Flying Ducks? Not here!!

Has anyone seen the ducks flying south for the winter yet? Well, around my pond, they stick around for the winter! Yep...when we bought our sweet, day old ducklings 3 years ago, we had no idea that they would be here to stay! But, stay they do! And they invite friends over! It's true! In the winter we have as many as 100 ducks in our dinky, (not much bigger than a fullsized swimming pool) little pond! We feed them cracked corn out of a trash can that we cut holes into at the bottom, so the corn dribbles out as they eat it. In the evening, the "party friends" leave for the night, but are back bright and early the next morning to begin the party all over again. It is actually quite a picture! The cracked corn is at one end of the pond, and the ducks are at the other. The pond freezes solid, except for the small circle that the ducks are swimming in. At "lunch" time, they will begin to slowly migrate to the other side of the pond, kind of in what we like to call "the cafeteria line"! They slowly make their way across the ice, each one waddling and slipping, until it is their turn at the goodies. When they are full, they turn around and head back to the slushy side of the pond, where the numerous duck bodies have managed to keep the water just above freezing. This ritual is repeated several times during the day. We always know which ducks belong to us, as they are the only ones in the pond at dusk. Truly, the show they put on daily is far better than anything that passes for entertainment on TV!!!

WHAT IS LOVE? FROM THE MOUTHES OF BABES

"When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love."
Rebecca- age 8

When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth."
Billy - age 4

"Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other."
Karl - age 5

"Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs."
Chrissy -age 6

”Love is what makes you smile when you're tired."
Terri - age 4

"Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK."
Danny - age 7

"Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My Mommy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss"
Emily - age 8

"Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop o pening presents and listen."
Bobby - age 7 (Wow!)

"If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate,"
Nikka - age 6 (we need a few million more Nikka's on this planet)

"Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday."
Noelle - age 7

"Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well."
Tommy - age 6

"During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling. He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore."
Cindy - age 8

"My mommy loves me more than anybody . You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night."
Clare - age 6

"Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken."
Elaine-age 5

"Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford."
Chris - age 7

"Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day."
Mary Ann - age 4

"I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones."
Lauren - age 4

"When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you." (what an imagination)
Karen - age 7

"Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn't think it's gross."
Mark - age 6

"You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget."
Jessica - age 8

And the final one -- Author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia once talked about a contest he was asked to judge. The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child.

The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there. When his Mother asked what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said, "Nothing, I just helped him cry"

Autumn at your house?

Well, there is a definite nip in the air, here in West Michigan! No complaints here, tho! As I've stated before, autumn is my favorite time of the year. A nice, cozy sweater early in the morning, and a fire in the fireplace in the evening. What could be better?? Snuggle up close to the one you love, and enjoy the cool, brisk weather. Won't be long before the snow flies!

CYN

Wedding Reception Fun

Another chance to get together with family...this time my side of the family. My cousin on my mom's side got married yesterday, giving me another opportunity to see family I haven't seen in years. Mom's been gone 6 years now, but her brother, sister, cousins, and nieces and nephews were all there last night, celebrating. I love catching up on family news, and hearing how much I look like mom, and how much they miss her. i miss her too, but seeing everybody last night was like having a part of her back. The top photo is of my daughters Krys, Gina, and myself. Next is my son-in-law, Joe, Gina's husband, and myself.




















Here is my step-dad, Hank, with my sweetie, Pete.








And here I am, with my man of 34 years, Pete.

HOMESCHOOL SOCIALIZATION???

Has anyone heard the phrase that "homeschool kids are deprived of socialization?" Well, certainly not in our homeschool family! This is Ave's 4th year cheerleading for the local homeschool football team, the "Patriots". Her older brother played football for them for 3 years. Their dad was assistant coach, then head coach of said team for 2 of those years. Mom, (that's me!) was there for most practices and most games for most of the first 3 years. And the kids have made lifelong friendships with many of the families involved the this sport! The things that the kids don't have to deal with are foul mouthed team mates and overly aggressive (read: mean, bullies) coaches. Homeschooling is a lot of hard work, but I wouldn't trade the time I've had with my kids for anything. We have been through a lot together... the lingering sickness and death of their grandmother, (my mom), the tragic, and untimely death of their aunt Elena, (my sister), and many family disruptions too numerous to mention. Would it have been "easier" to go thru these things with my children tucked away in their public school classrooms? No doubt. But what "real life" they would have missed. And that, my friends, is why it has been worth every moment. (well, that is an exaggeration....not EVERY moment!!! I am only human!!!)

Farmgirl Cyn

Torch lake Vacation

Dar and I at Fishtown, in beautiful leland, Mi.





Brownwood Acres...a favorite of kids and grownups...kids for their candy selection, and grownups for their fresh, hot donuts on sunday mornings!












The sun setting on
Torch Lake, from the pier outside the Dockside Restaurant.
"When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which Thou has ordained...Psalm 8:3
"The heavens declare the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands." Psalm 19:1
""He counts the number of the stars; He gives names to all of them." Psalm 147:4
FROM THE RISING OF THE SUN TO THE GOING DOWN OF THE SAME, THE NAME OF THE LORD IS TO BE PRAISED!!!

The Autumn Garden

I am always torn concerning my favorite season. it seems as if it is always the season coming upon us that is my favorite! In the heat of the summer, I cannot wait till 'sweater weather". When it is autumn, my heart yearns for the cold of winter,( but NEVER the snow of winter here in the midwest!!). In the winter my longing turns toward the fresh breath of spring. And in the spring, my fancy turns toward those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer!! Fickle, or just a woman? Wanting what is just beyond her grasp. But, if the truth be told, Autumn is my favorite. I love the still warm summer days, yet the cool crisp nights. The autumn nights, when the stars seem the clearest. When every breath you take in the early morning is accompanied by a bit of fog. When there is the slight chill to the early evening, and you find yourself hunting down a flannel shirt of your husbands' to wrap yourself up in. When a bowl full of crispy, crunchy apples, fresh off the tree, does not look out of place on the dining room table. A little piece of heaven, or an autumn afternoon....you decide. (check out the bee on the sunflower...pollen all around!!)
Till we meet again,
Farmgirl Cyn

Avery's Birthday Kitty

For my daughter Ave's 11th birthday 2 years ago, we consented to cat #2. (we are now up to 3 cats, 1 golden retriever(Beauregard...known affectionately around here as "Beau', "Dufus", "Bozo", or whatever we happen to come up with at the time), and 14 or so ducks,(un-named, except for the only white duck, who goes by the name of "Aflac", plus numerous wild birds, an occasional crane, a couple of very bold turkeys in the fall, and the run-of-the -mill deer who meander thru the adjacent field) . Here is "Fuzzy", aka "Fussy", the love of her life. He is her baby. (we think he's kind of special also!)

My "Farmgirl" Farm!

A very recent pic of my "old" new farmhouse, taken by "Homemakerang".
What you can't see in this photo is the chicken coop being built by my husband of 34 years, which will be in the front right of the farm. Chickens to be added in late winter 06', cause it's probably just too darn cold here in Sept./Oct. to be starting baby chicks! So the henhouse will be all ready and waiting for them in February!