Crazy Hens!

Isaac and I went to check for eggs today as we do everyday. As we are approaching the nest, I notice there are three hens gathered around acting rather peculiar...even for hens. I saw one pecking around and thought, "Oh great...she's pecking at her egg." I went over and lifted the piece of tin and said "Whoa baby!!" A black snake was coiled up nice and snug in the nest and the crazy hen had scratched herself out another nest right beside him to lay her egg!! I guess she figured he could go ahead and help himself but she had business to attend to :) I ran to the house, got Malachi, Jacob, Sarah, and the camera and ran back. I told Malachi I didn't figure the snake would hurt him if he just reached in and picked him up...being that he was rather involved with something. :) Malachi reached in and grabbed him...the snake must've just got started on the egg, because when Malachi picked him up, the egg fell out. When I turned to get the egg, the chicken was already laying squatter's claim (hehe) on the nest so I guess I'll get the egg out later. Okay, funny thing, I guess the snake's jaw was in the open, big gulp position and when he was picked up by his head it stayed that way ~ because he had this pucker going on! Too funny! We all checked him out and then Malachi let him go in the woods. I walked back to the nest later to check on things and three of my hens were there....one sitting, two waiting in line. Guess the snake put a hold on the egg-laying. :)

Carnival of Homeschooling

My blog has been included in Tami Fox's Carnival of Homeschooling! Yeah! I didn't even realize what a CoH was until I read her blog. Thank you Tami! :)
It can be found here: http://www.tamifox.com/2009/07/185th-edition-of-carnival-of.html

Gotta give the kids a blogging high-five!

Malachi, Jacob, and Sarah entered the 4-H mini garden contest. They received the results in the mail last week from the judges' visit. Malachi received County Champion in the 9-10 age group, Jacob received 2nd place in the 7-8 age group, and Sarah received County Champion in the 6 and under age group! Way to go kids! Momma sure is proud of you! They planted, watered, and weeded faithfully and have enjoyed quite a few cucumbers for their labors.

Squirrels in the Corn Patch

It's 7:30 am and I've just awakened. I sleepily peer out my window to see what manner of sky today holds. Wait...what is that I see?? I feel anger flushing it's way up my neck...my eyes are not fooling me...there it is...creeping its way to my corn patch. A little thieving creature with beady eyes and a body not unlike a rodent save for it's one distinguishing feature ~ a big, bushy tail that I'm sure provides the tiny animal with much boasting amongst the other woodland creatures. At any rate, the burglar is looking and tip-toeing it's way closer to our meagar plot as I stand contemplating the nuisance. I spring into action...I quietly sneak into the boys' room and grab a bb gun...(it shoots quietly ~ I want to scare off a thief, not wake my children :) ...I open the front door and am quickly made to understand the blessing of having no close next door neighbors as I realize I'm "manning" the gun in my pjs....I point...realize I'm squinting and closing the wrong eye (hehe ..blush) and promptly assume the proper shooting form...I shoot!! I look and see....nothing. Not the squirrel scampering away in utter terror, not a corn stalk moving...okay, well, I may not have hit the target or even got close, but the squirrel is no longer a threat to my corn so that's a good day hunting in my view :)

Ye shall be free indeed....

Well, I've not only caught a glimpse of blue sky but I've felt the sun shine warm on my face today. As I was leaving the hospital with an aching heart of sadness, I heard a song with the repetitious words, "If the Son hath set you free, you are free indeed"....and I thought, ya know, that is so true. He CAN take our chains and give us wings. It lifted my heart to think that no matter where you are or what you've done, He can break the cycle, forgive you, and make you free. That is just beautiful folks. :)
Here is the song by Steven Curtis Chapman called Free that inspired me and reminded me of His love : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63nTGwxWp0M

Seasons....

Our lives consist of seasons. There are the gentle joys and beauties of spring; the boundless, exuberant excitement in our summers; times of peace and quiet in fall; and then there are the winters we face. It seems as though my family has been in a winter season since the beginning of the year, at least. There is such a prevailing atmosphere of sadness and despair it nearly suffocates me.
Even in winter, there are pleasures tho - when I am at home and my children are laughing and playing and Darren is by my side, it's like a nice warm fire or a freshly fallen snow. But when I lift my eyes and take in the scene of my family, I see the bleakness of winter - the trees are bare, the sky is gray, and the air chills me to the bone. Some of the sorrow is of a physical nature, some comes by consequence of poor decision, and others just seem to be an endless cycle of despair that doesn't break. I feel helpless as I watch. I pray. I know God hears, but things happen in His time, not mine. I keep looking for signs of spring. I think sometimes I can catch a glimpse of blue sky or a whisper of warmth in the air but it fades quickly - leaving me to wonder if maybe I just imagined it to be so.
How long can a winter last? I am afraid maybe some people's lives only consist of winter...and that crushes my heart in sadness. I count myself blessed beyond measure. I have four healthy children and a husband who has been faithful and loving to me for 12 years. While gardening, milking, and homeschooling are sometimes hard work, there is pleasure and satisfaction to be found. I sometimes panic when the whirlpool around me edges more closely and I am reminded of the man in Mark 9:24 who said to Jesus "Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief." There was a time that I didn't understand how those two small sentences could stand together. I figured either you believe or you don't....how could he say both. But my time of understanding has dawned. I know what the man was saying. And I say it along with him now. "Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief."

Revolutionary War Excitement Continues...

We have been reading simultaneously through three books (with some others on occasion) to cover the war. The American Revolution for Kids by Janis Herbert is a wonderful book chock full of information and activities. She has instructions for a powder horn, sewing a pouch, and making a fringed hunting shirt. The sewing directions seem easy enough for even me to handle! :) We are also reading through George vs. George: The American Revolution as seen from Both Sides by Rosalyn Schanzer. This is a really good book with lively pictures. Sarah's interest seemed to be waning so when we read about both Georges being farmers, she got to create a farm page with a cut-out barn and farm animals. She also colored a picture of George Washington and gave him a cotton ball powdered wig...and let me tell you, it was quite poofy! Ole George would've cried out in alarm or strutted with pride one...not sure how cool big hair was in the 1700s :) We are also reading through A Child's Story of America by The Christian Liberty Press....I like the Christian view they offer. The boys especially, are enjoying the story of our fight for independence. They are impressed with the stamina, courage, and resourcefulness of those Patriots of yore. I have to say I love to watch their excitement and hear them say "Just read one more chapter, Mom!" Nothing beats interest. I've been putting off making the shirts and pouches....hoping I'd wake up one morning and the elves would've visited and surprised me. I would like to find some old tin band aid containers to make some tin canisters. And then there is Sarah's colonial dress.....sigh....I am excited about the outcome...it's just the sewing that throws me for a loop. But anyway, I'm implementing the Charlotte Mason approach a bit and letting them narrate daily what they remember from the day before and their favorite parts of the story. I also made up some worksheets to go with the study. I spent quite a bit of time drawing 5 pages of Revolutionary War weapons and ammunition. They turned out nice and the kids love to look at them. It'll be a handy reference to put in their notebooks/lapbooks. Well, maybe I'll go dive into those fringed shirts....wish me luck! :)

If it's not one thing, it's an udder!

Okay, so I thought that phrase was just hilarious when it came to me..... :)

Green Thumb

Sarah's made of farmer material!! Look at those sunflowers!

Family Doctor?

Isaac may one day turn out to be the first Fox doctor....maybe he'll figure out where the stethoscope goes :)

Learning to Drive the Tractor...

Malachi got his first lesson in tractor driving! He was cool, calm, and collected :)

Cheap Mouse Management

We saw this snake headed away from the garden on Friday. Jacob begged Darren to catch it so he could hold it. Darren caught it for him and handed it to him. He was loving it! He held it, checked it out, and proudly posed for pictures. He released it himself too....while I held my breath :)

Thinking about the Past...

We are off to pick green beans again this Saturday morning. Which has me thinking...in order to live almost completely off the land, my ancestors must've worked nonstop. If we don't put up enough beans and tomatoes, I'm sure WalMart will have plenty. If they didn't put up enough, I suppose they tightened their belts and went on. It's no wonder the divorce rate used to be lower. Children then knew what life consisted of...there was no disillusionment as to the work involved in living. I suppose when they got married it was with the foresight of marrying to live and have a family. They watched their parents work every day of their lives ...together. I just can't imagine my great grandmother going out to work in the garden or milk the cow and her thinking, "I gotta get to Kohls today...this dress just isn't in fashion." What I'm thinking is that more serious thoughts were on their minds. Maybe people just have too much free time nowadays. Too much time to waste on trivial matters and things of no substance and circumstance. If you don't work your own land, you can still go to WalMart, and hey even if you don't work at all...you can still go to WalMart on everyone else' s dime. People just don't face any consequences...don't feel committed to anyone or anything. Maybe that's what makes people fly away to someone else or each new gadget so easily..nobody has roots...no bonding knot with their spouse. They aren't working together to survive, they are each going their separate ways and working for stuff. Stuff to keep up with other people who shouldn't even matter in everyday life. I don't know ....I'm just thinking. Picking beans always has me contemplating.... :)

Gardening and Milking

Summertime gardening is not for the faint of heart :) Milking, feeding, watering, weeding, picking, cleaning, canning, hoeing, planting, and milking, feeding, watering again...not to count all those inside chores that we won't discuss here :) We have squash coming in so squash pickles need to be canned, more green beans are ready to be picked and canned, and I am still up to my ears in goat milk. I have made feta cheese, fromage blanc, and chevre. I've even poured a quart in my bath! But the milk is encroaching upon every shelf in the fridge...it's like the widow's oil in the Bible ...straight pipeline from heaven via the milk goat :) Seriously, I've got to make some soap or something with it...it's driving me nuts. I briefly had room for my tea jug but that's a thing of the past yet again. We are thinking about planting some fall crops too. Well, so much for typing my day away...better get to work...

The barn so far....