The Parsonage in the Spring Time or Domestic Bliss

Spring....spring it's finally truly here. Has spring ever been so beautiful? Precious friends were here to visit from Kalama. We spent a long weekend studying The Scriptures, praying, singing, observing Sabbath and the Lord's Day together. It was the perfect prelude to the bursting forth of life and color here on the prairie.When they first came the leaves were barely peeking open and when they left five days later, green was tumbling unabashedly from every branch and twig.

Yesterday it was hot and muggy but in the evening a thunderstorm rolled in. Luckily for us we had somewhere to go after dinner so we were able to watch the storm come and go. The sun was low and golden on the horizon when the storm had passed. The sky the palest blue. A huge rainbow arched across the gray in the east. All the new spring green glistened and shown in that light. You can see forever here and as we drove down the gravel roads the freshly tilled fields were rich and black and the groves of trees were illuminated and ditches shone like emerald pathways. Deer came out of the shadows, perhaps so as not to miss out on this May crescendo. They too were made golden for a moment. Silent and still, beautiful watching us. Then in a moment the sun was down and the shadows overtook the day. But I will always carry that picture in my heart and I will know that no matter where we are, God is there. All of His creation is good, there in the forest, here on the prairie. Beauty is never far from us. My heart longs for heaven, can you even imagine what it will be like to live with the creator of such beauty?

They say a picture's worth a thousand words......but not always. I do not think a camera ever could have caught that beauty the way my heart did.

But here are some more ordinary scenes from around the parsonage this loveliest of months.

And, Mom, sometime we must arrange for you to visit us at the end of May.

Joseph and Lucy! Awwwww.......

  

Oops! One day the boys were out in the shelter belt and Moses came running home,"Everyone! Gather around! Isaac is bringing home a surprise for you! He's bringing home a new pet!"
Of course. at the words "new pet" I was like, Oh dear! So he whispers in my ear that they found a tiny baby fawn in the grass. They think its mother abandoned it so we need hay and a bottle.
I'm was like please tell me you're kidding. But, no, he is serious! Here comes Isaac now. Well, the fawn was beautiful but a quick phone call to dad at work tells us that it's actually illegal to take the fawn and they must put it back exactly where they found it right away. Hopefully the mother will return to take care of it!
Now we have a weeping Moses and a manly stoic Isaac sadly walking the half mile back with their excited big sisters. But when they get there the little deer starts kicking and trying to get down and when they put it down it stands still, looks around listening and then runs off into the woods to be reunited with mama. When they return I tell them all about leaving wildlife alone;)

Love love love.....all of it! The fence on our Back to Eden garden. Made with salvaged material by my hard working guys! It's going to be beautiful! If you haven't watched the Back to Eden film google it! Just watching it makes me happy.

An old orchard ladder works perfect for observing baby birds without getting too close. We are so enjoying our first spring in the country!

Our happy hen house, again made with salvaged material by my clever Blue eyes. He just needs to calk the nails and then we can paint it. Barn red with a chocolate brown roof. I'll put more pictures when its finished.

Bedding on the lines. Of course, my dreams will be sweet and full of apple blossoms and lilacs!

Annika's favorite new hang out! Who would blame her? Girl heaven, right? She even asked her dad if the crab apple tree could be her very own. Now she's getting ready to host an "Apple Blossom Tea" under the tree on Saturday afternoon.