Weekend on the Prairie

Son1 arrives for an extended visit
and
Son3 has a birthday







The studied dissection of the cake.
Do all families do this with a butcher knife?
*head cocked*

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.  But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.  And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.  ~Psalm 1:1-3

The Donald

Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.  ~Philippians 3:13, 14

This Is Just Wrong

STOP
Courtesy Advisory:  If you're dining at your computer station or have a weak stomach, scroll no more and consider yourself finished with this post.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.  Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.  Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.  ~Matthew 23:25-28

Fishing Buddies

clickable for enlargement

Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.  ~Romans 13:8

Well Said

For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord: They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.  Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.  For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.  But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil. ~Proverbs 1:29-33

Little Getaway

images clickable for enlargement
With some unexpected down-time on our calendar, we made hasty plans to trek up to Milford Lake for a few days and positioned ourselves here:


No, we didn't perch in a tree.
It's a cabin:


#4 to be precise:


I took a lot of photos like this:


And this:


Because I ♥ seagulls.
Like the one in the center of this photo.
Which you might not notice without the inset crop:


So you can imagine me nearly falling out
of the boat when I spied this:


♥ ♥ ♥

I love sunsets too:


And my boys:




I was pretty keen on the marina:


Mostly because of Tiger...


...the boat inspector:

In the lazy afternoon, when fishing isn't so great — especially with waves cresting at 3 feet and boys singing the theme from Gilligan's Island as we'd crashed our way back to the cabin — I looked out these windows...


...and saw our beached boat had come unmoored.
And was floating away.
And was about to bash into another boat.

Charles and Son4 can run fast.
Run, Charles, Run.



Pull, Charles:


Pull, pull, pull:


The sun set a final time on our little getaway.



And it's always good to be back home.

Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, according as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue.  II Peter 1:2, 3

PowerNot

Another power outage yesterday, 7:10 a.m.

Busying myself with preparing by flashlight an amended, uncooked breakfast for our bammy, I said, "Why don't you get my lamp and light it."

Son3 (lifting the lamp from its hanger):  Your lamp has no oil.

Son4:  You better go buy some oil for your lamp.  Then with deliberately mock sincerity, We'll wait for you.

Cheeky kids.

Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.  And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.  They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.  While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.  And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.  Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.  And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.  But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.  And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.  Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.  But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.  Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.  ~Matthew 25:1-13

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.  ~Proverbs 22:6

Seven ChickenNots

The first three were taken from the living room, through glass and screen, and the final two are distance crops, so pardon the fuzz overlaid upon these feathery visitors.

The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility.  ~Proverbs 15:33