Valleys, Deserts, Mountaintops - not a travelogue

Began this post rather a long while ago - love the music and it's message. We've been in more than a few valleys of late - hoping to post in next week about a mountain top (or two). Skip continues to work hard against deterioration of breathing - and just plain work hard! Things are happening according to a schedule NOT of our making - we can see the Lord's hand in it all - might not like every bit of it - but know that He is God and we're not - and y'all should be tickled that's how it is! Will be back - soon I hope.

Thanksfilled

Not blogging much- too much going on and attitude not always worth displaying to the world! Word of warning --moving when you are "older" and in midst of medical issues is NOT the old UHaul slogan of Adventures in Moving. BUT - we have professional moving crew coming on Monday the 21st to take all the large pieces we think will fit in new place so are committed now. In midst of a house filled with mess - neighbors (God bless their loving hearts) brought over this pretty fall arrangement - yep - grace is undeserved blessing and we get more than our share!

I can honestly say - I'm thankful for my life - eternal and mortal. The bumps and bruises of my journey make the promises of heaven and the flowers of earth all the sweeter.

DH goes week of the 29th to Dallas for a yea or nay on the transplant (a lung in case you don't recall). We know they are serious - first appointment will be with the "financial office".

At any rate - IF I get a burst of energy and an internet connection - will post a bit next week. We are thankful for nice neighbors in new home area (guy across the street was stringing lights in his trees yesterday - hooray for neighbors who decorate for Christmas!).

On a nonmoving, nonwhining note - it IS good on Buhlaland when we can say Take My Life - broken vessels can be useful in the hands of the Potter. Bless y'all and Happy Thanksgiving!

I'm still here

For those of you viewing this on Internet Explorer - I know things look odd - I work on Google Chrome and Blogger looks right then so I'm just sayin' - looks odd and sometimes is - but internet browsers do strange things.
Steven Sondheim isn't my first choice for lyricist (since I tend toward hymns and praise songs as musical interests) but from the depths of my life's music listening time - this came to me:

C'est la vie.
I got through all of last year
And I'm here.
Lord knows, at least I was there,
And I'm here!
Look who's here!
I'm still here!

Not much I want to say today - we still haven't finished renovations sufficiently to move to new home. Have prayed and talked ---DH and I are both at the point of "God's will" in regards to transplant (will let you know how well I do with that after the transplant evaluation begins at the end of this month). We "did church" together this morning - this video came up on a search on Youtube for Gaithers and I like Alan Asbury's version but Ricky Skaggs does a good job.

We know many somebodies are praying us through - and it makes all the difference. For those of you who know her - please include Sandra Bennett in your prayers now. We' re still here- on Buhlaland and being kept from things we can't even see.

End of August - time to update!

OK quickly write words or I'll run out of month!

The goat herd has shrunk to 7 animals - one wether 3 does and 3 doelings. We had 22 and that was too many animals to feed and care for. With absolutely nothing in pastures we had to buy hay -- was $100/round bale and very poor quality. All animals went to same wonderful couple who just love 'em (God bless you Craig and Leah!).

Garden all done with cleared out and containers stacked in hopes next year won't be another record breaking plant and tree killing drought year.

DH did a walking test (really - that was what they called it and yet I'm sure they billed Medicare like a hunka money!) where he wore a monitor and walked for a timed span - a technician recorded his oxygen demand.

Doctor appointments - OH SO MANY DOCTORS! Tired of doctors and places where they are - hope none of you ever ever have to be in Dallas in room HQ6.600 - no happy reasons to be in there.

A pretty sight in parking area of a Fort Worth heart center was a blooming desert willow - almost made up for the unpleasant testing and long morning spent at this particular medical facility (where once again proved to me- do NOT leave your loved one in a room with

only medical people - they don't pay attention!) One technician decided DH didn't know what he was talking about when he kept telling her to turn his oxygen back on after she had messed up the settings. Oh well - just resulted in the test being wrong because it showed a false problem - ahhh health care. DH got to explain all this when doctor's nurse (since this doctor doesn't phone patients himself) called to tell DH to come in next day due to oxygen deficit in his testing - No Kidding??

Almosy to the end here - one sneaky picture of my guy - out looking at property.

Finally - we've had the hottest, driest summer in many decades - that was August 2011 - we worked, we worshiped (at home still - no immune system likely to appear again for DH), we gratefully acknowledge not ALL doctors are difficult - the pulmonologist DH sees in Fort Worth is a real physician - he cares for the person not the disease - what a blessing he is.

Could stick in something about changes and seasons of life and all that stuff - but we all know it already. DH read an article on internet saying blogging is dead - being replaced by twitter - might be true - I certainly don't blog on a regular basis anymore but then I don't twitter at all!

So that's the story ~of that's the glory of love - it is good on Buhlaland and for that we are deeply grateful! Below is the song my daddy loved and served as the source for my blog title - old fashioned but eternal truths aren't fads are they?

Front yard DMZ

De Moisturized Zone - cannot waste water on keeping too much area greened - simply keeping a little lawn alive so when the rains come (and they will) grass will have some life left.

Rain will come - always does - right now it seems more our country needs this kind of rain even more than the moisture kind


- but we serve a God great enough for both - THE reason it is always good on Buhlaland! Bless y'all

Rainstorm in Texas - this clip lasts a full hour - listen to as much as you need to recall the refreshing feelings of rain. Good reasons scripture describes the blessings of God coming as rain - sustaining and refreshing.

Live and Learn - in a good way

A video on youtube is being circulated through emails - while we are cautious about viral videos especially distributed via the internet - well this one seems to check out. I don't believe I have EVER heard the additional verses to our national anthem. The slight mistake made by the gentleman (not the second verse but the fourth verse) doesn't diminish the dignity of his statement. No I'm not starting a political discussion. I will close comments on my blog for a while as a preventative measure because I've seen some of the comments left on other sites by those who don't believe in free speech (well they believe in their rights but don't respect the rights of others). Whoever chooses to read please take time to digest the concepts.

Bless y'all - it is good Buhlaland is in the land of the free and the home of the willing to learn.




O! say can you see by the dawn’s early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming,
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight,
O’er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets’ red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there;
O! say does that star-spangled banner yet wave,
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe’s haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o’er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning’s first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:
’Tis the star-spangled banner, O! long may it wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion,
A home and a country, should leave us no more?
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps’ pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave,
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

O! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war’s desolation.
Blest with vict’ry and peace, may the Heav’n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: “In God is our trust;”
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

What do you mean Dirty Face?

Lucky girl is showing the same signs of poor hygiene most of our goat herd has this week. Put out a new molasses/protein bucket to supplement hay we are feeding them (results of not getting rid of baby goats when they are first ready to wean - you end up with too many animals for your available browse and pasture!). Lucky is a sweet creature - she was a bottle raised kid and even now thinks she has a special claim on me when I'm in the pens. I haven't had enough nerve to try the molasses lick - it must taste wonderful gud (been reading Amish background fiction!)because they will stand there for long periods of time working it with their tongues and mouths.

Possible rain in next couple of days - oddly - Texas is still in a drought when so many states are literally too soaked to take in any more moisture. We continue to pray for peace in Jerusalem, healing for our land and it's people and oh yeah - for things to continue to be good on Buhlaland. In a bit of a drought here health wise and it is hard at times to keep perspective.

2 Corinthians 4:17
For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.

I don't tend to like smaller light voices in any kind of music - but the words of this song pretty much encapsulates much of my heart.

Job 2:9b "Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?”

Still good on Buhlaland,we are grateful for each blessing.

Just so you know

We are hanging in there - one week ago Monday our lives began a different road on this journey. DH continues slow road to recovering from stroke - tired much of the time and some difficulties with oxygen levels (he still has a breathing disease - stroke or no). Pictures are one of our favorite oak trees here on Buhlaland - in every season it is beautiful. Sure enough - even more dependable, faithful and great - the Lord's provision in our lives -

Just so you know - it is good on Buhlaland because great is the faithfulness of God and our beloved friends and neighbors and family.

He Is Risen

He is Risen Indeed - alleluia and amen! Life is good on Buhlaland - and it is well with our souls. Bless y'all

Fragile

My heart is fragile - sometimes I forget how fragile. My old heart was bursting with gratitude Went to a concert yesterday with my beloved great nephew and his terrific grandmother (my SIL who also went to high school with me!) I was in the hospital waiting room the day Gnephew was born, we've prayed for and cried over and rejoiced about young man for many years - right now it appears a major transformation has occurred in his life. Gnephew is the one with black tshirt standing with concert artist Jamie Slocum - it was blessed on Buhlaland and I remember now how fragile my heart can be.

Soli Deo Gloria to God alone the Glory.

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.

It is autumn on Buhlaland

Tap Tap Tap -- pecking on screen to get attention? anybody in there???

yes we are around - little going on other than day to day life. Cluckers continue to provide 6-8 eggs a day but DH beginning to grumble about the work involved (putting them up at night and now we put a load of sand in the run because they are digging to China in there!) so I'll enjoy them while I can.

On a totally different note - this song has been playing in my head for several days - in my head I sound just like Selah does singing it -- too bad in the physical world I sound more like one of my silly cluckers! Sit back a minute and revel in the wonderful merciful Savior.

All the beauty of the created world and heaven is promised too! It is good on Buhlaland and we are continually amazed by the mercy of our Savior.

Summer Sound Effects

Here in North Texas and Oklahoma we have a soundtrack to our summertime.


"After mating, the female cuts slits into the bark of a twig, and into these she deposits her eggs. She may do so repeatedly, until she has laid several hundred eggs. When the eggs hatch, the newborn nymphs drop to the ground, where they burrow. Most cicadas go through a life cycle that lasts from two to five years. . . .Cicadas live underground as nymphs for most of their lives, at depths ranging from about 30 cm (1 ft) up to 2.5 m (about 8½ ft). The nymphs feed on root juice and have strong front legs for digging.
In the final nymphal instar, they construct an exit tunnel to the surface and emerge. They then molt (shed their skins), on a nearby plant for the last time and emerge as adults. The abandoned skins remain, still clinging to the bark of trees."(Wikipedia entry- edited by me for applicability to my topic - if you want to read the whole thing and to avoid giving an illusion I'm some kind of plagiarizing bug writer - here is the Wiki link) .





The cicadas are mature now - the one I found this morning has most likely mated and laid it's eggs. Now as part of the natural cycle - it will be eaten. ( Important note: it will be eaten by birds or other insects not by the food loving people of Buhlaland!)I am sure I could find dozens of appropriate scripture and try to drag out a spiritual lesson - but this blog post is about loving the creation - and not having to hype the Creator. The heavens declare His Glory .
It is noisy during August on Buhlaland and that is very good. Last day of August and the chorus at night is already dying down. Hope your summer brought blessings, growth and rest.

Rose-y outlook

Too much gloom on the 'net and news. Too much "reality" instead of dreaming - it is rose-y here on Buhlaland.

Best advice for today is --- when your world has an excess of manure - put it on some plants and bingo - comin' up roses!

Hey where'd that cute dog come from? Oh that's Conan the Destroyer - a slimming down, guarding the garden Rat Terrorist.

He wanted me to remind you - -

"2 Corinthians 4:8-10 (New Living Translation)
8 We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. 9 We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. 10 Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies."

Smart dog isn't he?

Again with the miscellany

Saturday morning --Comment moderation has been taken off now!

Sorry friends and occasional readers - I've enabled comment moderation for this post to avoid unnecessary malarkey from those who have nothing better to do than attack free speech along with all our other freedoms. Will change the comments back to normal soon - sorry for the inconvenience. First shot is the tulips I posted for Easter - they are really full and nice now- will be fun to see how they do when I put them outside for next year.

We attended (along with several thousand of our neighbors) a rally downtown to express our disappointment in the direction our government(at ALL levels) is headed. The little girl in a stroller is the child of a friend from church, the crowd was really mixed as far as ages and lifestyles.

I'm not expert with this macro setting - somehow the picture of an iris is out of focus and the honeysuckle was dead on.

Yesterday we tried to let the chicks out for some quality time in their run. They had great hesitation about even trying their ramp. One brave chick made a dash for it ----with Zoe raising cain outside the chicken run. Unfortunately we overestimated the size of the chicks because they walked out on the ground, pecked enthusiastically and then walked right through the chain link surrounding their run. Grateful for hubby remembering we'd kept the huge pole net purchased when we had guinea hens! All safely rounded up and moved back into the coop for more growing time.

OK it is busy time on Buhlaland - DH is removing siding from east end of house so we can rough in the new addition. I need to take truck for safety inspection and a few more errands (which includes buying eggs - come ON chickens!). Life is good and it is definitely springtime - ACHOO!




Almost forgot the original reason I wanted to post! click and enjoy!
If you are among the few hundred who haven't seen this youtube video yet - grab a box of kleenex and set aside 8 minutes - it is well worth it! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1k08yxu57NA sorry I couldn't embed the youtube video player --it is disabled (probably for copyright issues).
GetReligion.org has a very good posting about Susan Boyle--- here is her Backstory .

Besame mucho!

Nubiana and her daughter Ellie Skees are just such lovin' gals - Nubie looks all puckered up and ready for a big smooch. (A loose translation of besame mucho is generally kiss me lots or kiss me again and again). However "things" may appear one way and turn out to be another. Her lips are swollen from working over the molasses and minerals bucket. The mineral lick is fairly hard stuff and meant for licking not biting- but several of the gals have sore faces. We'll pretend she is smooching up here and Ellie is encouraging a big old kiss for everyone.







The Youtube is a guitar version of the charming song Besame Mucho . Google for Sungha Jung if you are interested in more about this talented young man. He is my new YouTube obsession - it is melodic here on Buhlaland and I'm liking it a lot!

Beware - Not a fluffy cute Christmas Blog Post!

I'm big on being forewarned - so y'all can just click on out if you don't want to read my current state of heart. I've held onto this blog post for a while now. Today I'm fighting a minor cold, writing cards and loving our beautiful spot in the country. My corner of the world looks and smells and feels a lot like Christmas. Unfortunately in America millions of people aren't feeling it. I've decided to post and let the chips fall where they may. My apocryphal references can be obscure or funny - what I'm presenting today is not funny. We are hearing many people (in person and in the media) complaining about shopping, parties, or gaining weight from the holiday treats. The one getting me most are the folks casting stones at the gingerbread houses of others for not being as righteous about how to celebrate, grumbling about Christmas in America and it bothers me - a lot. We live in a country blessed with abundant food, freedoms unimagined in much of the world and incredible freedom to worship. Christmas, whether secular or religious, is about giving --sharing ourselves,our resouces, our time, gifts, cookies - whatever is the norm for you. Maybe norm needs to be goosed a bit and widened in scope.
The story which follows is one received in an email from our respected friend - Waverly Parsons of Race Track Chaplaincy . Yes it is a little predictable, but if we used chances to speak up maybe more people would begin to "get it".
WHO STARTED CHRISTMAS?This morning I heard a story on the radio of a woman who was out Christmas shopping with her two children. After many hours of looking at row after row of toys and everything else imaginable --and after hours of hearing her children asking for everything they saw on those many shelves, she finally made it to the elevator with her two kids. She was feeling what so many of us feel during the holiday season time of the year. Overwhelming pressure to go to every party, every housewarming,taste all the holiday food and treats, getting that perfect gift for every single person on our shopping list, making sure we don't forget anyone on our card list, and the pressure of making sure we respond to everyone who sent us a card.Finally the elevator doors opened and there was already a crowd in the car.She pushed her way into the car and dragged her two kids in with her and all the bags of stuff. When the doors closed she couldn't take it anymore and stated, "Whoever started this whole Christmas thing should be found, strungup and shot."From the back of the car everyone heard a quiet calm voice respond, "Don't worry -- we already crucified him." For the rest of the trip down the elevator it was so quiet you could have heard a pin drop.Don't forget this year to keep the One who started this whole Christmas thing in your every thought, deed, purchase, and word. If we all did it,just think of how different this whole world would be.-- Author Unknown

Which leads right into this video


For ideas about how to change up holidays - visit the folks who made this video Advent Conspiracy . I feel a little load off my heart. We are making cookies and treats and giving small gifts but the reason for this season is giving. Tomorrow, late, I'll blog with Boomama's Christmas tour and it will be all about hoopla - today it is my heart. I sound full of myself - if you think I'm tooting my horn, I obviously missed the mark with this whole thing. But then - it isn't about me is it? Bless y'all

One of those catching up posts

When working around the apartments we manage, we enjoy seeing Lily's Arboretum and Bird Sanctuary. She enjoys putting more containers out and has a feeder for hummingbirds as well as bird seed for other kinds of birds. A lovely lady and a devoted exterior designer.

Think cactus and an image of prickly, stark growths in the desert come to mind. This week our pastures have been brightened with yellow blooms. Actually seeing blooms proves we have had an unusually lush spring. In drier years our goats eat all the cactus buds before they open.

How is life going for our little Nubian buck, Snickers? Being the only juvenile in the herd is a big disadvantage. Harder than being the only young goat is not having a real mommy - I'm not out with him as much as I was his first month or so. He still races back and forth along the pen gate when he hears me coming at "bottle time" - I'll continue to bottle feed him twice a day to bond him to me - makes him easier to handle. Snickers tries to avoid the big mean does. Snickers was looking for someone to play with or at least to avoid getting clobbered for no reason. In the background is Flip(the chief clobberer) stretching to nibble leaves in a tree. I think Snickers is thinking he'd like to go butt her in her fat belly (not much damage likely since he is hornless). Snick's life isn't all sad - he is growing quickly and often tussles with some of the small older goats. Once he reaches maturity those mean does will be fighting each other to lay next to him in the pens. Ah- not a tough life for him once he grows into his job. (For those who don't keep livestock - Snickers is to be a breeding buck - yep - that's his job).

Even when we have rough spells of weather or personal challenges, God's creation reminds us - we are blessed. I took a picture of our roof with blue skies after dark clouds - exactly how life so often happens right over head here in Buhlaland.

Crank up your speakers and listen to Job's praise - no matter what the situation might be - blessed be the Name.

It Is No Secret

While we were driving to early church on Easter Sunday , KCBI Christian radio station played this song. Most people remember Elvis Presley for his excesses in later years - not recalling at one time he was a gifted young man who made no secret of his religious faith. I am not claiming this song is a spiritual or artistic equivalent of Amazing Grace , it brought a flood of memories. Growing up in a household where going to church was the normal activity set a pattern for my life. Even though I spent years doing other things on Sundays, the longing to be where I was supposed to be never left. Resurrection Sunday church services, home to dinner and laughter with friends. Life in Buhlaland was very good on Easter - and it is no secret in our household what God can do.

Words and Music by Stuart Hamblin - It Is No Secret
The chimes of time ring out the news,Another day is through.Someone slipped and fell.Was that someone you?
You may have longed for added strength,Your courage to renew.Do not be disheartened,For I have news for you.
It is no secret what God can do.What He's done for others, He'll do for you.With arms wide open, He'll pardon you.It is no secret what God can do.
There is no night for in His lightYou never walk alone.Always feel at home,Wherever you may go.
There is no power can conquer youWhile God is on your side.Take Him at His promise,Don't run away and hide.
It is no secret what God can do.What He's done for others, He'll do for you.With arms wide open, He'll pardon you.It is no secret what God can do.