Spring is sprunging!

Just as spring follows winter (at LONG last) we are seeing some improvement in the health situation - the pneumonia monster is apparently being beaten into submission by antibiotics.
Thanks for the prayers and concern -



Isaiah 40: 31
but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

We could add - on Buhlaland those who hope in the Lord are lifted up by the prayers of believers and fragrance of springtime. It is good - and we are enjoying each sign of returning to our new normal.

I have tried to be too cutesy I think in recent posts - my husband has a serious lung condition and he is the one with pneumonia - thank goodness not me or both of us. Thank you so much for your caring and concern - he is mending slowly.

Spring Storms

We are beginning to have the normal spring Texas weather - gorgeous a few days and then a storm front rolls through, dumps rain and hail and moves out quickly.
Here on Buhlaland - a few personal storms also - we are planning on rough weather moving out quickly but the situation is not in our control. Didn't want you to think we'd abandoned our blogosphere friends and family - a pneumonia storm hit and has things more than a little unsettled.
We know it will work out OK -
our lives don't stink but we do find Max Lucado's saying both amusing and appropriate!




"Real courage embraces the twin realities of current difficulty and ultimate triumph.Yes, life stinks. But it won’t forever. As one of myfriends likes to say, 'Everything will work out in the end. If it’s not working out, it’s not the end.' "

On Buhlaland - it is NOT the end. We are working through some unsettled weather with prayer and supplication. Best part - we know the ultimate end and it is good.

Welcome Spring - you've changed!

Sarcasm is not a good thing :

1 Peter 3:8 (MSG paraphrase)
Summing up: Be agreeable, be sympathetic, be loving, be compassionate, be humble. That goes for all of you, no exceptions. No retaliation. No sharp-tongued sarcasm. Instead, bless—that's your job, to bless. You'll be a blessing and also get a blessing. Whoever wants to embrace life and see the day fill up with good, Here's what you do: Say nothing evil or hurtful; Snub evil and cultivate good; run after peace for all you're worth. God looks on all this with approval, listening and responding well to what he's asked; But he turns his back on those who do evil things.

Yet here I am - NOT blessing about seasons being upside down! Sorry -not shining my little light today. Life is quite pleasant - heater running full blast - warming up bathroom so I can take a hot bath and put on sweatpants and a sweater. Hmmm - something is just not right with this picture - I'm longing for THIS:

we are getting this - by the way - that is written in SNOW not dust - it is outside not inside our house. Just keeping it real.

According to those who keep records of such things - Saturday March 20 was the beginning of spring - it began on Buhlaland with cold wind driven rain. Progression was to cold wind driven SNOW - the "s" word.

I'm sure the sun will melt away our little covering of "S" word quickly - not all the blossoms and buds are frozen and mid week we'll be back to warm breezy days with birds singing. Right now - it is good on Buhlaland - good we have central heat, hot water, hot coffee, and a sense of humor.

Bless y'all and keep your sweaters near at hand!

Sure signs of spring

Wild plum blossoms - so fragrant you can smell them a football field length away.












Attidude develops in sweet little goat kids - they'll give the photographer a big razzberry!


















Grass is much greener over the septic leach field - and lovely little deer check out the tender grasses available.

Hyacinths - blooming right after a spring rain - no fragrance quite like it.

Even the silliest kid looks almost wise and contemplative in his sleep. Worn out by the excitement of just being alive on a spring day.

Clouds appear on the western horizon - sometimes bringing rain and sometimes just thunder and dramatic skies.

It is springtime on Buhlaland - a time when we are reminded of our Creator through His creations - so until we get to Fly Away

- we are able to enjoy spring and it is good on Buhlaland.

Oh Susannah

Susannah - daughter of Montana who is the daughter of Hannah daughter of Crybaby. Sweet little Susannah is the smallest of the Class of 2010 on Buhlaland. On the right you see a picture of very feisty and rowdy kids - you do not see Susannah in this picture.









Here is Susannah - within a few minutes of her birth - she has been cleaned up and able to nurse so now resting to get energy after an abrupt and probably frightening entry into the world.

Susannah likes to "hang out" with her mama - Montana isn't the best mom in our little herd but she is all Susannah knows.

Montana has a year old daughter from Class of 2009 - we broke the cutesy pattern of names in 2009 - little doe's name is Sugar Pie (as in Sugar Pie Honey Bunch - you know that I love you) Sugar Pie is a tad jealous of mama's attention being given to intruder Susannah - as in the family portrait where she tries to unceremoniously push Susannah out of the picture!


Susaannah's closest kid pal is Milky Way - Milky is a rowdy girl but seems to calm down and be just friends with Susannah.

Amigo on the other hand irritates Susannah - a lot!

In the chute where we feed the Class of 2010 additional grain to help them grow big and strong - Susannah occasionally has a struggle pushing in for her share - the look on her face says it all "hey - do something about these greedy guts!"

But we're sure she'll be happy in the herd - with Milky Way around she knows she's got a friend.

Soon the Class of 2010 will reach an awkward stage where cuteness isn't their primary attribute - until then - we are clicking pictures and loving us some babies - when Susannah lets us catch her and nuzzles us - it is GOOD on Buhlaland.

Birds and the Bees - no not that talk!

Cheating here - the bee picture was taken April, 2009 - no active bees yet but I needed at least one bee picture to do with the oh so innovative (or not)blog post title.







During a walk down to our front gate this morning with camera slung around my neck.
Saw these two little twitters hanging off an oak tree's bare branches - took several tries to catch a picture. Much jumping back and forth on branches and total unwillingness to stay still long enough for decent focus - one discovery about birds and bees - neither really gives a hoot (no owl pictures here) about cooperating with people.

















In a heavily budded up tree - two birds not of a feather were sitting together. Robin apparently didn't realize tree was already claimed so sat there for quite some time before moving along.

Took separate pictures just in case they both flew off at same time - but apparently me being on the other side of a fence and using zoom feature of camera didn't bother the birds as much as being close upset little ones. I'd be using species names - but other than the robin I haven't a clue. Like art appreciation - I may not understand the intricacies but I know what I like - and on a spring Sunday morning walk - I truly appreciate the variety and beauty our Creator made in our world.

My kids and these kids

I write about our goat kids - they are sheltered, given fresh water, more than adequate food and I sing hymns to them when I'm out in the pens (they may not rate my singing as special care!)

The kids I want you to think about now - are kids who need you, want you to be their friend and will change our world because of your relationship with them. Everybody is sick of hearing about give to this or that because you are a big spoiled American and the rest of the world deserves your help. During hard economic times fewer and fewer people we know can rate themselves as spoiled financially, compared to the rest of the world we are rich. Most of us think about what we want to eat - rarely whether we'll have anything TO eat. I'm playing an old familiar song for you but it isn't any less true because you've heard it before. Our "stuff" isn't given to us on earth to measure our value - it is to be sustenance for us and handled as a good steward. We are to store up treasures in heaven. You'll definitely be paying it forward to store up treasures you'll receive for $38/month -the financial cost of sponsoring a child through Compassion International. Be prepared to pay more - prayers and notes and pictures. You'll be in touch with your sponsored child - not some generic "poor kid" in the country of your choice. With Compassion it is a real child, if you wish a visit can be arranged to meet with your child (or children?) Our two boys are Elius and Bipul - they are both in Bangladesh. We receive far more from sponsoring than a charitable contribution for your taxes and a feel-good-about-yourself pat on your own back. We are blessed and humbled by prayers of our boys - they pray for US - can you imagine? They live in one of the darkest countries spiritually and a a hard impoverished environment and they pray for us.

Please read any of the Compassion Bloggers-Kenya - look at the faces, joy and real poverty. Not tooting our horn because so many others with more with less- but we found we lived better without satellite TV. Almost the exact savings from cancelling satellite service brought us Elius and Bipul as long distance friends. You really can do it -don't feel as if you'll deprive yourself somehow. A dear blogger friend said recently she'd been taught the lesson "you can't outgive God". You can store up treasures where thieves can't steal, rust won't destroy and joy is the interest compounded on deposits.

It sounds as if I'm saying sponsor a child through Compassion for your own benefit - well it is. Yes - your sponsorship will absolutely change a child (and their family) forever - they'll receive education, food, health care and biblically sound teaching. No child has to become a Christian nor does their family - all care is administered by local, well established churches. Try it - you'll never be the same - it is Soul Food without the cholesterol and salt, it is candy without the calories and cavities, it is comfort food which will truly comfort! Bless y'all - every tongue, every nation - let's help write the Love Song born of a grateful choir.

~Born to be wild~

Amigo - laying in the soft fresh hay next to his mama, Cassie. Isn't he the picture of innocence and sweetness? Don't be fooled - he was
born to be wild!






You'll be along for a day with our Bad Boy - Amigo. Only male born this year to our herd (and don't tell him but he isn't technically a male now - he is a wether).

Here Amigo heads out with the other goats - looking for adventure in whatever comes our way.

I'm a big bad boy and I can prove it.

"I like smoke and lightning
Heavy metal thunder
Racin' with the wind
And the feelin' that I'm under"

Yeah so I'm bugging Susannah and getting her to yell at me - I'm feeling it - feeling the BAD

"Like a true nature's child
We were born, born to be wild
We can climb so high "



"Take the world in a love embrace
Fire all of your guns at once
And explode into space "

Hey even Bad Boys need mama for a few things!

Silly here on Buhlaland - the goat kids are strong, healthy and each has a definite personality. The Lord created so many different creatures - all have their purpose and He gave us dominion over them. Sometimes we wonder on Buhlaland if we have given over the dominion part to our animals - but DH and I are the ones rationing out the feed and treats to our animals so perhaps things are just as they should be on Buhlaland and it is GOOD.

P.S. Anybody else feel a tad older when we realize the movie Easy Rider which featured the song by Steppenwolf "Born to be Wild" is 40 years old? whew - I am getting old, maturing or just about over ripe - depends on the day you ask?!