Peace to You

We continue to work as strength and finances allow - not moved yet - no date set but we have peace. It is good on Buhlaland and at this time in our lives we see so many deprived of peace - not willing to lay down the stresses of daily life and striving toward goals which are not eternal. Peace HE gives to us - accept it and we'll all rejoice together for eternity. I'll back with my normal silliness over decorating choices, colors and textures - but for today I give you peace.

1 Peter 3:8
[ Suffering for Doing Good ] 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.
1 Peter 3:7-9 (in Context) 1 Peter 3 (Whole Chapter)

Facing Tomorrow

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)

5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.

It is very good on Buhlaland - a little rain forecast and lots of weeding, egg gathering, home renovation, doctor appointments and prayer to do!

Randomization is the pattern here

Trying to keep blogging although I still have trouble finding something worthy to say - last day of November 2009 - we had turkey vegetable soup from final chunk of Thanksgiving turkey breast .

Last week we waved a fond and rewarding farewell to 13 of our goats - 2 more to be sold this week. Will have at least 9 or 10 new kids in January or February. We are deliberately trying to keep the herd much smaller. Market isn't that good and we are needing to cut back on expenses (hay round bales are currently $60)

Freeze warning for this week so I cut all the remaining peace rose blossoms - can you believe it - this bowl of fragrant flowers on November 30!?

On the walking website I use Walker Tracker- I participated in a challenge - the reward of the challenge was for each ranking (from least steps to most steps walked during a specific time) to send a home made craft, art work or baked item to the person finishing ahead of you. I was blessed with this nifty knitted dishcloth from a walking pal in Norway! You can see the pattern of a goat's head knit into the cloth. Pretty cool huh?

Next is a picture of my beloved DH - working in his shop to install a new (larger) pet door for our barn cat Moe. The sparks were pretty impressive - Moe didn't stick around for this part.

So that's it - from soup to nuts - or goats to grinders! It is good on Buhlaland - God has blessed us with a beautiful place and the sense to enjoy it! Hope it is good where you are too.

"Worry doesn't empty tomorrow of it's sorrows, it empties today of it's strength." Corrie Ten Boom

Don't worry - be healthy!

Peace to You

Galatians 5: 22-26
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other



Peace is a topic I'm thinking about a lot lately - working on staying in the Spirit and not so much in the flesh. Even though we were supposed to have a hard frost last night - these Peace roses are still blooming this morning in our side garden. Although it isn't the hardiest or loveliest rose plant - I love the Peace rose. It's name evokes the calm a garden can bring. Fruit of the garden is like the fruit of the spirit - it must be cultivated, tended daily and kept with an eye on the future.
Life on Buhlaland is moving along - we are learning a new "normal" with occasional reminders our lives will never be the same as before. Before what? well in this statement I was referring to a serious health issue facing my husband but it can also be viewed in a spiritual way - our lives have never been the same as before we received salvation. It is very good on Buhlaland to stop and smell the Peace roses and appreciate the beauty of our created world -in constant awareness of the Creator.

Hope to post more often - hard as it is to believe - I've run out of words! Keep the peace rose in your hearts this holiday season - don't be frazzled and unhappy because you aren't Martha Stewart (remember she has a STAFF who actually do all that gardening and laundry!) be grateful for the people in your life - Bless y'all - it is good and rosey here on Buhlaland.

Rainy Days and Mondays don't always get me down

It is a Monday and we've had such rainy days - a total of 5.25 inches of rain here on Buhlaland since Friday. Soggy and drippy and ticked off goats. We are working on setting up a new normal for our lives. DH has had the final diagnosis on his continuing health issues - very serious and requiring lots of adjustments to our normally busy lives. Didn't want anyone to think we'd disappeared for good (or bad?) we're still here on Buhlaland and working to get life back on track a bit.

Only thing getting me down is being tired - and smelling the roses (even drenched ones) can give me a real pick me up.

Hope all is well in your world - it is good on Buhlaland - a bit stressed but that can pass -

Some Rain and a song I needed to hear

Philippians 4: 6-7

Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

Leaning on the everlasting arms - really hard leaning here on Buhlaland - some rain and storms but nothing we can't weather with our Father and each other. It is good on Buhlaland - hard sometimes but the goodness is still there.

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?

I cannot resist

You cannot beat fall roses for lush beauty - the plants are already spindly and losing leaves due to black spot but these fragrant blossoms are literally 7-8.5 inches across! Wish we had smellovision - they are wonderful. Wanted to share - frost will come to Buhlaland but I am ok with a VERY late light frost. Just had bok choy stirfry for lunch - from our very own tin can garden! Woo hoo!

Everything coming up roses

It's been a rough few months, stuff happening, life bumping along in ways I hadn't planned or necessarily wanted. Spring is here with warmer weather, abundant rain and suddenly my roses are blooming. I realize "it's not so bad - life always changes". Often it changes for the better, but it definitely changes. Resisting change is futile (that sounds SO Borg - google if you don't know Borg). Rose blooms and a sunny day - it is well with my soul here in Buhlaland. Hope the spring is rosy for you also.

Peace in Buhlaland

The name of this rose is Rosa 'Madame A. Meilland' but known since 1945 as the Peace rose. I have one in our little side garden in memory of my father. His air force career was primarily spent in the Strategic Air Command (SAC) and their slogan was "peace is our profession". I love the scent and delicate coloring of this rose, the picture shows a slightly tattered bloom since some big spring hail storms.
Seems there are a million tv shows touting books and programs and authors and relaxation techniques to gain inner peace. I know only one route "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid". John 14:27
The world simply can't give anything resembling true peace, I am grateful I possess a guarantee - if I ask, He'll provide. There is peace in Buhlaland - I pray you have peace also - not just the roses.

Confession of an ugly secret!

OK - I have to confess - the few people who have read this blog have said how beautiful things are on our place. Yes - it is beautiful and we are blessed. HOWEVER - like everyone's life - things sometimes go awry. All the rain we've had is wonderful and good - unless you are a rose bush. The reason there are so few leaves on the Peace Rose is a massive case of black spot - a fungal problem compounded by rainy, humid weather. Didn't want anyone to think it is all spun sugar and perfection - of course posting about death and loss hasn't been exactly Pollyannaish has it?

Even more appalling is the normally beautiful yellow climber rosebush - it is not only afflicted with black spot - the nasty morning glories are once again attacking the side garden. A few years ago - I foolishly thought "a white picket fence would be SO picturesque with morning glories rambling all over it blooming like mad". Bad idea - very bad - now we have morning glories coming up like kudzu! Morning glories choking out roses, winding their way around the fence so I can't pull them out completely. So take this as a cautionary tale - don't put morning glories where you wouldn't want them for the next 20 years! I am planning an all out assault on the problems - have purchased some chemicals promising to kill unwanted vegetation and getting out shears to cut back. Then I'll burn the cuttings all rose bush cuttings and spray the remaining bush finishing by fertilizing it like mad. The weather forecasts are more "normal" for our area - hot and not raining. The vegetable garden is also bad but I can only stand to confess one of my ugly little secrets at a time.

Working in our office today - we were up early(I promise to quit saying that - we are ALWAYS up early so it is redundant - you can just assume - if I am talking about morning - it is early) and medicated, immunized and dosed with Red Cell some of the youngest goats (Nubie's buck is not thriving - after having it so easy for several years - this seems to be the year of problems with our goats). It is wonderful to have things that are productive to do. We are currently reading in Ecclesiastes and reminding ourselves - God gives us work to do and that is a good thing. Even Adam had a job! Work is a good four letter word - when you make a living at it or help someone else - it is really great!

Friday Miscellany

Blooms from both the Peace rose (mentioned in previous posts) and a rose called Joseph's Coat. The Joseph's Coat has tiny flowers beautifully colored - opening as a dark salmony pink with more colors are revealed as the flower completely opens. The name of this rose refers to the coat of many colors Jacob gave to his son Joseph (Genesis 37:3-5). In our garden- it is a beautiful flower with an interesting name.

Pictured in our breakfast nook window is our rat "terrorist"Conan the Destroyer. He joined the family in 2002 when we thought our other rat terrier, Corazon, wanted a canine pal. We searched for a nice little ratter to be her buddy. As it turns out - Conan is a needy little guy and although they play every day, Conan needs Corey much more than vice versa. When anything happens (a doorbell rings, someone talks too loudly)- he checks with Corey as if to say "what are we supposed to do?" We all have our shortcomings and he is a playful and feisty, loving little guy. Conan goes out to the pastures or pens with us to check the other animals (anyone else except Moe - for whatever animal reason - Moe and Conan have an uneasy truce). Coney likes to be involved during goat birthings - wanting to lick those babies right away,making sure they are OK. The does don't appreciate canine help - but newborn kids are happy for any licking or touching. Conan was checking on newborn Boudreaux last month -obviously exciting for Conan and mildly interesting for Boudreaux.

Earlier this spring Conan was "attending" the birth of Nubiana's twins - here he is whining about getting close enough to Ellie to give her a thorough lick check!

Bless you today - remember to be kind to one another. A neighbor of ours passed away this week - very unexpectedly/suddenly. It continues to be made clear that we are always to live each day- not living for tomorrow. Despite all our plans and intentions to mend fences, lick someone's face(ala Conan and Corey) or get right with the Lord tomorrow- most come to naught. We aren't promised tomorrow. John 9:4 (New Living Translation-Jesus speaking) "All of us must quickly carry out the tasks assigned to us by the one who sent me, because there is little time left before the night falls and all work comes to an end." The work we have to do is to love one another and forgive one another as we have been loved and forgiven by God. Night falling is death -before death we need to finish our work - learn to forgive freely, love deeply and expect joy . Rest in peace James Irvin Stewart - you were a good man and your warm smile will be missed.

I've had the dew drop covered Mr. Lincoln rose on the page and thought it would be nice to show the beautiful flower in bright sunlight! We are still having on and off cloudiness and showers - but predicted to have our normal HOT coming on us soon. Amazing spring here - we forget the variety in shades of green until we get a wet spring. The backyard looks lush this year - pictured is the far corner where we fight poison oak (the vilest of plants). Our goats love to eat it - but then they spread the oil (which is what causes the reaction) by rubbing up against us. It is hard to resist those sweet babies - so sometimes I come inside and take a shower with coal tar soap rigth away. Doesn't really work but gives me a feeling of making the effort!

It is all good - poison oak is kind of like ripe watermelons - only associated with summertime!

Bless you and enjoy things in their time - to each thing is a season.

Blooming where you are planted

In the nature of full disclosure - I took this rose picture in a previous blooming season. We have a small garden just outside our breakfast room windows - there are several varieties of daylilies, columbines, the clematis from a few posts ago and roses. The roses are my favorites - they bloomed early this year and are now cut back, fertilized and awaiting the next round of blooming. My dad was an Air Force officer and most air bases we were stationed had Peace roses. His particular part of the Air Force was SAC (Strategic Air Command) and their motto was "peace is our profession". I have good memories of these fragrant showy blooms. I seem to be in a "remembering" mood this morning - the next picture is of a cactus plant my mom's "baby" sister, Aunt Dorothy, gave to us a few years ago. She had dug up a cactus near her home at Lake Whitney and potted it - each year it blooms heavily with neon pink blooms. The yellow blooms with red centers appear on some cactus in our back pastures - this year very few made it to the blossom stage

since in "bud" they are evidently deliciously appealing to our goats! Enough of the blooming reminiscing - it is too overcast today to take pictures so this will be a short posting. Will amend it later today when I'm not on the laptop - trying to post some recipes here but the laptop refuses to cooperate ( I know I know -GIGO!).

Bless you today - blooming where you are planted is a good thing - you have roots that can nourish and the flowers make you appealing.