Sunday's Sentiment

We see God everyday...............we just don't recognize Him.
(Pearle Bailey)

Happy St. Patrick's Day

May you always have work for your hands to do.
May your pockets hold always a coin or two.
May the sun shine bright on your windowpane.
May the rainbow be certain to follow each rain.
May the hand of a friend always be near you.
And may God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.
~Irish Blessing

Something to crow about!

As some of you may remember, my son, Joseph, headed to Naval boot camp in mid January. He just called me today to tell me that he has passed his battle stations and is now officially a sailor! He will graduate this Friday! We are so proud of him!

Thank you for all of your prayers!

The answer to your questions about the wild berries............

that I wrote about in my last post.

This is a common wild berry that grows all over our area.

It is called the Algerita berry,

it's Latin name:  Berberis trifololata

(Mahonia trifoliata)

This wonderful bush looks almost like holly with it's very prickly leaves. During this time of year it is heady and full of wonderful smelling blossoms which to me, look almost like old fashioned cabbage roses, but in miniature.  It will produce small, bright red , berries, which the animals and birds love to eat. It is also safe for humans and if you ever drive through Texas and see folks out hitting a bush with a stick...............I promise you they are knocking the berries off of the thorny plant to harvest and to make into wonderful jelly.  I hope to beat the birds and wildlife and try to take a photo of this wonderful natural food source.

Do you have wild berries growing in your area?

I would love to hear!

The most welcoming scent is blowing across the prairie,

inviting Sophie and I to follow our noses in the direction it is coming from.

We walk down to the barbed wire fenced ranch land, and all along the fences,

these wild berry vines are in bloom.................

full of the sweet frangrance, color, and buzzing bees.

The bees are so busy collecting pollen that they take no time to notice me as I try to focus in on their busy darting here and there................one bee,

who is not so camera shy............is patient and very well

"beehaved"

(You can click on the photo for a better view.)

We have been fortunate enough to received a couple of days of good,

slow, soaking rain. The woods will soon be bursting forth with more blossoms and buzzing.

How about you?

What is blooming or buzzing around you?

I would love to hear!

pssst.....................

I,...Thadeus duck,  interrupt this weekly blog about eggs and chickens..........

to let you know that there are ducks on the grounds as well!!!!

Along the cottonfield road

the grounds lie dry and hopelessly lifeless.

The gnarled woods look not much better.

But just walk a little further and into the hen house..................

nests are full and the chicken yard is a bustle of fluffed feathers, scratching and pecking.

The pomegranate tree is awakening and starting to bud.

A vibrant butterfly gracefully flits in and out of the flowers, being elusive as ever to my camera.

In the yard.............what my husband calls a weed.........I know he's right,

is blooming and growing in clusters ............

announcing the arrival of spring on it's way.

Weed indeed....................it's too pretty to be called such.............

the tree agrees with me.

How about you?

Is everything still in winter's slumber?

or

has spring's early alarm clock stirred up life from beneath your grounds?

I would love to hear!