The Blessings of the Times

I am experiencing some technical difficulties since Picassa is no longer managed through blogspot so the program and the domain (or whatever it is) is not currently communicating.  I own my own domain on WordPress but I don't know how to switch over and how to save a decade's worth of online journaling.  Phil is considering trying to find and pay someone to switch everything over.  In the meantime, I will continue to blog here and hope that eventually the photos will show through.  So far, I think it is only April that is not showing up.


I feel a little bad "enjoying" this stay home order because I know how many people's lives have been under great hardship.  I know people are bored, thrust into a different way of living and trying to figure out how to navigate it, have financial hardships, are trapped in small homes or apartments, are missing friends and social opportunities.  I feel really very blessed to have my family here with me, to have my husband working from home, to have our health (Phil is healthy!), to have our property to enjoy, to have a paycheck, and to be busy.  I have felt, particularly this past week with Phil feeling back to normal, a sense of renewal.  

The mustard fields are in bloom and the bees are swarming.





My porch view continues to take my breath away.  I still can't believe this is where I get to live!



There is the most amazing, ancient, wild wisteria that is visible from the freeway between Stayton and Salem.  Phil took me on the back road that parallels the freeway so I could see it up close and personal.  It isn't as impressive as the freeway view because it has been hacked back from the road.  Since I discovered it 3 years ago, I look forward to its blooms every Spring.  


Farm work!!  Weeding, mulching, planting, watering, harvesting herbs and lettuce, tomato staking, putting up pea trellises, scraping sod for new beds, making a grape arbor, and watching the flowers (and weeds) grow in the Spring sun and rain.






I finished my dry stream and it is strewn with agates and polished stones, thunder eggs, and as soon as I can find my container of black obsidian, I will add that.  

The colors of Spring:  





The goaties are enjoying their new pen.  I can't wait to get the rest of their field fenced in so they have a huge space to roam and play.


Moving the sheep to the front pasture.  After a good long while of attempting to herd them there, they had to be leashed and pushed individually.  The last one refused to walk so Phil had to carry her.  I laughed...a lot. 

Happy with lots of green grass.

Elderberry juice, I don't make a sweet syrup, just a touch of honey so it is more a juice tonic.  I add ginger, cinnamon sticks, cardamon, anise, cloves, and then simmer for 15 minutes.  After straining, I add vanilla and honey.

Drying comfrey.

Girls taking selfies on my camera.


School work on the porch, in pajamas, with the dog.

Dirty farm feet

 
B made these glasses.  Actually, they were quite ingenious!
  
If we want to know what Brighton will look like as a young man, this is it.

A tie to go with his glasses.

Homeschool prom?



Snake catching!  Brighton loves snakes and seems to be able to catch tons of them.  These ones were HUGE. 


I was a bit traumatized when he caught the garter snake on the far left and brought it over to the container (aka, old bathtub).  The snake was in the process of eating a baby mouse who squeaked in terror as it was gobbled alive right before my eyes.  It was awful. 

I find the gray racers to be the most aggressive and the largest.  We have at least 3 different kinds of garter snakes on our property.

Sawyer spent all afternoon creating this copper helmet.  He really did a fantastic job!  I was so impressed.  This is before he finished it but my favorite look (he added a bunch more wires in the back and rows of nails so it looks more vicious and it lost that artistic simplicity).  But, I give him an A in metal sculpture!!!



I did spend a rainy Saturday in my studio. I hadn't been in there in two and a half months.  


I reworked this piece quite a bit with needle felting to try and get some depth.  I am looking forward to machine stitching it.

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