Saturday, December 8, 2012

New Rifle

That thing is big!

Happy!


Pumpkins make cool targets! 
 

November 12, 2012

On November 12th, Josh turned 12!

12 year old :)
 
Josh blowing out his candles.

Brothers

I love my "baby" so much!


Yummy cake!

Justin is pretending the cake tastes nasty!
 

Eating
 

Thursday, October 18, 2012

I Won!

The Amish Cook: Recollections and Recipes from an Old Order Amish Family
A picture of the book from Amazon's website.
I won a book from a Christina H. at the Homesteading Wife blog!   Be sure to check out this awesome blog! I really like it because it has informative posts regarding homesteading.  Here is a link to the blog announcing that I won. http://www.homesteadingwife.com/2012/10/giveaway-winner.html

Me with my new book!

 

Benjamin Franklin



I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth, that God governs in the affairs of men.  And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid?  Benjamin Franklin

Monday, October 8, 2012

Fun At the Lake

The other day, we went to a nearby lake.

My handsome sons.

Sun shining on the lake.


The leaves are changing!


My sons little radio controlled boat.



What a beautiul day to vist the lake!

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Garden Goodness

Our tiny watermelon and cantaloupe!

Salsa made from tomatoes from our garden!

Friday, July 20, 2012

Harriet Beecher Stowe Quotes

I just finished reading Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe.  I found it to be a very moving book and I can't wait to share it with the boys as part of "school" this fall.  I loved how Stowe worded things, below are some of my favorite quotes.  This list could go on and on!

“The bitterest tears shed over graves are for words left unsaid and deeds left undone.” ― Harriet Beecher Stowe

“For how imperiously, how coolly, in disregard of all one’s feelings, does the hard, cold, uninteresting course of daily realities move on! Still we must eat, and drink, and sleep, and wake again, - still bargain, buy, sell, ask and answer questions, - pursue, in short, a thousand shadows, though all interest in them be over; the cold, mechanical habit of living remaining, after all vital interest in it has fled.” ― Harriet Beecher Stowe, Uncle Tom's Cabin

“Perhaps it is impossible for a person who does no good not to do harm.” ― Harriet Beecher Stowe, Uncle Tom's Cabin

“It was the first time that ever George had sat down on equal terms at any white man's table; and he sat down, at first, with some constraint, and awkwardness; but they all exhaled and went off like fog, in the genial morning rays of this simple overflowing kindness.

This indeed, was a home, - home, -a word that George had never yet known a meaning for; and a belief in God, and trust in His providence, began to encircle his heart, as, with a golden cloud of protection and confidence, dark, misanthropic, pining, atheistic doubts, and fierce despair, melted away before the light of a living Gospel, breathed in living faces, preached by a thousand unconscious acts of love and good-will, which, like the cup of cold water given in the name of a disciple, shall never lose their reward.” ― Harriet Beecher Stowe, Uncle Tom's Cabin

“What's your hurry?"
Because now is the only time there ever is to do a thing in," said Miss Ophelia.” ― Harriet Beecher Stowe, Uncle Tom's Cabin

“What is it that sometimes speaks in the soul so calmly, so clearly, that its earthly time is short? Is it the secret instinct of decaying nature, or the soul's impulsive throb, as immortality draws on? Be what it may, it rested in the heart of Eva, a calm, sweet, prophetic certainty that Heaven was near; calm as the light of sunset, sweet as the bright stillness of autumn, there her little heart reposed, only troubled by sorrow for those who loved her so dearly.” ― Harriet Beecher Stowe, Uncle Tom's Cabin

Harriet Beecher Stowe - 1872

Green beans!

Our first handful of green beans, picked today!

Monday, February 20, 2012

Boys and Roosters

This rooster looks content in Josh's arms.
This rooster is crowing!

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Socialism

Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is  equal sharing of misery.  -- Winston Churchill


Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening
Robert Frost

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

Friday, January 20, 2012

Teenager!

Justin turned 13 yesterday!


He picked out his gift on Saturday.  He decided on a game for the XBOX.

Here he is enjoying some cake and ice cream.


I can't believe he is thirteen already.  I don't know where the years have gone.  We did see a few snowflakes in the evening, so it did seem like it was his birthday. (Every year, including the day he was born, we have had snow.  For some reason last year we didn't see any and it felt strange.)


Sunday, January 8, 2012

Battle of Hancock Sesquicentennial



On January 5, 1862, the Battle of Hancock took place after Union commander Brigadier General Frederick Lander refused to surrender the town to Confederate Major General "Stonewall" Jackson's demand.  Jackson continued the bombardment from just across the Potomac River on Orrick's Hill for two days.  Finally, on January 7th, having failed to find a suitable crossing into Maryland, the Confederate forces retreated and advanced on Romney.  (Copied word for word from a flyer that was handed out at the event on Saturday, no source was cited.)


The picture directly above is of the reenactors preparing to fire the canon.  While they only fired "blank" charges it was still very loud.  Fire shot out of the barrel and the canon rolled back some. 

We also visited the C & O Canal's visitor center on Saturday.  We took a brief walk and looked at Lock 52.  For more information, check out the Town of Hancock's website www.hancockmd.com