Buhl-a-land

Still Here

2012-01-09T07:56:00.003-06:00

Blogosphere is not my world much lately -- with new internet plan we are limited by how much we "use" and somehow I justify not staying in touch with y'all by supposedly saving time not blogging. That pitiful excuse put out now -

very little change in our lives - still not done moving out of other place (I'm currently in totally overwhelmed cannot get it done phase). Gift of gorgeous weather reminds me - God is in charge not me - for which everyone should be enormously (eternally?) grateful. Warm mornings resulted in low lying fog and sunshine illuminating oaks on my way to work the other day - Buhlaland can be anywhere we are right? So this was just off Sarra Lane here in North Texas. It is good on Buhlaland - when I stop and pay attention to all the good.

Sorry I'm not blogging -not positive when it'll change. I do try to catch up with y'all while I'm at work (unlimited internet there).

Pray for one another - pray for our country - pray with passion - it makes a difference.

When a believing person prays, great things happen. (James 5:16)

Merry Christmas

2011-12-24T07:44:00.001-06:00

Luke 2:And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. ⁹ An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰ But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. ¹¹ Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. ¹² This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

¹³ Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

Peace to you from Buhlaland.

Holiday Decorations and Settling In

2011-12-14T08:31:00.011-06:00

Is it plagiarism?

2011-12-04T10:51:00.003-06:00

Or is it Memorex? well since my memory is mostly an EX -- the Paraphrase Psalms 139 came from someplace on the internet - most likely someone else's blog - sorry if I'm not giving credit where it is due! I've printed this off for myself with my name inserted in the blank spaces-----apparently I must be reminded God knows what is going on - and even better how it will all turn out. Our move continues - we've slept in new place since November 21st. Still getting carloads of "stuff" moved - y'all really and truly - sort through and give away or throwaway or burn or whatever half your stuff - you don't know how much of it you have until you are forced to deal with it ALL!

With that loving warning - yes it is Christmas season even in my often Grinchish mood --- we hope/expect/plan to hear from Transplant Schedule Coordinator (all people associated with big research hospital/clinic apparently are either doctors or coordinators - FYI). At that point - we'll have some idea of the testing and examination schedule DH faces. Still no idea how/if we'll do the whole transplant experience but we are assured/stand firm on and know doggoned well- God Knows and we are living in that truth! Much love and Christmas Carols (in case you are taking a poll - I cannot abide Drummer Boy song and love Carol of the Bells or almost anything with bells and midnight clears or angels sing) and not too much shopping but TONS of being with people you love - time is short - shorter than anyone seems willing to admit. I'm praying for many of you - please remember those who have had a death/huge loss in their family this year - there is NO WAY I don't care how holy and righteous you think you are - NO WAY we can "get over it" - we get through loss - we get through pain by the Grace of God but all the perky sayings in all the perky sunshiney blogs in the world cannot ease the pain. A nice plate of cookies, a hug, a shared session of tears, those are ways to tell someone they are not alone in this world.

Random enough for y'all? I'm outta here - more moving to do and some carols to enjoy. To the wonderful person who put up this version of Psalm 139 before me - thank you and forgive my plagiarism - but we both need the same assurance. It is good on Buhlaland because ---He Loves ME still - Amen.

I, the Lord, have searched you, _____________ and know you. I know when you sit and when you rise. I know your thoughts before you even think them, _______________ I know when you go out, when you sleep and are totally familiar with all your ways! Before you speak, _________________, I the Lord know what you’re going to say. I am with you, completely and I go before and come after, keeping you, always, in My love; I hold you in My righteous right hand. I, the Lord, know all there is to know about you, yet I love you . . .still.

_______________, you cannot hide from My Spirit nor can you run from My presence. It is simply not possible. Should you go to the heavens, I, the Lord, am there. Or, if you go to the depths of the sea or depression or any other depths, I, the Lord, am also there____________, I was there before you, waiting. If you rise at dawn or settle on the far side of the sea, I, the Lord, am there and will yet guide you. I, the Lord, hold you, ____________ in my righteous right hand; you may say, the darkness will hide me and the light is the same as the dark but just because you say it, doesn’t make it true. I, the Lord, consider dark as light and because I am Light, there is no darkness to Me.

______________, I the Lord created you and, before you were in your Mother’s womb. I knew all about you. You were not hidden from me, not then and not now. All your days have been ordained by me and I, the Lord, know you are My beloved creation. If you learn nothing else as you live this wonderful life I have given you . . . know these things: I am the Lord God Almighty, Maker of Heaven and Earth and I love you, _______________ so much I sent My Son to die in your place. Why? Because I want you to return to Heaven and live with me through Eternity.

_____________, I know My thoughts are vast and you cannot truly comprehend them but choose to love Me; I will always take care of you. I, the Lord, care for you because I created you and I love you. I know your heart and all your anxious thoughts; I love you, still, ___________ love me.

I, the Lord, can be trusted with your heart.

Moving Experience

2011-11-22T14:44:00.006-06:00

No pictures no poems no pretty scenes - just me putting on a note from computer at work (my wonderful, stressful overpaid job - yes really!!)
Movers came and most of our "big" stuff is in new place - not in proper/comfortable/decorative place in new place - but available to be placed.
No internet at new house - Skybeam rudely insisted they provided service "OF COURSE" - as the customer disservice agent declared. As soon as installer drove up he said "y'all can't connect from here". :::sigh::::
So clever DH is working on an alternative route to get internet service - hope it works but until it does - y'all have a beautiful holiday week ! I'll be learning my country commute routes and praying for getting our big place on the market and SOLD ASAP!
If I don't comment on your blogs - not being rude just not able to get online much - soon - I hope to be back soon -- Buhlaland is still good - just on the move type good. A skunk visited us the first night at new place -DH and I were out in the garage surveying our domain (or possibly searching for paper plates so we could have some supper!)- apparently we are acceptable new neighbors because he did NOT leave his calling card!

Thanksfilled

2011-11-19T08:49:00.003-06:00

Not blogging much- too much going on and attitude not always worth displaying to the world! Word of warning --moving when you are "older" and in midst of medical issues is NOT the old UHaul slogan of Adventures in Moving. BUT - we have professional moving crew coming on Monday the 21st to take all the large pieces we think will fit in new place so are committed now. In midst of a house filled with mess - neighbors (God bless their loving hearts) brought over this pretty fall arrangement - yep - grace is undeserved blessing and we get more than our share!

I can honestly say - I'm thankful for my life - eternal and mortal. The bumps and bruises of my journey make the promises of heaven and the flowers of earth all the sweeter.

DH goes week of the 29th to Dallas for a yea or nay on the transplant (a lung in case you don't recall). We know they are serious - first appointment will be with the "financial office".

At any rate - IF I get a burst of energy and an internet connection - will post a bit next week. We are thankful for nice neighbors in new home area (guy across the street was stringing lights in his trees yesterday - hooray for neighbors who decorate for Christmas!).

On a nonmoving, nonwhining note - it IS good on Buhlaland when we can say Take My Life - broken vessels can be useful in the hands of the Potter. Bless y'all and Happy Thanksgiving!

I'm still here

2011-11-06T15:24:00.006-06:00

For those of you viewing this on Internet Explorer - I know things look odd - I work on Google Chrome and Blogger looks right then so I'm just sayin' - looks odd and sometimes is - but internet browsers do strange things.
Steven Sondheim isn't my first choice for lyricist (since I tend toward hymns and praise songs as musical interests) but from the depths of my life's music listening time - this came to me:

C'est la vie.
I got through all of last year
And I'm here.
Lord knows, at least I was there,
And I'm here!
Look who's here!
I'm still here!

Not much I want to say today - we still haven't finished renovations sufficiently to move to new home. Have prayed and talked ---DH and I are both at the point of "God's will" in regards to transplant (will let you know how well I do with that after the transplant evaluation begins at the end of this month). We "did church" together this morning - this video came up on a search on Youtube for Gaithers and I like Alan Asbury's version but Ricky Skaggs does a good job.

We know many somebodies are praying us through - and it makes all the difference. For those of you who know her - please include Sandra Bennett in your prayers now. We' re still here- on Buhlaland and being kept from things we can't even see.

New Link

2011-10-26T10:01:00.003-05:00

I may be premature in adding this to my blog list - but thanks to @BooMama I just spent half an hour reading recipes! The concept of once a month cooking isn't new - but I needed the reminder - frozen storebought pizza is NOT a balanced meal!

So y'all check out link to http://onceamonthmom.com/ and see what you think! Would be terrific to take a one day cooking day and prepare extras for all those dear folks we each know who need a little nutritional pick me up during any given month! Organization - now THAT would be good on Buhlaland!

Peace to You

2011-10-25T08:35:00.003-05:00

We continue to work as strength and finances allow - not moved yet - no date set but we have peace. It is good on Buhlaland and at this time in our lives we see so many deprived of peace - not willing to lay down the stresses of daily life and striving toward goals which are not eternal. Peace HE gives to us - accept it and we'll all rejoice together for eternity. I'll back with my normal silliness over decorating choices, colors and textures - but for today I give you peace.

1 Peter 3:8
[ Suffering for Doing Good ] Summing up: Be agreeable, be sympathetic, be loving, be compassionate, be humble. That goes for all of you, no exceptions. No retaliation. No sharp-tongued sarcasm. Instead, bless—that's your job, to bless. You'll be a blessing and also get a blessing. Whoever wants to embrace life and see the day fill up with good, Here's what you do: Say nothing evil or hurtful; Snub evil and cultivate good; run after peace for all you're worth. God looks on all this with approval, listening and responding well to what he's asked; But he turns his back on those who do evil things.
1 Peter 3:7-9 (in Context) 1 Peter 3 (Whole Chapter)

New Neighbors and update

2011-10-16T20:12:00.008-05:00

We went up to try and finish up current painting projects (emphasis on the try word!) Pleasantly surprised to have some neighbors drop by - didn't stay for coffee (we didn't have any to offer so that was a blessing) or a chat but stayed around long enough to let us know they'll be back!

Very calm doe with her twin fawns - the deer were all in our nearest human neighbor's pasture - directly behind our back fence line so we get a nice view.

Might have to get in on the mole hunting competition with CedarPond and Sand Flat Farm after we move in if mole population is that strong. Neighbors across the road have several cats --apparently they like to try to outplay, outwit and outlast a mole (any Survivor fans out there?)

One room is pretty much painted - we are using the same color we have in our bedroom on current Buhlaland - Soothing Celadon (wouldn't it be fun to make up the names for paint?) Going to paint the yuck flat grey trim celadon also - room is small and with 3 doors (closet, entrance and attached bathroom) making the doors different than wall colors seems choppy.

Plenty more to do - we are trying to ration our energy and time - already on the financial ration system! God has given us the nicest place to spend more years here on earth - looking forward to being there full time. It is good on Buhlaland - whether current one or newest version - we are blessed beyond belief.

On the topic of working on our houses - we think we know what we want and need - only the Lord God has the blueprints.

“Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make any sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of - throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself.” ― C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

Some out - more IN

2011-10-13T19:01:00.014-05:00

Today it was clear and sunny --a beautiful day to play in the garden - which is not what we did.

We did - take the carpet which was removed (by us) and put it in garage to be sold on Craigslist or given to someone who wants beige carpet. THEN we unloaded a lot of paint, 39 (yes I counted them - twice) boxes of cork flooring, a new light fixture for the kitchen and about a quart of sweat. I confess this is simply a catching up with small changes post - one big point I'd like to make - look closely at the picture of partially painted room (which will become our office/workout room once we actually move in). See the ugly dark grey tinge to what was apparently a white room? THAT my friends is what happens when you use those "one coat" paints - there is a black pigment added to a perfectly good white paint so indeed it covers most anything else but is NOT white. The white we are using is called Fragrant Jasmine (doesn't that just sound wonderful and relaxing? - still smells like paint but the name is the thing). It goes on the wall in a barely warm white shade not a cold touch of black white shade. It isn't all that noticeable until you begin to paint a real white over it - then the greyness becomes all too obvious. I'm tired - you must excuse my obsession with colors of white.

It is good on Buhlaland - because I have a great big bottle of ibuprofren and a Coke Zero over ice right here next to me. See you soon!

Making Living Space more Live-able

2011-10-08T06:42:00.012-05:00

On to living room - obviously adjoins the large kitchen/eating area.

We (royal use of the term since DH did 99.7% of the labor) removed carpet, tack strips, pad and assorted bits attached to concrete flooring.

Our original idea was to clean, stain and seal concrete but would have been a heck of a job given multiple stains and paint slop currently revealed on concrete slab. Glad we decided to go with cork flooring -

Eager to begin painting - will be a color at Home Depot - Behr paint called Fragrant Jasmine (barely creamy white) in eggshell and semi gloss finishes. House seems a little dark so we want to lighten up the walls and put a more reflective finish.

Think we've reached agreement on fireplace - currently sooty looking and dark brick pretty much overwhelms -the room. DH wants to build a mantle. We're going to paint the brick - either same color as we paint walls or a tone or two darker. What do y'all think?

Only one window in living room -

we will be installing an open outward front door to gain almost 3 feet of wall space.

Oh yes - will be putting in a ceiling hugger fan

with no light fixture - current one is a bit

too much.

Last picture just keeping it real - oxygen concentrator in house now so DH can move around attached to his O2 leash - too bad they haven't invented oxygen supply without a cord (yeah right - think about it). Mild case of want to get done - sure it'll intensify but time and money - all we need to git'er done on Buhlaland - and it is all good!

Starting To Change

2011-10-05T08:58:00.017-05:00

Not about fall color this year - because with Texas drought only color is dried up brown on the leaves. Wanted to share the adventure (that is called a positive thought process - if I think of our move as an adventure may

be it won't feel so tough - RIGHT????)

Today is pretty much just posting Before pictures - 'cause the afters will come slowly - we have a big house to sell before we can afford major

changes to new place. Suggestions will be enjoyed with the caveat - every thing we will do has the proviso "if we can afford it" - and that is money as well as time/energy in our budget. The move is occurring because we can no longer physically deal with a two story house and almost 10 acres - so we now have a money budget and an energy budget - what we can realistically actually physically get done (enough lys for you?) OK off to the picture files -from the backdoor(which is out of order but taking forever to move pics - so work with me people! LOL)

We currently HOPE and plan to extend back porch and cover it - so we can sit out on porch, have barbecue grill there and generally enjoy the view of neighbor's pretty pastures and dozens of deer! My "lottery" dream is to put a nice two person hot tub/spa out there but that is WAY down reality list.

In back door to long walls - as you come in backdoor to the right is door into garage (which will be DH's woodworking shop and our washer/dryer will be there also). To the left long wall will be place for large black armoire (DH made it years ago and it is marvelous storage as well as sweet reminder). Opposite wall will be future home of pantry shelves - open or with doors still a topic of discussion (I'm thinking open with an assortment of baskets/containers to organize but DH is thinking doors 'cause - well that is how he thinks - more finished but LOTS more work too!)

Then teeny amount of kitchen cabinetry - great hopes to change this but definitely moved to later on - can live with it the way it is. All except color - we have already purchased paint - shinier finish and a wonderful Behr white - Fragrant Jasmine. The floor is a very good grade of linoleum tile - black with a tiny fleck of white and grey. Will definitely be keeping the floor.

Like the arched view into living room (yes it is a smaller house!) and then we'll put our round kitchen table in the corner as dining table. Have a new brushed nickle finished lighting fixture for over table. So that is the first installment - will post pictures of rest of house and what we have definitely already done or decided. Exciting time - I'm better at starting projects (thank goodness I was blessed with a husband who likes to FINISH things completely!) So whatcha think???? It is good on Buhlaland - we are blessed whether original location or newer place - God provides for us in ways we didn't have the sense to ask!

Mabel's Mom is a Published Author!

2011-10-02T16:43:00.005-05:00

Mabel's House is proud to announce another new edition (not as cute as Jane but exciting nonetheless) I haven't been including a link to Liz's wonderful blog but have been reading long enough to be a big fan. Enjoy this excerpt from her new book - sure to be as clever and truthful as her blog! Once you are hooked by the excerpt - you can buy her book from Amazon.com - those of you who are Kindled - available there also.

Once one has breathed in the deep pungent aroma of sewage, you never again forget the nose-hair singeing, eye clawing, throat gagging experience. It comes over you slowly. You begin to feel like a character in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest as your muscles involuntarily jerk and you run screaming and blowing raspberries. Anything to get away from the mind-numbing stench.

But let me explain.

It was 6:30 a.m. I was standing in my retro pink tiled bathroom trying to open my bleary eyes and ready myself for work. As I stood there, peering into the mirror and wondering what demented nighttime fairy had planted four new wrinkles on my face, I paused and sniffed.

“Matt… what’s that smell?”

Matt staggered from the bedroom in his underwear, eyes half shut. “I don’t smell anything.”

I pointed my nose into the air like a hunting dog. “Seriously? You can’t smell that? Did you go to the bathroom in here earlier? I told you to use the room spray when you do things like that.”

Matt puffed out his bare chest and gathered his pride as best a man can with sleep in his eyes and a small hole in the side of his underwear. “I just woke up!”

I frowned, catching a glimpse of my makeup-less hot-rollers-in-hair state and tried not to think about the fact that I looked fifty instead of twenty-nine. “Well, help me figure this out. Because something smells ripe.”

We sniffed the sink drain and ruled it out as a suspect.

“Is it coming from the toilet?” Matt asked, examining it from top to bottom.

“No, that’s not it,” I snapped. I’m not known for my milk of human kindness in a disaster. Don’t get me wrong. I’m a survivor. I plan on eating my radish like Scarlet and clawing my way out of the nuclear dust while dragging my loved ones with me. But I won’t be doing it with positive phrases and a smile.

“Hon, I just don’t know. We’ll call a plumber after work, maybe it’s coming from under the house.” Matt staggered a little, trying to get past me and out of our tiny bathroom.

“Well, that’s just great,” I moved aside and pulled the shower curtain back so I could perch on the side of the tub and give Matt room to move out the door.

That’s when the full brunt of nastiness filled the air around us, a swirling mix of excrement and acrid stench that would have brought the sewer dwelling Ninja Turtles to their knees. Where the normally slightly-clean-with-a-hint-of-soap-scum bottom of the tub should have been, there sloshed gallons and gallons of brown sewage.

I clutched the front of my sweatshirt and held my breath. Matt began to dry heave.

“Get out and shut the door!” I screamed as we bumbled into the hallway.

“I’ll deal with this,” Matt grabbed my shoulders, trying to talk and hold his breath at the same time.

I could feel my eyes glaze over, the horrors of typhoid and hepatitis in our bathtub filling my mind. But more importantly, I could envision our evaporated savings account. In my mind’s eye I could see the long, gray hallway at the bank. A worker shrouded in a black suit pulled a set of keys from his pocket and unlatched a small locker labeled “Owen Bank Account.” Inside were two small stacks of quarters and a few crumpled dollar bills. It was bleak, not only because the banker with an unimaginative wardrobe gazed at me with an expression that could only be interpreted as “You’re a Big Fat Loser,” but also there was a very definite possibility we wouldn’t be able to pay for a plumber.

I wasn’t necessarily a spend thrift. In fact, I was downright frugal when it came to decorating with thrift store furniture and rewired vintage lamps. But the fact was, we were poor. We were starting out at starter jobs with starter salaries. We were starter adults with a starter bank account.

“Okay,” I nodded numbly, thankful that Matt was taking the lead on such a disastrous biohazard. “But make sure the plumber is super cheap. We don’t have much money!”

I left for work like a wino stumbling through a fog, not really remembering my commute, not really doing any work as I sipped my coffee and stared blankly at the computer screen. A disaster of such gargantuan proportions had previously been unthinkable in my life, and now I found myself attempting to push the image of a vast sea of bathtub poop from my mind. But I was sure of one thing: Anne Shirley never had to get ready for work while breathing raw sewage.

Buhlaland is Moving!

2011-09-29T12:38:00.005-05:00

No - not as in the earth transporting itself elsewhere - DH and I have purchased a smaller home (downsizing is hardly the word - life altering might be accurate). During past couple of years we've realized his health issues won't allow him almost unbounded energy which was his normal. Keeping a large property which we no longer fully used wasn't good stewardship of God given resources (as well as being exhausting some days!)

We closed today on a smaller house north of where we are now - picture was Skip talking to the tree guy about taking out a couple of large trees which had the bad judgment to grow up against house or right where we need to build a workshop/shed! So the adventure begins - we'll document as much as possible the changes in new place (for now it will be called Windsor - since we'll still live on current Buhlaland until ready to put it up for sale). Woo hoo - biggest excitement right now for me - sandy soil! Deep sand - will grow sweet potatoes and white taters next spring - I know how to garden in sand! Our clay/loam combination on Buhlaland has been a continuing struggle for me. Already browsing on internet for sand plum bushes and rabbiteye blueberries - yum yum. All it takes is work and money - and the Lord allows us just enough energy for the work and money for what we need (wants might be a different budgetary process?). Today we got the keys, turned on the water supply and set off bug bombs at Windsor (black widow spiders had homesteaded the garage!). Small steps - but we have prayed this thing through and know "Do not despise…small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin.” Zechariah 4:10 NLT

The Work has begun - we are ready for this new chapter - see ya again soon!

Shorter day - even less blogging

2011-09-21T08:59:00.003-05:00

Picture was taken around 6:45 am - so strange to be still dark but it really IS the beginning of autumn this week. What happened to our summer? Thank goodness it is about done with - here in Texas we are still in a drought to break most records. A little rain last week to remind us it CAN rain - refreshing and cooled the earth down enough to get temps out of the triple digits.

Again I'm apologizing for the lack of blog entries - in about 10 days I can reveal what's been absorbing so much time and energy - I think it is good and hope you will also find it interesting - for now - on Buhlaland it is cooler, gooder (? what word is gooder) and blessed beyond belief - we have survived the summer of 2011!

End of August - time to update!

2011-08-29T15:22:00.019-05:00

OK quickly write words or I'll run out of month!

The goat herd has shrunk to 7 animals - one wether 3 does and 3 doelings. We had 22 and that was too many animals to feed and care for. With absolutely nothing in pastures we had to buy hay -- was $100/round bale and very poor quality. All animals went to same wonderful couple who just love 'em (God bless you Craig and Leah!).

Garden all done with cleared out and containers stacked in hopes next year won't be another record breaking plant and tree killing drought year.

DH did a walking test (really - that was what they called it and yet I'm sure they billed Medicare like a hunka money!) where he wore a monitor and walked for a timed span - a technician recorded his oxygen demand.

Doctor appointments - OH SO MANY DOCTORS! Tired of doctors and places where they are - hope none of you ever ever have to be in Dallas in room HQ6.600 - no happy reasons to be in there.

A pretty sight in parking area of a Fort Worth heart center was a blooming desert willow - almost made up for the unpleasant testing and long morning spent at this particular medical facility (where once again proved to me- do NOT leave your loved one in a room with

only medical people - they don't pay attention!) One technician decided DH didn't know what he was talking about when he kept telling her to turn his oxygen back on after she had messed up the settings. Oh well - just resulted in the test being wrong because it showed a false problem - ahhh health care. DH got to explain all this when doctor's nurse (since this doctor doesn't phone patients himself) called to tell DH to come in next day due to oxygen deficit in his testing - No Kidding??

Almosy to the end here - one sneaky picture of my guy - out looking at property.

Finally - we've had the hottest, driest summer in many decades - that was August 2011 - we worked, we worshiped (at home still - no immune system likely to appear again for DH), we gratefully acknowledge not ALL doctors are difficult - the pulmonologist DH sees in Fort Worth is a real physician - he cares for the person not the disease - what a blessing he is.

Could stick in something about changes and seasons of life and all that stuff - but we all know it already. DH read an article on internet saying blogging is dead - being replaced by twitter - might be true - I certainly don't blog on a regular basis anymore but then I don't twitter at all!

So that's the story ~of that's the glory of love - it is good on Buhlaland and for that we are deeply grateful! Below is the song my daddy loved and served as the source for my blog title - old fashioned but eternal truths aren't fads are they?

Front yard DMZ

2011-08-03T09:43:00.002-05:00

De Moisturized Zone - cannot waste water on keeping too much area greened - simply keeping a little lawn alive so when the rains come (and they will) grass will have some life left.

Rain will come - always does - right now it seems more our country needs this kind of rain even more than the moisture kind

- but we serve a God great enough for both - THE reason it is always good on Buhlaland! Bless y'all

Rainstorm in Texas - this clip lasts a full hour - listen to as much as you need to recall the refreshing feelings of rain. Good reasons scripture describes the blessings of God coming as rain - sustaining and refreshing.

You May have to kiss a lot of toads

2011-07-28T11:47:00.009-05:00

To find your prince - at least that may be one story in tiny pond outside breakfast nook windows. Had big plans about changing up pond - adding trickling water rocks and generally spiffing it up. Somehow the costs in energy and finances of dealing with DH's recent health kick in the pants (aka stroke) has ended up with an amusement park for toads and frogs. Only the smoother skinned pointed snout one is a frog - all others are toads.

We got a real laugh from the morning line up (the toads get in water to eat whatever they find and rehydrate) to exit pond. Larger toad appears to be practicing for some serious rockclimbing.

Doesn't take much to amuse us here on Buhlaland - and that is good - with weather guessers doing a countdown on number of 10o F days in a row - we are grateful for inexpensive amusement close to the air conditioned ceiling fanned house!

Kitchen Decor Issue?

2011-07-18T10:39:00.009-05:00

Our trusty Amana convection wall oven is currently a kitchen hazard - doesn't cook properly (or at all?) DH is working on the resolution of our problem . In the meantime - spice drawer on the floor and pan lids in drawer in dining area - even more confusing than my normal life here on Buhlaland. But it IS good my DH is so clever at repair. Even gooder (my blog my vocabulary!) - I can't bake anything - a good thing here on Buhlaland (the home of overindulgence in all food with butter and sugar)

Yes it is good on Buhlaland for our cholesterol, waisterol and fatterol I cannot make THESE right now - but nothing says YOU can't!

Mini Chip Cheesecake Bars

Ingredients

1/4 cup shortening
½ cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1-1/2 cups miniature semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts)
FILLING:
2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

In a large bowl, cream shortening and sugars until light and fluffy.
Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, salt and baking soda;
gradually add to the creamed mixture until blended. Fold in the
chocolate chips and pecans.
Set aside a third of the dough for topping. Press remaining dough
into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 8
minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth.
Beat in eggs and vanilla. Spoon over crust.
Drop teaspoonfuls of reserved dough over filling. Bake at 350°
for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Cover
and store in the refrigerator. Yield: 3 dozen.

Chicken Housing

2011-07-14T13:44:00.009-05:00

I have done pictures about the chickens since we brought home the little fluffy chicks back in 2009 - but a couple of blog friends were asking about housing - walk in coop versus reach in - that kind of thing so I'm posting a variety of picture of what DH designed and built. The Coop Mahal has served us very well - housing 8 full grown hens and being relatively easy to clean and access the egg boxes. Egg boxes are the little extension on back - has a flap door which can be opened - get eggs or clean out boxes and closed up tight. Front is covered in some pictures to stay warmer but coop is built on fresh air principles with front section (red painted wood) being a hinged area able to open fully for cleaning. Coop Mahal also has a window on east end to maintain good air circulation during warm weather. We have an enclosed run for protection from predators - although we allow cluckers out for a while most days - they can dust bathe and scratch and eat food scraps in the run with fewer dangers.

Not a fascinating blog post but might give some folks ideas about housing. We like the raised off the ground thing - better air circulation - gives a nice shade area underneath and lessens the attacks from snakes. It is great to go out and gather your own fresh eggs - worth some effort and trouble. It is good on Buhlaland to have steady food source to share with friends!

Snippetage

2011-07-12T09:56:00.008-05:00

A snippet is defined as a small piece of something, these photos are small pieces from the quilt of our summer here on Buhlaland.

Long shadows and easy to see where our sprinklers reach and don't reach in backyard - brown versus green is demarcation line.

Tadpoles hatching - you can see a tail on one - most are still curled up around egg sac getting their nutrition from built in feed source.

Egyptian lily is all I know to call this exotic bloom - heat and winds so strong even as buds open they are blasted brown on the edges.

Last snippet was a supperet - stopped at the farmers market intending to buy local honey (seen in background of picture) but the fragrance of fully ripened local cantaloupes got to me - impulse buy turned into most of supper! It is good - hot hot hot and dry but in the essentials very good on Buhlaland - maybe my brain will support more than snippets soon.

Live and Learn - in a good way

2011-07-07T10:13:00.006-05:00

A video on youtube is being circulated through emails - while we are cautious about viral videos especially distributed via the internet - well this one seems to check out. I don't believe I have EVER heard the additional verses to our national anthem. The slight mistake made by the gentleman (not the second verse but the fourth verse) doesn't diminish the dignity of his statement. No I'm not starting a political discussion. I will close comments on my blog for a while as a preventative measure because I've seen some of the comments left on other sites by those who don't believe in free speech (well they believe in their rights but don't respect the rights of others). Whoever chooses to read please take time to digest the concepts.

Bless y'all - it is good Buhlaland is in the land of the free and the home of the willing to learn.

O! say can you see by the dawn’s early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming,
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight,
O’er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets’ red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there;
O! say does that star-spangled banner yet wave,
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe’s haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o’er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning’s first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:
’Tis the star-spangled banner, O! long may it wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion,
A home and a country, should leave us no more?
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps’ pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave,
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

O! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war’s desolation.
Blest with vict’ry and peace, may the Heav’n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: “In God is our trust;”
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

What's it all about?

2011-07-06T10:48:00.004-05:00

Looking closely at our country (Butterscotch is not camera shy)

- lest we forget why we celebrated July 4, 1776

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,"

All the powers of government are from the consent of the governed - or as the great philosopher Pogo said

We appear as a country to be our own worst enemy in recent years. Americans elect people based with skewed values and when the elected officials turn out as useless (also known as without backbone, good sense or virtue) as the previous bunch - we just pick more like'em. We are not advocating Rick Perry for President - he isn't even a favorite Texas governor - but he is definitely onto something with this proclamation.Rick Perry's Proclamation

Life on Buhlaland doesn't depend on the government for our values. We don't need government telling us it is acceptable to destroy life if it isn't convenient, to defend evil and call it good, or to recreate the definition of being married. For those who are confused this election season- if you need a reference book or two - we strongly suggest the Basic Information Before Leaving Earth and on politics you might try these time tested writings. We're just suggesting - it is good on Buhlaland and with some determination, willingness to take charge again and the most uncommon of qualities - common sense - it can be good in America again. Bless y'all and if you aren't praying for rain in the southwest - well please start - we are dry as a powder keg - both precipitation wise and politics wise.

Cycle Starts Again

2011-06-25T08:18:00.005-05:00

Yesterday was the moment - I didn't get to watch the butterfly emerge but early in the morning took a few pictures. Returned in about 2 hours and all that was left was husk of chrysalis - now there is another wonderful pollinating butterfly out there in Buhlaland - isn't that what we should call a miracle if were to name it?

It is good on Buhlaland to see how creatively the Creator populates our world with useful beauty.

What's snew?

2011-06-21T09:34:00.009-05:00

Not much and everything - what's snew with you?

Our lives have revolved around trying different medications, doctors and treatments to get my DH back to a fuller life. Hasn't happened yet but with the Lord's blessing - we are working on it! Life is a work in progress for anyone isn't it?

Current series was my fascination with our dill plant - grew beautifully and was so full and fragrant. We've used a little to season a sauce or two

- but mostly enjoying it's lacy beauty.

Yikes - an invasion - dill plant was suddenly covered (total of 13 caterpillars at one time) with small army devouring dill devotedly.

Hard to believe these small critters can eat so steadily - but in a short time we were seeing them peel off the stem coverings to eat those also.

Each day I was seeing fewer and fewer caterpillars -a friend identified them as fourth instar (stage) of swallowtail butterflies.

As far as I can tell - only one made it to the chrysalis stage just under rim of planter pot. Hopeful it will be able to fully develop without some nosy bird finding a meal from it. Always something to see on Buhlaland - that's good

Day in the Life of Susannah

2011-06-05T09:57:00.016-05:00

Oh Susannah - what a day you had. Starting off waking up with sister Sugar Pie (honey bunch - yep that song) in pen looking oh so sweet.

Not two minutes later - looks like you were thinking seriously of chomping down on Luci Watusi's ear - git it outta my way says Susannah.

Not sure I can get bloggerized enough to make these show up in order . Caught a series of photos throughout morning showing how deceptive appearances can be.

Susannah climbs atop the tree perch -looking for fun? OR someone to conquer?

Bubbles shows up - thinking"I'm older than little show off Susannah - I'll just make my move"

Location location location isn't just relevant in real estate - makes a big difference in queen (or at least bossy girl) of the tree stump .

Susannah starts in her defense mode and

and

Yep - butted off the stump by an uppity little doeling!

Last shot shows Susannah's obvious "Come On - You wanna piece of this tough Texas gal?"

OK maybe just maybe I exaggerated a tiny bit - but it still made me laugh on Buhlaland and that is always good!

Memorial Day 2011

2011-05-30T10:31:00.003-05:00

Beautiful skies over Buhlaland this morning - a bird soaring in the wind. We are grateful for the sacrifice of those who serve and served our country in the military and the ministry.

Skies can be cloudy, windy - almost stormy but bring beautiful days

"Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow,

for tomorrow will worry about itself.

Each day has enough trouble of its own."

~ Matthew 6:34 ~

We frequently think of and quote this scripture from Matthew - not as a "oh woe is me" but a "praise our gracious Father God - today is all we know and can handle". We do know the One who knows tomorrow, gives us the strength one day at a time. Still rough going in our lives, health is a precious commodity - healthy body, mind and spirit - the trifecta of life.

Rainy and Growing

2011-05-25T11:16:00.007-05:00

Going to try one more time - Blogger has been MOST uncooperative this week - maybe a case of you gets what you pay for??? We had some good rain past week and now very warm weather . Buhlaland has greened up and growed rather fast. Not much worth saying from me today so I'll just wish all a Blessed SonDay and remind you - tell those you love every day and keep your mouth shut about those you don't love so much - then you'll look like a much better person! (that was a note to self y'all)

What do you mean Dirty Face?

2011-05-19T09:08:00.006-05:00

Lucky girl is showing the same signs of poor hygiene most of our goat herd has this week. Put out a new molasses/protein bucket to supplement hay we are feeding them (results of not getting rid of baby goats when they are first ready to wean - you end up with too many animals for your available browse and pasture!). Lucky is a sweet creature - she was a bottle raised kid and even now thinks she has a special claim on me when I'm in the pens. I haven't had enough nerve to try the molasses lick - it must taste wonderful gud (been reading Amish background fiction!)because they will stand there for long periods of time working it with their tongues and mouths.

Possible rain in next couple of days - oddly - Texas is still in a drought when so many states are literally too soaked to take in any more moisture. We continue to pray for peace in Jerusalem, healing for our land and it's people and oh yeah - for things to continue to be good on Buhlaland. In a bit of a drought here health wise and it is hard at times to keep perspective.

2 Corinthians 4:17
For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.

I don't tend to like smaller light voices in any kind of music - but the words of this song pretty much encapsulates much of my heart.

Job 2:9b "Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?”

Still good on Buhlaland,we are grateful for each blessing.

Just so you know

2011-05-17T09:27:00.006-05:00

We are hanging in there - one week ago Monday our lives began a different road on this journey. DH continues slow road to recovering from stroke - tired much of the time and some difficulties with oxygen levels (he still has a breathing disease - stroke or no). Pictures are one of our favorite oak trees here on Buhlaland - in every season it is beautiful. Sure enough - even more dependable, faithful and great - the Lord's provision in our lives -

Just so you know - it is good on Buhlaland because great is the faithfulness of God and our beloved friends and neighbors and family.

Adventures Galore

2011-05-11T10:06:00.000-05:00

Sorry I didn't get a picture of the lights flashing and ambulance here on Buhlaland - another adventure in the life of two old folks doing whatever God puts in front of 'em. My Beloved had a stroke on Monday morning - long story short - prayer and a way which was prepared for us long before we had the need made things work out as if there is a Plan in our lives. We are already home - all testing done - some medications changed up and minimal lingering damage to speech and mobility. Both quite exhausted and happy to be in own spot on Buhlaland. New slogan for me - Fear Not. Being anxious about anything may steal away moments given to bless us not allow us to imagine bad event - each day will have enough troubles for that day but also - the strength for that day will be given. Happy to be home - thanks for visiting me on Buhlaland. Just a few pictures 'cause it is still our blessed spot of life 'til the Lord declares otherwise.

Goat on hindlegs getting a nibble of oak leaves is Butterscotch . Clever nubian goat Norman - has no horns so she gets to eat as far as she can push her head through the fences. Her yearling doe Milky Way is not so blessed - she has to be careful about getting stuck in the fences. You know what they say about grass being greener on other side - also lots more of it than on the side you share with 21 other greedy goats!

Adventures Galore Repeat

2011-05-11T10:05:00.006-05:00

Hmmm - just signed on blogger after not being able to sign on blogger and most recent post had disappeared - will post again and hope for the best. We continue to feel better (both of us) each day but still very tired (both of us). Rest and enjoying the scenery - that's the way it is on Buhlaland.

The Boids and the Bees

2011-05-08T16:52:00.016-05:00

Changed up header picture - it is from last year (2010) and the bounty of babies we had. Cold weather when they were born so they were very snuggly.

Mother's Day almost over - I was blessed with a couple of greeting cards for the day. Always feel odd about it - despite everyone saying "well you are a mother for the animals" sure isn't like having someone who is my child (by body or adoption). But this is the life I have been given and it is definitely an adventure! Been plenty of birds and insects around already -

I think I saw a lightning bug last night by the goat pens.

Still not even what we call our new normal around here - DH having some major health challenges with being off prednisone. We trust this will all straighten out soon

and be back to the limitations he had before. Definitely learning a new perspective of living each day as it comes. Sounds simplistic as I write it out - but it is our truth - we are all given one day at a time. As a child - our parents shape those days. I had a diligent and caring mother

- not an easy person but definitely one who worked hard to make our day to day lives good. We were brought up to be in church every time the doors opened . My life since then has taken far away from church, back and now in a different form of worship. We read scripture and then did church together for an hour today - we were listening to hymns and praise music on youtube (it isn't all weird stuff on youtube!). Enough about us -

definitely warm spring here in North Texas - and that makes it good on Buhlaland.

Hope y'all look at the honeysuckle closely - a tiny hummingbird in the upper right corner of the picture - it was frantically trying to taste every blossom!

Wonderful Explanation of Salvation

2011-05-07T08:25:00.005-05:00

Perhaps you've read or heard this story before - I hadn't. Lately I have been been reading a good deal of prophecy literature ( David Jeremiah ) and if any one reading my blog or anyone they know isn't sure of their salvation - better get on your knees. God is good - AND just.

Please take a moment to pray for waterwalker - I don't know the results of her biopsy but know she loves the Lord and we trust He makes straight her path.

waterwalker: Had a biopsy today..not funI liked this so here it...: "Had a biopsy today..not fun I liked this so here it is: There was a certain Professor of Religion named Dr. Christianson , a studious man wh..."

Visitors

2011-05-06T18:41:00.008-05:00

We had visitors last night - almost sundown and I was near the west end of our small front pasture. In a large, mostly dead (from Princess Bride movie - great line by Billy Crystal) oak tree there were literally dozens of small birds. Zoom lens and a little patience - beautiful guests were cedar waxwings (according to birding guides online). We don't get many people guests - been isolated too much too long apparently. So these bird visitors were very welcome - I took lots of pictures and walked around admiring the handiwork of our Creator - I am positive I couldn't have designed or even imagined cedar waxwings - great job. It was colorful and fun here on Buhlaland last

night. That is all good.

To those of you who are Mom's - early Happy Mother's Day -

No Serious Damage Here

2011-05-01T16:09:00.008-05:00

Our biggest damage in recent storms --one of the amaryllis stems blew over. We are beyond grateful to have been safe from severe storms thus far. Praying for those folks afflicted by tornadoes and flooding - life is challenging for all nations this year - good reminder "We are spiritual beings going through a temporary human experience" . Absolutely not trivializing the horror and pain -people are asking for answers to ultimate questions. Believers know the answer but to those who don't believe

"1 Corinthians 2:14 (GOD’S WORD Translation) ¹⁴A person who isn’t spiritual doesn’t accept the teachings of God’s Spirit. He thinks they’re nonsense. He can’t understand them because a person must be spiritual to evaluate them."

I regret this will sound like some sort of special club or code you have to have to grasp the Word - it isn't - it is so clear and straightforward it sounds foolish in humanistic thinking.

Bless those who are helping and those making decisions about assistance. Being prepared is the big issue - no matter what catastrophe might occur.

It is thundering here on Buhlaland but only rain predicted - the land is good with rain. Buhlaland is a good place to contemplate eternity.

Also contemplating why the combination of Google Chrome and Blogger is SO danged difficult to manipulate - but it works about as well as a free browser and website can (I guess)

Many Goat Pictures and One Other

2011-04-29T21:27:00.011-05:00

Nothing much worth saying - we are well, safe from the storms thus far and it is good on Buhlaland - ---especially if you are a goat!

Monday Hello

2011-04-25T11:27:00.003-05:00

Quick post - here is the side garden - still in process but showing great progress. Trimmed up tree allowing much more sunlight onto plants.

Cactus are blooming - makes the bee population absolutely twitterpated. It is spring on Buhlaland - and that's very good

He Is Risen

2011-04-24T07:58:00.004-05:00

He is Risen Indeed - alleluia and amen! Life is good on Buhlaland - and it is well with our souls. Bless y'all

Saturday - the waiting day

2011-04-23T07:54:00.003-05:00

Realizing I am not a fountain of knowledge about liturgical terminology (churchy names) I wondered today - we have Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Resurrection/Easter Sunday - so what was Saturday? I'm sure one of you clever folk know and if it were a serious question Google stands ready to oversupply information.

The whole idea of completion - there was work done out of human view - important work which is wonderfully defined as "one of the mysteries". It isn't popular in today's preaching/arguing on the internet to talk about the mysteries of scripture - we are modern enlightened people. Believers in Christ must be able to explain every word every jot and tittle of scripture. Sorry folks - I think mysteries are wonderful -to not know - what a deliciousness in not knowing some things. I know my Savior Lives and He is not only Risen but returning - but it is was the sabbath after He suffered and died - people were waiting. Great sermon by Shadrach Meshach Lockridge - doesn't tell us what happened Saturday but anticipated Sunday was coming. Blessings on y'all this Saturday - whatever you are waiting for - trust and obey and know - your Sunday is coming

Tabula Rasa

2011-04-14T09:44:00.007-05:00

Y'all are no doubt already impressed and intrigued - the gal from Texas getting all fancy on you by using a latin phrase for a blog title. Fancy term to indicate I'm being gifted with a nearly blank slate in our garden

Yesterday DH and a young friend of ours began the process of cleaning up our side garden. Planning a total renovation of the garden area. Economics is part of it - prices at grocery store and even local produce markets continue to climb. We'll be putting in some basics for ourselves - plants of tomato, peppers, cucumbers, squash and whatever else looks viable. Went to container gardens because our previous gardener (ahem - yes that would be ME) wouldn't weed on a daily basis and our in the ground garden became a struggle. SO containers it is. The little dog house looking structure is actually a well house - our water well pump is in there. Yes it is far too close to the house but we didn't think of everything when we were planning our home - obviously.

Still have a couple of crape myrtle bushes, a peace rose and currently a container of strawberries which is about to become two hanging baskets of strawberries - snails and slugs are taking harvest.

Plenty more to come as far as

garden renovation possibly a water feature and garden sculpture- big excitement on Buhlaland - springtime, gardening, projects - woo hoo that is all good.

UPDATE: Ok the black containers are water tanks for livestock - we got ours at Tractor Supply

Honeysuckle and a Hummer

2011-04-11T09:53:00.003-05:00

Oh not that huge vehicle - a busy tiny visitor who was making trips to honeysuckle all you can eat buffet Sunday afternoon. We don't put up bird feeders of any kind - plenty in our area for birds to consume in season and troughs for their drinking pleasure. Must be warm weather - honeysuckle, birds, thunderstorms (last night) and I'm wearing shorts! Yep - it is warm on Buhlaland and that is very good.

You may notice - I'm writing shorter blog posts - unless a writing bug bites me - this is probably the only way I'll keep on blogging. I treasure the interaction with y'all who are kind enough to read about life on Buhlaland I simply don't have many words right now. Thankeweberrymuch!

Determined Drivers? or a lotta Buhl?

2011-04-10T10:07:00.004-05:00

Recently showed property to some lovely folks who left their dogs (thanking them for their consideration) in the car - looked so much like two determined commuters on DFW highways or byways and the incongruity of pink flower on dash - had to share with y'all. It is often silly on Buhlaland and we figure silly is good.

Fragile

2011-04-03T10:01:00.008-05:00

My heart is fragile - sometimes I forget how fragile. My old heart was bursting with gratitude Went to a concert yesterday with my beloved great nephew and his terrific grandmother (my SIL who also went to high school with me!) I was in the hospital waiting room the day Gnephew was born, we've prayed for and cried over and rejoiced about young man for many years - right now it appears a major transformation has occurred in his life. Gnephew is the one with black tshirt standing with concert artist Jamie Slocum - it was blessed on Buhlaland and I remember now how fragile my heart can be.

Soli Deo Gloria to God alone the Glory.

Fragile

2011-04-03T10:01:00.003-05:00

One Reason to Live on Buhlaland

2011-04-01T06:47:00.005-05:00

Recently we had business north of Fort Worth and travel during "rush hour" for city folks. Kindest part was being behind a Texas State Trooper for part of the drive (strange how much more polite drivers are with an officer of the law in their vicinity). You see our GPS (thank you again April and Reese for a very thoughtful gift). The rush, difficult traffic transitions and occasional heart pounding near misses by drivers determined to share our lane of the road - defying laws of physics which say two objects cannot occupy same space at same time - resulted in a psalm of praise when we returned to our quiet place in the world.

Psalm 16: 5 LORD, you alone are my portion and my cup;
you make my lot secure.
6 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
surely I have a delightful inheritance.
7 I will praise the LORD, who counsels me;
even at night my heart instructs me.
8 I keep my eyes always on the LORD.
With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

Yes it is GOOD on Buhlaland and we are grateful "rush hour" is when it is time to feed the dogs and goats!

Confirmation

2011-03-26T19:00:00.011-05:00

Psalm 46:10 (The Message)
8-10 Attention, all! See the marvels of God!
He plants flowers and trees all over the earth,
Bans war from pole to pole,
breaks all the weapons across his knee.
"Step out of the traffic! Take a long,
loving look at me, your High God,
above politics, above everything."

Psalm 46: 10 (NIV 2011) He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”

Every month or so the Hubby and I spend some time deciding what to do with our tithe ( we are not actively involved in a local church -we support God's glory in situations to which we feel led). Honestly it is a monthly struggle - so many worthy causes and our sharing of His money can't change the world - can it? We pray for confirmation in our choices - usually it is in a simple manner - we make decisions which we trust are exalting God, helping widows, orphans and the poor, coming alongside those in need. For this month's tithe (not a legalistic slot machine action on our part - God provides everything and we are honored to share a portion) X number of dollars were in account designated tithe and March 26th we received a message from Compassion International (see link on left side of blog page if you are interested) with Xnumber (precisely, exactly) listed as what was needed. If you are not a believer - this all sounds foolish

1 Corinthians 2:14 (Contemporary English Version)
14That's why only someone who has God's Spirit can understand spiritual blessings. Anyone who doesn't have God's Spirit thinks these blessings are foolish.

This blog post isn't about us - it is about us in relation to the Lord and that makes it ALL good on Buhlaland. Bless y'all - as we are blessed.

Blog much? - no not really

2011-03-17T20:55:00.014-05:00

Headless chicks, lazy bloggers, crashed hard drives - yep - sounds like the end of times to me. Not making light of the world's pains - headless chick was in fact a source of laughter - friends' delightful 2 year old bit off foil wrapped chicken head, swallowed and was ready to take on another centerpiece chocolate creature when we realized what was happening.

We are continuing to have some computer issues - hard drive crashed on DH's computer several weeks ago,bought a new computer - still working through problems.

Enough - spring sprung upon us -wild plums in back pasture are struggling with drought conditions here in North Texas.

Wish I could claim it was foreknowledge of drought which resulted in my sad pictureof the fabulous spring tulip display -- fabulous display is sprouting just fine - in the bag in which it was purchased not in a cleverly designed container. Good intentions so not a fabulous display of flowering spring bulbs create!

Keeping it real here! I started this blog post last week so am truly a Pro at crastinating.

Began to blog May 17, 2007 -a total of 414 entries ago! I entered blog posts frequently in previous years, now working to maintain even occasional blog activity. Our lives continue in new normal of oxygen concentrators, medications, doctors, caring for our home, work while always appreciating our time together.

David Jeremiah this morning " Not a day goes by when our plans aren't changed by circumstances beyond our control. Natural disasters, house or car repair problems, unexpected illness, traffic jams on the freeway, a friend or neighbor with an emergency need, unforeseen time demands at work—the list goes on. The question is, “Can we trust that God is in those unforeseen delays, diversions, and distractions?”A rarely-read, single verse in Exodus (13:17) tells how God led the newly-freed Hebrew nation into the Sinai Desert instead of around the southeast “corner” of the Mediterranean Sea into the Promised Land. Why? So the Hebrews wouldn't encounter the Philistines who inhabited that region, be attacked, and flee back to Egypt for safety. The Hebrews grumbled loud and long about the Sinai sand and sun, but at least they were alive. If they had met the Philistines, they might have been slaughtered.Next time your path is changed unexpectedly, trust by faith that God is in it and that the change was for a good reason (Romans 8:28)..

Trust in recognizing path changes as provision for us --goodness knows we've had some abrupt path changes in our recent history. Ought to teach me something - perhaps don't slam on the brakes and hit the steering wheel in anger? Would be smarter to go to my knees in prayer and gratitude (slowly 'cause having problems with a knee -- by now laughing at myself- ain't one thing it is another). Still able to laugh at ourselves (and two year old chicken head biting friends!) so it is good here on Buhlaland - spring is sprung! Love y'all - lack of posting isn't a lack of caring.

Mysterious Anonymous and Generous

2011-02-28T10:23:00.006-06:00

Actually I know exactly which wonderful generous friend sent pictured bouquet for my birthday. I didn't have a picture appropriate for this blog post and thought I'd share my purdy posies and purple pot with you!

If you are reading this and are the M.A.G. person mentioned in blog post title - THANK YOU so much. What an encouragement (and a little embarrassment 'cause I can't thank you personally) it is for DH and me to receive b'day greetings with a generous cash gift. I mean really - we both got envelopes with our address typed on and no return address. Only hint was on my envelope it had a Midland Texas postmark. I don't THINK it is my beloved brother and his family sending the gifts but if it is - wow - y'all are too generous.

The humility of receiving a gift from someone who chooses not to let us know their identity is inspiring. Thank you isn't quite enough - the current crop of life challenges made these gifts and cards more than welcome.

It is a magical (not in a black arts way - don't git yer evangelical drawers in a uproar y'all) and mysterious (not in an ominous or disturbing way) and generous (in the very nicest way) and very good for the soul here on Buhlaland - hope you have a pleasant surprise soon and see how cool it is! (Yes I'm old - I say things are "cool" just cannot get into saying something is "sick" to mean it is wonderful!)

Not Big on Cutesy

2011-02-12T07:19:00.005-06:00

Happy Lincoln's Birthday! Today's blog post has nothing to do with our late great 16th president of these United States.

I am not a fan or forwarder of chain emails. With that caveat I'll admit, sometimes I receive emails which just tickle my funny bone.

Truth here is --I'll go to the bridge with you, dear friends of the blogosphere, not jumping off to keep you company!

Has not been my favorite winter - we've had high points and of course daily blessings - below zero wind chills are NOT Texas winter normal weather. Having made my gripe - we're seeing promise of spring with warmer days and nights in the forecast. More than ready here on Buhlaland - it is good to have seasons but if I were setting the schedule - winter would be about a month and a half. Forty five days would be sufficient chilling for fruit trees and spring bulbs to produce, kill off pesky bug infestations and whatever other good reasons for being miserably cold.

Scripture states to every thing there is a season - it doesn't say how long - I say we take a vote? Silly Saturday here on Buhlaland and that is good. Y'all take care now!

I Have Changed a Little Bit

2011-01-26T11:19:00.010-06:00

Stiff whitehaired woman trying to suck in stomach - that was me about two years ago. Smiling woman with rose in her hand and wearing apricot top - that was me June of 2010.

After a few more photographs from graduations last summer - I realized - doggone - I really am fat. Being overweight had become a normal status for me, my self deceptive thinking was" after all I'm only X pounds more than last month, season, year". I began having pain in my knees and feet. Must be something wrong with my shoes right?
One more picture and one more step on the scales and the realization hit me in the face like a coconut cream pie - gotta do something about this weight. I began a restrictive (really really) diet program and was encouraged every day by my sweet husband. Weight came off - I felt a little like I was cheating somehow - it was too simple ( not easy just simple) to weigh less. Woo hoo I have days with no leg pain, my blue jeans started bagging down. In case you are now wondering what the blazes is she telling the internet about all this when she usually has cute goat pictures and scriptures? Just thought I'd reveal a little of this to y'all - not all the emotional junk which goes along with being obese (trust me - every medical indicator was obese - not just chubby!). I have a ways to go before I'm at a healthy BMI. I'm still working on living like a healthy person -balancing exercise, portion control and having fun. I like it though - I honestly like feeling I can be active. My clothes are two sizes smaller (only the jeans - had to buy more jeans because a person behind me was getting nearly a full moon when I'd bend over in baggy ones!). More to lose but I'm enjoying this - life isn't as saturated, hydrogenated, seamstraining fatipated here on Buhlaland and that is good.

Cake - ah birthday cake!

2011-01-26T09:18:00.007-06:00

Birthday Cake - a wonderful tradition - celebratory baking is my kind of party.

Cake -
2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening (I used Crisco)
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoons flavoring (I used vanilla paste)
3 eggs

Oven 350 - grease, flour, I also use parchment in pans -two 8 inch round pans. Put dry ingredients into mixer bowl, add shortening, 2/3 of buttermilk and flavoring. Beat 2 minutes medium speed -will be stiff batter. Add rest of buttermilk and 3 eggs - beat until thoroughly mixed - scrape down sides of bowl - beat again for short time. Pour into pans - bake until tests done (trusty toothpick test). Cool layers, frost with your favorite frosting - we used penuche (recipe below) but think I'll try s

omething different next time.
Penuche
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup milk or cream
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix all ingredients except vanilla in saucepan. Stir over low heat until comes to a rolling boil - stirring constantly. Boil 1 minute (reach 220 degrees on a candy thermometer). Remove from heat and beat until lukewarm - stir in vanilla - beat until a smooth spreading consistency.

We were celebrating my dear fella's birthday this week - cake was what he requested so cake is what he got. Used to think our age range was "OLD" - now thinking it is clearly mature - or ripe whichever you prefer. It was tasty and highly caloric here on Buhlaland - and for a birthday that is good.

Something Different for Me

2011-01-23T18:40:00.008-06:00

If you have looked around on this blog page - you've seen the small Compassion International banner and a link to their website. I got an opportunity to serve at a local event for Compassion. Christian recording artist, Adam Paul Williams, was doing a concert and Compassion presentation at a local church - they needed a couple of people who were sponsors to work the booth. Skip would have been terrific at this but definitely not able to go in that kind of crowd. You see the fun and interesting other volunteer, Martha, standing inside our booth area with Adam Paul and his wife Kelly and the host church music ministry director setting up in first picture.

Then we have the completed display - the large banner is the artist and his compassion sponsored child - picture taken about a year ago when he visited Guatemala. Also seen is the adorable child of Mr. and Mrs. Williams - and no I am not in any of the pictures - didn't think to ask someone to take one of me in the group!

I was blown away by the beautiful voice and worshipful nature of Adam Paul Williams. Have added a link to his website and I hope the embedded link will play a little of one of his recordings. Had such a great time telling people about the blessing of sponsoring a child through Compassion and the work Compassion does with over one million children around the world. Wanted to share this with y'all - it is good on Buhlaland to know our two little guys in Bangladesh are cared for with the help of such a wonderful organization. Enough effusiveness - we are blessed so abundantly - being able to share it is absolutely the cherry on the sundae of our lives!

Adam Paul Williams

Complaint Department

2011-01-17T15:01:00.004-06:00

If you have goats (or children or dogs or trained monkeys) you hear complaints - from the incessant bleating I hear from these goats to whining from the dogs and I assume chattering and words from monkey and children. I saw books about how to complain effectively while I was book browsing on Amazon.com. There are Complaint Blogs, Complaint departments, and television is full of people's courts (what a ridiculous name) with people complaining about other people.

Dadgum folks - while I laugh at the goats grumbling - the country seems overrun with an entitlement attitude of "I ain't getting what I want and everyone has to hear about it". While scriptures tell us exactly how to resolve issues in the Body of Christ - how do we resolve things in the secular world? Does complaining help or do we have to take action? Seems a lot of words flying around now about how much damage is done by words - sticks and bones may break my bones - and words can absolutely strangle me. (Paraphrase by Linda Sue) A greater tone of civility wouldn't hurt anybody - no group should be screaming hateful phrases at any other group. While I'm totally unwilling to accept societal guilt for the actions of mentally ill people - any words I repeat or support are on my ledger sheet. Old slogan - we have two ears and one mouth so we can listen twice as much as we talk. Perhaps with all the "communication" which is supposedly taking place (text, twitter, facebook, blog, forum or bulletin boards) much of it is akin to graffiti - marking up something for our selfish motives. Obviously this isn't my cutesy Buhlaland blogging - I'm concerned our society has gotten so far off the rails of common sense, decency and respect for one another we won't find our way back.

14 Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14 (New Living Translation)
You think that's too simplistic? Is the world stronger in it's pull toward violence, vile language and discord than the Word is toward a peaceful path.

“Be agreeable, be sympathetic, be loving, be compassionate, be humble.” I Peter 3:8, The Message
It is better to be humbly grateful than grumbly hateful.

Chuck Swindoll , pastor and author

Ok if you don't want to take scriptural advice - how about sports advice?

There is a choice you have to make in everything you do. So keep in mind that in the end, the choice you make, makes you.
John Wooden

Seems too many choices are being made by polling, peer pressure or herd mentality - stop think and remember a word spoken cannot be taken back - but words unspoken can do no harm and no foul. That's the way I'm seeing it here on Buhlaland - it is good to be in a department other than the complaint department -

How about joining in the refreshments committee- refresh the air with gentle words and the stomachs with some treats - I promise some treat ideas soon.

Ma and Pa and Someone Else's Pup

2011-01-06T20:37:00.005-06:00

Christmas up at dear friends' home - one son had given his wife a puppy for Christmas and we got to play with little Kimber for a while which resulted in real puppylove! Didn't want anyone to think I'd disappeared from blogworld - so here is a quick update - alive, reasonably well, ready for winter to end and knowing it is Good on Buhlaland -

Don't know about others but I find it helpful to be reminded to pray about everything - in all things to seek His will - even in my insignificant personal junk can be part of an ongoing conversation with Abba

Your Problems Matter to God
By Max Lucado
Thank God! He deserves your thanks. His love never quits. Psalm 136:1 The Message

If I know that one of the privileges of fatherhood is to comfort, then why am I so reluctant to let my heavenly Father comfort me?
Why do I think he wouldn’t care about my problems? (“They are puny compared to starving people in India.”)
Why do I think he is too busy for me?

Bad Timing Great Ganache!

2011-01-02T10:02:00.004-06:00

Everyone is no doubt well into the New Year's resolution phase of "eating healthier, less sugar and sweets, exercise more, become more like Mother Teresa and less like Mama Cass (God rest her soul)" so I should definitely have put this blog post up while we were in the eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow may not come!
In a spirit of better late than not knowing how delicious chocolate can be - here we go.
Chocolate Ganache (even in Texas we can say it correctly - guh-nahsh) looks wonderful and only recently appeared in my cooking repertoire (can you tell I am working on my vocabulary ?). For Christmas Day supper with beloved neighbors - I made my usual German Chocolate Cake from recipe on the Baker's Sweet Chocolate package with a few adaptations

pkg. (4 oz.) BAKER'S GERMAN'S Sweet Chocolate
1/2 cup brewed strong coffee
5 eggs, separated
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup buttermilk
HEAT oven to 350°F.

COVER bottoms of 3 (9-inch) round pans with waxed paper; spray sides with cooking spray. Microwave chocolate and coffee in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1-1/2 to 2 min. or until chocolate is almost melted, stirring after 1 min. Stir until chocolate is completely melted.

BEAT egg whites and cream of tartar in small bowl with mixer on high speed - beat until stiff peaks form; set aside. Mix flour, baking soda and salt. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each. Blend in melted chocolate and vanilla. Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating until well blended after each addition.

ADD egg whites by dumping all the stiffly beaten egg whites on top of cake batter and fold in gently until well blended. Pour into prepared pans.

BAKE 30 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Immediately run small spatula around cakes in pans. Cool cakes in pans 15 min.; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool.
Spread Coconut-Pecan Filling and Frosting between cake layers and onto top of cake

Filling:
4 egg yolks
1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk (I have been known to use heavy cream or half and half)
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla
1-1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter
(7 oz.) BAKER'S ANGEL FLAKE Coconut (about 2-2/3 cups)
1-1/2 cups Chopped Pecans
Whisk egg yolks, milk and vanilla in large saucepan with wire whisk until well blended. Add sugar and butter; cook on medium heat 12 min. or until thickened and golden brown, stirring constantly. Yes it takes that long and don't stop until thickened and very goldeny color. Remove from heat. Add coconut and pecans; mix well. Cool to room temperature.
Crowning Glory Ganache:
SO simple
Two ingredients: best chocolate you can find (I prefer dark chocolate) and heavy cream. Proportions are 3 parts chocolate to 1 part cream (for example 3/4 cup chocolate to 1/4 cup whipping cream (not whipped!)
Method is always the same:
I used microwave to heat cream to a boil, remove from the heat and pour over a bowl of chopped high quality chocolate or fabulous find of 60% cacao Ghiradelli chocolate chips which are available at WalMart at least in our area.

Chocolate ganache can be poured as a coating or cooled slightly and spread - for me --pouring gave a good sheen and results thin enough to avoid overwhelming cake flavor.

Assemble your German Chocolate cake - one cake layer then thick layer of cooled filling, next cake layer, filling and final cake layer. At this point you have to make a choice between beauty and yummy - I went for yummy and topped the cake with additional layer of filling - would have looked elegant if I'd simply poured ganache over the assembled cake without coconut pecan topping - BUT you make it the way you want. Dark chocolate coating brought a different dimension to a traditionally almost too sweet cake - we loved it. I will try ganache on next cake I make - it'll be a while because we are back on healthy eating plan - much cake is NOT an option for next few months. Rejoicing because I know there will be cake again on Buhlaland and that is VERY good.

About a New Year and making ourselves new (er)

Luke 5:36
He told them this parable: “No one tears a piece out of a new garment to patch an old one. Otherwise, they will have torn the new garment, and the patch from the new will not match the old. "

"Old error in new dress
is ever error nonetheless."C.S. Lewis Screwtape Letters

"It's a job that's never started that takes the longest to finish."~J. R. R. Tolkien

"We turn not older with years, but newer every day." ~ Emily Dickinson

"The trouble with the world is not that people know too little, but that they know so many things that ain't so." Mark Twain

Amen to Mark Twain's comment - making myself newer this year by believing things which ARE so - and cake is good, God is great and life on Buhlaland is very good.

Blessed are those who are caregivers

2010-12-28T13:06:00.004-06:00

Prayer at caregiver's convention just received this link in an email from my dear SIL and brother - they were caregivers for so many of our family it is hard to keep track. Needless to say - they respected and loved the older generation and eased their transition in the final journey home.
It is a long clip - well worth the time but if you are in a hurry - here is the prayer recited at the end of wonderful introduction.
Blessed In Aging
~Esther Mary Walker
Blessed are they who understand
My faltering step and shaking hand
Blessed, who know my ears today
Must strain to hear the things they say.
Blessed are those who seem to know
My eyes are dim and my mind is slow
Blessed are those who look away
When I spilled tea that weary day.
Blessed are they who, with cheery smile
Stopped to chat for a little while
Blessed are they who know the way
To bring back memories of yesterday.
Blessed are those who never say
“You’ve told that story twice today”
Blessed are they who make it known
That I am loved, respected and not alone.
And blessed are they who will ease the days
Of my journey home, in loving ways.
This poem, as read by Mary Maxwell in the video
“A Reminder That Laughter is the Best Medicine.”
I agree with Mary Maxwell - this is the first time I've been old and haven't had a chance to practice, but if I can handle it with the grace and humor she presents - shouldn't be too bad to venture into uncharted territory.

Remember - if you are young and blessed - some day you TOO will be old. We're smiling here on Buhlaland and that is always good.

Christmas Decorations Through the Years

2010-12-22T15:25:00.007-06:00

Perhaps a too grandiose title for three years of Buhl houseviews in December. We like putting up lights even though only neighbors directly to the north can see them (except for Santa and low flying planes). Snowy picture was December 2009, darker picture was this morning and straight on view in twilight was two years ago. We keep design the same - white lights/around porch railings the end.

Room with lights on in all three is our office - scene of the crime of procrastination for regular bloggyinnovation. Quiet holiday planned - grateful for a safe, pleasant place to live, friends who care enough to contact us during the holidays and pleasant surprises. Christmas Day we'll go to neighbors -always fun to be included during holidays.

On the great debate of Happy Holidays versus Merry Christmas - I tend to come down on the Christmas side. Obviously (to me at least) in modern western society - the December holiday is about Christ's Incarnation. However - if someone were to say happy holidays to me I would not be offended. Starting to believe we Christ followers have taken up the same ugly tactic as secular world - being OFFENDED. Heaven and hell issues are about the only two issues worth standing resolute about and unfortunately we have seen lately some hell issues which have gone to wall of rational thought and pushed it down (wrong direction in my opinion). Borrowing a quote from this weeks' devotionals by Dr. David Jeremiah

"An old prayer, purportedly from a seventeenth-century nun, says: 'Lord, you know better than I know myself that I am getting older and will someday be old. Keep me from the fatal habit of thinking I must say something on every subject and on every occasion. Release me from craving to straighten out everybody’s affairs. Make me thoughtful but not moody, helpful but not bossy. With my vast store of wisdom it seems a pity not to use it all, but You know, Lord, that I want a few friends at the end."

Evidently all my great thimble full of wisdom doesn't need to be "shared" with everyone I encounter - what a shame. Taking my stand for Christ and for love which trumps all.

One more quote which I'm sure I've published here before - but still really love.

"So, this Christmas season I pray that the warmth of the Savior's love will spread itself over you as never before. And that whenever and however possible, you will keep reminding yourself that there are still tiny, shivering sparrows who are too terrified to come in from the cold. Maybe, just maybe, this Christmas, because of something you do or say . . . they will." Chuck Swindoll

Bless all of us whether we are sparrows,robins, mockingbirds, doves, meadowlarks, raptors or grackles - we all need a shelter of warmth and kindness. Merry Christmas Y'all - if you need wisdom you'd best pray and read scripture. If you need a good recipe - you can ask me. If you need a place to stop, reflect on the infinite mercies and grace of our Creator - it is good on Buhlaland.
Y'all be careful out there.

Change - Not on list of Favorite Things

2010-12-07T10:27:00.003-06:00

Throwing up a post on newly redesigned (completely unintentionally I assure you!) blog site. Dadgum -- only wanted to see what might be available - not switch up the whole thing - but once again - Blogger Bites! ::sighing:::
Whew - got that off my list of "rants I would like to make". Seem to have far too many lists of wants, whines, gripes, petty pickiness about situations,people and broken dishwashers! Picture is holiday decorating here on Buhlaland - yep - quite indecisive about decorating - hanging holly is totally out of the question. Whether to put up stockings which we won't fill or wreath (needs new fake birds) remains to be decided. Working on faking myself into it all - old saying "Fake It 'til ya make it" hasn't worked yet.

Lyrics are:

Haul out the holly;
Put up the tree before my spirit falls again.
Fill up the stocking,
I may be rushing things, but deck the halls again now.
For we need a little Christmas
Right this very minute,
Candles in the window,
Carols at the spinet.
Yes, we need a little Christmas
Right this very minute.
It hasn't snowed a single flurry,
But Santa, dear, we're in a hurry;
So climb down the chimney;
Put up the brightest string of lights I've ever seen.
Slice up the fruitcake;
It's time we hung some tinsel on that evergreen bough.
For I've grown a little leaner,
Grown a little colder,
Grown a little sadder,
Grown a little older,
And I need a little angel
Sitting on my shoulder,
Need a little Christmas now.
Haul out the holly;
Fill up the stocking,
But we need a little Christmas
Right this very minute,
Candles in the window,
Carols at the spinet.
Yes, we need a little Christmas
Right this very minute.
It hasn't snowed a single flurry,
But Santa, dear, we're in a hurry;
So climb down the chimney;
Put up the brightest string of lights I've ever seen.
Slice up the fruitcake;
It's time we hung some tinsel on that evergreen bough.
For we need a little music,
Need a little laughter,
Need a little singing
Ringing through the rafter,
And we need a little snappy
"Happy ever after,"
Need a little Christmas now.
Need a little Christmas now.

Oh crud - Christmas isn't about ME?! Recognized a tendency to use capital I far too much lately - decorations schmeckorations . Christmas isn't holly(or fruitcake thank goodness) is it? -
“God showed how much he loved us by sending his only son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love. It is not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.” (John 4:9-10 NLT)

It is very good on Buhlaland - once we get our I's straighted out - bless y'all

Flash Back

2010-12-06T10:51:00.005-06:00

Inaugural Blog Post

Now there is a blast from my past - the first blog post I did back in 2007 - featuring our beloved Norman. Here is Boudreaux the difficult birth mentioned in inaugural post. He inherited his mother Norman's hornless head but his father Joe's size and intelligence (big size not much intelligence). Boudie is the resident indulged fat wether - allowed to stay simply because he was Norman's baby. Aren't you fascinated? I am surprised it has only been three and a half years I've been doing Buhlaland posts - seems much longer. It is still good on Buhlaland - whether you are a fat wether or in any weather.

In all things give thanks!

Wintry whine?

2010-12-05T21:27:00.003-06:00

I know! I haven't been blogging again - don't know if I'll improve my habits or not at this point. When started blogging (all 403 posts ago) it was a unique way to record my day to day life - now seems as it even dogs, infants and machinery have blogs- blogging the bandwidth with bloggity blog blog. That particular whine has been with me a while now. Today we took a walk to enjoy the contrast of our very dry, brown countryside and the occasional bursts of color still available for viewing pleasure. Hope you viewed someone and something with pleasure today - it was good, chilly and non bloggity today on Buhlaland.

The Look of Love

2010-11-25T06:27:00.004-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving, y'all. What a wonderful holiday - about taking time to express a grateful attitude. We are blessed beyond belief here on Buhlaland, warm house, family upstairs visiting us for the holiday and a new bovine neighbor.

Our delightful neighbors just to the north have longhorned cattle - the big gal is Maggie and her look of love is for her handsome bull calf - Buckaroo. Who loves ya baby?(line from old tv detective show) nobody loves you like your mama.

Thankful - best holiday of the year - giving thanks in all things for that is the will of Jesus Christ in our lives. Be good to yourself today and look deeply into someone's eyes letting them know the look of love.

Kindness -

2010-11-04T07:38:00.006-05:00

Be kind to yourself. God thinks you’re worth His kindness. And He’s a good judge of character. Max Lucado

Explanation - this says I wrote it on November 4th - but in reality - I wrote the title and the Max Lucado quote the 4th - then shelved the whole thing until today - November 20th - shameful behavior - I'm a PRO at crastination.

With a theme of self kindness - I am not groveling in guilt or posturing in pain - simply sharing in simplicity.

I am not blogging regularly - whether motivation or hesitation or gestation (oops not that word) or even aggravation - the end result is my 400th blog post is about being kind.

Pondering why it is easy to be kind to total strangers (giving to charities, praying for people unknown to me, supporting children in far off lands) yet often hard to be kind to my self or those dearest to me?
Now don't mistake my statement for a proclamation of being totally sacrificial or never self indulgent -would not be a truth.

I have enough of the old legalism in my system to believe I need to castigate myself for old wrongs, dredge up events which have long since become dusty ancient history or remind myself - you may have done something nice this time - but you KNOW how you are. Well - doubt I'll change all those years of programming but I do know - staying in touch with my internet, blogosphere world is important enough I want to be holding up my end of the deal.

Next week I'm off work (from wonderful job at acupunct's office) and celebrating one of the best holidays of the year. Thanksgiving - yep - I can DO thanksgiving. I'm giving thanks this year for so many gifts - hard to number but I begin with this prayer:

We bless the Lord, the just, the good, who fills our hearts with joy and food; who pours His blessing from the skies, and loads our days with rich supplies.
Isaac Watts

Amen - our rich supplies aren't listed with turkey, yams and butter - we are supplied with what really matters - good beginning to my week of Thanksgiving.

399 blog posts - what a LOT of words - hope some of them have given you hope, peace or at least a smile. We always have the goats on Buhlaland to give us a smile!

Responses

2010-10-27T08:45:00.004-05:00

First I'll put up a legal disclaimer since idjits at internet central or whatever have nothing more to do than be concerned whether bloggers are fraudulently recommending things for which they are paid to recommend - nothing in this blog is paid for by any being - the Lord provides and the Lord takes away, Blessed is the name of the Lord.

Whew - now pinto bean recipe for Pam - I know she is eating healthier (and has lost a LOT of weight as well as gained energy). By the way, dear Pam - we don't much eat turnips - not a favorite of either of us. If I did - would brush small amount of good olive oil, plenty of salt and pepper - then roast 'em til they are squishy and sweet.

Currently I'm making beans this way:

32 ounce bag dried pinto beans
1 large onion roughly chopped
Garlic – at least two cloves chopped
Two teaspoons of pepper corns
Two small cans diced green chilies
Large can of tomatoes including juice
Two teaspoons ground cumin
One lb. bacon chopped, cooked and drained OR
One 2.8 oz. jar Hormel REAL bacon pieces
Salt to taste

Prepare dried beans by rinsing with clean water and picking out any small pieces of rock or debris. Put beans in a large cooking pot – cover with water and bring to a boil. Turn off heat, cover pan and let sit for one hour – beans will absorb liquid and swell up. If you are picky – drain off water add fresh but I use the soak water – beans are already clean from rinsing. Remove cover; add enough water to completely cover beans. Add to bean pot, Onion, garlic, peppercorns, chilies, tomatoes and bacon - bring to low simmering boil. Cook until beans are softened – adding hot water if water level drops below top of beans. Add salt as soon as beans begin to soften – good way to check if beans are done – take one bean out in a cold metal spoon – blow on it and if the skin breaks open – it is probably quite done!

I also recommend going to the various boards for recipes - Dry Beans
Obviously if your family hates garlic or chilies or whatever – modify – the bacon pieces in a jar are less expensive and WAY less messy than frying up all that bacon.

KathyB -will have to find those B&B pictures and a few recipes - will have to be a whole separate posting. I probably do have a picture of our wedding at the inn.

Lanny - already said I'm going to work at posting more often but I am so committed to a few other things - not sure how well I'll do this - so will try but not covenant to post more often.

Sandra - not at all sure about Scotsmen - one of the few nationalities I have never dated or married! I'd hope they wore something solid color (I'm including skin color in there 'cause I've heard that is most likely what they wear) so wouldn't clash with clan plaid. Question immediately reminded me of the scene in Braveheart where the clans pulled up their kilts in defiance and shone their hineys at enemy soldiers!

Vickie - fellow Texan! Where would I visit IF the world weren't beset by terrorists, economic upheaval and hatred of Americans? - Dream visit would probably be Jerusalem - dream vacation would be a warm tropical beach - have lived on both right and left side of USA map - as well as north and south - love the natural beauty and unique places each state has to offer. But my statement stands - if I had to pick - visit Jerusalem/ stay a while on warm sands in the tropics!

Kathleen - funny you would ask what would I do, recently did a bucket list (things to do before we die) with a bunch of people on WalkerTracker.com -

top would be (I sound like a dimwitted beauty contestant here) something of significance for the Kingdom of God - build a missionary hospital in Ethiopia would top that list. Probably in the list of things I'd be able to do without winning lotto would be stay where we are for as long as we live - then both go to heaven at the same time!

Picture is recent sunrise over the tree line at our place - I mean really - where would I want to be other than right here on Buhlaland. It is good here and I appreciate y'all's interest in my life. Will put up B&B post SOON I promise .

It's a mad plaid world isn't it?

2010-10-18T14:02:00.003-05:00

Dear friends and others who read my foolishness - picture is quite irrelevant to what I am writing today . Picture taken last holiday season - me holding a large gift bow on top of my head and attempting to get a picture of my big plaid self. The expression - ah - a thing of beauty is a joy forever - or some such poetic nonsense. I take self portraits in front of our hall tree/mirror in entry way - limits the options but can see myself.

All this aside - I am only a few posts short of putting up my 400th (oh my goodness) blogpost and rather than think of something clever or meaningful (and to prove I'm mentally lazy) I have decided to open the door to potential hazardous topics.

Y'all can ask anything you want - do I wear boxers or briefs? Where did I get my education? Am I a pre/mid or post tribulationist? You send in the question and I'll attempt to answer. Now - I will refuse a question which I cannot answer honestly/truthfully without hurting someone else - fair enough?

No prizes - no guess my weight or anything risky - just questions and answers. I realize I am not Ree Drummond but hope this will be fun for y'all. Oh - yes food questions are great too. Things like how I cook an elephant (very seldom) or my favorite meal ever - or something simple like why does a jelly sandwich always land jelly side down?

Life is great on Buhlaland - incredible autumn weather, within a reasonable time of finishing THE GREAT RENOVATION PROJECT (cue the sound of celestial choirs) and overall knowing we are blessed beyond belief. Our infirmities never block the view of eternity.

Sharing with you an absolute Truth with a capital T -

"My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness."
2 Corinthians 12:9

Pumpkins - no frost yet!

2010-10-06T11:51:00.007-05:00

We are having a beauty of an autumn season - - local Farmer's Market is overflowing with huge blooming mum plants, every squash and 'punkins sized from teeny little table decor to monstrous huge pumpkinpaloozas!

I am watching my "disposable income" expenses (whoever came up with that term never tried to live within their means) so didn't buy a great number of things - did purchase one of the supersized chrysanthemums and had a moment's hesitation on how to get it home safely. You see the solution - carefully squeezed in passenger's side of the car! It is October - not seeing much of what is traditionally called fall color - but on Buhlaland - we see blue skies, stars at night and lots of deer - that is all good. Hope your autumn is terrific - to everything there is a season.

Our State Fair Is a Great State Fair

2010-10-06T11:42:00.016-05:00

You may not recall (probably aren't that old) a movie with Pat Boone and Anne Margaret called State Fair - musical score by Rogers and Hammerstein I do believe. We didn't look much like Pat Boone OR Anne Margaret but here is the modern skyline of Dallas as we drove to Our State Fair in Big D last week. Large white arch is part of new hoity toity bridge project over Trinity River.

Oh My goodness - Girl taking these free digital pictures was obviously more interested in showing the Camaro part than making us look any nicer - but 'tis me and hubby as we entered Chevy Land at the fair.
They had a Chevy with decorations honoring the military on display - really nice.

Can't go to the Fair without watching a little livestock judging - that little gal in the pink shirt was working it like mad - didn't see how she ended up but she was definitely showcasing that animal.

Of course there are lots of pink piglets napping up against gigantic sows.

Picture doesn't show too well - we went to a Stunt Dog Show - the dog onstage with trainer was a 3-legged pit bull - missing a hind leg. The dog was amazing - could jump more than 25 feet into a pool to the right of the stage. All the dogs used in show were rescue dogs from shelters.

Permanent buildings at Dallas Fair Park are all done in an art deco style - very pleasant with big trees and many ponds or fountains around to keep you cooler.

Can't go to Texas State Fair without saying Howdy to Big Tex - those are real clothes he has on - talk about Big and Tall sizes.

I had on my list I wanted to visit the Butterfly house - hotter than blazes in there and very high humidity - all tropical butterflies so you have to go through sort of an airlock to prevent escapes of non native species.

Wild metal sculpture outside Butterfly Exhibit - a butterfly costing over $6000 - no we didn't buy a souvenir of our outing!

We drive west from Dallas - having enjoyed our first visit to the Texas State Fair - it was Senior Citizens Day so entrance was free with parking $15. Didn't eat any of the yearly featured fried foods - took our snacks and purchased bottled water and a coke. It was an inexpensive and great fun day for us - haven't been able to get "away" much and this was just long enough to enjoy and not too exhausting.

We had fun at Our State Fair - it was indeed a great state fair! Back home to Buhlaland with tired feet and big smiles~!

Little things mean a lot and sometimes irritate!

2010-09-29T20:51:00.002-05:00

Jasper is giving his mama Pearl a few little goat nibbles. Pearl is either enjoying or thinking "isn't it time I start weaning this little parasite?"

Well I'm enjoying having internet again! We were without internet for about 4 days and realized - I miss y'all!

Will have more to say soon - but for tonight - go nibble someone you love and remind them you mean a lot and sometimes irritate too! It is good on Buhlaland -very good.

not Nothing but rarely anything

2010-09-20T14:18:00.003-05:00

Confusing title - gives you a hint of my state of mind. We are doing things every day - both of us - just nothing seems particularly blog worthy or something I really want to "share". Less than stellar results at last pulmonology check up with DH - so more testing to determine which other organs seem to be malfunctioning.

Breathing has been much harder for him so we haven't finished the renovation project which should never have been started! Started major bathroom and bedroom renovation almost 2 years ago now - before we knew how serious his condition would become. In the latter stages of renovating - with change in medication we might be able to complete very soon.

We've been sleeping in the living room this summer - nice except for moonlight and lightning storms - we don't have window coverings on our big windows! It is all laughable (right after the ibuprofren takes effect and a good nap) - but as I say - not anything spectacular or inspiring. We are living our life here on Buhlaland - remembering to express gratitude for this beautiful place - however long we are able to stay here it has been the best home I've ever had.

As I said - it isn't nothing we're doing here - it just isn't anything y'all really want to hear about. No recipes (not cooking much at all), no new babies, no garden, no parties, no kidding! With all that nothing - it is amazing we have everything isn't it? talk to you another day when I'm perkier - please go back and read my blog post about childhood cancer if you haven't - it is worthy of reading unlike this ramble.

Childhood Cancer Easy way to Help

2010-09-13T20:44:00.006-05:00

I heard about an extremely worthy cause from my dear friends the Skees on Sarah's family blog - I've taken some of what Sarah had posted to explain. "Arms Wide Open Childhood Cancer Foundation is working closely with scientists, researchers and doctors who are pioneers in the pediatric cancer field, who are on the forefront of bringing many alternative therapies into clinic which could prolong the lives of children diagnosed with Neuroblastoma until a cure is funded. Right now only 30% of children diagnosed with Neuroblastoma will survive, but because it is an "orphan" cancer, research funding is limited as pharmaceutical companies do not see the efforts as profitable. Recognizing that children should not be viewed as a profit, but, rather, our investment, Arms Wide Open raises money for alternative therapies and actual treatments these children so desparately need in order to survive."

Please go to the Website vote often - Neuroblastoma was the disease which took the life of my dear little friend Ellie
Received the larger format and posted it - beautiful girl with such grace and sensitivity and silliness all wrapped up in one.
Am working on getting a larger picture of Ellie - but wanted to get this post up before I wasted time. Time is a luxury children with cancers do not have!
Closing with one of Ellie's favorite songs

It is good on Buhlaland - a few tears over looking back at Ellie's journey and sincere hopes no more children will be taken over the rainbow so soon.

Be the Best

2010-09-11T19:06:00.006-05:00

If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, here lives a great street sweeper who did his job well.
Dr. Martin Luther King. December 1956

I read this quotation in a book by Randy Alcorn Safely Home about the persecuted church in China. Love the spirit of King's words - the reality that in doing whatever work is ours to perform be done in a wholehearted and joyful manner brings honor to our labors.

BTW I highly recommend Randy's book and I have a renewed pride in my parttime job doing laundry for our acupuncturist - every job is necessary.

Have a beautiful SonDay - meet a friend or make a new one - we love our friends on Buhlaland and thank God for useful work and the beauty of His created world.

Brief lifespans

2010-09-11T18:02:00.003-05:00

Much has been said and written about the events of 9/11/2001. We see how the world has changed - and not to my eyes for the better - in the 9 years since terrorists attacked our country.
Appears we have very short memories - as a culture we do not learn from history. I cannot find a "middle way" for tolerating those who wish to destroy. We can pray for them to receive salvation, pray for protection from them and pray for leadership who seeks true wisdom not popularity or sound bites.
We all know life is short - for some - cut short by the evil actions of others. Many die young for reasons we cannot see this side of heaven.
Don't waste time being petty, nurturing grudges or imagining slights - forgiveness, grace and love are recurring themes in Christianity - whether they are practiced in an individual's life is their choice.
I had a dragonfly on my hand yesterday - wings sparkling in the sunshine and incredible colors all over. I was able to hold it because the creature was dying
from an injury - no healing could take place - how do you heal an insect? I was able to admire it's beauty, remove it from a tormentor and allow it to die in relative peace. I suppose it's life was short - adult dragonflies only live about a month - but it fulfilled a purpose for which dragonflies exist.
Check your purpose - live a life worthy of your calling.
It is good on Buhlaland - introspective but very good. Bless y'all

Night Moves or just hanging around

2010-09-04T09:10:00.011-05:00

Beware - I've posted this extreme closeup of the lovely moonflower blossom to give me a chance to say - the rest of this post is about toads, frogs, and bugs - if they creep you out - click off this screen quickly.

Apparently our laundry room door and exterior walls are "the" place to be for frogs around here.

Aha - cricket knows frog is too small to endanger the cricket. Grasshopper is generally too obnoxious for frogs to enjoy.

Nothing else really to say - I was out the other night with camera and flash feature having a blast seeing all these critters outside our house! Doesn't take much to amuse us on Buhlaland and that is a good thing!

Copy Goats

2010-09-04T09:07:00.009-05:00

Crybaby - tallest goat so she is able to graze on some particularly tasty oak tree leaves by raising herself a few inches balancing on some poles in the pen. Nobody else paying any attention

Oops - Bubbles sees Crybaby eating something and attempts to reach it - but too short and not standing on the poles.

Hey what are Crybaby and Bubbles doing over there?

Let's try to get some of those leaves - yep - let's ALL try to get some leaves.

Crybaby continues to eat - nobody else gets leaves but they all tried!

Photo essay on why I always carry a camera when I go out to mess with my goats - they make us laugh here on Buhlaland - and that is always good!

Blue Skies

2010-08-31T09:45:00.001-05:00

Last morning of August - picture taken looking north and slightly west from our front drive. Summer has been and soon gone - I don't think I'll feel much regret for this summer. Our major renovation (begun before DH became ill) has turned into a major test of endurance. Combined with our recordbreaking heat in August - well I'm saying adios with no regrets. Just back from getting our flu shots - already available at Walgreen's vaccination clinics. Hoping and planning to have house back in some kind of order before Thanksgiving - would LOVE for this Thanksgiving to be filled with loved ones, family and relaxation. Goats are getting too big to have so many in our little pastures - time to think of who is to be sold. Our dear old Crybaby is showing signs of her age so won't put any stresses on her if possible.

Thinking about friends not seen in years - wonderful gift of the internet is I heard from a dear young woman who worked with me in 2001 - in fact we were at the store together when the planes crashed into the Trade Center. She emailed me last night and we caught up a little on what's happening in our lives. You know - I found my husband on the internet through a personals ad! Proof again the Lord can use anything to His will!

No big news - and that is a good thing on Buhlaland!

2010-08-23T13:18:00.005-05:00

We were wondering yesterday if THIS:

had anything to do with the vulture convention in our front yard?? We weren't feeling tip top yesterday but this is entirely premature vulture gathering! Just laughing and staying in the air conditioning here on Buhlaland - cold front coming later this week (dropping into the low to mid 90's - don't laugh it beats 100+ by more than just ten degrees)

Light

2010-08-22T08:22:00.005-05:00

1 John 1:7
7But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

John 8:12
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

John 12:35
Then Jesus told them, "You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. The man who walks in the dark does not know where he is going.

A little light dispels all darkness - I tried to take a picture of our nightblooming flower using "ambient light" but it wasn't enough to see clearly.

Just the tiny flash on my digital camera and you can see every detail.

Knowing the source of light- the key to seeing clearly. Walk in the light -it is good on Buhlaland and when we don't have light from the sun - we always have the Son. Bless y'all.

Just made me laugh

2010-08-19T20:45:00.002-05:00

Montana looks like she is about to become the Flying Doe. She and her doeling Susannah were resting under shade trees and apparently keeping her ears out made her much cooler. One reason to keep goats - the laugh factor is pretty good.

We enjoy our laughs on Buhlaland and are watching the calendar - September is coming and we know someday it WILL rain again.

SonDay

2010-08-15T08:28:00.002-05:00

SonDay -

~come on down to the river to pray
~~~

Some faces to amuse you

2010-08-06T20:46:00.008-05:00

Zoe always looks worried but has very little to worry about.

Milky Way has her eye on what's going on -

Amber was born in April - her twin Jasper is behind her and they both have these very sweet Nubian faces.

Ok so some faces not so much.

We went to Cabela's a couple of weeks ago - just wanted to make sure no one thought we were raising musk ox here on Buhlaland - today we are raising dust (DH on riding lawnmower) and mess (me working on laundry) and praises - it is good on Buhlaland and soon it might even be rainy and good! (or good and rainy??)

Goat Days of Summer

2010-08-02T09:05:00.002-05:00

What is it like in North Texas during a normal August - well it is hot. Goats rely on us to keep the troughs filled with fresh clean water. Water is an incredible commodity - our bodies contain approximately 70% water, almost 70% of the earth's surface is covered by water, humans can survive approximately 7 days without drinking water and water is mentioned 722 times in the Bible.

Water and it's hydrating, cooling and blessing effects are a big deal any time of the year - for goats, humans and eternal life.

Y'all stay hydrated - quiet around Buhlaland this August and that is just the way we like it!

Surprised? Me too!

2010-07-21T08:56:00.007-05:00

I don't often post two days in a row - but today was such a nice surprise. Out in the pasture with a couple of the goatzees - white bodied one is Norman, our dearest and best natured doe. Norman was walking around with me, staying close by my side and apparently fooling the deer into thinking I was one of the goats! Had the pleasant surprise of coming upon our resident deer with her twin fawns. Norman by my side seemed to calm down the situation until I pushed too close and the little ones skedaddled over to mom for some security. It was so much fun this morning on a short walk on Buhlaland. Hope you have a pleasant surprise today also.

Goat Joy

2010-07-20T10:47:00.006-05:00

Won't be jabbering much here - this morning I got a lesson in unadulterated havin' fun from the goatzees - took almost 100 pictures just to get a few good ones of the romp. It was wild and crazy fun on Buhlaland today - hope you have a little wild and crazy wherever you are today.

Malachi 4:2 (NIV)
2 But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall.

Good to have a Friend

2010-07-18T10:06:00.002-05:00

I've been a little tired - for what seems a long while but tired distorts my sense of time and probably proportion. This morning -this glorious summery SonDay morning - the gifts of rest, restoration and worship are mine to enjoy. While shooting a picture directly at a light source isn't "right" - I loved the effect of pure light breaking through. The light breaks through both visually and emotionally - and yes spiritually. I do have a friend - who will be with me to the end. Life is blessed on Buhlaland with productive work, times of tiredness leading to surrendering to rest. Bless y'all - sit a while and think of how the light reaches you. It is good on Buhlaland - and restful

Where oh where could she be?

2010-07-09T16:56:00.010-05:00

Jungles, far off places with strange sounding names?

Where is the world is Linda Sue of Buhlaland? Hard as it is to believe - I took this photograph today - July 9,2010 right here on our property. We are having a wave of tropical moisture and unlike a normal Texas summer (hot, dry and windy)- we have had foggy mornings and afternoon downpours!Pastures and garden have greened up but tomato plants are producing zero!

Flowers - gaudy beauty of a canna and my beloved constantly covered with blackspot and bugs Peace Rose as well as foliage like our big fern are dazzling with raindrops.

No complaints here - we are enjoying the sound of thunder and fragrance of clean air - courtesy of the Lord -

Acts 14:6In the past, he let all nations go their own way. 17Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy."

Rainy, muddy and oh so blessed - it is good on Buhlaland - even with a few bumps and bruises from our week of intensive remodeling - will be putting up pictures soon of the renovated master bedroom suite.

Post Holiday Sleep In

2010-07-06T07:51:00.003-05:00

Crybaby and her twins were still sleeping when I went out to open pasture gates this morning. She has claimed the old door from a fiberglass shelter as her bed. It was much later than normal when I went out - yet the twins, Lantana and Fantana were reluctant to wake up.
Slowly and surely they began the process - these two sleep all snuggled up and have figured a way to do a morning stretch while still snuggled! It is the little things on Buhlaland which keep us amused. It is good - 'cause we are not much fans of excessive noise and rowdiness (unlike most of the celebrating world this past weekend)!

Independence Day

2010-07-04T16:56:00.009-05:00

Our small town's courthouse square (which is actually a circle) decorated with flags for the holiday weekend.

Happy Independence Day - the quintessential (I love that word) American summer holiday. All about enjoying the warm season, cooking outdoors and remembering how immensely valuable is our unique form of government. Here on Buhlaland it was both a blessed SonDay and July 4th/Independence Day - we celebrated both with worship and relaxing. Hubby and I had a craving for real hot dogs - not the low fat low whatevers we eat most of the time but nice big juicy Hebrew National (we answer to a higher power) franks. In true American style - I made a run to WalMart - golly it was crowded apparently everyone waits until 9:30 in the morning to buy their supplies. Purchased salad makings, hot dogs and buns then hustled home to get pie made.

We had fun getting the grill cleaned up (what happens to that resolution we make each time we buy a nice new grill - "we'll clean it as soon as we take food off it so it'll be ready to use the next time" ? - hmmm), then timing the side dishes to coincide with the perfectly grilled franks and toasted buns (bread kind not burnt backsides!) Not too much extra on the hot dogs - mine was grainy mustard and chopped onions.

For a change I've included real recipes and pictures of the food. We like the cauliflower salad and change it up according to what is in our pantry. Used a shortbread crust for the pie and although it tastes out of this world delicious - didn't give recipe because it absolutely wouldn't release from the pan. Will try making it again and grease the pan - perhaps use a metal pie plate instead of my ceramic one and see if it will release. Picture of pie isn't perfection but taste was astounding! Hope each and every person gave thanks for the blessing of being in a free nation - we can all complain and point out flaws but we still have far more freedom than most people in the world. Please give thanks for those giving their services to keep us free -whether military or civilian service - God Bless them all and God Bless America. It is a time for gratitude on Buhlaland - hope it was for you also. Just realized the irony of juxtaposition of a blog post about eating lots for a holiday and our new widget about world hunger - it isn't right or fair we have so much and they have so little - and doesn't take much to help - click through on the widget and at least donate the cost of a package of hot dogs and buns - at our stores that was over $8 and would really help someone else. Back to our holiday blog post.

Cauliflower Salad

1 medium head of cauliflower - barely cooked (put into boiling water for maybe 4 minutes then removed and either dunk into ice water or spray cold water over it to stop cooking process) Break cauliflower into small florets/pieces.

While cauliflower is chilling make dressing

1/4 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons sugar or two packets splenda if you need to use artificial sweeteners

1/2 teaspoon dried mustard

1/2 teaspoon Morton's Nature's Seasons seasoning blend

Whisk together in a medium sized bowl (you'll add the cauliflower and other vegetables to the dressing so need room to mix it)

3 green onions, chopped finely

1 very finely minced fresh jalapeno pepper or 2 tablespoons sweet green pepper for less heat.

3 or 4 stalks of celery chopped

In the mixing bowl with dressing, add cooled and drained cauliflower, pepper, celery and onions. Stir thoroughly - tastes best if made a little ahead of time and chilled.

Optional changes - add chopped hard boiled eggs. Add a finely chopped can of water chestnuts. Add a small jar of diced pimento. For those with a sweeter preference - add some pickle relish or diced sweet pickles instead of the peppers.

Berry Pie

1 quart fresh strawberries

1/2 pint blueberries

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

3 tablespoons pomegranate liqueur or pomegranate juice

- pour into 1/2 cup measure and then carefully fill rest of the half cup measure with water to get a total of 1/2 cup liquid

1 Baked and cooled 9 inch pie crust

Rinse berries and drain thoroughly. Remove stems and any blemished spots from strawberries. 1/4 of the quart of strawberries should be mashed up in a saucepan with the 3/4 cup granulated sugar. Place the other 3/4 quart strawberries and 1/2 pint blueberries into baked pie crust.

In a small bowl - whisk together cornstarch,1/2 cup liquid - set aside.

Bring the mashed berries and sugar to a boil stirring frequently. When they look a little like cooked up preserves - stir in the liquid and cornstarch. Reduce the heat to a simmer and stir constantly 2-3 minutes until it thickens. Cool mixture for a few minutes and pour over berries in pie crust. Cover and set in refrigerator at least one hour. Serve with sweetened whipping cream or vanilla ice cream.

Tasted great on Buhlaland today and hope it does at your house also. Thank you all for the great suggestions on our trellis issue - still working on exactly how much work and money we are ready to expend but love the ideas!

Help Me Rhonda (or anybody else)

2010-06-29T09:16:00.003-05:00

In the continuing effort to at least create the appearance I garden - I cleared out 3 not great roses (note to self - don't buy any roses except those disease resistant ones). A few years ago DH built this trellis for us out of pieces of copper tubing. I love the weathered color since shiny new has worn off ('cause it feels more like me - my shiny new wore off LONG ago!). Now trying to decide what to do with this corner. Still have to get that one ugly gnarly shovel resistant clump of former rose bush out. Do NOT want to plant anything resembling morning glories - still pulling out volunteer morning glories from a foolish indulgence years ago - morning glories go from pretty plant to invasive and all consuming monster too quickly. No more roses, too small a trellis for wisteria or grape vine. Wondering what to do here and thought to self - Self - who do you know with creative minds and great garden skillz! YEP - I'm asking y'all - I will sincerely appreciate your suggestions. My thinking has ranged from hanging bird feeders (I have never done bird feeders - figured they got enough feed from what they steal out of the goat pens), hanging plant containers, putting a bird bath under the trellis and letting the soil underneath turn to swamp (we have a layer of good, imported soil on top of solid clay!) or hanging bells and banners and driving us all crazy with the noise.

This isn't a contest - just a plea to you from me - help me Rhonda - or Sally or Sue or Tom, Dick or Harry! It is good on Buhlaland but I'm dry on ideas.

Facing Tomorrow

2010-06-27T09:08:00.013-05:00

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)

5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.

It is very good on Buhlaland - a little rain forecast and lots of weeding, egg gathering, home renovation, doctor appointments and prayer to do!

When Pigs Fly

2010-06-24T13:09:00.015-05:00

I believe that event will coincide with the date I get caught up on blogging - both entering and reading! Bought this little metal "art" flying pig recently and it migrates around our garden spot - you never know where Senor Cerdo will land - he just makes me laugh.

Daylilies - ya gotta love'em - multiply like crazy and almost anyone will take a "little clump of lilies I was thinning out"!

Dragonfly - sitting on lavender but next to huge rosemary bush.

Buhlaland is fully in summer mode now - just experienced a brief and delightful summer storm - no measurable rain but it cooled off about ten degrees. Our tin can garden (my term for an all container attempt to raise a few tomatoes and peppers) is finally going well - may already be too hot for the strawberries to prodce much.

Chickens get to wander around our yard from 6 pm until dark - they come running up to me when I go out to get them back in their pen and coop. They are certainly good at tearing up layers of oak leaves piled under trees and finding whatever tasty morsels lie there. I use the rosemary you can see in dragonfly picture - delicious on any kind of chicken or pork barbecue you might be trying - add to a small can of apricot nectar, half a cup apricot-pineapple preserves and juice of one or two limes , minced tablespoon of fresh rosemary- heat it up and put on something you want to taste delicious!

Hope your summer is going well - life is good on Buhlaland.

Sun Rise

2010-06-19T10:11:00.003-05:00

I promise I didn't photoshop or adobeshop or stopnshop this picture - straight outta camera photo of sunrise this past week. Makes a person glad she dragged her entirely inordinately tired self out of bed and opened eyes to God's glory. I am not blogging much - sometimes not even leaving comments on the blogs I read. Must be in one of those learning seasons - where keeping my mouth shut (or keyboard quiet) benefits my brain and soul. Life continues a blessed and confusing path through Buhlaland - DH still doing too much and working hard (also known as standard operating procedure). I am still enjoying my part time job. Goats are growing up fast and I'm unwilling to get off the dime and sell some of them - too many right now for our pasture. Keep hoping some of the people we know and love will actually buy places in the country and we can place our goats with trustworthy people. Listening right now to iPod music playlist called Praise and Worship -- Amy Grant's older cd of hymns - loving the glory of voices, instruments and words.
Hope to do some cooking this weekend - meatloaf meal for DH's father's day. Staying cool by getting up before the sun and staying in shade or air conditioning as much as possible.
Things are good here on Buhlaland - especially when we rise up early in the morning

I'm fond of fawn

2010-06-08T12:49:00.007-05:00

Went out this morning to let goats outof their pen and look who decided to hang around very cautiously for a short visit. We are pretty sure the doe is same one who showed up here last year with a severely injured left front leg (and a fawn) - appears she has given birth in a stand of trees in back pasture . Healthy and cautious - big ears and makes my heart just pitter pat - God made so many wonderful creations - but baby critters are close to the best! It is Great on Buhlaland to have dear deer.

Natural Lessons

2010-06-06T09:03:00.002-05:00

(New Living Translation)

John 15
Jesus, the True Vine
“I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. 3 You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.
5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. 6 Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. 7 But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! 8 When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.

Jesus taught using images which could be seen all around us, to help our very weak minds and hearts to grasp eternal meaning. In recent years I've felt the Lord's "pruning" of my branch, and I only can trust Him that it may produce fruit of the spirit and in deed. It is good on Buhlaland - grapes aplenty for the birds and pruning might hurt for a season to be part of His harvest - it is a very good result.

Picture was taken in our back pasture -
Mustang Grape
'Vitis mustangensis
Vitaceae
Mustang grape favors disturbed ground, fence rows, woodland edges and sandy slopes in the eastern half of Texas, east to Louisiana and north into Arkansas and Oklahoma. Althought its fruit is usually pungent and unpleasant, the fruits of the variety diversa are actually sweet and have often been used in wine-making. This is a high-climbing vine which tolerates great heat and drought. The lower surface of its leaves is very white and densely hairy, a noticeable ornamental feature. It is reported to be largely resistant to Phylloxera and hybridizes with several other grape species. 'source

June? how can it be June??

2010-06-01T08:36:00.016-05:00

Graduation celebrations, a ton of June birthdays, a garden not planted (tiny tomato is still in the planting POT not in soil), spring blooming wildflowers fading.

Big oak trees fully leafed out - mustang grapes so big and round just tempting birds and raccoons to come get'em.

June

In Texas - how can I fail to mention sky - sky getting cloudy, sky with jet contrails streaking across as if there is a crack appearing (no folks - no sky is falling believers here!). Sky looking as if God is about to peek through the clouds and His Shekinah Glory is already breaking through.

It is really June here on Buhlaland - and so very good - DH is doing reasonably well, we are blessed beyond belief by friends and prayer warriors and big unpredictable skies!

Visitors

2010-05-20T14:18:00.010-05:00

I've had a dickens of a time trying to get a post up - blogger doesn't like my spacing and I certainly haven't appreciated blogger's choice of spacing. I may just slam this up and say good enough - although good enough rarely really is - either good or enough.

So often here on Buhlaland we show you our goats or dogs or flowers and wanted to share some of our frequent visitors. . Fox, rabbits, deer (very pregnant deer), Senor BlueJay (a loud fellow - always screeching) and a bird we've tenatively identified as a Phoebe. We're calling the Phoebes The FranticFamily - nesting in cover tractor parking next to the workshop/barn and they have a total hissy fit whenever we walk by . Large and beautiful moth was on our back porch one evening and yep - a pesky fluffy tailed rat - also known as a squirrel.
Day to day for us is a little like living in a pinball machine - bouncing off some high point barriers but also going in the gutter with no points for some actions. Learning that when I am waiting for a big change I'm not always productive. Learning to look for little things - the daily indicators of walking as instructed in Isaiah 30:21 Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it."
Listen for the Whisper, that's the lesson right now - no burning bush or earthquake (I hope) but a whisper

1 Kings 19: 11 The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by."
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"

Good for Buhlaland to have this place to stand on and listen for the whisper. Y'all come back and maybe blogger will allow a better layout to my posts!

Babies to teenagers? my Kids!

2010-05-10T18:24:00.014-05:00

From January 27th when Crybaby gave birth to Lantana (first born - caramel face and white body) and Fantana (second born - larger doeling with chestnut body and white head markings) to now - the twins have been darlings of our Class of 2010.

Crybaby is the oldest of our does - she is probably approaching 9 or 10 which is nearly old age for a boer/nubian mix. She is an excellent mother - even though recently she was very ill - she keeps her babies close.

Lanny was making big strides in tree climbing but also showing evidence of juvenile rebellion - she and Fanny chew each other's hair at night and it gave Lanny a Mohawk style for several weeks.

The twins like to lay down together -

or explore together.

Goat kids growing up on Buhlaland - it is good to watch healthy babies. Grateful we have pictures along the way, it would be easy to forget tiny bodies learning how to stand on their own legs. Now they run and like to jump up behind me and nip at my pants when I'm in the pen with them!

We have a total of 9 babies this year. Only one other set of twins two weeks old now. Pictures of Amber and Jasper to come.

Buhl-a-land

Still Here

Merry Christmas

Holiday Decorations and Settling In

Is it plagiarism?

Moving Experience

Thanksfilled

I'm still here

New Link

Peace to You

New Neighbors and update

Some out - more IN

Making Living Space more Live-able

Starting To Change

Mabel's Mom is a Published Author!

Buhlaland is Moving!

Shorter day - even less blogging

End of August - time to update!

Front yard DMZ

You May have to kiss a lot of toads

Kitchen Decor Issue?

Mini Chip Cheesecake Bars

Ingredients

Directions

Chicken Housing

Snippetage

Live and Learn - in a good way

What's it all about?

Cycle Starts Again

What's snew?

Day in the Life of Susannah

Memorial Day 2011

Rainy and Growing

What do you mean Dirty Face?

Just so you know

Adventures Galore

Adventures Galore Repeat

The Boids and the Bees

Wonderful Explanation of Salvation

Visitors

No Serious Damage Here

"1 Corinthians 2:14 (GOD’S WORD Translation) 14A person who isn’t spiritual doesn’t accept the teachings of God’s Spirit. He thinks they’re nonsense. He can’t understand them because a person must be spiritual to evaluate them."

Bless those who are helping and those making decisions about assistance. Being prepared is the big issue - no matter what catastrophe might occur.

Many Goat Pictures and One Other

Monday Hello

He Is Risen

Saturday - the waiting day

Tabula Rasa

Honeysuckle and a Hummer

Determined Drivers? or a lotta Buhl?

Fragile

Fragile

One Reason to Live on Buhlaland

Confirmation

Blog much? - no not really

Mysterious Anonymous and Generous

Not Big on Cutesy

I Have Changed a Little Bit

Cake - ah birthday cake!

Something Different for Me

Complaint Department

Ma and Pa and Someone Else's Pup

Bad Timing Great Ganache!

Blessed are those who are caregivers

Christmas Decorations Through the Years

Change - Not on list of Favorite Things

Flash Back

Wintry whine?

The Look of Love

Kindness -

Responses

It's a mad plaid world isn't it?

Pumpkins - no frost yet!

Our State Fair Is a Great State Fair

Little things mean a lot and sometimes irritate!

not Nothing but rarely anything

Childhood Cancer Easy way to Help

Be the Best

Brief lifespans

Night Moves or just hanging around

"1 Corinthians 2:14 (GOD’S WORD Translation) ¹⁴A person who isn’t spiritual doesn’t accept the teachings of God’s Spirit. He thinks they’re nonsense. He can’t understand them because a person must be spiritual to evaluate them."