Farming and a Friend

An uplifting article about a dear friend.

Twins

My mom sent this picture of me when i was Jasper's age.

Rainy Sunday

Brella Brella Fun!
Boots!
Cheese!
It wasn't so bad waiting around for people who didn't show up to buy Craigslist items. We got to crack pecans and splash in puddles. Avery had a great time with his brella brella.

April 16 a year ago

This is a journal entry from the daily reading i did today from 2008. It is always interesting to look back...

"Walk while you have the Light, before the darkness overtakes you." John 12:35
"We all have moments when we feel better than our best, and we say-I feel fit for anything; if only I could be like this always! We are not meant to be. Those moments are moments of insight which we have to live up to when we do not feel like it. Many of us are no good for this workaday world when there is no high hour. We must bring our commonplace life up to the standard revealed in the high hour." -Oswald Chambers

This affected me greatly.

i feel as though God has blessed me with light these past few months. i know that God is teaching me to "believe in the light", so when the darkness inevitably returns, i can live as i lived in the light.

i feel VERY blessed by God. i want to feel blessed by God even when things aren't going my way.

i hope i can remember the things i've learned lately and apply them in Life's nitty gritty.

Great Horned Owls

After spending a fair amount of time searching for the family that resides in Forest Park, I am surprised at how many times i have seen a Great Horned Owl in other places.
We saw one in a friend's Dogtown backyard a few weeks back. Then last night, one swooped in front of me and landed on the light pole next to our house. Then again today in a pine at Tower Grove Park. It is funny what you find when you aren't even looking!

Almost Done!

We have exactly 4 weeks left for Connections Academy classes. We prefer to take little breaks throughout the year, so we will continue some school in the summer. But it will be great to take a break from MATH!

Redbud Love

I love these trees so much! In every season they have a unique beauty. Right now it is the profusion of purple flowers against the blue sky. Later it will be large, green, heart-shaped leaves. And then a color change to yellow. And finally the stark and delicate shape of the tree alone in the gray winter.

Far Off By Tullaia (original spelling)

Far Off
(A song for Papa)

Far off in dastant lands
magical things happin.
Far off in dastant lands
cool thengs happin.
Things like...
Unicorns are dancing.
Knits are clashing sords.
Far off in distant lands...
Animals are jumping with joy.
Princesis are crying.
And princes save thim...
yes, far off...

April Winter in Front Yard

It was a blustery day and the snowflakes were so big we felt like snow globe people. I cut most of my remaining hyacinths so the smell wouldn't go to waste. If you look closely, you can see the frosty trail of a snowflake.

Karate

Tomorrow, Jasper tests for his next belt.

April Spring in Front Yard

When ferns come up, they unfurl with such delicate beauty. These remind me of a mother and child.
Growing up in Dutch country, i had a great disdain for tulips. But then i realized it wasn't the tulip's fault. Now i think they are lovely. This variety is very poppy-like.
More ferns. This is Japanese painted.

Hard Times

We just found out that Justin's company is doing a company-wide 13%-5% pay decrease. Not bad compared to losing the job altogether, but it will make things more difficult.

Phenology...

is the study of recurring plant and animal life cycle events, or phenophases, such as leafing and flowering of plants, maturation of agricultural crops, emergence of insects, and migration of birds.
I didn't realize there was a name for what we like to do. We have begun to monitor for these 2 groups.
http://www.usanpn.org/?q=home
http://www.windows.ucar.edu/citizen_science/budburst/index.html
And when we came home, Spring was in full bloom with our redbud and cherry trees.

A friend asked me today what Jasper does for schoolwork.

He does a bit of the usual reading, writing, numbers stuff. But mostly he does a lot of milkweed blowing and worm holding/accidentally killing. As well as practicing gratefulness and using his words instead of blowing up like a volcano.

Spring Break

We took a Spring break this week and headed North to Great Gramma's house in Michigan. Although the kids were sick the entire time with high fevers and flu-like symptoms, we had a pleasant visit. Aunt April and Bopal Opal rode with us while Mom met us there.
Sadly, Justin's Grandma passed away suddenly while we were gone and we attended the funeral today.
Riding on hot-air balloons.

Reclining with Uncle Eric after another hard day of Whirlwind Emulation.

With cousins.

Looking down on earth.

Yelling on hot-air balloons.

We explored an early 19th century replica sailboat on which cousin Sara is a crew member. She is helping the kids steer it.

At a chilly South Haven lighthouse with Gramma.

Daffodil Bloom and the Cycle of Life

It seems like spring just pops up overnight.
Tonight reminded me of the first time i felt sad about an animal death. I was probably Tullaia's age when i discovered the dead kittens. We had gone to see my neighbor Kathie in a ballet performance. It was an exciting evening. I think it was in Ottumwa, the big city. It was dark when we got home and i ran to the barn to check on the kitties. I jumped up on a rusty tank to peer up into the ceiling. I cannot remember details, but i know they were dead.

Bunny Fun

These are the orphans leftover after the bunny massacre with Blackberry, our friend's cat. They were almost disposed of, but after spending some time in the box, they began to look more hopeful.
Depending on who you ask, their names are Betty, Bella, and Bun.
Or, Tic Tac Toe.
We are bringing them into the Wildlife Center of Missouri. Apparently cats usually deliver a bacteria-laden blow in need of antibiotics.

St Patrick's Day

We had lovely weather this year to enjoy the parade with good friends, family, and neighbors.

Snacks

Justin and I saw Andrew Bird tonight. We had fun! He is nice.

Poem for Miss Jill by Tullaia

Dream (with original spelling)

I go into my room
close my eyes
and
Dream.
Castles, nights, super heroes
swerl arount in my head.
Lunch time.
I will dream
next time.

Friday

Today we took a break from school to have worm races, clean up the yard, and make a moss garden. It was lovely and Tullaia informed me that is was the hottest day of her life.

Here is what we found sprouting under the leaves...crocus,lamb's ear,and live forever.

San Juan Forts

San Juan National Historic Site includes forts San Cristóbal, San Felipe del Morro, and San Juan de la Cruz also called El Cañuelo, plus bastions, powder houses, and three fourths of the city wall.
These magnificent historic forts were built by Spanish troops beginning in 1539 with a tower at El Morro and La Fortaleza and took more that 250 years. Most of the walls we see today were added later in a period of tremendous construction from the 1760's -1780's.

El Yunque

El Yunque is the only tropical rain forest in the United States National Forest System. It is a 45 minute drive from the city of San Juan.
We did some hiking and wound up in a cloud forest observatory with 2 guys from Long Island. We finished off our time with a refreshing and cold dip in a waterfall.

Acacia Inn

Our last stay was in a San Juan home converted to a seaside inn.




Rooftop jacuzzi


Leaving

Old San Juan

Do not venture into Old San Juan on Monday and Tuesday evenings unless you like being mobbed by sunburned cruise-goers in a rush to get back on the boat.


San Juan Cafe


Burned Out Beauty


Keeping Watch


Black Toes and Blue Cobblestones


Always