Flag Dates; Honor Country and Service

Memorial Day

     Thank you Abraham Lincoln for beginning this tradition, we truly must remember the sacrifice of the Civil War and all the men to whom country is second only to God.  Many thanks to all the men and women and their families for their service.

Charlie's loyalty, always raised for his brothers

red, white, & blue stars for CP 

 Flag Dates for 2015 (days to remember to raise up our stars and stripes to honor veterans ):

May 8   VE day (1945) & Truman Day
May16    Armed Forces Day
May 25   Memorial Day
June 6   D-Day (1944)
June 14  Flag day to honor veterans
July 4th  Independence Day
July 27  National Korean war & Veterans Armistice Day
August 15   VJ Day (1945)
September 7  Labor Day
September 11  Patriot Day
September 18  US Air Force birthday (1947) & POW/MIA recognition day
October 12  Columbus day & US Navy  Birthday
November 11 Veterans Day
December 7  Remembrance of Pearl Harbor Day

Dakota Love, Like Father like son, Charlie,Nik, & Ike

It's all about giving back, paying it forward, extending a kindness, whatever the phrase of the day is, I love giving and sharing.

               So when you sit down to eat, please remember and say a prayer for our devoted soldiers and their families.  Thank you.  Happy Memorial Day to you and yours.

the table is set...

Hummers

    Blessing Before Dawn

        I have been watching several little amazing creatures.  Listening is almost better than watching them; they sound like mini-miniature helicopters, their wings flap about 55 times a second.  Their heart beats 21 times in that same second.  They weigh about a tenth of an ounce and pollinate 1000 flowers a day.  What's really amazing is that during migration they can fly 500 miles nonstop.  Yet because of their sound they acquired their name:  Hummingbirds. The past few rainy days have really made all the colors of the birds brighten, the western bluebirds are a striking sky-blue as well.
      Chad Pierson was the first to introduce these little miracles to me as he was fascinated by them and had "the hog of all hummingbirds on his porch," or so he thought.  I have several drinking feeders for them and have arranged them to hang by windows I am frequently at, the sugar water is 25% sugar (boil 4 cups water to 1 cup sugar, from friend, PK).  They also eat insects.  All in all, they eat their weight in food every day and spend the rest of the time sitting and watching which requires a lot of patience.   Happy Bird-watching.

sipping amongst the greenery

A view from the backdoor

Green hummer

western bluebirds in the grass

A Mother's day on the Ranch

Happy Mother's Day 

         Mother's try hard to keep us grounded by teaching us manners,(enforcers of politeness and culture as well as taking care of home treasures), they show us greener pastures (making sure we don't stray for the wrong reasons), and encourage us to unfold our wings and fly.  It makes you think of angels.  Many of us our mothers to our family, friends and animals, Thank God and thank you.

I hope it is a wonderful day for the cow-mothers on the ranch too.

Prayer changes Things

          Today is the National Day of Prayer which originated first with Jesus, but in the United States by Abraham Lincoln in 1862.  He believed we had become so self-sufficient for ourselves, that we had forgotten God, the higher power of wisdom.  So he declared we needed a day of humility and prayer, thus the National Day of Prayer.  
       I spent most of the day, thanking Jesus for mercifully showing me all the recent mistakes I had made in the past week.  Charlie had a plaque, that is now on the door of my office, engraved are the words:  'Prayer Changes things' .  I am thankful to view this each day and especially today.  A senate chaplain, Barry Black said Make prayer become like breathing which paraphrases the bible verse:  "...pray without ceasing…".  This is my goal.  Here's hoping we can make ourselves better through prayer.  

2Timothy 22  The Lord be with your spirit.  Grace be with you.