Some Week

"Some Week"

If we had a Charlotte living in the corner of our doorway, that is what she would weave into her web right now: "some week"  (we don't by the way, although I did squash a big gray spider earlier today in the laundry room.  Ugh, spiders... *shudder*)

Last Friday our 18 year old cat went missing.  He was old.  He showed his age.  He has been in declining health for a few years and in recent months had started losing weight. We have no clue what happened to him, when he got out, or where he went.  He was mostly an indoors cat these days, only occasionally venturing just outside the door to nibble some grass or enjoy some sunshine before wanting right back in.  We can only assume that he went off in the way animals often do to pass. 

On Wednesday morning, I was going about my normal morning routine.  It was time to take the dog out and take care of the chickens.  I glanced out the window and stopped in my tracks.  There was what appeared to be a chicken lying in the back yard. 

Oh no...

I went outside and made the discovery.  Something had managed to break into the pen during the night or early morning.  There were feathers everywhere.  And other than the 2 dead chickens in the yard, I couldn't find any of the others.  I did come across a lot of white feathers down at the bottom of the empty wooded lot next to our house.  No clue what got to them.

If you are keeping count, that means I lost 1 cat and 6 chickens in less than 6 days.  I think I can officially say without exaggeration that I didn't have a great week.

It seems I'm not the only one.  The male offspring has also been complaining of a headache for 3 days.  I'm pretty sure it's sinus.  But he insist it isn't and refuses to take the decongestant I keep trying to press on him.  (Teenage boys...  *sigh*)

And the female offspring has been stressing about a math test she had today.  She's glad it's over, but now is anxious about how she did.  Convinced that she bombed it, of course.  Although she never thinks she does well, but always does. 

On a brighter note, the man of the house and I have been making an effort to workout and an eating plan.  I've lost about 5 pounds so far.  Yah!  Less than 3 months until summer!

The grand baby has learned how to use the chairs to climb up on top of the dining room table.  And does it every chance he gets.  Which means I now have a few more gray hairs to cover up with hair color!

And that's about all I can think of to share at the moment. So, as you can see... some week.

New Every Morning

As the mornings have gotten cooler, I have missed sitting on my back porch in the mornings for my quiet time. 

Sitting out there in those early morning hours, it's easy to see the hand print of God. 

"They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." ~ Lamentations 3:23

You can see his work in the trees, the sunlight, the birds coming to the feeder.

You can hear it in the breeze, the bird songs, the soft clucking of the chickens.

Sometimes I can even feel His Spirit here with me.

God makes Himself known to us in subtle ways. 

He is always all around us - with us.  We just have to stop, look, and listen to feel Him there.

"Be still, and know that I am God" ~ Psalm 46:10

Sorry... Goldilocks Isn't Home Right Now

I'm minding my own business, walking through the living room when out of the corner of my eye I catch a glimpse through the window of something black.  "Hmm..", I think, "There is a strange dog in the yard".  I back up a step and take a second, longer look.  THAT is not a dog. 

THAT IS A BEAR! 

I stared in complete disbelief.  I took a deep breath and said loudly to the offspring "There is a bear in the front yard!!"  (OK, I may have yelled it) 

I grabbed the phone and sent a text to the Man of the House.  "There is a BEAR in the front yard!"  And then I sent a few more texts to anyone I could think of.  I was a little keyed up over this whole bear thing.

I grabbed the camera and starting taking pictures.  Through the window - I'm not that crazy!  I kept saying it: "There's a bear in our yard!"  "There... is a BEAR... in the front yard!!"

This was no small cub either.  This was a decent sized bear!  I'm pretty sure that if it were to stand up on it's back legs , it would be at least as tall as The Man of the House!

Apparently Mr Bear (Ms Bear?  I wasn't getting close enough to check... or ask) found the crab apples in our yard irresistible.  And he (she?) was welcome to as many of them as he (she?) wanted!  We watched him (her?) for a good 15 minutes, filing his (her?) belly. 

He (she?) would sit and eat a few apples, then get up and stroll around sniffing until he (she?) found a new spot with some yummy apple goodness, where he would sit back down for another course.

Eventually the bear got tired of apples.  He (she?) wandered around the side of the house, and sniffed at the raspberry canes.  I was OK with that, but once an interest was shown in the chicken house, it was time to make some noise and scare our bear friend off!   Sorry Bear!  Apples and berries are fair game, but my chickens are OFF LIMITS! 

 As the bear wandered away and disappeared into the wooded area next to our yard, I realized that he (she?) now that he or she knows there is food here.  I fully expect we will see him (or her) again.