Show & Tell Friday - It's finished!!!!

Welcome to Kelli's Show and Tell Friday! Do you have something special to share? It could be a trinket from grade school, a piece of jewelry, or a treasured collection. Look around your home for something to share; dig through those boxes in your closet if you have to! Share photos and the story that goes with your special item. If you'd like to participate, visit Kelli at There's No Place Like Home and add your name to the list!

"I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one's lifetime; moreover, that every man who eats and drinks sees good in all his labor - it is a gift of God."
Ecclesiastes 3:12-13
The patio is finished!!! I tell you what - there is no greater reward to physical labor than to see such outstanding results. Yes, I know I'm bragging. But this is exactly how we pictured it in our minds.

The largest section is level with the driveway which turned out to be more beneficial than we realized. Eric wants to place potted citrus trees in the corner along the center wall. Once we get the greenhouse put up, he can move the trees in there for the winter. I like that idea!

Next project: taking the retaining wall around the trees and leveling all the dirt. Stay tuned!!

Back to the patio

"I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; but to him who thinks anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean." Romans 12:14

Some may not enjoy yard work in the least; however, Eric and I are quite thrilled to be working outside. We love being unclean!! (You know what I mean.)

We've started work on the last section, but it's been so long since I've posted so I thought you'd like a reminder. Click here to see where we left off.
The walls are built and it's time to remove the soil. Eric had to use the tiller to loosen the soil inside because it had been there so long and was quite compacted. We removed enough dirt to get down to 5" below the surface of the patio.
Guess who had the camera for this photo? Eric is always saying we have too many pictures of him and not enough of me, but he never thinks about taking a picture. Today, he remembered!

PS - Please excuse the quality of the photos. My digital camera decided to take a leave of absence without filing the proper paperwork in advance. The 35 mm graciously stepped in.

Count Your Blessings Monday

Thank you, Marci, for giving us an opportunity every Monday to not only count our blessings, but to share them with others. This is a way that we can encourage one another. Make a post on your blog telling us about your blessing. Please put a link back to Marci's post and add the URL of your blog post on Marci's Mr. Linky. Many of our blessings we will have pictures of and we can share those as well. Many times we forget that it is a blessing to be able to breath, to get out of bed, to hold a baby... Share your blessings with us.

This week I jumped the gun. I posted this yesterday. If no one had commented yet, I was going to change the post date and start over. However, I had comments!! (That's one blessing in itself.) Please check here for my blessing this week.

I am blessed

"I am my beloved's, and his desire is for me." Song of Solomon 7:10

Since going back to work, Eric has taken over most of the cooking. He gets home earlier, enjoys cooking, and (as you'll see) is more creative with leftovers*. The other day I came home to a four-course meal prepared by my husband.

First course...

Pepper Jack cheese cubes*, olives*, crackers*, glass of wine
(Notice the lit candle?)

Second course...

Salad with mixed greens, strawberries, goat cheese, pecans/walnuts* & macadamia nuts* drizzled with a raspberry oil & vinegar dressing

Third course...

BBQ riblets*, chicken gnocchi*, fried okra, & bread stick*

Fourth course...
S'more Pie
Oreo cookie crust with layers of marshmallow, chocolate syrup, & chocolate chunks then broiled in the oven to burn the top
(everyone burns their marshmallows, right?)

Is there such a thing as being too blessed? Hmmm...nope - don't think so!!

PS - The S'more Pie came straight from the pages of Bon Appetit magazine.

PPS - We have no clue (nor do we care) about the calories, fat grams, preservatives, etc, etc, etc.

terror in the night (con't)

"Sounds of terror are in his ears, while at peace the destroyer comes upon him." Job 15:21

If you read our post about the killing/slaughter/sacrifice, you're probably wondering what we found the next day. Come with me and I'll show you!

First, let's head down the old driveway. Rather overgrown, isn't it? Perfect place for an attack!

Here we see a well-defined trail.

It appears to be used quite often.

Eric and I trekked up the hill and found nothing.

This is actually the ground underneath the tree where we thought the fought took place.


















This is on the other side of the tree - two of many dens we have found on our little plot of land.

And back up the hill to the house - another well-defined trail.

Now you've just seen as much as we saw the day after the attack. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Not even the slightest hint that the battle took place. Now can you understand why we are so ready to develop the land?

Count Your Blessings Monday

Marci at Down at the Farm is giving us an opportunity every Monday to not only count our blessings, but to share them with others. This is a way that we can encourage one another.

Make a post on your blog telling us about your blessing. Please put a link back to Marci's post.

My blessing is time. I will admit that time is more of a curse at times, but it really is a blessing. When I set my mind to it, I can accomplish quite a lot in a short amount of time.

After we moved to the NW, I did not go back to work for almost a year. During that year, I learned that the more time I had on my hands, the less I got done. Going back to work afforded me the schedule and structure I needed to get busy.

However, I will say that if I can be outside working, everything in the house gets knocked down on my "to-do" list. If you visit during this time, you'll see clean laundry on my kitchen table, dust on my furniture, clean dishes in the dishwasher, etc, etc, etc. The long rainy season really motivates us to use our time outside. Besides, at least the clothes are clean!! Right?

Marci, thanks for giving us this opportunity to share.

Show & Tell Friday

Welcome to “Show and Tell Friday” hosted by Kelli at There's No Place Like Home. Do you have something special to share? It could be a trinket from grade school, a piece of jewelry, or a treasured collection. Look around your home for something to share; dig through those boxes in your closet if you have to! Share photos and the story that goes with your special item. Be sure to let Kelli know you've got something to share!!

This clock was a gift from Eric's parents the first year of our marriage. A coo-coo clock? No. A cluck-coo clock!! My maiden name is Cluck. Really. I'm not joking. I didn't realize my name was funny until we moved when I was in high school. Where I grew up, that name was common.

I have since embraced my maiden name by collecting none other than chickens. See my collection here and here. (Notice the name on the plate??)


This is the little guy that pops out at the top of every hour. The reaction of first-time visitors is quite funny. They hear the chicken clucking, but have no idea where it's coming from. They just know it's close by - like in the same room!!

Kelli, thanks for giving us an opportunity to share our favorites!