Hoofing It

Our goats love to go on walks.  They don't walk though. Why walk when you can jog, run, kick, rear up, explore, snack, race, jostle for position, and snack some more? 

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"The Lord is my shepherd,
I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures; 
He leads me beside quiet waters.
He restores my soul;
He guides me in the paths of righteousness
For His name's sake."
                           ~Psalm 23:1-3 NASB  

Let's Un-eclipse

In America—maybe in your country as well—many debate the cause but few could deny the shadows of hate attempting to eclipse the light of peace, honor, and love.  In the face of such darkness, I can only hand over a few sunflowers and a bright reminder for all of us from the Bible.

“If you do away with the yoke of oppression,

With the pointing finger and malicious talk,

And if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry

And satisfy the needs of the oppressed,

Then your light will shine in the darkness,

And your night will become like the noonday.”

                                                ~Isaiah 58:9b-10 NIV

Summer FB Remix

The majority of Hayseed Files readers don't view the Facebook version, so I've collected a few of this summer's photos for those folks.

Zach (my son) and Cady's wedding! Hubby and a friend, Donna, made the cake stand. I baked the cake; my sister Jenny helped me decorate it.

Left: Sugar and her subjects. Right: Sugar and her newest friends.

You can see why I named the new bull Pigpen.

Anything that can be climbed will be climbed.

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"I am Summer, come to lure you away from your computer." ~Oriana Green

Calico and Ariel Go to Camp

Blueberry's kids, Calico and Ariel, visited a youth camp at Circle J Ranch and Retreat Center in the Tensleep Canyon. Yours truly chauffeured, shepherded, and introduced them. At first, Calico and Ariel were rather overwhelmed by the new surroundings and strangers, but they soon began to have fun and make new friends. 

Before we left camp, three children told me of their plans to acquire a goat of their own. Two boys even announced their intention to come to my place and buy a goat. I grinned, imagining the expressions on their parents' faces when they heard the news.

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"See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!" ~1 John 3:1 NIV

It's a Species Thing

The human hiking experience:

Finally here. Ah, the cool, pine-saturated air. Bright butterflies and wildflowers. Imposing peaks. Beef jerky and almond M&Ms eaten beside shining waters. Friendly hikers from afar. Trails that beckon come higher. Soul-soothing tranquility. Why do we stay away so long? 

The cowdog hiking experience:

Countless chipmunks, squirrels, pikas, marmots! Each one chattering, teasing can't catch me, can't catch me, you dumb redneck dogs! We try. Come close a few times. Do manage to bushwack an unsuspecting Labrador retriever at the trailhead. The folks call us back, but we only hear the call of the wild. We wolves have no names, obey no orders--but give us a bite of your pimiento cheese sandwich, please.

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"'For the mountains may move and the hills disappear, but even then my faithful love for you will remain. My covenant of blessing will never be broken,' says the Lord, who has mercy on you." ~Isaiah 54:10 NLT

Farewell

One of my dearest little friends (family, really) passed away last Sunday. If I told you how much I'm grieving Blueberry, how much I miss her, you'd probably call me batty--so I won't mention it. 

Blueberry's kids, Calico and Ariel, pictured when they were a few days old. Thankfully, the doelings were plenty old enough to wean before Blueberry died.

Took this on the way to town to the vet clinic. The look on her face said, "Are you sure you know how to drive this thing?"

Me and Cora, saying good-bye. 

Ariel, foreground, on her mama's new grave. Surely Ariel didn't know that Blueberry was buried five feet beneath her, but, well.... 

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"The thief's purpose is to steal, kill and destroy. My purpose is to give life in all its fullness." ~John 10:10 TLB

Farms: Great Places to Live, Unless You Like to Sleep at Night

Overheard in grocery checkout line:

Young mom with kids, buying eggs: “I’ve always wanted a farm. That’s my dream: to own a farm.”

Me, tempted to say: Lady, I bet you have no idea how hard you’d be working on that farm.

Checker: “Yeah, I grew up on a farm.”

Young mom: “And I’d love to have chickens. It would be so wonderful to wake up every day by the crowing of the roosters.”

Me, tempted to say: Ha! After a night of sleep interrupted by the caterwauling fox family, dogs chasing the fox family, and spouse calling the name of the cat who hopefully hasn’t become the midnight snack of the fox family, you’ll be ready to feed those ol’ early birds to the fox family. And don't get me started on cows and calves.

Me, carrying groceries to the truck: I definitely need to work on my attitude.  

A juvenile offender. 

Afternoon nappers, making up for lost nighttime REM.

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"Every thought is a seed. If you plant crab apples, don't plan on harvesting Golden Delicious." ~Bill Meyer