Temporary Farewell

Recently I came to the decision that I needed a long break from this (blogging).
There is a lot going on in our lives right now (good and bad) that's keeping me distracted from being able to sit down and post an entry now and then. And unlike many of you that can relate their daily lives so eloquently, I am at a loss as of late to be able to. Life seems to have gotten a bit too large and challenging. This is an egg that I can eliminate from the proverbial basket for the time being.
I will be back.
Blessings, Julie  

Lots of Shtuff & A Planned Butcherin'

This wonderful Red Spotted Purple butterfly visited me a couple of days ago and I just had to get it's picture. Okay, so it wasn't visiting me but checking out the "eats" around the place.



Here, it is on the bumper of my van. The van that nearly seriously injured and maimed (aren't those the same?) the children and I coming home from Shtuffmart yesterday.
The power steering went "bye bye" as I was pulling into the drive and I ended up underneath one of the water-sucking red cedars that poses as a dust barrier to the side of the driveway.
I've informed the husband that I will no longer be driving the death mobile or will the children be entering the unsubmissive monster until it has had a thorough goin' over.



So I'm without wheels for the time being, but we've got lots of shtuff, thank you, Shtuffmart. And do you remember the hair-raising adventure I had after getting back from a Shtuffmart run this past winter?

And another question concerning Shtuffmart. Why did they stop selling Campells Cream of Asparagus Soup? You don't know...neither did one of the friendly Shtuffmart workers. Oh well.

My son is in Scouts. This was taken at the Boy Scout Banquet this past winter.
I'm really proud of the little guy...the big guy, too, of course.
But I think you'll understand where I'm coming from when I share that he's really developed a love for reading!
That's a big deal for my husband and I as we're "readers."
The whole family is now officially a bunch of bookworms...I love it!



And now I must share that the large red cantankerous bird that goes by the moniker (wow, I've never used that word in a post!) of Mr. Incredible has run out of time. Remember, he's the beady-eyed rooster in the post right before this one.
Okay, here's a picture.



That's right, he's oooouuutttaaa here!
Today was his last. Tomorrow morning he goes the way of chicken and rice.
I will video. No not the messy stuff. But the husband trying to catch him. I'm too chicken (sorry, I couldn't resist) to get anywhere near him. He's a mean one.

Stay tuned for more later,
Julie

Birds On The Brain...Again

We have been seeing a plethora of birds this past week on our little homestead. Just yesterday morning the children and I spotted a male painted bunting, a male indigo bunting, and a male blue grossbeak within inches of each other in one of the hackberry trees in the backyard!

I am yet to see an oriole, but have an oriole feeder out in case one happens by. So far the hummingbirds are enjoying it's offerrings.

And speaking of painted buntings, one crashed into our dining room window Saturday morning while the husband and kids were shopping for another calf at the local salebarn. The painted bunting was quite shook up and I knew if I didn't rescue him from the deck he would be a cat snack. So I carefully put him into a box to monitor him. After an hour or so, I noticed he wasn't moving much and had been bleeding a little from his beak.


He died just before the children and my husband got home.
It was quite interesting to get such a close look at such a beautiful bird and the kids thought so too. Yet we were saddened that he died.



Speaking of birds, I just have to mention my oversized, ridiculously ferocious yardbird, Mr. Incredible.
Mr. Incredible is our resident rooster and soon to be included in a chicken casserole of some type because of his cantankerous ways.
But currently we're keeping him around so that we can have fertilized eggs.
For the past several days I've been adding eggs to the incubator. We're hoping to hatch out a whole new crew of egg layers. I'm going to go ahead and get my egg license and sell eggs to a local health foods store.



A bird we enjoy but have yet to see is the Whip-poor-Will.
We hear these at dusk and at dawn.
I'm pleased that with the bird units we've done over the past years that the children can now identify many different types of birds and appreciate their beauty.
They are such a testament to our Lord's wonderful variety of beauty that He has so generously bestowed on His creation!

Seeing Him in the simple things, Julie

Regarding my photos: I would like to add that I'm so thankful my husband got me the macro lens that I'm using here last Christmas...it's really made a difference in my picture taking!