Michigan weather- Michigan birds.

It was a couple of weeks ago when we spotted our first Robin, and since then it has been a happy sight; them hopping here and there all over the yard. The contrast of their red breast nearly made the grass look green again.


Even the papa goldfinches believed spring had come and began to put on their bright summer finery! Then one day (Tuesday to be exact) it happened.


Winter returned with surprising vengeance, making one more struggle to retain its hold on the spring longing world. The Robins were disgusted. So were the many other birds that had been fooled by the delicious weather.


This male red-winged blackbird was not inclined to admire the icy branches on which he was perched, and there will have to be some considerable warm weather before we spot any females.

You never know what the weather will hold in Michigan, especially in late March. But of course we know that God knows about it all, even my poor half frozen crocuses, because He of course created them, and the icy snow that is encrusting them! =)

~Chs

Crocuses

"The long warm rain had done strange things to the herbaceous beds which bordered the walk by the lower wall. There were things sprouting and pushing out from the roots of clumps of plants and there were actually here and there glimpses of royal purple an yellow unfurling among the stems of crocuses."

"See here!" Said Dickon. "see how these has pushed up, an' these an' these! An' Eh! look at these here!"
He threw himself down upon his knees and Mary went down beside him. They had come upon a whole clump of crocuses burst into purple and gold. Mary bent her face down and kissed and kissed them."

From The Secret Garden By Frances Hodgson Burnett

Congratulations are in order!!!

Josh spent yesterday afternoon in feverish preparation, for that evening he was heading out to propose to Miss Theresa Eddy.

Armed with flowers and very handsome in his uniform, he headed out around 5 o clock. He and Theresa's father and brother had planned an elaborate scheme of how they were to surprise her.

A little over a half hour after his departure we received the call. "She said Yes!!!"

We are very thankful to the LORD for Josh, and pray that He might lead and guide both Joshua and Theresa in the coming days!

~Chs

The Pond: its Residents, Visitors, and Intruders

With spring comes floods of water, and most of it congregates in our back yard. It floods our pond and overflows the banks of our stream, washing through and leaving behind what to us humans looks like a mess, and to the creatures of the pond, a beautiful habitat.

Mr. Dick and his girls, Emma and Dora, are current residents of the pond, and they are enjoying the swelled proportions of it very much right now. So it seems do other ducks.


Yesterday morning we peered out at the large pond and saw to our surprise 6 extra ducks swimming around. There were two pairs and two bachelor little Mallard ducks. Dick soon chased off the bachelors, and one of the pairs left of their own accord some time later.

But the last couple stayed all day long, and allowed me to get some very pretty pictures of them with the sun streaming down on the glowing water. They soon were tired of the photo session however, and flew off into the sunset

When I returned later with some food for my ducks, I saw a little brown creature eating next to the walking bridge. After a few pictures I identified the intruder as a muskrat. Even though he was unwanted, I did get some pictures of him before Josiah took care of him.

Our pond is quite an interesting place, with its share of God's creatures to watch.
~Chs

Four new Ducklings!!!

You see, it is Chick days at our local TSC, and one day Faith and I needed to stop in for something, but we couldn't keep away from the chick and duckling section. To our surprise all the chicks were gone and the only remaining creatures were about 2 dozen adorable ducklings. Then a worker came by and told us that they were only 50 cents each!! That was it, pretty soon Faith and I walked out with four Fawn and White Indian Runner ducklings in a box. They are absolutely adorable and since I am planning on maybe selling them once they grow, I gave them the simplest names I could think of.


This is Uno. (sorry about the fuzzy picture but ducklings don't hold still very well=)


Dos, is the biggest duckling with quite a dark marking on his head.


And here is Tres, a very noisy little duckling.

Last but not least is Cuatro, the littlest duck with the cutest personalty.

Being already a week old, they absolutely loved swimming in the sink and they dove and splashed like professionals!

We are very happy to have these new additions to our family, and as Faith said "I have always wanted to impulsively buy an animal!"=)

~Chs

Spring is Here!!!!

About a week ago we were beyond delighted to observe with our very own eyes a few papa Red- winged Blackbirds!!! A sure sign that spring was fairly on its way here.

So you can imagine with what ecstasies we welcomed the first Robin just this morning!

Now with the Crocuses poking their wee little heads up out o' the earth, and the merry Robin chortlin' in the tree, we all ken for sartin that spring is graidly here at last.
~Chs

Grace's Birthday Celebration

We began the "party" around noon and continued in a relaxed manner for the rest of the day. =)


As always we started out with cards, one being the highly prized artistic card from our Aunt Kathy.


She received her very own fluffy towels and a new mug. (I guess her colors are now Turquoise and Lime Green;)


Another one of her gifts was a new set of her absolutely favorite game. Dutch Blitz! She is one of the best players that I know.

Desert was quite a sumptuous affair. As usual Grace deviated from our normal shaped cakes, and settled for a Trifle this year.

Pieces of her favorite moist chocolate cake, were surrounded by layers of rich pudding (both vanilla and chocolate) and sometimes enlivened by a thick sprinkling of crushed Oreos. The entire bowl was topped with whipping cream and dusted with Oreo crumbs.
Anyone Hungry?? :P

~Chs

Grace

In five and twenty years of life,
Through blessings, sorrows, joys and strife,
The grace of God has seen you thru,
and this we celebrate with you!

In art and artistry you shine,
Reflecting gifts that are Divine,
To Him you sing with praises too,
and this we celebrate with you!

In days of sunshine or of snow,
may God's warm grace within you flow,
and may our love your heart bedew,
each birthday we celebrate with you!

~Pepe

Subtraction and Additions to our Animal Family.

Ever since Beatrix, my duck hen, died last summer, I have been on the search for another Welsh Harlequin hen for Mr. Dick. Of course you all know of my buying of Tommy Traddles and his being a drake instead of a hen. So when I saw an opportunity to purchase two WH hens I knew that it was time (despite how much I liked him) to sell Mr. Tommy Traddles.

God was very good, and I found a wonderful home for Tommy. He waved goodbye on Thursday and left Mr. Dick for good.


So for two days Mr. Dick was without any companion, and so I spoiled him, by bringing him in the house, and giving him baths in the our bathtub. =)


Finally on Saturday afternoon I headed out to pick up two ducks for my beloved Dick. They are very beautiful and I love them very much already. Emma is the Silver phase of Welsh Harlequin (like Dick) and very steady and sweet. Dora is a darling little Gold Welsh Harlequin who hasn't quite grown up yet.


Though Dick was a bit scared of them at first (we all know how intimidating girls can be;) he soon warmed up and they all immensely enjoyed their bath on Sunday afternoon.

I believe the only thing that delighted them more, was the preening party that they held afterward!

Beside the fact that they are so cute, they also are very useful ducks. Both this morning and yesterday morning, I found one beautiful duck egg in the coop! I am very thankful for my ducks, and love to show them off, if anyone would like to drop by and see them. =)

~Chs

An Adorable Visitor

The other morning Josiah noticed something unusual on our bird feeder out back. The cutest little red squirrel had alighted and was hungrily devouring all our seeds.

This was our first time to see the little fellow, but not the last as he showed up the next afternoon, asking for more! ;) It is very nice to be able to view specimens of God's creation in your own back yard.

~Chs

The Moon

Psalms 104:19
He appointed the moon for seasons;
The sun knows its going down.

A day in the life of Baby dog

I thought you would all enjoy a picture story of a day in our dog Baby's winter life;)

50% of Baby's day is spent sleeping, either on our couch or on Faith's bed. She thinks that all the comfy spots in the house are her's by right=)


The other 50% is spent either going outside or coming in. She never can decide which place she likes better!


One snowy day Baby got all frisky despite her age and raced me down the paths Josiah had made all around the yard.

We went and checked out the burn barrel first.

Then she (I did not join this time:) stuck her nose into the snow searching for little animals.

Baby loves the snow, and it seems to make her young again. She is a very sweet dog, and I don't believe we will ever be able to find another like her.
~Chs

Happy 279th Birthday General Washington!

"Be courteous to all, but intimate with few, and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence."

"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."

"If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter."

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

"Labor to keep alive in your breast that little spark of celestial fire, called conscience."
~George Washington

To celebrate General George Washington's birthday this year, Faith made a decadent Washington pie, which is really a layered cake with raspberry, or in our case cherry, jam in between. Faith made it particularly beautiful this year with a powder sugar snow flake on top.



Washington Pie
From the Tasha Tudor Cook Book

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs at room temperature
1 2/3 cups flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup milk
1-2 cups of raspberry or cherry jam

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease and flour or put wax paper in two 8 inch
cake pans In large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, beat til light. Mix in flour and

baking powder alternating with milk. Beat til light and fluffy. Pour batter into the 2 prepared

cake pans. Bake 25-30 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes, then invert and remove wax paper, let
cool. Slice cakes in half, and place one 1/2 on serving platter. spread with 1/3 of the Jam,
repeat twice more and top with fourth layer. Refrigerate til serving. Top with powder sugar.

Cut cake into generous slices, place on pretty china,

and Enjoy!!

~Chs