sandy creek

The littles and I made a quick stop at the future homesite yesterday. Mr. Builder came and staked it out on Monday. It's really hard to see much here - look for the flags, and if you can see the thin white post in back on the right, that is the back corner of the kitchen. IF and when we get the basement dug, maybe the photos will be more impressive?! Mr. Digger was supposed to dig either yesterday or today. But I don't know if he ran out of time yesterday, or thought better of it, but it didn't get done yet. This rain was unwelcome in our limited wisdom, except that we got a few more days to finalize electrical and plumbing decisions ;-) {Praying for an end to this deluge!} SO, hopefully next week it will dry out enough to dig the basement and get the footings poured -- exciting, eh?!


Aren't these boys handsome?! Love, love, love how good they look out there! :-)

bird watching

The kids and I were quite sidetracked today by this Northern Flicker who has been visiting our yard lately... Today he spent some time in the yard just out the big dining room windows, so they got a good look at him... they were amazed at how BIG he is :-) The book says they measure at 12 inches. We were glad the kitty wasn't nearby - she likely would have lost any battle with him! Of course, when I braved the drizzle to go out and get a photo, he went up this tree and kept maneuvering to avoid my stalking camera ;-) He's in the middle of this photo -- click on it to enlarge, and hopefully you can see him then.

I think the hummingbirds are gone. I haven't seen them much in the last week or so. They were a fun treat to watch this summer - we haven't had many before, but this year we got a feeder for them so they had good reason to hang around here.

saving the best for last

... because you will see it first :-)



Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.
For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.
For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.
For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:
Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:
Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

1 Peter 2:18-24

photo-blogging

The Artist must always be creating something pretty :-)

Miss MusicBox has enjoyed her anatomy book's chapter on the skeletal system -- and doesn't she color nicely? ;-) {Note to self: I have to get her some better pencils for this!}

The Professor is thinking physical science is a breeze after last year's biology.

This may be the last of the broccoli - it was delicious!

Silly Cowgirl is looking a bit 'green about the gills' here. You'll have to click and enlarge the photo to see the face in this melon :-) That crop is about done for this year as well. Not the bumper crop of last year, but the weather was cool this year for the most part -- and the master gardener Tim has had a few other projects to distract him. So we'll look forward to next year and it's potential great garden!

And no, I don't usually have time to blog on a Sunday, but Tim left me at home today since I have an annoying cough going :p So while it's quiet here, I'm catching up on a few things ;-)

dreaming of a master bath

Thought you all would like to see part of our future master bath :-) Funny how it almost matches what we're looking at for kitchen cabinets. Tim isn't wild about the gray top, but it's what it is and it's neutral enough for me. We even brought home the lovely 'water garden' and towel holder that were part of the display. The mirror is one that Tim framed for me for Christmas a couple years ago -- looks great with this!

salsa!

We like salsa. A lot of salsa. So this is Batch #2 from Thursday. Yesterday's Batch #3 brought us up to ~86 pints of salsa to enjoy over the next 12 months :-) I haven't yet figured out where I'm going to PUT all this extra salsa... maybe under someone's bed??

Today I've cooked up the tomatoes leftover from this week's canning. I think they'll either go in the freezer, or we'll have chili or tomato soup this week. A cold front is supposed to be rolling in this evening, so soup is sounding like a great choice. And I was just at Laura C.'s blog and saw a recipe for 'healthier' homemade corndogs -- and corndog muffins that will be super easy and appealing to some kids I know. (HeavenlyHomemakers.com for those who want to know)

I don't think I've ever served tomato soup here -- I wonder how that will go over?! Great with my non-chili-bean-lovin' boys, I think. If we didn't have leftovers in the frig that Tim will be expecting for supper, I'd make the soup tonight ;-) (I'm not even sure if HE likes tomato soup?! seems like something I should know after all these years, don't ya think?)

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