Harvest time.

I realize it's been a couple weeks since I last posted, but I thought I'd share why.....This is Little Critter with two of our zucchini. And no, we didn't forget to go out and pick them.....they got this big in two days! One day they're just little teeny things, then the next day, they're ginormous!!!!!!(That's a contraction between gigantic and enormous...for those of you in Loma Linda.)

And lest you think it's just our zucchini, our crook neck squash, cucumbers, and green beans are about the same sizes. I've already put up 6 gallons of green beans....after we gave Rabbi 2 pints. (we first fruit the first of each of our fruits and veggies.....easier to do it as they come ready than to try to keep track of it at the end of the harvests.) Plus my dill, garlic, onions, and cucumbers are doing the same thing to us! So I've been up to my ears in canning, freezing, pickling, and cooking.

We kinda expected a larger than normal harvest since this is the sixth year we've planted. Biblically this means that we do NOT plant anything next year so the land can have it's Shabbat (Sabbath). So Torah tells us that means the sixth year we'd have a harvest big enough to last us until harvest time on the eighth year. It just never really dawned on me what that really meant....or how many veggies that would be!  But we'll get it all put up, eaten up or given away.

It's amazing how when we follow the instructions in Papa's love letter to us how much He blesses us. I pray dear readers, that you know how much He loves you and wants to bless you also. If you don't know Papa, I'd be honored to tell you about Him. I know He loves you enough that He died for you....So have a great week and until next time. Shalom.

Spring 2010

Well, spring is finally in the air here in Central Texas. This is a pic of Little Critter hiding in the blue bonnets just west of town. Of course, I couldn't get the little worm to smile for me......"Mom, the grass itches." "Mom, cars are slowing down to watch us!!!" "Mom, I think there's an ant on my foot" "Mom, do I have to lie down in the grass?!" Sheesh!!!! It was so much easier when he was still little. Sigh.

We had a series of storms come thru the last few days that were a bit scary, but I'm glad to say we all survived. Although when we called Dragon Lady after the last storm hit this week, they were in the cellar waiting for the worst of the storm to finish passing them by. (She lives within 4 miles of our house.) We had some serious wind, but they got the hail. Oh boo. This could put a real cramp in our 'gleaning' of their wheat fields for Shavuot (Pentecost) in a few weeks. Double oh boo!!!! We'll just have to wait and see what YHWH has in store for us.

I hope each of you are having a wonderful spring. We've got fresh veggies growing in the garden, (will try to get a pic of that soon to post), the chicks are pretty much all laying eggs for us (fresh eggs, doesn't get much better than that!) and there's flowers in my pots on the porch. (Now if I can keep from killing them all, life will truly be great!!! LOL!)

Tax season officially ends next week, although I still have a couple overseas returns that automatically have a 90 day extension to work on and a couple of folks who filed extensions till Aug 15. But that will just give me things to do over the summer to stay out of trouble. We had the end of season dinner tonight at a local restaurant, and my boss made it official that this was his last end of the season dinner. Next year, it'll be me in charge. So, yes, later this year (contracts are signed in October) it looks like I'll join the ranks of the self employed. Boy that's a scary idea!!!! But Dodi and I both feel it's what we're called to do right now. So, if Papa wants me to run that tax office as owner instead of manager....who am I to say "No Way?!" We'll see how it goes. It's biting off a bit more than I really had intended for this time of my life, but I also know He knows far better than I what I should be doing so I'll follow His lead.

Well, sweet friends, I pray protection over each of you as we go thru the rest of the tornado season and head into the hurricane season....from one storm to another. But I know Who holds us in His hands, and know His presence is there for each of us to cling to in the midst of each storm. May He bless and keep each of you, make His face to shine on you and give you His shalom. Amen. Spitfire

Snow in Central Texas

This is a picture of Little Critter with the snow man he and Dodi built. Please notice his leek for a nose...we didn't have any large carrots, and that was all I could find to use for his nose. LOL! He has prunes for eyes and mouth and somehow I think the raisins for his buttons disappeared....most likely into Little Critter's mouth!  Oh, and the little snowball that appears to be floating in the air, is a snowball Little Critter put into the 'y' of Snowman's hand so it would look like Snowman was throwing a snowball at me. Here in Central Texas, we so seldom get enough snow to build snowmen that this was a HUGE deal around here. The schools closed early (at 2:00) and almost everything in town closed between noon and 3pm. By morning, it was all gone and life went back to almost normal...whatever that means. But for one delightful afternoon, we were in a winter wonderland.


Now, me being a lizard type person, I'm not a real fan of cold and snow and such. But this was a blast! We made snow angels, built several snow people, slid down the small hill in the yard, tried to track critters in the snow, threw snowballs at each other and just overall  had a blast. I almost hated to see it melt so quickly. (Yes, I said almost....remember, I hate being cold!!!!) Neighbors came by looking at and taking pictures of the snow people, everyone was laughing and having fun. There seemed to be no ugliness or rudeness or pettiness anywhere around. It made me think how wonderful it will be when Yeshua comes back and cleans all the ugliness and filth from this world. Whew! What a wonderful place this will be!!!!

So I thank Papa for this lovely glimpse into the delights that await. And now must get back to my quiet time with Him....lots to do tomorrow and better get my instructions first. May each of you be blessed. Shalom, Spitfire

Scotty, I think Summer's here!

Well, my goodness. Has it really been over a week since I last wrote?! Whew. The time just flew past. Of course, the temps have sky rocketed too! It's now generally in the 90s with moderate to high humidity. Yuck. I wouldn't mind the heat so much if the humidity weren't so high. But 40%-70% humidity is a real killer of motivation to do much of anything!!!!! Even my poor little plants are not having fun out in the garden.

We've been busy harvesting and preparing more zucchini than I have figured out what to do with, green beans (8 quarts in the freezer so far....one more we ate tonight for dinner....boy were they good!), and about 1/2 a bushel of onions. We've been picking peppers, tomatoes and cilantro as they ripen. Hoping they'll start ripening together so we can make some salsa for Dodi. I've also got to cut all the bok choy and do something with it......any suggestions?!?! I don't think we can eat all 8 heads at once.

I hope you all had a blessed and wonderful Shavuot (Pentecost). We went to the new synagogue in Temple and joined. (Ahava, don't have a heart attack please. )But Dodi decided he was ready to join, so we're now Messianic Jews. We have been in our hearts for several years, but had no where close enough to make it feasible to join. Now we do. (Gayle, now it's your turn to NOT have a heart attack!!!! I'll explain to you later....) Our Shavuot service was incredible!!! I even got to hold the Torah Scroll as we "danced like David danced" during the service. The Torah scroll I got to carry and dance with is one that was smuggled out of Iraq just before the War started. It's got tiny bells all over the top of the two spools (?) holding the actual Torah. I was blown away when they handed it to me. It's priceless! But I did SO enjoy dancing with Papa while holding His love letter to me!!!! It was such a blessing. We also had taken some freshly gleaned wheat with us... yes Gayle, Little Critter and I went out early and gleaned some of your corner wheat...thank you for allowing us to do that. I'm so blessed to have friends in high places! We still may come do some more gleaning if I can figure out how to grind it.....probably would help if I had a grinder. But I don't. And I don't think I want to stand at the table and use my marble slab to grind wheat......hmmmm. Will have to continue to study this one.

After the service, we had a feast!!! Boy, if you left hungry it was your own fault!!!! The congregation is small (much like All Saints, Gayle) but there was more food than our home town could have eaten!!!!! All 5,000 of them!

Then Monday, we got to go pick up our baby chicks. Six of the little darlings. They are SO cute. I'll try to get a picture of them to post soon. We're now busy building a small pen for them so the big chicks don't hurt them. Eventually, they'll all be in the same pen. But for the next several months, the babies will have their own brand new pen. We're also trying to hatch a couple of the older hens eggs. I'll letcha know how that goes. We've hatched several quail, but they never live past 3 weeks. sigh. Hopefully this will work better.

Well, I reckon I've made up for being silent so long.....will try to post more often and shorter posts. I pray Papa has blessed each of you as we start this hot season of the year. shalom, Spitfire

beautiful days

Well, dear friends, here it's been almost a week since last I posted again! Where does the time fly? And I thought I'd have a life again after tax season....silly me. But it's been a wonderful week! The weather is starting to heat up here in Texas....but the wind has continued to blow. Thus keeping it from getting hot yet. (although 80-85 can feel plenty warm, trust me!)
Little Critter and I have been able to spend several days working in our garden this week. What a joy that is! The other day, I took our CD player out with us and we listened to CD's. Unfortunately, we found out our CD player is anti-semitic. Yep, hard to be believe, but the silly thing kept hanging up in the middle of some of our favorite Jewish music CDs. It didn't do that when we listened to Veggie Tales......or Adventures in Odessey...or even the old Father Knows Best shows. Only my Jewish music. So now we'll have to find a new CD player that's not anti-semetic. (ie: hasn't been dropped several times when Little Critter is rearranging his room and acidentally drops the CD player). But before it decided it no longer liked my Paul Wilbur CD, we were listening to Dance with Me, Lover of My Soul. I adore that song!!!!! Little Critter was trying real hard to look like he was working while digging holes in the rows instead of weeding. So I told him he had to dance with me! So right there in the yard beside the garden, we waltzed to Dance with me. When he complained that people would think we were nuts, I told him he could weed instead....suddenly we didn't look so silly to him. (mean ole Mommy!) Then we looked up, and I kid you not.....the trees were dancing with us!!!! Even Little Critter's mouth dropped open. "MOM! LOOK! The trees are dancing with us!!!!" yep, there on the other side of the house, we could see the huge Oaks waving their limbs from one side to the other....exactly in time with the music! And the wind was NOT blowing from side to side.....only from one direction. It was awesome. Now, I'm certain there's someone who could easily give me some natural reason for the trees to act like that....but I don't want to hear it. Sorry to be closed minded here, but it was just such a joy to see the trees waving in the breezes and feel that they were dancing with us while we danced with Papa. I'll treasure those few minutes for a long time. And Little Critter now thinks Papa is here with us instead of way off in heaven somewhere. In his own words: 'Momma, do you think G-d likes dancing with us?" I replied, yes. And he said "I reckon we'll have to dance with Him some more then. Ya think?" So we danced some more with the Creator of the World. What an incredible blessing. I pray you will also dance with Papa my friends, in whatever way you choose to dance. If you don't you may see the trees dancing with Him and putting you to shame. Be blessed. Shalom, Spitfire

First watch Love Letter

Well, last night Papa sent me a love letter in the middle of the night. (what WAS He thinking?????) I'd stayed up entirely too late trying to get things ready for my return to full time work (only for tax season....I work full time for 4 months a year during tax season. Isn't life wonderful!?!) Anyway, after I got in bed, Dodi woke up and we did some pillow talk. Suddenly about 2:15am a small bird started chirping quite loudly outside our window. We both wondered what got this little bird all noisy, but didn't think much of it. Then about 2:30am as we're both drifting into sleep,I had my hand on Dodi's back and was silently praying for him. I asked Papa to give him wisdom and discernment for some decisions we feel we need to make soon, and wanted to be certain he heard Papa's wisdom for us. All of a sudden our dog went ballistic. She was barking and barking and whining and howling...sounds we'd never heard her make before. So Dodi got up to see what was going on. (I had 2 cats wrapped around my legs and was having trouble moving!) After several minutes, Dodi said "My goodness! It's an owl in the tree! A big owl!" Well, of course, I threw cats off the bed as I jumped out of bed to go take a look. He was correct, there was an owl. He appeared to be a 12-15 inch barn owl sitting on a tree branch! Now we live in the city (it's a small town really, but we're not out in the country! We're in town!) And as I was looking at him, the owl turned and looked directly at me. He was BEAUTIFUL!!!! So, being the goose I am, I decided we had to have pictures of this. Well, the double glass on our windows prevented my standing in the house and taking the pictures, so Dodi and I put on shoes and coats (it was in the low 30's outside with drizzle falling!) over our jammies and we traipsed outside to take pictures of this owl. The owl was not in the least bothered by us. Even the flash on my camera didn't seem to bother him. He sat there, serene, peaceful, looking at us like we were insane....Ok, it may have been insane to go racing outside in our pajamas in freezing temperatures to take pictures of an owl....your point is?! LOL!
After we spent about 20-30 minutes watching the owl and taking pictures and video of the owl, we came back inside. As we went back to bed, (about 3:15 am!!!) it occurred to me....I asked Papa to give Dodi wisdom and discernment and almost immediately after I said it, the dog started barking to alert us to the Owl's presence. While we were outside (and even at the window) the owl watched me intently, ignoring the dog and Dodi. Owls are considered wise creatures here in the States....WooHoo! Papa sent me a visible answer to my prayer! Now, some will say I stayed outside too long, or was having some kind of sleep deprivation related epiphany, or have some other kind of brain damage to link these two seemingly unrelated things together. But we've lived here almost 17 years and never seen an owl before. Why last night? Why immediately after I prayed for wisdom for my darling Dodi? And why in the world would such a large owl suddenly show up here.....outside his regular territory? Hmmmm. Looks to me like a love letter from my loving Heavenly Papa! Well, since I only had about a 3 1/2 hour nap last night due to all the excitement.....I think I'll close for now. I have to get up early for work in the morning. I pray you find a love letter from Papa yourself tomorrow....or maybe tonight! Shalom, joie