I haven't Croaked!

Terrence the Toad reminded me I haven't checked in on the bloggy world in over a week.

Buhlaland is literally crawling with toads - from smaller than a dime to critters the size of a hardball -all intent on finding moisture and bugs. Bugs we have in abundance but this summer moisture comes out of a hose or sprinkler. Don't want to rant about weather -we've been in a warmish spell (nighttime lows in the high 70's) and today saw 102 on our deeply shaded porch thermometer.

Weather and toads don't have a thing to do with why I'm not blogging. DH hasn't been well (we think he is slowly improving - not terminal just tiring) , I'm stressing about finding a job and generally ignoring the biblical admonition "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Phil. 4:6 NIV

We have always had more than abundant provision. We are daily reminded of God's faithfulness in our walk with Him. My head and most of my heart knows things will work out better than I could have imagined -- my stomach and bit of my often rebellious heart keep bringing up "what if it doesn't happen this time?" BUT - we rely on God's grace He is more than enough.

If I had a picture of a nice frog - then I could use the acronym Fully Rely On God and be all clever. So you have to accept my word for it - FROG works.

The sweet doe (I suppose she is sweet - she hangs around here and has beautiful eyes - for all we really know - she might be the head of the Mean Girls in her herd!) still hangs around our place. Saw her and her fawn a week or more ago - trotting along in our front pasture and then leaping over a 5 foot tall fence as if it were nothing.

So little real news, the toads and I decided to check in with the blog world. It is hot, quiet and healing on Buhlaland and that is good. Ribbit--ribbit

Read the Word (s)

Most of us have several bibles (I won't go off on the very disturbing reality we seldom wear out our bibles.) and at least in our household we have 4 or 5 translations and a paraphrase (The Message is not a translation). This morning in our readings I was quite taken by the simple, firm beauty of Micah 6:8 - for those who try to make walking with the Lord complex or legalistic or ritualistic - read the WORDS.

Micah 6:8 (Contemporary English Version)
8The LORD God has told us
what is right
and what he demands:
"See that justice is done,
let mercy be your first concern,
and humbly obey your God."

Micah 6:8 (The Message)
8But he's already made it plain how to live, what to do, what God is looking for in men and women. It's quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor, be compassionate and loyal in your love,And don't take yourself too seriously— take God seriously.


Please don't take yourself too seriously -and remember to be grateful and loving. Tomorrow is Father's Day - I miss my Daddy and hope any of you blessed to still have your father with you will make the day extra special.
It is blooming here on Buhlaland - canna blossoms and faith. That is good - very good.

Pigging out!

Good Monday to you! We had friends over Sunday afternoon to share a meal - decided to barbecue which might not have been a wise choice - heat index was a mere 104!. DH persevered and cooked all the kebabs everyone assembled.

Wanted to give extra flavor to the pork but not traditional red sauce and DH dislikes the vinegary barbecue baste. We have a small forest of rosemary in the garden and always have extra virgin olive oil (or EVOO). Pantry yielded a big container of peppercorn medley (from the center of gourmet cooking - Wally World!).

We were kebabing the meats so I cut a nice pork roast into large cubes (the little brass pig with a lucky pence in his back represents about 3 pounds of pork - cooked pork photographs ugly and we cooked all I marinated).

Took the cubes of pork, about 1/3-1/2 cup of EVOO, at least one tablespoon of very coarsely ground pepper (could have just been broken up in a mortar and pestle but I don't have one). Added 5 or 6 good sized pieces(would translate into 4 to 6 inch long sprigs) of rosemary in the container and sealed it up. Marinated for at least 4 hours (in the fridge - seems goofy to add the refrigeration part but don't want anybody getting poisoned by my recipes!). Next time I think we'll try overnight marinating. Everyone really liked the pork - in fact they ate more pork than the chinese marinated chicken or pure and delicious rib eye steaks. Just a thought since it is BBQ season and sometimes you want something different. Same concept would work great with a pork tenderloin or chops.

We had such a lovely day on Buhlaland and as if having pleasant company and good food weren't enough --we had a beautiful visitor after the human guests were gone. The doe is still limping a lot and we haven't seen the fawn again but are grateful to have the beauty of creation - up close and personal! It is good on Buhlaland --good friends, good food and goodness it was HOT.

Stormy evening

We didn't get any real damage - wanted to share our intense storm with those of you who like lots of thundery, windy weather wildness. The hailstones are shown in my hand (to give a perspective of size). The downpour from our downspout shows the side garden being well rinsed out.

The storm let up a little but still plenty of rain coming down.

Our driveway looked a little like a waterpark for a half hour or so. After a little while, as always true to His Word, rainbows began to appear in the sky and soon from the west evening light brightened up our sunset.

It was truly awe inspiring on Buhlaland - thank you Lord for your creations.