Skull and Horns, Tragic Tale of Two Brothers

~~~Poor Thistle, this is all I have of him, his skull, complete with his amazing four horns! He died a tragic death at the tender age of 16 months. Victim of his brothers violence!~~~

~"Look on it's broken arch, it's ruined wall, it's chambers desolate, it's portals foul; yes, this was once ambition's airy hall. The dome of thought, the palace of the soul-" Lord Byron~Here is Thistle(below), shortly before the dastardly deed was done. I WAS going to take Thistle to the Fair for exhibit. Thistle was my choice of ram for the honor of being admired and gawked at for 5 days. Alas, his brother way laid my plans. Mind you, I do not credit Goth with devious plans , just being guilty of being bigger, badder, and goring his brother to death!

~"Beneath this stone there lies a skull, Which when it breathed was monstrous dull, But nor tis' dead and doomed to rot, this skull's as wise, pray is it not ? " Shakespeare

~Here ( below ) is the big guy, the bully, the goring , ramming destroyer . ( you should see our fences ! ) Goth and Thistle were playing the way rams do, that is to say...they were head butting and ramming each other. Really, rams do this for FUN ! Goth runs full force into humongous trees just for fun. Well, poor Thistle got his beautiful horns stuck in a hay feeder and Goth pierced Thistle's lung with his horns. Poor Thistle, he died. ~The day of the foul deed was foul indeed. It was one of those rare summers that temperatures exceeded 90 degrees. My beautiful ram was dead. But there was no way I was going to bury those magnificent horns and skull. I wanted to keep them. My poor Hubby was outside in the heat, untangling Thistles horns from the feeder, while trying not to inhale the smell nature takes on when decomposing an animal, and then he saved the head for me....I love that man ! ~Thistle AND Goth went to the fair . Goth entertains the crowds, Thistle hangs on the wall behind him over a picture of himself in better times, as a grim reminder of the power of a ram, EVEN WHEN HE IS HAVING FUN !

~" Are you talking about me ? "~

~I thought I would end this post with a very interesting tale from the Bible. A tale that has bones and skeletons coming to life ! "Then he said to me, " Prophesy to these bones and say to them; 'Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! This is what the sovereign Lord says to these bones; I will make life enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord. So I prophesied as I was commanded;And as I was prophesying there was a noise, a rattling sound,and the bones came together, bone to bone. I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them, and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them. .......Then He said to me, ' Prophesy to the breath, prophesy son of man, and say to it, " This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come from the four winds oh breath; and breathe into these slain, that they may live." So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath entered them, they came to life and stood up on their feet- a vast army." Ezekiel 37:4-9

~You can read the rest for yourself!~ ~Be safe and thankful this season . Thankful for the bounty we have and the life you've been granted. Use wisely...and if you find yourself face to face with a ram....well....DON'T !~ This is a re-post of a true tale from Cedar Pond.

She Chose This Teacup ~ O Happy Day !

She chose this teacup. I laid out the teacups and the pot of peppermint tea and told her to choose her teacup. This delicate pink and white teacup is very simple, and I believe, elegant. I found it at a thrift store for $5.00. My granddaughter and I had the whole day to ourselves, and what a sweetly happy day it was. This 4th of 6 granddaughters is a very happy little girl and she brings her big smile and happiness with her. She is quick to cuddle her grandma and share whatever is going on in her life. We spent the day at a few places that especially please her, but her favorite place besides her own home is MY home!

The simplicity of this Royal Stafford bone china teacup appeals to me. The inside of the cup and part of the saucer is a very pale pink , the photograph does not do it justice.

My granddaughter and I drank a total of 3 pots of peppermint tea. She likes a lot of sugar in her tea and I think she also likes the sound of the tiny silver spoon clinking against the china as she stirs the sugar in. I put a program on T.V. for her to watch as she snuggled on the sofa and sipped her tea. It was raining outside, we were warm and happy inside. " Pleasure is spread through the earth In stray gifts to be claimed by whoever shall find." William Wordsworth

"If you are not happy here & now, you never will be." Taisen Deshimaru "What a wonderful life I've had ! I only wish I'd realized it sooner." Colette

"If you search the world for happiness, you may find it in the end, for the world is round and will lead you back to your door." Robert Brault Surely you all know someone to share a cup of tea and a smile with. Maybe someone who can use a word of encouragement with their tea, or someone who'll encourage you. A friendly cup of tea is so simple, yet offers more to the soul than words can express. Share a cup of tea with the ladies listed below and take away some good cheer , maybe a recipe or two, an idea for your own tea time with a loved one. Remember, no matter your circumstance, you are blessed !

• Terri at Artful Affirmations *
• Martha at Martha's Favorites *
• Lady Katherine at Lady Katherine's Tea Parlor *
• Wanda Lee at the Silken Purse *
• Sandi at Rose Chintz Cottage *

I know one of my great blessings, a blessing often taken for granted, is having an abundance of very precious people in my life to share a cup of tea or coffee with. People who share their lives generously with me, people who take time to be uplifting and encouraging.God is so good to me. Are there special people in your life you can encourage? Are there special people in your life who encourage you? Praise God for them all ! "Every now and then, when the world sits just right, a gentle breath of heaven fills my soul with delight..." Hazelmarie 'Mattie' Elliot

Be Thou My Vision ~ Slane

Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart; Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art-

Thou my best thought by day or by night,

Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my wisdom, and Thy my true Word, I ever with Thee and Thou with me Lord; Thou my great Father and I Thy true son, Thou in me dwelling and I with Thee one.

High King of Heaven, my victory won, May I reach Heaven's joys, O bright Heaven's Sun! Heart of my own heart, whatever befall, Still be my vision O Ruler of all.

Thou and Thou only, first in my heart, High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

"Therefore we have as our ambition , whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him."

II Corinthians 5:9 * Old Irish melody. There are many more verses, some worded differently, but I love them all .

Blizzard, The Cat

This is Blizzard, formerly called Buddy. Blizzard is technically our granddaughter's cat but her allergies have ordained Blizzard live with us. We are happy to have Blizzard stay with us, but his transition from kitten-hood to adult-hood is trying, for me. This is Bliz in a restful state. Here is the first time I have seen Bliz and Miss Marple nap together. Usually they have mighty wrestling matches that sound like two Tasmanian devils battling for their very lives, and taking out a lot of furniture as they wrestle and run around the house.Miss Marple has become a more sedate cat now-a-days and only attacks teddy bears once in a long while, but Bliz is taking her place as resident teddy bear stalker. Bliz is determined to catch my parakeet Bob. I am trying to get some crafting done for an upcoming Christmas Bazaar but rescuing Bob is becoming an all day thing. I keep a spray bottle of vinegar water for discouraging Bliz, but it only lasts as long as it takes me to put the bottle down and resume crafting, then Bliz is after Bob again.

Bliz, leave the parakeet alone!

"Who me? I'm not even looking at Bob".

The other night I heard strange noises in the kitchen coming from above, and there was Bliz on top of my refrigerator. I saw he had rearranged some of my precious pitcher collection on the high shelf close to the ceiling. This isn't good, but at least he is also getting the cobwebs I can't reach. Blizzard was re-named by our granddaughter because of his arctic coloring, blue, gray, and white. I think his personality fits a snow storm too...quick and destructive! Actually, I am enjoying him. He is fearless and follows the vacuum cleaner around. He loves the dogs, and anyone who comes over is treated to Blizzards' love and affection. Kind of like a dog in a cat's body, he even retrieves thrown objects, but this dog climbs the drapes and rests on top of the refrigerator.Good thing I have a cozy room with a litter box to confine him.

Granddaughter's Fairy Tea Party

Our oldest granddaughter wanted to host a Fairy Tea Party this summer for her sisters and her girl cousins. What a great idea ! Granddaughter planned the menu, made the fairy costumes for her sisters and herself, then invited her 2 cousins.

Granddaughter used this book as inspiration.

Look at the costumes she made using scraps of fabric and tulle I had stored away, and her own creativity. Her sisters were very happy to wear the Woodland Fairy costumes their big sister made for them. On the menu, mini-pizzas. These were made by Granddaughter using a pop-up biscuit , spreading a little tomato paste mixed with olive oil and basil on top, adding pineapple, pepperoni, and grated cheese. Bake according to the directions on the pop-up biscuit package.

The granddaughters, um, excuse me, the FAIRIES, loved these mini-pizzas granddaughter made, there were no left-overs.

Granddaughter also made a snack mix consisting of popcorn, pretzels, popcorn flavored jelly-beans, raisins, and chocolate chips.Another success, no left-overs.

She chose my butterfly teacups by Yedi for the tea. This set of butterfly teacups is a favorite with my grandchildren.

Granddaughter set the table herself, making sure the goblets for the orange juice punch are clean and clear.

The table is set, the food prepared. The cousins are here. I took a few pictures, but this party was prepared and hosted by our oldest granddaughter. After I took some pictures I went upstairs to get some work done and left the 6 granddaughters to tea-party on. ( I forgot to mention, she cut and arranged the flowers on the table too.)

It was a joy to my heart to hear the laughter of little girls echoing throughout the house. When I came downstairs to re-fill my tea cup I also spied the girls dancing sweet fairy dances as they laughed and talked amongst themselves.I think they had a very good time together and this was a good way to end the summer before the 4 granddaughters from the other side of the mountains returned home to begin school.

Yedi butterfly teacups.You might have noticed I have used these tea cups a lot in my Tea Time Tuesday posts, but they are my grandchildren's favorite choice for their tea parties. They are so colorful, and the set has 6 different colors, perfect for boys and girls. They are especially nice in garden tea parties. These are easy to find on-line by googling the brand name. These ladies are having an on-line party for all things tea, check them out!

• Terri at Artful Affirmations *
• Martha at Martha's Favorites *
• Lady Katherine at Lady Katherine's Tea Parlor *
• Wanda Lee at the Silken Purse *
• Sandi at Rose Chintz Cottage *

Justice ?

One thing I have learned in my life - not to expect justice, or fairness. ~ Life has shown me quite the opposite. Innocent people are often convicted & imprisoned for crimes they did not commit. Unborn babies are murdered because they are inconvenient. Harmless animals and children are abused and killed because they are harmless and vulnerable. The evil commit crimes for which they do not seem to pay, and brag about their gains. Where is the justice? I know people who have gone through terrible injustices at the hands of the very police and legal system they trusted to do right. Shame on you guardians, enforcers, and custodians of the law , disregarding and abusing the very people and children needing you to do what you have taken a vow to uphold ~ justice! "This is a court of law young man, not a court of justice." Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. ~ "The sad duty of politics is to establish justice in a sinful world." Jimmy Carter ~ In many countries now-a-days, as in old times, people are being imprisoned , tortured, and executed because they are Christians and have proclaimed their faith.At the same time I see the unjust, the unkind, the evil-doers, be lauded with fame and fortune. I see those who profit from the pain and misfortune of the innocent have wonderful and happy lives. The unjust seem to sleep very well with no hint of remorse. ( Don't expect any either ) Where is the justice? Justice, true justice , comes from God alone." Evil men do not understand justice, But those who seek the Lord understand all things.Better is the poor who walks in his integrity, than he who is crooked though he be rich....he who turns away his ear from listening to the law, even his prayers are an abomination....the blameless will inherit good." Proverbs 28 : 5-10 ~ "Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Thy throne O God, loving-kindness and truth go before Thee." Psalm 89:14 Maybe this is not a comforting post, but I have finally learned life in this world is more often than not, unfair. Good people get sick and die young. Rotten people live long and prosper. Each of us is given a life , our years here are numbered. We will all die, the good, the bad, the indifferent ( did you think I was going to say "the ugly"?). How we live our numbered days here on earth do matter. If we have been unjustly treated and abused, we still have the chance to rise above our hurts and the injustice by choosing to live each day God has granted us for Him, forgiving those who hurt us, and seeking ways to encourage and uplift those in our lives each day. " Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men; knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve. For he who has done wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality." Colossians 3:23-25

Puyallup Fair 2011 ~ Fun & Done

The Puyallup Fair is over, and I can say the last 5 days of the fair were fun. Hard work for me and mine, but fun! My husband Jim helped me so much and he also kept things at home in check. Someone has to be home to feed all the animals left behind.Thank-you Jim. Our oldest grandchild C.T. helps me every year at the fair. He looks forward to his time here and he works hard for the privilege. C.T. cleans out the pens in the mornings before the fair opens and sits at the table answering the public's questions about Jacob sheep.He also sweeps around our exhibit during the fair and helps me keep it clean all through the day.You can see my ram, Goth, looking through the bars of his pen.

A view of my little nook of the 'Animals of the World' barn.What is that I see in the back of the picture ?

My grandson, eating a delicious vanilla ice cream cone from the dairy and milking barn on the fairgrounds.Oh so very tasty, and already I am missing a truly good vanilla ice cream cone.( Next year at the fair, for sure!)

Another view of my exhibit at the Puyallup Fair.

Our daughter came for a visit and brought C.T.'s sister.One nice thing about the fair is I get to visit with people in my little area. I also get to see so many people I know , but rarely see,passing through this barn .Of course I have to invite them to sit a spell and visit, that is one of the best perks of being here. The girls, my Jacob Sheep ewes are posing for me. Well, actually, they are lined up and hoping to receive the soda crackers I am dangling overhead. Here from left to right are Buttercup, Mahlon,Thora, and Valkyrie. Then there is Goth. He seemed to strut and pose the whole week,surprising me by being so mellow. He did not ram the bars of his pen. He did entertain us often by kicking or butting his ball, accepting soda crackers, leaning his head into the spaces between the bars for my husband to scratch behind his ears or under his chin.He did not seem to mind in the least the hundreds and hundreds of people taking his picture. Good boy Goth. May you produce many more lambs and be with us many more years. Hopefully we can "do the Puyallup" together again too !

Baking Bread Together To Break Bread Together!

My grandchildren love to cook and bake with me. Since we were hosting church in our home our granddaughter delightedly agreed to help me make the communion bread. ~ "And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts." Acts 2:46 ~

I have used this recipe successfully well over a hundred times and am always happy with the results. ~"Bread-baking is one of those almost hypnotic businesses, like a dance from some ancient ceremony. It leaves you filled with one of the world's sweetest smells...there is no chiropractic treatment, no yoga exercise, no hour of meditation in a music throbbing chapel that will leave you emptier of bad thoughts than this homely ceremony of baking bread." M.F.K. Fisher 'The Art Of Eating' ~ This recipe is also very easy for children to make, and with supervision rarely fails to turn out delicious, making everyone happy, especially the child who bakes bread the first time! ~ "I am going to learn how to make bread tomorrow. So you may imagine me with my sleeves rolled up, mixing flour, milk, soleratus, etc., with a deal of grace. I advise you if you don't know how to make the staff of life to learn with dispatch." Emily Dickinson ~ The bread dough rising in the warm sun-room. ~"Love just doesn't sit there like a stone, it has to be made, like bread ; re-made all the time, made new." Ursula K. LeGuin ~ Voila! Every bit as delicious as it is beautiful and just look at my granddaughter's happy smile. What is the recipe you ask? I would write it out here but instead am going to allow you to click onto the blog of author and farm woman Suzanne McMinn, where I discovered this amazing bread recipe. She gives the history, many pictures , how-to's, and variations of this bread on her delightful blog,* "Chickens In The Road". ~"All sorrows are less with bread." Miguel De Cervantes ~