Frost is coming - doggone it!

What a Monday! Increased exercise time to almost an hour now - I don't look any better but I'm surely sweating more often now. Yesterday the weatherforecasters began predicting a real cold front today - so I wandered around trying to get pictures of some things which might not make it through the night. Then I realized - well DUH -
For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest. A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to build up. A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance. A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones. A time to embrace and a time to turn away. A time to search and a time to quit searching. A time to keep and a time to throw away. A time to tear and a time to mend. A time to be quiet and a time to speak. A time to love and a time to hate. A time for war and a time for peace Ecclesiastes 3 1-8

So no problems with a little frost - it is time! The problem with most of us - we try to keep things past their time.(so throw out that expired stuff in the refrigerator - just a hint). Enjoy what is in front of us now - don't worry about tomorrow but don't to hang on to yesterday. I'm good with the frost now. The picture including a blue blanket is our attempt to extend growing season for the tin can garden (OK OK so I am trying to hold onto the potential of a few more veggies!) I started to title it "Veggie Bed Being Put to Bed" but realized that was too corny even for me.

Next is the Buhlaland version of a spooky picture. "The Shadowrider" - didn't realize I was getting this shot until downloading the camera. It appears I am riding one of the goats while our dear Nubiana stared at me. No way I could ride one of our goats but based on the picture maybe I could be a new character - Shadowgoatrider - not a super hero character more of a cartoon character. Speaking of cartoons - I love the image from the internet, included for your amusement. Cat with human smile - creepy yet funny. It is chilly tonight and I'm more goofy than usual - it is Good!

A new link and tidbits of life

I've added a new blog link - 6yearmed. She is a good writer, her blog posts are often quite emotional since her work in the hospital is with new borns. Today's posting is disturbing so not recommended reading if someone is currently pregnant or nervous about a loved one who is. Just forewarning you not everything works out tidy and with all happy endings - although some of her posts are very funny.
I've settled down about the Blogger mess - apparently we can go in and manually change the setting,irritating changes are made without users opting in or out. Enough of that. If you haven't ever cruised through some of the links I have - try it - there are some fabulous blogs out there!

Posting a picture of our little buck, Snickers, the people who gave him to us had his horns burned off (called disbudding) when he was small and it wasn't done properly. After several infections- his head seemed to heal. Much to our dismay small deformed horns began growing. One was particularly problematic in being larger and loose. I wouldn'tdo anything with it because it hurt him to move the little hornette and I hate hurting the critters unless it is absolutely necessary. Two days ago - the problem was resolved by one of the other goats. The hornette was broken off completely and didn't bleed much. Rough world when you have a messed up head and everyone greets by slamming their forehead into your forehead!
Tin can gardening works! I harvested a head of bok choy yesterday and we had stir fry for lunch. The heads are large enough to make two meals so I still have half to use. Squash are blooming like crazy and one of the tomato plants has set blooms. Don't know if the weather will hold warm enough to get tomatoes from the gardening in a can experiment but I'll keep them covered if we get a hard frost warning.
Our little friend Hollis came by again this week and was scooching up the stairs in no time (yes I stood behind him so he was in no danger). After a couple of trips upstairs - his mom suggested Hollis be our new bathtub inspector. The tub is sitting in our living room until we are ready to install it in the master bath --serving as a perfect child playpen! He is so sweet natured and fun to be around.

















babies and sunlight



Here on Buhlaland we stay busy and are so content it is almost embarrassing. I'd like to remind you, dear readers not to pay undeserved attention to all the shouting of doom and gloom and predictions of disaster. Loud voices are rarely impartial or showing wisdom -
Listen for the Whisper

1 Kings 19: 11 The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by." Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"

Rely on truth and faith and common sense when it comes to making decisions - here on Buhlaland we like whispers!

Definitely not loving Blogger today!

The change sprung upon us by blogger in how comments are posted just stinks. I am not able to post to anyone's blog now - so please don't be offended if I'm not commenting. Just WASTED half an hour trying to slog through the endless process of asking a question of Blogger and got no where. Until somebody more adept than me can grab them by the ear and make appropriate changes - commenting has changed MUCH for the worse. I realize we get what we pay for with this service - and since I am not going to pay to blog - this is part of the price.
End of rant - but dang it is disappointing. HEY BLOGGER - FIX IT PLEASE!

Went into my settings and physically changed back to old system of commenting - hope that works at least for my site. Hate it when they make a change and we weren't given the up front chance to opt out of it.

I cannot resist

You cannot beat fall roses for lush beauty - the plants are already spindly and losing leaves due to black spot but these fragrant blossoms are literally 7-8.5 inches across! Wish we had smellovision - they are wonderful. Wanted to share - frost will come to Buhlaland but I am ok with a VERY late light frost. Just had bok choy stirfry for lunch - from our very own tin can garden! Woo hoo!

How do I pronounce clematis?

The correct pronunciation is CLEM-uh-tis.

Of course I live in Texas and have always called these prolific blooming vines clem-AT-is. Pronounciation might be like tomato or toe-mah-toh, depends on your upbringing. No matter how you pronounce the flower's name, they are lovely, easy to grow and this time of the year a blast of color in our garden. Loving my CLEM-uh-tis (or purple blooming viney thangs) here on Buhlaland.

Matthew 6:28-30 (New Living Translation)
28 “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, 29 yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 30 And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?
In these difficult times, with so much pulling at us from the world,if you find yourself a little short of faith - look skyward early in the mornings and see the beauty freely given for all to enjoy. Feeling grateful and a tad cornball around Buhlaland!

Sick of political race? you are not alone!

This rarely political blogger gave us a great heads up about a funny blog entry written by a staff member of Anderson Cooper's 360 . I am giving her credit for finding it and wanted to share with any of you who are also past the point of nausea with political races in general. Seems there has been a run for the 2008 elections since 2004! Millions and millions of dollars (which could certainly be used in more constructive ways) being spent to campaign - and tell us things we know either are blatantly untrue, ridiculously improbable or plain don't want to hear. I love the commercial on TV about firemen taking over congress -seems like such a good idea - stop all the bluster and posing - we want secure borders, good roads, clean water and less interference in our every day lives. Such radical notions might seen innovative except they were introduced in "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America".
Unless something just outrageously funny or truly world changing happens I promise this is my last politico blog post - somehow I think the new tub, recipes, goat and flower pictures and possible changes in my closets might be of greater interest and usefulness to you dear readers. Here on Buhlaland - it is hard sometimes to forget all those years of college I wasted -perhaps I meant invested in a political science degree --- ahhh the olden days. Trusting in the only capital T truth I know -"Ecclesiastes 12:14 For God will bring every deed into judgment,including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil." The Linda Sue translation says "y'all can fool some of the world maybe even a majority - but the Lord God has the final say - no hanging chads or recounts on judgment day". Enough - end of rant - off to exercise and then into town to find the Holy Grail - or more realistically - tile for the bathroom. It is good on Buhlaland and if I rant to you - DH gets to have a quieter morning!

Rub a dub dub

Have you ever realized how few pictures a person takes of bathrooms? I came to such a realization this week because I wanted to do a bloggity/ HGTV type episode on Buhl's Bath Buildout.

We built our house 8 years ago and never quite finished the master bathroom - it was on the "round to it" list. Our tub hasn't been useable for many months - many months. Apparently our tub developed a nasty problem in the whirlpool lines and a crack along the base rendering it DOA (dead over all - these are the jokes folks). I developed a stronger sense of urgency about wanting a tub right after DH finished the stone pillars by our front gates and was in a little "lull" work wise. I got busy and tub was ordered, delivery set for today.

I didn't get in and take a "before" picture in time - DH had already broken out the front piece (apron is the actual term). We have a sequential going -- partially removed, then the tub completely out but weird shelf behind tub still there. Yes I know it looks like a mess - but you have to break some eggs to make an omelet (isn't that the dumbest saying? pretty much a big DUH) Next in the sequence is the pretty, shiny, just delivered this morning bathtub which will go IN the old tub spot. Currently displayed in our living room behind our couch - convenient and safe for the tub - I hope I'll remember it is there when I go through the house at 4:30 in the morning to make coffee - my shins will appreciate if my brain remembers object placement.

I thought I was nearly done with "you have to decide" dilemmas until DH reminded me - "WE" (meaning me) have to decide on a material for the decking (shelf around the tub) and a general idea of what kind of vanities I want built. AARGH!
Here is what we have - and I'm messy but this is way beyond normal - this is a lot of storage lost and now piled on top of the vanity. We are currently (until I get to the home improvement store and see something ELSE I might try - grrrrr) thinking tile around the tub deck - and try to use tile which can be repeated in new shower planned for sometime in the spring, also on the floors because we don't like what we have now. White isn't it? very very very white - and we live in the country - so white isn't the best choice (note to self - no more white floors, thank you, we'll be in touch). Here is where the project stands - I'll keep adding to the thrilling information about my bathroom (some days blogging seems so massively self indulgent!) as new materials, colors or decisions are made. We are committed now - it is all about tiles and colors and oh yes - the fun of making decisions! We are blessed DH has so many skills, patience, and imagination - because I lack all three! My spiritual gifts are ------

I'll get back to you on that one. Here in Buhlaland it is all about the journey and for now our journey heads to Home Depot and Lowes! See you soon - be kind to yourself and those you love. Over and out ---it is good on Buhlaland!

Gall

The rather unsightly growth on the trunk of one of our oaks is called a gall - they are caused by tiny wasps and apparently contain larvae. Ugly things but don't really harm the tree. I think we often use the term "takes a lot of gall" to mean someone who does something really irritating or offensive. I am finding an excess of "gall" and not the nondamaging oak tree kind in blogs this election year. I honestly have a point here --- stay with me for a bit.

Most of you wouldn't notice but I have been deleting a few links on my blogsite. Either the blogs are not active (posting regularly) or they have taken a turn into an area in which I don't have an interest in supporting. Won't be making a big personal deal this political season about where I stand or for whom I'm voting. Here on Buhlaland, we vote pro-life and against excessive involvement of government in the lives of citizens. Scripture is clear we are to give to Caesar what is his (in the specific illustration in Matthew 22:19-21- Jesus was looking at money when he used that phrase - so we pay taxes as our fair share in government) but we are to give to God what is due him ( worship and honor come to mind). I'm trying to be diplomatic (y'all won't encounter diplomacy too often with me!) about saying - please do vote, be informed and prayerful about the elections. Whatever your concerns, don't fear - Jesus repeats that admonition over and over - fear not. We know who is in control whether we understand the outcomes or not. Whew - got that out of my system - tidying up in Buhlaland gets wordy and more grammatically incorrect at times doesn't it? OK - see you again very soon with my normal stream of consciousness postings (hint - bathtub is ordered!)

Just something pretty for you

No great thoughts today - I've been under the weather ( incredibly persistent virus) for a week now. Here are some flowers in our garden right now -thanks for dropping by and I'm quite certain my virus isn't one you'll catch via Buhlaland!
Moe wanted to be sure you realized he tends the flowers very carefully - frequently by laying on top of the plants but sometimes by taking a "cat nap" next to some posies and the tin can veggie garden.

Faith is deliberate confidence in the character of God whose ways you may not understand at the time.

Oswald Chambers

We have faith here on Buhlaland that being sick doesn't last forever, neither do flower blossoms so deal with the former and revel in the latter (take a hint from Moe !)