Sun or Rain?

The rain is falling in torrents broken only by momentary pauses for a regrouping of raindrops. I attended a workshop today about amphibians. Who knew there was so much to learn about the little critters! It was an interesting presentation. Afterward we were to attempt identifying species in different life stages. Live animals were present for this vain exercise. I managed about half of them. Since I had a lot to do at home, and will be gone four days this week, I returned home a little early. As I sat upstairs helping #1 with his research paper (AAGGGHHHH!), I listened to the storm outside. I was glad I returned early. The afternoon was to be spent in the field looking for critters and identifying conservation techniques. I attended a meeting yesterday about school classes for next year. We plan to have a co-op like we do this year, but it will be a little bigger. Yesterday we came up with the classes and set the calendar for the school year. Right now all I care about is that WE ARE NOT DOING RESEARCH PAPERS IN ENGLISH NEXT YEAR!!!! It might as well be raining words around here. I need a good dose of word free sunshine.

Hope Springs Eternal

A green mist hangs over the land, creeping its way northward across the fields and meadows. A white fog envelopes the mist and disguises it as a brief snowstorm of falling flakes. Bright spots of sunshine filter through the mist and fog sharing their secret: Spring is here! The grasses have begun their green march across the yard and goat field. Soon I will have to check the mower's oil and gas levels. The white flowers of Bradford pear trees have fallen from their lofty heights to be replaced by tiny, brilliant green leaves. Dogwoods' white crosses glisten against the newly leafed trees. Daffodils and forsythia glow with their yellow flower heads, and camellias and azaleas liven it all up with their own multi-colored displays. Like scars left from a bike wreck, some bare branched trees remain to remind me that Winter's dreariness and ruthlessness are very real. Not every day is filled with ease and content. Distress and regret are enemies not quickly forgotten, but draped in warmer, more colorful clothing they change their faces. Hope is present in my garden, in the growth of my boys, in the evening chorus of the spring peepers. Better days are coming, not quite fulfilled in earnest yet, but soon. Very soon.

Monday

I was looking through pictures yesterday and thought that I never did post #2's picture from his speech contest. He is a very handsome boy. He looks just like his mother! Perhaps not, but he is good looking anyway. Winter is laughing at us. So many people got out their summer clothes last week, but I wasn't fooled. You aren't safe until at least mid-April in my opinion. So today I am wrapped in a sweater and sitting in front of the fire while I do my work. A little friend of ours wanted to try hatching chicks, and she brought the new chicks over yesterday. They had gotten big enough to fly to the top of the box and get out. So now they are here on the farm and wondering what happened to that nice warm house they were in. I have them outside, but they have a heat lamp on them. The rest of the week should be warmer. Poor little fluffy chicks.

Church Retreat

We went on a church retreat this weekend. Usually the guys go on a retreat together, but they go far away in VA. This year we decided it would be nice if the whole church could join in, but it would have to be closer. It was held about half an hour away from our house at a Boy Scout camp. The setting and facilities were perfect, even if the weather was overcast and chilly. The camp is right on the river, and we were able to enjoy some hiking and the scenery. Of course there had to be a corn hole tournament. The kid on the left did a great job. #1 didn't fare as well, but he had a really good time. It was nice to see him enjoy himself so much this weekend. The poor thing has been so sick for so long that he needed the change.

Sorry, I didn't turn these pictures before I put them on Blogger. Just tilt your head a little; I have more important things to do. #2 was thrilled to find clay, and he and another child dug out some and made pots. That boy can entertain himself if he is outside. He had a great time playing in fire, collecting things, and getting filthy. He even talked the youth minister into letting him stay in the minister's tent instead of sleeping in the cabin. He was asleep before we were ten minutes out of camp last night!

Hubby and I went hiking and ended up down by the river. We crawled through a bunch of bushes and briers along the way. I thought this tree was interesting. There was also an osprey nest nearby and the parent birds kept close watch over us.

It was nice to get away for a little while. Now to catch up on things around here before another wild weekend approaches!

Don't Try This at Home

One evening last week I was in the mood for some popcorn. I like fresh popped corn the best, not so much the fresh popped microwave ready corn. I didn't feel like getting out the pan and oil, so I thought I would pop some in a bag in the microwave. I have done it many times before. You put 1/3 cup of kernels in a brown paper lunch bag, spray it with oil (non-stick spray) if you like, fold the top a couple of times, pop it in the microwave like you would microwave brands, and pop. My problem was that I was out of paper bags. I thought why not skip a step and pop it in the bowl. Then I can just go straight to eating it. I put the corn in the glass Pyrex bowl with a little oil, covered it with a cloth, and put it in the microwave. After the normal 2:10 time the corn had just started to pop. So I put it in for a couple minutes more thinking that perhaps the bowl held some heat and this way may take longer. I started smelling smoke and thought I must be burning the popcorn. I stopped the microwave and opened it up. The towel was catching on fire and smoldering. I took the bowl out with hot pads and placed it on the counter. Suddenly the bowl exploded. Well that was the end of my popcorn craving. I went in the livingroom to watch The Waltons without my popcorn fix, leaving the mess on the counter to cool. A little while later I heard #2 in the kitchen, "Oh! You made popcorn!" Crunch, crunch. "Don't eat the popcorn! It might have glass in it!!" "Should I spit it out?" One wonders how he got to be so smart.

Lead Poisoning

It was a beautiful day to be outside and study about the environment. The kids did a good job staying where they should be, and I was able to sit in a lawn chair and work on next year's curriculum.

After two and a half hours of study they headed to a horrible pizza lunch. It was like eating cardboard. Nasty.

In the afternoon they spent two and a half hours testing. Then we waited. Yes, we were in the top 7 and would go to State. We waited some more. Not third place, not second...FIRST PLACE!!! Go Lead Poisoning.

Deer, Drinking, and Devotionals

My husband tried to leave a comment on the latest blog about #2 hunting, but he couldn't leave one with his Mac. Anyway, his comment was that the only way that boy will fill our freezer with deer meat is if he can talk one to death! I nearly fell on the floor laughing. Last night before bed I dosed #1 with some Black Velvet whiskey and cream soda. He was very concerned about that, but after a couple of hesitant sips he decided it wasn't too bad. Then he informed me that if he drinks when he is older it will only be occasionally and just so as not to be rude. I assured him that saying no thank you is in no way rude. "It is in France," he replied. "Then you better stay in America, boy." ------ I have a bunch of errands to run...goat feed, refreshments for tonight's meeting, bank, garbage dump, etc... as well as papers to grade, school work to help with, and more. I decided today that I need a vacation. I think I have a spot opened on October 6th for half an hour! Actually, in two weeks I help judge 4H project books for four days. I will get to go to Raleigh and stay in a hotel. Even if I have to judge all that time, I will have some time free and alone that I can reflect and get some quiet writing done. I truly am looking forward to that. I had a message on my FaceBook account that a large church in town would like to use my devotional "Death of a Dog" in their bulletin. That was quite an honor. However, I don't check my FB very often and I missed their deadline. Maybe next time.

"Howdy Neighbor!"

Sick kids again. #1 started Thursday morning with a cough that sounded like it could get worse. It did. By Friday he was laying low, and Saturday he was down for the count. He stayed home all day yesterday and today. I doped him up last night, but he still coughed through the night. #2 started feeling poorly yesterday evening, and this morning woke up with the cough that says it might go somewhere. Since he has competition Tuesday I have been doping him and making him rest. It would be a shame to miss the Envirothon with all of the hard work he has put into it. #2 has been trying to earn money. He has taken over the chicken business and has sold several dozen eggs already. I took some to church with me today to take care of his earlier customers. Then I saw our neighbor out in his garden this evening. #2 filled a wheelbarrow with manure last weekend and has been trying to get up with the neighbor ever since. He was hoping the neighbor would want manure for his garden. Since #2 is sick, I walked the manure over. He paid $5 for it and asked if his cousin could have some in April when she comes to visit. That will be another job for my little guy. He can fill feed bags with manure and sell it! I bet those neighbors in the fancy houses had no idea what kind of neighborhood they were moving into. --------- I took #2 to the Spring Youth Day that used to be JAKES Day. Yesterday was gorgeous weather, and he had a great time shooting guns all afternoon. When he got home he had to call my dad and try to talk him into a hunting trip. He has been wanting to do that for years now, so I promised him if Pap would take him this year he can go deer hunting with Pap. My dad said he would be happy to take him hunting. So now #2 is in seventh heaven looking up info about guns and ammo. Maybe he will fill our freezer for us!

Marathon Envirothon

We had a marathon Envirothon meeeting this afternoon. The team is doing well. For their sake I hope they do well Tuesday, but for my sake I won't mind if they don't. I have learned a lot being the coach, and the kids think I am really smart. The truth is, I write all of the questions so of course I know the answers! I plan to teach Environmental Science next year as a high school class for our home schoolers. I am looking forward to all of the fun things I hope to do. I also think it will really improve the kids' chances at winning. I have been asked if I will volunteer to judge the high school problem solving at state competition. I plan to answer yes. Maybe that will help me prepare the kids next year. ---------- I have been feeling reflective lately. I am reading a great book, called God's Smuggler, about a man who went behind the Iron Curtain to deliver bibles and other things. His prayers were very faithful and trusting. He heard God answer in so many ways. Right now I don't hear God answering me. I sometimes wonder if that means He doesn't really care one way or the other what I do about a particular decision. If both solutions to a problem are faithful, then maybe either one is fine. I sure would like to hear his voice right now though.

Walking and Driving

I went on a walk last evening with #2. That boy is a trip. We walked for at least half an hour, and he never stopped talking. He would be talking about something that was going on and suddenly he would stop mid-sentence and say, "Look! A teeny, tiny pine cone!" Then he would go right back to what he had been saying. A wild turkey ran out in front of us, and he nearly missed it since he was bent over looking for shot gun shells. When we got back from the walk I called #1 to come downstairs. "Get your shoes on. You're going driving." He wasn't thrilled. For some reason he keeps saying that cars are a steel death trap. Anyway I got him to back out of the drive, turn around, and follow the old country road through the fields and forest. He did just fine and when he got home he went straight to text his friends what he had done. He is to take driver's ed this summer. Today is a big, big review for Envirothon and then they go to competition on Tuesday. That will determine if we need to study anymore this semester or if we are done until next year. They seem to be doing well, so we might still be studying another month until State competition. Better go make some brownies for my hard studying team. Their name this year is Lead Poisoning!

Summer is on the Way

I know summer is on its way. Yes, the trees are flowering and spreading their leafy crowns. Forsythia are bursting forth in golden glory. Daffodils line the roadways. Things are showing up on my back porch and shark teeth are falling out of my dryer. "What?" you ask. Yes, once the weather warms up #2 starts his wanderings and collections. He came home with a "neat stick" and a metal fork. They were left on the back porch. He searches through the area rock piles for sharks' teeth and slides them into his pocket, forgetting to slide them back out. Then I open the dryer door and the teeth clatter to the floor. Aah, Summer.

Mish Mosh

I want to let everyone know that J-1 is doing fine. He was our exchange student this past summer, and he lives in Japan. His family lives in the southwest section of Japan, so they were unharmed. I am sure they are still scared stiff. They are feeling the earthquakes, but are having no damage. ------ For about a week now I have been awakened in the morning by an adolescent rooster. I run outside to figure out who is being so rude, but I can never catch the bugger. Now I know. He is sitting on the fence outside my window right now, cock-a-doodling his voice changing serenade. He is a very colorful roooster, and pretty to look at, but annoying as all get out. ------ Saturday our church fasted together. The assignment was to fast and consider our sin and Christ's sacrifice. Our #1 was out of town, so he didn't participate, but #2 did. We were to fast for 24 hours, and then we would break the fast together when we took communion. #2 had decided that ice cream would be a good idea for breakfast Saturday, and by 2:00 pm he was feeling sick. I let him make a sandwich and have some fruit and then he fasted until lunch on Sunday. I think it was a good exercise for our church family. We love our little church, but it sure does have its idiosyncracies. Not too long ago I watched a woman pull her contribution out of her bra and place it in the plate. Yesterday a woman asked a question of the preacher during the sermon (this is not unusual), and another woman asked during the invitational how much chili sauce she should bring for the cookout that night. We had a lovely cookout- the weather was fabulous yesterday!- and then a night of singing. Today all I can sing is "Sing with me, How Great is our God!"

These daffodils showed up last week. The yellow one below was the first to pop up its little head. They are growing near the day lilies, which are not yet up. I didn't plant the daffodils, they have just decided to bloom here. Daffodils seem to grow wild in this part of the country. To me it was a sign that new beginnings can be made anywhere at any time. We need a new beginning around here.

Sorry for all of the doom and gloom lately. There just seemed to be a lot of sad news lately. It is good to see spring around the corner.

This is my little garden. The greenhouse is gone. The onions, peas and carrots don't seem too upset. I think we will keep the frame around the bottom of the greenhouse to make mowing easier in the summer.

---- So yesterday and today I took #2 to see orthodontists for opinions. Our decision is to wait a couple of years, but keep having orthodontic apppointments every 6 months until we think it is the right time to brace the boy. He was quite impressed with today's flashy orthodontist who gave him a t-shirt, notepad and pen, and new toothbrush. The good feeling didn't last too long. By the time we got back home he was happier with the other orthodontist who said not to pull teeth. I guess a t-shirt isn't worth 4-5 pulled teeth!

Still Not Enough

You are probably all hoping that I will no longer be your friend. Today I heard that a friend's husband passed away this morning. I was shocked. I teach her daughter on Thursdays in my writing class. One day here, the next gone. Stunned. The family has a daughter who will graduate high school in May and another daughter- the one in my class- who is in 6th grade. They are a sweet, generous family. They always have smiles and love for those around them, and no matter what they are going to give you something...an extra amount in the tuition, some cookies or brownies, a kind word or email. It is about the last straw, in fact I would say that it is the last straw, but then I would be handed more and I don't want any more. I know my Lord can handle all of this, and he can help me to handle it too, but shwew! -------- #2 gave his speech today. He did a good job and came in second in his age category. He was upset, but only because he would have won more money if he had placed first. He came home and started thinking up ways he can earn money this summer. Tonight is Hubby's first class for the New Testament semester. I think he has 25 or 26 registered. There are always some who don't show up, but this is the most he has ever had registered. It is a great way for him to teach people who won't necessarily go into a church.

Enough Wasn't Enough

Well #2 is finally recovered. Now #1 has a sinus infection. I called my doctor friend and hope she will send in a prescription for us. #1 is sleeping a lot...and growing a moustache. He is also growing a unibrow, which has him greatly concerned. He asked for tweezers to pluck it. So I am dealing with the deaths and sickness, and we took in the girl whose house burned last week. I took Envirothon to a practice competition and then had a marathon 4H meeting. Seem like enough yet? Nope. We lost part of the barn roof and all of the greenhouse in the wind storm the other night. I'm tired. --------- Tonight is Family Night at church. We are "celebrating" St. Patrick's Day. Baked potatoes and a salad for dinner followed by a devotional on treasure and a scavenger hunt. I think the scavenger hunt should be fun. We are looking for things that are "treasures" to our congregation. I won't say anything more since some of them read this and might get a head start, but I will fill you all in later. Happy Hunting!