Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Wordless Wednesday


The Cousins





It is hard to believe that the summer is almost over! We have had a summer packed full of family. It has been good having the chance to spend time with family that we don't often see. The boys have absolutely loved their time with "the cousins." Next week we will be spending time with more cousins as we go on vacation together to Colorado!


Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Honey Glazed Chicken

This recipe is really easy and kids love it!

2T butter
¼ cup honey
3 T mustard
2 t curry
½ t salt

Melt butter in a 9x13 dish. Add remaining ingredients to butter. Coat chicken and bake. Uncovered. For 45 minutes at 375

Friday, June 13, 2008

THY JOHN

by Amy Carmichael

As John upon his dear Lord's breast,
So would I lean, so would I rest;
As empty shell in depths of sea,
So would I sink, be filled with Thee.

As water lily in her pool
Through long, hot hours is still and cool,
A thought of peace, so I would be
Thy water-flower, Lord, close by Thee.

As singing bird in high, blue air,
So would I soar, and sing Thee there;
No rain nor stormy wind can be
When all the air is full of Thee.

And so though daily duties crowd,
And dust of earth be like a cloud,
Through noise of words, O Lord, my Rest,
Thy John would lean upon Thy breast.

Monday, May 05, 2008

‘God never places us in any position in which we can not grow. We may fancy that He does. We may fear we are so impeded by fretting, petty cares that we are gaining nothing; but when we are not sending any branches upward, we may be sending roots downward. Perhaps in the time of our humiliation, when everything seems a failure, we are making the best kind of progress.’

-Elizabeth Prentiss

Friday, April 18, 2008

UPDATE: Polyphemus Moth Eggs

I am sorry to say that our moth eggs had a bad end. A few days ago, Mark and I were surprised to find that the eggs had hatched and we had tiny little larva crawling all over the box they were in and all over the books and papers next to the box. We tried to round them all up and put them into an insect house that we previously used for hatching butterflies. Then we went around gathering leaves that were supposed to be their favorite. They seemed to like the leaves; so we had hopes that they would grow and eventually go into their cocoons and hatch as the beautiful Polyphemus moth.

Well, last night we had to go and pick up Mark at the airport. He was just returning from the Together For The Gospel conference. While we were waiting at the airport a huge storm blew through our city and neighborhood. When we arrived home our insect house was nowhere to be seen. We searched the yard with a flashlight, but found nothing. Today we will have to scout the neighborhood and see if we can find any clues about our missing larva.

Tuesday, April 08, 2008

For Sweet Lilly

HOMECALL
By Amy Carmichael

Out of the heat and out of the rain,
Never to know or sin or pain,
Never to fall and never to fear-
Could we wish better for one so dear?

What has she seen and what has she heard,
She who has flown away like a bird?
Eye has not seen, nor dream can show
All she has seen, all she may know,

For the pure powers of Calvary
Bathe little souls in innocency.
Tender, tender Thy love words be:
"Dear little child, come home to Me."

Wednesday, April 02, 2008

Polyphemus Moth

Mark is busy writing a paper for his Aramaic class. Therefore, to be a help we have gone to visit family. The boys are having a great time playing outdoors almost all day long. My mother lets them dig holes in her backyard, which she says will one day be a fish pond. I am not sure what it will be, but they are loving it.

Last night we were having dinner at my cousin's house and she showed us a moth that had made its way into her garage and was laying eggs on the cement! It was a beautiful Polyphemus Moth, like the one in the above picture. It was a very bad place to lay eggs (right in the driveway). So, we gently loaded them into a box and hope to see them hatch. I found that the usual host is "A wide variety of trees and shrubs including oak (Quercus), willow (Salix), maple (Acer), and birch (Betula)" I found the information and picture here .

This will be a fun way to tell the story of Odysseus and Polyphemus. I think the moth is much more beautiful than its namesake, don't you?

Friday, March 28, 2008

THE AGE-LONG MINUTE

By Amy Carmichael

Thou art the Lord who slept upon the pillow;
Thou art the Lord who soothed the furious sea;
What matter beating wind and tossing billow
If only we are in the boat with Thee?
Hold us in quiet through the age-long minute
While Thou art silent, and the wind is shrill.
Can the boat sink while Thou, dear Lord, art in it?
Can the heart faint that waiteth on Thy will?

Thursday, March 27, 2008


Paper Kite
Idea leuconoe

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Spring Break Is Over


We had a lovely Spring Break. We spent it in the mountains with family. And now it is back to school and back to work. Therefore, I may not be posting very much until we get back into our routines (and I get all the laundry done!) But maybe I will post a few lovely photos that we took for our Nature notebooks.

Monday, March 10, 2008

Pakistani Kima

This is one of our favorite meals. So, I thought I would pass it along!

Saute in skillet:
3T. butter
1 c. chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced

Add:
1 lb. ground beef
1 1/2 t. salt
dash pepper
dash each cinnamon, ginger, and tumeric
2 c. cooked tomatoes
2 potatoes, diced
2 c. frozen green beans

Cover and simmer about 25 minutes or until the potatoes are done. Serve over rice. Just before serving sprinkle shredded coconut on top. Serves 5-6

Monday, March 03, 2008

FOR OUR CHILDREN

By Amy Carmichael

Father, Hear us, we are praying,
Hear the words our hearts are saying,
We are praying for our children.

Keep them from the powers of evil,
From the secret, hidden peril,
From the whirlpool that would suck them,
From the treacherous quicksand pluck them.

From the worldling's hollow gladness,
From the sting of faithless sadness,
Holy Father, save our children.

Through life's troubled water steer them,
Through life's bitter battle cheer them,
Father, Father, be Thou near them.

Read the language of our longing,
Read the wordless pleadings thronging,
Holy Father, for our children.

And wherever they may bide,
Lead them home at eventide.