"If you hear a voice within you say
'you cannot paint'
then by all means paint,
and that voice will be silenced."
Monday, June 14, 2010
Multitude Monday: One Thousand Gifts
426. Wonderful hospital staff monitoring and caring for Cherub 3.
427. All of those Nature Studies – and Cherub 3’s fast recognition of a Black Widow.
428. God’s protection of Cherub 3 from the worst of the Black Widow’s venom – Praise God !!
429. Cherubs attending Horse Camp. Good times, good friends, great fun.
430. Dr. A.B., horse camp director and fun-time-creator. (Thank you A.B.)
431. Cool flowing clean river nearby on hot sticky days.
432. Cousin I coming to visit.
433. Fresh picked garden lettuce – yummy !
434. Plants loaded with little green “maters” – it won’t be long now !
435. A successful Outdoor Expo for 4H and Scouts.
436. The opportunity to coach, and watching the players smile as they learn.
437. Our beautiful horses – SunnySocks, Smokie, and Cinnamon.
438. Celebrating Sunny’s FIRST birthday with dear friends.
439. Fly masks for our horses. What a difference they make !
440. Blooming flowers – daisies, coneflowers, black-eyed susans, and more.
441. Our Father holding J.B. in his arms as docs work to find answers.
442. DadToCherubs’ job – we are so thankful !!
443. Cool-blowing AC on humid, hot, sticky summer days.
444. Assembling shopping lists for next fall – we’ll be back to school in August.
446. The whirl of bicycle tires, and giggles of passing Cherubs.
447. Watching Father Bluebird, and then Momma Bluebird, and now fledged Baby Bluebirds.
448. Butterfly watching.
449. The scent of sweet fresh hay.
450. Crepe Myrtles covered in blooms.
451. Peanut M&Ms … a treat from DadToCherubs.
452. The icemaker --- and big glasses of icewater to beat this heat.
453. Summer thunderstorms – and the blessing of plenty of rain.
454. A new Soccer Season.
455. Watergun battles and hearty laughter.
456. Playing in the sprinkler.
458. Volunteer opportunities for Cherub 1 with the Forest Service.
459. Fuzzy “blooms” on our Chestnut trees.
460. Summer Reading program.
461. Merit Badges, new skills, and lots of “out of the box” learning.
462. The scent of grilled chicken wafting on the air … yummy !
464. Sunshine !!
465. Cloud watching with Cherubs.
466. The Farrier’s visit today.
Wednesday, June 09, 2010
Tuesday, June 08, 2010
Cherub 3 vs. Black Widow
We have good news to share. And we are Praising God for His Protection of Cherub 3 !!
Cherub 3 is doing well this morning after a rather frightening experience last evening.
He was helping with mowing at a friend’s home and was bitten on the forearm by a Black Widow Spider who was hidden inside a log laying in high grass. He flipped the log over with his boot and rolled it around before reaching down to move it (watching for snakes and black widows), but obviously didn’t see the Black Widow until it was too late. He thinks she was inside a knot on the log. Incidentally, he did say that the black widow’s bite felt like he was stabbed or cut with a razor – much more painful than usual bug bites or stings.
Thankfully, he managed to kill her just after she bit him. So, with spider in a sandwich bag so that hospital staff could make a positive ID (even though we already knew exactly what she was) ……… Ewwwwwwwwwww.
DadToCherubs immediately took Cherub 3 to our local h ospital
The bite site was red and hot and swollen, and the affected area was spreading. At both ERs, lots of labs were drawn and then were repeated several times, vital signs were taken every 10-15 minutes, a large bore IV placed just in case, and the outline of the reaction was marked every few minutes. Then, the waiting game began ….
Cherub 3 had a brief period of tachycardia last evening in the ER, but stabilized without medical intervention after about 45 minutes. Otherwise he had no organ system issues. HOORAY ! His labs remained great the whole time, his vital signs remained stable, and 8 hours after the bite the docs decided the “worst case scenarios” were unlikely to happen. The docs suspect that because Cherub 3 killed the spider almost immediately after it bit him, and he probably only received a low dose of venom. PRAISE GOD !!
The docs were thrilled that he was seen by medical personnel so quickly, with the spider “in hand” …. there was no guesswork, his baseline labs and other precautionary tests were completed very early in the “game”, and so all of this helped the docs monitor him more effectively. His reaction to the venom could have been soooooo much worse. Black Widow bites are very serious, more serious than most people realize because there is no “anti venom” available for black widow bites. Doctors just have to deal with any issues that arise – issues that arise very quickly within the first 8 or so hours, often involving the heart, lungs, other critical organ systems, and major muscle groups. And docs also have to be prepared to deal with rapid tissue breakdown (necrosis) at the bite site, which can bring on serious infection.
Cherub 3 was discharged early this morning from Children’s ER, and we arrived home just after 4am.
Today he is exhausted. He has a very hot red area on his arm, 4” x 8” around the bite site. He continues to have some minor muscle cramping and pain in his abdomen and back (and his arm hurts a lot of course), but we’re told this is appropriate as his body tries to process and dispose of the venom. The docs said he may still have some bouts intense nausea, severe vomiting, severe migraine-type headaches, severe rigid muscle cramping in his stomach and back through tomorrow. He has medication for pain control, but so far he is doing ok with just Tylenol and rest. And a good book to read while he relaxes, of course. (Cherub 3 is a major bookworm !)
The docs expect that he will be back to normal tomorrow …… or at least whatever is “normal” for Cherub 3, anyway. HA !
Thank you to everyone for your thoughts, prayers, and assistance. We are so blessed .... we are thanking God today for a great local hospital ... a fantastic Children's hospital .... experienced medical professionals ... friends and family ... and PRAYER WARRIORS.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Nature Finds
(1) A Heron flying over Fort Loudon Lake.
(2) Baby Bluebirds taking Flying Lessons from Moma and Papa Bluebird.
(3) Daily visits to our birdfeeder by this female Carnival.
(4) This beautiful turtle found in the lower pasture.
(Sorry about the blurry photos. My camera was broken en route from California. And loving DadToCherubs just bought a new camera for me ... however, I've not quite mastered using it yet.)
Playin' In The Water
We've been playing at the river ....
And taken the Polar Bears for a swim in the lake ...
And played on the jetskis with Dumma ....
And we've done a lot of smiling and splashing.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Charlotte Mason Blog Carnival
Welcome to the newest edition of the CM Blog Carnival.
There are so many gems, submitted generously,
that's it quite hard to choose which to read first.
So, with a big cup of coffee or tea in hand ....
Enjoy.
Barb, from Harmony Art Mom, shared Science: Connections and Relationships. She said "it is the relationships that we have with our world that makes things meaningful."
Kris, from A Private Eye Nature, shared Nature Study Resources. In her post, she tells about three out-of-print treasures found recently.
Nadene of Practical Pages shared Charlotte Mason On Handwriting. In her post she quotes Miss Mason, "Let the child accomplish something perfectly in every lesson ..." and "The thing to be avoided is the habit of careless work ...".
Samantha of To Be Busy At Home shared Nature Study - It Begins With Me. She shares the recent revelations and a change of heart concerning Nature Study. "While it is certainly beneficial to go on nature study outings, true incorporation of nature study into daily life has to begin with an awakening of interest in a topic related to the natural world."
Nikki Olivier of Our Journey In Him shared A Nature Walk In Winter. She shares one of her family's winter nature study adventures ... and included many photos of their adventures in beautiful Cape Town, South Africa.
Amy of Fisher Academy International: Teaching Home shared Wednesday: Geography and Bible, in which she shares several wonderful resources used in her family's homeschooling.
Nak of Sage Parnassus shared Living Education Retreat. It's a "narration" of a retreat she recently attended. Miss Mason's philosophies, fellow educators, beautiful scenery, meaningful discussion, and reflection. It sounds glorious !!
Pamela of Blah, Blah, Blog shared Tar Pits, about a family vacation field trip to the La Brae Tar Pits. Museums are indeed treasures for homeschooling families.
Please join us next time
by submitting an article
for the Charlotte Mason Blog Carnival
here.
We'd love to have you join us !!
Monday, May 24, 2010
Multitude Monday: One Thousand Gifts
402. Mowed pastures.
403. Freshly bathed pups.
404. Surprising the Cherubs with a quick trip to the river to swim.
405. Volunteer opportunities with the Rangers. Thank you L.S.
406. Fledgling baby Bluebirds, while Momma and Papa Bluebird carefully watch.
407. Baby Barn Swallows – watching first flight.
408. Blooming roses.
409. It was a small leak, and then just a quick kitchen plumbing repair.
410. Freshly mowed grass.
411. Watching Cherub 2 and Cherub 5 horseback ride here at home.
412. Visiting with Dumma, and sharing some chocolate ice cream.
413. Raisin Bran for breakfast – how simple.
414. Swimming at Fort Loudon
415. Touring a bit of the lake via jet ski.
416. Our vet says “clean bill of health” for Smokie and Cinnamon.
417. Boys heading into town for Summer Camp Physicals.
418. Scheduled summer visitors – we’re looking forward to seeing them.
419. Spam catching for our email.
420. Coffee House’s Vanilla Latte and Caramel Macchiato creamers – yum !
421. Horsey bath time – soft shiny manes and tails.
422. Teeny tiny squashes and cucumbers in the garden beneath the blossoms.
423. Blooms on tomato and pepper plants – it won’t be long now.
424. An undiscovered Cherry tree, polka-dotted with ripe red treats. Yummy.
425. It was only a knick on the beginner-wood-carver’s finger. No stitches needed.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Every Morning
This morning's sunrise, as seen from our front door.
“The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23 (ESV)
Monday, May 17, 2010
Multitude Monday: One Thousand Gifts
380. Parched ground refreshed by weekend rains.
381. New blossoms on squash plants.
382. Clover blossoms in the “lawn”.
383. Elbow-grease being the magic ingredient to reconditioning a saddle.
384. A gorgeous hike – with our pups by our sides.
385. Rose bushes in full bloom – bright pink, white, delicate “rose” in shades.
386. Cardinals, BlueJays, Chickdees, Sparrows ... at our bird feeders.
387. The whirl of bicycle wheels, pedaled by Cherubs.
388. Watching the “herd” out in the pasture.
389. Milkshakes with whipped cream – yummy !
390. Rambunctious kittens and their crazy antics.
391. Honeysuckle blooming along roadsides, the perfume filling the air.
392. Blackberry blossoms – we can hardly wait for those delicious berries !
393. Horsey-bathtime, suds and sun, and fresh clean horses.
394. A caring home vet who he comes here to tend to our pets health needs.
395. Two eyes, two ears, and nearly an equine smile when we are near.
396. Progressing from catching up to caught up – laundry day. Hooray !
397. Going on a short hike with DadToCherubs, our Cherubs, and our Pups.
398. A new-to-me reciprocating saw and circular saw. Gifts from DadToCherubs.
399. Blessing a friend with lumber for his projects.
400. Fresh sweet-smelling barn stalls, lined with pine shavings.
401. Radar images on stormy days; the ability to watch red cells approach.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Monday, May 10, 2010
Multitude Monday: One Thousand Gifts
360. Gentle rain.
361. Mother’s Day spent with tender hugs and kisses from Cherubs.
362. Beef Stroganoff loving prepared by Cherub 2.
363. Napping with the pups on a cool drizzly evening.
364. Chainsaw working + DadToCherubs = old brushpile cleared away.
365. Light end-of-the-year school days.
366. Lovely rosebush in full bloom; ahhhh, the scent is wonderful !
367. Hoofprints on Cherubs hearts.
369. Three Boy Scouts handy with knots, and things needing to be securely tied.
370. Blooming Honeysuckle – ahhh, the fragrance !!
371. Dew-damp grass under my bare feet on these spring mornings.
372. Anti-itch ointment for my poison ivy – hooray !!
373. Blackberry brambles in full bloom.
374. Itty bitty, teeny tiny cucumbers on our vines – how precious.
375. Cherubs riding bareback – smiling from ear to ear.
376. Helmets for horseback riding.
377. Caramel Macchiato coffee creamer for my coffee – yummy !!
378. Line dried sheets and blankets.
379. Cackles of hens – and little hands full after collecting fresh eggs.
Sunday, May 09, 2010
Monday, May 03, 2010
Multitude Monday: One Thousand Gifts
337. Our horses – SunnySocks, Cinnamon, and Smokie - and their blossoming “friendship”.
338. The J Family, for blessing us with the privilege of buying Smokie and Cinnamon.
339. Lovely friend, A.B., for helping get us through the first few days of Horse Drama.
340. That Estrella was accepted into a wonderful Horse Rescue program, to help her find peace and work through the baggage of her childhood (she was abused before we owned her), that she might someday become as happy as she is beautiful.
341. Smiling Cherubs, hoofpicks and muckrakes in hand.
342. This high hill our home sits upon – an protection from the storms and flooding.
343. Mended fences, and protection from the poison ivy we had to wade in to mend them.
344. Bluebird families in many of our birdhouses – watching several father Bluebirds as they faithfully serve their families, and hearing tiny tweets from below.
345. Protection of the Scouts during their Spring Camporee, and the then-coming Monsoons.
346. Maggie’s continued progress – she is becoming more social, and not so scared of anything and everything.
347. Sweet hay and grain flecks on Cherub 2’s clothing – as she smiles from ear to ear. There are hoofprints on her heart, for sure.
348. Protection of C & M, who recently moved back to Nashville
349. Blooming roses --- how lovely !!
350. Pancakes for breakfast, served with soft butter and warm syrup. Yummy !
351. Vegetable Garden in progress – most plants are in, but there’s plenty more to be done.
352. Sitting on this high hill, at the base of the mountains, while the rains poured down flooding many parts of Tennessee
353. DadToCherubs’ job …. His ability to be at home while working …. And his willingness to visit the barn late at night to comfort SunnySocks who is not quite sure what “being in the barn” is all about.
354. Protection of DadToCherubs, Cherub 2, Cherub 3, and Cherub 5 while they camped in the barn last night (in the truck) during the storms – to comfort Sunny.
355. Incredible and beautiful lightening, although a bit close for comfort, lighting up the night sky. It was spectacular, but a bit frightening.
356. Cowboy Magic – and beautiful manes and tails.
357. Bella is settling down – she’s calmer, not quite as “on guard” as before – she is finally beginning to rest after several years (since our housefire).
358. L..S.’s Momma horse, Peppy’s Sunshine Girl, gave birth to a beautiful blue eyed Paint colt – Momma and baby are doing well.
359. The opportunity for Cherub 1 to spend a day working (volunteering) for the Forest Service – an incredible day he had. Thank you Lord for L.S. and for this opportunity.
Sunday, May 02, 2010
Horse Drama
And poor little Sunny, who will be 1yo in June, had an especially long weekend because she was at the center of it all.
On Friday, Sunny's mother, Estrella, left for her new home.
And also her 2 new "friends" arrived ....
because being alone for a horse is torture.
Her humans were by her side the whole time too, which seemed to comfort her greatly.
She only cried for Momma a handful of times .... and seems to have adjusted to life in her new "herd" very well.
So -- back to the weekend ....
Our 2 new horses arrived at 730am on Friday morning, just minutes after Estrella left for her new home.
A dear friend, A.B., helped us introduce everyone and to get everyone settled into their barn stalls for a rest .... horses, that is. Then we took turns staying with them in the barn for much of Friday morning: horsey-sitting. Sunny has never spent much time in the barn, and so it was rather scary for her at times ... plus, she was looking for her mother. Spending the morning in the barn went more smoothly than we expected overall.
After lunchtime on Friday, A.B. came back and helped us do more introductions, and then helped us turn all 3 horses into the field to get better acquainted.
Did you ever play Mother May I (game) as a child ??? Well, that is the best way we have found to describe the activities we watched in the field ... it was fascinating !!
After spending several hours in the pasture together, we led everyone back into the barn.
Dinner time, grooming time, picking out their feet .... who knew Cherubs would smile so much !!
Then, back out to the pasture they went overnight.
DadToCherubs cleaning Sunny's feet.
Sunny saying "I am just a baby and am not a threat to you" to Smokie.
She is such a polite little filly !!
Smokie is one of our new horses (above & below).
Our other new horse is Cinnamon.
She is also the "Lead Mare".
(below)
Smokie and Cinnamon have fit right in. What a joy they are to have here at Beck's Bounty !!
Sunny is adjusting to herd life ... to her new friends ... and of course is soaking up the love and attention of her humans.
Since this is a new adventure for Sunny, she has been a little timid at times. So we have been taking turns barn-sitting with Sunny -- when she cries or gets anxious, we talk to her or pet her, and she settles down. In the pasture she seems to do fine, so we do a lot less horsey-sitting when she is out. It appears that Cinnamon and Smokie are going to be wonderful companions for Sunny -- she is anxious to be with them, feels very connected to them, and is very much modeling their behavior (which is excellent !).
And in the middle of the Horse Drama this weekend ....
.... watching the Cherub's faces light up with smiles has been absolutely spectacular. Smokie, Cinnamon, and Sunny are shining from the tops of their ears to the tips of their tails -- groomed perfectly, and petted tenderly. And their feet are spotless -- everyone is learning to keep their feet clean -- but more than that, each is loved more than they could possibly know.
Thank you J family for bringing Smokie and Cinnamon into our lives !!
Thank you A.B. for helping to get us through the weekend.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
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