Frost

Frost

Cold glittering particles

stare up into clear blue skies

freezing all it touches

turning all into a world of white.

~Me

Jack Frost

The door was shut, as doors should be,

Before you went to bed last night;

Yet Jack Frost has got in, you see,

And left your window silver white.

He must have waited till you slept;

And not a single word he spoke,

But pencilled o'er the panes and crept

Away again before you woke.

And now you cannot see the hills

Nor fields that stretch beyond the lane;

But there are fairer things than these

His fingers traced on every pane.

Rocks and castles towering high;

Hills and dales, and streams and fields;

And knights in armor riding by,

With nodding plumes and shining shields.

And here are little boats, and there

Big ships with sails spread to the breeze;

And yonder, palm trees waving fair

On islands set in silver seas,

And butterflies with gauzy wings;

And herds of cows and flocks of sheep;

And fruit and flowers and all the things

You see when you are sound asleep.

For, creeping softly underneath

The door when all the lights are out,

Jack Frost takes every breath you breathe,

And knows the things you think about.

He paints them on the window-pane

In fairy lines with frozen steam;

And when you wake you see again

The lovely things you saw in dream.

~Gabriel Setoun

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Frost is pretty, but it's also cold. I like looking out the window in the morning, though, and seeing what "Jack Frost" did outside the last night. We've had some pretty heavy frosts lately--I think winter's here! It's nice to come into a warm kitchen in the morning. :)

Keep your eyes on Jesus!

My Life as a Chicken — the Trials and Troubles of My Life (Part 1)

A Note From the Author:

The following is a story that I started writing in the states. You could call it true, because it really did happen--I remember. I made the diagrams from my best recollection of the buildings, and was surprised that I remembered the pigs' ears in the barrel! Yes, that was part of the "old farm life", a little piece of my history. I remember all the little chicks in the back room, peeping wildly, and holding them with my brothers and stroking their soft, warm, bodies. I remember punching out all the little cardboard circles, and I believe I even got up to 1/2 a gallon bag full at one time! We had a lot of fun playing with them, too, the few times we remembered that they were there. Most likely the most fun part, though, was punching them out in the first place. :) And yes, sad to say, we did step on the little chicks. But that didn't happen often, I can only remember (in the 10 years I lived on the farm) one chick dying as a direct result of being stepped on. And I also remember dipping their beaks in feed and water as we pulled them out of the box. We would also count the chicks as they came out, and often there would be several extra in case there were roosters (which we would butcher). I hope you enjoy the story! :) God bless.

          2nd April          

I broke the air sack this morning. Then I began a frantic pecking at the side of my shell. By mid-morning, I had used up almost all of my air, and I still had to peck through part of my shell. Finally, when my feeble neck was about done for, it opened up. PHEW! The blast of warm air blew into my nose, setting me sneezing. I now heard (for the first time) other chicks pecking at the sides of their shells, and wondered if that was my siblings? I wanted to find out, but I had to take a short nap because, after all, it is hard work to hatch out of a shell! Time to work some more. Will write later.

Later...

I'm out! I'm out! After my nap, I struggled with my shell some more. It finally cracked open enough that I could squeeze out into the big world. A few other chicks were around me, some fluffy and dry while others were wet like me. There were plenty of eggshells around, some cracked open, and some still whole. I shivered and shook until my feathers dried, then started on a search for Mamma. She was nowhere to be seen! I peeped wildly, but the only answer I got was the cheeps of the other chicks. I knew she had been there before, I had felt the warmth of her feathers all the time I was in my cramped little shell. I finally gave up calling for her, and got acquainted with my neighbors. Come to find out, we're all related—if not by mother then by father.

I found it a lot of fun to talk to all of them, but it was tiring too, and I hadn't eaten in a long time. One of my siblings (one of those that hatched out first) showed me where I could get some water to drink. That quenched my hunger for a while, and I played with some of the other chicks.

It's been a big day, and I'm tired. Will write more tomorrow.

          3rd April          

  The Box I Was Stuffed In

  I had the most terrible awakening anyone could possibly have this morning. I was aroused as a plastic-coated hand snatched me up and put me in a section of a box, along with other peeping chicks. In the confusion, I was separated from the other chicks that I had made an acquaintance with, but it really didn't make much difference—I was still too tired to do much because of my exhausting adventure yesterday. 

One of the chicks in my part of the box told me that he had seen this same thing happen the day before, only then he hadn't been quite out of his shell, so they didn't get him. Apparently, those terrible and huge giants with plastic-coated hands come through every day and get all the chicks that are out of their shells and dried off.

After we were put in boxes, a lid was pushed on and we were lifted onto something that rolled along on the ground, and then placed in an even bigger thing that moved that had a scary sound to it. We were taken to a store, where with a thump we landed on the cold floor of a back room. There we stayed, peeping away, trying to huddle together to stay warm. The air was cold there compared to the incubators where we had lived before, and I wasn't too happy about my terrible awakening.

Where I was (a diagram of the feed store)

Suddenly, I heard a chatter of children's voices. They got louder and louder, and then the top of my box jerked open.

“Oh, how CUTE!” I heard a little girl say, “Mommy, can I hold one?”

Someone laughed quietly behind her. “Yes, you and Seth may each hold one while I pay for them.” Gentle hands soon held me, and I peeped even louder in distress. The little girl was holding me. What was I to do? It sure was scary!

Soon the mother came back, and I was placed in the box again. Relief! The lid—and the sides of the box, too, had holes punched in them so that we could breath a little easier. Soon after I was put back, the lid was pushed gently back on, and our stack of boxes were picked up with another one of those things with wheels. We were pushed out to the waiting thunder-sounding something-on-wheels, and forced into the back by strong hands. Soon, we were on they way to a new place.

I must have fallen asleep, because the next thing I knew, I was being lifted by soft hands onto a bed of wood shavings. There was a board running right down the middle of the room, dividing us from the white chicks that were going in the other side. As each of us were lifted out, our beaks were dipped in a big water container and in the feed trough. I heard a man say to the mother, “That way, they'll start eating faster.” She agreed. I felt sorry for some of the chicks, the little children kept stumbling over them, and they walked (rather I should say, limped) away. One chick even died when one of the little children accidentally stumbled on it! 

After all the boxes were unloaded, the little children grabbed them and took them to another room down the hall, where they punched out all the little circles in the cardboard boxes that were made for air holes. I heard them planning how they would use them as play money, and play store with them. The little girl got a bag half-full of the circles!

Well, night is fast approaching, so I should go to bed.

A Diagram of Where the Chicks Were Placed:

Yup, that's where I was!

Well, I should go for now. Will be back in a few days with part two!

I've got an AMAZING Mum!

Here's a glimpse of this morning, a regular home school morning:

(James) “One hundred-one, Mum!”

(Elijah, announcing room temperature)  “Twenty-two point seven!”

(Mum, talking to Seth) “See, if nine is a factor, then three has to be, too! Now figure out that one. What is the digit sum? Alright, what is the digit sum of twelve? Joe, don't dump them.”

(James) “Mum, ------'s not letting my hand...”

(Mum, correcting his math) “Uh, James, that isn't one hundred sixteen cents.”

(Mum) “He doesn't want a point, does he?”

(James) “Where's the whale watch stories?”

(Mum) “In the computer. Actually, they're in the book that Grandma brought.”

(Joe cries) 

(Mum, looking at ------)  “What did you do?”

(------) “I was just playing!”

(Mum) “WHAT did you do?”

(------) “Well, ah...”

(James, ready for his speed-drill) “EVERYONE BE QUIET!” (with a shout)

(Simon, discussing speed-drills with James) “Five-fifteen. I got ten more than you exactly. Ready, setty, go!”

------------------------------

WHEW! I tell you, my mum's amazing! She has patience! If she's able to live through all that without going blind, deaf, dumb, and not even blowing her top off...and this happens just about every day...I think I have some learning to do. A lot actually! Oh, God, help me! (And thank you Mummy, for being such a great example!!!

Sharing in the Women Living Well Wednesday Link-Up Party!

Trust the LORD! 

Debris From Japan Hit Alaska

An estimated five million tons of debris—including cars, boats, houses, and buoys were washed away from Japan following the massive 9.0 earthquake that hit on March 11, 2011. In fourteen months, the rubble has drifted across the Pacific, some of it landing in Alaska. The harbour in Seward (which opens into the Gulf of Alaska) has the first large amount of debris, a small foretaste of what is to come.

“It is a disturbing sight,” CBS News reported, “A wilderness beach that is littered with plastic bottles, fishing gear and big chunks of yellow foam believed to be insulation from ruined Japanese buildings swept to sea when the tsunami hit.” Further on, they said, “...on the shore was a plastic fuel container with Japanese writing on it. It is the kind of lightweight item that floats and can be blown by the wind so it got here fast. It is expected debris like this could hit beaches along the West Coast, down to California.”

A lot of the local people—mostly all fishermen by trade—are worried that contamination from the rubble will affect the wildlife of the area, including the fish they catch. They are begging officials to come and help.

Sources: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18563_162-57441290/alaska-braces-for-debris-from-japans-tsunami/, http://edition.cnn.com/studentnews/index.html (check the student news site out, it's great!)

Goats in the Bible (a Biblical Word Study)--Part 2

Welcome to Part 2 of Goats in the Bible Biblical Word Study! (read Part 1 here) In this part of the study, I took the separate groups of verses, combined them, and marked on a table whether they were used (in the verses) as:

1. food/flocks
2. offerings
3. other

The total amounted to 35 groups of verses:

• in the food/flocks category, there were 12 marks,
• in the offerings category, there were 13 marks (5 of these were sin offerings),
• in the other category, where were 11 marks,

It turned out rather interesting! There are 128 verses in total where the word "goat" is in the Bible. (click on the picture to view the pdf)

Hope you enjoyed my little study!

Your friend,

Goats in the Bible (a Biblical Word Study)--Part 1

Today, I got to finish my study of the word "goat" in the Bible. It was really interesting. Part 1 of the study is below, where I took all the verses, highlighted in red the name "goat", and divided the verses into sections (every section is more or less a different subject), that you can see in the bars to the right. (click on the picture to view the pdf)

All for now! Will be back in a little bit with Part 2!

Farm Animals' Different Gestations (in months)

Today, I got to study Farm Animals' Different Gestations in months. It was really interesting!

Fascinating, isn't it?

May Photo Challenge {Pure Femininity blog}

Pure Femininity is hosting a spring photo challenge, so I thought I'd join. Even though it is fall right now, here's a picture I took in November 2010 that reminds me of spring a lot--blue skies and flowers! (by the way, check out their blog; it's great! I'm especially enjoying their "Natural Remedies" posts that they're doing right now, check them out! They are great!)

Cabbage tree in bloom

Psalm 79-144 (Study of "Sheep" and "Shepherd" in Psalms)

For school today, I worked on my study of the words "sheep" and "shepherd" in Psalms. I love re-writing things in my own words; it helps me understand the stories so much better! Enjoy!

Psalm 79—my retelling of the psalm:

Oh, God, the wicked people have come among Your chosen people. They have defiled Your holy temple, and have turned Jerusalem into heaps of rubble. The dead bodies of Your people lay all over the place. So many people died that there is nobody to bury them. Our neighbors daily reproach and scorn us. How long, oh, Lord? How long will You be angry with us? Pour out Your wrath on the nations that have denied that You are! Don't remember our former sins, let Your tender mercy quickly help us! Help us, oh God of our salvation, so that Your name can be glorified. Deliver us, otherwise the heathen will say contemptuously, “Where is their god? They don't have one!” Let your power be known by revenging the blood of Your servants which has been shed. Give to our neighbors seven times the amount of the reproach they have given Your Name. Then we, Your people, the sheep of Your pastures, will give You thanks for ever. We will shout out Your praise through all generations.

A spreading vine

Psalm 80—my retelling of the psalm: 

Listen, O Shepherd of Israel, the person Who leads Joseph like a flock of sheep, You who dwell between the cherubim. Turn again to us, O God, and cause the sunshine of Your grace to shine on us, so that we will be saved. O Lord God of hosts, how long will You be angry against Your people? You make us to be a proverb to our neighbors, our enemies laugh openly at us. Turn again to us, O God, and cause the sunshine of Your grace to shine on us, so that we will be saved. You who have cast out the heathen before us, and planted us as a vine in this land. You prepared the rich soil to give us food, and caused us (as a vine) to take great root, and we filled the land. The hills were covered with our shadow, we were like the beautiful cedars. Our boughs stretched out over the sea, they covered the rivers of water. Our hedges are broken down, so that all who pass by break pieces off. The wild boar comes out of the forest, and devours us, and leaves nothing. Return, we beg of You, O Lord, look down from heaven, behold this vine that You have planted with Your own hands. See this vineyard that You have planted, O Lord! It is burned with fire, the wicked have cut it down. Let Your hand be upon those whom You've chosen, help us, quicken us to life again, and we will call on Your name. Turn to us again, O Lord God of hosts, cause Your face to shine on us again, and we will be saved.

Psalm 95—my retelling of the psalm: 

O come, all people! Let us sing unto the Lord! Let us come before His presence with singing, and make a joyful noise unto Him with songs. The LORD is a great God, a King above all gods. In His hands are the depths of the earth, the strength of the hills is His. The sea is His (He made it), His hands formed the dry land. O come, let us worship and bow low at His feet, let us kneel before the LORD our maker. For He is our God, we are the people of His pasture. The sheep of His hand. Today, if you hear Him call, don't harden your hearts against Him, like you did when you were tempted in the wilderness. “Forty years long,” says the Lord, “Forty years long I was sorrowful against this generation of people, and said, 'It is a people that stray from me in their heart. They have not known my ways. Now I swear in my wrath that they will not enter into my rest.'”

Psalm 100—my retelling of the psalm: 

Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all nations! Serve the LORD with gladness, come before His presence with singing. Know this day that the LORD is GOD. It was He that made us, (we didn't make ourselves), we are HIS people, the sheep of HIS pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, enter His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His holy name. The LORD is good, His mercy is eternal, His truth endures through all ages of time.

Psalm 119, verses 169-176—my retelling of the verses (the psalm is just way too big to do it all!): 

Let my cry come before You, O LORD, give me understanding according to Your Word. Let my plea come before You, O Most High, and deliver me according to Your Word. My lips will express praise when You have taught me Your laws. My tongue will speak of Your Word, because all Your commands are righteous. Let Your hand help me, because I have chosen Your precepts. I have longed for Your salvation, O LORD, Your law is my delight. Let my soul live, and it will praise You, let Your judgments help me. I have gone astray like a lost sheep; look for Your servant, for I don't forget Your law.

Psalm 144—my retelling of the psalm: 

Blessed be the LORD my strength, Who teaches my hands how to war, and my fingers to fight. My goodness, and my fortress, my high tower, and my deliverer, my shield, and He whom I trust, who subdued people under me. Lord, what is man that You notice him? Man is like a shadow, that comes and then is gone. Lord, You are so mighty—you can touch the mountains, and they will smoke. Deliver me from the hands of people who don't know you, whose mouths speak lies and their right hand is a hand of untruth. So that our sons can be as plants grown up in their youth, and our daughters can be as corner stones, polished like palace stone. That our stores of food can be full, and our sheep can give many lambs. That our cattle can be strong to labor, that there will be no complaining in our houses. Happy are those people who are in such a situation!Happy are the people whose God is the LORD!

Entering this in Women Living Well's Wednesday Link-Up Party!

Musical Monday

I'll admit right now--I LOVE music. (You probably already know that!) Well, today I'm going to share some of my favorites at the moment.

1.  All classical music, no matter what! I don't care if it's Beethoven (though I really like his music), Bon, Chopin, Mozart, you-name-it, I'll probably love it! Some of my favorite classical pieces include--

• Für Elise (Beethoven)
• Rondo from Piano Sonata No. 58 (Haydn)
• The Entertainer Rag (Joplin)
• La Flamande (de la Guerre)

2. The Value of One (music in video sung by Hooker Family--background music, but no beat)

The Words for the Song:

Verse 1:

Could it be that up in Heaven God is sitting on his throne,
Anticipating another sinner will soon become his own?
Years of wasted living and years of toil and strife are
just about to be over as he receives the gift of life!

Chorus 1:
Go sound the horn! Strike up the choir! A sinner is saved,
saved from the fire! No more in darkness, he's received my Son, All heaven's rejoicing, that's the value of one!

Verse 2:
The Holy Spirit has been working to soften up their hearts,
All he needs is a willing servant to simply do his part;
Can you imagine up in heaven the joy there is that day As a
sinner bows his head to pray, can't you hear the Father say?

Chorus 2:
Go sound the horn! Strike up the choir! A sinner is saved,
saved from the fire! No more in darkness, he's received my Son,
All heaven's rejoicing, that's the value of one!

Final:
Start construction on his mansion there on hallelujah street,
He doesn't know yet what is waiting When the Saviour he'll meet!
Go sound the horn! strike up the choir! A sinner is saved, saved from the fire!
No more in darkness, he's received My Son! All heaven's rejoicing, that's the value of one!

3.   Go Down, Moses! (No video, because all had a background beat, but here's part of the song (go here to hear it) {no beat}

The Words:

(Text: Afro-American spiritual (Ex. 3:7-12) 

Music: Afro-American spiritual; adapt. and arr. by William Farley Smith, 1986
Tune: TUBMAN, Meter: 85.85 with Refrain)

1. When Israel was in Egypt's land, let my people go;
oppressed so hard they could not stand, let my people go.

Refrain:
Go down, Moses, way down in Egypt's land;
tell old Pharaoh to let my people go!

2. The Lord told Moses what to do, Let My people go;
To lead the children of Israel through, Let My people go.

3. "Thus saith the Lord," bold Moses said, let my people go;
"if not, I'll smite your first-born dead," let my people go. (Refrain)

4. No more shall they in bondage toil, let my people go;
let them come out with Egypt's spoil, let my people go. (Refrain)

5. We need not always weep and mourn, let my people go;
and wear those slavery chains forlorn, let my people go. (Refrain)

6. Come, Moses, you will not get lost, let my people go;
stretch out your rod and come across, let my people go. (Refrain)

7. As Israel stood by the water's side, let my people go;
at God's command it did divide, let my people go. (Refrain)

8. When they had reached the other shore, let my people go;
they sang a song of triumph o'er, let my people go. (Refrain)

9. O Moses, the cloud shall cleave the way, let my people go;
a fire by night, a shade by day, let my people go. (Refrain)

10. Your foes shall not before you stand, let my people go;
and you'll possess fair Canaan's land, let my people go. (Refrain)

11. This world's a wilderness of woe, let my people go;
O let us on to Canaan go, let my people go. (Refrain)

12. O let us all from bondage flee, let my people go;
and let us all in Christ be free, let my people go. (Refrain)

Sources: http://www.lutheran-hymnal.com/lyrics/hs825.htm and
http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh448.sht

New Zealand Farm Animals

Today, I studied NZ farm animals. I put them on a bar graph, and was surprised at the different amounts! Take a look for yourself!


Info for graph:
No. of cows--9,900,000
No. of sheep--40,000,000
No. of goats--153,000
No. of pigs--810,000
No. of deer--1,800,000

Study of "Sheep" and "Shepherd" in Psalms--Part 2

Psalm 49—my impressions of the psalm:

Hear, everybody! Give ear, O earth! Everyone—low and high, rich and poor, everyone that has an ear. My tongue will speak of wisdom, heart made up of understanding. Why should I fear in the day of evil? Those who trust in wealth can't redeem their brothers! They think that their riches will continue for ever, but they are wrong. They all die, and nothing is left. Their way is foolishness, and even yet their children approve of what they do. Like sheep, they are laid in the grave, death has dominion over them. But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave, He will receive me! Don't be afraid when someone is made rich, because when he dies, he won't take anything with him. While he lived, he blessed his soul, but when he is dead, he shall go to his fathers. They will never see light. Man that used to be honored and understands not is like a animal that dies.

Psalm 74—my impressions of the psalm:

O God, why have you cast us off for ever? Why are you angry at the sheep of your pasture? Remember your people, whom you have kept from old, your inheritance, the people who you have redeemed; this mount Zion, where you used to live. Your enemies are in the middle of your people; they have set up their signs for us to worship. They ruin the temple, they cast fire in your sanctuary, they have defiled the dwelling place of your name by casting it down to the ground! There is not one prophet left. O God, shall your enemy blaspheme your nave for ever? Why do you take away your hand from us?

God, you are my King of old, working salvation in the middle of the earth. You divided the sea with your strength, you broke the heads of the dragon in pieces, and gave him to be meat to the people living in the wilderness. You dry up mighty rivers, you split apart fountains and floods of water. You made the day and night, you've made the sun. You have made all seasons—summer and winter. Remember that the enemy has accused you, O Lord, and that the foolish people have blasphemed your name. Oh, don't give the soul of your turtle-dove to the wicked! Don't forget us forever! Remember the covenant we made with you! Arise, O God! Plead your own cause: remember how foolish men reproach you daily. Don't forget your enemies, those who rise up against you continually. Remember us, and help us! 

Psalm 78—my impressions of the psalm:

Oh, people, listen to my words. We will remember what God has done for us, so that we might put our hope in God, and not forget what God has done for us, and keep His commandments. If we keep His commandments, we will not be a stubborn and rebellious nation, a nation that has not set their heart right, who are not doing what God wants them to do. The children of Ephraim, armed and carrying bows, turned back when the day of battle came. They didn't keep the commands of the Lord, and refused to obey His law. They forgot what He had done, and all the wonders He had shown them.

Oh, what marvelous things He did in Egypt! He parted the sea, and let them pass through on dry land. In the daytime, he led them with a cloud, and at night with a pillar of fire. He broke the rocks in the desert, and gave them pure water to drink that tasted like it came from deep underground. He brought streams of water out of the rock, and caused the water to run down like rivers.

Even after these amazing signs, they sinned against the Most High, and spake against God. They said—”Can God give us plenty of food in the wilderness?”, disbelieving that He could ever do it. The Lord heard them complaining, and was angered at their discontent because they didn't believe in the power of God, and didn't trust in His ability to save them. So God rained bread on them. And he rained meat on them. Even then, they didn't want to obey and follow Him. They forgot that He had freed His people in Egypt, and led them out, like sheep. They forgot that He had always guided them in the wilderness like a flock and their shepherd. They forgot, and the Lord turned His back on them. But they repented, and guided them by His own hands.

Seven Endangered Animals of New Zealand

Today, I got to make a pictograph of Seven Endangered Animals of New Zealand! It was really interesting. Here it is: (click on the picture to see it bigger)

I wish, I wish, I wish I could...

...but I can't draw.

I got the picture here
(check the site out; it's a great place for pictures!)

I can't be an artist (I'm terrible at drawing), but I can be a photographer. I've read about everything about photography we have, do you have any suggestions? Sites where you got some good tips? I'd sure be interested!

I've found that Wikipedia.org is a great place for pictures; almost all the pictures on there are in the public domain, and what aren't you can usually use with just a photo credit. I like sites like that!

What's YOUR favorite form of pictures? Drawings, pictures taken by a camera, paintings? If you have a favorite place for getting them, where is it? 


(The first 15 links in the link-up are my own (ones I've collected). Will your favorites be in this list???)

Belated Happy Mother's Day, Mummy!

To My Mummy:

She's the BEST!

I don't have a gift, but I still have my thank you! You've done so much for me, I couldn't even start at the beginning! Here are a few things I'm thankful for this year--a mother who can:

• make good food,
• teach me things I don't understand,
• listen when I need someone to talk to,
• understand when I need someone to understand me, 
• read to me while I work,
• teach me how to cook,
• teach me how to sew,
• teach me how I should walk the Christian walk,
• tell me what books are good for me, and what aren't,
• ...I could go on and on, but here's one more:  teach me how I should act as a young lady (yes, thank you for this especially; I've acted the part of a tomboy too much!)

THANK YOU, MUMMY!

My wonderful Mummy!

Lots of love,

Your daughter,

Yesterday, 15th May (picture journal)

Some of our friends came over yesterday for writing group. In the morning,
we read stories, but in the afternoon a lot of the younger children played
tag on the hay bales!

The sky was absolutely beautiful yesterday!

Chessy, our house cow. The fall colours aren't quite as bright as say, a
week ago, but it is still pretty!

God bless!

~Esther

The past week (journal)

Monday, 7 May 2012

Today started out much like any other day: 7:30 am, and cold. We got busy with the day, I was on dishes duty, and got them done after some time. Then we got a call from Di: GET TO THE VINEYARD! THEY'RE ASKING FOR SIMON! Me and Simon ended up going. We worked from ¼ 'till 11 to 3 o'clock. Simon and Bronwyn were there with their girls. Quite a few other people were there, including Pete & Di and Kevin & Helen. It was okay, I never really wanted to go but when we got there I was happy about working. Now my legs are SORE as! Better get to bed and get a good night's sleep—we're working there tomorrow. We got 3.2 (metric) tonnes all together—some Ger...{something} grapes, and some of another kind--Reisling.

Friday, 11 May 2012 

Well, this week has been busy I guess! School has gone well, (the days we did school, that is!) and I feel like I've got a lot done. Probably haven't done that much, but it seems like it.

School today went well. I got Math, Bible reading, Reading (finished Misty of Chincoteague!), and Science done by lunch, then worked on putting together the dress I cut out yesterday this afternoon. I got the top done, all except for the sleeves. That's the next step. Then I need to gather the skirt (was originally planning to tuck it, but I just realized that I've put in gathering stitches; OOPS!), and sew up the side seams (REMEMBERING to put those pockets in!!!). Then all I have to do is hem it, and it'll get done! Hopefully I can wear it Sunday....?

The History of Barbed Wire

Today for school, I had the assignment of studying barbed wire. It is quite interesting! Since I LOVE history, this made it doubly interesting.

-----------------------------------

HISTORY OF BARBED WIRE (copied from wikipedia.org):

Before 1865

Fencing consisting of flat and thin wire was first proposed in France, by Leonce Eugene Grassin-Baledans in 1860. His design consisted of bristling points, creating a fence that was painful to cross. In April 1865 Louis François Janin proposed a double wire with diamond-shaped metal barbs; he was granted a patent. Michael Kelly from New York had a similar idea, and proposed that the fencing should be used specifically for deterring animals.

More patents followed, and in 1867 alone there were six patents issued for barbed wire. Only two of them addressed livestock deterrence, one of which was from American Lucien B. Smith of Ohio. Before 1870, westward movement in the USA was largely across the plains with little or no settlement occurring. After the American Civil War the plains were extensively settled, consolidating America's dominance over them.

Ranchers moved out on the plains, and needed to fence their land in against encroaching farmers and other ranchers. The railroads throughout the growing West needed to keep livestock off their tracks, and farmers needed to keep stray cattle from trampling their crops. Traditional fence materials used in the Eastern U.S., like wood and stone, were expensive to use in the large open spaces of the plains, and hedging was not reliable in the rocky, clay and rain-starved dusty soils. A cost-effective alternative was needed to make cattle operations profitable.

The 1873 meeting and initial development

Later Glidden was joined by Ellwood who knew his design could not compete with Glidden's for which he applied for a patent in October 1873. Meanwhile Haish, who had already secured several patents for barbed wire design, applied over a week before Glidden for a patent on his third type of wire, the S barb, and accused Glidden of interference, deferring Glidden's approval for his patented wire nicknamed "The Winner" until November 24, 1874.
This was simply a wooden block with wire protrusions designed to keep cows from breaching the fence. That day, Glidden was accompanied by two other men, Isaac L. Ellwood, a hardware dealer and Jacob Haish, a lumber merchant. Like Glidden, they both wanted to create a more durable wire fence with fixed barbs. Glidden experimented with a grindstone to twist two wires together to hold the barbs on the wire in place. They were created from experiments with a coffee mill from his home. The "Big Four" in barbed wire were Joseph Glidden, Jacob Haish, Charles Francis Washburn, and Isaac L. Ellwood. Glidden, a farmer in 1873 and the first of the "Big Four," is often credited for designing a successful sturdy barbed wire product, but he let others popularize it for him. Glidden's idea came from a display at a fair in DeKalb, Illinois in 1873, by Henry B. Rose. Rose had patented "The Wooden Strip with Metallic Points" in May 1873.

Barbed wire production greatly increased with Glidden and Ellwood’s establishment of the Barb Fence Company in DeKalb following the success of "The Winner". The company's success attracted the attention of Charles Francis Washburn, Vice President of Washburn & Moen Manufacturing Company, an important producer of plain wire in the Eastern U.S. Washburn visited De Kalb and convinced Glidden to sell his stake in the Barb Wire Fence Company, while Ellwood stayed in DeKalb and renamed the company I.L Ellwood & Company of DeKalb.

More here...  (click on the link, or click on the picture)

“Barbed Wire” by درفش کاویانی is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0

A Song to the Great Shepherd

or, John 10: from the viewpoint of the sheep.

Depiction of the Good 

Shepherd by Philippe de 

Champaigne, showing the 

influence of the parable of 

lost sheep.

(Note: this picture is in

the US public domain. Go 

here to learn more.)

We are the sheep. Our true Shepherd acts as a door at night, and protects us from prowling wolves. We know our Shepherd; whoever else came before Him where thieves and robbers (they stole our food and our lambs from us), but we never obeyed them—their voices were different from our True Shepherd. Our Shepherd is always at the door. If we go with Him, we will be safe, and will find plenty of food. The thief never came to where we sleep except to steal us, to kill us, and destroy us entirely. Our True Shepherd comes to give us life more than abundantly. He is the Good Shepherd, and gives His life daily for His dear sheep.

When they hire a person to take care of us and he sees a wolf coming, he runs away. Then, because he is not guarding and protecting us, the wolf catches the weak of the flock and eats them. The rest of us are scattered as leaves before a wind. The hired person runs from us because he is hired, and doesn't truly love us. (He only takes care of himself; he doesn't care about the rest of us.) Our True Shepherd knows our deepest needs, and we know His love for us. Just like we know our own lambs and would gladly lay down our lives for them, so our Shepherd knows us and is willing to lay His life down for us. There are other sheep that our Shepherd hasn't brought to the safe fold yet to join us, but they will hear Him call, and they will come and be as one of us. Then there will be just one fold, and one Shepherd. The Shepherd's Father loves Him a lot, because He gladly lays His life down for us. Nobody takes it from Him, but He does it of His own accord. He has the power to lay it down, and He also has power to take it again. He has received a command from His Father to love us, and He cherishes us as if we were His little children. We praise Him for His great love to us.

“But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: that in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:4-7)

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The passage from which the writing was taken from:

John 10:7-18

"7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.
8 All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.
9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.
13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.
14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.
16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.
17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father."

Post-It Note Thoughts

Once again, I used http://wigflip.com/superstickies/ to make my post-it notes. I love it! So cute!

(Enjoy!)

Common New Zealand Sheep Diseases

With NZ having about 8 sheep per person (as of 2008), it could be highly useful to know some of the common sheep diseases. That was my study for science today. I am only getting one point from this, so I don't have to write about it. I came across a great article by Dr Clive Dalton, and thought I'd share it with you. Enjoy!

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(FROM THE WEBSITE:)

Footrot

• Cause: Bacteria in the soil and in chronically infected feet.
• Signs: Lame sheep; Sheep grazing on their knees.
• Affects: All ages, and is worst in winter with wet ground.
• Treatment: Trim excess horn being careful not to cut into the quick and cause bleeding; Use antibiotic spray; Put through footbath of copper sulphate or formalin and let drain on concrete before returning to paddock; Cull severe cases.
• Prevention: Cull all persistently chronic cases.

Foot scald

• Cause: Bacteria on long wet spring pasture.
• Signs: Very lame lambs.
• Affects: Mainly young lambs between docking and weaning when pasture is long and wet.
• Treatment: Antibiotic spray or footbath is a lot of lambs are affected.
• Prevention; Graze on shorter pasture.

Internal parasites

• Cause: Different species of roundworms, tapeworms, lungworms, liver flukes.
• Signs: Scouring, poor growth, ill thrift, hollow looking and anaemic.
• Affects: All ages, but especially damaging in young growing sheep.
• Treatment: Anthelmintic worm drenches, and management options e.g. alternative grazing with other species.
• Prevention: Check with veterinarian to ensure correct diagnosis using Faecal Egg Counts (FEC) and correct product to use to avoid drench resistance in worms.

External parasites

Lice

• Cause: Lice & keds which suck blood.
• Signs: Wool on fences where sheep have been rubbing. Wool pulled out from rest of fleece.
• Affects: All ages, mainly those with long wool.
• Treatment: Use correct chemical pouron treatment, spray or dip;
• Prevention: Check regularly for lice on skin at base of wool staple on shoulder. Shear if wool is long.

Blowfly strike

• Cause: Maggots of different species of blowfly.
• Signs: Sheep biting areas of skin; Wool falling out and bare sores. Wet patches on wool.
• Affects: All ages but most often lambs when they are scouring. The Australian green blowfly will strike on any damp sweaty part of a lamb.
• Treatment: Use correct chemical spray; Dag and shear.
• Prevention: Check regularly when weather is hot and humid. Shear and treat with chemical as risks increase. 

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more...

(click on the link above, or click on the picture to read more)

The Top 10 Wool Exporters in the World (pie graph)

Yup, here's the pie graph for y'all! It was fun making--once I understood how to make it. I first made a handmade graph, then did a digital. You can see both below.

HANDMADE:

DIGITAL (click on the picture to see it bigger):

The Top 10 Wool Exporters in the World--pictograph (pie graph to come)

I was supposed to put this up Monday, but didn't get it done until now. Sorry! To see the picture better, click on it. (Email readers--click on the post title to view on blog, or click on the picture).