Christmas Day

Merry Christmas, everyone!

We are blessed by the true meaning of Christmas, the ultimate Gift of God.

And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Matthew 1:21 KJV

Joy to the world! Our Lord is come.

Delivering Christmas Goodies

This afternoon Annie and I decorated the horses, and we all went out to deliver our Christmas bread to our neighbors. We bought red and green yarn and gold bells and braided their manes and tails. Daddy rode Jack, Momma rode Rusty, Annie rode Buddy, and I rode Peg. We had a really nice time, and everybody behaved. It has been over a month since the younger horses were ridden, and Rusty has not had a rider in over a year. They were good boys, especially since we encountered a four-wheeler, several dogs, some cars, a few chickens, two frisky, galloping horses, and a loop of loose barbed wire in which Rusty entangled his foot. Jack said it was all quite interesting.

I really like to hand out our Christmas goodies that way. Our neighbors seem to enjoy it as well. This year it was extra special, because Daddy and Momma came with us. Riding down the road on our horses, bells jingling, carrying cranberry bread (it smelled so good!) really puts one in the Christmas spirit. Peg and Jack thought the bread they were carrying smelled like something a horse would like to eat. They kept trying to reach it while we were riding. Thankfully, we were able to keep it away from them. We fed them horse cookies when we returned to the barn.

Tonight, Daddy is hanging our outside Christmas lights. They are not cooperating, and some of them won't light up. Our house will be lovely when Daddy finishes, though. I think white icicle lights on a house are pretty.

Cranberry Orange Bread

Today we made cranberry orange bread to give as Christmas goodies. Momma and I made six big loaves and four little ones, and they look really good. I know that the dough was tasty, because we tried it.

We made it all in one batch, which posed a few problems. The volume of the ingredients made stirring difficult, but thankfully barn work strengthens one's arms. Our bread is in the oven right now, and Momma and Annie tell me it smells delicious. I can't tell, because I have a cold.

Annie and I plan to deliver the bread to our neighbors on horseback. Last year we decorated Peg and Buddy with greenery and red yarn. Then we rode down our gravel road and gave out our goodies Pony Express style. At one house, the resident horses bolted across their pasture, and Peg took off running, too. However, the bread we were carrying was none the worse for the excitement. This year we hope to have none of that sort of adventure on our rounds.

Garden Harvest

I harvested our first crops from the garden last week. We got turnips, lettuces, cilantro, parsley, and green onions. Momma and I are enjoying the turnips very much. We prepare them by roasting them in the oven. We also had a fresh lettuce salad yesterday, and it was delicious.

We were blessed with such an abundance of produce that we were able to share it with some of our friends. God has been good to us by causing our garden to grow so well. We know we cannot take credit for it ourselves. We just plant the seeds and weed, and God waters and sends the sunshine. Our garden is a constant reminder of God's care for us.

Snow!

Last night it snowed at our house. The fluffy, white flakes came down in abundance, and about an inch stuck. It was a perfect finishing touch to our evening, since we had gotten our Christmas tree that afternoon. We put up the tree and strung the lights while Daddy made chicken and sausage gumbo. Then we decorated our tree between trips to the door to watch the snow fall.

We were thrilled when the snow finally began to stick. At about 10:30 p.m. Annie and I took a walk around the property and marveled at the wonders of God's creation. The landscape was truly lovely.

This morning, Annie and I went outside early enough to catch the sunrise on the snow. We

watched our cats and dogs play in the snow, and we turned out the horses so that they could play as well. Jack liked eating snow.

Later, we built snow people. I made a person and a dog, and Annie and Momma made snow kitties. When it snowed last year, we forgot to make snow people, so we decided not to miss the opportunity this year.

It was such a blessing to be able to experience snow again this year. Every time I see snow, I am reminded of the awesome power, wisdom, and creativity of God. Praise the Lord!

Our Trip to Oklahoma

Momma, Annie, and I went to Oklahoma for the week of Thanksgiving. We visited my grandparents and my aunt, uncle, and cousins. It was a special visit. God really blessed us with a nice week together.

Annie and I spent a lot of time playing with our cousins. We played a lot of hide and seek, capture the flag, and a game we invented on the spot called kneeball. Croquet, horseshoes, and several inside games were also popular.

My uncle owns a feed mill, so he knows most of the ranchers in his area. One ranch with which he is familiar has recently put 5,000 wild mustangs on its land. Uncle Rick took us out to see the horses on Sunday. That was an experience I will never forget. The mustangs were beautiful, but what surprised me was their curiosity. They came right up to the car and sniffed it, and they would almost let one touch them. We took a lot of pictures. One herd of nearly 100 animals was galloping across the prairie as we drove along the road to the driveway of the ranch. It was a living image of the Old West.

Uncle Rick also took us to see a herd of buffalo on the Tallgrass Prairie. Although the buffalo didn't quite have the romantic beauty of the mustangs, they were worth seeing. One cannot imagine the presence and power of a bull buffalo until one sees him up close. I was glad that I was in the car!

We are now home again, and we're settling back into our schedule. I know Daddy is thankful that we have returned, because he was taking care of the whole menagerie while we were gone. He even had to clean the stalls.


Here is today's memory verse.
As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness. Psalm 17:15 KJV

Jack and Annie

Last Saturday I planned to ride Jack. It was a lovely, cool day of bright sunshine and soft breezes. I thought it was a perfect day for a good, long ride. The horse, however, had other ideas about the day's activities. Here is a picture of his perfect Saturday. He likes to sleep in the sunny pasture.

Jack is extremely relaxed and trusting. He lets us love on him while he's down, so Annie went out into the pasture and joined him for a picture. Don't they look comfortable? Jack gets so relaxed that one can pick up his leg, and the leg will drop limply when it is let go. He is also known to snore on occasion.

Here is a tidbit of horse knowledge. In these photos you can clearly see the stripe down Jack's back. It is called a dorsal stripe, and it is found only on horses of the dun color. Duns also have stripes or speckles on their legs above the knee. These markings help to differentiate between dun and buckskin, a similar color. Buckskin horses have the same body color without the dorsal stripe or the striped legs.

Here is today's memory verse.
But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. Psalm 3:3 KJV

Flowerbeds and Missions Conference

Here are some pictures of the new landscaping we did at the front of our house. It was a fun project, and we can't wait to see how the new plants grow. The cats were pleased that we went out and made them a new place to play hide and seek.

During the summer, Momma and I planted Spanish tarragon, Navajo sage, marigolds, bee balm, and African daisies in one bed. They are still doing well, so we left them in the ground. I also planted zinnias and nasturtiums from seed. We added pansies, violas, dianthus, lavender, thyme, snapdragons, cosmos, and petunias. Then we transplanted a rosemary that had outgrown my herb garden and a rose that had been doing poorly where I originally planted it. I hope our new plants grow big and beautiful.


Last night we attended a missions conference. Several missionaries spoke about their work in various parts of the world. The keynote speaker was a man named Mr. Otto Koning, and we really enjoyed his message. He has been a missionary to Papua New Guinea, and the things God showed him on the mission field are vital to the Spirit-filled Christian life. He has recorded several of his messages, and we watched two of them. I highly recommend Mr. Koning.

Pops the Palomino

Our family was thinking recently about how much we miss Pops, the sweet little fellow in the picture. Pops was a two-year-old quarter horse gelding that we purchased as Daddy's riding horse. He impressed us with his willingness and his calm temperament. Pops always tried to do what was asked of him, but he also seemed to enjoy getting into mischief.

We have quite a few cherished memories of Pops. Once he went into our tack and feed room, stole the broom, and hid it in his stall. I suppose he wanted to play with it later. We remember how Pops and Rusty loved to play hard with each other all day long. Pops also liked running along the pasture fence with us, but one day he ran to the gate while looking over his shoulder at Momma. The gate is now dented.

We had to put Pops to sleep when he was three years old. He had a twisted intestine and colon, and we took him to the vet school for colic surgery. The surgery went well, but his pain returned. After almost a month of nursing him, we were faced with the realization that Pops was not going to recover. We buried him at the back of our property. Our family really misses him. He was one of those horses that touch your heart in a special way. Everyone who met him loved him. We are thankful for the time that God gave us with Pops.

Here are this week's memory verses.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. John 1:1-5 KJV

My Roses

I have been interested in growing heirloom and antique roses for a while. These are two of the varieties I am growing currently. The pink rose is called Seafoam, and the red one is a Don Juan. Don Juan is my favorite rose. They smell so good, and they have a lovely dark red color. The nice thing about antique roses is that they do not require the spraying that hybrid tea roses need. These roses are pretty hardy and vigorous growers.

Today we are going to plant our flowerbeds. I'm excited, because we got some really pretty bedding plants from a little plant nursery called Ins and Outs. It is a quaint little place, and they always have nice, healthy plants. I'll be sure to post pictures when we are done planting.

Allergy shots

Yesterday I gave Rusty and Jack their allergy shots. They both deal with allergies to pollens and different grasses in the summer months. The treatment is usually a cortisone medication and antihistamines, but there are significant risks associated with the cortisone. We decided to try a fairly new, untested treatment of allergy shots. So far, it seems to be working well. The horses have been on their shots since the spring, and I was able to continue riding Jack all summer. I was voted the shot giver by the rest of my family. It is easier than I thought it would be, and Rusty and Jack are so well-behaved. I don't even have to halter Jack. I can just go into his stall with the needles and inject him. I never thought that I would be giving shots, as scared of them as I used to be.


Abby and Bunny love to play with each other. It is cute, and Bunny's presence seems to have knocked several years off of Abby. Bunny has Abby's approval. We have found out that Bunny gets cold easily and hates to get her little paws wet. She appreciates her doggy bed on the back porch, and it is hard to get her to leave it in the morning. Bunny is a sweet dog, and we are having fun with her. Bunny is a blessing from God.

Fall Garden Update

Our garden is growing well. Almost everything came up and survived. We are still battling weeds, but the ground is dry enough now for us to use our hoes instead of pulling weeds by hand. Hoeing goes a lot faster. I can't wait to start eating all those veggies! I hope the bugs don't beat me to it. These pictures are of the cauliflower, lettuce, parsley and cilantro. The plastic covered rows are where the strawberries are planted. We are especially excited about the lettuce, since we have never grown lettuce before. One of the "weeds" that we are dealing with is tomato seedlings. We tilled in a bunch of tomatoes at the end of our summer garden, and they keep popping up. We also have volunteer green beans, cucumbers, and sunflowers, but mostly grass. We made our garden inside the horse pasture, so we cannot expect there to be no grass!

It's been a while!

I'm sorry that I haven't been posting lately. The truth is, I've been sleeping through my blogging time. We're dealing with a cold in our family, and the extra sleep was a blessing.

On Friday night, we had a family from church over for dinner. We played a game and had a lovely time of fellowship with them. We are always blessed by spending time with this family.

Sunday was a beautiful day. We went to a horse program in the evening. It was held at the softball field of the First Baptist Church in Natchez, MS. The program used the starting of two young colts as a lesson about the Christian life. It was done by Dr. David Carter, the trainer whose events we've been to in the past. We all had a nice time, and we learned some new things that will help in the training of Jasmine, the filly down the street.

On Monday, we took Bunny in to the vet for all her shots and such. Our other dogs, a border collie and a golden retriever, always attracted attention and petting because of their sweet personality and their breed. It was a new experience for us to go in and have other people move away with obvious discomfort at Bunny's presence. There were two ladies there who were scared of Bunny, in spite of her goofy sweetness and our assurances of her good nature. (A dog belonging to one of those ladies tried to bite when it was taken back. Bunny just wagged her tail and went happily.) The vet says Bunny is such a sweet dog. He also told us that she's five years old, and she has heartworms. We're praying about what to do about that.

This week, our memory verse is Psalm 100.
Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness, come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations. Psalm 100 KJV

Pictures of What's Going On

Here are some pictures of our ponyride day with Ben and Kinley. We had a nice time.

Buddy is showing off one of his new tricks. Smile, Buddy!

Here is the area that Daddy has been clearing. There was privet and fallen cedar everywhere when he started.

I just wanted to post these pictures while I had the chance. I hope you enjoy them!

Planting Strawberries

We finished planting the strawberries yesterday. That was a long job, but fun. We can't wait to enjoy the fruits of our labor next spring. Whenever we work in the garden, our animals join us. We usually have Abby, Poco, Rusty, and all three cats out there with us. The cats had a great time running over the rows and leaving muddy footprints on the plastic row cover. They also amused themselves by batting at it and sticking their busy little paws down through the slits we cut in the plastic.

We've lived with Jack long enough to know that one doesn't get bored when he is around. As I was walking towards the house at the end of planting strawberries on Tuesday, Peg neighed at me. I looked up in time to see that Jack had somehow laid down beside the fence and gotten his back legs caught in it. As I headed out to help free him, he wriggled his way out of the fence. As soon as he was on his feet, Jack let out a long neigh as if to say,"I'm okay now. I got out all by myself!" He was limping, so I went into the pasture to assess the damage. Jack was pretty scraped up, but nothing dangerous. I put some ointment on his cuts and let him go. He's fine now. At least he didn't break the fence.

Momma, Annie, and I have started sewing together. I am really enjoying that time. Annie is making a pillowcase, Momma is making a dress, and I'm making a blouse. It is fun to be working on projects together.

Here is today's Scripture.
Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein. Hosea 14:9 KJV

Bunny has found a home!

Bunny the pit bull has found a good, loving home. The family that is taking her has acreage in the country, lots of other animals, and two children. They like her sweet, happy personality and her easygoing temperament. They know they will enjoy having Bunny. Can you guess who this family is? Actually, we've had the dog for so long that we are attached to her. We have seen how well she behaves in many different situations and have been pleased. We decided to keep her, since our only objection to Bunny was her breed. She is such a good dog, and Abby loves her. Bunny is going to be an interesting member of the family. She gets into such funny scrapes!

Here is today's scripture.
For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. Hosea 6:6 KJV

Planting Black Plastic

On Sunday, we received our strawberry plants. That means we have to get the ground ready to plant them. Yesterday, Momma, Annie, and I cut up a roll of black plastic into three long strips. We laid it out over the rows where the strawberries will go, and we secured the edges of the plastic by burying them in the dirt. This job took several hours, because the ground was not freshly tilled and soft. Remember all that rain we have gotten? It pounded our clay soil until it was rather hard. However, the first part is done. Now all we have to do is mark the plastic and cut holes in it, plant the strawberries, and then keep up with weeding and watering. This year we're prepared for frost. We have more black plastic to cover our rows when it freezes. Last year we omitted this important detail, and we lost our first crop of berries. Live and learn! We sure got dirty yesterday. I think you could have planted the berries straight onto my skirt. I also discovered that I seem to be a fire ant magnet. Momma and Annie walked, knelt, and crawled up and down those rows, but as soon as I came along I got into ants. Ouch!

Jack's First Official Pony-ride

On Saturday, a neighbor came over with two of her grandchildren, a boy called Ben and a girl called Kinley. They like to come and play with Abby and do pony-rides. Kinley likes the horses, and Ben always enjoys Abby. Buddy is the horse we use for pony-rides, and he does the job very well. We've said in the past that Buddy has a fan club, because there are so many little children that just love Buddy. Kinley was ready to ride, and she noticed that Annie had been braiding Buddy's mane. She thought that was pretty neat, but Ben was disgusted. He thought that made Buddy look like a girl. In the meantime, I was saddling Jack so I could ride him. I did not think we'd use him for pony-rides, because Ben never wants to ride, and Kinley likes Buddy. Jack is also young and inexperienced. We had thought he might be too goofy to take on the job. Ben decided he wanted to pet Jack, so he came over and stood in front of the horse. When he reached out to touch him, Jack surprised him by sticking out his nose and ruffling Ben's hair. This was repeated several times, and then Ben said that he wanted to ride Jack. I decided that this was a good opportunity to get Ben to ride, so I said he could. Often when a child gets on a horse, they will open up and talk to you even if they were shy with you before. So we put Ben on Jack, and his grandmother took his picture. Ben commented on how tall Jack was, and I walked them around a little bit. After that, Ben got off and went to ride Buddy. Kinley got on Jack and took a longer ride. Jack took the whole business very seriously. He had a look of great concentration on his face. He did quite well, and the kids liked him. Buddy had better watch out , or he's going to lose his fan club to Jack!

Tuesday Night

On Tuesday evening we went and had dinner with a family from church. It was a pleasant time of fellowship, and I was able to give my friend the quilt I made for her. We all ate together and went for a night walk around their large property. We were accompanied by a Great Pyrenees dog, a small poodle, and a kitten. Then we girls (they have three daughters) sat in the living room and talked, and some of us played music. We had a lovely time together.

Annie is teaching Buddy some new tricks. He just learned how to give you a kiss, so now he knows how to shake hands, kiss, and shake his head to say no. If he could only learn to say yes, he'd be in good shape. Annie has tried and tried to teach yes, but Buddy likes to say no. She's also teaching him to bow, but that is a long, tricky process. Pegasus has been picking up on shaking hands by watching Buddy do it. He noticed that Buddy got treats when he offered his hoof, so Peg started doing the same thing. Unfortunately, Peg doesn't know the cue. He just does the trick. I'll have to work on that.

Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the Lord, till he come and rain righteousness upon you. Hosea 10:12 KJV

Ordinary Updates

Aside from the Roundup, here's what's been happening at our house. Daddy taught family class at church last Sunday, and he'll be teaching again this Sunday. His lesson is on 1 Corinthians 13, and he is doing a good job. Daddy has also been clearing brush and privet around an old cedar tree that fell during Hurricane Gustav. We want to get that spot cleared, take down the remains of the tree, and let grass grow there. Daddy is making good progress on that project, but Spunkabitty objects. Daddy is destroying one of his favorite hideouts.

Annie has been experimenting with gluten-free baked goods, and she is pleased with the results. She found that buckwheat makes a good muffin. This means that even though she's gluten intolerant, she can finally eat baked goods again. Annie is working on arranging some Christmas songs on the piano. They sound lovely.

Momma has worked hard on our schedule, and it is really working out well. We are getting a lot more done now, and that is truly a blessing. Momma has also been helping me to sing the alto part when our family sings together in the evenings. I need plenty of help!

I just finished a quilt that I was making for a friend. It was a fun, challenging project, and I learned a lot in the process. I can't wait to give my friend the quilt.

That is what is happening over here. I hope all of you are well.

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. James 1:2-3 KJV

Results from the Roundup

We had a wonderful time at the River Road Roundup. The weather was lovely, the people were so friendly, and the course was fun. Annie and I decided this kind of competition is what we like to do.

Peg behaved much better than I thought he would. We made it to the finals and placed fifth! The obstacle we are negotiating in the photo is called the teeter-totter (or as a young girl at the event said, a totter-tater). This was the obstacle I didn't think we could do at all, but Peg acted like he knew exactly what to do. We had 8 minutes to complete 20 obstacles of varying difficulty. Buddy tried hard in spite of being a scaredycat. He'll improve with practice, and the obstacles with which he was familiar were done quite well.

Buddy and Peg did really well, especially since this was their first time. I did wonder what I was in for when I first got Peg off the trailer. He was distracted, skittery, and frisky. He didn't want to listen to me at all. However, he soon settled down. Buddy was good from the moment he got off the trailer. His favorite part was entertaining a family of small children who were spectators.

Our family had a great time. We are all red in the face now, though, because the wind blew hard. We have sunburn and windburn, and Annie says we look like boiled crawfish. I don't know about that.

Here is today's memory verse.

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any pain: for the former things are passed away. Revelation 21:4 KJV

We are finally experiencing some fall weather! I was ready for fall temperatures. It's my favorite time of the year. It is still muddy, though. Guess whose feet those are!

Whenever I take my horse somewhere, I like him to be clean. That usually involves a bath,because Peg's white coat gets stained easily. He has spent the past few days getting thoroughly dirty in the mud and wet grass. What makes it worse is that the pasture he lives in is the only place on the whole property with red clay. He was such a mess. I said that he was putting on his war paint, because he was streaked red, green, and brown. I took the opportunity yesterday to bathe him before it turned cooler. He turns blue and starts shivering if you even mention a bath in cool weather. However, that means I have to keep him clean longer, since the best thing is to bathe the afternoon before the event. It will be a battle, because one of Peg's favorite things to do is to see how soon he can reapply his war paint.

The River Road Roundup

Well, the bread turned out perfectly. Between the two of us, Momma and I have almost demolished an entire loaf. Yum! I put thyme, rosemary, and sage in it this time, and that made it taste extra good. I wonder how long those five loaves will last...

The River Road Roundup is going to be held in spite of the wet. I can't wait to go. This will be the first time that Annie and I have done any kind of competition with our own horses. The Roundup will be at Farr Park. It is going to feel strange being at Farr Park again, since we have not been to that facility in several years. Annie and I were thoroughly familiar with the place, so I know we'll be right at home there. We won't need to ask where anything is. I am quite excited! I sure hope Peg behaves himself.

Our family is making up a schedule to live by. It is going to be a big help with balancing school and all the other things we do. So far, it is working well, although I'm behind schedule right now.

Baking Bread

I am going to bake bread today, and I hope that it behaves itself this time! Working with freshly ground wheat flour can be a tricky task. Sometimes the yeast decides to be quite happy and rise too fast and too far. Other times it sulks and won't rise nearly far enough. About half the time it behaves beautifully, and I get pretty bread. It doesn't really matter one way or another, because I am the only one who eats the bread anyway. I don't care what it looks like or how heavy it is. All fresh bread tastes good and smells lovely. Besides, in case of a total flop, I can always feed it to the dog. She has never failed to give bread a rave review.

Today's verses are a continuation of the ones we had yesterday.
Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 1 Corinthians 13:6-7

Horsey Business

I am exceedingly thankful. Peg, who has been lame since Wednesday, is almost entirely sound again. I've been worried about him, because I could not find anything wrong. He's a bit reckless with his feet, though, so I think he must have gotten a stone bruise on his hoof.
Annie and I are hoping to go to our first trail horse competition on Saturday with Buddy and Peg. However, it might be canceled due to rain and wet ground. The competition is called the River Road Roundup, and it is an obstacle course to be negotiated on horseback. Some obstacles might include: water crossings, small jumps, poles to back through, gates to open, logs to drag, and Buddy's nemesis, the "cowboy curtain." It should be really fun but challenging as well. I hope the rain stops so we can go.
The garden is still mostly mud. The peas, onions, and carrots haven't come up yet, but everything else is doing pretty well. I believe the weeds are going to be a bumper crop this year. Too bad we can't eat them.

Here is today's memory verse:
Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 1 Corinthians 13:4-5 KJV

The Finished Product

If you recall, I mentioned a while back that Daddy was building a butcher block for our kitchen. It is now finished. The butcher block looks really nice to us. I can't wait to begin using it. The maple top turned out prettily. We've been looking forward to having the extra chopping space, because we tend to eat a lot of dishes with chopped vegetables. Daddy designed the drawer for our knives, and he is thinking about putting a lazy susan in the cabinet. He's going to hang a towel bar on the side of the butcher block for our kitchen towels. God has really blessed our Daddy with talent for designing and building furniture. We are so thankful for him for many reasons.

Running out of time!

Well, time is running out for Bunny the pit bull. We are about out of people to ask if they want her, and no one has answered the signs we put up. We don't know what to do with her. She is such a great dog. Bunny has continued to behave herself, but last night she put those huge jaws to work. Annie had left the tackroom door open, and there was a jar of molasses syrup (we mix it with Rusty's joint supplement so he'll eat it all) on the floor. Bunny chewed a hole in the metal lid and ate almost all the syrup. I guess she likes molasses. Bunny thinks she's a lap dog; she makes a pitiful watchdog since she is happy to see everybody who shows up at our house. Abby walks around people's cars and barks until we say it is okay, but Bunny just wags her little tail as hard as it will wag. She doesn't even bark! If you want a sweet, sweet, friendly pit bull, let us know. Bunny would love to find her forever home!

I took some more pictures of Peg and Jack the other day. It is fun to take their pictures, because they both seem to act up for the camera. They do like the spotlight, and I'm afraid Peg is quite vain. He knows he's unique, with his blue eyes and fancy color. Poco, on the other hand, is difficult to photograph because she has a dislike for the camera. She'll run from it and make ugly faces at it.

October showers bring...mud!

It has rained almost every day since I put in the garden. The seeds and transplants love it, but unfortunately so do the weeds. They are popping up everywhere in an effort to thwart my veggie-growing. Therefore it is crucial that I go out every day and pull weeds. Sounds easy, right? When newly tilled and rowed ground gets saturated with water, the mud that results is an aggressive, shoe-eating beast! It has sucked off my shoes several times, which, as they are old and probably belong in the trash (to put it mildly), is not terribly hard to do. Then, to avoid falling into said mud, I have to catch hold of the fence. Thankfully, today Momma and Annie were able to help with the weeding. When engaged in the weed war I am watched with obvious interest by Poco, Rusty, Abby, and Spunkabitty. My most dedicated garden companion is Bitty. He chases the weeds as I throw them out of the garden, and sometimes he lands in a mud puddle himself. Then he wants to come inside and sleep on the furniture, but we don't allow that until he cleans up. Bunny amuses herself by walking along the garden rows and sitting on the transplants. We trained Abby to stay out of the garden, because she likes to help herself to the produce.

I haven't posted memory verses because we've been memorising the books of the Bible. However, we're through with that now, so here is today's Scripture.

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Psalm 23 KJV

Spunkabitty

It is time to introduce you to another one of our critters. His name is Spunkabitty, and he's the handsome, sweet-looking kitty cat in the picture. ;) Watch out, he's dangerous. Spunkabitty, or Bitty for short, is certainly no longer bitty,but that is what a certain member of our family decided to call him when he showed up at our house at about 6 weeks of age. Bitty has a deformed lower lip which the vet said is probably due to his being hit by a car at around 3 weeks old. In the four years we've had Bitty, he has been bitten by poisonous snakes at least twice and by a black widow spider at least once. He has had tangles with wild animals and stray cats. Spunkabitty is tough, and he doesn't back down to anybody. He likes to lie in wait for the dogs and jump on them as they go by. He has even been known to stand his ground before a horse and swat it on the nose!

Daddy says Bitty is the only really useful animal on the property. That cat is truly a hunting machine. He scarcely eats at home, but he catches plenty of meals outside. No animal is safe from Bitty.

We bring the cats inside for the night because we lost a cat one night to the pack of coyotes that live on our road. Spunkabitty is difficult to catch, and he rarely comes when called. It is maddening to walk around calling him in the evening, knowing that he is sitting under a bush somewhere, watching you. (He wants to stay out. He'd like to taste coyote.) When you finally get him in, Bitty likes to sharpen his little claws on the couch, beat up the other cats, and then go to sleep on somebody's bed. In the middle of the night he climbs up on the grand piano, which he is forbidden to do. The other night he gave himself away, because Annie forgot to close it. Da-da! Spunkabitty is not a talented piano player.

You are probaby wondering why we keep such a terror at our house. Well, he is cute, in an odd sort of way, and he can be really sweet when he wants to be. Spunkabitty is a constant source of amusement for our family.

Bunny and the Snapper

The other day a large snapping turtle marched onto our property. The dogs took note. Abby, veteran of several encounters with snappers, knew exactly what to do. She left it severely alone. Bunny, the cheerful, inquisitive, rather dull pit bull, was enthusiastic about this new creature. She sniffed and sniffed. In spite of several warnings from us, she continued to explore. The snapper was in a bad mood. It hissed, threatened and opened its jaws. Bunny, oblivious to the meaning of all this, pressed her nose in closer. SNAP! YIP! The snapping turtle had won the day. Bunny retired vanquished from the field of battle with a bleeding nose (although she never knew she was bothering anyone). You could practically hear Abby smugly say," I told you not to do that."

On Saturday, Annie and I went down the street and brought home a mare and foal. We have permission to work with these horses whenever we want. The mare is called Sadie, and the foal, who is now about 8 months old, is named Jasmine. Jasmine is special to us, because Momma and Annie were there when Jasmine was born. We also kept Jasmine at our house for a month while she was being weaned. Annie and I spent a lot of time working with her while she was here. It was a fun experience.

Usually we concentrate on Jasmine, but on Saturday we put her in the pasture to play with Poco and Rusty while we worked on Sadie. Sadie is an older mare of quarter horse type. She doesn't get handled much, so she's a bit rusty on her manners. However, we got to ride her in the round pen. Sadie is really a great horse. She just needs some time. These are some pictures of Sadie and Jasmine. Jasmine is changing color, because although she was born black, she'll be grey like her mother when she grows up.

From top to bottom: Sadie in a pen at our house, Jasmine and Sadie a few days after Jasmine's birth, Jasmine at our house, 4 months old, Jasmine in our pasture at 6 months.

The Fall Garden

I got most of the garden put in yesterday afternoon. It went well, and I had a pleasant time digging, planting, and watering. It rained last night, so my seeds should be well watered in now. I am growing broccoli, cauliflower, collards, kale, rutabagas, turnips, radishes, carrots, cilantro, parsley, celery, beets, swiss chard, four lettuces, sugar snap peas, brussels sprouts, onions, cabbage, tomatoes, and strawberries. I still have to plant the peas, carrots, radishes, and carrots. The strawberries won't arrive until later this month, and we haven't yet purchased the onions or brussels sprouts. I can't wait to see how the garden turns out. Hopefully, we'll be producing an abundance of good, healthy veggies this winter. Daddy says the rabbits are going to be very happy with me. Those rabbits had better stay out of my garden!

Daddy is building a butcherblock for our kitchen. He's using some beautiful old lumber that we salvaged out of an old barn we tore down a while ago. We think it is oak or pecan. The top is going to be maple. I'll post pictures of it when it is finished. It sure is a blessing to have a Daddy who can build things.

Here is today's memory verse.
Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. Revelation 3:20 KJV

The Dogs

These are our dogs, Abby and Maggie. Abby is a 10-year-old Golden Retriever, and Maggie was a Border Collie. Maggie died this summer. We do miss Maggie.

Abby is a sweet dog. She loves to play fetch and a game we call "find it!" She loves children, and she'll let them do anything with her. Actually, Abby loves everyone that will pet her. She doesn't get as much petting as she would like, because she likes to roll in smelly stuff. We bathe her often! Abby got run over by a car in our driveway last summer, but she's a tough old dog. She is doing well now. We're thankful for Abby (smells and all).

Maggie was the smartest dog I've ever met. She herded our horses with out being taught, and she picked up on words so fast! This does not mean that she was an obedient dog, though. Maggie knew that we couldn't make her obey, so a lot of the time she did the opposite of what we asked. Maggie liked to hike and camp with us, and she was an athletic dog. She could keep up with the horses at a gallop for a long run. Maggie liked to swim, hunt for bugs, and sleep under our beds when it rained. She would open the front door, sneak inside, and tiptoe up the stairs to the room Annie and I share. Annie had to go up after her and drag the wet, muddy dog back outside. We have many funny memories of Maggie.

Tonight we are going to do our shopping at Whole Foods. We like to do our shopping as a family, because it is more fun that way. We'll also stop by the plant nursery to get the seedlings I need for our fall garden. Daddy is preparing the soil for the garden today. I'm excited about getting started on that! I planned my garden on http://www.growveg.com/. It was much easier than drawing it out on paper.

Here is today's memory verse:

Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Proverbs 30:5