Fly Swatting is a Sport Here

One of the things we didn't know when we moved to the country was that along with the fresh clean air, the wide open spaces, and the gingham-checked atmosphere, we were gonna get flies. We didn't know they were included in the mortgage, but they were; they're in the fine print, right after the clause about dust, mud, and rattlesnakes we didn't see. Sure, there are plenty of beetles, wasps, June bugs, spiders, and ants, too, but more than anything, in the summertime, you get flies. And lots of them. It was an unwelcome revelation, let me tell you, and took some getting used to; both Dan and I grew up in the suburbs where three flies in the house was considered an invasion. Three flies. Ha. On our worst days here at the farm we're sure we have three hundred.

But they come with the territory and over the years we've learned to accept them as the price we pay for raising livestock in a place that has been raising livestock for a hundred years. We are now swatting the great-great-great-great grandchildren of the flies that the builders of this house swatted at the turn of the twentieth century. There's history for you.

And, that fresh clean air we like to brag about out here in the country contains no pollutants to hamper the healthy lifestyle that our country flies enjoy. No, our flies have it made out here on the farm. It's a regular fly Club Med, providing all the amenities for free: trees and grass and water troughs, goats and chickens and dogs and cats and cows and horses (those last two, our neighbor's) doing what comes (ahem) naturally, and scads and scads of small children holding doors open for them to fly in and taste the scintillating treats just waiting for them inside the house.

But, no worries. We have fly strips, fly traps and fly bait. And, best yet, we have good old-fashioned fly swatters and people who know how to use them. Five-year-old Gabe has gotten to be an expert, and the preteen girls are old hands at it. Along with our half-dozen, new-fangled, flimsy plastic swatters, we have an Amish-made leather one that's lasted ten years (pictured left), but, lacking any one of those, we have a couple big boys who pride themselves on being able to catch flies in their bare hands. Their Dad, the fly-swatting king of the universe, is a grand example of duty and satisfaction in the job, and arriving home on summer afternoons, heads straight for the swatters, chooses one like a surgeon selects and instrument, and gets right to work. It's a never-ending job, but the Davises are on top of it. We make the NCIS team look like amateurs.

In addition to deploying our fly assassins, we've learned to take preventive measures against stealth fly penetrations. There are saboteurs underfoot at all times; for every fly swatted, a toddler lets in three more. We have learned, therefore, to never leave food uncovered. The fact that we've accepted their inevitability does not mean that we don't take every measure possible to keep icky fly feet from tracking their icky fly germs across the lips of our cups, for instance. Some of us are practically obsessive about it. We went to a formal indoor event a few years ago where our children, to the confusion of the other guests and their mother's embarassment, automaticall covered their drinking glasses with their napkins. It's a conditioned response, and probably a good one, I guess. When we're home we carry little scraps of paper or tupperware lids with us wherever we go to protect our drinks against any incoming invaders. Sometimes we get fancy and make little lids like this one -- made with a scrap of fabric sent from Mighty Mom, crocheted to a circle cut out of a Cool Whip lid. (Did you recognize that, MM?)

Our forefathers and foremothers, the ones who swatted the original fly population out here at the farm, fought the same battles we do now, but with an elegant practicality that was lost when it became shameful to admit one had flies in one's house. They crocheted lovely, bead-weighted doilies (like the one pictured there on the left) to cover their mint juleps, they kept in their pantries elegant screened domes to cover plates and platters, and, if they were "of means" they constructed large fans over their dining tables, which were manipulated by servants to shoo flies away.

You thought these were meant to fan the brows of dining victorian aristocrat, didn't you? Ha. Not on your life. We country folks know better; they were to shoo away flies, no doubt about it.

But, enough about the nasty little pests -- on this Wordy Wednesday. I guess I ought to move on to something more edifying, or I'll lose any readers who have stuck with me this far.

And, like ze French say, Une bouche fermée n'attrape aucune mouche.*

In the following song, we substitute "Eastern Colora-a-do" for "North Ontario-io"):

* A closed mouth catches no flies.

Butter wouldn't melt ...

You know how you have those on-going family disputes? I don't mean arguments, exactly, or bad spirited feuds -- I mean more like long-standing, good-natured disagreements that you like to rag one another about... Do you have any of those in your family? We have a few -- because we're a talkin' bunch, and all of us opinionated. One of the oldest I remember is the butter vs. margarine discussion. My Dad has always preferred butter. He always said he just liked the taste better and stubbornly insisted that butter always be served at the table, even though my mother liked the lower cost of margarine and, always dieting, preferred the lower calories. The rest of us kids (the seven of us) split off into margarine, butter, and "don't care" camps. I've always been in the butter camp with my Dad. I just like the taste of butter better, and have always inclined toward natural instead of processed, I think. Anyway, these last few years, we in the butter-camp have science to back up our side of the argument.

Here are the facts (from a recent forward, which originated here):

Margarine was originally manufactured to fatten turkeys. When it killed the turkeys, the people who had put all the money into the research wanted a payback so they put their heads together to figure out what to do with this product to get their money back. It was a white substance with no food appeal so they added the yellow coloring and sold it to people to use in place of butter.

The difference between butter and margarine: Both have the same amount of calories. Butter is slightly higher in saturated fats at 8 grams compared to 5 grams. Eating margarine can increase heart disease in women by 53% over eating the same amount of butter, according to a recent Harvard Medical Study. Eating butter increases the absorption of many other nutrients in other foods. Butter has many nutritional benefits where margarine has a few only because they are added! Butter tastes much better than margarine and it can enhance the flavors of other foods. Butter has been around for centuries where margarine has been around for less than 100 years.

And now, for Margarine.. Very high in Trans fatty acids. Triple risk of coronary heart disease .. Increases total cholesterol and LDL (this is the bad cholesterol) and lowers HDL cholesterol, (the good cholesterol) Increases the risk of cancers up to five fold..Lowers quality of breast milk. Decreases immune response. Decreases insulin response.

And here's the most disturbing fact..... Margarine is but ONE MOLECULE away from being PLASTIC.. This fact alone was enough to have me avoiding margarine for life and anything else that is hydrogenated (this means hydrogen is added, changing the molecular structure of the substance).

You can try this yourself:

Purchase a tub of margarine and leave it in your garage or shaded area. Within a couple of days you will note a couple of things:

* no flies, not even those pesky fruit flies will go near it (that should tell you something)

* it does not rot or smell differently because it has no nutritional value; nothing will grow on it. Even those teeny weeny microorganisms will not a find a home to grow. Why? Because it is nearly plastic. Would you melt your Tupperware and spread that on your toast?

So, there ya go, margarine-camp-people-who-shall-remain-nameless. Stop eating that junk, will ya? And, we'll go light on the butter, us butter-camp folks. Because, yeah, I admit it. Too much of a good thing is not very good, either. And I have weight to lose before Paul's wedding in October!

Camping Out

Cathy and Anna tried out Gabe's tent for him last night.

Heaven knows, they had enough bedding and pillows in there to make it comfortable -- and as far as I know, the only critters prowling around here at night (besides mosquitoes) are cats, dogs, and the possible sibling lying in wait to scare backyard campers...

Dan, Dominic, and Gabe are heading out for the annual Knights of the Altar Boys' Camp this weekend.  They always come back in high spirits and (ahem) high aroma -- and we girls are a little bit jealous of their week in the wilderness.  Jealous with reservations, I should say.  

We're all about the moon and the stars and the scenery and the fresh air -- but none of us is really comfortable with the wild part of wilderness...  I mean, seriously: there may really be raccoons, and hedgehogs, and skunks, and snakes, and bears - and maybe even tsi-tsi flies away up on the mountain tops at the Knights of the Altar campsite....  And, the way we look at it, we girls 'd be like bonbons to a bear. 

 But we aren't worried about the boys; if we were a raccoon or a hedgehog or a skunk or a snake or a bear we'd stay as far away from those dozens and dozens of unwashed feet as we could possibly get.  We don't think the boys are in any danger.

Just sayin.

Us  We girls are going to be just as happy as we can be in our comfortable, critter-safe, insect-free beds under the swamp cooler...

See ya' next week, guys!

"Every Mile Is Two In Winter"

~ George Herbert, Jacula Prudentum (1651)

Though my relatives in Denver say they're getting socked,

it's not snowing here on the Western slope.  It is cold, though.  And has been for a while.

Which is extremely significant to us, because with this

cold, our outdoor hydrant froze a few weeks ago

 and we were having to water the cows

 by filling their trough

 with buckets filled in our bathtub. 

Picture that.

Six to eight five-gallon buckets, bathtub to barn.

Every day.

(Ugh)

But all is well now, thank God and our good friend, Carl,

who is letting us put the cows on his lovely pasture,

complete with running water and super dooper fences.

The cows are happy now.

But we're happier.

Unfortunately, though, 

that hasn't been the only problem.

The snow and cold have caused some other hitches in our git-along recently that are even more vexxing and have not quite been solved yet.  Our son, Dominic, the seminarian, has been having some health problems of a mysterious nature that have caused him to have periodic dizzy spells and shortness of breath.  Because we've eliminated all the harmless and passing maladies that might be causing this, and because his blood pressure has also been elevated, we decided we need to get him home to see the medical professionals we know and trust in Colorado.  So I made appointments for this past week, and the boys (Jon was going to drive over with him) planned to head to Denver last week. 

 But, of course there was a gigantic snowstorm across the whole United States last week. 



Dominic with
nephew, Gavin.

So I rescheduled the appointments for this upcoming Tuesday and Wednesday... And, of course it's snowing again.  It' snowing everywhere, isn't it?  It's like a song we can't get out of our heads this winter.  But, well, anyway...  The weather reports don't look as bad this time around so the boys are planning to make the trip tomorrow morning.  And I think Michelle might be coming with them.  They plan to leave around 8 a.m. Nebraska time.  So, I'm begging for prayers for their safe journey. And for a solution to Dominic's health issues quickly so he can head back to his studies.  I thank-you ahead of time from the bottom of my heart for any words you can send heavenward!  

 These are the youngins pictured below that will be making the drive: (l-r) Dominic, Jon, Michelley.  Just add about fifteen years to each of those little faces. 

Weren't they cute?  They still are, of course!  But, my, how time flies! 

Blessings Multiplied

The following comment is in response to a post I wrote a couple weeks ago called "How We're Populating the Earth." It's from a lovely young lady named Michelle, and she asks some very good questions that I thought deserved answers. Michelle has given me permission to answer her questions publicly, as we thought others might ask the same questions about the practicality of having a large family in today's world.

She wrote:

...I know that if I let go and just let Him do His will everything would be fine, but I worry about the other stuff. Not Disneyworld and a McMansion (as you called it), but I worry about a college fund. I love the idea of a big family, but I want a house, just a regular old house, and to be able to do some stuff, like movie night.

For my husband and I we need two incomes. If we didn't both work we would not be able to live in our 1 bedroom apartment, yet alone have a house or have any savings. So my questions to you are do your kids have college funds? Does your household make a big enough income to support 11 kids? I am not being snarky either. I love big families, and wish I was in a position to stay at home and have many kids, but I am not.

If you are then that is wonderful, truly. I think your post has many good points, but it is not entirely selfish of everyone that doesn't have a big family. I am not some eco nut either. I come from a family of 3. I have to pay for my own college, which is why I see an importance to have a college fund for my future children because I will have student loans for the next 10 to 20 years which interferes with the income I will have to support a family. I could do without the extravagant things in life, but there are some things that are needed to have big families, like enough food for an army. These things take financial support as you are well aware of, and not everyone has those kinds of means.

As I said I wish I could have a big family but I will need to work for the next 30+ years and cannot have a big family as I would find it irresponsible to have a large family and not be there to support them. I hope for my husband to find a better job so we can have 2-4 and me work part time, because I do not want other people raising my babies. I want to be the best mom I can be and I couldnt work part time and give each child in a large family their due time and effort. Do you see the issues here? It isn't selfishness for me.

What I'm thinking:

First of all, I'm sorry I sounded like I thought all parents of small families are selfish. I really dont' think that. I do think, though, that many of the motives for purposely limiting family size are worldly, and therefore contrary to God's purpose ~ which is to lead us away from the world and toward Heaven. Sadly, heaven isn't the goal of most people in the world today, and many modern couples are, indeed, (hate to have to say it) selfish.

But, you know, sometimes they're just scared. Taking that leap into the dark space of Faith can be terrifying! First of all, it flies in the face of modern conventional wisdom. What will everyone think of us? Will people look at us like we're freaks? Then there's the natural human fear of the unknown. What if God's not there to catch us when we make this leap? What if we don't like the way He catches us?

It's hard. Saying "yes" to God, often before we're even exactly sure what He's asking, is like stepping up to the edge of the world and agreeing to jump. Theoretically, we know He'll catch us, but.... Well, that's where the faith comes in. Choosing to be a truly practicing Catholic does require a great leap, often into the unknown. To give your time and your self ~ your life ~ to Him is a difficult sacrifice, especially since so few of our peers follow this road today. In particular, it's one of the hardest decisions for a newly-married couple to turn over their reproductive life to God and say without qualifications, "Thy will be done."

No kidding, the traditional "big Catholic family" adventure comes with a world of challenge. Without God's help, especially through the Sacraments, the intercession of his saints, and a most wonderful husband, I don't know how I ever would have survived emotionally all these years. Having a house full of toddlers under your charge 24/7 would try the patience of any of the saints! And, then those toddlers become teenagers.... and I just won't even go there! But, it's not only possible to live through it, it's the stuff that greatness is made of. Seriously. Parents of large families (and I don't mean to brag, it's just the facts, ma'am) develop the most amazing battery of skills and knowlege! Nothing phases us; weve seen it all, and probably have a file on it. And a funny story.

Of course, the obvious question still has to be, "How can you keep your sanity when you have to come up with the money to take care of so many people?" One answer is that the ability to financially manage it all doesn't come all at once; it doesn't have to. Most of us start out small; small family, small budget. As the years go by and the family grows, we adapt to accomodate each new addition. With our cooperation, God always somehow provides, either with improved income, or improved skill. Truly, every family is unique and learns its own financial coping strategy as it goes along. It does take management skill to feed, clothe, and house a small Catholic army; I won't try to sugar coat that. And we wouldn't be human if we didn't worry about it sometimes! But, with God's grace and a lot of good planning, it always works out. And, yes, there are sacrifices that we make to do it. Most super-families do exchange children for luxuries, but we always manage to have what we need to get by.

You know the size of our family; here are the specs:

* Since we were married almost 23 years ago, I have never brought in any discernible income; I make money by saving money. My husband is what you would call the "breadwinner." ( I guess that makes me the bread baker, huh?) Dan (my husband) started out his career making very little money as a hack accountant, but through many years of hard work, he's made it to near the top of the information technology field. Which is a wonderful thing. But, the salary raises have always been rather a wash, rising in unison with the size of our family and our properties. (Did I say "a wash?" Let me rephrase that: they have been a blessing!)

* We have very little savings; any sum we've ever scraped together, has always managed to somehow be eaten up by some emergency or another. Thank God most of our emergencies have been along the lines of burst pipes and broken down cars! And we thank Him, too, that whenever we've needed it, He's provided a windfall. Most large families will tell you that this is almost always true. God never lets us starve.

* We've never owned anything but the cast off homes we could get for a song because nobody else wanted to deal with them. But we've renovated each of those homes and sold them at impressive profits to be able to buy incrementally bigger and better junk heaps to fix up over the years.

* We didn't get to have a new (well, "barely used") car until we'd been married twenty years. But, as time has gone on, we've been able to add a farm truck and a minivan that serve our needs pretty well. I should add that the minivan took the place of a new roof on our house. Juggling necessities is par for the course for us.

* Though we do everything we can to help our children attain their higher education goals (from grocery shopping trips to covering their car insurance), we do not have college funds for our children. We know that if our kids aspire to higher education they'll earn scholarships and work their ways through like their father and I did. This we consider an asset to their futures, not a liability. There are few entitlement mentalities in big families.

* We buy almost everything we eat or wear on sale, and usually in bulk. We raise our own food whenever we can. Thrift stores are our dear friends and garage saling is a sport for us.

* We don't go on fancy vacations; for the first ten to fifteen years of our marriage, a big night out was a stop by the Taco Bell drive-through and a walk around the park. Now-a-days my husband and I do get out to restaurants and movies whenever we can, and the kids get to see the occasional movie. Our preferred entertainment, really, though, are rented movies and popcorn or mountain hikes.

I guess none of this sounds particularly glamorous, does it? There have been some pretty lean times and a lot of hard work through the years to make ends meet. But, you know what? I don't regret a minute of it. I really don't.

It 's a fact that the only time in my entire life when I was absolutely, positively sure I was doing God's will was when I brought each of our ten children into the world. Anything else I have only been second-guessing at. When there is a baby in my womb, I know God placed that soul there. And, as much as I love each of my babies, He cherishes them far more. He sees the texture of every fine hair, and hears every beat of each baby's heart. It's staggering that He trusts us so much to lend them to us. But He makes sure we have everything we need to raise each one of His dear ones.

But, God's list of necessities is different from the world's. And that's what throws people sometimes.

We learn through so many of Jesus own words where heaven places its value. The Beatitudes, for instance, teach us what He means by living true love. And, though it can certainly be learned in many ways, the selflessness and humility which are required to live the Beatitudes and practice the virtues are things a child naturally learns when he has many brothers and sisters.

We may never have the opportunity to visit exotic lands, but living with this many people in one house, we have ample opportunity to practice the virtues. God likes that, I'm thinking. Practice makes perfect.

Our numbers and our tight budget may also prevent us from many different lifestyle options, but we know that every single one of our children was planned by Him. He chose each one of them specifically for us. And we cherish every single face, every milestone, and every goofy little quirk of each and every one of these children.

What we may have lost in expendable income, we've gained in laughter and love. I know you've heard the soundbite: Each additional child does not use up the storehouse of love in a family, but rather adds to it exponentially. This isn't just a trite excuse trotted out by big families. It's true and worth the trouble to find out the beauty of it in real life. Our youngest child, William, has a big three-year-old heart that he shares generously with each of his nine brothers and sisters, and each of them returns all that lovin, likewise. And our next child from the bottom, Gabe, adores all his siblings, and each one of them dotes on him. Our oldest son lavishes big brother pride and affection on each one of his little brothers and sisters, and they practically worship the ground Paul walks on. And so forth. And so forth. And so forth. Ad infinitum, because God's 100% in the mix, as well. The love is so thick it's palpable.
Yeah, I know, that sounds really cheesey, doesn't it? But it's true.

And nothing in this world or the next is better than that.

Here are a few bits of wisdom on the subject:

Aubrey, at Prosapia Vita had some wonderful insight the other day. Among other wisdom, she had this: In the last 30 years, I have heard many parents say that they wish they'd had, "just one more." I have never heard someone say that they wish they'd stopped at 4 or 10 or 14. In the last 30 years, I have heard many friends say that they wish they'd had a sister or a brother or both. I have never heard someone who was part of a large family say that they wish their parents had stopped at 4 or 10 or 14. This is just another reason why I will always be open to life.

And, one of my husband's favorite things to remind me: God is never to be outdone in Generosity.

* To read up on what the popes have said about family size: Pope Piux XII on the blessing of large families, in general, Pope Pius XI on the proper use of NFP, and, most recently...

To read one of the great explanations of trust in God, find a copy of A Story of a Soul, the autobiography of St. Therese of Lisieux ~ or read it here, online.

* Advice and wisdom from a Mom who realized it cost her less to stay home than to work , and another Mom who found it surprisingly do-able.

* This frugal forum gives a good idea of how large families manage to stay fed.

* Mega-Families' site also has lots of budget ideas.

* Here is a step-by-step guide to living on one income ~ that can be borrowed at the library or bought cheap and used on Amazon.

* And here are some Frugal Mom Sites, which can give a good idea of how we manage: Mommy Savers, Frugal Mom, Catholic Mom, Wise Bread,

~+~

Faith is a grasping of Almighty power;
The hand of man laid on the arm of God;
The grand and blessed hour

In which the things impossible to me

Become the possible, O Lord, through Thee.

Anna Elizabeth Hamilton

What the American Flag Means to Me

Victoria Blackstone, of St. Agnes School, in Roseville, MN, won the "Wave the Stars and Stripes" contest sponsored by the Republican National Convention with this well-written essay.

Bravo, Victoria!



Pledging Myself to the Flag of the United States of America



By Victoria Blackstone
Roseville, Minnesota



At the beginning of each school day, we are all asked to stand. We place our hands on our hearts. We recite the Pledge of Allegiance. No matter how tired I am, I make sure to stand up straight and speak sincerely. Everyday, I willingly pledge myself to our star-spangled banner, something that may just look like a piece of cloth. But I know that this cloth of red, white and blue is so much more.


When I pledge myself to the flag of the United States of America, I am able to become a part of our country’s proud history. I am with our founding founders in Independence Hall, and I myself sign the document. As I gaze at the flag I see the same flag Francis Scott Key saw, which inspired him to write the Star-Spangled Banner. With the flag I stand by Thomas Jefferson as he signs the Louisiana Purchase, expanding our country to the next frontier. I join Meriwether Lewis and William Clark as they explore the west. Reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, I journey in the night with the slaves to freedom, and I can hear the Emancipation Proclamation. With the flag I am an immigrant at Ellis Island, hoping to enter the home of the free and the place where dreams come true. During the Great Depression, I join my fellow Americans in a bread line.


As I devote myself to this banner, I stand along side the soldiers of Iwo Jima, helping them to raise our flag. I march in Montgomery as we boycott the bus system. I tremble with pride as Martin Luther King, Jr., tells me of his dream in front of the Lincoln Memorial. When I see the flag, I am also there as the Twin Towers crumble and fall. I work with the firefighters to recover the bodies, and I volunteer with those handing out food and medicine. And, as I stand before the flag, I am with my cousin as he flies his helicopter in Iraq.


For me, the flag of the United States of America unites Americans to their proud history. It is the symbol that has stood beside America since the day of our founding. And though someone may destroy the material part of the flag, no one can take away what our flag symbolizes. When I see our flag, I see every single man and women who has dedicated their lives to our flag and the people, the ideas, and the country it represents. With my morning recital of the Pledge of Allegiance, I take my place beside them.

Quick As I Can

It's Friday again already! I can hardly believe it! Quick Takes are a great way to catch up, though. Here are mine (below). And here are a whole bunch more over at Conversion Diary.

1) Paul and Nicole were here last weekend, which is always a special treat for everyone. With only two weeks to go until their wedding, there was much to do on this side of the mountains. On Saturday, I got to go with them while they chose their wedding flowers, paid off their wedding cake, tied up the loose ends at the reception hall, and checked in on Nicole's wedding dress where it's being steamed and readied for the big day. We also took a photo of Nicole's dress to send to Father to be sure it passed the modesty codes. Sunday, after Mass, we headed over to celebrate my big brother's birthday. We had Lasagne at Aunt Donya's. That's where this picture (below) was taken. (I got one of the two of them smooching, too, but I really do have some restraint, and will save that for my own files...)

2) Sunday, after the birthday party, I got to walk around this park (below) with my sweetie. All by ourselves! We've walked these shady paths through so many different phases of our lives: from before we were married -- when talked about us; during our first pregnancy -- when we talked about the baby and how our lives were changing forever; through many of our pregnancies -- when we talked about children and finances and and whether we should juggle them or play skeeball with them; and now, as creaky middle-agers -- working out plans for the upcoming wedding of that firstborn son we talked about so many years ago as we walked under the trees in this same park... My, how time flies. Funny how the park looks just the same as it did twenty-two years ago.

3) The tomatoes have finally hit their stride. We have a bazillion cherries and romas. The children pop them in their mouths right off the vine and I don't mind a bit. Any dirt on them is good, clean dirt, and I'd rather they eat God's candy than the gigantic tub of animal crackers I bought in a moment of weakness and "hid" on top of the refrigerator...

4) We grew some Armenian cucumbers, but had given up on them, as all of our cucumbers contracted some kind of cucumber illness, turned yellow, and stopped producing a couple of weeks ago. But today, Gabey went out and found this crazy coily fellow hiding in the dying vines. It's kinda strange though, this Armenian cucumber; it's hairy. I'm a little afraid to eat it...

5. You might recall I got a new camera for my birthday. It's a Sony Cybershot and I love it. Since, therefore, I didn't need my old camera any more and, since it still does work -- though not very well -- I passed it down to Michelle. This is what's been showing up downloaded onto the picture file recently...

They definitely mug differently for Michelle than they mug for me.

6) The boys are all coming home this weekend, and just about everyone else we know is getting into town for the wedding next week. When all is said and done, we'll have all ten of our kids and our good friends, Tim and Carlos, under our roof. Somewhere. Don't ask me where. Scattered throughout the other households of my siblings and parents will be two of my aunts, my cousin, and my brother and his wife and daughter. The rest of the family from both sides, including Nicole I think, will be staying in hotels. There's still so much to do, but most of it can't be done until the day or two before the wedding, so, for now, I'm just making flower girl (or junior bridesmaid, or whatever the little girls should be called) head pieces, cleaning my house, and trying to figure out where people will sleep. But, it's all good. There's going to be one lulu of a party here on top of a mountain next Saturday night. I'll post as I'm able.

7) Now, as requested:

(Here ya go, Marcy!)

Don't you love this little tune? I'm a Little Teapot. I sang it at my kindergarten graduation forty long years ago. The big boys might be apalled by it, but, let's be real... William and Gabe have four big sisters right above them -- they're going to learn more girlie songs than the first four boys did. It can't be helped.

Trust me, though, these little guys are in no danger of growing up effeminate. One of their favorite things is to dig around outside looking for "ghost soldiers," the maimed and wounded army guys their brothers long ago left buried or dangling in the branches of trees. It's always a big score for the two littlest brothers to find these poor, dirt-encrusted guys. The provenence makes them particularly special soldiers to add to new battles played out by William and Gabe.

No worries, really, big brothers, the little brothers are all boy. They love to "rassle" together in the grass, rolling and squirming until someone comes up crying. (That's how you know the rassle is over, doncha know.) Like any real boy, any stick they find instantly becomes a gun or sword. There's no limit to their courage and daring -- and carelessness, either. So typically male, these traits. Not a single one of my girls is like that, even my biggest tomboys, but all the boys, from the top of the pack to the bottom has gotten into "dangerous-boy-adventure" scrapes out here on the farm. For instance, like their big brothers, the little boys climb up and over and into everything. They have no regard, whatsoever, for gravity.

I had a scare yesterday morning because of this. While the girls and I were in the house doing schoolwork, I heard, somewhere outside in the distance, the boys screaming and yelling. I didn't think much of it at first. They're always screaming and yelling. But, as my ear tuned into the sound, my mother's radar realized it was no ordinary squabbling or playing scream. Do you know that feeling? My adrenaline rushed and my feet were under me in a half second. Following the sound, I skirted out to the backyard, where I found William dangling from his shirt on the four-foot-high fence surrounding Grigio's pen. You couldn't see William's face, because he'd hooked the front of his shirt on top of one of the pickets when he was trying to climb over. But you could sure hear him. He was screaming bloody murder, thank the Good Lord -- because that meant his windpipe wasn't being squeezed. Gabe was standing right behind William, inside the pen crying his eyes out, apparently trapped both by the fence and by his fear for his little brother. But, I had the little brother off the fence, scolded and hugged in a jiffy, and William, being the steam engine that he is was rolling around the back yard in a minute, the whole thing forgotten. Gabe, my sensitive child, needed a little more consoling. But all ended well, thank God.

We owe a debt of gratitude to William's Guardian Angel that he wasn't strangled! The boys are now forbidden to climb over the fences. In theory that ought to prevent any more like accidents. In theory.

It's just a good thing their Guardian Angels can be with them every second of the day.

Which reminds me! Blessings to everyone on this feast of the Guardian Angels! Our gratitude to all of our angels, who are, by name: Matthew, Dorian, Louis, Joseph, Anthony, Mark, Barbara, Angela-Catherine, Lucy, Judy, Augustine, and Oliver. And greetings to the angels of all who visit here today! Gloria in excelsis Deo!

Simple Woman Monday, August 25th

Peggy at The Simple Woman hosts this lovely excuse for visiting kindred spirits. Run over there to catch up on a cornucopia of Monday morning thoughts!

Outside my Window.... The weeds are mowed over the whole 5 acres or so around our house ~ except for the north yard, which is what I see right outside the window next to me. I don't know what that's all about, but we're just going to have to see to it!

I am thinking... I hate weed seeds! (sniff, sniff.. Ah-CHOO!)



From the Learning Rooms... Setting up our weeks around the saints' feastdays. I've downloaded lots of starting links for two great saints of this week right here.

From the kitchen... Bagels and cream cheese for a quick breakfast this morning, leftover meatball subs for lunch, chef salad for dinner, with lemon-pepper chicken, I'm thinking...

I am creating... the finishing touches on our school plan for the year. (Our first day is tomorrow.)

I am going... to the dentist with Gabriel (4) this morning.

I am wearing... a long patterned prairie skirt, white tee and sandals, short-sleeve, light cotton denim jacket.

I am reading... Not much of anything right at the moment ~ too busy with school plans.


I am hoping... Short term : that Gabe gets a thumbs up at the dentist! Long term: that we have a successful, fun school year, packed with learning.

I am hearing... The Littles watching Curious George, Michelle swatting flies.

Around the house... Our furnace guy, Joseph, is coming back this week to work on heating zone number two in the central heating installation adventure.

Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week... Two chiropractor appointments, and nothing else (I hope!) but settling into a good school routine.



One of my favorite things... is the first hint of fall in the air, that bit of crisp morning air we're starting to get now.

Here is a picture thought I'm sharing with you...

Looking forward to Fall!!

The Feast of St. Elizabeth of Hungary

Repost from November 19th, 2008 

(Check out how little the girls look in the photo below.  Goodness how time flies!)

One of my patron saint Elizabeths, this dear saint is one of the examples of sanctity within a happy marriage. Though betrothed to Ludwig of Thuringia when she was only four years old, and married at the tender age of fourteen, she and her husband were well matched and loved one another deeply. They had three children and were the model of wedded bliss and harmony, while being always true children of the Church, patrons of the poor, and examples of piety to all.

But, a tragedy of crosses interupts this happily-ever-after story at a heart-achingly early chapter. When Elizabeth and Ludwig's youngest child was still an infant, Ludwig was killed while fighting in the crusades, leaving Elizabeth to cruel treatment by the royal court. She was dispossessed of everything she owned, and forced to beg for herself and her children. At one time she was resigned to shelter in an abandoned pigstye, shunned by everyone. But, Elizabeth suffered all these crosses with perfect patience. She became a third order Franciscan, devoting herself to those poorer than herself, and supporting herself by hiring out her skill in spinning. Her constant goal through her troubles remained always her eternal reward ~ and the promise of resting in Christ, reunited with her beloved husband in heaven.

She died at the age of 24, in the year 1231.

She is the patron saint of: bakers; beggars; brides; Catholic charities; charitable societies; charitable workers; charities; countesses; death of children; exiles; falsely accused people; Franciscan Third Order; hoboes; homeless people; hospitals; in-law problems; lacemakers; lace workers; nursing homes; nursing services; people in exile; people ridiculed for their piety; Sisters of Mercy; tertiaries; Teutonic Knights; toothache; tramps; widows.

Celebrating the day:

One of the legends of St. Elizabeth is that of the miraculous roses. Most of us are familiar with this image in St. Elizabeth's iconography. The story goes that Elizabeth was bringing bread to the poor and was surprised by her husband, who (for some reason) disapproved of this practice. When he commanded her to show him what she carried in her basket, the bread she had baked for the poor was miraculously transformed to roses, and at this obvious proof of his wife's sanctity, Ludwig was converted. This is not likely to be a true story, as Ludwig is known to have been a pious Catholic, supportive of his wife's openly giving to the poor. Nevertheless, it's a beautiful legend, and one that inspires the tradition of baking bread on this day.


Here is a great picture-filled bread making tutorial we found for beginners.

But, today at our house, I think we'll make Theresa and Cathy's Easy Breadsticks.

**Since St. Elizabeth spun for a living, it would also be appropriate to practice any of the "yarn arts" today in her honor.

Knitting and crocheting, besides being practical and fun womanly arts, can be applied to the corporal works of mercy.


You can find details about crocheting for preemies at the Crochet Cabana or the Preemie Project. Or you can contact your local children's hospital for details on specifics there. We are personally grateful to the sweet ladies who crocheted the teeny tiny hats donated to the NICUs where four of our children spent their first days of life!

If knitting and crocheting are not your thing (we're really not very good at it at our house), here is a wonderful, simple pattern for making soft little blankets for preemies. No sewing involved! We made these for all or our babies in the NICU, and noted that many were donated to the other children there. The skin of preemies is so very tender, that all but the softest knitted or crocheted things irritate, so these soft fleece blankets are ideal.
Crafting for a Cause is a site directory for all things charitable ~ from making blankets for the elderly in nursing homes to knitting teddy bears for policemen to carry in their cars for emergencies involving children.

And, last but not least...

Prayers for widows and widowers are very appropriate for the day, as are prayers for the homeless. And here is a Litany of St. Elizabeth.


PS~ I almost forgot! Run over to Charlotte's at Waltzing Matilda for a coloring page!

Simple Woman's Daybook, July 28th

Peggy at Simple Woman hosts this lovely excuse for visiting kindred spirits. Run over there to catch up on a cornucopia of Monday morning thoughts!

Outside my Window.... It's sunny and bright. The welcome rain of the last few days has given new life to everything ~ including the weeds which need to be mowed!

I am thinking... life is good! I'm feeling refreshed and invigorated after a weekend in the mountains with the love of my life.

From the kitchen... The kids had a cook-off here over the weekend while we were gone ~ so there's plenty of fudge and brownies to nibble on.. OH, LUCKY ME! (I was supposed to start a diet today...) And Dominic is trying to resurrect a failed batch of peanut butter fudge. He just melted it back down and is adding flour and I-don't-know-what-else to it to make I-don't-know-what. It should be interesting.

I am creating... a paint technique for our new dining room walls trying to subtley mimic the tortoise shell lampshade on our piano light... Wish me luck!


I am going... for a visit to Mother Cabrini Shrine and then a hike up St. Mary's Glacier this week with my big boys ~ something fun to do together before they go back to school in a couple of weeks.

I am wearing... chocolate brown gypsy skirt, cream colored tee, old brown sandals


I am reading... Ida: a Labor of Love ~ a true story about the life of a pioneer woman, a mother of eight children, in the mining camps of Colorado in the late 1800s.

I am hoping... to get a chance today to download some pictures of our weekend in the mountains.


I am hearing... Jon swatting flies, Anna and Cathy chatting as they clean off the lunch dishes, Dominic picking a tune out on our new old piano (hopefully pictures coming of that, too!)


Around the house... Catching up on a ton of laundry ~ as usual for a Monday. Finishing up the trim on our rebuilt dining room. Working on trying to keep our two little escape-artist baby goats in their pen and out of the house. (They desperately want to live in the house with us, and squeeze out of their pen and in through the door every chance they get. As cute as they are, none of us thinks they'd make good house pets.)

Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week... Work at grandparents' house, work at church, work at home, hiking in the mountains whenever we can squeeze it in.


Here is a picture thought I'm sharing with you...

Twin Falls at Yankee Boy Basin, at the top of a fairly easy jeep trail southwest of Ouray, Colorado. These are the falls that are on the Coors cans...
And here are two videos ~ a close up and a wide view. I wish you could all have been there, as the pictures and videos just can't do it justice. For the real effect, to these pictures add 1) a breeze, so cool and fresh if feels like it just blew in from heaven; 2) the sweet aroma of wild flowers blended into the subtle earthy background of sage and pine; 3) colors so crisp and clear and bright, they can't be reproduced in a camera.

My Baby Boy

 

William Thomas

7 years old

 

 

William today, one day away from seven years old.

Tells me the other day, "I'm almost a man, Mommy."

 

I don't disagree, though my heart contracts a little bit.

 

"How do you figure that?" I ask.

 

"I can read."

 

Check.

(Reads almost anything, especially if there are pictures.)

 

"I can tie my shoes."

 

Kinda.

(When he went to prove it, he'd "temporarily forgotten.")

 

"I can lead the rosary."

 

He can and does any chance he gets.

 

"I can ride a bike."

 

Most definitely.  Took one day to learn

and now he flies around the driveway

"like a jet!"

 

"I mean, I'm not a man yet.  But almost."

William, less than a month old.

 

My William.  My last baby. 

 

He may think he's almost a man,

and some day he will be a man...

 

But, even when I have to look up to see into his twinkling brown eyes, I'll see the face of this baby boy.  My final contribution to the universe.  My horse of a different color. I sure do love this little guy.

 

Happy Birthday, William Almost-a-Man Davis!

 

You're such a superstar!

 

 

About 2 years old.

 

 **   His birthday is actually tomorrow, Monday the 26th, but we celebrated today while Daddy was in town.  And I have to leave tomorrow to head over to Denver for a while to help out my brother who just had back surgery.  I pre-posted a couple posts for next week, in the hopes of getting into a better swing of blogging again.  We'll see if they actually end up getting on here -- or if I get a chance to get on the computer and blog while I'm in Denver...  Who knows?  I just might....

Blessings to all this week, the last week of the Liturgical Year, regardless!