Awesome Pig Farrowing Write-Up

othewise could be titled "NOT the way it's supposed to go"  or "Teen girls take Action"  check out Holly's most excellent pig birthing story:

http://www.timsarmywifey.blogspot.com/

Thanks Holly!

I couldn't have done this one myself, that's for sure.  And yes, indeed the dopplar got used on a pig.

no time for photos, but

John the Baptist

Reading the book of John for a more in depth study has made me realize once again how amazing the Word is.  You can read and pray over the same passages and still never really plumb the depths completely.  Something about my random creative brain has caused me to just not ask some of the most obvious and intriguing questions.

Recently I picked up a book called " Asking the Right Questions A Guide to Critical Thinking" because I'm working on not feeling so 'blonde' and looking for ways to encourage better thinking habits in my children.

Back to John the Baptist, this time when reading chapter 1 it occurred to me that I really didn't know what baptism meant to those people before Christ.  Like was there a tradition of baptizing at all before John?  Why exactly was he in the wilderness anyway?

So, I've been studying these things and really enjoying looking at the scene from a fresh perspective.

May seem silly to some, but I've been reminded of a need for diligence in all that we do and the spring/summer has been so full that time for studying just hasn't been there.  If you have commentary about the life of John, please share.

Keeping Food Fresh

Old World Techniuqes and Recipes by The Gardeners and Farmers of Terre Vivante with a foreward by Eliot Coleman.

While Nourishing Traditions and Wild Fermentation both have some great fermenting recipes in them, I love Keeping Food Fresh because of the stories woven into the methods and the collective effort emphasized.  Common foods are prepared with common tools and simple directions.  Like how to prepare cabbages fermented whole -- where else have you heard of that? 

My mom grew some nice beets this year and so did my gardening friends, so on today's to-do list is to assemble beet kvass (recipe in Nourishing traditions) and a combined vegetable kraut from Keeping Food fresh with a cabbage, beets, fresh horseradish (I have lots of this now that the pigs helped root it up and spread it around last fall), and a couple turnips(from my garden I picked the first one yesterday)

We're blessed to have been able to see The Phantom of the Opera live yesterday in Tulsa.  Though we were in the nosebleed balcony seats, once you get past the fear of heights factor, the view was really awesome.  After sitting too close once, and somewhat center mezzanine I think for another performance, I think my favorite seats are center balcony or center mezzanine since when you're too close on one side or the other, inevitably you don't catch the entire stage goings on, but portions closest to you.  I don't like to be too close to the orchestra for that reason, it's harder for me to hear when too close.  It's worth the $ to see this performance, right up there with River Dance.

Thank you hubby!

What's Blooming

Sometime years ago I started occasionally noting what is blooming at any particular time it occurs to me to take the time to pay attention.   It's a valuable exercise in observation skills to see what blooms when and at the same time as other plants.

Sunflowers

daylillies

glads

cannas

yarrow

balloon flower

marjorum

roses

zinnias

pole beans

winter and summer squash

hibiscus

tomatoes

peppers

moonflowers

4 o'clocks

cosmos

coreopsis

brown eye'd susans

liriope

yellow iceplant

soapwort

sedum

dusty miller

lamb's ear

zebrina Malva sylvestris

dianthus

and that's all I can remember or see right now.

Col 3:17

And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, [do] all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.