Kicking February to the Curb!

~ daffs, maybe? ~

If my vote had been taken, February would have been kicked to the curb in the first week; maybe in the first few days. What with the brain freeze, it's hard to remember -lol-. March can come in like a lion all it wants...and it's wanting plenty because temps are dropping, storm is coming from the south and the wind is blistering!...but all that means is, it's one day closer to spring. Bring it, I say...BRING IT!

~ sheep and 'paca lot ~

Nancy, A Rural Journal, is hosting Random 5 Friday. If you've never visited her blog, she's is a Fine photographer and you're sure to enjoy. She mentioned wearing a back brace due to shoveling snow and carrying firewood. Nancy, I'd forgotten all about my back brace so thanks for the mention. I've got to bring firewood from the barn to the back porch tomorrow so my back brace will come in handy. The wood will be hauled from the barn to the right, in the above photo, through the lot, into the driveway and then to the back porch of the house. Actually, around here there's someone somewhere who doesn't have their back brace because I found it in the middle of the road, picked it up, brought it home and washed it. Finders keepers, doncha know? -lol-

1. Ahem. Did you notice how clean the sheep lot looks? That's because I hauled the spent Christmas trees to the garden lot where they'll be burned in a bonfire later this month or next.

~ trees waiting for a bonfire ~

Nancy also mentioned doing her taxes...brave woman! I don't do my taxes, that's just one more thing on a long list of things I don't do but I don't mind paying what I owe. Like Nancy, paying taxes is the rent for living in this wonderful country and it also means I made the money to pay the taxes. Don't get me wrong, I don't want to pay one penny more than I owe, mind, but I'll pay what I owe.

 ~ Kinsley's hat ~

2. Kinsley, my almost four week old Grand-Neice, will be pretty in her pink hat that I'm not so sure is gong to fit her so I'm knitting another. She weighed 8 pounds 14 ounces and has nothing but gain weight since coming home from the hospital. None of that lose a few ounces after birth nonsense for her, nosirrebob! The pink tulle topper came via Vicki at 2 Bags Full blog; she knitted a hat and put a tulle topper on her and I asked to use the idea.

This is a quilted panel, that I hemmed, and that will be sent along with the hats, a fuzzy lamb Bible and a chenille bear that has a recording of me singing Jesus Loves Me. Why no, that chile is NOT spoilt; whatever on earth would make you even think of such much less say it?

3. The dogs and I went for a pasture walk, other wise known as trash pick up. Why some folks think it's all right to throw their empty beer bottles, soiled diapers (well, their baby's soiled diaper...I think...I hope!) and a host of other things into my pasture is beyond me. (I'm onery enough to wish that empty beer bottle would bounce off a fence post, fly back and hit them in the head.) So, the horses are 2 pastures over and see me walking...wait for it...and come RUNNING to see me...Sam scatters and runs far and fast away while Sadie runs up behind me to hide behind me, then, pushes her way between me and the fence.  She'd throw me to the curb in a NY second, that girl!

4. We had a skiff of snow yesterday but it didn't last. All day it poured snow, the mountains couldn't be seen and the ground was covered...for an hour or two, then it all melted. It did leave cold temps and high winds; I'm hoping for good weather this weekend. This old oak tree is completely hollow and needs to come down. I hate it but, like the Good Book says, there's a time for every season...a time to be born and a time to die...this tree still buds out but Donald is concerned a strong westerly wind will knock it over and into the house. My bedroom is in direct line, another good reason to take it down as opposed to let it come down. Frankly, every time there's a strong wind (which is frequently!) I wake up, listen for a moment and then pray, "Please God, keep the trees standing and the house, dogs and I safe" then I roll over and go back to sleep.  The Bible says God neither slumbers nor sleeps so I go back to sleep, doing my part.

~ view from the far road, looking toward the house ~

5. There are days that are glimpses of glory and two days ago, this was one. (I think if you right click on the photo, you can see it larger...but I'm not sure. Anyway, Sam is that tiny little speck in the lower left, just in front of the leaning fence post.) It was chilly but no wind so the cold wasn't biting and the clouds just kept pouring over and over and over the farm. I have loved, with everything in my being, living on these 27+ acres. God answered the prayer of my six-year old heart when He brought Dave and I to this farm. Other than God's amazing grace, there's absolutely no reason Dave nor I should live here. We've done nothing, either of us, to deserve God's great blessings yet we I have called this place home for almost two decades. I know I'm not worthy but I have done my absolute best to be a good steward of this land and these animals. 

We set our clocks back on Sunday, March 9th at 2:00 a.m. and I can't say it makes me happy. I despise DST because it makes my life harder and doesn't save me a dime, not one thin dime, in electrical bills. It just means I get in the house later because I'm out doing chores then I'm up later, burning more lights and have an internal body clock that's out of whack as well. BAH!  What about you? Do you like DST? Does it make a difference in your life or your electrical bill?

Blessings ~ beautiful days ~ old trees ~ baby quilts and hats ~ a clean lot ~ one day closer to spring ~ daffodils ~

The World is a Better Place...

Kinsley Nicole being introduced to Dustin, her Daddy 

2 February 2014

Kinsley Nicole

8 pounds 14 ounces

20.5 inches

born to Dustin and April

and

the first baby in the Bennett family in more than two decades. 
Dustin is youngest brother to JW, 
son of my beloved Sistah, Stephanie, 
and his father Jerry. 

Dear Kinsley - may God bless you all the days of your life; may you grow into a girl, then a woman, after God's own heart. May He keep you in His righteous right hand of mercy and shower His grace upon you always. May He give His angels guard over you and, when you stumble and fall, it will be with His knowledge and, with His help, you'll rise. He'll never forsake you nor forget you, He has written your name on His palm and claimed you for His own. Love the Lord God will all your soul, all your might, all your heart; cast your cares upon Him because He cares for you. He has numbered the hairs on your head, He hears every cry, He knows every sigh. Kinsley, walk with God, He loves you so much He sent His son, Jesus, to die for you so that you might accept Him, serve Him on earth and spend eternity with Him and that great cloud of witness gone ahead. You have a mighty heritage, preachers of the Gospel are in your line and God has great things for you as well. Abba sent the Holy Spirit to comfort you, let Him. Seek God's will and He will give you the desires of His heart. In the blessed name of Jesus, Amen.

Dear Dustin and April - God has given you a incredible task...to be Kinsley Nicole's earthly parents. He loved her first and has allowed her to be in your loving care while she lives on earth. Raise her in His Word, find a Bible believing church to help nurture, care and love her with you. Show her you love God, be in His Word daily and on your knees nightly. Dustin, be the man you want her to marry one day and April, be the Mother you want her to be one day. With God's help you both can do all this and more. In Jesus name, Amen.

Blessings ~ Kinsley ~ Dustin ~ April ~