We love you Isaac!

God be with you till we meet again;
By His counsels guide, uphold you,
With His sheep securely fold you;
God be with you till we meet again.

Refrain

Till we meet, till we meet,
Till we meet at Jesus’ feet;
Till we meet, till we meet,
God be with you till we meet again.

God be with you till we meet again;
Neath His wings protecting hide you;
Daily manna still provide you;
God be with you till we meet again.

God be with you till we meet again;
With the oil of joy anoint you;
Sacred ministries appoint you;
God be with you till we meet again.

God be with you till we meet again;
When life’s perils thick confound you;
Put His arms unfailing round you;
God be with you till we meet again.

God be with you till we meet again;
Of His promises remind you;
For life’s upper garner bind you;
God be with you till we meet again.

God be with you till we meet again;
Keep love’s banner floating o’er you,
Strike death’s threatening wave before you;
God be with you till we meet again.

Words: Jeremiah E. Rankin, 1880

More photos to come of Isaac's farewell party...

Happy ... Galaxy!

I celebrated another birthday this week, my 49th! I anticipated my big brother to ask when he called, "So, you're celebrating your 50th birthday?", for he told me a long time ago that the day of one's birth is really their 1st birthday!

I was greatly blessed to begin that day with a couple of sweet birthday greetings, but I must say, the one that warmed and stirred my heart the most was the one I received from my father.

Why did this note stir me so?

Dad is known for having a heart full to overflowing with great love for his family and the LORD! He has always been faithful to express his love in special ways, by his faithful presence, godly example, physical touch, and great provision, but it seems in recent years (since his retirement and the addition of grandchildren) he's opened up and shared more from his heart through words, written and spoken!

With his permission, I'm eager to share the blessing of my father's love through words...


"I woke up this morning fresh and vibrant after a good night's sleep. There was something special about this date that weighed heavily on my mind. I knew May 26th represented one of the happiest days of my life. A new heavenly galaxy had entered my life 49 years ago, and yet there wasn't a name that could match the beauty of this new addition to my universe, but I knew that it was special ...

It's like a dream that I want to recall, but it only appears on May 26th of each year. I know that it's important because I've experienced this same mystic dream for 49 years, and in recent years my galaxy has grown to include, one star, two stars, three stars, and four shining stars, and they all shine brightly. There's no doubt in my mind that the Lord gave me a special blessing 49 years ago, and the aftermath of that blessing has continued to grow. I love you Karen. Dad".

So here I am this morning, saturating my time and thoughts with God's blessings on my life, which include the great reward of my parents who have unconditionally loved and demonstrated their faith in the LORD to me all of my years, their blessing, and how this benefits my husband and I, as well as our children!

My father's words have reminded me of a few passages in scripture that speak of the starry host;
Foremost, of God encouraging Abraham to step outside his tent to look up into the sky to number the stars...
"Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be" (Genesis 15:5).

Can you imagine Abraham's thoughts when he heard these words, knowing he and his wife were old and barren? I imagine the sight of the uncountable stars was quite overwhelming!

God was not limited by Abraham's humanness, nor was HIS promise motivated by Abraham's and Sarah's best behavior and efforts to please HIM!

When God communicated HIS boundless love and acceptance of Abraham by displaying the expanse of the stars, He promised Abraham he'd be the father of many, the nation that would bring redemption to all! Can we imagine the magnitude of this?

Abraham caught a glimpse of how BIG God was that night; He believed the LORD, and it was counted to him for righteousness, so then we could be blessed with him (Gal. 3:8-9)!! Abraham realized that night the promise was not about him, but HIM!~

Oh, those starry hosts!!

"'To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal?' saith the Holy One.
Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might for that he is strong in power; not one faileth" ( Isaiah 40:25-26)


"When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou has ordained;
What is man that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?" (Psalm 8:3-4).

"I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded" (Isaiah 45:12).


"Thou, even thou, are LORD alone; thou has made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshipeth thee" (Nehemiah 9:6).

My first thoughts of writing this post began with how I might communicate my special entrance into the world, but I quickly got lost in how SPECIAL the influence and great impact my parent's faith has had on my life. I'm grateful their influence continues to my children.

Oh, how I pray the LORD would use every aspect of my life to influence and lead my children to a greater knowledge of HIM, that they would live their lives in such a way that they were "blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which [they] shine like stars in the universe" (Philippians 2:15).

I thought it interesting that Merriam-Webster's second definition of the word 'galaxy' stated - "an assemblage of brilliant or notable persons or things ...".

So I wish you a HAPPY GALAXY!!
May our galaxies be brilliant, and our expanse include many more generations that shine 'brilliant or notable' for HIM and ONLY HIM in this dark world!

Thank you Dad for your blessing and encouragement.
I am always immensely grateful to be loved so faithfully by You and Mom! I love you!

How is it that I sensed at such a young age that my 'galaxy' should be up high?

Garden blessings

Our garden is growing...I'm soooooo happy!
Look at the corn! It's 6-8" tall!
Since I'm new at this, I am really depending on my new gardening companion, All New Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew.

As I've aged, my interests have grown closer to those of my grandmothers. They both enjoyed their gardens!
I really miss them~

Mark and Mark Stephen put together another raised bed for me yesterday. They salvaged some wood from our picnic table which collapsed recently with the weight of 50-40 pound bags of compost/manure plus John.
We'll transplant our peppers into it, which will give them more room to grow. Hopefully they'll transplant well, and prove to be very productive!












I'm pleased, and growing more eager to see more growth in the weeks ahead.

So far, our gourds have not sprouted very well. Tomorrow will be the 14th day since planting the seeds, and finally today I found one gourd sprout. I was quite happy to see it!
I hope to see more sprouts in the next few days, but if by the weekend we do not find any more, we'll replant some more.
I've really set my hopes on having some bird house gourds this time next year since receiving the picture below of an inhabited gourd that was grown and painted by my cousin, Paula.
Thanks Paula!
Her dad, Uncle Donald, put together the tall gourd stands to hang the houses in for their yards.
Aren't they awesome?
Who wouldn't enjoy seeing bluebirds coming and going from homegrown gourds?



















Until next time...Enjoy His blessings!

A Very Present Help....

Psalm 46:1
GOD is our refuge and strength, a VERY PRESENT HELP in time of trouble!

While I'm mindful of my uncle and cousins this morning as they grieve the great loss of a wife and mother, I am mindful that God can/will use this great loss to reveal HIS character and might. I am praying they will turn to HIM, and not away because of the sorrow they feel.

I woke up this morning with thoughts of 'Be Still and Know that I am God". I attempted to find comfort for myself in the words of the hymn I know, and prayed the same for my family. Yet, I found I needed more, so ran to that comfort I knew I could only find in God's Word!
What a refuge! I wish I could explain the way God's Word quickens me, and empowers my spirit when I feel weak.
To think He used the very feeble hands of men to write it out so that everyone could read it, and be encouraged by it! Praise the LORD! I need it daily, and sometimes more often than that!

Spiros Zodhiates states, "The phrase 'very present' in the Hebrew...emphasizes the speed, completeness, and might of the LORD's help".

Oh, who doesn't long for the quick, perfect, power of another's help when there is a trial to be faced?

HE IS OUR REFUGE! HE is VERY PRESENT in our time of trouble!
May we BE STILL and KNOW HIM today because we've sought HIM and read HIS WORD!
May we run to HIM in our trials!
May HIS WORDS be the marks on our hearts and lives which cause others to seek HIM, to find refuge in HIM, completing and empowering them also to KNOW HIM better!

Psalm 46~

FACE to FACE with JESUS!

Aunt Marlene is with Jesus!
While I sorrow for our loss, I am relieved she is enjoying her first morning of eternity, face to face with JESUS!!
What a thought, what a VICTORY!
She is now and forever close to HIM!
She is safe from the enemy who sought all of her days here on earth to separate her from HIM!
Could there be any better way to live?













Thanksgiving
"We bless Thee...for the means of grace and for the hope of glory."

For the rapt stillness of the place
Where sacred song and ordered prayer
Wait the unveiling of Thy face,
And seek Thy angels' joys to share;

For souls won o'er to truth and right,
For wisdom dropping as the dew,
For Thy great Word in lines of light,
Made visible to mortal view;

For gladness of the summer morning,
For fair faint twilight's lingering ray,
For forest's and for field's adorning,
And the wild ocean's ceaseless play.












For flowers unsought, in desert places
Flashing enchantment on the sight;
For radiance on familiar faces
As they passed upward into light;

For blessings of the fruitful season,
For work and rest, for friends and home,
For the great gifts of thought and reason
To praise and bless Thee, Lord, we come.

Yes, and for weeping and for wailing,
For bitter hail and blighting frost,
For high hopes on the low earth trailing,
For sweet joys missed, for pure aims crost;

For lonely toil and tribulation,
And e'en for hidings of Thy face,-
For these Thy heralds of salvation,
Thy means and messengers of grace.












With joy supreme, faith unbroken,
With worship passing thought or speech,
Of Thy dear love we hail each token,
And give Thee humble thanks for each.

For o'er our struggling and our sighing
Now quenched in mist, now glimmering far,
Above our living, and our dying,
Hangs high in Heaven one beckoning star.

And when we gather up the story
Of all Thy mercies flowing free,
Crown of them all, that hope of glory,
Of growing ever nearer Thee.
Eliza Scudder













Photos: Mom's Angel Trumpet Plant on the side of my house!

I can almost hear and see the Angels in Heaven today, singing and sounding their trumpets...
"Welcome Home Marlene!"

"Better Late than Never" Summer Garden

WOW! We are already seeing a great amount of growth since planting seeds and transplants in our garden last Tuesday and Wednesday. We transplanted Tomatoes, Crookneck Squash, Zucchini, Green Peppers, and Okra. After soaking and planting seeds, we also found them sprouting after only four days. We're excited!!

Late Saturday afternoon, Katherine yelled to me from the garden, "MOM! Come quick! HURRY! Come see!" Now, there are not very many things I do very quickly especially when I'm already in the midst of doing something I consider important! However, her excitement was quite stimulating, and I wondered rather quickly, "Is she pulling my leg again?"
She was serious, and there was truly something AWESOME to see! I found myself almost running around each raised bed, following after her to see the changes for myself. We had numerous precious, little sprouts of...

Cucumbers













Watermelon













Green beans













Corn













I realize we still have a long way to go before harvest time, and we're a bit premature in thinking we've succeeded at planting a garden, but isn't this exciting?

We also have a couple of young blueberry bushes, but we're about to snip off the fruit because we want more energy to go into making this bush stronger. Maybe we should have already done this....? It'll likely be a couple of more years before we'll harvest blueberries. This is only our second season to have this bush. It is one of three we purchased last year. One died, and another almost died but is coming back very nicely. We'd like to get another bush to plant alongside the two we have, so need to get on this very quickly, if they're still available.

My Granny Thelma had a couple of BIG bushes which we harvested blueberries from every July and August, but when her property was sold, we were no longer able to congregate there to pick blueberries. I hope within the next couple of years to resume our family's 'Annual Blueberry Pickin' Party'. I love eating and baking fresh blueberries! I love eating frozen blueberries in my morning cereal. I LOVE the ice milk that accumulates around the frozen blueberries in my cereal! Yummmmmmmm!



















These are Green Pepper plants. Our friend, Isaac, encouraged me to spread them out a little bit more, because they get bigger around than I allowed them room for. Oops!
Guess what we'll do this week?













Coming soon...photos of our sprouting pumpkins and gourds.

We plow the fields, and scatter
The good seed on the land,
but it is fed and watered
By God's almighty hand.

All good gifts around us
Are sent from heaven above;
Then thank the LORD, O thank the LORD,
For all His love.
Matthias Claudias, trans. by Jane Campbell

Stay tuned...When I last checked today, our garden was still growing!!!

Farewell Little Red Hen

While catching up on downloading some photos from my camera this past weekend, I found a few more photos we took of the 'Little Red Hen' the last day she was with us.

That last day, a Tuesday morning, we noticed the Little Red Hen was across the street, scratching around in our neighbor's flower bed looking for worms. We learned from observing her behavior in our own backyard a few days earlier, that she was very determined and successful at finding them. So, we thought it best to move her to the easement behind our house where she was free to scratch as much as she liked, with little risk of making a nuisance of herself, nor walking out in the street in front of passing cars.

She seemed very pleased to be in the easement, especially since we set her up with food and water, and a soft place to lay. She ate and drank for quite some time, showing obvious signs of familiarity with the type of water bottle we hung on the fence. Soon thereafter, she happily walked around in search for more worms.

The photos do not show this, but later in the day when we realized rain was imminent, we placed a plastic trash can on it's side and relocated some hay we'd set out for her so she'd have a dry place to lay. Eventually, the rain came and we lost sight of her.

We didn't imagine that day would be the last time we'd see her, for when the next morning came, she was not to be found.

The hen's unexpected visit was absolutely an entertaining learning experience, not really what I would've scheduled. I had 'more important' things scheduled, but needless to say, when she left, we were glad she came, and the 'more important' business was still here to return to.

Almost two weeks after the Little Red Hen departed, when all seemed back to normal, we found she'd left a surprise for us outside the back porch. She must have laid it the very first afternoon we spotted her, scratching near our back gate.
How did we miss seeing this?

I suppose this is the closest I'll come to having a laying hen in my back yard...ha! 

It was fun while it lasted!

Do you know basic chicken trivia?
*Brown chickens lay brown eggs and white chickens lay white eggs.
*There is no nutritional difference between a brown egg and a white egg.
*It takes 26 hours to make an egg.
*Chickens only produce and lay one egg at a time.
*Eggs are produced in response to day light hours.
*A gland in the eye must be stimulated by light to produce an egg.
*The size of the egg is dependent on the age of the hen. Older hens lay larger eggs.
*Hens produce more eggs when they are relaxed and have less disturbances.
*Emotional trauma can disrupt egg laying for a couple of weeks.

I'm glad this Little Red Hen felt at home and relaxed enough with us to lay her egg!

Thank you LORD for the simple pleasures in life that reveal your great goodness and wisdom to us!

I Sing the Might Power of God
Words by Isaac Watts
Music by Ralph Vaughan Williams

I sing the mighty power of God, that made the mountains rise,
That spread the flowing seas abroad, and built the lofty skies.
I sing the wisdom that ordained the sun to rule the day;
The moon shines full at God’s command, and all the stars obey.

I sing the goodness of the Lord, who filled the earth with food,
Who formed the creatures through the Word, and then pronounced them good.
Lord, how Thy wonders are displayed, where’er I turn my eye,
If I survey the ground I tread, or gaze upon the sky.

There’s not a plant or flower below, but makes Thy glories known,
And clouds arise, and tempests blow, by order from Thy throne;
While all that borrows life from Thee is ever in Thy care;
And everywhere that we can be, Thou, God art present there.

O Mighty Cross

For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh.
That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Romans 8:3-4


O Mighty Cross

Words and Music by David Baroni, John Chisum

O Mighty Cross Love lifted high
The Lord of Life raised there to die
His Sacrifice on Calvary has made the mighty cross
A tree of life to me

O Mighty Cross what Throne of Grace
He knew no sin yet took my place
His Sacrifice on Calvary has made the mighty cross
A tree of life to me

O Mighty Cross O Christ so pure
Love held Him there such shame endured
His Sacrifice on Calvary has made the mighty cross
A tree of life to me

O Mighty Cross my soul’s release!
The stripes He bore have brought me peace
His Sacrifice on Calvary has made the mighty cross
A tree of life to me

Computer Artwork by Katherine H. Gray 2009

Wonderful Wedded Way with Words

This post is worthy of an explanation, for it is unlike our usual musings!

The photos should not give you reason for concern!
I was truly given permission to post these fun memories, for they commemorate a group of fun- loving cousins hanging around after Casey and Riley's wedding reception, hoping to help pull together loose ends before the loading up of everything began. Obviously, names are not mentioned here to protect them!!

The words to follow came together while recalling the wonderful way the worth of one's waiting weighs in one's wife, I mean life!!
Casey and Riley, thank you for being wonderful role models to all of your younger cousins and siblings. For them, the waiting continues! May the LORD bless you greatly for waiting for your wonderful one to wed! Your wedding was a beautiful picture of what wise waiting looks like!

Wonderful Wedded Way with Words

One way, I will wed a wonderful one,
A wonderful one I will wed one way,
While wishing won't work, wise waiting well will,
One would wait well the wise way!

One wouldn't wait well to worry,
Worry wouldn't wait well with one,
While worry will whittle away a well will,
A wise one would weather well while waiting.

Weigh well the worth of a wise one,
A wise one wrought well will weigh,
Wrestle war with wet whistles and woo wiling winkers,
Welcome wealth of one wise worth waiting!

Welcome wonderful words with wisdom,

Wrestle wisely warning words will weigh,

Weave well wise warnings with written well wishes,

Worthy One 'wakens well one will wed!
©Words written by Karen C. Gray 05/10

 

THE END~

"I charge you, ...that ye stir not up, nor awaken my love, until He please". 
Song of Solomon 8:4 

Kat Chat: Loyalty= Canadian Geese

Hello everyone.

Recently our cousin, Paula H., from southeast GA sent these pictures of some Canadian geese that nested on their property.

After seeing the pictures, I was reminded of how loyal geese are to one another.

Our family enjoys reading stories in three books we have called Character Sketches. Canadian Geese demonstrate loyalty in several different ways...

Geese choose life mates. When migrating, a mate has been known to circle back, risking personal harm or even death, in order to find and help it's partner when it's been shot down by a hunter. If a partner is wounded, the other will remain with it until it is healed and able to move on. If the lost or injured partner cannot be found, the other has been known to stay behind to look for it's mate, enduring the hardships of winter in order to continue searching. That's loyalty!

A mother goose is very loyal to her responsibilities to care for her eggs and young. We read in the Character Sketches book another story...Several years ago in Alaska, an unseasonable late spring snowstorm occurred, which threatened the breeding ground of the Canada goose. The snow fell to a depth of three feet. Days later, when the snow melted away, many dead geese were found still protecting/incubating their eggs. The geese chose to suffocate and die rather than leave the eggs they were protecting. That's loyalty.

A female goose has also been known to nest a number of eggs for as many as five months waiting for her goslings to hatch. That's sad, but again, that's loyalty!

Well any way, here are the pictures Paula shared with us...

Here's the mommy goose sitting on the nest. Did you notice the daddy gander standing watch while the mommy nests in the first picture above? That's loyalty!

"This is how to swim". Goslings get their first swim lesson one day after they're hatched!















Notice how the Daddy (bottom right) is keeping watch for predators.
Or maybe it's the other way around. We read that the gander leads the swimming goslings, while the goose lags behind to follow straying or lagging goslings.

In this picture, it appears the Daddy gander is standing guard, looking for animals of prey. Look how high his head is.

Hope you enjoyed seeing these pictures!

Paula told us she gets to watch geese families every year. However last year, the eggs were flooded, and the goose and gander lost their nest. Watching this goose family this year was extra special for Paula, but she wrote this week to say she'd sadly discovered they'd moved their family!

Thank you Paula for sharing your gander, goose, and gosling pictures with us.

Thank you Mom for helping me with this post! That's loyalty!

" Little Red Hen"

The dear little roaming red chicken is still hanging around, and has made more new friends on our street. Fortunately, the neighbors are enjoying and tolerating her well, so far, because she's a novelty!

YES, we've been told she's not a rooster!

How would I know?

After doing a little research, we believe she's a New Hampshire Red, a very friendly, prolific layer. Haven't seen any eggs...but then again, she's been quite active, wandering up and down the sidewalk. We haven't refreshed her since Saturday, but I was told today other neighbors have...ha! I'm thankful to know I'm not the only soft hearted animal lover 'round here!!

I had to hold back the tears when Mark put her back over the fence Saturday evening. I feared for her safety, and in all honesty, wanted badly to protect her in hopes of returning her safely to her home/owners. When John and I peeked out the door later that evening to see if we could see her with a flashlight, guess where he found her? Perched on the same fence Mark put her over! We laughed. She stayed there all night!

Sunday morning was quiet, for we expected to hear 'him' crow, but that never happened.

As we left for church, 'he' came around the corner of our front porch to greet us. I hated leaving without refreshing him again, but left him in the care of the LORD.

Upon our arrival home Sunday evening, we found no sign of the 'rooster', but early this morning, John was quick to discover "The rooster was here yesterday; come look." There in the dirt beside our rabbit hutch, he'd dug a hole, because there were feathers remaining to prove he'd been there. We decided he'd rested in the cool dug out place in the ground during the warmest part of the afternoon after searching for worms as he'd done nearby the afternoon before.

This morning, as I peaked out the front door to check again, I saw him down the street and smiled. Moments later he returned to our next door neighbor's house, and attracted a passerby's interest before taking their child to school. A few minutes later, a woman walked by with her dog and then looked around behind her as if to be getting a second glance to make sure she saw what she thought she saw...funny!!

While I was away shopping this morning, Mark said a neighbor came to our door to tell us he'd just seen a chicken in his backyard. The neighbor said it was a hen, and seemed to really know what he was talking about! It's nice to know someone around here knows something about this 'silly bird!!'

Yes, we have much to learn about raising chicks, which for a brief moment Mark said would be a fun thing to do, but then he quickly changed his mind because then he said "They're so messy!"

"Not if they're in a coop!" Oh well, I tried!

I'm grateful to share this 'Little Red Hen' has a home to go to should we not find her original owners! Bless our Dear Friends LORD!

I may just find myself calling the children in the neighborhood around tomorrow to read a little story to them. I believe we would all benefit from the reminder of how much more rewarding it is to work and give to others, than to not work and expect something or take!

Never a dull moment 'round here............

Cock-a-doodle-dooooooooooooo...

Ahem...for the sake of recording/journaling family memories......

We've been found by a rooster!

Yes, it is true! JUST how is it that lost animals know where we live???????????

This rooster story actually began last night when a few neighborhood children came to our door to 'show and tell' their newly found rooster friend. They found it several blocks away, but thought to bring it to our house for refreshment! Hmmm....

Well, we didn't have any problem greeting the little fella and nourishing it with some bird seed, then sending it off with his new found friends. We enjoyed taking a few pictures, laughed while walking away and waving good bye, then shut the door behind us.

Well, would you believe, the rooster came back this afternoon? Just minutes ago Mark and I were on the back porch, minding our own business, when we heard the rustle of leaves next to our gate. I looked and first thought it was Calvin, for the color I saw was orange mixed in with some brown leaves. However, as my glance turned into a more curious gaze, I discovered the rooster!!

Unbelievable! Where were the children? Not mine, the children who brought this rooster to our door last night?

I looked at Mark and laughed, ran inside to call our children, and grabbed my camera, of course!

John was EXCITED, to say the least, so I suggested we offer the rooster some water. Katherine was occupied with our music teacher, making up a lesson he'd missed midweek.

The rooster drank a little, but continued his curious motion around the side yard. John brought the little guy into our back yard, for we'd thrown some buggy wheat berries out into the easement behind our house a few weeks back, and they grew wheat grass. The rooster didn't seemed to be impressed, so came back into the backyard.

Notice I'm practicing my will to allow him to leave (as I post) if he desires, so we've left him alone after nourishing him again with food and water...

His call is interestingly appealing to me! How is this? I've never really been around real chickens, except when we went to my Aunt Selena's farm years ago for family gatherings, where acres (it seemed) away on her property were positioned chicken houses. I also remember hearing a rooster crow early every morning 19 years ago for a period of time, and I loved it! There were times when I took my infant son for morning walks in the stroller, and I saw the rooster walking around on the sidewalk one street over. We're not sure what happened to that rooster, but we supposed someone complained and the rooster was taken away. I wonder if our hospitality will become a matter of contention 'round here....?

I'm beginning to wonder if I might've inherited some of my Aunt Selena's appreciation for chickens! Her chickens were her livelihood. My fascination with them, some would say, is obviously for lack of knowledge!

I can't help but laugh a little, because it wasn't too long ago when I asked Mark if we could buy some chicks for the children to raise. I thought it'd be fun to so have some laying hens, an awesome opportunity for them to experience what it's like to walk out to the back yard to get some eggs.

However, Mark didn't think that to be such a wonderful idea, for he abruptly refused my request, and has since only allowed me to have a picture hanging on my wall in the family room with birds on it...a couple of hens and roosters, chicks, and a peahen and peacock! It's beautiful, but I'm sure nothing like the beauty of the real creatures!

Mark, as some of you may wonder, is willfully absent from the excitment in the backyard, busy in the garage. He lives with me in such a wonderful, understanding way!

I must admit, It's kind of thrilling to think we'll 'bed and breakfast' a rooster for a few days. I'd love to find it's owner, but after searching our city's lost pets webpage today, I'm not encouraged that anyone is sad to have lost him.

Any takers? I suppose we need to get out and drive around to see if we find any fliers posted...

Until next time, we're enjoying LIFE as usual 'round here, having fun, and enjoying lots of blessings, in the simplest form!