Guard the Well

On a day when I was exhausted, I caught this beautiful view of dainty, periwinkle chicory, an Amish schoolhouse and hazy mountains.  It made me smile.

Sometimes when mamas are tired and emotionally and physically spent, we have to step back and see what is contributing.  It's not uncommon for July to be especially wearying here, but this one seems more so than any other. 

I am still spending my mornings on the porch, enjoying my quiet time with God.  What I didn't realize was that Tom & Jerry were doing their best to interrupt.  Jake & Rory wanted to see what Tom & Jerry were up to.  Two other miscellaneous farm animals were spending their time being kept on special watch in cages on the back porch and I was feeling like I had to get up and water the garden every 10 minutes during my quiet time. 

Does that seem like much?  Not really, but when you put it all together, I realized that my essential life-giving one on one time with God was becoming like a popcorn session... read a few words, bat a kitty away from my tea and pop up (again) to move the sprinkler.  After several days of this, it's no wonder my outlook and attitude felt the repercussions. 

Yes, the garden will wait and so will the animals.  I must continue to guard the Well where I drink.

Dominique

In the Woods the Other Day

It wouldn't be summer without some cabin time for us.  

Sometimes, it's just for the day and and sometimes it's for the week... 

and sometimes, it's just a quick overnight... 

When I convinced my husband to do a quick overnight trip, I had to remind the Rugged Mountain Man that the Blossoms can pack for themselves now.  Once upon a time it took an entire day or more to pack and more than that to put stuff away.  Seasons change, mamas.  This time, the girls were packed, working on my list, and ready to head out before I was even ready to go!

We spent the few nighttime hours before bed lounging around the cabin, eating our traditional arrival night popcorn and reading.  

Then, we rose to the glorious deep woods morning noises, feasted on bacon over the fire and set about doing cabin-y things.

Like hiking barefoot...

Actually, that was just Blossom4.  Don't ask me why.  She marches to the beat of her own drummer.

Of course, we went creek-walking, whilst reveling in the exhilaration of exploration. 

Blossom3 spent time fishing.  She loves it more than all the other girls do.

Blossom2 just wanted to swim.  And read.  And swim.  And maybe go swimming.  

And did I mention swimming?

Blossom1 spear-headed a waterfall debris clean up at our favorite little jaunt spot.  

I relished the analog time, while absorbing the music of the creek.  

We even worked on a very important life skill ~ skipping rocks!  

It seemed vital to me!  

We drove home, tired but refreshed.  

Gone Fishin'

It was a hot and busy summer day.  The Rugged Mountain Man emerged from his "Hobbit Hole" home office as I was preparing supper and said, "Do you want to go fishing?"  

I stared blankly and replied, "Like now?"  Spontaneous isn't my strong point when I'm envisioning four hangry girls moaning and pacing the river banks.  

Once we established that he meant we'd eat supper and then head to a boat access ramp that we'd only slightly explored in the past, I was more than game.  

I told him that I didn't even care if I caught one fish, I knew we all needed to just get away from the cares of life.  God created us for the Great Outdoors!

By evening, the sunshine was golden and the weather milder.

Blossom4 threw her hook in the water once and then gave herself up to exploring the river, swimming in the warm crystal waters and catching crayfish.  

Blossom2 and Blossom3 ventured far out into the middle with Daddy in order to fish untouched fishing holes.  The bass were biting!

Blossom1 preferred fishing with me or helping Blossom4 with her crayfish expeditions.  Such victory shouts from the Littlest Blossom when the crayfish entered her captivity!  And, Blossom1 tried her hand at fishing with crayfish as bait.

Jake and Rory were in their glory, swimming, splashing and messing up my fishing, 

but I (mostly) didn't mind.  

With revitalizing river breezes and fresh air as filling as a feast, 

I threw off the cares and rested my soul.  

Since all fishing eventually descends into swimming, the Blossoms' fearlessness in the river curbed my rest a bit.  

I later reflected that I don't need perfect outings to rest, if my rest is in the Lord.  

I've been asking myself, 

"Where does my rest come from?"

Dominique

Concerned

Clearly Tom and Jerry are concerned about the complaints lodged against them. 

What We See Today

One evening last week we were all hanging out in the back yard, tossing the football around.  We've found it to be a relaxing summer family activity. 

Blossom4 decided to go after the same ball that was thrown to Blossom3.  She tackled her older sister from behind and as we watched in horror, Blossom3 fell backward onto her younger sister, bending her neck and back in half backward all the way down to her legs and the ground.  The Rugged Mountain Man and I ran toward her as she cried out in pain and anguish.  We knew not to move her.

I was certain we would be calling the ambulance for a severe back and neck injury. 

The Rugged Mountain Man later said, "That looked bad, really bad." 

Then, Blossom4 got up and walked back to the porch, completely fine.  

Friends, I have never witnessed an injury of that scope, in all of my parenting and in all of my years doing and coaching gymnastics that ended like hers did. 

To watch our littlest Blossom get up and walk away, I was thoroughly awestruck. 

I've oft heard strains of "Why doesn't God do miracles today?  Why don't we see the miracles of old?" 

To this, I reply, firmly and fully convinced, "We do." 

Dominique

PS - This is a pic my sister snapped of my nephew at the lake with me.  When I look at pics like this, it makes me think of how small I am/we are and how big God is.  That's why I thought it fit a post about miracles.  

A Complaint

"We'd like to lodge a complaint about the new employees."

~ Jake and Rory

Meet our New Employees

I have a firm conviction that every good farm needs a few barn cats.

I figured our micro farm was no exception.  

The older Blossoms visited Grammie and Pappy the other week and stumbled upon a sign for kittens.  Knowing that we'd unsuccessfully pursued two other leads for kittens, they immediately sent word back home requesting permission to get one.  

Grammie promptly altered the request with her influence upon the Rugged Mountain Man to gain permission for TWO kittens.  Kitten #1 needed a buddy, after all.

The older Blossoms surprised the little Blossoms with the kittens.  There was so much crooning and cooing going on that Thursday night a week and a half ago.

We set about naming them.  Perhaps we should've gotten FOUR kittens.  Then, everyone could've named their own.  

Mommy wanted "Jace and Si" from Duck Dynasty.  

These kittens need to be tough redneck kind of cats.

Blossom1 wanted Rhoop and Rhindon after a lord and a sword from the Chronicles of Narnia.  She also lobbied for Knightley and Bingley ~ good gentleman names from Pride and Prejudice... I agreed on both of these name suggestions, until I realized that I didn't particularly need gentlemen kittens! 

Blossom2 wanted Crockett and Boone ~ famous hunters from history!  However, no one could agree or remember which kitten would be Crockett and which would be Boone.  

Blossom3 and Blossom4 alternately agreed and disagreed with the majority, just enough to add to the chaos and confusion.

My nephew, Isaac, heard that Daddy called the orange kitten "Tom" after a kitten he had in his childhood, so Isaac immediately suggested Tom and Jerry.  Henceforth, the Rugged Mountain Man was adamant that they be dubbed Tom and Jerry.

No one could agree on anything else.  

No one could remember anything else.  

After days and hours of deliberation, we fancy-naming females reluctantly assented to naming them "Tom and Jerry."  

Clearly, they've been working hard already.