Question asked tonight.

Justin learned that a couple of children will not be coming over tomorrow like he had hoped.

The little girl got pneumonia.

he asked: mommy... why did God let her get pneumonia?

my response: I don't know buggy, I just don't know.


Anyone else have an answer?

after numerous going up and down stairs worrying and wondering about this....this is justin's answer. Do you think God allowed her to get pneumonia so that she would believe him in? that she would believe in him and not some other guy and then die? He loves her too much to let her die right mommy?

Things I Enjoy

I enjoy teaching my boy some of the fun things I like. For instance.....

Tonight we picked peas fresh out of the garden.

He learned to tell the "just right ones" from the not "just right ones". He learned to spit out the ones that are over ripe, and to completely chow down on the ones that were great. He learned that if you pick them too early that bunnies like them, but people really don't and that even the bunnies don't like them if they over ripe.

He even learned how to crack them himself. :)

We had fun, the peas... well...they were delish! :)

Plans for the day

We are going to head out to the kids expo in London today.
We are very much hoping the rain does not show up!

Should be fun.

This week has been filled with busyness it seems.
Monday. Jim's day off so in London
Tuesday - doctor's appointment
Wednesday - Stayed home, did laundry and a bunch of other things.
Thursday - off to Kitchener for the day
Friday - I worked and then we went to the park
and today... off the London again.

Next week... well that looks to be just as busy. :)

Doctor visit

Had an ENT visit today for our boy.

Good news.

Right ear is completely healed. No more need to use protection on that ear.

Left ear has the tube out and still needs protection when swimming and what not. The tube should come out one of these days.

NO MORE NOSE SPRAY at night. WOOT WOOT!!!!

Christian Carnival is Here Again.

Doctrine for Everybody: Modes and Spheres of Revelation by The Bible Archive.

In this post I want to discuss how God’s revelation operates.

Revelation has two spheres and two modes: a broad sphere and a narrow sphere; a general mode and a special mode.

The Last Sandwich by Jevlir Caravansary.
This was a good post. Can't clip from it. Go read it!

Church Growth 101 by Disciples Journal.
Couldn't really pull a clip from this one either. Go read it!

“Haiti Is Still Happening” by Thinking Christian.
The title is self-explanatory. If you want to help, go there for a link!

Amending for Their Sins by Parableman.

On a paper or exam last semester (I don't remember which), a student described someone who might "prepare for death by amending for their sins". My first guess as to the student's intent was that they meant "atoning for their sins". But why choose this word to confuse with "atoning"? I suspected maybe it had to do with making amends, something that seemed to me to be foreign to the idea of atonement, which (according to biblical teaching as I understand it) isn't accomplished by you. You don't atone for your sins. It's something that has to be done on your behalf, whereas making amends is something you do for someone else.

Mission Jacmel, Haiti ? Day 7, The Last Day? by And She Went Out...

The last day of the trip arrived more quickly than any of us would have liked. But then this always happens. Every time I go on a short term trip, I am left wanting more. I was made for the mission field. I was made for more. I was made to stay longer.

Money Can Be The Root of All Evil by Canadian Personal Finance Blog.

Money is not the root of all evil as most folks erroneously like to quote of this passage, the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, but sometimes it is easier to shorten the passage to fit your argument I assume.

10 Biggest Churches in the U.S. by Christian Colleges and Universities.

This is undoubtedly the era of the megachurch, that assembly of believers that’s grown far beyond what used to be normal levels. Often meeting in stadiums or sprawling campuses, the biggest churches in the U.S. are known for their size, popular profile, and economic impact on the local community. They also reflect a growing diversity of people and worship methods, combining online resources and multiple locations to maximize their size. Here are the ten biggest churches at the end of 2009 (figures courtesy of Outreach magazine):

What's the "glue" that holds a couple together? by IN HIM WE LIVE AND MOVE AND HAVE OUR BEING

As I ruminate on statistics such as this, I puzzle over a phrase I've heard more and more over the past several years: The marriage is over.

The marriage is over.

I wonder what, precisely, that means to the people using that expression?

Interesting Question About Sin by Crossroads: Where Faith and Inquiry Meet.

Here's an interesting dilemma that I've thought quite alot about in the past few years. Today on the radio, I heard a Christian program on which the host said,

God hates sin. But you aren't sin; you have sin.

Valuables: real and imaginary. by Rely on God in your personal development. This post was difficult to get a clip from. Go read it. :)

So "TEOTWAWKI" wasn't a character from the movie Avatar? by Heart, Mind, Soul, and Strength

I recently met the acronym TEOTWAWKI: The End Of The World As We Know It. Kind of sad that it has its own acronym, isn't it?

But I came across it on some websites that were part of my research as I've taken up hobbyist-level gardening, and have been reading up on sustainability, re-using seeds (no hybrids!) and so forth. It's also the beginnings of hurricane season and I live in hurricane country, so I've been making sure my disaster preparedness plans are all set for the upcoming year. But these days, if you google "disaster preparedness plans", you generally find people worrying about something more interesting than hurricane season.

Consumerism and Spirituality by RodneyOlsen.Net

Am I the only one who feels a little uncomfortable when people joke about retail therapy?

Did anyone else feel uneasy about the masses lining up for days to get their hands on an iPad as soon as they went on sale?

Is our happiness really dependant on the power to buy items that will soon be outdated or superseded?

Some Say, “God is in Control”: We Ask, “In Control of What?" by The END TIMES Hoax

Is God really in control, or is this just another mindless cliché that serves as a tool of obfuscation to those disinclined to accept personal responsibility for what happens to them or to those disinclined to look a little deeper into what they see going on in the world around them?

Where Do We Go Now? by Catholic Quarter
I could not literally copy and paste anything from this page, so you'll need to check it out yourself. :)

Reimagining Atheism by who am i?

In the latest newsletter from Stand to Reason,

Greg Koukl points out a fairly recent development in the ongoing debate regarding the existence of God:

Atheists no longer believe there is no God, apparently. Instead, they merely lack belief in the divine. They are not un-believers. They are simply non-believers. And non-belief is not a claim, so it requires no defense.

My daring adventure by Brown-eyed amazon

There’s something paralyzing about having the freedom to do absolutely anything.

Human Machines, Free Will, and Moral Evil by Chaos & Old Night

There’s a popular view on love and free will that I regularly encounter. It goes something like this: In order for love to be genuine, the agent has to have the ability to choose not to love. Unless there is freedom of one’s will to either love someone or hate them, it isn’t really love. I’ll call this the Genuine Love Principle.

Go read that post to see where the author takes it.

Why Should You Be a Christian and an Entrepreneur by christian entrepreneur

You should be a Christian entrepreneur. Did you ever wonder why some Christian is poor and some rich? We also see non-Christian rich and poor. Why is that? I conclude that religion obviously does not determine your wealth status. Then what determines your poor or rich condition?

The Life Of Moses by Christian Personal Finance

Moses’ life is divided into three distinct forty years segments: forty years in Egypt in the household of Pharaoh, forty years in the land of Midian tending sheep and forty years leading the Israelite nation on a journey from slavery in Egypt to freedom in Canaan.

Whatever phase of life you are in, you can learn much from Moses.

App Review: iPad Bible HD by iPad Weekly

The folks at LifeChurch.TV and YouVersion have developed a version of the Christian Bible fit for the iPad called “Bible HD”

15 Bookmarkable Infographics About the Bible & Christianity by Masters in Divinity

One of the most interesting and helpful ways to organize information is through the use of infographics. An infographic organizes information in a way that allows you to process it, and learn it. If you are interested in divinity subjects, infographics about Christianity and the Bible can be very helpful. Learn about different Biblical subjects, and visualize various events throughout Christian history. You don’t need to be theology major to be interested, either. Inforgraphics can be a fun and interesting way to be informed and augment your scripture study. Here are 15 infographics about the Bible and Christianity to consider bookmarking:

Perversion of the Faith by Chasing the Wind

We continue with a study of Leviticus this week and we’re going to focus on the things God commanded the Israelites to avoid in order to live holy lives. Last week and this week, the Lord spoke through Moses to give the ancient Israelites the Law, rules and regulations the Hebrews were to live by. Are we bound by these same rules, are we under Old Testament Law? And if not, are we completely free to disregard the laws in Leviticus?

The Seven Pillars of Financial Success, Pillar 3: Beware of Debt by Free Money Finance

The Bible discusses the keys to personal finance success quite plainly. If you read the book of Proverbs in particular, you'll see that the path to financial success isn't that difficult or extensive. In fact, the wisdom to be prosperous can be found in a few simple steps.

Christian Living Now Means A Closer Walk With God? by Christian Living Now

Christian websites traditionally promote Christian values. Today there is a tendency to become more commercial with ads and sales pitch than an emphasis on spirituality. I have been concerned that we should not slowly go down the path of the temple merchants that Jesus drove away. Religious objects and rituals can easily take the place of God himself in our journey. Since Christian websites today have a greater role in representing Christianity we need to be outspoken.

Social Experiment by Fish and Cans.

THE SITUATION
In Washington , DC , at a Metro Station, on a cold January morning in 2007, this man with a violin
played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, approximately 2,000 people went
through the station, most of them on their way to work.

Social Experiment

Snopes says this is true.

Violin PERCEPTION




. . . Something To Think About . . .

THE SITUATION
In Washington , DC , at a Metro Station, on a cold January morning in 2007, this man with a violin
played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, approximately 2,000 people went
through the station, most of them on their way to work.

After about 3 minutes, a middle-aged man noticed that there was a musician playing.
He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds, and then he hurried on to meet his schedule.


About 4 minutes later:


The violinist received his first dollar. A woman threw money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk.


At 6 minutes:


A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.


At 10 minutes:

A 3-year old boy stopped, but his mother tugged him along hurriedly.
The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk,
turning his head the whole time. This action was repeated by several other children, but every parent - without
exception - forced their children to move on quickly.


At 45 minutes:


The musician played continuously. Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while.
About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32.

After 1 hour:

He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed and no one applauded. There was no recognition at all.
No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world.
He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars.
Three days before, Joshua Bell sold-out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100 each to sit and listen to him play the same music.


This is a true story. Joshua Bell, playing incognito in the D.C. Metro Station, was organized by the
Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people's priorities.

This experiment raised several questions:

*In a common-place environment, at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty?

*If so, do we stop to appreciate it?

*Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?


One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this:

If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made . . .

How many other things are we missing as we rush through life?

Book Reviews, June 1

The Too Hot Day by Beverly Komoda



Justin loved this book. We've read it almost every night for three weeks. he noticed things in the book that I didn't, (like why they were too hot). he asked LOTS of questions. He laughed, He thought. A good book.

I found the repetition of ___ said, and ____ said.. rather monotonous and by the end of the third week was substituting ____ exclaimed, and ____ replied etc.

Brown Rabbit's Shape Book by Alan Baker



Justin enjoyed this book. It was easy to occasionally change it up. Such as "white rabbit" got a thus and such. The boy loves it when I change simple stories once in a while.

Library Lion by Michelle Knudsen



What an adorable book. Justin loved it, I loved it, even Daddy liked it. :) "what are stacks mommy?" "mommy, can we see a lion in the library?" "mommy, read it again!". :)

The Upstairs Cat by Karla Kuskin



Justin liked this book because it had the cats in it, and what they did was fight all the time, which led to questions about why they fought, can they be friends, why won't they be friends, and so on so forth. So we'd read the book again. It used some big words which led to questions about what does that word mean mommy? He had to listen to understand and that wasn't a bad thing. Did he fully get it? I don't think so, but he liked listening to it.

American Shorthair Cats by Nancy Furstinger



not a bed time story book, but a book all about cats. "Mommy! Can we buy this cat? I want a cat like this one!" He learned lots about his favourite beastie and got the "I wanna's please mommy". :)

The Raft - by Jim LaMarche



We read this book once. Justin didn't understand it, and it didn't have enough cats in it to encourage his interest. I thought it a decent enough book, but just too over his head at this point.

Wilderness Cat by Natalie Kinsey Warnock



Well....what can I say about this book. LOVED IT! Seemed a bit improbable, but the boy loved it. Introduced him to the idea that rabbits have more than one use in life, that cats can be loyal to their people, and more. A good book, much appreciated by a boy child and his mommy.

Library Mouse by Daniel Kirk



Imagine a book that doesn't have a cat or a bunny in it that a boy actually likes! I had to encourage him to take it out of the library, but once home and read twice, it became by week two a book of choice, "read this one mommy."

Why Do Rabbits Hop? by Joan Holub



Another informative book. Not a bedtime reading book, just a book to learn from. Most of the information was relatively accurate. :) Lots of pictures for a boy child to look at.

A Farm of her Own by Natalie Kinsey Warnock



We read this book twice. It spawned lots of questions. But was not a book for choice for this boy child.

All Around The Farm



Another not for bed time reading book. Just a book to talk about life on the farm. Much was accurate, some was not. Lots of pictures to look at, tractors and their machinery to discuss. Not a bad book at all.

Potato Consumption

What an easy and fun way to encourage eating potatoes.

French them!

Works well in a fry pot casserole and for a boy who doesn't like mixing his food, he'll eat LOTS of potato with his supper because the potatoes are fun! :)

Just thought I'd share that with you. :)

Tamara Lowe at Christ Fellowship

so I can't find how to embed this particular you tube video

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=WUQYJ77qa50

But I"m not sure what the problem is with it.

Tamara does a short rap on the importance of putting God first.

But I've had a conversation with a friend about how putting an evangelistic message into a rap form, who says that it is wrong. It is usually a worldly method to convey God's truth and that is wrong and I just don't get it. What am I missing?

To me, as long as one isn't committing sin (deliberately) in conveying the truth of God's word, it's all good. Let people hear God's word. Not everyone hears it proclaimed the same way, so if one nugget of truth falls onto otherwise deaf ears....isn't that a good thing?

Her message is simple "give your life to God while there is still time". Don't fill your life with meaningless stuff, give your life to God.

is it deep? no...was it meant to be? No.
It was meant to merely be a simple rap reminding people to put things into perspective...put God before everything else.

So what's wrong with this?

CREATIVE PUNS FOR "EDUCATED MINDS"

CREATIVE PUNS FOR "EDUCATED MINDS"


1. The roundest knight at King Arthur's round table was Sir Cumference.
He acquired his size from too much pi.

2. I thought I saw an eye doctor on an Alaskan island, but it turned out
to be an optical Aleutian.

3. She was only a whiskey maker, but he loved her still.

4. A rubber band pistol was confiscated from algebra class because it
was a weapon of math disruption.

5. The butcher backed into the meat grinder and got a little behind in his work.

6. No matter how much you push the envelope, it'll still be stationery.

7. A dog gave birth to puppies near the road and was cited for littering.

8. A grenade thrown into a kitchen in France would result in Linoleum Blownapart.

9. Two silk worms had a race. They ended up in a tie.

10. Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.

11. A hole has been found in the nudist camp wall.
The police are looking into it.

12. Atheism is a non-prophet organization.

13. Two hats were hanging on a hat rack in the hallway.
One hat said to the other, 'You stay here; I'll go on a head.'

14. I wondered why the baseball kept getting bigger. Then it hit me.

15. A sign on the lawn at a drug rehab center said: 'Keep off the Grass.'

16. A small boy swallowed some coins and was taken to a hospital.
When his grandmother telephoned to ask how he was, a nurse said, 'No change yet.'

17. A chicken crossing the road is poultry in motion.

19. The short fortune-teller who escaped from prison was a small medium at large.

20. The man who survived mustard gas and pepper spray is now a seasoned veteran.

21. A backward poet writes inverse.

22. In democracy, it's your vote that counts. In feudalism it's your count that votes.

23. When cannibals ate a missionary, they got a taste of religion.

24. Don't join dangerous cults: Practice safe sects!

What NOT to do when planting a garden

1. Ask a four year what he wants to plant - he'll say CARROTS! and then insist on helping you plant those carrots. We now have 10 rows of carrots.....

--- not as bad as it sounds as we do raised beds and some of those rows are short. But it is five more rows than what I wanted to have.....

2. Use a toy as a row marker. Said four year boy will "plant" the marker in a completely different spot while chortling away. Leaving one wondering just where that row that you planted last was.....

3. Have a knife and box of potatoes ready to plant. When you are not looking, a four year will take said knife and said potatoes and you'll be looking at TINY pieces of potatoe to plant. Fortunately he will NOT do the whole box on you while you weren't looking. (did you know that four years can be VERY quiet when cutting up potatoes)? His comment will be "I'm helping you mommy!"

Rabbit Cobbler - Recipe

This sounds good, I think I might try it next week.

Rabbit Cobbler
Serves 4-6 as a main dish
Adapted from the original recipe from the New York Times
3 tbsp olive oil
1 leek, well washed and chopped
Salt and black pepper
2 c quartered button mushrooms
1 ½ c or more chicken stock or, if you have the foresight, rabbit stock
1 sprig fresh, chopped rosemary, plus more to mix into the cobbler batter
2 medium carrots, cut into coins
1 butchered rabbit
1 c peas, frozen or fresh
2 tbsp assorted fresh herbs (e.g., chives, lemon thyme, etc.)
1 c corn, frozen or fresh
2 tbsp cornstarch
2 c flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
4 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into bits
1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Put oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When oil is hot, add the leek, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook until liquid has released and evaporated, about 5 minutes.
2. Add stock and rosemary; bring to a boil, and let bubble for a minute or two, then add carrots and rabbit and reduce heat so the liquid simmers. Cook until carrots are almost tender and rabbit is cooked through — 30 to 40 minutes, depending on the type of rabbit. Pull out the rabbit parts and pull the meat from the bone. Chop up the meat and add it back into the pot. Add peas, herbs, and corn and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are brightly colored and just tender, another minute or so.
3. Whisk cornstarch with a few tablespoons of broth to make a slurry. Add slurry to pot and stir until liquid thickens slightly. Transfer everything to an ovenproof dish and set aside.
4. Put flour in a food processor with rosemary, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add butter and process until mixture resembles small peas, no more than 30 seconds. (You can also do this by hand, using two knives, a fork, your fingers, or a pastry cutter). Transfer mixture to a bowl and mix in buttermilk and eggs until it just comes together; it should be sticky.
5. Drop spoonfuls of batter on top of vegetables and rabbit and smooth with a knife, covering as much surface area as possible but leaving a few gaps for steam to escape. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes until golden on top and bubbly underneath. Scoop into bowls and serve immediately.

Special thanks to Katie Hochstedler for her assistance with this recipe.

Web gallery of Art

MADOU, Jean-Baptiste

Belgian painter and lithographer painter (b. 1796, Bruxelles, d. 1877, Bruxelles)

As only part of it loaded (there's a whole other half!) I found that here.

For the artistic in all of us, there is a huge site called the web gallery of art.

I was fascinated.

There are some good pieces in there, of course, there are also some that simply don't appeal to me at all.

if I could figure out how to upload a piece for you to check out what I think is intriguing I would but I've been unable to do so. AH! I got one! :) Now to remember to how I did that so I can do it again sometime. :)

If you go look, find something that intrigues you and share it with me. :)

Our Books for the past three weeks.

Well, he liked this book he did. We didn't read it over and over like some books. But when we read it, he listened close and asked lots of questions. I like books that cause him to ask good questions.

This book was cute. it was very much a favourite. I see the cover and I just laugh knowing where he's going to end up. :)

This was a nice book for a cat crazy lad. TONS of different cats in it. Questions were asked and answered. Overall a good book.

The boy has this book memorized which goes to show how much he has asked for this book to be read. A very simple book. Very nice bed-time story. If you read it slowly and softly, it helps a boy slow down as well.

Did you know there are way more verses to this nursery rhyme than one might think?
Also fully memorized by a boy child. LOVES this book. Makes him laugh. Imagine it, a book about a dog that a boy child just loves. :)

another Book almost completely memorized by a boy child. LOTS of questions raised by this book, some of them very good questions too.

The cover from the library is blue not red, but Justin likes this book. Some artistic differences arose between the story and what the boy child thought proper for pictures. Led to conversations about pressure differentials in ear drums, and the importance of good strong bridges.

oh my, what a lovely lovely book. This book made me smile, made the boy child ask questions, led to conversations about prey animals and hunters, and how its nice to helpful to other people. Good book, recommend anyone read this book.

Do NOT recommend this book. Justin said "this book is stupid."

I may have put this book up before.
Justin LIKES this book. We learned about how sometimes people who love other people don't like their pets and that can mean hard things for those pets. Suggested read to other families as well.

Good book. Question raiser. Helpful at a time when a boy lost his bunny and sometimes you just can't make bunnies better. But this cat managed to do okay. :)

I didn't like this book, but Justin seemed to. I didn't like it because at four years old I didn't want Justin introduced to the concept of ghosts and people believing in them. But this book did leave it fairly open.

From worry to laughter. This book made a lad think! :)

and

both of these hopper books were favourites over these past six weeks. :) Both inspired questions, both contained some artistic differences between a four year old and the illustrator. :)

He liked a book that wasn't about a cat or a rabbit!!!!! This quirky horse made a boy smile around a bed-time thumb. I liked seeing that smile. :) It got a bit wordy at times for him so I shortened it down a bit. Good book. Recommend it.

Train Museums

I plan to take Justin to a train museum or two this summer. I think it will be fun.

There is the St. Thomas one.

and then the one up near Milton.

My Son......My Hero

I have this .... small... yes, that's the word... small fear of spiders landing on me.

Over the years I've gotten braver at being able to end their miserable little lives if they are in the house, outside I can enjoy them as God intended but there is something about a spider being in the house, or worse yet ON ME, that just .... well......Does NOT sit well with me.

Last night while reading to Justin I noticed a spider doing laps around his ceiling light. He was tired, I successfully managed to ignore it.

NOT SO TONIGHT!!!

Milo (justin's cat) decided he'd read with us.
HE was utterly captivated by lamp lapping spider.

I attempted to remove said spider from the ceiling.
It jumped!!!

I ...um... no.. really...I didn't freak out.. really I didn't.

Justin immediately jumped to my rescue.
"That's okay mommy, I"ll get him".
"That bad spider won't jump on you".
He jumped in circles around me to protect me from the spider until he saw where the spider landed and then he SQUISHED him with his bare hands.

YEAH!!! My son, my hero!!!

Me...the big wimp......

Silliness In a Test

take this test, see how you do.

oops....a fall

So yesterday we went out to the pinery for a walk.

We get a pass every year and it's one of our favourite places to go. Once the warm weather hits we'll be doing picnic lunches in the park as well.

We decided yesterday to take the heritage trail. It's a longer trail that has a walkoff to the river. We took that trail.

Justin and I walked and looked at different things along the way, noticing the some trees have different bark than others, seeing purple butterflies (might be a moth), catching glimpses of moss, and lichen growing among and on the trees, and then we came to the river. Don't little boys always like rivers?

Justin noticed that the water level wasn't very high and commented on it. and wanted to walk across the river. We thought that wasn't a good idea. I said it was deep in the middle, dad said the bottom was too soft and he would sink in. So justin had to test that theory out. It started out as finding a branch to stick into the water and wow!!! it was true!!! look how far he could stick that branch into the bottom!

So he had fun Splashing around in the water while siting on the dock. I retreated as getting splashed with river water wasn't my idea of fun and he was being safe.

But then....he wanted to get the big branch out of the water. He did fine getting it out until he thought he'd turn around with it.
He unbalanced and then landed up in the water!

Mommy!!! HELP!!!!!

(this yelled as I was rushing towards him).

I hauled him out.
he was dirty and stinky and cold!!!

he wanted to stay longer and play more.
I said no...you'll just get colder.

"but mommy, I"m all wet now, I can play in the water more". "it's all shivering now, so I can still play right?"

No buddy, we're heading back to the car because you'll just get colder.

All the way back to the car I got comments of
"i'm shivery cold"
"good thing I grabbed the dock right mommy?" (yes)
"why did I do that mommy?" (you got over balanced by the stick)
"why" (because it was too long and heavy for you)
"Oh, I should have broken a piece off" (that would have been a good idea)
"why didn't I mommy?" (I don't know, it easier to think afterwards about better ideas)
...and then with tears "I wanted to bring the stick home with me!!!!!!"
"why did I fall off mommy?" and so forth.....

Dad had left us and walked on ahead....I got the feeling that he's abandoned us to the slow walk back to the car. NOT to be when Justin finally caught sight of him he took off down the trail after him.
I decided to let him run and took a short cut through the bush. Learned that Jim had walked on ahead in the hopes of encouraging Justin to run/walk faster as we both know a cold wet boy doesn't move particularly fast.

We stopped at a host camper site and begged some soap and a towel so we could give the lad a wash up.
Justin LOVED the warmth of the shower and could have stayed under it for a good 20 minutes. I just wanted to not get soaked! But no more river smell, a warm boy and a change clothing. Life is an adventure isn't it?

owl box

http://www.ustream.tv/theowlbox

Real Owls this time!

Take a look at this great webcam in an owl box. It may take a little time to load, but it is worth it.

Try this to see if it works.

Free live streaming by Ustream

Molly is a Barn Owl, and yes, she does have some owlets under there! She is a wild owl living in an owl box 15 feet off the ground, in a backyard in San Marcos, CA.

Did you know that a group of owls is called a parliament?

Because of Love

sent to me in an email, a bit sappy, but thought I'd share it anyways. Love is a powerful motivator. :)

Because of Love

A brother and sister had made their usual hurried, obligatory pre- Christmas visit to the little farm where dwelt their elderly parents with their small herd of horses. The farm was where they had grown up and had been named Lone Pine Farm because of the huge pine, which topped the hill behind the farm.

Through the years, the tree had become a talisman to the old man and his wife, and a landmark in the countryside. The young siblings had fond memories of their childhood here, but the city hustle and bustle added more excitement to their lives, and called them away to a different life.

The old folks no longer showed their horses, for the years had taken their toll, and getting out to the barn on those frosty mornings was getting harder, but it gave them a reason to get up in the mornings and a reason to live. They sold a few foals each year, and the horses were their reason for joy in the morning and contentment at day's end.

Angry, as they prepared to leave, the young couple confronted the old folks "Why do you not at least dispose of The Old One." She is no longer of use to you. It's been years since you've had foals from her. You should cut corners and save so you can have more for yourselves. How can this old worn out horse bring you anything but expense and work? Why do you keep her anyway?"

The old man looked down at his worn boots, holes in the toes, scuffed at the barn floor and replied, " Yes, I could use a pair of new boots. His arm slid defensively about the Old One's neck as he drew her near with gentle caressing he rubbed her softly behind her ears.

He replied softly, "We keep her because of love. Nothing else, just love."

Baffled and irritated, the young folks wished the old man and his wife a Merry Christmas and headed back toward the city as darkness stole through the valley. The old couple shook their heads in sorrow that it had not been a happy visit. A tear fell upon their cheeks. How is it that these young folks do not understand the peace of the love that filled their hearts?

So it was, that because of the unhappy leave-taking, no one noticed the insulation smouldering on the frayed wires in the old barn. None saw the first spark fall. None, but the "Old One".

In a matter of minutes, the whole barn was ablaze and the hungry flames were licking at the loft full of hay. With a cry of horror and despair, the old man shouted to his wife to call for help as he raced to the barn to save their beloved horses. But the flames were roaring now, and the blazing heat drove him back. He sank sobbing to the ground, helpless before the fire's fury. His wife back from calling for help cradled him in her arms, clinging to each other, they wept at their loss.

By the time the fire department arrived, only smoking, glowing ruins were left, and the old man and his wife, exhausted from their grief, huddled together before the barn. They were speechless as they rose from the cold snow covered ground.

They nodded thanks to the firemen, as there was nothing anyone could do now. The old man turned to his wife, resting her white head upon his shoulders as his shaking old hands clumsily dried her tears with a frayed red bandana. Brokenly he whispered, "We have lost much, but God has spared our home on this eve of Christmas. Let us gather strength and climb the hill to the old pine where we have sought comfort in times of despair. We will look down upon our home and give thanks to God that it has been spared and pray for our beloved most precious gifts that have been taken from us.

And so, he took her by the hand and slowly helped her up the snowy hill as he brushed aside his own tears with the back of his old and withered hand.

The journey up the hill was hard for their old bodies in the steep snow. As they stepped over the little knoll at the crest of the hill, they paused to rest; looking up to the top of the hill the old couple gasped and fell to their knees in amazement at the incredible beauty before them.

Seemingly, every glorious, brilliant star in the heavens was caught up in the glittering, snow-frosted branches of their beloved pine, and it was aglow with heavenly candles. And poised on its top most bough, a crystal crescent moon glistened like spun glass. Never had a mere mortal created a Christmas tree such as this. They were breathless as the old man held his wife tighter in his arms.

Suddenly, the old man gave a cry of wonder and incredible joy. Amazed and mystified, he took his wife by the hand and pulled her forward. There, beneath the tree, in resplendent glory, a mist hovering over and glowing in the darkness was their Christmas gift. Shadows were glistening in the night-light.

Bedded down about the "Old One" close to the trunk of the tree, was the entire herd, safe. At the first hint of smoke, she had pushed the door ajar with her muzzle and had led the horses through it. Slowly and with great dignity, never looking back, she had led them up
the hill, stepping cautiously through the snow. The foals were frightened and dashed about. The skittish yearlings looked back at the crackling, hungry flames, and tucked their tails under them as they licked their lips and hopped like rabbits. The mares that were in foal with a new years crop of babies, pressed uneasily against the "Old One" as she moved calmly up the hill and to safety beneath the pine. And now, she lay among them and gazed at the faces of the old man and his wife. Those she loved she had not disappointed.

Her body was brittle with years, tired from the climb, but the golden eyes were filled with devotion as she offered her gift---Because of love. Only Because of love.

Tears flowed as the old couple shouted their praise and joy... And again the peace of love filled their hearts.

True story by Willy Eagle