Tuesday, September 27, 2011

A Beach Vacation


The LORD on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea.
~Psalm 93:4~

     Our family just returned from a week-long vacation at the beach in Dauphin Island, Alabama.
This is our third time to vacation at the beach as a family. But this particular trip was a bit different as another family shared the beach house that we resided in. Our family of five was joined up with a family of seven bringing the total residents in our house to twelve. And may I just add that I now have a better feel to the dynamics of a large family. The other mom and I rotated kitchen duty so that we both had days off to completely enjoy the beach, kiddos, and fish with our husbands.
     Walking along the beach while the surf pounds on the sand and the salty water foams up and around my feet and toes and then receeds quickly back to its source causes me to think upon the greatness of our Lord. How Great Thou Art is a song that comes easily to my lips as I stand and watch the mighty waters rise and fall with a mighty crash!
     A week wasn't long enough...I'm already dreaming about the next time.

Blessings to you and yours as we embark upon a new week, Julie

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Perseverance

Four O'Clocks

Even though we were really dry this past spring and summer, and much of my flower beds were utterly destroyed by dogs and chickens seeking damp, cool earth for a respite,...our faithful Four O'Clocks survived.

 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.   ~Romans 8:28~

Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:   ~Philippians 1:6 ~

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.    ~1 Corinthians 15:58~

And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.    ~Galatians 6:9 ~

Blessings, Julie

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Honesty, It's Such a Lonely Word

Honesty, It's Such a Lonely Word   ~Billy Joel~

The second Republican Presidential Nominees Debate was aired last night.
We were at Boy Scouts and 4H.
And besides we don't subscribe to cable television so we couldn't have watched it even if we had been at home. What about online? Fuhgeddaboudit!!! Our internet provider just doesn't provide that much band width, power, umph...whatever. I try to only talk about what I know. And I know not the inner workings of internet provider service and lingo. Suffice it to say, we can rarely watch a youtube video unless it's midnight or four in the morning. I may have exaggerated a bit there and so sorry as this post is about honesty after all.

Anyway, getting back to my original point, there was a debate last night. And from what I've read thus far it was all about, "Let's dog-pile the top dog and throw out lots of innuendo so that the American public will be distracted and he'll spend all of his debate time defending himself!"
I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm so disgusted with this status quo, politics as usual behavior. While there were some that didn't join in with the rest and I'm sure their particular views weren't questioned as they don't make for good "TV." The majority of the debate seemed to be (from what I've read) discrediting and bashing the understood frontrunner. How are we supposed to trust these people if they keep resorting to sound bites and scare tactics? Please give me the truth. I can handle it.
Do you remember Joe Wilson? You know, the South Carolina congressman that had stomached enough propaganda during a speech given by Obama early on in his presidency and shouted, "You lie!" Congressman Wilson merely did what so many of us feel compelled to do when we've had enough.
While I know there are no perfect debates in politics, I desire that these guys/gals would voice their stances on social and fiscal issues without being maliciously maligned by their peers. A civil dialogue if you will where these social servants could defend their past decisions albeit bad ones without a fellow politician manipulatively throwing out remarks that aren't true.

((Sigh)) I'll stop there. I just needed to vent a bit.

Blessings, Julie

Monday, September 12, 2011

Reflecting on Critters Past & Present

This is Annie our foul-tempered, back-porch cat. Don't let her mild mannered sweet and cuddly looks fool you, she's scheming on how to get her claws in you!

Living out here in the middle of nowhere and seldom getting to town has been made a bit easier by the companionship of our animals. And the number has gone up dramatically since moving to the country a short five-and-a-half years ago.

My Hiking Companion
                                               My all-time favorite three-legged dog.

And I must add here that I believe that when moving to the country there is that whole nature abhors a vacuum thing goin' on. Before you know it, you're running a full-blown menagerie! People know you've moved to wide open spaces and they want to unload FREE animals on you. And then there are the dog dumpers, don't even get me started on that vile class of people!

We moved in with a hermit crab. Katy was it's name. And I must confess that when the odorous thing died a couple of weeks after moving in, I was a bit relieved that I would no longer have to clean out the bowl where it resided. Have you ever seen one of those things come out of it's shell...cringe-factor BIG time!
But it wasn't long, maybe a month, and we had acquired a couple of puppies for the girls. They were birthday gifts.
The dogs couldn't have been more different. The black lab/pit bull mix was born an old man. He didn't play much and just wanted to be petted constantly and nap.

Good Dog
      This is our lab/pit bull mix. He's large and intimidating...and smells of dead armadillo.
The other, a lab/shepherd mix felt it her duty to chase every piece of hoofstock in a mile radius. Her exiting the premise was due to the very large, roughened rancher that leased the land across the road appearing on our doorstep one evening and announcing that he would shoot her if she was spotted chasing his goats and cows again.
"Adios, Shelby!"

It was also during this time that an acquaintance of ours was moving and gave us a cat (our foul-tempered, back porch cat) and a couple of goats.
The goats didn't stay long due to their escape artist ways, but the cat has become a permanent back porch fixture. She's not nice. We warn people not to pet her. The dogs are even frightened of her.

Strawberry
   Strawberry is one of our Welsh ponies. She's a bit of a diva, definitely not a wallflower!

Before the first year was up, there were calves and a horse added to the mix.
And then later cats were needed as the foul-tempered cat decided to quit her mouse exterminating job.

wwshow&crittersherejn2010 156
The veterinarian on the premisis didn't spay our little female cat, Ashes. So she in return graciously presented us with a litter of kittens. It was her last.

Over the next few years we would see many calves come and go, some favorites, and some nearly drove us over the brink. If you've ever dealt with onery livestock you have empathy and can relate regarding that last statement.

Peanut
                                    His name was Peanut, it should have been Trouble.

Presently the critter count stands at eleven hens, four horses, four calves, three dogs, and two cats.
I'd say that's enough...wouldn't you.

Have a fantastic & blessed week!
Julie

Chickens were on the list from the beginning but didn't become a reality until a year and a half ago. And then the real drama began!
Bantam Babies


                                                     Homestead Revival: Barn Hop #27

Thursday, September 1, 2011

The Trailer

Photobucket

I took this photo one evening while the sun was setting.
The side of the trailer you see was facing the setting sun on the western horizon and the sky was aglow with brilliant color.
We had just had a thunderstorm and my husband and I were back at the edge of the property discussing a multitude of things.
I couldn't resist the photographic opportunity and ran back to the house for my camera. I'm glad I did.

Blessings, Julie