A Daughter's Heart

Planting

2011-12-09T00:23:00.000-05:00

Recently we purchased some little plants consisting of broccoli, collard greens, cabbage and lettuce to plant in our garden. Cold-weather planting is a new thing for us, so it was an interesting experience to be gardening in long sleeves, to say the least.

Little broccoli plants. (Now happily planted!)

Ivey and Mom busy planting. (And yes, I helped. I didn't just stand around taking pictures the whole time, that would have been ridiculous of me. *ahem*)

Ivey

Tom Cloud. There were some of us who wanted to call him Cloud, while others wanted Tom, so eventually they merged. He's a wonderful gardening companion.

Pills wishing she could join us in the garden and shove her (somewhat squished) nose around in the fresh dirt.

Just a tip, if you are considering planting ground cherries in your garden and they supposedly do well in your area, think again. They will produce prolifically and consume your entire garden then come back to haunt you year after year. ^Proof^

Rochelle aka Fidget the Redbone, and Pills the Boxer. They say birds of a feather flock together, well then maybe dogs "flop" together. These girls are absolutely crazy.

Adalia loves to be outside in her stroller.

Little lettuces in the sunshine.

"For everything there is a season..."
Ecclesiastes 3:1

Getting the Tree

2011-12-07T22:01:00.000-05:00

A beautiful, cold day a few weeks ago found us at a little tree farm up on a mountain choosing our Christmas tree. It was hard considering our amount of choices, but soon after arriving we found this year's perfect tree.

Daddy and Levi.

Cutting the tree down.

Carrying it up the hill to the van.

Gabriel assisted Dad with tying the tree to the van this year.

Levi watches Dad and Gabriel.

Little Miss Bright-Eyes: Dalhi Rose

Dalhi Rose

2011-11-14T18:40:00.000-05:00

This is Dalhi Rose. Dalhi is my new baby sister, four months old today!

She was born on July 14, weighing 5 pounds and 4 ounces.

Her first and middle names are:

Adalia Nona Rose

Pronounced ada-LEAH-a, and meaning "God is my refuge".
Nona is after our Great-Grandmother, and Rose is after our Naney [Nona's daughter].

Levi (almost 4) loves being a big brother. And he is a wonderful one!

Some of us are calling her Dalhi [Rose], others prefer Leah (lee-uh), and Levi insists on "Wose".

She is an absolute joy, and we are so grateful to the Lord for blessing us with her!

"Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them!"

Psalms 127:3

Rejoicing in His Presence

2011-09-14T22:30:00.001-04:00

"I forsaw the LORD always before my face, For He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken. Therefore my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad. Moreover my flesh also will rest in hope...You have made known to me the ways of life; You will make me full of joy in Your presence."

Acts 2:25-26-28

In the Garden

2011-06-24T19:44:00.000-04:00

Ahh, summer. In some ways it feels as if last summer was years ago, and in other ways it feels like yesterday. I love this season...not as much for the heat as the wonderful things that happen in summertime. One of these things includes growing a garden. This year Mother and I decided to try using some raised beds in our gardens. My sweet Daddy built them for us. ♥ They have proved very nice in the weeding department, but perhaps a little too nice in the drainage department. ;) When we don't get enough rain (which has been the case for most of this year so far) we have to keep the garden heavily watered with hoses, and the last thing we need is soil that drains the water before the plants have time to get any.

Anywho...I thought I'd post some pictures of the herbs in Mom's garden, and some of the sunflowers in mine. :)

Thyme.

Sunny Basil.

Oregano with it's tiny white blossoms.

Dill and it's seed head. Perfect for making pickles with! :)

Sunflowers against my garden fence.

What do you love about summer?

With much love,

P.S. Did you know I started a photography blog? It's Livvy Taylor Photography. I've just given it a much needed makeover, and plan to post on it right away. The next post should be about our recent trip to the blueberry patch. :)

My Photography Equipment

2011-03-12T11:28:00.004-05:00

Here is the post I promised y'all on my photography equipment. :) If you have any questions about anything please feel free to ask me in the comment section!

Image Credit

Camera Body: Nikon D3000 10.2 MP Digital SLR Camera

Learn more about it here.

This is the original camera I started my wonderful adventure of DSLRs with! As far as I can tell, it has a considerably simple design and is very easy to work with. I was able to find my way around it very soon after first getting it into my hands. :) Having never even held a DSLR before, it was quite a new experience for me. When the lens is attached it feels rather heavy compared to a simple point-and-shoot. Also, with this particular model, you can only see through the viewfinder to take a picture, unlike a point-and-shoot where you see it on the large screen. You can review the picture on it once taken of course, but for some this might take a little adjusting to. Actually, I much prefer it now that I've gotten used to it, and when a sibling asks me to take a picture with their point-and-shoot I automatically bring it up to my face to look through (ouch). Haha! :P

I'm considering an upgrade to a more professional DSLR one day, but not for quite some time yet. In the meantime, this little camera that I was blessed with will be perfect for capturing those moments and bits of life that are beautiful to me. :) I highly recommend it if you are starting out with DSLRs, or simply want something easy to work with and use while still getting great pictures.

Image Credit

Lens: Nikon 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED IF AF-S DX VR Nikkor Lens
Learn more about it here.
This is my zoom lens. I don't use this one as often as my other lenses because I don't always need to get so close to my subjects. They're most often close enough to capture with my 50mm. :) However, I love to use this one when I'm taking bird pictures, as well as pictures of certain 'shy' farm animals (read: naughty little Smoky the calf). This is also great if you simply want a closer shot of something. In my own humble opinion, this one is also great to carry around for capturing shots out-of-doors, such as when on a walk or going on a nature study. Perfect for shots of timid wildlife, as well as interesting flora or fauna that might not be easy to reach or get close to. (Can't you tell I've been out in the woods with my zoom lens for a little too long??)

Image Credit

Lens: Nikon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II AF-S DX Nikkor Zoom Lens
Learn more about it here.
This lens usually comes in the kit, and is great as an all-purpose lens, especially if you don't want to carry around a lot of lenses and have to change them if you go from shooting a wide scenery to a bouquet of flowers. I like how you can get a nice wide shot when at 18mm, and still zoom in enough to get a closer view at 55mm. It's not my favorite simply because the quality isn't quite as good as a "set" lens (such as my 50mm) and because you don't get the same creamy backgrounds and very sharp detail. It's still a fabulous all-purpose lens, however, and it's perfect for a budding photographer learning their way around DSLRs.

Image Credit

Lens: Nikon 50mm f/1.4D AF Nikkor Lens

Learn more about it here.

This lens is by far my favorite! Perfect for portraits and still life, it gives crisp, clean pictures with smooth, creamy backgrounds. The low aperture also allows you to take pictures in lower light conditions, which is fantastic. This is the one you'll find me using the most often. Just about any picture on my blog (taken after Dec. 25 2010) was shot with this one. The only thing you might not like about it is that it is set at a particular millimeter length, meaning you can't zoom in and out. So if you want a wider shot, such as a piece of a garden or a bedroom, you'll have to walk a good bit away from where you would normally stand if you had a wide-angle lens. Being a "set" lens is actually what I like about this one, because it allows you to get sharper, cleaner, more detailed pictures than say, the 18-55mm.

(This lens is also fabulous if you like a lot of lovely bokeh in your pictures!)

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Along with the camera and lenses themselves, I also use my brother's very nice tripod for certain shots.

A remote will probably be the next little piece of equipment I will purchase, for when I want to take family portraits that actually include me in them (:P) and for when I want to set my camera and tripod up in front of a bird feeder, etc.

As I add to my 'camera bag' so to speak, I'll try to post on my new gadgets. :)

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Please remember that I am still an amateur photographer and these are just my own simple opinions on the things I use.

I hope this helped you out in someway, and again, please feel free to ask questions! :)

Blessings!

p.s. This post took me quite some time and effort to put together, please do not copy or take any piece of my personal text. Thank you!!
p.p.s. The images on this post were courtesy of google images and the sites linked to.

Spring Blossoms

2011-03-10T14:39:00.001-05:00

These are some photos I've taken recently of the little trees in our orchard. The first signs of Spring always start here with the little blossoms unfurling and showing their delicate beauty. Soon the tiny wild violets will spread a lovely purple hush over the grass in the orchard and fill the air with their sweetness! Spring in all it's glory will be here soon!

As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.”

-Genesis 8:22

To everything there is a season,

A time for every purpose under heaven:

A time to be born, And a time to die;

A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted;

A time to kill, And a time to heal;

A time to break down, And a time to build up;

A time to weep, And a time to laugh;

A time to mourn, And a time to dance;

A time to cast away stones, And a time to gather stones;

A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing;

A time to gain, And a time to lose;

A time to keep, And a time to throw away;

A time to tear, And a time to sew;

A time to keep silence, And a time to speak;

A time to love, And a time to hate;

A time of war, And a time of peace.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

Thank you for visiting!

p.s. Recently several dear readers have asked about my photography equipment and what I use. I shall be doing a post shortly on this subject.

Feelin' Feminine Challenge | Saturday's Outfit

2011-01-22T17:30:00.001-05:00

We've come to the last day of the Feelin' Feminine Challenge! I really enjoyed seeing the outfits y'all posted, and I'm sure others were blessed by them, as well! Thank you to all the sweet, lovely, inspiring young ladies who joined in!

"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."

Philippians 4:8

Today's outfit consisted of:

♦Brown linen skirt

♦Pale peach blouse

♦Cowboy boots

The skirt was bought on ebay, the blouse came from the mall, and the boots were bought online.

Link up here!

P.S. There's a new post on my Photography Blog!

Feelin' Feminine Challenge | Friday's Outfit

2011-01-21T18:18:00.000-05:00

Today's outfit consisted of:
♦Good ol' tiered denim skirt

♦Olive green 3/4 sleeve length top

♦Barefeet. ;)

The skirt was bought on ebay, the top was from the clearance rack in Cracker Barrel (yes, the restaurant! ;p).

Link up here!

Feelin' Feminine Challenge | Thursday's Outfit

2011-01-20T21:20:00.001-05:00

Thursday's outfit consisted of:

♦Coral cardigan

♦White shell

♦Wrinkly (though recently ironed) linen skirt :P

♦Flats

My apologies for not getting this up sooner, we were in town today, thus I didn't have access to a computer.

Feelin' Feminine Challenge | Wednesday's Outfit

2011-01-19T18:45:00.000-05:00

We had a beautiful bright, sunny day today! Warm with pleasant breezes. I spent most of my day outside, popping in occasionally to do some laundry and such. :) I've really enjoyed seeing the outfit's y'all have posted!

Today my outfit consisted of:
♦Denim Jacket
♦Brown Blouse
♦Tan Skirt
The jacket and blouse were from goodwill, and I think the skirt came from ebay.

Link up here!

Feelin' Feminine Challenge | Tuesday's Outfit

2011-01-18T17:11:00.000-05:00

Here's Tuesday's outfit! Looking forward to seeing y'alls. :)

My outfit consisted of:

♦White shirt

♦Robin's egg blue blouse

♦Brown corduroy skirt

The shirt was from a store in the mall, the blouse I think was from Goodwill, and the Eddie Bauer skirt was off of ebay.

Feelin' Feminine Challenge | Monday's Outfit

2011-01-17T16:11:00.000-05:00

Time to share monday's outfit! Looking forward to seeing y'alls posts! :)

Monday's outfit consisted of:

♦Plaid button-up shirt

♦Denim skirt
♦Cowboy boots (Emily took the picture before I put them on)

The shirt came from Bass Pro Shops, the skirt was a gift, but I believe it came from TJ Maxx, and the boots were bought online.

Share the link to your blog post here!

Feelin' Feminine Challenge | Sunday's Outfit

2011-01-16T17:38:00.017-05:00

Hello and welcome to the first day of the January Feelin' Feminine Challenge! I'm looking forward to seeing y'alls outfits for this week! :) I need a lot of inspiration when it comes to dressing for cool weather. Dressing for Spring & Summer is what I do best. ;)

Many thanks to my sweet sister Emily for taking the picture for me today! :)

Sunday's outfit consisted of:

Tan sweater, cream shell, and tan & brown 'plaid-like' skirt.

The sweater, shell, and skirt were all bought at Dillards. (Have to love it when you can find an entire outfit in one place! ;D)

We all had a lovely day of worship and sweet fellowship today at Church! I'm so blessed!! ♥ How was your Sunday?

Share the link to your blog post here!

The January Feelin' Feminine Challenge

2011-01-15T18:37:00.000-05:00

Hello y'all! A few weeks ago Jocelyn @ A Pondering Heart asked me if I would be interested in hosting the Feelin' Feminine Challenge this week. Of course I was thrilled to accept! :)

Some specs on the challenge:

"The challenge is to wear only skirts/dresses for an entire week of seven days, and then post a photo of your outfits on your blog. If you don’t have exactly seven different skirts, that’s alright. Mix and match with different shirts. We can be not only feminine and modest but frugal too!"

"While there are no outfit ‘requirements’, we do ask, for the sake of our mission, writers, and readers please make sure that your dresses and skirts are at least knee length and that none of your shirts are sleeveless."

I can't wait to see you taking up the challenge and posting pictures of your outfits! :)

I'll be posting a picture of my outfit every evening starting tomorrow on Jan. 16th, through Jan. 22nd.
I encourage you to post pictures of your outfit on your blog, as well. There will be a link system up on each of my posts so you can share your blog post with everyone! :)

Blessings!!

It would seem nearly impossible. . .

2011-01-01T22:40:00.001-05:00

. . .for someone to quietly drop off the face of the earth, seeing as how it's round. ::smiles:: But somehow, I managed to do just that. I've been around, waiting for a moment to appear when I could return.

I didn't completely leave the internet world,---I published the occasional comment and read new posts on other blogs. I've also kept up with my dear friends on facebook, and, somewhat, on Twitter.

{I have drowned in a deep sea of unanswered emails, however! Thank you so very much if you took a moment to send me a message, I'm so blessed by it & I dearly enjoy hearing from you all! Life oft gets in the way of me answering, but I do try when I have a chance.}

Oh, there are so many things I've wished to share for many weeks now. Some things must still wait a little while to be revealed. :) A new year is upon us now. I have lists upon lists of things I want to accomplish this year, and so much I want to learn. For now, I shall simply reassure you all of my existence, and leave a few photos. I recently acquired a new lens for my camera and I am thoroughly enjoying it. :)

Many blessings,

A Sewing Project: Completed

2010-11-02T00:33:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago

I made a little apron for a dear, sweet friend of mine, and I thought perhaps y'all might like to see some pictures of the completed Naprún.

Pattern: Marie Madeline Studio's Pleated Cottage Apron

Fabric: Savon Bouquet in Powder by Verna Mosquera for Free Spirit

Waistband fabric: I have absolutely no idea. . .

I love you lots Madison, and I hope you enjoy the apron!
♥ ♥ ♥

Blessings y'all!

Perhaps. . .

2010-10-23T13:38:00.001-04:00

Perhaps it was time for a new look.

A bright, clean, fresh look.

Something spacious, feminine, and gentle.

I quite like it already, although I'm still tweaking it here & there.

What are your thoughts on it?

Since I went away

2010-09-09T21:23:00.004-04:00

Hello to all you dear readers!

It was really dreadful of me not to post lately, but, as you can guess, I've been too busy. I really don't like using that as an excuse anymore, seeing as how 'busy' is the norm now. :P I'll just have to learn to work around it I suppose. :)

.:. .:. .:. .:. .:.
Anywho, I've been meaning to post, truly.

Some things that I've had the pleasure of being busy with include cleaning the house, preparing for Autumn, packing up for an over-night trip to Florida, redoing my room, taking care of the farm with everyone, planning an important sewing project, trips to town, schoolwork, photography, and --- working on a secret! *Mysterious smile* All shall be revealed shortly. . .

In the meantime, I shall do my best on posting frequently. I can't promise anything, though. ;D

What's kept you preoccupied? Do share!

Much love and many blessings,

P.S.

In answer to a question Kimberlee left on a post several weeks ago:

Y'all feel free to save my pictures to you computer for inspiration, etc, just please tell me if you do.

Also, my pictures and writings can be used if you ask me about it first, and then leave due credit. (Not to seem hoity-toity and mean, I just have to do this to protect my pictures and things from being copyrighted by some stranger. :P) Okay, stinginess aside. . . I just received a request from sweet Grace asking to put some of the art on my sidebar on her blog.

Of course you can, Grace! You're welcome to use them just as much as I am! :) Thanks so much for asking, though.

The same goes to all of y'all! :D

Hugs!!

Something to Ponder

2010-08-19T14:08:00.000-04:00

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:38-39

Lovely Giveaways

2010-07-17T12:10:00.003-04:00

Hi y'all! In case you haven't heard, there are several wonderful giveaways going on right now!

First; Jenna @ Where the Heart Remains is having a double giveaway, and the prizes are so pretty! I especially love the rose apron! :)

Second; Johanna @ An Old-Fashioned Girl is having a giveaway with 4 winners! Some of the prizes include jewelry and lovely patterns with fabric from Marie Madeline studio!

Now hurry and enter!

Have a joyful Saturday!

Some Encouraging Thoughts

2010-07-15T15:13:00.001-04:00

“If the Lord be with us, we have no cause of fear. His eye is upon us, His arm over us, His ear open to our prayer--His grace sufficient, His promises unchangeable.”

{ John Newton }

"But God is the God of the waves and the billows, and they are still His when they come over us; and again and again we have proved that the overwhelming thing does not overwhelm. Once more by His interposition deliverance came. We were cast down, but not destroyed."

{ Amy Carmichael }

"I will lift up my eyes to the hills—from whence comes my help? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.

He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade at your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.

The LORD shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul.

The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in

from this time forth, and even forevermore."

{ Psalms 121 }

May you be blessed with a lovely afternoon!

Much love,

Busy Summer Days

2010-07-10T16:45:00.007-04:00

Hello dears!

It's been rather quiet around here as of late, hasn't it? I've been taking a much needed break from blogging to focus on some other things, but I've missed it so! I didn't stop taking pictures however, so I have a bunch to post in the next few days. :) For now, I thought y'all might like to have an update of sorts with photos I've taken lately.
The garden is growing, as are my goat kids, and the laundry, too! Somehow one's first thought of Summer is lazing about with a glass of lemonade, reading a book, or taking a swim and just relaxing. Not around here! Summer is one of the busiest seasons for us. The heat is already becoming oppressing, especially during the late afternoon. I think it was 103 yesterday! *Whew!*

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We finally have a milk cow once again, so we are enjoying the rich, creamy benefits of raw milk by the (3) gallon(s) {and I'm by no means scrimping when it comes to cream in my tea!}.
By the way, do you have a delectable recipe that calls for ginormous amounts of milk, per chance?

I finally turned 17 {on the 13th of June}, and although I don't feel much older, it has put a 'have to finish right now' damper on my schooling and such. Purely me, though. ;) I'm hoping to graduate this Autumn or Winter, depending on how busy we are. I just really don't want to spend my entire Summer drudging over the last of my schooling. :) The French and reading is fun, but math is not my favorite subject!

Now on to the pictures! ;)

I've just found a lovely brand of tea, which has quickly become my favorite. Lately I've not been found without a teacup in my hands wherever I am!

I've had many lovely flower subjects to photograph lately. This little plant sits upon the glass shelf in the kitchen, above the sink.

A pretty little morning glory curling itself for the day.

Geraniums at my Grandmother's house. Aren't they cheery?

Oh, our homegrown plums! They are so good!

Our peaches are, too. Mom and I took these and made several jars of spiced pickled peaches to have this Autumn. So yummy!

Daddy's little watermelons are growing like crazy. We have 3 different varieties growing in the patch. Altogether, I think we have about 4 dozen growing, with many new flowers opening each day!

This one is much closer to completion, thank goodness! I don't think I can wait much longer to taste a homegrown melon. They just don't taste at all the same coming from a store.

Soaking up the sun.

Daddy and Mike just finished a beautiful new fence in the front ~~yard~~ pasture for Bandit and the cow.

Probably the most ridiculous picture I've taken of Bandit, to date.

A daily duty for horse owners. Emily is very good about keeping up with the hoof care. Bandit had a fungus problem in his hooves when we bought him, but excellent, dedicated care on Emily's part has saved him from much pain and discomfort. His hooves are all healed now. :)

We have had a whole mess of kittens running around here for several months now, some of them are getting to be quite rude.

We also have a crazy puppy, who's wild antics keep us laughing (most of the time!) and repairing holes in our skirts.

Scrutinizing chickens.

A dove on my Grandmother's fence. She has a pair that keep coming up, and we think they are building a nest somewhere in her yard. :) So sweet.

An unusually messy Ella climbing the garden fence. This was (obviously!) taken after dinner on a busy day. ;)

The occasional babysitting job is keeping me busy, too.
(And blocks being pushed into the lens . . .)

Martha Patience, the milk cow. At least, her nose anyway. :)

You read correctly that we are receiving 3 gallons of milk a day. We are practically swimming in it! ;)

I've been cooking alot lately, especially with fresh, in-season produce.

Kitty in profile.

Occasionally we'll get a nice cooling shower to wash the dust away.

Daddy's boots on the porch.

A beautiful, nearly-full moon.

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Have a blessed evening, lovelies!

I'll be posting soon, I promise! :)

♥

P.S. If some of the pictures didn't look very clear, try clicking them to upsize. :)

Oh, and thank you all so much for the sweet, thoughtful comments you took time to leave on my last post! I enjoyed reading each and every one! Hearing what y'all have to say is half the fun and blessings of blogging!

Much love!

Blueberry Picking

2010-06-17T19:45:00.007-04:00

Out of all the lovely, delightful activities one can do with their family in the summertime, blueberry picking must be nearly the most charming. Out in the sunshine and breezes, with the splendid scent of berries and a cool drink handy. We had such a day not long ago, and it was most enjoyed by all. I took many, many pictures to keep and to share with y'all. :)

Perhaps a Cream Tea with the ladies will be in order next, with home-made clotted cream, and Mama's strawberry jam. Mmmm. *licks lips*. Now, on to the photographs......

{a shady tree in front of the many blueberry bushes. there was plenty of juicy, sweet berries to go 'round}

{the color was just gorgeous. quite inspiring}

{one of the laden bushes}

{everyone down to Levi helped pick berries, though I suspect most of Levi's and Ella's never made it to the pail}

{handfuls of lusciousness}

{a shady, mossy pathway lined with the prolific bushes}

{my fluttery, breezy skirt. isn't it so summer-y?}

{our little Levi-boy. his eyes are so gorgeous}

{he helped us pick, at least, he picked for his own enjoyment if you know what I mean}

*wink*

{while we were there, the patch owner's sweet little doggy kept us company while we picked. here doggy is expressing her affection for Levi}

{and here Levi is expressing his affections for doggy}

{a visitor among the berries}

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{there were many lovely flowers around, so I looked upon it as wonderful opportunity}

{purple & quite small}

{pink & even smaller}

{these would be lovely in a milkglass vase}

{delicate & feminine}

{across the road, a rolling field of corn. alot of corn}

{we set up a quilt and a solar powered fan for the littles. doggy made herself at home}

{we were just finishing up when my eye caught sight of a little nest in one of the blueberry bushes. I was sure I saw something move, so I lifted one of my sisters up to take a peek. sure enough, there was a baby bird, just hatched}

{soon after we had pictures of the tiny bird, who was quite alive and well. his downy fluff hadn't even dried yet}

{a parting shot of the delectable berries}

I hope you enjoyed seeing our day of blueberry picking! :)

At this moment I am enjoying a bowl of freshly picked blueberries with real cream and a sprinkle of sugar.

*happy sigh*

Simplistic delights are such a lovely part of life.

Free Fabric, Anyone?

2010-06-12T17:00:00.000-04:00

Yep! You could win a gift certificate to Warehouse Fabrics Inc. and get some gorgeous fabric! They're having a giveaway, so hurry over there and enter! :)

"Creation's Revealing Your Majesty..."

2010-06-10T19:32:00.003-04:00

My dear friend Breezy posted this on Facebook, and I just had to share it! It's so incredibly beautiful and amazing.

Nature by Numbers from Cristóbal Vila on Vimeo.

"Yours, O LORD, are the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty; for all that is in the heavens and on the earth is yours; yours is the kingdom, O LORD, and you are exalted as head above all."

1 Chronicles 29:11

There's a wonderful giveaway

2010-06-04T10:03:00.000-04:00

....going on HERE. Hurry up and see! :)

I've been interviewed!

2010-06-03T09:59:00.000-04:00

'Lo all!

Emily Nicole @ Practically Pink has interviewed me on her blog!

Such fun. :)

Head over there and take a peek if you wish!

40 Random facts about me

2010-05-31T15:02:00.004-04:00

It's been so long since I did a random post, I decided to write down 40 of the most random things I could think of about myself. And I threw in the picture of me 'cause it's been, um, years since I posted one?

I guess it's because I'm never in front on the camera, I'm always behind it! :)

Okay, here's 40 random facts 'bout me:

1.I love going to thrift shops and antique stores. You never know what you’re going to find!

2. I’m the oldest daughter, but the second oldest child in my family.

3. My favorite photography subjects are 1. People 2. Flora & Fauna.

4. I love a good cup of coffee.

5. My favorite flavor of ice cream is chocolate-almond-coconut.

6. I love overcast, breezy days. They are so peaceful. :)

7. I’m known to have an “intense” personality; whatever that means….

8. Earl Gray & Irish Breakfast tea are my favorite kinds of tea.

9. My sewing machine was given to me by my grandmother, so it’s not very new. It still works quite well, however.

10. I’ll be repainting my room soon, but I have yet to pick a color. I’m thinking a cool sage green, or a cheerful pastel yellow. Maybe a color scheme along the lines of my blog background?

11. I’ve been crocheting for about 3 years, and I’ve been knitting for about 1.

12. I just started sewing last Spring.

13. I love to grow flowers and herbs, along with our vegetables each year.

14. I’m a well-known music addict. :)

15. I love to milk my goat. Sounds crazy, but I enjoy it. ^_^

16. When I was very little, I used to think nothing tasted better than a can of peas with a little salt and butter. I used to eat that for breakfast!

17. Unbeknownst to us, my sisters and I had our picture put into a local newspaper a few months ago. We would never have known it, only some friends of ours who received the paper saved it to show us. Talk about surprises!

18. I have 3 blogs, the other 2 I link to on my sidebar. {Both of these blogs I need to update *blushes*}

19. I’m always coming up with some crazy, hair-brained idea. Out of hundreds I’ve tried to pull off, only a few of them were successes. Name 1? Uh, give me a minute...

20. I weighed 4 pounds, 6 ounces when I was born.

21. I love to edit photos and make them look really interesting. I love to use actions and textures, as well.

22. I’ll be 17 in June. I can hardly believe it, wasn’t I just 6, playing rodeo on stick horses with the twins???

23. I’m a sucker for baby photos. Half of my favorite photographs on Flickr consist of baby pictures! I especially love the ones of newborns posed in their sleep. So cute!! :)

24. I collect pretty, unique coffee cups. Thrift stores are my favorite place to look for them; various members of my family are always quick to point them out to me. :D

25. I have a gold purity ring. I’ve been wearing it since August 2006.

26. I love cute/elegant fonts. I’m teaching myself to write in the font on my post & side bar titles.

27. I am waaaaayyy too competitive for my own good. I'm being serious here.

28. I’m guessing I wear shoes 100 days out of the year. Sorry, dedicated country girl here!

29. I love to drink sweet tea out of a mason jar. :)

30. If you asked me what my favorite color is, I couldn’t tell you. I have a spectrum of color combinations I adore, though. Let’s see here, blue & brown, brown & cream, cream & pink, blue & yellow, pink & green, green & orange, and the list goes on.......

31. Fresh flowers in a vase or jar always brighten my day! I love to see bouquets of them around the house.

32. I’ve traveled through about 14 states.

33. I have the slightest touch of rosacea, (A.KA. The curse of the Celts.) You can really only see it when I’ve been out in the heat for awhile.

34. I make lists for EVERYTHING!!! Actually, it’s quite an obsession.

35. I love to cook and bake. One of my favorite places to find delectable recipes is The Pioneer Woman Cooks.

36. I can be very random. For instance, simply observe this list. :)

37. I usually wear a straw hat when I go outside, especially in the summertime.

38. I love being outside studying this beautiful world. :)

39. I also love to sit down with our Audubon books and learn more about nature. It’s always so fun to be able to identify birds, plants, & trees, etc.

40. If my sisters and I stay up too late, everything, e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g, becomes funny enough to laugh over for 5 minutes.

Hope you had fun reading my most random post ever! *wink*

Have a gorgeous afternoon, 'kay?

The ePattern winner

2010-05-21T09:46:00.000-04:00

Thank you all for entering the ePattern giveaway, I wish there were enough patterns to give each of y'all one!

After writing down y'alls names and having Ella get one out of the bowl, we have a winner!

And her name is..........

Jordan Elizabeth!

Congratulations Jordan! Please leave me a comment with your email address (it won't be published) and I will send it to Mrs. Chancey so you can choose your pattern!

Stay tuned for another giveaway not long from now! It involves something I made, and something I've found very useful and fun. ;)

Oh the joys of being a kid

2010-05-20T10:05:00.003-04:00

Which include trying to run away with mom after someone leaves the panels undone.

Aren't my kids the cutest? :)

Last chance!

2010-05-19T10:19:00.001-04:00

Hi y'all!

FYI, my Sensibility ePattern giveaway ends at 11:59 PM tonight. If you'd like to be entered but haven't left a comment yet, then please go ahead and leave one, 'kay? :)

Thank you!

Y'all have a beautiful day in Christ,

Sensibility ePattern Giveaway!

2010-05-15T08:54:00.007-04:00

Hello dear ladies!

Mrs. Chancey at Sense & Sensibility Patterns has kindly offered to let me give away one of the delightful ePatterns from her site in honor of their re-launch!

They are so feminine and lovely, don't they just inspire thoughts of your favorite Jane Austen book or film?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~Ways To Enter~~

{•Blog about the new Sensibility site and leave me a link to your post.}

{•Facebook or Tweet about the new Sensibility site and leave me a link to your page.}

Please be sure to leave a separate comment for each entry!

The giveaway ends on *Wednesday, May 19th*

That's just 4 days away, so hurry and enter! :)

I will anounce the ePattern giveaway winner on the 20th ~ 21st.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thank you Mrs. Chancey, for offering us one of these lovely ePatterns!

Many blessings to y'all,

All images and pictures belong to and are copyright Sense & Sensibility Patterns & the rightful owners of the photos, and were used with permission.

Photoshoot with the kids

2010-05-14T21:45:00.000-04:00

Here are some more pictures of the kids. Aren't they hilarious?? {The kids, I mean ;) }

This is probably the funniest picture I took. The doe kid *loves* the camera! She couldn't figure out where that odd clicking sound was coming from!! Haha! :D

This little guy is so sweet! He just loves to be cuddled!

Miss Mischievous

^I burst out laughing every time I see this one! ;)^

♥♥♥♥♥

Don't these two just put a smile on your face?

Stay tuned for an extra special post tomorrow, I think y'all are really going to like it! :)

Delicious Dill Dip

2010-05-13T09:09:00.002-04:00

Here is a fun, yummy recipe I came up with a few months ago. Even if dill isn't your cup of tea, I think you'll find this dip quite tasty. All of the little ones in our house devour this in minutes, while they won't touch dill on fish or in any other dish.

All of the measurements are roughly estimated, as I change it slightly each time I serve it. Also, please be sure to adjust the ingredients & amounts to your family's personal taste.

'Kay, here's the recipe:

.:. .:. .:.

• 2 cups of mayonnaise

• 1 1/2 cups of plain yogurt (greek works well)

• 1/4 cup of milk {Give or take. Keep the dip rather thick}

• 1 1/2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce

• 2 tablespoons dried dill

• 2 teaspoons minced garlic

• 1 teaspoon ground mustard

• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon sugar

• A pinch of salt

^Put everything into a mixing bowl and whisk it till well blended.^

Chill it for at least an hour or overnight to let the flavors meld.

Serve with crudités, chips, or as a sauce.

~~Enjoy~~

The Baby Goats

2010-05-12T17:09:00.011-04:00

Here's a couple of pictures of my baby goats that were born the day after Mother's Day ♥.

Aren't they so cute??

^This is the doeling^ {who looks identical to her mom},

and....

This is the little buckling. I love his speckled ears!!

The morning they were born, I went out to the shed {where I lock Millie at night for safety} to let her out. I checked for every sign in the book that meant imminent birth, but there were none. Absolutely NONE.
It even looked like it might be 1-2 weeks yet. This whole time I'd been expecting them to come the end of this month, as the buck owner told me to. However, she obviously took to the first breeding. Anywho, about an hour after I let Millie out of the shed, Emily runs into the kitchen telling me to "come see Millie's kid". Surprise, surprise.

Turns out, just a little while after casually moseying out of the shed, Millie turns around and goes back in to have her babies that she didn't even let me know were coming.

{Insert exasperated face}.

So, I have yet to settle on a name for either of them. If you think of something, let me know! :)

Y'all have a lovely evening!

P.S Sorry 'bout the quality of the pictures, had to use our point-&-shoot. :)

I've been awarded

2010-05-11T14:14:00.003-04:00

I was sweetly awarded the Pure in Heart award by Lady Jess and Tiffany!
Thank you very much, dear ladies!

If it's alright, today I'm just going to skip the tag and questionnaire. I'm working on pictures and a new post, so I'll have another post out soon!

Y'all have a lovely afternoon now, 'kay?

A photography contest

2010-05-10T17:38:00.003-04:00

Léitheoirí Beannachtaí!

Johanna at An Old-Fashioned Girl is hosting a photography contest!

The only catch is---No editing is allowed on the photos. *Tearful sigh*
Oh well, no cropping today. :/
You can submit up to 5 photos, so these are my entries.

Such fun! I adore photography, can't you tell??
^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^

Y'all have a blessed evening!

Pictures of the kids are coming tomorrow!

I'm still deciding on names......
☺

We Have Baby Goats!!!

2010-05-10T11:59:00.005-04:00

Millie had two baby kids!! There is a doeling and a buckling, and they both look very healthy. They are also soooo cute!! Pictures and maybe a video coming very soon!!

Praise the Lord!

Painting courtesy of Google images.

Life Is No Choice

2010-05-07T22:28:00.007-04:00

This is so incredibly sad. For one, that a precious life was lost, and two, that is was considered to be a "wrong" one. Don't they realize that the "deformed fetus" is just as precious and fearfully made? Do they really think that it is somehow less deserving of life? How would it feel to know that you were going to be destroyed simply because you *possibly* had "defects" you couldn't help. I deeply feel for this family, as well as the incredibly beautiful human life that will never see this world.

"The news out of Sarasota, Florida caught many people by surprise. A doctor in the city has lost his license because he aborted what is now described as the “wrong” baby. Back in 2006, Dr. Matthew Kachinas had been asked to perform an abortion on a baby that had been identified as having Down syndrome and other congenital defects. Instead, the doctor aborted that baby’s healthy twin."

Read the rest of the heart-breaking article here.

When you read it, please come back here and tell your thoughts on the subject. I would like to know how you feel about this.

Thanking God for each precious life he sends,

Quoted text courtesy of AlbertMohler.com
Painting courtesy of Google images.

Tulips, anyone?

2010-05-06T17:08:00.003-04:00

The Simple Woman's Daybook

2010-05-03T15:16:00.009-04:00

~~For Today~~

Outside my window...

Raining, dark & dreary. A little cold, too.

I am thinking...

How I need to organize my drawers, closet, and under my bed.

I am thankful for...

My family, my warm home, my goat who's due very soon, and a multitude of other things.

From the kitchen...

Nothing much right now, I'll probably start dinner in a little while.

I am wearing...

An embroidered denim skirt, a pink shirt, my hair in a braid.

I am creating...

A retro apron for mom.

I am going...

To edit lots of pictures this week!

I am reading...

Missionary Patriarch- The True Story of John G. Paton.

The Real Lincoln

The Family

I am hoping...

That I can find some furniture to complete my room. We'll be repainting & decorating it in the next few weeks. I can't wait!

I am hearing...

A kitten mewing, distant conversation.

Around the house...

Pretty tidy, could use a bit of straightening in some rooms.

One of my favorite things...

Dear friends and family!

A few plans for the rest of the week:

Deep cleaning the twin's room, decorating & painting it.

Lots of reading, schoolwork, making the house extra cozy.

Daddy has the week off work! Hurrah!

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

Coffee, anyone?

Care to join the daybook?

The Simple Woman's Daybook icon used with permission.

Our little mama hen

2010-04-20T10:31:00.008-04:00

A perfect example of why I love my life on the farm. Mama Hen decided she wanted to have some little biddies of her own, so she patiently waited and turned each little egg for 3 weeks. Her patience was rewarded (x 5!).

She is so proud of her little brood, always clucking and chirping to them.

Mike and I discovered them just an hour or so after hatching.

They are so soft!

All nuzzled down in her feathers.

♥ I hope you enjoyed that peek into our farm life! ♥

Vision Forum's 2010 Father & Daughter Retreat

2010-04-06T18:06:00.004-04:00

On March 28th, my sisters, dad and I were so blessed to attend Vision Forum's 2010 Father & Daughter retreat at Callaway Gardens. It was so much fun to visit with all of the young ladies and their fathers, as well as do the activities. One of the best parts was listening to the encouraging/challenging talks given. My favorite talk was an excellent one by Anna Sophia & Elizabeth Botkin entitled: "Whose Daughter Are You? Examining Our Affections and Identity".

On the first day, we started out by playing unity games on the Grand Lawn of the Inn at Callaway. We played croquet, did a three-legged race, and went on an obstacle course blindfolded. Dads and daughters had to work together in order to accomplish each of these activities. Afterwards we all had a picnic on the Grand Lawn and then an Ice Cream Social.

Ivey helps Ella hit the croquet ball to finish our run.

Dad and Ella.

Dad plays croquet and carries a chilly Ella.

Everyone got a blanket and found a place on the Grand Lawn to enjoy the picnic lunch. It was a gorgeous day, so sunny and clear!

When some of the conference sessions got a little long, Ella would entertain herself by practicing writing her name.

The ballroom where the speaking was. Everyone shared tables and enjoyed fellowship during the breaks.

A Treasure Trove, A.K.A; the book table. One of my favorite places. :D :D

The print of my dress I wore to the High Tea.

On the second day, after a speaking session there was a beautiful High Tea for everyone. It was a lovely time for fathers and daughters to practice social graces and enjoy a delicious spread with other young ladies and their fathers. It's one of the sweetest parts of the retreat! (For me, anywho! :D)

Ivey at our table.

My teacup.

Every young lady and their father was allowed to take their cup home. They are treasured memories from a wonderful week-end.

Ella shares with Dad something she heard or saw. Or perhaps something about taking her teacup home, which she was especially excited about. :)

A Mussie-Tussie.

Each table had one of these little bouquets, and one of the young ladies at the table would get to take it home. Ella received this one, much to her delight.

Dear friends. Love y'all!!

§•§•§•§•§•§•§•§

We visited the Butterfly Center where several of the butterflies decided we made good landing sites! Hehe... ;) One of them even went so far as to land on my camera, where of course, I couldn't take a picture of it. *pout*

A pretty green one having a snack.

This is one of my favorites, with the sun illuminating through the butterfly's wings.

A "vintage-version" of the daffodil photo. :)

§•§•§•§•§•§•§•§

It was such a blessing to attend the conference, I'm so thankful that the Lord allowed us to go and enjoy such a wonderful week-end with our Dad!

Lindsay's Giveaway

2010-04-02T09:49:00.002-04:00

Hey y'all, Lindsay is having the cutest giveaway over at Content In Christ. She's giving away 2 things so 2 people can win!! So fun!
Hurry over there and enter in!

Apple Blossom

2010-03-25T09:41:00.003-04:00

Just after a Spring rain.

One More Giveaway :)

2010-03-20T11:06:00.002-04:00

Rebekah at Living In His Beauty is giving away one of her handmade necklaces! She'll be announcing the winner this afternoon, so hurry! :)

Quick!

2010-03-17T20:56:00.003-04:00

Sarah over at Yes, We Have Our Hands Full is hosting the cutest giveaway! She is giving away 2 vintage patterns. She'll be drawing a winner on March 20th, so hurry!

And while you're at it, I highly encourage you to look around her blog and follow it, she is a very sweet writer!

Our Chicks Have Arrived!

2010-03-16T12:06:00.006-04:00

Several weeks ago Mom ordered some chicks from Mcmurry Hatchery. They were shipped out to us just after hatching, and we got them yesterday! We ordered Araucanas (the kind that lay green/blue eggs), Cuckoo Marans (they lay very dark brown eggs), Black Australorps (good layers), & Jumbo Cornish X Rocks for butchering.

We ordered around 45, and 25 are the Cornish Rocks.

This is a free rare-breed chick they sent us. As far as I can tell, it's a Blue Andlusian.

We are looking forward to fresh, organic meat in about 8 weeks, and delicious organic eggs in about 6 months! :)

So, did any of y'all get chicks this year?

A Neat Article

2010-03-15T13:25:00.004-04:00

This is a very interesting story, even though it has some ridiculous talk about alien life.....anywho, all I can say to the last sentence is "HA!".

"NASA finds shrimp dinner on ice beneath Antarctica"

I Don't Believe In Luck O' The Irish....

2010-03-12T08:18:00.002-05:00

I do believe in Irish Blessings, though. ;)

::What's Kept Me Busy::

2010-03-10T08:00:00.003-05:00

Alot! I haven't been around very much lately, so I thought y'all might like to see some pictures that I've taken recently.

Remember how I mentioned us doing something very fun last weekend?

Well, we purchased a bridle and rode Bandit! We don't have a saddle yet, so we just rode bareback. It was a blast, even if he was almost too slippery to hang on! Mike rode him after dad, and Bandit seemed to like it. Emily, Gabe and I all had a turn as well.

He was such a good boy, and was handsomely rewarded with plenty of carrot flavored treats.

On another note, Daisy had 2 puppies! They are the cutest, fattest, most soft, wrinkly little things! And they smell like hay. (They live in our "miniature barn", after all!)

*******************

Some other things that have kept me ~~busy~~ preoccupied are...

Baking! Here I was working with a shortbread-like pie crust. Yum!

I also made Mia's Spinach Dip, which Mom and I adored. Delightfully delicious!

I've also been sewing a good deal.

I love the calm, reflective look of sepia.

*****************

Dad bought Mom a bunch of lovely flowers, and they make me wish for Spring so badly!

I hope y'all enjoyed the pictures and ramblings! I shan't wait so long to post again next time. At least, I'll try not to. ;)

Y'all have a blessed week!

They STILL Don't Get It......

2010-03-05T19:30:00.005-05:00

Who are they kidding?!?

Getting Better

2010-03-02T15:05:00.010-05:00

First off, let me thank each and every one of y'all for your dear, sweet, and loving well wishes. They made me feel so much better, and knowing that y'all were praying for me helped immensely. It's so wonderful to know that I have such dear, considerate, kind-hearted young ladies in my life.

I'm almost well now, minus some lingering coughing, etc. Thankfully, it looks like no one else is getting it.

I'll be back posting again soon, with lots of pictures! We did something very fun on Saturday, that involves our favorite pet. ;) Can you guess?

*******************

With love and gratitude,

"Please Pass The Hot Tea!"

2010-02-26T19:25:00.007-05:00

*Cough cough*

*A-a-a-CHOOOOO*

*Snniiifff*

"Aaauuuughhh......my head and face are throbbing! Hand me that tea-pot, please. And while you're at it, the elderberry syrup too."

'Nuff said.

Painting courtesy of Google.

Back Again

2010-02-22T14:24:00.011-05:00

Good day y'all!
I've been out of town for a few days, and am keeping very busy with a few things. However, I hope to put out a few posts soon (emphasis on "hope to").

Here is a picture I thought y'all might like:

One of our two hounds; Crockett

Talk about being photogenic... :D

Look at that face! (She's a girl, BTW!)

P.S The 28th marks my 3rd blogging anniversary! I can hardly believe it....

;)

Something You Might Enjoy

2010-02-14T12:16:00.002-05:00

For God so loVed the world,

that He gAve-------
His onLy-----
begottEn------
SoN,--
--------------------------That whosoever believeth

------In Him

--should Not perish,
------but have Everlasting life."
John 3:16

Marshmallow World

2010-02-14T08:35:00.004-05:00

It's a marshmallow world in the winter
When the snow comes to cover the ground

It's the time for play, it's a whipped cream day
I wait for it the whole year round.

Those are marshmallow clouds being friendly

In the arms of the evergreen trees,

And the sun is red like a pumpkin head

It's shining so your nose won't freeze.

The world is your snowball, see how it grows
That's how it goes whenever it snows

The world is your snowball just for a song
Get out and roll it along....

It's a yum-yummy world made for sweethearts
Take a walk with your favorite girl{s}

It's a sugar date, what if spring is late,
In winter it's a marshmallow world.

**************

;)

Lyrics courtesy of Google.

A Snow-Lady

2010-02-13T14:50:00.006-05:00

Last evening just before dark, Emily, Ivey, and myself decided to build a snowman. We were making great progress and had almost finished, when I decided to make the head a little more realistic. I began sculpting the face and soon asked E & I to help me put a bit more snow under the head. I made a feminine face and neck, for this had to be a young woman. After a few more minutes (and a lot more snow here, and less there), we had a lovely snow-lady on our hands. Of course, she had to be a Godly woman in history, so we decided (from her stature) that she should be Martha Washington.

**************

Did any of y'all make a snowman/lady?

The Heavens Declare The Glory Of God; The Skies Proclaim The Work Of His Hands

2010-02-12T11:29:00.007-05:00

It's snowing!! A huge white blanket is coming down on us, and it's simply gorgeous! I'll have pictures up soon!

Picture courtesy of Google.

Another 2 Giveaways! :)

2010-02-12T09:14:00.002-05:00

This one is fabulous! It's the paper doll sets by Emily Rose & Breezy Brookshire!
Head over to Jasmine's blog to enter!
Also, Emily Elizabeth is giving away a set of the dolls, and a lucious Sugar Scrub!

Hobbes

2010-02-10T15:11:00.004-05:00

Look at those whiskers! Isn't he so cuddly? He weighs about 2 tons though........ :D

Even Georgia Has It's Cold Days

2010-02-06T16:34:00.004-05:00

Here is a picture I took a little earlier on today. It's very cold and very windy outside! I think Accuweather said it's 40o with an actual feel of 23o. You can tell it's windy by the way Bandit's mane is getting twirled around.

Another Marie-Madeline Studio Giveaway!

2010-02-04T18:10:00.003-05:00

Head over to Feminine Farmgirl for the details!

An Apron Giveaway!

2010-02-03T14:21:00.003-05:00

Hello all! I must be telling you of a wonderful giveaway at Covenant Homemaking! She is giving away a custom made apron from Marie-Madeline Studio, so you get to choose the pattern and fabric! The giveaway ends on the 10th, so hurry and enter!

Free Admission To Callaway Gardens!

2010-02-01T22:45:00.001-05:00

Hello ladies!

I just had to let y'all in on this delightful bit of news!

All the month of February, Callaway Gardens will be having free admission!!

As the website says:

"Beginning January 1 through February 28, 2010, Callaway Gardens is inviting everyone to "Be Our Guest." Admission is complimentary for these two months providing guests with the opportunity to enjoy time with their family and friends reconnecting in nature. Just show up - no ticket necessary to enter the Gardens."

If you live within a reasonable distance, or will be traveling through Georgia sometime this month, I highly encourage you to stop by the Gardens!

Blessings!

There Is A God

2010-01-27T05:15:00.005-05:00

This is a beautiful song I just had to share! It's swiftly become a favorite of mine.
I hope you enjoy it!
P.S. Don't forget to turn off my playlist first! :)

Try and put your arms around a hundred year old tree.
Climb up on a horse and let him run full speed.
Take a look down at the world from 30,000 feet on your next flight.

Watch a flock of birds against the morning sun.
Close your eyes and listen to the river run.
Catch a firefly in your hand or a raindrop on your tongue.
That's right.

There is a God
There is a God
There is a God
How much proof do you need?

Plant a seed and see what comes out of the ground.
Find the heartbeat on your baby's ultrasound.
In a few years hear him laughing,
Don't it sound like a song?

Stop and think about what you don't understand.
Things like life and love and how the world began.
Hear the doctor say we can't explain it,
But the cancer is gone.

There is a God
There is a God
There is a God
How much proof do you need?

"Science" says it's all just circumstance.
Like this whole world's just an accident.
But if you want to shoot that theory down,
Look around, just look around.

There is a God
There is a God
There is a God
How much proof do you need?

There is a God
There is a God
There is a God
How much proof do you need?
♥

Beautiful Flowers

2010-01-26T05:15:00.001-05:00

Good day all!

I've been wanting to post some cheery, bright pictures, so I thought these flower ones might do the trick. :) These were taken at the Butterfly Center in Callaway Gardens.
*Sigh* They make me miss Spring so badly!

I think these pink ones are my favorites!

These look so sunny and happy!

So pretty, and quite feminine! :D

So unique!

A favorite with the butterflies.

So, what are you missing about Spring?

Callaway Gardens In Winter

2010-01-25T05:15:00.003-05:00

G'day all!

I'm sure several of y'all are familiar with Callaway Gardens, as it's the location of Vision Forum's annual Father & Daughter retreat. I have been incredibly blessed to live within 40 minutes of this lovely place all my life, and have been there, literally, hundreds of times (we've lived in Pine Mountain before, as well! :D). I enjoy seeing it in every season, but especially in Spring and Autumn. In Winter it isn't as colorful as usual, but during the daytime, there is almost no one there. Towards evening, it gets very crowded, as they have a special winter activity that attracts alot of people. We went to Callaway a few weeks ago, as I told y'all about. I was just getting to know my camera so I took alot of pictures. Several of them I really liked and I thought y'all might, as well.

Here they are!

It was getting late when I took this one, so I got some sunset light in it. I kind of like how the bokeh ended up looking. :)

Ivey on the beach.

All over Callaway, you will find seasonal plants and flowers. In Winter, there is holly everywhere. It's just lovely.

Here I tried a monochrome "Art" shot. :)

Levi is forever moving quickly. Hence the extra blurry background.

Ella Merry

Levi just tossed a rock into the lake and was watching the ripples.
FYI; I took all of the pictures on Robin Lake beach.

Ella found a leaf that she liked.

I think she also found a pebble. Or was it a stone?

I hope y'all liked seeing the pictures!

A Very Dear Hymn

2010-01-24T05:15:00.002-05:00

Amazing Grace

John Newton (1725-1807)

Anonymous

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,

That saved a wretch like me.

I once was lost but now am found,

Was blind, but now I see.
:::

T'was Grace that taught my heart to fear.

And Grace, my fears relieved.

How precious did that Grace appear

The hour I first believed.
:::

Through many dangers, toils and snares

I have already come;

'Tis Grace that brought me safe thus far and

Grace will lead me home.
:::

The Lord has promised good to me.

His word my hope secures.

He will my shield and portion be,

As long as life endures.
:::

Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,

And mortal life shall cease,

I shall possess within the veil,

A life of joy and peace.
:::

When we've been here ten thousand years

Bright shining as the sun.

We've no less days to sing God's praise

Than when we've first begun.
:::

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,

That saved a wretch like me.

I once was lost but now am found,

Was blind, but now I see.

On Speaking Gently

2010-01-23T05:17:00.001-05:00

Speak Gently

By David Bates

Speak gently; it is better far,
To rule by love than fear;
Speak gently; let no harsh word mar
The good we may do here.
:::

Speak gently to the young, for they
Will have enough to bear;
Pass through this life as best they may,
'Tis full of anxious care.
:::

Speak gently to the aged one,
Grieve not the careworn heart
Whose sands of life are nearly run;
Let such in peace depart.
:::

Speak gently to the erring; know
They must have toiled in vain;
Perchance unkindness made them so;
Oh, win them back again!
:::

Speak gently; 'tis a little thing
Dropped in the heart's deep well;
The good, the joy, that it may bring,
Eternity shall tell.

:::

The Many Faces Of Levi

2010-01-22T05:15:00.001-05:00

While making lunch the other day, I pulled out the camera and asked Levi to smile. He tried. :D
Meanwhile, he made all sorts of funny faces, and I snapped away. Here are some of the results;

"Smile? Now?"

"Meh"

Almost there.....

Gotcha!

Blessings y'all!

May I Introduce To You; Bandit

2010-01-21T05:15:00.005-05:00

G'day to you all!

Here are the pictures of the other gift I received! For many, many years my sisters and I have wanted a horse. Mom and Dad weren't planning on getting us a horse this year, but the Lord brought Bandit to us, and we are so very happy! The girls and I are ecstatic. He's definitely the largest present we have ever received! FYI, Bandit is an 8 year old bay Quarter horse gelding. He's got so much personality.

Here are some pictures of our gorgeous boy:

He loves running around his yard. He also loves peppermints, sweet feed, a good grooming, attention, and having his mane and tail brushed.

"Excuse me, but if you're not going to eat that...."

He likes to listen to Emily and Ivey's MP3 players. These play with speakers so you don't need headphones. Bandit especially likes the songs with whistling.

He also likes to give us a heart attack. He'll come barreling up at 20 miles per hour than screech to a halt with his nose right in our faces. Quite "exhilarating", you might say.

Definitely my favorite picture of Bandit. Taken on Christmas day.

Beannacht do anois,

Pictiúr De Ardaigh

2010-01-20T05:30:00.006-05:00

I thought y'all might like to see some rose pictures I have taken recently. Flowers are fast becoming my favorite photography subject, next to people. :)
Please enjoy!

Did you know: A red rose stands for love, beauty, respect, & courage.

A pink one stands for grace, happiness, admiration, & gentleness.

With love,

::The Trip To Ohio::Part 2

2010-01-19T14:31:00.004-05:00

G'day all! I've finally got around to loading the pictures for the second post from our vacation!

We were so blessed to be able to go on that vacation, and it was enjoyed to the extreme! Being with your family is such an immense blessing!

I hope you enjoy the pictures!

Mon Ami
This is where we bought our sparkling pink grape juice,
something we try to let last all year until we can buy more!

A view of the front of the building. It is much more lovely up close where you can see the stone.

While we were driving through a little town, mom spotted an antique store! Guess which vehicle is ours. :)
I think we spent an hour and a half in here....

Meanwhile, dad took the smaller children and Mike and drove around.
Dad is a fantastic photographer!!

These pictures are by Dad.

Once again, the foliage was stunning.

The big yellow trees were so bright.

One of the mornings while we were there, it cleared up enough for a picture of the lake.
The sky was almost pink, with a hint of periwinkle.

Detail of a shell.

Don't know why, but I love pebbles. :)

A spider's web in between the rocks.

Most other mornings that we were there, it was very misty.

The last day we were there, we went to South Bass island, where Put-In-Bay is located.

This year we weren't able to go as early as we wanted, so we all hurriedly scrambled into an 8 passenger golf cart and toured around the island. We do this each year, but the older kids ride bikes instead. We had to hurry because there was only one ferry back from the island until Spring, and it would be leaving in an hour. :)

All over the island live these snakes, and it turns out they are protected. It also turns out that they have a tendency to bite.

More lovely trees.

Ella saw this and said "That's bad, isn't it?" (She's five)

It was rather windy.

Levi sits and waits for the ferry to the island.

Once on the island, we tour around the old parts of it a great deal.

Perry's Monument. This thing is enormous. One year we went to the top. It was extraordinarily windy up there.

To quote Dad: "Levi admiring the view at 13mph. His great-great-great Grandfather was a fisherman, slave-runner and Indian interpreter on this island."

Our great-great-great Grandfather was also one of the very first to live on the island. One of the streets there has his last name.

Main street really is a ghost town this time of year.

_____________________________________________

Thus ended our stay on Lake Erie.

Afterwards we always drive to Lehmans, and look around for a place selling maple syrup.

Here is a lovely house Dad stopped to take a picture of. You can read more about it here.

We always enjoy our trip to Lehmans.

I hope you enjoyed!

Pictures from the last few weeks are coming very soon!

In Regards To My Previous Camera

2010-01-07T11:48:00.001-05:00

Hello All!

Recently I was asked by several sweet readers which camera I used last year, so I decided to post about it in case some more of y'all were wondering as well. :)

The camera I used was a Kodak easyshare c913. Yes, it was pink. =D

You can get them rather inexpensively as they sell for about $25.00 on ebay.

About the camera:

The first thing I should mention is the durability of this camera. Ours stood up to almost a year of inexplicably rough wear and tear, and still works great. The camera itself is really nice when it comes to features, as you can change the light setting for warmer or cooler colors, and you can choose between sepia, monochrome (black and white), colored, etc. etc. It has a nice zoom, and it can hold several pictures in the internal memory in case you don't have the card at that "perfectly picturesque moment".

Overall, it's a great camera when you consider how much it can be bought for and all of the things you can do with it. I had fun fooling around with it to try and get some pictures that I really liked. You can read more about it here. Oh, and it also comes in a gorgeous ~~purple~~ lavender as well!

Thank y'all for asking and thanks for all of the sweet comments!

Blessings,

My Christmas Gift

2010-01-03T10:15:00.001-05:00

I mentioned in the post previous to this one something about two gifts that I received for Christmas. One of the things I had wanted for awhile was a good quality camera. So, for Christmas this year, Mom and Dad decided to get me one! I was so surprised!! They bought me a Nikon D3000, and so far I have enjoyed taking over 650(!) pictures. Here are some that I have taken over the last week:

Emily has strawberry blonde eyebrows and eyelashes because she has red hair.

The pecan pie I made for Christmas.

We went to Callaway last weekend and walked the beach. A plane flew over quite low, so I took a picture.

The clouds were so pretty! I took many more pictures here, so maybe I'll do a post with them later.

More pictures will be coming soon!

Blessings!

P.S Can y'all guess what the other present might be? (He loves peppermints.)

Photograph of the Nikon camera courtesy of Google images.

The Simple Woman's Daybook

2009-12-28T09:35:00.008-05:00

Today: December 28 2009.

Outside my window: Cold, sunny, frosty, with a hint of a breeze.

I am thinking: About all of the lovely gifts I received, two in particular. One of them needs to be fed. (Can you guess what it might be?)

I am thankful for: My gifts, my family, my home, and Dad taking a weeks vacation from work.

From the kitchen: The delightful aroma of coffee.

I am wearing: A tiered denim skirt, a coral colored shirt, my hair down until I can find a

hairbrush. (anyone else ever have that problem?)

I am creating: Afore mentioned items, as well as beaded bracelets.

I am going: No wheres that I know of, when Dad is off work we usually stay home.

I am reading: Glory, Duty, & The Gold Dome.

I am hoping: To start posting again!!

I am hearing: Levi toddling around and talking, mostly about "Choo Choo Rains", his favorite things.

Around the house: Everyone still kind of sleepy. A warm and cozy house can do that to you. ;)

One of my favorite things: My new gift!!! I will be revealing it to you all shortly.

A few plans for the rest of the week: Hopefully staying at home and resting from a busy season, and getting geared up for a new year.

Here is a picture I am sharing: A peek of what is to come in the next Ohio vacation post.

I hope you all enjoyed!

If you would like to join the Daybook click here.

The Simple Woman's Daybook

2009-12-21T10:00:00.006-05:00

G'day ladies! I hope y'all are having a wondeful HOLYday season!

I thought today I would do The Simple Woman's Daybook. If you would like to do it as well you can go here to learn more.

>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>::::<:<:<:<:<:<:<:<:<

Today: December 21 2009.

Outside my window: Cold, sunny, and windy. There's a heavy frost on the ground.

I am thinking: About Christmas, about friends, and about a wonderful secret.

I am thankful for: My family, my lovely friends & readers (and lovely comments!), my home,
and so many other things!

From the kitchen: Breakfast for the late-sleeping little's will be under way in a minute.

I am wearing: A tiered denim skirt (these things are indispensable), a lavender colored shirt, my hair down.

I am creating: A knitted dishcloth, an apron for Ella, a blouse from a vintage pattern, and some secret things.

I am going: No wheres today, that I know of. We have to make sure the house is sparkling and cozy for Christmas, as well as get a few other things done.

I am reading: A bio of Martha Washington, Undaunted Courage, and a few others.

I am hoping: That I get everybodies presents bought/made in time!!

I am hearing: My playlist (tell me I'm not the only one who listens to theirs when creating a post?), and Emily arranging some presents under the tree.

Around the house: Rather quite, not much going on yet.

One of my favorite things:A nice chilly day (with a fire in the fireplace and some hot tea, of course!).

A few plans for the rest of the week: Getting into town, some last minute shopping on my part, Christmas baking, hopefully a trip to Jo Ann's. :)

Here is a picture I am sharing:

Our Home, complete with a goat in the front yard. :)

Merry Christmas y'all!

The above painting; "Brittany Girl" By Daniel Ridgway Knight

The Simple Woman's Daybook icon used with permission.

Another Sweet Award

2009-12-17T19:39:00.007-05:00

"Julia On The Terrace" By Daniel Ridgway Knight

>:>:>:>:>:>:>:::<:<:<:<:<:<:<

G'Day Ladies!

I was awarded by Allison! Thanks so much, Allison!

I don't think there are any rules on this one, other than passing it on. So, I will award: Jenna, Camille, Emmy & Ivey, Hannah of Marilla Heights, Charity Anne, The Cowgirls, and Hannah Paige.

Níos déanaí Chailíní!

:~: The Trip To Ohio :~: Part. 1

2009-12-16T11:13:00.001-05:00

G'Day all!
I have finally got around to posting pictures of our vacation to Ohio! Hurrah! I must first enlighten you about some things, though. We start out in Georgia, travel through Tennessee, Kentucky and Ohio till we reach Lake Erie. The trip starts out at about 4:00 in the morning, so by the time I have the camera out we are in Tennessee, just FYI.

It was very ~~foggy~~, ahem, misty early in the

morning when we were driving through TN.

^ A Tennessee sunrise.^

The foliage was absolutely gorgeous.

After stopping for breakfast,

Dad drove around a bit on some winding roads.

^One of my favorite pictures from the trip.^

The camera really could not capture

the brilliant color of the trees.

I think this was in TN. While "roaming" we crossed a

huge dam, and Dad let us take a few pictures.

Notice the cars on the very top of the dam? And yes,

we crossed over it twice. Not a very pleasant

thing for some members of the family :)

This picture was taken by Dad, as only

he and mom exited the car at this location.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The rest of the trip to Ohio was uneventful, and so I will go ahead and post pictures from when we arrived. I believe the average temperature was about 40-45 degrees HIGH when we were there. It was very chilly to a bunch of Su'thun folks who just left a balmy 65 degree state.

Lake Erie and the rocks that surround it.

One view from the little deck of the vacation house.

Dad skipping stones.

A seagull mid-flight.

Shells, pebbles, stones.

A wave.

It takes a bit of nerve (or outright stupidity) to

place a camera a mere inch above and in front of moving water.
;)

Obviously taken from a safer distance.

Detail.

Smooth stones.

Fading, yet still beautiful.

"Art"?

Just across the small street is a playground that, for our

entire vacation, is deserted minus 7 wild banshees.

Residing less than three miles away from the

chain-link fence that surrounds the playground. Don't ask.

Emmy girl.

Emily and Ivey recently had a birthday in

which they turned 14. Happy Birthday E & I!

Ivey enjoys the most dizzying contraption in the playground.

An interesting picture of Gabe.

Ahhhh, the photography adventures that only

homeschooling families enjoy.

Ivey and Ella

Another view of what we dubbed "Mount Doom", for obvious reasons.

An interesting view of the huge tree gracing the playground.

Not sure what these were, they weren't lady bugs.

There was alot of them everywhere though.

Morning on Lake Erie. When we first arrived, there were 7 swans on the lake. They were absolutely beautiful. During the rest of our stay, we would spot them on and around the lake. Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures of them :(

Emily & Ivey venture down the deck to the lake.

Leaves on the shore.

All of the pretty shells and pebbles.

A few paces from our deck.

This shell was as big as my hand.

Believe it or not, rabbit tracks. 2 years ago we spotted him hopping

contentedly along the shore, then reside in between the rocks.

All of my pictures of Levi are blurry, and
you can guess why. :)

I hope you enjoyed the pictures from the first half of our vacation, y'all!

The second half will be better, because we actually left the house when those were taken. :) The pictures might not be on the blog for a week or so, but Lord willing I will be back up and posting before then.

Blessings!