open your eyes wide; let in the light

Posted on December 14, 2016 by Shanda

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“According to the attention restoration theory, spending time in nature relieves the stress and metal fatigue caused by the ‘directed attention’ that work and city life require.”

from NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC magazine (January 2016)

It was a rather sluggish sort of day, blah and tiresome.

But then I read the National Geographic article and thought, I need, I really really need to get outside. I put on my warm layers and went for a walk.

When I returned home, I was delighted and surprised to see a rare flock of blue birds by our pond.

“Should I bother getting the camera?” I wondered.

I quickly made up my mind, walked up to the house and grabbed the camera, half expecting the birds to have flown away, but praying that God would give me the opportunity to take a few nice bird photos. He gets all the glory……..for His gift to me, and now to you, in seeing and admiring the pretty little birds he made and provides for.

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Bird photos are tricky but the nice thing about them is they take some concentration and determination, both of which are good for pulling oneself out of ones thoughts and cares of the day, and into what is seen through the lens. Getting manual mode just right, the lighting, seeing the shadows and sunshine fluttering and falling, watching for a bird to land in just the right spot.

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You give to them,
they gather it up;
You open Your hand,
they are satisfied with good.
Psalm 104:28

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See the birds of the sky, that they do not sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, and your heavenly Father feeds them.

Are you not of much more value than they? Matthew 6:26

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It wasn’t all bluebirds, either. I saw robins, juncos, a titmouse, finch, blue jay, and goldfinches. They were eating the seeds off of the dried autumn grasses and bushes.

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“Your eyes are windows into your body. If you open your eyes wide in wonder and belief, your body fills up with light. If you live squinty-eyed in greed and distrust, your body is a dank cellar. If you pull the blinds on your windows, what a dark life you will have!” Matthew 6

In my deepest troubles, I frequently would wrench myself from the persons around me and retire to some secluded part of our noble forests. John James Audubon

*****

you are loved.

take no thought for the morrow

Posted on November 7, 2016 by Shanda

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life…….

Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Matthew 6:26

Thank you for the egg.

Thank you for stopping to say hello.

*****

Samantha was covered in glittering dusty dirt! Have you ever seen a cat roll around in dry dirt puddles? It’s very cute. I watched her walk in the sunshine after a nice roll-around, she was twinkling and sparkling proudly….nothing like a good dust bath.

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Today is a very important day. Today I figured out how to shoot sun stars!!!!!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I really like listening to podcasts while I’m walking. (I walk daily) And one of the ones I listen to is about hobby landscape photography. The hosts were chatting about sunstars the other day and I was like, “wow, that’s a thing!” and looked up more information online. It seemed rather straight forward and although the effect is much better during *the golden hours*, I was way too impatient to wait until then.

I put the f-stop to 18 and partially blocked the sun behind a tree and held my breathe.

CLICK.

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It worked!

I know all you professional photographers out there are laughing but this was such fun.

Eventually, I was seeing stars myself! Rather blinded by the sun, you see.

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This one was ridiculous. I decided to look for other things to “shoot”. Like this old rose:

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And this squirrel:

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running away from me like I was something out of his nightmares. SO insulting.

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It has an acorn in his mouth. I do so like to crunch acorns under my feet as I walk, so satisfying.

I carried two home in my pocket, along with a pinecone. I’m giving them to Joanna when I see her on SATURDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Life is just way too exciting.

Take no thought for the morrow, for the time to come. Be not anxious for the future, how you shall live next year, or when you are old, or what you shall leave behind you. As we must not boast of tomorrow, so we must not care for to-morrow, or the events of it. God has given us life, and has given us the body. And what can he not do for us, who did that? Matthew Henry

when the snow flies

Posted on October 12, 2016 by Shanda

Rich wanted to take us to Pinkberry at the mall on Monday evening (the kids had no school again on Tuesday so we could stay out late). Sarah and I didn’t want anything from Pinkberry (she said it was *too cold*, and I had already had ice cream at home-twice).

A few weeks previously, I had unfortunately and unwisely mentioned to Sarah as I zipped up her too-small winter coat from last year, that I was going to get her a new one. I say that was unwise of me because she promptly held on to that information and never let go, bringing it up in conversation as much as possible.

Since we were at the mall and didn’t want Pinkberry, we decided to search for the winter coat.

It had to be just right.

The first one she tried on had way too many buttons. I almost lost my sanity just buttoning it up for the photo. It was very well made and pretty, though. (Jessica Simpson girls Peacoat, at Lord and Taylor).

I don’t remember who made this one but it was a definite “no”, although the zipper was nice.

I loved this one from Gymboree, but Sarah immediately deemed it “too hot”. She could not wait to take it off, which is quite the opposite of what we were looking for in winter wear.

It was a very nice coat, though. Perfect, really. Unless you have a child who easily gets too hot.

Then we tried a black jacket in a short length- also from Gymboree. I liked it but she did not. Then I got to thinking about the whiteness of the fur collar….and how annoying it would be to watch it get dingier and dingier as the year went on. It was short, but a little too short.

A very lovely coat at Norstrom’s made by The North Face….the lining was super soft and it was reversible. Too hot though. I probably would have gone back to get this one if we hadn’t found The One later on in the shopping trip.

She tried on this super cute mini boden shirt.

She hugged this headless mannequin several times. They had an instant connection.

She tried on a vest…I loved it…so soft….she said it looked like a sheep…the lining was gorgeous! However, it was not a coat.

This was my personal favorite, as Rich said later, “it looks like you, Shan”. This is the coat I would have bought if I were shopping for myself and not a six year old. From JCrew.

Hanna Andersson. I LOVE their clothes, the quality is so good and their things are adorable. It’s the kind of shop in which I want to buy everything in sight. I fell in love with this coat instantly. I’m not sure why she was sad in the photo.

Same coat in peach…and adorable mittens. Sarah got more thrills from accessories than the main purchase. In fact, she walked out of this store with *a purse and gloves* AND a coat.

We were done and went to go find Rich and the others. As we waited for Grace and her friend to show up, Rich was telling me a story. I’m not sure what he was saying but I thought he was super handsome so took a photo….making him stop and ask “What are you doing?” in mid-conversation.

Seth was doing wrestling moves in his chair next to his Dad. At one point his shoe went flying.

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So what coat did we chose? I took a little portrait of Sarah with my good camera yesterday, but first…some nature photos. What a gorgeous fall day it was, and as I went down to the chicken coop I sighted a new-to-me bird. After using my handy dandy app (Merlin Bird ID) I figured out it was this:

Isn’t it so cute? There were about five of them in the same area of the lawn, busily eating lovely wildflowers which had gone to seed.

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The design of it’s back feathers (wings) is so pretty. And I love the touch of yellow.

I was on my stomach in the cool green grass as I watched them.

The hens are usually fenced in but I let them free range yesterday afternoon, which they obviously enjoyed. It made me nervous the rest of the day for fear something would attack them. We watched them well and they stayed safe and a had nice couple of hours scratching the ground and eating whatever they could find that looked tasty.

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“Mom, come and see how I get on this all by myself!”

noooooooo thanks darling!!!

Chipmunk down by the stream….what a nice place to live; water, rock ledges, holes, acorns abundant, and tunnels, all so convenient.

It’s a great time of year to go bird watching what with the beauty of the trees, good smells of autumn, and busy little birds trying to fill up their tummies.

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black spotted back.

fresh running water….a haven for birds and animals.

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Sarah’s final selection…..the pop of bright blue flowers makes it special.

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It is thick and warm for the upcoming winter months. Inside the coat there are drawstrings to tighten the waist, and she selected adorable little gloves to match.

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She couldn’t wait to take it off….goodbye coat, see you when the snow flies!

monday

Posted on September 26, 2016 by Shanda

On my way to let out my flock of hens, I saw a Solitary Sandpiper on the edge of the pond. This is the first time in 10 years I’ve seen one right here on our property, and according to my bird app, this bird is “rare” for our area. It bobs up and down when it walks and peeps now and then. It’s so cute!

I was highly annoyed when my cat ran after it, scaring it away before I was ready to say goodbye.

“Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.'” Isaiah 30:21

There was a scar on yonder mountainside,
Gashed out where the cruel storm had trod;
A barren, desolate chasm, reaching wide
Across the soft green sod.

But years crept by beneath the purple pines,
And veiled the scar with grass and moss once more,
And left it fairer now with flowers and vines
Than it had been before.

There was a wound once in a gentle heart,
From which life’s sweetness seemed to ebb and die;
And love’s confiding changed to bitter smart,
While slow, sad years went by.

Yet as they passed, unseen an angel stole
And laid a balm of healing on the pain,
Till love grew purer in the heart made whole,
And peace came back again.

from Streams, by LB Cowman

I let the chickens out, and as we have two rabbits in the coop, I went down to the edge of the pond to gather fresh clover for them. I dropped my handful twice in order to take photos. This spider web was a tiny perfect work of art. The spider was about the size of a grain of rice. I was careful not to pull up the clover which surrounded it’s beautiful web.

My cat the bird chaser now started bothering the fish. It was pretty neat, actually, to see Mr. Fish come close to Mr. Cat….and then get swatted for his efforts to be friendly. The fish followed him all along the edge of the pond.

I was happy to find a Solitary Sandpiper feather covered in dew. I brought it home in my pocket, along with two eggs from the chicken coop.

He froze for a photo and then jumped quietly off the rock, and then under it. I imagined a cozy home for frogs, just right, with lots of dampness.

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gossamer upon flowers and grass; more spider art

The bunnies received their salad with joy and I headed back for the house.

It’s been cool this morning. I did some weeding, and texting with my Mama, family laundry was hung out to dry, I picked smooth tomatoes from the garden, and a pumpkin. Inside the house, there is a gray cat curled up in a ball on a red velvet cushion next to me.

I’m thinking about my son David, tomorrow is his birthday. He requested a cheesecake so when the Schwan’s truck came earlier I bought one from them. Now I just need to make sure we have 14 candles in the house.

Happy Monday!

You are loved.

“God is there to meet you in the center of each trial. And He will whisper to you His secrets, which will bring you out with a radiant face and such an invincible faith that all the demons of hell will never be able to shake it.” E.A.Kilbourne

flicker

Posted on September 23, 2016 by Shanda

I want to blog every.single.day. If I don’t blog, it’s because I have writer’s block, I’m sick, or I’m too busy…..even now I only have fifteen minutes.

I just love sitting here with my laptop, typing and sharing my photos.

I took this picture of a spider and then noticed a butterfly. (or is it the other way around?)

Yesterday I went for a walk and a pair of old friends pulled up next to me in their car. They had brought us vegetables from their garden, including a turnip the size of a bowling ball. Oh it was such a happy, quick visit. They asked about the children and we stood out in the hot September sun, by their car, chatting and smiling. When they left we hugged each other and then the Mr. stopped and said, “I hear a Flicker”, while looking up into the treetops by my house. Nothing. The Mrs. and I heard it too, but we both thought maybe it was the squirrel we saw. “No, it’s a flicker, remember, we had one at our place the other day?” he said to his wife.

We looked for it, just for a moment, but then it was time for goodbye.

We’ve almost eaten all the watermelon, and it’s that juicy and pink.

Today I did something for the first time. I’ve arrived late for Doctor’s appointments, I’ve completely forgotten Doctor’s appointments, I’ve showed up for the wrong day, but today was the first time I was exactly an hour early. I could not believe it. What a mother I am (this was a check up for Grace). We had time to leave and go to Barnes and Noble (double discount days for members!). She had a hot chai and I had a hot cider and we spent some time browsing the nice books and magazines.

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We went to get Cassandra to bring her back home with us, and we made chicken enchiladas for dinner.

(Have you noticed the bug theme?)

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After my vegetable friends left yesterday I wandered around with my camera and it was like a dizzy dream…..the sun was soaking into my bones…I was tired…buzzing sounds filled my ears….the smell of wild plants was the best potpourri ever imagined. The stinging bees and hornets and wasps were busy all over the place, they got along just fine as they each found a spot to gather from the flowers. They especially love the goldenrod.

I like to lean in very closely and just observe. They have such interesting ways, wings, eyes, legs……movements, every where I looked there were more and more flying insects, crawling, working, such tiny things almost unnoticeable unless a person stops to look for them.

The sun continued to bake everything under it, including myself. You know that feeling when you first get into a hot tub and you say “ahhhhhhhh” and close your eyes?

The experience was like a lullaby and I became so tired I lay back in the grass for a minute or so.

Looking up, I saw a bird way up high in the dead tree.

It was a Flicker.

feeling plump and happy already!

Posted on September 2, 2016 by Shanda

I like to sit on the side of (our wrap around) porch. There is a wooden bench here and as I look through the railings into the flower garden I can see things. Further into the distance, but not too far, there is the road and the woods. This morning the sky is so blue peeking through the leaves of the treetops, which are dancing gently. My finger tips are cold this morning as I type. It’s 72 in the sun and less than that where I am sitting. I’m snacking on cashews and mint tea. I’m thinking about home……

Yesterday as I was listening to the radio on the way to Costco, I heard a happy little news report about a nursing home in which the staff is attempting to make the residents feel more at home in the decorations, design of the building, and special lighting. They want the residents to feel at home. So interesting.

I named this blog “Good to be Home” because in my opinion, home is the dearest place on earth and in Heaven. As you may be aware, we can sometimes feel homesick even in the most coziest of homes, and that is because we aren’t made just for earth, we are ultimately made for Heaven.

“The believer not only is well assured by faith that there is another and a happy life after this is ended, but he has good hope, through grace, of heaven as a dwelling-place, a resting-place, a hiding-place. In our Father’s house there are many mansions, whose Builder and Maker is God. The happiness of the future state is what God has prepared for those that love him: everlasting habitations…….” ~Matthew Henry

Despite the hope and assurance that a better home (oh joy!) is coming, I believe it is important to “feather our nests” so to speak, in the here and now, as we live out our days.

My son Ethan is away at college now, and the very first thing we did when we took him there was to get his dorm room all set up. It felt so good to make his bed, hang up his clothes, find a place for all of his things. He had pictures and special belongings from home to keep with him and decorate with. His roommate did the same, putting a big American flag up on the wall and choosing nice bedding and pillows. They have a little refrigerator in their room for cold drinks.

Even if you are a college student you should still consider making your place homelike for yourself. A small vase (jar/tin can) with something fresh from nature: a humble, small branch, tall pretty grasses, or a flower picked from those nice landscaped gardens would be sweet. A “flameless” candle, a pretty throw pillow, a string of lights, all these things could be done at little cost to the pocketbook but to much benefit of the soul. A special blanket and a stack of familiar books is nice, or an organic room spray for a fresh scent, a framed photo of your dog or sister or (mom)…..

I’ve considered making my big SUV more home-like! I keep a blanket in it and hang an air freshener on the rearview mirror. As a personal touch, the kids love to add stickers to the windows and doors and also scribble on them with pens (I’m being truthful but sarcastic now).

What about travel? For me, these are the things required to be cozy (and at home) in a hotel: books, pens, notebook, iPhone and charger, and socks. Poptarts are nice, too. 🙂

At my real home, I simply must have a cat or four, as well.

Oh yes, food!! Food is a HUGE part of home life, isn’t it? Food makes every event just that much more special. Seth and Caleb have a football scrimmage this evening and I didn’t want to go until I realized that I could take a bag of some special snacks; homemade granola bars, cut up fruit, some hot tea in a thermos. I have several Susan Branch cookbooks and I read a recipe, an actual RECIPE yesterday for a special garlic flavored popcorn…maybe I’ll try that, I mean it has to be good if she included it in her cookbook?

Maybe this is why some people ALWAYS take lunch to work from home. It’s just cozier, all yours, special, made for YOU…….make lunchtime (any mealtime!) a special time, a nice break for yourself in the midst of a busy day.

Yesterday my kids watched a favorite TV show while munching crackers and cheese. It’s so cute, the way they always have to eat the same snack during this particular show. If you watch it, you will see why. (highly recommended).

I love to visit my mom at work because she has made her whole office look cozy! She has plants, lots of pictures of her family, framed maps (she loves maps!), and blue glass in the windows (it looks so pretty with the sun shining through them). Her personality shines.

Sometimes I visit Rich at work (he has his own office) but I’ve seen the cubicles there…..and each one is such a reflection of the person who uses it!

Why do we put so much effort into creating these places for ourselves? I have to believe it satisfies something in our souls that God put there. A place that says “you are home, be at peace, you are secure, you can rest now.” What a gift.

Not only that, but to do things like baking or decorating requires slowing down and being thoughtful, both of which are becoming harder and harder to do, but essential to well-being. It’s much easier, when we are frantically busy, to grab drive-thru meals (I do it, too!!) which are not very nutritious or nurturing, to say the least. What soul-satisfying moments we miss (both in the preparing AND the eating) when we don’t cook or bake our own foods.

To make a house a home takes time, mindfulness, and hours upon hours in the kitchen.

It’s a job, yes, but like any job it can be done spiritually, with thankfulness that we are blessed and fortunate to even have nice homes and plenteous food!

From my bench on the porch I had a hummingbird come to visit the zinnias. Even a hummingbird has a nest to make, and to put babies in.

With wings so fast that they hum.

And a place to tuck their feet so they are completely out of sight (and out of the way for better aerodynamics!)

They are very fast fliers.

It’s strange I know, but flying birds and their tucked-away feet just make me smile.

I like the way the photos look with the railings blurred away but still there, like a frame.

It wasn’t all hummingbirds.

*******

Time for another road trip!

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I took this photo last Sunday with my phone….we were coming home after taking Ethan to college and then spending a few days in Lake George, NY. That big green thing in the back is a blow up Gumby — a prize from playing a game at Great Escape amusement park.

It’s these five who will be going with us to NY for a family reunion TOMORROW and to visit our friends Janice and James and their kids. This will be the third weekend in a row we are away. Jacob and Michael will be home taking care of the house and pets while we are gone and Ethan of course will be at school.

I’m baking later for football snacks AND road trip snacks. (any favorite recipes to share?)

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The other day I was blogging in bed with these creatures at my feet. (three cats, and Parker the dog who still smells a little skunky even after 2 baths).

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On a different “other day” I left to take Grace school shopping and Jacob called me on my cell phone because he had passed me as he was going home. He had a starbucks coffee for me as a surprise!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! so I turned around to meet him at the gas station and he handed it to me through the window with a smile. I’m still crying about it.

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This is so random…..I went to the library to put books in the free box and liked this display so took a photo of it. I want to study these birds now! And I want some to come live in my chimney! Do you know this bird? Have you ever seen them?

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And this (again at the public library) was fun. Someone painted bricks to look like books– to use as bookends. I loved how the Holy Bible was one of them!! I’ve read all these (brick books) except The Notebook. I refuse to read anything by Nicholas Sparks. (just one of my quirks–I hear he is a very good author–so maybe someday).

Happy Friday! Happy Labor Day weekend!

******

PS, something funny: the whole time I was writing this I was also texting my brother and planing on a gathering at Mom and Dad’s on Sunday evening. He immediately thought “FOOD” and in no time at all he arranged the entire menu and told me that mama was making cookies. “I’m feeling plump and happy already” he texted. As we should be.

Then my people will live in a peaceful habitation, And in secure dwellings and in undisturbed resting places… Isaiah 32:18

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies: you anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. Psalm 23:5

we saw an Indigo Bunting today!!!!

Posted on July 10, 2016 by Shanda

Better than any argument is to rise at dawn
and pick dew-wet red berries in a cup.
~Wendell Berry

I gathered a little lunch snack for Sarah and she ate every single thing but the lettuce. And then she wanted more peas so she went outside herself and picked them. She started a project of opening them up to only get the peas out (these are sugar snaps and we generally eat them whole) and she worked until she had about 1/8 of a cup. Then she ate them. Parker the dog ate the cases.

I stayed home from church with her while Rich went with everyone else. I cleaned the kitchen and living room and vacuumed while she rested and kept herself hydrated. I’m very pleased with how she is doing today.

At one point she said, “I’m so sad because I got that beautiful necklace at the hospital and I never got to wear it. It’s lost.” And I said, “No it’s not lost, it’s around here someplace.” “Yes it is! Lost is when you don’t know where something is so… it’s lost.” Then I agreed she was right. Five minutes later she found it.

As soon as they came home from church Ethan took a nap.

Rest on a Sunday. It’s only natural.

I went on the porch to read but I didn’t read for very long because it is a very moth and butterfly sort of day. Quite distracting. I went in the house to get my camera and Dave walked around with me to see what we could see.

There is not a sprig of grass that shoots uninteresting to me. ~Thomas Jefferson

The most exciting thing David found was a monarch caterpillar. We look for them yearly but have not seen any for several years!!

It was rewarding, in a way, because I never ever weed out milkweed in the hopes that we will once again get caterpillars. The milkweed this one was on grew right through the middle of my lilac bush by the kitchen window. Can you see the caterpillar? David spotted it right away. We couldn’t believe how fat it was.

We put it, along with plenty of milkweed, in an old empty aquarium. We will observe it while it forms into a beautiful butterfly….stay tuned!

Naturally, I wanted to go up to the field to try to find more but none of the children would go with me. I went out to the garage, where my husband was waxing his car, and asked him to go along. He agreed to go as soon as he was done with the left fender.

I waited for him by the stream.

We picked some wild blueberries (1/4 of a cup) and I put them in my pocket.

We talked.

We were attacked by mosquitoes.

We saw birds and butterflies.

MOST EXCITINGLY!!!!!!!!!!!

An Indigo Bunting!

what a heavenly blue

It’s mate was there, too, and they were making all kinds of noise to threaten us so we believe their nest was nearby.

God writes the gospel not in the Bible alone, but on trees and flowers and clouds and stars. ~Author unknown, commonly attributed to Martin Luther

what my brother did for me

Posted on July 5, 2016 by Shanda

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About a week or so ago, while my poor brother Dave was in pain passing a kidney stone, he read my blog post about how and why I was a fan of Rosemary Wells.

And guess what that thoughtful guy did without me knowing a thing about it?

He emailed Rosemary Wells with the blog link and she read it!

She emailed him back and said thank you for the once in a lifetime review and asked for my address so she could mail my family the newest books.

They came today!

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I love how she wrote “For Shanda’s family”.

I will treasure these books for the rest of my life.

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I already read them out loud to Sarah, of course. She liked the Warthog’s wedding story best because it had an *ibunny phone* all throughout out it, with a flap she could lift in order to see a map. The green dot on the map was where Max and Ruby were in the hotel as they searched for a lost wedding ring.

Anyway, aren’t brothers the best? I’m so thankful to have three of them and Dave is now my absolute favorite because of what he did. (((LOL) only teasing, Nate and Isaac!)))

To think, she saw my post!! And sent me two hardcover books!

It was just the uplifting mail we needed today because………..

…….tomorrow little Sarah bird is going back to the hospital for another surgery.

This one is to fix a “congenital obstruction of the ureteropelvic junction.” The surgery is a “robotic UPJ/pyelopasty”.

It is expected to last 6 hours, or more.

This obstruction is what the doctors believe caused the large amount of kidney stones which they removed in January. She also has reflux but they told me that as a rule they fix the obstruction first…..so…..ugh. (hoping we are reaching the end of this adventure but I know we have a few months and procedures left)

Gratefully, Sarah is happy. We are all acting like it’s an exciting sleepover with Mama. She knows that she will get to watch movies in the middle of the night if she can’t sleep. And during the day she can go to an art class and the family resource center and the toy room, so in the knowledge of these joyful prospects, we conveniently forget about the surgery part. And besides, she’s asleep the whole time and it doesn’t hurt when you’re asleep! (that’s what we overheard her telling Seth in a very authoritative voice).

We have our bags packed.

The best part for me is that Rich has the entire week off and will be with us the whole time with no pressures to get back to work.

little bouquets by the kitchen sink

hugging the best cat ever

a soft sweet neck and little whisps of blond

a pair of cardinals that I photographed this morning from the porch, while it was raining

surprises, gifts, and blessings

Posted on June 24, 2016 by Shanda

I was going to blog yesterday but ended up with a typical full day even fuller.

My son crashed his bike going fast down the road and we had to get him checked out in the ER just to be sure he didn’t fracture anything and thankfully, he didn’t. He has sprains, aches, scrubs, and pains.

When we got home there were extra people here who Jacob had brought over with him and my husband was away for the night because he has a business meeting in NYC.

I made dinner for 9 teenagers (7 of them boys, 2 girls) and 3 children. And then made milkshakes. We watched a movie (Goosebumps) and it was fun but I have to be honest and say I was really tired by the end of the day and went to bed early, as soon as I put Seth, Sarah, and Caleb to bed. (it was 9pm).

Isn’t the shagbark hickory tree interesting? I came across one the other night as I rambled in the woods.

Just look at the bark shagging = God-art. Living, real, true, and quiet. Never asking for attention. People with the hearts and eyes to see go searching and even then don’t witness all that God does in His creation. But they see enough to feel gratitude, peace, and are fed spiritually.

Just days after I confessed to my sisterinlaw Cassandra that I hate making pie crust, I made pie crust! I just did it differently this time, which is to say without fears, and with confidence. Very quickly the crust was made ( life is exciting, even in the kitchen making pie)

We had quiche for breakfast.

And I made a homemade, *I picked the berries myself and the rhubarb came from the garden*, Strawberry Rhubarb pie for tomorrow! (ethan’s graduation party)

They did this all on their own but I did tell them with the voice of an experienced Mom not to go too far into the woods. Seth and Sarah put on their backpacks. Seth’s had one big water balloon it it (yellow), and Sarah had food in hers. They took along walkie talkies. And left side by side for an adventure! Grace and I watched them from the porch. They did just great and came back before I could worry.

David found a formula on youtube for lightening his hair. It consisted of lemon juice, salt, shampoo, and not sure what else. He did it the other day. I’m not used to it yet but I don’t mind in the least. I like what he does. He also found a walking stick from the woods and has been working on it. Sanding it now and then painting it soon. Look at his toe keeping the stick still.

Seth took one look at dinner (Shepherd’s Pie) and said accusingly, with a grimace, “You put eggs on it.” Home-raised chicken eggs, when scrambled, ARE that yellow, but this was in fact, cheddar cheese.

Table full of loved ones; my kids and my kids’ friends who are also my kids because I love them allllllllllllllll……….

Isn’t she lovely? She made the daisy wreath for her hair and when I saw her walk into the house I said, “Wait let me get my camera” the flower wreath on the door made it even better.

two wreaths when just a moment before I was in the living room tidying up!!!!!

Life is full of surprises, gifts, and blessings!

Some of the surprises aren’t that great though!!!!

milkshakes for everyone

scarlet tanager!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

another gift. I like to wander down to the end of the yard by the bushes and stream at the end of the day because the sun is still shining on the treetops.

and there are a lot of birds

This morning I witnessed tragedy. I was sitting on the wooden bench on the porch facing the road and the trees across the road. Gypsy moth caterpillars are continuing to eat leaves and Baltimore Orioles are up there eating the caterpillars. I was drinking my coffee in my nightgown and robe and looking through my camera photos with the bird book because I take pictures of any bird I see so I can identify them later on. Well, I heard a *bird scolding sound* and looked up just in time to see this mother oriole chasing a crow up the road. I quickly lifted up my camera and miraculously got a clear picture of them. I wasn’t expecting them to return, but moments later I looked up again just in time to see them SOARING BACK DOWN ABOVE THE ROAD BUT THIS TIME THE CROW HAD A TINY BABY BIRD IN IT’S TERRIBLE BEAK. The mother was still scolding and chasing it out of my sight. I didn’t see them come back.

Seth and Caleb sat on the porch with me while all this was going on.

Then, not only did I get exciting news from my brother, but this package came! All before nine o’clock in the morning.

And now I’m on my way to Costco with Seth while the children clean the house.

Party day is tomorrow!

Happy Friday, my friends.

You are loved.

what is that sound? it’s poo

Posted on June 16, 2016 by Shanda

Good afternoon, friends. This is a tale of birds and caterpillars.

It just so happens, that in the beginning of this week, I was walking with Caleb, Seth, and Sarah and we discovered a *new to us* bird. It was deeper into the woods, near the adventure trail, on the ground drinking from a small stream. As we came upon it, it flew up into a tree close enough for us to see it in detail. Later that day, I found that it was a yellow-billed cuckoo. I was not able to get a good photo of it, so if you would like to see it you can find a picture and an article here. They are known as “Tent Caterpillar birds” because they eat the hairy caterpillars that are so numerous in the woods these days.

(hairy caterpillars)

I first noticed this year’s caterpillar outbreak at Little League. They were crawling in large numbers up the side of the dugouts. Seth said “they were everywhere”. Sarah was morbidly interested but would not touch them. I wasn’t concerned in the least…but I am now.

Why? you ask? Well, the very day that the children and I went a’walking, I was puzzled by the sound of raindrops falling from the leaves of the trees. I could not understand how the leaves had gotten so drippy-wet, and also: I wasn’t getting any rain drops on MYSELF.

Today I was walking down the road with my cup of coffee when I heard *the sound* coming from the woods again. I went into the house to put down my cup and get the girls. We needed to solve a mystery.

And what we noticed was, in almost every place we looked, we could see at least one growing and munching caterpillar. The woods were alive with the sound of pitter pat droppings, not of rain, but of caterpillar POO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tiny, hard bits of poo. Everywhere. Dropping on the floor of the forest. They were most easy to see, caught in spider webs.

I went online to research, just in case I was crazy. Maybe the little hard brown bits were seeds? Maybe? But I quickly found this article.

“The caterpillars are harmless – but they do like to eat. You can see the buffet of half-eaten leaves on the ground, constantly falling from trees.

“You can actually hear the activity,” Grigoriou said. ‘It sounds like rain.'”

~Matt Scott for Fox 61 news

The activity that sounds like rain happens to be a vast amount of waste product falling from the very hungry caterpillars which cannot stop eating and therefore cannot stop pooping.

Caterpillars of various sizes are all over the place in the woods.

crawling and creeping and haunting

up and down tree trunks

big trees and little trees

they’re everywhere (insert spooky voice here)

eating and eating and eating and eating

and….dropping and dropping and dropping and dropping

Is it nature’s fertilizer?

millions of these little poop balls are littering the ground

along with leaf bits that have been chewed away and lost off of the trees

NEVER IN ALL MY DAYS!!!!!

I’m rather amazed by it all…..and I hope you are, too.

*****

Yesterday we had a pair of ducks on our pond all day long, they were quite a delight to see. The girls and I sat together and watched them.

We had conversations about monogamy, orange feet, how ducks communicate, nests and eggs, and what they must think of us, and do they like it here, will they live here and raise a family, and so on.

Later on that evening, I was watering and weeding the garden when I heard the unmistakeable sound of an Osprey.

Sure enough, I looked up just in time to see one alight in the dead tree with a fresh fish in it’s strong legs. (it was wearing white pants) I ran into the house to get my camera crying out, “Our pond is a bird-feeder!!” and the children followed me out of doors. Rich mourned the loss of another one of HIS fish to wildlife and not a fishing hook.