts they had been ministering to the King, when they supposed they were only doing little things for needy neighbors. This revealing exalts to highest honor, the lowliest things of the common days, wrought in love for the Master.

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The best thing we can do with our love, is not to watch for a chance to perform someone fine act that will shine before the world — but to fill all the days and hours with little kindnesses which will make countless hearts nobler, stronger and happier.

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“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” Colossians 3:12

~J.R. MILLER~

I found a new podcast that I listen to as I walk and it never ceases to soften my heart. The speaker simply reads excerpts from books or essays from various spiritual writers. His voice is soothing but –be aware–the children will laugh. I was listening to it when I picked up David from track practice and he dropped his head back on the seat pretending to be put sound asleep by the voice reading to us.

The name of the podcast is Inspirational Living. Yesterday was a reading from J.R. Miller called Be of Good Cheer: The Blessings of Cheerfulness. Miller has been quoted many times on this blog, so I thought it was high time to quote him again. There is a great website full of Miller’s writing you might want to go peruse it…GRACE GEMS. Highly recommended.

PERUSE: read, typically in a thorough or careful way.

Lily of the valley is coming into bloom. I found some in the ditch as I walked yesterday and picked one so I could enjoy it’s lovely scent.

A little peak at the flower garden by the patio and garage. Hens and Chicks, Phlox, and Iris.

The best part of the day, besides figuring out the Marco Polo app so I could video text with my friend Lea Ann……..

…….was these two fine young men returning home for the summer.

We were all so happy as we ran to the car to see them. They had quite a morning of trying to load the vehicle with all their stuff. SO MUCH STUFF. They learned a valuable lesson or two for next school year.

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As soon as they opened the doors it started falling out.

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Ethan showed me his seat, he had no room for his legs or any movements on the 3 hour drive back home.

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For whatever reason even the hens ran over to investigate.

Seth, Sarah, and David helped them unload. I had made hamburgers and pasta for dinner, and peanut butter cookies, but had to leave after just a few minutes to take Caleb to his game.

This is how they brought their clothing home. Stuffed in a hundred thousand plastic bags found in a trash can at school.

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JUST as I took the photo, Jacob threw his football to Ethan. We couldn’t have timed it better if we tried…..

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Rich and I sat in our lawn chairs at the top of the hill and watched Caleb play in his game (they lost 9-7) and the rest of the kids (but Grace, who comes home this weekend). Jacob talked to us nonstop about his recent college stories. As I studied their faces I was filled with pride and joy. “What do you think of these fine sons of yours, Rich?” And we looked at each other and smiled. If you have children, you know the feeling. These moments make all the stressful moments worth it, tens times over.

Caleb was hoping that his big brothers would come to his game. And they did.

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They were playing catch with the football right in front of me.

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Sarah came to get me so she could take me to a tiny nest that she found. Could the night get any better?

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David said “I finally feel like I’m not all alone anymore.”

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flashback:

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This photo recently caught my attention again…..it’s from almost 8 years ago…..I made Sarah’s dress. And look at those arms and legs and that face.

Just a few more quotes before we go:

“Our attitude is to be ever toward joy.”

“Shall we not seek for the bright side? There is really sunshine enough in the darkest day—to make any ordinary mortal happy—if he only has eyes to see it!”

“There is no lot in life so dreary—
that it has not
at least its one little patch of beauty;
or its one wee flower looking up
out of the dreariness,
like a smile of God.”

*J.R. Miller

you are loved.

spring has sprung

Posted on May 4, 2018 by Shanda

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“It’s surely no accident that
the most universal toast is,
‘To Life.'”

~quote from Victoria magazine

Spring has sprung! Everyone’s happy!

This was Rich at a little league game on Monday, with a photo of the two of us the very next evening:

It’s much more fun watching baseball with the sun in your face than it is when wearing five layers and still cold.

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I made dinner, packed it all up and put it in the vehicle, drove Caleb to drum lessons (with S and S with us, too) then went to the HS for Dave’s meet, Rich picked up the boys there for baseball, when Dave was done Sarah and I went to baseball to watch Seth’s game, too, all with dinner in the car for people to eat when they were hungry. Sarah walked around eating salt potatoes out of a plastic cup.

I took the photo of Dave with the javelin and his siblings all around him because it always touches my heart when they wander away from me and form their own gang. Sibling-love is great to see.

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Dave in mid-air.

He had another meet yesterday but it was away (I don’t go to the away meets). He confessed he was relieved that I wouldn’t be watching him “do badly”……(track is a new sport for him)…..to which I replied, “The only time I think any of you ‘do badly’ is when you get hurt.” It’s obvious that David likes track, he’s often smiling. After his events were over I took him some food before I left and he was verbally thankful. “What’s this? A brownie? For me? SWEET!” he said. So I left with a smile on my fact, too. Later on he told me he shared the brownie.

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Seth’s first game of the season was a dud because his team had two players missing and therefore didn’t have enough to field a team. They had to forfeit but then played it anyway. I saw Seth playing pretty much every position. (He’s catcher in the photo). He pitched, ran to cover second, ran to cover first……When he was catcher he did very well but it makes me SO nervous to see my son so close to a swinging bat. Rich reminded me to look at all the protective gear he was wearing but of course as a mom of boys you just know for a fact that they can always find a way to get hurt. It didn’t help that Caleb was watching through the fence and saying “He doesn’t have a CATCHERS mitt on, it’s going to KILL his HAND!”

Seth got the game ball. 🙂

But he would tell you his favorite moment was when he slid into home plate to score a run.

His baseball pants are gray but Caleb’s are as white as snow. One of my favorite challenges is to try to get them white again after each game. (I’m a dork) What I do is sit on the floor, lay them out in front of me, spray each dirty spot with shout and then take a bar of laundry soap and scribble it into the stains before popping them in the washer.

The most horrifying thing I saw this week was a child (not my own but it very well could have been) DELIBERATELY fall on his knees in the dirt and grass multiple times during warm ups just to dirty his white pants!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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She makes me laugh…….at one point she was also carrying around my umbrella. She was wearing: sunglasses, a thick fabric headband that looked more like a hat, winter coat, shorts, and a backpack which had a small metal mailbox in it containing her tic tacs. All set for another night of baseball.

Rich took this video of Caleb getting a base hit last night. I have such fun watching him play. We were down by home plate at one point to watch Caleb hit. He got a triple and Rich tried to video it but it turned out to be a perfectly clear video of THE FENCE. But when Caleb got on third he did a dance, moving his arms and shaking his hips a little. His coaches kept reminding him of what to do and it was almost like he was half-listening. He had a coach RIGHT there and started talking to him like it was time to have a conversation. “PAY ATTENTION CALEB!” The first base coach yelled all the way over “GET ON THE BASE CALEB!” And the team mom also coached, “QUIT EATING those SEEDS and keep your hand out of your pocket! …..who has those seeds?” she asked the dug out, “I’m getting rid of them……” and so on. And Caleb dances and smiles. They lost the game though but at least they had fun. I left early because it was raining. I drove to the grocery store to get ice cream for a before bed snack.

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This McCoy planter is so beautiful! I found it antiquing. And of course I can’t resist taking photos of the lovely eggs…..

Even Parker the dog gets one each day. I give it to him whole and he drops it on the ground to crack it and eat it.

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They rarely walk on the front lawn so I had to laugh when I looked up from my book and saw the flock making it’s way to the bird feeders. They like to eat the sunflower seed that drops down from the feeders on the porch.

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I had to take a photo when I saw the knives on the quiet piano. “Dave was here”.

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I asked Seth to take the garbage out. I was running around the kitchen trying to make his dinner. “Why do I have to do everything?” was his groan as he sat in front of the TV. (The truth is he does almost nothing) “Now you’re standing in the corner for 10 minutes.” “Okay, I’ll do that first before I take out the trash.” “Now it’s 12 minutes.” And then he stopped talking and I won. By the end of 12 minutes he was on the floor lying down on his side, with only his face in the corner.

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I played two games of P-I-G with David and Sarah. Here is a photo of Sarah trying to make the impossible basket that David just shot. Their faces are so cute. (I won both times)

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After basketball we dared him to jump in the pond. He was happy to be dared. He prides himself by being the first one in the pond every spring.

I asked him if it was cold and he said yes.

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Then they went fishing. Sarah tried to bring herself to touch a worm. She is sincerely quite squeamish of them but was trying her best to participate. It didn’t help that Dave would say things like, “Oh, don’t touch that one it bites.”

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It was a small one but Rich got home just in time to give Dave his first lesson in cleaning up a fish to eat it.

I put butter on it and put it under the broiler where it promptly caught on fire. “I guess it’s done.” “Are you sure mom, just because food is on fire doesn’t mean it’s cooked.” Dave said dryly while bending over his fish and filleting the second side.

Seth was the most disturbed by it all…..because of the smell. I guess his nose is the most sensitive. He said “Can someone get this fish head out of here?” And Rich took it out and threw it away in the woods across the road.

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She gave me this flower. It’s an artificial flower that fell off the front door wreath. She found it and got creative by finding a small stick, painting it green & pink, sticking the flower into it and giving it to me. She also used one of David’s pocket knives to carve a little design on it. You can see how pleased she is with herself. I was most impressed by 1) she didn’t get paint on her shirt and, 2) she put the paints away when she was done without being told.

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To finally see COLOR is glorious.

~distractingly beautiful clouds

~I get this as a treat at the natural foods store. Delicious!

It’s so good to go barefoot again!

Seth and Caleb fishing derby

This photo is from a week ago…. (I didn’t take it, it was given to me by the sports photographer)…. at a fishing derby that the wrestling coach hosts at his house for the team every spring. David, Caleb, and Seth are all three in this picture, can you find them?

Dirty and happy at the end of a long playful day, getting their own bedtime ice cream.

HAPPY FRIDAY!

The Lord will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;
the Lord will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore. Psalm 121:7

at the present time

Posted on June 12, 2017 by Shanda

“forever is composed of nows.” Emily Dickenson

Now: recovering from a mild concussion, “pink shorts/don’t care”, having fun with a neighbor-friend (who arrived wearing his shirt), fried chicken party from mom in the kitchen, swimming in the pond, lacrosse in the yard.

Now: another summertime for romance

Now: with a little adoring sister who loves her, too.

Now: freedom to soar, to fly, to play

to laugh.

Now, with a faithful furry friend or two.

Now: time for graduation parties, a dear cousin, a loving family, and yummy food.

Now, sisters.

Now: contemplating a secret recipe, sleuthing, enjoying.

Now: for oops and for trying your best to recover what you lost.

Now: innocent childhood, cousins, holding hands, exploring magical places.

Now is the time for youth, skipping stones, bare feet, a mama who adores you.

Now: a tire swing hung from an old apple tree, and glow stick bracelets, and soft green grass.

Now: a trip back home to where your Dad grew up, climbing trees, flowers in the garden.

Now: for memories, for listening, for fathers and daughters.

Now; driving four hours to get back in time to watch your boy play baseball.

Now; cheerful friends, watching the boys play, music, blazing sunshine.

Now time to go home and fall into bed with that delicious “by God’s grace I did it all” feeling, and “it was very good”.

*****

And now it’s time for me to do lots of laundry in a ponytail, shorts and bare feet, with a dear son at home, thinking of the children at school taking finals, planning a graduation party, looking forward and not backward, reading and praying, talking to Jesus, a song or two, thankful always, with love all around. . . . . . .

Philippians 3:13 “… I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on. . .”

(yesterday)

Posted on May 24, 2017 by Shanda

weekend report

Posted on May 22, 2017 by Shanda

He has been with me everywhere I have gone. Genesis 35:3

He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted. Job 5:9

Not to us, Lord, not to us but to you be the glory. Psalm115:1

The friends and pleasures of which you speak cannot compare with the joys which I seek. Christian, in Pilgrims Progress by John Bunyan

If you love me, feed my sheep. John 21:17

*****

Sarah’s last school program for 1st grade. Next year she will be moving on to the bigger elementary school in town. (my baby!)

On a flower the size of a dime. Sarah and I made baby sounds at it because it was so small.

The tree we planted from Grandma and Grandpa (Rich’s dad and step-mom). The children never forget about this tree and love to check on it. “It’s growing, Mom!”

Lady’s slippers in bloom

We found a small toad….. I took this picture moments before she started jumping around (similar to a toad) because she’s trying to be brave holding it in her hands….but she’s really feeling rather squeamish.

~Buttercups and guess what? We all like butter, very much. Especially on toast and popcorn.

Gentleman Gray walked with us. I had to carry him back, he’s not a cat that enjoys walking in the heat through tall grass with a strange dog “over there”.

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While I had Gentleman, my sister randomly texted me a picture of herself with her fur baby.

Sisters!

Tessa’s Jr. Prom! She invited Ethan, of course.

They’ve been dating almost 2 years.

It was so hot outside. I did a five minute photoshoot on the driveway before they left.

Aren’t they good looking?

cuties

They didn’t get home until around 1:30 in the morning so I didn’t sleep very well. Mom-worries, you know. 🙂 They had a wonderful time, so happy.

Lots of baseball games for the boys!

I turned to Rich and silently mouthed, “Take my picture!” seventeen times before he got it. I had to be sneaky because if Seth had heard me he would have run off — he likes to tease me. This boy…..we rarely see him during his brother’s games but every once in a while he’ll come visit me. In this case he was coming to say, “No one’s working the food booth today. If you had a key would you work the food booth Mom?” Maybe he was hungry. Or wanting candy. Look at his outfit. Batting gloves, knee high Garfield socks. He’s so cute!

But what I love the most…..is he is still so much a Mama’s boy and loves to come close for some obligatory lovin’ . He knows it’s his duty so mom doesn’t get lonely and sad because her children are growing up.

Grown up Jacob came to the field after work.

The little kids spent most of the time up in the unused announcer’s booth watching the game from up high. Sooooo cute. Rich and I could see them from across the way.

The little league fields are our “home away from home” these days, we are there almost every day. If I drove a horse and wagon I wouldn’t even have to direct the horse….I would just say, “Take me to the ballgame” while flicking the reins and off we would go in the wagon.

Our rabbits are not caged, they live free in the chicken coop and when I let out the chickens they are also consequently free to roam. Number 1 bunny never hops out, but number 2 bunny is more adventurous and we were highly amused when we came home from the game and found it talking to the cat.

Sunday night dates, we love Pinkberry and Auntie Anne’s pretzels at the mall. And each other. Rich says, “I don’t even want to buy anything I just love walking around with you.” He’ll stare at me while we eat our treats and say things like, “you’re beautiful.” or, “I love that hair color on you.” And he’ll walk behind me five steps as we go upstairs and whistle. You know, regular & comfortable married couple stuff like that.

We went to Barnes and Noble and I took a picture of books I want to look up at the library.

Sunday evening walk all by my lonesome. I picked a few wayward lily of the valley (they spread through the years and I found some fair game– in the ditch) one of them pulled right up with it’s roots attached so I transplanted it in the garden back home.

I found a feather on the side of the road. I also got scared by the neighbor’s little vicious white dog.

Thus concludes the weekend report.

46 photos if I’m not mistaken

Posted on May 1, 2017 by Shanda

HAPPY MAY 1ST

Today is a “catch up day” on the ol’ blog of all the photos I want to share from the last week and a half. I have 46 photos in this post. Life is good, full, beautiful, cherished.

“When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.” — Willie Nelson

I will give thanks to you, LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds. Psalm 1:9

Mom, as she always does, made homemade meals when I was visiting; soup on Friday.

pumpkin bread on Friday evening; I grated the nutmeg and ground the cloves.

pizza on Saturday night

with homemade sauce preserved last fall from her own garden tomatoes

It was so good I was almost crying as I ate it. Tears of joy and of sadness because I can’t make pizza like she does and I have been trying for years. Mostly joy though, I ate three pieces.

She showed me how to make breadsticks using leftover pizza dough. She divided it into pieces and we rolled it out thin (like a snake), drizzled lightly with olive oil, and then twisted it and pressed it through a sprinkling of spice mix of mom’s own choosing on the counter. I remember smoked paprika, fennel, sesame seeds, pepper, poppy seeds. We put them on a cookie sheet to bake and they ended up delicious and fragrant. The next day Mom and I each took one and used it as croutons on salad by crumbling it on top of the greens.

Salad fixings on Sunday afternoon; asparagus, seasoned chicken, tomatoes, cheese, homemade salad dressing.

I went with Dad to his drumming lessons with Kubla the dog.

And for several walks with my parents.

And a nice long walk by myself on a sunny Sunday.

Sunday morning we woke up to frost and a pileated woodpecker! God knew what would get us outdoors in that kind of weather…Mom and I quickly pulled on our coats and boots and had a lovely walk before church, birdwatching. In fact, come to think of it, I do have more photos of that morning but they are on another memory card so I’ll have to share those maybe tomorrow, if ever.

It was a thrill to see the pileated woodpecker; they are the largest woodpeckers in our area and so pretty with the red hat on top.

Mom and Dad’s cat Asian.

Mom’s vegetables started at the window. She uses cut down milk cartons to transplant the tomato seedlings into as they grow bigger.

Dad keeps busy doing wood and keeping the fire going. Even this is picturesque with the wood sheds and rock path, wood smoke, forest in the background, and Dad in his pop of orange.

Sunday afternoon was fun. The frost had melted and the temperature had risen enough to make being outdoors the very best place to be. We worked in the flower bed by the driveway. Mom has a “Rusty Garden” with a collection of old rusty things that she uses as decoration. It’s a fun theme. We took everything out and threw it behind us on the grass.

You can see the different objects she has, most of which came from her Dad’s farm and land years ago before they sold the property.

We cleaned up the edge of the bed and thoughtfully replaced everything in new spots. By the end of summer the plants will fill in among the decorations and be so pretty.

Back at my own home; last week was The Week of the New Lens. The first day it came it was raining outside. (sobs) But then the weather cooperated and I was able to try it out. (cheers)

I was quite far away from these birds and I am thrilled with the photos.

Baltimore Oriole! I stood and listened to it’s beautiful voice before I finally saw it. It was hard to take a photo through all the tree branches–my camera didn’t know what to focus on.

It’s too bad that the roof of the car was in the way but nonetheless, I was so happy to get this photo of a female cardinal and her mate. In my peach tree.

And then on Friday there were four ducks on the pond! I sat on the bench and snapped bout 50 pictures with perfect ease. 🙂

I texted Rich “this lens is awesome!”

He texted back, “I love you, too.”

It’s so funny when they go “bottoms up”.

quacking!

Rich was on a business trip and sent me this selfie! 🙂

Thursday was “take your child to work day” and Seth was the chosen child this year. He went to work wearing clothes just like his Dad wears and with his hair slicked back all handsome. By bedtime he was asking/begging me (and not Dad) to tuck him in and I understood he had had a huge dose of Dad that day. His little love tank was full to overflowing.

Which leaves us with photos from Saturday; Little League Opening Day! It was hot and bright all day long. I went to Home Depot before the game and to my sister’s house. I picked up Naomi and Weston so they could watch the games, too.

The photo of Seth is from the National Anthem. Rich took it with my new lens.

Caleb at bat.

I was sitting on the bleachers!!! So happy with my camera!

After making a double play!

This boy is very verbal and keeps his attention on EVERYTHING, encouraging his teammates and getting them ready and watching for the next plays. He gets VERY into the game, even at home it’s all about baseball with this boy now.

(By the way, he’s a Yankees fan) LOL

I’m going to get him that black stuff that you smudge on your cheeks.

POOR SETH!!!!!!!! He gets TERRIBLE allergic reaction to the dust; his eyes were so red and swollen by the end of the day. Bless his heart. I’m giving him allergy medicine and eye drops now. He’s a good ball player, too, and got to pitch for a few innings.

And that dumb string was dangling all day long. I never did get close enough to tell him to put in inside his pants where it belonged. 🙂

Isn’t he so cute!?!?!

Last, but not least; DAVE! He is 14 and on Juniors this year. He’s known for his speed around the bases, he runs around them just as fast as his dad did when he played. He’s like the Flash (his favorite show on TV).

LOOK at that face of intensity!

I’m so proud of my baseball players. There is practice and/or a game every evening but it’s all worth it. We get outdoors, talk to friends, and watch our boys do great things. In every game there are impressive catches, scores, etc. The moms laugh and try to keep track of everything. Even when the team loses it’s fun simply because they are working together and learning so much. Pastor says baseball is a spiritual sport because “you’re trying to get home”.