Spring, Or Not Spring: That is the Question

 It was the cloudy gray morning of Saturday, February 18th, when Josiah stuck his head out the window during breakfast and uttered the exclamation: "I hear a Red-Wing-Blackbird!!!"  At first we all scoffed, "No way!  Red-Wings are never here this early; couldn't be."  But upon opening the other window and sticking our own appendages pel-mel out of it, the distinct unmistakeable sound of "Oak-a-lee" smote our ears.

 As quickly as I could, I threw on a coat, grabbed my camera, and thrusting my feet into rubber-boots, rushed outside to see if I could get a look at this over zealous and rather early herald of spring.  But though I could not find him, I was able to catch his voice on video, and therefore have proof of our first sighting (or hearing) of the coming season.

 That next Wednesday, I was out for a walk down the road with Baby.  There I was minding my own business when a persistent sound broke in on my thoughts.  It finally occurred to me that the "check check" noise belonged to the voice of a Red-Wing Blackbird. Thankfully I had my camera with me, and throwing it up was able to get a couple pictures of the handsome male bird.  He looked perfectly at home among the swelling buds of the maple tree, with the blue sky as a backdrop, and it rather seemed as if Spring really was right around the corner.

 So a couple of days later, during our latest snow storm, we were rather amused to find this disconsolate blackbird sitting under our bird feeder table, consulting with himself why on earth he had decided to come north now!!

Oh well little birdy, don't worry. Wait three or four weeks and the crocuses should be out, then you can bring Mrs. Blackbird to stay.  I just hope you can survive the uncertain Michigan weather between now and then! :)

~Chs

The New Apple Sauce Manufacturing Plant.

You might not have known it, but there is a new Apple Sauce plant in town, and according to some it just might rival Mott :)  This new company is located in the Sauve's kitchen, and here is a promotional video.

Alright, so it's not really a new plant, but rather company :)  You see we had a new friend of ours over for the day and we decided a nice activity would be to use up our apples and make sauce.  That and the fact that Mr. Reiche had loaned us a professional apple corer from a friend, found us up to our elbows in apples on Monday afternoon.

 It was a fun time, and really not work at all when you are doing it with friends, and the room and afternoon filled with laughter and chatter.

 (The amazing "Core master", and no we did not chop three apples at once, that was just for a picture)

 Everyone was busy, and hands were always moving. In the end we had two LARGE pots full of delicious applesauce ready to be canned.

 We still have a couple bushels of keeping/eating apples down in our cellar, but all of our sauce/cider apples are all used up now!
~Chs

Happy Birthday Mr. Washington!

In honor of George Washington's 280'th Birthday this week, Faith made the delicious "Washington pie" to celebrate. (If you would like the recipe to make for Mr. Washington next year, you will find it here :)

"Associate with men of good quality if you esteem your own reputation; for it is better to be alone than in bad company." ~George Washington

"I hope I shall possess firmness and virtue enough to maintain what I consider the most enviable of all titles, the character of an honest man." ~George Washington

"It is impossible to rightly govern a nation without God and the Bible." ~George Washington

~Chs

A(nother) Dicky-bird in February!!

I heard TWO Dicky-birds today!!  They were singing their little hearts out!

A Lesson From a Dicky-bird

The snow was deep and the winter air

            was bitter and cold that day,

But the Dicky-bird sang as if instead

            ‘twas a sun-filled day in May.

I watched him and wondered if I would be

            singing of flowers and bees,

If I was the little Dicky-bird

            and the Dicky-bird was me.    

He trilled and chortled though the skies were gray

            And the icy wind blew cold,

The snow lay in piles ‘round his Maple tree

            But he sang so brave and bold.

I thought how I would fuss and complain

            As unhappy as can be,

If I was the little Dicky-bird

            And the Dicky-bird was me.

                       

The Dicky-bird sings with a thankful heart,

            I’ve much to be thankful for!

His Creator has given him this day to live,

            My Savior’s done so much more!

So I’ve learned in every season of life

            To live as contentedly,

If I was the little Dicky-bird

            And the Dicky-bird was me.

~ FAS

A Dicky-Bird in February

I heard a Dicky-bird today!!!   The sound always brings such joy to this month.

A Dicky-Bird in February

                                                            

A Dicky-bird sat in the Cherry tree,

one damp and dreary day.

Singing a song to the coming Spring,

and a song to brighten the way.

He twittered and warbled with hardly a care

for the piles of snow or the cloudy sky.

He carried Spring in that brave little breast

and sang, though the sun would hide.

He sang of the balmy breeze from the South,

of the swollen green buds on the trees,

and the melody of the waters' voice

when the brooks and rivers flow free.

He bubbled and chortled in highest glee

as he told of the first Spring flowers,

cheering the world with their brilliant hues

and bathing in sweet Spring-time showers.

He sang to his wife, in her sweet modest dress,

of the babies they'd raise in the Spring.

Of the bounty of insects to feed to their young,

and of teaching to fly and to sing.

He sang with such sweetness, and gusto and joy,

with his head tilted back and his beak in the air.

He gave thanks to his Maker, Creator and God,

As he sang that most beautiful prayer.  

~ FAS

February 14th: Thoughts

"I would rather have one mouthful of Christ's love and a sip of His fellowship than a whole world full of carnal delights."  ~C.H Spurgeon

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  ~Romans 5:8

"Love divine, all love excelling, joy of heav'n, to earth come down.. Jesus, Thou art all compassion, pure, unbounded love Thou art;" ~ Charles Wesley

"Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;"

 ~ 1 Corinthians 13:4

"No joy on earth is equal to the bliss of being all taken up with love to Christ." ~ C.H Spurgeon

"Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him."  ~ 1 John 3:1
 "And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him...  There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, "
 ~ 1 John 4:16,18

Our February Walk

As we had started to do last year, we decided in 2012 to again try to make it to our different nature trails at least once a month.  So far we have made it, but then again, it is only February! :)

Surprisingly enough our February walk at the Sutherland Nature Sanctuary (taken on last Wednesday) was almost cooler than our January one.  But it was still enjoyable and everything was beautiful.

We made our way through the pine forest, craning our necks to look at the towering pine, and gazing down the awesome path lined with the arbores sentinels that we never get tired looking at.

We followed along the stream, searching for and finding new growth of Skunk Cabbage, then made our way through the owl forest and back to the stream where it curves around and past the old cotton wood tree.

"God writes the gospel not in the Bible alone, but on trees and flowers and clouds and stars." ~Author unknown, commonly attributed to Martin Luther

"I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station, through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in." 

~George Washington Carver

~Chs

The VERY last of the Apple Cider

 I know you would think that it being February, we would be all done with cider making, but we had "squirreled" away a few bushels of apples in our newly finished cellar, and as soon as we found the time and a nice warm day, we invited some friends over to help us finish up.

 The girls had fun running around out back and playing with the animals before we were ready to start with the apples.

Holding the chickens and "walking" the goats were two of the most favorite activities.

Soon everything was set up and the process began.  The little girls watched with interest as the "grownups" chopped up the apples and took out all the bad parts.

But when we were ready to start the grinding, everyone wanted a turn, down to the very littlest!

With their very competent help, we soon finished all the apples, ground and then smashed them and then headed inside for a snack for all the hard working cider makers.

It was a wonderful time of fellowship and we are very grateful to now have all of our cider done.  Hmm... now we just need to make some applesauce! :)

~Chs

A Sunny Saturday Stroll

Last Saturday was bright and sunny!  It was a beautiful day for a February walk, so we were delighted when Mr. Reiche called us up and asked us if we would like to go check out a hiking area where we had never been before.

Soon after lunch when the brilliant winter sun was high in the deep blue sky we headed out for an adventure!  (okay, so maybe it was more of a leisurely stroll)

We walked along the edge of the lake which was still quite frozen, so we found the "no swimming" sign amusing and unnecessary:)

The lake is drained some each winter, so there was quite a bit of open beach strewn with rocks and shells.  Dad, Mr. Reiche, and Josiah liked to find rocks and see if they could break through the ice.  But at least in that particular area, they were not successful.

We soon left the main trail that went through the empty camping sights and entered the woods.  The sun shone through the empty trees and onto the leaves that littered the forest floor.

"For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters,
Which spreads out its roots by the river," ~Jeremiah 17:8

When we were circling down around a point in the lake, we went down near the water on to a small beach.

After a little testing we decided to be brave and cross on the ice to the other side instead of going around.  In the middle where leaves had fallen, the sun had melted the ice just enough to create a leaf impression.

Because the lake had been drained, "Cat Bird Island" (which Faith and Grace had found and named when we had been canoeing here a couple years ago) had turned into "Cat Bird Peninsula", and we were able to walk right across onto it.

While there, Josiah found a baby pike which had been caught in one of the shallow pools with ice.  He was a cute little fellow, and Josiah released him into an more open area.

We finally made it almost all the way around and strode across the main beach with the sun beating down on us like it was an August afternoon instead of February.

We were very blessed with such a lovely day for early February, and are very thankful for our friend and fellow hiker, Mr. Reiche.

~Chs

February Flowers

There is nothing like indoor flowers to cheer you up in the winter.  Of course the best is when you force them yourself, (like the Hyacinth) but if you don't have time to do that, buying flowers at the store, though not as satisfying, is just as beautiful.

Primroses are my favorite to buy from the store, since once they are done blooming you can plant them in the ground to flower the next spring.

Last year we bought a pale pink and a yellow primrose, so this time when the urge came to buy another "fragrant messenger of spring," we selected a pretty purple/pink primrose with cheery bright yellow centers.

Another smiling flower face that sits in the window is a lovely rose colored geranium that we had brought in after summer, and which was kind enough to bloom again this February.

Now, one of my weak points has to be when it comes to daffodils.  I love all of God's beautiful flora, but the daffydowndillys are one of my favorites.  So when we saw a few potted miniature daffodils at the store, we immediately brought one home:)

 

"A house with daffodils in it is a house lit up, 

whether or no the sun be shining outside."

~A.A. Milne

"Lady Washington" bloomed again showing her beautiful color and vitality.  She is a constant joy, and so elegant!!

I am so very grateful for the beauty which God has created, and especially grateful for these glimpses of sunshine before the spring comes, and ...

".. oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.."

~William Wordsworth

~Chs