Irish Quotes
9
03, 2016
7
03, 2016
Irish music: ‘Tis nothing like it.
March brings St. Patrick’s Day and around my house, all things Irish appear. The air rings with Irish music. You’ll frequently catch me dancing a little jig along with Celtic Woman.
Irish music is such an important part of Ireland. Whether the fiddler on a corner in Dublin or the man on the country lane blowing his Irish whistle or a late-night session at the local pub, you’ll find toe-tapping, hand-clapping music everywhere.
I could listen all day. And often do.
These photos were taken at sessions we attended on one of our trips.
As the session on the right was breaking up a native Irish speaker leaned over and said this about the music we’d been listening to, “Ah I tell you, it was great music, ‘twould make the water stand out in your eyes.” 
And, indeed tears did sparkle in my eyes that night.
Nothing is more wonderful than the combination of traditional music and dancing. On a trip to Bunratty Castle in 2006, we attended an Irish Evening at the Corn Barn where the magic of Irish traditional music, song, and the local dancers provided a show we still talk about. Watch this video describing the event. I promise it will put you in St. Patrick’s Day mood.
29
02, 2016
Before Sunrise – A Love Story
All this month I’ve blogged about love and things I love. What better way to end the month and lead into next month where the theme will be all things Irish.
This short film, written by Kealan O’Rourke and produced by Trinity University, Dublin, is unique love story and so very Irish. It’s about shadow creatures that play throughout the night in a fairy tale village. One particular shadow is tired of his mischievous life and discovers something altogether more magical.
Enjoy!
24
02, 2016
February Words of Love
the greatest refreshment in life. ~Pablo Picasso
a canvas furnished by Nature and embroidered by imagination. ~Voltaire
a game that two can play and both win. ~Eva Gabor
an irresistible desire to be irresistibly desired. ~Robert Frost
a single soul inhabiting two bodies. ~Aristotle
I’ll end this month of love quotes with the reprise from “You are Sixteen” from Oscar Hammerstein, Sound of Music, which says it all.
A bell is no bell ’til you ring it,
A song is no song ’til you sing it,
And love in your heart
Wasn’t put there to stay –
Love isn’t love
‘Til you give it away.
22
02, 2016
Five Reasons I Love Early Morning
I’m an early riser. Always have been.
I believe the trait stems from growing up with five people in a one-bedroom/one bathroom house. In those crucial teen years when bathroom time is paramount, a little brother arrived in the family. Six people had to share the one bath.
With two working parents, early morning bathroom time was a premium. Sick of the constant arguments, Daddy allocated use times.
Being the oldest child, I was granted first in line morning time with the 5 a.m. to 5:15 time slot. That lucky draw meant, if I got up even earlier, I’d have more than fifteen minutes. During my high school years when rushing to dress was not an option, I’d head to the bathroom sometime in the 4:00 and 4:30 range.
And thus began my love affair with early morning.
When I grew up and married, the hour I woke up depended on me. I still choose the early morning hours. These days, the exact time varies. In summer, it’s earlier than winter. But, I’m always up before the sun rises.
These are five reasons I love early morning.
It’s a brand new day. ~A fresh start. A clean slate. There’s no better feeling!
The house is quiet. ~The hustle and bustle of daily life hasn’t begun. Yet. I read somewhere that our brains need quiet awaking to function as it should. I need it.
I can read Proverbs undisturbed. ~Did you know there’s a chapter of Proverbs for every day of a month? I find it amazing how the verses can so accurately related to my life. My daily reading offers a tangible realization of God’s comfort and protection.
The dogs and I can share a morning walk before the rest of the human world awakes. ~Living in the forest, it’s hard to wake before the animals so we’re never totally alone. The birds chirp. The rabbits scurry around. Deer and turkey munch of trees and grass. Some mornings we meet other early risers with their dogs. Toby and Buster have an impromptu play date greeting their doggie friends.
The sunrise. ~I never tire of seeing the dark sky brighten into lapis and pink and tangerine and ruby and gold all at the same time as the sun rises above the mountains. Every morning there’s a new and different formation as the gentle swoosh of night giving way to daylight sweeps over us.
No two sunrises are alike.Neither are two days ever alike.
19
02, 2016
New Game on Miller Farm
By Chicken Wrangler Sara
Rachel’s new coop design for her color project seems to be working well. Everyone is staying where they belong. 
A side benefit is that it has provided me with a new game. I call it “Chicken Coop Skee Ball” after the arcade game where you roll the ball into a series of circles to earn points.
I stand in the grass outside the chicken yard and throw food (bread, bruised fruit, etc) into each of the six separate chicken runs.
Sometimes it takes me several tries to get it into the furthest one. I’m trying to see if I can get food into each run with only six throws.
It is nice to be so easily entertained.
17
02, 2016
Presidents Day Quotes
Last Monday we celebrated President’s Day. Most people look at the day as a tribute to all who have ever served in the office of the President.
Those of you as old as me will remember we used to honor only two presidential birthdays in February — George Washington on February 22 and Abraham Lincoln on February 16. Modern day President’s Day falls between those two birthdays.
Wikimedia Commons
Yesterday was Lincoln’s birthday and Washington’s birthday will be Monday, I offer these Wednesday words of wisdom from both two presidents.
George Washington (1789-1797)
“Associate yourself with men of good quality if you esteem your own reputation; for ’tis better to be alone than in bad company.”
“Labor to keep alive in your breast that little spark of celestial fire, called conscience.”
Wikimedia
Abraham Lincoln (1861-1865)
“Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other one thing.”
“A capacity, and taste, for reading, gives access to whatever has already been discovered by others. It is the key, or one of the keys, to the already solved problems. And not only so. It gives a relish, and facility, for successfully pursuing the [yet] unsolved ones.”
–September 30, 1859 Address before the Wisconsin State Agricultural Society
15
02, 2016
Poems of love to love
Poetry is popular around Valentine’s Day. I am not a poetry writer, but I do have favorite love poems.
In this picture, you see poetry and sayings that have special meaning for my husband and me. They hang in our bedroom along with our original wedding invitation.
The first is a poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning, written in 1845 to her husband, Robert. On a trip to Paris, I had silhouettes done at Montmartre Art Colony then framed with the poem penned in calligraphy.
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of every day’s
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with a passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood’s faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints, — I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life! — and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.
~Sonnet XLIII found in Sonnets From the Portuguese by Elizabeth B. Browning
On the left of the Browning poem is an anniversary gift plaque with words from First Corinthians 13. Wise words on love written around 56 A.D. by Paul to the Christians at Corinth.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.
The last plaque in the wall grouping, though not a poem, always brings a smile and giggle for the truth it shares about married life.
This marriage was made in heaven,
but so was thunder and lightning.
What about you? Do you have a special love poem or a saying on love you’d share in the comments section?
12
02, 2016
Day? Month? Year?
A blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara
I started using a planner a couple of years ago. It is a weekly planner with room to make lists on every day.
I confess, I am one of those people who writes things I have already done on the list just so I can cross them off.
This year I chose one with a boring cover. I never see the cover anyway. I always keep it open to the current week.
At least I thought I did.
This year I was a little late getting the planner. I didn’t really need to keep lists during the holidays so I forgot all about having a planner – until school started. Then I needed to write things down.
So I opened the planner and started writing things down. All was fine until we started discussing which day of the week was actually Valentine’s Day. I looked at my planner and then realized I was not only in the wrong month but was actually in the wrong year.
My planner is a 16th month planner. It starts in August 2015 a fact I totally missed until nearly the middle of February.
Oh, well, at least I was making lists and crossing things off. Of course I could do that on notebook paper and ditch planners altogether.
10
02, 2016