Forget Me Nots – Begging Us To Remember Spring

   Join Darcy in the Tuesday Sweet Shot Day!

Tea Hot? Take a moment to see why they are sweet to me,
and not just a Sweet Shot

In 1996 we moved from Roosevelt on the bay,  
to Shell Street on the hill - in Charleston, Oregon.  It would be the
last time I transplanted the Forget Me Nots.

I had taken snippets of them from state to state, Oklahoma, Missouri, California, New Jersey, and back to Oregon, changing homes 3 times – planting the last snips under my favorite corner tree, facing the bay, looking towards our neighbor’s homes.

It was a change in seasons for us, a time of growing up, moving from the sin filled selfish activities of younger twenties, and moving into responsible parental driven thirties.

These were the flowers belonging to my grandmother. 
The one who prayed me through from birth to just a bit after graduation when she went home to sit at His Knee
pleading face to face for me.

I left the flowers~
       knowing that I would not forget, 
               - her homesteading life or ways, 
                - her simple lifestyle,
                -  her simple child like faith,
                -  her passion and love of the Word,
                  - her fingers always busy, 
                      - the midnight prayer warrior.
       We were moving into her home on Libby Drive. 

I knew there would be Forget Me Nots there, not only in the earth, but in her touches around the property in memories. 

This spring, 2010, returning to the coast after six years on the high desert – six springs without seeing these tiny detailed colored symetrical marvels be the first to greet spring, it all came flooding back to me, the joy of seeing them year after year, flourishing. Begging us to remember – New Birth, Resurrection, Peace, Joy, Submission, Repentance, Obedience, Patience -  A Life Lived For the King. We spent those years in between learning  - listening – growing into the woman that the Lord would want us to be, a woman my grandmother raised me to be.

We live on  quite a large piece of property, and now with the sign of spring all around us – prompted by 60 degree temps and rain -  the Forget Me Nots compete with the Rhodies, Daffodils,  Flowering Maples, Pansies, Daisies, Skunk Cabbage and the fresh brush growth of Spring.

This week, my youngest son went on a walk in the morning-  his walk with the dog, where he sings to the Lord and wanders the back woods. He came back declaring that he had found the perfect flower.  A tear dripped as I realized the New Flower he had picked was the very bunch of  flowers I had photographed earlier in the morning. How I wanted to cry and pour out my story to him -  But I took Breath, Allowed is Moment - of flower presentation, and the kiss on the cheek that he expected, and the hug. 

In time, I will tell him the story of his Great Grandma,
and her Forget Me Nots but she would want me to just put those perfect little buds in a vase and hug that lil ol boy.

Join Darcy in the Tuesday Sweet Shot Day!

Snakes are Out

I’ll file this under the Lake Schooling, even though we were at the beach when we  they found them . . . . There is a parking area with a park and a pond on the east side of the lake – the boys ran over to check out the pond and came back with two snakes.  Yuck. I really don’t care for snakes. They said there were quite a few, and no matter how many times they picked them up, the snakes went back to the same place each time.  They are still a bit upset with me for not letting them take a couple home. 

Nate Found a Moss Nest

After the road side county workers came by clearing the road, this lone ball of moss was dangling from the blackberry briars.

Hanging in a crazy position right next to the road, we took it down to look at it.  After flipping it over, we saw it was a nest.  Beautiful! Speaking of Beautiful – here is  shot of the sunset that was warming our backs as Jon and I made our Popscicle Town.

  Taken off the deck on March 2nd, 2010

Skittish Buffleheads

I love watching the buffleheads from the window, but at the first sound or movement, they fly away. This morning I walked around the house to try to get a close up.  One click of the camera is all they would allow. I wonder how amazing their hearing is?

So I moved on to Yard Flowers. :)

The Rhodies are blooming in vibrant rainbow colors around town, but they are still holding out, waiting, in our yard. . . . .

Passing Squalls & Gutters

We woke up to the pleasant sound of soft rain. Still, calm morning. Warmed the house by baking Grandma Ruth’s Buttermilk Biscuits and warming peaches in the sauce pan with butter and brown sugar.

Awana verses and math at the table with coffee and the whole family.

And then the Squall came – Hard rain. Sideways Rain. Pounds the house.  Uh-Oh. Water pouring out of the gutters. Which means – Someone has to go out on the ladder when the squall passes.  We could see the break in the clouds -

So now Jon has a new favorite activity – Gutter Cleaning.

He likes that just a tiny amount of needles can cause the water to back up, that two Sitka spruce cones can block the whole line, that you get to climb ladders. He offered to just walk the roof line to get out the tiny items, but Um, NO.  So – the sudden hard downpour cleaned off the roof, the boy cleaned out the gutters, and I don’t have to get the black gunk on my fingers. Pretty much a perfect day.

Walking on Water

My youngest son turns out to share my joy for photography! He likes to go out the front door and “sneak attack” the birds. The little birds can hear the sliding glass door open and seem to assume that the dog will be the first to greet them and they fly away quickly.

Here is a photo of his attempt this morning of some darling little coots on the yard. They have the tiniest little stick legs and TINY little web feet. They sort of look like Quail up on the grass.

As soon as they got a drift of the sneak photographer – the flew away – or did they run away?

Thanks Uncle Sam

Well, we have the boat all blown up and repaired - ready for some fun! - Then found out that Uncle Sam has regulated us out of the water!

Paddle Fee for a boat over 10 ft - $7.00
Regstration for a boat of 15 feet - $45.00 + $5.00 invasive species fee = $50.00
Boat Education Cards for 4 - around $120.00

So - We spent the Boat Education Card monies on a trolling motor - that the boys are able to drive - (Jon can't drive until he is 12 on our outboard). Registered the boat for a V-Day gift to hubby, which covers the Paddle Fee. (rolls eyes)  We will get registered in a class to take the test for the card in a bit – but this is the fast way to get on the lake. :)

Great Backyard Bird Count - Outdoor Nature Challenge

We have quite a few Coots, Mallards, Greebes, Mergsanger, Heron, 1 Eagle, Kingfisher, 2 White Egrets. Here are a few spotted on a boat ride this morning, the last bit of the ride we let the bird lovin dog in the water. :)

Spring Flowers on Valentines Day

We planted some early flowers on the patio on February 14th to brighten the pots while we wait for the roses to re-grow. :) The flowers in the yard are budding out, looks like we will have a wall of honeysuckle on the south side of the yard. LOVE spring on the coast!

Fishing at Dusk

What a glorious day on the coast today!  I started my morning with a two and a half mile walk on the beach, blue skies, white wave caps, green glass waves.  We took the boys to a favorite spot for a couple of hours this afternoon to play in the tide pools, then home this evening to this glorious weather.  I BBQ’d some angus beef while the boys tried their hand at some trout fishing on Devils Lake. We’ve seen quite a few jumping, but did not see any or get any hits tonight. We still do not have all of the proper registration, so we just paddle a little bit out into the deeper water and enjoy. :) I’m a bit sad that they didn’t get a bite – but not as deeply as I am GLAD that I’m not cleaning fish right now. . . . .  (but don’t tell the boys).

Lake Unschooling on the Oregon Coast. :) 

Crawdad Eggs

Nate did wonder what the eggs would taste like, but I assure you she was returned to her log unharmed post photo op. Nice little Crawdad mom with her eggs.  :)

Where Nathan Turns 12 and We Build a Boat!

We have an Avon inflatable boat – oh the memories. We used to crab, fish, explore – in Coos County, up the Coos River, across the bar, and out in the Pacific Ocean.  The Crab Feasts! Bon Fires!  Moving to the High Desert, it got packed up and stored, and moved, and moved, and then moved again.  When we disassembled it 5 years ago, a tiny board split in the flooring.  But like your tiniest toe, it was the most painful of breaks.  It holds the flooring secure to the boat.  For Father’s Day this year, Nathan asked his friend Nicholas to make us a new board – and he did! It has taken us several steps since moving back to the coast to get all the pieces fixed up and ready for a voyage – tonight we finally got ‘er put in the water.

The boys will be tethered by a 100-200 foot cord – enough to wander, but not get lost.  Enough to be out far enough in the deep to fish, far enough to paddle.  Good times.

We still have the Yamaha outboard motor that we use to cross the bar, we need to get the spring maintenance done, get regulated with all of the new rules since we moved, and fix the tires on the trailer – and then we can cut loose with the Siletz River!  For now, it will be some floating, paddling, and a little bit of motoring around East Devils Lake in Lincoln City. :)

Happy Birthday Nathan – what a fun party getting this put together!

    

Fun Times ahead!