http://www.diaryof1.com Life As it Is Sat, 05 Jul 2008 17:57:15 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Today's photohunt theme is pointed. The pointed spade smoothes on the mortar for the pointed rocks. This section of wall is part of the outer front facade of our home. The rock work may be done by the end of the weekend - one step closer to moving in! The Lord ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/07/05/photohunt-pointed-rock-and-spade/ JoJo and JJ would like to wish you all a Happy 4th of July! They say "We love America" and hope you do, too. We enjoyed our hometown Independence Day parade this morning, and the girls got their fill of horses...and candy. I call them "professional parade goers" since they never ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/07/04/independence-day/ Ho, ho, ho!! Merry Christmas in July from my little soap-beard-Santa. For more Wordless Wednesday, visit the main page. ****** Blog carnivals: Carnival of Family Life Carnival of Homeschooling Christian Carnival The Homesteading Carnival Technorati Tags: children, Christmas in July, wordless Wednesday http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/07/02/ww-christmas-in-july/ This next weekend ushers in the birthday of the United States of America! Here are a few word pictures from this past week from me, in small town America, 232 years and still going. I've included the good, the bad, and the ugly, but as you'll see, in America, we ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/06/29/america-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/ "Your students would really like you, Mom." My almost 9-year-old son was speaking in a serious voice, knowingly pointing to his head. I was a classroom teacher before I had all these kids, and I was talking to my young ones about teaching. I smiled, completely warmed by his sweetness. "You ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/06/24/its-all-in-the-glasses/ By My Husband The walls are up and the paint is on - now it's time to head for the finish line, so to speak. It feels really good to have the structure done, the wires in the wall, the pipes in and the shingles on the roof. If only this ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/06/23/finish-strong/ WHAT is this??? I'm so sorry to post such a disgusting picture. My apologies in advance if you have nightmares about this enormous arthropod crawling in your bed tonight. The kids found this on our property, and I can't for the life of me figure out what it could be. I've ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/06/22/the-unknown-insect-thats-giving-me-nightmares/ I just read an encouraging story of miraculous provision from the hand of God. It's from my daily Bible reading, and is found in 2 Kings 4:1-7. There is a widow - her husband was a prophet under Elisha. She is desperate because with her husband now dead, and no ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/06/20/dont-ask-for-just-a-few/ by My Husband Framing is done and the electrical wire is in the wall. Now it's time to put some "rock" on the walls. Before you do, be sure to check your walls for warped studs and other defects. Most can be fixed with a handplaner or by shimming, and this ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/06/18/drywall-and-paint/ I do need grease, however. I was kept up half the night by the continuous, high pitched, squeak of a wheel. A little mouse, running on his little wheel, squeaking his little squeak, invading my sweet little dreams. Not a metaphor, my dear reader, this was reality. Big L saved up ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/06/17/the-squeaky-wheelgets-locked-in-the-bathroom/ I was commenting today over at Tipper's blog, Blind Pig & the Acorn, on her Father's Day post, and I'm reposting my comment right here, because it's a good follow up to my previous post. Tipper blogs about her Appalachian heritage, a favorite subject of mine (with my own Appalachian ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/06/15/revisiting-fathers-day/ I am fatherless. On Father's Day, I celebrate my husband as father of our children. But I'm still reminded that I am fatherless. You say God is my father. I've heard many, many sermons about how even if you don't have an earthly father, God is your heavenly father, and ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/06/15/for-the-fatherless-on-fathers-day/ "Mom! Look!" I had walked right by the 4-point deer shed, trying to keep my eye on the six children running wildly through our Juniper forest, praying the littlest ones wouldn't trip on all the volcanic rock outcroppings. We had company, and they hadn't seen our property yet, so off ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/06/12/of-deer-sheds-and-eggshells/ I interrupt my irregularly scheduled blogging for a station blog identification. Have to let you know of a few blog carnivals, giveaways, sponsors... The Carnival of Country Living has been posted. The Christian Carnival is up, The Carnival of Homeschooling is going strong, and The Carnival of Family Life continues as ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/06/12/blog-roundups/ by My Husband Breaking ground is exciting. After much planning and paperwork it's finally time to actually start moving some dirt. For our home, I took on the task of doing the "site prep" and "push out" myself. With a flat building lot and blueprints in hand it didn't seem too ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/06/11/foundation-to-roof/ Welcome to the Homesteading Carnival Oregon Trail Edition! The articles will be arranged around details of the Oregon Trail, so let's pack our wagons and head west. The Oregon Trail was a route to not only Oregon, but the only feasible pathway to the entire western United States. Travel to places ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/06/09/homesteading-carnival-oregon-trail-edition/ I just drew the lucky winner of my Father's Day Giveaway - commenter #13, Julie from Pounding the Pavement, who is an Oregon State University fan. People, this was not staged, I really did a random draw! But this is the same Julie who is my good friend, about whom ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/06/07/the-hometown-girl-wins/ Hey, a reminder about my Father's Day Giveaway! Leave a comment on this post, letting me know your favorite team logo item under $30 from my online sports store, TeamMASCOT.com. Goodness, only one more day for this contest, enter by the end of tomorrow, Friday, June 6! AND, Debi S. of ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/06/05/fathers-day-giveaway/ The Homesteading Carnival will be hosted here at Diary of 1 this coming Monday, June 9. You can submit your blog post/article HERE by Sunday at 9 p.m. EST. The Homesteading blog carnival description reads: A carnival full of homesteading articles… from your kitchen with yummy recipes, your sewing room with homemaking ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/06/05/calling-all-homesteaders/ by My Husband Strangely enough, when undertaking a building project you'll receive a flood of marital counseling. For me, it came from a few friends, first the realtor and then the mortgage guy. They all say, with a certain seriousness, to be careful not to let the building experience ruin or ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/06/03/planning-prep/ Almost 12 years ago, we had our first dance as man and wife. It was in the old Franklin Grange outside Eugene, Oregon, just across the road from the tall-spired century old church where the wedding was held. I in my lovely white dress, handmade by a local dressmaker, he ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/06/02/still-dancin/ Yesterday was an interesting day of firsts. The kiddos found a chirping nest full of baby birds (children, do NOT touch!) and happened upon (cued by loud barking from the dog) a nest of wild baby bunnies jackrabbits (children, do NOT touch!). As we drove home late in the evening, ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/06/01/june-random-stuff-blogging-ranching-giving-away/ Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17Giving thanks today. Iris at Sting My Heart hosts the Thankful Thursday meme, and I thought I'd participate. I actually desperately need to participate today. ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/05/29/giving-thanksfor-bread-and-beans/ Apparently, from what I've heard lately, folks with Internet Explorer 7 can't see me. At least, not right away. It sounds like they are met with a blank yellowish screen and only upon scrolling waaaay down does my blog appear. Could you please give me some blog feedback? My husband/tech guy/designer ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/05/29/can-you-see-me/ In the high desert of Central Oregon lies one small valley, so green and fertile that one forgets for a moment which side of the Cascades this is. The fields are grassy, the elk wander down from the hills to graze with the cattle, and the verdant hills rise up ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/05/26/the-farmers-wife/ Aloha, it's Friday!! I've been so very busy, excuse me if I haven't been out a'visitin' in my usual way. Everything has collided this time of year, from our building project to spring projects and work duties and beyond. I think most of us are in the same boat! But, I ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/05/23/why-do-you-love-the-blogging/ My kids were picking up old tin cans on the other side of her field. I watched with some admiration how the owner of the field, a strong, determined looking woman, was quickly moving pipes to irrigate the field for her cattle. I had seen her before on a tractor ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/05/21/the-artist/ A quick little check-in here! If you were wondering, I've moved my friend Pixie's "feature" story until Wednesday, May 21. She's been out of town, celebrating her fabulous 50th! I've been busy and had company as well...and today is my husband's birthday, so my family is further wrapped up in ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/05/19/happy-monday/ When we're done checking out our books at the library, JoJo loves to read with "statue girl" who appears to be permanently attached to this child-sized bench in the foyer. I might catch a snatch of conversation, and JoJo sits real close and just enjoys the company of her bronzed ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/05/16/imaginary-friend-anyone/ Would you like to see what we've been up to at the ranch? The outside is nearly done, save for some dormers, the porch, and landscaping. Here's the view from the east side. Inside, we've been busy, busy. Drywall and texture is now complete, and tomorrow we begin painting. We spent ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/05/13/meanwhile-back-at-the-ranch/ I met Julie at a church women's retreat a few months after moving to Central Oregon. I'd seen her leading worship on several occasions, and thought somebody should turn up the mike. I was thrilled when we ended up rooming together at the retreat. That first night was the typical ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/05/11/making-music/ HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY, all you moms, grandmothers, great-grandmothers, god-mothers, and lovers of little ones!! My husband captured this sweet moment with my littlest a few weeks ago. For Mother's Day, I'd like to repost a tiny piece I wrote over a year ago, and in fact it was only the second ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/05/10/magnum-opus-happy-mothers-day/ May 8, 1948, Israel declared its independence. On May 14, Israel celebrates its official Independence Day. I support Israel. Visit the Israel @ 60 information headquarters for events in Washington, D.C. and around the country. Technorati Tags: Israel Independence, Israel http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/05/08/happy-60th-israel/ It's that time of year; I'll have syrup and sunshine on my pancakes, please. Wordless Wednesday. Technorati Tags: breakfast al fresco, outdoors, children http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/05/07/breakfast-al-fresco/ "The Crazy Way We Met" is the topic for this month's Marriage Monday group writing project at Chrysalis. I was on a long and torturous bus trip from Eugene, Oregon down to Catalina Island, California, with dozens of junior high youth group kids for their spring break church camp. This was ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/05/05/the-crazy-way-we-met-it-all-started-on-the-road-to-catalina-island/ Welcome to Buffy's kitchen, where she bakes about 3,000 cookies a week and makes a nice addition to her family's income. As long as I've known Buffy, she's always loved cookies and cookie dough, so when she told me she was thinking about starting a home cookie business, it seemed ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/05/04/the-baker/ My Aloha Friday Question is this: Did you have a childhood attachment, like a "security" blanket, a pacifier, a bottle, or a special bear you couldn't part with?From the loveable Linus eternally dragging his blanket to that maddening Maggie Simpson sucking on her pacifier with every breath, a child's need for ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/05/02/even-my-dog-has-a-blankie/ My two country boys. Wordless Wednesday. Technorati Tags: brothers, children, country, wordless Wednesday http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/04/29/brothers/ 1. The Carnival of Homeschooling is up with a futuristic theme; lots of good posts including: Classical Education, Logical Fallacies, and Mushrooms Ben Stein' Expelled Non-metric Measurements, and Poetry 2. I always find some interesting perspectives on the absurdities of our culture and world at the Carnival of the Insanities, including these: Throwing Bashar a ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/04/29/blog-rounds/ Hmmm, I say, what is this slick, button-y surface and colorful pixeled screen? Oh, I see, if I grip the keys just so, and push.... Now, that was pretty simple, and it only took me about 4 billion years to figure out. Or not. p.s., the lady of the house was really freaked ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/04/28/the-intelligent-lizard/ Welcome to the Carnival of Family Life: Tea Edition! I'm so glad you're here, please sit a spell and I'll put the kettle on. I'll be weaving a bit of the fascinating story of tea into my presentation of blog posts, and I hope you'll be thinking of warm conversations ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/04/28/carnival-of-family-life-tea-edition/ Little girls love tea parties, but so do big girls like me, and even the little boys in my family want a part in the fun -- my eight year old son would like to be the server, and my three year old son just wants to eat the goodies. ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/04/27/a-strawberry-tea-party/ Warning, gentle reader: This is a spoof. I am not as shallow as Paris Hilton. This is merely poking fun at a ridiculous publicity stunt by a disturbed celebrity. Welcome to the Diary of 1 search for a new BBF (Best Bloggy Friend)!! This is a reality bloggity show where only ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/04/25/the-diary-of-1-search-for-a-new-bbf-best-bloggy-friend/ When did his scooter sprout a motor? When did those endearing "vroom-vroom" noises of my baby begin to emit from a big, scary machine and not his pouty little lips? As every parent knows, and as every older parent loves to tell the younger parents, they grow up so fast. Here ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/04/24/how-can-i-possibly-have-a-child-old-enough-to-ride-a-motorcycle/ Calling for submissions from all you bloggers who write about family! Graciously maintained by Colloquium, the Carnival of Family Life is a weekly posting of family fare, including humor, parenting advice, family health and finance, education and more. You may submit your family-related post, by this Sunday at 12:00 a.m. ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/04/24/carnival-of-family-life-up-next-here/ A commenter made a good observation on my previous post about the case of the Wisconsin high school art student receiving a Zero and subsequent detentions for including in his landscape drawing a cross and the lettering "John 3:16." The student, named as A.P. in a lawsuit against the school ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/04/22/religious-rights-of-students-in-public-education/ The blog carnivals are great places to browse for topical subjects. Here's the latest: Carnival of the Insanities Carnival of Family Life Festival of Frugality Carnival of Homeschooling Do you know of another fabulous blog carnival? Let me know! The winner of my ziplock-bag-books (The Child's Spring Book) is commenter #9, Shannon at Song of my ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/04/22/some-blog-business/ There is nothing like the changing of seasons to make me want to freshen up my home décor. And with spring now in full swing (despite the brief flurry of snow today), I went hunting for some simple home decorating ideas to fit my frugal budget. My first suggestion is to ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/04/20/simple-spring-decorating/ The Tomah Area School District in Wisconsin has a policy that bans Christian symbols in students' artwork, leading to a high school student receiving a Zero on his illustration depicting a landscape with a cross and the lettering "John 3:16." Michelangelo, Raphael, Da Vinci, Caravaggio, Rembrandt, Giotto, and the rest of ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/04/19/its-a-good-thing-raphael-didnt-attend-public-school-in-modern-day-wisconsin/ She tried to hide the card under my pillow last night, but Dad shooed her off to bed, not knowing her mission. This morning she was grumpy-sad because her big brother had taken the card from its safe-keeping under her own pillow and placed it in what he thought was ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/04/17/when-your-6-year-old-makes-you-cry/ Do you have a favorite hymn? Linnet's Nest asked this question, and shared hers. Thank you, Linnet, that was beautiful. I think Linnet should do a podcast sometime so we can all hear the lovely British accent that I know she has. My favorite hymn is Be Thou My Vision. I ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/04/16/be-thou-my-vision/ I'm pleased to announce the winner of my Gardening with Children book: commenter #17, AreWeThereYetMom, your book will be on the way shortly! Roots, Shoots, Buckets & Boots: Gardening Together With Children is sure to delight your whole family! Thank you so much, everyone who left me a comment on ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/04/15/roots-shoots-buckets-boots-winner/ Welcome to the 45th Carnival of Homesteading! If you've been around here when I host a Blog Carnival, you know how much I love themes! But, alas, I had issues. Computers, kids, work, and some other meanies all conspired against me. Or maybe I was just lazy. So here is a ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/04/14/carnival-of-homesteading-45/ Spring is here! It came, then ducked under a series of freak hailstorms and a blanket of snow, only to emerge this weekend for good. The kids and I basked in a perfect April day on Friday, obeying the chipper call of the season to go for a hike. I present ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/04/13/the-childs-spring-book/ This week's theme: Twist(ed) About 1/4 mile down the road from me, this twisted barbed wire fence marks the boundary between one old farm and another. At times it held back cattle, at times perhaps a feud. Technorati Tags: barbed wire fence, country, photo hunt, ranch, farm http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/04/11/saturday-photo-scavenger-hunt-twisted/ I am barely squeaking this one in...SmallWorld's Spring Poetry Contest. Ends April 10, which as I write, West Coast Time, is over in 6 minutes. This poem is called Morning, which I liken to Spring. If you take the stages of a day, then morning would be spring in my calendar ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/04/11/morning/ My, another blog carnival is on the way! The Homesteading Carnival will be hosted here at Diary of 1 this coming Monday, April 14. You can submit your blog post/article HERE by Sunday at 9 p.m. EST. This blog carnival description reads: A carnival full of homesteading articles... from your kitchen with ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/04/10/homesteading-blog-carnival-call-for-submissions/ Total earnings: $1.35. Lessons learned by the girls: (from Mom) Do not yell at passers-by. (from self) Sometimes it's your lucky day and someone gives you $1.00 instead of 25 cents. Sometimes someone gives you 35 cents instead of 25 cents. Sometimes you only have two customers. For Wordless Wednesday participants, visit ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/04/09/first-juice-stand/ Marriage: For Happiness or Holiness? This is the topic for the Marriage Monday group writing project over at Chrysalis. I admit I really didn't know where to begin on this topic because I was a little confused; I had never considered this view of marriage as either/or, but as both or ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/04/07/are-you-happy-or-are-you-holy/ Blogger, beware: your writing may be dangerous to your health, even fatal! So says the New York Times in yesterday's article about paid bloggers, especially tech bloggers, sucked into the round-the-clock Internet economy: Two weeks ago in North Lauderdale, Fla., funeral services were held for Russell Shaw, a prolific blogger on ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/04/07/death-by-blogging-and-other-news/ We've been spending some time in the dirt getting the soil ready to start a garden. And no surprise, children are drawn to dirt like nothing else! You mean you want me to dig holes? I'm allowed to get filthy and mucky? To direct that childish energy and wonder into ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/04/06/gardening-with-children/ Aloha, it's Friday! My fun question for you today is this: Has your child - or do you remember your own from childhood - ever come up with any funny conceptions of God, Heaven, or Hell?Here is my answer, from a very amusing incident last week: Now that JoJo has turned 5, ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/04/04/five-year-olds-solution-to-hell/ For more Wordless Wednesday participants, visit 5 Minutes for Mom or the Wordless Wednesday hub. Technorati Tags: catching raindrops, children, outdoor play, spring, rain, wordless Wednesday http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/04/02/ww-how-to-catch-a-raindrop/ I had a terrible scare this afternoon that led me to even know the following information: The latest statistics from CDC show a yearly fatality of over 23,000 unintentional poisoning deaths. Non-fatal injuries (per year) for unintentional poisonings were a whopping 703,702. In the United States alone. Unintentional poisoning is second ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/03/31/the-poison-post/ Hello, and welcome to Business 101. Today, I share a story from my lovely family. I am Mom, Dad is my husband, Big L is our eight-year-old son and first-born genius. There is also Little L, the three-year-old who hangs around the fringes of this story, and not to be ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/03/31/business-101-from-an-eight-year-old/ The multimillionaire Swiss-born entrepreneur and winery magnate Donald Hess is switching his attention from Napa to a remote region of the Andes foothills in Argentina, in the province called Salta. In 2001, Hess added the Argentina holdings to his existing vineyards in California, South Africa, and Australia. After a visit to ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/03/30/altura-maxima-high-altitude-viticulture-in-argentina/ It's Aloha Friday over at An Island Life. Time to post a fun question for you, and be sure to check out the other participants at the link above. My question for today: What is one tidbit of your family history? Here is my answer, and I'd love to hear from you... My ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/03/28/the-appalachian-accent/ Welcome to the Christian Carnival CCXVII: Attributes of God Edition! I am honored to present such an expansive and quality array of posts this week. I've arranged the posts around several attributes of God, using the wonderful little book Praying the Attributes of God by Rosemary Jensen (former director ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/03/26/christian-carnival-ccxvii-attributes-of-god-edition/ This is a view of Mount Bachelor from Sparks Lake, from a hike we took last summer. Talk about The Perfect Day - we hiked and picnicked with dear family friends, and also our French exchange student. Of course, our French guest had to mention the Alps. Mount Bachelor is ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/03/25/oregon-beauty/ "Is this heaven?" "No. Oregon Iowa." If you've ever seen the movie Field of Dreams, you'll recognize that dialogue between John Kinsella and his son Ray Kinsella (Kevin Costner). And, of course, it was Iowa. But here's the Oregon version, a few days ago, in our front field - Dad and the ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/03/24/field-of-dreams/ Easter blessings to you all! Today I celebrate the reason I can live. Here is some wonderful news out of Italy, a Muslim converts to Christianity. Italy's most prominent Muslim commentator, a journalist with iconoclastic views such as support for Israel, converted to Roman Catholicism Saturday when the pope baptized him ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/03/23/christ-is-risen-happy-easter/ I trust your Good Friday was good. This year, my little JoJo had her birthday on Good Friday. She enjoyed a happy celebration with many friends. As for me, I just loved all the moms who came and I basked in the rare opportunity to fellowship with all these ladies ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/03/21/good-friday-and-call-for-submissions/ Here's the Diary of 1 family waving to you from a pile of dirt our future garden. I love my garden stake. For more Wordless Wednesday participants, go to the WW hub or 5 Minutes for Mom. Technorati Tags: garden, dirt, garden stake, the ranch, wordless Wednesday http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/03/19/ww-greetings-from-the-garden/ Oh, the places you'll go. Dr. Seuss. I've been wandering all around. The Christian carnivals, Carnival of Family Life, food blogs, homeschooling blogs, homesteading blogs, BendBlogs. And principled government. Whew, I've been to a lot of places, and more to go! Puss ReBoots thinks I rock. Wow, what a compliment! I'm passing this ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/03/19/blog-touring/ Mondays are my busiest day of the week, and I had nothing prepared to post for St. Patrick's Day. My sister Heather has bailed me out. She called earlier and was telling me about the Irish soda bread she was baking with dinner. I begged her to stop in her ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/03/17/st-patricks-day-meal-from-my-sis/ I told my kids that we are going on a two day fast from asking for things. I saw over at Heather's that her family was fasting from complaining, and I knew I needed to steal her idea. I am worn down to raw nerves from everlasting requests for a glass ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/03/17/a-fast-from-asking/ Italy's tiny village of Sorbo Serpico in Campania's Irpinia region is home to the highly acclaimed Feudi di San Gregorio estate, established in 1986. For many years this southern Italian area was overlooked by other winemaking powerhouses to the north, but the folks at Feudi have tapped into the incredible ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/03/16/feudi-di-san-gregorio-southern-italys-ancient-vines/ My mom turned 79 years old today. Happy birthday, Mom. Here's my post from her last birthday. And, I dug up something I wrote three years ago about my mother. It's the first part of a longer story, and please, it's very unpolished and dusty from just sitting for three ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/03/15/happy-birthday-and-the-story-of-my-mom/ The crime scene, exactly as I found it. The three-year-old coveted his six- year-old sister's fish. He knows he is too little to feed the fish. We've warned him about putting foreign objects in the fish tank. And never is he to use the fish net and attempt to catch ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/03/13/a-three-year-old-and-a-fish/ I've had a dismal response to my Sports Giveaway, which ends tomorrow! (I'll extend it if I have to). I shouldn't complain, I've done next to nothing to promote it, and my main readers (Christian-women-moms-teachers-homeschoolers) are clearly not big sports fans. Ladies, I don't blame you a bit, I just ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/03/13/hello-sports-fan-doesnt-anyone-want-free-stuff/ This is a poignant song by some very talented ladies, but darn it, I mistake it for a Folger's commercial every time. I thought it was just me. But I confessed to my husband this evening that Point of Grace was sounding like an old coffee jingle, like..., "Folgers," he finished ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/03/12/is-this-a-christian-song-or-a-coffee-commercial/ Can I get a witness? I've created my own little "meme" and it's about the most important subject to me, my faith in God and life in Christ. More than anything, I like to hear people's stories of their faith journey - their testimony. Here is a bit of mine, ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/03/11/my-testimony/ We have a stone cold floor. Slippers or at least socks are a must in the winter and even spring to keep your toes from a bluish frost. In fact, it's a rule for the children to put socks on in the morning so they aren't tempted to huddle by ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/03/10/sneaking-permission-to-get-on-the-blanket/ The face of Central Oregon farming is changing, and wine grapes are the newcomer. Doug and Gina Maragas are the owners of the only winery in Central Oregon, and just last July planted their first acre of Vitis vinifera. Doug, a Greek/Italian with a long family history of wine making, and ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/03/09/maragas-winery-an-oregon-high-desert-experiment/ Welcome, I'm so glad you stopped by! The 5 Minutes for Mom blog is hosting another Ultimate Blog Party, which is basically a "carnival" to meet other mom bloggers and surely win some prizes! The idea is to go to their sites and browse through the hundreds of mom-bloggers who've ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/03/08/my-ultimate-blog-party-2008-a-giveaway/ It's a child's playground at the ranch, and always a unique adventure around the corner. Here are thirteen snapshots of my kids enjoying the land around our ranch, and they would like to invite their friends to come and: 1. Catch a lizard 2. Ride a tractor 3. Investigate old bones 4. Dig up ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/03/06/bone-and-stones-and-more-at-the-ranch/ "Can JoJo come to the birthday party?" read the email I hadn't yet responded to. I still don't know my answer and the party is at 3:30 this afternoon. The invitation was extended only to my 4 year old girl. My six year old girl had assumed that she would ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/03/05/an-integrated-family-in-a-segregated-world/ My eight year old son takes making pancakes very seriously, as you can see. This was the first time he did the entire process by himself. He mixed up the ingredients carefully following my recipe, and although he was prone to putting too many pancakes on the griddle at once, ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/03/04/he-makes-pancakes-with-such-purpose/ I fell in love with wine when my uncle decided to buy three vine parcels in Chåteauneuf-du-Pape to re-create the family vineyard, Domaine du Banneret, which originally dates back from many centuries. This begins the story of Domaine Rouge-Bleu. Jean-Marc Espinasse, the charming man behind this Provençal vineyard, went on from ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/03/02/rouge-bleu-a-newbie-vine-farmer-in-provence/ This week's theme: Party Oh, the happy days of a tea party childhood. Would you like some more, my dear? Technorati Tags: photo hunt, tea party, children http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/03/01/saturday-photo-scavenger-hunt-party-tea-for-two/ Just for fun, I thought I'd try Kailani's Aloha Friday - she says: In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too. Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/02/29/what-is-your-best-childhood-memory/ If you recall, there are two obstacles for me to overcome regarding my ability to drink hot coffee: 1) I have no microwave to reheat my coffee; and 2) I refuse to drink out of plastic or cardboard - you know the travel mugs with lids that make me feel ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/02/27/works-for-me-keeping-coffee-hot-without-a-microwave/ I've decided I must pursue peace as a habit of life. I'm calling it a habit because I have some control over this attitude of the heart and mind; peace is a practice and pattern I can cultivate no matter the circumstances around me. I know this because I've been ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/02/26/a-habit-of-peace/ Why are there so many good blogs? Dang, it just eats up my time and I have to exercise great restraint. At any rate, Here are a few cyberstops that may be worth your time. There's the round of carnivals, including last week's Carnival of Homeschooling and this week's; a collection ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/02/26/blog-spotting-to-france-and-back/ Norman Rockwell is slowly emerging from his low rank among artists of the 20th century. An "illustrator" not an artist; a producer for mass publication not for the galleries; simple and poignant not highbrow or enigmatic. These are the condescensions that Rockwell had to live with during his lifetime and ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/02/24/norman-rockwell-the-peoples-painter/ Two of the four impressionist paintings stolen from the Bührle Collection in Zurich have been found. Does anyone else find the circumstances bizarre? A week and a half after being stolen, the Claude Monet (Poppies Near Vetheuil) and the Vincent Van Gogh (Blossoming Chestnut Branch) were found in the parking ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/02/23/two-impressionist-paintings-recovered-madness/ This week's theme: Wooden That's a lot of wood! We're getting there, folks! We continue to build the wooden structure that we call "the ranch." Here is a view from the back, and I truly hope to show the finished product in a few months. To all of you who have ever ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/02/23/saturday-photo-scavenger-hunt-wooden-our-ranch/ For Christmas, I bought my husband a John Wayne coffee mug. It's a hefty, oversized, manly mug with a picture of The Duke on one side, and the motto "A man's got to have a code, a creed to live by" inscribed on the other. More importantly, it's the largest ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/02/22/its-a-john-wayne-coffee-mug-morning/ Why French books? Mostly because I'm enamored with France, though I'm not entirely sure why. I began to learn the language in high school, and slowly began to absorb the culture, cuisine, and history of this fascinating place. On a trip to France after college, my fate was sealed: it ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/02/20/my-french-book-list-for-2008/ Sunset over the Three Sisters, part of the Cascade Mountain Range that I'm blessed to look at every single day. This photo is from last week, and I wasn't the only one to pull over. Even us locals who see this stunning horizon all the time are still in awe ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/02/20/ww-i-had-to-pull-over/