When the burdensome moment passes,
And I turn for just a glance
At the mountain You have moved,
And the way that You helped me through...
I will revel in Your glory.
I will shout my thanks and praise.
I will treasure mountain moments,
As You straighten paths and guide the way.

When the mountain looms,
I cry to You;
I stretch my heart,
But still fall short.
Though I think there's faith,
I find the lack,
But it's filled by You
As You hold me back...
And move the mountain.

I will revel in Your glory
I will shout my thanks and praise
I will treasure mountain moments
As You straighten paths and guide the way.


A.D.W.    2009

Fall is in full swing!  A Southern wind on Tuesday became a North wind on Wednesday, and morning lows dropped from upper 60's to mid 40's in two days' time.  Brr!  Possibilities of a low in the 30's this weekend is a little bit of a concern, as my tomato plants are loaded with green tomatoes.  Just a little early to be quite that low.  Yikes!  We'll see what happens.  The garden has wound down in many respects.  Squash are almost completely done, and cucumbers are nearly so.  Tomatoes will keep going until the frost hits.  My melon are mostly done, and the corn crop was a total dissappointment this year.  Pumpkins, too.  I'm hoping my pole beans do well.  There are loads of blossoms, but I had a hard time finding any for the festival.

Speaking of the festival, last week was busy, but fun.  We entered 72 items in the fair...an average of 9 per person participating from our household.  Much of our produce did well, with 13 yo son earning first place ribbons on all of his entries.  5 yo son picked a watermelon, and got a grand champion ribbon on it.  I got lot champion ribbons on my yellow pear tomatoes and on my "Long of Naples" winter squash (28.2 lbs.).  13 yo entered the big (31.2 lbs) watermelon, which got a first.  10 yo dd earned several ribbons with her sculpey clay artwork, and with her decorated cake.  I entered some of my last year's poems, one of which received a second and a reserve lot champion.  The judge's remarks indicate that he/she wasn't all that taken with most of them, as the one ribbon-winning entry said, "At last...continuity"...oh, well.  The poems with Christian reference seemed to receive the worst marks and comments.  The ribbon winning one, "The Quiet Sounds of Evening".  Gotta laugh, though...many of my poems are a little disjoint because of the manner in which they come together, reflective of a busy Mom who must grab the moments as they present themselves.  New strategy next time I enter more than one item:  package and print them all differently so as not to cause the judge an attitude if they dislike one or more.  Grin!

Fall in our corner of the desert means birthdays, and we have two coming this month.  We will also be watching our flock of turkeys fatten up for Thanksgiving and beyond, Lord willing.  One of the hens had a limp, and perhaps hurt its leg.  We butchered it yesterday.  14 lbs. after cleaning it.  2 years ago, the hen we had for Thanksgiving dinner weighed in at 30 lbs. after it was butchered and cleaned.  It had nearly 2 more months to fatten up, though.  Turkey cooking tomorrow, and a little time to wait before the next one. 

Soccer is still busy, kicking back into gear after the Fall Festival break.  14 yo dd has 4 games to go before the high school JV season is finished.  The other kids have games through the first week of November, and then playoffs for the older 2.  Busy, chilly weeks ahead.  And, that's the news for now from the ranch!  Blessings!

Slowing of the season,

Autumn breezes dust my face

With the drying leaves

Of slowing crops;

Production takes a lesser pace.


Tangled vines

And cooling days

Evidence the summer's grace;

Earth giving forth,

In each season, its due.

God's bountiful provision,

My reflection in

The season's change.


A.D.W.   2009

Nation on its knees,
Bowed in grief and disbelief.
Nation on its face,
Plundered by an angry thief
Who seeks to steal, to kill,
Destroy...
Who glories when
he steals our joy.
And yet, his seeming victory
his greatest loss
When we're brought to our knees;
For worship and prayer,
Faith and trust,
Are treasures that
Will never rust.
Though war is waged,
he's missed the mark,
For he stirs us up
And the Father calls,
And we bend and are broken
For the Father's heart
For a dying world,
And we stand and we march
On in His name,
Carry a torch, speaking His word,
Promises claim.

Press on,
He is coming!
Press on,
He is here!
There is hope in His name...
His glory is near.


A.D.W.   September 17, 2001

Ginny at Proverbs 22:6 Academy conferred this award upon my humble little blog...grin!  Thanks, Ginny.  I don't know if I can comply with the requirements, as I've been a little neglectful of my homeschoolblogger buddies, and with the household computers dedicated to school right now, probably won't be able to pass it on to the 7 or so that I am supposed to share the award with.  Still, I suppose I can comply with the sharing of 10 honest things about myself...well, maybe.    Let's see...

1.  I hated gardening as a kid...love it as an adult.

2.  I'm very disorganized!  Hubby is very organized.  Just compare my purse to his wallet, and you'll see.

3.  I hate to cook from recipes.  If I can't wing it, it's very rare I'll fix it.  Unless I'm baking.

4.  I hate beets.  I grew some this year, but even the exotic looking ones still taste slimy.  Yuck.

5.  I love Dr. Seuss books because they rhyme!

6.  I can't wait 'til the Fall Festival!  It's two weeks away, and the kids and I usually have a blast entering arts, crafts, homegrown veggies, and baked goods!  I'm starting to think about which poems I want to enter this year.

7.  My best poems sometimes start with the oddest thoughts or in the most unusual places, like the shower.  The things that inspire me to write are works of the Lord, both those recorded in the Bible and those in my life, as well as nature and mountains, and of course, listening to Rich Mullins or my hubby on his guitar. 

8.  I'm a terrible housekeeper.  Too easily distracted.

9.  I hate driving!  Teaching my 16 yo is gonna be a challenge.

10.  I love fishing, but don't like eating the fish so much.  I kinda cringe when people order fish at a restaurant...not my favorite!  LOL!

I'll have to do the passing on of the award at a different juncture, as the day has dawned and kids need tending!

Blessings from the ranch! 

Shadow of a blessing

In the shadow of a doubt;

Uncertainty that tugs the heart

As emboldened feet step out.


Hearken my heart, Lord;

Strengthen my faith.

Lift up my arms.

Don't let me faint.


There would not be shadows

If there were not light;

The shadow of the blessing

Is keeping You in sight.



A.D.W.     2009

Nothing more than a black sheep;
Nothing less than His own kin!
Unblemished One,
The perfect Son,
In mercy, took me in.
No spot or stain upon Him,
The sacrificial Lamb,
Lifted high in grave dishonor,
Honors this unworthy one.
I am nothing more than a black sheep,
Unfit to pay the price;
Purchased by His perfect gift...
Unblemished, worthy sacrifice...
Nothing less, now, than His kin,
With an everlasting, perfect hope
That only comes through Him.



ADW 2009

Midnight dance...
The rabbits prance
To and fro across the plain;
Coyote cry...
The bunnies fly
Off to hide in the desert terrain.

Morning mountain landscape
And slowly fading haze;
Chilly air...
The prancing hare
Fades into the morning
To rest a bit
'Til it's time to dance
The night away again!



A.D.W.   2009

Or trying, I should say!

Lots of little snippets!

Shepherd boy...
Caretaker's joy
As he moves amidst the flock;
Watchful eye,
Compassionate heart...
That of a humble king.
Concern for his charge,
Love directs all
From shepherd to king,
With a high and honored call.

Carpenter boy...
Builder's joy
To finish each pressing task.
Keenest eye to the work...
Heart that recognized, in union with touch,
The finished feel of the crafted piece;
From carpenter to king,
With a high and honored call.



A.D.W.   2009

Insufficient love...
When pressed,
My heart spews forth
Reviling thought,
Offending words,
Returning wrong
When another hurts;
Insufficient love.

All sufficient One...
Only You
Can move beyond
The lack of love
In me.
Conditions of
My hardened heart,
Unconditionally cleansed
Through Your perfect work...
A love that expands
And unconditionally extends
Beyond all that I lack,
Overwhelming and driving
Unconditional fact
Of your sufficiency.


A.D.W.   2009

An empty weed-filled bed;
Passersby take little note.
A sneer,
A glance, and then, away;
Eyes quickly turn
From the rundown place.

An empty weed-filled bed...
One pair of eyes rest long;
Garden gaze into bygone days.
Faintest of smiles at remembered warmth,
Faithfully tended and carefully groomed,
Whilst prayers gently offered,
Life, graciously pondered,
In bountiful, beautiful, growing time
Rest heavy in the wistful mind.


A.D.W.   2009

Time, as I see it...
Time, from my view,
Often drags in fulfilling
The promises due
To complete the sum of Your word.

Time as You see it
Is filled with Your grace,
Lending the option
For all to embrace
The promises given;
The sum of Your word
Gives time, that all might come
Unto You.

Time passing and hinting...
Fulfillment will be
According to Your time.


A.D.W.   2009

Early mornings are nice, sometimes the only quiet concentration where I can just think my own thoughts!  Grin.  You know...not thinking through who needs what done when.  Not thinking over the errands to do and the errands forgotten yesterday and so forth.  So, this morning was nice...watched a John Denver concert after hubby went to work, which, of course, inspired my poetic senses to complete some stuff in my files.  Don't know how well it turned out, but the file of partially completed ideas had grown, so I did a little work with it.  Still have a lot of incomplete work.  But it was fun. 

Sports are the activity of the week.  We met one of three soccer coaches this weekend.  DD is on a team which includes two sets of siblings composing 5 of the 9 team members.  Along with two other teammates and DD, we have a pretty good looking team, skillwise.  14 yo is getting in shape, and 13 yo ds got some extra batting instruction yesterday, and was hitting really well.  He has games this weekend.  14 yo has a carwash.  Mom and Dad have shuttle service.  Double grin!

The tomatoes are kicking into gear in the garden!  You know it's getting there when you can serve tacos for four days in a row, and not have to purchase tomatoes to supplement.  The cucumbers are slowly getting there...I picked 3 last night.  They're looking good...just wish more had taken.  My pole beans are climbing, and I got 3 beans off the bush bean plants...ummm....I think I still have a couple of gallon ziplocs in the freezer from last year...gotta get busy.  DS spotted 3 watermelons in the back corner.  I really hope they get as big as the seed company's info indicated.  Lots of stuff going to seed...radishes, lettuce, spinach...need to check on seed saving info! 

The turkeys are getting quite big...of the 8, I think at least 2 are Toms.  Might have to separate at least one of them out so we don't end up with fighting Toms.   I'll probably switch to the finisher feed for at least one, so that I don't end up slaughtering a bird that has no fat.  Last year we had 3 Toms, one died due to fighting, we thought.  We slaughtered another so there wouldn't be any further senseless loss.  That bird was pretty dry when it was all said and done, not much fat.  The feeds are altered the last several weeks to fatten them up a bit.  I'd like to actually have one, come Thanksgiving, that weighs in as nicely as the one we had two years ago. 

I picked up a pair of Belgian Quail at the feed store last week.  I've thought it might be nice to try raising them as a small meat bird.  Hubby teased me last night, said I got taken.  They look more like chickens than like the desert quail we're used to seeing.  Nevertheless, I'm gonna see how it all turns out.  We lost a pheasant yesterday.  One of the families on the soccer team was our source for the pheasants and pheasant eggs.  Relieved to know that their hatch rate wasn't super spectacular either.  The male pheasant has pretty feathers coming in. 

Well, enough rambling for the morning.  Little ones are stirring, and I have a few things to do before the day is full force.  Busy garden morning, busy sports afternoon.  Abundant life!

Blessings from the ranch!

At the manger
I find no heavenly glow;
At the manger
I find no glistening snow.
At the manger
I find no luxurious robes,
Just a babe in humble state.


At the manger
I find, simple and weak,
The one who will lead
And the one I must seek...
The simplicity of a newborn babe,
The complexity of the incarnate King.
At the manger I kneel,
At the manger I see
Ultimate sacrifice
Laid out for me.
In the weakest form,
The Mighty One speaks
His love everlasting
Which gently seeks
My heart.

At the manger I find
How great His love,
That He would come
To lay down all for me.


A.D.W.   2009