Armadillo By Morning

You know you're in Texas when you see armadillo roadkill.  You know you're living out in Texas country when you find a newly dead armadillo in your front yard with your dogs sitting proudly beside it.  Yes, I heard a now familiar commotion involving Marmaduke and McGillicuddy this morning.  I thought they must have more hawks up the tree in the front.  So I step out on the porch to investigate and there right off the porch were the dogs checking out their prize - Texas roadkill - or a large nine band armadillo.  Little Ricky got a stick and checked it out - he has never seen an armadillo up close (only live road crossings or dead as roadkill).  Score for today's homeschool lesson!  They are very interesting looking creatures.  Of course, this dead critter brings about more unwanted creatures flying circles around the house - yes, the vultures.  Although I probably should remove it for that reason alone, I think I'll wait for Ricky to come home and let him remove the critter from the yard - I'm just not THAT country yet - but, stay tuned.
     WARNING:  The photos below are not for the squeamish or faint of heart.

Man's Best Friend

Ricky sits down and then so does McGillicuddy.  McGillicuddy is actually a big cuddly bear, who we also call "Tractor".  He walks around the yard with 30-40lb logs or pipes in his mouth.  He can get through many a man-made barrier, we know.  He has a fearce deep bark and has been party to running many a'varmint away from the place.  We've seen Marmaduke and McGillicuddy deal with vultures, hawks, skunks - stinky business,  and sometimes we never figure out what they're up to.  As a matter of fact they just had two vultures up a large dead oak tree a few minutes ago.  Second time this week.   They're very loyal and have become part of the family.  Funny how Ricky and I weren't so keen on dogs in the city.  Everything is a'changin'.   For the good.  If you see McGillicuddy running at you - hold on to something or best, get out of the way - he won't mean to hurt you, he's just a tank!*

*Hello to our dear friends in the city - you know who you are!

Fruit, Flowers, and Nuts

Here are some photos of the fruit and flowers and nuts (not us!) that have shown themselves on our new country place in the last few weeks.  What a blessing that we are reaping what others before us have sewn!

                                                                 Pink roses.

                                                                    Red roses.

                                                          Peach tree.

                                                                   Plum tree.

                                                        Large pecan tree behind the peach tree.

And since we've planted strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and a fig tree I had better figure out how to make jams, jellies, and preserves! 

Kittens, Garlic, Vultures, and Salsa

What a busy life this simple life can be!  Just today we have witnessed our dogs protecting the chickens and us all from vultures perched up high in a large oak tree - yes, two very large vultures.  A few days ago it was a couple of large hawks.  When our dogs go into protect mode it is really a sight to see!  Also, today we discovered one of our farm cats had it's kittens in a box in the shed, so Little Ricky has volunteered to sit and protect the kittens from the dogs.  Yesterday we were blessed with a lot of tomatoes and onions and today I am making salsa.  And Little Ricky took time out from his kitten protection post to harvest our Fall garlic, some of which I will incorporate into the salsa.  Oh, and I am answering questions and monitoring my Ebay sales which I began last week of some of my more collectible collectibles that I've decided there is no space for here in our old farm house.  So why I am taking the time to blog?  Who knows.  It's my entertainment and therapy!  Back to my simple life - fixin' (that's a verb in Texan) to google "how to harvest garlic".  And for honorable mention - the dogs got "skunked" again yesterday, but thankfully the skunk didn't come near the camphouse.  We just have to endure the odor on the dogs for a few days.  Gotta love the country life!

Butterflies Are Free

In the city there was an attraction called The Butterfly Pavillion where you could go and see all kinds of butterflies and insects.  For around twelve dollars a person you could enjoy the wonder and beauty of God's creation for a couple of hours.  They have recreated the natural habitats for these little creatures for people to wander around in and wonder.  But are they free?   Out here at our country place right now you can see a large variety of free butterflies and insects for FREE!  Everywhere I look during this season there are lovely butterflies fluttering around!  And I mean everywhere I look!  And we see dragonflies, grasshoppers, ladybugs, doodle bugs (roly poly bugs), praying mantis(s), flies, fleas, ants, spiders, wasps, (the junebugs are gone) and so much more that I cannot identify or can't think of right now.  Insects are everywhere out here!  And some really do "bug" me!  But they are FREE!  They are free to be and free for us to see!  Have you been set free? 

 "So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed"!(John 8:36) 

The Thunder Rolls and the Lightning Strikes

A first for me.  Last night it began to rain and I've learned to check the "weather" online to see what we may have in store.  This area has a lot of severe storms and we are in the "tornado alley", although fortunately at the lower end of it.  Just a couple of weeks ago we were under a tornado warning with several being sited just a couple of miles from here.  The four of us hunkered down in the main house kitchen praying and waiting for it to pass.  So last night I checked online and it simply said "light rain".  Ricky and I were in the camphouse - remind you it is a 10x12 metal box, basically.  We were getting ready to settle in after having been out of town most of the day.  The rains got heavier and the thunder started rolling and clapping.  I thought to myself this doesn't sound like "light rain".  So I sat back down at the computer which is next to the window to check for any updates.  In a flash, pun intended, sparks flew and I felt a stinging sensation and a LOUD clap in my ears and the LOUDEST boom and my body automatically jumped and screamed!!!!  I was stunned, literally.  After the initial "shock" Ricky and I ran to the main house through the storm.  Little Ricky and Fred were freaked out in the main house and Fred said he saw the lightning strike out the window and he had seen sparks in the main house as well!   Ricky calculated that the lightening had struck out in our pasture amongst the tall trees about 150 feet from the house.  It was the first time in my life lightning had physically affected me!  I am so grateful for God's grace and protection!!  I seem to be okay today  - guess my batteries needed charging!

Honeysuckle and Roses

Yes, I've had a few days (well, okay, maybe more than a few) out here in the "wild" country feeling discouraged, isolated, and stir crazy.  While each day I try to make progress on all of our endeavors some days I just don't want to address any of these pursuits.  I just want to have a day with no millions of projects screaming at me to be done!  Unpacking, re-packing, starting a garden, yard work, broken down equipment, vehicles that won't start or run, painting, dogs, cats, chickens, skunks, snakes, fleas, mosquitoes, tall grass out of control, laundry, dishes, cleaning, cooking, schooling, and so much more.  And yes, being in this camphouse so long has taken its toll.  It is all very taxing physically, mentally, and emotionally.   I've gone around 14 days at a time without leaving the premises.  Yes.  The rest of the family gets out, but I don't so much.  Too much to be done, and really no where to go.  Besides the gas prices now 'cause a round trip to the nearest Walmart to cost around $20 before you even purchase anything!  And it takes your whole day!  So I begin to dream of maybe a trip to the city to experience a grand 5-star hotel again or 5-star dining (or at this point I'll take 3-stars).  I long for the days of my hotel and restaurant evaluations.  Or maybe a mani/pedi or wonderful massage.  A waxing.  Sipping on a dirty martini or glass of wine and having intellectually stimulating conversations.  (Of course I'd have to drive at least two hours to find any of the aforementioned luxuries, except maybe for the martini, wine, and conversations.)  Just anything but the "same ole" "same ole".  But then I discover unexpected roses on bushes throughout our yard beginning to bloom.  And again, unexpected honeysuckle vines begin to show themselves nestled around the base of a cluster of oaks right outside my camphouse door.  The butterflies flutter and the hummingbirds hum.  The fig tree emerges and the blueberries grow on the bush.  I see buds on the blackberries and strawberries growing in the garden.   The garlic grows and the wild onions abound.  The chickens amaze us with their antics and the dogs show their loyalty over and over again.  The cats entertain us with their frolicking about.  Our old dilapidated house slowly becomes a home.  The sounds of nature, crickets, bullfrogs, owls, mules, cows, and more, plus unidentified sounds, are actually calming (unless it's the coyotes).  And new local friendships emerge.  Yes, the newly discovered sweet fragrances and beauty of the honeysuckle and roses alone remind me that my God longs to give good things to His children and I am blessed.  But isn't funny about human nature.  The grass is always greener somewhere that you're not.  I know that when I do make that visit to the city, I'll long to come back to my wild country place and His gift of honeysuckle and roses.