mount monadnock

Posted on June 29, 2016 by Shanda

Today has been a blessedly relaxing day after some very fun adventures. I’ve spent the day slowly puttering around the kitchen, cleaning it up, washing down the island with Method wood cleaner, wiping the granite counters, and washing the glass on the doors. I’ve done about 6 loads of laundry and also buzzed to the grocery store just to get milk and things for dinner. We are having corn chip salad tonight, using lettuce from the garden.

Yes, it’s been a quiet sort of day. I even took a nap on the couch, only waking up *about 17 times because of the children coming in and out of the house slamming the door each time*.

Something wonderful has happened to me. There has always been a deep down hankering to walk and hike and I’ve finally met a friend to give me that extra push and camaraderie to do it. Amy, (Ethan’s girlfriend’s mom) is an experienced mountain climber, ice climber, and hiker. She and her family are also our neighbors, and since our kids (obviously) get along so well, she and I have also been visiting and getting to know each other, too.

When school was finishing up for the year, I mentioned to Amy that we should plan a hike together. We ended up deciding on Mount Monadnock in New Hampshire. Amy went to college near the mountain and had hiked it many times.

Mount Monadnock is known as one of the most hiked mountains in the world and was admired and visited in the past by such well known men as Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau. (both of whom I love to quote here on my blog).

Amy and I took along our teenagers. She brought her daughters and niece and I brought David, Ethan, and Grace. (Thank you Michael P for babysitting my youngsters so I could go on this trip.) We were able to take one vehicle — I drove there and she drove back. Everyone in our party each carried their own bag with water and food and we all put sun screen and bug spray on before our ascent up the mountain.

We followed the white dot trail up, which is 2.2 miles. It is the shortest but steepest trail up the mountain and indeed, about half way up I made up my mind to quit. My heart was thudding, I felt sick, my legs were giving out, I was shaking, and I simply decided I could not do it. The kids kept going while Amy stood by me wondering what to do….I begged her to go, trying to hold in the sobs, and told her I would text her and keep in touch so she knew I was okay. So after much begging on my part, she went to catch up with the kids.

I leaned back on a tree and propped my feet up on another tree and slowly drank water. I ate a Cliff bar and rested. I saw several other people hike past me, one of which was an overweight shirtless man. I thought “good grief, if he can do this I should be able to as well.” After 10 minutes or so, I turned back to look up the trail again just in time to see Amy returning. Alas, I had forgotten that I had let David use my phone to take a photo and when she texted me “Are you okay?” and didn’t get a reply, she was worried and came back. “I couldn’t leave you! You just don’t leave people behind on a trail.” It was quite touching to have her come back to me, actually I had tears in my eyes at times thinking about it.

I told her I thought I would be okay to continue since I had rested, so happily we set off again.

The trail was nothing but rocks. I mean, I have to laugh now.

Would I ever go back again? YES!!!

In fact, this mountain keeps returning to my thoughts over and over. I think I fell in love.

Amy and I were both so proud of these kids. They were happy and enjoyed the hike, which meant we were happy, too.

“Look to the north where Grand Monadnock’s height
Enchains the fancy, and rewards the sight;
Such rock-ribb’d hills our own New-England gave
To mould her sons as rugged and as brave.
Ancient Monadnock! Silent pine-girt hill,
Whose majesty could move a Whittier’s quill;
Whose distant brow the humbler pen excites;
Whose purpled slope the raptur’d gaze invites;
Stand thou! Great Sentinel, though nations fall –
In thee New-England triumphs over all!”

H.P. Lovecraft

If you squint and look at the middle of the photo, you can see the little lovebirds, Ethan and Tessa.

The children were most often ahead of their Mothers.

And then in the midst of the Hallelujah chorus playing in my mind, we arrived at the very top! It was windy and there were lots of people there already. We sat and ate some food and then enjoyed the 3165′ elevation and 360 degree views.

David was the best mountain climber among us….hopping and leaping up and down very nimbly. He smiled a lot. Rather than slowing him down, hiking seemed to give him more energy. However, he did fall asleep on the way back home.

mother/daughter love on the mountain tops

((so windy!)) but we were very joyful to be up high breathing in all the fresh air and soaking up the majesty of God’s country. Grace was even amazed to find our old familiar friends *toad tadpoles* in a pool of water.

((mine and Amy’s packs))

The trail back down was (white cross trail) just as difficult as the trail going up. By the time we reached the bottom, our knees were rather shaky.

The feeling of accomplishment was incredible.

The soreness of my muscles even today is also incredible.

As soon as we left the mountain, we headed straight for a refreshing ice cream place right there in Jaffrey, NH.

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.

Look at the legs on this bird! It’s wings look like a cape.

The (poor) fish was flying.

wet walk

Posted on June 15, 2016 by Shanda

I have a room all to myself; it is nature. ~Thoreau

It had rained that day and we were restless. Therefore, Seth, kitty, and myself went for a rather wet ramble in the woods.

Our feet were soaked…. all the way through our sneakers and socks. Our feet said, “squish, squash” as we stepped and climbed over logs and streams.

The Mountain Laurel was in bloom. These beautiful shrubs are Connecticut’s state flower. As we drove along the roads on Sunday, to and from church, I looked deeply into the woods and could see Mountain Laurel everywhere.

Things were very drippy on our wet walk day.

We found two very small bushes of bog laurel, a pretty blossom. They were growing among the Mountain Laurel.

We saw an inch worm dangling from it’s thread.

It was amusing to watch it climbing back up, slowly, awkwardly, and methodically.

It was afraid of our eyes looking at it so closely.

The woods were very jungle-like, especially after a nice rain

a secret place…does an tiny elf or mouse visit here sometimes?

(Incidentally, last night I was on the couch watching TV and half asleep with Rich. The boys went outside to play “man hunt” just in time to rescue a perky eared, black eyed mouse from the cat. They brought it inside within a cup to show me, but I didn’t know what they were bringing until they handed it over and I looked inside. 9:30pm is much too late in the day to admire mice.)

my funny Seth

We went to find some wild strawberries but we didn’t eat this one.

Someone was already eating it.

I fed my son wild strawberries while he was busy looking for cool rocks.

“Put them in your pockets,” I said, and he did.

We crossed the stream to get home quicker and I stopped by the chicken coop to get……….

…..the eggs!

Want some?

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).

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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.

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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.

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Dad loves me. I can tell by his face.

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

Both.

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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.”)

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.

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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.

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:

That’s right. The field trip was moved to May 31st!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It’s raining!

It’s like God said to me, “I got this.” 🙂

life is a continual feast

Posted on May 18, 2016 by Shanda

We found out on Monday that Sarah was born with a congenital obstruction in her right kidney. And she also has reflux on that side. The mystery of how she had the stones in the first place as been solved. Unfortunately, this obstruction has caused her right kidney to lose most of it’s function. Thankfully, the other kidney is doing the job of keeping her healthy. (kidneys are amazing) The next step is to meet with the doctor about doing surgery on the ailing kidney to help it drain better…..because with no treatments she will most likely end up with ongoing infection. There is a chance that she may lose the kidney, but the doctor believes that even though it has lost significant function, it still appears to be healthy and he is leaning toward surgically fixing the blockage. We meet with a second doctor next week for her thoughts as well.

Of course, I am not a doctor and I don’t know much. I do not have the wisdom of the doctors, but I do have the wisdom of a mother. As a mother, I was very upset by the results of these latest tests. Truth be told, I did a lot of crying and lost my appetite for a day (but in the midst of it I felt I would be sad forever–strong emotions & dramatics have always been a talent with me). But the doctor and nurse were both calm and reassuring. As specialists, they told me that they see children all the time with the very same situation as Sarah so they know she will be okay.

Jesus was and is always near, so near, and I had time reading the Bible yesterday in which I read many verses that comforted and stayed my soul. I also had a nice long talk with Gary (our pastor) and my dearest mother (with Dad listening, too).

Jacob’s girlfriend Emily comforted me as well. I told her some of my imagined fears and rambling sad thoughts and she exclaimed, “Don’t think about those things!” Which is such simple advise, but TRUE, and I tell you, do not be afraid to share (some) things with your teenagers because they very often have just the words you need to hear, sweet simple childlike faith……..”out of the mouth of babes”.

Enough about that. All will be well. Doctors are a gift from God with God-given healing wisdom and talents. What a wonderful world we live in, where there is knowledge and support for so many medical conditions! This world is full of people trained to help in many ways and I am thankful for everyone I meet who shares a smile, or a kind word, or gives time and energy to be active in the schools and community. These sorts of people make me always to want to do the same. The world is much bigger than a kidney. 🙂 You can quote me on that.

And by the way, Sarah Joy is pain free and completely healthy. Like I said, the healthy left kidney is taking over for the lack in the right one. So this is a huge blessing! And she is on a daily antibiotic to keep infection at bay. She’s happy and growing and active. Not only that, but she’s still young enough that she isn’t worried about a thing (until we are in the doctor’s office!).

*****

Last week, Rich took me to the Brimfield antique show and we had such a nice afternoon together. I saw these Tasha Tudor books and looked through them. I didn’t buy because they were on the pricy end (probably worth it but not to me).

Birds we love.

Necklaces made from odds and ends.

Just as we are.

What we purchased on that day. We came home and I scrubbed everything up.

The disc pitcher and 7 tumblers are vintage and are for display only. I did tell the children that when they grow up and have a baby we will do a toast with them at that time using these valuable tumblers.

The covered casserole and three light yellow bowls are retired yellow.

The mugs were chosen by my husband — two lapis and one shamrock.

The divided vegetable bowl is a retired piece in Ivory.

Three cereal bowls in lemongrass, white, and paprika.

And then two pasta bowls in paprika.

I put the disc pitcher up high, next to my priceless Lilac one.

My sweet Grace.

darling cat paws

nature is confused…we had a second round of toads this year.

Remember the vultures? We searched for the Death Thing and we found it… a very dead muskrat waving in strips in the stream. EWWWWWWW

My children; 19, 18, 16, 13, 10, 7, 5

Rich and I went on a date Friday and found a restaurant close to home that we enjoyed very much. My salad had roasted potatoes, tomatoes, crumbled cheese, and grilled shrimp on it. Rich had a seafood pasta.

Like I said before, nature is confused this spring. We have toad nurseries in BOTH ponds now. I took this picture because the toad was funny. As soon as it sensed my presence it completely froze in this position.

Rich and I went to a Farmer’s market and I was completely impressed by this handmade jewelry—made by tatting! I bought an ankle bracelet for Sarah and she hasn’t taken it off.

Grace is going to Prom on Friday.

****

“For the despondent, every day brings trouble; for the happy heart, life is a continual feast.” Proverbs 15:16

the very interesting outdoors

Posted on May 12, 2016 by Shanda

During all these years there existed within me a tendency to follow Nature in her walks.
John James Audubon

Several days ago, after Aunt Colleen and Uncle Roger visited me, I meandered back to the interesting patch of violets we had discovered. We liked them because of their pale and dainty purple faces. I took a photo while flat on my tummy and, unsurprisingly, it proved to be a quite comfortable spot for a short rest. I could hear my two youngest children playing together on the trampoline. They called to me, “Mom! Hi, MOM!” and I waved to them and smiled. I soon heard a beautiful bird song in the trees. Often I hear bewitching birdsongs but alas, cannot see the bird. But this time, as I sat and folded my legs up Indian-style, I peered into the trees with my chin high and saw a startling spot of red. As Colleen and I visited, we had talked of birds and flowers. I asked her if she ever saw Scarlet Tanagers at her house. I told her how a few years back I had seen one and would like very much to see another, never expecting that after her visit one would come close enough for me to hear its singing, and see it’s bright red feathered coat.

I watched the Scarlet Tanager until it flew away. Then I saw a small red thing in the grass next to me. I picked it very carefully up, expecting it to be a mushroomy fungus type of thing.

But it had legs.

It was so all over red! Quite fascinating indeed.

dandelions and apple blossoms

planted peas and radishes in the garden

took care of the hens

checked on my toad babies

sat on the front porch to chat with a friend

watched as two turkey vultures landed in the trees by the stream down at the edge where our property meets state land

There is a sense of glorious freedom in the air this week. In the beginning of the month, for dreary days on end, there was nothing but gray skies and cold rain. But now, once again, the sun is shining and every plant, bird, animal, and human can’t help but be a little more active, a little more cheerful.

I sat against a pine tree by the pond to watch the vultures. At first I wondered if I was watching a courtship, since there were only two and they were staying close to each other. At one point they were both on the same branch, side by side.

But then I saw a rustling in the bushes underneath them. Jacob and I walked over and looked, but we didn’t see a dying animal. However, we did not search thoroughly because I, for one, had a very creepy crawly feeling and he kept saying “I have to leave in 10 minutes for school, Mom.”

They are a rather gothic-looking bird, wrapped in long black feathered cloaks. Red bald heads and a white beak complete the deathly attire. They are useful but chilling birds, as they are attracted to the scent of dying animals and dumpsters.

They flew away as they sensed that Jacob and I were observing them but they came back at the end of the day while Rich and I were away at a little league game. Sarah told me later that she saw one up close while she was on the play set.

I feel like there might be more to this story. I will investigate later on and see if they return today.

I always look for this turtle, as I can usually find it out sunning himself as I walk along the edge of our lawn. We have a stream that goes along the far side of our property, and the water is always a good location to see a variety of different flowers, birds, and other creatures.

I loved how the turtle had its funny legs hanging loosely out of his shell, soaking up all the warmth of the sun. His neck was stretched out as far as it could go, to keep an eye on me (his enemy, he thinks, but I would never hurt him). Soon he slipped back into the dark water. It was fun to imagine his sweet and simple life.

I want to try to draw these curly, swirly vines with green leaves just popping out. Wouldn’t they make a nice border for a picture?

jackanapes2

Watching fish swim this way and that way is mesmerizing. Meditation is quite natural while watching them. There are fish of all sizes in the pond, which I like to think of as our own giant fish tank. The smallest minnows stayed closer to me and I was able to watch them for a long time. The way they swim is a marvel. Smoothly they swim along and then *STOP*– with no hesitation or slowing down, before swimming along again.

Every black speck is a toad tadpole. Sometimes a bunch of them get stranded on dry land from living too dangerously on the edge of the water. They die, but if I happen to be walking by I do some life-saving and scrape them back into the pond again. Their little tails wriggle. I ring Jacob on my cellphone to tell him to call the dog up to the house. If Parker the dog is outside he does whatever I do, and a dog watching tadpoles is never a good thing.

rather elegant, wouldn’t you agree?

bits of purple in the woods

what a wonderful way to clear the mind

and dazzle the eyes

with shades of pink

and blossom time

I sat by the stream in the open meadow at the dam and saw a tiny speck of orange. A Baltimore Oriole!

This sweet little bird wanted me to leave.

It had a nest nearby.

But my seat was soft. It was moss.

I saw a Solitary Sandpiper next! Oh what a day for birds.

This bird bobbed up and down as it walked, so very charmingly! It made me want to hum a song. A bouncy song.

I love the refection it made of its solitary self as it edged along the calm water of the open stream.

I wanted to get a little closer to it, so I took my seat off the soft moss and climbed up on the rocks.

But then……….

I froze (and so did he). I considered. The rocks I was upon were the very best apartment complex for the snake population I ever did see. Surrounded by water, open sunshine, and many small meals. But while I admired the wise choices of this snake, I decided not to take another step on those rocks……good bye snake, good bye birds. I’m going home now.

In my hands I carried a stick covered in ridges and indentations from a bug?or worm? The bark was off so it was smooth other than the hollow tracking marks. It looked like a secret message written in another language, if only I could decipher it. I had a sprig of apple blossoms, two sweet white violets, a marsh marigold (which promptly wilted in the vase at home) and another yellow wild flower.

I revelled in my alone-ness. It felt so good (nature’s spa treatments) to walk in my flip-flops through marshy cool waters. I had been prowling about for an hour or so and felt quiet, dirty, rested, and as deliciously solitary as the Sandpiper I had met. I came out of the woods at the end of the long pond to see that I had company. The lawn men had arrived, and one of them was busily cursing his weed eater as he worked along the side bank by the pond.

It was very tempting to turn around and go right back in the woods.

home routine and nature sightings

Posted on April 29, 2016 by Shanda

“I enjoy doing housework, ironing, washing, cooking, dishwashing. Whenever I get one of those questionaires and they ask what is your profession, I always put down housewife. It’s an admirable profession, why apologize for it. You aren’t stupid because you’re a housewife. When you’re stirring the jam you can read Shakespeare.” Tasha Tudor

Living is always at a quicker pace when you’re raising children but lately I’ve been able to enjoy a calmer morning routine. As soon as I get up, I wander to the coffee maker. The teens are getting ready for school and we talk a little before they leave. Rich has already left for work, and he typically kisses me while I am still asleep (this morning it was tenderly on my hand). We have a nice connection to start the day.

I look out the door to see what morning birds have come to the feeder, which I keep full of sunflower seeds. This morning I saw something interesting but soon realized is was a banana peel that someone threw up into the bushes. It had landed and sat on a branch very much looking like an exotic bird.

I make a cup of coffee and drink it throughout the morning and I realized that I like coffee of all temperatures.

I wake up the three younger kids at around 6:50. I stopped picking out small Sarah’s outfit because after I leave her room she goes ahead and chooses something entirely different.

This morning Seth was sent to school with a puffy eye. He had a bad allergic reaction to the dust at the little league field last night. He looks pretty terrible….and he loves it. It does itch, though. I wrote a quick note to the teacher so she wouldn’t send Seth to the nurse. Seth played very well last night in his game and received the game ball. I didn’t go. It was around 53 degrees and Rich took them by himself.

After the kids have left for the day, I usually blog, or run on the treadmill. We have an “exercise room” in the basement with a treadmill and a TV. If the TV wasn’t down there I wouldn’t darken the door of the exercise room. So this TV that I watch while doing my half hour run is how I have now become a watcher of Investigation Discovery Television…..true crime is quite fascinating. It’s my TV station of choice unless the little kids are at home, of course.

I usually tidy up the house in the mornings….and it’s been a great feeling to have time to clean and have it STAY clean while the kids are at school.

It’s amazing how much a person can get done as they work at a steady but NOT FRANTIC pace…..for so many years I have rushed from one thing to another….but now I have time to settle down do things little by little…and still see a result and have time to read, blog, go for walks, and watch crime tv. LOL

Once or twice a week I go shopping for food, and of course once in a while I might have to take someone to a doctors appointment (this week it was Ethan).

After a morning of errands, cleaning and/or the treadmill, I have a quiet lunch, and then go outside for a while. After I come back inside I might read a book and take a catnap to prepare for our very busy afternoons and evenings…..David gets home first at 2:30, then Seth, Sarah, and Caleb an hour later. Then it’s homework, snacks, dinner preparations, little league, picking up Grace and Ethan from drama rehearsal, and so on……

After the kids go to bed Rich and I generally watch TV in the dark living room while dozing.

Then…..bedtime. love and zzzzzzzzzz

I took these pictures with my phone at Target last week when I freaked out noticing how much taller Dave was then his older sister.

A couple pages from my Nature Journal. Nice, right? Don’t worry, I found these things A.D. (already dead)…….

Before and After dinner for 7 (the other 2 were staying after school and they finished everything up later on that evening). My family loves dorito chip salad.

Rich’s new car!!!! We are going to have so much fun with it.

I’ve had more time this spring to be an even better chicken-keeper! I love visiting my hens throughout the day. I let them out in the mornings along with giving them a nice treat of dried mealworms. Now that I know a fox is around I DO NOT let them out if I’m going to be gone. There are two big waterers in their coop and a large feeder, so if they are stuck inside they still have plenty to eat and drink. There is a nesting box for egg laying purposes.

A cat or two or three usually follows me to the coop. Gentleman Gray was purring like a steady determined motor as I held him. I love pressing my ear to a purring cat!

This is my Father’s world,
and to my listening ears
all nature sings, and round me rings
the music of the spheres.
This is my Father’s world:
I rest me in the thought
of rocks and trees, of skies and seas;
his hand the wonders wrought.

These rest of the photos were all taken with my Nikon camera. I loved catching these two Tufted Titmice together in the bushes next to the feeder.

This House Finch had such a lovely song that it made me stop and peer into the sunny bushes until I saw it…….by the way, I have a bird identification app on my phone that really does help! It’s called the “Merlin Bird ID” and you put your location into the app, tap the size of the bird, the colors, and where you saw it, and it gives you a list with photos and more info on each bird it could be.

Way up in a pine tree, perfectly safe, was a red squirrel making such mean noises at me!!! It scolded and shook its tail and made such a fuss that I stood much longer than I typically would, to watch it. I fell in love with it, truthfully. I get so sad sometimes because all the wild creatures are scared of me and all I want to do is pet them and take many photos of them.

Come to think of it, I would be scared of me, too.

Ferns, ferns, beautiful baby ferns starting to unfurl.

Oh it’s so lovely in the woods in dappled sunshine.

Isn’t this pretty? I focused the camera on our stream in the background, making the wire fence in the foreground blur.

One of my goals this spring and summer is to study the types of trees we have in our woods so I can call them by name……(see quote at end of post)

Again, sadness….because I never SAW the loud woodpecker I heard hammering up in the trees close by. It became scared of me and stopped its work. I sat by the stream for a while, binoculars around my neck and camera in my hands.

Clear across the stream I saw a busy Robin with its beak FULL of soft looking dried grass.

A marsh marigold was getting ready to bloom. My books says this, “One of our loveliest wild flowers is the bright yellow Marsh Marigold, which grows in wet places in the Northeast and Midwest and is known also as Cowslip. A key characteristic is its thick, hollow stalk, up to two feet tall, which carries shiny green and heart-shaped leaves. The many flowers are about one inch across and have five sepals. The pistils are in a whorl and produce many seeds because insects have to climb all around to get at the several nectar glands. It is well worth having in your wild garden. You could cook the leaves for greens–if you must.” Alfred Stefferud, in How to Know the Wildflowers

There is another photo here of it in bloom.

Back at the chicken coop.

I am still trying to positively identify these birds, they are making a nest under the eaves of the chicken coop.

This fish was swimming around guarding a circular nest in the pond.

“When I’m working in the barn or house I often think of all the errors I’ve made in my life. But then I quickly put that behind me and think of water lilies. They will always eradicate unpleasant thoughts. Or goslings are equally comforting in their own way.” ~Tasha Tudor

I transplanted these wild violets from our yard into a flower garden last spring and they came back so healthy and pretty.

I peered around our brick chimney to sneak a picture of a Blue Jay at the feeder.

Arrow Leaved Violet

I love these wild flowers because although violets grow in abundance all over our property, this species is not as plenteous. Deep dark purple blossoms, harry stems, and different shaped leaves make them unique. I took this photo by the rock wall near our mailbox.

The top book was written by Alfred Stefferud in 1950. He was a great Dad, who took along his young daughter as they intently studied the native flowers that grew near them. Here one of the first pages from the book:

We Start An Adventure

This book began on Sunday afternoon when my young daughter Christine and I were hiking on Short Hill just behind our house
It was a springtime rediscovery of things we had missed in winter–the rabbits busy in the bushes, squirrels talking in the trees, Dogwoods trying out their first leaves.
In a damp spot near a runnel we delightedly sniffed the rare smell of Skunk-Cabbage. Farther on we spied Bloodroots, their flowers still clasped in cylinders of leaves. We greeted drifts of Trilliums and Violets as old friends.
But now and then we came across a plant we did not know. One intrigued us because it grew in a clump of ferns, where we thought it should not be. One had leaves like an Oak, only larger. Another was definitely a Violet–but which one? We were disturbed, because this close to home we had found strangers.
I went on looking at trees, which were my particular interest. Christine resumed collecting moss and stones, which were hers. She was humming a verse we had sung that morning in Sunday School, “All nature sings and round me rings, the music of the spheres.”
She stopped: “Wouldn’t it be fun to know the plants that grow in our own backyard and everything about them?”
“Everything:?” I repeated. “Why, everything even here would take a thousand lifetimes with ecology, taxonomy, paleobotany—”
“Now, Dad,” she scoffed. “You’re trying to show off. I don’t know a word you’re saying. I don’t care about that. I’d just like to know the names of flower and who they are.”
“Who?”
“Yes, the same as people. Where they live. What they are. Their families. What they are good for–”
“And why there are so many? Why some are red and others white? But couldn’t you enjoy the flowers as much just seeing them here? What difference if you call a Trillium a Trillium or Wake Robin or any name you make up, like ‘White Lady’?”
“Well, maybe.” She thought a moment. “But I would’t feel then that I really did know them.”
“Hm. Very interesting,” I said. Always a teacher because once a teacher, I continued: “I feel the same. What say we find out a detail or two about every group of wild flowers–enough so we can tell them apart and they become personalities to us?”
Chris liked the idea, and we started at once. In the months that followed we derived great enjoyment from collecting names and facts in our heads and notebooks. We did not collect the flowers themselves; we preferred to let them live. When (often enough) we encountered something we did not know, we consulted a field guide or reference book–which we found to be most enjoyable and useful but sometimes too complex and cryptic in wording…….
Chris and I discovered, as we went along, that our adventure with wild flowers was giving us a deeper appreciation for everyday things….
We added to our store of knowledge, which I think is always a good thing, no matter what the knowledge. We unlocked a treasury of words. We got new insight into the orderliness of nature and of men who work with nature. Our wonder grew at the devices of plants for continuing their species. We had a glimpse of several sciences that closely touch our lives.
We came to feel ourselves part of a vital conservation movement, so important that I call it patriotism-in-action. Most of all we had fun and relaxation, Christine from her 6th grade books and I from other books that easily can be substitutes for living and finding out one’s self. All this from a simple subject, a pleasant adventure just outside our door!