Trusting Daily

2009-09-08T21:41:00.000-07:00

A walk in the park....

Occasionally, the farmer will forego his boots and actually put on a swim suit, t-shirt, and believe-it-or-not....tennis shoes. Labor Day was one of those days. It was one day we were not going to labor. Every single day is a labor day here at Providence Farm. We have to make ourselves leave it, if only for a few hours, a day, a weekend, so we can fill our reservoir. There is literally something to do every waking hour. Boredom simply isn't in our vocabulary.

Nothing thrills me more than interesting photography and usually the kids set the stage for me just by being themselves.

~*~

2009-09-05T14:35:00.000-07:00

Once we discovered wild plums on our property, our family tradition has been to go plum picking every Spring. This year was no different except that it wasn't a good year for any of our wild fruit. Nevertheless, we managed to pick enough for one batch so all was not lost. As jelly making sometimes goes, something went awry and all I ended up with was plum syrup. It happens, and I wasn't too motivated to fiddle with it when our temps here in East Texas were tipping the 100 degree mark day after day. So this afternoon I decided I'd try again. I dumped all the syrup in a pot, brought it to a boil, and added another box of Sur-Gel. I don't know if it'll be jelly or not, but it sure looks pretty. :)

Blessings from Providence Farm ~

Raising Bottle Babies

2009-06-15T05:45:00.000-07:00

We're not experts by any stretch of the imagination, but we're definitely learning a thing or two about raising bottle-fed calves. There's a dairy not too far from here where one can get newborn male calves for a song...

Now there's a few reasons why there's a market for Jersey bull calves. First, they're affordable. Dairies aren't interested in bull calves. All the heifers are AI'd. Second, they make great organic fertilizer for your pastureland and garden area. Using a paddock system boosts the benefits. Next, as we have researched the beef markets, we've found that many consumers today are eating Jersey beef. Of course, they don't fill out like the beef breeds, but much of the research concludes that the meat is just as good. Another advantage to raising cattle, and small scale farming as a whole, is the experience for, and character building in, children. Almost a dozen years ago, someone gave me a piece of wisdom I'll never forget; it went something like this..."Children need something to "give" themselves to.." Now that I've got children of my own, I realize just how true this statement is. They'll devote themselves to something. Our hope is that it'll be something with eternal value and significance.

Live deliberately.

2009-03-29T00:42:00.000-07:00

Peach Blossom

2009-03-28T12:34:00.000-07:00

Wild Plums

~ delicious jelly...

2009-03-27T07:44:00.000-07:00

Spike didn't make too long in captivity, but he sure was fun while he lasted.

2009-03-27T07:42:00.000-07:00

Indian Paintbrush

2009-03-27T07:34:00.000-07:00

Indian Paintbrush

2009-03-25T07:35:00.000-07:00

Mustang Grapes in the making

2009-03-25T05:57:00.000-07:00

At long last, Phillip now owns a tractor. It'll pay for itself in no time. He already has a side job mowing the neighbor's pasture. We've mowed our own pasture, and plowed more land for a bigger garden. For several years, Phillip has been researching agri-business, farmer's markets, and farming in general as a means to supplement our income. The Lord has found favor in his endeavors and continues to bless his efforts.

Not only that, it's our passion; something we both enjoy and want to do together as a family. I have put my cooking business to the side and putting my focus into the farm. It's what brings me the most joy. We are now searching for a few implements to make planting easier and more efficient, and a box blade to finally grate our driveway.

I think Phillip said our rows are 200 feet.

He'll plow and disc the rest of the land to the fence which is all the land to the left of this picture. Additionally, we lease the 16 acres to the east of us where we'll begin to cultivate and plant, as well. We've got about 20 acres of plantable land, total, if we really wanted to plant that much.

2009-03-24T06:56:00.000-07:00

Saturday morning, we set out on a tractor quest. Phillip had been doing his homework for months and knew what he was looking for. He'd already looked at two, but wanted me to go with him so I could help make a decision. I'm always game for a ride, especially since I knew where we were going and I'd get some fabulous pictures along the way. Spring time in Texas is, by far, the prettiest of our seasons.

There's just something about the country that draws me in. I'm pretty sure it's the peacefulness and solitude I so deeply covet. I remember Phillip's Mom saying that being at the ranch in Llano "clears the cobwebs". It's really so true. Our lives are so cluttered with stuff that, honestly, has no meaning; especially no eternal meaning. I can't live off fluff for very long, truthfully. I'm just not wired that way.

Someday, I would LOVE to have a collection of barn photos and publish them.

Spring blessings from the country ~

Broccoli

2009-03-16T19:31:00.000-07:00

Why am I posting a picture of a broccoli plant?

Well....let me just say that by tomorrow morning this photo may very well be the only memory I have of the eighteen plants I put in the ground several weeks ago. Over the course of about two weeks, the wild bunnies have been nibbling our promising vegetation as a midnight snack, it seems. As it stands this evening, I have two left.

I'm kinda sad.

We've never planted broccoli out here before.

Obviously, Peter and his family are glad we did.

More Images of Spring

2009-03-15T12:49:00.000-07:00

I'm still so delighted to have discovered Dogwood trees out here! They're SO beautiful!

The hens are laying again; another sure sign of a new season.

I never tire of taking shots of baby pine cones. They make spectacular photos.

Unidentified Orange Goo

2009-03-14T19:58:00.000-07:00

The other day, when Phillip and I were inspecting the Dogwoods, I spotted this orange goo on a cedar limb. It's a jelly-type substance that is very shiny. At first I thought it might be sap but dismissed that notion as I my thoughts filtered through all sorts of fungus or the possibility of insect eggs. If anybody happens to know what this is, I'd be so thrilled if you'd leave a comment.

Take a walk outdoors sometime soon.

There are treasures awaiting.

We just have to slow down to see them.

Indian Paintbrush

2009-03-13T17:23:00.000-07:00

The Indian Paintbrush is considered a Texas wildflower. We are blessed with many on our property. ~They grow well in really bad soil. :) ~ We've now spotted our first; a sure sign that Spring is definitely just around the corner.

Dogwood Bloom

2009-03-13T12:51:00.000-07:00

Back in September, we had our property logged. That just means we sold the timber and a logging company came and cut down every tree they wanted and hauled it off to the lumber yard. In the process, there's a lot of damage to trees and bushes so we had to clearly mark specific places we didn't want demolished. I had an inkling that a certain clump of trees was something, just didn't know what. You'd think since I live in East Texas, I'd know what a Dogwood tree looks like, but I didn't. I just marked it because it looked like something.

Later, as a friend and I were walking the property, she identified the little clump. Needless to say I was delighted. It ends up that we have at least three Dogwood trees. I'm sure there's more if we could get through the debris. Phillip and I went walking last night and I checked on the Dogwoods....

I'm grateful the Lord is showing me His beauty in the midst of what is now an unsightly mess. It'll take years for us to get the place piled up and burned. What we really need is a bulldozer, but at this point we don't even own a tractor.

Springtime in East Texas

2009-03-12T06:49:00.000-07:00

Spring is a beautiful time of year here in East Texas. I could take my camera out every day and get new images of the beauty all around me. It's always exciting for me to take an array of shots, load 'em on the computer, and see what comes up. I'm not a professional by any stretch of the imagination so it's very much a surprise most of the time. Several days ago, our wild plums were in bloom......

They are so beautiful at this stage.

Capturing the insects is just icing on the cake. :)

Blessings to you ~ Angela

Frog Friend

2009-01-14T09:39:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year Friends! January is marching on without me in some ways. I've had to take a blog break because life is just so incredibly full right now. We enjoyed our family Christmas out here on the farm. New Year's greeted us and we haven't looked back. Our co-op starts back up next Monday. Sometime soon I'll be in the thoes of ninth grade writing and grammar. Pray for me, will ya? There just aren't too many folks in the world who LOVE to write, and even less like grammar. :-)

We went out to cut firewood yesterday and Laura found this little fella. She wouldn't touch him, so I had the honors. We examined him and let him go.

So that's as close as an update I can get at this moment. We're on our way out the door as time is marching on. Oh, I said that, didn't I?

God bless your 2009!

Merry Christmas

2008-12-25T21:09:00.001-08:00

I'm taking an extended blogging break.

Here's wishing you the most blessed Christmas ever.

With love ~ Angela

More Frugality

2008-11-30T07:09:00.000-08:00

Another great frugal post.

~ sigh~

So much to read, so little time....

You'll be encouraged @ Seeking Faithfulness

Thanksgiving 2008

2008-11-27T06:56:00.000-08:00

Just in case you happen to need a reminder of those things for which to be thankful, pop over and read Angie's Thanksgiving post. There's over 100 comments (and counting..) of people all over the world who are offering thanks to the Lord as a form of healing.

Abundant Blessings to you ~

*ed. note: this blog post has since been removed.

Seasons

2008-11-25T02:51:00.000-08:00

"Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,

For wisdom and might are His.

And He changes the times and the seasons;

He removes Kings and raises up Kings;

He gives wisdom to the wise

And knowledge to those who have understanding."

Daniel 2: 20-21

Thoughts Held Captive

2008-11-24T05:51:00.000-08:00

One of my all-time favorite books is Attitudes of a Transformed Heart, by Martha Peace. In the introduction of the book, Martha talks honestly about her faulty world view and thoughts about God before she became a Christian. It's simple, but we all need reminders of the right way to think about God.

~*~*~*~*~

*God is good. He is always good.

*I am to obey Him whether I feel like it or not.

*Excessive sensitivity and dwelling on hurt feelings is a manifestation of sinful pride.

*The feminist agenda is unbiblical.

*We are not to worship the earth.

*There are not multiple ways to God, only one.

*A person can say he is a Christian, yet not really be one.

*The Lord Jesus really will return but no one knows when.

*God's ways and thoughts are higher than ours.

*God is in charge whether we like it or not.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"I am the LORD, and there is no other;

Besides Me there is no God.

I will gird you, though you have not known Me;

Then men may know from the rising to the setting of the sun

That there is no one besides Me;

I am the LORD, and there is no other."

Isaiah 45:5-6

Peaceful Sunday

2008-11-23T05:29:00.000-08:00

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your path~

Proverbs 3: 5-6

A Divided House

2008-11-21T05:16:00.000-08:00

Rick Saenz over at Dry Creek Chronicles has an interesting post up that I think every serious Christian should read.

In many ways, we tear each other down;

And all the world watches....