Out to pasture/lilacs and appleblossoms/clothesline for Ruth/"Take you by the hand and lead you..."

 Grandma picking an armload of lilacs this morning when picking up Joy and Luke while mom and dad are busy helping grandpa putting cows and calves out to pasture this cloudy day.

In grandma heaven with the lilacs in perfect points and the apple blossoms filling the trees!  The sun would add so much to it all, but I managed to record is well with a lot of JOY in my pictures and in my heart!

 My companions for the day - 3 year old Joy and 6 year old Luke.

8 year old Rose again dressed for a day of helping on the farm with the big day job of putting cows and calves out to pasture - tonight most of the remaining 150 pairs of cows and calves will be enjoying the green grass and waters from the creeks of pastures here there and all around, including behind our place here.  

 I can smell them through the picture, and so pretty in her bright pink with the bank of wonderful bushes behind her!  Grandma was in her glory!

 Lilacs, apple blossoms showering all around her, and soybeans coming up in the field around their house.

 The sweetest bouquet of ALL - week and a half old Birdie with her brother Jude!

 There are about 5 or 6 different pastures to put pairs on... such a big job to figure out who goes where and to make sure that they have the right cow with the right calf and the right bull.  Today the trailer will be coming here with some loads for out pasture.

 David's ducks found some water.. the trailer ready to go with load after load of loudly mooing cows and calves.  We can tell they are content and together in the right order when they are peaceful and content when the cow finds it's own calf!

Apple blossoms galore and as Rose said - "This year we want apples!  I am hungry for them."  Yes, we have had some bad years, so we are ready for too many this year for our applesauce and our pie filling and just plain old picking one to eat whenever we want to.

That isn't snow it is apple blossoms petals falling...

 Love lilac pictures so much!

 LOVE!

 Cloudy lilacs are still wonderful in a subdued sort of way...

 Ruth now has a clothesline, too!!  It is now on the other side of the lilac bushes.  Mine was formerly where the shop is now...

 You need to get a bit taller Luke and Joy til you can help with putting clothes on and off the line.  I am sure that your days of COL are in your future!  Clothes on the Line and off the Line were two chores that the kids had daily with me!

 Ruth's playhouse under the maple tree by the garden. When Maria came home from the convent - Poor Clares - she made me some stations of the Cross in the grove and the Crucifix hung on that maple tree to begin and end my stations.

There are still some in the trees, and with dad now the stations enter into our Sorrowful mysteries of the rosary we share... dad does 10 of the stations for each bead of the Carrying the Cross - 4th Sorrowful mystery.

 Ruth has wanted a clothesline since she moved to the farm, so this is a lot to celebrate with numerous pictures... even one with a tongue out.

 Soon you can hold onto your blanket on the clothesline while it dries Joy and Luke... like your mommy and her sisters ahead of you.  Some of my favorite memories indeed!

 The other side of the lilac bushes and the climbing tree by the fire pit.

Today after sharing breakfast and morning prayer... I quickly helped my dad get dressed before I headed over to get these two... dad wanted a different shirt but I made an executive decision and put him in one of my choosing...

I stated laughing and mentioned to dad this reading that came to mind...
John 21:18 18Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go."

We had to share a laugh and dad recalled how mom very much lived this out when they were preparing to leave their home of many years there in St Croix Falls and to move to Assisted Living - the Lodge of New Hope. "Mom very much reminded me daily that she did not want to leave our home and she was being taken by the hand and taken where she did not want to go."

This verse is Truth indeed as you walk into the sunset days of your life in many ways.

The precious little Sister!  How I would love to have Hallel hold her wearing this!  There is a possibility that she might stop in this summer, so the fake plans are flying fast and furious in my heart, mind and soul!

Well, I have little ones and my dad to feed lunch, so I had better end this for today.  How I long to find lilac pictures and clothesline pictures from the past...

OK... I couldn't resist - bless-bless, Barbara

Jesus, thank you for the small joys of our lives that fill us with happiness and contentment that we are living the LIFE you want for us.  So much fun to see my daughter living the life she grew up with and doing it with enthusiasm and excitement.  Such a good life we are given, and thank you for with each new day!

The Hallel Psalm from mass today - Psalm 148 is one of total JOY!
R.    Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
or:
R.    Alleluia.
Praise the LORD from the heavens;
praise him in the heights.
Praise him, all you his angels;
praise him, all you his hosts.
R.    Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Psalm 148
Yes!  That much praise is what we long to give you, O Lord!  We love you with our ALL!  Jesus, we trust in you.  Amen and hallelujah

Danielle Rose - the saint that is just me

"Prayer is the best preparation 
for Holy Communion. 
Prayer is the raising of the mind to God.
When we pray we go to meet Christ Who is coming to us.
If our Creator and Savior comes from heaven with such great love, 
it is only fitting that we should go to meet Him.
And this is what we do when we spend some time in prayer."

St Bernardine of Siena

Italy ~ 1380-1444
Orphaned young
Franciscan friar, itinerant preacher, theological writer

Known as "Apostle of Italy"

for efforts to revive faith in 15th century

Feast Day - May 20