Magnificent Mountains

Mountains are so quietly kept. Their secrets lie dormant in the silence of their bold and staunch settlement. So many have tread and come to know her pieces of beauty, though ever changing, in her long-suffering and steadfast calm. She happily gives all that she can from Creations magnificence she has been given. So quietly bearing all until she can no longer keep herself from calling out. When she speaks, there is none who does not hear, and so many can feel her pain, knowing her distress. Though ragged and reformed, she continues on in quiet peacefulness and firm solitude.

So, This Is Christmas

We are planted here and settling in. We have discovered that our morning walks after breakfast fit nicely in our routine, though they have been mostly snow covered this past week. So much that we nearly couldn't get off the mountainside to town for the feast of Nativity. Thankfully, we have made it and the day has been glorious, however cold. We will have the liturgy in the morning in celebration of God becoming Man, what a joyous feast! Jay has been serving in the altar and he is really liking it and his health finally allows for it. He is there as I write this, due to Kat being exhausted. Apparently, she was too excited for coming to town, church, and to see family and friends, she hardly got any quality sleep and wore her little self out in anticipation, so we came home to my folks' early to let her rest.

Tomorrow following the liturgy there will be a meal and fellowship. It will be nice to see people and celebrate the feast together. After so many days of fasting, a person can really use some cheer and warmth found with caring souls. Though the calendar has shifted for our festal celebrations liturgically, I thought it may take more adjustment than it has. Fact is, a fast is a fast is a fast, no matter your date. 40 days without meat and dairy is one thing, but entering into a fast spiritually as we have come to know, is certainly familiar regardless. We will also be enjoying the company of family and friends at my folks' in the late afternoon to feast and be together. Such a wonder it can be sometimes, just to be together. I have missed that familial sense of holidays with my family; it has truly been ages. Many of our family traditions and whatnot are still here, no matter how old I get. I hope to pass that along to Kat as she grows, but more so, I pray she has a deeper connection with what has barely begun to touch my heart.

We are essentially broke, but not because of buying gifts, it just is that way. I feel most blessed in having practically no money for most of the month, yet have the most rewarding and moving season I can remember. It is yet another reminder of how we do not need things to occupy our hearts and lives, but people, moments, benevolence, kindness, peace, mercy, and most certainly love are key to survival! I struggle and am absolutely imperfect, but in my weakness I have found strength. In darkness there is beauty and light to be found in shades and tones of splendor, for every night has its morning just as each night has its stars.

Peace be unto you all and much love!

Forest Walking

It is a muddy clay that is underfoot in these hills and mountains. The very same that has molded the prints of the creatures that wander these woods. Today, on our daily outing following breakfast, we went the road less travelled in these parts, which is saying something, because you have to know them in order to navigate them without losing your way. In frozen mud we found cougar tracks and also bobcat. There were deer also, but the most exciting were the cats.

There is a curiosity to see them with one's own eyes, but knowing that is less than advisable, at least for the mountain lion. It was wondrous to see such perfectly made feet, in a full set of its paws, set in the mud. We are learning to distinguish the times from our rains, freezes, thaws, snows, etc. that would give opportunity to a creature for making such prints.

I am in awe of the beauty and magnificence, but also the sheer magnitude of the awakening of the piece of ourselves that we cannot hear in the bustle of the cities and towns. We are quietly beginning to hear the voice that calls from down within, which speaks to each of us in turn. To be so near all this life is truly breathtaking and humbling.

Slava Bogu

Since living on the little farm, which Katherine has aptly dubbed "The Lord's Land", our lives have taken an unexpected turn, however it is as good as ever. We are decidedly learning the season of change and what they bring, naturally following the daily cycle of rhythm for wake and sleep, and figuring out a balance for work, play, pray, and relax.

It isn't any wonder that we have been given a new perspective on a great many things. We are grateful for all the land produces and dream in seedlings and harvests, chicks and goats, berries and orchard offerings. The rise and set of the sun and moon ushers a great peacefulness into an otherwise busy and hectic day. We wake, spend the morning as a family over breakfast, do schoolwork, dishes, housework, let chickens out and check their food, dogs in and out, perhaps a nature walk, all the while planning greater projects for the afternoon's engagement.

The warm, long days of plenty have given way to the cool, darker days of quiet solitude. Yes, there is always something to be done, but it can be metered more easily in the autumnal winter-scape where fewer balls are left to juggle and priorities can be made. This is the home of my heart on this world and should passing into Eternity resemble any of what we are so blessed to encounter here, may God have mercy on us all, that we should be so fortunate to partake of then.

I am so full in all my senses being immersed in such tangible Divinity, I find I have fewer places within me with need. There is little left to need, when all is such a beautiful provision. It is work, but it is good work. It is hard, but it is a struggle worth battling. It is always something, but it is everything we never knew it could be, and more.

Life and Times

I have begun knitting my own sweater for the first time. I have made other things for myself that I wear, but never a full sweater. I have made them for others, but never for myself. My dear friend and fellow knitter, Val, gave me some delicious rust colored yarn and I have finally come up with an idea of what to make with it. I have designed the pattern myself and I am looking forward to seeing what comes of it. So far, it is actually pretty good. I am pleasantly surprised by the way it is working up and will share pictures when I am done.

I have ever so many knitting projects that I need to finish, I have just not found my rhythm with knitting since our move and it has become a little bit difficult, at times. Knitting has been a source of peace and comfort, while creating useful, beautiful items, in moments of struggle. I truly love knitting, even though my hands have begun to cooperate less than in the past. I have to finish two other sweaters: one for Kat (the sleeves have yet to get on the needles), and doing the neck edge for a family member, which requires some focus and concentration I have not been able to really muster lately. Oh well, in due time.

In other news, things are coming along on the farm. We have encountered some bumps, but they were to be expected, though it has left little down time from work. We will get there, especially after a calendar year of seasons to be acquainted with and the rhythm of the farm, not to mention, the addition of goats in the springtime! Kat is especially excited about the prospect of the goats coming. She has had her life dream come true at such a young age. I asked where she saw herself when she was grown up and she told me that she might have some more animals, go to town for a few things, and church. Yeah, she does not anticipate much change in her life and I do hope she is able to follow her dream as long as possible.

The weather is yet another thing to contend with, since the rain and snow makes or interesting mud and a couple weeks ago, we had awful wind. The wind was so violent it kept most of us in restless and fitful sleep the entire night. I remember waking a number of times and only knowing I had been asleep, because I opened my eyes and was conscious of the blasted wind and would fall off again into a sleep of little comfort and peace. That day was a rough one to be had, though we came out of it better in the end.

Well, that is about it for now, but I am supremely glad to be back on here. I had searched for a blogger app, but to no avail, until today. I had been trying to post from being signed in through our web browser, but it kept having a malfunction and not allowing me to do anything. So, this makes all the difference in the world! Yay!

Happy Time

I adore autumn! The beauty in the colors of change are amazing and majestic!

Right Now

We have had our first real snow and a nearly harrowing trip to town in the midst of it, but we were on our way to the Holy Unction service, which my dad and a few other members of our church family, were having prayers and anointing for their illnesses. It was beautiful, but I might have done without so many people on the side of the road, or blocking it, in the case of the big rig that couldn't make the turn and was stopped on the uphill in nearly both lanes completely. We managed and on the way back up, we stopped to help a carload of guys on their way to perform in town and had hit a slick piece and ended up on the side of the road, but thank God they didn't hit a tree and no one was hurt, however, one of their tired had been knocked from its seal and was not looking so good.

Ah, the farm life! So unpredictable, yet so sleepy, at times. We are doing well, but it is all we can do to stay on top of most things. The weather is beautiful here, but it is not a good indication of what it'll be like in town, or even at the summit, or whatever little area we drive through. I have really enjoyed the change of season, which is beautiful and calm, but there is seemingly no end to the antics that can happen in any given day. Between chickens jumping the fence to peck at any neighboring yard, one side of which is our neighbor's cow and horse pasture, and cows making a wrong trn during their roundup and nearly stampeding through our fenceline and having their way with things. What a life! We do enjoy the adventure, but getting broken in to a new routine and lifestyle can be somewhat tiring.

I rarely get online anymore, hence fewer posts. I pretty much only look in the mirror if I know I will be seeing someone off of the property, or am going to town/church. Television has become a thing of the past and I hardly know what is on, or when, and we even hardly watch movies due to our schedule. I am only now finding time to devote to knitting, because there aren't so many farm chores to tend. Going forward evermore, but in a torrent of fury and purpose.

Tomorrow we have our church Thanksgiving feast after the service so that we will be able to celebrate the holiday before the fast begins. This is new for us, as we have been on the old style/Julian calendar for over a decade, so for at least the better part of the year, things will be a little different. The trade off of not celebrating Thanksgiving on the civil holiday is that the Apostles' fast in the summer following Pentecost will finish in time to have a regular ol' 4th of July bash.

It is hard to believe I get to see my family for many of these days and holidays; it has truly been forever, it seems, because between people's health, travel, and time/money, we haven't been able to make it happen. My dad's health in consideration, I am especially grateful we get to be here for his birthday in a couple weeks and spend the holiday's and our birthday's with him and the family. In the past 2 calendar years, before we moved here, we had gotten to see my parents for a total of 11 or 12 days, half of which were poor health days and not much can be done but being glad of togetherness.

Well, I think that is all for now. Talk to you all soon, and thank you so much for your comments and reading; I am not able to properly respond sometimes, due to low internet usage.