Today’s thought – Remember Jesus, Today

apr5 005I love these little violas.
Oh, Look, an oak tree sprout the Farmer hasn’t found.

Good Morning

When times get hard, remember Jesus . . .
When tears come, remember Jesus . . .
When fear pitches his tent in your front yard.
When death looms,
when anger sings,
when shame weighs heavily.
Remember Jesus.
Max Lucado

Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help and he will say, Here am I. Isaiah 58:9 NIV

There is a place of comfort sweet
Near to the heart of God
A place where we our Saviour meet,
Near to the heart of God . .
Hold us who wait before Thee
Near to the heart of God.
Cleland B.McAfee

With my prayers, desiring yours, Leslie

Published in: on April 8, 2014 at 11:26 am  Comments (2)  
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Ten on Tuesday – Cozy Foods

ToT-Button

On Tuesday’s Carole hosts ‘Ten on Tuesdays’.
She chooses a topic – we list ten items.

10 Foods That Belong Together.

1. My very first thought was a favorite dessert of our family –
Chocolate cake with ‘bonilla icing with sprinkles and
‘bonilla ice cream with chocolate syrup ‘uppa top’
I almost went out and bought a chocolate cake, icing,
ice cream and syrup ( I have the sprinkles);
baked and frosted the cake;
then fixed me some dessert.
So I could show you how good this really is.

2. Ketchup and any type of hamburger

13726464-appetizing-smiling-hamburger-in-cartoon-style-for-fast-food-design

3. Spaghetti and Toasted Garlic bread

4. Summer and First of the season vegetables
(a previous year’s picture)

June 4

5. Frito Boats – Chili and Fritos
from Cooks.com Put two spoonfuls of heated chili in bowl.
Put a layer of Fritos on top of chili.
Put another of chili.
Add a layer of cheese.
Add a layer of lettuce and tomatoes if you want.
Top with a few more Fritos

6. Dark chocolate and almonds

apr7 005

7. Bacon and Tomatoes and Avocados
make a delicious BTA.
I like mine n rye bread with mustard.

8. the Farmer says ‘any veggies’ go in the juice

juicer 001
Drink it down—just think of it as medicine

juicer

9.  Strawberry Shortcake
We take fresh out of the oven sweet biscuits, split them open,
add a scoop of ‘bonilla’ ice cream, soften,
cover with sliced sweetened strawberries
be sure to get lots of juice.
I stop there, but some in the family proceed
to add a generous helping of whipped cream.
I can’t find the picture I took years ago.

10. DESSERT,

thanksgiving 2011 011

POTLUCK and

thanksgiving 2011 012

FAMILY

thanksgiving 2011 013
Pictures are from a Thanksgiving with the Farmer’s family.

Join with Carole, but not when you’re hungry.
What am I going to have for lunch?

April 7. Today’s thought – Cacao Beans

Good Morning

apr7 003
From Hugs for Chocolate Lovers, Bicket and Brandon

Turning cacao beans into chocolate is a long and difficult process.
Cacao pods are hand sorted, crushed, and then roasted.
Next the pods undergo winnowing, a grinding process
that removes the hard outer hulls from the tender chocolate nibs.
This chocolate is heated to a liquid through friction–
the longer it endures the heat, or conching,
the smoother and more refined its ultimate texture.
The final stage is tempering,
where the chocolate is cooled very carefully
to attain the desired snap when broken,
perfectly smooth meltability,
and glossy shine.
If the process is rushed,
the chocolate will crystallize,
ruining the finished product.

Life is a similar process.
Families go through any number of difficult stages:
crushing, winnowing, grinding, tempering, and refining.
It’s never pleasant to endure the protracted hear of conching
or the delicate cooling required for tempering.
But these stages are essential
to producing the beautiful sheen
and best quality in our families
and in our lives.

Bearing the crushing or the heat isn’t nearly as painful
when families stick together.
Indeed, it is these very processes
that serve to blend families together
in the most satisfying, long-lasting way.

If your family is being crushed in the crucible
or feeling extreme heat,
here’s sweet reassurance:
families that endure difficulties together stick together,
love together,
and eventually laugh together.
Don’t curse the blending process embrace it– and your family.

Job 23:10 But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. (or good chocolate)

Enjoy some chocolate today
With my prayers, desiring yours, Leslie

Published in: on April 7, 2014 at 12:22 pm  Comments (2)  
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Scavenger Hunt Sunday


I’m joining Ashley on a Scavenger Hunt.
Each week she lists five topics open to photo interpretation.
I get to take a new picture this week (first choice)
or find a picture I’ve taken and post what I’ve chosen.
I have fun matching photos to the words.

Macro

apr5 004Sweet pea

Wheels

august25 to market 006It takes a lot of wheels to take the veggies to the stand. 
August 2012

Shiny

feb24 014Our Poppies look  sunshiny.

Weather

apr5 001Warm spring sunshine makes the vines and berries grow.

Favorite sport

417405_4153899736736_815837327momknits_nI like Watching the Waves,
my daughter likes taking pictures 2012

If you like to look at pictures, join us here.

Published in: on April 7, 2014 at 11:29 am  Comments (6)  
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Sunday Bible Reading – Ruth 1:14-17

apr5 001I love watching the grapes during all seasons.

 

Ruth 1:14-17
And they lifted up their voice, and wept again:
and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her.
And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back
unto her people, and unto her gods:
return thou after thy sister in law.
And Ruth said,
Intreat me not to leave thee,
or to return from following after thee:
for whither thou goest, I will go;
and where thou lodgest, I will lodge:
thy people shall be my people,
and thy God my God:
Where thou diest, will I die,
and there will I be buried:
the LORD do so to me,
and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.

from Smith’s Commentary:
The Targum adds several things to this conversation between Naomi and Ruth. I shall subjoin them:
“And Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave thee,” for I desire to become a proselyte.

And Naomi said, We are commanded to keep the Sabbath and other holy days; and on it not to travel more than two thousand cubits.

And Ruth said, “Whither thou goest, I will go.”

And Naomi said, We are commanded not to lodge with the Gentiles.

Ruth answered, “Where thou lodgest, I will lodge.”

And Naomi said, We are commanded to observe the one hundred and thirteen precepts.

Ruth answered, What thy people observe, that will I observe; as if they had been my people of old.

And Naomi said, We are commanded not to worship with any strange worship.

Ruth answered, “Thy God shall be my God.”

Naomi said, We have four kinds of capital punishment for criminals; stoning, burning, beheading, and hanging.

Ruth answered, “In whatsoever manner thou diest, I will die.”

Naomi said, We have a house of burial.

Ruth answered, “And there will I be buried.”

(A Targum is an Aramaic translation of the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh) written or compiled from the Second Temple period until the early Middle Ages (late first millennium). Wikipedia)

The testimony of Naomi’s life offered Ruth such hope that forsaking all she knew; Ruth followed Naomi and the true God.

From the archives – Reading this again – I thought “Lord, I renew my commitment to continue to follow you where so ever you lead”.

Moving Day for the Chickens

chickens freedThis is the chicken pen,
looking at it from the front of Bro. Bob’s house

dec4 new rooster 002

mar1 007

This spring the Farmer prepared this cozy spot for the chickens.

mar25 007The gate is to the right of this opening.
This chicken house will fit right in the opening.

 

I didn’t get out early
enough to see the dismantling
of the extra wing attached to the hen house.

apr5 moving chickens 002

apr5 moving chickens 003

apr5 moving chickens 004

apr5 moving chickens 005The crew and their deliberations.
With the help of the tractor,
the house was lifted up and onto the white trailer.
The trailer was pulled by the lawn mower
to the new chicken pen area.

I missed that part
because littlest A. Crain and I did a donut run.

apr5 moving chickens 006Not many were left,
movin’ chickens is hard work.

apr5 moving chickens 007

apr5 moving chickens 009

apr5 moving chickens 010Hens and Rooster seem happy in their new area.
Hens have found the nesting boxes. 
We expect eggs today, girls.

From my chair at my desk,
I can see the chickens.
I like    🙂

 

Published in: on April 5, 2014 at 10:39 am  Comments (4)  

Chats on the Deck

chatsonthefarmhouseporch

“Chats on the Farmhouse Porch” is a group of friends
gathering to visit,
sip their favorite beverages,
nibble delicious treats
and share their likes and dislikes.

Patrice and Wendell have invited me to join the chatting.
Patrice provides the questions,
we answer.

What’s your favorite method of travel?

Road trips in the RV are #1.
P1000068
Trains #2, I want to see what I’m passing by

If you wear jewelry, are you more likely to wear silver or gold?

I don’t, but if I did it would be some of both

How often do you wear sunglasses?

I don’t my glasses are tinted, that works for me.

Which would be easier for you to leave undone (for a short period of time), dishes or laundry?

Laundry, it’s out of sight!

On a scale of 1-10 (1-hardly any+ 10- house is full), how much clutter have you collected?

If you walk in and look around it’s a ‘2’ you got me on a good day. I picked stuff up yesterday. If you start checking in the cupboards or drawers or the stash shed, please, don’t
85657751_7tOtrIVY_b

I guess know you know the good, bad and ugly about me, if you’re want to learn what others are up to click here and join us on the porch.

Published in: on April 1, 2014 at 1:00 pm  Comments (7)  

April 1, Today’s Thought – Mould Us

apr1Between showers on this rainy day, the Farmer watches over his gardens.

Good Morning

2 Timothy 2:21b . . . he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.

Mould us, great God,
into forms of beauty and usefulness
by the wheel of Providence
and by the touch of Thy hand.
Fulfil Thine ideal,
and conform us to the image of Thy Son.
In Thy great house may we stand
as vessels meet for Thy use.
We are little better than common earthenware,
but may we be cleansed,
and purified,
and filled with Thy heavenly treasure.
Dip us deep into the River of Life,
and give refreshment by us
to many parched and weary hearts.
F. B. Meyer

2 Timothy 2:20-21 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also [utensils] of wood and earthenware, and some for honorable and noble [use] and some for menial and ignoble [use]. 21 So whoever cleanses himself [from what is ignoble and unclean, who separates himself from contact with contaminating and corrupting influences] will [then himself] be a vessel set apart and useful for honorable and noble purposes, consecrated and profitable to the Master, fit and ready for any good work. Amplified Bible

Mould me . . .Today
With my prayers, desiring yours, Leslie

Published in: on April 1, 2014 at 11:26 am  Leave a Comment  
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March 31, Today’s thought – Go on Thy Way

mar21
Good Morning

Luke-10-27 And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.

“Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart,
and thy neighbor as thyself,”
and the go on thy way.
The way in which God shall lead thee
may be over rocks and deserts,
over mountains and oceans,
amid things perilous to the sight and touch;
but still go on thy way rejoicing.
Thomas C. Upham

One step at a time . . .Today
With my prayers, desiring yours, Leslie

Published in: on March 31, 2014 at 11:04 am  Leave a Comment  
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Today’s thought – Lighten My Candle

mar29 002Japanese Ground Orchid from Grandma Crain’s garden to ours.

Good Morning

Psalm 18:28-30
For thou wilt light my candle: the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness. For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall. As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.

For long the wick of my lamp had served my purpose,
silently ministering as I read beside it.
I felt ashamed that I had not before
noticed its unobtrusive ministry.
I said to the wick:
“For the service of many months I thank thee.”

“What have I done for thee?”

“Hast thou not given light upon my page?”

“Indeed, no:
I have no light to give,
in proof whereof take me from my bath of oil,
and see how quickly I expire.
Thou wilt soon turn me as a piece of smoking flax.
It is not I that burns,
but the oil with which my texture is saturated.
It is this that lights thee.
I simple mediate between the oil in the cistern
and the fire on my edge.
This blackened edge slowly decays,
but the light continually burns.”

“Dost thou not fear becoming exhausted?
See how many inches of coil remain!
Wilt thou be able to give light
till every inch of this is slowly
charred and cut away?”

“I have no fear
so long as the supply of oil does not fail,
if only some kindly hand will remove
from time to time the charred margin . . .
exposing a fresh edge to the flame.
This is my twofold need:
oil and trimming.
Give me these and
I shall burn to the end.”

You may seem altogether helpless and inadequate;
but a living fountain of oil is prepared
to furnish you with inexhaustible supplies.
Not my your might or power, but by His Spirit.
Hour after hour the oil climbs up the wick to the flame!
from Streams in the Desert Vol 2

Matthew 25:4, 7, 10
4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.

10 . . . and they that were ready went in with him . . .

Be prepared . . . Today
With my prayers, desiring yours, Leslie

Published in: on March 29, 2014 at 11:25 am  Leave a Comment  
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Today’s thought – Rock of Ages

feb24 029Brother Bob’s house at Cozy Acres.
You can see the top of our RV about half way down the picture
to the right of the evergreen tree,

Good Morning

Isaiah 26:3-4
You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind [both its inclination and its character] is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You. So trust in the Lord (commit yourself to Him, lean on Him, hope confidently in Him) forever; for the Lord God is an everlasting Rock [the Rock of Ages].AMP

Rock of Ages

Rock of Ages, cleft for me- Psalm 62:5-8
Let me hide myself in Thee – Exodus 33:22
Let the water and the blood – 1 John 5:6
From Thy riven side which flowed – John 19:34
Be of sin the double cure – 2 Kings 2:9-10
Cleanse me from its guilt and power- Isaiah 1:19

Not the labor of my hands- John 5:30 (first clause)
Can fulfill the law’s demands- Exodus 33:22
Could my zeal no respite know- Psalm 69:6 (first clause)
Could my tears forever flow – Psalm 6:6
All for sin could not atone – Heb. 10:5-6
Thou must save and Thou alone – Hebrews 10:8-10

Nothing in my hand I bring – Isaiah 4:1
Simply to Thy Cross I cling – Galatians 6:14
Naked come to Thee for dress- Rom. 13:14 (first clause)
Helpless look to Thee for grace- Philippians 4:I3
Foul, I to the fountain fly – Psalm 2:7
Wash me Saviour, or I die – John 13:8 (second clause)

While I draw this fleeting breath- Psalm 103:15-16
When my eyelids close in death – Ecclesiastes 12:3-7
When I soar to worlds unknown – John 14:2-3
See Thee on Thy judgment throne – Matthew 25:31
Rock of Ages cleft for me- 1 Corinthians 10:4 (third clause)
Let me hide myself in Thee – Psalm 16:1-8

Isaiah 26:3-4
Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength:KJV

Hide Thou me . . .Today
With my prayers, desiring yours, Leslie

Published in: on March 28, 2014 at 4:56 am  Leave a Comment  
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Today’s thought – Invisible Reality

mar25 011the Farmer’s Meyer lemon

mar25 012has many blossoms despite the freezing weather this winter.

Good Morning

Romans 8:24-25
For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.
Romans 8:25b . . .we wait for it with patience and composure.AMP

How can you prove God is real?
The truth is, even though there are wonderful arguments
for the existence of God,
you cannot prove His existence.
You can point to His world and His works,
but He is invisible.
Some have heard Him speak in an audible voice,
but again, no one has God on an audio recorder.
Is this a problem?
Is it troubling?
Not at all!
If God could be seen through a telescope or under a microscope,
would He be the Almighty God proclaimed in His Word?
He’s the Creator
and as such cannot be studied in the same way as His creation.
Paul asks, “who hopes for what he already has?”
He also says, “hope that is seen is no hope at all.”
Hope is for the deeper, more profound realities
that require open hearts and eyes.

I believe in the sun even if it isn’t shining.
I believe in love even when I am alone.
I believe in God even when He is silent. unkn

from A Day Book of Grace.

Continue to HOPE . . . Today
With my prayers, desiring yours, Leslie

Published in: on March 27, 2014 at 11:17 am  Comments (1)  
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Today’s thought – The Greatest of These

mar25 003Sweet Peas are blooming.

Good Morning

Philippians 1:9-10 And this I pray: that your love may abound yet more and more and extend to its fullest development in knowledge and all keen insight [that your love may display itself in greater depth of acquaintance and more comprehensive discernment], So that you may surely learn to sense what is vital, and approve and prize what is excellent and of real value [recognizing the highest and the best, and distinguishing the moral differences], and that you may be untainted and pure and unerring and blameless [so that with hearts sincere and certain and unsullied, you may approach] the day of Christ [not stumbling nor causing others to stumble].

Tradition says that when they carried Saint John for the last time into the church, he lifted up his feeble hands to the listening congreation, and said,
“Little children, love one another.”
The words are echoing yet throughout the world.
More precious and important even than faith is heaven ly love. Without it faith must ultimately wither. Many of God’s most powerful workers after a time lose their power because they lose the spirit of love. This is the crowning grace of Christian character. It has a thousand shades, and it is in the finer touches that its glory consists.
Every new experience of life is but a school to learn some lesson of love. Let us not try to expel our teachers. Let us welcome them and so learn the lesson, that they may soon pass on and leave us to make new advances.
If mountains can be removed by faith, is there less power in love?
The immense arms from either side of the Forth Bridge had been completed, slowly and steadily they had been built out; all that was now needed at the center of the mighty arch was the final riveting.
The day fixed was cold and chilly, and cold contracts metals. In spite of fires set under the iron to expand it the inch or two required, the union could not be completed and the day’s program was a failure.
But the next day the sun rose bright; under its genial warmth the iron expanded, the holes came opposite each other, and the riveters had nothing to do but drive the binding bolts home.

1Corinthians 13:13 And so faith, hope, love abide
[faith—conviction and belief respecting man’s relation to God and divine things;
hope—joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation;
love—true affection for God and man, growing out of God’s love for and in us],
these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Love one another” . . .Today
With my prayers, desiring yours, Leslie

Click on the link to see a picture of Forth Bridge, a bridge for trains, and a little of its history. It is a beautiful bridge.

Published in: on March 26, 2014 at 12:21 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Found in the Garden Plot

mar18 001the Farmer is tilling in the winter green

mar18 002the attach the rippers and weigh them down

mar25 004

mar21 005

mar21 014garden plot is ripped
but in the process
CLUNK!
one of the tines breaks off

mar21 020
so the digging begins
mar21 018ah ha

mar21 019

mar21 016yep, it’s the Cozy Acre ‘looker/adviser’ crew

mar25 0062 12inch diameter 6 feet long concrete pipes connected with a aluminum band
supposed a walk way over creek that originally flowed through the property

mar25 010Every year the Farmer finds more trash in the garden plot
mar21 017then the Farmer tucks the soil in for a rest before planting begins

mar21 015berries and grapes are enjoying the warm Spring weather

NEW THIS YEAR

mar25 001three rows of strawberries

mar25 002the strawberries were planted in the tops of the rows
the drip watering system was installed
(sorry I didn’t get a picture of that layout)
then everything was covered with 3-4 inches of mulch
for a weed free strawberry patch

mar25 007chicken pen/orchard area
gap in the fence is where the chicken house will be

mar25 009first tree planted a black fig
the Farmer has grown from a cutting

Every day something is happening at Cozy Acres.  the Farmer is always planning/plotting another project to add to the beauty and productivity of Cozy Acres.

mar25 011

View from the back fence facing north
most of the pictures are taken toward the southmar25 012

Published in: on March 25, 2014 at 12:27 pm  Comments (1)  
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Sunday Bible Reading – Psalm 8

mar21 001the Farmer tending his seedlings.

Psalm 8:1,3-5,9NIV

Lord, our Lord
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory in the heavens. . .
When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in plalce,
what is mankind that you are mindul of them,
human beings that you care for them?
You made them a little lower than the angels
and crowned them with glory and honor . . .
O Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!

The longer I live, the more my mind dwells upon the beauty and the wonder of the world.   –John Burroughs

Amen
With my prayers, desiring yours, Leslie

mar21 009Some of the seedlings, hot peppers and tomatoes

Published in: on March 23, 2014 at 5:19 am  Leave a Comment  
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