Ring Out the Old!

Bloggers everywhere today are producing 

"The Year in Review" on their blogs, and indeed, I 

did last year. 

Instead, this year, I'm going to show you the things we 

have been thankful for:

Eight, almost nine years with our big old boy... Big Dog,  Ranger Boy... how we miss him, but we are grateful he is no longer struggling to stand or walk, especially in this cold. 

Cousins to hang with. 

Baseball games to watch, both small....

and large, and oh, those wonderful anthems at Community American ballpark, well done, T Bones!

 Our snake friends keeping the old henhouse free of vermin... another well done! 

The first sight of our baby goats, the two we lost... Kody and Kaycee... thank you from our hearts, Michaele, Rielly and Rickee Oleson... we appreciate your kindness so much. 

And three of the four we have now, accompanying me on chores this afternoon. 

And one waitin' for a Ritz at the door...

And for a healthy chicken flock, who gave the food pantry 9 1/2 dozen eggs last week! 

When will I ever learn to "step out of the picture"?

For new babies... 

And their big brothers... 

and 2012 babies, celebrating their birthdays...

and hangin' at the mall with granddaughters... 

For nocturnal visitors who were fascinating to watch... 

And sometimes scary!

To gardens from the git-go...

to fruition, and good eating! 

And surrounded by beauty and flowers all summer... 

For Lilly Ann, Protector of Us All,

For Abby Lynn, 

Farm Assistant and Associate Protector of Us All, 

For Keith, without whom none of this could be happening, and especially...

We are grateful to God that we still have Nathan, (second from left) who fell through 

the ice of South Lake in Garnett on Thursday afternoon trying to get a football... his friend Manny, who went in after him, and their Guardian Angels who brought them up through the ice and back to land... a disaster averted... 

And ye, beneath life's crushing load,6
Whose forms are bending low,
Who toil along the climbing way
With painful steps and slow,
Look now! for glad and golden hours
come swiftly on the wing.
O rest beside the weary road,
And hear the angels sing!
For lo!, the days are hastening on,
By prophet bards foretold,7
When with the ever-circling years
Comes round the age of gold8
When peace shall over all the earth
Its ancient splendors fling,9
And the whole world give back the song10
Which now the angels sing.

Brandon David, 

9/10/1991 - 5/7/2013