Blue skies,music and new life

Extraordinary weather this spring - storms moving through quickly but most days breezy and beautiful.

Because we don't go to church (as in a building on Sundays) to worship (compromised immune system issues) - we worship together and have found special joy in listening to music and singing along. Because He Lives is an older song - definitely not contemporary worship - but the message was special for us today.



Joy of new life - all other goats had given birth the last of January to first part of February. We weren't sure Pearl was actually pregnant - but she presented us with twins this week. Smallest kid we've had which is absolutely healthy - and already with an attitude! Life is growing on Buhlaland and we know it is all Because He Lives. It is very good .

Little doeling and her brother, Jasper resting in the sunshine.

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.

Chicken Little might be right!

I'm not an alarmist at heart. I tend to avoid looking at problems way past the time they should have attention (maybe I have a streak of government in my soul huh?!) However - I have been taking pictures of the sky for a couple of years now and am seeing a frequent feature. Look closely - there are cracks appearing in the sky! Honest. The first picture probably shows most clearly right at the bottom of the picture - there it is - a long crack in the SKY. I've documented variations on this cracking phenomenon.
Some are vertical and some don't go all the way across the sky - but I'm getting a sneaking feeling - something's happening here. - Could be the sugar overload from the most recent handful of Jelly Bellies (sizzling cinnamon if inquiring minds want to know) affecting my ability to think clearly and rationally.

Aww - any sane person would realize those cracks in the sky are contrails from jets - probably. I don't have to be concerned about the sky cracking. I'll find something else to worry about - or not. Just a trip through the briar patch folks - end of the year crazies hitting me. :::sigh::::: it is good to be here on Buhlaland - nobody notices the crazies and I can see the sky cracks from my porch.

Day After Christmas

83 degrees today - yes I am writing this post on December 26 2008. I love Texas! After some unusually cold days we are getting unseasonably warm -I just love it.

Winds out of the south bring moisture and warmth which creates heavy cloud cover.
At one point the sun seemed to pull open a peep hole in the clouds to reassure us he was on the job.

Snickers, has a longer winter coat. He is almost a year old so he still hasn't reached his full growth. Little fellow will still come when I call him but he is less my little bottle baby and more a buck goat.























Norman, my favorite doe, is beginning to look more like she will be having a baby within the next month. Her daughter Yo Yo is also looking quite ready to give birth - we think she'll be a good mother like her mother and grandmother (Nubiana). I'm posting mundane thoughts and sights as a reminder to myself - today was a simple day filled with laundry, cleaning ,making soup, tending to some business and then I spent an hour outside. Outside with a warm, humid wind and our animals in God's creation. Mundane perhaps but for me it was way more than good today on Buhlaland, a blogging friend might say it was wicked good! I answered a question on a religion blog about when we worship for Christmas - and my honest response was if we are in relationship with God - our lives are supposed to be worship. Worship on Buhlaland occurred with calm joy around 11 am December 26, 2008.

You think I just sit around and stare at the sky - well I'm not sitting when I do it!

Still working on getting the bazillion bytes of boring (oops I MEANT TO SAY fascinating) pictures off my c drive and onto either cd's or (thank you Lacy you are the smartest girl!) an external hard drive. Been interrupted by all manner of trivial tasks - answering the phone for our real estate business, making meals, cleaning our house and oh yes about eleventy seven loads of laundry. SO for a peacefulpostful I'm putting up some pictures of clouds - pictures taken by Linda Sue - creations by The Lord God Almighty, Creator of Heaven and Earth. (can I hear an Amen?)


Cloud types
can be majestic, awe inspiring mountains of water vapor gone volcanic

or beautiful skyscapes of different shapes and textures

or two angry little sky mutts scrapping at one another

or a big plain cloudbank decided to play shapeshifter



being a tiger




to an emu!

What do you see?






























m 135:6-7 (New International Version)
6 The LORD does whatever pleases him, in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and all their depths.
7 He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth; he sends lightning with the rain and brings out the wind from his storehouses.






We feel the winds and enjoy the rain here on Buhlaland we look skyward a lot.


A friend of ours,Waverly Parsons ends his daily email devotionals with this quote


" Keep on keeping on for the King and keep looking up, 'cause He's coming soon."

Looking skyward

Updating the update - here is the best I can apparently do - last year I was able to find a website that had a live camera(obviously hooked to a telescope) showing the meteor shower but I haven't found that one this year - here is a bit of info http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2008/22jul_perseiddawn.htm and it really IS something spectactular to watch - catch a nap and then be up after midnight and the closer to dawn - the better the viewing will be
UPDATE: August 12th is the peak night for viewing the Perseids Meteor Shower for 2008 - I'll add a link to more information tomorrow-the definition of tomorrow might be a bit vague - but I'll get something up before Tuesday morning ! The meteor shower is usually long and heavy enough to be clearly visible anywhere in North America (lower 48) . Back to the original post
How cliche is this posting? I love to look at the sky - taking pictures just gives me a chance to share - (hey Paula at Fraker Farm - this blog is especially for you!) Crescent moon, pink fluffy clouds - all very pretty. Glad for beauty - this summer we are hoping for some big heavy rain clouds! What do you think about the bottom picture? on another website I asked what people thought they saw - most were variations on an angel with something else. Looking toward the sky is one of our quiet joys here on Buhlaland - it is good.

Storms coming

Wednesday we spent several hours with friends who are also clients. In front of their new house they built a lake. I wanted to give you this information as an example of why you gotta love Texans and our sense of what constitutes landscaping. We were out by the lake and could clearly see on the horizon a big storm front moving in.

The scene was beautiful and majestic but we were getting weather alerts of potentially damaging hail, lightning and a tornado watch. Later while going through my pictures I realized we don't always see the storms headed our way so clearly. My friend Sarah is an example of staying safe in the shelter of the Lord even when the storms are raging.

I'm not sure if I've posted one of my favorite C.S.Lewis lines before or not - if so - please forgive me for being repetitious. In thinking of the storms of life --

“We are not necessarily doubting that God will do the best for us; we are wondering how painful the best will turn out to be.” Amen -

The weather storm finally arrived and was not nearly so bad as predicted. Another truth in life is often we anticipate greater problems than we are given. It stormed violently near us -but not on Buhlaland - not last night.

Looking up

Lord has been providing more beautiful skies recently . I think that is correct but it is possible having a new camera has made me more aware. I enjoy taking twenty or more pictures and picking through them for something appealing. The cloud formation with a rapidly approaching sunset made for dramatic colors and effects. I chose the picture with more color and less of the dark, smoke effect because I get a sense of sadness from the darker ones - as if the darkness is overtaking the light. I know that isn't true - where there is any light at all it dispels darkness.

Without going off the deep end here about darkness, light and all the symbolism inherent - I tend to choose light, colors, breezes, clothes, touches, humor, hair and definitely- Jesus - the Light of the World.

DH asked me how to spell maranatha - while making sure my brain hadn't misplaced that spelling- I found out the Aramaic phrase that results in Maranatha is used in the New Testament one time. We've read and been taught in scripture, repeating an idea gives it greater importance. Obviously once was enough for making an impact with that word - come, Lord. We talked at one time about naming our place Maranatha but I'm glad we didn't - Buhlaland suits us better (and mind you - DH doesn't call it that) and I don't like to trivialize the most important moment in human history (or future story if it doesn't happen before I get this posted).

I promise - I'll do some pictures and stories and recipes about flowers and food and birds and bees or something - I had to get this one out of my system. We're all about keeping systems cleared here on Buhlaland. Come, Lord - today would be good.

Oops!

Just a note to say a post was deleted by accident - it wasn't anything earthshaking (an understatement when speaking of my blog). Have had a rough week - the high (or low?) lights included a vicious virus, passing of a beloved pet and some business things not going well. BUT - the good thing is - I'm feeling better, I had some great years with my pet and business can get better.

Found a picture I hadn't posted of pearlescent clouds one evening. I still am not over the fact that I get to live in a place I love so much. I'm here in Buhlaland until the Lord's plan has me elsewhere.

Clearing out cupboards

Sometime I get a picture which for some reason seems too good to delete. Problem comes for me when the picture has no good purpose in my blogging. I'm all about good purposes, also about good intentions. the bad part about good intentions is they are the paving materials for a road to hades-or so somebody started that old wives tale (which is a rabbit trail I prefer not to pursue - aren't you glad?).
All that said - I wanted to publish these pictures whether they were purposeful or not. I appreciate greatly the gate latch. DH found latches for our pasture gates which meet all the needs of being animal proof, people friendly and not requiring a key to carry around while we are on the property. The red latch thing meets all the requirements. How cool is that?

Next is the floating trough defroster - it keeps a water supply open so the animals never have to go without access to water due to ice. Also gives the fish we have in the trough a fighting chance to survive even prolonged cold spells.

The little dog is our Conan the Destroyer - he has the heart of a Cowardly Lion but is so sweet and occasionally poses like a Big Dog.

Final shot is the beautiful sky,only what the camera caught - not changed by any software. Isn't that amazing? I take a lot of pictures here in Buhlaland and it is fun just to show a little of what is every day to us.

Can you see the Phoenix?

The picture was from a couple of mornings ago - can you see the Phoenix (bird) - wings are spread left and right, head is on long neck in the middle. I love the concept - rising from the ashes - renewed. Feeling quite renewed and quiet in my spirit today.

From Proverbs 31 Woman daily devotional today - talking about being contented - which is truly being thankful. We all say "Happy Thanksgiving" yet we believe being happy is dependent on our circumstances instead of being happy(joyful) with the Lord's true peace.

Paul elaborates on what to think about instead of our worries -- whatever is good, true, honorable, pure, lovely, praise worthy, and right. Many things can fall into these categories, but Christ encompasses them all! This is not just "positive thinking," this is "spiritual thinking."

That's right isn't it (BTW that was all from the devotional today trying to give credit where it is due)?

We are full , watching videos, football games and nibbling. Try some raw almonds spray with buttery flavored pam season with your favorite season salt. Microwave for at least a minute and a half. Crunchy, salty and lots of fiber - good for you and WAY better than chips and dip.

I'm heading back upstairs to family room - more football, reading and being with my DH and MIL. Can I fix you a plate? We've got PLENTY - and that is good in Buhlaland!

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Where do these colors come from?

Interesting to me about the pink tinge in the clouds. So pretty this morning while we did our walk - the one shot looks almost like a pink rainbow in those cold blue grey clouds. Wasn't as cold as we thought it would be - but it was pretty over Buhlaland.

You can't beat the lighting

Simply some views of the beautiful sky - can you believe this goes on all the time and we rarely even look up and appreciate the majesty, color and cool things in the cloud shapes? That is all this is - sky pics - over the land here in Buhlaland but courtesy of God.