Grandma Baa

When our first born grandchild, #1 Grandson, or CT was just a chubby little guy he loved to visit us, and we saw each other frequently ( we still do ) . He learned to speak fairly quickly and before he was 1 year old he could say the usual "mommy", "daddy", other words and names and he could say "poppa" for my hubby, his grandfather. However, he insisted in calling me "Baa". Why ? He could speak well enough, and I coached him often enough, but " Baa" was his name for me for almost 3 years, and he spoke quite clearly by then. Then one day it hit me, whenever my sheep hear my voice they "BAA", loudly and persistently, and whenever my grandson came over I would step out onto the porch and greet him with a loud "Hi, how are you doing little guy?". Where upon hearing my voice the whole flock would come near their gate by our front porch and begin their baas....( to hear their baas listen to video in previous post ) So all his life thus far, whenever my grandson visited me at home, his first sight and sound of me was accompanied by a loud chorus of "BAAAAAAAAAAAAA", so of course that was my name, the black and white spotted crowd nearby said so, and loudly!

The Wheelbarrow Baas

This is the sound of morning around here on Cedar Pond. The moment my sheep hear me they begin this cacophony! What you are not hearing is the usual noise of clucking and quacking poultry, and whining dogs...because we fed them before my husband took this video. If I want to sip coffee on the porch for awhile before beginning my round of chores and feeding, I need to slip out the study door, quietly come round to the front porch and not talk, or cough, or sneeze. The moment the sheep hear me, or any noise they associate with me, this baaing begins and does not let up until they are fed. If the wheelbarrow is used later on in the day, the sheep will again begin this ruckus, and lest you think hunger causes this much noise, they often bellow with hay in their mouths and plenty left from morning! Ahh! The quiet country life. NOTE :I feed my sheep on the ground because years of using feeders left many of my Jacob sheep caught in the feeders, or they left pieces of their horns in the feeder. Also, I now have much less hay and hay debris in their neck wool , as they are not pulling alfalfa down onto themselves and each other.

Our Days Are Like Grass

Daphne in bloom, bees abounding. Our front garden is much in need of weeding after all the rain.

"As for man, his days are like grass; As a flower of the field, so he flourishes, when the wind has passed over it , it is no more; and its place acknowledges it no longer, but the lovingkindness of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children's children who keep His covenant.." Psalm 103: 15-18

~Daphne, blooming in our front yard.~ " He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him.As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us." Psalm 103:10 - 12

~Little birdbath surrounded by Lady's Mantle, rhododendrons, and ferns.~

I hope your Sunday is glorious, and you have time to reflect on your many blessings no matter what your circumstance and life situation today...you have each day as a gift, and each day CAN be a new day and beginning ! Seek wisdom where it can be found, in Him. "The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever. " Isaiah 40:8

As A Hen Gathers Her Chicks....

~Lady's Mantle, Ajuga, and Sedums along side the entry walkway to our home.~

Every day now I hear news of friends and family who have lost their jobs, or are waiting to hear they are losing their jobs. The news is full of the bad times, bad economy, bad, bad news. It seems there is no end to it, doesn't it? Then, after a day of bad tidings it is so easy to become fearful and anxious. "....human life is characterized by two great fears that animals are protected from: the fear of life and the fear of death..." Ernest Becker

My little frizzle bantam hen protecting her eggs and chicks. She does not even weigh a pound but you're in for a ferocious battle if you try to lift her off her eggs and chicks, as I found out while trying to photograph them. "How often I wanted to gather your children together, just as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you would not have it." Luke 13:34 These tiny chicks are fast and their mama was too, as soon as I put them down to photograph , mama and chicks would rush together and the little ones would disappear under her. There are more eggs to hatch!

Isn't this chick cute? I wonder when the other eggs will hatch. "The hens they all cackle, the roosters all beg, But I will not hatch, I will not hatch. For I hear all the talk of pollution and war, As the people all shout and the airplanes roar, Si I'm staying in here where it's safe and it's warm, And I WILL NOT HATCH!" Shel Silverstein

~Our front porch garden. Ajuga , Bleeding Hearts, and Hostas.~

"Don't waste life in doubts and fears; spend yourself on the work before you, well assured that the right performance of this hour's duties will be the best preparation for the hours and ages that will follow it." Ralph Waldo Emerson

~My kids will tell you I am often a worrier. I have noticed though , the things I have worried about the most either did not happen, or did not end up being the horrible tragedy I had envisioned. Now, things I never did imagine to worry about did happen..some very bad things took me by surprise even, and somehow....things have worked out. I believe God helped me persevere, gave me perspective, and He also encircled my husband and I with people who prayed for us, encouraged us, helped us. That is what we are supposed to do for and with each other. Isn't that wonderful? We can all do this! No matter what , anyone can be an encouragement! Anyone can pray! Anyone can find ways to help, and anyone can do these things without money, just the desire to do so, and the willingness to think beyond ourselves. "Expect the best, plan for the worst , and prepare to be surprised!: Denis Waitley "For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not evil, to give you a future and a hope, In those days when you pray." Joshua 29:11

Star Trek....I Love It!

"Space, the final frontier......."

Now I am not going to make it a habit of critiquing movies, this is just my thing, yes, Star Trek...I am NOT a Trekkie...although I have often thought it just might be fun to see what goes on at those events... ~What can I say? If I had been a boy in the 60's and 70's I would have been a nerd, or a geek. I loved Star trek! I still love Star Trek! I also loved The Hobbit and The Lord of The Rings. I watch the re-runs of Star Trek, enjoyed the spin-offs of the original series. I have no problem laughing with the ridiculous aspects of Star Trek, but still, give me MORE! There is something about the optimism and fearlessness of the outlook on life and hope Star Trek idealizes that I find energizing and comforting, even though I do not embrace the humanistic outlook of the whole genre. I believe that optimism and hope really lies in the one and true Hope, Jesus Christ, the Son of God. ~Hubby and I went to see the new movie tonight. We LOVED it! Go see it! It is everything and more the whole Star Trek series and movies were about. It is better than 'THE WRATH OF KHAN', which was up until now the best of the Star Trek movies! Go see it if Sci- Fi and just plain good entertainment is something you enjoy!

Spot On My Bee-Keeper

~My Bee-keeper, my honey, my husband! He and our oldest son have kept bees for many years...and after our son left home for the Marines and his own family, my bee-keeper kept the bees. My bee-keeper tends our gardens, orchards, and me! He loves to share the secrets of his bees with any who are interested. He shares the harvest of his bees with family and friends. ~Last weekend the bees showed signs of swarming. When my Bee-keeper checked his hives he discovered the bees had grown in such number that they needed new boxes added to the hive to accommodate them. He added the boxes and so far things have settled down in the hive and they have not swarmed. Any who note the time I publish my blog post will notice I am a night-owl, and my precious Bee-keeper is not...this might very well sum up his view of the hours in a day, "Morning is the best of all times in a garden. The sun is not yet hot. Sweet vapors rise from the earth. Night dew clings to the soil and makes plants glisten. Birds call to one another.Bees are already at work." William Longwood

S'posed to Bee a Hummingbird Feeder?

~This is our hummingbird feeder. Someone forgot to tell the honeybees that. ~

~The bees did their dance and passed the word, " Front porch! LOTS of sugar water!" The hummingbirds don't seem to like to mingle with the bees , and the bees had the sweet stuff all to themselves."The glucose and fructose which make up the better part of it ( honey ) are more easily assimilated by the human body than white sugar , because they have already been partially digested by the bees. This can be important for both the very young and the very old with either immature or failing digestive systems... Honey contains around 300 calories, against 400 for the same amount of sugar;"......"it ( honey ) is also fattening-with around 80% sugar it could hardly be otherwise-a fact often overlooked by those dazzled by its health giving image." HONEY, FROM HIVE TO HONEYPOT by Sue Style Note:Current medical wisdom says honey should NOT be fed to babies a year of age and under!