Cowgirls, Tiggers, and Pretty Maids

A beautiful sunset on our farm.

This past Monday, Sarah and the kids came out to the farm to carve pumpkins. Everyone had a blast! As you can see from the pictures, everyone was up to their elbows in pumpkin! The pumpkins turned out great, too! I hope to be able to post some pictures when I can get them from Alicia.

Halloween was a fun day for our kids and granddaughter. Jillian was a cowgirl, Julie was "Tigger" and Natalie was a pretty little maid. We went "trick or treating" with Sarah's family, and good friends of ours, the Perkin's, family. First we went to the Eventide retirement home as we have for many years now. The elderly patients and caregivers enjoy it as much as the kids do, I think! I enjoy seeing a son or daughter sitting beside their parents giving out candy and talking with the children. And I absolutely love watching as these beautiful elderly folk with their lined, weathered, wise faces light up with joy as they see little ones standing in front of them. I want my children to feel at ease and to honor their elders. I think this is a small step toward encouraging them to do that.

Saying "Goodbye" to My Loyal Companion

This afternoon my black cocker spaniel, Molly, was hit by a car out by our mailbox and killed. The driver of the car didn't even stop. Out here in the country, we have so little traffic out on our gravel road, but this car was really flying.

I miss my little companion. She always followed me around the house until I sat down (even when her arthritis was acting up and it was hard for her to stand), and then she would lie down at my feet. When I was homeschooling at the dining room table, she was at my feet. When I would sit on the couch, she would hop up and lie down beside me. Whenever I went outside in the morning and evening to take care of the chickens, she accompanied me. I felt safer when she was with me, because I knew she would alert me if anything was amiss.

She loved the farm. When Jay was outside working in the garden this summer, she was with him. She loved to chase the barn swallows when they dipped down to catch the bugs that were near the ground. She would chase them for hours! She never chased the chickens, though. Somehow she knew that those were off limits. She loved being outside if either Jay or I were out with her. When we came in, she wanted to be inside too.

Molly loved us unconditionally and was a faithful companion. As I sit here at the table tapping away on my laptop, the area beside my feet where she would be lying now, seems too empty. I am thankful for all of the animals that God has made. And, I am glad that I had 8 years with my little "cockeral spanish girl" called Molly.

To be a good mommy...

Today Jillian is ill with a cold or allergies. She is really down about it because she had to miss her cousin, Emily's, birthday party today. So, we are going to watch a movie together and just relax for a couple of hours. I'm looking forward to it! She is such a sweetie and has always been my "cuddly one".

I'm trying to get a bunch of things done before Jay's mom, Myrna, arrives on Wednesday. My efforts keep getting sidetracked by tomatoes that need to be canned, etc. :) It will be worth it this winter when we can still have our delicious tomatoes, albeit cooked instead of raw.

Jay has done a fantastic job in his garden this summer. I especially loved the green beans and corn. We've never been able to successfully grow corn before, and it was such a treat to walk out into the garden, pick some ears of corn, bring them inside to shuck and drop them into a pot of boiling water. They were incredible!

Now the zucchini and yellow squash are done, as is the corn. We lost the okra, watermelon, cantaloupe, and a few other things to a hail storm that hit us about 3 weeks ago. (It did quite a bit of damage to our siding and gutters too.) But, we have many, many pumpkins and the kids are really excited about that!

Well, it's off to the "movies".

Whatsoever things are...

Philippians 4:8
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

One of my favorite verses, and one that has been on my mind for the past few weeks. It is my goal and my desire to fill this weblog with things that will fit into one of those categories.

The above photo is looking East across one of our pastures and a corner of our garden. Here are a couple more photos that Jillian (10) took of our flowers this spring.

And now, a few pics of "The Family"...

Julie (6):

Jillian (10):
Brett (17) aka "Nimrod the Mighty Hunter":
Grand-daughter Natalie (17 months):
Thanks for visiting!
Philippians 4:23 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.