You Should Be So Lucky

By Design

2010-09-03T04:00:00.000-07:00

And, to go right along with the posts from the last couple days, here is an appearance by my husband. I’m putting it up for him because he hasn’t wandered into the world of Blogger.

Evan was bummed because one of his hens went missing a few weeks ago. When looking in the barn through the junk that resides there, Tiffany discovered the AWOL hen in a nest that she built between a plastic tarp and a big wheel toy.

To avoid a chickie blood bath when they hatched (cats in the barn), Evan and I waited until the middle of the night and moved the hen to a protected nest that we put together. Boy4 picked up the hen and I picked up the….. 4 hatched chicks, 2 half-hatched eggs and remaining 14 unhatched eggs. The Mama hen was PO’d about the move, cussed at us in chickenese the entire time, threw the straw that we arranged out and redecorated the nest.

What hit me as truly amazing is that, what this “dumb animal” does based purely on God-given instinct, is very complex and difficult for us humans to replicate. When we want to successfully hatch a batch of eggs, we have to:

- Collect eggs for a time, keeping them within a few degrees of 72F so that they remain in suspended animation (don’t develop, don’t die)

- Put eggs in an incubator for 21 days, keeping the temperature between 98-101F. Small variance can be catastrophic

- Place a wet sponge in the incubator and sprinkle the eggs every day to maintain proper humidity

- Turn the eggs an odd number of times each day so that they warm evenly and don’t spend every night on the same side

- Hope that most of the eggs hatch. Success rate is not usually very high and is completely dependent on a) egg fertility, of course b) diligence and accuracy in care

- After hatching, we have to adjust the temperature to keep the chicks warm and dry, shove their little beaks in water and food, hoping that they learn how to eat

- After a few days, we guess that the remaining eggs are duds and dispose of them.

The hen:

- Lays an egg a day and sits on them for the exact number of minutes/hours it takes to keep them right around 72 degrees until she decides that there are enough eggs (in this case, exactly 20). I’m going to change her name to Mrs. Dugger

- When she has enough eggs, she ceases producing any and changes the length of setting to maintain the 98-101 degrees it takes to develop the embryos

- Dips her beak and sometimes chest in water to maintain the exact humidity rate required

- Turns the eggs regularly around the clock so that each side receives the same amount of time “up”

- When the chicks are ready to hatch, the hen actually “calls them out”. They can hear her and she can hear them and she does this weird trilling/singing thing to which the chicks respond and start pecking their way out of the egg

- After hatching, the chicks remain under the Mom (perfect temp) until they are dry, then venture out onto her back and cluster around her neck. They move nearer to the underneath part of their Mom whenever they need to be warmer. Our hen looked like she had on a chick necklace last night.

- Mama hen knows which eggs are duds and will either abandon the nest after all viable chicks are hatched or will kick the duds out of the nest.

- After hatching, Mama hen will teach the chicks to scratch for feed and to drink water. Whenever there is danger, she will command them to sit under her and will give her life protecting them.

All boring farm stuff but…. pretty amazing. I’m sure that this all “evolved”, right? ;)

~Cliff

Sneaky Mama and Her Brood

2010-09-02T09:13:00.001-07:00

This morning I discovered one more little yellow chickie. That’s a total of 9, and she still has seven eggs under her. I am not sure if any of them are going to hatch. We’ll see…

Sneaky Mama with her babies hidden under her

We’ve always incubated our own eggs or ordered babies. We’ve never allowed a broody mama to hatch her own, so this is something new for us. If it turns out well, I think I will want to do it every year. So sweet.

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, NINE.

Nine baby chickies.

Will we get any more or are they duds?

Safe and Warm

2010-09-01T22:48:00.001-07:00

Yesterday peeps were reported to be coming from under Sneaky Mama hen. Cliff waited until night time, as advised, then moved her to a tub we have for keeping chicks in. We don’t want the barn cats to get the little ones.

Today I went up to the barn to see if I could take a peek.

There are still at least 5-6 unhatched eggs. But I saw six of these little brown ones that we call chipmunk chickies because of the stripe on their back. That’s what their mother looked like when she was a wee chickie.

See how her tail feathers are up in a little “bouquet”?

And I saw two of these little yellow chicks. I am guessing these two have a different rooster daddy. I am not sure which one since their colors can totally change as they grow. Right now they look more like the Buff Orpington – but there are only two and Buff Daddy doesn’t let Roostie the Mean Rooster around the girls much. So I dunno.

Sorry it isn’t the best picture. These little ones are hidden back in the nest and it was hard to get a snap.

Sneaky Mama was so motherly, singing to the babies constantly. They mostly stay under her. I think she makes them even if they don’t want to. They seem to prefer sitting up in her neck feathers.

She is constantly on high alert, tail feathers up in a bouquet, body and feathers all puffed up to cover her babies, providing them with just the right temperature and keeping them safe from predators.

When she heard a cat meow, she stretched out her wings and called to the little ones, getting them back under her for safety. It looked warm and cozy. My heart was warmed to think of being so well protected.

It made me think of this:

Psalm 91:4 “He will cover you with his feathers.He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection.”

He sometimes makes me be right where I am, even though it is uncomfortable and things look dark, because it’s the best thing to keep me growing healthy and strong.

He keeps me safe and warm, at just the right temperature, and brings me what I need when I need it.

When trouble comes near me, He calls my name and hides me under His wings.

I love it when God uses sweet everyday things, like a sneaky mama hen, to remind me.

Psalm 17:8 …”hide me under the shadow of thy wings”

Psalm 36:7 “How precious is your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings.”

A Visit To Our Little (HOBBY) Farm

2010-08-27T19:25:00.001-07:00

On very warm days like yesterday, the air is thick with the scent of blackberries. Even as we drove down our street with windows down, the huge bushes alongside the road filled our car with that sweet and delicious smell. Today, as I went up to the barn, I could smell the berries growing just outside, though not as strong, because today is much cooler.

On my way up to the barn I walked by Scarlette. She is Violet’s beautiful little heifer from last year. She has grown to be very sweet and personable and will make a wonderful family cow.

Avery greeted me with her typical half meow, half whine, then resisted my attempt to pet her as she stretched out on the floor and eyed me dubiously. I am pretty sure I detected an eye roll here.

I walked over to check the status of a sneaky hen. She pretty much disappeared a couple weeks ago and I just figured the predators got yet another chicken. Laying right in front of my eyes, I almost didn’t realize she was there, she was laying so still and quiet. I almost stepped on her. The sly little hen, who wants so badly to be a mama, placed her secret little hoard of eggs on a piece of black plastic (!what?!) covering some wood, amongst some dusty farm tools.

And, by farm tools, I mostly mean a ladder and a battery operated 4 wheeler of Ethan’s. He’s been asking to ride it so I am glad I now know where it is. Hey! Not everyone can own a bonafide John Deere!

I wish they’d hatch already. She is keeping me from finishing my homeschool room project because I can’t get to the old table back there to see if I can make it splendid with a can or two of spray paint.

This marvelous view outside the barn makes me feel organized just looking at the neat patches of different crops and nursery stock below us.

Back down toward the house I resume Operation Calf Watch

Poor Violet, laying in the loose dirt to keep cool. Looking at her sizable belly, I don’t blame her for laying down most of the time.

I love the beautiful flowers I see on my way.

Perennial Geraniums

What a cute old boy Boris is. He’s nearly blind now, but just as sweet as ever.

We can’t finish up even a mini-tour without saying hello to Duncan.

Walking by some assorted toys here and there ~~that are not supposed to be outside~~…

and some other signs that a precious little boy lives here…

I finally make it back to the fabulous green door.

There’s lots more to see but I have got to get back to that project that took me up to the barn to check on the table to start with!

Have a wonderful summer evening!

Callie, another farm kitty. She wandered up and adopted us.

Night At A Fountain

2010-08-06T00:12:00.001-07:00

I have not posted on this blog for such a long time. This has mostly been because the format has not been set up in a way that I can post pictures as big as I am able to post on my other blog. However, a few options have changed here on Blogger, so I am going to post a new photo of our youngest Little Man and see how it turns out. If it works out okay, we will hope to start posting to our family blog soon. And, by that, I mean my husband and kids better post too!

Bullseye!!!

2009-02-02T16:45:00.001-08:00

We recently had an opportunity to take an archery class with some friends. Originally, just Evan and Elisabeth were taking it. But once we went I knew Nathan would love it too.

I tried to snap a picture of Elisabeth's best shot but she had them pulled out before I could get to it! We'll get one next time.

Baby's First Memorable Snow

2009-01-05T23:07:00.001-08:00

Snowbound

2008-12-18T07:24:00.000-08:00

Popcorn Snowman
I am very much enjoying being snowbound.

Ethan putting popcorn kernels into a glass ball ornament
I feel bad for my teenagers who have had canceled Christmas parties and basketball games. But I have been grateful for time at home. Being snowbound I have tried a few new recipes (I posted about a couple of those here, including a copy cat version of Starbuck's Salted Caramel Cocoa), sorted through some things (there's more where that came from), and enjoyed more time with the kids. If only it could snow and ice every year before Christmas.

Evan and Elisabeth

Today we will make our gingerbread houses. I bought kits for Nathan, Evan and Elisabeth. Ethan will make one out of graham crackers (using a box underneath to make it stable). Or I will make a Star Tree and he can decorate that. Or maybe I will just make him a gingerbread man to decorate. If Andrew and Anthony decide to join us, we will bake one up from scratch (I also love their ice cream cone tree! Ethan might have to make one of those.).

Next time we will use microwave popcorn like we are supposed to, and the snowmen will be more "full of it".

Nathan is such a good sport and has such a funny sense of humor. Even though he will be 14 in two days (sniff) he still enjoys doing these things with the younger kids and I. It is nice when one of the older kids participates.

Elisabeth totally "mommies" Ethan. Here she is helping him find a good branch for his ornament. She is an outstanding big sister!

Laurel's Blog

2008-12-16T17:00:00.001-08:00

For anyone who has been following my cousin Laurel's progress after being burned in a car accident, her blog has been updated here.

A Whole New World

2008-12-15T22:05:00.000-08:00

Wow! Compare this picture to the one I posted on November 20th!

This is Ethan's first real snow. It snowed last year but he was too young to remember it.

He was very excited to get out there!

Once we went out and I realized just how cold it was, and felt how much it was hurting my face, we had to go back in the house and revamp his wardrobe a little.

Of course the toboggan wasn't working, the snow was too dry. But a go cart will work in a pinch. Eek. I did make them put helmets on after I snapped this shot.

I know. I look like I am in Siberia. But the hat was warm. Now I know why they wear them.

I call these boots my whimsical boots. Nathan calls them my boots with flourishes. Ethan's are just a wonderful pair of bright yellow boots that have been through at least a couple boys. And one girl.

I was talking to my sister in law yesterday. Well, in truth, we were texting. She said she was glad she has powdered milk just in case she can't get out to buy regular milk for days. Ew. I told her we only drink the freshest milk. She said she figured we were drinking milkshakes up here!

Cuz, well...

Poor Violet is now in the barn (along with a bunch of goats, a huge dog and a myriad of cats. The horses are wearing warm blankets.). How sad are those whiskers?

The View From Our House: November 20

2008-11-21T10:09:00.000-08:00

The rainbow is a sign of God's faithfulness and mercy.

Genesis 9:12-17

We Say Goodbye to Ida and Hope

2008-10-25T15:18:00.001-07:00

These kitties are exceptionally sweet and loving. They have playful sides too, which make for a great mix. They are very soft and beautiful too. Good looks never hurt a kitty looking for a home.

It is very hard to let them go. We will miss their personalities out here on our little farm. But we know we have done what we set out to do. We kept them alive, helped them develop good habits and to feel loved, and got them to their forever home.

I could not bring myself to go to meet the new owner, but Cliff said he is very nice and excited about these two sweet babies. We are hoping he will send us pictures and updates too.

Our Grown Son

2008-09-13T10:22:00.000-07:00

Just a sampling...

Pictures are courtesy of Tyler Gould Media

Watering Seeds

2008-09-13T09:48:00.000-07:00

I am missing our oldest son, Andrew. He's been gone 8 days so far. I suppose I'd better get used to it. It's just the beginning.

He is at the same place our second son, Anthony, went last month in Carmen Serdan, Mexico. The orphanage there houses 17 handicapped children and adults. Carmen Serdan is a tiny village. It has no phone service and no paved roads. I will be posting pictures from both of their trips later. And maybe I will even be able to get one or both of them to write at least a little about the experience.

I am so excited to hear about the trip and how God uses him, and how He uses this trip to water a seed planted in Andrew's heart over 10 years ago.

A Hero

2008-08-14T10:51:00.000-07:00

Now that I can get to the computer (electrical problem) yesterday I was working on trying to catch up on my blogs from the past several weeks of summer work projects.

Then my aunt called and told me my cousin was in a horrible car crash yesterday on her way to work. Laurel is a wife and a mother to three kids aged 9-16. She was Life Flighted to Emanuel Hospital because they have a great burn unit. Her injuries are severe but she is expected to live.

It looks like her left front tire blew, causing her to go into oncoming traffic and a head on collision. She has a broken collarbone, a chipped vertebrae and severe seatbelt bruising which are expected to heal well. She has fractured ribs which punctured her lung. This should be okay too, but they do not know how damaged her lungs are from being in a car on fire for a few minutes. She has direct flame burns on 30-40% of her body and is in a drug induced state of sleep until at least Sunday. She will be in the hospital for at least a month and have at least 4 surgeries including skin grafts.

Here's the HEROIC part. A man driving behind the other car risked his own life to save my cousin. An innocent bystander. A construction company owner. A regular guy.

Because of him, these kids are not without their mother.

Her husband is not forever a widower.

My aunt and uncle have their daughter.

My cousins (including KEI's husband) have their sister.

And aunts, uncles, cousins, friends and two living grandmas over 80 don't have to plan and attend a funeral for a vibrant 35 year old loved one who is full of life and laughter.

Here's the story taken from The Columbian Newspaper this morning:

Motorist pulls woman from burning van

Thursday, August 14, 2008By JOHN BRANTON, Columbian staff writer

Three people were injured, including a man who pulled a woman from a burning van Wednesday morning, after a head-on crash on state Highway 14 just east of Stevenson.

Laurel Hick, 36, of Stevenson was flown by Life Flight helicopter to Portland’s Legacy Emanuel Hospital, where she was listed in critical condition Wednesday night.

She suffered a broken back, internal injuries and burns to 30 percent of her body, according to a bulletin from the Washington State Patrol.

The other driver, David Storby, 56, of The Dalles, Ore., suffered internal injuries and multiple fractures to both lower legs, the bulletin said. He was taken to Skyline Hospital in White Salmon, then transferred by Life Flight to Emanuel.

Storby’s condition was being evaluated Wednesday night, a hospital spokeswoman said.
The rescuer, 59-year-old James Dean, suffered burns to his hands and arms. He was examined at Emanuel and then released to his home in Glenwood, in northern Klickitat County east of Trout Lake.

Dean, who owns James Dean Construction, said he was driving to a parking-lot job site at Salmon Falls. He was headed west behind a 2006 Jeep SUV that Storby was driving.
About 7:10 a.m., troopers said, Hick’s eastbound 1993 Chevrolet van crossed the center line and crashed head-on into the Jeep.

“I was right behind them when they collided,” Dean said.

He stopped, turned on his truck’s flashing lights and went to the Jeep. Storby was stuck in the driver’s seat because his airbag had inflated.

“He was in severe pain,” Dean said. “It appeared he had a broken arm and both legs. I knew to leave him there. You’re not supposed to move them.”

That’s when Dean saw flames under the engine of the van, which was sitting on its wheels.
The van’s windows were dark, and Dean couldn’t get a door open. He said another man appeared, and then some women who wanted to help.

“We were trying to find a fire extinguisher,” Dean said. “The fire got worse and, all of a sudden, we heard her screaming from inside the van. She was yelling for someone to get her out.”
With flames engulfing the van, Dean said he managed to kick out the driver’s side window. He said he pulled her out partway.

“There was so much smoke I couldn’t breathe,” he said.

Stopping to grab a breath of air, he moved back into the smoke and pulled the woman out, then moved her away from the burning van with the help of another rescuer.

Reached by telephone at his home Wednesday night, Dean said doctors don’t think he’ll need skin grafts for the first- and second-degree burns on his hands and arms. He said he’ll have to avoid heavy work for a while.

Asked how he found the courage to rescue Hick, he said, “You don’t think about it when they’re yelling for their life.”

He added, “I just hope the lady comes out OK, and the guy, too.”

Here is his contact info if anyone wants to tell him he is a hero. I know the family is at a loss for words. What can one say that adequately conveys the gratefulness felt by an act of kindness so sacrificial? Thank you is just not enough. There are no words.

If any of you lives near him and you need construction work, please use him. You might need to wait awhile because he is injured. From saving someone's life. An honorable man.

James Dean
James Dean Construction
55 Mount Adams Hwy
Glenwood, Washington 98619
(509)493-8417

We've Missed You

2008-08-09T08:50:00.000-07:00

Hi. It's been awhile huh? I hope you haven't all given up on me!

While I have missed blogging, with painting the house, staining the decks, yard work, house work, putting food up (canning and freezing), not to mention everyday stuff, I have been too busy and tired by the end of the day to come here.

I intend to resume my regular blogginess (on both sites) next week. In the meantime, I did want to post today because our Anthony left this morning with the youth group kids for the Mexico missions trip. After two days of driving, they will be volunteering at an orphanage for handicapped kids. The regular workers will get a break as the kids take care of the orphan children. Being part of this family, Anthony has alot of experience with kids, as well as fixing things around our property. So hopefully he will see how all of this training is setting him up for a successful future - in blessing others if nothing else!

Please pray for safety for everyone, especially traveling (I read two accounts of church bus accidents yesterday. So my mama heart is kind of tentative about the whole bus for two days part of it all), that their time there would be profitable, a huge learning experience and a blessing for everyone at the orphanage.

We are so excited for this opportunity for our son to be part of blessing the orphanage as well as the life experience it will give him! Not to mention they get to go to Disneyland on their way back home!

See you here next week.. if you are still tuning

She Felt The Earth Move...

2008-07-29T11:57:00.001-07:00

My sis called me a few minutes ago. They had a pretty big earthquake where she is. She looked around to go get in a door jam but they are all near windows. So then what? I guess they all looked at each other, waiting for it to end, yelling out what it was going to measure on the Richter Scale, the numbers going up and up as it got stronger and stronger.

She is fine, nothing even broke. But cell phone service and text messaging were interrupted. I wonder if Hollywood is pretty much shut down now in shock of the cell phone crisis? I can picture rhinestones scattering every which direction as tricked out cell phones were fearfully dropped to the floor while dining at The Ivy or shopping at Jimmy Choo. I can see Tori Spelling's disbelieving face and almost hear P. Hil's sigh, aghast at not being able to text their peeps. "Oh, was there an earthquake? Why won't my phone work? Stupid phone."

They are so ready in Southern California for these things. Right sis? Like, if "The Big One" hits you'll know what to do?

Her building is on rollers! How cool is it that buildings can now "go with the flow"? They were looking out the window at the building going up next door and hoping it was to the point of being earthquake resistant.

It frustrated me at the thought of all of the fun that could have been had and was lost by being scared. Too bad she didn't know she was going to be okay so she could have just enjoyed the ride.
I wish I was a Photo Shop Pro. I'd make a picture of her in a building that is rolling around the streets of L.A. with her hands up in the air like the pictures of us years ago on Splash Mountain.

I am glad no one was hurt. Geesh. What a strange phenomenon.

Name That Emotion

2008-07-16T07:44:00.000-07:00

Look at the eyes...

Ethan looks happy, proud of himself for learning to hold the kitty nicely.

Ida however, does not look happy...I don't think she feels that Ethan has learned to hold her nicely!

What do you think the eyes are saying?

Ida and Hope are now weaned, litter box trained and ready to go to their new homes.

He Plays Football Too

2008-07-11T22:36:00.000-07:00

This is one of my gorgeous nieces. And her boyfriend. He's not so shabby himself is he? Yep, he's pretty darn handsome. Look at that smile. I wonder if it cost a fortune or if he was just born like that?

He even has an accent. A southern sorta sound, but it isn't what I'd call a drawl. Of course, it's hard to tell when you only hear 40 words or less spoken in a couple hours. He's not a real talkative type. But he seems very sweet and gentlemanly. And responsible. ~~Good thing too, cuz I could take him dowwnnn.~~ I'm so glad she seems to have found such a nice friend.

Being from a more southern locale, he had not ever seen the ocean. He also took a ride on our horse, which was another first.

M~ It was so nice to meet you. Take good care of our girl when she goes back there okay? We miss her something awful when she's away.

(P.S. For you out of town relatives, this is my brother T's second daughter, J)

Caught Red-Handed

2008-07-11T21:46:00.000-07:00

With my lovely sister Victoria, we quickly and easily picked quite a few cherries from our trees. This is supposed to be a bad year for cherries here due to the weird weather and the lack of bees. It may be because ours are not grafted varieties, but we have alot of fruit on ours. I was surprised to see fruit even on the trees in the shade on the edge of the woods.

I am glad my sister had this experience. She said now, when she gets back to her fake home in California, and people ask her what she did in Oregon, she can say she tromped around outside on the farm and picked cherries. And her friends will all think storybook thoughts of this beautiful place.

20th Anniversary Day

2008-07-01T12:14:00.000-07:00

How in the world has it been twenty years? On the other hand, how can it only have been twenty years?

The day started out so sweet. The kids all went together and gave us this 100 dollar bill. Our kids aren't wealthy, so it was especially sweet. They put it in the front of my Bible so I'd find it during Family Time. They wanted to pay for our entire day:)

We decided not to have any specific plan for the day but to just do whatever we felt like doing. And it sure came together nicely.

First we went to a cute restaurant in north Portland, Little Red Bike Cafe. It was late by the time we actually got there. But we went for breakfast and breakfast it was. They have some really different breakfast sandwiches and yummy iced tea.

We took our breakfast to Cathedral Park as it wasn't far. The park is named for the beautiful architectural elements of the St. Johns Bridge, which looks like a cathedral. The weather was great, not too warm and not too cool. We just threw out a blanket and relaxed for awhile. Of course, we had to use the timer on the camera (see pic at top).
This was also not far from where Cliff worked for years as a young man, including when we got married. So we drove by some of his old stomping grounds.

We were headed toward an eclectic part of town, the Hawthorne District, changed our minds, then took a wrong turn and ended up going by Oaks Park. We went there a couple times when we were dating so decided to stop. We even took a turn on the roller coaster.

Then we drove over by the house where we first lived and had our first baby. It was really odd to go back and see the yard so overgrown. We also went to the park up the street. We saw where we used to run our collie, where I walked throughout my very first pregnancy and the wading pool I took my little baby to. That little baby is the boy who graduated last week, so the tears welled up as I stood and looked at that place where I sat as a young wife and mom, and remembered how much fun we had. And I again wondered how, though life really does go by at an even pace, it seems at times it literally evaporates.

Then we decided to head toward the Rose Gardens. After stopping for sushi and more iced tea we wound our way past the beautiful historic homes near the Rose Gardens. The garden was in full bloom and beautiful. It was here that Cliff proposed to me in 1987.

Hey Baby, here's to the next 20 being even better than the first 20!!!

Only this lamp post must have looked more like the one in Narnia, where it is always winter, because it was Christmas Eve.
We weren't very hungry but really wanted to go to a nice dinner. So we went to Oba! anyway. My dinner was actually a great appetizer of three kinds of ceviche. I'd go back for that. But dessert!!! Oh MY!!! It was decadent to say the least. It was called Baked Argentina. I highly recommend that you go there on a date yourself and share this $10.00 indulgence. It was the perfect end to a wonderful day.

It was still early when we got home so the kids were waiting for us and eager to hear about our day. We are so blessed!

Our Son, The Graduate

2008-06-26T07:41:00.000-07:00

June 20, 2008
Oregon Convention Center

Andrew has already completed part of his college work and will be entering P.S.U. in the fall as a Sophomore, majoring in Linguistics.

The keynote speaker was Voddie Baucham. He challenged the graduates to begin living for God now, as young people, and used King Josiah from the Bible as an example. Of course it was delivered much more gracefully than this brief summary. He is a dynamic speaker and the message applied to everyone there, although it was specifically addressed to the graduates. I definitely plan to listen to more of his messages and read his books.

The Very Proud Parents

The Whole Family

Nana

Uncle Josh
Grandpa

Uncle Tim and Aunt Tina (photo to follow later)

Then Charlie's Angels (cousins) showed up and we all went out to celebrate!

Tatsie Too

2008-06-22T14:44:00.000-07:00

The tiny little funny kitten
with the huge eyes,
soft furry ears,
an extra long, white spray of whiskers,
and the adorable silly bowlegged run;
who charmed his way with his uniqueness,
his spunk and affection,
into our hearts
(though we wanted to resist)
has boarded a cloud-
maybe cloud nine,
to wherever it is
that loved kitties go to wait.

I should say
that I am happy
for him to be free of imperfection.
But I am not.
It was his imperfection
that endeared him to me.

I hope I see him run again one day,
in that silly way of his.
When I go too,
and he runs to greet me.

Goodbye Little Tatsie.
I wish you could stay
and be silly
and tiny
and sweet
and innocent
and unique,
here with us,
a little longer.

Thanks for stopping by.

Ian Was Here

2008-06-18T11:53:00.000-07:00

It was so fun to get a visit in with our nephew Ian. We got to share a meal, play a silly game and just hang out. He is a very busy guy, especially around finals for school, so we were happy to get some time with him before he went back to Montana for the summer! (Ian in middle of clowns)

The Baldwin Sisters

2008-06-15T07:51:00.000-07:00

The two personable kitty sisters, Emily and Mamie, have gone home with their new person. After a delightful visit with Susan,we feel very happy about these babies finding a great permanent home. Have fun Susan! Emily and Mamie are so outgoing and affectionate.

Susan had originally thought she'd take Ida and Hope, but Emily and Mamie were ready to go and have such great temperaments. So Ida and Hope are still available to adopt. They will be ready to go in about 3 weeks, by which time they should be completely weaned and litter box trained.

Tater will not be available for adoption until we know he is stabilized and healthy. At this point he seems healthy but, at 6 weeks old, he is still barely bigger than he was when we got him. If he doesn't grow, the only safe home for him will be a Habitrail. He is truly the same size as a hamster. Maybe we should give him his own reality show, "Little Kitty, Big World"!

Goat Cheese

2008-06-13T11:49:00.000-07:00

For those of you who have been enjoying our goat cheese, I thought I'd post a few pictures of cheese in process. If you're interested. Maybe you're not. That's okay. I will still make cheese for you. Yours won't taste nearly as good because you won't really know all of the love that goes into it. But still, it will be pretty good.

First there is the goat. This is not my department.

Then there is the milking which is also -- not my department. Talk to Cliff.

When it comes into my kitchen -- now that is my department. So I will start there.

Each gallon is poured into a large pan and heated, then the culture is added. It is covered and left to sit for 24 hours. The culture will solidify the milk and leave a liquid called whey. As in Miss Muffet eating her curds and whey. I don't know why she'd want curds or whey. But this is how she gets it. I use it for making sauerkraut which is quite good.

After 24 hours has passed, I pour the pan out over a strainer that has been lined with cheesecloth.
When most of the whey has drained through, I gather the ends of the cheesecloth together and fasten with a rubber band. This is then slid over the handle of some kind of cooking utensil, set on top of a tall pitcher and left to hang for another 24 hours.

This is where my cheese starts to become more "my" cheese. The recipe says to leave it to hang on the counter or somewhere at room temperature. But personally, I don't like a very strong goat taste in my cheese. So I have found that if I hang it in a cooler with ice, or in a refrigerator (there's never any room in ours) it doesn't get that extra goatish flavor and I like it a whole lot better.

When that time has elapsed, I remove the cheese laden cloth from the pitcher. Then I carefully scrape each and every particle off of it and place it in a cute little jar like this one. To this batch was added some olive tapenade which is what you see on top.

Other flavor toppings include Sundried Tomato Viniagrette, Fresh Basil Pesto and later this fall (let's not talk aboout it just yet) fresh fruit salsas.

Enjoy!

All Is Well

2008-06-11T09:51:00.000-07:00

Now I know it is possible to experience a high without the use of drugs.

Our boy came through fabulously. I have to say it is touching when a 16 year old young man says he doesn't need anxiety medicine because "Jesus is my anti-anxiety". Where did he get such faith?

The repair went well and he has been awake for awhile now. We just need to observe for awhile that all systems are go. I have stocked up on Chicken Noodle Soup and we'll be watching all of the older Indiana Jones movies today. Though he said he thinks he's fine today. And that he'd rather recuperate tomorrow when he has the entire day to lay around instead of only what remains of today. Can I blame him?

I tried but I couldn't get any info out of him while he was still a tad "under the influence". He told me he'd prefer to "remain mysterious". He'd be such a good soldier. They could stick him with bamboo under his fingernails or give him truth serum and still he'd remain "mysterious". Not that I'd encourage him to be a soldier, especially during wartime...

You are all going to be jealous. I have actual photographs of my son's ureter. Won't they be cute in his baby book?

Oh my!

2008-06-10T20:26:00.000-07:00

Ethan now says no. He isn't being defiant, he is telling us of his desires.

"Do you want to lay down?"

"No."

Do you want a bite of mommy's asparagus?"

"No."

"Shall I eat your tummy?"

No answer. So I do.

So cute.

Not so cute is the way he says the word "stick".

Rhymes with the word "bit" and the boys say it is in his pants right now.

Oh my.

For All Of The Tater Fans Out There

2008-06-10T20:23:00.000-07:00

Tater is doing great. He is eating better each day and playing more too. Maybe we made it out of the woods...

From Zimbabwe To Mexico

2008-06-09T10:47:00.000-07:00

The trip Andrew was going to be participating in was cancelled due to the current politics and lack of safety for foreigners. While this is disappointing, Andrew immediately said to me that God must have another plan.

The same team will now be going to Mexico, probably in September. More details to follow...

Anthony Having Surgery This Week

2008-06-09T10:42:00.000-07:00

I just want ya'all to know that Anthony will be having surgery on Wednesday morning at 7:30am to repair his kidney reflux. One of his kidneys is substantially smaller than the other so they feel the reflux is causing damage to it. They could do a pretty invasive surgery but first we are trying a procedure using a scope which is 80% effective.

He will be in and out within a few hours, but will be under general anesthesia so please pray for him to do well, to heal quickly and for it not to be a painful recovery. He should be back to normal within a few days.

If you think of him or say a prayer, I know it would bless him if you called him or send an email telling him so:)

Tater Update

2008-06-09T10:39:00.003-07:00

We gave Tater some treatments yesterday and I also changed his food to homemade kitty formula. He appears much stronger and is even drinking out of his bottle. Hopefully he is on an upswing.

Little Tiny Tater

2008-06-08T07:48:00.000-07:00

Tater is about the size he should be at a week or two old. He was 4 weeks old yesterday.

He has no appetite and we have been feeding him with a tube since yesterday afternoon.

He is cheerful but quiet. He is enjoying being with a person pretty much around the clock.

He clearly has some kind of tummy problem.

He is so attentive and watches me when I talk to him. What a cute baby.

I am going to call the vet today and see what they say.

I know Tater has a fan club who reads this every day. Hopefully we can get through this. I just want everyone to be prepared and not taken by surprise if we don't.

Tater's Rough Night

2008-06-07T12:48:00.000-07:00

Tater ate fine all day yesterday. He played fine as usual. Nothing seemed amiss at his 7pm feeding.Then he went into the sleeping box with Ida and Hope. Elisabeth picked him up to prepare for us to feed him at 10pm before bed and he was in awful condition. I really thought he was a goner.

The kitty lady said to give him Pedialyte but we don't have any. So I made some homemade electrolyte solution and fed it to him with a stomach tube. He still just laid there for awhile. Then he started doing better.

Long story short, he slept right next to me all night and is doing just fine this morning. He is eating and playing and pretty much being himself. And clearly enjoying all of the one on one time and attention!

A Triangle, A Circle or a Square -- AND NEW BABIES!

2008-06-06T16:54:00.000-07:00

I was listening to a cat expert a couple days ago. She gave a quick way to tell if a cat is your "type", just by looking at it. I found more about it here. It's all about the face.

Cats can have triangular, round or square (cobby) faces just like we do. Okay, so I embellished a bit to get the point across.

Tiggers - The Triangle Face: Cats with this face shape usually like to bounce off the walls. They need plenty of activity and enjoy hubbub. They say: "Please give me lots of toys and attention."

Self-Righteous - The Round Face: These cats don't really want to be bothered. They have their own ideas and don't appreciate you trying to change them. They are happy to be petted, but on their terms. They say :"Shhh, you're supposed to be quiet in here!".

Sincere - The Square Face: Friendly and personable, these cats are affectionate and social and want to interact and snuggle with you. They say: " I am here and I'll do whatever you like, whenever you'd like me to do it". I always know us squares were like that;)

!!!!INTRODUCING OUR NEWEST FOSTER BABIES!!!!

Meet the Baldwin Sisters, Emily and Mamie. Like their namesakes (from The Waltons), they are sisters. One is slightly more mischievious than the other. Dontchaknow. Can you tell which one is Emily?

Right now they are about 8 weeks old and are lapping out of a bowl, eating canned cat food and starting to eat softened dry food. No, they don't drink "the recipe". We don't know their litter training status yet. They came from a farm so have lived outside all of their lives. They just came to us today. It is hard to tell them apart by looking, but you can tell by watching how they act. Mamie is slightly more shy.

Emily is inquisitive and curious, but she is also very affectionate. Here she is on her first car ride. She snuggled into my neck and purred, then licked my chin. I must have forgotten to.

Both of these kitties are SQUARES (COBBY). They walked right up to me at the farm they came from and rubbed my ankles. As I bent over to greet Emily, Mamie climbed on my back. Neither of them freaked out at all during the car ride but rolled onto their backs so we'd rub their bellies. Emily is very easy going and doesn't mind Ida, Hope er Tater. Mamie isn't so sure and hisses at the sight of them. Otherwise, she purrs loudly and wants to be cuddled.

STATUS: Will be ready in a couple weeks. NEED HOMES. Could go sooner if you want to oversee litter training yourself. Email us if you are interested and we will ask you the appropriate questions. Portland Metro area only. We do not charge for our cats, but you must agree to spay or neuter and give loving care. Applicants carefully screened.

Chickies: Who's the Baby Daddy?

2008-06-06T16:01:00.000-07:00

We're the babies in question. From left to right, our mamas are: a Black Australorp, an Americauna (I look more like my dad. I was last to hatch), and a Buff Orpington.

Our baby daddy is a Cochin Bantam Rooster named David - as in David and Goliath. Ya know, like from the Bible. David was the small one who threw stones with a slingshot and brought the big guy down.

Our daddy might be small but, we heard it through the eggshell (and via Gossip magazine) that he watches over our moms and all of the other girls very closely and does whatever he can to keep them safe. It is said that he has lived through many a dog attack and none of the girls were lost -- one time even sacrificing his tail feathers to keep the dogs away until our mamas could get to safety.

Apparently he's pretty embarrassed about how his tail looked, so this is a never-seen-before photograph. The Farmer's Wife got some tips from her brother Eric, the celebrity photographer on how to catch some photos without being noticed. Shhh. We don't want the guy mad at us before we've even met. (see attached photo from Gossip Magazine below)

EXCLUSIVE!!!: David Cochin Bantam Caught Without Tail Feathers!!!!!!

Below is our daddy a couple weeks ago. His tail feathers are growing back in, but he is still kind of shy about them, so he pretty much keeps them hidden at all times.

Those paparazzi slimeballs with their high powered lenses and such. They hide in bushes and on decks and who-knows-where-else and give no consideration for the privacy of decent roosters. This covert photo was obtained by paparazzi and without Daddy's permission.

On Gossip (tm) Only: David Cochin Bantam seems to have mysteriously "grown back" tail feathers. Questions remain about how and IF he lost them to begin with. A real player among hens, the eyewitness accounts of his girlfriends, who were reportedly witnesses to the "attack", seem to be inconsistent. And, are the new feathers REAL, or did he visit Dr. Stickeminthere?

Two Chickies

2008-06-05T08:06:00.001-07:00

Last night around 9:00pm Egg #1 hatched.

Here's how they look this morning.

7:00PM Hatching

2008-06-04T19:06:00.000-07:00

It is egg #2 that has hatched first...

Miraculous.

I wonder how they know it is time to hatch,and even how to hatch?

Update on Hatching Progress

2008-06-04T16:01:00.001-07:00

Here is the egg you saw posted earlier today. It has chipped out about twice as much as it had before. It still has a ways to go. He must be tuckered out by now.

Here is another egg that started hatching. We saw it had "pipped" last night. Now it has broken through.

Here are all of the eggs in the incubator right now. The brownish ones are Buff Orpington and Black Australorp chickens. The colored ones are Americauna chickens. The huge ones are goose eggs.

Going Loco For Local: A Day At The Farm

2008-06-04T12:52:00.000-07:00

I am obsessed with using the timer on the camera. I don't know why, but I think it is always rip-roaring hilarious to push the little button, then run as fast as I can to get in the picture. Even if someone offers to take a picture for me, I decline. It is just SO exciting. Kind of like a posed-yet-candid shot. It makes my heart race and I laugh hysterically every time. I am SUCH a child.

I have noticed that, when using the timer, the more people in the picture - especially if they are children - the better. See below. Being that we WERE at a farm (read more about that below), I carefully positioned the camera on a tractor scoop and we got a couple shots.
You can't see Maggy (on Sarah's back), Anthony looks like he is either trying out for the Miss America Pageant or losing his balance, and Zak is the streak at the lower left in the yellow sweatshirt. ~ But I made it to my spot, which is of utmost importance. It IS all about me (well, me and Peace, like Sarah's shirt says).

I love this picture! Although Zak is totally out of the picture and you still can't see Maggy, Anthony has caught his balance and everyone is appropriately silly looking. I love to see movement in a picture.

Now, about the farm...

Our CSA Farm

Two summers ago, after researching different farms (known as a CSA farm, Community Supported Agriculture) I found a local farm that allows people to buy subscriptions to receive fresh produce each week all summer long. Especially after visiting the farm and meeting the farmers, I knew i wanted our family to join.

I planned to sign up last year but, by the time I came up with the money and tried to sign up, they were full. So this year I made sure I was ready and made a trip out to the farm, cash money in hand, very soon after sign ups began.

This means that each week my family will receive an entire box of fresh produce, grown only about 10 miles from our house! From A (apples) to Z (zucchini), there is TONS of variety offered. That is one of the main reasons I chose this farm. And each different item comes with a recipe in case it is something I am not used to preparing!

Yesterday was the day we were invited out to see firsthand the farm and how it works. First, we had a picnic on the lawn near their perennial garden.

Barak (yes, there is another kitty at the farm named Hillary. I sure hope they have one named John too!), the Friendly Farm Kitty, couldn't resist the Subway sandwiches - or the company.

Barak, The Tolerant Farm Kitty, with Zak. Pllleeease notice their adorable boots, especially Hannah's on the wrong feet!

The people who work the farm, "our" farmers, are a father, mother and son team. This year they will be providing produce for over 600 families as well as multiple farmer's markets. Charlie, Vicki and Chris all enjoy what they do and are happy - as well as very proud I am sure, to provide such quality produce for so many families. Chris took us on a hay ride around the fields to see firsthand how and where our food is grown.Rows and rows and ROWS of plants meticulously planted (many by hand) and maintained.
Now THAT'S alot of work!!!
They also have several greenhouses full of all kinds of starts. Some are for planting later there at the farm, and some are for sale for people who also want to plant their own gardens.

I was thankful for a chance to take our children out there to see where our food is actually grown and to witness even just a small part of all of the work that goes into it.

CSA's are a wonderful thing. You can read more about them and search for one in your area at Local Harvest. Buy local!

Anthony atop a 1993 tractor, making the best of a field trip he did not choose (yep, I made him come as part of the Economics course he is finishing up).

Anthony, Evan and Brotherly Love

Vickie drove to Idaho and brought back two wild donkeys. That was only three months ago and they are already very personable. They walked over to us to have their faces scratched.

This is NOT a donkey, but rather a Nathan striking his typical model pose.

So beautiful.

Ida-Hoper-Tater

2008-06-04T11:45:00.000-07:00

Meet.... Hope, Ida and Tater.
With milk faces.

(Ida must be getting squished because her eyes are not normally closed.)

Say it out loud: "Ida, Hope-er, Tater".

Now faster.

IdaHopertater.

Idaho Pertater.

Hope (short for Hoper) and Ida came to us last week. A couple purchased a boat and got it all the way home. The next day they opened it up to clean it and found these two babies. The previous owner had no idea they were there. The mother cat must have either been in the process of moving babies or she went out to get some food (or take a break!). They are about the same age as Tater. As of this morning they are lapping out of a bowl. Then we offer a bottle just to make sure. We read that weaning is a dangerous time for kitty babies so we are trying to take it slowly and be very careful.

Tater still loves his bottle. He sometimes even growls at us if we don't get it in his mouth quickly enough. He grabs at it and crawls up it. Woe to he who gets his hand in the way! Sometimes he is just hanging there from it like that poster that says "Hang In There!".

It doesn't show up on here too well but I think he should win a prize for those whiskers!

This picture brings to mind a childhood song "Three Blind Mice, see how they run..." Don't worry, Cliff isn't TRULY a farmer and I think their tails are cute. They are super cute when they try to run. Tater (in front) really gets going fast on those short legs!

Nursemaid Elisabeth

Poor kitties, never get any lovin'. 'Specially Tater.

Tater Tucked In With Nathan

LOOK at that FACE (oh, and Ida is cute too!)

New Life In Real Time

2008-06-04T11:14:00.001-07:00

The miracle of life is again taking place in the Brady laundry room. Maybe we should call it The Brady Hatching Center. It can be a code word. When we are at church and I notice a spot on someone's AE shirt I can tell them (in front of their friends, of course) "Honey, you forgot to put that in The Hatching Center".

When the incubator is set up, then the babies start to whistle at us, we all become doulas, literally calling the babies out of their shells: "Come on Pippers". It is very exciting when they pip back at us. It is hard work so they get tired and often our encouragement seems to give them a boost.

We have hatched countless ducks in this Hatching Center, but this is the very first chicken to be hatched at our place! Also in the incubator are some goose eggs. We'll see...

This is the Little Pipper's tiny beak. Last night we noticed the shell was cracking. They peck a little circle shape first, then pop it out, kind of like when a cartoon character lifts up a manhole, except he will have to work very hard, for hours sometimes, to make the hole big enough that it makes the egg break in half.

He has made a hole, now he will keep poking his beak through and moving it around, trying to make it bigger.

I will post pictures as things progress.

Bootless-Rooster-Holder

2008-05-24T16:44:00.001-07:00

How's that for a title?

How many little sisters would happily offer to put a brothers (old) boots on him because his arms are too full of a rooster to do it himself?

A more important question might be, "What kind of mother would allow a rooster in the dining room?". Gracious. THOSE homeschool moms...

(Evan really just brought his new rooster in to show him off to mom and a friend. He didn't have run of the house. So don't worry about finding feathers and "such" in your soup if you eat at our house:)

The Hard Part

2008-05-24T06:05:00.000-07:00

This is the yukkiest part of fostering kittens. The mortality rate of kittens being raised without their mother is high, about 50%.

On Thursday little Tot started acting kind of funny and then died in the night.

Hopefully Tater will continue to do well.The next couple weeks we will need to watch him closely as it is common for kittens to die during weaning and he will be starting this transition soon. Right now he is doing great. He is walking on his feet, not dragging anymore, and getting around quite nicely. His eye infection seems to be healing - finally. We started using grapefruit seed extract mixed with water and it cleared up almost completely within a day. He is quite social already and wants to climb and be petted and scratched whenever he is wake. Super cute kitty.

Andrew's Graduation R.S.V.P.

2008-05-20T22:42:00.000-07:00

Andrew is GRADUATING!!!

We previously sent out an invitation to "save the date" to those friends and family we have email addresses for. You can get details or R.S.V.P. by leaving a comment at the end of this post or by emailing us at CTBunch@aol.com.

You can view maps for the two locations on the sidebar of this website.

The Party at the Park will include a BBQ supper, basketball and volleyball for those who would like to play, and lots of fellowship. Please bring chairs or a blanket to sit on. We have rented the park shelter to use in the event that the day is not dry. This IS Oregon...

Go Ahead...

2008-05-20T22:34:00.000-07:00

... laugh at yourselves:)

We couldn't resist!

2008-05-20T22:28:00.000-07:00

Tater , And Tot Makes Two

2008-05-19T15:07:00.000-07:00

Kitty Update: Another tiny creature has made it's way into our little kitty nursery.

This baby is a very unique color of white with gray underneath. He is much more demanding and VERY vocal. It is so much better for the babies not to be alone.

These kittens have been reserved and will be staying together.The lady who took care of "Tater" when Cliff and I were out of town last week is planning to adopt them both. They are tentatively named 'Tater(darker) and Tot (lighter):) (JP, don't get any ideas about Elisabeth and Ethan since you watched them while we were gone!)

Today they seem to want to be fed about every 2 hours. They must be going through a growth spurt! This should be interesting and make for a fun night for Cliff since he is the one who feeds them all through the night.

Tater is starting to walk. Tot appears to be slightly younger, but is feisty enough that he isn't far behind in development. Both seem to have some kind of conjunctivitis, Tater's started about the time he opened his eyes and Tot came with it. We have been advised to treat their eyes with plain old tea, which we are doing several times per day. It will be interesting to see if that works!

We've had a few people inquire about adopting. Bottle fed kittens love humans. If you are interested in adopting one of our later babies, please let us know and you can join our waiting list.

For Two Please...

2008-05-15T08:41:00.002-07:00

With Cliff's busy job and our hoppin' home and "farm" life, it doesn't happen very frequently, but the two of us were able to take a couple days this week to run over to the touristy beach town of Seaside, on the northern Oregon coast.

This picture is looking away from the beach in the early morning before the shops were open and people were up and at 'em. This is the only time of day this street is empty. During Spring Break and in the summer months, it is much more wide awake - even early.

Like most beach towns, you can find peaceful and relaxing activities or you can join the hubbub and energy of all of the loud tourist type action like shopping at the outlet mall (ew), browsing boutiques and antiques, munching on elephant ears, going on the carousel or bumper cars or playing at the video arcade.

We left from home Monday evening and got to have SUCH an awesome dinner at our friend's one year old restaurant, Yummy -- and it was! With 1960's appeal, this early 1900's firehouse-turned-intimate-bistro is a moody, kind of clubbish place to hang out.

We stayed at an inexpensive but lovely and clean inn on Monday night. We were right on the beach and could hear the ocean all night. The room had a big flat screen TV, a kitchenette, a fireplace and a huge jacuzzi tub. They also had bikes to ride and DVD's to borrow.

The second night, we got a room through my mom and got to stay at the beautiful Worldmark Resort, also right on the beach. We were spoiled!

We ate breakfast the next morning at our VERY favorite home cookin' joint, Grandmas. Grandma makes most everything herself - from English Muffin bread and berry cobblers to homemade ice cream and the cookies she hands out to each child when they leave, Grandma's personal touch is definitely the charm behind this little place some might call a Hole In The Wall. You can find it up on the main hwy, about 5 minutes past the town of Seaside, heading toward Warrenton and Astoria. It is on the left, across from The Yankee Trader. Grandma herself told me to make sure I invite you to her big anniversary party on October 18, 2008.

Obviously, we left plenty of time to be dorky:)

We had a great time but were ready to get home and see our wonderful children. It is such a blessing to have the kind of kids you know will be responsible when you aren't there. They did a great job holding down the fort while we were gone. And a big thank you to JP for watching our two littlest E's part of the time too.

You Should Be So Lucky

2008-05-15T08:41:00.001-07:00

To begin, I must recount the story that inspired the name of this blog.

About 11 years ago, my husband and myself, along with my mother-in-law, were getting ready to take our three young boys on a much anticipated trip to Hawaii.

They were all being very well behaved and fairly quiet. After all, it was early in the morning, and our boys were not the rambunctious type anyway. The youngest even had a pacifier in his mouth.

An older woman kept walking by on her way to and from the smoking enclosure near the gate (pre 9/11), muttering each time she passed by our little group. On about the third pass, she made the mistake of muttering loudly enough for my husband to hear. She said, "I sure hope I don't have to sit near THOSE CHILDREN on the plane".

Uh-Oh.

My very quick --- and very protective -- husband looked her right in the face and said, "You Should Be So Lucky, you old battleax!".

Ouch. I wonder what she was thinking at that precise moment?

So, in thinking up a name for a blog for this family God has built, we wanted to reflect our gratefulness to Him for all He has given and even for all that has been taken.

We ARE lucky and we know it. We call it being blessed. This doesn't mean that only good things happen, but that we accept them as challenges for growth. We want to live our lives in thankfulness for all of our very special and precious blessings, and in gratefulness to a personal and loving God who never lets us walk alone.

Posted by Tiffany at 10:18 AM 1 comments
March 2008 Home
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Evan and Justine

2008-05-10T19:30:00.000-07:00

We thought this Buff Orpington was a rooster. After all, the lady we got it from got rid of it because she only wanted hens. So Evan named it Justin, after the lady, Justine, who gave it to him, and spent lots of time with it, taming it to make sure it didn't turn into a mean rooster. As time went by, it became apparent that this was no rooster!

So now we have a very sweet and tame HEN, named Justine.
She's the favorite.

Welcome Farmer's Market!

2008-05-10T16:48:00.000-07:00

Our local Farmer's Market opened last Saturday in Hillsboro (www.hillsboromarkets.org). Yippee!!! Even if you don't buy anything, it is fun to sit around the fountain, taste samples, see the different types of vendors and enjoy the sense of community. We couldn't go last week, but I got to go today with The Three E's. Ethan is the perfect age for enjoying the fountain when the weather gets warmer. Today he enjoyed just looking at it and running around in the open space and looking at all of the people and other things to see.

Some of our favorite vendors are:
~ Ochoa's Mexican Food (Breakfast Burritos)
~ Our Little Farm and Nursery (veggie starts, hundreds of tomato varieties)
~ Jacobsmuhlen's Meats (sausages like Nut 'N Berry, Old-Fashioned Frankfurter, Chorizo and wonderful bacon)
~ Packer Orchards has wonderful cookies which we have always enjoyed. We were sad to see they raised their prices last year and this year the cookies seem to be smaller too.
~ Evan also loves Boot Scootin' Kettle Corn!

This year we won't be buying as much produce at market because we subscribed to a local farm www.sungoldfarm.com where we will get weekly sustainably and locally grown produce "harvest boxes". Our farmers, Charlie, Chris and Vicki, even provide recipe selections for produce you are not familiar with cooking. To locate a farm near you to subscribe to, go to http://www.localharvest.org/csa/

Three Word Sentence

2008-05-09T13:06:00.000-07:00

"I want it". Ethan's first three word sentence. It was yesterday. And it was about this line of stuffed elephants with a bell at the end, hanging from the ceiling at the doctor's office.

He checked out just fine at 26 pounds and 32 inches long. Then he got his DTaP and HIB shots. He was pretty upset at the time, but recovered quickly and has two fun Band-Aids as a reward (first time for a Band-Aid too!). And then I took him out to Moonstruck for a treat of "tot-it" (chocolate), his favorite. He flaps his arms and tries to fly at the mention of it!

So much "tot-it", such a little tummy!

I love it so much I even love wearing it!

Road Trip

2008-05-09T09:56:00.000-07:00

My dear friend Ruth was visiting Utah from NY so we decided to meet about halfway and get a visit in. We haven't seen each other face to face in almost 8 years!
Her sweet friend Bethany drove her all of the way to McCall, Idaho and we all got to spend some precious time together in the beautiful mountains of Idaho, along with our Elisabeth and Ruth's 4 year old daughter, Symphony.

We had to drive through Baker City anyway, so I thought it was a perfect excuse to visit some other dear friends, David and Stephanie Collins.

It was nice to catch up a bit on each other's kids and life in general, though, of course, it was way too short!

We brought Evan along to spend a couple nights with his buddies Isaac and McKenna. David came home from work and right away took the kids fishing, which is one of Evans' favorite things ever! And they caught alot of trout -- so it was a successful excursion!

My visit with Ruth was a bittersweet one. It was so wonderful to see her after such a long time. Sometimes we just find people who touch our hearts and we connect with in a very sweet way. Ruth is like that, and so is her friend - and now my friend - Bethany. So Ruth and I just picked up where we left off and Bethany and I felt as if we'd known each other a long time. But it was also a heartbreaking time, as Ruth and her husband, Chris, recently lost their precious baby girl, Sterling Amariah. So we spent alot of time crying, praying, singing and just talking about Sterling - the gift of her life and the pain of losing her. Please do keep this precious family in your prayers over the months ahead.

*****Sterling Amariah *****

******************************

Along this route between Idaho and Oregon, there are carpets of yellow flowers growing profusely, which reflect the sunlight shining down on the hills. The backdrop of snowy peaks, with a foreground of rivers and scattered farms made the drive between McCall, Idaho and Ontario, Oregon an easy one, even for me, the not-so-good-hyperactive car traveler! I hope to make this trip again. Maybe Ruth, Bethany and I will meet here again each year!

Wild daisies and some other kind of tiny yellow flowers all grow profusely, reflecting the sunlight and covering the hills in a carpet of gold.

Kitten Update

2008-05-09T08:06:00.000-07:00

The Kitten (AKA Brutus, Tater, Bubby ...) is doing pretty well. He opened his eyes a couple of days ago. I don't think he can see well yet though. This morning he seemed to be pretty cold when we all got up, so we will keep him extra warm today and make sure his milk is warmed as well. I imagine he is like a human newborn in that he probably can't keep his body temperature constant very well.

The kitten formula doesn't smell good, especially when it gets to be a day old or so. I think it has some kind of fish in it. So the kitten stinks sometimes too, and we have to give him a bath. It's sad that he doesn't have a cat mom to take care of him how he should be cared for -- like a cat, not a human! But, if he can weather this through, he should be a great pet for someone.

You can see he is growing some and getting fluffy. He also has very round eyes so we are wondering if he will turn out to have a Persian kitty look about him. He still can't walk but scoots a little bit, kind of dragging his hind legs, to climb around in his box.

Anthony Is Going To Mexico!

2008-05-08T17:30:00.000-07:00

How can this be? Two of our boys in foreign lands AT THE SAME TIME! Anthony is going with the youth from our church, to an orphanage in Mexico, also in August. I will post more as we get more information. Such exciting times!

Speechless!

2008-05-01T18:58:00.000-07:00

Wow. God is full of surprises. He miraculously provided $1500.00 toward Andrew's Zimbabwe Mission Trip Fund! Click on "Zimbabwe Updates" to right to read more about this, and scroll down to May 1.

We Are Foster Parents

2008-05-01T18:13:00.001-07:00

It is springtime, so the season of abandoned creatures is starting. We are foster parents for the local animal shelter, which means we have volunteered to take tiny animal babies with no mommy. This means keeping them warm, syringe or bottle feedings, and care around the clock.

Our first foster baby is a wee kitten. We got her on Monday night, very weak and probably close to death. You wouldn't know it now. She is quite lively and we have been able to transition her to a bottle successfully. I think she is still less than a week old, maybe 6 days or so. Her eyes are still not even open. We were given an IV bag full of some liquid that we can heat in the microwave. We wrap it in flannel and put it in a shoe box. She snuggles in to keep warm. Although the kitten has already climbed out a few times, so we have to keep the small box in a bigger box.

Today we had to be gone all day. So we packed her in her shoe box, with her "waterbed" as Elisabeth calls it, and put that in a wide bottomed book bag. If you saw me at the health food store today, that was the bag I had on my shoulder. People probably thought I was a really good conservationist and brought my own shopping bag!

God's Call On Andrew Becoming A Reality!

2008-04-30T14:28:00.000-07:00

Many of you probably remember a very young Andrew talking about being a missionary. This vision was birthed in second grade. He was very much impacted by the stories of Jim Elliot and Nate Saint , who gave their lives in an effort to reach the Waodani people of Ecuador with the gospel.

Through the years we have seen him grow in his knowledge of the Bible, develop a keen interest in linguistics and a variety of languages, and fall absolutely in love with learning about the people's of the world. In fact, most of his free time and money has been spent on language learning books and softwares and books about other countries and cultures. He has even been able to have some involvement with Wycliffe Bible Translators.

So it is with tremendous joy that we recently found out that, very soon after his high school graduation (June 21), Andrew will be going to Zimbabwe this August 4-20!!! He will be going with a team from our church who will be serving at Hands Of Hope Orphanage.

I will continue to update this blog as we find out more information and as the time gets closer. I will also include a specific prayer list as we hear of needs for their trip. To read some info about missions at our church, including this one, you can click here.

Andrew is working hard to earn money. His jobs right now include working for The Way, which is the young adults ministry at our church, scooping horse stalls/cleaning the neighbor's barn six days per week and whatever other odd jobs they can use him for on their farm. If any of you (local) friends have odd jobs you'd like to hire him for, whatever you pay him will go toward the trip.

Some of you have already heard this awesome news and have asked what you can do to help. So I will list ways you can help as we find new ways to support him. Here is what we are doing right now:

~ PRAY! Zimbabwe is in political upheaval right now. Pray for peace. Pray for the team as they prepare, that God will work everything out and go before them.

~ Buy honey from us. We are selling both flavored honey and raw, local honey (local to us, here in NW Oregon). See info and pricing on side of blog.

~ Sell honey for us!!! Tell your friends and family. Then place a bulk order with us and we will get it all to you.

~ Buy a punch card from us for The Water Store in Hillsboro (211th and T.V. Hwy). The owner, Joe, will generously donate 50% of all proceeds!!! We are selling 100 gallon cards for $40.00 and he is donating $20.00 of EACH card toward the trip for Andrew!!! But you must purchase the card from us.

~ Sell water cards for us. If you work anywhere near the water store location, go to the doctor's office, hair salon, tanning salon, or have relatives and friends who live close enough to go there, please tell them about this fundraiser. We'd be happy to sell you however many you can sell for us!

~ Andrew feels that he is to mostly fund this trip without donations. But he says if you have prayed and still feel like you want to donate toward it, you can make a tax deductible donation to Solid Rock Fellowship and put Andrew's name in the subject line. Checks should be mailed to our house and we will take them to the church.

Thank you for your continued support of the Call that God has placed on Andrew's heart! Isn't this EXCITING???!!! Please feel free to leave messages here (under comments at the end of this posting) to encourage Andrew.

Speechless! (May 1)
Wow. God is full of surprises. He miraculously provided $1500.00 toward Andrew's Zimbabwe Mission Trip Fund!

You KNOW who you are, who prayed and listened to God put this on your hearts! Thank you for responding in such a generous way. Our entire family is speechless. And, if you know us, well, that is saying something:)

We are still going to be selling honey and water cards and Andrew is still going to work just as hard. Who knows, maybe he will get to do TWO missions trips before he starts college in September!
Posted by Tiffany at 6:58 PM 0 comments

From Zimbabwe To Mexico (June 9)

The trip Andrew was going to be participating in was cancelled due to the current politics and lack of safety for foreigners. While this is disappointing, Andrew immediately said to me that God must have another plan.

The same team will now be going to Mexico, probably in September. More details to follow...

Assorted Views Of Our House And Home This Week

2008-04-29T11:30:00.000-07:00

~Northeastern View in shades of April green~

Here is a normal range shot of Morning Bible and Prayer Time yesterday (Anthony, Elisabeth and Tiffany in foreground, not pictured):

Here is a close-up of Ethan in that same picture...

Just kickin' back...

Cliff now has Violet so well trained that all we have to do is say "cheese" (she prefers Tilla'mooooo'k)and she flashes us a great smile. See below, with Evan:

Speakin' of cheese and grins...

(His "rosy cheeks" are a harmless but untreatable rash called Keratosis Pilaris. He will probably grow out of it eventually)

When The Dad's Away...

2008-04-29T10:35:00.000-07:00

...the animals will play!

When Cliff was gone on his recent business trip, so many things went wrong here at home that it became humorous. This is what happens to erstwhile City Slickers when they try to pretend they are farmers.

First of all, we bought a cow last fall in an attempt to have our own whole milk to drink (isn't that SO countrified of us?). It has not been an easy task to take on. But I'll go there another day. This particular day I will recount the series of events beginning with The Cow-Uppances.

Every day for the first several days Cliff was gone, we found the cow munching on our lawn. Not in the pasture, but on our small patch of "pretty" grass. We have electric fencing and apparently she discovered a place where she could fairly easily break through without getting shocked too bad. Andrew is the go-to guy for fence fixing and he would go out and hook it back up the best he could. But apparently the corner attachment piece didn't fit properly so it would just get knocked off again the next morning.

It is not such an easy task to catch a cow who doesn't want to be caught. If we could have caught her calf, Stewart, it would have made it much easier. But he enjoyed pretending he is a full grown bull and charging (playfully) toward us. Then, just as we grabbed for him, he'd posture like a puppy, stamp his foot and run away. I never knew cows could laugh.

Violet would just stand and munch away to her heart's content on whatever juicy greens she had found. It was kind of irritating that I was working so hard to get her and she would just casually, and very unconcerned, turn away from me, still savoring her forbidden delights. I mean, the whole field is full of green grass -- why couldn't she just stay in there and munch? I guess the saying is true "The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence". But I digress...

That Saturday morning I got up and immediately looked outside to see where Violet was munching (I was crossing my fingers each day that my roses would still be there). Phew. I didn't see Violet anywhere. Good sign? Um, not so.

I figured she was obstructed by the trees. She wasn't. Stewart was gone too. Now, where does a cow go in the middle of the night when there are no other cows around? If I had known the answer to that age old question, Andrew and I wouldn't have spent the next two hours pretending we are tracking experts, cow herders and wranglers, all rolled into one handy set of cowpokes.

I mean, it's not like when Rufus wanders and you can drive up and down the streets yelling "here doggy, doggy" then go hang some signs. I can see it now: Lost Cow with a large udder and frisky calf. Snuck out late last night.

Let me take a moment to interject a few additional farmish and "other" moments we endured. I won't go on in detail on each. But I did write an email to Cliff telling him I might not be here when he got back if I had to smell that billy goat, Orlando, one more day. Yes, billy goats reek. I mean, like, they really, really reek. Cliff told me they go peepee on their beards to attract the girls. How's that for romance? "Oh, Orlaaanndoo, you rahhllly shouldn't have!"

Anytime we went outside, or got out of the car we could smell Orlando's beard. I could smell it on the kids whenever they came back down to the house after having fed him. Now isn't that convenient that Cliff was gone for 13 days of the three weeks Orlando needed to be here? ;)

Orlando is a very cute goat and I am sure he will contribute to very cute babies. We'll see in a few months if the girls gave into his, um, charms. Ahem.

On top of that, the brakes went out in my car so I was pretty much stranded, three of the goats kept escaping and the doorknob fell off of the front door of the house. Scarier still, our nephew became horribly sick and was hospitalized (thankfully, the meds they gave him prevented the condition from worsening and he is well now).

Add all of that to daily life up here with a few dozen poultry, cats, dogs, and a half dozen offspring of my own, and you might begin to understand why I needed the 20 bars of chocolate Cliff brought home from Germany. After a couple hours, Andrew and I, laughing and crying, did indeed locate, chase, cajole, herd, "rassle", pull, push, drag, bribe, beg, plead and pray those bovines back home. Way to hold down the fort huh?

We do "got milk"!

2008-04-21T10:20:00.001-07:00

Violet, our Jersey heifer, is now giving us lots of creamy milk. It has taken months of getting through calving and other "learning experiences", but it is now worth it.

I will let Cliff post about the joys of cow ownership and milking since that is his department. But I can tell you that I made butter last night and the family enjoyed it. Ethan drinks cow milk every day. It seems to fill him up faster than goat milk. Probably because of the high cream content. He is fat already, I wonder how chubby he will get now?

Nathan is getting quite alot of duck eggs now too, and Evan is getting chicken eggs. Spring has sprung. Or has it? We did have snow on Saturday the 19th of April.

Our farm eggs are so delicious. They are bright orange and they sit up high instead of flattening out when you crack them in the pan.

The goat girls have had a male visitor, Orlando. He is a Nigerian Dwarf like Evan's goat Fizzee. Boy does he smell! I guess the girls like that. So we'll see if we have more Nigerians and Nigerian mixes in a few months. I'll try to post pictures of our animals soon too.

Happy Birthday Daughter!

2008-04-21T10:03:00.001-07:00

Last week was our daughter's birthday. So I took a walk down memory lane...

I never dreamt
that tender blosoms
would be brown
Or precious angels
could come down
to live in the garden
of my giving heart
But here you are
brown angel
~Walter Dean Meyers

I can't believe it has been seven years!

She is a Dream Come True.

Happy 7th Birthday Dear, Sweet, Precious Daughter

Prayer
Shout my name to the angels
Sing my song to the skies
Anoint my ears with wisdom
Let beauty fill my eyes

For I am dark and precious
And have such gifts to give
Sweet joy, sweet love,
Sweet laughter
Sweet wondrous life to live
~Walter Dean Meyers