Fun stuff!

Today some friends invited me to go dingying in a river with them. Now that C and K are old enough to stay at home by themselves for a few hours, it's possible for me to slip away and do something fun (kind of a rare event!), and I couldn't resist the invitation. Too bad I don't have any pictures to share - didn't want the camera to get wet.

The river can get low this time of the summer, making dingying kind of slow, but since there had recently been a lot of rain in that area, we thought it would be running well. It must have been really low before the rain, because it was still pretty slow in places, but we had a relaxing time floating (there were NO mosquitoes to fight off), and then at times paddling madly to try to avoid big rocks and the odd branch. We did get totally hung up on rocks a few times - found out that it worked best when unable to avoid approaching rocks to lay sideways on the dingy and lift up our bums and we could, for the most part, keep from getting stuck, but even this wasn't always successful. It sometimes took lots of effort to get ourselves un-stuck, and made for some good laughs. I nearly totally fell in trying to get out of the dingy at our stopping point. :o)

At one point where the water was very calm, we came around a bend and saw these dark heads poking up out of the water, with slender necks - almost looked like kids swimming. But no - some kind of animal. At first we thought they were beavers. There were four of them. They would poke their heads up, look at us, look at each other, make some weird noises that I can't describe, and disappear into the water, only to appear again a few feet away. Once we floated up to where they were, they disappeared and then we didn't see them again. After I got home I started wondering if they could have been river otters, and after looking at some pics online I think that must be what they were. I found some good pictures here. (Hmmm . . . for some reason the pics don't show up like they should with this link - so once you're there, click on the "Video and Sound" tab and then back to "Facts and Photos".)

It was a fun little getaway. Once I got home, the kids informed me that while I was gone, they didn't have any disagreements at all! Bonus. Another rare event. ;o)

Little Flock Hymn #78 in the Appendix

1) I'm waiting for Thee, Lord,
Thy beauty to see, Lord,
I'm waiting for Thee, for Thy coming again.
Thou'rt gone over there, Lord,
A place to prepare, Lord,
Thy home I shall share at Thy coming again.

2) 'Mid danger and fear, Lord,
I'm oft weary here, Lord,
The day must be near of Thy coming again.
'Tis all sunshine there, Lord,
No sighing nor care, Lord,
But glory so fair at Thy coming again.

3) Whilst Thou art away, Lord,
I stumble and stray, Lord,
Oh! hasten the day of Thy coming again.
This is not my rest, Lord,
A pilgrim confess'd, Lord,
I wait to be blest at Thy coming again.

4) E'en now let my ways, Lord,
Be bright with Thy praise, Lord,
For brief are the days ere Thy coming again.
I'm waiting for Thee, Lord,
Thy beauty to see, Lord,
No triumph for me like Thy coming again.

Visit to a PMU Farm

Last week Tuesday K and I went along with P and her daughters, B & A to look at foals at a PMU farm. This PMU farmer has 10 pastures of horses. The foals will be weaned in September and are all for sale at pretty reasonable prices. Many are registered. There were paints and appaloosas, among others. There was one pretty palomino filly (or was it a colt? there were so many that I forget). The foals were all so cute and some of the mares were quite friendly. There were a few mares that didn't have foals, a couple of which were perhaps a little too friendly, following us around like puppy dogs, making those of us who are less horse-savvy nervous!

It was neat to see them nursing. I thought I had transferred a pic of a momma and foal nursing, but can't find it.

Anyway - enjoy these:




K really enjoyed being in the midst of all those horses - like a kid in a candy store!



A nice appaloosa.



K attempting to make a friend. He's not so sure . . .



A.



One of the mares with no foal - she loved the attention and got a little close for my comfort at times. I would turn around and she would be right behind me.




I like her two-tone mane. Paints are my favorite, I think.




One of the nicest foals - his momma was very good tempered, too. Isn't he sweet?



K giving scritches. At one point she was nose to nose with a mare and I asked her what she was doing. She said she was breathing in the mare's nostrils and that it was an old Indian/horse greeting. She's always got her nose in a horse book or magazine and often surprises us with what she's learned.



I've always admired horses from afar, but, never having had much opportunity to spend time with them, I have a fear of them. I never know what they're going to do next, and they're so BIG! I would actually love to take riding lessons some day. Likely will have to do that in my dreams. :o)

Anyhoo, it was a fun outing. Found two woodticks once we got home.

Hay there!

Last Thursday we got hay for K's pony, Prince. Here are a few shots from putting the bales up in the loft of our little yet-unfinished barn. Unloading the trailer plum wore me out! I'm not used to hoisting bales around! C worked like a trooper, but because of her arm, K mostly watched from the loft. A was up in the loft stacking. The mosquitoes were pretty bad. It sure felt good to get it finished - we worked on it until at least midnight.

Gooseberries!

A few days ago a friend gave us a few gooseberries from his yard.



Don't you love the color? I had never tasted gooseberries, but A. grew up with them. He quickly decided he had to make them into jam and got busy and whipped some up and spread it on rye bread. He was very impatiently waiting for me to take the picture I insisted on:



He could hardly wait to sink his teeth into it and enjoy the flavor he remembers from years ago. I tried it - he's happy that he need not share it with me. :o) It has kind of a different taste. There is an odd lingering flavor that reminds me of some spice or something. I know - caraway. It reminds me of caraway seeds. No wonder I'm not overly fond of it!

A Better Country??

Yesterday - Canada Day - Dr. Henry Morgentaler was awarded the Order of Canada, Canada's highest civilian honor. How disgusting.

From the website of the Governor General of Canada:

"The Order of Canada is the centrepiece of Canada’s honours system and recognizes a lifetime of outstanding achievement, dedication to the community and service to the nation. The Order recognizes people in all sectors of Canadian society. Their contributions are varied, yet they have all enriched the lives of others and made a difference to this country. The Order of Canada’s motto is DESIDERANTES MELIOREM PATRIAM (They desire a better country)."

Dr. Henry Morgentaler is an abortion doctor, who has fought several legal battles for the right of women to kill their unborn children. He opened the first abortion clinic in Canada. He makes millions and millions every year from his abortion clinics. He is a convicted criminal, and has spent time in prison for performing illegal abortions. He has claimed to have performed over 100,000 abortions personally.


"Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness" Isaiah 5:20

"For thou has possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them." Psalm 139:13-16

His Plan For Me

When I stand at the Judgment Seat of Christ
And He shows His plan for me,
The plan of my life as it might have been
Had He had His way - and I see
How I blocked Him here, and checked Him there,
And I would not yield my will,
Will there be grief in my Savior's eyes,
Grief though He loves me still?
Would He have me rich and I stand there poor,
Stripped of all but His grace,
While memory runs like a hunted thing,
Down the paths I cannot retrace.
Lord, of the years that are left to me,
I give them to Thy hand;
Take me, break me and mold me,
To the pattern that Thou hast planned!

Author Unknown, received in an email from a friend today.