Country Crossings

Wednesday, June 3, 2020

JUNE 2020

LILACS ON JUNE FIRST

Wild Iris and Lilacs in June

wildflowers too

The 100 days of summer (in Montana), have begun. Long, working summer days and starry nights make it seem like perpetual camping. What a great life! The cows and horses have shed or slicked off their coats and the green grass is so bright next to the beautiful big blue sky, (can't even notice the weeds yet). Growing is what we do, hope you are too.

western horse greeting cards

Monday, May 11, 2020

MAY MOMENTS 2020 (Garden gift cards)

OUR COUNTRY REOPENS

"America was not built on fear, It was built on courage,

on imagination, and an unbeatable determination

to do the job at hand." H. Truman

May Flower Gifts 2020

new daisies

5x7 Garden gift cards $4

4x6 Garden gift cards $3

Memorial Day Table setting
Love and Gratitude

Saturday, March 28, 2020

Home on the Range

Stay Home Page

This post is dedicated to our times amongst the virus, Covid 19. Back in 1918, with the Spanish flu, we are called to respect and care for one another in our homes. I am a homebody, so I feel I want to help others feel peaceful and productive at home. Some phrases come to mind: "Be still and know that I am God". "Love one another as I have loved you."

But first (because I am a retired teacher) here is a little reading to contemplate:
{People were panic stricken terrified of catching the disease they were hidden indoors avoiding their friends and neighbors, schools, churches and theaters were closed. Cloth masks were passed out but they did no good. There was a shortage of caskets; bodies piled up ...in

...over 20 million people lost their lives to the outbreak 700,000 Americans died in fact more Americans died of the flu in those few months then were killed in the first world war the second world war the Korean war in the Vietnam war combined.

This starts out sounding like today...}

Here's a little historyfrom 1918:
'The first known case of 1918 flu was reported in March at an army fort in Kansas. By April it had spread to most cities in the US . ...
That first outbreak took many lives but it was not really different from other flu epidemic‘s most of those who died were very young, very old, or already sick or weak from some other reason. A month later however the flu came back it was the same flu in the sense that if you had it in the spring you couldn’t catch it in the fall but somehow over the summer it had changed into a killer.
What was so terrifying about the second wave was that healthy adults in their 20s and 30s were the most common victims. The flu started its second trip around the world in late September 1918 killing many fit young soldiers along with millions of otherwise healthy civilians.
And the second wave of the flu almost certainly influence the course of World War I in fact if the flu hadn’t made so many soldiers too sick to fight it’s possible that the German army might’ve been able to prolong its last attacks on the Allies.'

taken from MUSE Killer Flu by Julie Fenster

A bit of science:
Flu viruses aren’t much to look at; smaller and simpler than bacteria, viruses are tiny enough to pass through the holes in cloth face masks which is why the masks did not do any good. Once a virus gets into a cell it hijacks it forcing it to make more viruses. The new viruses multiply and grow in the cell till it bursts releasing more viruses to invade more healthy cells . This is what makes us sick.
Scientist soon discovered that the flu virus has another characteristic which makes fighting it , like boxing a swarm of bees. The flu virus changes easily and often. It can change a little as in the case of the second wave of the 1918 epidemic when the flu took on new strength or it can change a lot becoming a completely new variety or strain. The ability to change is what makes the flu so dangerous. If the flu stayed the same every year, it would be possible to develop a vaccine that would protect people from it for life like a measles shot protects them for life. But the flu can change at anytime causing global epidemics.

Now back to being hopeful: It says in Luke, "Do not be afraid, just believe"

Here's a creative list of activities to help you feel productive and hopeful.
First SMILE
then listen to your favorite music ...dance a little
try MICHAEL W. SMITH or JOEY AND Rory

* 1. write a letter or send a card to someone special📫
*2. a great time for spring cleaning or organizing
*3. set a pretty table,use all your good stuff with a theme or color scheme
*4. upscale a closet with organized boxes or baskets
*5. listen to your favorite music, SMILE, dance
*6. FAMILY time: pillow fights and box car races work well, set up a puzzle table
*7. organize the pantry or clean out a freezer
*8. & 9. be CREATIVE and healthy🍲😋scratch cooking, painting, woodworking, crafting
knit, sew, or crochet something for your neighbor
*10. & 11. ENERGY time: take a walk, run, look at amazing sunrises, sunsets, or nature scenes 🏞🌤play games with your pet🐕, do some floor or couch exercises
*12. vacuume, dust, and shine your silver
* 13. set up a room in the basement for guests to visit another time (paint always makes it fresh)
*14. REFLECT; make lists, write in a journal, or read a real book again📚📕
*15. Now, for those of you who are shoppers, fuel and feed stores are still open as those are necessities for Animal people, the feed stores have lots of gifts for people and pets, so start your Christmas 🎄shopping early and stow it away in all your. new clean spaces.
*16. It says in Romans; ...overcome evil by doing good... My family and I have seen so many people doing this it is totally encouraging and hopeful. Thank God💜💚

Create a Great day:)

Wednesday, March 25, 2020

April 2020 (horse portraits)

Awesome April

Horse Prints for sale; large-framed, $200 & smaller canvas $50.

Bookmark a sunset or sunrise to remember:)

Friday, February 21, 2020

MARCH. 2020. (cow portraits)

New calves coming...

CALVING IN MARCH

It was pitch-black night as she squirmed out of bed so not to awake another creature. She donned her long-underwear, left out from the night before and pulled her overalls on with a shudder. The stars twinkled and glittered all around and through the Milky Way path in the sky. Checking cows was a quiet chore, especially at night, or early AM, a chance to be alone with God and the Universe. Loving the smell of horses and animals, she spent more time in the saddle this time of year, than any other. She rode out amongst the herd and then beyond to a cow far away from the others. the water-bag hanging out was a beacon of light amongst the willow bush background. Quietly, she watched the cow lay down, stretch, grunt and heave, then stand with her calf hanging halfway out. It' head was bobbing but she could see its nostrils wet moist, and moving ever so slightly, so she knew it could breathe and the birthing sac had broken away. Another big push and the calf wobbled onto the ground. The mom whirled around and vigorously started licking the calf. Another one of God's little miracles, all before sunrise .

I've painted in watercolor some mother cows. Any of these prints can be purchased on canvas for 44 dollars. Please Email me for prints at lbpier@gmail.com
Thank you Love and light to you

The birds are back...Spring is here...
Are not two sparrows sold for a rent And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your father. Matthew 10:29

Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies, Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Luke 12:6

Also, a good time to make willow wreaths as the willows are so pliable.

Wednesday, January 22, 2020

February 2020

FEBRUARY
Happy Hearts to you & yours *

Teaching watercolor class Feb. 4th in BT 'Amazing Aspen trees'

Lesson on aspen tree paintings: torn-off side paper scraps create a painted vision of my lesson plan.

Also, my month for teaching Sunday school at our church...a few memories...

God's Grace on Sundays

Long ago, when I was a young child, I don't have strong memories of Sunday school lessons or youth groups, but I do remember slow calming hymns, the fresh pine smell of polished wood, the "loud" clattering of change and key chains falling out of mom's purse amounts the quiet, still moments sitting in the pew. Between prayers and songs, there was a feeling of belonging to my family and someone larger than all of us. Afterwards, we felt special because we stopped at a donut factory on the way home,(the only time we ever had a donut). I hope the children of the future whether attentive or inattentive can experience and feel the same sense of God's grace!

This month, I am Painting place cards for your table setting; As Emily Post has told us, "formal place cards are usually written on cream or white card stock.." so watercolor paper fits and my good friend loves my no-waste card painting torn-off paper-sides. Happy place setting for all your special times together!