Every good gift...

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning"
(James 1:17)


What an amazing life I am leading! I go from the valleys to the hills in such a short time period! I am so looking forward to when Terry can finally come home to stay! I miss him so much now days. I always have missed him since his being on the road the past ten years, but this past year it has been harder than ever for me. I think because I had thought he would be able to retire at age 62, and that did not seem to be too far away. But now he cannot retire from Yellow until he is 67. That is 8 years from now. I had hoped we could soon really spend some quality time with our grandkids working on our property.Some of our grandkids will be teens before we can seriously do any work on the property now. At this time, he has such a short time to spend with me on the land, and too many other interruptions when he is home. But even considering the short time we get to spend together, it is always wonderful time, and I am very thankful for that time spent together. So I am in the hills when he is home, and in the valleys for a day or so when he leaves. I am working on being happy when he leaves, and finding good in his being gone, but I do wish we could figure out a way to keep him home now. The trouble is, in order to finance our little hobby farm of the future, he needs a good paying job. And it is not easy for a man of his age to get a job. Mainly it is all about the insurance and retirement at this point. Maybe he will go buy a lottery ticket and win a few million, and then we would not have to wait anymore. He would forget to check the ticket to see if it is a winner, so I guess that is not going to happen. I have to work on getting either Kristi or Joshua to help me get some hay this week. We have some now, but I have to go get it. I am hoping to store up enough to supply us for next year. If we can get our sheep barn built, and the hay stored up, at least I will be able to start some stuff without him around. I can do sheep by myself...


I have been studying sheep breeds, like I said in a previous post, and I had always thought I would do Hampshires if I did sheep, and they are not even on my short list now. But what we thought was we would try different breeds for a year or so, and eliminate down to the breeds we want to keep and promote. Another breed Terry has suggested is called the black belly. Here is a picture of one.


Well, Micah just called and wants me to come over with my Shogun movies, so I will get off here. IF you know anything about sheep, please post what you know, and let me know if you are reading my blog! I will go enjoy some of my many blessings in the form of family!

Too wet to burn

Terry came home to see his new grandson and welcome his little girl home. We went to the property this morning, and decided we would try to burn some of the branches that were piled up. Terry tried to get two of the pile to burn, but they were too wet to burn! So instead, Micah and Terry put their swing set together. I walked Lillie on her leash, and brushed he. She did not want to go back to her pen, but she did. We looked the basement over with Micah and Nicole and tried to plan out some of the problems we will have getting it finished. Looks like we will be able to get started on it soon. I showed Terry this blog site and had him check out the sheep I am considering for our farm, and he suggested another breed for me to look over, -the black belly sheep. It is another hair breed. It looks like there are some breeders in MO that have some sheep at affordable prices. SO they are now on my short list that is once again getting long.
Terry had a fast trip home to welcome Jude Allen Anderson into the world, and welcome his daughter back from Liberia. He is already back on the road, heading up to Iowa.

A quiet afternoon.

18 The Lord is close to everyone who prays to him,
to all who truly pray to him.
Psalm 145:18

I was a bit upset when I found out this morning that Kristi and her team are stuck in Brussels, but God shared some incites with me (see my Marylou' Place blog for the devotional) And I am feeling better now, Looking forward to getting them at the St Louis airport tomorrow afternoon now.
Instead of spending the day getting our beloved team from the airport, I decided to start typing my mom's Story. She started it last year, and I am just now starting to do her web page for her. Here is the link for it so far:Dorothy Eileen Ferguson
Micah and Nicole are spending the weekend at her folks because her Gramma is in from North Carolina, so I need to run over to the property and feed the dogs, and water and feed the chickens and check on the ponies. Sounds like there is a thunderstorm brewing outside. Guess I better go check it out! This rain is unending! Have a great day with Jesus! I will work on Mom's site again tonight, so please check back in on it, and send me pictures and or stories about her. Thanks!!1

Raining AGAIN!

"Let my teaching fall like rain and my words descend like dew, like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants."
Deuteronomy 32:2


It is raining again here! I am enjoying the sound of the rain on the roof, and the thunder. I am so thankful for a warm house to live in, and for all my blessings! Micah asked if I would water his new garden on Saturday morning for him. I love to watch a garden grow, and hope that The results of the teaching God is giving to me will please him as much as I am pleased with watching our garden grow. I feel so often lately that I am not blooming like I should. This rain tonight reminds me that I need to grow with each day, with each new lesson in my life. Lord, let me soak into my soul, the lessons you send my way.

Scattered thoughts this night:
Terry is thinking about going back on a sleeper; a route to Albuquerque He will find out tomorrow if he gets the bid. If h e does, he will not get to be home again on Sundays. I need to buy him a new Bible, and need to go to A Christian book store for one. The one I got him for his birthday said LARGE PRINT on the label, and I did not check it out, was just happy to get him a little bible, easy to carry with large print. Well the print is too small for him to read, and so I need to go to a Christian supply store to shop for the perfect little bible with large print. Anyone want to go with me????

Kristi, Carolyn, and Ken will be getting back to St Louis on Saturday afternoon. I am very much looking forward to seeing my Beautiful Baby again! I cannot wait to hear about the mission trip. I missed seeing things in emails this year. That was so nice last year, to get to see pictures often.

Housing:

We have pretty much decided on a berm home. I think it is going to resemble a castle in the front. Right now we are staying a a trailer park, and think we might finish Micah and Nicole's basement and move in there until our house is done. Nicole said we have 5 years until they move their kids to the basement. We have a really cool idea in the oven for our house, and it will be practically free to build the outside structure. It will be very economical on heating and cooling, and a very spacious house for all our kids and their kids on holidays. It will even be big enough for all the dil's (Daughter-In-Laws) parents and siblings to join us too!




PRAYER TIME:I pray for all of you, and am praying right now for Kristi and Ken and Carolyn and Joe in Liberia, Africa. Praying God does a mighty work through them, and that they return home safely on Saturday.

Plans still in the making

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Jeremiah 29:11
I know God is in control. Sometimes I just wish I would listen better and know what He wants me to do. Sometimes I just get too wrapped up in the EARTHLY things, and do not equate where I am here on earth with What I am to do for God's Kingdom in my present circumstances. I know I am not doing what He wants right now. I think this is ridiculous on my part since he has given me every opportunity to hear Him.

Why Lord am I not listening to you right now? Help me to hear what your plans for us are. I need direction. And I am not hearing what You are saying to me. Open my ears! I love You, and want to be obedient to You!


Rambling thoughts:



We are now down to two Shetlands, and about 15 chickens of various breeds, and two Aussies. Micah and Micaiah have a little puppy, Rella, and my girl is Lillie.


Sheep will be our next venture. As soon as we get their barn built, and we have plenty of hay stored for them. These are the breeds I am considering:


1. Babydoll and regular Southdowns
I want these because they are the first sheep I was ever around, and as a little girl, I simply loved our Southdown flock. especially the old ram. He would protect me from the younger, more aggressive ram.


2. Icelandic
These sheep are so cool looking, and they are a Multi purpose, dairy meat, and wool breed. Everything all in one package.











3. Jacob
These sheep are also cool looking, with between two and three pairs of horns. They are a wool breed.














4. Mini Cheviot
This Scottish border breed is, like the babydolls, the original size of the Cheviot, and I have always like the looks of the Cheviot. They are a dual purpose breed.




5. St. Croix

This hair sheep is a meat breed. They are really going to be interesting to raise.











6. Finnsheep

they are meet sheep and are very prolific having twins and triplets and even sometimes have litters of 4 to 6. They produce a lean, succulant meat with a light delicate flavor.






7. Scottish Blackface
These are a dual purpose sheep too, and I just think they look pretty.










Still planning to get Lowline Angus when I get my cattle. I found out the reason they are called Lowlines is that in Australia, they were doing an experiment trying to see if the larger framed or the smaller framed Angus were more productive, and the larger framed herd they called Highlines and the smaller herd they called Lowlines I guess the middle sized hered were Middle line??? anyway They are actually just purebred or full blooded Angus in the smaller pakcage, actually just like the cattle we raised back in the 1960's. So like the sheep, I m wanting to raise what I did when I was a small child.