A Gaggle of Blessings

Dear Readers,

Thank you for visiting and for your precious comments, we feel truly blessed by you all.

We are experiencing a beautiful, sunny, chilly autumn day here, and are grateful for the sunshine.


As I sat rocking Frankie (my littlest) in the early morning light, I was blessed to witness another beautiful sunrise, after the previous evening's beautiful sunset. How much our Heavenly Father must love us, to give us the treasure of each day, framed in gold and wrapped in star-spangled paper! How thankful I was to have the time to stop and muse upon the workings of Nature-each day's slow and sure progress, season following season, all in its proper time and sphere. Sometimes the Lord has a big cleaning day, manifested by earthquakes, hurricanes, etc., but for the most part, it is as gentle as the morning sun painting the clouds a thousand hues of light. May I learn to order my life after His perfect pattern!

We had the fun opportunity of going to feed the geese and ducks that live by the Snake River in Idaho Falls, and would like to share a few favorite photos with you:

The beautiful LDS temple

Here come the troops!

"Mami! The goose he eat my bread!"

"Pretty please!"

The falls that give Idaho Falls its name

"Here goosey, goosey, goosey!"

"Okay, Goosey we're feeding you bread, not flesh!"

"AnnaMarie want goosey?"

"Oopsey-daisy goosey!!"

Fine friends-they leave once the food's gone!

A study in black, white, blue, and gray

Can you spot the "goose" in the clouds?

It is always hard to drag ourselves away from such outings; we all love nature so. We pray that the Lord will lead us to a home nearby a body of water, so we won't have to go home when we're done.

May your day be beautiful and blessed,

Marqueta

"Anyone can carry his burden, however hard, until nightfall. Anyone can do his work, however hard, for one day. Anyone can live sweetly, patiently, lovingly, purely, till the sun goes down: And this is all that life really means." ~Robert Louis Stevenson

"To affect the quality of the day, that is the highest of arts."

"Unless each day can be looked back upon by an individual as one in which he has had some fun, some joy, some real satisfaction, that day is a loss." ~Dwight D. Eisenhower

How Beautiful Upon the Mountains. . .

Are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good,


that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!


~Isaiah 52:7


Dear Readers,

Oh, how I wish you all could have come with us this past Saturday, for a ride in the country~We would have gone in the old truck that has been to Wolverine Canyon so many times it could go there by itself~

I would have packed extra picnic foods, and reminded you to bring a sweater, just in case!

Sun hats are optional, when the wind is blowing!

You could have brought your dog to play with our dog, at "Catch the Rocks and Get Wet",

And gone wading in the ice-cold mountain water!

And could have helped me to look for nettle seeds (with gloves), which we would harvest and take for rebuilding our adrenal glands!

We would not have found any nettles, but something even better:

Elderberries!

You know your husband really loves you when he risks his life to pick a few wild berries off a steep embankment:

On the way home, we would have marveled at yet another year of harvest~how the Lord has blessed the farmers in this area, yet again. How I love living in farm country, especially at harvest time when the garners are being filled~there is something comforting about it all.

When we got back home, Tasha would show you her pet butterfly,

And our new baby rooster, Ricky!

We had better get those carrots and potatoes dug before the next freeze, and the elderberries go into the dehydrator to dry for the upcoming cold and flu season!

And then we'll have time to play in the leaves:

Oh, wouldn't we have fun, sewing and drinking tea, reading and sharing, laughing and supporting!
I would love to have you here, but until that happens, I hope you've enjoyed the pictures we shared, and know that I am so grateful you could stop by and "visit" the only way you could.

May you and yours be blessed until next time,

~Marqueta

"O friends, we are drawing nearer home
As day by day goes by;
Nearer the fields of fadeless bloom,
The joys that never die." ~Alice Cary

Columbus Day, or "The Things That Haven't Been Done Before. . ."

by Edgar A. Guest

"It is said that if you hold a stick in front of the foremost sheep in a flock that files down a trail in the mountains, he will jump it - and that every sheep thereafter will jump when he reaches the spot, even if the stick be removed. So are many people mere unthinking imitators, blind to facts and opportunities about them. The air was not part of the domain of humanity till the Wright brothers made themselves birdmen.

~Audrey's "ship"~

The things that haven't been done before, Those are the things to try; Columbus dreamed of an unknown shore At the rim of the far-flung sky, And his heart was bold and his faith was strong As he ventured in dangers new, And he paid no heed to the jeering throng Or the fears of the doubting crew. ~Tasha's "ship"~ The many will follow the beaten track With guideposts on the way, They live and have lived for ages back With a chart for every day. Someone has told them it's safe to go On the road he has traveled o'er, And all that they ever strive to know Are the things that were known before. ~Making Columbus Day lapbooks~ A few strike out, without map or chart, Where never a man has been, From the beaten paths they draw apart To see what no man has seen. There are deeds they hunger alone to do; Though battered and bruised and sore, They blaze the path for the many, who Do nothing not done before. ~More lapbook/ship-building fun~ The things that haven't been done before Are the tasks worth while to-day; Are you one of the flock that follows, or Are you one that shall lead the way? Are you one of the timid souls that quail At the jeers of a doubting crew, Or dare you, whether you win or fail, Strike out for a goal that's new?" ~Tracing yet another ship~ Dear Readers, Happy Autumn, er, Winter, er Columbus Day! We are enjoying a winter wonderland here in our neck of the woods. Just when we got our Autumn decorations out, Old Man Winter decided to make an appearance instead! Poor Cold-Toed Biddies! Bare feet or snow coats, it's so confusing! It's a good thing everyone's good at indoors entertainment: Baby Moses and snake friend (eek!) "Gotcha!" We had a pleasant Sabbath at home, and Ken and the older girls did a charity Elvis show at a local nursing home (we were all planning to go, but the little Master was "s'eepy"!) on Saturday, and had lots of fun. It got down to 25 degrees last night, so hopefully the potatoes and carrots we neglected to dig up are still useable. It's time to pull out the extra comforters, and to enjoy evenings by candlelight (and firelight, if you're lucky!). May I remind you, dear ones, however, to please keep a window open a little bit somewhere in the house while burning candles, lamps, or wood, since these all take a lot of oxygen from the air, and we don't do very well without our oxygen, do we? May you stay warm and toasty at this time, and enjoy a nice book or two with family or friends (We're almost done with On the Banks of Plum Creek, and its accompanying guilt trips!). Love, Marqueta

And the Winner is. . .

Lily! Please email me your contact information, and we'll get your package out to you a.s.a.p.!

I really felt bad doing this giveaway, as I wanted each and every one to win! We'll have to do another giveaway, with fewer items, so more people can have a chance to win. I'll list a few hats that I have, too, with a request for $2.00 or so to pay for shipping, if you'd like. Please comment and let me know if anyone would be interested in this!

Thank you, each and every one of you, for taking your time to enter and leave a comment. May you all be blessed this autumn season.

Love,

Marqueta