Did I say that?

This is our swimming pool. For the past 10 years or so we've used this same pool all summer long to beat the Texas heat. Yes, we realize this is not actually a pool. It's a  poly livestock tank . 

If you've never seen one, it is tough plastic and ours is about 8 feet across and 2 feet deep. Basically, it's our big, indestructible kiddie pool. We bought this one new at Tractor Supply all those years ago, and it looks almost as good as the day we bought it. Children are tough on their toys, but apparently cows are even tougher, because this tank was built to last.  The kids even stand on the sides and jump in to make a big splash, and you can't do that with most kiddie pools.  And surprisingly you can fit several adults in with the kids if you don't mind the splashing. It's been one of the best investments we've ever made.

Most summers I've set up our swimming pool in the back yard, so that folks who drive up to visit us won't see a big blue livestock tank right off the bat. But for various reasons, we had to put it in the front yard this year. No, I'm not proud of it. But like I said, it's been a bargain and the kids have a ball in it.

Last night we sat down to dinner and I looked out the dining room window at the water shimmering in our pool. 

"We need to get a new tarp to cover the pool to keep the leaves out."

Mike said, "OK. I'll take care of it."

Then I said what I wish I'd never said. "When you put it on, be sure that you use the good bungees." 

He looked across the table grinning, with a twinkle in his eye. "You mean the 'company bungees'?"

That stopped me cold.  Oh, how I wish the words "good bungee" had never come out of my mouth! But as Omar Idn Al-Halif said, the spoken word is one of the four things that come not back.

Are these truly our standards? Are we so countryfied that we grade our bungee cords? Sadly, yes. We have bungees that hold the door closed on the chicken pen, bungees that hold rain tarps over sick baby goats. We bungee things to the truck and bungee things closed and bungee things together in bundles. We use bungees on the electric fence and bungees in the garden and bungees in the workshop. And after all that use, some of those bungees are just not fit to be used on the pool in the front yard for our visitors to see.  

I can live with having special, clean bungees for our guests to see, I suppose. I mean, we're happy, the kids are happy, and the water in the pool is clean and cool. I guess things could be worse. By the way, if anyone asks if we ever use duct tape around here, I'll deny it.

Growing

The kiss of the sun for pardon,

The song of birds for mirth,

One is closer to God in a garden

Than anywhere else on earth.

~ Unknown

The peas shown here are sweet and tender, just like the girl holding them.

Here at Pecan Bluff farm lots of things are growing! The vegetable garden was created when my parents retired. It feeds our big extended family with lots of extras. They lovingly tend it daily, and they love for the children to help. My mother (Gram) has hoed a thousand miles, and my daddy (DaddyDon) is an amazing wealth of knowledge and energy and ideas. He has amended and worked that soil until it is dark and rich. Many days my grandmother (we all call her Mom) joins us, supervising from a chair in the shade. We plant extras of everything, and it is such fun to work together and watch things change every day in our big garden.

Here are healthy rows of potatoes and onions. Eldest is holding a strawberry.

 It didn't last long after this was snapped.

My 5-year-old is proud of the beet patch.

My 6-year-old is showing a raised bed of salad greens.

 He's often seen munching a lettuce leaf

 and a handful of onion tops when gardening.

 There's so much learning going on in that sunny, green plot. And I'm proud to say that our children are showing us that they are paying attention to those life-lessons. 

Dream big and work hard.

Don't be afraid to get your hands dirty.

Finish what you start. 

Don't do a job half-way.

Be thankful, even for the small blessings.

Family is important~ Work and play together.

Respect your elders~ Listen and learn from them.

The fruits of your labor are sweet!

Happy Gardening!

 

Sunday Singing

In light of our adventures last week, I found this song especially appropriate. We thank the Lord for his protection and peace, until our storms passed by.

'Til the Storm Passes By

by Mosie Lister

In the dark of the midnight

Have I oft hid my face,

While the storm howls above me,

And there's no hiding place.

'Mid the crash of the thunder,

Precious Lord, hear my cry;

Keep me safe 'til the storm passes  by.

'Til the storm passes over,

'Til the thunder sounds no more,

'Til the clouds roll forever from the sky,

Hold me fast; let me stand

In the hollow of Thy hand.

Keep me safe 'til the storm passes by.

Family Fun

Some of Mike's family came down and we had a fun time with Granny, Grandpa, and Aunt Marla. Eldest had an open house violin concert that we enjoyed together, and the birthday boy got to celebrate again. His Sissy made him another great cake. As you can see, I failed to catch him and dress him for the picture. Regardless of season or occasion, he'd just as soon spend all his time running around in his skivvies. A swimsuit is semi-formal attire for this kid.

Cranky Mom

Mike is out of town for a couple of days. So last night I was flying solo with the children. We made it through the evening fine, and for family time Daddy called from his hotel so we could sing our songs and recite memory verses together on speaker phone. We had our prayer, read our stories and I tucked them in nicely. Then the storm hit. 

Lots of times the kids sleep right through bad weather, but this was a LOUD storm. Lighting flashed and thunder crashed and sheets of rain pounded on our metal roof. I hoped that it would pass quickly and the kids would stay asleep. Nope.

Eldest was already clutching her flashlight and clinging to me in my bed when the monitor brought a voice from the boys room. My 6-year-old stage-whispered, "Hey! Wake up! Wake up! There's a big storm!" I ran to their room in hopes of keeping the youngest asleep in his bed, but it was too late. He was squeezing his eyes closed trying to stay asleep amid the thunder claps, while his big brother was shaking him and speaking urgently just inches away from his face trying his best to wake him. It worked.

So I spent the rest of the night in bed with all 3 children and all their lovies, blankies, pillows and stuffed animal friends ~ you know we need all the support we can get when there's a storm and Daddy's not home. 

After several hours of clinging to the edge of my overcrowded bed with Tip Top the giraffe's head jammed in my back and a hot little leg thrown over my neck, I finally gave up. I crept out to let the kids sleep some more, and started my day around 5 am. 

It's been a bit of a blur since then, but the kids seem to think I'm a little cranky today. Maybe.

For My Child

For a Child

by Fannie Stearns Davis

Your friends shall be the Tall Wind,

The River and the Tree,

The Sun that laughs and marches,

The Swallows and the Sea.

Your prayers shall be the murmur

Of grasses in the rain;

The song of wildwood thrushes

That makes God glad again.

And you shall run and wander,

And you shall dream and sing

Of brave things and bright things

Beyond the swallow's wings.

And you shall envy no man,

Nor hurt your heart with sighs,

For I will keep you simple

That God may make you wise.

Monday Funnies

I sat on the couch nearby, watching my 6-year-old son stretched out across the floor. He was carefully building a Lincoln Log cabin.

"So, what are going to be when you grow up?" I asked.

"A train engineer on a steam locomotive," he quickly answered. "What do you wanna be when you grow up, Mom?"

"A mom," I said.

He looked up from his construction project. "Won't you be tired of it by then?"