What's New?

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

What's new on the farm? Well, our baby girl is now sweet 16, able to get her learner's permit, wow! Time flies by. She had a wonderful surprise party over the weekend with many friends, smiles and ice skating. She was quite stunned by the surprise. We have Matthew home until Jan 18. The horses have "barn" fever, and can only get out occasionally due to the weather and mucky ground (which can be dangerous for them.) We now have 6 cats, and ALL are currently living inside! Ugh, it's a long story. Three were indoor cats, one new little kitty came in when it got cold and two remained in the barn. Then they needed to be neutered/spayed and came in to recover. They liked in...and the house cat chased them out of the barn after they recovered. So, they're in. We enjoyed the Christmas holiday with a houseful of family from out-of-town, and though no white Christmas, it was wonderful. More family arrived for the New Year. Now the house is quiet... school and work have resumed. Does anyone else flounder after being without a schedule for so long? It sure takes me a while to get into a groove.

This is a time of year for contemplation and analysis for me. Where is my life headed? Am I on the course that I want to be on? What kinds of corrections need to be made to get me back on course and what new roads may need to be traveled? New Years Resolutions? Well, yes, I have a few of those. But I'm more interested in why I was sidetracked from my previous goals. Where did I go wrong? I have to look below the surface of each goal. Yes, I want to keep up with my Blog better. Yes, I want to lose weight. Yes, I want to eat healthier foods and be more active. Yes, I want to have a more even disposition, less anger and more joy. All noble goals, but without help I know where these resolutions end up...no where. I need help to succeed and strength to stand against temptation. And most needy I am for grace and mercy to start over when the inevitable failure occurs. Success does not come from within... from will power. I have a lot more won't power than will power. I need a source of resources beyond my own, I need God. My greatest need for change is not found in any of my resolutions, my greatest need is for more of Him. So my resolution is to look to Him in all these things. I want to see struggles become victories, and then God gets all the credit which He alone is due.

Bare Trees, Furry Horses

I did venture out with the camera after the post.

Summer Breeze Dance in her winter breeze coat.

I haven't snapped any farm photos lately, I guess the bareness of the current landscape is not as inspiring as the former glory of color. Bare branches reach for the sky, as though looking for some warmth, like me. I pause in the garage where the warmth of the gas stove warms frozen, mucky work boots and for a moment me too. "In" is a blessing, having somewhere to be "in." God does not owe me the warmth of home, but he gives. Out there... the horses have grown their furry winter outerwear. I had to rake it out today, the mud cakes, and then the fur can't do it's job, equine comfort. It's also my lazy season as far as barn work goes, I don't like to linger too long, "out" there. Winter has come early here, snow already flying and making us keep the weatherman tuned. I suppose I need to go "out" and find the beauty in the chill, so I can post it for you, tomorrow perhaps, we'll see.
The early winter kept my family from making it in for Thanksgiving, the Shenandoahs s stood in the way. A cozy, small, and very thankful family were we though. We scribbled thoughts of our thankfulness, for one another, and shared them. We prayed. And we ate the celebratory bird till our sides were more stuffed than his (actually I didn't stuff the bird this year.) We sadly had to return our young man back to the land of academia, but he'll be home again soon. Then came the other holiday, The First Day of "Buck." It is a holiday...no school, no work more food, and visiting with neighbors to see what they got. Happily, my husband got his deer, an eight point, he wasn't elated, but satisfied. He's been chronicling all of his deer encounters and drawing, naming and cataloging these guys since archery season, which came a few weeks back, so he KNOWS the bigger ones are out there, and he didn't get them, but alas he is done. Till next year. But there's Christmas next, and that should keep him busy enough, pushing down the dreams of big antlers for a while.

Psalm 107:8

O that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men.

Dakota desperately hoping for frozen frogs