We Captured the Rain and covered the Gazebo

The cover came and did not fit!

We got an inch in the water tank last night!
We are hoping for more rain today but the chances are getter worse as the day continues.

We altered it by 3 "

we had to dismantle and saw off three inches!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We still have to do some squaring and anchor of the corners to the ground.

The rains are coming !

The gutter is now altered to flow to the tank.
It is hopfully going to fill that bad boy up and give us some needed head pressure to be able to water the garden by the saved rain water.

He raised this far end on the front by about an inch perhaps two
then all the way back to the tank.
This is one huge roof to collect rain off of.

The skies are happy here!
Let it rain
let it rain!

Now speaking of rain...
The giving tree...
found this evening over on that side of the house...
A large cut out from a sink install?

It is so pretty and heavy!

Thank you
our sweet mystery giver.

It is thick heavy Formica

This is the cool thing.
I never told any one this ...
Three days or so ago I saw some scrap from a stone install on Craigs List.
It was $$$$$$$$ but lovely.
I have been thinking on the outdoor kitchen idea.
I remember telling Pappa God that it would be so cool if........

I love it when He agrees...

Standing amazed at HIS love through whoever gives these things.

Friday Funnies

Cut loose

Thankful Thrusday *Friends

join us over at Grace Alone

A moment to sit and reflect is a wonderful gift.
How I desire to stop and celebrate it!

I sit with a wonderful cup of coffee that has a homemade chocolate syrup in it.
I so am grateful for all those who's shared knowledge enriches our lives

Listening now to the soundtrack from the movie "Chocolate"
The instruments that so many took time, efforts energy's and great sacrifice to attain the skill at. How wonderful that each cared to perform to perfect the talent and gain those skills. It is as each of us. Our instruments differ yes but oh when we are at our top...making those strides and efforts to achieve the best at who we are and what we do.
The gift is in the acquisition through the sacrifice and example of courage, diligence and perseverance.
That tenacity!

As I was listening to the soundtrack form the movie "Big Fish" I was able to get another window covered in the UV reflective film. It is around $5-7 a pane.
So far it really can be felt. The heat is so greatly reduced. This is the same film we did on the big patio door that took the heating bill way down.
I have the next one scraped down with the razor blade.
Thank you Steve for stopping for them last night it is nice to get going on this job.

The transplanting has been done of the beans and peas in the dark of the night last night. I used the beading lamp shining out the window.

Today I started these things
borage- sage -thyme
Basel two types of it

Romain

Celery

How wonderful it is to have a mind that can think
reason
study
learn and grow.
How many of you have learned a new thing today on purpose?
Last night I studied at great length the gardening by the moon phase and the zone elevations 1200 ft above sea level for my area.
The post is up over at BEE BLISS GARDENS

It is wonderful that I have the tasks of life that bring me pleasure and even anxs at times :)
It is a joy you know to live.
It is in the labor of our hand that we are to be content and more than that it is in the reward of that labor accomplished that we find pleasure.

I spoke with an old friend yesterday...took time and called her. Sat and looked over my old phone list...so often I forget people who I have not spoken to over long periods of time. I may think of them and say a prayer...but yesterday I intentionally nurtured a friendship...

It was a good gift.
She reminded me of who I am and what I live by.
Like a person often when my Bible Buddy (God) sits over a long time that dust sorta fogs the rules and precepts of the Manuel.

Be thankful in all things making your request made own before God.

And the peace of Christ shall guard your hearts and minds

Things like

FRET NOT! neither be dismayed ...Trust in God.
She reminded me that this is not presented as an option but a command so that it will instruct us to have that awesome life that so often makes no sense to the world around us...let alone our own families...

Back to task
with an appreciation today
that "I GET TO DO THEM"

I breath, stand, walk and move.
many do not.

Grow Up Monday

Grow Up! Monday
join us here

This is what we are to speak of ....
What we have witnessed, heard, seen and learned in Him.

I am seeing that all that I have sought to gain and all that I have made efforts toward are here now. He has made me able to keep the vows and the promises that filled my youth into this life now that I have given to myself. Every choice every hard effort worth it! I promised and I know in the agreement of my maker to fight for this life with everything within me .

I am functional, raising well my children longed for so many many years. Home making creating this manor to have a homestead to secure the lives of those who dwell under this roof. Bellies fed well. Hearts loved and tendered. Minds feed as well. A wife who is adored by he who chose me. HE CHOSE ME! HE IS GLAD THAT HE DID SO. My husband is GLAD that I am his Bride! Oh YA!!!! Every word spoken against me placed back in the face of those who had such little confidence in me. Who feared I would ruin the man. HA! I have lived. I live! My Man lives a life his friends long for and It is that determination and the diligence set within me.
ME! an accomplished woman of a wonderful restorative God!

As child I promised that if they (my tormenting abusive torturers) did not make me like them and that if I did not let them make me crazy I would give myself a life one day I promised. Every time I was being ripped apart in my being He kept me in this vow and gave me a hope and a promise to get through the trials that no one should have to endure. But even so He was there and it was not He who let me down or failed me. It was the sin that worked wild in the hearts of those men and women who so wounded and so soul sick and defiled it was being under their authority . Yet it is He who was the keeper of my soul as he is even now.

In this the life that I have fought for and succeeded to gain...It is He who is my Keeper.
He made me able to keep my word. To walk through the utter storms and torments into a life of wonder and beauty . Scratched and marred in only the ways of the surface but within me a hope and a promise no longer deferred but attained.

That's all I got to say about that!

hoo a!

Let's share with one another what we are learning and how we are growing up in Christ. Come on friends, add your name to her Mr. Linky

Tackle it Tuesday

With patience and diligence opted to stand and not just think."aaa it is just easier to do it myself..." :)
Set Dove to her task as well as Dash to his of tending the animals

Oh my goodness she looked so cute today!

So once everyone had a lunch and a full tummy to begin their day...
I set to tasks in the garden.


I tackled the chores of the garden from 8 am till now

The water is gone from my glass and the ice sits on my neck veins to bring my core temprature down!

Here is what was done!

The gazebo work left these blocks of concrete and red brick to toss out.
YES!!! they were way too heavy to move.
The dog as you see kept me at risk of life and limb as I tried to maneuver the wheel barrow.
He had to say hello....:)

This little fellow had eye for any critter I might turn up for his breakfast.
He had buddies come see me for some too.
NO POISON = many little friends who are very happy to rid me of the pests.

All of this got a good water and then as it did I set to task.

everything on the left was sifted into the beautiful till on the right.
This is the root veggie bed.
It is needfull to have happy carrots and parsnips to get rid of all the clumps and rocks.
Steve built the screen for me out of scrap from the coop.
It is a bit heavy so I used the bucket and the block to raise it up.
He might put some legs on it. It really could use it.

I tossed the clods in the extension bed to fill it in. This bed will grow onions and up rising crop so the roots will be happy to hold onto the clumps.
Then I lined this with the garden fabric(half price at the store last night!)
and built the south bed.
It was cool that I have just about exactly the block or brick to finish it up.
There are the two more half block in the main bed in use.
Cool how I have enough.

11:11 oh mercy me!
I thought I better come in or die and just go straight to heaven!

Tomato and some parsley, borrage and ??
need to be set to start indoors.

Menu Plan Monday

Hello it has been a long while...
I finally caught up enough to get the menu up and running.
Note however I still have a bit of organization to do. Ha!

With School on I have several different things added into a plan.
During summer it is a free style breakfast time, now it must be ready and thought through. We will be staying with the home style elements.
Many homes are spending large sums on easy to do items...ready made.
So I will take a clue from that and make my own ready made breakfast foods.

I thought to set up several bags of mixes for muffins and for pancakes and the like so I can just grab a baggie and add soy milk or water in a snap.

Lunch can easily become boring.
So I must give it thought as well.
Now that the kids are acclimated to home made bread it is a joy to feed them.

Cooking the pintos over night outside has a real nice advantage to it.
Soak them 1st night then cook them in the crock pot second night.
No smell in the house and the pinto re fried fast in the blender.
The crowd cheered!

Monday Monday....

Hello!
Well it is now after noon calm time.
The kids are home from school and Dove announced she has made a friend!
Dash was giddy with the excitement of telling me about a funny new character on his favorite show. He is now watching the new episode that he was told about.

After everyone made their way off into the day this morning I went back to bed for
2 1/2 hours and slept hard even struggled to wake up a bit...
Took a shower and prayed a lot about the reactions I have been having.
The old beast of PTSD has been harassing me a bit these last several days.
IT'S no wonder....I know but still it is a hinders and I would just rather do without. I kept an appointment and spoke with a woman about doing some EMDR processing. It would be a long commitment and a cost of co-pay and fuel and time.
I have to make some decisions.

A wonderful little Japanese bowl came for me today from a sweet young lady who was on a mission field and just returned home. She thanking us for our support.
She went over to teach English and be available to share the gospel when asked.
Pretty little thing I think it is a tea cup?

Yesterday the kids came home with the test results from last year

The Terra Nova is a nationally based test.
Out of every child in the nation...this was Dash's scores....
OK now use your hand to catch your jaw! We did.
We have been told that he is out there well I just stand amazed and impressed how important it is that I give our son every option to gain in his unquestionable thirst for knowledge.

This is Dove's
Now hers is a different criteria based on curriculum for her grade level.
Dove is two years older than her peers...
Kids she nailed it
We were stunned!!!!!

I might just remove that special needs over on the side bar HA!

The only thing that is still an issue is the ability to decode a clock for example...
Wow these two kids have come so far!!!!!!!!
Do a happy dance with me!
She told me that she does not want orchestra after all, she want to learn the French Horn in band...So prayers for an available horn the school has one first come first serve.

Well I soaked the beans yesterday and left them on the table out on the front porch overnight. So I will make re fried beans for my Mr and the family.
He loves my rice and beans or the beans with nachos

So an easy evening for me here.
A few small tasks and then rest this evening.

Last night I was ill in the night at the bowel.
Spent time on the bathroom floor...arf....
I am well.
I am alright today just a little week at the knee so to speak.
Sometimes stress or allergic reaction to food hits me hard.
NO MORE POPCORN OR BREAD!
:)

Good Sunday to you/yours and to us...

After a night awake in prayer
At the rise of the sun I went to the garden
Worked the three of four foot of earth to till.
This is how it looked at mid day

Under the giving tree this morning once again a gift
It has been a long while that a gift has been left.
Funny gift under the giving tree today
You see we had an extra child (two) all weekend each evening a 5th person for supper and the set of 4 tables THAT MATCH THIS ONE was leaving one person out!
A 5th table brand new!!!!!!!!!!

The cool of the kitchen called to me after a good nap on the sofa
after the mixing and kneading the racks were set out to receive the gifts of the oven.

Breakfast cookies for my beloveds' morning meals

Peanut Butter cookies for the kids and snack time

yes that is a well used oven
:)

At the sink is the joy of a gardener
Beans and peas so happy to have been given the inoculate

shelling peas

Blue Lake beans

A cooks life
:)
dishes cleaned while my darling built the soil screen I need to save my hands the hard work

The root vegetables want for free growth no clod or stone to interrupt the reach for life.

The beauty of fresh cookies
Whole wheat peanut butter (1/3 soy butter) shhhh

Christmas is in the works as the lay outs continue

Repairs and a pin for me of some sweet little Russian findings I have had many years.

Unlike the sunrise woman the sweet man would rather the heat of the day than to rise when it is cool. Silly to me but this is his way that I will just shake my head at and respect.
He worked to get the fence up
It is awesome!
He was able to move the gazebo over a bit by removing the brick boarder.
He tour up and out the cement boarder and took out the block.
This has been an issue all these years
Keeping Bermuda grass out unless strong poison is used is impossible.
We do not wish to poison if we do not absolutely have to for the safety of family and pets. We just do not believe in killing in such an indiscriminate way.
Now for desperate insect issue indoors we will only do so it and when we have exhausted all other methods even then I really do not like to need to do it.

A garden tour reviews many young starters

multi colored summer squash

zucchini

giant pumpkin

Spaghetti squash

a few tiny cucumber in the back ground

corn and ? perhaps the flowers

Blue lake planted without the inoculant several days ago...
what a difference!

All the while the kitchen busy with baked goods
breads

cookies for treat and for breakfasts

Well giving him Gateraide and ushering him in to cool the gazebo is in the sights
Can you just imagine how awesome it will look all grown in with vinesBread and jam for a paupers meal
Eat breakfast like a king
lunch like a prince and supper like a poor man.

So the Daddy man is playing with the young ones and I rest and relax here...

If you have not read the wonder of Amy's journey so see over here what transpired in the middle night hours...