Wintry whine?

I know! I haven't been blogging again - don't know if I'll improve my habits or not at this point. When started blogging (all 403 posts ago) it was a unique way to record my day to day life - now seems as it even dogs, infants and machinery have blogs- blogging the bandwidth with bloggity blog blog. That particular whine has been with me a while now. Today we took a walk to enjoy the contrast of our very dry, brown countryside and the occasional bursts of color still available for viewing pleasure. Hope you viewed someone and something with pleasure today - it was good, chilly and non bloggity today on Buhlaland.

I know Who holds my hand

Cold clear skies over Texas this morning. In our devotional readings this quote from an old hymn

Many things about tomorrow
I don’t seem to understand;
But I know who holds tomorrow,
And I know who holds my hand. —Stanphill
- we both like the hymn and I included the quote in my exercise blog entry. Then out in bitterly cold (for Texas) weather to tend to animals -plenty of water available in trough and for chickens. When I returned to the house - DH was on phone with our neighbor who is without electricity - no water because no pump - no heat to keep water from freezing up. We found out the whole area has an outage (at least everyone on the major utility company). Our property is serviced by a local utility - a little more expensive but proves to be a good choice. DH is having a hard week with his breathing and on oxygen much of the day. After the phone calls and checking on other neighbors we looked at one another. Continually gobsmacked with Jehovah Jireh - the one who provides. Through absolutely NO work of our hands we have a warm house, hot coffee and oxygen machine running smoothly. I know most of the world thinks this is "luck" or "just how things go" but for the residents of Buhlaland - it is GOOD we know Who holds tomorrow.
We truly pray if you - dear reader - do not have that security - please go to here or here .

It is incredibly, mindblowingly good on Buhlaland and we give all credit where it belongs.

True Luv

~ The look of love is on your face ~

Norman knows how to melt my heart - her look of devotion and LUV always gets me. She is a sweet natured goat,an excellent mother in fact all around good companion. When I'm in real need of a sympathetic ear - she is my "go to" pal. Putting my arms around her sturdy body eases any heartache. I'm realistic enough to know her stunt of putting her head through the gate wires and ogling me may be love and it may be "that woman has access to our treats bucket".

Lots of blogs talking about the cold wave in USA (and Northern Europe) this week. The picture from my last post where Moe the Mighty is lying in sunshine on top of a round bale was taken this week last year. What a change in conditions!

We are safe and warm in our little farm house on Buhlaland. Our lives rock along, I still have a tremendous mess of Christmas decor to pack away (I need to remember this next year --simplify simplify!) Goats are quite safe in their south facing enclosure - large hay bale inside the shelter muscled into place by DH.

We have an electric float in the trough so water stays clear of ice. The goldfish would survive the ice but all life needs a source of water - birds and deer come by - often we see tracks of raccoons, armadillos and rabbits. The fish have a hollow half cement block so they can avoid unwanted attention (blue herons, pushy cats and raccoons with big appetites!).

We enjoy having time to care for our animals, each other, and friends or visitors who come to Buhlaland. A big part of our caring is prayer for people in our community as well as many thousands of miles away. In humble faith we are working through this world to send out actions which might result in pleasant chords in eternity -
"Every action of our lives touches on some chord that will vibrate in eternity."
E. H. Chapin

Life is a bit chilled outdoors but it is always good on Buhlaland.
Don't settle - prepare for a feast
"The Bible says that, “He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus” (2 Corinthians 4:14). Our future is filled with optimism and hope because we know that someday we will be like Him. We cannot lose heart and settle for a bag-lunch life when a heavenly feast beyond all imagination awaits us!" David Jeremiah

Ending up 2009

In case you haven't noticed - I don't blog regularly - I may need some blogamucil. We've had a roller coaster year - and I throw up on roller coasters. BUT - Christmas Day came to Buhlaland - we had guests with us for brunch in our breakfast room rather than our dining area. That comment was a segue - not the thing with two wheels Mall cops use - but a method of getting from one topic to another - obviously in this case not seamlessly. I digress---

Boxes of hardwood flooring for master bedroom renovation are stacked behind the big dining table! I'm keeping it real here folks - the flooring is behind big table, right next to the oxygen concentrator - I'm just a decorating fool.

Although not frugal - fresh flowers make me feel the house is more festive.

This year we put a Christmas swag on our office doors - you can see through the door to my computer desk - DH's desk is to the right.
Now you have a visual for the scene of the crime.

The day before Christmas DH finished redoing our little bathroom - color I bought believing it would be a dusty rose is more of a terra cotta rose' - not as orangey as in the photo but intense. Yes that's me taking the picture.

We got a pair of coasters from a sweet couple - we loved the verse and look of them so much we made one into a wall hanging for new bath decor.

North Texas has had an unusual amount of snow - don't care much for it but complaining has yet to change the weather so we trudge through and feed the goats a lot of extra grain/alfalfa. Picture is our neighbor's biggest longhorned steer - LHB - he looked almost majestic in the snow.

We were visited by a doe and her fawn who have been around here since early summer. Doe had a badly sprained or broken left front leg when she first showed up. Hoping to keep her quiet and avoid more damage - we kept the goats out of the pasture she settled in. DH threw hay and grain in for her and there was a trough for water. As summer went on - we saw a little speckled fawn with her. Now she is still appearing here regularly- we know it's her because she limps when she tries to run. A blog friend named the doe Prince - my friends name things strangely (witness my favorite goat - a doe named Norman).

We have officially been here ten years - moved onto this land December 13th, 2000. Unbelievable to me a decade has passed. DH and I were married on January 1,2000 (I was his Y2K Bug). We'll be celebrating our Tin/ aluminum anniversary - somehow that doesn't sound as romantic as Silver or Gold but makes picking a gift a lot cheaper - here you are my beloved- a roll of aluminum foil to acknowledge our love and commitment! Oh goodness. Now you know why I'm not blogging - my mind is skittering around like water drops on a hot griddle.

Wind made quite a sculpture of the snow -- Buhlaland can change so much from day to day. Our personal challenges are temporary --life is but a mist and gone. Enjoying the misty world this week - it is good on Buhlaland and I pray it is for you also. Happy New Year -

Question 1: What is the chief and highest end of man?
Answer: Man's chief and highest end is to glorify God, and fully to enjoy him forever.
From the Westminster Catechism

John 1:1-5 NIV

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.

In a dark room - it is totally dark - but light one candle and the darkness no longer covers the light has pushed darkness back. I pray you seek the light and shun the darkness.

Bless y'all - may God

Bless you, your loved ones, and may God Bless America.

Good Intentions Poor Results

First - merry Christmas Eve morning (such a confusing concept - I'm told by my European blog pals they have different words for these days leading up to Christmas, sounds good to me - simpler is better even if it takes more words and y'all know I like my words in quantity!)

The picture is yesterday morning here on Buhlaland - clouds,humidity and temperatures in the 70's . Today's picture would be rainy, turning to snow with a predicted accumulation of 2 inches ! Texas weather - ya gotta love it.

I know I promised recipes - actually made a new one and took pictures - then tasted it and went BLAH! so I thought you probably didn't want a BAD recipe. Have some cooking to do today - a Tres Leches Cake for our BFF's and dinner rolls for neighbors. Not so much cooking for the two of us - going to be a joyously quiet Christmas. Our lives are blessed with the continuing providence and mercy of our Lord. Rather than Jingle Bells this year - we are more in the mood of Mark Lowrey's Mary Did You Know?




If I manage to make something special you can bet I'll be back to post a picture and recipe - there are so many wonderful resources on the internet for good recipes yet I find myself digging in a couple of old cookbooks (how old you ask? one was an award for being president of my 9th grade home ec. club! that is a LONG time ago) and a little box of recipes written (scribbled?) on 3 x 5 notecards. Comfort in what is familiar in a world which at times feels so alien. It is good on Buhland - being content in one's circumstances has become a mission for us - knowing when enough really is enough.

I believe I have posted a short reminder from Chuck Swindoll before but it still touches me - we pray we will have an opportunity to reach out to a sparrow or two - bless y'all
Wishing you a Warm and sharing Christmas
Linda Sue and Skip

"So, this Christmas season I pray that the warmth of the Savior's love will spread itself over you as never before. And that whenever and however possible, you will keep reminding yourself that there are still tiny, shivering sparrows who are too terrified to come in from the cold. Maybe, just maybe, this Christmas, because of something you do or say . . . they will. "Chuck Swindoll

Coziness Rulz

We live in Texas because we don't mind hot weather - we very much love mild weather. DH and I like to wear shorts and sweatshirts in the fall and warm winter days. I don't own woolen sweaters or dresses - we buy cotton.
All those statements lead up to the unpleasant truth ---we don't like cold weather! Instead of gritching about our unseasonably cold weather--we have worked hard on being cozy, comfy, snuggly as a buggly in a ruggly (whoa - getting far too cutesy here). Ahem - I mean - we are appreciating the beauty of a wood fire, wonderful bright Christmas flowers, sunshine coming in our big windows and warming the couch for napping. All that rambling done with - I am posting because it is pleasantly warm in our office, dogs are wrestling on the rug, hubs is talking on his cell phone - it may be 36 degrees outside but Buhlaland is both inside and outside. Inside we are comfortably warm - enjoying a quiet day and knowing all is good on Buhlaland.
I promise to be back with a recipe or two - wouldn't be Christmas without cooking!

No chicks were harmed in the making of this blog post

As a bitter cold front was blowing in from the west (such timing huh?) we went to the feed store and picked up eight chicks constituting our new poultry endeavor. IF all eight survive and are definitely hens----long digression here --guy at feed store kept telling me only 90% guarantee of pullets - but these are sex linked chickens and the males are a different color at hatch - doesn't matter says he - only guarantee 90% will be hens - alrighty then back to our story. IF they meet the above mentioned requirements - in 4 or 5 months we should be getting a minimum of 28 eggs a week. Woo Hoo!They are peeping,pooing and generally making a royal mess in the small bathroom off our laundry room. We were going to start chicks in nice enclosure we put in our new coop but temps were dropping so drastically we chose to keep them in the house until spring returns. (according to the weather gurus that'll be late Sunday afternoon).

I'm big lately on better safe than - well better safe than most anything else I guess. No shark feeding,bull fighting, base jumping, sky divers in this household - life has enough challenges if you do it right!

The weird colored picture is the chicks ensconced in their temporary home with a red heat lamp.

No little peepers were injured when Conan decided to check the chicks. After sniffing and licking - he moved smoothly on to teeth closing over a chick but responded instantly to a Drop It command. Poor fellow - he thought we'd provided animated new toys!
No doubt I'll do more pictures of the peepers - I'm grateful for new lives and potential here on Buhlaland - oh yeah - and I'm really grateful for a recently refilled propane tank 'cause it is COLD here today! The cold weather won't last long but feels all the more painful after recent lovely days. This too shall pass (kind of like a kidney stone at the moment - painful in the process but OH how nice it will feel once it's gone!) It is still very good on Buhlaland - peep peep peeeeeeeppppp.

Brrrr

Job 37 1-13(The Message paraphrase) "Whenever this happens, my heart stops— I'm stunned, I can't catch my breath.Listen to it! Listen to his thunder, the rolling, rumbling thunder of his voice.He lets loose his lightnings from horizon to horizon, lighting up the earth from pole to pole.In their wake, the thunder echoes his voice, powerful and majestic.He lets out all the stops, he holds nothing back. No one can mistake that voice—His word thundering so wondrously, his mighty acts staggering our understanding.He orders the snow, 'Blanket the earth!' and the rain, 'Soak the whole countryside!'No one can escape the weather—it's there. And no one can escape from God.Wild animals take shelter, crawling into their dens,When blizzards roar out of the north and freezing rain crusts the land.It's God's breath that forms the ice, it's God's breath that turns lakes and rivers solid.And yes, it's God who fills clouds with rainwater and hurls lightning from them every which way.He puts them through their paces—first this way, then that— commands them to do what he says all over the world.Whether for discipline or grace or extravagant love, he makes sure they make their mark."

The size of a Texas/Oklahoma/Missouri/Arkanasa ice storm serves to remind us who is in charge. I'm not complaining Lord - just reminding you why I live in Texas. I live in Texas because it isn't THIS temperature very often! Thank you very much for listening.

Three fifteen, afternoon of January 27,2009 through my kitchen window here on Buhlaland. Also have a 15 mph wind to intensify the bone chillingness last week in January. Have to find beauty in the sheer frozen-ness of it all -ice pellets on the bright red leaves of poinsettia (a ghost of Christmas past). Even dandelion plants have a crystalline beauty in this weather. The longer green grasses next to our propane tank look like they've been sprayed with Swarovski juice.

It is icy cold today here on Buhlaland, it won't stay this way for long and if I can avoid falling on my hiney - I am enjoying the beauty through my camera lens and our windows.

Baby Bumps, Sticky Ears and just plain fat

Trying to stay focused on the "To Do list" on my desk at the moment - have "to Done" a couple of items but find myself wandering to windows(note to self - add "wash windows" to To Do) checking on the girls. Goat charts predict due to start kidding around the 24th but experience has taught us birthing dates are plus or minus two weeks. We don't always see exact start of breeding,some dalliances are not productive and sometimes the girls need a little more time. Our little buck stays in with the does all year.

Leaving a breeder in with our small herd isn't great animal management but he gets lonesome in a pasture by himself.

So far - nothing is happening other than the normal wander around, eat, sleep,eat routine. Picture is of Blackie - or as we call her old mean Blackie - shows her sizeable baby bump. She isn't a great mother but reliably has a healthy baby.

The mostly white hornless goat with the huge bumps - is Boudreaux and he is a wether so definitely not baby bumps - just fat. He lives a great goat existence, still with his mama (he nursed until he was a year old) and no responsibility whatsoever. I will not follow tempting rabbit trails ascribing human traits when I talk about our goats today.

The semi close up is our little Nubian breeding buck (the Rodney Dangerfield of our herd - he gets NO respect). Gluttony is Snicker's joy right now. We put out a fresh mineral lick bucket, a primary component of said lick seems to be molasses and his long ears equals a tempting name change. His name is normally shortened to Snickey - but Stickey is his label lately. His unfortunate habit of putting his head under my coat results in gooey brown smeary on my coat and pants. Poor little fellow - only loved by his caprine companions two weeks out of the year! I bottle fed him so he turns to mama when rejection overwhelms , mamas are great comfort.

Enough rambling -
the To Do is still here and it is now an hour passed since I started this little simple entry :::sigh::::: so much time and so much wasting! Turkey sandwiches for lunch and finishing desktop organizing - woo hoo.

Trusting in the Lord's timing and word

"Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed, says the Lord, who has compassion on you." Isaiah 54:10.

Things are anticipatory here on Buhlaland, anticipation of good and we gladly acknowledge who is truly in charge.

Blog insecurity

I'm supposed to be blogging for mental discipline (yeah right?!) and to keep a record of my life so I don't forget how wonderful, challenging, blessed I am in my life every day. BUT I started reading all these other blogs like this or we could consider this and for interesting perspective there is this then of course there is this and realized I am BORING! Creative, Christ glorifying, interesting people are out there blogging. They pay attention to statistics of linkage, create videos, meet fascinating people and write about it. I take pictures of a goat nibbling my finger and hail falling in my backyard. Big whoop huh? So I'm suffering big time blog insecurity - this is NOT a plea for the loyal and wonderful souls who come by here to shore my ego by posting nice comments. I need to work through this myself because I'm allowing my purpose to be diluting, or polluted or convoluted or patooted! SO - visit those big time bloggers to be blogosized or blogenchanced or perhaps even blogrevitalized but drop back by soon and I'll post about going to Walmart or clearing weeds out of the garden.
That's just how we roll here in Buhlaland. (in terms of truth - my next post will be about malaria and Compassion so it will be of significance - not like my foolishness)

What kind of track?

Before anyone corrects me - I am making an experienced guess on these tracks, not a woodscraft expert nor do I play one on TV. You live in the country and begin to figure out what else is out here. The hundreds of tiny tracks by a round bale of hay were made by little birds - haven't a clue as to the kind of bird, they are not sparrows. They were getting seed heads out of the hay after our big snow (for Texas it was a big snow). The next tracks are more of a story. The rounded track is canine - probably a dog who tried to attack one of our goats. Scuffled up areas and sliding marks were from a struggle, but there was no blood so goats won this round. I was able to follow the tracks into the goat pen and back out again - predator had come in through back pastures and exited further to the west same pasture. Goats were upset that morning - can't say I blame them.





Next set of tracks is more a study in timing - I think the small pointed tracks with a dragging line (armadillo) occurred first then the rounder tracks were a cat who happened through later. You see the spot where the cat either tried to catch something or just messed around a little? I think it was our neighbor's wonderful big cat Blue (he was the cat mentioned in our friend's obituary last summer). Blue regularly patrols the property around our rock house. So other than showing you animal tracks - what am I blogging about?

The basic idea of this post was my own issues with what track am I leaving? If you knew me well would you see the scuffling marks of battles, my tail dragging at times (now I confess to making a long stretch with the tail remark) or am I pecking at someone else's food bale to find my little nuggets?

My conclusion is I believe I'm more like these rabbit tracks - the rabbit walked(hopped) all around our house, found a snowy spot covering green weeds and dug it out, ate a bit and went on it's way - bothering no one and not damaging anything of significance. Hmm - maybe I've done better than neutral (don't rush to build me up - I believe I have worth by being a Child of God and loved by a good man) but I really like the idea of "no hurt no harm" - but I'm no hare either (oh dear she is rhyming!). Wanted to share the snow one more time - we have had 80 degree days this week so thank you Lord the snow is done for this year. It is good on Buhlaland, and we like rabbits much more than attacking canines.

Chicken Soup for the body and soul

Feliz Ano Nuevo and or Happy New Year y'all! Tomorrow is our 8th wedding anniversary , amazing.

It is a little cool today so I decided to experiment with chicken soup recipes. Easy to make and you could freeze individual servings and microwave them for lunch this month.

Ingredients are in bold type

In a LARGE skillet heat two tablespoons olive oil,

1 cup of onion coarsely chopped

1 cup of diced carrot

1.5 pounds or two whole chicken breasts cut into small cubes

Add the onion, carrot and chicken to heated skillet and cook, stirring occasionally for about 8 minutes until lightly browned. Add 2 teaspoons finely minced garlic, then 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano leaves. Stir until the spices and garlic are mixed in with the chicken - keep heat fairly high so chicken will continue to cook.

Add:

one 15.8 ounce can Great Northern Beans - drained and rinsed

one 15 ounce can Black Beans - also drained and rinsed

2 cans (4.5 ounce each) chopped green chiles (about one cup)

4 cups of high quality chicken broth

Allow this all to reach full boil, stir in 1/4 cup of ground yellow corn meal and stir briskly to avoid lumps. Keep temp up , the corn meal will begin to thicken the soup slightly. Add sea salt to taste and I added a teaspoon and a half of white pepper - you could use black pepper to taste also.

We served this with a dollop of sour cream on top - DH and I each added several shakes of hot pepper sauce but we made the soup NOT spicy on purpose so it could be jazzed up if desired. Would be tasty to add some corn and/or a handful of chopped parsley. Quick soup to make and flavorful, smells great. The 3 of us had a bowl which holds about a cup and there is enough left for almost that again. So I'm guessing 5 - 6 servings.

There is something elemental about making soup for yourself and people you love - feels like nourishing instead of feeding. We finished reading the bible today (DH and I have a discipline of reading the bible through each year - starting anew on the 1st ). I depend on that time each day to open the eyes of my heart - to see the world in a different way. If you show up here (and few do!) I pray that you will be nourished in some way - making a recipe, enjoying pictures or connecting to one of the books,blogs or resources available here. Feliz Ano Nuevo y'all - it is almost a new year and I'm grateful for the blessings of our life - the fun, peaceful times, and I'm beginning to understand about thanking the Lord for the trials. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (the Message paraphrase)"Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time;thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live." If you don't follow Jesus - I hope you will consider where you want to be when you leave (as C.S. Lewis called earth) The Shadowlands. I'm not a gifted evangelist - I only know what a change has occurred in my life and that it definitely was NOT me who changed - I'm still Linda Sue though not a beta version anymore - the real Linda 2.0

Here's to food, friendships, faith and faithfulness - and you are always welcome to visit Buhlaland.

Dawn's COLD and early light

I love the very early hours around here - Buhlaland is beautiful but especially just as the world is waking up. With new camera - I'm trying to be more artsy and not sure this will show well on computer screens - but the icy fence and pale dawn light caught my eye when I was downloading and I hope it shows up for you (all my ones of readers).

Clearing out picture files

Today (which is actually December 12 no matter where blogger says this post goes) is quite cold and rainy here in North Texas - I realized I never had posted some clear blue sky, warm autumn day pictures and with my normal contrarian streak - here they are! Non-Christmas and without real context - but I like'em! If someone reads this - be aware I'll be posting a few recipes in the next 3 days - Lord willing and the creek doesn't rise (borrowed phrase from Tennessee Ernie Ford - rest his sweet soul). It is time to get out in the weather here on Buhlaland - brrrrr!

Last roses of what season?

We still have roses blooming - the rose bushes look just awful but the flowers keep appearing. Such a long warm spell- here is it December and we still have roses. Cool huh? Texas weather is quite variable but this is unusual even for us. The rose garden - well not at the White House in Washington but here in Buhlaland.

The lonely walker?

OK - he wasn't really lonely - I was behind him taking pictures of the beautiful morning. DH was finishing up our walk about two mornings ago - it was in the low 40's type cold so we don't linger on our 2 miles. I liked the look of this picture (after I cropped out all the vehicles,trailers and stuff to the side!) Nothing earthshaking here - we've had a good week and I'm so grateful that my husband is a person who likes to exercise. We are aging (beats the alternative) so it takes more work to keep things working.

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

The beauty of nature and the joys of a good husband - those things I see - but what is unseen is our blessing in Buhlaland.

Never rains in California - but sometimes it snows in Texas!

Title refers to the song by Albert Hammond " It never rains in California But girl don't they warn ya, it pours, man it pours." The weather people sure didn't warn us , we got these HUGE snow flakes off and on for several hours. 'course since it had been over 80 degrees the day before - nothing stayed - it was mostly melted by morning. It is unusual to have this kind of weather at Thanksgiving (I recall wearing shorts and sweatshirts many holidays). Has been a year of unusual weather but it is OK in Buhlaland - we have heat, firewood and WAYYYY too much food.