Are you serious?!

TWO IN ONE DAY PEOPLE!!

So by deduction we believe that the first egg was laid by Sweetie, one of our Buff Orpington's. Then around 4:15 or so I was getting ready to go babysit for my young friend's little girls for a couple of hours. Before I left I decided to go check on the girls as they were free-ranging in the backyard. Well, when I went out there I only saw three chickens. One of my Buff's was missing! I thought maybe she got through a hole in our fence and escaped into our neighbor's yard...but upon further investigation I realized she was in the hen house. She was hunkered down in one of the "nesting boxes" (a plastic shelf/bin that they sleep on top of...and now lay eggs under) and she seemed nervous...and fidgety...and was panting a lot and trying to get comfortable. After I observed her for a little while longer I began to think that she was going to lay an egg, too!

I had to go so I couldn't wait around to see if she was OK. So on my way to my friend's house I called Chris and asked him to go check on her. He did and said she was fine...still acting the same way...but fine and not to worry, he'd check on her periodically. I hung up the phone when it rang like 10 seconds later. It was Chris. "Oh my gosh. She just laid an egg. Right in front of me!" I was cracking up. And trying to drive. And shouldn't have been on my phone because it IS against the law...but my chicken just laid an egg for the first time! I'm sure an officer of the law would totally have understood. I'm sure of it. OK, maybe not. But it could have been a funny story!

So...Buff Orpington's: 2...Barred Rocks: 0. Who will be next?

FINALLY!!

WE GOT OUR FIRST EGG!!

Isn't it BEAUTIFUL!? I'm not sure who laid it...I'm thinking it was Nellie or Sweetie. But, I don't know for sure. And really...does it matter? We got an egg! The shell is hard, it was fairly clean and I think it could pass as a Medium. I'm so excited!!

On your mark, get set, GO!

This picture has absolutely nothing to do with today's entry...I just liked it! Libby and the water pail.

The next two days are going to be quite busy. Today I am taking Ian and my nephew to our nearest amusement park for the day. Then, when we get home, I'm going to do more laundry, mainly bedding, to get Seth's room ready for him to come home tomorrow. My mom and I are going to go pick him up from camp. So I also have to put together a picnic lunch for us for tomorrow. Apparently the kids put on a big concert for the parent's to show us what they learned all week at camp. It's an all day affair...so it should be fun.

I have to be honest...these are the things that can send me into an anxious tizzy. So many things lumped into a small amount of time. But I have to just keep telling myself, "One step at a time. One day at a time. One thing at a time.". If I don't I get a bit overwhelmed...and really, for no reason. I find that once I've actually DONE all that I'm dreading doing, I realize that it wasn't all that bad. And I had plenty of time. And it all worked out. And everyone survived. (Yes, I tend to be a bit dramatic on occasion...what can I say?)

On that note...I'm off to get ready for the day. And yes, I just might ride a few roller coasters!

Wish you were here...

A while back I had written about my Papa, my grandfather on my dad's side. I had mentioned his involvement with carnivals...how he travelled and owned rides and snack shacks and a photo booth. I mentioned how he carried photos that were taken in that booth of my grandmother and my aunt Sandy until his last days.

Well, these are those photos. They were probably taken a couple of years apart as my aunt looks different and Grandma's hair style is changed up a bit!

I keep them in my "other" bible...the one my mom gave me for Christmas when I was little...maybe 8 or 9 or so. The one with my name engraved on the front in gold. There is a small handful of items that I keep in this bible that I tuck away in my armoire...letters, handmade bookmarks made at Sunday School...things like that. Special things. Things like these photographs.

I just loved these photos. I loved that they were so old...that they were from photo booths...that they were of my grandmother and my aunt...but really, I think I mostly loved them so much because they were so dear to Papa. I think I wanted them with me because they were with him for so long. He carried them for years...and I remember him pulling them out on occasion to show them to me. And just the way he'd take them out of his wallet so gingerly...it was always a tender moment.

After Papa died my dad asked me if I wanted anything of his...and these were it. Papa lived to be 89 years old. And Grandma and aunt Sandy had long been gone. Grandma died when I was 13 and aunt Sandy died when I was 19. So they'd both been gone a while. But Papa kept those photos in his wallet, always.

Life is a crazy thing sometimes, isn't it? I really miss them. And wish they were still here...

Then and now.

I was just out in the garden watering...and ducking tomato branches and dodging gourd vines...and couldn't help but be amazed at how quickly things change in the life of a backyard homestead.

For instance...the girls. Can you believe that only 4 short months ago they looked like this? I can hardly stand how stinkin' cute they were!

And um...now that I'm looking back, clearly I was in denial about the appearance of my chickens.

Because clearly, contrary to what I may have said, they DID go through an awkward stage. THIS is proof.

If this isn't awkward I don't KNOW what is! Poor little girls...they were so gawky, weren't they? It brings back painful memories of junior high school pictures. Yikes!

But...thank goodness...as with most of us...they got through that painful stage and have slowly but surely blossomed into beautiful girls. At least I think so...and always have.

Then there's the garden. It amazes me daily. Every day I go out there and something has changed. Like I've said before, I wish I could just sit and watch the garden for a while. I just KNOW I would be able to SEE the growth.

Here's the garden back in June right after we yanked everything from the killer pine boxes and carelessly planted it into what I thought was poor soil. I really did not expect any of it to survive. I had pretty much written the garden off for this season...it just seemed too far gone.

Well...I'll be a monkey's uncle. Look at it now!

Those plants on the left? Um yeah...tomatoes. They're like tomato trees. They're huge.

This next picture is of the birdhouse gourd. I took this picture in June. Um...I forgot that old window was even back there! Out of sight, out of mind.

Well, here is the birdhouse gourd as of about a week ago.

Um...yeah. I don't even know what to say.

Life. That's what it is. Life. And it never ceases to amaze me. It's nothing less than miraculous. And if you ever need some hope...some encouragement...some lessons on perseverance...plant a garden. It will teach more than you could ever imagine.

The new header and a thrifty find...

Ian and I popped into the thrift store yesterday on a whim. I did my usual rounds...furniture, FREE books, books with a price, then back to housewares...my favorite department.

As I scanned the shelves my eye caught the likes of this platter. It's sturdy, thick and old. It's a cream color...and reminds me of a restaurant quality serving piece. I snatched it up and brought it home with me for a mere $1.50. Score!

Some of you have commented on the new header...thank you! I finally figured out a way to make one myself with the software I have. I figured it out on a fluke really...so I felt pretty tricky. It's not exactly right...but it will do as I learn to perfect my technique. The green beans are from my garden...the platter is my thrifty find...and the eggs are local, from my friend's farm. I WISH they were from MY chickens...but not yet. SOON, I tell you. SOON.

Wednesday in the Word.

Lamentations 3:22-24

22 Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.
23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
24 I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him."