UPDATE FROM THE COUNTRY!

Greetings and blessings in the name of the Lord. Today is a day for updates.

Let me begin by saying winter is over here in the valley level of the Pacific Northwest. We had some lovely snow a day here and a day there; unlike our fellow citizens in the mid-west and east coast. We also had a bit of ice, but it wasn't horrible. 

I did go walk in the snow and enjoy the beauty of it on our property. While I was walking I did look for deer tracks. Not that I was going to shoot anything, I just wanted to see if the deer were enjoying the snow as well. 

The chickens have survived the winter as well. A couple did become dinner. But we decided to keep the rest as layers. They're pretty tough birds. We are going to get a some chicks to raise just for eating. They won't be allowed to get as old as my layers are. We'll be getting some pheasant chicks as well. I want some real pretty ones, for the feathers.

I have some WiP's going. That's Work in Progress. Since today is a day off, I'm hoping to get a couple of chapters done on the book and finally finish an article I've been working on. 

Oh, did I tell you I was writing a book? Well, I am. It's going to be a humorous book about real stories. I can't say much more than that. Other than it's really funny. I hope it'll sell well. 

I've been busy crocheting a baby blanket for my new granddaughter, Abigail. Our daughter Jen had a baby a few weeks ago. I've been busy what with work and all and with the carpel tunnel I'm not able to crochet like I use to. After a few hours I am in a lot of pain. I hope to get it finished this week. 

Our daughter in Arizona is going to have a baby, in August. So We'll be going down there to see her and help with her two girls. I hope to get to see every one down there, as well. Especially my best and dearest friends, Carole Ann and Maggie. As well as my dad and Judith, of course!

I've have been getting a lot of requests for reviewing books. And that's good. I like to do that. But, some of the books I have to turn away due to subject matter. Since I review Christian genre books many people think I will review books that deal with new age or some other religion or mix of Christianity and something else. I only review Christian genre books and even then I am selective. 

Mixing of religions.... that is definitely a problem and one that I am preparing to write about. So keep your eyes open. There will be a couple of new articles coming out, soon. 

It's that time for me to go. I have work calling me, here at home today. I have to finish one of the articles I'm working on, finish reading a couple of books for review and write at least a couple of chapters on my book. Oh yeah, gather eggs, go grocery shopping, cook dinner.... there just isn't enough hours in a day! Or I just am doing too much! Oh well, nothing like keeping busy!

I do pray that each and every one of you have a blessed week. I pray your walk with the Lord is strengthened and your light shines for all those who are in the darkness. 


This is a wonderful song by a very talented young woman. I pray it blesses you. I tried to post the video here, but it didn't work. So here is the link. Enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OX2uM0L3Y1A#

UPDATE FROM THE COUNTRY!

Greetings and salutations to all of my friends and family! My prayer is that our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, has blessed everyone and kept all safe in His arms.

I couldn't believe it has been so long since I last wrote, but, it does seem right. We, my beloved and I, seem to have fixed the computer; so I should be able to get back to writing on a more reasonable schedule. It had gotten so bad that I couldn't even open my writing program or get on the internet. Let me tell you, we were not happy people. I never realized how much time I actually spend on the computer until it wasn't working! I did get my  ancient laptop running. But it takes forever for it to do something. And since it is so old, it runs out of virtual memory and has to adjust which makes everything run even slower. Needless to say, I didn't do much on that one. Checking email was about all I could do. Anything else would have caused it to overload and explode! I have been informed by my dear husband, that if I am a good girl this year, Santa may bring me a new laptop. I told my sweetheart I am always good, bring on the laptop! So there should be a new addition to the family and I won't have to tie up my husband's computer with my writing and blogging and book reviewing and whatever else I want to do. I am blessed being married to such a wonderful man. 

Okay, enough of the computer saga.... on to better things!

I love the Fall. I love how the trees have changed colors and I love the smell of the air. I think foggy mornings are beautiful and something about seeing clouds nestled between the hills tugs at my heart. Two of my favorite spots on my way to work are probably overlooked by everyone else, but to me I think they are beautiful. One is on Carpenter Creek just before I get to my road. There is a field to the left and behind the field is a row of oak, alder and maple. The colorful leaves of the trees and the honey color of the field is very pretty. The second place is on Stringtown Road. The place is called Westwind Gardens and lining the road is Redleaf Maple, fir, another type of maple and more fir.... It is so pretty seeing the dark green of the fir between the wines and golds of the maples. Now that I think about it.... it's almost a Christmas type of colors...... I know my eyes enjoy looking at them as long as the leaves last.

I did gather some leaves to place in a bowl. Just a little fall to enjoy in the house. Here is a couple of pictures.....

They are pretty, aren't they. Fall is my most favorite time of year. 

What next..... Oh yeah.... The chickens.... 

I still have all of my chickens. However, I believe there are really 15 hens and one rooster. We finally got nesting boxes built and on a good day, I am getting 15 eggs. One of the black chickens actually acts like a rooster. He doesn't cock-a-doodle-do but he does let you know he is the king of the hen house. I also have a broody hen and my husband tells me they do that if there's a rooster.... so I may have some baby chickens... if I leave her eggs alone. One of the leghorns is laying double yolkers, HUGE double yolkers. She is quite noisy when she lays them, which is about 3 to 4 times a week. 

We finally got some chicken wire, so now we can fix the outside for them and keep them safe from other critters who happen to like chickens as well. The coyotes are hanging around liking the smell of my chickens so I haven't been able to let them go outside. When my dear heart has an extra minute, he's going to fix things for the chickens. 

We still have the pheasants. But they shall soon be pheasants under glass. Not this coming week-end but perhaps the next one, they will be in my freezer. This week-end, my sweetheart is going deer hunting with his friend and will hopefully bring home a nice big deer. The deer will become ground meat and the hide will get tanned. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it, I might just put it on our bed. We'll see after it gets back from the tanners.

Because of all of the rain, the garden didn't do as well as I had hoped. No one's vine vegetables did well. I think I am going to do it a little differently next season. I still have carrots to pull and I need to get the last of the apples in for applesauce. Mmmmmm.... yummy... I love applesauce!

My dear husband and I did manage to take a honeymoon of sorts, finally. We did a three day tour of lighthouses. We have lots of pictures so I am going to put them in a slide format and then post it with the story. Hopefully I will be able to do that this week. I'm back to working six days a week but I have been told that we are getting a couple of new people so my hours will start going down a bit. I am looking forward to that happening since I have a lot to do to get ready for Christmas. I am making gifts for the family and I need time to do that..... it's rather difficult when I'm working 40 plus hours 6 days a week.

Hmmmm..... remember when I told ya'll that I drove our dump truck? Here's a picture of it....

You can't see it, but it says in gold paint "Kintz" above "Excavating". That is just one of the many loads of dirt we moved from one end of our neighbor's property to another.

The sawmill got put on hold until Spring, but my husband put a log on what has been done, just to give himself some encouragement and to show me what it will look like.... check it out.....

Pretty cool, huh?! It will be awesome when it's operating.... just needs a few more things done and we'll be sawing some lumber!

Now, when you only have a wood-stove for heating, you need to have some wood to burn. If you don't have any wood to burn you have to go find logs to cut. That means there has to be downed logs that have been seasoned because green wood doesn't burn, it smokes. The week-end before my husband  and I took our trip, we went and cut up some very large logs into rounds. Those got loaded into the bed of the pickup by me, Cal and our neighbor/friend, Kerry. Well, I did as much as I could until my hands were completely numb up to my shoulders due to the carpel tunnel. After we got back from our trip, Calvin started splitting the rounds into burnable sizes that will fit into the wood-stove. The whole point of this is so I can tell you what a genius I am married to..... He rigged up a conveyor system that allows him to split the wood and put it on the conveyor and the conveyor dumps it into the woodshed. All I have to do is stack it! Between the wood-splitter and the conveyor... he has eliminated several back-breaking steps! I would include foot-wearing but, if I'm not fast enough the wood will fall on my poor feet reminding me to MOVE! Ahhh.... to be married to such a genius..... He really is the best!

Well my dear friends and family I'm afraid it's that time. I must bid you adieu until next time... which will hopefully be later this week or next week and not next month. Watch for our story of our lighthouse trip. I will be posting that soon.

Until we meet again..... I pray our Lord and God will keep you and your families safe, healthy, and blessed. Please pray for my mother-in-law (such a sweet lady, I love her so....), she is undergoing tests. The doctors are looking at her pancreas. Please pray for her, her husband (who has Parkinson's), her children, the doctors, we all need strength, hope, peace, healing, and Jesus to lift us up. I am praying that there is nothing there and she is going to be fine. Her name is Grace. Please remember her as you pray.

May the Lord bless you and keep your families safe and well.......

"Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name!

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits:

Who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases,

Who redeems your life from destruction, who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies'

Who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's."    Psalm 103:1-5 (NKJV)

Update From the Country!

Greetings and blessings to everyone! I pray you had a safe and blessed week-end. 


I cannot believe where the time has gone! I have been working forty-hour weeks and then trying to get fruits and vegetables canned when I can. I haven't had a moment to sit down and write much less breath, until today. I have started this blog several times... I hope to finish it today. 


I have been getting some reading done, on my lunch hour, so I have been trying to get the reviews posted. Be sure to go to www.latawniakreviews.blogspot.com and see what I have been reading. May be you will get a couple of ideas for the book worm in your family!


Well, let me get you updated on what's been going on here in the country....


The chickens are doing well, and laying lots of eggs. I am gathering at least 10-14 eggs a day. Since they still don't have nesting boxes and they like to hide them, my count isn't the same every day. My hard-working husband said he will try to build the boxes this week. 

There is one hen who always follows me around when I gather the eggs. She is one of the black sex-links. She talks to me and allows me to pick her up and pet her. Sometimes she will hop on my back when I am bent down gathering the eggs! She's really quite sweet, for a chicken. Then one of the leghorns likes to try and take the eggs out of the bowl. She wants to keep them. I think she's the one who likes to bury them so I can't find them.


I have been trying to think of different ways to cook eggs.... I have also been giving them to family members and I have started to sell them. I have eggs everywhere! What do you do with a dozen of eggs a day? I think I am going to see if there is a community food box place in town where I can donate some of them. 

I have also been canning. (The above picture isn't of my work.... it just a picture I found. I haven't had time to take pictures of my work!) I have canned several pints of beets pickled, carrots pickled, and plain carrots. I have also frozen many quart bags of rutabagas and beets. I am getting ready to freeze corn next. I cut my fingernails down because they were turning various shades of brown and purple! Oh, don't let me forget... I also put up 5 quarts of applesauce. I still have lots of apples, so I still have lots of applesauce to make. I am also going to try and make apple butter. A good friend of mine gave me a website where I can find a recipe for apple butter in a crockpot. I can't wait to try that!


Well, the computer has decided to not work right again.... Lord, I need a new computer! 


I was trying to find a picture of a tractor like the one we have so I could post it but the computer went stupid, so no picture.


The reason for the picture was because I wanted you to see what I was driving this week-end when I got sunburned! I was helping my husband working down on the neighbor's property. This neighbor hires my husband to dig ditches, move dirt piles, clear brush and other things. This past week-end we were filling in a ditch with dirt we had moved from another ditch that was dug a month ago. (I got to drive the dump-truck when we did that job.) 


I was down there riding on the excavator with Calvin when he decided he needed help moving the dirt. He went and got the tractor and I drove it for five hours, moving dirt down to the other end of the ditch we were filling in. Oh, silly me didn't were a hat or put on sunscreen. So I got nice and burnt. It was such a beautiful day that I didn't even think about getting sunburned. I was just enjoying the day, driving the tractor and happy that I could do something to help my sweetheart with this job. 


When I got home and looked in the mirror I realized how burnt I was. Let me tell you, next time I will wear a hat and long sleeves!! No wearing just a tee-shirt for me! 


Well, my dear friends and family, it's that time for me to go. I hate to cut this short... but I have to get ready to go to work. Until we meet again, I pray that Jesus, our Lord and Savior, will bless you this week with His sweet presence and He will strengthen you when you need strength, give you the words you need to speak of His grace and mercy and supply all your need.


God bless all of you!


"How sweet are Thy words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth!" Psalm 119:103 (NASB)

Update From the Country!

Greetings ya'll! I pray everyone has been well and blessed. It's been a couple of weeks since I last wrote, so I have a few things to get you caught up on!

Things are still hectic at work, which means I am still working lots of hours. I got one day off last week. So I haven't had time to do much, except work, eat and sleep and see my husband for an hour here and there.

The birthday party was great. Everyone showed up and we had a good time barbequeing and eating and just being a family. Calvin got a RC car/truck. It's one that he wanted, so Nathan and I got it for him. He's been having some fun with that! I was also able to find him all four of the Fast and Furious movies. That was a great find because my dear heart is such a stinker and can usually figure out what he is getting and he had no clue about those!

Our oldest son got married on the 27th of this month. It was a nice wedding. I have to say though, weddings in this family are a bit different, at least for my husband's children. This was the second wedding I attended and the girls wore flip-flops with semi and formal dresses. Hmmm.... can we say just a little red-necked here? Oh well, you gotta love them!

The weather here today is a bit damp. I have a feeling our summer, short as it was, is just about over. The weather forecasters say we are suppose to get a few more days of sun.... but... we'll see. Not that we don't need the rain, it will help with the fires.... but a little more sun would have been nice. (Maybe having spent the last 13 years in Arizona has something to do with wanting to see a bit more sun....)

Today is the last day to enter the book giveaway I am having on my book review site. So be sure to enter! There are two great books being offered.

This weekend I found several eggs in the hen house! How exciting was that! I had went in there to feed the chickens and roosters and saw eggs... we haven't had a chance to build them nesting boxes yet, so they were burying them in the dirt! Crazy birds! I have to go back in there today to look for more. They should be laying eggs every day.... Looks like I'll be taking eggs to family and co-workers!

My beloved picked the first ears of corn from our garden last night and we had barbequed corn with pork steaks. The corn is still a bit immature, but tasty! I've been picking green beans and beets and rutabagas for a while now. The potatoes and tomatoes are doing good... can't wait to pick those either. It's almost apple sauce time as well.... those apples are just about ready!

I did have this past Sunday off, so my darling and I and our son Nathan went to the Oregon State fair in Salem. That was a lot of fun! There was so much to see! We looked at farm equipment... dreaming about a new cat.... enjoyed the food there... looked at chickens (of course.) We also looked at some pigs.... I think we are going to buy one in a month or two. We rode the Fairlift from one end of the fair to the other. That was a good way to see what attractions we missed. Friends of our had their monster truck down there and were giving rides. That was neat! And we watched the dwarf cars race. Those things can go pretty fast. (For those who don't know, dwarf cars are big go-cart with bigger engines.... I didn't know either) All in all it was a good, relaxing time.

My sweetheart and son also indulged me by going through the art exhibits without too much complaining (hehehe)... actually we all did enjoy the paintings. There was one there that we agreed on was the best. It didn't even look like a painting, it looked like a photograph it was so good. Of course it was only $2000.00 if you wanted to buy it.... actually that would be a good investment. That artist is very talented. Not that we bought it. But I am sure someone did or will. I really had a great time with my husband and son.

Well, I think that's about it for now. The sawmill is still being put together. We had to wait for some parts to be made... we finally got those yesterday. We still have to get a motor for the lathe so Calvin can modify the flywheel for the engine that will run the sawmill. He's been doing some side work to earn a little extra money so we can afford these parts. Let me tell you what, that is one hard-working man. He isn't afraid of hard work or working long hours. Do pray for him though, strength for his body, health and good sleep. Working like he has and trying to stay awake for me (I'm still working the late shifts) is taking a toll. We got to see each other for about 45 minutes last night. He just couldn't stay awake, my dear husband.

Well my friends and family, I must go now.... it's time to get ready for work. I pray all of you will be blessed this week. I pray for safety, peace and joy for you as well. Keep me in your prayers as I keep you in mine. May the blessing of our Lord and Savior rain down on you today.

Until we meet again.....



"I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust." Psalm 91:2 (NKJV)

Update From the Country!

"Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!" Eph 1:2 

I don't know about anyone else, but today I need that grace and peace! Things have been a bit topsey-turvey around here. Well, more so at work than anywhere else. But because things are so crazy at work, it has made things at home that way, as well.

I have been working 36 plus hours, all of them the closing shift, for the past 3 or more weeks. Needless to say, that doesn't leave me much time to spend with my husband, clean house, care for the garden or write.

I am having a birthday party here at the house Saturday and the place is a wreck! The party is just going to be family and friends, but still, a clean toilet would be nice!

My dear husband has been doing his best to stay up with me when I get home, but the poor man is ready to drop in his tracks! He just isn't getting enough sleep. It doesn't help if I watch tv or read in the bed, either. But he doesn't like going to sleep without me by his side. (He is such a sweetheart.)

Well, I can't remember if I told you all... but we have discovered we have not one, not two, nor three but four roosters in the hen house! Four of those leghorns are roosters! They are finally old enough to determine sex... maybe the giveaway was the fact they have large combs and wattles! Not to mention attitude! So.... three of those roosters are going to be dinner and we'll keep the one... until he gets mean. Then he becomes stew. Who knew those hens were hes!

Reminders....

There is a drawing for two books on my book review site. Just click on the link to LaTawnia Kintz Reviews and sign up for it. The drawing ends August 31st.

You can also sign up for email subscription of this blog or my other one. Just fill out the box to the side where it says, "Subscribe via email."

Hmmmm.... I know there was another one.... but I can't remember now.

Oh well..... It's time for me to go.... So many blessings to you and yours. Praying the Lord keep you safe. Until next time....

"Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen." Eph 6:24

Update From the Country!

Greetings to all of my family and friends!

I cannot believe it has been two weeks since I last wrote! Where has the time gone? In fact, I'm having a hard time believing it's August, already! 

Happy Birthday to Maggie! And Happy Anniversary to Maggie and her husband, Mark! I will try to send you a personal email today or tomorrow. 

Saturday, our neighbors had a combined birthday party for friends and family members whose birthdays were/are the last week of July/first week of August. Our son, Nathan, is having a birthday August 4th. So Calvin and I went birthday present shopping. It's difficult to buy a present for a 25 year old young man. But after some investigative snooping we determined he would like a RC car. WOW! Who knew those things were so expensive! And that was a base model! We finally found one we thought he would like and it didn't quite break the bank. We gave it to him that night. (Neither one of us could wait to give it to him!) He has been enjoying it ever since!

Critter updates:

The chickens are doing good. No eggs yet, but I am still hoping. The pheasants are doing well, also. All of them are growing nicely. Soon it will be time to begin cooking!

We found a home for the two female kitties. Now if we could only find a home for the two boy kitties. Momma cat decided she liked motherhood so much she got pregnant again! So we will have another batch of kittens to get rid of. I'm thinking these will go to a shelter, or somewhere like that. And before she can get pregnant again, Momma cat is getting fixed. 

Garden update:

The garden is doing well. I picked a good bunch of bush beans last night, along with a few beets and rutabagas. The corn is getting tall and they are getting tassels! The carrots are still small, but doing well. And I finally found the parsnips! They don't seem to be doing as well as I would like. But, my husband says they usually don't. 

I have never grown brussel sprouts before, but aren't there suppose to be something like little cabbage heads? I'm not seeing anything like that. I wonder if I didn't do something I was suppose too? They are getting nice and tall but I ain't seeing any little cabbage heads! Suggestions anyone?

We do have a gopher in the garden. Possible two. So my dear husband has been setting gopher traps. There is a mound by the beets and one by the squash. I am going to get that thing yet! 

The squash is doing good. We finally have blossoms on them. And the tomatoes and potatoes are blooming and growing as well. Yummy tomatoes and potatoes! I can hardly wait. 

And the apple trees are just about ready! The apples are still growing and are just now beginning to turn color. The boysenberries and blackberries are just about ready for picking as well! Hmmmm..... yummy blackberry cobbler, blackberry jam, boysenberry jam, apple pies, apple sauce, apple crisp.... 

The dogs are doing better now that they are kenneled at night or while we are gone. They were going through a phase of making a mess on the floors. My husband was getting a bit upset. Not that I can blame him. I was getting tired of cleaning it up! So we have a kennel (one we used when we went camping last month) and they seem perfectly happy in it! Dumb dogs!

The sawmill is coming along slowly. I'll go down and take some pictures this week. Calvin is putting the track on now. That's for the carriage to roll on. He also has to put in a pulley system still. There is a bit more work to be done. But he hopes to have it finished soon. We still need to cut lumber to put a new roof on the house. That needs to be done before Fall gets here. 

It's hard some days to come home from work and then go to work at home! I had half a day off this past week that I used to clean the inside of the house because it had been somewhat neglected. I usually spend that half day out in the garden weeding. My husband comes home in the late afternoon from work and he goes out to work on the sawmill or something else that needs to be done. There is a lot that has to be done to keep this place going. Some days it just seems to be too much. Thankfully Nate helps us a lot. He will clear brush or help on the sawmill or whatever else is needed to be done. He will even help me in the garden. It's not easy when I work nights, Calvin works days and Nate works graveyard. But somehow we get it done!

Yesterday I didn't get out into the garden until around 4pm. I just didn't feel like doing it. But, once I got down there and got to working, I felt better. I managed to get about 8 hours of work done in four! The poor thing needed lots of water and weeding. I even got to use my new clippers on berry vines that were invading the corn!

Well my family and friends, there isn't much more to say today. No great words of wisdom or anything like that. But I do want to tell you about a great site to get some good preaching and teaching. Go to Faith Harvest Church and be encouraged, strengthened, and blessed by sound Biblical preaching and teaching. It's where I go to hear the Word of God. I know you will be blessed.

Until we meet again, I pray the Good Lord to watch over you this week. May He keep you and your family safe and sheltered in His arms. 

And I would like to leave you with this verse.....

"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NKJV)

Update From the Country!

Greetings and blessings in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord! I pray all has been well with you and your families since we last met. 

My dear husband, Calvin, is finally much better. He was very sick for a couple of weeks. He got ahold of some type of virus and it was very difficult for him to get over it. But, praise the Lord, he is now feeling much better.

Our daughter, Jennifer, and the baby are doing well. As is our new granddaughter by our son Richard and his fiancée Crystal. Our youngest son, Nathan, is such a help around the property. He is truly a blessing to us. He works hard at his job and here at home.

I haven't hear from my daughter Minyon. I do ask that you continue to pray for her and her daughters, Lily-Ann and Haley J'lynn. They are still in Arizona. I ask that you pray for protection, peace and restoration. 

Lily-Ann just had her seventh birthday and Haley is going to have her fourth birthday in August. Minyon's birthday is the same date as my husband's so it's not difficult to remember either one! Both of them will celebrate in August as well.

(Just came back from giving water to the chickens and food to the pheasants. The chickens have figured out if they make enough of a ruckus when their water runs out, I will go see what's going on and give them water. Maybe they aren't so dumb after all!)

My beloved had a dream since he was a child, to own and operate his own sawmill. Several years ago he was able to purchase one. He and Nathan went to Idaho to get it. Since then it sat down from the house on the property, in pieces. Due to the discouragement from those who should have supported him, it never got built. The sawmill isn't just to satisfy a dream, but it is also another source of income, it's beneficial to the buildings and home (yeah! a new roof without the bats!)

The slideshow you are seeing here is a day's work on the sawmill. Nathan (in the red shirt) and Calvin, our neighbor's son Brodie and I all helped Calvin get the frame work together. Calvin is a welder by trade so he was able to do all of the welding of the frame. I wish you could see his welds... they are a work of art.

It may not look like much to you... but to those who have seen sawmills on private property know this is going to be a great sawmill. This is a Foley Bellsaw sawmill. If you want to see one in action, YouTube has several on there you can watch. 

I will be taking pictures as we progress, so you can see how it looks. Soon, it will be operational and I hope to have a video camera by then so I can video it! 

THE KINTZ'S SAWMILL - THE FRAMEWORK

Calvin and crew started working on the sawmill early Sunday morning and we were finally at a stopping place by 6:30pm. (Brodie and I went to town and got some KFC.... we were too tired to cook even for barbeque!)

More updates.... 

"Mary, Mary quite contrary how does your garden grow?" I don't know about Mary's garden, but mine is crazy! I get half of the garden weeded and the other half explodes into weeds! No, I'm not using any kind of chemicals to control them, just my little hands. I'm not using any chemicals of any type at all on this garden. (Does that make it organic?) 

Other than the weeds though, the garden is doing well. The corn is getting tall, and everything else is growing wonderfully. I thank the Lord for that. I am believing He will give us a bountiful harvest so I can bless others with food. The potatoes are doing great. The bush beans are flourishing. The carrots are growing. 

I was talking with a dear sister in the Lord the other day. We were catching up as we had lost touch with each other. (May the Lord bless her dearly.) I was telling her how with my work schedule and all that has to be done here at home, especially now at this time of year, I'm not able to attend church as I would like. So I spend a lot of time in prayer and praise while I am working in the garden. (I'm usually down there by myself. It's a good, private time.) I am also participating with an on-line bible study. (The bible study has been really good. It's on the book of Ruth.) My dear sister told me to use this time to allow the Lord to continue healing me (she knows my past and hurts) and in time the Lord will restore me. (I am a teacher of the Word.) She said that just as Ruth spent time in the fields gleaning before she was redeemed; the Lord is using this time in the garden to heal and restore me. It was confirmation to my spirit. How the Lord blessed me, through her.

I ask that you pray in agreement with me that the Lord will provide a video camera so I can video a teaching He gave me. I believe and have received confirmation that He would have me present this teaching online. I'm not sure how to get it from the video to the website I am going to set up.... but I am sure He will show me or bring into my life those who know how. I have a syllabus for those who will take the course that I want to put in PFD (?) format. That way, the students can download it and print it for free. If you have any suggestions as to how I do these things, please don't hesitate to let me know, as I am not that computer savvy. I felt pretty amazed that I was able to put together a slideshow! Of course Photobucket makes it pretty easy!

Well my family and friends, it's that time. I must go and prepare for work. I enjoy our time together and look forward to the next time. As always, I ask you keep me and mine in prayer as I pray for you and yours. If you have a specific prayer you would like me to be in agreement with, just send me an email or if you would like others to pray with you, leave a comment. 

Leave a comment that you've stopped by, please. I love to hear from you. 

May the Lord bless you and keep you safe throughout this week.

"Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 

"for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.

"For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,

"who desires all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.

"For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus,

"who gave Himself a ransom for all to be testified in due time." 

(I Timothy 2:1-6 NKJV)

Update From the Country!

Greetings in the name of the Lord to all of you!

I pray you had a wonderful week-end and as you are preparing for the upcoming week-end you will be blessed.

This has been a difficult week for me thus far, for some reason. I seem to be playing catch- up and I am not getting caught up! I am behind in my bible study, book reviewing, gardening, house cleaning, and sleep!

My dear husband had been sick with some type of virus at the beginning of this week. He is finally feeling better now. But it did make him take to the bed for a day and a half. That is so not like him. 

I am thankful for the warm weather we are having. I feel like my bones are finally thawing out. This weather is reminiscent of Arizona in the Spring with a little more humidity thrown in, of course!

The chickens and pheasants are doing well. We still have to finish the chicken house, but they are doing well. They should be laying eggs here soon. Hmmmmmm..... yummy..... fresh eggs!

We have been eating radishes from the garden for the past three weeks. They have been very tasty. I think they are done for now though. They are getting a bit woody. So I am going to pull the rest of them out and plant new seeds.

Calvin and I finally bought some tomato plants. We are going to plant them probably tonight. I do like a good tomato to just eat! 

The corn is growing well. Now that we finally got some sun, it should take off and get real tall. I can't wait to start picking it. I have four 50ft rows of sweet, candy corn. That is going to taste quite yummy on the barbecue.

I still have four more rows of vegetables to weed (out of 17 rows). The weeds just got out of hand with all of the rain we had been having. Now it's time to recover the vegetables and hope they make it! There are several insidious weeds growing in that garden that think they are going to take over. So between them and the wild blackberries I have my hands quite full.

I am finally beginning to heal from the quad accident. I am still sporting some good bruises on my left calf. It's sad that I can see the tire tread still. But I am thankful I was wearing my helmet and no bones were broken. 

I got a wonderful message on Face Book this week. It was from someone that I had helped some time ago. She is such a sweet person. I thank the Lord and give Him the glory because she and her husband are still together and serving Jesus with their whole hearts. She and her husband went through some really tough times and I am thankful that I was there to be of some support to her. But God gets all of the glory and praise, because He is the one that really brought them through it all. 

Sometimes when I look back at my past ministry, I wonder if the work I did, when it is eventually revealed by fire will end up being precious gems or if it will burned. (The biblical reference I am using here is found in I Corinthians 3:10-15.) I think that is something that anyone who has served the Lord in ministry questions. 

I am thankful though, that she felt the need to let me know she was thankful and how she and her husband were doing. The Lord has allowed me to see that what I did wasn't hay, wood or straw. He did that not so that I will be puffed up, but to encourage me in my walk with Him. I may not be "active" in a church at this time, but I still serve Him by staying in His word, praying, sharing with you, my dear family and friends, an encouraging word. I might not be traveling to other countries physically, or around this country, but I am able to "travel" through the internet and connect with you that way. Hmmm... I guess there is some good for the internet after all!

Well, now that I have babbled for a moment or two, I must close this post for the day. It's time for me to get ready for my other job. I do pray that you all will have a safe and blessed week-end. Please continue to remember me in your prayers and I will do the same for you. 

Until we meet again.....   

 "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God... For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified." I Corinthians 1:18 and 2:2

Update From the Country!

Greetings and Salutations friends and family! I thank you for stopping by and visiting me this day!

I don't know about any of you, but we have yet to really experience Spring here  in Forest Grove, OR. So far we have had record lows for our highs, and more rain for the month of June. The "keeper of the records" states we haven't been this wet and/or cold for many, many, many years. I know for myself, even though I did just spend 13 years in the hottest state of this country, I don't ever remember it being this wet or cold for June in the Pacific Northwest. So hearing it verified by said record keepers, I feel somewhat justified in my memories. (That's a good thing, because as I become "more mature" I find my memory isn't always what it use to be.)

I have been seeing and hearing from others around the country that they are experiencing some nice warm weather; such as 104+ degrees in the state I had vacated. I really don't miss those temperatures, but I sure wouldn't mind seeing some 80 degrees around here.

We did have two beautiful days last week. I hold onto those memories tightly, I don't know when we will see that much sun again. 

But in spite of the rain and cold weather, the garden is doing fairly well. I do think I may have lost a couple rows of seeds, because it has rained so much. If so, I will replant them. Hopefully we will get some warmer weather.

The chickens are flourishing. They are becoming quite big. Now, if only they will lay eggs. Having sixteen chickens, there should be some eggs showing up here soon. 

The two pheasants are now residing in the woodshed. They are still in a cage but they are doing well. Unfortunately for them, they are both hens, so that means they will both be joining us for dinner when they are a bit bigger; as the main course. 

Momma kitty and her babies are doing well. My son Nathan was going to try and tame the two male kittens, but has just recently decided that it was just too much trying to tame wild kitties. (He had them in his room and they made a mess of everything by messing in there. He should have never let them out the kennel..... kitties have a way of getting even.) So now all the kittens are reunited with momma kitty and are running wild outside. It really is a much better place for them. They will help keep the critter population down to a manageable state.

If you visited my book review site this past week you learned there was a winner for the drawing. That was a lot of fun. Next time I may try something a little bit different for a drawing. I hope to have another one soon. 

I did finally get caught up on the book reviews. I posted several in about two days. I had read all of the books, I just didn't have time to write the reviews. I have been working a lot of hours. Not that I am complaining, it just cut into some of my writing time. Now that they hired another part-time person, maybe I will get more time to write. I am way behind on my poetry and a book I am working on, not to mention I haven't written anything for Green Pastures in a long time. I have a few things to add to that page. 

I am very excited about next week. My sweetheart and I are going to go camping! We are going to go to the coast and camp and ride our quads and just relax. We will be meeting some friends at the campgrounds, so that will be fun. I am praying for beautiful weather. I haven't been to the coast for a long time. I am thankful that my dear husband has a nice camper to stay in, so if it does rain, we won't get wet. It has all of the conveniences a use-to-be-city girl like me can enjoy. Including a bathroom! 

Calvin is taking the crab-nets and is hoping to catch some yummy crabs. He went diving last week-end and came home with 14 butter clams, 9 crabs, some fish and oysters. (He bought the oysters!) We ate real good that night. I made some seafood chowder (for the very first time) and that came out real yummy. I had a recipe, used it as a guide, tweaked it a little and both Calvin and Nathan liked it! I have to say, my husband did have to help with the tweaking, but it was good!

Brrrrr..... I am going to have to light the woodstove and get some heat in here.   My fingernails are turning blue!

Until we meet again, may the Good Shepherd continue to guide you to green pastures to feed well and beside still waters to rest. 

Almost forgot..... there is a bible study taking place on-line at Women's Bible Study Cafe. It's going to be on the book of Ruth. If you haven't done so, sign up for it and get your workbook. It is going to be great. I am so looking forward to it, especially since I work most Sundays and don't get to go to church very often. The bible study only runs for 6 (six) weeks, so it's not drawn out. There is going to be women on-line from all over the country participating.  I do hope to see you there with us, studying the bible and fellowshipping with other women. It will be a real blessing for sure. 

Many blessing to you all!