U.S. Civil War Re-enactment: Battle of Round Mountain 2012

Two years ago our family participated in an event held annually in Yale, Oklahoma at Jim Thorpe park.

The Battle Of Round Mountain Civil War Re-enactment




The actual re-enactment of the battle takes place Saturday and Sunday afternoon while the Friday before is open for school-aged kids to come tour the encampment.





Saturday night there is a ball with authentic U.S. Civil War era-style music.





After several dances, my hoop broke.



If you'd like more information on this fun and educational event, go here.

Also, if you have the time and would like to read a little bit more about our experience, I blogged about it here at my old blog.

I hope your week has gotten off to a great start...I'm cleaning house to prepare for a geography co-op.
And it feels a bit like one step forward and two back!

Blessings, Julie

Workin' Some Calves

The kids got out and helped Tim put eartags in the calves this morning.



Oh and they were a big help! They helped Tim get the calves cornered into a couple of panels. Middle child assisted in loading the tagging gun. She has serious dreams of following in her dad's footsteps to be a veterinarian someday.



Ta-da! "Look Ma, I got my ear pierced!"
(Momma bawling in the background)
"I always knew he was the black sheep...errrr, I mean rebel in the family!"



Tim had to play cowboy to catch our smallest and newest calf, Bingo.



Catching her was pretty easy, but keepin Mama at a safe distance was another thing altogether!



"Watch out Tim!"

 

And finally, Bingo is tagged.



"Momma, that was a bit brutal."



"Yes, I know Honey, there are plenty of hoops to jump through in life, just wait...I heard the man say that he would be castrating calves next month."

And Bandito watched the whole thing while enjoying the Oklahoma early morning sunshine!



Our week has started off productively, I hope yours has too!
Blessings, Julie

Just A Few Things...

Here are just a few things the girls and I have been working on for our next craft fair:

This is an 8X10 mixed media art on canvas entitled "Grow."



This 11X14 mixed media art on canvas is really one of my favorites. It's simple and pretty.



And this particular piece is one that I toiled over, LOL. I began painting it this past week and knew it was going to be a bit offbeat and that's probably why I call it, "Abstract Blue Horse."
It's 16X20 and this is the first time I've worked on a canvas that large.



Anyway, that's just a little sampling of what we're doing here.
Blessings! Julie

A Bird Poem in Free Verse

A small girl walks outside.
It is time to feed the birds.
It is cold and she shivers,
but she trudges on.


Icicles hang down from branches of trees nearby.


She smiles watching a bluejay land on the ice.
She shivers again and begins pouring the feed.
A chickadee watches with interest.
The bluejay also stops to gaze at the small intruder.


She smiles at the birds.
They are her friends.
More birds fly down to lower branches,
watching the girl.


The chickadee peeps impatiently.
The girl smiles again,
backing away from the feeder.


She watches as the birds enjoy their meal.
     
        ~~~  Written 1/4/12 by my oldest daughter.

I Love This!

I took this New Year's Eve evening.
And I haven't played with it at all...really.
Oklahoma sunsets are unique, addictive, and inspirational...and....
I'm so glad I've got them right out my back door!
Blessings, Julie

Hope For A New Year

For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.  ~ I Corinthians 13:12
This past year was a tough one for our family. Though we didn't understand much of what happened and why it happened, the Lord led us through guiding and comforting the whole time.
Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.  ~ Romans 15:13

I am hopeful for this year. Our Lord's grace is sufficient in all things!
So although there were quite a few thorns in 2011, I'm refusing to be discouraged and seeing the bigger picture!



Be encouraged, Julie

Homesick

Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
James 4:14

But the word of the Lord endures for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached to you.
I Peter 1:25

So much time, money, and effort is invested into what is of little worth.
I get caught up into it also.
And then I'm reminded by my Lord...reminded that this is not my home.
Praise God, this is not my home!

A Crafty Post!

Wow, it's been over a month since I've posted here!
The kids are outside playing in the freshly fallen leaves and this seems as good a time as any to do a little catching up.
The girls and I have been crafting. Several months ago a friend told us of an opportunity to sell crafts at a local craft fair. She manages her girls business, Sewing Kits 4 Kids and they sell their products online and at craft fairs. If you have the time please click here . I really am proud of these girls!  
And here is a little more information about their business:

We thought it sounded like fun, a lot of work, but fun. My two girls had sold decorated flip-flops at a state-wide 4H event during the summer, so they had a little bit of experience. We had even gone so far as to call their little entrepreneural effort "Frou Frou 4 U."

 The girls selling their decorated flip-flops during a state-wide 4H event last summer. There were several other young entrepreneurs selling their hand-made products there also.

The craft fair was in October and the girls sold decoupaged glass vases and homemade Christmas ornaments. Although they didn't sell a lot, they learned a great deal. We're doing another craft fair in December. This time I'm going to be selling some of my own creations. The girls and I are excited and busy, busy, busy crafting!

And just gotta add that our great big mama cows are having their calves. We've got three thus far and are expecting two more.


This is Pippin.

And just a little more news...we've finally found a new church home! We're delighted and excited about this new opportunity to serve and witness as well as be a part of God's leading!

Have a fantastic week and God bless!
Julie

First Frost!

I woke up this morning and noticed God had dressed the pasture with jewels.
What was just green yesterday, now sparkled and radiated with trillions of fractured light.
I had to get out there!
It was cold but I suited up appropriately, grabbed the camera, and rushed out with a, "Please don't let the cows out until I've come back!"
I'm afraid of them, the big mommas, that is. There are five of them now and they wouldn't blink an eye at mowin' me down. In fact I think it would make them happy, give them some sort of satisfaction in knowing they were able to fight back against the establishment! Their cloven hooves can't hold a protest sign so they'll take whatever victories they can get.
And of course my imagination is getting away with me.



So once I'm out and surrounded by an abundance of frost laden flora, I click away!



It's at times like these that the wonderment of childhood returns.
And where does that go anyway???



Sad. Sad, that as we grow older we desire so much of the unlovely.
Hmmm,...in Heaven, I believe the wonder of childhood and awe in seeing things with new eyes will return.



Until then, I'll be looking for those sweet glimpses of wonder here and know that so much more awaits!

Seeing Him and His loveliness in the simple,
Julie

I Don't Know Nothin' 'Bout Birthin' Calves!

Just right up front I gotta say that I really don't have much to say.
Well other than we're outrageously busy around here with old mother cows
'bout to birth babies, the rest of the critters, 4-H, educatin' kids, choir, scouts, getting ready for a craft show, and numerous and other sundry stuff.
Probably just like your homestead, huh?



And regarding the big old cows birthin' babies...we're excited! We've never experienced this part of the whole cattle scene before. Well, I should probably correct myself there. Tim has.
He's delivered many a calf. I was there for some of them. One of our premarital discussions over money took place while Tim was performing a c-section on a heifer. Imagine if you will, little ole me pouring a bucket of antiseptic solution over a huge gaping incision that Tim had just pulled a calf through and moi asking rather nonchalantly, " Are we going the route of joint checking accounts or seperate?" You got the picture. And that's really the way our lives have rolled ever since!

Have a wonderful week!
Blessings, Julie