Sunday in Two Stanzas: First-Adante

We knew Sunday was going to be a fairly pretty day, so Jon suggested we head to the ranch for church. We left later in the morning and bounced our way up Hansell Road to the Upper Place for a sermon on the mount. 

This first one is actually a later pic, but it makes for a good header photo. 

Following Jon. There appear to be a great many little trees that need thinned! Jon had been up here since fall, there were still spots of snow here and there, and tire tracks. We did converse with a couple who drove in to walk around while we were there.

 We walked around just a bit before settling down to Acts and a recorded sermon from 2010. It was a Wednesday night lesson by Brett Meader from Athey Creek. 

Steve and I are not as familiar with this teacher. He reminded us a great deal of one from the Athena church, Dan. Bunny trails and obscure bits of interest were dropped here and there while Brett shared from Acts. It appears it also takes him a while to get through a chapter or book! It was also a good choice for today. This odd virus has sometimes choked hope, yet there is a LOT of hope. Death isn't final and life is hidden inside. We were surrounded by awakening life. Pine cones who hold seeds of tomorrow, crazy buntings (probably Lazuli) who were briefly interested in Jon's Bronco, parasitical ticks who cling and suck life from others (Like Simon the magician), and high flying hawks playing in thermals. What a blessing to be reminded of hope in this time of paying close attention to where the head leads us. Facts, numbers, dying, and fear are all over. The heart leads us to One who is more. The lesson didn't have music, but I'll end this particular post with one that was a favorite when the boys were littles.

Sunday in Two Stanzas: Two-Allegretto

Steve and I headed back to the house and chores after we listened to the sermon on the mount. We stopped for a short chat with Mark and Ryan S coming down Hansell Road, while Jon hung out at the Lower Place for the rest of the afternoon. He brought back dozens of photos of elk and deer. He's not exactly sure why there were so many, but the videos were amazing! Especially when they did  their run to wherever dashes. Crazy animals! 

He did hear shots and saw a sturdy sort of dog chasing deer around. He wasn't able to find where it was, though. 

Deer and elk in the same areas.

This is a wash that has gotten much deeper and wider over the winter. Probably during the Feb flooding. He took pictures of water, too. Soothing scenes as it bubbled over and around the rocks.

Jon decided these look like funny llama.

I love this one. Deer on the horizon at sunset!

I'm not sure if this is this is the doe Jon took a video of. This one has gorgeous ears! The coat is the untidy winter wear, but soon they will look lovely. We hope there are enough males left to help maintain the species. Although deer hunting in this area is still open, Jon has found several dead bucks and the guys aren't going up this fall. The one he recorded was walking towards him, trying to identify the camo creature with the camera. So very cute!!!

It was a beautiful day, I'm glad Jon suggested going up. Ending this segment with  song, too! (this is stunning, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!)

                                                                   

Winter's End

Mark Twain once said, "In the spring, I've counted 136 different kinds of weather inside of 24 hours." 

 The last weeks we've had about the same amount of different kinds all spread out! Athena area went from stunning sunny days where blooms were popping out like crazy, to snow and below 30 temps. I was concerned for my flowers and crouched in snowflakes to photograph them on Friday. The night photos were beautiful!

 In the morning, it wasn't quite as thrilling. I picked a few of the fallen, but figured they were a loss.

 Even Moses came off the porch for a minute, this is about as far as he wandered!!!!! Less than 2 feet from the last step.

 Everyone on Sunday was starving. This guy wasn't impressed Jon was photographing him while snacking! The squirrel decided to ignore Jon, as usual. There was also one under the front yard bird feeder, we think that is the female.We had so many different birds. The usual junco and assorted finches, but we even had a juvenile red wing blackbird! Those don't often visit. The suet feeder was hung, but they aren't as interested in that yet. Steve saw a round of robins--a bunch of robins is called a round--huddled up with fluffy feathers. The feeders aren't as handy for the bug eaters. Thankfully, the snow is starting to melt a bit. Hoping the feathered friends will be able to find something to suit their appetites out there.

With the melting, my front yard daffodils are starting to perk up. However, the backyard ones next to the house are not as happy looking. 

 The flowers are along the house, which normally is festive. However, they are also under the edge of the roof and  the ice and snow fall right on top of them. Many of the flowers I clipped and brought in to 'melt' in the sink. Some I had to leave because they were so encased, they broke when I tried to free even a portion of the plant. Others were under the snow and frozen daffs on top, those I carefully unearthed and brought inside.

 You can see how tattered some of the blooms are, but you can also see how, especially on the bottom right one, the ice is melting away. I have several vases of blossoms now! The one in bud is open and the house smells delightful! Although, that may be why Jon and I have runny noses!!!

 Last Thursday I took pictures of a giant apricot tree across the road. Sunday, the tree was still white. But not a speck of pink could be seen. I'm not betting there will be much of a fruit crop this season.

Our temps are improving during the day, night has them in the 20's. Most of the rest of the bulbs are green stems or leaves. This is good, tulips are fragile and don't manage in cold like the daffodils.

A Sunday Afternoon in the Woods

Jonathan went up to the ranch this last Sunday, March 8. There were four Canada geese taking a break from migration and at sunset, a couple of deer, the rest of the afternoon was spent doing other things. 

 He was really impressed with the sunset-on some of these he used filters, others are as is.

It was a stunning end of a lovely day!

Birthdays!

The start of February is always busy with birthdays in the Hansell house. Jon and I began the month with ice cream for breakfast. Because it is a holiday!  Mine was on a slice of Moose is Loose cinnamon bread and Jon put a cutie on vanilla ice cream, then drenched it all in chocolate sauce. He said it wasn't bad, but felt it might have been better with the oranges sliced up. Then, he went off to work and Steve helped me do chores at the house. 

I had to wait til Moses woke up in order to remake the bed! I had a busy, nice day and figured Moses could have a spot of comfort, too!

Daffs were visible everywhere in the yard! These are in back and looking splendid. The ones along the walk are pretty, too!

Moses was entirely interested in the halibut dinner I'd made. He was intent on getting Jon's attention..or his fish!

Sunday, we enjoyed our annual luncheon out between birthdays. Jon's ordered a sandwich made of two patties with ham and roast beef and bacon and cheese! He got the wrong fries, these were mine. We transferred them over to my plate and he got his own separate.

I had a chicken sandwich. With bacon! I only ate half of mine, I had the chicken part later. Jon left part of his fries, he had those warmed in the air fryer on his birthday!

I did pick up a pair of earrings at the restaurant. I like how they sparkle.

On Jon's birthday, I made chocolate moose muffins for him to take to work, he left them in his Bronco! 

 We had planned on pizza for dinner and Jon opted to go with me to get it. It had also started to snow, just like last year! I may not be privileged enough to get snow on my birthday, but Jon is! Jon decided on a festive only for him sort of pizza. The garlic chicken I bought slid in the oven, made a calzone and a mess, and then was spread back out after it was rescued. I was not happy-it was a rather convoluted kitchen day!!

 Jon's birthday cake was a recipe from a Martha Stewart cookbook that I will probably never use again. It was dense and delicious, but used more flour and sugar than I use normally. It also dropped like a rock and took hours to cool. He wanted a layer cake, so between the layers I spread home made Alaskan raspberry jelly with mini chocolate chips. It was delectable! Reminded me of one of those fancy chocolates in a box that have a burst of juice when you bite into them.

The curls were so easy to make. I got a chocolate bar from the cupboard and the tater peeler from the drawer and made shaved chocolate curls! They would have been larger if I had a thicker bar of chocolate.

26 candles does make a bit of a fire!!! I didn't want to spread them all over the top and make holes everywhere, so I grouped them together. Made them easy to blow out, too- 

 Jon staged his cake and ice cream. It looks good enough to eat and it was more than good enough!

So, another pair of birthdays is over. What does the next year hold? We'll take it day at a time and see what happens.