::D is for Discovering Dragonflies::

D is for...

Discovering newly hatched dragonflies at ::Baxter Conservation Area::
Unlike adult dragonflies, these tinies settled onto arms and happily remained. Other discoveries: water spiders, toads and leaches. Annorah's personal discovery: Mommy "fishes" for my net every time I drop it into the pond.

::C is for. . . ::

C is for. . .

Cookies I can't seem to get enough of. I have posted this recipe ::before:: but thought it was worth doing again because they are so delicious. I made a batch to appease my family, who have had to endure sugar-free baking lately.

::B is for . . . ::

B is for. . .

The Magnolia Buds that Blossom into pink beauties in May.


B is also for. . .

Brothers on a swing.

::Alphabet Photography::

'Tis the season for better light to take photos by! I spotted a neat idea/excuse to take useless, but pretty pictures at a blog called :

Just stumbled upon it. They ladies came up with an Alphabet-themed photo project that encourages us to take photos of the things that are around us ::PhotoMeme::


A is for. . .
Art my kids made for their new nephew. I decided to wash each canvas with Aunt-friendly colours, (she loves blues and greens), and then had them look through our faithful go-to book on animals: ZOO ology by Joelle Jolivet.

They each chose an animal. Oddly, of all of Earth's wildlife 3 0f the 4 chose sea creatures. Amanda will be able to sing the Sesame Street Classic "One of these things is not like the other. Three of these things are kinda the same..." I drew the outline of each animal in pencil. They painted it in! I think I will frame them together. Or maybe string them together in a wire. . .

::Refuge::

A family I love to the depths of my being has been gathered under the wing of the Almighty. His wings are the safest home they will ever know.

⁴ He will cover you with his feathers,

and under his wings you will find refuge;
~Psalm 91~

::Good::

I have a shelter-friend.
She reminded me again, that Good is something you live . . .

Back at the beginning, when God was speaking everything we know into being, he pronounced it all good. The light & darkness was good. The fruits and plants were good. The birds and fish were good. And then He shaped the man and the woman, and gave over all of the things that came before into their care and said; Go use them. Go flourish and thrive with the help of these good things. Is this not good defined? The marvelous things God crafted were called good in direct relation to the glorious use of them in our hands. How will we spend the bounty?

And spend we must. Good is active.

⁶"Is not this the fast that I choose:
to loose the bonds of wickedness,
to undo the straps of the yoke,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to break every yoke?
⁷Is it not to share your bread with the hungry
and bring the homeless poor into your house;
when you see the naked,
to cover him,
and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?
⁸ Then shall your light break forth like the dawn,
and your healing shall spring up speedily;
your righteousness shall go before you;
the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.
⁹Then you shall call,
and the LORD will answer;
you shall cry, and he will say, 'Here I am.'
If you take away the yoke from your midst,
the pointing of the finger,
and speaking wickedness,
¹⁰ if you pour yourself out for the hungry
and satisfy the desire of the afflicted,
then shall your light rise in the darkness
and your gloom be as the noonday.
¹¹And the LORD will guide you continually
and satisfy your desire in scorched places
and make your bones strong;
and you shall be like a watered garden,
like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.
~Isaiah 58~

We love to be invested in-- to be spent on-- but do we love to spend ourselves on others? I know you all know the way your heart flutters after it has discerned a need, and sacrificed for the Joy of another. There is an inherent sense of fulfillment in giving without strings attached. Is your mind conjuring up warm pies and meals, still warm, dropped at the doorstep? But there are other kinds of good that can't fill a belly. There is the giving of your Story.

When we are in the depths, we convince ourselves that we are alone. We think we are unwanted, and an only resident on this particular map of misery, (or sin). And then another comes to you and tells you that she has a place on that map. She has experienced this same despair. And the raw vulnerability of the words flood you with a security of belonging. So, why do we hide?

Is it just me, or are more and more people walking around in plain daylight, completely walled up and invisible? No one wants to reveal a chink in their armour. No one wants to be seen on their knees. No one wants to be thought of as weak.

"The more we play this "hiding game" the less people feel they belong".
~Beth Moore~

Strangers walking in a crowd of strangers are still alone.

Heard this new Jars of Clay on a drive. It fit.
In the shelter on each other we will live.


{::Photo Credit::}

::While he was gone::

While Aidan was away {on a beach in the Dominican Republic}. . .

. . . we played dress up.

. . . we bashed a few teeth loose.

. . . my dear friends babysat me.

. . . And we all survived. He swooped back home to give me a beautiful Mothers' Day:

Apple & brie crepes-- take note of the star cut-outs.

My kids made me the most intricate cards with multiple tiny envelopes, all filled with money from their piggy banks. I think they handed me over about $20 between them. This was extremely sacrificial of them, as I have observed their gleeful deposits over the years. {I will discretely tuck their money back into their jars when I get a chance.}

A Happy Day to all of you beautiful women!

::Coffee. Even when the lights go out::

Last week, a wind storm, unlike anything I have ever experienced, blew through town. Our neighbours had a window ripped off! A barn down the road, simply grew tired of standing and slumped onto itself, leaving only a peaked roof. Our little house, along with all of our lovely trees stood firm. Thank you God! And life went on. I gathered candles and lanterns, and set about placing them strategically throughout the house. Our propane stove cooked our dinner. And my ingenious husband found a way for us to have our treasured afternoon cup of coffee. He filled our grinder with beans and headed out to the car where he used the power adapter to fuel the little machine. He came in and "brewed" our coffee over a thermos using boiled water, a funnel and a filter. Ta da! Blow wind! Blow!