An Update On The Girls

 I suppose that it is time for an update on our flock of chickens.  They are, beyond doubt, the most spoiled hens around!  Before he left for Oilville, The Wood Artist moved the TajmaCoop into place  using 6" PVC pipe.  This was quite an operation as he had built it at our garage and the garden was a few hundred yards away.  He had to roll it on the pipe all the way.

 They didn't know what to think about the green grass and approached it cautiously.  I wish I knew my camera better and could capture the birds better.  They are so pretty.

 Later in the summer, we decided to show about 1/2 of them at our county fair.  So we gave them each a bath and  spruced them up.

 This is Laughing Water's hen, Truffle Hunter.

Mr. Blueberry Eyes with Spike, our one and only rooster.  Everyone of them took a blue ribbon and we learned a lot about poultry!  Now they are hunkered down for the winter are ramping up the egg production.  I must say, we are going to have to sell an awful lot of eggs to pay for all we have into them, though!

In recent news, the children had their big holiday choir concert lastnight.  They just loved it!  Their director does a wonderful job of coming up with fun songs for them.  Laughing Water is also in the select choir and they will perform with our community choir in December.

The kids have a piano recital coming up, too.  Mr. Blueberry Eyes is already just sick with fright.  I don't know how far to push him on this one.  I'm trying an incentive (read: bribery), but I don't know....

We've had a super busy week and I'm looking forward to some down time soon.  - Nanette

1000 Gifts

So now I'm feeling embarrassed.  So many of you have written after my last post.  I thank each of you.  Your words, prayers, thoughts expressed  here on my blog and elsewhere have truly lifted my spirits and I can see how silly it was to feel alone! Thank you! 

A few months ago I read a book by Ann Voskamp called One Thousand Gifts.  It started me on a journey of noticing the blessings, the gifts that come my way from a God who actually loves us.  I thinks its time I started noticing again....

 The Wood Artist worked with Mr. Blueberry Eyes on a play fort the last time he was home.  They're starting to trick it out with finishing touches.  Mr. Blueberry Eyes had me park our car near so he could use the sound system to play a story about the Revolutionary War while he painted.  He spent hours being a kid.  Peaceful gifts.

 Here is my first, home-grown-to-perfection watermelon from my hoop house.  Yummy gifts.

 This lil' nuthatch hit our window so hard one day, he was convulsing and twitching.  I knew he was dying, but didn't want him to feel cold, so I gently put him on a cloth in my bathroom.  When I checked to he if he had passed yet, he was sitting up.  I took him outside and offered him his freedom, but he didn't want to leave my hand.

 So I went into the bathroom again and slid to the floor, offering him my knee.  He looked at me for a long time.  When his eyes cleared and he fluttered around, I again offered him the forest with my cupped hand.  This time, he looked at me for a brief, heartstring moment and siezed the day once more. Nature's gifts.

 Sometimes you just have to be goofy.  Making pineapple cupcakes with chocolate frosting late at night seemed like a good idea at the time

Bonding blessings.....

Nanette

Digging In

 I think our life can best be described as "digging in" right now.  We are in limbo.  There is just no other way to describe it.  There's no work here and no housing there.  We're spending a small fortune on train tickets just to keep our family together a little.  Last week, the kids and I went to see The Wood Artist.  He is living with my grandmother, so we at least had a place to stay for the weekend - a true blessing.  (That's where Mr. Blueberry Eyes found this little donkey to play with.)

 Being separated is tough stuff.  How thankful we are for the work, though! 

My social network has really come unravelled the last few months due to numerous circumstances, leaving me feeling shattered and insecure.  I guess its just a time of life to dig in and not think about it.  The only thing that is keeping me from giving up is my husband and kids.  It bothers me because I usually try to be a positive person, but I'm really down right now.  I guess the only reason I even feel like I can write this here is because hardly anyone even reads this anymore.....

 The kids loved seeing The Wood Artist's truck

The day we left, he had a run that took him right by my Grandmother's Farm.I had to park the car way off of the drive because there were so many oilfield truck driving by me on the driveway.  What struck me was that he was just one of so many, many trucks.  Just one.  But so very important to us.  I guess it was the moment my shield got a crack in it.  I got back in the car and just broke.  I cried so hard I embarrassed Laughing Water.  She asked me to please stop because the truckers on the drive were going to think something was terrible wrong!  I guess I just needed the release.

That load of pipe, by the way, is worth over $100,000!  All in a days work. 

Sorry, if anyone is actually reading this.  Its pretty disjointed and emotional.  I'm done now! - Nanette