A few random thoughts on this very hot July day.

My husband celebrated a birthday yesterday.  We did something fun......we went to  Amy's Bookcase, the independent used bookstore that has been in Farmington for about 30 years, and we've been going there almost that long!  Doyle picked out some books and then we went to Goodwill, where I found two books.  We went to Hastings where we used two gift cards we've had for probably almost two years and then we went to Outback and had a lovely dinner.  To top it all off we went to the Vanilla Moose and  had an ice cream cone.  But the icing on the cake were phone calls from his three "kids".  It made him very happy!  We  have such a wonderful family!

At Hastings bookstore I was struck by all the books (novels) about the Amish or Plain people.  I've noticed this phenomenon in the last ten years or so.  I myself have read a lot of them, as I've always been very interested in their lifestyle.  However it seems that there are way more books about them then ever before.  I've decided it's because most of our lives are so crazy busy that we are looking for an escape from the hectic lifestyle that most of us have.  We think the Amish or Mennonite way of life is quieter and simpler.  It beckons us because we are looking for quiet and simple.  But I find it interesting that in a non-Christian bookstore, on prominent display are lots of books sporting people  in plain clothes.  Maybe we need to think about why we are so enamored with this group of people...., maybe we need to slow down and live simpler lives.  We can do it,  I know we can, but it would take a huge shift in how we think and how we live.

Along with that thought on the way home from grocery shopping today I was stuck behind a pickup that had been "upgraded" (I'm sure they thought so anyway), "tricked out" or whatever they call it.  It was a normal pickup, but the tires belonged on a semi-truck (I'm sure, they were so tall that they towered over a normal car next to it).  I'm sure you would have needed a ladder to climb into the cab.  It was absolutely "over the top".  I hope it wasn't just for effect, surely it was for necessity of some sort.  Surely!!

Changing the subject totally.....Doyle and I worked like "dogs" literally last week, 8-10 hour days on our rental.  We took a week to fix it up when our ex-renters moved out.  The trailer had been pretty well beat up.  Doyle spent days repairing and painting things, I spent days painting and cleaning it.  We hung mini-blinds and I went to thrift stores and bought curtains, it looked cute as a button when we were done with it, we rented it to the first people that looked at it.  They fell in love with it.  But sad to say, two days after they moved in, we were informed of a policy (not new but finally being enforced) of every resident over 18 moving in the trailer park having a background check done on them.  Our tenants failed the background check and so two days after moving in, they now have to move out all because of several DWI's in their background (and possibly some other problems we aren't aware of).  We think it is a good policy to have in effect there, but feel very sad for our tenants.  The wife was in tears when Doyle had to tell her they would have to move and I kept thinking....if only people really understood that their choices have far-reaching consequences in their lives.  Maybe people would think before drinking and driving, maybe people would take their actions more seriously.  Where will they go?  I don't know...but now our place is up for rent again. We hope and pray that someone moves in soon and will love our place.

And in other news.  It is HOT here, really hot!  And we need rain!  Our corn loves this heat, but our tomatoes do not!

In the midst of beauty  I am struck by the tragedy that people we know are experiencing.  Over and over in my mind I keep thinking, how can this be?  How can good people suffer so much?  Why do bad things happen to good Christian people, when all they wanted to do was bring love to a lonely, forgotten child, how can this end so badly?  I was talking to my daughter-in-law, Megan today on the phone and we both said almost at the same time, how can ANY good come of this?  A young adult, murders another human being...why??  Your child murders another human being....a Christian parent's child murders another human being....my heart grieves for this family.  And knowing all the "pat" Christian answers just doesn't help make me feel any better.  I just hurt for this family, I ache for this family.  My prayer is for "peace at such a time as this" and that good will come out of this for someone....somehow.

I love June and lilacs and our pond with the picnic table and chairs all ready for guests to drop by.  The smell of the lilacs on our back deck is intoxicating, I could sit there and smell them or hours!

Today when I went to pick up our milk from Joy (three gallons now, for three families!), I heard a pitiful little meow.  I followed the noise and found a lost little kitten in the corner of Joy's garage.   She was really only a few feet away from her momma and siblings, but because the door was shut, she couldn't find her way to them.  When I left, momma kitty was trying to coral the little one and get her back where she belonged.  I hope she was successful.

Sunday night while we were eating (out by the pond!), Daniel was very excited to see our two cows.  "Sheep, sheep!" he said and grinned.  No amount of correcting would get him to remember.....they are cows, not sheep.  I guess "sheep" is easier to say then cows!  The cows stood and watched us while we ate our dinner.  For cows, they have very pretty and very sweet faces.  I wonder............will we be able to eat them????  I do believe they think they've died and gone to cow heaven...they are in pasture grass up to their tummies.

Off to Durango for the afternoon.  At least the sky is clear and it's a gorgeous day.  The smoke from the Arizona fires (third worst in Arizona history) must be blowing another way.

God has a way of blessing us when we least expect it.  Yesterday I got a call from my SIL, Kathy and she wanted to go to a movie, could I come?  I said yes, because I haven't seen her since Thanksgiving (she lives 100 miles away) and we went to the mall.  The movie she wanted to see wasn't showing, so we went to Starbucks and talked for two hours, got caught up on each others lives and our kids lives.  The funny thing is that I had just been thinking of her and wanting to see her!  I also saw a friend at "work" at the thrift store, she came in, and I told Sharon that I had just been thinking of her, and wanting to see her to.  We don't cross paths much anymore, so it was good to see her too.  I told her (after she complained WE NEVER get together anymore) that she needs to just come by the thrift store on Thursdays, she can usually see me there, and I'll stop and visit with her.

I just finished cleaning the house, I'm doing laundry and thinking how I wish I had a gardener.  There is SO much outside work to do, and by the time I finish the inside work, I don't have the energy to work outside.  I also have to go to Mary's again and take more pictures of items we are selling on Ebay.  What I'd like to do is sit by the pond and read, or sew, or bake!  There is just not enough time in life to do everything I want to do!

The picture is of Doyle sitting in a photo of a vintage pickup at the museum in Santa Fe.  Ah....isn't he cute? 

May 21, 2011 Nathan graduated with his Masters in Liberal Arts from St. John's College in Santa Fe, NM. You can check out the campus of St. John's College here.  http://www.stjohnscollege.edu/about/SF/campus.shtml  The graduation was outside and we froze!  Nathan and the other graduates were in the sun and they were plenty warm, but we were on the hillside in the shade, the temperature was 55 degrees and it was windy.....brrrrr!!!!  We kept hot coffee in our hands to help keep us warm.  Erin and I had Doyle go back twice for a warm-up!  There were 15 graduate students graduating and 88 undergrads.  After the ceremony we went downtown and had lunch.  We are very proud of Nathan as he graduated with the highest grade on his thesis of anyone in the last five years! 

We also enjoyed seeing Al and Karen again (Nathan's parents).  They came in from Bakersfield, CA for the weekend.  We hadn't seen them in a couple of years.  Now we just pray for a good job for Nathan as he hopes to join the gainfully employed.

Yesterday was a garden planting day.  We planted parsnips, carrots, beets, lettuce, spinach and onions.  We have peas and onions already coming up
but we needed to get the root crops in and the cool crops like lettuce and spinach started.  We have lots of plants started in the greenhouse too, but we won't put them out until the end of May.  We have gotten hard frosts into June before, so we don't want to rush them.  It was a perfect day for planting and although I didn't do but one-half of a row, I did make lunch for ten of us and cleaned it up.  I also kept my eye (some of the time) on Daniel who was afraid and at the same time fascinated by the rototiller.  Jonathan on the other hand wanted to do his own "rototilling" and is a perfect little farmer in training.  He likes nothing better than being outside "helping" in the garden or moving the sprinklers and watering.  Because everyone was here yesterday, no one came over today like they usually do, and Doyle and I had a quiet day at home.  It was lovely and truly (for me anyway) a real Sabbath rest and one that I desperately needed.

A Happy Mother's Day to all the moms in the world.  I always think of my mother on Mother's Day even though she's been gone many years.  When she died I was just a very young mom myself, just beginning the journey of motherhood.  A young mom trying to navigate a world I was just beginning to learn about.  I was bereft when I lost her, but I thank God for the years I did have her.  Because of her I became the mother I am.  So, on this Mother's Day weekend, I just want to thank my mother for her love and prayers for me, my children and I'm sure her grandchildren.  Thank you Mom, you really are never far from my thoughts!

Your mother is always with you...

She's the whisper of the leaves
as you walk down the street.

She's the smell of bleach in
your freshly laundered socks.

She's the cool hand on your
brow when you're not well.

Your mother lives inside
your laughter. She's crystallized
in every tear drop...

She's the place you came from,
your first home.. She's the map you
follow with every step that you take.

She's your first love and your first heart
break....and nothing on earth can separate you.

Not time, Not space...
Not even death....
will ever separate you
from your mother....

You carry her inside of you....

-Anonymous-

These two beauties were right outside our door this week.  We walked up close to them before they started getting nervous and started their honking noise.  We have spent the week in Pagosa Springs, Colorado  for a much needed get-away.   There are times in our lives when it's good to go somewhere different.  It helps to get refreshed, relax and just get a different perspective on things.  We love coming up here especially at the resort's "quiet time".  It is so early in the season that there aren't even many ducks or geese on the lake.  My guess is that these swans were just on their way through, because we only saw them one day.  The weather has been rather chilly, the trees are still bare and the grass is just  beginning to green up.  The mountain peaks are still covered in snow, the air is crisp and clear and it is very quiet. 

We haven't done much of anything (isn't that the purpose of relaxing?).  Once we get back home we will be back in the middle of getting our garden ready for spring planting, going to Nathan's graduation (on May 21), and taking care of business as usual. 

  Today was a happy day.  We had Candace and her fiance, Matt  over for lunch and they shared their good news of "viable" employment for Candace.  She graduates on April 30 as a Physician's Assistant and has joined the practice of San Juan Surgical, LLC with Dr. Robison.  When Candace lived with us in January and February for six weeks we grew to really love her and told her we would "adopt" her if she wanted.  Well, this is as good as it gets, since she will be living in the area.  Jonathan and Daniel love Candace already, and so does everyone in our family who has met her.  I don't believe we meet anyone by "accident" and when she lived here I told her God brought her to us.  Please pray with us that they will come to know the God who cares about everything in our lives.  We would love to introduce them to Him.  Now, all they need is for Matt to get a job.  His degree is in Parks and Rec. so we gave him some leads.  He enjoyed the time fishing up at Navajo Lake while Candace was working with Dr. Robison on Monday.  We figured Candace had the job when they came over on Sunday to tell us they were in town and that there were flowers in her room and they were being taken out to dinner and lunch, etc.  Hopefully she will be moved by May 30.  They are excited to live here because they both love mountains and outdoor activities.  We told them this is a great place for that.  We know today is just the beginning of many happy times with them.  Yay...for all the hard work Candace has done these last few years.....it has finally paid off!

The blue pokes through the dry weeds and grass.  The smell is intoxicating, fresh and sweet.  There is nothing quite like the smell of new Hyacinths in the springtime.  The spring flowers, the birds and the new baby goats in our pasture all are reminders of God's gift to us each spring.  If God cares so much about these "so-called little things" I remind myself that He cares for me so much more.  Little touches of beauty remind me of God's grace to me in my every day life.  When life closes in and I want to run and hide from it all.....it's so good to know that my God who made all things beautiful cares so much for me.  He knows, He cares and I can trust Him  in all my struggles.